Several businesses get new offices

It's moving time for three businesses that will be relocating to a new building just completed at 200 E. 16th St.

The staff at Shippen and Associates was packing up Christmas Eve day and it was quite a job, said Edward Shippen. He said the accounting firm had been in the same location at 2811 S. 4th Ave. for 30 years and definitely had not succeeded in becoming a paperless business.

By the time you read this, the firm will be open for business in the new building on the second floor, although "we may still be finding things," Shippen said, and the elevator may take a few more days to be finished.

Core Engineering owned by Doug Nicholls also will be settled into its new office on the first floor of the new building after moving from 183 E. 24th St.

In the near future, Robert Campbell Structural Engineering, which also had been located at 183 E. 24th St., will be moving into its new offices next door to Core Engineering.

All three will retain the same phone numbers: 726-9470 for Shippen, 344-5931 for Core Engineering and 726-2646 for Campbell.

They're part of the partnership Malachite LLC that developed the 10,000-square-foot, two-story multitenant building on the back lot of the office complex that also includes 182 and 220 E. 16th St.

Fourth partner Thomas Rush of Yuma Investment Group is staying put in his existing offices at 182 E. 16th St., but has expanded.

In other activity, Yuma Mortgage Group is moving across the parking lot from 220 E. 16th St. to 182 E. 16th St., Suite C. The phone number will remain 329-0805.

Although I've sent Yuma's annual wish list off to Santa, I hope he'll consider one addition.

Fifteen-year-old Kyle wrote: "Yuma teens need more things to do!!! The water park and events center are great ideas, but aren't going to open until another year and a half. In the meantime, a very smart idea would be to reopen something similar to Vibes. Differences can be better music, security and increase the ages from 11 through 17 to 14 through 18 so only high school students can be allowed (that way it won't be ruined by younger kids that just play tag). A nice location would be somewhere around the mall such as within Las Palmillas.

"Additionally, Tilly's and a carrier of Akademiks Jeanius Level products would be nice. For my sister - Banana Republic, Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister, a formal dress store, etc. ... For my dad - REI, Dockers or something like a Cabela's. For my mom - Coldwater Creek, Chico's and Macy's."

Arizona Scuba Shack, established in the early 1970s as Desert Divers, has added another chapter to its history as the oldest locally owned scuba dive shop in Yuma.

Remodeling of "The Shack" in its new location at 1349 S. 22nd Drive is completed and is ready for a great diving year, announced owner Shawn Foster. Previously a partner with Jeff Denman, Foster bought out the business a year ago, but Denman still helps out as an instructor.

Arizona Scuba Shack offers scuba diving instruction (including at Arizona Western College), travel and equipment rentals, sales and repairs. "The Shack" is open from 2 to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, call 783-1177 or visit arizonascubashack.com.

In previous lives, the business also was known as Arizona Scuba and The Scuba Shack.

A certificate of occupancy has been issued for the new Del Taco in front of the Foothills Wal-Mart Supercenter at 32nd Street and Avenue 8E, reported Alan Kircher, city of Yuma assistant building official.

All settled into its new location at 3206 E. Highway 95, Valley Sand and Gravel now has a full selection of landscaping gravels, patio block and building blocks, said manager Mitch Lebrecht.

The business previously had been located for some time just across the street from Yuma Palms Regional Center.

Valley Sand and Gravel has a second location at 13615 South Frontage Road in the Foothills, which also carries the materials.

Book Nook owner Carol Bridgestock had a couple of news items to report. Her new and used paperback bookstore at 11242 Foothills Blvd. in Foothills Village just turned 10 years old. And she recently expanded to double the size of the store.

The store is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays - year-round. And, yes, she does do paperback exchanges. The phone number is 342-3252.

Dr. Engida Alemu, an infectious disease specialist, has established a practice at 2281 W. 24th St., Suite 11, and is now accepting new patients. His office can be reached at 314-3201.

A graduate of the Gondar College of Medicine, Addis Ababa University in Gondar, Ethiopia, Alemu completed a residency in internal medicine from St. Vincent’s Catholic Medical Center in Staten Island, N.Y. He is fellowship trained in infectious diseases by the University of Missouri School of Medicine in Kansas City, Mo.

Alemu is a member of the Yuma Regional Medical Center medical staff.

Palms Inn, 2655 S. 4th Ave., now is Knights Inn and part of the Wyndham Hotel Group, announced Pete Patel, franchise owner and manager. He said he made the brand change with hopes that being part of the large hotel group would boost his business, especially in the slower summer months.

He purchased the 30-unit property in July 2006. The phone number remains 344-0082. Knights Inn is described as an economy/budget brand.

Among other brands that are part of the Wyndham Hotel Group are Days Inn, Ramada, Super 8, Travelodge, Howard Johnson and Wingate - speaking of which, target opening is mid-January for that new hotel under development on Hotel Hill between Cracker Barrel and the just-opened Marriott TownPlace.

A certified clinical hypnotherapist, Craig J. Ramage has opened a company called Hypnotic Endeavors at 11593 S. Fortuna Road, where he conducts private and small group sessions. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, with a noon lunch break.

Drop-ins are OK but appointments are recommended by calling 919 -1453.

Hypnotherapy is not the practice of medicine but can be used as an adjunct to medical treatment, such as allergies (those with ailments or physical complaints should first see their physicians). Services Ramage can provide include smoking cessation, weight management, habit reformation, trauma and phobia reversals, stress reduction and pain management. Besides, it's very relaxing, he said.

Rates are currently $50 a session; he also provides a free 20-minute consultation for potential clients.

Ramage learned hypnotherapy at the Hypnotherapy Academy of America and is certified by the American Council of Hypnotist Examiners.

Frances "Frankie" Franco, who has a master's degree in education, is manager of Rising Star Educational Services, which has opened at 1185 S. 4th Ave. to provide tutoring. For more information, call 783-9000.

Rising Star, based in Peoria, was founded by Kevin and Amy Scheel and is an approved provider for the Supplemental Educational Services program of the No Child Left Behind Act. It provides tutoring at no charge to students who are in need of academic help, attend a Title I school, are identified by the state as needing improvement and receive free or reduced-price lunch.

After students complete a diagnostic test, tutoring in reading, writing and math, tutoring is given in small groups to academically improve the students’ achievement and to prepare them for the DIBELS and AIMS standards-based testing.

Franco also provides ADD/ADHD and dyslexia consultation, individualized educational and 504 Plans Advocacy and professional tutoring.

Just in case someone might be wondering ...

There's a vacant building off Interstate 8 in Ocotillo with a sign announcing it is the Imperial Valley College Desert Museum. Apparently a state grant delayed completion of the project, but it's looking like it might be ready for visitors by June.

The main exhibit is expected to be an archeological display of the Native American migration through the valley.

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