We were saddened to learn of the death of John Curran, chief of the Associated Press Bureau in Montpelier. John came to Vermont in 2006, and in the spring of 2007, at the very end of March, just before our Ice-Out Contest closed, I received a call from him asking what the Joe's Pond Ice-Out Contest was all about. I think it was the following day John called again to check on a couple of things and I remember how excited he was when he told me he had found out there were similar contests around, and I think he was even more surprised when I told him a lot of them were patterned after ours here at Joe's Pond.

His article went nation wide on the Associated Press Wire Service on Saturday, March 31. The e-mails began to come in and the phone started ringing with people wanting to know where they could get tickets and friends letting me know they'd seen an article about Joe's Pond, Vermont in their local papers from Maine to Florida and from Texas and California to Oregon. John Curran had put the Joe's Pond Ice Out Contest on the map, for sure.

I never met John, but I had occasion to talk with him a couple more times over the years. I'm sorry I didn't meet him - I'm sure I'd have liked him. My thoughts are with his wife and children. It is very sad when a good person dies at such an early age - he was 54 - and I am so sorry for his family.

Here is the piece that the Burlington Free Press had on him today: John Curran

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---------Meeting Announcement---------------

Cabot's Community and Economic Development Workgroup

Everyone is welcome to participate in discussions regarding Cabot's
community and economic development.

Monday, September 26
7 p.m.
Mason's Hall
Coffee and dessert served

Agenda items include:
Update on grant applications, setting goals for this year and
determining how to conduct business this year.

Please share this announcement with anyone you think might be interested.