February 2024

By Patrick Robinson

What has happened to American whimsy? 

My father, Jerry Robinson was a whimsical writer…. a devotee of Mark Twain, James Thurber and Art Buchwald. A fan of Erma Bombeck and Dave Barry.. and somehow to a large degree people like Red Skelton but we don’t have those people around now.

Almost certainly my age is showing but for many decades the magazine Reader’s Digest was chock full of it.. for example:

A turtle is crossing the road when he’s mugged by two snails. When the police show up, they ask him what happened. The shaken turtle replies, “I don’t know. It all happened so fast.”

That, is gentle humor. Is it boring or not edgy enough, or worthy of the put down label “Dad Joke?”

I completely understand the power of humor to reveal hypocrisy, illuminate the human condition, to deflate arrogance.

A drive by shooting between two vehicles in White Center on Monday morning resulted in damage to two businesses and a near miss of a woman.

According to Patrick Choy, owner of Patrick's Deli whose security cameras recorded the traffic going by outside, one red pickup truck, they presumed was involved, ran through the 4 way stop at 100th and 15th SW and someone fired at another vehicle. The bullets penetrated the wall at Patrick's and went through a window across the street at Multiservicios Delia, a Mexican goods store.

But a woman outside at Patrick's had a bullet strike her shoe. She was shaken up and suffered minor injuries.

Patrick said, "This is the first time anything like this has happened here. We asked the lady in and fed her to help her out. She talked to the police and was shaken up."

King County Sheriff's Deputy Eric White shared their report:

Hundreds of people will leap into the cold waters of Puget Sound at Alki Beach, many in teams, and all to raise funds for Special Olympics. The event will offer food trucks, DJ's playing music and many special guests. The event begins at 11am and onsite registration starts at 10am.

From the Special Olympics website:

"With your support, Special Olympics Washington can continue to impact the lives of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). From year-round sports training and competitions, to health and leadership programs, your participation will help empower athletes to shatter stereotypes and exceed their personal bests on and off the playing field.

Community cleanup group A Cleaner Alki (By and By) has on-boarded with Seattle Parks Foundation to amplify their mission of partnering with community to champion thriving and equitable parks and public spaces.

A Cleaner Alki is a cleanup group founded in June 2021 on Alki Beach to build community during the pandemic. In the years since, the group has moved off the beach and out into the broader community to address complex cleanup needs around the city with help from Seattle Public Utilities’ Adopt a Street program. The group also works on projects with SDOT gardeners, Forest Stewards and is in talks to partner with Seattle Parks. Since inception the group has held more than 450 cleanups and removed over 34 tons of trash out of the local environment.

It's been a lengthy process since a terrible fire destroyed the historic Highland Park Improvement Club in West Seattle. Now, finally the Master Use Permit to tear down the old structure and begin the process of creating the new one has been issued.

SEE THE PERMIT DECISION HERE

The new 6100 square foot space will offer musical performances, and events, with space for weddings, quinceaneras, birthdays and wakes, and local meetings, classes and gatherings. The space will act as an emergency HUB point for the Highland Park neighborhood and as a social focal point, builiding community connections and resilience.