NEWS – Audrain County

Historic art is coming to downtown Mexico this Friday as the city unveils its first public mural in The Square District. The signing ceremony begins at 11:30 a.m. outside Tiger Pawn on the west side of the Graphitti building. The mural, created by Missouri Artist of the Year Ray Harvey, is part of a statewide project celebrating America’s 250th anniversary and is one of only five in Missouri, in which Mexico got the second. Mayor Haag will present Harvey with a city proclamation, followed by remarks from Marissa Lightsey and a performance by the Presser Pipes Ensemble. Clark Street between Liberty and Promenade will be closed during the ceremony. The public is invited to watch the ribbon cutting and mural signing.

The Orchard Farm eagles are headed back to the Final Four for the first time since claiming the Class 3 State Championship in 2012. The 2026 team overpowered Mexico 13-3, with two monster innings Thursday night in Class 4 Quarterfinal action, to advance to Ozark for a chance at a state title. Mexico opened the scoring with three runs in the bottom of the first when Colton Dickey singled with one out and then advanced on a two-base error by Eagle left-fielder Ryan Goldstein. Drew DeMint then doubled him in for an rbi and Brady Fox followed with an rbi double of his own. Third-baseman Zach Jahn added to the lead with a solid rbi single and just like that, four batters in, Mexico had a 3-0 lead. However, OCHS starting pitcher Ty Thorp rebounded as he got Kaden benne to ground into a 3-6 double play as Titus Fisher stepped on first and threw to second for the tag. The Eagles then responded with five runs of their own in the top of the second as they sent 10 men to the plate. The rally was helped by several Bulldog miscues in the field. Shortstop Brady Rosenburg reached an on error by MHS shortstop Chance McCarty to open the frame. Right-fielder Blake Ditmeyer then unloaded on a ball to left field for a two-run momentum that stunned Mexico. Benne gave up a sharp single but then got a 4-6-3 double play and looked like he had righted himself and might get out of the inning. Instead, he gave up a single to Titus Fisher, before walking three straight batters and then giving up a single to Max Kelch. Rosenburg then flied to center to end the rally he started. Mexico’s Pearson Kleinsorge started the second with a sharp single. After Bradyen Arnold’s sacrifice, Thorpe got two ground ball outs to get out of the inning. Benne gave up a lead-off single in the third but pitched around it and the score remained 5-3 after two-and-a-half. MHS threatened again in the third, as a single by Dickey and walk to DeMint put two on with nobody out, and Eagle coach Branden Sugar had seen enough as he brought in Graham Rollins in relief. Rollins got three straight ground balls and got out of the inning unscathed. Orchard Farms batted around again in the 4th, as they scored seven times on three hits, four walks and two errors. Rollins held Mexico in check the rest of the way, and a fifth inning run by OCHS ended it with the 10-run rule in the 5th. The Eagles will play next week at Ozark Mountain Sports Complex in Ozark in the semi-finals against Westminster Christian or Cape Girardeau Notre Dame.  

A Mexico man has been sentenced in federal court after being a felon in possession of a firearm. 27-year-old Frank Gray IV pleaded guilty in June of 2025 to possessing a glock handgun in Columbia. Gray was arrested in this case in 2024, after getting into a fight in downtown Columbia where he and another individual fired shots in which two bystanders were hit by bullets. At the time, Gray had prior felony conviction, as well as another conviction for being a felon in possession of a gun. Gray has been sentenced to seven years in prison with three supervised years of release to follow.

