It was one of the town's best-kept secrets, and hundreds of coconspirators kept it quiet for months. Retiring fire chief Richard H. Clark Jr. was treated to a surprise party on Saturday. The event that filled the Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury took months to plan and was kept a secret from the chief until the last moment. This party will go down in the record books as Tisbury's biggest caper.

There is no drought on Martha's Vineyard. While dry conditions may continue in other parts of the Northeast, the Vineyard has had healthy rainfall thus far this year.

But despite spring rains, Vineyard ground water levels are at or near their 25-year low. This has raised concerns that homes in outlying areas, those with wells near the coast, may be vulnerable to saltwater intrusion.

A 46-year-old flyfishing guide drowned in the waters of Eel Pond in the wee hours of Friday morning. Kenneth Schwam, who had recently moved full time to the Vineyard from Pennsylvania and had worked a few weeks at Larry's Tackle Shop, is being mourned by friends and colleagues near and far.

According to police, Mr. Schwam was out fishing late with a customer, Jem Paker from London. The two were wading in deep water when they both found themselves in over their heads.

Echoes of Sept. 11 followed the solemn marchers in the Memorial Day veterans' parade on Monday. More participants joined, and more flags were hung than in years past. Even the crowds were larger on the Edgartown streets.

The lilacs are in full bloom and the air smells like summer. Memorial Day weekend is here. The American flags are posted. The flowers boxes are decorated. This is an early such weekend for a community that years ago used to end the month with the national holiday. And yes, there will be more than one parade.

A 22-year-old man was charged in district court yesterday with escaping from Dukes County Jail and House of Correction in Edgartown last weekend. David Luce, who was close to finishing a two-and-a-half-year sentence for assault and battery and indecent assault and battery, was discovered missing from the jail at approximately 2:55 a.m. last Saturday.