Your Community Builder
Your Community Builder
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 104
The second session of Reimagining Rural will feature nationally known rural experts Becky McCray and Deb Brown, who encouraged community members to try new ideas as a way to deal with the changes we see in our small towns. Also featured in this session is a story of success from a small Montana town. "We need to be more open to new ideas," McCray said. "Iowa State University studied 99 small towns over 20 years and found that the communities that survived the best were the...
Ekalaka is one of eleven communities across Montana chosen to participate in Reimagining Rural. The three-part program was created for small, rural Montana towns to bring fresh, new ideas about rural community vitality to the local people that make things happen. The event's first night is planned for January 29th from 6 to 8 p.m. at Carter County Museum. The program kicks off with Tara Mastel, Program Leader for Community Vitality at Montana State University Extension who...
From Virginia to the Big Sky, Glendive picked up a new industry set to ramp up operations at the beginning of February following an official ribbon-cutting ceremony with local and state officials at the new facility on January 10th. Brixtel Defense, an ammunition manufacturer, this week announced that the industrial business has opened a facility in Glendive, marking a $125,000 million investment in the state. The company's Chief Executive Officer Andy Mansoor, Glendive Mayor...
The Carter County Museum will host Montana Conversation "Hazel Hunkins of Montana: Continuing the Fight for Women's Rights" with Kevin Kooistra on December 6, 2023. The program is at the museum, 306 N Main Street, beginning at 7 p.m.. The presentation is free and open to the public. Funding for Montana Conversations is provided by Humanities Montana through grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities United We Stand Initiative, Montana's Cultural Trust, and private...
Mid-Rivers Telephone Cooperative, Inc. members gathered at the Richland County Event Center in Sidney, Montana, on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, for the Mid-Rivers Annual Meeting. Items of business included electing three Cooperative Trustees, informing members of the cooperative's financial performance and future plans, and awarding scholarships to area students. Kali Godfrey, Executive Director of the Sidney Chamber of Commerce, gave the welcome speech and thanked Mid-Rivers for...
A couple weeks ago at the Sweet Grass County Chamber of Commerce Banquet, rancher, Chuck Rein was named Ag Person of the Year. Chuck ranches and runs an outfitting business with his wife Pam and his son Charlie and his family on one of the most beautiful outfits on the planet in the shadow of the Crazy Mountains west of Melville, Montana. Chuck wrote this poem several years ago about riding colts with his son Charlie, and he shared it at the banquet. This poem sums up why ranchers ranch especially during times like this past...
The Montana Department of Commerce recently announced it has awarded $1 million in grant funding to nineteen tourism entities to strengthen and diversify local and regional economies by promoting Eastern Montana as a tourism destination. The grant funding is through Brand MT's Eastern Montana Tourism Partner Initiative (EMI). "We want to showcase the scenic, diverse beauty and the unique communities that make Eastern Montana so special," said Scott Osterman, Director of the...
Ekalaka native Marcell Bruski, 27, was recently named to The Billings Gazette's 40 Under Forty list. The Billings paper has been compiling the list of its community's best and brightest people for decades. The general 40 Under Forty article and the piece on Bruski were published on February 12th on the Gazette's website. The Eagle spoke with Bruski about her career at Big Sky Economic Development, as well as her receiving the honor earlier this week. "Big Sky Economic...
Ekalaka Town Council Regular Meeting Town Office: January 4, 2023 at 5 p.m. A. Call Meeting to Order at 5:01 p.m. a. Roll Call Council: MELISSA LOVEC, ANDY WRIGHT, REX MCCORD, LIBBY BARTH (ZOOM) b. Employees Present: COLBY DIEDE, LANCE BARRERE c. Appointed Officials Present: MAYOR BUCK KRATZER, CLERK TERI JUMP B. Pledge of Allegiance C. Public Comment-NONE D. Presentation of Petitions and Communications: Zoning and Permits: NONE E. Minutes from last meeting(s): read, correct (if needed) and approve. a. Council Member Lovec...
