Queen’s Park Bureau

Related

• Meet the key players
• More Toronto Star investigations
• ORNGE website

Two former ORNGE executives told a legislative committee probing the air ambulance service that the ex-president of the Liberal Party of Canada had shepherded key meetings and devised the agency’s corporate structure.

Jacob Blum, a former ORNGE vice-president, testified Wednesday that lawyer Alfred Apps contacted Premier Dalton McGuinty’s election campaign mastermind in 2007 to arrange sessions with senior provincial government officials. Apps was a well known Liberal strategist at the time and became president of the federal party in 2009.

And Maria Renzella, another former ORNGE vice-president, testified that Apps helped create the ORNGE’s Byzantine corporate structure and marshalled a $24-million real estate transaction involving the service’s headquarters.

The OPP are investigating ORNGE real estate transactions and money paid to one of ORNGE’s for-profit companies by an Italian helicopter manufacturer.

Apps used to be part of the law firm Fasken Martineau that handled business dealings with ORNGE, the province’s air ambulance service. He enlisted Don Guy, a strategist who ran McGuinty’s last four election campaigns, to help with consolidating ORNGE onto the province’s books.

Blum, who was the right hand man of ORNGE founder Dr. Chris Mazza, told reporters outside the committee that Guy was being directed by Apps to set up some meetings in late 2007 regarding ORNGE.

Ontario’s integrity commissioner has raised the possibility that Apps lobbied for ORNGE without registering.

Apps told the Star on Wednesday that he has not acted as a lobbyist as “I’ve never asked the government for anything in respect to ORNGE, I’ve just made sure it was fully and properly briefed.”

He added Ontario’s integrity commissioner, Lynn Morrison, did look into if he had lobbied concerning emails sent in 2010, but it was ruled he didn’t as he was not compensated.

Ontario’s Auditor General Jim McCarter has questioned what happened to $9 million in profits after ORNGE headquarters nicknamed the “Crystal Palace” was purchased for $15 million by an air ambulance subsidiary, then leased back to ORNGE with a rent 40 per cent above market rates and used as collateral to borrow $24 million.

The hearing is probing questionable contract payments, high salaries and the creation of spinoff for-profit companies at ORNGE, an agency that receives $150 million a year in public money.

Renzella, a chartered accountant, said she earned $240,000 a year at ORNGE along with a performance bonus. However, her salary was recently disclosed on ORNGE’s website as $430,255, which includes a taxable benefit of $42,748. Renzella’s $110,000 MBA was paid for by ORNGE, she told the committee. The Star previously reported that during the European portion of her MBA, which Renzella later wrote about, she commented that: “The restaurants (in Brussels) were great. The waffles were fantastic and the chocolate was unbelievable.”

Progressive Conservative MPP Frank Klees asked Renzella if Apps was the “brainchild” behind ORNGE’s corporate structure and Renzella said this was true.

Regarding the lease of the corporate headquarters, Apps said he will provide “significant additional evidence” to the committee in the coming weeks. He called the lease a “standard transaction” for a company of this sort.

Guy, who was also McGuinty’s first chief of staff as premier, was out of government when he worked as a consultant for Fasken Martineau. The hearing has heard the firm billed 22,000 hours of legal work on ORNGE matters.

Both Guy and Apps have testified before the all-party committee.

Guy told the Star in an email there was “nothing in Mr. Blum’s affidavit, nor in his responses to reporters’ questions after the hearing supports the assertion that I contacted or arranged meetings with government on behalf of ORNGE or Fasken at any time.

“I have said under oath, and repeat once again, that I did not lobby anyone,” said Guy.

Klees asked Blum about his affidavit, which contains business notes including an email he received from Apps, stating the outcome of an introduction Apps arranged between McGuinty and Mazza during a Liberal fundraiser.

“Last nite (sic) worked perfectly,” said the email from Apps, dated June 20, 2007. “Chris was able to make a real connection with the premier, and to lay out the success story of ORNGE at a high level in a way that provides the groundwork of our entire initiative.

“Once we have massaged the game plan past the minister of health, I will organize a follow-up private dinner for Chris with the premier so that he can outline the vision and the game plan in greater detail,” the email said.

However, Apps told the Star in an interview that Mazza met McGuinty at the fundraiser, which Apps helped organize, in a crowded room.

“The premier listened graciously, smiled, seemed to be interested in what he was saying and then he moved on to the next guest,” Apps said.

Blum also read for the committee some of his business journal notes, filed in the affidavit, regarding a Dec. 10, 2007 meeting with Apps. “Alf Apps described about what Don talked about, about what Don is doing. Senior ministry of finance officials are on our side with regards to consolidation. Don Guy is to handle,” according to Blum’s notes.

