State Giving Millions Towards New Ottawa School

Even though an 18.5 million dollar tax referendum was passed in February to help build a new Central School, it’s looking more and more likely that the money won’t be needed.

The Illinois Capital Development Board has awarded the Ottawa Elementary School District 14.7 million dollars towards the new school.  This is on top of 6.9 million dollars FEMA has already pledged for the new school.  Superintendent Craig Doster says he’s hoping when the school construction is bid out next month, the cost will be covered by state and federal money.

The state has also pledged to pay for two-thirds of the cost of acquiring land for the new Central Elementary School.

Cocaine related charge for man stopped on I-80

An Iowa man faces drug charges after a traffic stop last night in Peru.

Sylvester Cunningham was in court this morning, facing a charge of unlawful possession of a controlled substance.  A state trooper says he stopped the car Cunningham was in after 9pm Tuesday on Interstate 80.  The trooper says Cunningham had cocaine all over himself and his window after allegedly trying to throw it out.  He’s accused of having less than 15 grams of cocaine.

Cunningham was taken to jail on $15,000 bond.