Colorado Sun, nonprofit trust scoop up 24 local newspapers

The Colorado Sun, a 3-year-old digital news startup, has joined with the nonprofit organization National Trust for Local News to purchase Colorado Community Media, a group of 24 weekly and monthly print publications in metro Denver and the foothills. 

Sun editor Larry Ryckman announced the deal Monday in a blog post.

According to the announcement, the Sun is now a part owner of:

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• Arvada Press
• Brighton Standard Blade
• Brighton and Ft. Lupton Advertiser
• Canyon Courier
• Castle Pines News Press
• Castle Rock News Press
• Centennial Citizen
• Clear Creek Courant
• Commerce City Sentinel Express
• Denver Herald Dispatch
• Douglas County News Press
• Elbert County News
• Englewood Herald
• Fort Lupton Press
• Golden Transcript
• Highlands Ranch Herald
• Jeffco Transcript
• Life on Capitol Hill
• Littleton Independent
• Lone Tree Voice
• Northglenn/Thornton Sentinel
• Parker Chronicle
• South Platte Independent
• Washington Park Profile
• Westminster Window
• 285 Hustler

The papers, acquired from Colorado Community Media owner-publishers Jerry and Ann Healy, will be operated by the Sun under the banner of the Colorado News Conservancy, a public-benefit corporation, Ryckman’s blog post said. COLab and the Colorado Press Association will provide support.

The National Trust for Local News is supported by funding from the Denver-based Gates Family Foundation, Colorado Trust, American Journalism Project, Google News Initiative, Democracy Fund and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

“There is a growing coalition of people and institutions in Colorado who realize that trustworthy, nonpartisan local news is a public good that we all play a role in sustaining,” Melissa Milios Davis, director of the Colorado Media Project and vice president for informed communities at the Gates Family Foundation, said in a prepared statement. “Hyperlocal newsrooms are often the only ones covering what’s happening at city hall, in our public schools, and on Main Street in small towns. We’re excited to partner with The National Trust for Local News and a small village of others to help ensure these valuable community assets remain in mission-aligned hands.”

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