A meeting was to be quickly set up with the Ministry of Finance, Blum said.

RELATED:Woman dies after long ORNGE ambulance delay, family says

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In an interview with TNReport, Gov. Bill Haslam says he has signed the states $31.5 billion budget, which spends about $400 million more than his original proposal.

Included in the spending plan is the budget-item-heard-round-the-state(s). That is, $500,000 for the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, Va., which is quite literally across the street from Bristol, Tenn., hometown of Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey. Democrats elongated this years legislative session by feigning outrage over the item, but Haslam says hes OK with it.

?It?s kind of an easy target to say, oh that?s in Virginia. Why are we funding it when it?s yards from Tennessee?? the governor told TNReport. ?It?s not like we funded something that?s in northwest Virginia.?

Frankly, chipping in a bit of Tennessee cash for the museum doesnt really bother us. Contributing to the preservation of cultural history is generally a good thing, and its not like were giving money to a state in the North (gasp!).

But you have to wonder where this could lead. First were giving money to something thats just yards from Tennessee. Then its a few miles. Next thing you know, were bankrolling the Charlotte Bobcats as our roads crumble beneath us, with a state police force so underfunded that were left completely open to attack from survey-wielding census workers, jihadist charter schools and journalists doing their jobs.

And then we run out of textbooks.

This neighboring-states-with-benefits arrangement seems fine for now, but its hard to see where it ends. First its an innocent museum, a one-budget stand ? and two General Assemblies later, were the countrys Oprah Winfrey. You get a museum and you get a museum and you get a museum. Look under your capitol dome, states across the land, and youll find a Tennessee check for 500 large.

Simply put, this slope looks rather slippery, am I right?

During January to March, the country welcomed 846,564 international tourists, up11.34% over the same period last year.

ASEAN markets contributed 78.28% of all international tourists visiting the country, growing 10.92% on 662,713 visits. The largest source country, neighbouring Thailand, continued to grow at 11.04% with 479,323 trips.

Two-way tourism, between the two countries, has been boosted by improved roads and bridge links. The next bridge to open is the fourth Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge in Chiang Rai province in late 2012. It should continue the positive tourism trends between the two countries. A fifth bridge has gained approval by the two countries, while more temporary checkpoints will also be upgraded to international status.

The second top source market, Vietnam, supplied 169,501 tourists, an increase of 9.6%. Contribution from the rest of ASEAN countries were very small, ranging from 110 to 4,400 trips.

Also European markets, once the lifeline of Lao tourism, are falling behind ASEAN markets indicating there has been a significant swing in  customer profiles. A decade ago French, Swiss, German and British tourists were the top visitors.

However, arrivals from countries in the Asia-Pacific region, except ASEAN, flourished overall at 26.08% trips (100,976) with China and Korea growing at a fast pace, 33.7% (60,146) and 42.66% (13,922) respectively. Australians were also an important source supplying 11,517 trips, increasing substantially by 18.84%.

As for Europe, arrivals from this region dropped marginally by 1.76% supplying 58,438 tourists. Several country markets reported declines including the important German market (-10.28%, 7,037). The rest supplied less than 2,000 a year.

Only two of the  European countries, identified in the report, achieved double digit growth: Russia, 11.19% (2,326) and Denmark, 14.34% (2,033).

American markets grew 5.34% supplying 22,334 tourists; of which, 67.81% came from the United States,( 15,144 arrivals increasing 3.45%). Canada showed an impressive improvement of 11.54% to 5,442.

The smallest markets, Africa and the Middle East dropped minimally, 0.24% to 2,103. The only identified source country was Israel. The numbers fell by 13.5% to 1,115.

Tourist arrivals to Laos January to March 2012

Parade.com sat down with Crawford on a recent sunny afternoon in Beverly Hills to discuss babies (his sister Candice recently welcomed a son with her husband Tony Romo), weddings, and his plans post-Gossip Girl.

While one would think anyone would jump at the chance to shimmy alongside Cameron Diaz, Crawford was relieved that it was Matthew Morrison playing the role of the pro dance instructor who romances the actress.

It spared everyone the atrocity of my dance moves, he said, laughing.

Read on for more from Crawford, including the dream show hed love to be on and how he rates as a new uncle.

On working with Anna.
The chemistry was instant. I knew her work and shes outstandingly talented. It was fun. When she was cast, I knew right away what it was going to be. In some of those scenes, its like a verbal tennis match. Some of our scenes are improvised. Shes really great with that stuff. In the moment, shes super witty.

