Susan Johnson Exhibit

Oil paintings by Susan Johnson are on exhibit this month at the Chilmark Bank. Ms. Johnson studied en plein air painting in Tuscany with Boston University last summer. She has since utilized this style with a focus on Beetlebung Farm. Eighteen landscape paintings will be on display.

This winter Ms. Johnson will continue this project with the Vermont College of Fine Art, and she has been accepted into the Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts, a distance learning program with international residencies.

Big Red Dog on-Island

Clifford the Big Red Dog is coming to the Vineyard this week. In a sense, he is always here, as his creator, Norman Bridwell, is a resident. But now the fluffy red dog himself, bigger than a house and twice as nice, is making visit to all of the local libraries.

No word yet on how the big dog plans to get inside the libraries. Perhaps the librarians have been given special shrinking toys.

Hot Time at Big Chili

They come from on-Island and off, the common denominator being they bring with them five gallons of homemade chili. It may be hot, super hot, incinerate-upon-inhaling hot, vegetarian or otherwise.

Who are these people? The entrants of the annual WMVY Big Chili contest, that’s who.

This is the 26th year of the festival, hosted by WMVY and benefiting the Red Stocking Fund charity. This year’s festival takes place tomorrow, Jan. 28, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the P.A. Club in Oak Bluffs.

On Friday evenings during the winter, Pauline Speed and Loretta May phone each other to check on their dinner plans. “You feel like cooking tonight?” one friend will ask the other. Often, they said, the answer will be no and they’ll walk over to Grace Church to partake in a Vineyard winter tradition: the community supper.

Mystery writer Cynthia Riggs and photographer Lynn Christoffers have teamed up to create a guidebook of Martha’s Vineyard from the viewpoint of Victoria Trumbull, Ms. Riggs’ 92-year-old, fictional super sleuth.

The duo will celebrate and discuss their new book at the West Tisbury Library on Thursday, Jan. 26, at 4:30 p.m.

Admit it, you’re an American Idol fanatic. Well, even if you’re not, have never heard of the show perhaps, there is reason for Vineyarders to tune in to the current season.

Last week, at the Pittsburgh auditions for the show, Erika Van Pelt scored a yellow ticket to Hollywood with her rendition of Carol King’s Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.

The Vineyard Haven waterfront is on edge after a string of incidents that have seen commercial scalloping boats and equipment deliberately disabled.

Fire Chief John Schilling brought the matter to the attention of the board of selectmen on Tuesday.

Just one week left for West Tisbury poet laureate nominations. On Wednesday, Feb. 1, the ballot box closes and then the waiting begins. Final appointment is made in April.

Nominations forms are available at the West Tisbury Library. All forms require the nominator’s name and contact information along with the nominee’s name and contact information.

The position of West Tisbury Poet Laureate was the brainchild of Cynthia Riggs, a longtime resident and author. It is a municipal appointment with a term of one year (renewable up to three).

The Serving Hands Food Distribution originally scheduled to take place on Wednesday, Jan. 25 has been moved to Friday, Jan. 27. Food pickup will be at the First Baptist Church Parish House in Vineyard Haven, its usual location, from 2 to 4 p.m.

Edward W. (Peter) Vincent Jr. of Edgartown has offered to resign from the practice of law, according to an affidavit he has filed with the board that recommends lawyer discipline in Massachusetts.

The resignation request was filed Friday with the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers and if accepted would mean Mr. Vincent would be barred from practicing law for at least eight years, said Bar Counsel Constance V. Vecchione, whose office investigates lawyer misconduct.