HOT TICKET UPDATE: Pavlo and Remigio reunite to carry on with tour

Internationally renowned artists to perform on 6 October 2016

Renowned Mediterranean instrumental artist Pavlo has announced that the Pavlo & Remigio: Guitarradas tour will continue with Remigio Pereira on the bill. This change will affect shows in Brampton, Oshawa, Windsor and the October date at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre in St. Catharines.

“The FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre has always been excited by the collaboration of these two outstanding performers and we knew our audiences would be as well. We are thrilled that the show will continue as originally intended,” Steve Solski, Executive Director.

The tour’s potential lineup change was in limbo following on a recent performance by the vocal quartet, The Tenors, where Pereira changed lyrics to the Canadian National Anthem.

Despite the ensuing controversy, the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre remain focused on providing outstanding audience experiences.

“Our interest is in sharing artistic excellence in all art forms from the highest calibre artists with our community. It is up to our audience members to choose who they wish to see perform.” Sara Palmieri, Programming and Marketing Manager.

Advance tickets for Pavlo & Remigio have been selling quickly to HOT TICKET members. They go on sale to the public on 17 August.

The FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre is looking forward to presenting Pavlo & Remigio on Thursday 6 October 2016 in Partridge Hall. Pavlo is an award-winning, instrumental artist, performer and songwriter. His signature Mediterranean sound features a mix of Greek, flamenco, Latin and Balkan music. Remigio Pereira gained international fame with the multi-platinum selling vocal group The Tenors. Although he is primarily known as a virtuosic singer, Pereira is as equally gifted on the guitar.

Tickets go on sale to the public on Wednesday, 17 August at 10am. Advance and discounted tickets are on sale now to HOT TICKET members.

For more information about the upcoming 2016/17 HOT TICKET season and membership, visit our website at www.FirstOntarioPAC.ca or contact the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre Box Office by phone 905-688-0722, email BoxOffice@FirstOntarioPAC.ca or in person at 250 St. Paul Street, St. Catharines. Box Office hours: Monday-Friday 10am-6pm; Saturday 10am-2pm.

The FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre gratefully acknowledges the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage’s Canada Arts Presentation Fund.

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About the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre
The FirstOntario PAC is a 95,000 square foot cultural complex comprised of four state-of-the-art performance venues that host a signature presentation of international and local performing artists. Designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, the PAC plays a vital role in the renaissance of downtown St. Catharines, serving as the catalyst in thoroughly modernizing the area and reinforcing the brilliance of Niagara Region’s diverse cultural cluster.

To see our complete listings for the 2016/17 HOT TICKET season, visit us online.

For additional information, please contact:
Michael Chess
Marketing Supervisor
FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre
Email: mchess@stcatharines.ca Tel: 905.688.5601×3608
Visit: FirstOntarioPac.ca

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Ultra-High Speed Internet Coming to 300 Communities in Southwestern Ontario

Ontario and Canada Investing $180 Million to Create Jobs and Stimulate Economy

The governments of Ontario and Canada are investing up to $180 million to help bring ultra-high speed internet to homes and businesses in southwestern Ontario.

Canada and Ontario will each provide up to $90 million towards the total project cost of approximately $281 million. This investment is part of the new Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) project, which will expand access to broadband by delivering fibre optic coverage to over 300 communities with a total population of 3.5 million — spanning counties and municipalities in southwestern Ontario, as well as Caledon and Niagara.

The project will help southwestern Ontario communities and businesses better compete in global markets, attract new jobs and improve quality of life. It will also allow individuals to use online resources to gain skills and experience.

Expanding high-speed internet access is part of the government’s economic plan to build Ontario up and deliver on its number-one priority to grow the economy and create jobs. The four-part plan includes helping more people get and create the jobs of the future by expanding access to high-quality college and university education. The plan is making the largest infrastructure investment in hospitals, schools, roads, bridges and transit in Ontario’s history and is investing in a low-carbon economy driven by innovative, high-growth, export-oriented businesses. The plan is also helping working Ontarians achieve a more secure retirement.


