Renaissance House, a retreat for artists and writers in Oak Bluffs, is accepting applications for its 11th year of operation.

Renaissance House is sponsored by the Helene Johnson and Dorothy West Foundation for artists in need. Both women were writers of the Harlem Renaissance. Ms. Johnson died in 1995 and Ms. West in 1998.

The program is from June to October in Oak Bluffs. A resident can stay for one or two weeks.

Dean’s List

Rebekah Jane Nivala of Vineyard Haven has been named to the fall 2011 dean’s list at Wheaton College in Illinois. Rebekah is a senior, and is pursuing a degree in piano performance. Rebekah is also a member of the Women’s Chorale ensemble and the Intercollegiate Debate Team, and is involved with the community service organization the Rotaract Club. Rebekah is the daughter of Risto and Lisa Nivala.

The Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society has announced what it is calling a quiet fund-raising campaign this week to raise money to help offset the cost of its recent land purchase in West Tisbury.

The society and the Polly Hill Arboretum bought nearly 10 acres of land from the Martha’s Vineyard Museum last summer for $1 million. The agricultural society contributed $800,000 to the purchase and the arboretum contributed $200,000.

The land lies between the arboretum and the fair grounds.

Whether to make striped bass only a game fish will again be brought before state legislators. The Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture will host a public hearing on at least three bills that concern the future of striped bass in the state. The hearing will be held Feb. 28 at 11 a.m. at the state house.

The Eric B. MacLean Memorial Tournament took place last weekend at the Martha’s Vineyard arena, with the Bantam squad taking home the championship trophy and the Peewees finishing third overall.

Kathlyn Lorraine Medeiros and Gilmar Mateus de Souza of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Evelyn Lorraine de Souza, born on Feb. 9, 2012, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Evelyn weighed 7 pounds, .045 ounces at birth.