The Clarke Times-Courier in Berryville, owned by Leesburg-based Times Community Newspapers, was sold this week to Winchester Evening Star, Inc.

Publisher Peter W. Arundel said the company's decision to sell the Clarke County weekly to the Byrd family was, "based on our family's desire to transfer ownership to another locally-based newspaper family. The Byrd family has an excellent and long-standing reputation as local publishers and we trust they will give the paper the attention it deserves."

Thomas T. Byrd, publisher of The Winchester Star, and president of Winchester Evening Star, Inc. expressed his appreciation to Peter Arundel, and to his father, Arthur W. Arundel, on the orderly transfer of ownership of the weekly newspaper for Clarke County.

The Clarke County newspaper, started in 1856, has been owned by the Arundel family company since 1981. Transfer of ownership will be on Fri., Aug. 29, 2008. Cribb, Greene & Associates of Charlottesville, Va., represented Times Community Newspapers in the sale. The price was not announced.