The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital announced this week that it has received the Summit Award from Press Ganey Associates Inc. for excellence in patient satisfaction in its emergency department. The award was announced in ceremonies at the Press Ganey National Client Conference, held Nov. 27 in Kissimmee, Fla.

The West Tisbury town hall renovation committee is considering asking town meeting voters in April to approve estimated costs rather than firm bid costs for the project.

Committee member Bea Phear told selectmen last week that the architects working on the proposal had advised the committee that the timeline was too tight to produce firm bids and finished drawings for town meeting. Keenan and Kelly Architects Ltd. of Falmouth are the renovation architects.

West Tisbury neighbors who have been sparring for six months over the noise levels of crowing roosters have agreed to mediate their dispute.

The town zoning board of appeals has granted the Lambert’s Cove neighbors an extension until Jan. 30 to reach an accord.

Kathy and Tom Harris, who lodged the noise complaint last summer, were joined in the mediation effort by Kurt Freund, whose neighboring Mill Stone Lane property has housed the roosters. Dyan Redik, Mr. Freund’s fiancee, owns the roosters.

Winners for the annual Heritage Trail project were announced at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School this week. The project involves sophomore history students who go out and trek the African American Heritage Trail of Martha’s Vineyard, and then do a research project which is judged. Projects fall into categories: writing, art, physical projects and electronic projects.

The winners this year are as follows:

College Names Vineyard

Teacher an Unsung Hero

Dr. Elaine Weintraub, a teacher at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, has been named an Unsung Hero by St. Michael’s College in Colchester, Vt.

Matthew Seklecki, a graduate of the high school and now a student at St. Michael’s, nominated Ms. Weintraub for the award.

Club Slates Black Powder

Shoot for This Sunday

The Martha’s Vineyard Rod & Gun Club’s annual Black Powder Shoot will be held Sunday, Dec. 9 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is the day before the primitive firearm deer season opens on the Island.

The club invites the public to participate. The club is off the Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road at 3rd street in Edgartown.

The Edgartown library is suffering from furnace puffback and will be open only during emergency hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday next week. Staff have set up temporary quarters in the selectmen’s meeting room at the town hall, with a limited stock of borrowing material.

The library closed its doors Monday.

In a win for the democratic process, a proposed bylaw to lower the quorum requirement was unanimously rejected by Edgartown voters at a special town meeting at the Old Whaling Church Tuesday.

A healthy quorum of 185 registered voters (37 more than the required number) attended the meeting to vote down the proposal which would require fewer of them to vote at any town meetings in the future.

Jack Arrives

Tracy Ann and William Oteri and big sister Danielle announce the birth of Jack Anthony Oteri, born on Nov. 26 at the Martha’s Vineyard Community Hospital. Jack weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces at birth.

Jewelry Jingle

The Martha’s Vineyard Museum will celebrate Christmas In Edgartown on Saturday, Dec. 8 from 2 to 4 p.m. with its first Jewelry Jingle. Stop by the museum at 59 School street for wine, hot cider, chocolate treats and shopping.

This sale of used jewelry, gleaned from attics, jewelry boxes and dresser drawers from all over the Island, will benefit the museum’s on-going operations.

To donate used jewelry, please call 508-627-4441 extension 123.