SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) – The Latest on the auction of the Orange County Register (all times local):
10:45 p.m.
A federal judge has granted a temporary restraining order blocking Tribune Publishing Co.’s purchase of the Orange County Register and Press-Enterprise newspapers in Southern California.
The ruling late Friday from U.S. District Judge Andre Birotte Jr. comes a day after the U.S. Justice Department requested the move in its antitrust lawsuit against the purchase by the owner of the Los Angeles Times.
Tribune said in court filings earlier Friday that the restraining order would effectively remove it from the competition because the deal must be quickly approved by a bankruptcy judge. A bankruptcy court hearing is scheduled for Monday.