Quick Facts

  • According to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, a 10 per cent increase in household broadband penetration could accelerate economic growth by up to 1.5 per cent.
  • The SWIFT project is part of the New Building Canada Fund’s Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component – Small Communities Fund.
  • Through the Small Communities Fund, Ontario and the federal government are each providing $272 million over 10 years to support infrastructure projects in communities with populations under 100,000.
  • Ontario is making the largest investment in public infrastructure in the province’s history – about $160 billion over 12 years, which is supporting 110,000 jobs every year across the province, with projects such as hospitals, schools, roads, bridges and transit. Since 2015, the province has announced support for more than 475 projects that will keep people and goods moving, connect communities and improve quality of life. To learn more about infrastructure projects in your community, go to Ontario.ca/BuildON.

Additional Resources


Quotes

“This project will bring critical broadband infrastructure to southwestern Ontario. High-speed internet will connect people and businesses to the resources they need to compete in the global marketplace and strengthen our economy. Equipping people in the province with the tools they need to succeed is one of the ways we’re helping to build Ontario up.”

Bob Chiarelli
Ontario Minister of Infrastructure

“The Government of Canada’s ongoing investments in broadband infrastructure are improving connectivity in communities across the country. By providing better access to a wider variety of online tools and resources, we are increasing the potential for economic growth and diversification in these communities, and are helping the middle class and those working hard to join it.”

Naveep Singh Bains
Federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

 

“Our government recognizes that the future of Ontario will be built on a digital economy as people increasingly want the convenience of doing business anywhere in Ontario. By investing in SWIFT, Ontario will bring high speed internet to residents in more than 300 southwestern communities, creating economic opportunities and ensuring families and businesses across the province have access to this technology. I heard first hand at many rural roundtables and at the recent Rural Ontario Summit how important broadband is for rural communities and now our government is actively addressing that need as part of our economic plan to build the province up and deliver on our number-one priority of creating jobs and growing the economy.”

Jeff Leal
Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

 

“Just as businesses depend on roads and electricity, high-speed Internet is fundamental to advancing the province’s economic interests. We are encouraged by the government’s decision to prioritize investment in local community infrastructure, which is critical for economic growth in the digital age.”

Allan O’Dette
President and CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce


Media Contacts

Katrina Kim
Minister’s Office
647-338-0645

Andreas Kyprianou
Communications Branch
416-325-2479


Source: https://news.ontario.ca/moi/en/2016/07/ultra-high-speed-internet-coming-to-300-communities-in-southwestern-ontario.html?utm_source=ondemand

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NC’s new Commercial Beekeeping program driven by growing demand for beekeepers

Above: Environmental Technician student Christine Combe checks out beehives at Niagara College’s new apiary, with the help of Dennis Edell, director of the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association.


With a significant and growing demand for highly-trained beekeepers across Canada and around the world, Niagara College has introduced a one-year hands-on Commercial Beekeeping Graduate Certificate program – the first of its kind in Eastern Canada.

The three-semester program will see its first intake of approximately 30 students begin studies at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Campus in January 2017. With the winter start, the program will run parallel to the normal annual lifecycle of the honey bee, from the winter slumber to honey extraction, to returning the bees to their hives for overwintering.

“Our commercial Beekeeping program is a shining example of one of Niagara College’s key strengths – our ability to work closely with industry to develop high-quality academic programs that respond to specific needs in our community and beyond,” said Niagara College president Dan Patterson.

The program is truly hands-on, with an on-campus apiary – with 30 actively managed hives – serving as the centrepiece of the program.

Al Unwin, associate dean of Niagara College’s School of Environmental and Horticultural Studies, addresses a crowd gathered at the Niagara College Greenhouse on July 26 for the launch of the College’s new Commercial Beekeeping Graduate Certificate program.

Al Unwin, associate dean of Niagara College’s School of Environmental and Horticultural Studies, addresses a crowd gathered at the Niagara College Greenhouse on July 26 for the launch of the College’s new Commercial Beekeeping Graduate Certificate program.

“The need for a skilled labour force to offset the loss of a natural ecological process is significant,” said Al Unwin, associate dean of Niagara College’s School of Environmental and Horticultural Studies. “The development of this program aligns with our overall approach to agri-food, where pollinators are an increasingly important part of a vibrant food system. We’ve worked closely with industry to create a hands-on program that will produce graduates that are knowledgeable, highly skilled and experienced.”

