Saturday opening anticipated for Foothills Comfort Inn

  Saturday is the anticipated opening day for the new Comfort Inn and Suites at 10553 S. Fortuna Road in the Foothills, said manager Carolina Rios.

  The 79-room and suite hotel offers guests Serta mattresses for a good night's sleep, exercise room and pool, high-speed Internet access, 32-inch flat-screen television sets and a business center - all in a smoke-free environment. A small meeting room also is available. The hotel can be reached at 305-9000 and it is now listed online on the Choice Hotels International reservation Web site.

  While the finishing touches are being made this week on the hotel, New York Life Insurance agent Marci Rios has moved his office to a corner of the hotel, which has its own entrance and address at 10581 S. Fortuna Road. Rios said he expects to be open for business Monday. Clients can continue to reach him at 317-1797.

  The hotel is the project of Algodones businessman Tomas Osuna, a friend of Marci and Carolina Rios.

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  Chet and Dora Lane, owners of the downtown property at 261 S. Main St. (where Kirstin's formerly was located) have come up a new concept for the building. They're proposing to operate it as an indoor mall for the winter and are looking for potential vendors interested in renting space.

  They're hoping for at least 10 vendors to occupy the 7,500-square-foot building. If interested in a space, contact Lane at 580-2906.

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  The press release announcing that Christine Polston is the new account manager in Yuma for Goodmans Interior Structures didn't include her phone number.

  Here's how to reach her: 210-4065 or cpolston@goodmans.info.

  For more information about Goodmans, visit www.goodmans.info.

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  Mike Shelton is the new director of Linkages Arizona in Yuma. Linkages is based in Tucson, and Yuma is its first point of expansion.

  Created by Tucson auto dealer Jim Click Jr. in 1996, Linkages brings rehabilitation agencies together with employers via its Web site, www.linkagesarizona.org, to help the disabled find jobs.

  Cenpatico has donated office space to Linkages at Keystone Plaza, 2755 S. 4th Ave., Building No. 3. Shelton can be reached at 257-2446.

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  Lunches at the LZ Bar and Grill, 2175 S. Harley Drive (off Gila Ridge Road) have become more upscale with the addition of a new chef.

  Rafael Leal, who had been working at Julieanna's for several years with his father, has taken over the kitchen at LZ Bar for lunchtime, elevating lunches from burgers and fries to "Rafael's fabulous five," said Evelyn Malo, co-owner and manager of the establishment.

  The lunch crowd "has exploded" since people have begun to find out Leal is there, Malo said. Come check out his menu from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Also, look up when you come in as Evelyn's husband, Bill, has put a restored 1942 Stinson 108-Dash 2 plane on display. For more information, call 726-3077.

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  Nan Bain reports that Ferdinando Graziuso, chef for both Ciao Bella and River City Grill, has returned from Italy and is back in the kitchen creating his Italian specialties. This is his third winter, Bain said, "and he gets better every time he comes back."

  Meanwhile, Bain is still hopeful she will find a buyer for the deli at 2100 S. 4th Ave. For information on the property, call Realtor Kathy Kehl at 344-2550.

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  The Pack Rat antique store, 1350 S. 3rd Ave., will be open for the winter season as of Friday. Hours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays. The phone number is 783-4071.

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  Yuma resident Janet White announces that ladies who want to purchase lipsense, the long-lasting lip color, and Senegence products can do so by going to her new Web page through lipsense.com.

  To schedule an appointment to see all the new winter shades and products, give her a call at 1-760-336-9886 or e-mail swtp4@hotmail.com.

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  Michelle Norris has started a scrapbooking business, Michelle My Belle, that will focus primarily on teaching a variety of creative scrapbooking classes. For more information, call Norris at 581-4011.

  Her first classes are scheduled for Saturday at Log Cabin Quilts.

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Report Comings and Goings to jlobeck@yumasun.com or 539-6853.