The record, 19 décembre 2012, mercredi 19 décembre 2012

-—THE — RECORD Don’t forget The Record Chrismas Gift Subscriptions! Looking for a last minute Christmas gift?Order The Record archive book This 10”x13” bound book highlights the most important stories of 1911-1920.Only $28.75 taxes included, shipping extra.Call 819-569-9528 or email: billing@sherbrookerecord.com Stertewto jri» Itnrt THE The voice of the Eastern Townships since 1897 Public servant awarded Jubilee Medal Claudia Villemaire, page 5 75 CENTS + TAXES PM#0040007682 Wednesday, December 19, 2012 ETSB taking ‘sophisticated’ measures to keep schools safe Gordon Lambie Special to The Record In the wake of the tragic shooting of 27 in an elementary school in Newtown Connecticut, officials from the Eastern Townships School Board (ETSB) were busy with measures and materials to be put into action Monday morning to ensure the safety and security of their students and staff.Peter Hamilton, Director of Complementary Services, and Sharon Priest, Communications Consultant for the ETSB took time Monday afternoon to discuss the nature of these and other approaches the English board has taken in the name of ensuring that schools in the Townships remain places of safety and Learning.“We sent out, to all the schools, guidelines about how to react to a situation like this,” Hamilton said, relating that a team of people including psychologists and educational professionals had been swiftly gathered to gauge the needs of the student population and school staffs in this situation.“We did it before with Virginia Tech,” he shared, relating that the board already had a list of “best practices” to share with the schools in the event of a shooting.Priest’s tone was solemn, “all I can say on behalf of the school board is that obviously our condolences and our thoughts are with all the parents and Cont’d on page 3 George Foote Foss - a man of firsts Inventor of the first gas-powered ‘horseless carriage’ in 1897 COURTESY Since 1993, a solitary granite monument to George Foote Foss (1876 - 1968) and his horseless carriage, later dubbed the Fossmobile, has paid homage to the inventor at the spot where his bicycle repair workshop stood on Abenakis Street, near Place Nikitotek.By Barbara Lavoie Record Correspondent For the accolade of inventing Canada’s first gas-powered automobile in 1897, Sherbrooke’s own George Foote Foss remains, for the most part, unsung.Since 1993, a solitary granite monument to Foote Foss (1876 -1968) and his horseless carriage, later dubbed the Fossmobile, has paid homage to the inventor at the spot where his bicycle repair workshop stood on Abenakis Street, formerly Water Street, alongside the Magog River near Place Nikitotek.Yet, as Don Martin, Jr., also a Sherbrooke native who now resides in Melbourne, Ontario, notes “Foss changed the life of the average person with his invention.” “I’ll always be fascinated with the man (Foss)” said Martin, during a telephone interview.“He really created something of importance, but his invention was pushed to the side.” It’s hard to imagine a world without the automobile, but in the late 1800s, the only means of traversing the land Cont’d on page 4 .THE i RECORD BONUS; Take a 1 year print subscription (new or renewal) and get an ONLINE subscription for only $5 more for yourself or to give as a gift! Valid until December 31, 2012 Christmas Gift Subscriptions If s quick & easy and.no lineups! • $129.(12 months) • $68.(6 months) * $34.(3 months).Taxes included.Online Subcription: $62.Taxes included For more information or assistance call 819-569-9528 billing@sherbrookerecord.com DRAWING: For any new or renewed subscription, your name will be placed in a drawing for the following: • 2 tickets to the opening ceremony of the 2013 Canada Games.2 passports giving access to preliminary round activities for the two weeks of the games.Drawing will be on Dec.20/12 at 4 p.m.2013canadagames.ca —JEUX DU— CANADA —GAMES— Page 2 Wednesday, December 19, 2012 newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record The Record Do you have an idea or a scoop for The Record news reporters?We’re always looking for new stories.Send us an e-mail or call us if you have knowledge of a story you think we should investigate.We won’t be able to take on every project, but we will read every message! Newsroom telephone: 81&-569-6345 e-mail address: newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Visit the Record Website daily Get daily news headlines from The Record.weather, Quebec, Canada, World, business, sports, entertainment news and more! www.sherbrookerecord.com Weather 'i* V - G 'J- •'J* - » W-w G TODAY: LIGHT WET SNOW HIGH OF 2 LOW OF 0 THURSDAY: MIX SUN AND CLOUD HIGH OF 2 LOW OF -2 1 J JJJJ FRIDAY: RAIN HIGH OF 6 LOW OF 0 .*» —A '1‘ » —I G ¦r I.'