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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.