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Süddekor Honored for Economic Development
AGAWAM — Süddekor LCC recently received honorable mention from the Mass. Alliance for Economic Development for its impact on economic development in the western part of the state. The company received recognition for opening a $20 million, 108,000-square-foot paper-treating plant in East Longmeadow, which added 37 jobs to the region’s economy. With the addition of the new treating plant, Süddekor will add capacity for impregnation of the papers prior to laminating. The company’s new facility is located on 22 acres, which will provide space for expansion of up to 300,000 square feet. Süddekor
LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Süddekor Printer GmbH & Co. KG, headquartered in Laichingen, Germany. The company started production in Agawam in 2000.

Solutia Plant Earns OSHA ‘Star’
SPRINGFIELD — Solutia Inc.’s Indian Orchard plant has been recertified for an
additional five-year membership in the prestigious ‘Star’ Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) of the U.S. Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The manufacturer of plastic sheeting, which employs 560 workers at the Indian Orchard plant, continues as part of an elite corps of approximately 1,370 workplaces nationwide that have earned VPP recognition. The ‘Star’ recertification came after an OSHA team’s thorough on-site review of the plant’s safety and health programs, interviews with employees, and a tour of the work site. The plant was first certified as a ‘Star’ site in February 1997 and recertified in September 2000. VPP companies achieve average injury rates 50% lower than other companies in their industry.

Kanzaki Gets Green Light for Expansion WARE — The town’s planning board recently approved a special permit for Kanzaki Specialty Papers Inc. to build a 44,000-square-foot addition to its existing building. The company manufactures coated papers that are used in inkjet printing as well as other paper products. The expansion plans will also add 13 jobs to the local economy, according to company officials. The permit was approved with stipulations ranging from a new traffic plan to assurances there would not be an increase of effluent to the town sewer system.

UMass Dining Commons Set for $10M Renovation
AMHERST — Starting in January, the Berkshire Dining Commons at UMass Amherst will undergo a $10 million renovation to improve students’ dining experience. The renovation project is expected to be completed by August, according to Ken Toong, director of dining services. Toong said the expanded 26,000-square-foot facility in the Southwest residential area will have 800 seats, an increase of 120. When completed, the new space will feature a stand-alone vegetarian and vegan station, expansive salad, fruit, and soup bar, hot food stations with rotating cuisine, and a made-to-order Pan Asian station. In addition, grill and pasta stations are planned, as well as an on-site bake shop and a separate grab-and-go takeout area. Students will be able to dine from 7 a.m. to midnight. During the renovation, said Toong, the university will make special arrangements to reduce inconvenience for students, including expanded shuttle service to other dining areas on campus.

UMass Researchers to Study Geohazards.
AMHERST — UMass Amherst scientists are part of a collaborative project that recently received nearly $2.4 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop worldwide protocols for identifying and studying offshore geohazards, including earthquakes that can trigger tsunamis. In addition to helping engineers, geologists, and geophysicists understand the nature of geohazards and identify where they might occur, protocols established by the project will also help governments and regulatory agencies make moreinformed decisions about shoreline development, building codes, and international agreements related to populations located in harm’s way, according to Don DeGroot, civil and environmental engineering. The protocols will be designed to offset or minimize the damage from incidents such as the Sumatra earthquake and tsunami of December 2004, which killed more than 283,000 people and displaced some 1.1 million others in 10 countries throughout South Asia and East Africa. Collaborators in the project include Tufts University, Northeastern University, Vassar College, the University of California Davis, the International Centre for Geohazards at the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute, and the Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems at the University of Western Australia.

Schooled in Capital Concern

By
Opinion
There are growing concerns that Massachusetts is losing its competitive edge to other states and countries.

More of our students, and future workforce, are looking to Massachusetts public colleges and universities to build their futures. In 2002, 67% of Massachusetts natives who entered college in state went to a public college or university — up from 59% in 1996.

Our private higher education institutions are also a tremendous asset, in that they recruit many students from out of state. We must work with those institutions in developing strategies for keeping talented out-of-state students here.

But our public colleges and universities are already playing a vital role in retaining educated workers, and in a state with anemic population growth, more than 85% of the 800,000 UMass alumni and our state and community colleges are living, working, raising families, and paying taxes in the Commonwealth.

Our public colleges and universities also are highly responsive to local and statewide needs, interests, and industries:

  • The 15 community colleges have provided direct training this year for more than 500 Bay State companies, from Analog Devices to Yankee Candle Co.;
  • The nine state colleges have adopted innovative programs for meeting the growing need for K-12 math and science teachers; and
  • UMass has become a national leader in technology transfer, helping to fuel the life sciences, nanotechnology, marine sciences, and information technology industries statewide.

After several years of cuts to operating budgets and foregone capital investment, the state has taken some initial steps toward addressing funding gaps in public higher education. But a bolder leap is necessary to ensure that we retain our competitive edge.

We need to seriously address the critical capital needs of our public colleges and universities, which have been conservatively estimated at $2.9 billion for the 29 public campuses. We must make sure that our buildings are safe, that our students are learning in the most modern laboratories and classrooms, and that our researchers have state-of-the art equipment and technology.

By any standard, Massachusetts’ capital investment has been woefully inadequate. In 2004, Massachusetts invested only $43 million, far less than any of the states against which we compete for investment and jobs, including Connecticut, at $175 million; New York, $269 million; and North Carolina, $617 million.

The $286 million public higher education capital bond bill that is currently being considered barely makes a dent in the need, although many of the proposed projects would make a direct contribution to the economic competitiveness of our state, including an allied health building at North Shore Community College to train muchneeded nurses, a life sciences R&D facility at UMass Medical to bolster the biotechnology sector, or a design center at MassArt to help keep Massachusetts among the nation’s leading centers of design.

Further, the Legislature should adopt a series of reforms championed by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, which will provide public colleges and university with greater management flexibility to employ these funds more effectively and efficiently.

To remain competitive economically, our Commonwealth must get many things right: the cost of doing business, public school quality, health care policy and energy supply, among others. Strategic state investments in our public higher education system are a key part of ensuring our future prosperity.

Richard Lord is the president and CEO of the Associated Industries of Massachusetts;www.aimnet.org. William H. Guenther is the president of the Mass. Insight Corporation;www.massinsight.com.

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Departments

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations.

These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT
Select Energy Inc. v. Olde Hadleigh Grill
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure
to pay for goods and services: $6,925.89
Date Filed: Nov. 21

HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT
Guard Insurance Group v. Quality Looseleaf Co. Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure
to pay for workmen’s comp insurance:
$2,606.00
Date Filed: Nov. 10

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Select Energy Inc. v. Orlando Alban Jr.
d/b/a Mason Food Market
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure
to pay for goods or services: $6,097.03
Date Filed: Oct. 26

CACV v. Gary E. Dion and Chicopee
Concrete Services Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure
to pay for services: $2,699.24
Date Filed: Nov. 18

Acme Site Work Inc. v. Sentry Services Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure
to pay for goods and services: $10,435.73
Date Filed: Nov. 22

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Departments

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden and Hampshire counties, and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

EASTHAMPTON

Injury Rehab Medical
Assoc. Inc., 1 Northampton
St., Easthampton 01027.
Alexei S. Levine, 86
Crossbrook, Amherst 01002.
Injury rehabilitation.

HADLEY

Pioneer Valley Learning
Inc., 104 Russell St., Hadley
01035. Christina M. Buehrle, same.
To provide supplemental education services and materials for students preschool through adult.

LONGMEADOW
Creative Design Works
Inc., 67 Forest Glen Road,
Longmeadow 01106. Paul G.
Lagunowich, same. Interior design, decorating and related activities.

NORTHAMPTON

Lulublue Inc., 97 Laurel
Park, Northampton 01060.
Jena Sujat, same. Retail gifts and art sales. Quality Care Nurse Staffing

Agency Inc.,
13 Old South
St., Suite 2C, Northampton
01060. Fola Fagade 212
Acrebrook Dr., Florence
01062. Provider of temporary medical personnel.

SOUTHAMPTON

AAP Consulting Inc.,
76 Whiteload Road,
Southampton 01073. Andrea
Przybyla, same. Selling
nutritional supplements to
practitioners.

SPRINGFIELD

Certified Environmental
Technologies, Corp., 15
Park St., Loft 304,
Springfield 01103. Richard
A. Britt, 22 Rachel St.,
Springfield 01129.
Management services/
brokers, distributor of products.

Champion Foods Inc.
, 355 Belmont Ave.,
Springfield 01108. Antonio Collado,
same. To own and operate a retail establishment.
Ogirri Corp.,
164 Balboa
Dr., Springfield 01109. Henry Ogirri, same. To engage in the wholesale and retail selling of food products and groceries. Seeley Capital

Management Inc., 1365
Main St., Suite 320,
Springfield 01103.
Christopher J. Seeley, 101
Sheffield Ave., Longmeadow
01106. Investment advisory
services.

WESTFIELD

DC Cable Inc.,
62 Union St.,
#3, Westfield 01085. Dovydas
Cepulis, same. Installing cable
and providing service.
Pro Automotive Repair Inc.,
979 Southampton Road,
Westfield 01085. John A. DeNnardo, Jr., 628 Southampton Road, Westfield 01085. All aspects of automotive repair, towing, used car sales, inspections, etc., for heavy-duty diesel, car and fleet service.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

HAQ Corp.,
55C Van Deene
Ave., West Springfield 01089.
Jahoor Ul Haq, same. A retail
gas and convenience store.

Positive Pregnancy Solutions of Western Massachusetts
Inc., 116 Forest Ridge Road,
West Springfield 01103.
Barbara Shea, same. (Nonprofit) To assist women who desire information and services concerning pregnancy.

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Departments

Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, LLP in Springfield announced the following:

Daniel J. Blake

• Daniel J. Blake has been named Counsel. He is a member of the Litigation/ Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Department and
Employment Law Practice Group;

 

 

Gastón de los Reyes

• Gastón de los Reyes has been named an Associate. He is a member of the Litigation/ADR Department;

 

 

 

Jennifer K. Cannon

• Jennifer K. Cannon has been named an Associate. She is a member of the Litigation/ADR Department;

 

 

 

Daniel A. Leonardo

• Daniel A. Leonardo has been named an Associate. He is anew Associate in the Boston office and a member of the Litigation/ADR Department, and

 

 

 

Seth M. Wilson

• Seth M. Wilson has been named an
Associate. He is a member of the Intellectual Property Group.

 

 

 

•••••

Meyers Brothers Kalicka of Holyoke and Greenfield announced the following:

• Brenda D. Olesuk has joined the firm as the Firm Administrator in the Holyoke office, and
• Daniel J. Eger has joined the firm as an Associate in the Holyoke office.

•••••

Western New England College Professor of Management Dr. William P. Ferris has been appointed Associate Editor of the Journal of Management Education. Ferris is an expert in team-building, leadership, and management education. It is his second stint as associate editor, having previously served from 1999-2002. In addition to this appointment, Ferris was recently named the Editorial Board Member of the Year for the Academy of Management and Learning, the educational journal of the National Academy of Management.

Edward J. Terault, President of Reil
Cleaning Services in Greenfield, recently attended the SSA/Interclean Conference and Trade Show in Las Vegas, which showcased new processes and cost-cutting methods in the commercial cleaning industry.

•••••

Tereza Perez-Morale recently joined the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission in West Springfield as a Secretary.

•••••

Junior Achievement of Western Mass., based in Springfield, announced that the following individuals have been elected to the Board of Directors:

• Sara McFadden, Assurance Manager for ricewaterhouseCoopers LLP;

• Lynn Starr, Vice President, Systems & Operations for Easthampton Savings Bank;

• Ravi Kulkarni, Business and
Professional Coach, and

• Russ Davies, Director, Manufacturing Logistics & SAP Operations for Hasbro Games.

•••••

PeoplesBank in Holyoke announced the following:

• Mary J. Meehan has been named Vice President for Commercial Loans;

• Joyce A. O’Connor has been named Assistant Vice President and Manager of the new Westfield office, opening in early 2006;

• Heidi Nowak Leonard has been named Mortgage Consultant for the new Westfield office;

• Halena Ramos has been named a
Mortgage Consultant for the Chicopee, Ludlow, Monson, Palmer, and Springfield areas, and
• Brady D. Chianciola has been named Branch Officer for the Chicopee office.

•••••

Hampden Bank announced the following:

• Donna J. Kennedy has been hired as a Customer Service Representative and Sales Manager in the Agawam office, and • Sheryl Shinn has been named Vice
President of Information Technology.

•••••

Two MassMutual Financial Group executives were recently elected to posts in industry associations:

• Matthew M. Abraham, National
Managing Director of Public Markets for MassMutual’s retirement services division, has been elected President of the 2005- 2006 Industry Committee of the National Assoc. of Government Defined Contribution Administrators. He will also serve on the association’s seven-member executive board, and

• E. Thomas Johnson Jr., Senior Vice President of Enterprise Marketing for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., has been elected to the Board of Directors of the Profit Sharing/401(k) Council of America. He will serve a three-year term.

By
Departments

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden and Hampshire counties, and are the latest available. They are listed by community.
CHICOPEE
Fearn Electric Inc.,
159 Granby Road, Chicopee 01013.
Scott A. Fearn, 65 Mandalay
Road, Springfield 01118.
Electrical contracting, installations and repair services.

EAST LONGMEADOW
East Side Pub Inc.,
67 Favorite Lane, East Longmeadow 01028.
Michael T. Katsounakis, same.
To own and operate an eating and drinking establishment.

HUNTINGTON
CWK Inc., 3 East Main St.,
Huntington 01050. Charles W.
Kinloch, same. To operate a restaurant.

NORTHAMPTON
Health in Harmony Inc.
, 341 Prospect St., Northampton
01060. Julia Riseman, same.
(Nonprofit) To support programs in Indonesia, etc., that provide medical care,
training, and a healthy natural environment, etc.

K-7 Realty Inc.,
210 Florence Road, Northampton 01062.
Kevin A. Kochapski, 1195
Westhampton Road,
Northampton 01062. Holding real estate.

RUSSELL
The Russell Elementary
School Parent Teachers
Organization Inc., 155
Highland Ave., Russell 01071.
Andrea D. Smart, 289
Woodland Way, Russell 01071.
(Nonprofit) To support the health, safety, welfare and education of the Russell
Elementary schools students, etc.

SPRINGFIELD
D-Soto Corp., 77 Ogden St.,
Springfield 01151. Daniel A.
Soto, same. Sewing household, industrial and other commercial business.

House of Refuge Inc.,
15 Rochelle St., Springfield
01109. Ryan O’Neal Walker,
56 Mapledell St., Springfield
01109. (Nonprofit) To proclaim the Gospel, minister to the needs of the people of God, etc.

Second Stage Inc.,
44 Greene St., Springfield 01109. Antonio
Yates, 43 Berkley St., Springfield
01109. (Nonprofit) To support young adults to gain independent living, recreation and social skills, etc.

Springfield Veterans
Activities Committee Inc., 77
Dorset St., Springfield 01108.
Eugene Brice, 10 Berkley St.,
Springfield 01109. To support and promote military veterans and related organizations throughout Western Massachusetts, etc.

The Longmeadow Rotary
Foundation Inc., c/o Jerry N.
Plumb, 1500 Main St.,
Springfield 01115. Jay Leib,
200 Tanglewood, Longmeadow
01106. (Nonprofit) To provide scholarships and loans to individuals, etc.

WESTFIELD
Axis Precison Inc.,
121 Summit Lock Road, Westfield
01085. Raymond Paquette, 172
Kings Highway, Westhampton
01027. Production and sales of
precision machined parts.

Beach Club Tanning Inc.,
The Westfield Shops. Space D,, 459
East Main St., Westfield 01085.
Michael Serricchio, 118 Rachel
Ter., Westfield 01085. Tanning salon.

Tekoa Golf Inc.,
459 Russell Road,
Westfield 01085. Brett A.
Remillard, 376 North Main St.,
South Hadley 01075. To own and operate a golf and banquet facility.

Westfield Elm Street
Redevelopment Corp.,
53 Court St., Westfield 01085.
Paul Lischetti, 402 W.
Cummington Road,
Cummington 01026. Real estate management and development.

WEST SPRINGFIELD
Stevens Forest Products Inc.,
277 Woodbrook Ter., West
Springfield 01089. Lawrence E.
Stevens, same. Sale of sand, stone, wood and similar natural resources.

By
Departments

PeoplesBank announced the following:

• Joyce A. O’Connor has been appointed Assistant Vice President and Manager of the Bank’s new Westfield office, opening in early 2006.
Joyce A. O’Connor  

•••••

• Halena Ramos has been named a Mortgage Consultant. She will develop residential mortgage business in Chicopee, Ludlow, Monson, Palmer, and Springfield.
Halena Ramos

•••••

Attorney Brian Ladouceur Jr. of Nicolai Law Group P.C. in Springfield, was recently sworn into the Massachusetts Bar. He was previously admitted to the Connecticut Bar.

•••••

Berkshire Hills Bancorp Inc. of Pittsfield announced the following:
• Thomas C. Crowley, an Albany-area banker, has been named President-New York Region for a separate business unit in downtown Albany, N.Y., and

• Joseph P. Richardson, an Albany commercial banker, has been named Director of Business Development-New York Region for the Albany, N.Y. office.

