City of Washington - Information and news updates from the City of Washington, Missouri government.

Don't forget to register for the Missouri Book Festival Keynote! Join award-winning author of the Kingdom Keepers and Lou Boldt series, Ridley Pearson, for an exciting presentation on the art of storytelling on Friday, September 13 at 7:00 p.m. at Washington High School’s CJB Theater. This event is part of the 2024 Missouri Book Festival. Ridley will guide writers and readers of all ages through his process of observation, “livening,” and editing. The talk will feature stories of his experiences working with Disney and direct examples from his own published writing. Following his talk, there will be an interactive Q&A and book signing. Tickets are free and open to the public. Everyone must have a ticket to attend. You can reserve your tickets at bit.ly/MoBookFest2024. Learn more about the Missouri Book Festival and see the full schedule of programming at missouribookfestival.com

Did you know that plastic bags do not belong in recycling? Just one plastic bag can contaminate an entire load of recycling. Please do your part and keep all plastic bags out of your recycling toter!

Calling All Poets! You're invited to be a part of the Slam! Saturday, September 14, 4:00 p.m. - 5 p.m. Location: Vino Di Lafayette Rules: Please bring up to 10 minutes of original material to read. We plan to set up at 3:30 p.m. If you wish to sell books, bring a card table. Showcasing all sorts of poets and poetry… Poems may have adult themes, but PG language, please. Open to age 16 and up! We plan to slam for an hour. There is no entry fee. Spaces are limited and a reservation is required, so please reserve your spot at http://bit.ly/MBF-PoetrySlam. If you wish to participate, please send an email with your name, a one-paragraph literary bio, and phone number to: jo.a.schaper@gmail.com by Friday, September 13! The Poetry Slam is hosted by Jo Schaper and Julianne King. Jo is a native Missourian who has been writing of her own instigation since she was 10 years old. She is a published poet, freelance writer, and a Missouri geologist, with a deep love for the rivers, caves, and hills. Julianne King is a poet, essayist, and bookstore owner in Pacific, Missouri. Her works have been published in multiple countries and languages including her newest releases in The Gasconade Review and her book "Dandelion Love."

Night Shift Summary 09/08/2024 Officers checked the wellbeing of a subject near the area of Highway 100 & Highway 47. A parking violation was handled in the 500 block of Macarthur Street. Officers checked the wellbeing of subjects in the area of East 8th Street and Locust Street. A peace disturbance was handled in the 300 block of Burnside Street.

WFD had a big group for the Annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb Event this morning at Enterprise Center. We climbed 110 flights of steps, listening to the FDNY radio traffic from that morning. #NeverForget WFD call summary Sept. 1-7 9/02: vehicle accident, Hwy A wires, E. 6th St. check area, Jade Ln. 9/03: vehicle accident, Hwy 47 9/04: elevator rescue, E. 5th St. motorist assist, Wash. Crossing 9/05: vehicle accident, w. 14th St. assist EMS, Bieker Rd alarm, Cedar Berry Dr. 9/07: mutual aid, Boles Professional Volunteer Service since 1852 #wfd #volunteerfiredepartment #washmo

Vote on the book that you would like selected as the Library's 2025 Community Read Title! To read the plot summaries and vote, visit scenicregional.org/finalists. Voting closes on Wednesday, September 18, 5:00 p.m.

Night Shift Summary 09/07/2024 A suspicious person was checked on in the area of A Roy Drive. Officer checked on suspicious activity in the area of Jade Lane. A subject was taken into custody in the 1700 block of A Roy Drive due to active warrants. A peace disturbance was checked on in the 300 block of Elm Street. Officer responded to the 400 block of Michelle Drive in reference to a domestic. One subject was taken into custody. A peace disturbance was checked on in the 300 block of Madelyn Court.

If anyone can identify the male subject in this photo please contact Officer Day at 636-390-1050. Thank you.

Night Shift Summary 09/06/2024 An argument was reported in the area of Locust Street. When officers arrived one of the subjects involved was found to have active warrants and was taken into custody. Hazards were reported in the roadway near Phoenix Center Drive. Officers checked on a suspicious person in the area of West Main and Jefferson Street. A subject was stopped for speeding in the area of E 5th and Paradise Lane. The drive was found to have active warrants and was taken into custody. A crash was reported on the parking lot of the hospital. Harassment was reported in the 600 block of W 5th Street. A peace disturbance was reported at the riverfront. Officers checked on a suspicious person at the riverfront. Officers handled a complaint for peace disturbance in the area of Windcrest.

