It has been an unusual past 100 years for Noman’s Land, that half-forgotten rock off Chilmark and Aquinnah that has occasionally reasserted its presence to Vineyarders with wafting smoke clouds and distant bomb blasts. Shrouded in mystery and explosives, it has seen rumrunners, pirates, hurricanes, and even an accidental internecine gun battle between the Coast Guard and the Navy in 1967.

Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust executive director Chris Scott stood in his usual spot onstage with auctioneer Trip Barnes Saturday night, as Mr. Barnes kicked off the Taste of the Vineyard gala auction. With only five items up for bid, it was a light year for the trust. Bidders generally have some two dozen items to choose from.

Chi Gung

Chi Gung classes will be held with instructor Daisy Lifton at the Tisbury Senior Center on Mondays at 9 a.m. All are welcome to attend. Classes are $5 or $4 each, if paid in full for the month prior to the first class. Call 508-696-4205 to register; ask for Sandy.

Meredith Graduates

Meredith Goldthwait, of Vineyard Haven, has graduated magna cum laude with a liberal arts degree from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

From Gazette editions of May, 1960:

There is a persistent legend, which, if it cannot be proven, certainly never has been disproven — this is the Hammett legend. The Island family of Hammett, well known on the Island from about 1700 to 1900, has produced master mariners, soldiers, adventurers and merchants of every variety. Island Hammetts served in the Revolutionary War, sailed in whaleships, prospected for gold in California, served in the Civil War, and were known in the profession of book-publishers, writers and politics.

Every morning since April 24, Paul Goldstein has set out 30 colored soufflé cups with soapy water in them, a technique called bee bowling.

The Lynn man who died while swimming in Katama Bay Saturday morning was a native of Dublin and well-known figure on the Vineyard, where he had played Irish music at the Bloomsday event in Vineyard Haven last week.

Massachusetts state police confirmed Sunday that David O’Docherty, 75, was pronounced dead just before noon on Saturday after he had gone swimming in Katama Bay and had not returned.

The 2010 summer season at Trinity Episcopal Church begins this Sunday, June 20 at 9 a.m. with the Rev. Deborah Warner serving as celebrant. Reverend Warner is the rector of the Church of the Messiah in Woods Hole where she has served since 2008.

After failing to reach a quorum last week, enough West Tisbury voters turned out for a special town meeting on Tuesday to approve all four articles on the warrant, but not before some tough questions about spending and lines of authority in town hall.

A total of 144 voters turned out for the meeting, and before moderator Patrick Gregory banged the gavel, one voter said: “We’ll be home in plenty of time for the [Boston] Celtics game,” referring to the pivotal game six of the NBA finals.

By JULIA WELLS