Journal sells out

A $400 million dollar deal between two media conglomerates has left one of Somerville’s two weekly newspapers in the hands of an Illinois company.

Patrick Purcell plans to sell the Boston Herald and the over 100 community newspapers the Herald also owns to Liberty Publishing Group, which already owns 270 small dailies, weeklies and shoppers in 16 states, but none in New England.

Somerville’s other newspaper, The Somerville News, is independently owned by two Somerville businessmen.