By Crystal Greene
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
IndigiNews

Inuvik resident Harley Minakis was on his way home from visiting his daughter in Costa Rica last week — transiting via “Houston” airport — when a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer stopped him. Despite having his Canadian passport, Indian status card, and Gwich’in tribal card, he found himself turned […]

By Anushka Yadav
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Pointer

“Science is humanity’s best effort at uncovering the truth about our world”: Canada’s first science minister, Kirsty Duncan, lost her battle with cancer on January 26, but her words echo louder than ever as a new round of federal job cuts fuel concerns about the future of environmental and climate […]

By Liam Oliver Neilson
Staff writer
lneilson@fortfrances.com

If there’s one thing that Wayne Smith has valued highly during a remarkable 32-year tenure as chief of Naicatchewenin First Nation, it’s consistency. While many First Nations see a high turnover in governance – the average length in Canada for a single executive position is around 3.5 years – Smith’s […]

By Allan Bradbury
Staff Writer
abradbury@fortfrances.com

While they weren’t on the schedule at the start of the season, Tour de Fort attendees will be treated to a fiery performance next week when The McDades take to the stage in place of originally scheduled The Hello Darlins. The McDades are a Juno award-winning celtic-rooted band with Alberta […]

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

Some students in the Rainy River District are getting a hands-on look at what it’s liketo be a school administrator. As a way to get students ready for the workforce, post-secondary, apprenticeship, and more, the Rainy River District School Board (RRDSB) developed the Pathways to Success program. From Grade 7 […]

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

Addiction support, housing shortages and homelessness remain unsolved issues in the Rainy River district despite years of efforts by social welfare agencies, but a recent report is shedding new light on previously undiscovered parts of the conversation. The report, co-sponsored by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Ontario and the […]

By Sandi Krasowski,
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Chronicle-Journal

It was 1976 when Cosimo Riccio opened up his music store, Music World Academy, on the 500 block of Simpson Street and began giving music lessons to students wanting to learn the accordion, guitar and drums. Fast forward 50 years, two store relocations, thousands of instruments, and more than 30,000 […]

By Andrew Flynn
Editor in Chief
aflynn@fortfrances.com

I’ve only been at the helm of the Times for six months, living in town for just half that long, but I can tell you without reservation that the Fort is one heck of a special place. Lest you think I’m simply paying lip service to my new home, rest […]

In the Wednesday, January 28, 2026, edition of the Fort Frances Times, a story ran titled “Have experience writing grants? Your town needs you!” In that story, it was stated that Town Council had approved a motion to establish a position for a full-time grant writer for the municipality. In […]