•••••

UMass Amherst announced the following:
• William J. Gerace, professor of physics and director of the Scientific Reasoning Research Institute at the university, has been awarded a Fulbright grant to South Africa, where he will work with educators to improve physical science instruction. During his six-month term at the University of Fort Hare, Gerace and Professor Yaliwe Jiya of the faculty of Education will collaborate on a research study to define the needs and barriers faced by rural in-service teachers, and deliver workshops and visit rural schools to help address these needs. Other UMass faculty members awarded Fulbright grants this year are Joyce Avrech Berkman, history; Eduardo H. Cattani, mathematics and statistics, and Robert L. Wick, plant, soil and insect sciences.
• Faculty member Lynne Baker, Philosophy, has been named a Distinguished Professor, and • Faculty member Vincent Rotello has been named to the Charles A. Goessmann Chair in Chemistry. The designations recognize Baker and Rotello for outstanding academic distinction.

•••••

Patricia Hurteau has joined Century 21 Pioneer Valley Associates in Northampton as a Sales Person.

•••••

Berkshire Bank of Pittsfield announced the following:
• Susan L. Bettis has been appointed Mortgage Administration Officer;
• Susan Bianchi-Smith has been appointed Mortgage Originator in the Great Barrington office;
• Sally A. Angers has been appointed Security Officer;
• Michael T. Macy has been appointed Assistant Treasurer, and
• Patricia N. Sinclair has been appointed Credit Officer in the Commercial Department.

•••••

Michael Poggi, a Registered Representative with Morgan Stanley in Springfield, has earned membership in the Leadership Council of PLANCO, a subsidiary of Hartford Life Inc., and a wholesaler of investment and insurance products for The Hartford.

•••••

Betty Ann Learned, Assistant Vice President for Administration and Finance at Springfield Technical Community College, has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Educational and Institutional Cooperative Services Inc., a North American higher education purchasing organization.

•••••

G. Patrick Leary has been admitted as a shareholder of Moriarty & Primack P.C., and was recently elected Vice President and Director. Leary is the partner in charge of the firm’s audit division. The firm has offices in Holyoke and Springfield.

•••••

David L. Rainey of Longmeadow recently authored Product Innovation: Leading Change Through Integrated Product Development, published by Cambridge University Press. Rainey is Chairperson and Associate Professor in the Hartford department of the Lally School of Management and Technology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Betty Ann Learned

•••••

Anna Nagurney of the Isenberg School of Management at the UMass Amherst is the leader of a team that has translated a 1968 paper on the Braess paradox that states within some types of transportation networks, the addition of a new road may not improve travel time, and instead may make the area worse off. The original article that was published in German appeared in the November issue of the journal Transportation Science.

•••••

Wolf & Company P.C., with offices in Springfield and Boston, announced the

• Carol E. Tully, CPA, JD, AEP, has been elected President of the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils for 2006. She will lead an organization of professional estate planners comprised of 175 affiliated estate planning councils;
• Ruth A. Atchison has been promoted to Tax Supervisor;
• Michael J. Farrell, CPA, has been promoted to Audit Supervisor;
• Derek M. Graves, CPA, has been promoted to Audit Supervisor;
• Erica Hague-Antos, CISA, has been promoted to IT Supervisor, and
• Brian S. Westerlind, CPA, has been promoted to Audit Supervisor.
Carol E.Tully

•••••

The law firm Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, LLP in Springfield announced
the following:
• Attorney Sandy Dibble has been inducted as one of 500 American Fellows in the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, as well as being named for the second year in a row as one of the top 100 lawyers in Massachusetts. She has also been recognized for being listed in Best Lawyers for 10 years or more;
• Peter Roth, Family Law, has been listed in the 2006 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. He has also been recognized for being listed in Best Lawyers for 10 years or more, has been named a Massachusetts Super Lawyer in Boston magazine and a “Top 100 Massachusetts Super Lawyer” for 2005;
• Ronald P. Weiss, Corporate and Tax
Law, has been listed in the 2006 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. He has also been recognized for being listed in Best Lawyers for 10 years or more and has recently been named a Massachusetts Super Lawyer in Boston magazine. The following lawyers were listed in the 2006 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® and also named a Massachusetts Super Lawyer in Boston magazine;
• Michael H. Burke, Personal Injury
Litigation;
• Francis D. Dibble, Jr., Commercial
Litigation;
• Daniel J. Finnegan, Construction Law;
• Robert A. Gelinas, Personal Injury
Litigation;
• Christopher B. Myhrum,
Environmental Law; and
• David A. Parke, Corporate Law;
The following lawyers were named
Massachusetts Super Lawyers in Boston magazine;
• Peter H. Barry, Schools and Education;
• James C. Duda, Intellectual Property
Law;
• Felicity Hardee, Real Estate Law;
• Mary J. Kennedy, Labor and
Employment Law;
• Kevin C. Maynard, Business Litigation;
• Kelly A. McCarthy, Health Care Law;
• Donn A. Randall, Banking;
• Ellen M. Randle, Family Law.

By
Departments

The Fifth Annual Festival of Trees to benefit the Springfield Boys and Girls Club was made possible by dozens of Western Mass. businesses, organizations, and individuals that donated fully decorated trees for the event. The trees, many of which also included a number of gifts and surprises, were put on display for thousands of visitors who could vote on their favorites as well as take a chance at winning one of the festive creations through a raffle.

BusinessWest’s own entry into the event included a bevy of Christmas treats, including a chocolate fountain, a missionstyle coffee table decorated with Santas, reindeer, and candles, and issues of BusinessWest Magazine and its sister publication, The Healthcare News.

Dianne Mitchell, chair of the Festival of Trees event for 2005, poses with the tree she decorated and donated to the event.

And Now, A Little Optimism

By
Opinion
As 2005 winds to a close, economic analysts are focusing their attention on the year ahead and what it might bring. For the most part, the forecasters aren’t very hopeful.

Indeed, they look at the recent surge in energy prices, the prospects for higher interest rates, and continued losses of population and innovative talent in the Bay State, and generally conclude that ’06 will be a time of slow and unspectacular growth.

That’s one way of looking at things. From a regional perspective, and without discounting what the scholarly analysts have to say, BusinessWest looks more positively toward the year ahead. In some ways, we have to; considering what the past few years have brought Springfield and the surrounding region, things can only get better.

But with a less cynical eye, we can say that the City of Homes, and, to a lesser extent, the entire region, are turning a page. If nothing else, many people feel comfortable saying that the worst is now behind us.

Granted, there is a long way to go, and if Judge Constance Sweeney’s ruling that the Albano administration improperly froze teachers’ wages is upheld, then the city will be faced with an even deeper budget crisis. But there are some signs of progress:

• The MassMutual Center is open for business:Granted, we have yet to see any of the big conventions and shows we’ve been promised, but the center is big, bold, and it has people talking. Better still, it is providing people with new and different reasons to come downtown – from chamber trade shows to the Bright Nights Ball – and this can only help Springfield in the long run.

• Some Movement on the Riverfront:After years of talk, we have a formal, approved plan for development of the old Basketball Hall of Fame. It’s a $9 million sports and fitness complex that the developers and the Springfield Riverfront Development Commission (SRDC) believe will effectively complement the new Hall, its tenants, and neighbors. If they’re right (work is expected to be completed in 12-15 months) then the city will gain some valuable momentum in its efforts to make the riverfront a true destination spot. That’s good, because another development team is looking at a hotel proposal for Riverfront Park, several options for the York Street Jail, and some other parcels along West Columbus Avenue.

• Progress on the Smith& Wesson Property:This is another project that has been years in the making, and the fact that the city is close (or at least much closer) to landing tenants for the property, is a positive sign. Springfield needs many things, but at the top of the list are tax revenues and jobs. The property at Smith & Wesson holds promise for both.

• Strength in the Suburbs:As we’ve noted many times before, other cities and towns in the region are thriving.

Northampton is enjoying explosive growth, and more lies ahead due in part to the longawaited redevelopment of the former Northampton State Hospital site. Westfield is on the verge of adding hundreds of new jobs in the distribution sector, and has an industrial park primed for development. In Chicopee, a city rocked by the indictment of its sitting mayor on extortion charges seems poised to put that sad episode behind and move forward.

•Eds and Meds:Two pillars of the region’s economy – education and health care – are positioned for continued growth. As the Baby Boom generation nears retirement, the already steady health care sector will continue to add jobs across a wide spectrum. Meanwhile, the area’s colleges and universities are continuously adding new programs and services to bolster the economy. From the Virtual Hospital at STCC to the soon-to-open Kittredge Business Center at Holyoke Community College, the schools are developing new ways to spur entrepreneurship and train people for the jobs of tomorrow.

This optimism must be tempered somewhat by the recent ruling on the Springfield teachers contract, which might ultimately wind up costing the city $30 million, undoing all of the budget progress made by the Control Board. Meanwhile, the ongoing epidemic of crime in Springfield must be curbed if the city is to move forward.

If Springfield can manage to somehow navigate that whitewater – and that is a big ‘if,’ then there is reason to believe that 2006 holds the promise of better times.

The Elephant in the Room

By
Opinion
Massachusetts stands at a crucial point in the push for health care reform. Gov. Romney and the state Legislature are in agreement about passing health care legislation to extend care to more of the 750,000 uninsured in Massachusetts. A driving force for reform is retaining current federal funding for Medicaid; Massachusetts stands to lose significant federal funding if legislation to cover more of the uninsured is not in place by June 2006.

As a result, the government is tinkering with the health care insurance system to try to cover more patients who do not have insurance.

Romney, Senate President Travaglini, and House Speaker DiMasi have each proposed their ideas for this “reform,” and the Legislature will hammer out the details.

Meanwhile, everyone is ignoring the elephant in the room. That would be the private health insurance industry, which siphons off a huge percentage of the health care budget. In fact, the United States would save $200 billion per year if this elephant were eliminated.

Private health insurance through employer-based plans, which all three of these Massachusetts legislative proposals would perpetuate, funds only 19% of the health care in the United States. The other 81% comes from taxpayer-funded public programs and private spending. Yet our legislators choose to support and take care of the private insurance companies, rather than the citizens of the Commonwealth.

For example, the nation’s largest private health insurer, Wellpoint, more than doubled its earnings in the third quarter of this year. Our state and national policies have been designed, and are continuing to be fashioned right now in Massachusetts, to protect and nurture the private health insurance industry, even though more and more burdens are being placed on employers, towns, patients, doctors, and hospitals.

Employment-based health coverage segregates a large sector of primarily healthy working individuals, and places them in a low-cost and low-risk pool for the insurance companies, while the state and federal governments pick up the costs of those with significant health care needs.

And what do we get for all the money that is funneled into the private health insurance industry? We get high administrative costs and exorbitant insurance company profits, while the price of insurance keeps going up and up, and patients are required to “share” more of the costs of their health care. (For example, the CEO of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts earned more than $3 million in salary and benefits in 2002).

Why don’t we extend government insurance coverage to everyone, and eliminate the middlemen? Why should administrative expenses consume 30% of the health care dollar, when a government program like Medicare takes only 3%?

Single-payer health care is the name for government-funded and administered health insurance; instead of many insurance companies, the government is the single payer. The legislation for single-payer health care in our state, The Massachusetts Health Care Trust, Senate Bill 755 (S.755), would cover everyone in the Commonwealth. But S.755 is not even on the negotiating table in this go-around for health care reform in the Legislature.

This affordable and comprehensive bill is the only one that meets the five criteria of the Institute of Medicine for coverage that is (1) universal (covers everyone), (2) continuous (not tied to a job), (3) affordable for individuals and families, (4) affordable for society, and (5) equitable and patient-centered (choice of doctors and hospitals). Yet single-payer legislation is being ignored by Romney and the state Legislature.

The insurance company elephant looms large; many politicians are ignoring it. Towns can do something about their out-ofcontrol costs, and citizens can create a grassroots movement to influence their politicians to legislate real health care reform. Suzanne L. King is a practicing physician and health care reform activist based in Lenox.

By
Departments

The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.

Adon, Sergio E.
17 Leyfred Terrace
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Alderman, Laura B.
6 Meadow Glen Dr.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/10/05

Alderman, William N.
6 Meadow Glen Dr.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/10/05

Almodovar, Rosemary
45 West Court
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Attanasio, David Paul
28 Jennings St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/05

Attanasio, Pamela Jean
28 Jennings St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/05

Barabolkin, Dmitriy
Alexander
447 Page Boulevard, Apart
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Barabolkin, Marie Ellen
447 Page Boulevard, Apart
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Bashaw, Gerald. J.
126 Main St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Bauer, Karen L.
20 Taylor Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Beauchene, Meghan M.
36 Peterson Circle
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Beyer, Jill
50 Calumet Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Boothby, Mary Ann
70 Ottawa St.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Boucher, Sandra A.
77 Highland View St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/02/05

Brow, Elizabeth M.
41 Everett Ave 29A
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Buoniconti, Theresa
430-432 South Westfield S
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Cannamela, Audrey J.
35 McKinley Ave.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Capaccio, Mary E.
45 Fremont St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Capaccio, Pasquale
45 Fremont St.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Cardona, Willy J.
32 Acushnet Ave.
Springfield, MA 01105
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Carosello, Richard
85 Sessions Dr.
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/08/05

Cayon, James M.
322 Main Street, Apt. B
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Ceccarini, Bridget Lynn
22 Princeton St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Conley, Kenneth George
99 Falley Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05


Cyranowski-Grimaldi, Jane C.
567 Dickenson St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/27/05

Dana, Scott D.
123 Hamilton St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/14/05

Dana, Stephanie B.
123 Hamilton St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/14/05

Davieu, Charles R.
35 Oconnor Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Doyle-Workman, John Charles
44 Park St
P.O. BOX 1027
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Ducharme, Esther
164 Hubbard St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Figueroa, Wanda I.
747 Hampden St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Flowers, Daniel
21 Flynt Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Fogarty, Kelly Nicole
25 Depote St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Ford, Gary T.
198 East Allen Ridge Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Ford, Gary T.
198 East Allen Ridge Road
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/21/05

Frenier, Margaret
21 Summer St.
Northampton, MA 01060
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/05

Gordon, Richard E.
3 Hidden Place
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Gouvin, Bernice R.
31 State Street Apt. 302B
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Griggs, Jeffrey L.
50 Church Street, Apartme
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Gubula, Matthew P.
6 Cherry Hill Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Gubula, Shana A.
6 Cherry Hill Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Hamre, Elizabeth A.
50 Manor Court
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/05

Harris, Isaiah L.
29 Claremont St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/03/05

Heimsath, Steven M.
129 Sumner Ave., Apt. 4
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Howland, Pamela J.
27 Ireland St.
Worthington, MA 01098
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Keller, Joan
144 Cabot St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Kolosewicz, Loretta Jean
41 South Street, Unit 45
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Larkin, Thomas Francis
13 Fred Jackson Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Le, Hong Thi
580 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Le, Viet The
1135 Shoemaker Lane
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Lee, Patricia A
229 Hillside Rd.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/01/05

Lee, Xiong Chue
16 Lucretia Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Leigh, Denise A
87 Marion St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Lewis, Jason E
81 Blanford Road
Granville, MA 01034
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Littlejohn, Mark
80 Craiwell Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/02/05

Maguire, Edward J.
135 LaPlante Cirecle
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Messenger, Susan Diane
38 Berkshire Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/15/05

Miller-Baker, Maryanne
397 Centenial Way
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Morgan, Gordon Samuel
86 Lakevilla Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/26/05

Mularski, Peter J.
85 Pomeroy Meadow
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Murphy, Ellen M.
542 White St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Nestor, Melissa
45 Garden St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Nevue, Thomas M.
132 Comins Pond Road
Warren, MA 01083
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/15/05

Newsky, Victoria B.
489 Skyline Trail
Chester, MA 01011
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

O’Keefe, Edward F.
PO Box 1108
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Ortiz, Janet
45 North Bridge St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Otis, Lisette J.
281 Chauncey Walker Road
Ave. B, Lot 78
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Paton, Christopher L.
14 Honeysuckle Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Paton, Katherine W.
14 Honeysuckle Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01022
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Perry, Russell D.
196 King St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Pixley, Sandra J.
14 1/2 Park Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Provost, Anelda A.
61 Greene St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Punderson, Todd Breck
140 Union St.
#77
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/05

Racine, Lori-Ann
253 WARE ST., #B
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Renaud, Richard E.
32 Bliss Street Apartment
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Renaud, Rosemary
32 Bliss Street Apartment
West Springfield, MA 01089
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Rivera, Josue
1340-1342 Dwight St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Robbins, Lori Jean
44 Martin Farm Rd.
Hampden, MA 01036
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Robbins, Mattie B.
32 Westford Ave.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/01/05

Rosado, Hector L.
35 Wolcott St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Rzonca, Daniel M.
PO Box 204
Westfield, MA 01086
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Sanchez, Betsy
67 Leslie St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Santiago, Enrique
1068 Main Street, 2nd Flo
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Santiago, Rose M.
1068 Main Street, 2nd Flo
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Sargis, Thelma Celeste
11 4th Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/05

Sayers, Robin L.
Post Offfice Box 134
Worthington, MA 01098
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Schell, Yong S.
17 Barton St.
Granby, MA 01033
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Snyder, Lisa M.
86 Kowal Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Sollecito, Andrew P.
42 Virginia St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Stevenson-Mitchell,
Christina Ann
92 Riverboat Village Rd.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/25/05

