The Oak Bluffs police department recently received a $5,000 grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to expand its child passenger safety efforts. The office of public safety awarded 67 grants totaling just over $660,000 to communities across the state with the aim of reducing motor vehicle fatalities and injuries involving children.

Nationwide traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 14. The grant will be used primarily to purchase child safety seats that will be distributed to parents and caregivers in need.

Although the assets of the Dukes County pension fund have seen losses in recent months due to the turmoil on Wall Street and the national economy, spokesmen for the Dukes County retirement board this week said their losses are manageable. They said the pension system is solvent and will stay that way.

Martha’s Vineyard’s three local banks have warned customers to beware of phone scammers, who targeted large numbers of Island residents on Thursday night, seeking their account details.

The automated calls attempt to trick people by saying their accounts have been “suspended,” then transferring them to a “security center” where they are asked to provide their card numbers and security codes.

Customers of the Martha's Vineyard Savings Bank, Edgartown National and Bank of Martha's Vineyard/Sovereign Bank all received the late-night calls.

The

The Vineyard Energy Project announced this week that it has named David McGlinchey as its new executive director. He takes the helm from Kate Warner, who founded the nonprofit energy project in 2003 with a broad mission of outreach, education and energy development.

The Aquinnah Cultural Center is closed for the season and will open again in June, 2009.

Road Race

The 19th annual Columbus Day 5K Road Race will benefit the Island Affordable Housing Fund for the second year in a row. The event will be held Sunday, Oct. 12, starting at the Wesley Hotel in Oak Bluffs.