McKEESPORT (KDKA) -- The Daily News chimes are an afternoon fixture in the city of McKeesport, but come Thursday morning, the chimes will go silent.

And after its final run, the paper itself will be no more, leaving a void in a mill town still struggling from the death of big steel.

"This paper was called a community institution. That was not just a slogan. That was real," says Pat Cloonan, a reporter with the paper.

In the newsroom Tuesday, Cloonan was filing what may be his last story, fittingly perhaps, about a murder in the city this week. But the city relies on the paper for so much more -- government news, community events, births and engagements.

"Most of the people in the area grew up with the paper," said Peggy Schmidt, of the accounting department. "Local news, where are they going to get the local news, and the obituaries, that's what they worry about mostly."

Years ago, Trib Total Media bought the Daily News and tried hard to make a go of it, despite a blighted downtown which once kept the paper afloat with ad dollars and a declining and aging readership who now will be at a loss to get their news.

"Obviously, a lot of them don't own a computer. They're not going to go buy one for a 75 cent paper and the Internet. So, I think they're going to be the mostly one's lost," said GeGe Mastylak, also of the accounting department.

Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter

In a newspaper industry, which is struggling from coast to coast, smaller community papers have become the least viable. The Trib put the Daily News and the Valley Independent in Monessen up for sale but got no offers and so it will be padlocking both this week.

The Daily News will end a 131 year run. It's remaining 50 employees will have to find other employment, most likely not at another newspaper.

"I just hope for the best and hope everyone lands on their feet," said Karen DiCristofaro, of the paper's Human Resource Department.

After Thursday morning, the presses at the Daily News will be silent forever, leaving a void in the Mon Valley that will likely never be filled.