West Seattle Thursday: 1st full day of Summer 2012

(Thanks to Alex for sharing the raccoon-family photo from “somewhere along Longfellow Creek”)
Welcome to the first full day of summer! Highlights from the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar:

BRIDGE CLOSURE TONIGHT: If you missed the announcement on Wednesday, SDOT added another westbound closure of the Spokane Street Viaduct (plus one eastbound lane) for tonight, 10 pm-5 am – as noted on our updated “this week’s closures” page.

LIBRARY STORY TIMES: Every so often, we like to remind you of these weekly events at your friendly neighborhood Seattle Public Library branch. Today, Southwest Library (35th/Henderson) presents Preschool Story Time, 11-11:30 am; Delridge Library (Delridge/Brandon) has its own edition, 11:15-11:45 am; High Point Library (35th/Raymond) has Toddler Story Time, 11:30-noon.

FAREWELL RECEPTION: The Kenney (WSB sponsor) is saying farewell to CEO Kevin McFeely (as reported here), and there’s a reception at 4:30 pm (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW).

‘CIRCLE OF SINGLES’: Event for singles 55 and over at Salty’s on Alki, 5 pm – details here.

WINE TASTINGS: Two tonight: West Seattle Cellars, 5:30-8 pm, Spanish and Portuguese Wines, from Casa Ventura, with Laura Stiff (6026 California SW) … Bin 41, 6-8 pm, with Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon, sharing not only wines but also excerpts from his new book “Been Doon So Long: A Randall Grahm Vinthology,” and autographing it too (4707 California SW).

WEST SEATTLE FIXERS’ COLLECTIVE: Meeting tonight at the West Seattle Tool Library (northeast side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way SW), 6 pm.

K-5 STEM AT BOREN DESIGN TEAM: The team of community, school, and district reps working on West Seattle’s new public school meets at 6:15 pm in the library at Madison Middle School (45th/Spokane).

SANISLO ICE CREAM SOCIAL: Current and new Sanislo Elementary families are welcome! 6:30 pm (details on the calendar).

ALKI COMMUNITY COUNCIL: The monthly ACC meeting is tonight, 7 pm, at Alki UCC Church (62nd/Hinds) – agenda here.

FD June 21, 2012 (8:34 am)

Looks like someone is regularily feeding these animals. If only us humans could leave nature as is to take its own course

ws suzanne June 21, 2012 (10:02 am)

FD — I’ don’t know if that’s true at all. I never feed my neighborhood raccoons and every year about this time see young families like this one in my back yard. They are always on the prowl for food. Last year one patted down every inch of my lawn looking for slugs and snails, and anything else she could find.

Anne June 21, 2012 (10:24 am)

How do you come to that conclusion? We have a family of raccoons that come through our yard now & then-I’ve been able to take a picture, too-but we don’t feed them nor do our neighbors. This is nature-can’t we just see a photo like this & from time to time just appreciate it for what it is?
Thanks Alex for sharing this photo-on the first day of summer!!

G June 21, 2012 (12:20 pm)

Where are the Candian geese hangin in WS? I would like to take my grand kids there to check them out.

WSB June 21, 2012 (12:22 pm)

You may see them around the street-end park just east of Salty’s on Harbor Avenue – or at Don Armeni. No guarantees, though – we walk down in that area frequently and sometimes they’re around, sometimes they’re not … TR

G June 21, 2012 (12:24 pm)

Thanks :)

BLB June 21, 2012 (12:39 pm)

Adorable bandits. They’re true gangster fur balls.

wild one June 21, 2012 (2:24 pm)

I like BLB’s comment. Gangster fur balls, I love it!
Cute picture by the way!
If you keep a lid on your garbage, don’t feed them, and keep an eye on your pets they shouldn’t be much of a problem. It’s a personal responsibility to adapt to your environment and raccoons are a part of our environment. They are pretty good at adapting to us. One of the main things I love about living in West Seattle is that while we are a part of Seattle, a major metropolitan city, we still have a lot of wildlife and green spaces. It’s pretty awesome.

Cascadianone June 21, 2012 (2:49 pm)

FD- Did you see a McDonalds wrapper or some cat food in that picture that I didn’t? LOL. And what is nature’s course, exactly? You do understand that raccoons predate all human settlement in North America, right?

HockeyWitch June 21, 2012 (7:20 pm)

I agree BLB… they are pretty dang adorable bandits. @FD, don’t have to feed them for the little critters to come in your yard… We live in THEIR neighborhood. Humans have taken over “NATURE” they don’t have anywhere else to go but into our world. I say just enjoy the cuteness of the photo.

KL June 21, 2012 (9:47 pm)

There is a mama raccoon that we have seen in our yard five times over the past couple weeks during the day. We don’t feed them intentionally, but we do have a huge mulberry tree it is often munching, nor is it frightened of us. Raccoons can actually be pretty aggressive little bandits!
Also re: Story Times…do watch out and call the library before you go if you are new to them. I visited High Point on Mon for story time as shown on the SPL.org website. The library was closed with revised summer hours. Frustrating, as the website’s usually accurate. They are wonderful, if you do catch them though. The story lady at Southwest is our favorite.

Sorry, comment time is over.