MINNEAPOLIS — Adams Publishing Group announced September 4, 2018, that it has purchased the assets of Cooke Communications, LLC, based in Greenville, North Carolina, and in Key West, Florida, including its print publications, websites and commercial printing operations, located in North Carolina and Florida._­

The transaction closed Friday, August 31, 2018.

Cooke Communications newspapers included in the sale are The Daily Reflector (Greenville, NC), The Rocky Mount Telegram (Rocky Mount, NC), The Daily Advance (Elizabeth City, NC), The Key West Citizen (Key West, FL) and several non-daily newspapers and websites.

Two Oceans Digital, KeyWest.com, and FloridaKeys.com will remain in Cooke Communications Florida.

Cooke Communications is a family-owned company founded by John Kent Cooke, Sr., and his family in 2000.  It has become known as a company devoted to its customers, its communities and its nearly 280 employees.

A joint release from John Kent Cooke, Sr., John Kent Cooke, Jr. and Thomas Kent Cooke stated, “We believe Adams Publishing will be a good fit for our newspapers, as the Adams family has shown a strong commitment to its employees and to the communities its newspapers serve.  APG focuses on providing timely, valuable and trustworthy local news and information for citizens and businesses in its communities.”

APG principal Stephen Adams stated, “We are extremely excited to have the operations of Cooke Communications join the Adams Publishing Group family.  The Cooke newspapers are located in two of the most desirable, fast-growing areas of the United States, with a solid employee group we are eager to welcome aboard our team.”

With 30 daily newspapers, well over 100 non-daily newspapers and other enterprises operating in 20 states and the District of Columbia, Adams Publishing Group (APG) describes itself as “first and foremost a family-owned community newspaper company, which is driven to provide high quality products and services that make a positive difference in the lives of its constituents, which are, in prioritized order:  its readers, customers/advertisers, communities, Associates (employees) and its shareholders.”

Other Adams family enterprises include outdoor advertising (billboards), radio, wine, Camping World/Good Sam (recreational vehicles) and significant philanthropic endeavors.

Dirks, Van Essen, Murray & April represented Cooke Communications, LLC in this transaction.

Terms of the APG/Cooke Communications, LLC transaction were not disclosed.