On settling down.
I met up with some friends recently that I hadnt seen in awhile and two of them were married. Being from Texas, there is a little more pressure to get it done but Im not really on that spectrum. Im on a different train. Ive learned I need a couple of decades of maturity.

A couple decades?
Maybe less than a couple of decades. Its about finding the right person. Im not the kind of guy that needs to have a girlfriend or needs to have attention from a girlfriend. If it happens, it happens. Im always open to that. Not marriage yet, but Ill figure it out.

On how he would end Gossip Girl.
If I got to write the show, it would be a very different thing. I would make Chuck Gossip Girl and I would turn my character into Patrick Bateman from American Psycho. That would be a wierd twist of events.

On ending the show.
I tend to throw something for the crew at the end of every season. What will we do? For me, its going to probably be more bittersweet and tough to leave New York City. And its definitely an end of an era. It was college for everyone really. Well do something for sure.

His baby handling skills.
They are top notch [laughs]. I havent changed a diaper yet and thats the part of being the cool uncle. I didnt realize that babies cant hold their heads up right away so that was a lesson of a sister yelling. Its always the handoff thats a little awkward. He sleeps all day and just sits there and you watch him. Its a beautiful thing. Hes a big baby. Hes a strong baby.

Is his nephew destined for the turf?
He came out with a football in his hand. It was a very weird thing. And a Giants hat. I was like, What is that? Get that off! My sister was very athletic as well so Im sure hell be fine.

His future.
Unless Games of Thrones comes knocking at my door, Im going to try to make a run at film for awhile. Their are pros and cons to both. With TV, youre locked in. Its great because you have conistency though while film is like camp.

DENVER, CO, May 16, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) –
Venoco, Inc.

/quotes/zigman/422846/quotes/nls/vq VQ
-2.77%

announced today that it has been contacted
by the New York Stock Exchange regarding the unusual market activity
in the company’s stock. The company stated that its policy is not to
comment on unusual market activity and that it has no pending
announcements.

About the Company

Venoco is an independent energy company engaged in the acquisition,
exploitation and development of oil and natural gas properties
primarily in California. Venoco operates three offshore platforms in
the Santa Barbara Channel, has non-operated interests in three other
platforms, operates three onshore properties in Southern California,
and has extensive operations in Northern California’s Sacramento
Basin.

For further information, please contact
Mike Edwards
Vice President
(303) 626-8320

http://www.venocoinc.com E-Mail Email Contact

SOURCE: Venoco, Inc.

http://www.venocoinc.com/

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=C3E923A5E4B40BAF

Copyright 2012 Marketwire, Inc., All rights reserved.

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VQ

Venoco Inc.

US

: U.S.: NYSE

$
9.49

-0.27
-2.77%

Volume: 292,487
May 18, 2012 4:02p

P/E Ratio10.13
Dividend YieldN/A

Market Cap$583.29 million
Rev. per Employee$917,674

Financial Glossary

Words used in this article:

WASHINGTON, May 16, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ –
For adults with arthritis, physical activity helps decrease pain, delay the onset of disability, and enhance quality of life. Plus, high arthritis rates among people with chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease make physical activity especially important.

With the new report Environmental and Policy Strategies to Increase Physical Activity Among Adults With Arthritis, the Arthritis Foundation is providing a resource for making physical activity convenient and accessible for adults with arthritis. The report aims to motivate health agencies, businesses, recreation facilities, and others to provide physical activity opportunities that meet the needs of people with arthritis.

“Effectively educating people about the important role of physical activity in managing arthritis is an urgent task,” Dr. John H. Klippel, president and CEO of the Arthritis Foundation said. “This report will lead to greater collaboration with our colleagues across a number of professions to make physical activity safe and accessible for adults with the condition.”

Arthritis is America’s leading cause of disability and affects 50 million adults in the United States–more than 20 percent of the adult population. And this number is expected to grow as the population of older Americans continues to increase. Yet despite the known benefits of physical activity, people with arthritis are less likely to be active, often due to pain, fear of injury, or lack of knowledge about the best type and amount of exercise.

Six sectors can influence physical activity among adults with arthritis. They include parks, recreation, and sports; business; public health; health care; and transportation. The report includes practical examples for how each of these sectors can make a difference.

“Educating people about the role of physical activity in managing arthritis is an urgent task,” said Klippel. “This report will lead to greater collaboration with our colleagues across a number of professions to make physical activity safe and accessible for adults with the condition.”

View Environmental and Policy Strategies to Increase Physical Activity Among Adults With Arthritis online at
www.arthritis.com/physical-activity .

