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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (April 9, 2018)
4A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2018 editor@dailyastorian.com KARI BORGEN Publisher JIM VAN NOSTRAND Editor Founded in 1873 JEREMY FELDMAN Circulation Manager DEBRA BLOOM Business Manager JOHN D. BRUIJN Production Manager CARL EARL Systems Manager OUR VIEW Newsprint trade war hurting newspapers A merican newspapers are one of the latest industries to feel the pain from erratic U.S. government trade policies. It’s an odd and unfortunate situation that will drive up costs for many newspapers unless the government reverses itself. careful what you wish for” if newspa- As you probably know, newspapers already face strong economic head- pers cut back because of price increases. winds. Online shopping via big-name Even Pacific Northwest newspapers websites has hurt local merchants, that purchase from Norpac stand to lose whose advertising is the financial foun- if this tariff fight introduces chaos in dation of this newspaper and others. the market, or gives Norpac too much Meanwhile, many readers have shifted power over prices. from print newspapers to online ver- It’s not only the economics that con- sions, although both versions have their cern us. It’s mind-boggling that the attributes. Commerce Department accepted such Like other newspapers, it’s our job to a weak argument. Yes, paper mills have adapt to changing readership habits and closed in Oregon and around the U.S. advertising opportunities. But Canadian competition is not the But a paper mill in Longview, reason. The reality is that newsprint Washington, is taking a different tack: demand throughout North America has It’s crying foul, claiming foreign com- dropped 75 percent since 2000 as tech- petitors don’t play fairly. nology has replaced paper. North Pacific Paper Co. (Norpac), Most folks understand that. The tar- iffs, or duties, are opposed by the major- which produces newsprint and other ity of U.S. newsprint manufacturers; by paper, claims the Canadian government their trade association, the American subsidizes Canadian paper manufactur- ers, enabling them to “dump” — that is, Forest and Paper Association; and by sell — their products at below-market newspapers and their trade groups, prices in the U.S. The U.S. Department including the Oregon Newspaper of Commerce bought that argument and Publishers Association. has imposed substantial newsprint tariffs The opponents also include a wide on newsprint imported from Canada. range of other groups, such as the The result has been a 20 to 30 per- Heritage Foundation, religious publica- tions, book companies and chambers of cent jump in newsprint prices around the U.S. Newsprint already is the sec- commerce. ond-largest cost, next to personnel, for By boosting costs, these tariffs will publishers. You can see that the price harm local businesses, including com- mercial printers, bookstores, directory hike will have a big impact. For Norpac, it may be a case of “be publishers and newspapers. Unlike Wall The cost of newsprint concerns publishers. Street and the hedge fund that owns Norpac, most local businesses survive on thin operating margins. Forced to spend more in one area, they must trim elsewhere — and the local economy suffers. That’s why we’d like your help. We’d be most appreciative if you could take a moment to contact members of Oregon’s congressional delegation, ask- ing them to overturn the “countervail- ing” and “antidumping” duties being imposed by the Commerce Department on Canadian newsprint and similar paper. Your voice matters. So does the voice of community newspapers across this great nation. SOUTHERN EXPOSURE Manzanita golf links get second chance G earhart Mayor Matt Brown — known colloquially in Gearhart as “Mayor Matty” — is the proud owner of the nine-hole Manzanita Golf Links. Brown purchased the course in October from Jim Pentz and Tony Erickson of Pine Grove Properties, and reopened for play on Feb. 1. “There was a period there we weren’t sure who was going to be running it or how it was R.J. MARX going to be run, or if it was going to be open again,” said Dan Haag, director of the Manzanita Visitors Center. “Keeping it part of this community has just been huge.” Both the Manzanita Open and the Mudd Nick charity golf tournaments have decades-long roots in Manzanita, and losing the annual events was unthinkable. “To lose those was a big fear, because the Eugene Schmuck Foundation and Mudd Nick Foundation both do really important things in the community and surrounding area,” Haag said. “I think there was always a drive and desire to get the right person to come