Paxton Media Group acquires the Breese Journal
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- Written by: Kelly Jo Ross - Breese Journal News Editor
Meet your Breese Journal team — (from left) Kelly Ross, Jeremy Chawgo, Cyndi Riley and Matt Wilson. AI generated photo Paxton Media Group has acquired the Breese Journal from Printing.com, marking a new chapter for the longtime Clinton County newspaper.
The acquisition, effective Nov. 1, brings the newspaper under the ownership of a family-owned media company.
For more than a century, Breese Journal and Publishing Company operated as a family-owned business, most recently led by brothers Steve and Dave Mahlandt and Steve’s son, Josh Mahlandt.
In July 2025, the Mahlandt family sold their family newspaper and the publishing company to Marketing.com, which was later sold to Printing.com. The newspaper portion was then sold to Paxton Media Group.
Paxton Media Group is a family-owned company founded in 1896, and led by President and CEO Jamie Paxton. The company publishes more than 100 community newspapers throughout the Midwest and southeast, including the Union Banner in Carlyle, The Sentinel in Centralia, and The Greenville Advocate.
Mike Weafer, group president for Paxton Media Group, said that he is very happy to have the Breese Journal on board.
"We believe in local community newspapers, and recognize the history and the excellence here at the Breese Journal," said Weafer.
Angela Mayes, group publisher with Paxton Media Company, said that she was excited to welcome the Breese Journal into their regional family of Illinois newspapers.
"We appreciate the Mahlandt family's dedication and commitment to the Breese Journal, and we're honored to continue the legacy they've built," she said.
What does this mean for our readers of the Breese Journal?
Well, for starters, readers may notice a few changes in the newspaper's appearance and operations.
The newspaper will still have the same name — Breese Journal — along with the same dedicated staff — Kelly Ross, Jeremy Chawgo, Cyndi Riley and Matt Wilson — who brought the news to your homes weekly.
However, the newspaper will have a slightly different look, offering a two-section format — Section A and Section B.
Section A will include local news, features and community events in the area, while Section B will be dedicated to local sports coverage and classified ads.
Another change involves the newspaper's printing location. The Breese Journal will now be printed in Paducah, Kentucky, rather than its previous printing location in Breese. The change in the location means there may have been a slight delay of the newspaper. The Breese Journal is scheduled to hit stands on Thursdays.
The newspaper's home office will also now be located in Centralia (232 E. Broadway St.), instead of Old Route 50 in Breese.
These changes may take some getting used to — and we are right there with you — but, we want to make sure our mission stays the same and that is that we will still be focused on providing quality journalism for our local communities.
We ask for your patience and understanding as the newspaper transitions to its new ownership and operations and appreciate the continued support of our readers, advertisers and our communities that we serve.
Mater Dei and Central volleyball teams claim respective Regional titles
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- Written by: Jeremy Chawgo - Breese Journal Sports Editor and Matt Wilson - Breese Journal Reporter
Mater Dei wins Class 3A MD Regional
Regional Champs — The Mater Dei Lady Knights volleyball team claimed the Class 3A MD Regional title with a sweep over Mt. Vernon on Thursday at Fred Rakers Court in Breese. The Knights are playing in the Decatur MacArthur Sectional this week. PHOTO BY JEREMY CHAWGO For the 37th time in Mater Dei school history, their volleyball team are regional champs as they swept Mt. Vernon on Thursday to claim the Class 3A MD Regional title on Fred Rakers Court at the Dennis V. Trame Center.
Mater Dei is now 31-3 on the season while Mt. Vernon ended their campaign at 27-7. It was the Knights’ sixth-straight regional title.
The Lady Knights have won nine-straight matches and enter the Decatur MacArthur Sectional where they took on Normal University High on Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m.
Regional Champs — The Central Lady Cougars volleyball team claimed the Class 2A Althoff Regional title with a sweep over the host Crusaders on Thursday in Belleville. The Cougars are playing in the Vandalia Sectional this week, starting on Tuesday. PHOTO BY MATT WILSON ––––– Story followup below READ MORE! The Pioneers are 22-15 after beating Bloomington Central Catholic to win the Rantoul Regional title. They ended Mater Dei’s season last year in the Chatham Super-Sectional.
Mater Dei 25-25, Mt. Vernon 8-15: The Lady Knights dominated from start to finish in their championship win at home on Thursday.
Mater Dei never trailed in the contest with the Rams not having a service point in the first game of the match that saw MD out hit MTV 32-11.
“This is a great feeling,” said Mater Dei senior Ava Lampe. “It’s bittersweet that it’s our final match here, but to end it like this and to move on in the postseason feels really good.”
The balance at the net was the difference for MD with seven players with kills and six of those with at least three kills. Senior Liv Goebel led the attack with eight kills while fellow senior Marlie Haag added seven kills.
Senior Avery Patton was strong at the net with her first four attacks hitting the floor in a match where she had five kills and two blocks. Sophomore Reese Kreke added three kills, two blocks and four points.
“Our outsides really did a great job tonight and showed up like they always do,” added Lampe.
Abby Kuhl pioneered the best service night with 10 points and Lila Huelsmann had four points.
Mater Dei left no doubt in the first game with a 3-0 run to start with a kill from Haag starting the run before they extended that lead to 12-4 with three kills from Patton and a kill and block from Kreke.
“We talked about keeping our pace, and not worrying about the pace on the other side of the floor,” said MD head coach Cortney Walker who has a career record of 102-13 in just three seasons. “We wanted to stay clean on our side and execute what we wanted to do and the girls did just that tonight.”
Haag went back to work on Lampe’s service with three kills to get the lead to 17-5. Lampe had five points, 12 digs and 11receives.
After a block from Brenna Timmons ended the run, MD went right back to work with five-straight Rams’ unforced errors as the game was out of reach at 23-7. A pair of tips from Adrienne Rakers ended the game as she ended the match with five kills.
MD ran out to a 3-0 run again in the second game with kills from Rakers and Goebel.
Mt. Vernon got their first service point of the match with kills from Kendall Mast and Lexi Chaudoin as they got within 7-3.
MD got an ace from Rakers and a kill from Goebel as Mater Dei motored on as they led 9-4.
Patton added a kill while Kreke put two more down to join a block from Keelyn Miller to extend the lead to 13-4 on Lila Huelsmann’s service.
Mast got a couple more kills for the Rams as they hung within 15-11 before MD went back to work.
Haag and Goebel put down smashes before a kill and a block from Goebel moved the MD cushion to 22-13.
“As long as we can spread our offense out, I think we are in good shape and we can keep the other team guessing on where the ball is going,” added Walker.
Asia Benson hit a kill from the Rams before a block from Patton handed MD a 23-14 lead. Chaudoin got the last point for MTV with a kill before Patton smashed one down and Rakers followed with a block for the victory.
The match was the end of nine-straight season’s with a Lampe patrolling the back row for Mater Dei with Ava, Addie and Alivia. “To end our career like this and to continue family tradition tonight is a special feeling,” concluded Lampe.