Sullivan, David W.
253 C Ware St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Sullivan, Robert A.
4 3rd Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Taylor, Earlene V.
94 Genesee St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Thomas, Karen A.
P.O. Box 51406
Indian Orchard, MA 01151
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Tucker, Catrese Shubrick
6 Alsace St
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Vega, Onelia
101 Oakwood Ter.
Springfield, MA 01109
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Veloz, Rene
22 Hadley Court
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Vicki, LaBonte
83 Sheridan St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Wallace, Joanne
1343 East Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Wallace, LeRoy
1343 East Mountain Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Wallis, Guy C
20 Taylor Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Walz, Dawn Marie
244 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Walz, Glen Richard
244 Granville Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Wilkinson, Melissa Anne
162 Russell Road
Westfield, MA 01085
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Young, Grace A.
P.O. Box 33
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Morin, George C.
2210 Main St.
West Warren, MA 01092
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

By
Departments

AGAWAM

OMG Inc.
153 Bowles Road
$13,110 — Construct office space

AMHERST
Amherst College Trustees
155 South Pleasant St., College
Hall A.C.
$125,000 — Repair and replace
dome

Amherst Shopping Center Assoc.
181 University Dr. A-D
$241,000 — Divide unfinished
space into four commercial units

Arigato Sushi Japanese Restaurant
11 North Pleasant St.
$8,550 — Interior alterations

Eagle Crest Management
664 Main St.
$69,546 — Repairs and
renovations

Slobody Development Corp.
101 University Dr.
$57,050 — Build-out for office
space

NORTHAMPTON

Hampshire Regional YMCA
286 Prospect St.
$148,000 — Install new roof

Northampton Housing Authority
143 West St.
$40,219 — Convert garage into office space

Mass Mutual
1500 Main St.
$80,000 — Expansion

Mass Mutual
1500 Main St.
$19,500 — Alterations

Mass Mutual
1500 Main St.
$94,533 — Alter Suite 1406

Springfield Self Storage
192 Cadwell Dr.
$135,000 — Pre-fab buildings

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Eastern States Exposition
1305 Memorial Ave.
$50,000 — Replace 60-squarefoot ground sign

Lane Inc./Optasite Inc.
1583 Prospect Ave.
$40,000 — Add antennas and
equipment to cell tower

New England Lumber Spec.
202 Day St.
$55,000 — Re-locate offices

WESTFIELD

Apaloosa Inc.
1144B Southampton Road
$4,800 — Renovations Children’s Museum
28 West Silver St.
$1,409,484 — New building

Preferred Freezer
45 Campanelli Dr.
$11,638,000 — New building

By
Departments

Florence Savings Bank Reports Continued Strong Growth
FLORENCE — Florence Savings Bank recently reported third-quarter results that indicate a continuation of the bank’s strong growth trend, according to President John F. Heaps Jr. The bank’s total assets at the end of September stood at $865.8 million, an increase of $70.2 million, or 8.8% from the corresponding period last year. Growth in the bank’s loan portfolio was the primary source of the asset growth, with total loans up $66.4 million or 15% from the prior year. The loan growth was spread across the portfolio as residential real estate loans ended the quarter at $348.7 million, up $40.5 million or 13.1% from the prior year. Equity loans increased $17.1 million or 38.5% from September 2004 levels, and commercial loans grew $12.6 million or 15.6% over the same period. Deposit growth was also strong as total deposits ended the quarter at $619.6 million, up $26.0 million or 4.4% from September 2004 levels.

Federal Funding Will Benefit STCC Commuter Student Transportation
SPRINGFIELD — U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal recently secured federal funds to
support Springfield Technical Community College’s effort to resolve student transportation challenges. The Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) will receive the funding and will provide additional bus service to the campus. The transportation and parking project will help make the college more accessible throughout the region. Congressman Neal secured the funds through the FY ’06
Transportation Appropriations bill.

AIC Receives Foundation Grant
SPRINGFIELD — American International College recently received a $138,400 grant from the Davis Educational Foundation of Falmouth, Maine that will be used to establish a division of Institutional Research to assist with strategic planning. The grant will improve data assessment on campus which will enable better institutional, operational, programmatic, curriculum and enrollment planning and management, according to John T. Short, Jr., vice president for Development and Alumni Relations. AIC officials applied for the grant in September and received approval following a site visit by trustees in October and
review of the application.

TD Banknorth Provides Springfield Museums with Grant
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Museums recently received a $10,000 grant from TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation for the museums’ Weekend Family Fun series of educational programs. Weekend Family
Fun programs highlight holidays, special exhibitions, cultural traditions
and topics with family appeal. Each program includes a performance, art
demonstrations, science activities and hands-on craft workshops. TD Banknorth,
through its charitable giving arm, the TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation, supports programs and organizations which have proven records of arts and cultural enrichment programs.

UMass Film Library Honored in Berlin
AMHERST — The DEFA Film Library at UMass Amherst was recently awarded a 5,000-euro Program Prize at the Kino Babylon: Mitte in Berlin, Germany. The
award recognizes the library for “Rebels With A Cause: The Cinema of East
Germany,” a retrospective of 22 films presented in October at the Museum of
Modern Art in New York. The library was selected for the program prize by the DEFA Foundation in Berlin to acknowledge the archive’s efforts to extend the boundaries of scholarly work on DEFA films and postunification German cinema and developing an international network of filmmakers and film scholars. Starting in January, the Rebels With A Cause will tour the United States and Germany, including exhibitions at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. In collaboration with partners in this country and Germany, the DEFA Film Library has worked for more than 10 years
to make the cinema of East Germany available and known in the United States and Canada. The film library is directed by Barton Byg, professor of Germanic languages and literatures at UMass Amherst.

Employee Benefits Firm Expands Operations
NORTHAMPTON — American Benefits Group recently reached a mile-
C O M P A N Y N O T E B O O K www.BusinessWest.com 6 1 D E C E M B E R 1 2 , 2 0 0 5stone by acquiring its 100th employer client for its flexible spending administrative services, and by opening an Eastern Massachusetts office in Topsfield. The firm has been based in Northampton since 1987, and specializes in employee benefits consulting. Longtime clients include Amherst
College, Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College and Florence Savings Bank, and its current national employer clients include Ferrari and Mazerati of
North America, Apogen Technologies, Jupiter Medical Center and Healthtrax
International. Robert L. Cummings, the firm’s founder and CEO, said that the
administration business is adding an average of one new employer client each week, having growth the business 100% in the past year alone. Cummings added that he expects the company to double its client base again in 2006. Flexible spending accounts allow employees to pay for unreimbursed medical, dental and vision expenses, as well as work related child care expenses, with pre-tax dollars.

Japanese Manufacturer Set to Acquire Local Plant
AGAWAM — Marubeni Citizen- Cincom of Japan is expected to purchase Brookdale Associates in early 2006. Brookdale owners Jim and Patricia Sasanecki started the company in Springfield 15 years ago. The company services, sells, and makes accessories for machine tool equipment. Terms of the purchase were not disclosed. As part of the deal, Jim Sasanecki will serve as vice president of Engineering when the business transaction is complete. Marubeni Citizen- Cincom is a joint venture between Citizen Machinery Co. Ltd. and Marubeni Corp. The firm will continue operations in Agawam with the same staff.

Easthampton Savings Assets Continue to Grow
EASTHAMPTON — Easthampton Savings Bank saw its assets grow by $8 million during the third quarter, an increase of $28 million over the previous 12 months. The bank ended its third quarter with assets of $656 million. William S. Hogan Jr., president, said the bank’s loan portfolio showed robust growth during the third quarter. Also, the bank’s total loan portfolio grew by $7.7 million or 6%, to stand at $482 million. Lastly, deposits grew by $13.1 million or 3%, over the year, to $511 million. In other bank news, an automated teller machine was recently installed at the intersection of Routes 10 and 202 in Westfield, the bank’s first location in Hampden County.

Edible Arrangements Receives Award
WILBRAHAM — Pam and Greg Clark of Edible Arrangements recently received
the 2005 Best New Boston Road Business award by the Boston Road Business
Association. The award is given to the business with the most votes cast by customers. Arrangements include fresh cut fruit in the form of floral bouquets that can be accented by gourmet chocolate-dipped strawberries or Granny Smith apples, a Mylar balloon, a jar of gourmet fudge, a Blue Mountain greeting card or a Russ teddy bear.

Smith & Wesson Debuts M&P Pistol
SPRINGFIELD — Smith & Wesson has launched a new part-plastic gun, the M&P Pistol, it hopes will win back some of the law enforcement market it haslost over the ears to competitor Glock. The M&P Pistol was designed specifically for law enforcement personnel, however, it will also be available for retail sale. The list price of the pistol is $695. The new gun will also supplement Smith & Wesson’s model 1911 and SW99. In addition, the company also resells some pistols manufactured by Walther of Germany.

HCC Receives $100,000 Grant From MassMutual
HOLYOKE — The MassMutual Financial Group recently approved a $100,000 grant for Holyoke Community College’s The Gift of Opportunity campaign to support the college’s efforts to provide necessary resources for Springfield students to attain a quality education. The grant allows the college to support the capital needs of its Center for Academic and Program Support, where tutoring and mentoring services take place, and the adjacent library information instruction lab where students learn vital research skills. The campaign seeks to raise $4 million over the next five years and is the largest endeavor in the college’s history.
For more information on the campaign,
contact Joe April at (413) 552-2746; [email protected]

New Plant Ready to Recycle
WARE — It was a six-year struggle but Richard C. O’Riley persevered and the
town now has a state-of-the-art demolition materials recycling facility and 25 new jobs. ABC&D Recycling, Inc., a 21,000-squarefoot facility on Route 9, will soon be processing asphalt, brick, concrete and demolition materials, according to O’Riley. Central to the operation are an 80-ton grinder and a 60-ton shredder, which will digest construction materials. O’Riley anticipates recycling up to 80% of the materials that are sent for processing. Customers will include construction companies, contractors, private customers and hauling firms.

By
Departments

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and
organizations.

These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT
Quality Care Nurse Staffing Agency v. Poets
Seat Healthcare Center
Allegation: Breach of
contract — Failure to
pay for nursing services:
$18,486.85
Date Filed: Nov. 7

HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT
George Weston Bakeries Inc. v. La Sequnda Food Corp.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure
to pay for goods sold and delivered: $7,575
Date Filed: Nov. 9

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Dion Label Printing Co. v. Paper City
Brewery Co. Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure
to pay for goods sold and delivered:
$4,486.49
Date Filed: Oct. 26

Delta Dental Plan of MA v. Specialty Looseleaf Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for insurance coverage: $6,850.17
Date Filed: Oct. 31

Abide Inc. v. Barrett Co. Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for asbestos removal: $4,550.00
Date Filed: Nov. 21

WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Ford Motor Credit Co. v. Southwick Couriers Inc., John Autonuzzo a/k/a
John Rosario Autonuzzo, Sr.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay money loaned by way of Retail Installment Sale Agreement: $8,068.70
Date Filed: Nov. 10

By
Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of November and December 2005.

AGAWAM

Affordable Landscaping
42 Cricket Road
Kamron Kafi

Happy Homes
173 Leonard St.
Phyllis Scott Bamford

AMHERST

China Business Update
44 South Mountain
Wayne Xing

J. Carizan Home
Improvement
151 Colonial Village
Juan Carizan

SSL Sushi Inc.
11 North Pleasant St.
Hakji Song, Hyo Kyoung Lee,
Young Sung

Y & Z Market Analysts
990 North Pleasant St.
Li Yan

CHICOPEE

A-1 Pizza
Springfield Street
Koray Durmaz

Jenrose Wine & Liquors
945-947 Chicopee St.
Manuel Costa

EAST LONGMEADOW

Amicus Healthcare
100 Shaker Road
Jerry Torrant

Coffee Roaster & Gifts
52 Maple St.
The Coffee Roaster Inc.

D’Meara & Associates International
8 Redin Dr.
Scot Meara

Finishing Touches
41 Franconia Circle
Louise Gudwin, Carolyn Huges

Go Geeks
15 Crescent Hill
Stan Prager

Michael Albano & Associates Inc.
280 North Main St.
Michael Albano

Senior Financial Advisors Inc.
264 North Main St.
Gerald Nannen

HOLYOKE

Airbrushing
50 Holyoke St.
Christopher Lombardi

Crowley Transport Service
15 Dillon Ave.
William Crowley
David Tetrault, Private
Detective
3 Claren Dr.
David Tetrault

LONGMEADOW

Deborah Hoadley, MD LLC
175 Dwight Road
Deborah Hoadley

NORTHAMPTON

Antiques on Strong Ave.
17 Strong Ave.
Gary Perman

Hickory Dell Farm
245 West Farms Road
John Omasta

The Real Estate Connection
141 North Main St.
Nancy Nickerson

Werewolf Movie
171 Crescent St.
Stephen Decky

SPRINGFIELD

A.H. Enterprises
28 Amherst St.
Alan Howard

B.C.N.G. Property Rehab
73 Clayton St.
Brent Pieczarka

Bement Associates
35 Lenox St.
Marta Leander

Beyond Catering
136 Fair Oak Road
Gregory Calloway

Champion Child Care
30 Bowdoin St.
Tony Taylor

Church of Pentecost Inc.
71 Allen St.
Mensha Ansah

Dollars Variety
1611 Main St.
Willie Harris

Eagle Transit LLC
49 Newland St.
Marie Correa

Felix’s Distributors
19 Hope St.
Roberto Felix

Infinite Productions 2020
148 Santa Barbara St.
Russell Moussignae

K.G. Home Improvements
357 Cottage St.
Richard Koslik

La Favorita Mini Mart
179 Walnut St.
Majid Nizam Din

Lean Back Barber Shop
165 White St.
Jose Treijillo

Maxim Seamless Gutters
21 Ouster Circle
Maksim Barabolkin

Park View Rehabilitation &
Nursing Ctr.
1400 State St.
Springfield Park View Hospital
LLC

Rent-A-Geek Computer Services
126 Feltham Road
Wayne Whitlock

S & S Food Mart
61-67 Locust St.
Shoukat Hussain

Simple Treasures
99 Westbanks Court
Deborah and Allan Curran

Southend Mart
679 Main St.
Zhhoor-Vi-Haq

Suds & Scissors
1 Lakevilla Ave.
Terrance Clanton

Touch-Ups Plus
1213 Worcester St.
Javier Carrucini

WEST SPRINGFIELD

A to Z Moving and Storage Inc.
380 Union St.
Robert Post

Atlas Appraisal
53 Amostown Road
Peter Brayton

Bryant General Contracting &
Construction
83 York St.
John Bryant

C.H.I. Design
162 Wolcott Ave.
Cynthia Henriquez

Dependable Trustee Services
117 Park Ave.
D & L Property Investments

Elm Market & Package Store
246 Elm St.
Walter Rickus Jr.

Finishing Touch Home
Improvements
48 Hill St.
William Young

Grosso Chiropractic P.C.
615 Westfield St.
Cynthia Okeef-Glebner

Hardy’s Home DÈcor
86 Connecticut Ave.
Stephen Hardy

The Ivanhoe
1422 Elm St.
Ronald Abdow

Kabab and Curry Restaurant
903 Main St.
Muhammad Sabir

LHQ Dance Force Unlimited
1700 Riverdale
Lynn Hadden-Quinn

Management Consulting Services
121 Westwoof Dr.
Phillip Guazzaloca

Miguel Coamo Barber Shop
1146 Union St.
Miguel Valzaquez

New England Novelty
183 Ashley St.
Dean Vogel, Sr.

Oem Telematics Services
1385 Riverdale St.
OnStar Corp.

Page One Productions LLC
117 Upper Beverly Hills
Roberta Page

Pizza King
1140 Memorial Ave.
Maria Kaitis

Rapidcreditrecovery.com
148 Chilson Road
Peter Ansara

Right Constraction
57 Russell St.
Dmitriy Shapovalov

Spruce Facilities
Management Inc.
3 Witch Path
Kathering Zimmerman

Venetian Bakery
90 Baldwin St.
Mark Maniscalchi

West Springfield Mobil
562 Westfield St.
Syed Bokhari

WESTFIELD

Acme Burner Service
2 Birch Ter.
David Engley

Carpet Ends
1006 Southampton Road
Gabriel Khatchadouian

Custom Graph
146 Sackett Road
William Gorman

Grazers
43 Pochassic St.
Rhona Medrek

Jan Woodworks & Renovation
61 Bowdoin St.
Joseph Muto

Louis & Clark Drug Inc.
1029 North Road
Clark Matthews

By
Departments

The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.

