In a game as thrilling as it was heartbreaking, the Carver Crusaders defeated the Vineyarders football team 23-21 on Friday night after scoring a game-tying touchdown and converting a two-point attempt with seconds left on the clock.

The Vineyarders (1-1) had late game heroics of their own, scoring with 1:38 on the clock when Mike McCarthy hit Nick Gross in the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown pass to take a 21-15 lead. But the Crusaders stormed right back and tied the game on a 35-yard touchdown run by Brandon Holbrook.

Rob Douglas, 37, son of Black Dog Tavern founder Capt. Robert Douglas, earned the title of fastest sailor in the world Monday by breaking the world kite surfing record with a speed of 49.84 knots.

Mr. Douglas accomplished the feat while competing in the Speed World Cup, in a small African town famous for strong winds. Mr. Douglas started wind surfing in 1987 and picked up kite surfing in 2002. He has hired a coach, Olympic medalist wind surfer Mike Gebhardt, to help him train.

Hello, Max

Kelli and David Pecararo of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a son. Max Pecararo, born on Sept. 22 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Max weighed 8 pounds 6 ounces at birth.

Craig Hockmeyer, proprietor of Craig’s Cycles on State Road in Vineyard Haven, will demonstrate how to do essential bicycle maintenance and repair on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m. at the Vineyard Haven Public Library.

Called Easy as Riding a Bike, the presentation will use environmental activist Mr. Hockmeyer’s own green machine, and there will be plenty of time for questions.

A juvenile bald eagle that has been in recovery for over a month was released back into the wild on Tuesday afternoon. Augustus Ben David, the owner of World of Reptiles and Bird Park in Edgartown, had cared for the animal for weeks after it was found disoriented and malnourished on a Chappaquiddick beach.

Mr. Ben David released the bird at South Beach beneath a bright autumn afternoon sun in a stiff east-northeast breeze.

When he opened the cage door, the two-year-old bird immediately took flight and headed toward Edgartown Great Pond.

The hunting season for Canada geese ended yesterday after being open since Sept. 2. Hunting for pheasant opens on Saturday, Oct. 18., and ends on Nov. 29. The coastal duck season runs from Oct. 17 to Oct. 25. Cottontail rabbit season runs from Nov. 15 to Feb. 28.

Archery deer season is from Oct. 13 to Nov. 22. Shotgun season runs from Dec. 1 to Dec. 13. Primitive firearms runs from Dec. 15 to Dec. 31. Last year 460 deer were taken on Martha’s Vineyard during the season. A total of 622 were taken in 2006.

Noman’s Land Plan

On Oct. 14, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will hold an informational meeting about the Noman’s Land Island National Wildlife Refuge comprehensive conservation plan. The meeting will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Chilmark library. Members of the public will have the opportunity to meet the staff, learn about current refuge management, help identify issues and concerns and make recommendations about future refuge programs.

The Farm Neck Foundation has issued a call for applicants for the foundation’s 2008 grants. All Island nonprofit organizations whose goal is to improve the quality of life in the Vineyard community are eligible.

The Martha’s Vineyard Commission last Thursday voted to include Checamo and Stoney Hill Paths in a special protection district that among other things will prevent them from being clear-cut and widened in the future.

Commissioners voted 8-2 to include the two West Tisbury roads in the commission’s special ways district of critical planning concern.

Trying to find a balance between encouraging small businesses and respecting homeowner rights, Oak Bluffs selectmen on Tuesday held a pair of public hearings on requests for home businesses in the middle of residential neighborhoods.

The separate hearings were for a home photography studio owned by Joseph Mikos of 48 Vineyard avenue and a commercial fishing operation owned by Luke Gurney of 26 Shawanue avenue, off Worcester avenue.