Off Duty Paramedic Saves Life

Midhurst/ July 27, 2009 – An Orillia man is alive today thanks to the efforts of an off duty County of Simcoe Paramedic.

County of Simcoe Paramedic Colin Gilchrist was on his way to work last Friday when he came across a cyclist in apparent distress. Gilchrist, a 2 year veteran with County of Simcoe Paramedic Services, approached the man and enquired if he was in need of assistance. The man indicated that he was in distress and Gilchrist called 911.
The 54 year old man proceeded to collapse with all vital signs absent. Gilchrist administered CPR until Paramedics arrived.

Paramedics utilized a defibrillator to shock the man’s heart. The patient regained a heartbeat on scene, but was again treated with the defibrillator enroute to hospital. He was transported to Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital where he regained consciousness.

“We are continually grateful to all emergency services personnel including our Paramedics for the high quality services that they provide on a daily basis to residents and visitors in Simcoe County,” stated Warden Tony Guergis. “Today, Paramedic Gilchrist demonstrated a willingness to get involved while off duty, an attribute that we are very proud to find in all our staff. His actions saved a life. Well done.”

“Paramedic Colin Gilchrist, responding Paramedics and the entire medical team formed the chain of survival that led to this positive outcome”, said Director and Chief of Paramedic Services Andrew Robert. “Congratulations to everyone.”
The County of Simcoe is composed of sixteen member municipalities and provides crucial public services to County residents in addition to providing paramedic and social services to the separated cities of Barrie and Orillia. Visit our website at simcoe.ca.

County of Simcoe Supports Community Schools Alliance

Midhurst/ July 24, 2009 – The County of Simcoe announced today Warden Tony Guergis’ as a founding member of the Community Schools Alliance. This new Alliance will spearhead efforts to have municipalities become partners with school boards in making decisions about where new schools are built and where schools are closed.

“I am honoured and pleased to be a part of this initiative working together for the betterment of education for all residents of Ontario,” stated Warden Guergis. “There is a strong need for municipal leaders to get involved and to work in co-operation with local school boards. Our schools are important assets in our public infrastructure and we believe that municipalities, parents and students should have a strong voice at the table where school accommodation decisions are made.”

The Community Schools Alliance, chaired by Doug Reycraft, Mayor of South West Middlesex in Middlesex County and former president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, is asking Ontario’s Minister of Education to impose a ‘smart moratorium’ on school closings. The moratorium would enable the Ministry, school boards and municipalities to work together to develop policies addressing such issues as declining enrolments, funding for rural and small community schools and the working relationship between municipalities and school boards.

“I am pleased that Doug Reycraft is chairing this committee. I have worked with Doug in the past and have tremendous respect for his abilities and I look forward to his leadership in respect to this issue,” said Guergis.

The Community Schools Alliance was formed recently by Simcoe County and other Ontario municipalities concerned that municipalities do not currently have an active role in the process used by school boards to make decisions about student accommodation, especially school closures. There are currently 100 schools in Ontario undergoing accommodation reviews and 146 schools scheduled for closing or recommended to be closed.

“As a member of the Community Schools Alliance, the County has a tremendous opportunity to be involved in this important process and to be at the table when the discussions take place and decisions are made,” stated Warden Guergis. “Residents in many Simcoe County communities including Springwater, the City of Barrie, Clearview, Penetanguishene and Wasaga Beach have education delivery concerns. There are challenges with the current process and by working together with the Community Schools Alliance, we can resolve these issues."

In addition to his role on the new Alliance, Warden Guergis will continue to work with the Simcoe County District School Board to address provincial funding inequities for education across the region. Board trustees have accepted the County’s offer to form a working group and to request a review of education funding levels.

“We are working together with our partners in order to bring recognition to funding issues from a regional perspective,” concluded Warden Guergis. “Simcoe County has been consistently at the bottom of the provincial funding scale and we need to be addressing our concerns as regional service providers. When we act together we have a stronger voice.”

For more information about the Community Schools Alliance visit communityschoolsalliance.ca.

The County of Simcoe is composed of sixteen member municipalities and provides crucial public services to County residents in addition to providing paramedic and social services to the separated cities of Barrie and Orillia. Visit our website at simcoe.ca.

Solar Power Lights up Innisfil

Mayor Brian Jackson is pleased to announce that the Town of Innisfil Gateway sign at Highway 400 and Innisfil Beach Road is complete and lit solely by solar power thanks to the contribution of Innisfil Hydro. The three state-of-the-art 35 Watt LED lights are powered by six photo voltaic panels from a bank of batteries installed by a local firm, Solar Wind Electric. Hydro President George Shaparew said that he was pleased to be part of this project as it saves over 3,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions every year and shows ambassadorship regarding the new Green Energy Act.

Mayor Jackson mentioned that the concrete sign is well positioned at Innisfil’s industrial growth area of Innisfil Heights. The sign was built from community donations mentioned Jackson, and the main contributor was RES Precast Inc., a local architectural precast concrete company situated off of Highway 400. Other contributors included Spring Tree Farm, LaFarge, Town of Innisfil, Communities in Bloom, C.C. Tatham, Dave Dobinson Excavating, and Ron Pugh of Southpointe Homes. The floral garden in front of the sign is maintained by the Town of Innisfil Community Services staff.

Town CAO Larry Allison said that Town staff worked diligently in getting approvals from the Ministry of Transportation and said that the outcome was worth the hard work and perseverance. “As CAO and also Hydro Chairman, I would like to thank and congratulate all that were instrumental in building this monument for the Town of Innisfil”.

Two Celebrity Actors and 2 Olympic Gold Medalists to join Hockey Night in Barrie roster

The list of celebrities playing in the August 13th Hockey Night in Barrie charity game at the Barrie Molson Centre just got a little more entertaining with the addition of two Medalists for Canada’s Women’s Hockey Team Sami Jo Small and Vicki Sunohara as well as celebrity actors Chris Bolton and Gabe Hogan of the popular Showcase Series “Rent-a-Goalie”.

