Alligators like to eat marshmallows, although they shouldn’t. Alligators also like to eat turtles because they are crunchy outside, but soft and chewy inside. Clearly, alligators have good taste and undoubtedly, 50 years ago when Alley’s General Store carried penny candy, alligators would have been in seventh heaven there. Alligators are not, however, voracious eaters — their large mouths and fierce bite notwithstanding, they can get along quite nicely eating just once a month.

Shine On

From a June, 1950 Gazette edition:

A retrospect of prohibition days on Martha’s Vineyard brings to light certain annals not unlike those familiar to the nation at large. It was inevitable that an Island conveniently situated off the coast and accessible from the sea would be involved in some of the activities of the era — and the Vineyard was, though many residents saw little or nothing of these activities and the community as a whole stood apart from lawlessness then as now.

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

To the person who did this:

God is great!

Tilton House

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

Hello. I am wondering if anyone could send me some photos of the Tilton house as it looks today. Our family tree goes back to the late Benjamin S. Tilton of Chilmark.

Paul Tilton (fourhounds@att.net)

Apache Junction, Ariz.

•

POOR CONDUCT

Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

As Sophomores Turn to Juniors

End of the Boom

So more evidence of the change in the Vineyard’s real estate market is emerging, with Island banks reporting brisk refinancing activity that brings good and bad news for banks, homeowners and our towns.

In the past few decades, the only way to spiff up an antique captain’s house was to sell it to a millionaire and have the buyer’s workmen attack it with pick-axes and bulldozers. But something very different and refreshing is happening to the 1840 Captain Thomas Mellen house on Main street, Edgartown, designed by master builder Ariel Norton, and owned by the Keniston family for the past 80 years.

To reduce its environmental impact, Cronig’s Market has teamed up with Eco MV to replace all its styrofoam packaging. Styrofoam is a byproduct of petroleum and has a landfill life of over 3,000 years, and while it has been touted as a light and well-insulating material, more sustainable alternatives abound. For Cronig’s Market, the more environmentally friendly alternative is unbleached bulrush fiber.

Best of the Vineyard

Martha’s Vineyard Magazine hosted its 2009 Best of the Vineyard awards party at Mediterranean Restaurant in Oak Bluffs last night.

Close to 1,500 readers of the magazine went online to vote this year, and awards were presented to winners in 75 categories, from Best Burger to Best Fishing Charter, and Best Taxi to Best Spa. Details about the winners appear in the July issue of the magazine, which was released at the party and will be in newsstands and stores later in the week.