JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-2950

alleys@vineyard.net

Today is the start of a long holiday weekend. Presidents Day is Monday. Schools, post offices and municipal buildings will be closed. School vacation week for our schools is not for another week after next, but it is vacation week for most other public school systems. We expect to have a modest influx of visitors. Business at Chilmark Chocolates was brisk last weekend and on Valentine’s Day. The weekend weather was reasonable allowing time to dispose of the rusted Christmas tree and assess winter damage to property. On Tuesday we awoke to temperatures in the low 20s with wind gusts of 50 miles per hour.

Larry Schubert and his wife, Judi, returned last week from an SSA ski trip to Sunday River, Me. Also with them were Chris Stein, Patty Edam, Steve Masterson and Karin Stanley. He reports that all had a wonderful time.

Tara Whiting, town clerk, reports that Thursday is the deadline for submitting nomination papers for elective offices in town. And if you wish to vote by absentee ballot you must first fill out a request.

The library reading series next month will host a diverse lineup of award-winning writers from all over the country. Readings will be held at the library on March 9, 16, 23 and 30, all Wednesdays, at 5:30 p.m.

Jackie Thomas Kennedy and Rebecca Gayle Howell will kick off the series. Jackie is the winner of Narrative Magazine’s Fall Fiction Contest. Poet Rebecca Gayle Howell is a native of Kentucky.

Anthony Saccocia of Waldron’s Bottom Road, head chef of the Grill on Main in Edgartown, reports that his establishment was quite busy on Valentine’s Day.

The annual Martha’s Vineyard Health Fair takes place Saturday, March 12, from 8 a.m. to noon. For information call 508-693-4645.

On Feb. 17, 1945, Bert Cahoon, Daniel Manter and Albion Alley received letters of thanks and commendation from Lieut. Commander Norman G. Asbury, officer in charge of the Naval Auxiliary Air Station on the Vineyard for the immediate and timely aid they gave to the pilot of a plane forced down on the Orlin Davis property on Middle Road in Chilmark last week. Albion, chief of the guards at the NAAS, and Bert, a former officer in the Coast Guard and operator of Donaldson’s Garage, were on their way home from finishing an assignment at the Peaked Hill military installation and witnessed the crash in a field near the road. Over 60 years later Everett Poole of Chilmark notified this correspondent that he has hanging in his garage the propeller from the aircraft that crashed that day.

Happy birthday to Bob and Susan Wasserman, Patricia Duffy and Heather Robbins-Capece today; Florence Paul, Bob Knight and Michelle Aluia tomorrow; Charlene Kelly on Sunday; Lila Fischer, Richard Johnson, Gaston Vadasz and Lila Fischer on Monday; Samantha Church and Roy Cavanaugh on Tuesday; Ellen Wolfe, Sally Segall, Stuart Gardner and Lukas Higgins on Wednesday; Brenda McMorrow, Ernie Mendenhall, Kevin Carr, Tom Ronan, Justen Ahren and Diane Wall on Thursday. Belated anniversary wishes to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Mavro and belated birthday greetings to Jean Morton Fischer O’Reilly, Meg Higgins, David Schuster, Brook and Kristin Zern and old friend Don Evon.

Well, that is all the social news for this week’s edition. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Have a great week.