Copley Press sold the Daily Breeze in Torrance, Calif., to Hearst Corp., which in turn tapped MediaNews Group Inc. to run the Southern California daily.

In addition to the Daily Breeze, MNG will also operate sister publications Palos Verdes Peninsula News, the Beach Reporter and More San Pedro, the Daily Breeze said.

MNG paid about $25 million for the paper, according to published reports. The Denver-based publisher already owns a number of Southern California papers, including the (Los Angeles) Daily News, Long Beach Telegram and Pasadena Star-News.

It also owns a group of northern California dailies that range from The Oakland Tribune to the Fremont Argus.

The Daily Breeze said its publisher, Art Wible, announced his retirement after six years overseeing the paper.

Copley is in the midst of selling its papers in Ohio and Illinois, and will likely retain only its flagship, The San Diego Union-Tribune, observers said.