*• ** , v SATURDAY: SNOW HIGH OF 0 LOW OF-1 ¦'J* •'J' "J- G , 1 g'j' t G ^ G G SUNDAY: PERIODS OF SNOW HIGH OF-6 LOW OF-9 Keeping in Touch Coming to ToWN/hipper/ Tis the season of good cheer and making merry.It is also the season when our thoughts turn gratefully to those who have made our progress possible and worked so hard to strengthen our community.To say “thank you” is truly our pleasure.So we can enjoy the holiday season with our loved ones, please note that our offices will be closed from December 24, 2012 until January 4, 2013.We’ll be back at it on January 7, 2013, charged up about what we’re going to accomplish together in the new year, and there’s already plenty of new opportunities and projects in store! In the Stanstead and Richmond areas, keep your eyes and ears open about upcoming computer workshops.Primarily offered for seniors, this project will give the participants a chance to learn how to make the most of their computers.The different topics that can be covered include: how to use Face-book, setting up an e-mail account, searching the web for information, how to use a Kindle or an iPad, and online security.The workshops will run for six sessions with instruction on one of the above topics or any other topic of choice as well as have a question and practice period.In the Coaticook region we are planning a healthy outreach activity that will include the presentation of health DVDs covering a wide range of topics.All information will be presented in English and, when available, a resource person will be present to answer any questions and provide additional information about local services, such as where and when they are available.We are also working on a health passport, a little booklet containing details on where and what health services are available locally.The booklets would also have space to provide important personal health information such as allergies, current medication, medical history, living habits and any other information needed for medical care.The passport would also have some key words and phrases translated for emergency use.As well as new projects, Townshippers’ will continue to support and maintain existing successful projects such as the Stanstead mental health group.This group continues to meet once a week at the Centre d’Action Benevole R.H.Rediker.The group activities help break social isolation as well as help the participants develop greater self esteem, improve their social skills and be better equipped to face personal and life challenges.Pre-retour Memphrémagog is a service intended for youth aged 16-30 who wish to return to a healthy lifestyle, school, you in 2013 TOWNSHIPPERS' ASSOCIATION The benefit musical “Hanky Tank Blue.The Night Patsy Met Hank" is just one of the many highlights planned for the new year.Santa’s got his tickets, do you have yours?Only 200 tickets are available.Order yours, $25 adults/$20 students, from Townshippers’ by calling 819-566-5717, toll free: 1-866-566-5717.For our last Keeping In Touch column 2012, all of us at Townshippers’ Association with you all the best for this holiday season and a wonderful New Year! or work, and who need help or guidance to do so.Pre-retour is a mobile service, which means that the coordinator will go to the kids where they are and adapt the service to the individual needs.All activities will include refreshments and are offered at no charge.If you are interested in any of the above projects or have an idea for a project that you would like to see happen in your area, contact us at the coordinates below.From all of us at Townshippers’ Association, best wishes for a beautiful holiday season and a 2013 that’s your greatest yet! See you next year! For more information on Townshippers’ Association and our activities, keep reading this weekly Keeping in Touch column in The Record and visit us on Twitter ©Townshippers, Facebook and our website www.townshippers.qc.ca.To connect with Townshippers’ Association, contact the offices in Sherbrooke (100 - 257 Queen St.819-566-5717, toll free: 1-866-566-5717) or Lac-Brome (3-584 Knowlton Rd, 450-242-4421, toll free: 1-877-242-4421).Ben by Daniel Shelton ^UV, X ÎMINK MAX' FOUNPTHE CHEW TOY YOU BOUGHT HIM TOR WJHRIST/V14S.ssvf S^SNlF * A / K « N The Record newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com Wednesday, December ]9, 2012 Page 3 Anyone with a smartphone can receive real-time snow clearing information from the city by texting “neige” to 51111.Sherbrooke ready for winter: Report Gordon Lambie Special to The Record Sherbrooke’s Road Maintenance department released its annual report on the viability of the winter season in 2011-2012 at Monday’s City council meeting.The report states, among other points, that the city saved $1.75 million on snow clearing operations, owing to a snowfall of almost a metre less than the five year average.To be precise, last winter saw an overall snowfall of 152cm over its 1,023km of roadways, whereas the average of the five previous years was 231cm.Snowfall was below average last winter in every month from November to April except February.The report shows that the amount of snow the city has received has decreased each winter for the last five seasons.Facing the statement from weather authorities that this coming winter will have more seasonally appropriate weather than the last, the department reports that it is “ready to face winter 2012-2013.” The department also took the opportunity to remind Sherbrooke of their new text