Latest news with #Sabourin
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New allegations against magazine owner accused of taking payments, not delivering on contract terms
ST. LOUIS – 'The magazine came onto my radar when I received an email from Stacy Oliver of Mind Body Soul media, offering an opportunity to join her publication with a cover feature,' life coach and author Jaki Sabourin said. A proposition Sabourin says she was excited to explore. 'The demographics really are in alignment with my ideal clients. And I thought it'd be a great way to kind of introduce more locally my life coaching, etc.,' Sabourin said. In March, the La Jolla, California, resident says she signed an agreement with Mind Body Soul Magazine founder Stacy Oliver. According to the contract and bank statements Sabourin shared with us, she paid Oliver $9,000. 'It wasn't just to be on the cover of a magazine; this was a whole year-long marketing strategy that I kind of wrapped my business around, going, 'Okay, I'm going to invest this money; I'm going to use this magazine the five times I'm in it. I'm going to do appearances. So, this was not just a one and done,' Sabourin said. If her story sounds familiar, that's because it is. 'It just kind of made sense,' Emilia Rizzuto, owner of St. Louis-based company All Things Elderberry, said. 'Seemed like it made sense,' April Berkovich, owner of April Berkovich Wellness Studio in St. Louis, said. In a report we aired in early May, Rizzuto and Berkovich told us they also signed contracts and paid thousands of dollars to be prominently featured in Stacy Oliver's publication. They say the magazines were never published. They detailed those breach of contract allegations in complaints they've filed with the Missouri Attorney General's Office. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'I certainly don't want any other female business owners to fall for this, like I did,' Berkovich said. In fact, Berkovich contacted Sabourin to warn her about doing business with Oliver. 'She was very, very great in sending me correspondence, emails, documentation, so I wasn't just taking her word for it,' Sabourin said. Sabourin says the information she received prompted her to confront Stacy Oliver. In an email she shared with us, Sabourin details the ways Oliver allegedly breached their contract. She also told Oliver she's contacted law enforcement and filed a fraud report with her credit card company. She even told Oliver she was communicating with Contact 2's Mike Colombo for this story. She asked Oliver to cease use of her name, image or likeness; to confirm the cancelation of her feature and all related content or promotional materials; and to refrain from contacting her regarding future financial transactions. 'She agreed in a reply email, saying, 'I agree,' and that's it,' Sabourin said. Oliver never denied any of the allegations while corresponding with Sabourin. 'She just said, 'Oh, dear.' Like, 'Oh, I'm caught.' And then I said, I need you to agree to this email. And she emailed me back and said, 'I agree,' and I haven't contacted her further. I did file the report with the Attorney General of California and also with the district attorney,' Sabourin said. Sabourin, Rizzuto, and Berkovich are among a group of nearly a dozen women around the country who allege Oliver owes them hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some tell FOX 2 they bought marketing and media packages that included magazine appearances that were never published; others say they're owed money for work they did with the magazine. 'It's really reprehensible that there's another small business owner—as a woman—taking advantage of other small businesswomen,' Sabourin said. FOX 2 reached out to Oliver for comment on numerous occasions. As of the date of this story's publication, she hasn't responded. Berkovich said Oliver sent her an email after our first report aired. According to Berkovich, Oliver committed to send her, ''something this month in good faith – $2,000 if not the entire $6,000' owed.' To date, Berkovich said she's received just $200 from Oliver. On a positive note, Sabourin's credit card company refunded the $9,000 she paid Oliver. FOX 2 will continue to follow this story and share any updates we get. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Montreal Gazette
28-05-2025
- Montreal Gazette
How to plan for Tour de l'Île road closures
By Close to 40,000 cyclists will take to Montreal streets this weekend to ride in the annual Tour la Nuit and Tour de l'Île. Organized by Vélo Québec, the events will close some roads east of Pie-IX Blvd. Here's what you need to know to navigate city streets and avoid a tow. 'It's possible to get around by car this weekend in Montreal,' Vélo Québec President Jean-François Rheault told reporters at a Wednesday morning press conference. But 'it might not be the route you're used to taking.' Tour la Nuit will close roads Friday between 7:30 p.m. and midnight along a 21-kilometre route in the Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, St-Léonard and Montreal North boroughs. The longer Tour de l'Île will take place Sunday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., and will see 50 kilometres of roads between Gouin Blvd. and Notre-Dame St. and Pie-IX Blvd. and the eastern tip of the island closed to cars. 