Wayne County Circuit Judge Michael Molt has taken under advisement two motions filed by the attorney representing first degree murder suspect Brodey I. Murbarger. Murbarger is awaiting trial on multiple charges related to the disappearance and murder of 15-year-old Megan Nichols of Fairfield. On Tuesday, Murbarger's attorney, Christian Baril argued a motion to move his client's trial out of Wayne County because of too much pretrial publicity. He also filed a motion to sever charges in the case. Murbarger faces multiple charges related to the alleged murder as well as a number of criminal sexual abuse and home invasion charges. Murbarger's attorney wants a jury to decide those charges separately. The motion to sever charges will be argued during a hearing set for August 25. In support of his motion for a change of venue, Murbarger's attorney submitted five separate exhibits to the court for its consideration. Judge Molt wrote that in the event he denies the defense motion, Murbarger's lawyer will be able to renew the motion during jury selection. Previously, a Wayne County Grand Jury indicted Murbarger on six counts, including three counts of first-degree murder, concealment of a homicidal death and two counts of home invasion to commit the offense of criminal sexual abuse. While an official cause of death has not been made public, the first-degree murder indictment alleges that Murbarger "intentionally or knowingly caused Megan Nichols to be suffocated". A second indictment alleges Megan was strangled. Murbarger's jury trial has been set for September 19 in Wayne County Circuit Court in Fairfield. Ray Tate, the 41-year-old man convicted of murdering a Wayne County Sheriff's deputy last year, made a Zoom appearance in Clinton County Court on Friday on 30 felony charges stemming from events following the crime spree that started after Deputy Riley was shot on Interstate 64. While Tate is already serving a life sentence in Menard Correctional Center for Deputy Riley's first-degree murder, Judge Christopher Matousch on Friday set bond in the Clinton County case at half-a-million dollars. Tate is currently attempting to withdraw his guilty plea in the Wayne County case and to have his life-sentence tossed out. Prosecutors claim that after shooting Deputy Riley and stealing his squad car, Tate then forced a truck-driver to take him to Missouri where he allegedly shot another person and took their vehicle. Missouri prosecutors have filed 14 felony charges against Tate and have expressed a strong desire to bring him to trial. Tate then came back across the border into Illinois where he reportedly carjacked another person taking the driver and his car to Clinton County where he allegedly forced his way into a rural Carlyle home, holding both the car driver and the homeowner captive during a police standoff. The two men were ultimately released unharmed. Clinton County authorities have charged Tate with 13 Class X felonies for aggravated kidnapping and also home invasion, four Class 1 felonies for residential burglary and possessing stolen firearms, Class 2 felonies for being a felon in possession of a firearm with a prior conviction, Class 3 felonies for aggravated battery, and aggravated unlawful restraint, and three Class 4 felonies for reckless discharge of a firearm. Tate is prohibited from have any contact with his alleged kidnapping victims Leonard Cox or Joseph Reagan. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for August 24. According to Albion Water Superintendent Marty Reid, the boil order issued for the city of Albion has now been lifted, as samples have been cleared at the lab. The 4-H Sheep Show was held Tuesday, July 12 at the Wayne County Fairgrounds. The winners were: Addisyn Hutchcraft for Champion Female, Reserve Champion Female, Champion Market Lamb, Rate of Gain, and Junior Showmanship; Brody Huthcraft for Reserve Champion Market Lamb and Junior Showmanship, Alternate; Hunter Greenwalt for Senior Showmanship; and Alex Bond for Senior Showmanship, Alternate. The 4-H Goat Show