SOURCE Arthritis Foundation

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

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The emo granddaddies have big plans. Plus: Love blooms in Bonnie Prince Billys band, and more

By Jessica Hopper

@jesshopp and Leor Galil

@imLeor

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!

OoOoOo, Gossip Girl!!

You really just managed to destroy DAIR in one episode. WTF.

Sigh were still in mourning. If it wasnt for our phenomenal experience with Glee, wed still be wearing black.

But DAIR or not, were obviously coming back for Season 6. How could we resist?? Serena has officially reached the highest temperature of hot mess status, and we couldnt be happier! That gurl is a wreck of a human being. After stabbing Blair in the back LIKE THAT, we hope she falls flat on her face in that black hole of self-delusion.

Ahem. ANYWAY. The lovely and talented Stephanie Savage has revealed some saucy spoilers for the final season of Upper East Side madness, so buckle up!

Her executive producer-majesty has this to say on Season 6:

ON BLAIR CHOOSING CHUCK

It was Blair coming to declare that she was in it to win it with Chuck and leaving that [relationships future] as the question of Season 6. We crafted the last act of the episode to set us in a certain direction next year.

ON DANS HOT QUEST FOR DARK VENGEANCE WITH G

When you call in Georgina Sparks, you’re not looking to [play nice].

ON SERENAS SPIRALING LIFE FAILURE

Feeling like she’s lost Blair, lost Dan, she’s all by herself again. It’s going to put her in a pretty precarious situation.

ON THE DERENA SEX TAPE

Well, if somebody had a sex tape on their cell phone, and they said they deleted it, but you never really saw that it was deleted…

ON THE BIG REVEAL NATES DETERMINATION TO END GG

This is something that has larger implications to the franchise beyond just our series. That reveal requires conversations at the highest level.

Oh shiz! That last part sounds wickedly mysterious!!

So basically, the final season of Gossip Girl is going to be darker than ever.

LOVE-LOVE-LOVE-IT!!!

With Serena sick and Dan succumbing to the twisted fate of The Inside, CHAIR might need to watch out. The title for darkest couple may just end up in DERENAS hands after all.

And as much as weve been dreading the inevitable Dan-And-Serena-Fall-Back-Together storyline, we wont be surprised if it works its way toward the end of Season 6. With the directions those characters are headed, their passion could erupt all over each other for the worst (or the BEST)!

THEORIZE WITH US, GG LOVAHS!!

[Image via WENN.]

Tags: blake lively, chace crawford, ed westwick, gossip girl, leighton meester, penn badgley, season

An NCAA playoff appearance in 2010. Two top 10 nationally ranked recruiting classes. A Major League Baseball first-round pick. And now, the Ducks sit on the cusp of winning a championship in the Pacific-12 Conference, which has six ranked teams.

Not bad. But for Oregon coach George Horton, it all has a been there, done that feel to it. He figured he could turn UO into a winner quickly. But he also figures such progress to represent small steps toward the grander goal of making routine trips to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., as did his Cal State Fullerton teams.

Thats the bar, Horton said. In my program if you dont go to Omaha its a disappointing year. I hate to say that, but it is. So from those standards we still have a lot of work to do.

Work that arguably comes with a greater degree of difficulty than Horton experienced at Fullerton. Oregon has higher entrance requirements and tuition costs, a weaker local recruiting base and weather issues.

But none of that is a deterrent to the big-picture plan, which in year four appears to be ahead of schedule.

ACTON, Mass. & NAPERVILLE, Ill., May 16, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) –
SeaChange
International

/quotes/zigman/61623/quotes/nls/seac SEAC
-0.63%

and Tellabs

/quotes/zigman/79028/quotes/nls/tlab TLAB
-3.53%

will jointly demonstrate a new technology for addressable
advertising in the multi-screen video market. With a focus on monetizing
ads inserted into over-the-top (OTT) video streams, the companies will
show ad insertion into live program streams on the Apple iPad during The
Cable Show in Boston, May 21-23 (booth 1933). Their joint demonstration
offers the first-ever capability to directly marry web behavior with
on-the-fly television advertising delivery.

The new Tellabs technology enables ad placement decisions based on
users’ interest categories while protecting users’ privacy. The
demonstration at this year’s Cable Show will show integration of Tellabs
ad-targeting technology to further extend the multi-screen targeting and
addressability capabilities of the SeaChange
Infusion(TM) advanced advertising platform. Infographic: Addressable
advertising in the multi-screen video market.

“SeaChange is aggressively pursuing new modes of multi-screen
monetization, especially addressability, so that our video service
provider customers can enhance the business of television on every
device,” said Aseem Bakshi, general manager, advertising, SeaChange.
“Our open Infusion platform is providing the flexibility to do this very
rapidly and do it first, as our demonstration with a mobile segment
leader like Tellabs shows.”

