The Trayvon Martin tragedy in my opinion not only illustrates the racial issues that haven’t diminished over time, but also points to another danger not much discussed. That would be what happens when neighborhood associations are overly empowered.

Within two years, Oak Bluffs may get a new town hall and a new fire station, if voters agree.

Architects unveiled concept plans for two capital building projects totaling more than $14 million at the town selectmen’s meeting Tuesday night. Town leaders hope to renovate or replace the town hall building on School street as well as construct a larger, more comprehensive fire and emergency services building on Wing Road.

Unresolved communication problems between the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) and the town of Aquinnah have led to concerns about future fire protection for tribal buildings.

The town is now considering revoking a portion of a longstanding public safety agreement that provides town fire department services to the tribe. At the selectmen’s meeting Tuesday, Aquinnah fire chief Simon Bollin said he continues to receive no response from the tribe on questions about fire code safety in tribal buildings.

The Friday night full moon is called the Pumpkin Moon and it is in the zodiacal constellation Pisces. The moon will dominate evening skies through the coming weekend.

As the full moon climbs higher in the eastern sky in the evenings, it will be followed by the zodiacal constellation Taurus.

The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $163,330 for the business week ending on Friday, Oct. 11, 2013. The land bank receives its funds from a two per cent fee charged on many Vineyard real estate transactions.

In W.R. Deeble’s latest letter, he carpet bombs Fox News, but then admits: “The recent budget deadlock . . . can be blamed on adherence to principle on both sides.” Republicans “just claim they are protecting the people against an unpopular, ruinous, radical agenda.”

This year’s Martha’s Vineyard Wind Festival was full of surprises. The morning was full of promise The weather was reported to be dry and breezy along the coast. The tent was set up for kite building. Kids arrived to build kites and although it was really breezy, our volunteers had a good time working along with the kids to get the kites aloft.

The Save The Gay Head Lighthouse committee would like to thank everyone who helped to make the first annual Gay Head 10K, A Race Against Time, the resounding success that it was.

Giant tour buses line up outside the visitor center in Edgartown, letting out scores of tourists who wander streets where leaves now fall thickly and stray roses still bloom on fences like summer holdouts. Along the Beach Road in Oak Bluffs fishermen of all ages cast into the chilly, wind-roughened waters as the derby enters its final days.

At first, it was just a peach basket nailed to a telephone pole. Vincent Frye was 12 in 1952 when he begged his parents to put up a basketball hoop outside his Oak Bluffs home. All the other kids on Wamsutta avenue had sporting equipment in their yard. So the “net” went up on the pole across the street, at the corner of Niantic Park. Neighbors came over to play ball, and the rest, well, is history.