N EWS tsRil EFS

The energy shortage continues as Topic No. I as business copes as best it can with present cutbacks and ponders the effects additional shortages mayhave...

The softwood plywood induslry hasurged energy ezarWilliam E. Simon to change propane regs. so mfgrs. can have l00iVoaf their current requirements for propane, essential to the veneer drying phase of plywood production during winter months when natural gas is not available

The home builders assn. is using its considerable political muscle in Washington to spare builders from further oil-saving rules for fear of additional injury to an already battered housing industry despite current grim economic news their latest forecasts for housing in '74 still see "only" a\Wo declinefor the year as a whole

There have been scattered reports from across the West of cutbacks and curtailments in delivery services at both retail and wholesale levels due to the gas shortage; more are likely to come . a few firms are reducing their number of operating hours, particularly at the retail level

Georgia-Pacific's chairman and president, Robert B. Pamplin, sees the forest products industry and many of its customers such as the housing and packaging industries benefiting from the energy shortage; ample raw material of forest products, low energy requlrements rn manufacturing and their superior insulation qualities will mean increased profits in the long run, he says

The LumberCity stores in So. Ca., like others in the West, refused to sell Christmas lights and decorations as their bit in combating the energy shortage . . the fuel shortage is expected to make a serious dent in sales of second homes, excepting, perhaps, those areas where that get-away retreat is only I gas tank away

Surprisingly, housing starts rose in Nov. (latest figs.), but analysts are unanimous that the trend to decreasing housing starts wtll continue at least thru Spring . the 3.87o increase moved start figures up to 1,698,000 in Nov. from 1,636,000 in Oct.

Housing officials now generally see this year with around 1.6 million starts, compared with 2.05 for '73 . . "still a respectable figure compared with any year prior to 197I ," according to Walter B. Williams. pres., Mortgage Bankers Assn. of America

Some of the nation's biggest home mortgage lenders, the California s&ls, say mortgageinterest rates wil/ remain high in the -foreseeable future, nothing less- than 8Vo is- the prediction; not surprisingly, mortgage demand remains sluggish economists at the Merrill Lynch subsidiary, Lionel D. Edie, forsee a 6Vo prime rate by midyear

A Harvard/M.I.T. study predicts 2.3 million new housing units will be built between 1970 and 1980; it found that 13.1 million low-medium income families (twice previous estimates) are living in households described as physically unsound, overcrowded or too expenslve

The 1974 Western States H ardw are -H ou s ew qre s -P ai nt & Garden Supply Show runs from Feb.24-26this year, same place, Brooks Hall, San Francisco . . N apko Corp. (California) is the new name for Pabco Paint, they have also moved to a new plant in Fremont; new name is that of their parent company, a Houston, Tx. company, they will continue to use the Pabco label,tho

Ensley Lumber, Modesto, Ca., has moved into their 6,000 sq. ft. new metal bldg., it has offices on the upper level Dinuba Lumber is rebuilding after a late Oct. fire that destroyed 90% of their Dinuba, Ca., retail yard

Witlis Cashway Lumber, Montebello, C?., has opened a brand new store at a new location in town . . two men were recently scared off by police alerted by burglar alarms at C. Meek Lumber, Redding, Ca.; nothing was stolen

Oregon PaciJic has added 12 trucks to its fleet and is operating the big White-Freightliners out of their new Fairfield, Ca., plant; more than 3,000 dffirent line items from more than two dozen domestic and foreign mfgrs. are stocked as well as a big plywood and lumber inventory .

Handyman Hame Improvement Centers recently opened their newest unit in Tucson, Az., . . Ole's Home Centers have picked sites in No. Hollywood and Burbank for two more stores set to open this spring Jarrow Building Products has opened a new warehouse in Buena Park, Ca., with their corp. marketing/sales dept. moving to Fountain Valley . .

Five major makers of plastic pipe fittings have been charged in two suits in federal court in San Francisco of price fixing; suit seeks unspecified damages and a halt to the alleged antitrust violations

A new Northeast rail bill is expected to be law by the time you read this; plan is to provide federal assistance in reorganizing bankrupt Northeast railroads into one privately operated system

JANUARY

San Joaquin Hoo-Hoo Club No. 3l - Jan, 12, gourmet dinner meeting, Imperial Dynasty, Hanford, Ca.

Dubs Ltd. - Jan. 18, golf meeting, San Jose Country Club, San Jose, Ca.

Shasta-Cascade Hoo-Hoo Club No. 133 -'Jan, 18, Concat & past president night, (place to be announced).

Western Building Material Assn.Jan. 19-20, Young Westerners Conference, Kah-Nee-Ta Lodge, Warm Springs, Ore.

Mountain States Hardware & lmplement Assn.Jan. 20-22, convention, Souffer's Denver Inn, Denver, Colo.

California Gift ShowJan. 20-25, Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles.

Oakland Hoo-Hoo Club No. 39, Jan. 22, Concat, (place to be announced).

Lumber Merchants Assn. of No. Calif.Jan.27-29, top management seminar, Asilomar, Pacific Grove, Ca.'

Pacific Northwest Hardware & Implement Assn.Jan. 27-29, convention, Washington Plaza Hotel, Seattle.

FEBRUARY

Intermountain Hprdware Assn.Feb. 3-5, convention, Eldorado Hotel. Boise. Idaho.

West Coast Lumber Inspection f,u1sauFeb. 8, annual meeting, Benson Hotel, Portland, Ore.

Western Building Material Assn. -Feb. 11-15/15-23, WBMA Alaska Marketing Conference & Hawaii Sunbreak Management Conference.

Los Angeles Hardwood Lumbermen's ClubFeb. 14, meeting. Stevens Steak House, City of Commerce.

Oakland Hoo-Hoo Club No. 39Feb. 15. Ladies' Nite-Valentine Dance, (place to be announced).

Shasta-Cascade Hoo-Hoo Club No. 133- Feb. 17, Ladies Nite, (place to be announced).

California Retail Hardware Assn.Feb. 24-26, Western States Hardware/Housewares-Paint & Garden Supply Show, Brooks Hall. Civic Center. San Francisco.

March

5fth Denver Gift & Jewelry Show - March 3-6, Denver Merchandise Mart & Exposition Building, Denver, Co.

Oakland Hoo-Hoo Club No. 39, March 5, Speaker on O.S.H.A., (place to be announced).

Spokane Hoo-Hoo Club No. 16, March 11, meeting, Stockyards lnn. Spokane. Wa.

Western Wood Products Assn. - March 12-15' Spring meeting, St. Francis Hotel, San Francisco.

Montana Building Material Dealers'Assn. - March 18-20, convention, Village Motor Inn, Missoula, Mt.

18th Annual Rocky Mountain Forest Industries ConferenceMarch 27-29, Little America Motel, Cheyenne, Wyo'

$s $8 $ro