Brehm sale closes out family’s California run

Gold Mountain California News Media Inc. has agreed to acquire Brehm’s Gold Country Media group and its five newspapers in mountain and desert areas of Southern California. New Mexico-based Dirks, Van Essen & April, through its California-based broker, is representing BCI. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“This transaction is bittersweet as our family has been in the newspaper business for over 102 years, however we felt it was time to pass these amazing publications and employees to a new home,” Ryan Schuyler, BCI president and CEO, said in a news release. “We believe the new owners will carry on the important mission of community journalism for years to come.”

BCI’s roots go back more than 100 years, to the 1919 acquisition by Bill McGiffin of the Fort Madison (Iowa) Evening Democrat in 1919. At one time, BCI’s holdings included dozens of properties across the West and Midwest. Its recent footprint was in four western states.

In the California sale, the Northern California titles are the twice-weekly Auburn Journal and these weeklies: Folsom Telegraph, Roseville Press-Tribune, Placer Herald, The Loomis News and Lincoln News Messenger. In Southern California, the properties are: The Big Bear Grizzly, Mountain News, The Hi-Desert Star, The Desert Trail and The Desert Mobile Home News.

Separately, Arizona-based River City Newspapers will acquire the Needles Desert Star.

Gold Hill is affiliated with a group of other companies that publish newspapers in California. It acquired The Union of Grass Valley in June.

“We are pleased to acquire these esteemed properties from the Brehm Communications family,” Gold Mountain’s Steven Malkowich said in the news release. “Our plans are to continue with the well-established fine tradition which the family has been recognized for in their long and continuous history in the newspaper industry.”

Elsewhere: River City Newspapers buys MVDN, other papers (Mohave Valley Daily News)