The demand for skilled workers to support the pollination services industry is significant. In its most recent agricultural census, Statistics Canada estimates a need for more than 3,600 commercial beekeepers by 2026.

“I commend Niagara College on the launch of the commercial beekeeping program for our province,” said The Hon. Jeff Leal, Ontario’s minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “Training and education are key elements to supporting and improving the health of honey bees in Ontario. Innovative programs like this one play an important role in the future of the apiary sector.”

Niagara College’s program has been in development for four years, in collaboration with the Ontario Beekeepers’ Association (OBA), which represents 80 percent of beekeepers in Ontario.

“The Ontario Beekeepers’ Association is particularly pleased to have partnered with Niagara College on the concept and launch of their new Commercial Beekeeping program,” said Tibor Szabo, president of the OBA. “Today’s commercial beekeeper faces many challenges both locally and globally. This is a great first step for anyone thinking of a career in beekeeping.”

The Commercial Beekeeping Graduate Certificate program is a post-grad program open to students with a diploma or degree from an accredited college or university in agribusiness, agricultural sciences, environmental science/resource studies, horticulture or natural sciences, or an acceptable combination of education and experience. Learn more about the program online at www.niagaracollege.ca.

Niagara College offers more than 100 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs at campuses in Welland, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Niagara Falls; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Continuing Education courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit NiagaraCollege.ca.

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Canada’s Best Places for Business 2016: Top 10 Most Affordable

Municipalities with the lowest space, electricity and housing costs

How do you go about picking the country’s best place to do business? Every company will have its own criteria for a desirable location, after all.

A retail outlet dependent on a local clientele will do best in a community with high incomes and a rising population. An exporter, by contrast, will favour cost advantages such as cheap space and power. Organizations requiring specialized skills may need to be near a big city or university, or offer an appealing lifestyle.

Do margins really matter in your business? To come up with our list of most affordable places, we examine costs for things like office, retail and industrial space and electricity. The communities with the lowest costs rank highest.

Here are Canada’s Top 10 Most Affordable Places for Business for 2016:

1. GRANBY, QUE.

Population: 80,425
Average general lease rate: $10.66 psf/yr
Average retail lease rate: $15.15 psf/yr
Average industrial lease rate: $5.80 psf/yr
Peak electricity cost for mid-size businesses: $0.0660/kWh
See more Granby stats

2. CHATHAM-KENT, ONT.

Population: 106,115
Average general lease rate: $9.13 psf/yr
Average retail lease rate: $11.18 psf/yr
Average industrial lease rate: $5.48 psf/yr
Peak electricity cost for mid-size businesses: $0.1200/kWh
See more Chatham-Kent stats

3. JOLIETTE, QUE.

Population: 50,480
Average general lease rate: $17.87 psf/yr
Average office lease rate: $12.75 psf/yr
Average retail lease rate: $20.00 psf/yr
Average industrial lease rate: $6.78 psf/yr
Peak electricity cost for mid-size businesses: $0.0493/kWh
See more Joliette stats

4. ORANGEVILLE, ONT.

Population: 29,724
Average general lease rate: $19.11 psf/yr
Average office lease rate: $28.00 psf/yr
Average industrial lease rate: $6.91 psf/yr
Peak electricity cost for mid-size businesses: $/kWh
See more Orangville stats

5. WINDSOR–ESSEX, ONT.

Population: 334,137
Average general lease rate: $15.57 psf/yr
Average office lease rate: $13.94 psf/yr
Average retail lease rate: $21.49 psf/yr
Average industrial lease rate: $4.14 psf/yr
Peak electricity cost for mid-size businesses: $0.1113/kWh
See more Windsor-Essex stats

6. GRANDE PRAIRIE, ALTA.

Population: 67,993
Average general lease rate: $17.80 psf/yr
Average office lease rate: $11.00 psf/yr
Average retail lease rate: $17.08 psf/yr
Peak electricity cost for mid-size businesses: $0.0350/kWh
See more Grande Prairie stats

