Ottawa Fireworks Display Criticized

A psychiatrist in Ottawa wants the city to rethink its July 4^th fireworks display.

Speaking during the citizen comment part of last night’s Ottawa City Council meeting, Marshall Polakoff says he wants to change the way Ottawa and the country celebrates Independence Day.  Polakoff says he is part of a grass roots organization called “Up in Smoke” that’s trying to get cities to spend money on worldwide humanitarian efforts instead of fireworks’ displays.  He mentioned that a half billion dollars is spent in the U.S. on fireworks displays and just 25 dollars would provide water to a person in India for a month.  He finished by asking the council to donate to his organization.

Mayor Bob Eschbach said after the meeting its policy that taxpayer money isn’t spent on charity organizations in the city let alone something that’s international.  Eschbach says Ottawa typically spends five thousand dollars on its fireworks display.

Area Bar Owner Pleads Guilty to Cocaine

The co-owner of an Ottawa bar has pled guilty to drug charges.

36 year old Victor Darwish of Plainfield pled guilty last week at federal court in Peoria to possession of cocaine with intent to deliver.  He will be sentenced in September.

Darwish co-owns Fanatic’s Sports Bar and Grill on East Stevenson Road.  Citing previous liquor ordinance violations and Darwish’s drug issue, Ottawa Mayor Bob Eschbach revoked the liquor license of Fanatic’s on March 31st.

Darwish is being held in Peoria.

Some Ottawa High Seniors Want Graduation Outside

With graduation just a few weeks away, some in the graduating class at Ottawa High School are passing around a petition.

The students would like the school’s graduation ceremony to be moved from Kingman Gymnasium to the outdoors at King Field.  School administrators say they’re taking the students suggestion under consideration.

Graduation at Ottawa is Friday, June 4^th.  School officials were able to keep the same graduation date despite having to make up over two weeks of school after the teacher’s strike.

Ottawa School Board Cracking Down on Purse Sizes

Ladies at Ottawa High School may have to downsize the size of their purses once next school year begins.

The Ottawa High School Board Monday night updated the student handbook to specify the allowed size of purses.  Superintendent Matt Winchester says some purses have become as big as book bags and under school rules, students can’t bring book bags to class.

The plan is for the school to create a purse of their own to show students the allowable size.  The purses would be available for students to use.

Winchester says the purses probably wouldn’t be all that fashionable other than the Pirate logo somewhere on them.