I want to express my personal admiration for Ed Brooke. Ed hired me as one of his assistant attorneys general soon out of law school.

The recent wave of farm stand thefts is a real tragedy to our intimate Island community.

As I pulled into a parking space on Circuit avenue in Oak Bluffs a few weeks ago, I heard loud music emanating from the large, shiny, black SUV next to me.

It is time that I take time to give thanks to the wonderful people who make up our Vineyard world. You have all kept us afloat with your generous gifts of love, visits, food, letters, cards, hugs, calls and more.

Of late there has been evinced more than usual in the building of the house for Lester H. Dana, on Manter’s Hill, so called, in Chilmark. And if the public was and is interested in the house, the interest by legal lights in the land and its title, has been no less.

Ariadne de Oliveira and Wesley de Oliveira of Edgartown announce the birth of a son, Enzo Amarins de Oliveira, born on Jan. 14 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.

The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $272,652.70 for the business week ending on Friday, Jan. 9, 2015.

Oliver is an affectionate older gentleman, friendly with humans, frequently responding with a loud rumbling purr. As he is 12 years old, the shelter is not requesting an adoption donation, just the promise to love him and give him a forever home.

Marc Hanover this week strongly refuted an online petition that has been circulating over rate increases that took effect early this month. As of Thursday, 2,846 people had signed the petition posted on MoveOn.org.

The final version of the state plan steers clear of sand mining off Martha’s Vineyard for now. It also expands protected areas for sea ducks thanks to information from Vineyard birders.