Remember the 802 Music Video? I posted it as a Vermont YouTube of the day on May 2.

Since then, its creators, Colin Arisman, Kevin Hartmann and Luke Martin have gotten quite a bit of press. Channel 5 and WCAX did segments on them, the Barre/Montpelier Times Argus wrote about ’em, so did the Rutland Herald. Now the New York Times has a story.

OK, it’s great that these guys got exposure in the NYT, but look at this ridiculous lead:

Vermonthas long been a muse for poets and painters, but rappers have neverbeen known to draw inspiration from its bucolic landscapes andpostcard-perfect small towns.

Until now.

The quietstreets and low crime rates of Vermont have worked their way into thehip-hop world, thanks to a rap video called “802,” made by threestudents at Montpelier High School.      

Oh those wacky Vermonters! Aw, shucks! Ugh.

One precious nugget of this coverage that you might have missed — Barre City Councilor Carol Dawes’ employer, Central Vermont Adult Basic Education, suggested that she write a rap for them. Here’s an excerpt of her CVABE rap, as reported in the TA:

CVABE, spreading lit’racy /

CVABE, spreading lit’racy /

From the north, Lamoille County / To the south in Randolph town /

From the mighty Connecticut River / To the west down in Moretown /

In the learning centers, libraries, the workplaces and homes / We are spreading lit’racy, we are helping you become… /

A better reader, better writer, better in math, too / Maybe even helping you become a great compu… /

…ter whiz. Or learning English as a new way to talk, / We will teach you the skills so you can walk the walk. /

Now why can’t I find that rap on their website?

Seven Days’ deputy publisher and co-owner Cathy Resmer is a writer, editor and advocate for local journalism. She works in the paper’s Burlington office and lives vicariously through the reporters while raising money to pay them. Cathy started at Seven Days as a freelance writer in 2001 and still has the Rolodex to prove it. As the paper’s first online editor, she launched Seven Days email newsletters and started the paper’s first social media accounts. Cathy has overseen Kids VT, Vermont’s...