Island firefighters and emergency personnel this past week responded to no fewer than three fully involved house fires in three different towns.

Although fire officials say there are no signs of foul play in any of the fires, there was consensus that three major structure fires in one week is unusually high for the second week of March on the Vineyard, indeed for any week.

“I can say it is one big coincidence to have three fires in one week, but all indications are it’s just that, a coincidence,” Tisbury fire chief John Schilling said.

Two local organizations have worked hard this winter to make sure disadvantaged Islanders have access to free food.

This afternoon the Vineyard Committee on Hunger is hosting a giveaway at the First Baptist Church on Spring street in Vineyard Haven. They are distributing free food, some of it government surplus, to families that qualify. There are enough ingredients in a bag to give a family an Easter dinner with ham and more.

Can’t wait for those fresh salad greens? Well, by the first of May, a mere 45 days away, you should be able to drop by Cronig’s and purchase a 10-ounce bag of North Tabor Farm’s salad greens, and the season will be under way.

Heidi Schwab, Asa Vought

Set April Wedding Date

Rhoda and David Schwab of Vineyard Haven announce the engagement of their daughter, Heidi, to Asa Vought. Asa is the son of Duane and Donna Vought of Edgartown, and Susan Austin of West Tisbury. An April wedding is planned.

On Saturday, March 15 from 6 p.m. until midnight, the community is invited to turn out at the Cornerway in Chilmark to honor St. Patrick and the Irish tradition of generous celebration at a fund-raising dinner to benefit this year’s Irish History class trip to Ireland. The class is composed of students at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School.

Corned beef and cabbage will be served and guests will dance and sing the night away to the music of the Swinging Flamingoes from Boston.

Temperature: Precip.

Day Max. Min. Inches.

Fº Fº

March 7 46 28 .00

March 8 54 40 .18

March 9 57 32 1.57

March 10 43 25 .00

March 11 39 24 .00

March 12 43 31 .00

March 13 47 30 .00

Water temperature in Edgartown harbor: 45º F.

Spring arrives on Thursday at 1:48 a.m. For those who like to keep track of such events, this is an unusually early start for the season and it is due to this being a leap year. Usually spring arrives a day later on the 21st.

Andrew Arrives

Dr. and Mrs. Gerald F. Westover of Wolfeboro, N.H., and Edgartown would like to announce the birth of their first grandchild, Andrew Chase Formica. Andrew was born Dec. 28 at Winchester Hospital in Winchester. He weighed 8 pounds, 15 ounces.

Hello, Haile

Julia and Alessandro Barbosa of Edgartown announce the birth of a son, Haile Amazonas Barbosa, born Feb. 4 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Haile weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces at birth.

Six of Martha’s Vineyard’s most loved cultural organizations are pooling their resources and expertise to offer a week of fun, creative learning experiences for children in the Island’s loveliest natural settings. Inspired educators from The FARM Institute, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Martha’s Vineyard Museum, Polly Hill Arboretum and The Yard will introduce children to a feast of activities in a different location every day.