WAITSBURG -- A family ownership that stretched across 40 years ended Thursday when the sale of The Times became official.
Imbert and Karen Matthee are the 7th owners of the 131-year-old publication. The Matthees and their 11-year-old son Niko moved to Waitsburg from Bainbridge Island in August.
Loyal Baker and Kathy Baker took over the paper 13 years ago when Ron and Jane Smith decided to return to California after five years of running the paper.
Baker's parents, Tom and Anita Baker, owned the paper from 1964 to 1991.
Loyal Baker said he plans to remain in Waitsburg, and will work as a consultant for a month for the new owners. "I've been doing this for a long time, and I'm going to enjoy taking a break for awhile. I will certainly be around and be doing something," he said.
Kathy Baker lives in Walla Walla and works for American West Bank.
Imbert Matthee will be publisher of the paper, and Karen Matthee will be editor.
Imbert was a business writer, Pacific Rim correspondent and columnist for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer until 1998.
Karen Matthee, who will be The Times editor, worked for the Everett Herald and the Dallas Times-Herald before she became editor of a string of magazines.
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