The Up-Island regional school district committee voted this week to part ways with food service provider Chartwells at the end of the school year, and now plans to develop its own school meals program based at the West Tisbury school.

Marking a sudden new turn in the Islandwide negotiations under way for a cable television contract, Edgartown has pulled out of the talks and says it will stay out until a draft contract with Comcast includes service to Chappaquiddick.

The news of Edgartown’s decision surfaced at a cable advisory committee meeting Wednesday that had no quorum. Edgartown selectman and board chairman Arthur Smadbeck later confirmed his town’s decision to walk away from the negotiating table until cable service to Chappy can be guaranteed in the contract.

Chilmark selectman sharply criticized the Massachusetts Estuaries Project this week, questioning both the necessity of the project and the significance of the results, at least for their town.

As a child, the closest I ever came to Campbell’s cream of mushroom soup was through a slide of Andy Warhol’s iconic print in an art history class; except for once a year, Hanukkah, which began this week. It’s the key to my great-grandmother’s brisket recipe, and last weekend I found myself elbow deep in it as I made the dish for the first time by myself.

Aquinnah selectmen appointed acting fire chiefs this week as they begin the task of putting back together a depleted and leaderless fire department.

Capt. Simon Bollin is now acting deputy chief, the second in command, and Jay Smalley is assistant chief. The appointments are effective immediately and meant to establish a new chain of command to the thinly-staffed department, selectmen said.