FRANKLIN COUNTY — The Franklin County Board is expected to award a contract for the demolition of the Benton Evening News building when it meets tonight at 5:30 at the Campbell Building in Benton.

The county purchased the building late last year for $45,000. The county plans to tear the building down to make way for a new parking lot to help ease parking in downtown Benton especially when construction begins later this year on the new courthouse on the Benton Square.

The county hopes to have the new parking lot finished by early spring or summer.

The newspaper office closed in 2017. Its staff works remotely.