By Laura Balanko-Dickson
Staff writer
lbalankodickson@fortfrances.com

There’s always plenty of happenings around the holiday season, and the Fort Frances Museum and Cultural Centre is joining in to offer fun, festive family events ahead of Christmas day. Join the Fort Frances Museum this holiday season for a variety of festive family crafting workshops, a visit from Kris […]

By Laura Balanko-Dickson
Staff writer
lbalankodickson@fortfrances.com

November 20, 2025, marks the Transgender Day of Remembrance, a day meant to honour the memory of transgender people whose lives have been lost in acts of anti-transgender violence. As the transgender community continues to face persecution and violence, both in Canada and beyond, the day offers a time to […]

By Laura Balanko-Dickson
Staff writer
lbalankodickson@fortfrances.com

Literacy is one of the key pillars for student success, and the Rainy River District School Board (RRDSB) ensures that its literacy plan is regularly revised in order to give its students the best education it can. The Board’s literacy plan is updated each year to work to ensure students […]

By Laura Balanko-Dickson
Staff writer
lbalankodickson@fortfrances.com

While many schools have teachers and guidance counsellors to help students deal with test anxiety, daily stresses and other aspects of mental health, some students at Rainy River High School (RRHS) are taking a different approach. They’ve become Mental Health Champions, volunteers who take it upon themselves to foster greater […]

By Laura Balanko-Dickson
Staff Writer
lbalankodickson@fortfrances.com

As temperatures start to dip toward the frigid, the Out of the Cold warming centre has opened for the season to provide a haven for those exposed to the elements. The facility, located in the HOPE Centre on Victoria Ave. serves meals and offers showers and emotional and social support […]

By Laura Balanko-Dickson
Staff writer
lbalankodickson@fortfrances.com

Fear, trauma, pain, blood and shock – it’s what a paramedic on the front lines deals with on a daily basis and it’s not the dream career for your average teenager. But 18-year-old Isabelle “Izzy” Meeks is not your average teenager. She embraces the adrenaline rush that comes with flickering […]

By Laura Balanko-Dickson
Staff writer
labalankodickson@fortfrances.com

In a bid to curb harmful language at local schools, the Rainy River District School Board has adopted the Words Matter campaign, a program the superintendent of education believes is both a proactive and reactive approach to students using slurs and other verbal abuse. The staff training campaign, delivered in […]

By Laura Balanko-Dickson
Staff writer
lbalankodickson@fortfrances.com

Swiftly shortening days and early morning frost got you down? Winter may be coming, but so is the holiday cheer. The Downtown Business Improvement Association (BIA) and Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce are kicking off a series of holiday events leading up to the Christmas season that are available to […]