Adon, Sergio E.
17 Leyfred Terrace Springfield,
MA 01108 Chapter: 7 Filing
Date: 10/16/05

Alderman, Laura B.
6 Meadow Glen Dr. Granby,
MA 01033 Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/10/05

Alderman, William N.
6 Meadow Glen Dr. Granby,
MA 01033 Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/10/05

Almodovar, Rosemary
45 West Court Holyoke,
MA 01040 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Attanasio, David Paul
28 Jennings St. Springfield,
MA 01119 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/05

Attanasio, Pamela Jean
28 Jennings St. Springfield,
MA 01119 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/05

Barabolkin, Dmitriy
Alexander 447 Page Boulevard,
Apart Springfield, MA 01104 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Barabolkin, Marie Ellen
447 Page Boulevard, Apart Springfield,
MA 01104 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Bashaw, Gerald. J.
126 Main St. Agawam,
MA 01001 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Bauer, Karen L.
20 Taylor Ave. Westfield,
MA 01085 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Beauchene, Meghan M.
36 Peterson Circle Feeding Hills,
MA 01030 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Beyer, Jill
50 Calumet Road Holyoke,
MA 01040 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Boothby, Mary Ann
70 Ottawa St. Agawam,
MA 01001 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Boucher, Sandra A.
77 Highland View St. Westfield,
MA 01085 Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/02/05

Brow, Elizabeth M.
41 Everett Ave 29A Belchertown,
MA 01007 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Buoniconti, Theresa
430-432 South Westfield S Feeding Hills,
MA 01030 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Cannamela, Audrey J.
35 McKinley Ave. Ludlow,
MA 01056 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Capaccio, Mary E.
45 Fremont St. Springfield,
MA 01105 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Capaccio, Pasquale
45 Fremont St. Springfield,
MA 01105 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Cardona, Willy J.
32 Acushnet Ave. Springfield,
MA 01105 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Carosello, Richard
85 Sessions Dr. Hampden,
MA 01036 Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/08/05

Cayon, James M.
322 Main Street, Apt. B Easthampton,
MA 01027 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Ceccarini, Bridget Lynn
22 Princeton St. Westfield,
MA 01085 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Conley, Kenneth George
99 Falley Dr. Westfield,
MA 01085 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Cyranowski-Grimaldi, Jane C.
567 Dickenson St. Springfield,
MA 01108 Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/27/05

Dana, Scott D.
123 Hamilton St. Belchertown,
MA 01007 Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/14/05

Dana, Stephanie B.
123 Hamilton St. Belchertown,
MA 01007 Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/14/05

Davieu, Charles R.
35 Oconnor Ave. Holyoke,
MA 01040 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Doyle-Workman, John Charles
44 Park St P.O. BOX 1027 Belchertown,
MA 01007 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Ducharme, Esther
164 Hubbard St. Ludlow,
MA 01056 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Figueroa, Wanda I.
747 Hampden St. Holyoke,
MA 01040 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Flowers, Daniel
21 Flynt Ave. Monson,
MA 01057 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Fogarty, Kelly Nicole
25 Depote St. Belchertown,
MA 01007 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Ford, Gary T.
198 East Allen Ridge Road Springfield,
MA 01118 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Ford, Gary T.
198 East Allen Ridge Road Springfield,
MA 01118 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/21/05

Frenier, Margaret
21 Summer St. Northampton,
MA 01060 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/05

Gordon, Richard E.
3 Hidden Place Southwick,
MA 01077 Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Gouvin, Bernice R.
31 State Street Apt. 302B Monson,
MA 01057 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Griggs, Jeffrey L.
50 Church Street, Apartme Westfield,
MA 01085 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Gubula, Matthew P.
6 Cherry Hill Road Holyoke,
MA 01040 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Gubula, Shana A.
6 Cherry Hill Road Holyoke,
MA 01040 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Hamre, Elizabeth A.
50 Manor Court Springfield,
MA 01118 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/05

Harris, Isaiah L.
29 Claremont St. Springfield,
MA 01108 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/03/05

Heimsath, Steven M.
129 Sumner Ave., Apt. 4 Springfield,
MA 01108 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Howland, Pamela J.
27 Ireland St. Worthington,
MA 01098 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Keller, Joan
144 Cabot St. Chicopee,
MA 01013 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Kolosewicz, Loretta Jean
41 South Street, Unit 45 Easthampton,
MA 01027 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Larkin, Thomas Francis
13 Fred Jackson Road Southwick,
MA 01077 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Le, Hong Thi
580 White St. Springfield,
MA 01108 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Le, Viet The
1135 Shoemaker Lane Feeding Hills,
MA 01030 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Lee, Patricia A
229 Hillside Rd. Southwick,
MA 01077 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 11/01/05

Lee, Xiong Chue
16 Lucretia Ave. Chicopee,
MA 01013 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Leigh, Denise A
87 Marion St. Chicopee,
MA 01013 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Lewis, Jason E
81 Blanford Road Granville,
MA 01034 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Littlejohn, Mark
80 Craiwell Ave. West Springfield,
MA 01089 Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/02/05

Maguire, Edward J.
135 LaPlante Cirecle Easthampton,
MA 01027 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Messenger, Susan Diane
38 Berkshire Ave. Southwick,
MA 01077 Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/15/05

Miller-Baker, Maryanne
397 Centenial Way Springfield,
MA 01118 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Morgan, Gordon Samuel
86 Lakevilla Ave. Springfield,
MA 01109 Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/26/05

Mularski, Peter J.
85 Pomeroy Meadow Southampton,
MA 01073 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Murphy, Ellen M.
542 White St. Springfield,
MA 01108 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Nestor, Melissa
45 Garden St. South Hadley,
MA 01075 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Nevue, Thomas M.
132 Comins Pond Road Warren,
MA 01083 Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/15/05

Newsky, Victoria B.
489 Skyline Trail Chester,
MA 01011 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

O’Keefe, Edward F.
PO Box 1108 Belchertown,
MA 01007 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Ortiz, Janet
45 North Bridge St. Holyoke,
MA 01040 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Otis, Lisette J.
281 Chauncey Walker Road Ave. B, Lot 78 Belchertown,
MA 01007 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Paton, Christopher L.
14 Honeysuckle Dr. Chicopee,
MA 01022 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Paton, Katherine W.
14 Honeysuckle Dr. Chicopee,
MA 01022 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Perry, Russell D.
196 King St. Springfield,
MA 01109 Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Pixley, Sandra J.
14 1/2 Park Ave. Monson,
MA 01057 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Provost, Anelda A.
61 Greene St. Springfield,
MA 01109 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Punderson, Todd Breck
140 Union St. #77 Westfield,
MA 01085 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/05

Racine, Lori-Ann
253 WARE ST., #B Palmer,
MA 01069 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Renaud, Richard E.
32 Bliss Street Apartment West Springfield,
MA 01089 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Renaud, Rosemary
32 Bliss Street Apartment West Springfield,
MA 01089 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Rivera, Josue
1340-1342 Dwight St. Holyoke,
MA 01040 Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Robbins, Lori Jean
44 Martin Farm Rd. Hampden,
MA 01036 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Robbins, Mattie B.
32 Westford Ave. Springfield,
MA 01109 Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 11/01/05

Rosado, Hector L.
35 Wolcott St. Holyoke,
MA 01040 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Rzonca, Daniel M.
PO Box 204 Westfield,
MA 01086 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Sanchez, Betsy
67 Leslie St. Springfield,
MA 01104 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Santiago, Enrique
1068 Main Street, 2nd Flo Holyoke,
MA 01040 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Santiago, Rose M.
1068 Main Street, 2nd Flo Holyoke,
MA 01040 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Sargis, Thelma Celeste
11 4th Ave. Westfield,
MA 01085 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/17/05

Sayers, Robin L.
Post Offfice Box 134 Worthington,
MA 01098 Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Schell, Yong S.
17 Barton St. Granby,
MA 01033 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Snyder, Lisa M.
86 Kowal Dr. Chicopee,
MA 01020 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Sollecito, Andrew P.
42 Virginia St. Springfield,
MA 01108 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Stevenson-Mitchell,
Christina Ann 92 Riverboat Village Rd. South Hadley,
MA 01075 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/25/05

Sullivan, David W.
253 C Ware St. Palmer,
MA 01069 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Sullivan, Robert A.
4 3rd Ave. Westfield,
MA 01085 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Taylor, Earlene V.
94 Genesee St. Springfield,
MA 01104 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Thomas, Karen A.
P.O. Box 51406 Indian Orchard,
MA 01151 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Tucker, Catrese Shubrick
6 Alsace St Springfield,
MA 01108 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Vega, Onelia
101 Oakwood Ter. Springfield,
MA 01109 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Veloz, Rene
22 Hadley Court Springfield,
MA 01119 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Vicki, LaBonte
83 Sheridan St. Chicopee,
MA 01020 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Wallace, Joanne
1343 East Mountain Road Westfield,
MA 01085 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Wallace, LeRoy
1343 East Mountain Road Westfield,
MA 01085 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Wallis, Guy C
20 Taylor Ave. Westfield,
MA 01085 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Walz, Dawn Marie
244 Granville Road Westfield,
MA 01085 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Walz, Glen Richard
244 Granville Road Westfield,
MA 01085 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Wilkinson, Melissa Anne
162 Russell Road Westfield,
MA 01085 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Young, Grace A.
P.O. Box 33 East Longmeadow,
MA 01028 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

Morin, George C.
2210 Main St. West Warren,
MA 01092 Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/16/05

By
Departments

Bank Named Philanthropic Corporation

EASTHAMPTON — Easthampton Savings Bank was recently recognized by the Western Mass. Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals as the 2005 Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation of Western Mass. In other company news, the bank continued to experience steady growth in assets, deposits, loans, and capital during the third quarter, according to William S. Hogan, Jr., President and CEO. The bank’s total assets increased $28 million from a year ago, and an increase of $8 million over the last quarter. Also, total assets now stand at $656 million. The loan portfolio totaled $482 million at the end of September, an increase of $7.7 million or 6% for the quarter and $23.1 million or a 5% increase since the end of September last year. The bank also experienced a deposit gain of $13.1 million from a year ago.

Advertising Club Sports New Logo

SPRINGFIELD — The Advertising Club of Western Mass. has a new logo, created by Lilly Pereira of Bidwell ID in Florence. The logo was selected from more than 40 submissions sent to the Ad Club in response to a design contest last February. The Ad Club, celebrating its 90th anniversary, called for designs that would update as well as reflect the image and mission statement of the club. As the contest winner, Pereira will receive a one-year Ad Club membership and her logo will be entered into the 2006 Ad Club awards competition.

Fair Trade Coffee Served At UMass

AMHERST — UMass Amherst has joined the Fair Trade coffee movement by adopting Pura Vida, a fair trade coffee provider, as one of its coffee suppliers in the dining commons and other retail outlets on campus. Pura Vida Coffee sells Fair Trade, organic coffee throughout the United States. It was founded by John Sage and Chris Dearnley, and is based in Seattle, Wash. The partners actively promote a business model based on more humane capitalism built on economic fairness, environmental sustainability, and philanthropy. The mission of Pura Vida is to use capitalism to empower producers, motivate consumers, inspire business leaders, and ultimately serve the poor. The Dining services Department completed extensive market research that indicated that 59% of students agreed they would like to see Fair Trade coffee provided on campus. In addition to Pura Vida, dining services will still provide coffee from other suppliers, including local coffee from Rao’s, an Amherst coffee shop, New England Coffee and Starbucks.

MassMutual To Pay $1.2B Dividend

SPRINGFIELD — MassMutual Financial Group recently announced the distribution of nearly $1.2 billion to eligible participating policyholders under the dividend payout for 2006 – a double-digit increase over the 2005 dividend payout. Nearly all traditional life insurance policyholders will receive a 2006 dividend larger than or equal to the dividend they received in 2005. More specifically, more than 89% of traditional life insurance policyholders will receive a 2006 dividend at least 10% larger than they received in 2005, and 54% will receive a 2006 dividend at least 20% larger than they received in 2005. Dividends for a given policy are influenced by factors including policy series, issue age, policy duration, policy loan rate and changes in experience. For more information, visit www.massmutual.com.

WNEC Named Employer of the Year; College of Distinction

SPRINGFIELD — Western New England College (WNEC) has been honored as “Employer of the Year” by the Employers Assoc. of the Northeast in the nonprofit/over 100 employees category. Awards are based on several criteria, including effective communication, fostering employee input and feedback, encouraging professional development, fostering work/life balance, and promoting a positive, professional culture while valuing diversity and individuality. In presenting the award, the Employers Association saluted WNEC as an organization that values and respects its employees’ commitment to the organization. In other campus news, WNEC will be featured in Colleges of Distinction, a new college guide and Web site profiling some of America’s best bets in higher education. Based on the opinions of guidance counselors, educators and admissions professionals, Colleges of Distinction honors colleges that excel in key areas of educational quality. In order to qualify for inclusion, WNEC was evaluated for its performance in the Four Distinctions: “Engaged Students,” “Great Teaching,” “Vibrant Communities” and “Successful Outcomes.” Guidance counselors and admissions professionals around the country recommended WNEC in every category. WNEC was also noted for its active student body, devoted faculty, and academic programs based on developing collaboration, communication, and problem-solving skills. WNEC will also be profiled in the forthcoming book, Colleges of Distinction, which will be published in 2006.

By
Departments

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law.

Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT

Todd Campbell d/b/a Millenium Painting v. Haydenville Woodworking & Design Inc. Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods and services: $11,500 Date Filed: Oct. 14

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

The Street Lumber Co. v. Steven R. Wolf a/k/a Steven Wolf a/k/a Steve Wolf d/b/a Steve Wolf General Contractor Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $26,428.56 Date Filed: Oct. 28

HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT

Marken Properties Inc. v. Millar Elevator Service Co. and Schindler Elevator Corp. Allegation: Breach of contract — Nonpayment of deposits on cancelled contracts and refund of monthly service charges on elevators that did not work: $21,008.65 Date Filed: Oct. 17

Hamel’s Creative Catering v. Hampshire Community Action Commission Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for services: $3,103.68 Date Filed: Oct. 24

CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT

Accutech Insulation & Contracting Inc. v. Target Restoration Inc. Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for services: $4,860 Date Filed: Oct. 21

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Liberty Mutual Insurance v. Properties of Elmwood Cemetery Inc. Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $8,656.90 Date Filed: Oct. 6

Bradco Supply Co. v. Ellsworth, Allen & Anthony Inc. and Gregory K. Coons a/k/a Greg Coons Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $3,226.24 Date Filed: Oct. 7

Clear Channel Communications v. Randy Sefton d/b/a Automotive Restylers of N.E. Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for advertising: $9,345 Date Filed: Oct. 11

Everett J. Prescott Inc. v. J. D. Contracting Inc. Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for supplies: $16,582.24 Date Filed: Oct. 13

Associated Rubber Co. v. Paul-Martin Rubber Corp. Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $5,217.44 Date Filed: Oct. 13

WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Tri-State Industrial Laundries Inc. v. Air Compressor Engineering Co. Inc. Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for goods sold and delivered: $10,472.38 Date Filed: Oct. 8

By
Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of November 2005.

AGAWAM

Beautiful Hair Ltd.
1325 Springfield St.
Antoni Lech

The Bridal Gallery
31 Meadow St.
Angela Valego

First Nationwide Realty
48 Jamie Lane
Oleg Abramchuk

Ready, Set, Hire
1094 Suffield St.
Robert MacDonald

Tony’s Discount Store
250 Poplar St.
Antony Vazquez

AMHERST

Annie’s Garden-Gift Store
515 Sunderland Road
Michelle Elston

Delano’s Restaurant
57 North Pleasant St.
Chick Delano

Herbworks
731 West St.
Elaine Cox

Internet Commerce Co.
1240 South East St.
Patricia Smallman

The Loose Goose Café
1 East Pleasant St.
J.L. Gourmet Inc.

Merchants Bancard Services
6 University Dr.
Ronald Cooper

Sonnhalter, Etc.
17 Aubinwood Road
Christine Sonnhalter

CHICOPEE

Brazilegal
26 Center St.
Ailton Correia

Floral Dynamics
148 Broadway St.
Robert Buzzeo

Laureano Property Management
19 Laureano Ave.
Ivan Laureano

Perfectly Clean Windows & House
290 School House Road
Tomasz Tylenda

Shelly’s Variety
824 Chicopee St.
Shelly Rivera

Suds Your Duds Laundry
349 Chicopee St.
Preston and Elemer Carr

EAST LONGMEADOW

Adam Go
58 Mapleshade Ave.
Adam Seegars

Bridge Associates
30 Summerville Road
Paula Butler

Deb-Mar Co.
36 Elm St.
Raymond Stevens

Performance Title Co.
44 Harkness Ave.
Gary Pfisterer

HADLEY

Davis & Crevier
100 Venture Way
Allen Davis

Ecuador Andino Store
206 Russell St.
Antolin Garay

Inspirit Common
123 Russell St.
Bucky and Emily Sparkle

Sprint Nextel
7 Maple St.
Nextel Retail Stores LLC

Valley Vintage Cars
81 River Dr.
Michael DiCola

HOLYOKE

Emab Construction
1047 Dwight St.
Otilio Gonzalez

Hartig Associates
11 Grant St.
Carl Hartig

Holyoke Pallet Co.
72 Elmore St.
William Delude

M & J Painting
127 Pine St.
George Melendez

One Stop Discount Liquors
165 Suffolk St.
Jean Weldon

Salsa Renque Restaurant
392 High St.
Jose Bou, Jaime Cotto

LONGMEADOW

Freelance Interpreting
168 Lawrence Dr.
Linda Randall

NORTHAMPTON CDT

Construction
158 North Maple St.
Eugene Tacy

CiCi Boutique
150 Main St.
Cynthia Tardy, Camille Radina

Danica Perry Photographer
237 Main St.
Danica Perry

Detangle
12 Pine St.
Dena Childs

Digital Doodah Imaging
61 Leonard St.
Danny Chiamis

New School Builders
42 Carolyn St.
Blake Nicols, Lyle Hackerson

Reflections
16 Center St.
Bette Kay Elsden

Steele & Assoc.
38 Spruce Hill Ave.
Jason Steele

SPRINGFIELD

AED Moving & Enterprises
22 High St.
Angelo and Ewa DiRosa

Arnold’s Automotive Garage
182 Hancock St.
William Arnold, Sr.