messaging pilot project, which came into effect Monday morning.Anyone with a smartphone can receive realtime snow clearing information from the city by texting “neige” to 51111.Those who wish to use the service who are without smartphones can receive the messages in email form by subscribing at www.sherbrooke.ca/neige under the “L’hiver en temps réel” heading.At the moment, according to Guy-laine Hébert of the Sherbrooke Communications Service, this pilot project is only offered in French.Hébert indicated that it was “unlikely” that the service would be offered in English later on, though it would depend on the result of the results of the project, which are to be evaluated in spring of 2013.Otherwise, to get information, citizens are directed to call 819-821-5858, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with any questions or concerns.The Road maintenance service would like to remind the population to do its part in care for the roadways in winter.Specifically they would like brown, green and black bins to be placed on the edge of yards and not in the street, on the day of collection, not the night before; for people to respect street parking rules; for drivers to adapt their mentality to winter driving; and for no one to put snow onto the road.This report is the second to come out as a result of the city’s “Living with winter” policy, adopted Mar.15, 2010.A Sherbrooke resident is being sought by police in connection with the infamous theft of over a million dollars worth of maple syrup from a storehouse in Saint-Louis-de-Blandford in the Centre-du-Québec.Stéphane Darveau of Sherbrooke is one of five people subject to an arrest warrant actively sought by the Sûreté du Québec (SQJ.On Tuesday, the Regional SQ Investigations Division carried out three ar- Sherbrooke man sought in syrup rests in connection with the mid-summer theft.Police also seized vehicles used to transport the stolen syrup and a warehouse on Industrial Street in Saint-Louis-de-Blandford.During the investigation, police met with nearly 300 people working in the production and sale of maple syrup and in transportation.They have executed several search warrants, including in New Brunswick, Ontario and the northern United States.They seized four forklifts, four boilers, a platform lift and six electronic scales.Two-thirds of the stolen syrup has been recovered.Richard Vallieres, 34, of Loretteville, Avik Caron, 39, of St.Wenceslas, and a third suspect were arrested without a warrant and will also face charges of conspiracy to commit theft, theft, handling stolen goods and fraud.Police are still searching for Sébastien Jutras, Gaétan Jutras, and Line theft Pépin, from Bécancour, and Robert Me Clean, from Granby.The investigation includes police from Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières and Drummondville, says a press release.In addition, the Border Services Agency of Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and U.S.agents (Immigration and Custom Enforcement have collaborated in the ongoing investigation.Other arrests may occur.ETSB - Cont’d from page 1 the families and the first responders gone with a really user-friendly kind of an emergency planning kit which gives every°ne in Connecticut because intercom system.That’s essential in a anyone reading it point-by-point in-1 n1S's J“st a horrïfic situation and we re- lockdown.” structions on what they’re to do, “in case ,.1°, f°r them Both Priest and Hamilt°n highlighted there’s a sub in there that hasn’t had the While no one ever wants to believe the lockdown procedures the board has training.” that tragedy could strike in his or her instituted in conjunction with local po- Though the precise details of the lock-own community, the ETSB has taken a lice and the SQ.“We were one of the first down protocol cannot be shared for great number of steps in recent years to boards in the province to develop a pro- safety reasons, they are, as Priest said, ensure that they are as prepared as one tocol, Hamilton said; “we’ve taken it “quite sophisticated.” could be should such an emergency ever very seriously.” “We have had (a real lockdown) at anse at a local school.According to Priest, every school has Massey-Vanier,” Hamilton said, referring About 4 years ago,” Hamilton shared, an emergency plan based on a uniform to a situation that took place Feb 23 “we started to develop protocols to pre- template, which they adjust to their 2010 in which a young man armed with pare our students, staff and schools for a needs.The local police have a copy of what ended up being a toy gun was spot-worst case scenario .The schools all lock that plan along with a list of the contact ted walking near the grounds, their doors, and we’ve installed cameras information for all members of the “The police were there very quickly, at all the entrances; people have to be school’s “Safe School” committee, keys and they took control of the situation buzzed in and there’s a camera system to the school, and blueprints of the which is what they are supposed to do ” to allow for that.” building.Despite the rapidity of the response.Among other security measures “Every school has a secondary loca- however, the level of care needed in such taken, Hamilton mentioned the intro- tion arranged with an institution or an a situation resulted in students and staff duction of staff photo ID cards and visi- agency nearby,” said Hamilton, indicat- being trapped in their classrooms for tor badges which are signed in and out ing that a part of the plan is a site for three to four hours, in school offices, to be worn at all times gathering in case of an evacuation.In ad- Asked who makes the decision to en-on ETSB grounds.