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By Robert Channick
Chicago Tribune
The publisher of the Daily Herald filed notice with the state earlier this month that it is considering a sale of the northwest suburban newspaper.
In a Jan. 6 letter to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Paddock Publications said it was notifying the state and its employees 120 days before the potential sale, a requirement of a new law to support the dwindling number of local news outlets across Illinois.
Executives at Paddock Publications did not respond to a request for comment, and the name of the prospective buyer was not disclosed in the filing.
Founded in 1872 as the Cook County Herald, the suburban Chicago newspaper has grown into the third largest daily print publication in Illinois, with a current circulation of 52,410, according to its website.
Owned by the Paddock family for more than a century, the newspaper was converted to an employee stock ownership plan in 2018.
In 2023, Tribune Publishing bought the Daily Herald printing plant for an undisclosed price, shifting its own production operations there the following year when the Chicago newspaper vacated the Freedom Center to make way for the permanent Bally's Chicago casino, which is under construction and set for a delayed opening next year.
Paddock Publications fired up the presses at the $50 million printing plant on 21 acres by the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway in 2003 to churn out its flagship Daily Herald. As part of the Schaumburg plant acquisition, Tribune began printing the Daily Herald under contract.
Enacted Jan. 1, 2025, the Strengthening Community Media Act requires a local news organization to give 120 days written notice to employees, the DCEO, county officials and "any in-state nonprofit organization in the business of buying local news organizations" before selling to a new company.
The legislation cites the declining number of local newspapers and reporters across the state and the need to combat misinformation and provide trusted news sources as the impetus for the required advance sale disclosure.
Local newspapers have been in steep decline during the new millennium as digital competition eats away the legacy print model, creating an increasing number of "news deserts" with no local news outlets.
The number of newspapers in the U.S. has declined by nearly 3,500 over the past 20 years, while the industry has lost more than three-quarters of its jobs, according to the 2025 State of Local News report by Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism.
Illinois has lost nearly 48% of its local newspapers since 2005, the ninth largest decline in the U.S., according to the study.
Meanwhile, more than 200 newspapers changed hands across the U.S. last year, according to the study. Fewer than 15% of daily newspapers remain independently owned, as large chains increasingly dominate the media landscape, the Medill report found.
rchannick@chicagotribune.com
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 12, 2026 Media Contact Information: Bob Hubberts (847) 508-4995 bhubberts@firstillinoisrobotics.org
Chicago, Illinois – Creativity and science will come together this Saturday at the FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge Illinois State Championship at Elgin Community College, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, Illinois, where 56 teams of 9- to 14-year-old students and coaches will demonstrate their problem-solving skills, creative thinking, teamwork, competitive play, sportsmanship, and sense of community. The tournament is open to the public. The robot table competition portion of the event starts at Noon on Saturday, February 14th. More than 650,000 students in over 75 countries will participate in the FIRST® UNEARTHED season. Teams will have to program robots, using LEGO Education technology, to solve a set of missions on an obstacle course set on a thematic playing surface. For the UNEARTHED challenge students will unearth hidden treasures and piece together the past as they embark on this thrilling journey of discovery. Students will identify and research a problem related to the season theme and then design and create a possible solution. They will also identify a mission strategy and design, create, and code a robot to complete missions during a 2.5-minute Robot Game. The competition is judged in three areas: innovation project; robot design, and core values, which embody aspects of teamwork and good sportsmanship. Top robot game scores are also honored. FIRST LEGO League is an international program for 9- to 14-year-olds (ages vary by country) created in a partnership between FIRST and the LEGO Group in 1998 to get students excited about science and technology – and teach them valuable career and life skills. Using LEGO® Education technologies and materials, students work alongside adult mentors to design, build, and program autonomous robots and create an innovative solution to a problem as part of their research project. After several intense weeks, the competition season culminates at high-energy, sports-like tournaments. Like any other organized “sport,” teams also fundraise, create a team identity, and go on field trips. The tournament is being run by FIRST Illinois Robotics, a 501 c3 organization focused on delivering FIRST programs in Illinois. Contact us for a list of the area schools and youth organizations with teams participating in the competition. About FIRST® FIRST® is a robotics community that prepares young people for the future through a suite of inclusive, team-based robotics programs for ages 4-18 (PreK-12) that can be facilitated in school, in structured after-school programs or by other organizations or groups of parents. Boosted by a global support system of volunteers, educators, and sponsors that include over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies, teams operate under a signature set of FIRST Core Values to conduct research, fundraise, design, build, and showcase their achievements during annual challenges. An international not-for-profit organization founded in 1989, FIRST has a proven impact on STEM learning, interest, and skill-building well beyond high school. Participants and alumni of FIRST programs gain access to education and career discovery opportunities, connections to exclusive scholarships and employers, and a place in the FIRST community for life. Learn more at firstinspires.org.
### To learn more about FIRST programs in Illinois, go to www.firstillinoisrobotics.org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 7, 2026 Media Contact Information: Christopher Weishaar Digital Public relations Specialist (515) 273-7140 cweishaar@studentloan.org
WEST DES MOINES, IOWA (January 7, 2026) — Six high school seniors will each earn a scholarship valued at $1,500 through the 2026 ISL Midwest Senior Scholarship program. This program is sponsored by ISL Education Lending and is designed to make higher education more accessible while equipping students with essential financial literacy skills. Who Can Apply? All high school seniors attending school in Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin are eligible to enter. No essay is required—making it simple and stress-free to apply. Parents Can Register Their Student Parents now have the option to register their student for the scholarship program, ensuring every eligible senior has the opportunity to participate. What Makes This Program Unique? Every participant will learn valuable financial literacy tips during the process, helping them prepare for life after high school. How to Apply Applications open on January 5, 2026, and close on April 30, 2026. Students and parents can apply online at www.iowastudentloan.org/Midwest. Winners will be announced in June 2026. Scholarship Details
Why It Matters “Student loan debt is a huge concern for new college students,” said Steve McCullough, president and CEO of ISL Education Lending. “As a nonprofit, we provide tools and resources to help high school seniors plan so they can reduce the amount of debt they need to take on while achieving their education goals. Students sign up for a chance at a $1,500 scholarship, and we take that opportunity to share information with them about our free resources.” Additional Resources Available In addition to offering student loans, ISL Education Lending has other resources for families planning for college and for students who intend to pursue advanced degrees. The Parent Handbook consists of valuable tips to help families of students in sixth through 12th grades prepare for success in college and other postsecondary options. Parents of students in eighth through 12th grades can also sign up to receive twice-monthly emailed tips on academic, college and career planning through the Student Planning Pointers for Parents program. The College Funding Forecaster helps families understand the total cost of four years of college based on a freshman-year financial aid offer. Information about these resources is available at www.IowaStudentLoan.org/SmartBorrowing.
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About ISL Education Lending Established in 1979 as Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation, a private, nonprofit organization, ISL Education Lending helps students and families obtain the resources necessary to succeed in postsecondary education. ISL has helped nearly 400,000 students pay for college, offering student loans and other products under the name ISL Education Lending. The organization, based in West Des Moines, Iowa, also provides an array of borrower benefits, financial literacy tools and community reinvestment programs, including support for free college planning services for students and their families. For more information, visit www.IowaStudentLoan.org.
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