The Bulletin’s owner eyes sale of 5 newspapers

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – An attorney for Western Communications, the Bend-based long-time owner of The Bulletin and six other newspapers in Oregon and California has said all but two – The Bulletin and the Redmond Spokesman – are for sale.

Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that Western Communications filed for bankruptcy in January, triggering layoffs. A federal judge recently allowed the company to hire a firm that specializes in newspaper acquisitions and mergers.

Al Kennedy, an attorney for Western Communications, says the goal is to retain ownership of The Bulletin and the Redmond Spokesman.

There isn’t a timeline from the court on selling and the attorney said it’s premature to guess which papers, if any, will find buyers. The papers to be marketed include the Baker City Herald, La Grande Observer, and the Curry Coastal Pilot in Oregon, plus the Del Norte Triplicate and the Sonora Union Democrat in California.

Western Communications also announced Thursday that The Bulletin’s publisher and president, John Costa, will retire at the end of April. He will be succeeded by Elizabeth McCool , who will remain chairman of the newspaper chain.