Birds had a lot of company at sunrise Saturday on Duarte’s Pond as early bird boys and girls circled the pond for the 47th Kids Trout Derby.

Mercury is our only evening planet.

Regional expenses and human services make up more than a dozen articles on each of Tuesday’s annual town meeting warrants, continuing a trend toward cost-sharing across Island municipalities.

Tisbury government is growing, and at their annual and special town meetings next week voters will be asked to approve the establishment of a human resources department.

West Tisbury voters will meet their new poet laureate and take up a warrant that is expected to spark discussion over more than one article at the annual town meeting next week.

Money for wastewater planning, pay raises for town employees and a large infusion of cash into a rainy day fund all top the agenda when Edgartown voters gather for their annual town meeting Tuesday night.

Millions in capital spending to restore the eroding East Chop Bluff and upgrade the town wastewater treatment plant will come before Oak Bluffs voters when they gather for their annual town meeting Tuesday night.

Four of the six Island towns will take the first steps next week in deciding the pivotal question of whether to ask the state legislature to allow creation of a Martha’s Vineyard Housing Bank.

The lack of affordable housing on Martha’s Vineyard has reached a crisis, where businesses and essential services are being increasingly hobbled by an inability to find workers.

The Chilmark conservation commission cited the owner of 6 Eddy Road this week for erroneously digging a trench through a wetland and removing plantings on the property.