07/05/2026
Happy Birthday Akili! July 4th was always a big day in the parking lot of Dotty’s.
Not just because of fireworks, though there were plenty of those. But because July 4th was the day Dotty celebrated Akili's birthday.
For almost 20 years, Akili lived right here, next door to the Jolly Cone, on this corner of Highway 3. She gave elephant rides to most every kid in the Scott Valley. She played harmonica, painted canvases and signed them herself, and marched in the local parades. She performed all over, traveling in a big old farm truck driven by Ralph (Dotty's husband) the school teacher turned head clown.
And every single day without exception, Dotty brought her a soft-serve ice cream cone.
One day, the cone was late.
Akili nudged open her barn, found her way through the fence, and let herself in the back door of the restaurant, trunk raised, purpose clear.
She got her cone.
Every Fourth of July, this parking lot was full. Fireworks. Family. Ice cream. An elephant who knew exactly what she wanted and wasn't shy about asking for it.
We think about her a lot, standing here watching this building come back to life, getting ready to open these windows again and serve food to the community.
Dotty's is coming back.
We don't have an exact opening date yet, but we're close. And we'll be here when we do open, and every July 4th after that, celebrating the birthday of an elephant who made this corner one of the most magical places in Northern California.
Happy birthday, Akili. The soft-serve is for you🍦