The Mexico Activity and Nutrition Center will be hosting a Lunch-and-Learn, with a Speical Guest! Administrator Ione Bickel explains the guest is an important one: N-5-28-26-H1 the Senior center is also making it easy for anyone to attend : N-5-28-26-H2

Mainstreet Mexico and the Mexico Area Chamber of Commerce will host a Signing Ceremony for the first mural in The Square District at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, May 29, at Graphitti, 224 West Promenade, on the west side of the building. This will be the district’s first public mural and will celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. This is the second of five murals being created across Missouri commissioned by the Missouri Arts Council, all five of which are being done by Missouri Artist of the Year Ray Harvey. The program will feature Presser Pipes performing “God Bless America” as well as remarks from Harvey himself. Everyone from the community is welcome to attend. [Photo Credit: Ray Harvey (Facebook)]

One man is behind bars in Audrain county after a chase on Highway 54 on Saturday. 29-year-old Tyrell Bryant of Kansas City reportedly led a pursuit from authorities at over 100 miles per hour before eventually coming to a stop. Upon stopping him, authorities found two loaded firearms in his vehicle. Bryant mentioned that he knew his registration and license plates were bad. Bryant has been charged with a felony count of aggravated fleeing a stop, as well as a misdemeanor count of Driving in a careless and imprudent manner, and is being held without bond in the Audrain County Jail.  

A Mexico man made his initial appearance in court today after being arrested on drug charges over the weekend. 61-year-old Donald Williams was arrested following a traffic stop on Friday night, when authorities pulled him over for not having a front license plate. Upon a search of his car, authorities found 405 grams of methamphetamine, 22 total grams of cocaine, and 3.3 grams of fentanyl, as well as over $1500 in cash. Williams has been charged with two felony counts of trafficking drugs and one count of delivery of a controlled substance. He is being held in the Audrain County jail on a no-bond condition.

A 57-year-old Wellsville man has been charged with several child sex crimes that happened in 2022. Jerry Wayne Fischer was charged yesterday (Friday) in Montgomery County court, with three counts of second-degree statutory rape and five counts of second-degree statutory sodomy. According to the probable cause statement, Fischer allegedly raped and sodomized a youth more than 10 times during the summer and late fall of 2022. The victim’s mother allegedly found Fischer assaulting the victim on one occasion, the statement says, with the alledged assaults reported back on Nov. 18, 2022. Fischer is in the Montgomery County Jail on a no-bond warrant. An initial court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday at 10:30 a.m.  

After their recent win the NCMC championship, the Mexico Scholar Bowl Team finished their final preparation for their National Tournament campaign. The Bulldog team qualified for the big dance back in January by finishing third in the tournament at State Fair Community College, and is one of 320 teams teams competing. Mexico may face familiar foes as Hannibal, Jefferson City, and Osage will also be attending. The team will be captained by Hunter Feger and A. J. Leon, who will be joined by Elliott DeVargas, Aubrey “Ash” Lee, Trey Steelman, Jude Yancey, and Jayson Yordt, while Dale Schenewerk and Sarah Gleeson will lead the team as coaches.  

Firefighters reported a house fire in Mexico Thursday on West Liberty Street. Fire Crews found the fire in a bathroom exhaust fan and quickly contained and extinguished the area, but the attic of the house suffered fire damage. No injuries were reported in the incident.  

Authorities in Mexico, say a 23-year-old man is facing multiple felony charges following a reported domestic violence incident Tuesday. According to court documents, Jakob Matthew Bradley is charged with assault, harassment, child endangerment, and three counts of kidnapping. Investigators say a woman reported Bradley assaulted her, forced her and three young children into a vehicle, and drove recklessly through the city while making threats. Bradley denied the allegations when questioned by officers. He was arrested on a no-bond warrant and remains in the Audrain County Jail pending further court proceedings.

A Mexico man is in custody today after an alleged domestic abuse incident on Tuesday. Probable cause statements allege that 23-year-old Jakob Bradley assaulted a 25-year-old victim by striking her, slamming her against a wall, and attempting to choke her. The victim alleged that Bradley had also ordered her to put her three children into his car, all of whom are under four years old. Bradley has been charged with three different counts of domestic assault, three counts of kidnapping, one count of harassment, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child. He was booked into the Audrain County Jail without bond.