Today, the Vineyard diner is able to order just about what he likes for his Christmas dinner with full assurance that he will receive it.

The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $235,554.34 for the business week ending on Friday, Dec. 5, 2014.

Two bids came in over the amount appropriated by voters last spring. The town selectmen said this week they will now take steps to replace only part of the fence.

Away in a hotel, no crib for a bed, a giant six-foot stuffed Teddy Bear named Obie raised his sweet head. The stars in the Vineyard sky looked down where he yawned. The rest of his bear friends, Chappy, Edgar and Tisbeary, lay asleep until dawn.

The last big meteor shower of the year takes place Saturday night. The Geminid Meteor Shower is a late autumn favorite. Meteors are fast moving pieces of space debris that burn up as they enter the earth’s atmosphere. What you’ll see looks like shooting stars. Most of the meteors appear to come from the zodiacal constellation Gemini, for which the shower is named.

Joy prevailed at the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard this week. Two of our canine residents went to forever homes within days of being delivered to us.

The early manuscript was written more than 30 years ago when the West Tisbury author was living on a houseboat in Washington, D.C. Now Murder at C-Dock marks the launch of a new murder mystery series.

Tisbury’s annual tax rate classification hearing ended without resolution and will be continued next week after delays at the state level left selectmen unable to set a tax rate for the coming year. The hearing saw a large turnout.

The Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse will hold a poetry cafe on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at 7:30 p.m. The event is hosted by the Arnie Reisman, the Vineyard poet laureate.

An Island Christmas without sea chanties and stories of watery bravery and sailor gusto is like living on the mainland.