MediaNews, the newspaper company led by Dean Singleton (pictured), is bidding on the Santa Cruz Sentinel, the Merc reports. On Aug. 28, Sentinel owner Dow Jones (also owner of the Wall Street Journal), put the 25,000-circulation Sentinel on the block to take advantage of a tax break that expires Dec. 31. Bids were due at the close of business on Thursday (Sept. 14). The Merc says that the standard practice would be for Dow Jones to select second-round bidders, who would hear management presentations and get tours of the paper before submitting final bids. The paper has 169 employees including 40 in the newsroom. MediaNews owns 12 dailies in the Bay Area including the Mercury News, Marin Independent Journal, Oakland Tribune and Contra Costa Times. [PPC, Aug. 29: Santa Cruz Daily Sentinel up for sale]