'We want it to be a festive and enjoyable event and for everyone to share that enjoyment — cyclists and drivers,' City of Montreal Spokesperson Philippe Sabourin said. Drivers heading east-west through the city can still take Highway 40, Sherbrooke St., Souligny Ave. and portions Notre-Dame St. throughout the events. Autoroute 25 will also remain open, allowing north-south access off the island from the affected areas. Vélo Québec is also maintaining a hotline to help drivers, pedestrians and public transit riders plan routes and has posted maps of the planned closures. The road closures are also set to be shown on Waze and Google Maps, Sabourin said. The event will impact 27 STM bus routes. A special shuttle, No. 809, will be in place for people in Pointe-aux-Trembles who would normally take buses 86 or 189, to shuttle them to Marien Ave. More information is available at The City of Montreal has readied 18 tow trucks for the Tour la Nuit route Friday evening, Sabourin said, warning that a towed vehicle costs drivers around $194. Tow trucks will also be on call for the Sunday event. Drivers can 'avoid surprises,' he said, by consulting the maps. Drivers on the Friday evening route will have until 1 p.m. that day to move their cars, while cars parked on the Sunday route are required to relocate by 12:01 a.m. Sunday. Vélo Québec communicated the closures well ahead of time, Rheault said, posting signs along the routes over a week in advance, calling some businesses directly and mailing around 10,000 pamphlets. This year's Tour de l'Île is the 40th edition, adopting an '80s theme to commemorate the occasion, Rheault said. 'It's certainly an important event in the construction of Montreal's cycling culture,' he said, adding that participants report they travel by bike more often following the event. 'The bicycle is a simple solution to complicated problems. It's good for mobility. It's good for the environment. It's good for health.' The event also boosts Montreal's economy, he said, by attracting tourist dollars from Ontario and the United States. Both the Friday and Sunday events are likely to see between 18,000 and 19,000 participants, Rheault said. Registration remains open for both. At a glance The Tour la Nuit kicks of Friday with staggered starts between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. The Tour de l'Île is Sunday with staggered starts between 9:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Registration for both events is available at Participants can also register at the starting line.
Montreal Gazette
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Montreal Gazette
Don't be fooled by skinnier cones, Montreal will be orange again this summer
By There will be fewer orange cones on the roads than usual this summer, but there will be just as many construction sites. The city of Montreal and Transport Quebec held their annual briefing on summer roadwork Wednesday, and despite record investments in roads, sewers and bridges in the last few years, the pace of construction season has remained unchanged. 'We have reduced by half the number of cones that we put on roads where the speed limit is 40 kilometres per hour,' said Philippe Sabourin, city of Montreal spokesperson. 'That's major.' Sabourin was referring to the city's updated Charter of Roadwork, which lists norms and best practices the city expects construction companies to follow. He added the city is also insisting that companies use more 'svelte' cones in certain cases so that the cones themselves take up less room. About 1,000 streets will have closures over the course of the summer within the local network, and there will be another 44 construction sites on highways. Within the city, the major roadwork will be on: St-Jacques St. between de la Cathédrale St. and Lucien L'Allier St. The city is also wrapping up construction on Ste-Catherine St. W., between Peel and Mansfield Sts., which will be closed until the fall, while the north-south streets of Peel and Metcalfe will remain open. There will be major work done on the Ville-Marie Expressway, which will require night and weekend closures. St-Urbain St. will be closed from Viger St. to St-Antoine St. Roads and sewers around the CHUM superhospital will be replaced, requiring some streets to be closed or at least narrowed. Further afield, there will be 15 weekend blitzes on the Mercier Bridge, which will force the closing of all but one lane of traffic in each direction. Getting to Trudeau airport will be tricky as well, as there are already three construction sites on the Côte-de-Liesse Expressway. The eastbound Metropolitan Expressway is also due to be closed this long weekend, weather permitting, and on another weekend in June so crews car repave that stretch of roadway. Transport Québec determined that the quality of asphalt did not meet the standards stated in the contract, so the work will have to be redone, spokesperson Sarah Bensadoun said. While the city and province are urging people to take transit to get around, that will be difficult for a large number of commuters because the REM — the newest light-rail network linking Brossard to the downtown core — will be completely shut down for a period of six weeks. The shutdown is needed so workers can run tests throughout the network before opening up the Anse-a-l'Orme and Deux-Montagnes branches, expected for October of this year. Spokesperson Francis Labbé said the tests are going well so far, and the REM trains have begun running at their top speed of about 100 km/h through the Mount Royal Tunnel. However, Labbé said the timeline on the commissioning of the next two branches of the network will depend on how well the tests go during the network's closure in July.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Montreal's Festival sur le Canal cancelled this year after 17 editions showcasing local talent
