It is either the 115th or the 116th annual Rainy River Valley Agriculture Society fair. It is unclear if the fair began in 1900 or 1901. The fair continues to be a tradition in the Rainy River District. Back then, Emo boomed at fair time as it does today. When […]
Jim Cumming – From the Publisher Emeritus’ Pen
Jim is the former publisher of the Fort Frances Times Ltd. He writes a weekly column and can be contacted at jcumming@fortfrances.com
The federal election campaign for the Oct. 19 vote officially is underway. Polls show the three major parties are in a neck-and-neck race, with 60 percent of eligible voter undecided and wavering between all three. The electorate is volatile. Historic “safe” seats for the political parties may be up for […]
It was a hot weekend—and the heat is continuing this week. Awakened by the roar of bass boats heading for their fishing haunts, I was enjoying the cooling small breeze that drifted through the windows of our cabin. Rainy Lake and Turtle Island have been our family’s source for renewal […]
It is “Bass Week” in Fort Frances. Driving past the Bayview Motel on Sunday evening, the trucks and SUVs were lined up with their boats tucked neatly in behind. The extension cords were running from the plug-ins on the wall to battery chargers on every boat to restore the drained […]
When fishing, my friend, Phil Bangert, often reminds those in the boat with him that if you try fishing, it could catch on. He even goes so far as to tell you it could become habit forming to the point of being addictive. Phil introduced me to bass fishing and […]
I watched as two skiffs, full of adults and children, pulled into the docks Sunday afternoon at the marina and as a family was set to depart. The family preparing to leave meticulously strapped their children into life jackets. Life jackets also adorned the children arriving by boat. My wife […]
Do you know someone who, in the past year, has chosen not to buy a prescription drug ordered by a doctor because they could not afford it? Would you choose to skip medication because you had a choice of putting food on the table or going hungry so you could […]
June is a fun month. The leaves are all out and the pollen is falling from the pine trees, fertilizing the flowers that will, in a couple of months, produce cones for the squirrels to feed on. All the annual flowers have been planted and their blooms brighten our neighbourhoods. […]
In Canada, we are gearing up for an election in October. Various news agencies constantly are polling households each evening to determine which of the three parties—Liberal, NDP, or Conservative—would have your vote if you were going to the polls the following day. The results are published and the news […]
Should we be surprised by word that 30 senators are said to owe taxpayers almost $1 million. After the questionable expenditures of senators Pamela Wallin, Mike Duffy, Patrick Brazeau, and Mac Herb, does this recent announcement surprise us? I hope not. The first four senators to come under scrutiny claimed […]
Riverside Foundation for Health Care director Samantha Manty had approached our table one afternoon prior to the Canada Day Cash Lottery early-bird draw. By the time she was finished, all eight of us had purchased tickets for the draw. In the past, the Fort Frances Times and Rainy River Record […]
Trees are in full bloom in front and back yards across Fort Frances. The flowering crabs in front of the courthouse are full of brilliant pink flowers. As you drive through town, the variety of pinks is amazing. Everything from soft baby pinks to robust deep reds are in their […]





