Sheldon Hackney, a noted historian, humanitarian, academic and longtime Vineyard resident, died Thursday, Sept. 12, at home, surrounded by his family. He was 79. The cause was amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Mr. Hackney was a respected figure on and off the Vineyard, where he had been coming since the 1960s.

Chris and Lynn McDonnell spent their vacation on the Vineyard this year the way they always do. End-to-end walks on Lighthouse Beach, filling Solo cups with shells, beach glass and wampum. Out to eat in Menemsha for fish and lobster. Down to the harborfront in Edgartown for ice cream. Up to Oak Bluffs to say hello to Johnny Cupcakes.

One of the largest privately-owned properties on the Vineyard goes on the market today with a record asking price. The 314 acres in West Tisbury feature dry oak forest, a private freshwater pond and some 1,200 feet of unspoiled Atlantic Ocean beachfront.

Ralph Graves, the former editor of Life Magazine, a novelist and longtime summer resident of the Island, died in New York city on June 10 after a period of declining health. He was 88.

Large numbers of Portuguese man-of-wars were found washed up on the south shore of the Vineyard this week, prompting The Trustees of Reservations to post notices at Norton Point beach in Edgartown.