Arts & Ambiance
285 Orange St.
Daine Roswess

Broadway Office Brokering
90 Tapley St.
Ron Gordenstein

Burns Builders
1350 Main St.
J. Kirk MacNaughton

Collectibles & Cards
1655 Boston Road
James Dent

By
Departments

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden and Hampshire counties, and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

AGAWAM

Proden Enterprises of America Inc.,
630 Silver St.,Agawam 01001.
Daniel Luquette, 2665 Marcel St.,
St. Laurent, Quebec, H4R 1A6 Canada.
National Corporate Research, Ltd., 630 Silver St.,
Agawam 01001, registered agent.
(Foreign corp; DE) Sales of steel rule dies.

CHICOPEE

Andre Marcoux Enterprises Inc.,
86 Catherine St., Chicopee 01013.
Andre Marcoux, same.
Auto body repair.

C.S.D. Inc.,
1860 Westover Road, Chicopee 01020.
Stephan Krugsman, same.
(Foreign corp; DE) Software development and sales.

JCE Textile Corp.,
15 DeJordy Lane, Chicopee 01020.
Edward F. Mrozinski, 138 Slate Road,
Chicopee 01020. To manufacture textiles.

Royal Regal Entertainment Production Inc.,
36 Savory Dr., Chicopee 01020.
Winchell P.C. Woo, same. Entertainment production.

Royal Regal International Inc.,
36 Savory Dr., Chicopee 01020.
Winchell P.C. Woo, same. International trade.

EASTHAMPTON

Jai Shree Ram, Corp.,
24 Kingsberry Way, Easthampton 01027.
Yogesh C. Patel, same.
To conduct the business of a package store.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Admiral Roofing Inc.,
444 A North Main St., No. 136,
East Longmeadow 01028.
Yana Abramovich, 84 Fairviedw Ave.,
Chicopee 01013. Home improvements — roofing, siding, etc.

Che Pecat Inc.,
83 Harkness Ave., East Longmeadow 01028.
Maria Cardinale Joyce, same.
To manufacture, create, distribute and
otherwise transfer any and all goods.

GRANBY

Granby Community Access and Media Inc.,
257 State St., Granby 01033.
Teresa Lajoie, 160 School St.,
Granby 01033. (Nonprofit) To operate a public,
educational, and governmental access
programming television studio, etc.

MONSON

L.I.G.H.T. Ministries Inc.,
14 King St., Monson 01057.
Joseph Wilson, same. (Nonprofit)
Recording and promoting music ministries
geared around local talents and churches of New England.

PALMER

KATC Corp.,
1465 North Main St., Palmer 01069.
Anthony Ventura, 1007 Woonsocket
Hill Road, North Smithfield, RI 02896.
Kristopher Ventura, 1465 North Main St.,
Palmer 01069, registered agent. Restaurant operations.

SOUTH HADLEY

Yankee Onsite Wastewater Association Inc.,
68 Fairview St., South Hadley 01705.
John J. Higgins, same. (Nonprofit)
To improve the onsite management of wastewater in New England, etc.

SOUTHWICK

Whitfield Enterprises Inc.,
17 Charles Johnson Road, Southwick 01077.
Karen G. Whitfield, same.
To operate a boarding kennel for dogs, cats and other household animals.

SPRINGFIELD

Cortes School Services Inc.,
611 Union St., Springfield 01109.
Nancy Cortes, same.
To transport school children from pick-up
locations to school and from school to drop-off locations.

LKM Modeling Inc.,
38 Angelica Dr., Springfield 01129.
Elizabeth J. Mitchell, same. Modeling.

Masosaw Management Inc.,
340 Cooley St., Unit 278, Springfield 01128.
Samuel A. Forde, 30 Grove St.,
Springfield 01107. To deal in real estate and ancillary services.

McKnight District Improvement Association Inc.,
The, 21 Clarendon St., Springfield 01109.
Hazel L. H. Adams, 47 Forest Park Ave.,
Springfield 01108. (Nonprofit)
To preserve and enhance the McKnight District of Springfield.

R&D Development Inc.,
93- 95 High St., Springfield 01105.
Lynden Greaves, same. To deal in real estate.

Springfield Titans Baseball Club Inc.,
65 Palo Alto Road, Springfield 01128.
Alphonse DeMaio Jr., same. (Nonprofit)
To provide the opportunity of youths under 19 to participate in organized competitive baseball and softball programs. etc.

ZDB-CAB Corp.,
501 St. James Ave., Springfield 01109.
Daniel Bean, same.
To own and operate a used vehicle sales business.

WESTFIELD

A-One Realty Inc.,
11 Knox Circle, Westfield 01085.
Robert J. Corcoran, same. Real estate sales, development and management.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Bernardas Bucas Inc.,
166 River St., Apt. 6, West Springfield 01089.
Bernardas Bucas, same. Cable installation service .

Time Design International Inc.,
150 Front St., West Springfield 01089.
Jonathan Haverly, same. Daily planner manufacture and sales.

Proceed with Caution on the Riverfront

By
Opinion
Springfield Mayor Charles Ryan was asked to gauge the still very preliminary plans for development of Springfield’s riverfront. He was cautious in his response, which is understandable given how little is actually known about the plans and the people behind them.

But he told BusinessWest that, at the very least, it’s good to have some actual competition — and from the private sector, no less — for sites such as the old Basketball Hall of Fame. And we couldn’t agree more.

Nearly everything that has been developed in Springfield over the past several years — including the new Hall, the MassMutual Center, and the new federal courthouse now under construction, have been built with mostly public dollars. What Springfield needs is private investment, and it’s finally starting to see the potential for some on its long underutilized riverfront.

At the moment, there are at least two proposals still under consideration for the old Hall of Fame. One is for a sports and fitness center, and the other for a mixed use concept that includes a public market and restaurant.

Meanwhile, two partners who are now part of the public market complex, and who together formed the Connecticut River Development Corp., are gauging the feasibility of locating a hotel on the Riverfront Park site just south of the Memorial Bridge.

These are positive developments for Springfield, but we urge caution as the city mulls its options for the riverfront. This is an important piece of the economic development puzzle in Springfield and everyone is anxious for something to happen. But we think it’s far more important for things to be done right than for them to be done quickly.

Take the proposed hotel, for example. CRDC’s principals say the hotel-building entity they’re working with fell in love with the Riverfront Park site and wants to develop there.

That’s fine, but there are a number of logistical hurdles to be cleared before a hotel can even be considered; the biggest of which would be the railroad tracks that sit between the site and West Columbus Avenue.

And even if that access problem can be solved, does the city want to put another hotel on the riverfront when all indications are that downtown, specifically the area near the recently opened MassMutual Center, would make far more sense?

As for the public market concept, we’ve said before that it looks good on paper, but we’re not convinced that it can draw the high volume of traffic needed to make such a venture viable. The Springfield Riverfront Development Corp. (SRDC), the real estate arm of the Hall of Fame, has been weighing the public market concept for more than a year now, carefully considering whether or not it will work.

We encourage more of this due diligence because the old Hall of Fame is an asset that shouldn’t be developed (or torn down, as is now likely) merely for the sake of development.

The same is true of the old York Street Jail, which has sat idle for many years now, making the imaginative ‘Jail for Sale’ sign on its east wing a seemingly permanent part of the downtown Springfield landscape.

Like the old Hall, the jail seems destined for the wrecker’s ball, because its quirky design does not lend itself to easy redevelopment.

Razing the structure should open the door to a number of opportunities, but the city must carefully weigh what the next use will be.

Indeed, if Springfield’s riverfront is to become the destination everyone hopes it will be, it must draw people from across Columbus Avenue — and across the region. Ideally, locations like Springfield’s riverfront work best when people can work, play, eat, shop, and live there — and we believe this is the multi-faceted course the city should pursue.

Above all, patience must dictate the overall development process. People in Springfield talk about how long the old Hall of Fame has been vacant — three years — and they express frustration. Then they consider how long the jail has been rotting (more than a decade) and they really get frustrated.

But the task at hand is not to merely develop the riverfront, but to develop it properly. Thus, the city must proceed with caution.?

The Time Has Come for Health Reform

By
Opinion
On Beacon Hill, legislators are debating ways to increase the number of people with health insurance coverage. The outcome of that debate will reshape the health insurance landscape, protect the health of more of your friends and neighbors, and affect your medical costs.

Change is coming, and it is needed. Though they differ on specifics, the governor, the Senate president and the speaker of the House all agree on that point. For the wellbeing of hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents, we must seize this once-in-a-generation moment.

Health insurance enables patients to access the preventative care that saves lives, so it is time to set ourselves on a path to affordable, meaningful coverage for everyone. It is at the heart of what hospitals stand for in this debate.

Coverage should take the form of expanded Medicaid for the needy and new, more affordable private health insurance.These options should truly meet peoples’ medical needs. Reform that offers benefits that are low and co-pays and deductibles that are high will not work.

There must also be a recognition that no matter how generous the benefits, no matter how broad the coverage, there will still be those who will fall between the cracks.There must be a safety net for them and for those who provide their care. The form of such a safety net can be debated, but there should be no disagreement about its necessity.It’s not realistic to assume that we won’t need a safety net once health reform becomes law. That will put vulnerable people in harm’s way.

As lawmakers focus on reform, one of the great challenges confronting them is affordability to consumers, businesses and taxpayers. As you might expect, in the current system, all sides try to reduce costs.But if a business chooses to cut expenses by dropping coverage for employees, we all end up paying for that choice as those employees become state-subsidized ‘free care’ patients. At the vast majority of good businesses that offer health benefits, some employees who are financially capable of enrolling sometimes gamble by opting out. And these aren’t the only “free riders.” The state has a track record of consuming services through Medicaid and paying for far less than the cost of those services.

That is why coverage for all requires ‘shared responsibility’ by all. Without it, the cost of caring for the uninsured will still be unfairly carried, in the form of higher premiums, by responsible citizens and companies. For state government, shared responsibility means stepping up with fair Medicaid payments.

For individuals, it means living up to the personal responsibility to purchase insurance.Reform can help make insurance more affordable, and it is fair to offer public subsidies to help those who find that insurance is just beyond their financial grasp.

Employers – including hospitals – that provide coverage to their workers should not have to bear the cost for those who do not. Businesses that are struggling to offer health benefits should not be put at a competitive disadvantage against those that are not making the same effort. It may also require assistance to small businesses that want to step up and do the right thing on health benefits.

Hospitals have a critical role to play in the affordability challenge. We support efforts to reduce administrative costs, to manage costs more effectively, and to be publicly accountable for the care we provide.Better information technology is a key component. We also know that, depending on the needs of a patient, care should be delivered in lower cost settings. All patients deserve the right care, at the right place, at the right time.

These lofty goals can be realized. But, it will take more revenue, whether it comes from tobacco money, gaming revenue, assessments on employers who do not provide coverage, or increased Medicaid reimbursements.

This is Massachusetts and this is the moment. With commitment, collaboration and, most importantly, leadership, we can make coverage for all a reality. Let’s do it.

Ronald M. Hollander is President and CEO of the Massachusetts Hospital Association. (781) 272-8000.

By
Departments

Insourcing: Foreign Companies, American Jobs

Nov. 17: The World Affairs Council (WAC) of Western Mass. will present a program Insourcing: Foreign Companies, American Jobs at the TD Banknorth Conference Center, 1441 Main St. in Springfield, from 5:15 p.m. to 7 p.m. Often lost in the outsourcing debate is the fact that nearly 5.5 million Americans — 190,000 in Massachusetts — are employed by U.S. subsidiaries of foreign businesses. Panelists will discuss the impact these businesses have on the local and national economies and how we might attract more foreign direct investment in our region. Tickets are $15 for WAC members, and $20 for nonmembers. For reservations or more information, call (413) 733-0110.

WNEC Tax Institute

Nov. 18: Updates on federal and state tax laws, new manufacturer deductions, section 1031 “like kind” exchanges and identity theft are topics of the 44th annualWestern New England College Tax Institute, planned from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. in Sleith Hall on the college’s main campus, 1215 Wilbraham Road, Springfield. To register or for more information, call (413) 782-1473 or visit www.wnec.edu/tax.

City of Bright Nights Ball

Nov. 19: The Spirit of Springfield’s 10th annual gala, the City of Bright Nights Ball, will be conducted at the MassMutual Center, sponsored by the MassMutual Financial Group. The evening of fine dining and dancing will also include live and silent auctions. The Boston Culinary Group, bringing in chefs from throughout New England, will serve a gourmet dinner featuring plank salmon and beef tenderloin. Tickets are $400 per couple with tables of 10 available for $2,000. For tickets or more information, call the Spirit of Springfield office at (413) 733-3800.

Economic Impact Awards

Nov. 22: The Mass. Alliance for Economic Development will host its second annual Team Massachusetts Economic Impact Awards at the Sheraton Boston Hotel. Gloria Larson, Chair, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, will be the Master of Ceremonies, with Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney as the keynote speaker. Honorees include Kleer Lumber, Interprint and Suddekor from Western Massachusetts. Registration begins at 11 a.m., followed by the program and lunch at noon. For reservations and more information, call (781) 489-6262 or visit www.massecon.com.

By
Departments

Loan Fund Marks 15th Anniversary

SPRINGFIELD — The Western Mass. Enterprise Fund Inc. (WMEF), a non-profit community loan fund, marked its 15th anniversary on Nov. 4 .During its most recent fiscal year, the WMEF disbursed $556,000 to 11 businesses in Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire counties. According to the projections of the borrowers, last year’s loans will create or retain 95 local jobs. WMEF provides financing and technical assistance to businesses and nonprofit organizations that may otherwise not qualify for traditional funding. For more information, call (413) 774-4033 or visit www.wmef.org.

Bradley Sees Double- Digit Monthly Passenger Increases

WINDSOR LOCKS, CT — September passenger traffic at Bradley International Airport soared by more than 15% over September 2004 (485,000) as more than half a million customers (560,000) used New England’s second largest airport. Overall, year-to-date passenger numbers are up more than 12% for the first nine months of 2005 over the same period in 2004. With new non-stop destinations including Los Angeles added in September and Salt Lake City coming on board in Dec., 21 additional daily non-stop flights have been added since August 2004.

SBID Receives Grant For Tree Planting

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Business Improvement District (SBID) and the Springfield First Church of Christ Congregational (Old First Church) have received a grant to plant 12 250-300-pound trees in the downtown area. The planting of these trees took place at the end of October and the SBID will maintain them for three years. This event marks the sixth year of the tree-replanting program that the SBID began in 2000. To date, 93 trees have been planted in downtown.

GSCVB Celebrates 20 Years

PIONEER VALLEY — The Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau (GSCVB) recently celebrated 20 years of promoting Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley as a visitor destination during its annual meeting at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. Following the meeting, the Bureau’s charter members were recognized with a special poem and plaque that will be displayed at the GSCVB’s offices at 1441 Main St., Springfield. Former staff and Board members were also recognized for their contributions. Charter members recognized were AAA of the Pioneer Valley; the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center; Eastern States Exposition; Holiday Inn, Springfield; Hotel Northampton; MassMutual Center (Springfield Civic Center); MassMutual Financial Group; Old Sturbridge Village; Peter Pan Bus Lines, Inc., and SER All American Exposition Services. Also, Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel, Six Flags New England (Riverside Amusement Park); Springfield Marriott Hotel; Springfield Museums Association; Springfield Symphony Orchestra; Storrowton Village Museum; Thornes Marketplace; Tower Square (Baystate West), and Yankee Candle Company.

Jobless Rate Up in Region

SPRINGFIELD — The unemployment rate for the Pioneer Valley rose to 5.0% in September from 4.5% in August, according to the state Division of Unemployment Assistance. Statistics also show that the labor force decreased slightly in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties in September, and the number of unemployed people in the region was up slightly compared to September 2004. The labor force saw a decline, going from 348,400 in 2004 to 347,600 in 2005, while the number of unemployed people grew from 16,980 to 17,290. Officials at FutureWorks, a one-stop career center in Springfield, recently reported that regional employers posted 628 jobs in September which was down from 1,081 in August. State statistics show that the Greater
Springfield area added 700 jobs over the past 12 months, indicating a 0.2% increase to 297,800 jobs.

