Starting this week, staff will be removing irrigation lines and concrete in preparation for construction. The contractor is scheduled to begin work on Monday.
Construction is expected to be completed by June. Portions of the trail will be closed at different times throughout the project. We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work to enhance the Riverfront Trail for everyone’s enjoyment.
We have recently been getting some complaints about parking issues in town, and we wanted to take a moment to address them.
Sunnyside Street between Blue Jay Drive and East 9th Street posted as a no parking zone. However, city ordinance allows vehicles to temporarily stop or park for the purpose of dropping off or picking up passengers despite the signage. Parents are there for a short amount of time and leave as soon as they pick up their child. Yes, it causes congestion. However, the roadway is not blocked to the point traffic is unable to flow. Should that occur, vehicles will be made to move.
The challenge is that the campus and surrounding streets were never designed to handle the current volume of student pickup at the end of the day. If vehicles are moved off Sunnyside and back onto Blue Jay, congestion becomes worse because eastbound traffic cannot flow until the pickup line begins to clear. Moving student pick up to the back parking lot of WHS is not ideal because it adds more vehicles to an already congested area with heavy pedestrian traffic.
After consulting with WHS and First Student Transportation, we’re working with the City of Washington Traffic Committee on a solution that we hope to implement soon. In the meantime, please be patient. If you need to come to WHS to pick up your child at the end of the day, the school has suggested that you wait until 3:35 PM. By then, much of the congestion caused by students leaving campus has cleared up. Another option is to park along the walking trail on East 11th Street and have your child walk down the hill to meet you. As always, drive safely and be mindful of the increased vehicular and pedestrian traffic around our schools.
Another issue that has come up is the parking of vehicles against the flow of traffic. Within the City of Washington, and in many other communities, parking on the wrong side of the roadway is illegal. Parking this way goes against basic traffic safety principles and increases the risk of crashes.
Vehicles are required to park in the same direction as traffic so drivers can enter and exit safely and predictably. When a vehicle is parked facing oncoming traffic, the driver must pull out into active lanes against the normal flow, often with limited visibility. This creates danger and confusion for other road users. Drivers are not expecting to see the front of a parked vehicle facing them at the curb, which increases the risk of sideswipe and head on type collisions, especially in busy or low visibility conditions. Please park with the flow of traffic, not against it.
If you have any questions, please contact us at 636 390 1050.
Night Shift Summary. Date:1-13-26
Assisted DFS with a report they received.
A peace disturbance was reported in the 300 block of 5th Street.
A male subject was arrested in the area of Hwy 47 and Hwy 100 for outstanding warrants.
Arrests do not imply guilt.
Day Shift Summary. 01/13/26
A check the wellbeing in the area of Village West and Horn St. was conducted.
A parking violation was reported in the 300 block of Stafford St.
A subject was arrested on an outstanding warrant in the area of the bridge.
A harassment report was taken in the 1900 block of Rabbit Trail Dr.
A suspicious vehicle was reported in the area of 14th St. and Blue Jay.
A subject was arrested on an outstanding warrant in the area of E. 5th and International.
A subject was arrested on an outstanding warrant in the area of 14th St. and Jefferson St.
A check the wellbeing was conducted in the 2000 block of Eckelkamp Ct.
A subject was arrested in the 100 block of Kingsland Dr. for assault.
All subjects arrested are innocent until proven guilty
#besnowsavvy #SWPPP #washmo #waterwisewednesday
The library will provide all the usual supplies of paper, canvas, acrylic and watercolor paints. If there's something specific you would like to have or work with, it's always best to bring it with you.
Night Shift Summary. Date:1-12-2026
Assisted EMS on a call in the 300 block of Elm Street.
Suspicious activity in the area of Village West.
Friday's Weird Pets featured a White's Tree Frog and a Bearded Dragon. This Friday, January 16, at 4:00 pm, the Weird Pets Series continues with Hedgehogs. And yes, there will be a live Hedgehog.
Night Shift Summary. 1/11/26:
A male was arrested for unlawful use of a weapon in the 1600 block of Third Pkwy.
A male was arrested on fugitive warrants in the area of Hwy 100 and Vernaci Dr.
Officers responded to an alarm sounding in the 1500 block of High St.
ARRESTS DO NOT IMPLY GUILT
Day Shift Summary 01/11/2026
Spoke with a subject from Village West Court to answer questions about a previous report.