Vicki Sunohara will not be able to play in the game as she is pregnant with twins but will be signing autographs and meeting with the fans!

Additional confirmed players include current and former NHL stars such as
Darcy Tucker, Mike Gartner, Shayne Corson, Gary Leeman and Aaron Johnson. Minister of National Defense Peter MacKay will be in attendance as well as Minister of Sport Garry Lunn, hockey great Eddie Shack and figure skating legend Jennifer Robinson are returning as assistant coaches.

Also, for the first time ever, MP Patrick Brown is pleased to announce “The Best Seats in the House.” For $50 a seat, fans can enjoy the ultimate hockey experience which includes front row seats to the game, an autographed Hockey Night in Barrie hat, and a game day puck. For additional information regarding this opportunity please contact Joshua Valler (705) 726-5959 or at josh@servingbarrie.com.

Doors open at 5:30 pm, pregame begins at 6:30pm and the puck drops at 7pm sharp. Sponsorship opportunities still available! Tickets are also available at 5, 10, 15 dollars at www.ticketmaster.ca

PowerStream begins rollout of Time-of-Use electricity prices

Two-year process of switching customers to new rate structure starts in Aurora on August 1

VAUGHAN, ON – On August 1, PowerStream Barrie Hydro Distribution, the local utility which delivers power to a number of communities in York Region and Simcoe County, will begin a twoyear process of switching all residential and small business customers in its service territory to the provincially mandated Time-of-Use (TOU) pricing structure.

The first group to be migrated to TOU rates will be approximately 1,800 residential customers in the Town of Aurora. In June, these customers received an information package from PowerStream Barrie Hydro Distribution introducing them to TOU rates and providing advance notification of the change. A follow-up “reminder’ package with additional information on TOU pricing is scheduled to be delivered to these same customers sometime in August.

By the end of December 2009, all residential customers in Aurora with a smart meter are scheduled to be on TOU rates. The migration of Richmond Hill residential customers is planned to start in February 2010 followed by Markham customers in May. Several other large utilities in the province will also begin switching their customers with smart meters to TOU rates over the coming months. In total, it is expected that more than one million Ontario households will be on the new pricing regime by next summer.

The migration of Vaughan customers to TOU rates is scheduled to begin in October 2010 with the changeover for Barrie and the utility’s customers in Simcoe County commencing a month later. In May, George Smitherman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, announced the province-wide implementation of TOU rates, explaining that these rates will equip Ontarians with real time information to make smart decisions about how and when they use electricity. The rates reflect the reality that electricity costs the most when demand is highest. By shifting electricity use to lower demand periods consumers will benefit by being charged for their electricity at a lower price.

Customers will be better able to manage their electricity costs by reducing overall consumption and by shifting their use of electric household appliances, such as laundry appliances and dishwashers, to later in the evening or on weekends. Shifting use of other discretionary appliances such as air conditioners can also help. Under the new rate structure, off-peak times occur on evenings and weekends. Currently, evening off-peak hours start at 10 pm. As of November 1, off-peak times will move to 9 pm, offering Ontario families an additional evening hour at the lowest rate.

As of May 1, 2009, the three TOU price points for electricity are (per kilowatt hour):
• On-peak: 9.1 cents
• Mid-peak: 7.6 cents
• Off-peak: 4.2 cents

Earlier this year, Brian Bentz, PowerStream’s President and CEO, indicated how the company was taking a leadership position in this Ontario-wide initiative by being the first large utility to successfully complete testing, integration and having customer billing data processed through the province’s centralized Meter Data Management Repository (MDMR).

“We have been working closely for sometime now with the MDMR team at the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) to ensure a smooth transition for customers being moved to time-of-use rates,” Bentz added. “This has been a major undertaking for our company and we are pleased with the results.” TOU electricity consumption is measured by a smart meter. There are currently more than 2.5 million smart meters installed in Ontario. More smart meters are scheduled to be installed though out the province over next couple of years with an estimated 3.6 million electricity customers expected to be on TOU rates by June 2011.

For more information on smart meters and TOU rates, visit the PowerStream website at http://www.powerstream.ca/app/pages/SmartMeters.jsp .

About PowerStream PowerStream is the second largest municipally-owned local electricity distribution company in Ontario, providing service to more than 315,000 residential and business customers in Alliston, Aurora, Barrie, Beeton, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Markham, Penetanguishene Richmond Hill, Thornton, Tottenham and Vaughan. It is an incorporated entity, jointly owned by the City of Barrie, the City of Vaughan and the Town of Markham.

One Hundred Years of Nitrogen Fertilizer from Fossil Fuels

by Ralph C. Martin


In October 1908, Fritz Haber filed his patent on the "synthesis of ammonia from its elements." This achievement lead to his 1918 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He collaborated with an industrial colleague, Carl Bosch, to develop the Haber-Bosch process to manufacture large quantities of nitrogen fertilizer as well as explosives. And thus humans faced another "swords and ploughshares" choice. The implications of Haber's relentless tinkering in a lab in Germany, one hundred years ago, have been profound.

Since WWI, agriculturalists have applied the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process with zeal. In the last century, the curve on a graph showing the exponential growth of nitrogen fertilizer use overlaps closely with a curve showing energy use in agriculture and also with another curve indicating the growth of human populations. What will the impact be as energy becomes limiting?

The Haber-Bosch process achieves a temperature of 1000oC and a pressure of 1000 atmospheres to manufacture nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen gas molecules, in the form of two N atoms locked together with triple bonds make up 78% of our air. Contained heat and pressure split these N atoms apart and tack on a hydrogen atom to each broken bond of N atoms to form NH3 or ammonia. For this transformation we need fossil fuel energy and also natural gas as a source of hydrogen.

