COVINGTON, La. (AP) — Two community newspapers that have been covering much of St. Tammany Parish and surrounding areas since the mid-1970s will fold at the end of the month.

St. Tammany News, which publishes The News Banner and the Slidell Sentry News, said Thursday it will print the last editions Feb. 27.

John Mathew, president and CEO of Arizona-based Wick Communications, the newspapers' parent company, says the newspapers have been in direct competition with many publications and because the parish is connected to metropolitan New Orleans, the newspapers have had a tough time "finding the sense of community that a community newspaper needs in order to be successful."

When the papers fold, 24 positions will fold with them. Mathew says employees will get severance and help in finding jobs elsewhere.