CHICAGO -- According to Reuters, U.S. office furniture growth slowed once more in June, raising concerns among analysts that the market may be slowing. Reportedly, the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Assn. said industry orders rose 2% from the same period of 2005 to $1.075 billion. May had shown a double-digit increase in orders on the year, following a slower month in April.

WASHINGTON -- "Construction spending rebounded in June after a tiny drop in May and a small increase in April," said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). Simonson commented on an August 1 report from the Census Bureau that showed the value of construction put in place rose at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 0.3% in June, which came after a drop of less than 0.1% in May and a gain of 0.2% in April.

WHITTIER, CA— The Whittier Daily News reports that a local closet design firm and three related companies will be watched closely by the state contracting licensing board under a settlement stemming from allegations of false advertising, exceeding agreed upon contract amounts, unregistered sales people and excessive down payments required of customers. Read more.  

FRESNO, CA—Distraught over a demotion from production manager to installer two weeks earlier, 25-year-old James George Lunsford quit his job and later, holed up in his northwest Fresno townhouse, became suicidal. According to the Fresno Bee, Lunsford lured officers to his residence on the morning of Oct. 19, 2006, with 911 calls for help and then when they arrived opened fire on the officers from his second-story balcony.

STARKVILLE, MS – Researchers at Mississippi State University have found new uses for sweetgum, an underutilized wood species. "Sweetgum lumber is prone to warp and the wood color and grain are erratic, which further limits its use for cabinetry and flooring," said Rubin Smulsky, forest products associate professor of MSU's Forest and Wildlife Research Center.

TAIPEI -- According to Cens Daily News, Taiwan exported $5.538 billion worth of general machinery in the first five months of 2006, which represents a growth of 3% from the corresponding period of 2005. The Taiwan Association of Machinery Industry compiled these statistics.

WASHINGTON --Thirty-six wood, pulp and paper facilities have reduced their collective water use by more than 1.1 billion gallons as a result of their memberships in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Environmental Performance Track program, according to the latest data available from the EPA. Performance Track is a partnership that recognizes top environmental performance among participating U.S.

OAKVILLE, ON -- U.S. consumers will spend approximately $82 billion on furniture and bedding this year, an increase of 4%, according the AKTRIN Furniture Information Center. Creation of new jobs and personal income growth are seen by AKTRIN as major contributors to this increase.

CLEVELAND -- Demand for residential kitchen and bath countertops in China is forecasted to increase 7.3% annually to 92.2 million square meters in 2010, valued at ¥26.7 billion, according to a new study from The Freedonia Group.

YONKERS, NY -- Consumer Reports tested 11 laminates to determine how they compared to hardwood floors in withstanding everyday use. The laminates went through a number of tests, including one that simulated foot traffic and others that detected dent and scratch resistance. According to the results compiled by Consumer Reports, laminate flooring was more durable than hardwood. Armstrong Nature's Gallery American Duet scored high in the group tested.