In contrast, Rhizobia, lowly bacteria on legume plants (e.g. peas, beans clovers), use enzymes and very little energy in the form of carbohydrate from their host plants to do the same job. Legume plants receive nitrogen from Rhizobia and Rhizobia receive carbohydrates from legume plants. This ancient trade deal or the symbiosis of millennia is ours to exploit and our example of civility.

In 1798, the dour Reverend Malthus warned that if our human population increased exponentially, food production would still only increase linearly and the race of "man" could not escape from this law. A century or so later, Fritz Haber appeared to give us the key for our escape. With the generous lubrication of energy this key worked well. Human population, nitrogen fertilizer use, food production and energy use all increased exponentially.

Today, as energy supplies dwindle and as green house gas (GHG) emissions increase from the burning of fossil fuels, excess domestic livestock and excess nitrogen fertilizer, we might do well to heed the warning of Malthus from 2 centuries ago. His warning was a warning after all and not a challenge to act as if biological limits do not apply to modern, scientific people. Science based on ecological realism will serve us more effectively than science based on human hubris and fantasies.

In Europe and China, with relatively high nitrogen fertilizer applications per hectare on conventional farms, organic farms yield considerably less. In North America, organic farms produce about 90 - 95% of the yields of conventional farms and in some African countries organic farm yields exceed those on conventional farms. To date, on a global scale, very low proportions of farms are organic.

Will we be able to feed the world without manufactured nitrogen? Many agronomists argue that we cannot, however they tend to assume that we must continue to produce not only similar amounts of food but annually increasing amounts to backstop growth. Others suggest that relying on the use of legume nitrogen while reducing meat consumption, especially from grain-fed animals in feed lots, might address potential food shortages. Additional approaches are to recycle rather than to waste nutrients (including human sewage with safe guards), relying more on urban gardens (recall the Victory gardens of WW II), farming all productive land near cities and adopting organic methods.

What will a retreat from using manufactured nitrogen mean? Vaclav Smil at the University of Manitoba argues that 40% of people in 2000 depended on nitrogen fertilizer and a more recent estimate by Erisman and others, published in Nature in October 2008, is that 48%, almost half of humanity, depend on nitrogen fertilizer for their food supply.

Today, one third of the energy consumed in agriculture goes for nitrogen fertilizer. Even if human populations do not grow, we are also using nitrogen fertilizer to grow bio-fuel and biomass crops. Thus the demand for nitrogen fertilizer is expected to go beyond the savings from improved efficiencies.

One hundred years ago, the miracle of nitrogen fertilizer helped us to crash through restraining boundaries and more became possible. Under prevalent production methods today, many people owe their lives to it, while fossil fuels decline and GHG emissions increase.


Ralph C. Martin, Ph.D., P.Ag. is the Founding Director of the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada. Please send comments or questions by phone to 902-893-7256 or by email to oacc@nsac.ca. One month after publication, OACC newspaper articles are archived at www.oacc.info

One Hundred Years of Nitrogen Fertilizer from Fossil Fuels

_________________________________________________________________


by Ralph C. Martin


In October 1908, Fritz Haber filed his patent on the "synthesis of ammonia from its elements." This achievement lead to his 1918 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He collaborated with an industrial colleague, Carl Bosch, to develop the Haber-Bosch process to manufacture large quantities of nitrogen fertilizer as well as explosives. And thus humans faced another "swords and ploughshares" choice. The implications of Haber's relentless tinkering in a lab in Germany, one hundred years ago, have been profound.

Since WWI, agriculturalists have applied the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process with zeal. In the last century, the curve on a graph showing the exponential growth of nitrogen fertilizer use overlaps closely with a curve showing energy use in agriculture and also with another curve indicating the growth of human populations. What will the impact be as energy becomes limiting?

The Haber-Bosch process achieves a temperature of 1000oC and a pressure of 1000 atmospheres to manufacture nitrogen fertilizer. Nitrogen gas molecules, in the form of two N atoms locked together with triple bonds make up 78% of our air. Contained heat and pressure split these N atoms apart and tack on a hydrogen atom to each broken bond of N atoms to form NH3 or ammonia. For this transformation we need fossil fuel energy and also natural gas as a source of hydrogen.

In contrast, Rhizobia, lowly bacteria on legume plants (e.g. peas, beans clovers), use enzymes and very little energy in the form of carbohydrate from their host plants to do the same job. Legume plants receive nitrogen from Rhizobia and Rhizobia receive carbohydrates from legume plants. This ancient trade deal or the symbiosis of millennia is ours to exploit and our example of civility.

In 1798, the dour Reverend Malthus warned that if our human population increased exponentially, food production would still only increase linearly and the race of "man" could not escape from this law. A century or so later, Fritz Haber appeared to give us the key for our escape. With the generous lubrication of energy this key worked well. Human population, nitrogen fertilizer use, food production and energy use all increased exponentially.

Today, as energy supplies dwindle and as green house gas (GHG) emissions increase from the burning of fossil fuels, excess domestic livestock and excess nitrogen fertilizer, we might do well to heed the warning of Malthus from 2 centuries ago. His warning was a warning after all and not a challenge to act as if biological limits do not apply to modern, scientific people. Science based on ecological realism will serve us more effectively than science based on human hubris and fantasies.

In Europe and China, with relatively high nitrogen fertilizer applications per hectare on conventional farms, organic farms yield considerably less. In North America, organic farms produce about 90 - 95% of the yields of conventional farms and in some African countries organic farm yields exceed those on conventional farms. To date, on a global scale, very low proportions of farms are organic.

Will we be able to feed the world without manufactured nitrogen? Many agronomists argue that we cannot, however they tend to assume that we must continue to produce not only similar amounts of food but annually increasing amounts to backstop growth. Others suggest that relying on the use of legume nitrogen while reducing meat consumption, especially from grain-fed animals in feed lots, might address potential food shortages. Additional approaches are to recycle rather than to waste nutrients (including human sewage with safe guards), relying more on urban gardens (recall the Victory gardens of WW II), farming all productive land near cities and adopting organic methods.

