On Wednesday morning, the Portuguese-American (P.A.) Club in Oak Bluffs is nearly unrecognizable: It’s quiet both inside and out, a far cry from the exuberant bustle that will surround the modest building on Vineyard avenue this weekend during the annual Holy Ghost Feast. The only sign that the Feast will take place soon are two small tents standing in the parking lot.

When Oran Hesterman visits a new city, he heads straight for the farmers’ market.

The Island is a unique place to raise children, who are exposed to incredible opportunities for learning skills, earning income at an early age and gaining independence through these experiences. This acquired independence presents challenging and unique opportunities for our children. While we may not have malls or mountains for skiing or bowling allies, our kids have limitless opportunities to keep themselves active and drug and alcohol-free.

Fifty-two years ago my parents bought a house overlooking Quitsa Pond in Chilmark. The land had been owned by the Huntingtons and before that by the Pooles, who arrived at this spot some 200 years before. In short course Dad and Mom more than doubled the size of the small cottage, and I guess it may have seemed large to the neighbors when they were done. How strange to think that what was so grand then seems relatively plain now. In all the years we lived there, little changed from the day we moved in.

Rare nautical charts from the late 1700s signed by a Vineyard sea captain and depicting the coast of Portugal and the Orkney Islands are among the treasures that have been recovered from what is believed to be the second oldest house on the Island, Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation executive director Adam Moore said this week.

Mike Wallace was laid to rest Tuesday in a simple ceremony at the West Chop Cemetery attended by close friends and family. The popular CBS newsman, a longtime Island summer resident, died on April 7 at the age of 93.

Islander Jesse Sylvia has secured a seat at the final table in the 2012 World Series of Poker Main Event, making him one of nine players competing for the $8.5 million jackpot in late October.

His stack holds 14.5 million more chips than his nearest rival.

“Going in, I’m going to be the favorite in the tournament,” said Mr. Sylvia. “It puts a little more pressure on me which is scary. But hopefully I’ll have that bracelet on my wrist when I come out of there.”

The possibility of sending solid waste off-Island via barge was discussed Tuesday at the monthly Steamship Authority governors’ meeting, held in the library conference room at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School.

The oppressive heat wave that has blanketed the Northeast in recent weeks finally broke on Wednesday night. A rush of cool air followed the razor edge of thunderstorms that lashed the rest of the state with hail, high winds and flooding in what has been reported as the most severe weather of the summer. Here the storms just brushed past the Island on their track from west to east, barely sprinkling the Island with much-needed rain.

It was too good to be true. Until last week, all seven cygnets — the offspring of the West Tisbury Mill Pond swans named Bob and Bobette — were happily swimming about with their parents. None had been struck by a car when they left the pond and dutifully followed their parents across the Edgartown-West Tisbury Road and then State Road.