A credit card was located in the parking lot in Washington Square. The owner of the card was contacted and they responded to pick up their card.
Suspicious person reported in the 500 block of Jefferson Street. Subject was gone upon our arrival.
A wallet was located on East 5th Street near Locust Street. Unable to contact the owner of the wallet.
Keys were located at the train depot on Front Street. Unable to locate the owner.
Day Shift Summary 01/10/26
Peace disturbance on Tiffany Lane. Person causing the disturbance left.
Dog was located running at large in the 600 block of Locust Street. It is patiently waiting for the owner to come pick him up.
Non-injury traffic crash on Highway 100 near Washington Heights Drive.
Subject was stopped for a traffic violation on Highway 100 near International Avenue. Subject was found to have outstanding warrants and was arrested.
We were honored to be able to provide an escort for the funeral procession of Washington Fire Department Support Firefighter Steven R. Tobben. We thank him for his 40 years of service to our community.
Night Shift Summary 01/09/26
A traffic complaint was reported in the area of Veterans Dr.
A traffic complaint was reported in the area of Circle Dr.
A suspicious person was reported in the 5800 block of Hwy 100.
A male was arrested for operating a vehicle without a valid driver's license in the area of Hwy 100 and Pottery Rd.
Assisted WFD with an alarm in the 200 block of W. Front St.
Suspicious activity was reported in the area of Kingsland Dr.
ARRESTS DO NOT IMPLY GUILT
Day Shift Summary 01/09/26
A property damage was reported in the 400 block of E 14th Street.
The library's new Mahjong Club held its first session on Friday. They meet again on Friday, January 23 from Noon to 3 pm. This is an excellent time for Mahjong beginners to learn the game.
🚧 Road Work Reminder 🚧
West Fifth Street will be closed between Louis Street and Klingsick Street starting Monday, January 12th. The Street will remain closed until the work is completed. Anticipate road to be opened back up Wednesday January 14th, weather dependent.
Please use alternate routes and avoid the area if possible. Detour signs will be in place following the attached detour route. Local residents will have access to their houses.
Thank you for your patience while this work is completed.
Night Shift Summary. Date:01-08-2026
A stealing report was taken in the area of A Roy Drive.
Subjects were issued a trespass warning in the area of Phoenix Center.
A female was arrested in the area of Washington Square for being in possession of a controlled substance.
A female subject was arrested in the 900 block of East 5th for outstanding warrants.
Arrests do not imply guilt.
City of Washington Emergency Management Agency
Thank you for the overwhelming interest in this program! All 40 seats are currently filled for the First Impact presentation on January 15, 2026, at the Washington Public Safety Building.
If you were unable to secure a seat, we encourage you to sign up for the waitlist. We are also working to host a second session between now and summer break to meet the strong demand from families in our community.
This FREE program helps parents and teens understand Missouri’s Graduated Driver License Law and provides practical strategies to build safe driving habits, including limiting distractions, buckling up, and making smart choices behind the wheel.
👉 Join the waitlist here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/.../10C0D4EA5A92CA3FDC16
For more information, contact Washington High School SRO Greg Garrett (#263) at 636-231-2200 or ggarrett@washmo.gov
As a reminder, teens can also take advantage of the FREE reality-based driving simulator at the Franklin County Juvenile Office in Union. To learn more or schedule a session, contact Nikki Holdmeier at 636-583-7333 or nikki.holdmeier@courts.mo.gov
Why these programs matter:
According to the NHTSA, teen drivers are most often involved in crashes due to inexperience and risk-taking. Teens are also three times more likely to engage in risky behavior when driving with multiple passengers.
In 2023 alone:
• 2,611 people were killed in crashes involving teen drivers nationwide
• 87,074 teens ages 15–18 were injured in crashes
Here in Missouri, SaveMOLives reports (preliminary) that in 2023:
• 133 people were killed in teen-driver-related crashes
• 47% of teens were speeding or driving too fast for conditions at the time of the crash
• 77% of teens killed were not wearing a seat belt
• 21 teens could have survived had they been buckled up
Together, education, experience, and responsible choices can make the difference. Let’s work as a community to keep our teens safe on the road.
#WashMO #BUPD #FirstImpact #TeenDriverSafety #SafeDrivingStartsAtHome #ProtectOurTeens #CommunityPolicing