What will a retreat from using manufactured nitrogen mean? Vaclav Smil at the University of Manitoba argues that 40% of people in 2000 depended on nitrogen fertilizer and a more recent estimate by Erisman and others, published in Nature in October 2008, is that 48%, almost half of humanity, depend on nitrogen fertilizer for their food supply.

Today, one third of the energy consumed in agriculture goes for nitrogen fertilizer. Even if human populations do not grow, we are also using nitrogen fertilizer to grow bio-fuel and biomass crops. Thus the demand for nitrogen fertilizer is expected to go beyond the savings from improved efficiencies.

One hundred years ago, the miracle of nitrogen fertilizer helped us to crash through restraining boundaries and more became possible. Under prevalent production methods today, many people owe their lives to it, while fossil fuels decline and GHG emissions increase.


Ralph C. Martin, Ph.D., P.Ag. is the Founding Director of the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada. Please send comments or questions by phone to 902-893-7256 or by email to oacc@nsac.ca. One month after publication, OACC newspaper articles are archived at www.oacc.info

Keeping home and play safe: Important safety tips for parents and caregivers

By Dr. David Butler-Jones MD, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada

A report recently published by the Public Health Agency of Canada reveals that unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death among Canadian children aged 1 to 19 and are the third leading cause of hospital visits. Many of these injuries are caused by car accidents; however, many are also caused by common household and play items, such as playground equipment, bicycles, skateboards, trampolines and furniture.

It's important that parents and caregivers remember to enforce basic safety messages such as always wearing properly-fitted helmets when cycling, skateboarding or rollerblading and following water-safety rules around pools, lakes and rivers.

As trampolines become increasingly common in backyards across Canada, so do the injuries associated with them. Following some basic safety advice goes a long way in helping to prevent potentially serious injuries.

Do:
- Carefully read and follow assembly instructions
- Provide supervision, even when safety nets are being used
- Ensure that your trampoline meets current international safety regulations
- Set up your trampoline on level-ground, away from structures, and surround with sand or loose fill

Don't:
- Allow a child younger than six years of age to use the trampoline
- Allow more than one child to use the trampoline at the same time
- Wear clothes or jewellery that could catch
- Attempt somersaults or flips without the supervision of a certified trampoline instructor

With infants and toddlers, there are a number of common household products
that can lead to injury. Some are "hidden" hazards, such as televisions,
magnets in toys and blind cords, and some are more obvious, such as bunk
beds. To avoid injuries in the home, make sure that furniture and
electronics are properly secured, using the proper angle braces and
anchors when necessary. Televisions should be placed on low, stable
furniture and electric cords should be hidden. Blind cords should be cut
short or wound up. Remember to keep cribs, highchairs and playpens away
from windows or patio doors, where a child could more easily reach a blind
or curtain cord.

Parents should also be aware that baby walkers are now banned in Canada
and shouldn’t be bought used at garage sales or at second-hand stores.

Exercise caution when using infant bath seats or bath rings, which present a drowning risk when children are left in them unsupervised. Watch young children carefully while in the bathtub, keeping them in sight and within arm's reach at all times. A child can drown in as little as two inches of
water and in just a few minutes - if you have to leave the room, even just
to answer the phone, take your child with you.

Keeping children safe is every parent's first priority. For more information on consumer product safety and injury prevention, visit the Public Health Agency of Canada website at www.publichealth.gc.ca to access the Child and Youth Injury in Review 2009 Edition – Spotlight on ConsumerProduct Safety.

Dr. David Butler-Jones is Canada's first Chief Public Health Officer and is head of the Public Health Agency of Canada.

NATIONWIDE TOUR STORYLINES – Week of July 13th

The Nationwide Tour is idle this week while the British Open Championship is contested in Scotland. The Tour’s next stop is next week’s Cox Classic presented by Lexus of Omaha. It begins a stretch of 14 events in a row that will culminate with the season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island in South Carolina (Oct. 22-25).

STEVE STRICKER GETS ALUMNI WIN NO. 250 – Celebrating its 20th year, the Nationwide Tour collected its 250th PGA TOUR alumni win on Sunday when Steve Stricker won the John Deere Classic, his second title of 2009. That makes 13 alumni wins this year. Of the top-21 finishers at the John Deere event, 18 were former Nationwide Tour players.

ROGER TAMBELLINI TAKES OFF – Three tournaments ago, Roger Tambellini was well outside “The 25” at No. 41 on the money list. With a T2 at the Nationwide Tour Players Cup in West Virginia and a victory on Sunday in the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic, the 1998 University of Southern California grad catapulted all the way up to No. 3 in these last two events. He earned more than $196,000 in West Virginia and Canada to give him $250,760 on the year. His win in Canada was one of precision as he hit 51 of 55 fairways (T1) and 63 of 72 greens in regulation (1st). He only missed one fairway on the weekend. The California native who now lives in Scottsdale, Ariz. is assured a return trip to the PGA TOUR where he competed full time in 2004 and ’06.

LONG-DRIVE LEADER BLAKE ADAMS CAN ‘PUTT FOR DOUGH’ TOO – They say in golf you “drive for show and putt for dough”. Apparently, Blake Adams is doing both very well in 2009. He leads in the Driving Distance stat (314 yards per drive) and is 7th in Putting Average. The Georgian’s combined stats in these two key categories are the best on the Nationwide Tour. At last week’s Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic, the 2001 Georgia Southern graduate finished runner-up, his best Nationwide Tour finish in 36 starts. Adams earned his biggest check ever, $86,410, which is $69 more than he earned his first two years on the Nationwide Tour (2007 and ’08). With two T3s, a T11 and a T13 in nine starts since his first one in April, he is now 7th on the money list. In addition to his long driving and putting prowess, the former high school basketball star is 1st in Total Driving, 3rd in Scoring Average, 4th in All-Around Ranking and 5th in Birdie Average.

