JACKSON — Ed Darling, editor and publisher of the Mississippi Business Journal and former publisher of The Natchez Democrat, has announced his plans to retire.

The decision brings to a close a career of 45 years in the newspaper business, 35 as publisher of community newspapers in Mississippi, Alabama and Oklahoma.

Darling is married to the former Julie Moss of Natchez. They have a son, Grant, who attends Madison Avenue Elementary. Two older sons, Scott and Chris, live with their wives, McKaye and Shelly, in Washington, D.C.