Residents urge council not to penalize Ohana's after nearby incident; callers press police response on repeat offender

A group of residents told the Clinton City Council on March 25 that Ohana's, a downtown entertainment venue, should not be further penalized after an incident that occurred outside the establishment.

Brandy Chisholm, speaking for the group, said the owner, Ruth, had complied with earlier restrictions imposed by the city and that the recent incident occurred outside the business and was not caused by the establishment. "She can't control what happens outside of her establishment," Chisholm said, and asked the council and police to hold individuals accountable rather than restricting the business's entertainment offerings.

Multiple speakers described Tuesday night karaoke and other events at Ohana's as important community outlets. Tony House, who said he lives in neighboring Camanche, described the venue as an important social support for him and his family and asked the council not to take entertainment away.

Other speakers raised concerns about police response to a repeat offender. Abby L. Clark said there had been multiple calls to police about the same individual, including reports of gunfire, and said the department did not take effective action until a physical assault occurred over the weekend. "Why does it take such a fight to get anything done in this town when it comes to criminals and gun violence?" Clark asked.

Josh Riddle, a DJ for Tuesday karaoke nights at Ohana's, asked whether police advisement to cancel entertainment would result in penalties for the owner should an entertainer still perform. A council member and city staff said the audience comment period is not a debate forum but suggested that the business owner meet with the police department to work through safety plans. A city speaker noted the police department would be willing to talk with the owner to "work through that plan."

On the public record a city official said Officer Winters had advised the owner to cancel entertainment for the week and to keep a low profile while police investigated the incident. Council members encouraged dialogue between the owner and police and suggested the two sides coordinate on a plan that addresses safety concerns while allowing lawful operations to continue.