Westfield State University will launch its fall Guest Lecture Series Wednesday with 'An Evening of Poetry' with Keith Leonard, class of 2008, from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Loughman Living Room at Scanlon Hall.  That will be followed Oct. 5 with a 'Why I Go to the Olympics' lecture by Dr. Amy Bass at 7 p.m. on Dever Stage at the Parenzo Hall.

Airlines see more potential routes that could be profitable than they have aircraft to serve. But they are extremely reluctant to invest in more aircraft for these market conditions, which might not last.  So their strategy is to have a quick trigger finger and be willing to shift people and aircraft from routes that are not performing to new ones where the possibilities are — in theory — less limited, said Kevin Dillon, executive director and CEO at the Connecticut Airport Authority and Bradley International Airport.

The East of the River Five Town Chamber of Commerce’s (ERC5) 14th annual Golf Classic will be held on Friday, Sept. 30 at the Country Club of Wilbraham. Presented by ERC5 with support from Gaudreau Group, Proshred Security, Advanced Drainage System, Life Care Center of Wilbraham and supporting members, the tournament will kick off with registration at 11 a.m., followed by lunch sponsored by Polish National Credit Union at 11:30 a.m., then a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m.

Taxes, health care, energy prices and the looming presidential election drew attention this week as members of the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce toured Washington as part of the chamber's annual Washington Symposium hosted by U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal. "We had a very good turnout from Berkshire County and from Hampden County," Neal said.  There were 22 chamber members on the trip representing various businesses and nonprofits. They included representatives from both Baystate Health and Sisters of Providence Health System.

At the request of the developer, the City Council voted unanimously to delay for six months taking any action on the proposal to convert the Cabotville Mill into 600 apartments and 400,000 square feet of retail space. The council voted 12-0 this week to grant the time extension to SilverBrick LLC. The extension will expire in February, but the council also agreed to meet on the proposal in December to make sure it stays current on the plans. "We want to work with this developer. It will be a boon to the downtown," Councilor Shane D. Brooks said of ...

Universal Plastics Corporation, a Massachusetts based custom thermoforming manufacturer, announced today that it has received certification as a minority-owned business enterprise (MBE) by the Supplier Diversity Office of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The MBE certification is the most widely recognized certification for minority-owned businesses in the United States. "Companies today are implementing diversity initiatives as a component of their sourcing strategy. We are pleased to be officially recognized as a minority-owned business enterprise,” said Jay Kumar, President of Universal Plastics. “This certification will assist in our growth and ability to better service your OEM customer base”, Kumar said

Massachusetts has received a $2.5 million federal grant to help young adults and teenagers with disabilities find employment. The money will be spent in Hampden County and in the Lowell area. The U.S. Department of Labor gave nearly $15 million to six states. The Massachusetts money will go toward expanding access to credential-based education and training for individuals with disabilities between ages 14 and 24. The state will create partnerships with employers and offer subsidized short-term work programs to help businesses hire young people with disabilities.

Springfield College and Berkshire Community College announced an agreement this week that will allow Berkshire Community College physical fitness graduates to transfer to Springfield College's Applied Exercise Science Program with junior standing.

 Big Lots will hosted a grand opening Friday  for its rehabbed store at 90 Cooley Street, Springfield in the Five Town Plaza. Big Lots District Team Leader Chris Berger presented  a donation of $2,000 to Thomas M. Balliet School during the ceremony. A non-traditional, closeout-type retailer, Big Lots has 1,448 stores in 47 states  selling food and other consumables, furniture, seasonal goods, furniture and electronics.

Minuteman Press hosted a grand opening" of its Springfield location, 1365 Main St., downtown. This will be the second location for franchise owners, Michael and Lindsey Weber, who also own the Enfield location. Minuteman Press is a full-service design, print and marketing center serving the entire business community from small businesses to corporations. They produce banners, signs, marketing materials, and more.