An agreement for sale of L’Observateur by Wick Communications of Sierra Vista, Ariz. has been reached in principle. Work to complete the transaction is under way.

The buyer will be a newly formed Louisiana entity, LaPlace Newsmedia LLC.

LaPlace Newsmedia, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Carpenter Newsmedia LLC, or CNL, will publish L’Observateur, its website and all affiliate publications. CNL also owns nearby newspapers in Mississippi including The Picayune Item and The Poplarville Democrat. It is controlled by Todd H. Carpenter, who is president of Boone Newspapers Inc., or BNI, of Tuscaloosa, Ala.

BNI will manage the new company. CNL and BNI own and BNI manages newspapers in similar sized communities in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, Mississippi, Minnesota, Tennessee and Virginia.  

 J Kennon and other key staff members will continue working with the newspaper. All current staff members have been invited to join the new operation.

L’Observateur will continue to publish its print editions on Wednesdays and Saturdays, as well as the River Parishes Extra on Thursdays, and maintain its website at www.lobservateur.com.

Todd H. Carpenter of Natchez, Miss., is president and COO of BNI, and James B. Boone Jr. of Tuscaloosa is CEO.  

“We have known J Kennon and her colleagues for a long time and respect very much the good job they do serving their readers, advertisers and communities. We look forward to joining them in that important work” Carpenter said.

Work to complete the transaction on or about March 31 is under way.