Once carved into tiny lots and peddled as a promotion for a 19th century tonic, the 100-acre tract known as the Medicine Lots has been placed in permanent conservation thanks to a purchase completed last month by TNC.

As the 68th Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby enters its final days, the bonitos and false albacores have arrived in full force.

All three of the top boat bonitos were caught in the past week, with Bob Clay’s 11.49-pound fish leading the division. Several large albies have also made their way to headquarters. Sam Bell currently stands in first place in the boat-caught albie division with a 13.24-pound catch.

It’s 5 a.m., pitch black outside on a cool, clear October Friday morning. Tony H. Rezendes Jr. is cruising through the woods, first by truck on a track that barely qualifies as a road, then by foot on a rough path, to one of his favorite fishing spots.

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.