Observer buys Pelican Press

SARASOTA — The Observer Group Inc. acquired the Pelican Press and PelicanPress Marketplace from Journal Community Publishing Group Inc., a subsidiary of Journal Communications Inc. (symbol: JRN.)

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The Pelican Press was founded as a monthly newspaper for Siesta Key in 1971, and was acquired by Journal Communications in 1998. Its circulation averaged 22,000 a week, according to an audit by the Circulation Verification Council.