Community news: Johnson

On Monday, May 25, Bob Sweetser, Steve Engel, Don Garrett, Tom Carney, Mike Dunham, Geoff Corey, Steve Smith, Bruce White and Duane French joined in a very personal tribute at Lamoille View Cemetery. There was no publicity, no parade, no party atmosphere, no firefighters or marching bands, and was attended by four people. A three-gun salute and taps lasted 10 minutes.

This Memorial Day ceremony was particularly heartfelt, reverent, touching, beautiful.

A postscript: Taps was played on a cellphone. There was some left-to-right shuffling of rifles as Donnie’s phone failed to produce music and Tom had to use his. Which is why, in pictures, Goeff is in the nontraditional position of carrying a rifle.

• Johnson Works has a new, improved website that’s much better than the old one. Accurately describing our fair town as “where the trails, the arts, and the community meet,” it details Johnson’s attractions, business activity, education, arts, and has wonderful pictures. It has a calendar of events, too; naturally, June’s is COVID-empty but that won’t last. There’s a collection of videos, some historic and some contemporary, including a Zoom COVID meeting with live music from Isaac Eddy. There are things happening in Johnson and you’ll know what by checking out johnsonworks.org. Congrats are due to a hard-working (usually behind the scenes) group for a well-done job.

• Compliments to Emergency Manager Eric Osgood for his hard work in handling Johnson’s intelligent response to the outbreak. Comments around town reflect folks’ appreciation for Eric’s dedication and imagination, all done on a volunteer basis. Especially noted are the Friday Zoom meetings that feature COVID updates and another form of information or entertainment, such as Vermont Health Commissioner Mark Levine, Attorney General T.J. Donovan, and live music. 

• Johnson is known for its artists and writers, and now it has another noted writer/illustrator. In Kaeti Vandorn’s new book, “Crabapple Trouble,” a with-it girl with a crabapple head literally loses it when stress and worry cause it to roll right off her shoulders.

This isn’t a lightweight story; in it, “anthropomorphized-produce people prepare for a fairy food festival in this transitional graphic novel.” Kirkus Reviews tells us, “Readers will be delighted to pick up this sweet treat” that’s aimed at readers ages 5-8. It delivers a positive message of managing anxiety with helping Crabapple’s community, and considers different approaches to achieving “self-worth in ways beyond traditional productivity.”

“A secondary plot in which Thistle and his fairy community reconcile their different approaches to productivity ties in nicely with the book’s themes of emotional intelligence and community. The artwork is soft, friendly, and cheerful”

Congratulations to Kaeti. “Crabapple Trouble” will be available on Aug. 11 but can be ordered in advance on Amazon now.

• Vermont’s map of emerald ash borer detections has big red dots designating infestation locations on a green background.

It used to look like a couple of mosquito bites. Now it looks like blackfly season. A new outbreak in southern Vermont has widened the infestation.

The emerald ash borer’s presence in Vermont has been growing inexorably and, though it hasn’t been identified in Lamoille County yet, it will be eventually. When it does, handling the fallout will be very expensive. The borer’s active season is from June 1 through September and it pays to be familiar with the signs and what can be done to slow the spread. Find all the information you need at vtinvasives.org/eab.

— Sue Lovering, 635-8315