Lennoxville on alert following reports of student assaults
LRecord Staff
ennoxville’s Bishop’s University and Champlain College are on the alert after reports have surfaced of recent alleged sexual assaults against students on the streets of Lennoxville.
“We are concerned to hear about unconfirmed reports of sexual assaults which took place near the Champlain College/bishop’s University campus over the past few weeks,” stated an email sent out to Champlain students and staff on Friday by Annick Corbeil, Dean of Student Services at Champlain.
“Sherbrooke Police is currently investigating and will be more present in the area during the coming days,” the email stated.
The email cautioned students not to walk alone at night or let others walk home alone. They were told to call the Student Safety and walk-safe programs (819822-9711) to ask for a walk home, and to contact campus security if they notice any suspicious activity.
The alert stems from reports made by BU students in recent weeks that are still currently under police investigation.
When another student came forward sharing information about an attempted assault on Halloween weekend, BU sent an email last week with the heading ‘Important Safety Information-campus Wide Notice!’
“We have received one more complaint of an attempted assault from last weekend,” stated the email, sent out Thursday by Stine Linden-andersen, Dean of Student Affairs at Bishop’s.
“We have put extra security and walk home services in place until further notice,” the email read.
“Please know that we are releasing as much information as we can without jeopardizing the police investigation.”
Police are being mum about details on the case so as “not to interfere with the investigation.” They did specify, however, that the attacks did not occur on the joint Bishop’s-champlain campus.
The City of Sherbrooke has spoken and Steve Lussier is its new mayor. As of Press time last night Lussier held a lead of nearly 5000 votes over Bernard Sévigny, the outgoing mayor seeking his third mandate. Sherbrooke Citoyen party leader Hélène Pigot took up a distant third place.
Lussier campaigned on a promise of economic caution and fiscal responsibility, committing to not spend more than the city has on hand and a promise to review all projects currently underway. He was particularly outspoken in his criticism of Sevigny’s redevelopment plan for Wellington Street South.
Where support for Sévigny faltered, support for his political party, Renouveau Sherbrookois, followed suit. Of the nine incumbent Renouveau Sherbrookois team only Fleurimont Councilors Vincent Boutin and Danielle Berthold were holding leads in their districts.
Indeed, it was not a night that was good for political parties in general, in Sherbrooke. Sherbrooke Citoyen, founded as a response to Renouveau Sherbrookois, failed to make a strong showing in any district other than in District 4.5 du Carrefour where Sherbrooke Citoyen candidate Évelyne Beaudin had a very slight lead over incumbent independent councilor Pierre Tardif in a race that was still too close to call.
This election saw a reduction in of the number of council seats in Sherbrooke, pitting some sitting council members against each other. Councillors Annie Godbout, Julien Lachance, Nicole Bergeron, Marc Demers, Danielle Berthold, Vincent Boutin, and Chantal L’esperance all showed strong signs of being reelected as of 10pm, with more than 85 per cent of polls reporting.
In Lennoxville, Claude Charron is the new Borough President with Jennifer Garfat and Bertrand Collins making up the rest of the borough council. The three councilors led in their respective districts from the moment that results started coming in and maintained that lead throughout.
MORE ELECTION RESULTS ON PAGE 3