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

Staff go above and beyond expectations in the service they provide to Rainy River District School Board (RRDSB) students, and the board makes sure to recognize it. One of the most recent staff members to be recognized is Robert Murphy, received a recognition of excellence for 25 years of service […]

By Allan Bradbury
Staff Writer
abradbury@fortfrances.com

After spending a long time away from family living in Toronto, Jessica Shute and Jol Smith moved back to the Fort Frances area. One of the big things they missed was specialty coffee and something they saw a market for was high quality men’s and short hair grooming, so they […]

By Mike Stimpson
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Thunder Bay Source

THUNDER BAY — The Chief of Fort William First Nation says history tells her to be skeptical about the safety of storing high-level nuclear waste in Northwestern Ontario. “Our people, we have heard countless times — over and over and over again, for hundreds of years — how things are […]

By Matt Prokopchuk
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
TBnewswatch.com

EAR FALLS — Dozens of people, including forestry and mill workers and union and political officials rallied in support of the Ear Falls sawmill on Saturday. Katrina Peterson, the president of the Unifor union local that represents mill and woodlands workers affected by the recent indefinite idling of the Interfor-owned […]

By Matt Prokopchuk
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
TBnewswatch.com

It comes as Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberals are planning to announce a new immigration plan in the upcoming federal budget, and as the opposition Conservatives and leader Pierre Poilievre are calling for the significant reigning in of people from other countries coming to Canada. In places like […]

By Matt Prokopchuk
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
TBnewswatch.com

ATIKOKAN — Rob Ferguson says he’s invoking his strong mayor powers for the first time in an effort to keep the next municipal property tax hike in Atikokan down. A “mayoral directive” issued on Oct. 21 calls for administration to prepare a draft budget that “maintains the services that town […]

By Sandi Krasowski
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Chronicle-Journal

Volunteers at the Thunder Bay Repair Café are making old things new again while helping to reduce clothing and items heading to the landfill. They methods are saving costs for new items and teaching people how to do their own repairs. “It’s Circular Economy month,” said Nancy Saunders, founder of […]

By Abdul Matin Sarfraz
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Canada’s National Observer

With emotions running high over Canada’s trade standoff with the US, Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s attempt to take his anti-tariff message directly to Americans appears to have backfired. The $75-million ad campaign that used clips from former US president Ronald Reagan speaking out against tariffs, prompted President Donald Trump to […]

By Sonal Gupta
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Canada’s National Observer

Indigenous Services Canada is still failing to fully address emergency response needs for First Nations communities as climate disasters intensify across the country, a new audit warns. The Auditor General found “unsatisfactory progress” on about half of 34 recommendations made since 2015. Despite nearly doubling spending on Indigenous programs — […]