It’s the end of an era for the Hutchinson Leader newspaper.

After nearly 150 years, the Leader and the Litchfield Independent Review will publish its final edition later this month.

The paper says changing lifestyle habits and a decline in advertising revenue led to the closing.

Many worry about what the closing means for small-town news.

“I think it’s a huge deal,” Brain Haines with McLeod County Historical Society said. “So many people open that paper to find look at the obituaries, to see who got married, see who has been born, see what’s going on and have to find alternate sources now.”

Several small newspapers that serve the southwest metro are closing up shop this month.

RELATED: Multiple newspaper in the metro area to cease operations in April

The list includes Shakopee Valley News and Chaska Herald, papers that have been around for more than 160 years.