Bank hopes to acquire San Luis branch

1st Bank Yuma is seeking approval from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to acquire the National Bank of Arizona branch in San Luis, Ariz., at 645 N. 1st Ave.

“We have entered into an agreement to purchase the San Luis branch, pending approval by the FDIC,” confirmed Kathi Marcus, vice president of 1st Bank Yuma. She said the bank hopes to have regulatory approval by early 2012.

She said 1st Bank Yuma, which now has four branches, is looking to grow and be able to service all parts of Yuma County. The San Luis bank already has an employee and customer base in that community. The purchase would bring local ownership to the bank.

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Plans are under way for a new dealership for Alexander Toyota, 889 E. 32nd St., that will also include the addition of the Scion to the vehicle brand lineup.

According to plans submitted to the city, a new dealership will be built to the south of the existing facility, which will remain in operation during construction, reported Alan Kircher, city of Yuma deputy building official. Once the new facility is finished, the original building will be demolished and construction will be completed in that area.

The new dealership will 44,000 square feet and include a showroom, offices, service area and parts department. Eckard Commercial Construction will be the general contractor. The goal is to start construction before the end of the year and is expected to take eight to 10 months.

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Country Junction USA is moving to Britain Farms, 4330 W. Riverside Drive, this winter, announced Billy and Deborah Britain, owners of the business that previously had been located just outside Wellton.

“People no longer will have to drive over the mountains,” they said.

The business will open Nov. 10 for the winter season and serve dinner and provide entertainment from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Dinner will be one seating with one menu that will change nightly. After dinner, patrons can relax, dance and listen to music by keyboardist Aaron Tyler. Reservations are required by calling 210-9594.

The Britains will still have chuckwagon dinner shows occasionally, and the facility will be available for rent for specials and business meetings as well.

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Dr. Evan Short is making plans to relocate his dental practice, Arizona Family Dentistry. Now located at 1025 W. 24th St., Suite 8, in United Plaza, he will be moving to 2415 S. Avenue A to share space with National Bank of Arizona.

A moving date hasn't been set yet, but the target is to relocate sometime in December into the larger and more efficient office. Short opened his practice in Yuma in the fall of 2007.

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Just Relax Skin Care and Waxing with licensed esthetician Jennifer Moore has moved to the Cox Realty building at 2115 S. Arizona Ave., Suite 2. Moore can be reached at the same phone number of 210-5762.

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Tanya R. Sorrell, NP-C, psychiatric nurse practitioner at Yuma Mental Health & Wellness Center, 255 W. 24th St., Suite 4, will be closing her practice effective Nov. 16. Requests for records can be made by calling 304-3866 or writing P.O. Box 25480, Yuma, AZ 85367.

Sorrell said she is “grateful for the opportunity to work with her patients and wishes them the best in the future.” She is closing her practice to devote her time to work on her dissertation to complete her doctorate degree from the University of Arizona.

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Sophia's Too dog grooming salon will be closing its doors at 860 E. 24th St. as of Nov. 1. But rest assured that the new, larger Sophia's Too that opened earlier this month at 2585 E. 16th St. (next door to Highway 95 Cafe) is available to take care of pet care needs, announced owners Daryl and Tanya Dick.

At the new location, Sophia's Too has expanded into not only grooming services but also boarding and doggie day-care services. Hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays.

The shop can be reached at 782-0289 or the old number of 726-0289.

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Last Sunday's Comings and Goings misplaced a new business called A Man Cave. It's really at 2573 E. 24th St. The business, owned by Cindy Moe, is a men's salon that centers on making men comfortable while getting their hair cut.

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Gila Bend is quickly becoming the solar hub of Arizona.

It will be home to the Solana Generating Station, currently under construction by Abengoa Solar on the northwest corner of Interstate 8 and Painted Rock Dam Road. That's the huge project Yuma travelers headed for Phoenix on I-8 can see at Paloma Ranch just before they get to Gila Bend.

Once completed in mid-2013, the 250-megawatt generating plant will be among the world's largest solar facilities. It will cover 3 square miles and have 2,700 parabolic trough collectors. The plant will use 75 percent less water than the current agricultural use of the property. Arizona Public Service Co. has a contract to purchase all of the plant's output, enough to power 70,000 Arizona homes.

Meanwhile, APS announced the completion of two other solar projects in Gila Bend. The 17-megawatt Paloma Solar Power Plant becomes the first facility to reach commercial operation as part of the AZ Sun Program. APS also has placed the Cotton Center Solar Plant in commercial operation, adding an additional 17 megawatts to the AZ Sun Program.

Complete details on current and future APS renewable projects are available online at aps.com/remap.

Report Comings and Goings to jlobeck@yumasun.com or call Joyce Lobeck at 539-6853.