It was the first chilly day of fall and West Tisbury middle schoolers had their hands stuffed into their pockets as they waited outside for the school day to begin. “Can we go into the gym?” one ventured to Donna Lowell-Bettencourt, the new principal who seemed like she’d always been the principal. “It’s cold.”

The history of Seven Gates Farm goes back to 1887, and for generations a parade of farmers, shareholders and conservationists have done just about all they could to keep the land and buildings of this enclave looking, working and feeling largely unchanged.

Thank you, Remy Tumin, CK Wolfson, Chris Scott and the Vineyard Gazette for your much-deserved tributes to our esteemed friend, Ray Ellis.

Many thanks go out to Sarah Kuh and the Martha’s Vineyard Health Care Access program for being such sound and steady support in our Island community. Your 18 or so years of service to the residents of Martha’s Vineyard becomes more valuable to us all each year, and it is good to see your leadership in health care recognized.

Few things in life are free, but I think I found one. I became a Big Brother this summer, and it has been one treat after another. I have found a friend, a comrade, someone who likes to do the things I like to do.

The answer to the obvious question is no.

The Vineyard boy’s soccer team was expected to be good this year — everyone from captains to coaches agrees on that — but no one thought they would be unbeaten.

Edgartown police are searching for a car involved in a hit and run accident on Tuesday.

I have just returned from the Harbor View Hotel where I had the good fortune to attend the third in a series of presentations in the Creative Economy Speaker Series.

The following letter was sent to John Checklick, president of the Cape and Vineyard Electrical Cooperative (CVEC).

There is definitely a feel-good quality to your story and editorial on Oct. 4 about Aquinnah’s efforts to save its iconic lighthouse with assistance of Community Preservation Act money contributed by all the Island towns under a new provision in state law allowing for regional CPA projects.