Latest news with #JohnsonFamily
Washington Post
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
‘The camp of our dreams': LBJ's daughter remembers her years at Camp Mystic
Lynda Bird Johnson Robb remembers the summer of 1956 as one that changed her life. Her father, Lyndon B. Johnson, then the powerful Senate majority leader, was planning an audacious bid for the presidential nomination as a 'favorite son' at what would be a hard-fought Democratic National Convention. Which is how Lynda got to go to Camp Mystic for the first time. With the convention looming, it had been the idea of LBJ's longtime secretary, Mary Rather, that Lynda — a studious 12-year-old, and the elder and shyer of the two Johnson girls — be allowed to step away from the harshness of the political spotlight and steep herself in the quiet beauty of the Texas Hill Country. 'They went to Chicago, and they sent me to Mystic,' Lynda, now 81, recalled during an interview on Monday. 'I think I had never spent the night before with someone who wasn't family or a close friend.' And so began a Johnson family tradition. Lynda's younger sister, Luci, would follow her to Mystic. And in the years to come, so would their daughters and granddaughters, some of whom became counselors there. Lady Bird Johnson would become a regular presence as well, in the summers that stretched near to the end of her life. The former first lady would make sure she was in the audience of the stage productions in which all three generations of her Mystic girls appeared and she celebrated their achievements at the camp's closing ceremonies. 'It was the camp of our dreams,' Lynda told me. 'It's a hole in our hearts now. You just can't believe that Camp Mystic and all of those girls are gone.' Over the past days, the death toll from the Guadalupe River floodwaters has mounted, and grown to include more than two dozen Mystic campers and counselors. The images of the lost and still missing, those beautiful young faces, are inescapable. So, Lynda and her family and the lifelong friends that she made in her summers there have dealt with their grief by staying in close touch. The camp, which opened in 1926, had a legendary reputation among Texans of privilege. Parents were known to put their daughters on the waiting list at birth. (Though the official admission policy is that campers must have completed second grade, Lynda confided that Luci managed to finagle the admission of one of her daughters at the age of 6.) Girls in their cabins could look up and see the names of their mothers and aunts and grandmothers carved into the rafters. Especially for earlier generations, it also functioned as something of a finishing school and social launching pad, albeit one where the finer points of handling a .22 caliber rifle were taught alongside etiquette and art. The bonds formed there could help assure that a girl would get into the right sorority at the University of Texas, marry well and find entry in elite circles. As we spoke, Lynda's memories came pouring out. 'I tried golfing. I was a failure. But I loved swimming,' she recalled. In his letters, her father encouraged Lynda to work at becoming better at horseback riding — and indeed, she won a silver charm for her improvement. LBJ also wrote that 'he wouldn't even mind if I lost a few pounds,' Lynda said with a laugh. Self-reliance was also demanded. Girls were expected to keep their rooms clean and do their own laundry, though Lynda acknowledged she wasn't always as diligent as she should have been at the latter. On Sundays, they wore white and had to produce at least one letter they had written home to be allowed to partake in the delicious fried chicken lunches. The girls called them 'chicken letters.' Camp Mystic also helped Lynda find her identity and a community as a Texan. Her father was already in Congress by the time she was born, which meant she spent most of her growing-up years in Washington. She would live in the White House, and later be first lady of Virginia. But she still makes a point of getting together with her camp friends when she visits Austin. 'You just enjoyed each other's company,' she said. 'You weren't worried about what was going on in the big world out there.' Now, however, that world has come rushing in with a torrent of deadly water. Lynda's memories — all of their memories — will forever be shadowed by girls who will never grow up to reminisce years later, and to pass along the traditions of Camp Mystic to their own daughters and granddaughters.
Bloomberg
10-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Billionaire Johnson Family's VC Fund to Exit China Tech Holdings
A venture capital fund backed by Fidelity Investments ' billionaire Johnson family plans to unload its Chinese technology holdings amid heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington, according to people familiar with the matter. Eight Roads, Abigail Johnson's family firm that was an early investor in China's internet sector, began exploring the sale of all its investments in about 40 Chinese tech companies earlier this year, the people said, asking not to be identified discussing a private matter.
