David Adam, MRN Editor
Pratt sees opportunity for 'new challenge' as he files to run for state's attorney in Hancock County
QUINCY — Christopher Pratt, an attorney in the Adams County Public Defender’s Office since 2016, filed last week to run for state’s attorney in Hancock County. Pratt, who was promoted to deputy chief public defender in 2020, filed as a Republican. He will face incumbent Bobi James in a primary on March 19. No Democratic…
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QUINCY — The Quincy City Council tabled for one week a vote to pay a $15,000 success fee to NextSite, a commercial development advisory firm, for its role in bringing Planet Fitness to Quincy. Tom Marx, owner of Marx Commercial Properties and Development Company, told Muddy River News he believes NextSite is taking credit for bringing…
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QUINCY — Aldermen agreed with the recommendation of the denial by the Plan Commission of a special permit to operate a nightclub at 601-603 Hampshire, the site of the Little D Sports Club, during Monday’s Quincy City Council meeting. Owner Michael Erwin told aldermen he would like to take the name “nightclub” off the ordinance.…
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QUINCY — A 93-year-old Quincy man charged with sexually abusing and sexually assaulting his 10-year-old great-granddaughter will get to “die peacefully in my home” after receiving a 48-month sentence of probation on Monday. Lionel Surratt appeared with attorney Drew Schnack in Adams County Circuit Court before Judge Robert Adrian. Surratt had been charged with predatory…
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QUINCY — A bench trial for a Quincy man facing three counts of criminal sexual abuse and two counts of criminal sexual assault was canceled Monday morning when the defendant entered a guilty plea. Jeremy A. McSparren, 39, appeared with Public Defender Mark Taylor in Adams County Circuit Court before Judge Kevin Tippey. Possible sexual…
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QUINCY — A resolution on the agenda for Monday night’s meeting of the Quincy City Council asks for aldermen to approve a $15,000 success fee to NextSite, LLC, for the recruitment of Planet Fitness to Quincy. However, the developer of the property and a Planet Fitness representative both say NextSite was not involved in bringing…
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QUINCY — Brianna Rivera has wanted to be executive director of The District since she was in high school. “Pretty much my young adulthood was spent volunteering downtown with my family,” Rivera said. “Setting up lights to light (Washington) Park, volunteering at the Blues (in the District), being a farmers’ market manager for two or…
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QUINCY — Shanice Crider will never forget the day she met Beyonce Knowles when she performed with Destiny’s Child at the Oakley-Lindsay Center on May 27, 2000. Crider is more excited, however, for her daughter’s brief appearance in “Renaissance,” a movie about the world tour Beyonce (you get to drop your last name when you…
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NEW LONDON, Mo. — A Hannibal man facing charges of second-degree murder and armed criminal action after shooting and killing another Hannibal man on Dec. 30 convinced a Ralls County jury he acted in self-defense, leading to a not guilty verdict on Wednesday afternoon. A nine-man, three-woman jury took less than two hours to come…
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QUINCY — Repairs and updates expected to cost $3.5 million, the dwindling number of lifeguards and declining member use have forced the 14-member board of trustees at the Quincy Family YMCA to close pool permanently on Dec. 31. Rick Shover, chief executive officer at the Quincy Family YMCA, said the pool was operated an annual…
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QUINCY — A man and a woman facing robbery charges in connection to the October shooting death of a teenage girl were arraigned Wednesday morning and pled not guilty. Tristian L. Johnson, 23, of Quincy and Fallon M. Gillum, 20, of Quincy were in Adams County Circuit Court before Judge Robert Adrian. They appeared for…
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QUINCY — A Quincy man originally charged with a Class X felony for child pornography nearly 3½ years ago is expected to get probation when he is sentenced on Jan. 19. Sidney Shackleton, 34, appeared with attorney Dennis Woodworth in Adams County Circuit Court on Tuesday afternoon before Judge Scott Larson. Shackleton was facing a…
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QUINCY — City Treasurer Linda Moore admitted that when department heads approach the Quincy City Council, they’re typically asking for money. “Kelly (Stupasky, manager of the treasurer’s office) and I are here to tell you how we’ve made money for the city,” Moore said with a smile during Monday’s meeting of the Quincy City Council.…
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QUINCY — A Quincy man facing up to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for a January shooting incident received a sentence of 364 days in the Adams County Jail and three years of probation during a sentencing hearing Monday afternoon. Aaron J. Gallaher, 20, appeared with attorney Gerald Timmerwilke in Adams County…
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QUINCY — Another online food delivery service is now available in Quincy. Uber Eats, which services 465 other cities in Illinois, now has drivers in Quincy. Debbie Houston is one of the new drivers. She said she received a card in the mail about two weeks ago that said Uber Eats was coming to Quincy.…
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MRN Editor David Adam talks with John Wood Community College President Bryan Renfro about the Aspen Prize, spring enrollment numbers, expansion at the Workforce Development Center, the Pathways to Promise Scholarship and the strange combination of pizza and Mexican food in Quincy’s restaurants. MRN This Week is furnished by Harvey’s Furniture.
