Buck Knives Inc., which this spring said it was thinking about moving its headquarters and manufacturing plant to Post Falls, now has said it will stay put in Southern California for at least two more years, according to news reports.


Two San Diego newspapers have reported that Buck, a renowned maker of hunting and utility knives, has told employees that it wont make a decision on whereor ifto move until the first half of 2004. Buck Knives has been based for more than 30 years in El Cajon, Calif., a suburb of San Diego.


Executives at Buck Knives didnt return repeated calls seeking comment.


In April, Chuck Buck, chairman of the privately-held company, told the Journal of Business that Buck Knives was looking at both Post Falls and Bend, Ore., for possible relocation of its 300-person manufacturing and headquarters operation. The company wanted to get away from Californias high power prices, high labor costs, and high cost of living, Buck said at the time.


Since then, electricity prices have been lower, and Buck has been working with a manufacturing technology center there, funded by the California state government, to improve its industrial processes, the San Diego Business Journal reported recently.


The newspaper, one of two that reported the company had told its employees that its staying put for now, said Buck Knives also is working on a strategic alliance with employees to improve labor efficiency in an effort thats being aided by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.


Nine months is too little time to see if those twin initiatives work, so Buck decided to delay its decision, the business journal said.


The other paper that said Buck Knives isnt moving, the daily San Diego Union-Tribune, reported that Buck and his son, Buck Knives CEO C.J. Buck, were heartened by the show of support from employees, political leaders, and state officials after the news broke that the company might move.


Chuck Buck told that paper, Were doing everything we can to stay.


Bob Potter, of Jobs Plus Inc., the Coeur dAlene-based economic-development agency that has been working with Buck Knives, says hes still optimistic that the company could come to the Inland Northwest.


One possible reason for the delay is that they still have to sell their building and frankly, theyre not making a lot of progress, he says. I do know that Mr. And Mrs. (Chuck) Buck like it here a lot.


Buck said as much in April.


I feel really strong about Post Falls, and Im the major mover because I own most of the stock, he said then.