in and do it, and it sounds like we have.” This year’s open takes place May 18 to May 20, with proceeds going to higher education and community services. The Mudd Nick tournament and auction, with the Matt Brown goal of access to the arts and athletic programs for children in the community, takes place Sept. 15. Mayor Mike Scott recalled the com- munity angst felt after the course closed last fall. “We didn’t want to lose it,” he said. “We went through a dark period where we weren’t sure what was going to happen, so it’s worked out great. We’re pretty happy to have it back.” Family affair Founded in 1987 by Ted Erickson, the course hosted generations of golfers — and three generations of Ericksons. When Ted’s son Steve Erickson announced his retirement last fall, golfers and residents feared the loss of the 34-acre course to development — a potential double whammy, as a 37-acre neighboring property could see develop- ment of up to 450 housing units. Steve’s son Tony Erickson now partners with Pentz. Matt Brown Manzanita Golf Links. “Golfers are limited only by their tolerance for North Coast weather.” R.J. Marx/The Daily Astorian Matt Brown at Highlands Golf Club. “We went out and worked out how we could keep the course alive,” Pentz said. “Tony and I wanted to keep the golf course rather than develop the property.” When Brown committed to pur- chasing the course, Erickson and Pentz granted a conservation easement on the land to the city of Manzanita. “You see other places where they end up tearing golf courses down and building homes, and you end up losing something,” Brown said. Pine Grove Properties sold the course to Manzanita Golf Links LLC for $1.3 million on Jan. 22, according to the Tillamook County assessor’s office. While the neighboring parcel is still “probably going to be developed,” according to Scott, the nine-hole course will remain intact. “We went through a long process to get where we are today. It will either be operated as a golf course or will be perpetual green space if it’s not operated as a golf course.” ‘Big part’ of community Nine-hole public courses like Manzanita and the Highlands — which also opened in 1987 —are “great ways to get new people into the sport,” Brown said, inexpensive and usually under two hours to play. “A lot of courses have been built in the last 20 years that are these big, expan- sive, amazing courses that cost hundreds of dollars,” Brown said. “Only a certain segment of the population can really afford to play those type of courses.” In Manzanita, golfers will find chal- lenging elevations and a mix of short, narrow holes and wider, open holes. Highlands presents golfers with a par 31, Manzanita with a par 32. Gearhart Golf Course offers a par 36 for each of its nine holes; Astoria is the same. “It’s a pretty cool course for all ability levels,” Brown said. “Seniors, ladies — every golfer has a story about how much they enjoyed playing Manzanita.” Nine holes at Manzanita typically cost $25, with an array of local and couples packages offered. Brown now offers a junior unlimited golf pass for $99 as a way to get more kids to play. “We’ve got kids that play every day,” Brown said. “We’re trying to introduce as many new juniors to the game as possible. That’s what it’s about, why I’m in the game.” Manzanita’s course is “a lot like the Highlands,” built on sand dunes with good drainage. Golfers are limited only by their tolerance for North Coast weather. Since opening, Brown has experienced an outpouring of support from the Manzanita community, he said. “People are calling me, emailing. They’re so happy this is going to remain a golf course.” Residents love the open space and scenic walk around the perimeter, he said. A men’s league Tuesday breakfast typically brings in about 40 guests. People in the community help the main- tenance and golf shop team maintain the landscaping. Brown will continue his role as gen- eral manager and head professional at the Highlands Golf Club in Gearhart. A separate management team, led by superintendent Jerrod Kunde and golf shop manager Jeff Mitchell, will manage the day-to-day operations at Manzanita. “We know how to operate a nine-hole golf course and make it sustainable, not only for the people who play it, but for the whole community, Brown said. He plans to come to Manzanita about once a week. “It’s about time management.” Brown sees a golf course as a great way to maintain the environment, draw tourism and to provide a community service. “It’s Matt’s operation,” Pentz said. “When it comes to golf, Matt is very, very good at the business.” R.J. Marx is The Daily Astorian’s South County reporter and editor of the Seaside Signal and Cannon Beach Gazette.