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Jitters prevail as the cost ol' nroney increases: the prinre lending rate. now at l40^ , and expectecl to go higher. threatens lo end re(ent housing sta rl gains.. nrortgage rates are at or near 14']/l across the West, diminishing the nunrber available to buy new homes. as rates risc, starts decline.

Most recent figs. (Aug.) showed housing starts uP 12{Xr, to a seasonally adjusted annual rale of 1.339,000, with blc1g. pernrits for future construclion up 7.9\fit from Jr-rly. the Wel w*as the strongcst arect notional\t'. starts up 29.5(1,, ntoslly in Ca., with pernrits up 7ol.

Bendix Cbry. solcl its Bendir Forest Produtls div. lbr $435 million to Kohlberg, Kravits, Roberts & Co. a privatelY hclcl investnrerrt co.,. Orcpac Buikling Product; Lake Osrvego. Or., has purchasecl the Sacranlento, Ca.. facility of DiGiorgio's DG Shelter Products div. for an undisclosed antount.

Pay 'n Save has openecl a clistribr"rtion warehouse in Auburn, Wa.,to service its own stores. . . l''lo(ield Sales & Servite is a new sister comPanY to Nor./'ield Manu./'acturing, Chico, Ca... Virginia Hardw'ood. Monrovia. Ca., is now selling Chateau FIoors.

Soutlt Bay Forest Produt't.s^ Orange, Ca.. has opened a new hardwood dept,, managed by Bill Lanrb, which presenlly is servingmostly industrials. Virginia Hardwood Co., Monrovia. Ca.. plans a 20,000 sq.ft. expansiot-t of their warehouse early in '81. . Rcid & Wright Inc. has movetl its Honolulu, Hi., office to new ouarters: No. 8 Lumahai St.

Gragg-Anderson Forest Produtts, Inc., is a ncw Santa Rosa, Ca., wlrolesaler, Paul At-tclcrson at that otfice, Doug Gregg at tlre Eugene, Or., office. . . ClaLrdia Cowan hasstarted Itorizrtrt Forest Products in Oaklancl. Ca., an offlce wholesale firm clealing mostly in reclwood with sonrc pine fir ancl roofing producls.

Lum/Ply Wltolesale has bcctl opened by Mike Jcfters, Jinl and Dan Rasmussen, and Jack Richards in Salt Lake City, Ut. Rick Kellso has openccl a new Meclfbrd, Or., sales ol-f icc {or Andersonia Forest Products of Arcata, Ca. Cali/'ornia Wcstern Wltolcsale is thc new nanle for Western Product Salcs, rrow basecl in Pleasanton, Ca.: Bob Riggs, pres. ancl Phil C<ihen, sales nrgr., a wholesalc clistributor for kitchen cabinels.

Monarch Mirror Door Co.. Chatsworth. Ca., is cclcbratitlg its 20th anniversary. . . Villero.,& Boch (LJ.S.A.) lnc. (tile ancl ceranric pluntbing fixtr-rres) has opcned its first West coast showroont, o1llce, ancl warehcruse, in Anaheint, Ca. . Lea' therbac'k Industries is tlre nnvll' aclopted corporatc nanle ol' Nical, Inc.. Holister, Ca.

Sanla Fc and Sotrtltern Pacilic har e scrappcd nrcrgcr ncgotilrtions with no contntenl Union Pat'ilic. Missouri Pat'ilit' ttrtd Western PaciJit' have lllcct tbr merger. Pat'ilit' Coasl C.ctnent Corp. has signecl a $2 rllillion yeaily lease with thc Port of Long Beach, Ca., for a ce nlcnt lerminal.

Weyerltaettser Co. lllans to acquire Everitl Ltrntber Co. ar-rcl Union ManLrlacturing c& SuPPI-t Co.. both in Ft. Collins, Co..

lvith distribuliott ltttcl nlltnLtlttcluring lircilitics in six citics irr Ccr. anrl Wr. . Ktt:nttttt I'orast Prodtttl.s. Portlitntl C)r.. i: tt i'tclcr constructit)ll oll lt thrcc stotl ofllcc bLrilcling olt it 3.3lcrc sitc. .

Mis.sion [-orcsl Itrodutls htts nrovcci to 225 6th St.. strll itl Ilollister, C'u., 95023... Bi,q Vulla), Luntbcr Co., Bichcr-. Ca.. hlts lclt:ctl the lunrhcr .Pgf ii1i1111 ol- Main Industries, lnt. . . Snidcr Building Prodttcls. Sacranrento. Ca., has takcn ovcr the EQ.c,l( Forest Prodttcts clrstributiotl Operation ancl pre-hung clo<lr plant, :tnd trtovetl across town t() 5(r7l Wlrrchoitsc Wrtr'.

Thc lirtcst O'MalleY's Bttilding Matcrial Celtlt'r is sel to opcll this tlottth at 35th Avc.. & Bcll Rcl.. north of Phocnix. Az., ttl it sholrping centcr natrecl O'Malle-l'Pla7a, af'tcr thcNo. I lcltaltt. NiL'man-Recrl is hrLrilcling Lunrbcr Ciity No. l3 irt Las \,'irgcnes, Ca.

Diamond lnternalional CorP. has a new honlc ccl.llcr at Pittsburg, Ca.. with oltc at SPrirlgllcltl . OI.. tttrtlcr totl:trttcl.iotl: llrc Concol'cl. Ca.. opcratirin has bcen phasctl out.

Boisc-Cast'aclc's rctail s1orc. 2910 Danron Avc.. San I)rcgo. Ca., had a shccl llrc u'rth ltcttr'1' hardwarc ilent clitntage. . tlrson is stts;rected in thc Granl Rrtucl Lumber ('o., Tltcson, Az., l'irc: approxitlately 53-50.000 clanlage.. Bot('.\ Luntbt'r (.rt.. Mountaitt Vicw, W.',-., u'as cles1ro1'ccl rece ntll, by lirc. arsoll suspccted.

I''lintkcttt' SupPl.t' Platls to nroclerniz-c ltncl expatlcl its Sarr Josc. Ca..lacility. .. l\4intrtn Co., Mt. Viclv. ('u.. is adtlirtg a scconcl 50 x 80 birildirtg. . . Ll & M W h olesa la. Rarrcho Cucanl on ga, (1r.. i: lrtltlrrlg to llll cristirtg lunrber shed. .. Los Angtlt's Lodder Co., Hut-tlittgton Park, Ca., is aclcling ii tttrttlut'acluring lacilitv to its existing bLrilcling, all bLrilt bl'San Anlonict Pole Canstrut'lion Co.

Homcstaad Trur' L/alue Iturdwur(, Gresh;tt-tt, Or., htts closccl.