JANE N. SLATER

508-645-3378

(slaterjn@comcast.net)

Chilmark’s heart is heavy as we end this week sharing grief and heartache with some members of our Island community. We send condolences to all those in sorrow and we hope for healing for all.

Our early spring forges ahead. The daffodil displays all over town are in bloom and all seem bigger and better than other years. The grass along the sides of the roads is already green and the oak trees are turning a reddish color as the buds swell.

There are many family reunions in the planning stages as the Easter weekend comes closer. It appears that the Easter bunny won’t have snow to contend with!

The Martha’s Vineyard Youth Soccer group is inviting us all to the Community Center on April 6 for a fund-raising party with Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish for dancing from 7 to 10 p.m. There will be a silent auction and snacks available. The ticket is $20 and the fun will be non-stop.

Scott McDowell is back at his Basin Road home after a month in Hawaii, where he caught up with his son and daughter and enjoyed the fishing and the sunshine. Scott is the captain of the charter fishing boat Lauren C.

There is a sign on the door of the once-called Menemsha Deli telling us that the Beetlebung Café will be opening in May, offering us breakfast and lunch. I will keep you posted as May comes closer.

Slow Food Martha’s Vineyard is offering an evening of food, movie and discussion on April 7 at the Community Center, beginning at 6 p.m. The movie is called the Economics of Happiness. The makers of the film will be there for discussion after the showing.

The many Chilmark friends of Mildred Mayhew send her warm wishes and are happy that she is back at her present residence, the Henrietta Brewer House. Ted and Judy Mayhew came back recently from their winter Florida vacation and her daughter, Carol Mays, has been here recently to visit.

Clarissa Allen and Judy Jardin traveled to Boston earlier this week to attend the first of the season’s gift shows. Clarissa will be opening her South Road shop at the Allen Farm for another season.

The after-school program of arts and crafts at the Chilmark Library has an interesting program coming up on Wednesday, April 4. They will be discussing turtles and are asking if anyone in town has a pet turtle and would be willing to bring it to the library for the program. If so, please call Irene at the library, 508-645-3360.

An invitation for bids is out to contractors for the construction of an additional bathroom at the Chilmark School to be built as part of the existing building for the use of the preschool program. The deadline has been extended one week to April 4 at 4 p.m. Please contact tcarroll@chilmarkma.gov or call the selectmen’s office.

There are times when we would all like to throw our electronic devices away . . . working or not! The Martha’s Vineyard Community Services is having their annual electronics disposal day on April 7 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The collection will be at the campus of the Martha’s Vineyard Community Services, across the street from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. Community Services will take all sorts of appliances for fees of from $1 to $35. You may get more information at mvcommunityservices.com or by calling 508-693-6570.

Town hall has been notified that the U.S. Coast Guard is moving forward in its efforts to replace the boathouse in Menemsha. Bids will be going out for service contracts. We are all hoping for some modification of the plan in the height of the building. There is still some possibility of that happening.

Be sure and mark your calendars for the annual town meeting on April 24 at the Community Center at 7:30 p.m.