By
Departments

AGAWAM

Berkshire Agawam
63-79 Springfield St.
$100,000 — Remodel storefront

Olympic Mfg. Group
153 Bowles St.
$80,000 — Addition

AMHERST

Immanuel Lutheran Church
867 North Pleasant St.
$7,500 — Interior partitions

Mauro Aniello
30 Boltwood Walk 3
$6,500 — Renovate restaurant

CHICOPEE

Elms College
291 Springfield St.
$165,000 — Renovate kitchen

Munich Haus Inc.
13 Center St.
$3,000 — Repair exterior wall

Top Flite Golf Co.
425 Meadow St.
$52,300 — Increase size of golf ball swing lab

EAST LONGMEADOW

East Longmeadow High
School
180 Maple St.
$7,500 — Bleachers

HOLYOKE
South Street Plaza
209-235 South St.
$14,300 — Ronnie’s Restaurant
— Remove bearing block wall

NORTHAMPTON

Alexander Bykhovsky
159 Main St.
$8,000 — Remove and construct
non-bearing walls

City of Northampton
212 Main St.
$30,000 — Install rooftop units,
duct work and roof curb

City of Northampton
20 West St.
$187,000 — Renovate exterior stone

Clarke School for the Deaf
47-49 Round Hill Road
$1,600,000 — Add elevator
accessible entrance, bathroom, renovations

Laurel Ridge Realty Associates
312 Hatfield St.
$5,000 — Replace 10 exterior bulkheads

Paul H. D’Amour
162 North King St.
$95,000 — Construct wall,
mechanical room, roof-top equipment and store front
Richard W. Finck, Trustee
63 Main St.
$15,650 — Office renovations

Smith College
Elm St., Gillett House
$7,250 — Renovations
Suburban Linoleum Co. Inc.
63 Maple St.
$45,000 — Interior renovations for new offices

Valley Community Dev.
Corp.
3 North Main St.
$46,884 — Construct cafe in
existing
space

SPRINGFIELD

Amerada Hess Corp.
991 St. James Ave.
$155,000 — Build store

Diamond Affiliates
125 Paridon St.
$60,000 — Flagpole

Fountaine Properties
66B Industry Ave.
$72,000 — New entrance,
renovate dock area

Mass Mutual
1500 Main St.
$56,000 — Modify Suite 215

Shiloh Seventh Day Church
797 State St.
$15,000 — Renovate heating
and roofing

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Eastern States Exposition
1305 Memorial Ave.
$2,788,705 — Construct new visitor’s center

WESTFIELD

PeoplesBank
281 East Main St.
$760,000 — Expand

By
Departments

Spalding Launches NEVERFLAT™ Basketball

SPRINGFIELD — Spalding recently introduced NEVERFLAT™, the first-ever ball with proprietary pressure-retention technologies guaranteed to hold air up to 10 times longer than traditional basketballs. The NEVERFLAT™ basketball, designed by Primo Innovations, is the only ball guaranteed to stay fully inflated for at least one year – with no additional air needed during that period. The basketball, with a suggested retail price of $39.99, hits store shelves in mid-November.

Hampden Bank Opens at Tower Square

SPRINGFIELD — Hampden Bank’s new Tower Square branch office is the seventh in the bank’s branch network and provides a full array of convenient banking and financial services to individuals and companies headquartered at both the Tower Square and Monarch Place office complexes. The 1,000-square-foot facility contains a 24-hour ATM and Night Drop services area, teller and CSR stations, and private banking area. Also, there is space for financial services consultation through the bank’s Hampden Financial division affiliated with The Novak Charter Oak Group and MassMutual. The branch also features plasma screens, interactive kiosks and merchandising walls that inform customers of the latest products and services the bank offers.

Isenberg School MBA Program Receives Top- 10 Rankings

AMHERST — For the second consecutive year, the Isenberg School of Management’s MBA program has received two top-10 national rankings in the Princeton Review’s annual Best Business Schools publication, which ranks MBA programs in 11 strategic categories. In the 2006 edition – the Best 237 Business Schools – the Isenberg School’s full-time residential MBA program repeated last year’s ranking of fourth in the nation in the category “Best Professors.” At the same time, it improved its national ranking in the category “Best Overall Academic Experience,” from tenth to sixth.

3rd Quarter Net Loss for United Financial Bancorp

WEST SPRINGFIELD — United Financial Bancorp Inc., the holding company for United Bank, recently reported a net loss of $173,000 for the quarter ended Sept. 30. The results reflect a one-time after-tax expense of $2.2 million, which was incurred to establish and fund the new United Charitable Foundation. Excluding this charge for the charitable foundation, net income would have been $2.0 million for the three-month period, compared to $1.7 million for the same three-month period in 2004. Since the company’s initial public offering of common stock concluded during this quarter, earnings per share data is not being presented because it is not considered meaningful. For the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2005, net income amounted to $2.8 million compared to $4.3 million for the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2004. The company’s initial public offering concluded on July 11, and raised $74.8 million in the offering, selling 7.5 million shares of common stock at $10 per share.

Paradise City Voted Favorite Arts Festival East of the Rockies

NORTHAMPTON — Paradise City Arts Festivals makes the 2005 list of America’s 10 favorite shows for the second year in a row, with a ranking of #2 nationwide, according to AmericanStyle Magazine. The publication’s December issue reveals their readers’ favorite shows of high-caliber fiber art and craft from across the country. Approximately 300 shows nationwide fit the description for high quality, collectible fine art and craft shows. Paradise City, the only organization of the top five with shows in the Northeast, was the clear first-place winner among gated indoor events. Also, Paradise City’s hometown, Northampton, was ranked #9 nationwide as a small city arts destination. Paradise City, founded in 1995, also was ranked #1 for the best arts festival east of the Rockies.

Belt Technologies Acquires Mississippi Company

AGAWAM — Belt Technologies recently acquired Clark Manufacturing, a belt manufacturer based in central Mississippi. The acquisition will complement Belt Technologies current offerings of steel belts to the robotics, semiconductor, packaging, medical and pharmaceutical industries. Manufacturing from the Mississippi plant will be moved to the Agawam facility where new product lines will be absorbed within the current manufacturing capacity, according to company officials. No terms of the sale were provided at press time.

By
Departments

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and
organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law.
Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT

Energy East Solutions Inc. v. LaVera Cruzana Restaurant
Allegation: Breach of contract —
Failure to pay for goods and services:
$3,331.91
Date Filed: Oct. 7

HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT

Patrons Mutual Insurance Co.
of CT as surrogee of S. Michael Figarsky v. Cook Builders Supply, Hearts & Home Technologies Inc. and Valley Home Improvement, Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to do work in a workman-like manner:
$400,000
Date Filed: Oct. 7

HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT

The Darcy Co. v. Aekara Inc. d/b/a Red
Rock Pizza
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure
to pay for goods and services: $1,372.87
Date Filed: Oct. 5

CHICOPEE DISTRICT COURT

Instar Services Group LP d/b/a Action
Fire Instar Services Group v. John
Leslie and Robert W. Hawley, Jr. d/b/a
U-Save Quality Builders & Remodelers
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure
to pay for services: $5,193.50
Date Filed: Oct. 17

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Electrical Wholesalers Inc. v. Kevin
Garibian d/b/a Garibian Electric
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure
to pay for goods sold and delivered:
$2,760.47
Date Filed: Sept. 23

Liberty Mutual Insurance Co. v..

M & J Co. Inc. d/b/a Roof
Remedy Associates Allegation: Breach of contract —
Failure to pay for workmens comp insurance: $7,826.20
Date Filed: Sept. 27

Mountainview Landscapes & Lawn

Carev. Techni Products Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for lawn care services: $10,412.81
Date Filed: Sept. 27

Cordi Foods Inc. v. Crescenzo

Enterprises Inc. d/b/a Little Italy Pizza
Alligation: Breach of contract — Failure
to pay for goods sold and delivered:
$11,202.32
Date Filed: Sept. 28

HDC Three LLC v.. Harding of N.E. LLC

Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure
to clean trash and debris: $20,000
Date Filed: Oct. 3

WESTFIELD DISTRICT COURT

Salt City Inc. v.. Metro West
Management Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to pay for road salt sold and delivered:
$16,818.04
Date Filed: Oct. 7

Another Blow to the Region’s Psyche

By
Opinion
Disappointment. That was our first, and most lingering, reaction to the news that Chicopee Mayor Richard Goyette was arrested earlier this month and charged with extorting campaign contributions from two city business people in exchange for favors from City Hall.

These are merely allegations and, as always, there is a presumption of innocence. But at the very least, Goyette has embarrassed his city and further eroded the public’s trust in officials not only in Chicopee, but everywhere.

There was much surprise at the news, and much anger as well. After all, BusinessWest did endorse Goyette for a second term as mayor, believing that he had the leadership skills and common sense needed to move the community forward. We, like many Chicopee residents, feel betrayed and misled.

We have seen time and again the strong, negative impact of corruption in Springfield. Former Mayor Michael J. Albano’s actions have left the city’s residents bitter, skeptical, and far less willing to give appointed and elected officials their trust. Meanwhile, it has left business owners wary about the community and hesitant to make the kinds of investments we know are needed if Springfield is to rebound. We were of the opinion that area elected officials had learned from Springfield’s problems and fully understood the high cost of corruption.

We were wrong. If the allegations against Goyette are true, then he, like so many members of the Albano’s administration, put his own interests above the community’s – and with possibly dire consequences.

We say possibly, because there is a chance – maybe a goodchance – thatChicopee will sufferthe same fate as Springfield. That it willbecome the butt of jokes and the subject ofcountless newspaper and magazine articlessuggesting – strongly – that the community’sbest days are well behind it, with federalagents announcing one indictmentafter another.

Chicopee has enjoyed a strong resurgence in recent years. The second-largest city in the Pioneer Valley has seen an influx of new businesses – from manufacturers in the Westover business parks to national retailers taking up residence on Memorial Drive. Meanwhile, it has also seen a number of public investments in the form of new schools, including two high schools, a new city library, and many infrastructure projects.

The city is primed for continued growth, and it is our hope that the city will survive this recent embarrassment and the crisis of confidence that may ensue. As we’ve said many times, while it is important for this region to have a strong Springfield, we also need a strong Northampton, Westfield, Agawam, West Springfield – and Chicopee.

But someone else is setting up shop in Chicopee – the FBI. Indications are that investigators have been turning over rocks in that community, and they are finding some things. We can only hope that charges against Goyette represent the end, not the beginning, of real trouble for this proud city.

In the meantime, we also hope that what transpired earlier this month with Goyette is not forgotten, and that lessons are learned from this fiasco.

Indeed, the worst thing about Goyette’s arrest, and his silence thereafter, is that it gives people cause to believe that this kind of behavior is commonplace; it gives people license to say, ‘they’re all like that.’

Well, they’re not all like that. The vast majority of the people serving cities and towns in our region are honest, hard-working people who have only their community’s best interests at heart.

Still, this would be a great time (just a few days after the local elections) to remind all those fortunate enough to gain the favor of voters that a vote is an instrument of trust, and that trust is not to be violated or in any way taken for granted.

Maybe, in some small way, Goyette did this region a favor by reminding everyone who serves local communities about the price that is paid when greed, arrogance, or poor judgment overtakes responsibility, and when power corrupts.

If Goyette is guilty, he will certainly pay a high price for his actions. Hopefully, Chicopee and this region won’t suffer the same fate.

By
Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of November 2005.

AGAWAM
B & M Construction
308 Leonard St.
Marcus Kashmanian

Body Kneads, Massage & Body Work
567 Springfield St.
Sarah Hebert

Cigar by the Box
26 North Westfield St.
John Pereg

Luis Auto Detail
119 Walnut St.
Luis Martinez

Sunny Enterprises LLC
650 Suffield St.
Muhammad N. Imtiaz

Unique Creations Embroidery
157 Elmar Dr.
Cheryl Walker

AMHERST

Amherst Martial Arts
48 North Pleasant St.
Annie Schwarz

Bekapak
172 Colonial Village
Rebecca Owens

Delta Organic Farm
352 East Hadley Road
James Pitts III

Holeshot’s Premium Tattoo
71 North Pleasant St.
Brent Cummings

KC’s Home DÈcor
16 Edgehill Pl.
Kim Chicoine

Masters
6 University Dr.
Mary O’Connell, William
Trumble

CHICOPEE

Bear Auto
49 Montville St.
Daniel Hebert

Brett’s Stump Grinding
299 Grattan St.
Brett Ray

Ladies Workout Express
29 White Birch Plaza
Aaron Patterson

N.E. Relocation Group
1847 Memorial Dr.
Eastern MA Real Estate

Ron’s Services, Heating & Refrigeration
66 Jacob St.
Ronald Surrell Sr.

Steven Hemphill CMMA
357 Burnett Road
Steven Hemphill

EAST LONGMEADOW

A.T.D. Cleaning Services
51 Dawes St.
Anthony King

Chocolate Works
33 Harkness Ave.
Erika Noble, Dominick Anzalotti

Lighthouse Liquors
199 North Main St.
Janet Collins, William Collins Jr.

Stixx-N-Stones
39 Center Square
Christopher Roberts

HADLEY

Candy Stand
367 Russell St.
Syed Ali

Doubleday Farm
185 Bay St.
Thomas Doubleday

Firehouse
322 Russell St.
Dallas Branch

Sprint
7 Maple St.
Nextel Retail Stores LLC

Tran’s World Food Market
50 Russell St.
Johnny Tran

HOLYOKE

The Black Sheep
110 Lyman St.
Nick Seamon

Harmony
173 Southampton Road
Nancy Dalessio

Hidden Hollow Floral Designs
244 Rock Valley Road
Marcia Cassidy

Kennedy & Williams Homes
440 Appleton St.
Neal Kennedy

900 Broadway Communications
108 Hitchcock St.
Davita Westbrook

Prints Plus Inc.
50 Holyoke St.
Theodore Upland III

Tempos Inc.
187 High St.
David Anable

LONGMEADOW

Animal Instincts Pet Sitting & Dog Walking
P.O. Box 60581
Jennifer L. Burgess

OG Solutions
536 Frank SmithRoad
Oleg Goffman

NORTHAMPTON

Blue Jar Software
50 Union St.
Louis Franco,
Jennifer Rippel

Cassandra’s
518 Pleasant St.
Cassandra
Holden

Clarity Data Services
36 Wilson Ave.
Graham Ridley
Dean Powers
Electric
98 Brierwood Dr.Dean Powers

Mill River Woodworks
320 Riverside
Dr. Johnathon
Aronstein

Pioneer Naturopathic Medicine
16 Armory St.Kate Kennedy

Sam’s CafÈ
22 Elm St.
Samantha Ross

Village Antique
7 Main St.
Gordon Murphy

SPRINGFIELD
A+ Property Management
253 Bay St.
Michael Ayittey

The Aged Polish Vodka Co.
69 Maplewood
Terrace
Rudy Vogel

Around the Clock Home Care
130 Fenwick St.
Linda Sheehan

BSB Express
114 Byer St.
Byron Brown

Buck’s Electronics
96 Kenyon St.
Albert Whitfield, Sr.

Clerk St. Press
181 Mazarin St.
Marcus Alston

Computer Ambulance
93-B Mill St.
Michael Smith

Dazzle Studio of Dance
605 Page Blvd.
Lisa Attanasio

Field Spring
1 Federal St.
Johnathon Brown

Glitterz Girlz Nail Salon
795 Liberty St.
Alexis Huff

I Wireless
390 Dickinson St.
Phung Minh Li

JT Graphics
1663 Wilbraham Road
Thomas and John Dill

Mary Kay
92 Mill St.
Susan Miller

New York Nails
1368 Allen St.
Nga Van Nao

Pasquale Perrotta
47 Wilcox St.
Pasquale Perrotta

Smith Fashions
34 Collins St.
Steve Smith

Trans Border Marketing
69 Maplewood Ter.
Rudy Vogel

WEST SPRINGFIELD

A to Z Moving and Storage Inc.
380 Union St.
Robert Post

Building News Service
16 Ryan Dr.
Linda Desnoyers

Denny’s Trading
1044 Piper Road
James Denny

Fini’s Auto Sales
68 Baldwin St.
RCR Enterprises Inc.

Hallies Comet
28 Van Horn St.
Christina Okeef-Giebner

KJ Woodworking
43 Skyline Dr.
Kevin Kras

Mobil Auto Repair
601 Birnie Ave.
TJS Inc.

Oem Telematics Services
1385 Riverdale St.
OnStar Corp.

The Ivanhoe
1422 Elm St.
Ronald Abdow

West Springfield Mobil
562 Westfield St.
Syed Bokhari

WESTFIELD

Adam’s Power Services
19 Family Lane
David Tremblay

Bryant’s Auto Solutions
82 Elm St.
Bryant James

Eternal Stone Works
57 South Meadow Road
Jack Kimball

Ray Davidson’s Home Improvement
45 Rogers Ave.
Raymond Davidson

Simplicity Salon
1144 Southampton St.
Jacqueline Dominquez, Janine
LaPointe

Celebrating Proposition 2 1/2

By
Opinion
Proposition 2 1/2 was passed by voters on Nov. 4, 1980. It was a revolution, a passionate and controversial ballot campaign; now, 25 years later, it is an institution. Yes, once upon a time the property tax burden was the second-highest in the nation, which called us Taxachusetts.

Over the decades, taxpayers had been promised lower property taxes in return for other revenue sources. So by 1980 we had a high income tax, a sales tax, a lottery, and high property taxes. Further, we were one of the few states with an automobile excise and something called school committee fiscal autonomy, which gave local schools any amount of money they requested regardless of the wishes of city councils or town meetings.

On top of this, instead of getting a fair share of state tax revenues in local aid, the cities and towns had to fund any new bright idea that came down from Beacon Hill. And on top of that, the courts had just ordered all communities to comply with the state Constitution and assess all property at its full and fair market value. Many homes were assessed much lower; people imagined the community’s existing tax rate being applied to their home’s true value.

