KDSB Releases Homelessness Plan

The Kenora District Services Board is out with a 10-year homelessness and housing plan.

The issue sparked considerable debate yesterday at the KDSB table, with Sioux Lookout Mayor Dennis

Leney suggesting that a majority of the homeless in his community have homes in northern communities.

Manager of Integrated Social Services Diane
Apland says the homeless problem is a major issue across the district.

One recommendation to curb the problem is the creation of a Managed Alcohol program.

Leney says that's not the way to go and suggests the province must step up and notes there are 21 beds at the Kenora District Jail that aren't being used.

Harborfest Projecting Deficit in 2013

The final Harbourfest results aren't as low as initially projected.

Harbourfest chair Randy Nickle says they are still expecting a substantial deficit but the numbers are getting better.

Nickle says the biggest factor to the debt is the cost of the bands.

The final numbers should be known later this month.

National Youth Suicide Prevention Plan Needed

Partners for Mental Health have launched a national campaign to shine the light on youth suicide.

Michael Kirby is chair of the group and says there isn't a band-aid solution to the problem.

He says a number of first nation communities have been dealing with suicide epidemics.

Kirby says their campaign called Right By You urges the federal and provincial levels of government to work together to tackle the issue.

Military Veterans Protest Closure of Thunder Bay Office

Military veterans are standing up against the planned closure of some Veterans Affairs Offices in Canada.

The office in Thunder Bay is the only one in north
western Ontario.

Second world war vet Roy Lamore says refocusing some the government's current spending could help keep the office open.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada says closure of the Thunder Bay office will force veterans from northwestern Ontario having to access services in Kirkland Lake which has experienced its own staff cuts.

Province Announces More Money for Breakfast Programs

The provincial government is adding another three million dollars to a student nutrition fund.

Health Minster Deb Matthews made the announcement this week.

The funding will ensure more first nation students get access to healthy, nutritious food and snacks.

Until now, student nutrition programs in First Nations schools have been solely funded
by charitable organizations.

The new provincial money will support 200 new breakfast, snack and lunch programs.

Broncos Faces Muskies in High School Football

An all-northwestern Ontario match-up in the Winnipeg High School Football League.

Beaver Brae will host Fort Frances this afternoon at Pete Fair Memorial Field.

The teams are tied in the standings, both with six points.

This will be the Muskies second game this week and third in seven days.

The Broncos are working on extending their three game winning streak.

Game time is 3:00 this afternoon.

We will have live updates from the game on Twinnter @CJRLnews or twitter.com/CJRLnews

Treaty Three Commemorates 140 Years

First Nations leaders with Treaty 3 aren't calling it a celebration.

It's been 140 years since chiefs with Treaty 3 signed the treaty with the Canadian government.

Grand Chief Warren White says there's been a lot of frustration with the Treaty since.

This afternoon, Treaty 3 will honour the chiefs and Grand Chiefs for their roles in the Treaty.

Vigil for Missing Aboriginal Women This Afternoon

Communities across Northwestern Ontario will come together this Friday and honour the lives of missing and murdered Aboriginal Women.

Vigils are being held in Kenora, Dryden, Sioux Lookout, Red Lake,
and Thunder Bay.

A spokesperson for the Ontario Native Women's Association says
their vigil will start at 1:00 this afternoon at the Whitecap Pavillion, and
then make its way over to the Jubilee Church on 1st Street South.

Fog Delays Some School Bus Runs

Some school buses in the Kenora area may be a little late getting
to their destination this morning.

Fog has slowed buses in the Minaki Highway area.

Northwest Student Services Consortium says the vehicles have been having
difficulty with visibili
ty in the area of the Kenora By-Pass and Highway 596.

Buses are being delayed and will resume picking up students when its
safe to do so.

Stops on Beryl Winder will be delayed as will student pick ups south of the By-Pass on Darlington Drive, Duffus, Petersen Drive and Station Hill in Keewatin.

Tourism Kenora Set to Bring Back Winter Markets

The Farmer's Market may be gone, but its not forgotten.

Tourism Kenora will be bringing back the popular markets four
times during the winter months.

Tourism Services manager Mark Duggan says they will all be held at
the Discovery Center.

