The fall sitting of Dukes County superior court begins next week at the Edgartown courthouse, with several criminal and civil trials on the preliminary docket. Criminal cases currently scheduled for trial include that of a Vineyard Haven man charged with rape.

The bay scallop season is set to open in Edgartown for family scallopers on Oct. 1.

Acting on the recommendation of the shellfish committee and shellfish constable Paul L. Bagnall, the Edgartown selectmen approved dates for the scalloping season on Monday. Recreational scalloping begins Oct. 1, with all areas open and a limit of one 10-gallon wash basket per week.

Six of seven schools on the Vineyard were given top rankings based on results from annual statewide standardized tests, which were released this week. The West Tisbury School received a commendation for high achievement on performance, while Tisbury School second-graders were the second highest performers in the state on the English portion of the test.

The Aquinnah/Gay Head Community Association this week joined the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) in trying to insert the question of the Vineyard tribe’s right to build a casino in Massachusetts into a broader federal lawsuit.

First and second graders at the Tisbury School were quick to describe their reaction as they tasted freshly-picked orange cherry tomatoes Wednesday afternoon.

“It’s really spicy,” said one young boy before spitting out his tomato.

Last Wednesday, 60 students walked into the newly-renovated West Tisbury School kitchen, chatting and giggling while they waited in line for their hot lunches. The scents of tomato sauce and garlic filled the cafeteria, while head cook Jenny Devivo bustled in the kitchen, feverishly slicing up cheese and pepperoni pizzas.

A plan to cut down 11 trees, some more than half a century old, to make way for the new West Tisbury Library, came under close inspection by the town selectmen, tree warden and others this week.

The Providence VA Medical Center has awarded a contract to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital to provide basic medical care for veterans, one of the last steps in restoring on-Island health care access for Vineyard veterans.

On Thursday the largest striped bass caught so far in this year’s 67th Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby was weighed in. Peter (Pete) J. Spengler, 75, of Cuttyhunk and Westport, Conn., caught his fish at 9:05 a.m. aboard Capt. Duane Lynch’s boat.

He was an artist and historian, author and harbor master, boat yard owner and model maker, designer of homes, builder of lobster boats and family yawls, a husband, father and grandfather. Three times he was denied the chance to enlist in the armed forces after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He finally joined a volunteer ambulance service working with the British army and was present at the liberation of Bergen-Belsen.