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 m
Fairfield Mayor Mike Dreith has announced his nomination for the city's Police Chief. He says he intends to nominate former Fairfield police officer and mayor Brent Maguire at tomorrow's city council meeting. The 48-year-old Maguire served as mayor from 2017 to 2020 and was a police officer from 1997 to 2011. He defeated four people to become mayor by a wide margin but resigned his seat in August 2020 to accept a lecturer position in criminal justice at Oakland City University. The Fairfield City Council will meet tomorrow at 6 at City Hall. Outside of appointments, aldermen are anticipated to award a bid for the new water tower; they are also scheduled to discuss an ordinance setting fees for the new Class Q Liquor License established earlier this month. Other agenda items include approving the FOP Contract, seeking bids for a salt storage shed, and an ordinance authorizing the sale of property. Edwards County Schools held their graduations on Saturday. For ECHS, Rylan Robb
The Greater Fairfield Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors is supporting the establishment of a Business District in Fairfield. At a meeting yesterday morning, the board heard a presentation from Mayor Mike Dreith and unanimously voted to support the idea. A public hearing has been set for March 8th at 5:30 at City Hall before a City Council meeting, and the majority of the council will have to support the idea for it to become a reality. All council meetings are streamed on the City's Facebook page. The Edwards County High School ACES team earned second place in the Regional Academic Challenge in Engineering and Science competition, which was hosted by Olney Central College last Wednesday. The team will advance to compete in Sectionals in March in a virtual competition via Eastern Illinois University. First-place individual finishers included Emma Wiseman in English, Lauren Luker in Biology, Tobias Reineke in Physics, and Molly Swardstrom in Engineering Graphics. Fairfield