“The other thing we’ve dition to the training teachers and staff gage in a Lockdown, Hamilton said “any-done,” he added, “is install a new inter- receive regarding the lockdown proto- body in the building can make the call.” com system in all the schools.We’ve cols, every classroom is equipped with According to him, all staff have received RECORD H 1 SC,'» '» S2 S DO THE MATH.ADVERTISE IN THE NEWSPAPER.CANADA F0UR-?fwn »mm km xÆLù.MKtnw?.*w"****,,**sil§&l».FIVE-Til' SM8 TKf MW* IK ti»:t Mm «MfmKM T the necessary training.Priest elaborated on that point saying, “I think that’s a good approach; if we go back to the example of Massey; while it ended up being, shall we say, a false alarm, I think when we’re looking at a situation like this we don’t have the luxury of second-guessing ourselves.” Lockdown drills are carried out twice a year in every ETSB school, often with police involvement at one of the two drills.Priest emphasized that the feedback the board has received is that during the practices, the students remain very calm, and take the situation very seriously.They know, according to her, that they, “have to do what’s necessary, and if it ends up being a false alarm, well then it was a very good training exercise.We will not take any chances,” Every Wednesday night we are showing English Movies December 19 7:00 p.m.The Hobbit: The Unexpected Journey 12 Principale East, Magog 819-868-1092 www.cinema-magog.qc.ca Page 4 Wednesday, December 19, 2012 J ., - > ' ' newsroom@sherbrookerecord.com The Record George Foote Foss Cont’d from page 1 was horse power of the four-legged kind, iron horses, the name used for train locomotives, and bicycles, even they had only been invented earlier that century.Foote Foss, grandson of Vermont-native Joshua Foss, who left the U.S.circa 1815 with the aim of settling in California, but instead took up residence in Compton County, and went on to found and grew the village of Eaton Corner, was born in Sherbrooke, one of five children to Edwin Sherrill Foss and Ellen Sophia Foote.As much driven by curiosity, for he tells story after story in his 1954 publication, Recollections of Sherbrooke, a copy still available from the Eastern Townships Resource Centre (ETRC) housed at Bishop’s University, of his interest in various inventions, he was also a product of his time.Turn of the century, age of invention With the turn of the century not far away, and the changes to agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation and technology resulting from the Industrial Revolution (1750-1850), it’s not surprising a young man would be captivated by such new inventions as electric street lights replacing kerosene lamps that had to be lit and cleaned manually each day.A resourceful and hard-working man, even as a young boy, Foote Foss held several jobs in Sherbrooke, working at tending giant water-generated dynamos that lit the city’s new electric arc lamps suspended at the end of the Magog Bridge, and then working for two years as an apprentice in the trade of electrical instrument maker at the Whitney Electrical Instrument Company of Pena-cooke, New Hampshire’s small Canadian factory.To add to his experience, he then worked one winter in Pittsfield, Massachusetts for the Stanley Electric Company for a dollar a day.All of the jobs meant he often risked his life, experiencing several severe accidental shocks.Arriving back in Sherbrooke, Foote Foss, then in his late teens, was unsure what he would do with his life next.He noticed that bicycles were growing in popularity, and that any necessary repairs meant having to go to Montreal, 100 miles away.His observations led him to start a bicycle repair shop.Foote Foss rented the street floor of a vacant factory building belonging to the Wheeler and Wilson Sewing Machine company in the centre of town, and before long had what he described as a “flourishing business.” He lived in Sherbrooke when the first telephone was introduced by Carlos Skinner, a watchmaker and jeweller, who also installed the city’s first fire alarm system.Tinkering in his workshop in his leisure time, Foote Foss would build model steam engines to scale, hand-casting the brass and aluminium bodies himself.First outboard boat motor From his knowledge and expertise, BARBARA LAVOIE The etching in the Sherbrooke monument that serves as a tribute to George Foote Foss.—.PgPI : c A i * tl& I t''*' January to July 2013 > Monday to Friday 12:45 to 8:30 PM > Short program > 3 week stage included! 819 563-JOBS www.lvtc.ca 1700, RUE COU.EGE, SHERBROOKE A.N.A.F.UNIT 318 THE HUT re set» I A GO 11 29 35 A1