KYLE REIFERS FLIRTS WITH 59 IN CANADA – In the first round of last week’s Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic, two-time Wake Forest All-American Kyle Reifers played a stretch of eight holes (Nos. 4-11) in 10-under par, the best birdie-eagle streak in Nationwide Tour history, bettering Ahmad Bateman’s 9-under-par effort in eight holes at the 1996 Utah Classic. (Note: Billy Mayfair and Briny Baird hold the PGA TOUR record of 9 under over eight holes.) With two par-5s ahead of him, the magic score of “59” became a possibility at Raven Golf Club near Georgian Bay in Ontario. A bogey on the 12th stalled Reifers’ momentum. He would go on to birdie the 16th and 17th holes and shoot a course-record 61 (-11). It was the second time he’d shot an 11-under 61 on the Nationwide Tour, having done so en route to his 2006 Chattanooga Classic win. Reifers finished T12 in the Ford Wayne Gretzky event.

OHIO STATE’S JIM BROWN NAMED HONORARY CHAIR FOR COLUMBUS EVENT – Long-time Ohio State University men’s head golf coach Jim Brown has been named Honorary Chairman of the 2009 Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational. The Invitational will be played at OSU’s Scarlet Course July 30 – Aug. 2 and features the college golf coaches’ first-team All-Americans. Brown stepped down from his position at the conclusion of the 2008-2009 season. The 1996 Ohio State graduate is the longest tenured head coach in OSU history and the longest tenured men’s golf coach in the Big Ten, having come to OSU in 1973.

“TICKETS Fore CHARITY™” PROGRAM TAKING OFF – Two years ago, “TICKETS Fore CHARITY” was introduced to the Nationwide Tour by Jeff Sanders Promotions of Beaverton, Ore., promoters of the Tour’s highly-successful Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft. A number of events have instituted the program, which provides non-profit organizations a unique opportunity to sell tournament tickets and retain 100 percent of the proceeds. Midway through the 2009 season, there are some very successful stories to tell. Specifically, the recently concluded Nationwide Tour Players Cup in West Virginia generated $142,000 for charities statewide, nearly doubling their first-year effort of 2008. With three weeks to go, the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational reports total sales of $430,300. And the innovator of the program, the Albertsons Boise Open (Sept. 17-20), has already hit $426,000, up $285,000 from the same time last year.

TOM LEHMAN AND JASON DAY FEATURED IN “GREATEST MOMENTS” NOS. 11 AND 12 – Two more of the Nationwide Tour’s “20 Greatest Moments” were released during last week’s Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic. The moments featured Tom Lehman’s rise from 1991 Nationwide Tour Player of the Year to No. 1 in the world in 1997 and 19-year-old Jason Day becoming the youngest winner of a Tour event by two years in 2007. The 12 “Moments” that have been revealed to date may be viewed on PGA TOUR.COM (http://www.pgatour.com/h/top20moments_archive/index.html).

NEXT WEEK – The Nationwide Tour is in Omaha, Neb. for the Cox Classic presented by Lexus of Omaha (July 23-26). Omaha and Champions Run host the Nationwide Tour for the 14th year in a row. Beginning at Omaha, the Tour will play 14 weeks straight to close out the 2009 season and determine “The 25” players who will earn their 2010 PGA TOUR cards.

20 YEARS / THIS WEEK IN NATIONWIDE TOUR HISTORY –

July 15, 2007: BYU First-Team All-American Daniel Summerhays becomes the first amateur to win a Nationwide Tour event when he captures the inaugural Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational at Ohio State University’s Scarlet Course in Nationwide’s hometown of Columbus, Ohio.

July 18, 2004: Jonathan Byrd wins the 150th PGA TOUR title by a former Nationwide Tour player when he takes the B.C. Open in Endicott, N.Y. On Sunday, Steve Stricker gave the Tour its 250th alumni win.

THEATRE ONTARIO PRESENTS 2009 MAGGIE BASSETT AWARD TO ALEX MUSTAKAS

Theatre Ontario is thrilled to announce that the 2009 Maggie Bassett Award shall be presented to Alex Mustakas, founding and current Artistic Director of Drayton Entertainment. The award, which recognizes a sustained and significant contribution to the development of theatre in Ontario, is a worthy honour for a man who turned a tiny, virtually unused theatre in Drayton, Ontario into a vibrant theatrical company.

Alex first studied business at Wilfrid Laurier University and arts administration at City University in London, but returned to Canada to pursue his dream of “a small theatre of his own where he could touch the art and touch the artists.” From its first season in 1991—performing for an audience of 14,000—Drayton Entertainment has grown under his leadership to become the third largest regional theatre company in Canada and the seventh largest employer of professional actors in the country, drawing over 200,000 theatregoers each summer to its six venues.

Drayton Entertainment currently operates theatres in St. Jacobs, Drayton, Grand Bend, and Penetanguishene and has had an enormous economic and artistic impact on all the communities in which it is involved. “I really like to think that each theatre is indigenous to its community,” Alex has said, and his dedication to those communities has been exemplary.

Alex has also been actively involved with other theatre companies, sharing his business model and serving as guest director for productions at The Piggery Theatre in North Hatley, Quebec, Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton, Stage West in Mississauga, the Toronto Gilbert & Sullivan Society, and a number of productions with Kitchener-Waterloo Musical Productions, The Waterloo Regional Gilbert & Sullivan Society, and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. He has served as President of the Association of Summer Theatres ‘Round Ontario. Through donations of tickets, venue and discounted rehearsal space, he has helped local charities, schools and community theatre organizations.

