North Carolina's Wilson Times buys 4 weeklies

The Wilson Times (North Carolina) has bought the Kenly News, Pine Level News, Princeton News Leader and The Selma News and has combined the four publications into a county-wide weekly newspaper under the Johnstonian News banner, company executives announced.

"While each paper covers its community well, we believe it makes sense to centralize Johnston County’s local news in one edition to serve readers of each city and town together,” said Keven Zepezauer, Times president and publisher. “As one of the fastest-growing counties in North Carolina, Johnston deserves a local newspaper all residents can call their own.”

All current subscriptions to the Kenly, Pine Level, Princeton and Selma newspapers will be honored. The paper will continue to be based in Kenly. Rick and Karen Stewart, owners of the newspapers since 1981, retired and Zepezauer became the Johnstonian News’ publisher. The sale was set to close Aug. 31.

While the reporting staff remains based in Johnston County, the paper will be produced in Wilson, where the Times operates a page design hub with contract layout services available to newspapers, magazines and specialty publications.

Grimes, McGovern & Associates represented the Stewarts in the deal.

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