7. HIGH RIVER, ALTA.

Population: 15,984
Average general lease rate: $21.82 psf/yr
Peak electricity cost for mid-size businesses: $0.0069/kWh
See more High River stats

8. WINNIPEG, MAN.

Population: 796,364
Average general lease rate: $20.81 psf/yr
Average office lease rate: $22.16 psf/yr
Average retail lease rate: $30.49 psf/yr
Average industrial lease rate: $10.83 psf/yr
Peak electricity cost for mid-size businesses: $0.0670/kWh
See more Winnipeg stats

9. ST. CATHARINES, ONT.

Population: 135,324
Average general lease rate: $18.77 psf/yr
Average office lease rate: $19.00 psf/yr
Average retail lease rate: $15.63 psf/yr
Average industrial lease rate: $6.46 psf/yr
Peak electricity cost for mid-size businesses: $0.1030/kWH
See more St. Catharines stats

10. CHILLIWACK, B.C.

Population: 100,025
Average general lease rate: $17.20 psf/yr
Average retail lease rate: $20.32 psf/yr
Average industrial lease rate: $13.75 psf/yr
Peak electricity cost for mid-size businesses: $0.1030/kWH
See more Chilliwack stats

Click here for vital facts and figures on 219 Canadian municipalities

The Canadian Business Best Places for Business relies on a mix of self-reported data from the municipal governments and independent demographic and market data. Cost indicators factored into the ranking of Canada’s Most Affordable Places were as follows: average home price (lower is better); average general lease rate (lower is better) or average office lease rate (lower is better), average retail lease rate (lower is better) and average industrial lease rate (lower is better); and peak electricity cost for mid-size commercial businesses (lower is better) and peak electricity cost for mid-size industrial businesses (lower is better).

Source: http://www.profitguide.com/manage-grow/strategy-operations/canadas-best-places-for-business-2016-most-affordable-104977

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Heart Niagara participates in adolescent e-cigarette study

Study determines an ‘alarming rate’ of e-cigarette use among young Ontarians

Niagara Falls, Ontario – July 20, 2016: For 39 years, Heart Niagara has been committed to delivering community-based health services, public education and health promotion.
In 1987, the non-profit organization established the Healthy Heart Schools’ Program. The program works with local schools to deliver lifesaving and disease prevention education to students in Grades 5, 7 and 9.

During the 2013-2014 school year, Heart Niagara surveyed over 2,000 Grade 9 students within the Healthy Heart Schools’ Program about their smoking and vaping habits. The students were asked about their e-cigarette use, including why they tried them and how often they used them.

Information was collected for a research study in collaboration with The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto. The goal was to evaluate the frequency, motivations and associated factors for e-cigarette use among adolescents in Ontario.

Published on Monday, July 18th in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, the study indicated that 10 percent of respondents said they had tried an e-cigarette and the majority of those kids, 56 percent, had only tried it once. Nearly 25 percent said they learned about them from a store display or advertisement.

Dr. Michael Khoury, who led the research study made this statement in The Globe and Mail newspaper, “It’s quite an alarming rate,” he said. “This is a new public health issue that really needs to be addressed.”

While e-cigarettes are frequently used as devices for smoking cessation in adults, the study found that most students in survey were motivated to try e-cigarettes by their novelty and “coolness.”

Heart Niagara’s nurse practitioner, Don Gibson, who counsels smokers and contributed to the study said, “There’s no reason for youth or any nonsmokers to be using e-cigarettes. It’s not a good idea to provide vulnerable individuals with a more appealing way to become addicted to smoking.”

To date, Heart Niagara has contributed to 39 studies utilizing the Healthy Heart Schools’ Program’s data and is a major supporter of prevention research.

To view the study titled, Reported electronic cigarette use among adolescents in the Niagara region of Ontario, visit cmaj.ca.


For further information please contact:
Karen Stearne, Executive Director
Heart Niagara Inc.
Phone: 905-358-5552, Ext. 107
Email: info@heartniagara.com

For 39 years, Heart Niagara has been providing cardiac health education and services to the region on a non-profit level, relying on the generosity of the community to support its programs.

