Page 47 - BusinessWest January 9, 2023

COURT DOCKETS>>
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.
HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT
Thomas Murtha v. Sturdy Home Improvements Inc. Allegation: Breach of contract: $59,000
Filed: 11/1/22
Marie Norgaisse v. City of Springfield Historical Commission, Robert McCarroll, Ralph Slate, Philip Bromey, Alvin Allen, and Thomas Belton Allegation: Fraud, financial damages, withholding evidence, mental stress, pros- ecution, harassment, humiliation: $170,400
Filed: 11/4/22
Hemant Ajbani v. Sterling Architectural Millwork, Demetrios Cenetis, Jef- fery Struck, C&S Building and Renovations Inc., and Craftwork Inc. Allegation: Failure to pay wages, breach of contract, retaliation, breach of cov- enant of good faith and fair dealing: $500,000+
Raymond Knapp v. Town of West Springfield
Allegation: Tortious action involving municipality: $256,500+ Filed: 11/8/22
Javier Acovedo Aponte v. Department of Unemployment Allegation: Failure to pay wages: $11,600+
Filed: 11/9/22
RK on Main Street LLC v. Isla Associates I LLC Allegation: Breach of contract: $100,000+ Filed: 11/22/22
Scott Wall v. John Doe and Brown Packaging
Allegation: Negligence; slip and fall resulting in personal injury: $150,000 Filed: 11/30/22
HAMPSHIRE SUPERIOR COURT
Chocorua Realty Investments LLC v. Anne Frey, Sarah Spencer, and Green- field Savings Bank
Allegation: Breach of contract: $70,880
Filed: 12/5/22
Filed: 11/7/22
>>Agawam Continued from page 11
restaurants.
In October, Autumn Mist Farm and its farm-to-
table restaurant opened its doors, replacing the old 911 Burgers and Dogs restaurant. Derrick Turnbull has been raising beef cattle since he was 11 years old on his parents’ farm. With the family business having played a vital role in his life, he’s now teaching it to his daughters.
On his website, Turnbull says he is “blessed to walk out the door and go to work with all active family members in the business.” And locals feel the same way.
“The Autumn Mist farm-to-table restaurant is on the same street that the farm is on, where the animals are raised. And people really like the idea of that, knowing that they’re getting fresh and local meat,” Kerr said.
Keeping the environment in mind, selling locally reduces the carbon footprint that the beef industry creates, he noted. The farm’s customers are restau- rants and college dining facilities interested in serving fresh and local food. The Turnbull family also has a beef contract with Big Y, a chain that has focused on buying local for many years.
Wozniak explained that the mission of the cham- ber is to help support these small businesses through the challenging times and get their faces out there, working closely with the mayor and municipal
Continued from page 43
ROBIN WOZNIAK
“All of this shows that Agawam is really taking steps necessary to help the small business- es grow, flourish,
prosper, and stay in Agawam.”
the pandemic, the changing economy, and the work- force crunch. But the town’s job is to be “that middle- man” to ensure its part of Western Mass. grows with a focus on helping small businesses become bigger ones.
Culture of Support
Not only are town officials helping small business- es thrive, businesses are helping each other, like Six Flags aiding the Veterans Memorial Cemetery.
On Dec. 17, the amusement park donated its park- ing lots and staff to assist with parking almost 4,000 cars for Wreaths Across America, the annual event to remember and honor veterans through the laying of remembrance wreaths on graves and saying the name of every veteran aloud. King Gray Coach Lines also donated its bigger buses to shuttle people to and from the Six Flags lots to the cemetery.
“All of this shows that Agawam is really taking steps necessary to help the small businesses grow, flour-
ish, prosper, and stay in Agawam,” Wozniak said. “The mayor and the council being transparent and helping the businesses get anything they need to enhance their business, and the ease of that, makes it very enticing for new businesses to come to Agawam.” BW
“I think, as small business owners, we just have to put our blinders on and not listen to the news and not get caught up in the hysteria around the economy and go out and do what we do every day. If you do that, you’ll be just fine.”
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Workforce
leaders.
“Bringing in businesses into those empty store-
fronts, those little mini-plazas that do have some empty storefronts, keeping those filled and keeping people coming within Agawam and from outside of Agawam to purchase their goods and services. that’s obviously just going to help Agawam in the long run,” she said. “So ensuring that the businesses stay in business is the chamber’s mission, and also helping the new businesses come in with ease and helping them showcase who they are.”
She explained that bigger, more well-established businesses can roll with the challenges created by
to put our blinders on and not listen to the news and not get caught up in the hysteria around the economy and go out and do what we do every day. If you do that, you’ll be just fine,” Christianson added. “And the same applies to our industry. If you go out and work hard and treat your customers right and do the right things, you’ll grow.” BW
Christianson added that he had increased staff considerably this past year and plans to continue to do so in 2023.
“I’m a firm believer that, as a small business, we can grow in a down economy,” he explained. In fact, over the years, every time we’ve seen a major down- turn in the economy, we’ve come out of it very well.
“I think, as small business owners, we just have
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