RACINE – United Communications Corp. is selling the Kenosha News and Lake Geneva Regional News to Lee Enterprises, the company announced Monday.
The sale of its last two remaining newspapers marks the end of an era for the Kenosha-based and family-owned media company.
“When my father, Howard Brown, purchased the Kenosha Evening News 57 years ago, my parents’ love affair with Kenosha and the paper began. It was their honor to serve the people of Kenosha and Lake Geneva with a mission of community service supported by a strong local newspaper,” Lucy Brown, United Communications president
“The Brown Family is very grateful for the hard work and dedication of all Kenosha News and Lake Geneva Regional News employees past and present and wish them all good fortune. As my father was fond of saying, the future lies ahead. Making the decision to sell is extraordinarily difficult, but we welcome Lee Enterprises and know the future looks bright under their leadership.”
The Kenosha News publishes daily, while the Lake Geneva Regional News publishes every Thursday. They are expected to officially join Lee on Feb. 1.
The two publications, along with The (Racine) Journal Times, will form a new southeastern Wisconsin-based media group within Lee. Journal Times publisher Mark Lewis will serve as president and publisher of the group.
With the sale, Lee Enterprises will own more than 20 newspapers in Wisconsin, including the La Crosse Tribune and (Madison) Wisconsin State Journal.