CTV News
06-06-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Sask. wildfires bring new complications for northern residents, firefighters
WATCH: Residents in La Ronge and first responders are facing new challenges in the midst of the ongoing wildfires. Several days after the initial evacuation of the La Ronge area, problems continue to emerge that go beyond the fire itself. Families from the area face new challenges as the days go on. When the Johnson family arrived in Macdowell after evacuating from La Ronge, three of their horses spooked and went missing. 'We got down here, and we let them out,' said owner Tina Johnson. 'It's an unfamiliar place and they're scared. And the little ones, our ponies busted through the fence and took off.' Luckily, all three horses were found uninjured late Thursday afternoon. All SaskTel services are unavailable in La Ronge and the surrounding area — and in all communities and areas directly north and northeast of La Ronge. 'We're hoping that we'll be able to start restoring services as the fires subside,' said Greg Jacobs, representing SaskTel. 'But really, all of the major fires are still posing significant hazards to our crews and to infrastructure.' The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) said that damages to infrastructure have impacted its communication with fire crews. 'So, another little complicating factor that's beyond the fire scope, but directly having an impact on our ability to do our work,' said Steve Roberts with the SPSA. For the time being, SaskTel says it will waive all wireless data overage fees for customers who had to leave northern Saskatchewan. The Métis Nation-Saskatchewan government is opening the Batoche festival grounds to anyone escaping the northern wildfires, and the Prince Albert Exhibition Association is opening its RV and trailer campground to those impacted.
The Sun
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Boris Johnson welcomes surprise fourth baby with wife Carrie as she reveals adorable name in sweet post
BORIS and Carrie Johnson have a welcomed a surprise new baby. The mum revealed the adorable name for her fourth child with the former PM in a sweet post on Instagram. 3 3 3 Snaps show the Johnsons enjoying pizza to celebrate.
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Family blames Denver Housing Authority for senior's death in sweltering apartment
The family of a woman who died in her Denver Housing Authority apartment during extreme heat is suing the agency, claiming negligence in responding to her repeated complaints about her air conditioning system. Shirlyne Johnson Johnson Family Shirlyne Johnson, 68, was found dead two years ago inside her unit on the sixth floor of Thomas Bean Towers -- a public housing complex for seniors in Denver. According to the lawsuit, the temperature inside her apartment exceeded 120 degrees. Her daughter, Latrisse Johnson, says the family still struggles to process the loss. "I was not able to see my mother when we did funeral services," she said. "She was decomposed." The lawsuit alleges that Johnson, who had pre-existing health conditions, had repeatedly requested maintenance to fix her malfunctioning HVAC system, which was reportedly pumping hot air into her apartment for days, according to the lawsuit. "Her complaint was, 'My AC is not working,' and if they had just taken the time to go and see what the issue was, I think it could've saved my mom's life," Latrisse said. CBS The Denver Housing Authority manages the Thomas Bean Towers. The lawsuit claims the agency failed to respond to maintenance requests in a timely and appropriate manner, ultimately leading to Johnson's death. The autopsy report, cited in the lawsuit, found multiple contributing factors in Johnson's death, which were "complicated by exposure to an increased environmental temperature." Her body temperature was recorded at 111 degrees at the time of death. "It could've been an easy fix," Latrisse said. "I need the Denver Housing Authority to be accountable for their actions. I don't want any other residents or disabled elderly to go through what my mom went through." In a statement to CBS News Colorado, the Denver Housing Authority said: "While we are unable to comment at this time due to the open court case, our mission remains focused on providing safe, stable housing and supporting the communities we serve." Latrisse Johnson says that statement does not reflect her family's experience. "The housing authority needs to do better," she said. A judge will now decide whether the lawsuit can move forward or if DHA is protected under Colorado's Governmental Immunity Act. That ruling could take several months.