Between outrage at broken tax-relief promises and panic about the coming revaluation, Proposition 2 1/2 was born. Citizens for Limited Taxation (CLT) collected signatures on an initiative petition that limited property taxes to 2.5% of a community’s value, cut the auto excise from $66 per $1,000 to $25 per $1,000, gave renters an income tax deduction, repealed school committee fiscal autonomy, and forbade new unfunded state mandates on cities and towns.

Battle lines were drawn: CLT, the Mass. High Technology Council, the Mass. Auto Dealers Assoc., and the National Federation of Independent Business against almost everyone else. Leading opponents were the Legislature, the Mass.

Municipal Assoc., the Mass. Taxpayers Foundation, the Mass. Teachers Assoc. and other public employee unions, various human service organizations, the Mass. Council of Churches, the Catholic Church, and, incredibly, the Mass. Assoc. of Older Americans.

Union fliers featured either a picture of a gun shooting backward, titled “How Prop 2 1./2 Works,” or the heading “Cutting Taxes? Or Cutting Our Throats? Human service fliers featured a senior with a walker, a young man in a wheelchair, and a couple of minority kids looking terrified. There were debates galore, hours of talk radio devoted to the issue, yard signs, and bumper stickers.

The League of Women Voters held onesided forums that presented only its point of view: Prop 2 1/2 will cause drastic cutbacks to basic public services.

Nevertheless, the people passed Prop 2 1/2, 59%-41%.

Then the battle really began: public employee marches, demands for repeal. But the Leguslature, getting the message, decided to work with the people’s law. CLT teamed up with the MMA, legislative Republicans, and conservative Democrats to get more local aid. With Gov. Ed King promising a veto of any changes that would damage Prop 2 1/2, a sensible provision for new growth was added, and the two-thirds vote for an override became a majority vote for various kinds of overrides, intended for bonded projects or emergencies.

Local officials were more respectful of taxpayers whose support might be needed to pass them. Local aid increased almost every year. Opponents who prophesied the end of the world looked silly.

Back then, of course, it was impossible to imagine voters raising their own taxes for operating expenses and teacher pay raises.

Twenty-five years later, the property tax burden is still too high, at eighth in the nation.

The long-term goal, to get education spending off the property tax, has yet to be realized, But individual taxpayers have saved a bundle on both the property tax limit, the rental deduction, and the auto excise cut. Twenty-five years later, Proposition 2 1/2 is still cause for celebration.

Barbara Anderson is executive director of Citizens for Limited Taxation, which created Proposition 2 1/2.

By
Departments

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden and Hampshire counties, and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

AGAWAM

The Travel Group Inc., 375
Walnut St., Agawam 01001.
Michael S. Egan, same. Travel agency and travel group tour service.

BONDSVILLE

Pure Water Solutions Inc.,
3161 Main St., Bondsville
01009. Ricky Lamprey, 124
Chestnut St., Southbridge 01550. Residential, commercial, and industrial water testing and treatment services.

EASTHAMPTON

Off The Map Inc.,
112 Cottage St., Easthampton
01027. Gabriel Ripley, 114A
Hawley St., Northampton 01060. To design and apply all types of tattoos including unique custom tattoos.

HAMPDEN

Central Enterprises Inc.,
180 East Longmeadow Road,
Hampden 01036. Mark Reisner, same. Internet marketing.

LONGMEADOW

Vikam Associates Inc.,
46 Whitmun Road, Longmeadow
01106. Catherine A. Fountain, same. Construction consulting and project management.

NORTHAMPTON

When Children Save The Day Inc.,
210 Elm St., Northampton 01060. Jennifer Jacobson, same. (Nonprofit) To engage, educate and inspire children through experiential learning, storytelling, creative community service, etc.

SOUTH HADLEY

C.S.A. Restaurant Inc.,
2090 Memorial Dr., South Hadley
01075. Sue Huang, 48 Edison
Ct., Chicopee 01020.
Restaurant.

SOUTHAMPTON

Charles J. Hubbard Inc.,
9 Glendale Woods Dr.,
Southampton 01073. Charles
J. Hubba Road, 241 King St.,
Suite 118, Northampton
01060. Consulting and yoga
studio.

SPRINGFIELD

Albert Jolicoeur & Sons Inc.,
794 Bay St., Springfield 01119.
Michael Lolicoeur, 1 Crest St.,
Wilbraham 01095. General contracting and masonry services.


C F Inc.,
815 State St., Rear,
Springfield 01109. Robert L.
Jones, 51 Westwood Dr., East Longmeadow 01028. Motor
vehicle towing and storage.

E A & T Entertainment Arts & Technologies Corp.,
195 Worthington St., Springfield
01107. Wildredo Ortiz, 17
Roosevelt Ave., Holyoke 01040. Musical producer and agent for the production and sale of musical creations, etc.

Freedom Credit Union,
1976 Main St., Springfield 01103.
Barry F. Crosby, 52 Nathaniel
Way, Belchertown 01007. State
chartered credit union offering
savings accounts, NOW accounts, etc.

Scibelli and Associates
Consulting Inc., Scibelli
Enterprise Center, One Federal
St., Springfield 01105. Andrew
M. Scibelli, 101 Mulberry St.,
Springfield 01105. Consulting.

Synthetic Stucco Systems Inc.,
110 Lorimer St., Springfield
01151. Joseph E. Babin, same. Installation and application of stucco wall systems.

Vec-Tec Inc.,
9-11 Rimmon
Ave., Springfield 01107. Joseph
Francis Vecchiarelli, 197
Springfield St., Springfield 01107. Restaurant and bar.

WILBRAHAM

Celtegrity Corp.,
3 Hemlock Circle, Wilbraham 01095.
Christopher C. Hill, sae. Wireless consulting integration & software development.

Riverbend Steak and Ale Inc.,
2701 Boston Road,
Wilbraham
01095. Edmund
T. Ward Jr., 58
Holland Ave., Westfield 01085. Restaurant business.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

MRI Network- SCHC Inc.,
30 Capital Dr.,
West Springfield
01089. Robert J.
Francoeur. same. Sales consultant.

By
Departments

Super 60 Lunch

The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield recently staged its annual Super 60 luncheon, an event to honor the region’s top-performing companies in the chamber’s Total Revenue and Revenue Growth categories. At left, Cordia Harrington, president and CEO of the Tennessee Bun Company and the luncheon’s keynote speaker, chats with Mark Morris, public relations manager for Health New England, and Peter Straley, president/CEO, Health New England, the event’s presenting sponsor. At right, Straley and Jay Primack, right, managing partner, Moriarty & Primack, PC (platinum sponsor), present a Super 60 plaque to Jim Sasenecki, president, Brookdale Associates Inc. the top finisher in the ‘growth category.’

Topping-off Ceremony

Cooley Dickinson Hospital President Craig Melin, left, shakes hands with John Heaps, president of Florence Savings Bank, at a recent ‘topping off’ ceremony for the $50 million expansion project at the hospital. Employees and physicians of the hospital, donors to its Caring for the Future campaign, and nearly 100 members of the community attended the ceremony, which marked a milestone in a two-year project that started in April of 2005 that will add a four-story, 116,000-square-foot building to the hospital’s campus. The building will contain eight surgical suites, a wing of 32-single-occupancy patient rooms, a centralized laboratory, and central sterile supply area and an expanded Joint
Replacement Center.

Branching Out

Hampden Bank recently staged an open house for its newest branch on the mezzanine level of Tower Square. Here, Hampden’s president, Thomas Burton, left, chats with BusinessWest Editor George O’Brien.

Commerce 2005

The Chicopee and Greater Holyoke Chambers of Commerce staged Commerce 2005, their fall trade show, on Nov. 3 at the MassMutual Center. Clockwise from top left: Andy Hogan, Kevin Hart, Marcos Garcia, and Sean Hogan of Hogan Communications do their best Blues Brothers impression; Martin Johnson and Gilbert Nieves greet visitors to the Citizens Bank booth; Bob Gaboury and Tim Haas of Holyoke Gas & Electric staff the utility’s booth.

 

By
Departments

Legislative Breakfast

Nov. 4: Massachusetts Treasurer Tim Cahill will be the keynote speaker at the West Springfield Chamber of Commerce Legislative Breakfast from 7:15 to 9 a.m. at Springfield Country Club, 1375 Elm St., West Springfield. State Sen. Stephen Buoniconti and state Rep. James Welch will also make brief remarks. The cost is $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. For more information or to make reservations, visit www.myonlinechamber.com.

City of Bright Nights Ball

Nov. 19: The Spirit of Springfield’s 10th annual gala, the City of Bright Nights Ball, will be conducted at the MassMutual Center, sponsored by the MassMutual Financial Group. The evening of fine dining and dancing will also include live and silent auctions. The Boston Culinary Group, bringing in chefs from throughout New England, will serve a gourmet dinner featuring plank salmon and beef tenderloin. Tickets are $400 per couple with tables of 10 available for $2,000. For tickets or more information, call the Spirit of Springfield office at (413) 733-3800.

WNEC Tax Institute

Nov. 18: Updates on federal and state tax laws, new manufacturer deductions, section 1031 ‘like kind’ exchanges and identity theft are topics of the 44th annual Western New England College Tax Institute, planned from 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. in Sleith Hall on the college’s main campus, 1215 Wilbraham Road,
Springfield. To register or for more information, call (413) 782-1473 or visit
www.wnec.edu/tax.

Economic Impact Awards Nov. 22: The Mass. Alliance for Economic
Development will host its second annual Team Massachusetts Economic Impact Awards at the Sheraton Boston Hotel. Gloria Larson, Chair, Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, will be the Master of Ceremonies, with Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney as the keynote speaker. Honorees include Kleer Lumber, Interprint and Suddekor from Western Mass. Registration begins at 11 a.m., followed by the program and lunch at noon. For reservations and more information, call (781) 489-6262 or visit www.massecon.com. Government Reception Nov. 30: The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield presents its annual Government Reception at the Carriage House at Storrowton Tavern, Eastern States Exposition, Memorial Avenue, West Springfield. For more information or to register, visit www.myonlinechamber.
com.

By
Departments

Springfield Museums Receive Support for ‘Learning Together’

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Museums has received a grant for the second year in a row for $95,000 from the MassMutual Financial Group for Learning Together,” a series of educational programs for Springfield Public School students. “Learning Together” addresses the goals of Step Up Springfield, the citywide initiative that challenges the entire community to work together to promote academic proficiency and character development among Springfield’s youth. The grant will support fee waivers for students to participate in educational school group programs at the museums and bus transportation for all fifth-grade students in the city to visit the museums for grade-specific science and social studies programs that target the M a s s a c h u s e t t s Curriculum Frameworks and MCA’s testing. Also, funding will be used toward coupons for a free adult admission to encourage students to visit the museums with their families, and afterschool outreach programs at the North End Youth Center, South End Community Center and Springfield Day Nursery. “Learning Together” activities will take place during the 2005/2006 school year. Throughout the year, museum staff, in consultation with Springfield Public School and MassMutual officials, will evaluate the progress of the project and discuss ways to expand and refine the program in succeeding years.

.Bright Nights Adds ‘Jurassic World’

SPRINGFIELD — The Spirit of Springfield recently announced a major addition to its popular “Bright Nights at Forest Park” for this holiday season – Jurassic World. The 12-piece display is being presented by the MassMutual Financial Group. The new light display features an array of dinosaurs, trees, and an erupting volcano. Jurassic World will be located in the park’s Memorial Grove. Jurassic World is the first major addition to “Bright Nights” since 2002, according to Judith A. Matt, President, Spirit of Springfield. The 11th season of Bright Nights opens Nov. 23 and operates Wednesday through Sunday until Dec. 11. Beginning Dec. 14, the holiday lighting display operates nightly through Jan. 1. Nightly, buses with reservations, are welcome from 5 to 6 p.m. For personal vehicles, Bright Nights is open Monday through Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. for $12 per vehicle, and 6 to 11 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and holidays at $15 per vehicle.

For more information, call (413) 733-3800 or visit www.brightnights.org.

MHA: Nursing Vacancies Down Slightly

BURLINGTON, Mass. — The vacancy rate for registered nurse positions in Massachusetts hospitals dropped only slightly in 2005, as hospitals continue to battle against the current and looming larger national nursing shortage, according to a new study by the Massachusetts Hospital Association and the Massachusetts Organization of Nurse Executives. According to the survey of hospitals, the RN vacancy rate as of January 2005 was 6.4%, down from 6.8% in 2004 and 8.5% in 2003. The report noted that while vacancy rates have declined for the third consecutive year, they still stand at a high level relative to rates over the 18 years of data collection. National studies suggest that the slight dip in vacancy rates is caused by the reentry to the workforce of older, married nurses responding to increasing RN wages and the toll of relatively high unemployment rates on their families, and more recently, widespread private sector initiatives aimed at increasing the number of people who become nurses. However, these studies say the forecast of a long-term, structural shortage is unchanged. The acute care hospital respondents represented 91% of the state’s 66 acute care hospitals and 94% of the state’s acute care hospital beds.

UMass Computer Models Sharpen Securities Fraud Detection

AMHERST — The world’s largest private- sector securities regulator, the National Assoc. of Securities Dealers (NASD), has teamed up with UMass Amherst researchers to bring cutting-edge computer science to the world of securities fraud. By developing statistical models that assess data that most models can’t manage, the scientists aim to help the NASD discover misconduct among brokers and concentrate regulatory attention on those who are most likely to misbehave. Because broker malfeasance is often encouraged by the presence of those conspiring to commit fraud themselves, the researchers were given the task of developing statistical models that made use of this social aspect of rule-breaking. Such “relational” data is difficult for many models, which often assume independence among records. The work is part of an ongoing, joint project exploring fraud detection by UMass Amherst researchers and the NASD, and it was presented recently by doctoral student Jennifer Neville at the 11th ACM SIGKDD International Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining.

30-Year Mortgage Rates Climb Past 6%

NEW YORK — As realtors note a drop in the housing market frenzy of late, mortgage rates have climbed above 6% — the secondhighest level of the year. According to Freddie Mac, the nation’s housing agency that sells guarantees for home loans, this recent surge can have a psychological effect on persons considering purchasing a home or refinancing a home loan. A chief economist with Freddie Mac speculates that mortgage rates will gradually rise over time but that the 6% rate will hover for awhile before it rises again.

Small Businesses To Benefit From Grants

SPRINGFIELD — Small businesses in the North and South Ends and in Old Hill and Six Corners will benefit from an $80,000 grant administered by the Affiliated Greater Springfield Chambers of Commerce Inc. Several vacant storefronts in each neighborhood will be spruced up and occupied in the hopes it will turn the neighborhood around. Grant money will not be given to the business owners directly, but can be used for architectural costs, marketing, advertising, legal and accounting fees. Bills for the services will be processed through the office of Chamber President Russell F. Denver, who will use the grant money to pay them. Grant money can be used for a new business moving into a storefront or an existing business that wants to expand into an adjacent storefront. The state Division of Employment and Training provided the grant. For more information, contact Denver at (413) 787- 1555.

Two Supermarkets Planned for Sixteen Acres

SPRINGFIELD — Stop & Shop and Big Y Foods announced plans in October forsupermarkets in the city’s Sixteen Acres neighborhood. Big Y plans to reopen a store that was closed two years ago on Wilbraham Road – with a new twist – a smaller, specialty- food theme called Fresh Acres Market. Features of the market would include an area for a farmers market, floral and produce sections, food take-out, a deli and bakery. In addition, the market would feature a gourmet section and conventional store. Stop & Shop has proposed converting 415 Cooley St. into a Super Stop & Shop of 60,000-square-feet, along with 10,000 square feet for other retail space. Stop & Shop has purchased and plans to demolish four homes on Allen Street to accommodate its site needs, however, it still needs zone changes from the Springfield City Council in order to move ahead with its plans.

Food Bank Breaks Ground for Addition

HATFIELD — Western Mass. has a hunger problem, according to Robert Moorehouse, executive director, Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. In an effort to address the rising needs of those facing hunger throughout the region, the Food Bank recently broke ground on a 16,000- square-foot addition that will double the size of its facility. Currently, the Food Bank distributes perishable food to more than 400 shelters, pantries and social service agencies throughout Western Mass. With the new industrial coolers and freezers, the capacity for more perishable food, fruits and vegetables will help provide a healthier diet for the hungry. The Food Bank launched a Room to Grow Campaign last year which has raised $3.6 million toward the new $3.9 million addition. In addition, the Kresge Foundation has offered a $150,000 challenge grant to implement green technology in the new facility.

U.S. Colleges Still Costly

uring the annual survey recently released by the College Board, college cost increases slowed in 2005, the lowest rate since 2001. For students attending a public four-year university, a 7.1% increase is still well above the inflation rate and translates into an average of $5,491 for tuition and fees for one year. Students at two-year public colleges rose by 5.4% to $2,191. At private fouryear, nonprofit colleges, costs increased by 5.9% to $21,235. Most students do not have to pay the full price because of loans and grants, as well as tax breaks. The College Board noted that while total financial aid is increasing, loans accounted for more of the growth than grants for the third consecutive year. Students have to pay back loans, but not grants. Undergraduate borrowers are seeing an average debt of $15,500 – an amount that most experts feel is manageable for students. The College Board also criticized the proliferation of popular state programs that award college grants based on merit and not need.

