Poor markets lead to logging shutdown

The nationwide crisis in the housing and construction markets is leading to curtailments in the local timber industry.

DeBriae Logging will shut down logging operations for two or more months. The firm employs approximately 130 people.

"I don't know how long we'll shut down," owner Jerry DeBriae said Tuesday. "There's just no market."

DeBriae emphasized that the shutdown is temporary. The company will resume operations some time in 2009.

"We have a lot of wood under contract," he said. "We'll do a little bit here and there."