Published: July 23, 2008 12:00 am      

Business Beat: Local man forms arts performance company

Oneonta actor and lawyer Andy Puritz has formed a company for arts performances.

White Knuckle Productions will present plays, readings, dance, debates, musical performances, speeches and lectures, variety acts, performance art and more at reasonable prices, according to a media release.

The company's first offering will be a performance by Norman Fox And The Robroys at the Oneonta High School Belden Auditorium at 2 p.m. Aug. 24. Based in New York City, the Robroys offer doo-wop rock n' roll.

Puritz said he hopes this performance will be the first of many in Oneonta.

Worker safety noted

Eastman Associates Inc. recently received a safety record award from the Empire State Chapter of Associated Builders & Contractors Compensation Trust, a media release from the Oneonta firm said.

This award is in recognition of Eastman Associates' commitment to workplace safety and its accomplishment of zero workers' compensation claims from May 2006 through April 2007.

Eastman Associates is a general contractor specializing in commercial, industrial, institutional and civil construction since 1989.

Free financial workshops Thursday

Sterling Manor Financial, LLC will host free dinner workshops to discuss financial topics at The Andes Hotel in Andes at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Topics will include retirement planning, estate planning and long-term care planning. For more information or to register, call (866) 450-5655 or visit www.sterlingmanorfinancial.com and follow links for Knowledge SeriesSM.

Sterling Manor Financial, LLC is an independent financial services firm. The firm's Catskill office is located at 75 Bridge St. in Margaretville.

Drought assistance available in Otsego

Small businesses in Otsego County that experienced setbacks from a drought starting in May 1 may find financial help through the Small Business Administration.

The SBA said economic disaster loans are available in New York as a result of a drought that occurred May 1, 2007, and is continuing. Completed applications are due Aug. 4 at the U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to farm-related and nonfarm-related small businesses and small agricultural cooperatives, according to a media release. Farmers and ranchers are not eligible, as the SBA cannot provide loans to agricultural producers under this declaration. Nurseries are eligible, however.

Loans may be up to $1.5 million at a 4 percent interest rate with terms up to 30 years.

For more information, call SBA's Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 (or (800) 877-8339 for the hearing-impaired) between 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends. The center's e-mail address is disastercustomerservices@sba.gov. Applications may be downloaded from the SBA website at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance.

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To suggest a business story, announce a new business or changes to an existing one, e-mail drichardson@thedailystar.com or call Denise Richardson at 432-1000 or (800) 721-1000, ext. 213.