A condemned, dilapidated building off Water street in Vineyard Haven will be the next project for the Island Housing Trust, thanks to Steve Bernier, the owner of Cronig’s Market, who announced Friday he had donated the house to the trust.

In the still-dark mornings, at the Texaco gas station in Menemsha, local fishermen load up on lures and bait, cheap cups of coffee and the daily newspaper before setting out to sea. Behind the rustic station is a long wooden bench where the men gather.

“Early in the morning, it’s always the same crowd,” recalls Albert Fischer 3rd, an 11th-generation Islander. Mr. Fischer, a commercial fisherman in his younger years, can still rattle off names of the old guard.

Please Adopt Us

The list of people who want to adopt a kitten grows longer every day, and while we will try to accommodate everyone who wants a kitten, it makes us sad that we have several beautiful adult cats who are waiting for adoption too. It also makes us hope that the message about the importance of spaying or neutering may be reaching people who would otherwise be dropping off litters of unwanted kittens to us. If you want to adopt a cat, please stop by the shelter or call us.

What began a year ago as a community Web site dedicated to neighbors helping neighbors has ended with a lawsuit in a Texas district court.

Holiday Public Relations and Events, based in Houston, Tex., and run by Danielle Pendergraft of Edgartown and Texas, has sued Squire Rushnell and Louise DuArt of Edgartown, claiming they failed to pay her for work performed on their nonprofit Network of Neighbors Web site project. The lawsuit was filed in Harris County, Tex.; complaint was served this week on Ms. DuArt and Mr. Rushnell.

Plans to install wireless cell phone equipment in silos at the Farm Institute hit a snag this week when members of the institute’s board expressed concerns about perceived safety issues from the installation.

Clarifications

A story in the May 18 Gazette stated that regional high school senior Madison Hughes will be the first Vineyard lacrosse player to play the sport at a division one school. In fact, Ms. Hughes will be the first female player to do so; the boys’ program has sent players to division one programs in previous years.

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Bookstore browsers and readers of all ages, rejoice: Edgartown Books, one of the Island’s two bookstores, will open today under new ownership.

The Main street store, which was put on the market earlier this year, was purchased last week by Jeffrey and Joyce Sudikoff, Los Angeles residents who own a home in Edgartown. The sale of the building and the business closed last Friday, May 18.

The building was sold for $1.525 million; the sale of the business was not included in the price.

Moms of the Year

Ben Mulvey, Anya Dwane and Mackenzie Condon are the winners of the Mom of the Year essay contest held in conjunction with the Edgartown Board of Trade’s Pink & Green Weekend. The three winners read their essays and acknowledged their moms during a Mother’s Day brunch at the Harbor View Hotel.

JUNE D. MANNING

508-645-2574

(lthslnks2004@yahoo.com)

Thank you to Aquinnah highway superintendent Jay Smalley, who has made sure our cemetery, highways and byways look presentable for the season. The trees are in full bloom, there is an owl out at night along Lobsterville Road and the beach is calling sun worshipers already for the season. The Outermost Inn opened over the weekend.

JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

(slaterjn@comcast.net)

Chilmark joins the rest of the Island in welcoming the vacationers who will begin our busy season with their Memorial Day visits and celebrations. There are many entertainments planned and if the sun stays with us, we will all celebrate!

Chilmark was given a preview look at the Lynx, the replica of the 1812 privateer that paid a five-day visit to the Vineyard Haven harbor. She was anchored off our shores the night before going down-Island, and a pretty sight she was.