Small Town 'News'

During my freshman year of college I took a trip to visit my buddy at his parent's home in Milbank, SD.  Upon returning to campus, I learned of and took humor in the fact that my visit was referenced within the Milbank weekly newspaper as - ahem - 'news'.  

Apparently, my buddy's parents took the time and effort to submit certain details about me and my visit to a local reporter.  

Good grief.

At the time, I could not understand why this sort of content is contained within a small town newspaper.  Now, nearly eighteen years later, I have the benefit of reflection and tend conclude that such reporting helps to foster a sense of community.

So here I am with Kelly, now living in a small community of our own - the antithesis of Chicago.  There is no daily newspaper in our town, rather, the Bainbridge Island Review arrives once a week complete with much of the same hokey content as was contained within that Milbank paper so long ago.  

Ironically, our small-town newspaper now provides me with a sense of delight.  More specifically, the said delight is mostly contained within the Police Blotter, a summary of police activity.

Here are recent samples:

11:02 a.m. A woman reported that she suspected her boyfriend had taken $300 from her dresser drawer before leaving for Boise, Idaho. She had not heard from her boyfriend in five days and had no way of reaching him. She said they were planning on getting married. 

2:15 p.m. A citizen found a Swiss DMQ, women’s-style watch on the sidewalk near Winslow Mall. The watch was entered into storage for safekeeping.

8:45 p.m. A woman flagged down an officer on Winslow Way and turned over a Verizon cell phone found near a picnic table in the parking lot of the police station. The phone was wet and its battery was dead. It was entered as found property.

10:22 p.m. A Lariat Loop resident called police to report an incessantly barking dog. An officer responded and found a small, white poodle barking in the driveway of a home. The dog ran to the front door when the officer approached. The temperature was in the 30s and the officer noted the poodle “did not appear to be an outdoor-type dog.” A homeowner came to the door and attempted to catch the dog, which promptly scurried into a neighboring yard. A report was forwarded to the humane society.

Certainly, this reporting is not likely to warrant a Pulitzer, but it does put a smile on my face.  

Surely that has got to be worth something.