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QUINCY — Assistant State’s Attorney Josh Jones said Mackenzie Bullard was shot in the head and killed as the result of an armed robbery during which a group of adults and juveniles allegedly conspired to steal a gun. Jones revealed that information during status hearings Tuesday afternoon in Adams County Circuit Court for Tristian L.…
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QUINCY — Two men arrested in connection to a Nov. 5 burglary along North Bottom Road pled not guilty during their arraignments Tuesday morning. Jamar R. Washington, 27, and Ashton T. Summers, 19, appeared in Adams County Circuit Court before Judge Tad Brenner. Washington is represented by Betsy Bier, and Summers is represented by Dennis…
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QUINCY — Arguably the most important news from Monday night’s Quincy City Council meeting happened in executive session. When the public will learn that news is yet to be determined. Aldermen got their first look at a report prepared by Rick Stewart with Stewart Law Firm PC from Springfield. A complaint was received by a whistleblower…
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QUINCY — Five arrests have been made in connection with the October shooting death of a teenage girl in October. However, none of the people arrests have been charged with her death, and Assistant State’s Attorney Josh Jones is frustrated because of changes in Illinois law that prevents him from making those charges. “(Assistant State’s…
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QUINCY — Travis Wiley had little to say other than “Yes, your honor” or “No, your honor” throughout the week. Moments before bailiffs Steve Traubitz and John Ervin escorted him back to the Adams County Jail on Friday afternoon, Wiley blurted, “I just want everyone to know I didn’t do it.” An Adams County jury…
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QUINCY — After dismissing the medical theories of Dr. Jane Turner as “a house of cards” and saying Travis Wiley belonged on the cover of “Bad Luck Magazine” if his story was to be believed, Special Prosecutor Jon Barnard showed a photo of Airyana Hoffman to an Adams County jury. “She will not see a…
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Video testimony from Thursday included QUINCY — “Her severe head injuries were due to abusive head trauma and led to her death.” That was the opinion of Dr. Channing Petrak, a child abuse pediatrician from Peoria, as to how 2-month-old Airyana Hoffman died on Jan. 22, 2018, after being found unresponsive in her mother’s apartment…
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QUINCY — Travis Wiley told first responders he fell asleep for 45 to 60 minutes in Christina Engle’s apartment on Jan. 20, 2018, only to awake to see her 2-month-old daughter, Airyana Hoffman, unresponsive. Testimony about the extraction of data from Wiley’s cellphone may have shown he wasn’t truthful about what he did that afternoon.…
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QUINCY — Special Prosecutor Jon Barnard told an Adams County jury that medical experts will tell them during the first-degree murder trial of Travis Wiley the death of 2-month-old Airyana Hoffman was caused by abusive head trauma. Barnard gave his opening statement Tuesday morning during the second day of the trial in Adams County Circuit…
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QUINCY — Christina Engle was at work at a local fast-food restaurant during the afternoon of Jan. 20, 2018, when she was told she had a phone call and that she had an emergency. On the line was her boyfriend, Travis Wiley. The words she heard from Wiley began a nightmare that changed her life…
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QUINCY — The sale of two non-essential properties for a combined total of $3,550 in the 1st Ward was unanimously approved during Monday’s Quincy City Council meeting — two weeks after aldermen failed to pass the same resolution. Aldermen voted to sell 311 Cherry for $550 to Drake Willing and 1328 N. Third for $3,000 to…
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QUINCY — Jury selection began Monday morning in the first-degree murder trial of Travis Wiley in connection to the January 2018 death of an infant girl. Wiley, 35, was clean shaven and wearing a suit and tie when he appeared with Chief Public Defender Todd Nelson before Judge Michael Atterberry in Adams County Circuit Court. …
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — A three-story downtown building constructed in the late 19th century has been converted into a hotel in Camp Point. Sara and Ted Lung recently opened the Bricktown Inn at 200 E. State. The renovated brick building, which they bought in 2010, had 10 rooms of various sizes with private bathrooms for nightly rental. Each…
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CAMP POINT, Ill. — A Camp Point man was taken to Blessing Hospital after what deputies with the Adams County Sheriff’s Department believe was an accidental gunshot wound. Pat Frazier, deputy chief for the Adams County Sheriff’s Department, said deputies were sent to 104 E. School to respond to a disturbance. “Prior to arrival (by…
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