A warm fire, tasty potluck and live music and dancing are in order on Saturday, Dec.21, as Sassafras Earth Education in Aquinnah celebrates the winter solstice.

Salem is synonymous with witchcraft, Concord with the revolutionary war. But what is the identity of Oak Bluffs? The question was put to community members and state officials recently at a public discussion.

Here are a couple of last chances to bend Santa's ear. Santa will visit the Black Dog in Vineyard Haven from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 22.

The 1,000-foot crescent of sand that lies south of the Lagoon Pond Bridge came as an early Christmas present for the Martha's Vineyard Land Bank, where outright gifts of land are rare.

Oak Bluffs was recently denied FEMA funding for repairs, in part because the majority of the bluff is owned by the East Chop Association. The road is owned by the town.

Boys' basketball hopes to up its game again this year. The girls squad has a new coach. And the swim team is in the pool. High school winter sports season gets under way.

The lighting of the Edgartown Lighthouse Friday evening launched a weekend of activities sponsored by the Edgartown Board of Trade. Horse-drawn carriage rides through downtown streets and sleighrides to Cape Pogue turn back the clock on Christmas.

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The Geminid is the biggest meteor shower of the year, even bigger than the Perseid meteor shower. Skywatchers who wish to brave the cold can view the display after 3 a.m. Saturday.

If gambling is about winning, it’s hard to see victory for anyone in the lawsuit brought last month by Gov. Deval Patrick against the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah).

At the risk of playing Scrooge at Christmastime, we feel compelled to question the plan to hold the Oak Bluffs town holiday party next week at a restaurant and bar owned by one of the town selectmen.