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

According to Lonna Oster, Speech-Language Pathologist of the Rainy River District School Board, augmentative-alternative-communication devices are becoming more commonplace in local education settings to address a rise in students who have “challenges communicating.” Oster said these augmentative-alternative-communication devices support minimally verbal or non-verbal students’ comprehension in learning the meaning of […]

By Allan Bradbury
Staff Writer
abradbury@fortfrances.com

Over the last few months users at the Memorial Sports Complex might have noticed piles of bricks under tarps in the halls, these bricks now form privacy walls in the six of the arenas’ public dressing rooms (four in Ice for Kids and two in ‘52 Canadians). According to Manager […]

From Confederation College
Press release

Confederation College is excited to announce the launch of a funded fast-track Practical Nursing Program at its Thunder Bay, Dryden, Kenora, Fort Frances, Marathon and Longlac campuses. Thanks to support from the Ministry of Health, tuition, fees, uniforms, textbooks, and some travel costs for labs are fully covered by eligible […]

Fort Frances, Ontario – 2025/01/20 – The District of Rainy River Services Board (DRRSB) is pleased to announce the re-election of Debbie Ewald as Chair and Andrew Hallikas as Vice Chair by acclamation during the first board meeting of 2025 held on January 16th. Ewald, who represents the Town of […]

By Sandi Krasowski
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Chronicle-Journal

The Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC) has been chosen to participate in a new immigration initiative aimed at bolstering economic immigration in select communities outside the Greater Toronto Area. The Regional Economic Development through Immigration (REDI) pilot, provided by the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development, […]

By Jon Thompson
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Ricochet

Canada will announce today that it has reached a “milestone” agreement with 15 First Nations over the terms of reference for an environmental assessment process in the proposed Ring of Fire mining development. The agreement, finalized by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada, establishes the terms under which the regional […]

From the OPP
Press release

(THUNDER BAY, ON) – An investigation led by the Thunder Bay Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU), has led to charges being laid against five individuals. On Wednesday, January 15th, 2025, members of the Thunder Bay Community Street Crime Unit with the assistance of the Thunder Bay Detachment […]

By Carl Clutchey
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Chronicle-Journal

Sue Backstrom may well lay eyes on another gigantic pike like the one that was yanked out of a hole last winter during Nolalu’s ice-fishing derby. Bone-chilling temperatures of the last few days make it fairly certain the village’s annual derby will go ahead as planned in the first week […]

By Sandi Krasowski
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Chronicle-Journal

A hair salon, a craft collective, an Indian restaurant and a photography studio are among the new businesses that opened in the Bay and Algoma business district during 2024, and apart from a few store closures, the district appears to be generally faring well. Caitlin Jeffs, owner of the Nook […]

By Renée Sylvestre-Williams
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Windspeaker.com

Putting on a show involves plenty of logistics, and it’s even more challenging without funding. When representatives from the Northern Indigenous Artist Alliance (NIAA) received $12,000 from the Ontario Arts Council’s Indigenous Projects grant, they knew it was possible. They could host Zikwaadan // Spit on It!, an online event […]

By Connor McDowell
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Brandon Sun

A Brandon scientist says the future of agricultural crop research in Canada will be focused on gene editing and trait study, rather than Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). Santosh Kumar — a scientist at the Brandon Research and Development Centre — made these remarks during a keynote address at a luncheon […]

By Mike Stimpson
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Thunder Bay Source

ATIKOKAN — Failing to fix a sewage problem is costing the Town of Atikokan $75,000, maybe more. The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks on Friday announced fines totaling $60,000 and $15,000 in victim fine surcharges against the municipality. Fort Frances-based lawyer Douglas Judson said Monday the reasons for the […]