Former Milledgeville publisher moves to Pekin Daily Times

<p>Gregg Ratliff, a central Illinois native who has spent two decades in the newspaper industry, has been named publisher of the Pekin Daily Times, Liberty Group Publishing announced.</p><p>The 42-year-old Jacksonville native replaces Don Hurd, who resigned to be closer to his family in Indiana.</p><p>Ratliff, a 1984 graduate of Illinois College in Jacksonville, was publisher of The Union-Recorder in Milledgeville, Ga., for the past four years. The Monday-through-Saturday paper, with circulation of about 7,700, is owned by Birmingham, Ala.-based Community Newspaper Holdings Inc.</p><p>The Daily Times also publishes every day except Sunday and has a circulation of about 13,500, according to Liberty. Northbrook-based Liberty has more than 300 publications in 15 states, including 66 daily newspapers.</p><p>Ratliff began his career in 1985 as an advertising representative with the Jacksonville Journal-Courier. He also has worked as an advertising executive for newspapers in Florence, S.C., and Elizabeth City and Lumberton, N.C.</p>