Visit our website

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Community event in Welland raises awareness about Hepatitis C

Niagara Health’s Hepatitis C Care Clinic and community partners are hosting a World Hepatitis Day educational event on Thursday, July 28 at the Farmers’ Market in downtown Welland.

The event will raise awareness about hepatitis C and liver health. It will also educate the community about the wide range of services the Niagara Health Hepatitis C Care Clinic and other community agencies offer to residents. At the event, a Registered Nurse and Nurse Practitioner from Niagara Health’s Hepatitis C Care Clinic and Registered Nurse from Niagara Region Public Health will offer confidential hepatitis C testing and health teaching to those interested.

Niagara’s rate of hepatitis C is higher than the provincial average.

Hepatitis C is spread when blood carrying the virus gets into the bloodstream of another person. The virus attacks the liver and if left untreated can result in the development of cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer. While thousands of Canadians are infected, many are not aware and remain undiagnosed. It is vital to get tested if you think you may have been exposed to hepatitis C.

The event at the Welland Farmers’ Market, 50 Market Square, runs Thursday, July 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

About the Hepatitis C Care Clinic

The Hepatitis C Care Clinic is a part of the Addiction Services Program at Niagara Health. The team consists of a physician trained in hepatitis C care and treatment, two registered nurses, a mental health counsellor, outreach worker and clinic community coordinator. The Niagara Health clinic is located in Port Colborne (260 Sugarloaf Dr.) with satellite clinics in Niagara Falls (Greater Niagara General Site), St. Catharines(4 Adams St.) and Welland (Welland Hospital).‎ The team provides Hepatitis C education, counselling and support – individual and group.

More information about the clinic can be found at: www.niagarahealth.on.ca/en/hepatitis-c-care

Media Contact: Melissa Raftis, Communications Specialist. 905-378-4647 ext. 43872
melissa.raftis@niagarahealth.on.ca

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Gillian’s Place – Call for Applications for Director at Large

Gillian’s Place
Gillian’s Place is a Canadian charitable organization whose mission is to offer hope, safety, support and empowerment to end violence against women through service, education and advocacy. Gillian’s Place offers safe shelter and community-based support to women and children who are fleeing violence. Whether they are living in our shelter or in the community, women receive counselling, legal information and advice, community referrals and individualized support to help them transition into living independently.

Description of Position
The Board of Directors provides strategic leadership to the organization by committing to excellence in governance and supporting organizational health for optimum achievement of its goals and mandate. The 10 member volunteer board is comprised of a team of leaders with combined experiences in governance, accounting, HR, legal, business management, marketing, fundraising, and community leadership.

We currently have a priority for individuals with Strategic Planning and HR expertise.

All members have a personal passion for volunteering and for making a difference in the lives of those touched by violence against women.

Responsibilities
Directors meet once monthly on Thursday evenings from September through June; the Annual General Meeting is held each September. Board members are also required to participate on one or more of the following standing committees: Finance, Governance, and Fund Development. Committee meetings are typically held quarterly. Board elections take place in September. Please browse our website to learn more about Gillian’s Place, the important work that we do, and how you can make a difference! Interested candidates are invited to submit a cover letter and recent resume to the attention of the Board Selection Committee, care of tanja@gilliansplace.com.

FORMERLY WOMEN’S PLACE ST. CATHARINES & NORTH NIAGARA
P.O. Box 1387, St. Catharines, ON L2R 7J8 • Business Line 905.684.4000 • Fax 905.704.4556 • Support Line 905.684.8331
www.gilliansplace.com

CHARITABLE NUMBER 129718037 RR0001

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How your business can cash in on Pokémon GO

On July 17, Niantic released Pokémon GO in Canada, although many had already been playing versions from other markets that were released earlier. The game is the latest instalment in the twenty-year-old Pokémon franchise that’s spawned games, films, TV shows, comics, and even a musical. “Pokémon” is short for the original Japanese title of “Pocket Monsters” (Poketto Monsutâ), and the correct pronunciation is “poh-kay-mon,” not “poe-kee-mon.”

