Well the weekend weather was a mixed bag with a lot of rain on Saturday, wind and above average temperatures. We received some snow and frigid cold wind and weather on Monday. It was so cold and miserable it was enough to close the Dumptique until March. The focus for most everyone last Saturday other than the usual dump run was the Patriots football game. There were a handful of cars on the roads during the game as most everyone settled in to watch the Patriots defeat the Chiefs and move on to the AFC championship this Sunday against Denver. Congratulations!

The guys at the Up-Island gas station were mighty busy selling gasoline for $2.44 per gallon. Sunday they run a special on fuel and at times the lines are long.

Pierce Kirby 3rd and Kerry Healey returned from a 10-day business trip to Colombia last week. Pierce says they both had a wonderful time. Last weekend he took his parents up to visit Kerry and then on a weekend trip to Maine.

Sal Laterra, of Providence R.I., arrives on Wednesday to visit Phyllis Meras at her Music street home for the weekend.

Cynthia Riggs, of Edgartown Road, reports that everyone is invited to the 28th annual Groundhog Day Celebration on Tuesday, Feb. 2 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Cleaveland House on Edgartown Road. All are welcome. Bring your favorite hors d’oeuvres, if you’d like, but that’s not a requirement. Parking will be in the west pasture, easily reached if you take the first left after you turn down New Lane Road. For more information call Cynthia at 508-693-9352. In addition to the good food and friends it is generally believed to be the beginning of the political season.

Speaking about the political season, town clerk Tara Whiting reports that nomination papers for town elections are now available in her office. For a list of openings please look at your town report or call the town clerk. David Merry has announced he is stepping down from the board of health, so anyone interested or with any questions about the responsibilities of that position should contact John Powers at the board of health. Nominations papers are due back in the town clerk’s office by Feb. 24, with a minimum of 20 signatures of registered voters.

The presidential primary is March 1. The annual town meeting and elections are on April 12 and 14 so be sure you are registered to vote. If you have any questions please contact the town clerk.

Amy Hoff, over at the library, reports that on Saturday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. the library will host a poetry reading for Fan Ogilvie. On Sunday and again next Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. join Lara O’Brien at the library and write or polish your short story, then work with Laurel Redington of mvyradio to record and feature your story on our local radio station. No rules, just fun and creative minds working together.

On Monday the West Tisbury School presents Up-Island Voices, a place for students of all ages to read their work (fiction, non-fiction, poetry) to others. The public is invited to hear students’ work, or read their own.

On Jan. 15, 1946 Mike and Elizabeth Athearn and their young son George moved from the farmhouse of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Horace Athearn of Crow Hollow, where they had been living since his discharge from the Army. Their new home was the upstairs apartment in the home of Emma Terry on State Road, located between S.M. Mayhew’s store and the First Congregational Church. For many years the house was owned by Ulysses Mayhew, a state representative and partner in the general store with his brother Sanderson.

Happy birthday to: Sandy Atwood, Willie Levesque and Anya Toteanu Friday; Georgiana White, Kristine Scheffer and Paul Vanlandingham Saturday; Zack Wiesner, Lewis Waring and Dan Sharkovitz on Sunday; Abigail Higgins, Tony Omer, Mitchell Gordon and Zackery Schwager on Monday; Harold Lawry, Melissa Clay, Cathleen Vincent, Leigh Hammond and Ed Sylvia on Tuesday; Tim Mathiesen, Susan Sigel Goldsmith, Taggart Young and Tom Engley on Wednesday; and Jamie Alley, Abigail Stanwood, and John Barkin on Thursday. Belated birthday greetings to Kern Grimes. Belated anniversary greetings to Chris and Diane Abbot.

Well that is all of the social news for this week’s edition. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. A trivia item that could come in handy at your next social gathering: Our Market in Oak Bluffs received its first shipment of Krueger’s canned beer 81 years ago next week. They were the first brewery to try this new method of marketing their product.

Have a great week.

Send West Tisbury news to alleys@vineyard.net.