The Menemsha harborfront, long defined by a history of providing open dock space for working draggers and lobstermen, must be protected, a vocal gathering of Chilmark fishermen told their selectmen early this week. The fishing industry is ailing and the harborfront endangered, they said.

“In a few years, there will be no fishermen,” warned Louis S. Larsen Sr.

The Vineyard Haven harbor’s two pump out boats carried between 12,000 and 15,000 gallons of raw sewage from holding tanks on boats to the town’s sewer system during this past boating season, according to harbor master John (Jay) M. Wilbur 3rd.

And as the demand for pump outs increases every year, the town harbor department is beginning to have trouble coping, Mr. Wilbur said.

Rising world oil prices have blown a million dollar hole in the budget of the Steamship Authority and forced the boat line to refigure its budget for a second time.

However, governors balked at management’s advice that they should immediately consider fare increases to cover the extra projected cost, opting instead to put off any revenue decisions until January.

If the price of oil remains high, governors will consider measures that include a fuel surcharge.

Middle Line Road is not much of a road. But it’s a heck of a legal problem, as quickly became evident when the controversy over its 270-year history and uncertainty over its future use landed in the Dukes County superior court in Edgartown this week.

The essence of the case is simple enough.

The Hall family, which owns land alongside the road, wants to improve it. To that end, they engaged contractors to cut trees and widen it.

When they were born 25 years ago, identical triplets Alexander, Nicholas and Duncan Schilcher became instant Island celebrities. Their birthday parties were front page news, and the Gazette chronicled their development as toddlers. But years passed and the triplets grew up, relatively out of the public eye. So here is the news update on the Schilcher triplets of Vineyard Haven: Except for one year during college, they have remained inseparable, sleeping in the same bedroom and working side by side in the family catering business founded by their mother Jaime Hamlin.

The Daybreak Clubhouse of Martha’s Vineyard Community Services has announced the awarding of certificates of appreciation to the following Island businesses and business leaders: the Martha’s Vineyard Times, the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce, the Morning Glory Farms, Murdick’s Fudge, and Murdick’s Fudge General Manager Michael J. McCourt.

The Dukes County charter study commission will meet Thursday, Oct. 25, at 5 p.m. in the Oak Bluffs Senior Center to begin discussing specific options for county governance, and possible functions and services of a future county government. The public is invited to attend.

Seven possible options are under consideration. The charter commission expects to begin narrowing the options in early November. The options range from leaving county government as is with no changes at all, to abolishing county government with no replacement.

How to Save the World last month won the award for best nonbroadcast film at the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, an international event where other winners came from the BBC, Animal Planet and the Discovery Channel. Tonight, the awardwinning documentary about biodynamic farming will be broadcast — premiering on MVTV.

The filmmakers were on the Island last month to interview Vineyard author William E. Marks for their next film, which is about water. Mr. Marks facilitating the right to screen the film, which begins tonight at 8 p.m.

A gibbous moon will interfere with this weeks Orionid meteor shower. The best part of the shower is this weekend, after midnight. The moon’s brilliance will interfere, so only the brightest of meteors can be seen.

Margaret Knight>

508 627-8894

(margaret02539@yahoo.com)

Some of the Chappaquiddick trees and vines have changed colors and given the island a look of fall. The bright red Virginia creeper seems suspended on a sea of green, up in the tops of the trees, or else contrasts nicely with the dark brown trunk where it climbs a pine.