One of the oldest news publications in Greene County will be changing hands in the new year. The Daily Events, based in downtown Springfield, will be sold to the Springfield Business Journal.
Springfield Mayor Jeff Schrag has owned the Daily Events for the past 30 years, though the newspaper has been around since the 1880s. He said it felt like it was time to retire and, after ensuring no one internally wanted to take over ownership and meeting with the SBJ Publisher Marty Goodnight, the sale would be the ideal next chapter for the publication.
“I don’t know that this is a full retirement, I don’t know if I’ll do something next,” Schrag said. “But for now, this is where I am.”
Schrag said there were a lot of similarities and overlap between the Business Journal and Daily Events, with both focusing on business and professional audiences. He said discussions about the sale began at the end of the summer and the transfer will become final on Jan. 1, 2026. He was not willing to disclose the price.
“It is unique that we have both an independent newspaper like the Daily Events and an independent business journal, neither one are part of a chain,” Schrag said. “So, that was a nice opportunity too for local ownership.”
While Schrag took on the role of mayor in April, he said the sale likely would have happened regardless of whether he had been elected or not. Having the ability to take a step back will also allow him to focus more fully on his role as mayor, he said.
Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at mmieze@news-leader.com.