The GO edition has players capturing, battling, and training virtual Pokémon that appear in augmented reality — on smart device screens when using their cameras to view the world. It’s been a massive commercial success. It quickly surpassed Candy Crush’s record for most-used smart device app, and increased the value of Nintendo’s shares by 50 per cent almost overnight.

The small crowds that build up at popular Pokéstops (locations where players can collect items and Poke Balls to capture more Pokémon) and gyms (places where players duel one another with their Pokémon to “capture” the gym for their team) have become a boon to local businesses. Yelp lets users search for Pokéstop businesses already. Restaurants and bars are seeing business increase 25 to 50 per cent. A survey at the GameStop chain, for instance, found that the 462 locations designated as gyms or Pokéstops had doubled their sales.

Did that get your attention?

Niantic placed most Pokéstops during the development of the game. If your business is a location, you might have already noticed Pokémon players wandering through your doors. Being a Pokéstop is free advertising — players will gravitate to your business without you having to spend a dime in marketing. There’s no current official map of all Pokéstop and gym locations, but you can install Niantic’s app Ingress, which maps locations virtually 1:1. If you find out that you’re a Pokémon location, it’s absolutely worth advertising that fact. Pokémon is big on social media — use the hashtags #Pokemon or #PokemonGO. Put signage out front and inside. Let people know and give word-of-mouth a helping hand.

If you’re a Pokéstop, you can really drive up traffic by throwing Lures out. A Lure dramatically increases the rate of Pokémon that appear around the location for half an hour, and therefore will dramatically increase the number of players who come to your business. Lures are dirt-cheap as far as marketing goes. An eight-pack of Lures costs 680 Pokecoins; $130 CAD gets you 14,500 Pokecoins, making luring cost you about $1.55 an hour.

To throw out Lures, install the game, tap the red Pokeball at the bottom of the game’s display, tap “shop,” and tap the lures to purchase them (they look like purple boxes). Once you’ve bought them, tap the red Pokeball again, tap “Items,” and then tap the lure to activate it. Repeat every thirty minutes. When your lure is out, your Pokéstop will show up on players’ maps with pink flowers around it, letting them know it’s a hotspot for Pokémon.

Lures can’t be deployed at gyms, but you don’t have to — gyms are big draws on their own. Players will come to “capture” the gym for one of the three teams: Mystic, Valor, and Instinct (don’t worry, it’s all virtual!). To see if you’re near a gym, check the Ingress map or open the game on your phone. You’ll spot them — they’re the biggest structures on the in-game map. Capitalizing on being a gym, or near a gym, takes a little more effort, but can yield big rewards.

Some ideas that businesses have implemented include discounts for members of the team that currently controls the gym. Put up a sign announcing which team is currently in control. You can find out easily enough from the app — or just wait for players to tell you (don’t worry, they will). The discounts you give to players on the controlling team will be more than offset by the business you get from players on the opposing teams who arrive to try and capture the location. You can also order Pokemon gym badges customized for your business. You can get designs for free (Google “custom Pokemon gym badges” for examples). The GNCC’s member directory has many local businesses making high-quality signs that’ll draw players into your location.

What if you’re not a gym or Pokéstop? You can make a request to become a Pokéstop or gym with Niantic’s online request form. Lots of organizations have. If your business is mobile, you can use the app to set up shop near a Pokéstop or a gym and use the strategies above. Try and find a location near several Pokéstops, and put down a lure for each. There’ll be a crowd in no time.

You can still get in on the action without being a gym or a Pokéstop, although those locations are obviously ideal. There will still be wild Pokémon that pop up at your location. Advertise them! Here’s a handy chart of Pokémon by rarity from Redditor RotomGuy. Players can use Incense to get more Pokémon, which is like a lure, but only for the player who put it down. Ask players who find rare Pokémon to tag your business in social media and upload a picture of the Pokémon they caught. Maybe offer them a discount or to pay for their Incense. Once word gets out that your business is a good place to find rare Pokémon, players will start to show up.

These are certainly exciting times for players, with more people using the game every day than Twitter. Maybe this is a fad and will pass quickly, but that doesn’t mean you can’t build your business’s reputation and customer base while it’s hot. Some of the players you bring in may turn out to be lifelong customers even after Pokémon has gone the way of Beanie Babies, Furbies, Napster, and MySpace (remember those?). Of course, Pokémon has been around for twenty years now, so it might take a while…

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Niagara College Teaching Brewery wins big at first-ever U.S. Open College Beer Championships

Niagara College brewmaster and professor Jon Downing with  award-winning Niagara College Teaching Brewery beers: Beer 101 Strong, which won bronze at the U.S. Open Beer Championships, and 16-73 Pils, which won gold at the U.S. Open College Beer Championships.

Niagara College brewmaster and professor Jon Downing with award-winning Niagara College Teaching Brewery beers: Beer 101 Strong, which won bronze at the U.S. Open Beer Championships, and 16-73 Pils, which won gold at the U.S. Open College Beer Championships.

Niagara College was named Grand National Champion at the inaugural U.S. Open College Beer Championships, held recently in the United States.

The new competition is open to any college or university offering courses in brewing. The competition saw entries from 10 different colleges and universities, and seven took home medals in five categories. Niagara College took home four medals for student-brewed beers, including: gold for 16-73 Pils in the German Pilsner category; gold for its Caramel Machiato Golden Stout in the Open category; silver for Witty Grandpa in the Witbier category; and bronze for its Czarina in the Imperial Stout category. The gold winning pilsner was designed and brewed by third-semester students while the Czarina and Caramel Machiato Golden Stout were individual efforts by fourth-semester student Keegan Dombrosky.

Other medalists included Central Michigan University, the University of Houston, Colorado State University, Michigan State University, Appalachian State University, Auburn University and Schenectady County Community College.

“The experience of being able to compete in a competition like this was truly invaluable to my continued growth as a brewer,” said Dombrosky, who came to Niagara College from Simsbury, CT, and will graduate from the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program this fall. “To be able to test my mettle against the best brewing students in North America and have such success gives me great confidence and excitement as I prepare to finish this amazing program. The purpose of this competition was to determine the best future brewers in North America and to now be a part of that discussion is a great honor.”

“It is always fun to be first and for our students to win the inaugural U.S. Open College Beer Championship is excellent,” said Niagara College brewmaster and professor Jon Downing. “The entries were designed and brewed by students from all four semesters of our Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program. As we prepare our students to excel in the burgeoning craft brewing industry, it’s very satisfying to see their work earn international recognition.”

In the U.S. Open Beer Championships, also held recently, Niagara College won a bronze medal for its Beer 101 Strong. That competition, which saw more than 5,000 beers entered, also saw Niagara College brewing professor, Rob Doyle and head brewer, Curt Bentley, win Bronze for a Bronan brewed for their company High Road Brewing. MADD Virgin Lager – developed by MADD Virgin Drinks and Niagara College’s Research and Innovation Division – won silver in the Non-Alcoholic category.

Judging for the competitions took place in Oxford, OH, Atlanta, GA and Auburn, AB. Sixteen Niagara College Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program took part in the judging, along with Downing, who serves as director of judging. Neither Downing nor the students judged any Niagara College Teaching Brewery entries.

“Today, the craft beer industry has over 15% of the beer market by volume, but supplies 50% of the jobs in the brewing industry,” said Dow Scoggins, director of the U.S. Open College Beer Championships and U.S. Beer Championships. “Being a former brewery owner, I was thrilled to see colleges and universities starting brewing programs and degrees. These schools provide the industry with qualified workers, and the U.S. Open College Beer Championship was started to help promote these needed programs.”

For info about the U.S. Open Beer Championship visit usopenbeer.com

NC’s Teaching Brewery, the first fully-licensed teaching brewery in Canada, opened at the College’s Niagara-on-the-Lake campus in April 2011. The facility allows students to brew their own craft beer on campus and get hands-on training in beer making, management and sensory evaluation. The beers are also sold on-campus at the NC Teaching Brewery retail store.

Niagara College offers more than 100 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs at campuses in Welland, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Niagara Falls; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Continuing Education courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit http://www.niagaracollege.ca/content/

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Media inquiries, please contact:

Michael Wales
Senior Communications Officer
Office: 905.735.2211 ext. 7773
Cell: 905.328.4101
mwales@niagaracollege.ca

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