For the first time in 17 years, the show won't go on for Montreal's Festival sur le Canal, with organizers citing financial headwinds as the motive for this year's cancellation. Typically held in mid-June along the banks of the Lachine Canal in the Sud-Ouest borough, the summer concerts take place rain or shine. Admission is free, with festivalgoers encouraged to pay what they can. But this year, the financial strain is forcing organizers to cancel the shows. Carl Comeau, co-founder of the festival, said his team is working hard to solve the issue. They released a statement on their website and social media Friday to share the news. "It was a tough announcement for us," he said. "We've created something really nice that the community wants, that the community's going to lose now." Comeau says production costs have surged by about 40 per cent since coming out of the pandemic, adding that public and private funding has been difficult to secure in some cases. These production costs include sound equipment, fencing and security. He said the "biggest" issue is the amount of paperwork required to apply for funding. "It is mind-blowing for somebody that has a full-time job, that has to find financing for my festival every year," he said. But despite these financial challenges, he refuses to cut artist fees to balance the budget. "Our festival has always been proud of showcasing up-and-coming artists," he said. "In most cases, this is their big show of the summer and to have to negotiate them down because our budget can't afford to book them is just not right." Many venues and festivals across the city have been grappling with similar financial struggles. Festivalgoers, seen here along the Lachine Canal in 2017, celebrate the start of summer every year at the Festival sur le Canal. (Molly Kohli/CBC) Comeau emphasized that, ultimately, he and his team want the majority of funding to go toward artists, artisans and the overall experience. The festival has long served as a platform for local talent, giving artists an opportunity to share their music with Montrealers and others. Samuel Sabourin, singer and tenor banjo player in the Quebec band Le Diable à Cinq, says he was saddened by the cancellation of this year's edition. "For local artists, those festivals are so important in our development. It's so accessible... and fun festival to play," said Sabourin. Having performed at the festival last year, the artist noted that the event allowed people to discover new artists for free, making it more accessible. "Lots of family, lots of people alone, just taking a rest there, listening to music. For us, it was a really nice venue," said Sabourin. Comeau says he and his team are working hard to figure the situation out and remain hopeful that a few supportive phone calls will come through. In the meantime, he says people should support local artists. "We shouldn't support local just because there's a crisis," said Comeau, referencing the current tensions between Canada and the U.S. "Let's look in our neighbourhoods, let's support our local communities."
CBC
05-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Montreal's Festival sur le Canal cancelled this year after 17 editions showcasing local talent
For the first time in 17 years, the show won't go on for Montreal's Festival sur le Canal, with organizers citing financial headwinds as the motive for this year's cancellation. Typically held in mid-June along the banks of the Lachine Canal in the Sud-Ouest borough, the summer concerts take place rain or shine. Admission is free, with festivalgoers encouraged to pay what they can. But this year, the financial strain is forcing organizers to cancel the shows. Carl Comeau, co-founder of the festival, said his team is working hard to solve the issue. They released a statement on their website and social media Friday to share the news. "It was a tough announcement for us," he said. "We've created something really nice that the community wants, that the community's going to lose now." Comeau says production costs have surged by about 40 per cent since coming out of the pandemic, adding that public and private funding has been difficult to secure in some cases. These production costs include sound equipment, fencing and security. He said the "biggest" issue is the amount of paperwork required to apply for funding. "It is mind-blowing for somebody that has a full-time job, that has to find financing for my festival every year," he said. But despite these financial challenges, he refuses to cut artist fees to balance the budget. "Our festival has always been proud of showcasing up-and-coming artists," he said. "In most cases, this is their big show of the summer and to have to negotiate them down because our budget can't afford to book them is just not right." Many venues and festivals across the city have been grappling with similar financial struggles. Comeau emphasized that, ultimately, he and his team want the majority of funding to go toward artists, artisans and the overall experience. The festival has long served as a platform for local talent, giving artists an opportunity to share their music with Montrealers and others. Samuel Sabourin, singer and tenor banjo player in the Quebec band Le Diable à Cinq, says he was saddened by the cancellation of this year's edition. "For local artists, those festivals are so important in our development. It's so accessible... and fun festival to play," said Sabourin. Having performed at the festival last year, the artist noted that the event allowed people to discover new artists for free, making it more accessible. "Lots of family, lots of people alone, just taking a rest there, listening to music. For us, it was a really nice venue," said Sabourin. Comeau says he and his team are working hard to figure the situation out and remain hopeful that a few supportive phone calls will come through. In the meantime, he says people should support local artists. "We shouldn't support local just because there's a crisis," said Comeau, referencing the current tensions between Canada and the U.S. "Let's look in our neighbourhoods, let's support our local communities." WATCH | Why are many Canadian arts festivals struggling to keep afloat: Canadian arts festivals pushed to the brink by inflation, stalled funding 1 year ago Duration 2:03 Numerous Canadian arts festivals are struggling to stay afloat with some having to cancel or pause events this year. Organizers point to post-pandemic inflation as a major cause, combined with government funding that isn't keeping pace with rising costs.