2 Fun, Creative Events for Kids! Create a Comic Book Challenge Saturday, September 14 10:15 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.; City Hall, Council Chambers The Create a Comic Book Cover Challenge is a group participation exercise where audience members come together and vote on various aspects of creating a comic book cover. The exercise is hosted by David Gorden, a writer, artist and content creator based St. Louis, MO. He is the founder of 4Sight Studio and produces content for print, merch and YouTube. http://www.4sightstudio.com Draw From Life! 1:45 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.; Library Illustrator/cartoonist Dan Zettwoch will discuss and demonstrate ways of illustrating non-fiction. You too can capture moments from history, discoveries from science, a favorite recipe, or just stories from your own life! And you can do it all by making marks on paper (or tablet). Bring a notebook and your favorite writing/drawing tool! Dan makes graphic novels, mini-comics, hand-drawn maps and homemade screen-prints in his basement in St. Louis, MO. http://www.zettwoch.com/ www.missouribookfestival.com

The Washington Fire Department mourns the loss of a past firefighter Lisa Horn, our friend and EMS partner. May you rest in peace and comfort.

Did you know this about bumblebees?

Happy Blue Friday Washmo! Buckle up, phone down & arrive alive!

Step into the pages of “The Nutcracker & The 1904 World’s Fair!” as Ballet 314 presents a short and sweet demonstration of their reimagined adaptation of the timeless holiday tale. Listen to the story, dance along, and meet characters from this St. Louis-inspired children’s book and ballet. Ballet 314 is a nonprofit professional ballet company celebrating local talent in the St. Louis community. Their mission is to emphasize literacy through the arts via performances and educational programs. www.ballet314.org www.missouribookfestival.com

Officer assisted EMS in the 900 block of Bieker Rd. A stealing report was taken in the 1700 block of A Roy Dr. A stealing report was taken in the 1500 block of High St. Officer responded for a peace disturbance in the 1100 block of W. 5th St. Officer responded to the 500 block of W. 5th St. for a report of a verbal domestic. A peace disturbance was reported in the 900 block of E. 5th St.

The Eraser is More Important Than the Pencil. Spend some time with author Laura Stewart Schmidt as she explores the creative journey of crafting a story. A note from Laura: “Orson Scott Card said that everyone walks by a thousand story ideas every day, and while a good writer might catch a handful, most people don’t see any… My books all began their lives as something completely different, and over time, morphed into the published novel. How and why did that happen? Welcome to the writing process!” Laura Stewart Schmidt is the author of Sweeter Than Life, a YA novel; Until Proven Innocent, a mystery; and Don't Fear, My Darling, a domestic suspense novel. https://www.laurastewartschmidt.com www.missouribookfestival.com

Night Shift 09/04/24 Officer conducted a check the well being on Southwinds Circle. Officers responded to the 2200 block of Ashton Hill St. for a juvenile issue. Officers responded to the 2800 block of Tayson way for a verbal domestic. A subject was arrested on a outstanding fugitive warrant during a traffic stop in the area of 8th St. and Locust St. A subject was arrested for operating a motor vehicle without a valid license in the area of 6th St. and Highway 47. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty.

Shift Summery Dayshift 9-4-2024 Property damage in the area of the riverfront. An assault report was taken in the 1900 Block of High Street. A fraud report was taken in the 1900 Block of Rabbit Trail Drive A vehicle crash report taken in the area of 2nd and Stafford. Vehicle crash report in the area of Highway 100/A. Property damage in the 6700 Block of Highway 100. Informational report taken in the 300 Block of Meadow. Vehicle crash report in the area of Highway 100/Rabbit Trail.

If you have any old electronics, please drop them off to us at the front counter and we will place them in the donation box. Thank you!

On 09/05/2024, the Missouri National Guard will be conducting a public relations event for the students at the Washington High School and Washington Middle School. Sometime mid-morning, the National Guard will be flying in two Blackhawk helicopters and landing them on the WMS practice field on East 14th Street. The helicopters will land and take off a few different times before they depart. Washington PD and both schools understand this is an abnormal event that will draw a lot of attention from the general public. This is not a public event, and all school campuses are closed to the public during the school day. This is no exception. Please do not come onto the campus to watch, unauthorized spectators will be removed in order to maintain campus safety. This event is dependent on the weather. Questions about the helicopters need to be directed to the Missouri National Guard, WMS administration, or WHS administration. Later that night, at the home opener for the WHS varsity football team, you will see a large first responder presence. Police, Fire, and EMS agencies who serve within the School District of Washington boundaries will be on hand for the school's "Veteran and First Responder Appreciation Night." This event is open to the public. Everyone is welcome to attend and cheer for the Blue Jays.