“In selecting Alex Mustakas to receive the award,” says Leonard McHardy, co-founder and owner of TheatreBooks, and chair of the Maggie Bassett Award jury, “we were overwhelmingly impressed by the understanding that Alex has of the importance of the role that theatre can have in a community in so many different ways. His commitment to theatre throughout the province has made it possible for Ontarians to participate in building healthy communities.”

“I have never viewed theatre as my job,” says Alex. “It’s so much more than that—it’s my passion. I am truly humbled to be recognized by my peers with this honour.”

The award will be presented to Alex on August 6th in St. Jacobs at the opening night of Drayton Entertainment’s production of Moon Over Buffalo.

The Maggie Bassett Award is presented to an individual who, over a number of years, has made a sustained and significant contribution to the development of theatre in Ontario. As Theatre Ontario's first employee, the late Maggie Bassett created a solid foundation for the organization by launching the Professional Theatre Training Program, Summer Courses, and the newsletter. Her love for the arts held no barriers between community, professional or educational theatre. Maggie was also a fine director and actress and performed at Tarragon Theatre, Huron County Playhouse, and at the Alumnae Theatre. For many years, she attended all regional festivals. She was known for her warmth, humour, sparkle and the sincere encouragement she bestowed on those around her. This award is for dedication to theatre beyond the call of duty. The award is a stunning bronze statuette entitled "COURAGE", designed by Rita Tuckett and sculpted by Ronald Thom.

Past recipients of the award are Ken Watts, Elsie Thomson, Jean Roberts, Herbert Whittaker, Heather McCallum, Herman Voaden, Dennis Sweeting, Jack Medhurst, Jack Blacklock, Sandy Black, Patricia Beharriell, Wilf Pegg, Virginia Reh, Lib Spry, Wayne Fairhead, Richard Howard, Dusty Miller, Kay McKie, Beth McMaster, Sandra Tulloch, Jeff Burke, James Alexander, Ron Cameron-Lewis, Angela Rebeiro, Kim Renders and Yvette Nolan.

Read more about the Maggie Bassett Award at www.theatreontario.org.

CANADIAN DERMATOLOGY ASSOCIATION (CDA) ANNOUNCES THE 2009 AWARD WINNERS

OTTAWA, ON, July 9, 2009 – The Canadian Dermatology Association announced the award winners at the President’s Banquet held during the 84th Annual Conference in Vancouver on July 4, 2009. The CDA honoured seven winners in the media, industry, not for profit, volunteer and research categories for excellence in the advancement of public education and the science and art of medicine and surgery related to the health of the skin, hair and nails.

The distinguished President's Cup award is given by the CDA president to a CDA member dermatologist who has been of particular assistance to the president and/or the association over the past year and whom the president feels has made a significant contribution to the Association. The 2009 President's Cup was presented to Dr. Elizabeth O’Brien for her immense contribution and leadership in representing dermatology and dermatology residents’ interests through the Royal College.

The CDA Young Dermatologists’ Volunteer Award recognizes outstanding volunteer medical and dermatologic services to the community by young Canadian dermatologists who are in private practice. The Young Dermatologists’ Volunteer Award went to Dr. Vince Bertucci for his continuing work on behalf of the CDA and especially Ontario dermatologists in regards to dermatological surgery regulations.

Other award recipients include:

Media Public Education Awards:
Insidermedicine.com – Dr. Susan Sharma, for an innovative web based public education program on a variety of skin related issues which is easily accessible, understandable and accurate.

Glow Magazine - Jill Dunn for her article Good day Sunshine: an excellent, unbiased and well researched article about sunscreens, their composition, mechanisms of action, and their use for photoprotection. The article also discusses practical use of sunscreens and how to choose the best sunscreens for optimal use.

Not for Profit Public Education Awards:
A Hat is Where it’s At- Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit for its innovative, fun pilot project aimed at promoting sun protection awareness and safety early on for camping children.

Made for Shade- Durham Region Health Department for promoting sun safety for its district residents focusing on shade. It is unique for its partnership with local nurseries in producing the Guide for Creating Shade at Home and distributing it freely to Durham Residents.

Industry Public Education Award:
PsoriasisConnections.ca – Amgen Canada and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals for the comprehensive, unbiased, and very helpful website focusing on psoriasis for patients and primary care physicians. Information is current and discusses all the treatment options that are available for both limited and severe disease categories.

About CDA
The Canadian Dermatology Association, founded in 1925, represents Canadian dermatologists. The association exists to advance the science and art of medicine and surgery related to the care of the skin, hair and nails; provide continuing professional development for its members; support and advance patient care; provide public education on sun protection and other aspects of skin health; and promote a lifetime of healthier skin, hair and nails.

Busking Auditions Extended!

(Barrie, ON) Due to the over-whelming response, The City of Barrie will be holding another busking audition for those interested in performing in Barrie’s downtown core. Whether you are a magician, juggler, gymnast, dancer, or sketch artist, the City welcomes participation from all areas. Buskers are permitted to perform within the downtown at fifteen pre-determined locations, as long as they hold a current City permit. The process to acquire a permit will require buskers to audition at The Downtown Community Theatre at #1 Dunlop Street West on Wednesday, July 15th between 5:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. To audition, appointments must be booked through the Department of Culture. Please note that auditions will be approximately 5 to 6 minutes in length.

Once the jury panel has made their decisions, the selected buskers will be contacted and asked to come to City Hall to purchase their permit. Upon receiving a permit, the Department of Culture will be provide each busker with a rotating schedule that will outline the dates and times that they have been assigned ensuring that everybody has an equal opportunity to perform at the most lucrative locations.

If you require more information about the City of Barrie’s busking program please visit the city website at www.barrie.ca .

