JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

(slaterjn@comcast.net)

Chilmark will mark the last day of February with a flea market at the community center on Saturday. All are invited, there is no charge and there will be food available for purchase as well as many crafts, antiques, jewelry and Ethel Sherman’s favorite jams. A great opportunity to welcome spring and visit old friends!

JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-9087

(alleys@vineyard.net)

NANCY GARDELLA

508-693-3308

(vhavenvgazette@yahoo.com)

THOMAS DRESSER

508-693-1050

(thomasdresser@gmail.com)

Though the thermometer is still registering chilly temperatures, we want to think spring. The first crocus is peeking through the ground. Julian Robinson spotted a snowy owl by the hospital last week.

We’re grateful at the outpouring of support for Linda and Eddie BenDavid at the recent fund-raiser at the PA Club. A lot of people from all over the Island showed their encouragement.

JUNE MANNING

508-645-2574

(lthslnks@gis.net)

Once again, we will attempt to have a special town meeting on Tuesday evening, March 3 at 7 p.m. at the town hall. You are needed for a quorum, so please bring a neighbor and vote.

Temperature: Precip.

Day Max. Min. Inches.

Fº Fº

Feb. 20 47 23 .00

Feb. 21 32 27 .00

Feb. 22 40 27 .00

Feb. 23 42 28 .23

Feb. 24 37 20 .00

Feb. 25 36 23 .00

Feb. 26 40 24 .00

Water temperature in Edgartown harbor: 41º F.

The juggernaut Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys’ hockey team easily defeated two powerful opponents this week to advance to the quarterfinals of the division 2 south state tournament, setting up an epic showdown tonight against old rival Coyle-Cassidy, the team that has knocked the Vineyarders out of the playoffs for two out of the last three years.

Tonight’s game against Coyle-Cassidy faces-off at 5:15 p.m. at the Gallo Arena in Bourne.

A new visitor to our solar system is high in Vineyard skies this week. Comet Lulin, despite being barely visible to those with even the keenest vision, has gained attention around the world.

Twelve years ago, Comet Hale-Bopp was the last newly discovered comet that anyone could see overhead. That comet was considerably brighter and easier to spot than our new visitor. In photographs, Comet Lulin has a distinct greenish color, while Hale-Bopp shone both white and blue.

Though the national economy is tanking at a fevered clip, the pace of one industry remains unhurried: Vineyard agriculture.

But then much is timeless — or out of time — about these farm businesses, some fully commercial, others family-run, part-time and increasingly labors of love.

Jim Athearn counts heads of Polled Hereford cattle, Mitch Posen keeps burros to wrangle his ewes and Elizabeth Thompson runs teams of oxen, which help move the hefty stones that form the farm’s centuries-old ramparts.

A farmer and trucker from upstate New York bought the Islander this week for $23,600, placing bid 58 on Ebay Monday for the vessel that ferried Islanders to and from the rest of America for over fifty years.

The auction looked like it might be a humiliating episode with the old girl fetching a starting bid of just $10, with offers crawling to a few thousand in the first days.

But after a flurry of late offers from a total of 19 bidders it finally went to Donald Slovak of Valatie, N.Y.