“With the Tellabs ad-targeting technology, mobile and pay TV operators
can expand into the lucrative online premium video and mobile
advertising opportunity,” said Pankaj Shroff, director of new-media
solutions and strategy at Tellabs. “Users prefer relevant ads, while
advertisers are looking for ways to reach their target audiences in more
precise and relevant ways.”

SeaChange’s Infusion enables video operators to manage centralized ad
operations and scale to 150,000 insertable channels and millions of ad
assets as they migrate to consolidated regional and national advertising
systems that are managed from increasingly web-centric and virtualized
data centers. Leveraging SCTE 130 and IAB VAST specifications, Infusion
enables operators to determine which external ad servicing systems are
sourced for dynamic placement decisions, while creating opportunities
for cross-platform campaigns and leveraging Internet campaign management
pricing for TV content.

Tellabs ad-targeting technology is part of a broader technology
innovation initiative in Tellabs. This approach enables wholesale and
retail video service providers to monetize content via an effortless
workflow for ad insertion, ad routing and ad targeting, based on
industry standard interfaces such as SCTE 130 and IAB VAST.

Visit SeaChange International at The Cable Show in Boston, May 21-23,
for a range of multi-screen video software demonstrations including the
Infusion integration with Tellabs.

About Tellabs — Tellabs innovations advance the smart mobile
Internet and help our customers succeed. That’s why 80% of the top
global communications service providers choose our mobile backhaul,
packet optical and services solutions. We help them get ahead by adding
revenue, reducing expenses and optimizing networks.

Tellabs

/quotes/zigman/79028/quotes/nls/tlab TLAB
-3.53%

is part of the NASDAQ Global Select Market, Ocean
Tomo 300(R) Patent Index, the S&P MidCap 400 Index and several corporate
responsibility indexes including the Maplecroft Climate Innovation
Index, FTSE4Good and eight FTSE KLD indexes.
www.tellabs.com

About SeaChange International

Ranked among the top 250 software companies in the world, SeaChange
International

/quotes/zigman/61623/quotes/nls/seac SEAC
-0.63%

enables transformative multi-screen video
services through an open, cloud-based, intelligent software platform
trusted by cable, IPTV and mobile operators globally. Personalized and
fully monetized video experiences anytime on any device, in the home and
everywhere, are the product of the Company’s superior back office,
advertising, content and in-home offerings.

SeaChange’s hundreds of customers are many of the world’s most powerful
media brands including all major cable operators in the Americas and
Europe, and the largest telecom companies in the world. Headquartered in
Acton, Massachusetts, SeaChange is TL 9000 certified and has product
development, support and sales offices around the world. Visit
www.schange.com .

SOURCE: SeaChange International

SeaChange PR
Jim Sheehan, 978-897-0100 x3064
jim.sheehan@schange.com
or
SeaChange IR
Martha Schaefer, 978-897-0100 x3030
martha.schaefer@schange.com
or
Tellabs PR
George Stenitzer, 630-798-3800
george.stenitzer@tellabs.com

Copyright Business Wire 2012

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SEAC

SeaChange International Inc.

US

: U.S.: Nasdaq

$
7.94

-0.05
-0.63%

Volume: 142,683
May 18, 2012 4:00p

P/E RatioN/A
Dividend YieldN/A

Market Cap$261.72 million
Rev. per Employee$201,124

/quotes/zigman/79028/quotes/nls/tlab

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TLAB

Tellabs Inc.

US

: U.S.: Nasdaq

$
3.55

-0.13
-3.53%

Volume: 1.94M
May 18, 2012 4:00p

P/E RatioN/A
Dividend Yield2.25%

Market Cap$1.35 billion
Rev. per Employee$376,217

/quotes/zigman/79028/quotes/nls/tlab

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TLAB

Tellabs Inc.

US

: U.S.: Nasdaq

$
3.55

-0.13
-3.53%

Volume: 1.94M
May 18, 2012 4:00p

P/E RatioN/A
Dividend Yield2.25%

Market Cap$1.35 billion
Rev. per Employee$376,217

/quotes/zigman/61623/quotes/nls/seac

Add to portfolio

SEAC

SeaChange International Inc.

US

: U.S.: Nasdaq

$
7.94

-0.05
-0.63%

Volume: 142,683
May 18, 2012 4:00p

P/E RatioN/A
Dividend YieldN/A

Market Cap$261.72 million
Rev. per Employee$201,124

Financial Glossary

Words used in this article: