Rust Communications has unloaded more of its mastheads, selling the Le Mars Daily Sentinel, Cherokee Chronicle Times, Spencer Daily Reporter and other northwest Iowa publications.

The excited purchaser is Gene Hall who, with his son Chris, “believe in Spencer, believe in great journalism, and believe we will do our level best to give our readers and advertisers the greatest value possible”.

Rust president Jon K. Rust says the Hall family knows Iowa and Spencer well, and he is happy to entrust the award-winning newspapers of Northwest Iowa to them. “We are so appreciative of all our staff at each of the newspapers who have worked hard and with incredible dedication to serve their communities with great affection, high standards and care,” he said. “With the Halls’ ownership, the future looks bright.”

The Halls are headquartered in Charles City, Iowa, where they own the newspaper and have a central printing facility, as well as newspapers in New Hampton, Nashua and Algona.

Based in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, Rust Communications is a second-generation media company with 33 newspapers and minority ownership of 17 radio stations in nine states.

Randy Cope of Cribb, Cope & Potts represented the Rust family in the sale, terms of which were not disclosed.