By
Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of October 2005

AMHERST

Jones Properties LTD
Partnership
53 Hobart Lane
$5,000 — Construct handicap ramp at front of building, deck and ramp at rear

Woodgreen Amherst Limited Partnership
6 University Dr.
$2,000 — Install sign at
UPS Store

HOLYOKE

Hazen Paper Co.
240 Southwater St.
$18,350 — Re-roof

NORTHAMPTON

Kollmorgen Corporation
347 King St.
$76,000 — Install three overhead doors in tower Northampton Aeronautics
Inc.
152 Cross Path Road
$14,850 — Demolish
7,920 square-foot building

SPRINGFIELD

City of Springfield
200 Bernie Ave.
$167,000 — Construct new
dental clinic
Springfield College
283 Allen St.
$20,850 — Install new metal decking

WESTFIELD

Getty
41 Franklin St.
$57,000 — Renovate
interior White Street School
300 White St.
$32,000 — Install new insulation

By
Departments

Baystate Achieves ‘Magnet’ Status

SPRINGFIELD — Baystate Medical Center and its nurses have been named a Magnet™ hospital for excellence in nursing services by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Assoc., earning what less than 3% of the nation’s hospitals have achieved. Earning Magnet hospital status is among the highest of distinctions a hospital and its nurses can achieve, recognizing the caliber of its nursing staff. There are only five Magnet hospitals in Massachusetts, including Baystate, and 13 in New England and 170 nationwide. The Magnet Recognition Program® establishes standards of excellence which health care organizations must attain. Magnet designation helps consumers locate health care organizations that have a proven level of excellence in nursing care and assists hospitals in attracting and retaining quality employees.

WNEC One of ‘America’s Best Colleges’

SPRINGFIELD — U.S. News and World Report has again named Western New England College (WNEC) as one of “America’s Best Colleges.” The magazine ranked WNEC in the top tier of masterslevel universities in the North. For the purpose of its rankings, the magazine compared WNEC with 164 other schools in the North who offer a full range of undergraduate programs and some master’s level programs. This is the second year in a row that WNEC has been ranked in the top tier. In determining the rankings, U.S. News and World Report collected data on more than 1,400 schools nationwide. The magazine assesses schools on 15 separate indicators of academic quality, including academic reputation, freshman retention and graduation rates, class size, student/faculty ratios, and academic achievement among incoming freshmen. WNEC received high marks for the number and quality of its faculty, small class sizes, and per-student expenditures.

Holyoke Health Center Receives $300,000 Grant

HOLYOKE — The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation has awarded $3 million in grants to 10 nonprofit health care organizations across the state in an effort to reduce racial and ethnic health care disparities, including $300,000 to the Holyoke Health Center. Modeling this new program on its successful diabetes and weight loss programs, the Holyoke Health Center will provide a series of interventions tailored to the psychosocial and cultural needs of Holyoke Latinos who have or are at high risk for developing cardiovascular disease. The foundation’s grants across the state will support initiatives that take a comprehensive and innovative approach to improving access and reducing barriers to health care and support services for racial and ethnic minorities. In the largest grant program yet established by the foundation, each of the grant recipients will receive $300,000 to fund one year of program planning and two years of program implementation.

Spalding’s Heavy Duty NBA Ball Truck Debuts

SPRINGFIELD — A new Spalding NBA pro grade ball truck – an indestructible unit with improved performance for NBA players and equipment managers – will debut this season on NBA courts. Spalding has outfitted the 30 NBA teams with two mammoth-sized ball carts made to withstand the rigors of the NBA arenas. Comprised of heavy duty, all metallic, square and rectangle structural tubing, sheet metal and solid rod, the new trucks were furnished to each NBA team along with 50 laser engraved NBA leather game balls (each with their respective team name). Both the truck and the NBA basketballs feature Spalding’s new logo and S icon and represent Spalding’s new “True to the Game” positioning. According to company officials, Spalding is in the development stages of creating a replica ball truck for consumers in 2006 with plans for distribution through www.NBA.com and institutional channels.

New Name for Baystate

SPRINGFIELD — In October, Baystate Health System simplified its corporate name to Baystate Health. Baystate officials stress that the name change better emphasizes the mission of improving the health of the communities it serves. The new name is also reflected in two entities of Baystate – the Baystate Medical Center Children’s Hospital is now Baystate Children’s Hospital, and BHS Ambulance is now Baystate Health Ambulance. A new logo was also part of the overall marketing strategy.

Coldwell Banker Opens New Office

EAST LONGMEADOW — Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage recently held a reception to celebrate the opening of a new, high-tech, expansive real estate sales facility at 55 North Main St., which will continue to support East Longmeadow and Greater Springfield, Enfield, Somers and Suffield. The opening was attended by more than 100 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage sales associates and employees. Rick Loughlin, President of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Central New England, was joined by Robert Molta, regional vice president Central New England, and additional Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage senior executives, to welcome the sales associates to their new location. East Longmeadow resident Marilyn Ghedini is the sales manager for the new location with responsibility for more than 30 sales associates and staff.

Fran Johnson’s Marks 30th Anniversary

WEST SPRINGFIELD — Fran Johnson’s Golf & Tennis will celebrate 30 years in business from Nov. 11-13 with a community event that will include the opportunity to donate to the American Red Cross to help assist hurricane relief efforts. Highlights of the three-day event include a putting contest that will feature three age divisions, 5-7, 7-16, and adult. In addition, silent auction tables will feature a variety of items including golf equipment, golf trips, and tennis packages. Area residents are also invited to donate used golf clubs that can be refurbished for its Clubs for Kids program. The 15-year-old program refurbishes clubs and distributes them to area junior programs. For more information, visit www.franjohnsons.com.

By
Departments

The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law.

Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.

NORTHAMPTON DISTRICT COURT

Jack Richeson & Co. Inc. v. Guild Art Centre Inc.

Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to
pay for goods sold and delivered:
$11,265.49
Date Filed: Sept. 7

SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT

United Rentals (North America Inc.) v.
Hope Trucking & Demo Inc. and Frank
A. Hope III

Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to
pay for goods and services: $16,788.61
Date Filed: Sept. 15

Home Lumber Co. Inc. v. Athanasios
Asimakopoulos a/k/a Thomas
Asimakopoulos d/b/a T.A. Woodworking
a/k/a T.A. Woodworks
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to
pay for goods sold and delivered: $8,432.74
Date Filed: Sept. 15
Medical Diagnostics & Rehab d/b/a MVA
Center for Rehabilitation v. Premier
Insurance Co.
Allegation: Breach of contract — Failure to
pay for bills for services for covered clients:
$2,181.06
Date Filed: Sept. 19

HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT

Alton & Gleason Co. Inc. v. CAP
Development Corp. and Mheid-Koseissi Inc.
Allegation: Breach of performance: $27,460
Date Filed: Sept. 19

By
Departments

The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of October 2005.

AGAWAM

Online Distributions
76 Dogwood Lane
Kimberly Kersey
Shop Easy Enterprise
650 Suffield St.
Latif Abdul

AMHERST

For Pet’s Sake
29 Amity Place
Jill Westley

Subway of Amherst
4 Main St.
Ivan Tristan

CHICOPEE

KM Home Improvement
95 Southwick St.
Keith Mortineau

The Natural Look
766B Memorial Dr.
Hang T. Bui

Transitional Funding Agency
796 Burnett Road
Bruce Gutkowski

HOLYOKE

Aquilas Market
773 Dwight St.
Luz Ramos

Farms Auto
200 Whiting Farms Road
James Levelle

Moore & Moore Enterprises
10B Maplecrest Circle
Michael Moore

LONGMEADOW

Matthew Brais Home Improvement
93 Westmoreland Ave.
Matthew Brais

NORTHAMPTON

Lucky Nails
1 Round House Plaza
Truong Vo Minh Nguyen

On the Level

50 Chapel St.
Shawn and Helicia Forest

SOUTH HADLEY

Suds Your Duds
14 Main St.
Preston and Wilson Carr

SPRINGFIELD

Asher’s Teaching Service
195 Hickory St.
Katrika James

Curves
1916 Wilbraham Road
L. Lee Scott

Dwight Convenience Store
135 Dwight St.
Lack Shah
KDM Assoc.
1535 Wilbraham Road
Kristoffer Manalohan

M & MB
Express 164 Jeffrey
Road
Edwin McCray
Pete Williams
191 Wellington
St. Pete Williams

Smoothie Delight
1535 Wilbraham Road
Kristoffer Manalohan

Victor Figueroa Communication
145 Nassau Dr.
Victor Figueroa

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Carrabba’s Italian Grill
955 Riverdale
St. Thomas
Schwensfeir

Expo Liquors
1122 Memorial
Ave. Dadson Inc.

S & M Auto
Repair 22 Summer St.
Donald Schebel

WestSide Urban Gear
440 Main St.
Sonia Tyndal

WESTFIELD

Garvey Landscaping
23 Crescent Circle
Patrick Garvey

Opal Ventures VI
162 Southampton St.
Jaafar Kafel

By
Departments

The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden and Hampshire counties, and are the latest available. They are listed by community.

AGAWAM

Heather A. Pellerin Inc., 26E
Castle Hill Road, Agawam
01001. Heather A. Pellerin,
same. Providing court room and stenographer services.

AMHERST

AK Technologies Inc., 36
Hitching Post, Amherst 01002.
Andrey Kvasyuk, same.
Computer technology services.

Legal Problem Solving P.C.,
67 No. Pleasant St., Amherst
01002. Michael J. Mascic,
same. The practice of law.

Sunwood Builders Inc., 84
Potwine Lane, Amherst 01002.
Shaul Perry, same.
Construction, repairing and renovating
commercial and residential structures.

BELCHERTOWN

Sun Struck Tanning Salon
Inc., 39 Federal St.,
Belchertown 01007. Lisa C.
Murphy, 80 North Main St.,
#1, Belchertown 01007.
Tanning salon.

CHICOPEE

Eurobex USA Inc., 285
McKinstry Ave., Chicopee
01013. Maurizio Ciocca, 4175
St. Catherine St., West, Apt.
505, Montreal, Quebec,
Canada H3Z 3C9.

Robert G. Agnoli,
1391 Main
St., Springfield 01103,
registered agent. (Foreign
corp; DE) Warehousing and
distribution of electrical boxes.

J P Fitness Inc.,
29 White
Birch Plaza, Chicopee 01020.
Aaron Patterson, 187
Venntura St., Ludlow 01056.
Ladies fitness center with
circuit training, etc.

JSLC Corp.,
232 Fletcher Cir.,
Chicopee 01020. Joseph
Martin, same. To operate UPS
stores.

S. G. Contractors Corp.,
419 Mont Calm St., #404,
Chicopee 01020. Gurdayal
Singh, same. Construction.

HOLYOKE

Dhaliwal 2 Inc.
, 1532 – 1534
Dwight St., Holyoke 01040.
Rattan Singh, same. Sale of
pizza, sandwiches, pasta, and
soft drinks.

Kay/Bravo Pest Management
Services Inc., 225 High St.,
#501, Holyoke 01040. Larry
Villalobos, same. Inspection,
control and extermination of
wood destroying insects, pests,
etc.

Mendoza Inc.,
One Main St.,
Holyoke 01040. Robert
Mendoza, 36 Pleasant St.,
Westfield 01085.
Transportation of individuals
and families by chauffered
vehicles.

HOLLAND

Northeast Concepts Inc., 16
Lakeridge Dr., Holland 02521.
Chad E. Brigham, same. Real estate development and
construction.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Court Street Management, L.L.C.,
200 North Main St.,
Suite 204, East Longmeadow
01028. Ernest A. Gralia, III, 24
Ridgewood Road, East
Longmeadow 01028. To deal in
real estate.

LONGMEADOW

IQ Design Group Inc.,
56 Severn St., Longmeadow 01106.
Eve K. Kinne, same. To own
and operate an interior design
business and deal in related
products and services.

Meridian Street Management
Co. Inc., 200 North Main St.,
Suite 204, East Longmeadow
01028. Ernest A. Gralia, III, 24
Ridgewood Road, East
Longmeadow 01028. Real estate
development.

LUDLOW

Advance Way
Inc., 146
Laconia St.,
Ludlow 01056. Masanori
Kofune, same. International business consulting.

NORTHAMPTON

Collective Initiatives Inc.,
43 Center St.,
Northampton
01060. Wilton
Earle Hall, III, 3
Edwards Square, Northampton 01060.
(Nonprofit) To promote collective based social education and action initiatives outside the cultural and political mainstream, etc.

SPRINGFIELD

Exile Entertainment
Corp., 935 Main
St., Springfield
01103. Paul V.
Ramesh, same.
To own, lease and operate restaurants, taverns, clubs, etc.

Family Group
Inc., 52
Thornton St.,
Springfield
01104. Michael
L. Burton, same.
To own and operate an automobile repair business.

GL Rising Inc.,
155 Chestnut St., Suite 315,
Springfield 01103.
Gerald F. Rising, 77 Garfield
St., Springfield 01108. To operate a cleaning business.

K. C. Temp Service Inc.,
Wilbraham Road, Springfield
01109. Kim Lam, same.
Temporary employment agency.

New World Real Estate Inc.,
2460 Main St., Springfield
01107. Pedro M. Gonzalez, 216
Springfield St., Springfield
01107. To deal in real estate.

WKB Carpentry Inc.,
44 SavoyAve., Springfield 01104.
William K. Butler Jr., same.
Carpentry service.

WILBRAHAM
Dejavous Hair and Nail Salon
Inc., 1038 Boston Road,
Wilbraham 01095. Lisa A.
Wilson, 85 Glenwood St.,
Ludlow 01056. To carry on the
business of cosmetology.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

Cap & Hitch of New England
Inc., 2001 Riverdale Road,
West Springfield 01089. Shane
M. Duffy, 158 Fountain St.,
Springfield 01108. To install
and sell truck caps, hitches, and accessories.

Ethnic Foods Inc.,
233 Christopher Terrace, West
Springfield 01089. Maria A. Pitaridis, same. Restaurant specializing in Greek food.

US Telecom Group Inc.

354 Lancaster Ave., West
Springfield 01089. Joey Sutton,
same. Telecommunications.

Businesses Should Follow MassMutual·s Lead

By
Opinion
While there remains some disagreement about Springfield, it’s current state of health, and its prospects for the future, there is agreement on at least one thing: that this city would be in much more trouble — truly dire straits — without its leading corporate citizen: MassMutual.

Indeed, area business leaders can often be heard referencing this line of thinking — while discussing everything from local cultural treasurers to the region’s Class A office occupancy rate — and acknowledging that they’re glad they don’t have to imagine life without ‘Mother Mutual,’ as it’s called.

We raise the point because, through a combination of current events and seasonal happenings, the depth of the company’s contributions to Springfield and the surrounding region can — or should — be truly appreciated. And we take the opportunity to say that while people can be pleased and proud that they have the corporate giant in this area code, we would be wise never to take its generosity for granted.

Scan the pages of this edition of BusinessWest, or any edition, for that matter, and one can immediately grasp the importance of this Fortune 100 company to the City of Homes and the region that surrounds it. There are prominent examples of the company’s impact on the area, such as attaching its name to the new convention center that opened last month in downtown Springfield. Without that $5 million investment, the entire project might not have moved forward, and if it had, it would not have been the same facility.

There are also many smaller, but in many ways no lessimportant, examples of the company’s generosity and civic-mindedness, such as its gift of the latest display, ‘Jurassic World,’ for Bright Nights. Meanwhile, another area attraction, the Springfield Museums, received another $95,000 grant from the company for ‘Learning Together,’ a series of educational programs for Springfield public school students.

Beyond the monetary and in-kind gifts to the community, MassMutual has also had a profound impact on the region’s real estate market, repeatedly filling large vacancies in downtown Springfield office towers, while also rescuing properties such as the former Charles River Hospital building in Chicopee, which the company converted into a meeting and training center. The latest example of the company’s influence on the office market was the recent opening of its new offices in Enfield, in the former Phoenix complex.

If there is a downside to MassMutual’s generosity, it is that this region might in some ways be too dependent on it, or, worse, that it is starting to take the company’s largesse for granted.

What we would like is for other companies, and individuals as well, to be inspired by MassMutual and to follow its lead — to the greatest degree possible.

By that, we mean that companies don’t have to fund an entire new exhibit for Bright Nights. But they should recognize the importance of that attraction to both the city and the region’s efforts to expand its tourism sector — and support the project accordingly.

Likewise, they can assist institutions like the Springfield Museums, the city’s orchestra, the community’s higher education system, and unique assets like Forest Park.

MassMutual has taken a lead role in supporting each one, and has set an example worthy of emulating.

As we said, it is a combination of news items — from the first events in the MassMutual Center to the recent open house at the Enfield facilities to the Bright Nights announcement — that remind of us how fortunate Springfield is to have a corporate citizen like this. And if you think all Fortune 500 companies are like this, you need to think again.

MassMutual’s donations are almost always large in size, but they are inspired by a fairly simple mindset: that the company does business in Springfield, it takes from the region and benefits from it — and therefore it gives back.

If every business took that same attitude, maybe we would be so dependent on MassMutual — and maybe we wouldn’t spend so much time wondering, and worrying, about what life would be like without it.