The Blethen Maine Newspapers have been sold to Maine Media Investments. According to a report on the Bollard Web site, a purchase and sale agreement was signed today, and a story on the sale will appear in tomorrow’s newspapers.

Maine Media Investments is the company formed by former U.S. Sen. William Cohen, developers Michael Liberty and Robert Baldacci, and Pennsylvania publisher Richard Connor.

MMI will now assume ownership of the Portland Press herald, the Kennebec Journal in Augusta, the Morning Sentinel in Waterville, the MaineToday.com Web site and other media operations. The new owners are expected to sell of the Press Herald’s Congress Street building in downtown Portland, as well as valuable real estate across the street. Property in Augusta and Waterville may also be sold.

So far, no purchase price has been announced. and it’s not clear if that information will be made public.

Al Diamon can be e-mailed at aldiamon@herniahill.net, although he’s on vacation from Nov. 14-20 and doesn’t believe portable electronic devices are appropriate travel companions.

The views expressed on this Web site are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily represent the views of Down East Enterprise or its employees.