Duggan says the winter markets will be timed to co-incide with Christmas,
Valentine's Day, and Easter.

OPP Charge Driver In Accident Near Beaver Brae

It's a graphic reminder to drive carefully in school zones.

Yesterday morning a 17 year old student was hit by a vehicle in the area of
Beaver Brae Secondary School.

The OPP say the victim was taken by ambulance to Lake of the Woods
District Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Meanwhile, the driver of the vehicle, a 16 year old youth has been charged
with failing to yield to a pedestrian.

Treaty Three Police Launch Firearm Amnesty

The Treaty Three Police will be trying to collect old, unlicensed firearms next month.

A firearms amnesty program is being launched in November.

The aboriginal police service says the program allows community members to surrender any unwanted, damaged, or illegally possessed firearms without being charged.

There is also an incentive.

Anyone who turns in a gun or rifle will receive a gift card from a local business.

Rickford Defends His Expenses

Kenora MP Greg Rickford is defending his parliamentary expenses.

He says he's middle of the pack when it comes to spending by members of Parliament.

MP expenses on travel and operations were released this week and
Rickford says he claimed 480-thousand dollars.

Rickford says he fully supports the reporting system and stresses its important that MP's are held accountable.

Ontario Food Bank Association Looks At Northern Issues

Kenora's food bank is getting low on supplies.

Yesterday, the food bank got a boost with a van full of donations from the Farmer's Market.

Bill Laidlaw is the director of the the Ontario Association of Food Banks and  says there are some very specific issues in trying to get supplies to the North.

Laidlaw has been touring the region this week and says he'll be taking everything he's heard back to his board in Southern Ontario.

Health Unit Gives Thumbs Up to Pregnacy Tests In Bars

The Northwestern Health Unit is applauding a Thunder Bay university bar for putting pregnancy tests in the bathroom dispensers.

Manager of Sexual Health Programs Gillian Lunny says they will no doubt prevent Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Meantime, Lunny says the Northwestern Health Unit offers a Health Babies, Healthy Children Program.

For more information, contact your local Northwestern Health Unit.

Youth Cross Country Race Results

The results are in from the Youth Cross Country races that took place
yesterday behind the Tom Nabb Soccer complex.

It was a clean sweep for Beaver Brae in the Intermediate Boys division,
with Justin Heath finishing first in the 2.1 kilometer course.

Thomas Aquinas swept the girls intermediate division with Rebecca Huisman
finishing first.

In the junior division, Gabe Mastromateo from SMB won the boys event, and Divena Katcheconias from Evergreen took the girls title.

Thistles Lose First of the Season

A power outage for the Kenora Triple "a" midget Thistles.

The Thistles were beaten in their season opener 4-2 last night
in Winnipeg by the Wild.

The Thistles went 0-4 on the power play, while the Wild netted two
with a man advantage.

Josh Brunton and Eric Sinclair scored for Kenora.

The Thistles are back in action this Sunday with their home opener against
the Winnipeg Thrashers.

Person in Hospital after Accident Outside Beaver Brae

One person is in hospital following an accident outside Beaver Brae Secondary School this morning.

Principal Clinton Breutsch confirmed a person was struck by a vehicle and transported to the Lake of the Woods District Hospital.

Other reports say the injured person was a student and they were transported to hospital as a precaution.

We will have more details as they are made available.

Final Farmer's Market of the Season

A sure sign that summer is really over.

Today is the final farmer's market of the season under the
Whitecap Pavilion.

To celebrate another exceptional year, patrons of the farmers
market will be treated to a chili lunch served by members of Kenora
City Council.

The Salvation Army will also be on hand collecting donations for the food bank, which is running low on staples such as canned goods, cereal, rice and cookies.

The Matiowski Farmer's Market will run from 8:30 this morning until 2:00 this afternoon.

High Winds Knock Power Out to Dozens of Homes

A blustery day turned into a black night for a number of Hydro One
customers north of Kenora.

High winds knocked trees onto power lines in the Minaki and Redditt
areas.

While some areas experienced a brown out, others were without power all evening.

Hydro One crews were able to restore electricity to most homes overnight, but about 20 customers in the Minaki area are still in the dark.

Power is expected to be restored around 11:00 this morning.