Hello, Ellery

Caitlyn Van Linda and Morgan Reitzas of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Ellery Maxwell Reitzas, on June 11 at the Martha’s Vineyard Community Hospital. Ellery weighed 6 pounds, 9 and 1/2 ounces at birth.

JUNE D. MANNING

508-645-2574

(lthslnks@gis.net)

The annual Fourth of July Aquinnah parade will be held on Old South Road for all Aquinnah residents to enjoy. The festivities begin at 9:45 a.m. at the home of Tom and Christine Murphy to line up by age for the parade. Face painting and tattoos will take place from 9:45 to 10:30 a.m. at the Murphy home.

Dean’s List

Katherine Campbell of Vineyard Haven was named to the dean’s list for the spring 2008 semester at Emmanuel College in Boston.

By LYNNE IRONS

It is very weird for this Island girl to spend a week at 8,000 feet and walk in snow in June. Last week I attended the American Birding Association Conference in Snowbird, Utah.

The mountains were spectacular but so was Salt Lake. The variety of habitats I visited was mind-boggling.

JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

(slaterjn@comcast.net)

This week I was listening to the television rather than watching it and I heard a commentator telling us, “this island isn’t a paradise anymore, with gasoline in some places over $5 a gallon and a head of lettuce $2 and tomatoes often $4 a pound . . .” I tuned in and went to see if he was reporting from our Island, but no — he was telling us how tough things are in Hawaii. I guess we can enjoy knowing islands in other oceans are also feeling the pinch.

JO-ANN TILGHMAN

508-627-7669

(tilghmanjb@aol.com)

RICK HERRICK

508-693-8065

herricklr@verizon.net

Kate Hancock is one of those East Choppers that make the Island work. She is the production manager of the Island Playhouse. Kate is a lifelong summer resident of East Chop who moved here permanently with her husband Fred, a technical director and lighting designer, the principal behind Upfront Production Services, in July of 2005.

KATHIE CASE

508-627-5349

(kathleencase@comcast.net)

Here we are at the Fourth of July weekend. The Island is getting busier, the lines are getting longer at the Stop & Shop and the traffic is back at the Triangle.

Happy birthday to all who celebrated their birthday this past week.

Kim Carter, a student of Northeastern University, will be studying abroad this summer. Her travels will take her to Spain and Turkey. Last summer she studied in China. Kim is the daughter of Jim and Debbie Carter. She is majoring in health science.

BETTYE FOSTER BAKER

508-696-9983

(bdrbaker@comcast.net)

Oak Bluffs has no rocky coastline, or well-heeled casinos, no four-star restaurants, or dapperly dressed regulars, except for a well known 91-year-old character affectionately known as CJ (Charles Jones), whose classy dress has been legendary in this town since 1942. This is not Marseilles, though we do have our understated rich who play basketball unnoticed and ride around town in state-of-the-art two-wheeled contraptions.