The Permanent Endowment for Martha’s Vineyard awarded $11,730 in grants this spring to 12 nonprofit organizations on the Island. Debbie Hale, chairman of the Permanent Endowment, said in a statement: “Certainly our financial resources have been affected by declines in the market. But our mission remains the same — to help efforts to better life on the Island through funding for the arts, education, the elderly, the environment, health and human services, housing and youth.”

The Simon Gallery will reopen today at 10 a.m. for its second season. In their newly enlarged and renovated space, Peter and Ronni Simon will celebrate with a special Easter Weekend sale featuring discounts up to 40 per cent on selected jewelry by Ronni and many photographs by Peter, including some of his iconic and recently created Vineyard landscapes and musical legends.

Ronni will also be premiering a new art form: metal and bead sculptures on driftwood.

Our Island Club, the consumer savings program that also raises monies for Island charities, has distributed its 2008 donations.

In the program’s three years, more than $85,000 had been distributed to over 140 organizations. The club includes more than 3,000 members who can save at more than 125 Island businesses.

Our Island Club is providing scholarships to Featherstone Center for the Arts, Permanent Endowment Fund of Martha’s Vineyard, the Farm Institute, Vineyard Nursing Association and Community Services/Early Childhood Development.

An attempt to hike Aquinnah commercial shellfish licenses from $200 to $1,000, to help fund an apparent six-figure shortfall in the town budget, sparked outrage in the fishing community this week.

The Oak Bluffs annual town election is active this year with four key contests. Five candidates are running for two seats on the board of selectmen; three candidates are running for one seat on the school committee; two candidates are running for a seat on the water commission; and two candidates are competing for town moderator.

The election is next Thursday at the town public library. Polling hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In a repeat of sorts of a hotly contested race three years ago for West Tisbury assessor, longtime incumbent Michael Colaneri will face once again a challenge from Jonathan Revere in next week’s annual town election. Voters also will choose between Tara J. Whiting and Jemima James to replace outgoing town clerk Prudence Whiting, who is retiring after 12 years.

In the only other contested race, four candidates — Sarah Carr, Harvey Garneau, Melissa Hackney and Isaac Russell — are contesting two three-year terms on the library board of trustees.

The U.S. Small Business Administration is reminding local businesses that Economic Injury Disaster Loans are still available to small businesses economically impacted by the fire in Tisbury that occurred on July 4, 2008.

“Businesses that suffered economic losses as a result of the disaster and want to apply for low-interest loans from the SBA are urged to do so before the May 15 deadline,” said Frank Skaggs, director of SBA Field Operations Center East.

Two Island men accused of attacking and robbing the elderly ticket taker of the Capawock Theatre in Vineyard Haven last September pleaded guilty this week in Dukes County Superior Court to reduced charges as part of a plea bargain agreement with prosecutors.

Two well-known Oak Bluffs landmarks are being worked on in anticipation of summer.

The photogenic bandstand in Ocean Park (often erroneously called the gazebo), is undergoing a restoration.

And the Tabernacle in the Camp Ground is being refitted with original stained-glass clerestory windows. The work on the Tabernacle is part of a much larger $3 million restoration project which is taking place in phases over a period of years.

Note: The  Heath Hen, once a plentiful bird throughout New England, was last seen by James Green in West Tisbury on March 11, 1932.

The Ballad Of Boomin’ Ben

(The Tragic Tale of the Last Heath Hen)

I looked for my lady,

hoped she was near

playing “hard-to-get” games

in the Spring of that year.

I searched and I searched 

under brush, by the sea;