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QUINCY — After months of complaining of how he’s been beaten and mistreated in the Adams County Jail, Bradley Yohn may soon be getting a new home. Judge Frank McCartney first sentenced Yohn on Wednesday in Adams County Circuit Court to seven years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. An Adams County jury found him…
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BUSHNELL, Ill. — The Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation has arrested Davin M. Purden, 18, and Nicholas C. Lafary, 17, both of Bushnell, for first-degree murder. ISP investigators were asked June 2 to conduct a death investigation in the 600 block of Osbourne Street in Bushnell. During the investigation, Travis Purden, 43, was…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. – James Hark submitted his resignation, effective immediately, as mayor of the City of Hannibal on Tuesday afternoon in a letter addressed and emailed to the Hannibal City Council, city manager and city clerk. Hark told Muddy River News that growing obligations and a coming expansion at his full-time job will take away…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — An investigation into work done by City Clerk Angel Zerbonia is complete, but the public will not know the results for a few more days. After the Tuesday’s meetings, the Hannibal City Council reconvened for closed session to talk about retaining Zerbonia. Hannibal City Attorney James Lemon reported the council needed information…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — In a letter addressed to Hannibal’s city council, city clerk and city manager, Mayor Jim Hark has tendered his resignation. The Hannibal City Council has its regularly scheduled meeting tonight at 7 p.m. at Hannibal City Hall. Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Mike Dobson will serve as the interim mayor until a…
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Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman’s Facebook brainchild has evolved into a real-life taste test. Muddy Buddies will spend the summer going around Q-Town to experience the best in local sandwiches. After you’ve had a chance to follow along, you can vote at the end of the summer to see which one is the city’s…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — Marion County Associate Judge John J. Jackson granted on Friday a motion to dismiss impeachment charges against Stephan Franke, who represents the Third Ward on the Hannibal City Council. Jackson was appointed to preside over the impeachment proceedings after Hannibal Municipal Court Judge Donald M. Bastian recused himself in October 2022. Articles…
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QUINCY — Before Monday’s Quincy City Council meeting started, Mayor Mike Troup thanked the Quincy Police Department for its work in the recently completed Tim Bliefnick case. A jury of six men and six women found Bliefnick guilty last Wednesday on two counts of first-degree murder and one count of home invasion in the Feb.…
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QUINCY — A Quincy man facing two felony charges for his involvement in a May 30, 2022, crash at 12th and Locust that killed a Quincy woman on Memorial Day last year will spend three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections — and the victim’s husband wasn’t satisfied with the outcome. Breeden Wike, 21, appeared…
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Mark McDonald and Randy Phillips take you to Hannibal and talk to Faye Dant about Jim’s Journey, which is The Huck Finn Freedom Center honoring Daniel Quarles, the prototype for Jim in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and the man who lived and died in Hannibal. Dot Foods brings you Muddy River Gems.
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Miss Quincy Shelby Rose heads to the Miss Illinois Pageant in Marion this week. She talks about pageant life, her platform “Fostering Hope” and college life as a student at the University of Alabama. She also discusses her participation in a documentary on sorority recruitment on campus called “Bama Rush”. Muddy River News is furnished…
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The two Adams County prosecutors who tried the Tim Bliefnick murder case reflect on the case and what the ramifications could possibly be. We did have a slight audio issue with this so we apologize in advance. MRN This Week is furnished by Harvey’s.
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QUINCY — The 19th annual Quincy Derby is set for June 16-17 on the 18th Street hill bordering Bob Mays Park. Champions will be crowned in Super Stock, Stock, Masters Elite and and Super Kids divisions. Aiden McConnell, race director for the event once known as the Soap Box Derby, says the response has been…
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MRN Publisher J. Robert Gough had a text conversation Friday morning with a juror who wished to remain anonymous as they didn’t know if any other jurors were or had been talking to the media. MRN: “Was there a first head count? Like 10 guilty, 2 not guilty? What was the feel of the room?…
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GOLDEN, Ill. — The color of three park benches caused quite a stir last month in Golden, but a decision by the village’s mayor could help quiet the controversy. Mayor Jim McClintock told Muddy River News Thursday afternoon that rainbow-colored park benches in front of the public library and in City Park will be restored…
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QUINCY — Casey Schnack, defense attorney for Tim Bliefnick, released a statement Thursday regarding his Wednesday conviction on two counts of First Degree Murder and one count of Home Invasion: “On behalf of myself, Tim and the entire Bliefnick family, I would like to thank the jurors for their hard work and effort they put…
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HANNIBAL, Mo. — Hannibal City Council voted during a special meeting held Wednesday night to approve approximately 10 percent raises for Hannibal city employees, including policemen and firefighters. Councilman Stephan Franke explained the raises are described as “approximate 10 percent increases” because of pay scales per the union contracts of police officers and firefighters. Franke said…
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QUINCY — A jury of six men and six women found Tim Bliefnick guilty Wednesday on two counts of First Degree Murder and one count of Home Invasion in the Feb. 23 shooting death of his estranged wife Rebecca Bliefnick. The Adams County jury took 4 hours and 15 minutes to decide Bliefnick’s fate. Bliefnick…
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CourtTV experts call Jones' closing 'excellent,' say Tim Bliefnick had 'worst possible defense ever'
QUINCY — Commentators on CourtTV Wednesday afternoon were complimentary of Assistant State’s Attorney Josh Jones’ closing statement in the Tim Bliefnick trial while suggesting the defendant change his last name to “Disbelief-nick.” Tim Bliefnick is accused of shooting Becky Bliefnick multiple times at her Kentucky Road home on Feb. 23. Tim was arrested on March…
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QUINCY — Judge Robert Adrian sent the jury in Tim Bliefnick’s first-degree murder trial out to deliberate at 12:45 p.m. Wednesday. Assistant State’s Attorney Josh Jones and defense attorney Casey Schnack presented their closing statements Wednesday morning. Jones began his closing with his basic case of Tim riding a bike to Becky’s house, climbing on…
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QUINCY — A detective with the Quincy Police Department explained Tuesday afternoon to the six-man, six-woman jury in the Tim Bliefnick trial the evidence recovered from home surveillance systems, as well as multiple electronic devices, links Tim to the murder of his estranged wife. Tim Bliefnick is accused of shooting Becky Bliefnick multiple times at…
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QUINCY — No evidence will be presented, and only one witness could be called Wednesday morning by defense attorney Casey Schnack in the Tim Bliefnick trial. The decision to have Tim testify in his own trial won’t be made public until both sides return to Adams County Circuit Court at 8:45 a.m. Tim Bliefnick is…
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QUINCY — An Illinois State Police (ISP) ballistics expert with 26 years of experience testified that eight shell casings found by the slain body of Becky Bliefnick were fired by the same gun as 27 shell casings found in her estranged husband’s basement. Tim Bliefnick’s first-degree murder trial resumed Tuesday morning. He is accused of…
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QUINCY — A former cross-fit partner of Becky Bliefnick’s testified Becky sent her Facebook messages in March 2022 saying she was nervous about how her divorce from Tim Bliefnick was going to turn out. Christine Mandel, who is from Quincy but now lives in California, worked with Becky Bliefnick at Q-Town CrossFit. Mandel was sobbing…
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CANTON, Mo. — The Culver-Stockton College Board of Trustee members recently unanimously approved Lauren B. Schellenberger, provost and vice president for academic affairs, to become the 28th president of Culver-Stockton College on July 1. “Culver-Stockton College is a place where students of promise experience transformational growth through a distinctive curriculum and outstanding opportunities for student…
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