was also held Tuesday, July 12 at the Wayne County Fairgrounds. The winners were: Macie Edwards for Novelty Goat Reserve Champion Female; Ty Mix for Dairy Goat Reserve Champion Female and Senior Showmanship; Andrew Milligan for Meat Goat Champion Female and Senior Showmanship, Alternate; Ava Lewis for Meat Goat Reserve Champion Female, Reserve Champion Market Goat, and Junior Showmanship; Kate Vaughan for Novelty Goat Champion Female; Quay Johnson for Dairy Goat Champion Female; Lexi McKitrick for Champion Market Goat and Rate of Gain; and Jude Carter Junior Showmanship, Alternate. Callen Robbins was named the winner of the BBQ Chicken Cooking Contest held Tuesday at the Wayne County Fairgrounds. The Wayne County 4-H Swine Show was held at the Fairgrounds on Wednesday, July 13. The winners were: Mitchell Miller for Rate of Gain; Hunter Greenwalt for Reserve Champion Gilt, Champion Barrow, and Senior Showmanship. Harv Keyser won Champion Gilt, Reserve Champion Barrow, and Junior Showmanship. Kiersten Vaughan took Junior Showmanship, Alternate; and Chelsey Greenwalt Senior Showmanship, Alternate. The 2022 New Wayne County Agricultural Fair in Fairfield continues through Saturday, July 16th. Today at 8 a.m. will be the 4-H Winners Photo. The 4-H Round Robin will begin at 1 p.m. Floral Hall entries pick up will take place between 3 and 7 p.m. 4-H Awards will be presented at 5 p.m. followed by the Livestock Auction at 5:30 at the 4-H Barn on the fairgrounds (all livestock will be released at 7p.m.) The Main Event of the Night will be the Rodeo sponsored by FNB Community Bank starting at 7 p.m. The Wayne County 4-H Foundation is sponsoring the 4-H Livestock. Area businesses who wish to support the youth livestock industry are invited to attend and bid on animals on display by local 4-H members who have cared for animals throughout the year and are putting them up for auction. Selling will be on a dollar per head basis. The buyer has the choice whether to keep the animal or not. If you would like to purchase the animal, you will need to make arrangements directly with the seller. Each year individuals and businesses support 4-H members in Wayne County by being present and bidding on the animals to be sold at the annual auction. Market lambs, steers, barrows, goats,and rabbits will be offered at the auction this year. Though live poultry projects are not being exhibited statewide this year, per Department of Agriculture guidelines, 4-H members with poultry projects will be able to sell their poultry projects at the auction, but no live birds will be on display. The Wayne County 4-H Foundation will reserve 20% of the sale price for auction expenses, fairground improvements, & support to local 4-H progams. For more information, please contact the Wayne County Extension Office at 842-3702 or Melinda States, at 599-6510. The 4-H General Projects Show was held Tuesday, July 12 at the Country Financial Hall Building on the Edwards County Fairgrounds. 4-H members exhibited their projects for judging. 4-H members receiving Best of Show award in their class: Emily Spray-Floriculture A, Sydney Williams-Vegetable/Fruit Display, Jaycey Buerster-Civic Engagement, Aiden Houser-Electricity I, Grant Doelling-Tractor A, Anthony Houser-Archery, Jackson Miller-Woodworking I, Chase Shelton-Woodworking III, Zeb Ankenbrand-Collections, Adalynn Potter-Health I, Cadyn Owings-Intercultural, Skylar Greathouse-Visual Arts Chalk/Carbon/Pigment, Chase Shelton-Visual Arts Metal, Cadyn Owings-Visual Arts Scrapbooking, Lydia Shelby- Visual Arts Clay, Hallie Shelton- Visual Arts Quilting, Lauren Luker-Visual Arts Three Dimensional Design/Mixed Media, Skylar Greathouse-Visual Arts Paper, Sarah Spray-Visual Arts Beginning Food Decorating, Hayley Perry-Visual Arts Intermediate Food Decorating, Hannah Perry-Weather I, Brayden Sanford-Weather III, Madison Miller-Video/Filmmaking, Hanna Waggoner-Entomology Beekeeping I, Lucas Troyer-Sportsfishing I, Hannah Perry-Wildlife II, Ryleigh Moore-Photography I, Brayden Childers-Photography II, Maverick