uolres

David A. Davis, 53, former operator of the now-defunct Valley Home Improvement Center, Burbank, Ca., died in an automobile accident Aug. 26 in West Knoxville, Tn.

A native of Glendale, Ca., he became a contractor at l9 and ran Valley Home Improvement Center until 1978, when he moved to Colonial. Tn.. and started Colonial Construction, a homebuilding firm.

At the time of his death, he reportedly was driving a 2000 Ford Explorer equipped with Firestone tires. police said, although authorities said the tires did not cause the accident.

Authorities said he apparently lost control of his vehicle as he rounded a curve, adding that witnesses saw him talking on a cellular phone just before the vehicle ran off the road and flipped several times. He reportedly was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the vehicle.

Sam J. Tarantino, 76, retired general manager, Tynan Lumber, Salinas, Ca., died Sept. 14 in Monterey, Ca.

A lifelong resident of Monterey, he served as a radioman first class in the U.S. Navy from 1943-1946 and was the general manager of Tynan Lumber for 47 years.

He was a member of the Hoo-Hoo Club.

AF&PA Exec's Letter On Track

Member company chief executives of the American Forest & Paper Association urged that increased rail competition be placed on next year's Congressional agenda in a letter to Sen. John McCain (R-Az.), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee.

The letter claimed that current policies permit railroads to "prevent competitive access to terminals, maintain monopolies through'bottleneck pricing,' and hamper the growth of viable short line and regional railroads through 'paper barriers."'

The letter also stated that the Surface Transportation Board "continues to adhere to policies that hamper rail competition," despite the fact that major North American railroads are poised for additional consolidation.

Inadequate competition is being blamed for delays in rail transit time, a particularly troublesome and expensive issue for the forest products industry, which heavily depends upon timely product shipments and deliveries.

While noting that 1980's Staggers Act sought to replace government regulation of railroads with market competition, the letter said that Class I railroads have declined from 30 in l9l6 to seven today.

Chief executives from 63 member companies signed the letter, a joint effort of AF&PA, the American Chemistry Council, Edison Electric Institute, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and the American Public Power Association.

SIERBA-PACIFIC Industrres ooen house in Redding, Ca : (1) State Assemblyman Dick Dickerson Glenn Hawes, SPI s Red Emmerson (2) Bob Shepherd, Chuck Mayall. Mike Herms, Mark Herms (3) Trevor Pratte Jaime Ziparo. John Langenheim (4) Cyndi & David Saxton (5) Br6nt Ahern Gborqe

Fogers, Craig Combs. (6) Bob Bratton, Butch Abbott (7) Bill Swaney, Lee Nelms, Monico Martrnez. (8) Tod Holmes. Sreve Hagen. ,9' John Lohmann. Mike Jones Fred Romero (10) John Jacno Donna & Tim Mclndo, John Drederch (11)Corey Berry, Ed Walton, Gene Mu lins, Mike Morrison. (12) Lonnie Ramey

Tom Jappert, Mark Schongalla (1 3) Jay Brown, Bob Weiglein. (14) Charlie Moss, Larry Holguin, (15) Josh Tyler, Joe Eger, Doug Hanson. (16) Walter Godsil, Chris Jones. (17) Lori Collins, Lori Armstrong. Rod Thompson. (18) Kevin Stovall, Blll Carey. Carl Lindgren. (1 9) Karna

Valen, Jll Brshop (201 Molly Cossuto, Mike McDonald, Gina Cavalleri. (21)Jim Murk, Brian Johnson Eric Shelby. (22) Dean Rogers Ron Stephens, Spikes Clark.

(More SPI photos on next page)

M0RE SPI (continued f rom prev ous page): (1)

Jul e C ausen, State Senator Maurice & Maranne Johannessen. Jalene Andrews. (2) Don Reagan. Pete Sk bba Tom Fltnt (3)

(8) Rick Ray. Tim Hunt (9) Steve Buske, Karen Larson, Dale McCormick. (10) J0hn

P cot, Jason Faulkner. Ryan Holmes. Sean

O Bannon. Harry Ho mes. (11) Jerry Ensworth. Ron Tipton, Todd Pollard. Ted Pol ard, Charlie Brittarn. 1121 Monte Acqlrstapace. Aa"on

Duchi. Mike Thompson. (13) Jerry Johnson, Todd GaLlant Eric Ford. (14) Ted & Nina Smith (15) Tim Black, Jackie Smith, Hardy

Vestal. (16) Pete Melchtry. Frank Peterson.

(17) Hal Fay. Dan Mclntire Tom Von Moos. Sal Camarda (18) Ken Caylor, Tm DeCoto

(19) Ken Selberg, Tess Hutton & Roger

L ndsey. (20) Tim Lynch Shane Young. Robert West. (21) Fex Klopf er Ned Olson. Dan Byrne, Rick S ltanen.

(More SPI photos on next page)