The Noepe Chapter of the National Honor Society held a recognition and induction ceremony at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School on Dec. 9. The following students were recognized for academic achievement. Names preceded by an asterisk represent spring 2008 inductees to the Society.

Seniors

Kimberly Carlomagno

Ana Carvalho

*Caitlin Cassiani

Katharine Clarke

Hilary Dreyer

*Ryan Dwane

Christopher Ewing

Kelly Felder

Danielle Fogg

Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School principal Stephen Nixon has announced the Honor Roll for the first quarter of the 2008-2009 academic year.

Highest honors go to twelfth graders Kimberly Carlomagno; Katharine Clarke; Loren Gibson; Laura Jernegan; Haley Koorse; Ryan Marinelli; Andrew McHugh and Bethany Pennington;

Highest honors go to eleventh graders Alexander Case; Olivia Gross; Shaelah Huntington; Meaghan Jeffers; Abigail Larsen; Meghan Pettit and Hayley Pierce;

The current national employment situation, including industry and employment data specific to Martha’s Vineyard, is the subject of a free presentation this week by the executive director of the Cape & Islands Workforce Investment Board, David Augustinho.

The talk is set for Tuesday. Jan. 13, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, which is cohosting the public event with the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce.

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School hockey team rolled over Bridgewater-Raynham by a score of 5-0 on Wednesday to win both ends of a home-and-home series with the Trojans and run their record to an impressive 6-1-1 on the season.

As they near the half-way mark of the season, the boys’ hockey team is almost a lock to qualify for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament.

Island police this week announced the new Martha’s Vineyard Tactical Response Team, an elite, highly trained group of officers that will assist the police departments during critical incidents such as hostage situations, searches for armed subjects and civic disorder.

The towns of Oak Bluffs, Tisbury, Edgartown, West Tisbury and Aquinnah are applying for grant funds that will provide income-qualified homeowners with needed home repairs. Applications are now being taken and funds will be awarded on a first come-first serve basis. To learn more about this program, please attend one of the following public information sessions:

Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 5 p.m. at the West Tisbury Free Library

Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 6 p.m. at the Edgartown Library

Thursday, Jan. 15 at 11 a.m. the Up Island Council on Aging

A wide range of Island leaders — including selectmen, public health officials and police chiefs — gathered on Wednesday for a special meeting hoping to finally designate an emergency dispensing site for the Vineyard in the event of a terrorist attack or outbreak of infectious disease.

And although the meeting, held at the Vineyard Transit Authority building, was marked by a spirit of cooperation and good will, no consensus about a site was reached.

West Tisbury oysters were on the market during the holiday season, but they are unavailable now. Tom Osmers, town shellfish constable, said there were three commercial oyster fishermen out on the pond. The season opened on Monday, Dec. 15 and was closed on Wednesday, Dec. 31. The fishermen were limited to one bushel a day, a sparse amount compared to years ago when the fishery was healthy and more productive.

John J. McCormick of Vineyard Haven believes he is the fastest bricklayer in the country. And while the ground is frozen and the air outside is bitter cold, he is practicing in the basement of his house in Vineyard Haven to prepare for a national bricklaying competition in Las Vegas next month. He will attend the annual World of Concrete and World of Masonry Trade Show, held in the first week of February. Its a big event in the trades and attracts thousands.

A plan to apply vigorous environmental protections to five Edgartown ancient ways met with little opposition at a public hearing Tuesday. If approved, the measure would give Edgartown more special ways than the remainder of the Island combined.

Chairman of the byways committee William (Boo) Bassett is a driving force behind a project to identify and legally protect all remaining ancient ways in Edgartown.