NEWS BRItrFS

Now under appeal is the recent U.S. District Court ruling in San Francisco that gave the Itrterior Dept. the go-ahead to seize 35 acres of old-growth timber near Redwood National Park Sl million was put forward to pay for land valued by industry at $4 55 million.

No time has been set for a final cor-rrt decision on the ruling, which has beelt clescribed by Calif. lumbermen as "patently unfair" and in "violation of all that can be considered even elementary f-airness" . the 35 3c1ss are in the area known as Skunk Cabbage Creek.

Happier news is the new housing start figs.: 1.929,000 units in May on a seasonally-adjustcd annual basis, secondJighest level in nearly 4 ),earsi pace was Ltp 2% from the previor:s tno. attd a big 34' ; rbove tltc year prcvious.

Bldg. pernrits. fbr those comntunities requiring them. were up J(/r, front a tno. previous and 39'rZ ahead of a year before. a good signal f or corttinued ltottsirtg strengtlt. starts of single family hornes (largestsingle user of wood products) were I ,461,000, 2nd highest fig. since Commerce Dept. began recording nos. in '59...

Good signs: Little or no increase in prime lending rate; deposit increases in s/ls. sollrce for much construction & home bldg. financing; apt. mkt. strengtheling I coristruction contract values aye'at a recgrd level: many economists sce llo bust l'ollolving the housing boorn. evcn' in the.' red-hot So. Calif. bldg. nrarket

Ilood Brothers Lumber Co., Tucson, Az.. suffered a $500,000 fire, May 17. possibly electrical in origin, but under investigation . Best Moulding Co., North Valley (Atbuquerque) N.M., rvas hit June 1, with a S1.5 rlillion blaze: callse as yet undetermined arson also suspected in a June 15, fire of S175.000 at Star Lumber, Eugene

Rygel Lumber Sales opens its new 3/z acre distribution yard Ar"rg. l. in Orange, Ca. (2202 Pacific Ave.), all wood ofllce rvith pine & fir dry shed Plus 315'rr spllr Evergreen [4/holcsale, Spokane. Wa., has bccn lornrecl by James Wilharm, Alene Lafky and Diane Tribilcock...

Palmer G. Lewis Co.. Auburn, Wa., has ended talks aimed at a possible merger with United Btrilding Centers, which operates retail outlets in the Mid-West llillame t t e Indus tries and Broo ksScanlon have gotten an IRS ok to divide their joint veuture Brooks-Willamette (see The Merehant. Aprit, p. l8)

BPS Associates, Portlatrd, has prrrclrased Barker-llillamette. Eugene. Or.. and Cabax Mills, Grants Pass. for approx. $35 rnilliorr Chiloquin Forest Prodttcts. Chiloqr"rin. Or., has prrrclrasccl DG Sltelter Products' Chiloqtrin cliv.. no price revealed.

Payless Caslnvays platts to movc corp. hq. to Kansas City, Mo., Ironr Denveil open a new unit this mo. in Fresno. Ca;and in '78 open stores in Aurora tr-td Westrninster, C o, Sacrarne-nto. Ca., and Salem, Or . . . Sirttpstsrt 'T!m-$qr. Co. has been nitnre d "lifark6tingl Company of thc

San Atttottio Pole Cottstructiort is bldg. a rrcw store lbr Home Lumber, Henret. ('a. the Lumber Cit1, chain of store s is now br-rilding its I I th in Tujunga (Los Angeles). Ca. Iilillamette Industries has opened its 6th retail store. in Tigard. Or. Hughes Plytuoorl lnas moved to larger quarters, Hyw. 29, between Napa and Vallejo. Ca....

Soutlrcrn Lumber Co., San Jose. Ca. has added a new 4000 sq. ft. metal mill bldg., plus a smaller mill inside their retail store . . Jim and Sheila Russell lrave purchased Datvson Lumber, Wallowa Cor,rnty, Or., from Ceorge Dawson for art undisclosedamount...

Parr Lumber has gotten a zolting ok in Vancouver, Wa.. lor a warehouse, yard and store Marson & Marson Luntber, Leavenworth. Wa., has added a 12,000 sq. ft. homc center, Mac Hufflnan, mgr. . Parker Lumber, Bremerton. Wa.. has a 5(100 sq. ft. addition on their L,. Brenrerton store Gross' nlan's plans a new store in Newark, fla.. the Evans Products' division's l4th Bay Area outlet.

Ltrnberjack Stores, Inc., Sacramento. Ca., has purchased a 14.000 sq. ft. warehouse for exparrsiot.r pLlrposes .. Burtctn' French Lumber, Walnttt ('reek, Cl.. plurts a dottl.lirtg irt size as well as a ntini-shoppirtg Itrall after they nrove their bldgs. 500' to accontociate tlte ltew activity Constrtrctiol.l olt a rrew Hq. for Copelancl Lturtber Yards. ./ilr'., Portlartci. begirts tltis slilInler

Recdle.v Lttmber & Build' irtg (lcnter is the new flrm rllnrc to go with their newiYenlarged 8000 sq. ft. ReedieY. ('a. store.