To Book an Audition: Onalee Groves Culture Officer Department of Culture (705)739-4220 Ext. 4794 ogroves@barrie.ca

FORD WAYNE GRETZKY CLASSIC

NATIONWIDE TOUR STORYLINES – Week of July 6th

NATIONWIDE TOUR SEASON REACHES MIDWAY POINT – The Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic is the 15 th of 29 Nationwide Tour events this season, marking the halfway point. At the same juncture in the season last year (15 events remaining), 16 of the players who were among the 25 leading money winners would go on to earn their PGA TOUR cards for 2009, including everyone in the top 10. Only one of the next nine players hung on to earn a card, with five of the next six (Nos. 20-25) successful in their quest. Nine players outside “The 25” played their way in. Scott Piercy, at No. 124 came from the farthest back. Matt Bettencourt sat at No. 92, only to catch fire in the stretch drive of the season and take leading money winner honors. The moral of the story – never consider your self out of it, at least not at this point in the season.

GRETZKY EVENT A HIT ON NATIONWIDE TOUR – In its first playing last year, the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic became an immediate hit with Nationwide Tour players. The 72-hole event features 160 professionals paired with amateurs and celebrities in two-person teams. The pros have a 36-hole cut to the low 60 scores and ties. The amateur competition is reduced to the low 10 teams after two rounds (six pro-celebrity teams and four pro-amateur teams). The two venues are located on the shores of scenic Georgian Bay, 90 miles northwest of Toronto. Among the celebrities committed to compete are Gretzky, his wife, Janet, Basketball Hall of Fame member (and subject of “The Haney Project”) Charles Barkley, former NHL standouts Brett Hull and Darren Pang and R&B sensation Javier Colon. CANADIAN

CHRIS BARYLA ON THE MEND – 26-year-old Chris Baryla of Vernon, British Columbia has been playing the best golf of late among the Canadian members on the Nationwide Tour. Limited to only four starts in 2009 due to a minor medical exemption related to neck and back problems, Baryla has finished T4, T12, T55 and T5 in the Tour’s last four events to quickly move up to 41 st on the money list. The former WAC Player of the Year out of the University of Texas – El Paso made only one cut (T57) in his seven 2008 starts. He is joined in the Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic field by fellow Canadians Dustin Risdon (Alberta), Jon Mills (Ontario), Jim Rutledge (British Columbia), Bryan DeCorso (Ontario), Brennan Webb (Ontario), David Morland IV (Ontario), David Hearn (Ontario), Ian Leggatt (Ontario) and Brad Fritsch (Alberta). In addition, the top-five money winners from the Canadian Tour have received invitations.

2008 GRADUATE BRYCE MOLDER ON A RUN – After a very slow start to the season, 2008Nationwide Tour graduate Bryce Molder has found the kind of form that helped him earn first-team

All-American honors four years in a row at Georgia Tech (1997-2001). Beginning with the HP Bryon Nelson Classic, Molder has collected $904,877 with finishes of T23, T2 (St. Jude Classic), T19 (Travelers Championship) and 4 th (AT&T National). He has jumped from the low 200s to 64th in FedExCup points and 53 rd on the money list. All but four of his last 16 rounds have been in the 60s. In his seven previous ’09 starts, Molder missed five cuts. The Arkansas native played his way into his first British Open next week based on category 17 of the Open’s “Exempt Players” criteria (earnings in THE PLAYERS Championship and the five PGA TOUR events between the Memorial and last week’s AT&T National).

GOOD LINE, RYAN HIETALA – While in Omaha last week to participate in the Cox Classic media day, 2008 champion Ryan Hietala got off a good line. With the first half of the Nationwide Tour’s season dominated by two-time winners Michael Sim and Kevin Johnson, the Bellingham, Wash. native quipped, “It’s not ‘The 25’ any more. It’s ‘The 23’. Those two guys pretty well have their cards locked up.”

KARMA WAS ON CHAMPION JUSTIN HICKS’ SIDE – Karma was on the side of last year’s Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic champion, Justin Hicks. After registering for the tournament and checking into his locker, he couldn’t help but notice his locker number was 99, the same number worn and made famous to sports fans everywhere by the tournament’s host. Hicks would go on to capture his lone Nationwide Tour title in a playoff over Casey Wittenberg. The Michigan native comes to Canada currently 80 th on the money list in need of the some of that karma he had a year ago.

A NICE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN GOLF AND HOCKEY – The Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic will benefit the Wayne Gretzky Foundation, which was founded in 2002 to provide less fortunate youth the opportunity to experience the great sport of hockey. Specifically, the Foundation donates hockey equipment and ice time, as well as provides the opportunity for young people to attend professional hockey games. The Foundation believes hockey instills many positive life skills and contributes to the physical, emotional and social growth of young people.

KEVIN JOHNSON NAMED PLAYER OF THE MONTH – Not surprisingly, Kevin Johnson was named the most recent Nationwide Tour Player of the Month. With playoff wins in Raleigh, N.C. and Knoxville, Tenn., the Massachusetts native and former Clemson All-American put himself in position to earn an immediate promotion to the PGA TOUR, joining Michael Sim in the enviable spot. Johnson began his run 24 th on the money list. He is currently second behind Sim.

CLOSING IN ON 250 th WIN – The next PGA TOUR win by a Nationwide Tour alumnus will be a milestone of sorts, No. 250. Tiger Woods stood in the way of things this weekend when he captured his own AT&T National, which stubbornly remains the only event on the current PGA TOUR schedule not yet won a former Nationwide Tour player. Lucas Glover got win No. 249 at the U.S. Open two weeks ago.

NEXT WEEK – Nationwide Tour players will enjoy their last week off before beginning a 14-straight tournament sprint to the end of the season which will determine “The 25” players who will earn their PGA TOUR cards for 2010. The Cox Classic presented by Lexus of Omaha (July 23-26) begins the run.

