The local news landscape is shrinking. On Thursday, the Chaska Herald, Chanhassen Villager and Jordan Independent will print final editions.On Saturday, Shakopee Valley News, Prior Lake American, Savage Pacer and Southwest will shutter. The group of papers encompasses Southwest News Media. And their sister publications in Hutchinson and Litchfield will also shut down. The result? A news desert. And southwest Minnesota isn’t the first. Research by Northwestern University finds that suburbs around the country have seen some of the most dramatic losses of newspapers in recent years.Amanda McKnight was a reporter at Shakopee Valley News for six years and is currently the communications manager for the city of Shakopee. McKnight joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer to discuss the impact of these publications shutting down.