Paul Mahoney, a nurseryman for 30 years and the owner of Jardin Mahoney in Oak Bluffs, spoke at a recent meeting of the Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club on the topic of Sustainable Plants in the Landscape.

Mr. Mahoney explained that the word sustainable, when used in gardening, has an open definition, but he bases it on three general concepts: a growing public enthusiasm for native plants, conservation of wildlife habitat, and a movement away from the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides.

Student Honored

Michelle Holmberg, a senior at Fairfield University and a resident of Oak Bluffs, is scheduled for induction April 13 into Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious academic honor society.

The daughter of Donna and Warren Holmberg and a graduate of Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, she is majoring in psychology in the college of arts and sciences at Fairfield.

Starting July 8, the newest crop of low-numbered Massachusetts license plates will be on the auction block when Cape Cod and Islands plates numbered 1 through 999 finally become available. 

The Cape and Islands plates, which have been in circulation since 1995, carry imagery of Nauset Light in Eastham, along with the cliffs of Siasconset in Nantucket and Gay Head on the Vineyard.

The gibbous moon moves up beside the brightly ringed planet Saturn on Monday and Tuesday evenings. The two are in the zodiacal constellation Leo. The bright star Regulus is nearby.

Dean’s List

Hans Buder, the son of Lynn and Karl Buder of Vineyard Haven, was named to the dean’s list with distinction at Duke University in Durham, N.C. for the fall semester of 2007.

At its April meeting, the Up-Island Regional School Committee voted to use recently received impact aid totaling $12,743 to reduce the assessment of the member town of Aquinnah.

Because tribal housing is in Aquinnah, the committee decided that that town should reap the benefit from the district’s receipt of the aid. The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) is based in that town.

Piper Arrives

Lauren and George Oskan of West Tisbury announce the birth of a daughter, Piper Lydia Oskan, born on April 8 at the Martha’s Vineyard Community Hospital. Piper is also welcomed by big sister Ella. Piper weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce at birth.

Matt Coffey Receives

Island Vision Fellowship

Matt Coffey, an associate at Breese Architects in Vineyard Haven, has received a Martha’s Vineyard Vision fellowship.

Mr. Coffey has been with the firm for six years. He has become increasingly interested in green building and sustainable design, educating himself and others in the firm.

On Tuesday, April 29, the Martha’s Vineyard Women’s Network will host a breakfast meeting on customer service and sales techniques for success.

The meeting will bring together successful business women to discuss how they’ve used better sales techniques and customer service to build their businesses on the Vineyard.

Dean’s List

Jared C. Macdonald of Edgartown, who is majoring in video and audio production technology, has been named to the dean’s list at New England Institute of Technology in Warwick, R.I.