20 YEARS / THIS WEEK IN NATIONWIDE TOUR HISTORY –

July 8, 2007: Jason Day becomes the youngest player to win on the Nationwide Tour when he takes the Legend Financial Group Classic in suburban Cleveland. The 19-year-old (19 years, 7 months, 26 days) makes a six-foot birdie putt on the final hole to defeat fellow Aussie Scott Gardiner by one shot.

July 12, 2002: PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem announces that Nationwide, one of the country’s largest insurance and financial services organizations, will become the Tour’s new umbrella sponsor beginning in 2003. The Tour and Nationwide ink a five-year agreement that is later extended for five more years, through 2012.

STUDENT TRANSPORTATION OF CANADA GROWS “GREEN” SCHOOL BUS FLEET

Company Leads Industry in Use of Clean, Renewable Biofuels

BARRIE, ON (July 7, 2009) In a show of support for the Government of Canada’s program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector, Student Transportation of Canada (STC), a subsidiary of Student Transportation of America (TSX: STB), today announced that it has increased its fleet of “green” school buses seven-fold to more than 900 environmentally-friendly, biofuel vehicles operating throughout Ontario.

Biofuel, made from natural renewable resources such as soybean, corn and canola oils, is North America’s fastest growing alternative to diesel fuel, producing cleaner emissions and generating cost savings. By choosing a cleaner fuel alternative for its fleet, STC will provide a healthier environment for its young passengers, school bus drivers and the community at large.

Today’s STC news follows yesterday’s announcement that the Government of Canada, under Transport Canada’s Freight Technology Demonstration Fund, will help the freight transportation sector reduce the emission of greenhouse gas emissions and other air contaminants. The STC biofuel initiative is funded by the company.

"This biofuel expansion represents the successful implementation of STC’s strategy to reduce its carbon footprint throughout the Province, which increases long-term benefits to the environment and Ontario communities. STC is the biofuel leader in the province’s school bus industry – no one else comes close," said Chris Harwood, senior vice president of operations for STC. "Realizing a 40 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and reducing particulate emissions were both primary objectives for the conversion. Cleaner biofuel, along with the adoption of anti-idling policies and excellent driver training, have greatly reduced our children’s exposure to diesel particulates. Biofuel also reduces wear-and-tear on our engines, reducing maintenance costs."

STC, which operates a family of local companies throughout Ontario, began its biofuel program in 2008 at Simcoe Coach Lines in Sutton and Parkview Transit in Caledon. Over the past 15 months, the program has been expanded to its other company locations in Peterborough, Guelph, Elmira, Breslau, Fergus, London, Thamesford, Embro and Woodstock.

"We are committed to remaining at the forefront of adopting more efficient, cleaner, renewable alternative fuel sources," Harwood said.

About Student Transportation
Founded in 1997, Student Transportation is the fourth-largest provider of school bus transportation services in North America, conducting operations through local operating subsidiaries. Student Transportation has become a leading school bus transportation company by aggregating operations through the consolidation of existing providers and conversion of in-house operations and currently operates more than 6,300 school vehicles in North America. The company is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange – ticker symbol STB. For more information, please visit www.ridesta.com

Kids are unpredictable, injuries don’t have to be

SIMCOE MUSKOKA – With injuries a main cause of hospital visits in local children, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is reaching out to parents and caregivers with some simple steps to prevent those injuries from occurring.

“Kids are curious and active, they like to be the biggest, fastest and best, and that means that they often take chances that can result in an injury,” says Mia Brown, a public health nurse with the health unit. “We know that our kids’ actions can be unpredictable but injuries don’t have to be.”

Fall-related injuries are the number one reason for children aged five to nine years to be treated at hospital emergency departments and they are the second leading cause of brain injuries for children. These injuries involve playground equipment more than any other type of fall. Other commonly treated injuries result from slipping, tripping and stumbling, falling from bicycles, skateboards and in line skates as well as stairs, beds and other furniture in the home.

“Children learn and develop new skills everyday, but they sometimes think they can do more than they are able to and they take chances that can result in an injury,” said Brown. “Understanding how injuries can occur is a first step in prevention.”

Parents and caregivers can help to reduce injuries by:

• Creating safer places for children to play. Find a safe place to play away from traffic, check playground equipment before children play, and maintain outdoor play equipment at home.
• Watch children closely. Active involvement in the supervision of children decreases the chance of injury.
• Involve children in making family safety rules and help them understand why they are important. Make sure they—and you—follow the rules.

For more information on preventing childhood injuries, call Your Health Connection at 721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520, Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or visit www.simcoemuskokahealth.org.

DUNLOP’S PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF WITH LITERACY FUNDING

(Orillia) – Simcoe North MPP Garfield Dunlop said today that his continuing efforts to secure adequate funding for community-based literacy programs have finally been rewarded with an Ontario government announcement of $25 million for literacy and essential skills training.

“Today’s announcement is proof that Opposition can be effective in forcing government to act,” said Dunlop. “Because I feel very passionate about this issue, I worked tirelessly with literacy groups to convince this government that lack of basic skills like reading and writing are holding back far too many people in this province from gainful employment.”

Dunlop noted that his literacy resolution received all-Party support in the legislature on February 26, 2009. The resolution called on the Ontario government to “provide adequate funding to community-based literacy and basic skills programs so that the agencies can properly address the growing enrolment”.

Dunlop added that he also asked the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities on two occasions during Question Period to act on the resolution.

“This is a great news day for literacy and basic skills programs across Ontario,” said Sue Bannon, president of Laubach Literacy Ontario, which represents 55 literacy agencies across Ontario. “We would like to give special recognition and thanks to Garfield Dunlop who brought this issue on our behalf to Queen’s Park. We couldn’t have done it without him.”

Bannon noted that Laubach Literacy Ontario presented Dunlop with a special one-time award at their annual conference in Barrie last month. Dunlop was recognized for his efforts to promote the importance of literacy skills and the organizations that provide them in the Ontario legislature.