The Santa Cruz Sentinel reports that its owner is considering bids from three potential buyers — MediaNews, the chain headed by Dean Singleton that bought the Mercury News earlier this summer; Freedom Newspapers, owner of the Orange County Register, and a local group led by Geoffrey Dunn, a real estate consultant and former owner of Santa Cruz magazine. Dunn and fellow developer William Brooks are leading a group of 12 local investors who say they have the backing of a New York financial firm. Their consultant is Rowland Rebele, former publisher of weekly papers in California and the Midwest. Owner Dow Jones & Co. wants to sell by Dec. 31 to take advantage of a tax break expiring that day.