One week before Gov. Greg Gianforte was scheduled to give his State of the State address to the Montana Legislature, a panel of lawmakers tabled and then revived one of the flagship bills in his tax package, which would spend a quarter of the state’s nearly $2 billion surplus on property tax relief for homeowners. In the Legislature’s third week in Helena, two key property tax bills got hearings in the House Taxation Committee – House Bills 222 and 189. Rep. Tom Welch, R-Dillon, is sponsoring House Bill 222, which would...
On January 19, the Carter County Superintendent of Schools and Ekalaka Elementary hosted the county spelling bee and inaugural Noralla Thomas Memorial Geography Bee. Beginning at 9 a.m., students lined up to spell a variety of words given to them by pronouncer Vicki Fix. As rounds progressed, some students were successful while others weren't so lucky. When the final word was spelled correctly, Danner Schaffer of Hammond School was declared the winner. Danner will have the...
Celebration of life services for Noralla Thomas, 88, will be on Friday, November 4, at the Alzada Community Hall at 11 a.m., with a catered lunch to follow. Visitation will be 1 hour prior to services. Inurnment will be at the Alzada Cemetery. Noralla Bea Edwards Thomas was born on November 10, 1933 in Ekalaka, MT to John and Florabel Harkins Wash. Noralla suffered a broken hip and passed away at the Dahl Memorial Healthcare on October 27. When Noralla was 3 weeks old her...
Editor, The Montana Supreme Court has gone rogue. They don’t think they are accountable to anyone. They run as “non-partisan” candidates, so the voters don’t know their true political views. They don’t even run as conservative or liberal. Except for one candidate—James Brown, the only constitutional conservative candidate for the Montana Supreme Court. James Brown has spent his entire career fighting for Montana’s small business owners and agriculture producers and protecting Montana jobs. His opponent, however, has...
Carter County Chamber of Commerce’s Fourth Annual FestiFall will take place on Saturday, October 1st at the Event Center in Ekalaka. FestiFall, a fun-filled family event to kick off the fall season, was originally named by current Chamber President Eva Grimes. This year, it will again coincide with the Willa Nies Memorial Volleyball Tournament. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., families will be able to enjoy a pumpkin patch in addition to several other games. Photo and face painting booths will also be available. A panel of local j...
Visit Southeast Montana announces the new Executive Board of Directors for 2023. Sabre Moore, chair, represents Carter County; Jessica Malone, vice-chair, represents Powder River County; Morgan Belveal, secretary-treasurer, represents Musselshell County; and Jeff Ewelt, past-chair, represents Yellowstone County. Other members of the Visit Southeast Montana Board of Directors include Beth Epley (Fallon Co.); Vicki Leesburg, Amber Malenovsky and Angela Mendoza (Custer Co.); Norm...
On July 19, USDA Rural Development will be partnering with Eastern Plains Economic Development Corporation to present a variety of small business funding opportunities at a free workshop in Ekalaka. The event will take place at Carter County Event Center, 209 West Speelmon Street, and lunch will be provided by the Carter County Chamber of Commerce. Community members are invited to hear from a variety of speakers to learn about different funding and technical assistance opportunities for small business or community projects....
Carter County Chamber of Commerce is once again sponsoring a Fourth of July bash on Main Street in Ekalaka on Monday, July 4, beginning at 2 p.m. The bash on main will include an array of games and activities that are fun for the entire family. Some of these activities include an array of yard games, face painting, minute-to-win it and much more. A cornhole tournament will also take place throughout the afternoon. Registration for the tourney begins at 2 p.m. A free barbecue will begin at 5 p.m. Beef for the barbecue is...
Joe Dingfelder Memorial, $150 - Kenzie Tooke Fruit Service and Repair, $500 - Kenzie Tooke Frye Family Memorial, $500 - Kenzie Tooke Farmer’s Union, $500 - Darin Schallenberger American Legion #35, $750 - Darin Schallenberger and Kenzie Tooke Ekalaka Bump-N-Run, $250 - Kenzie Tooke and Tylee Loehding Rowley Turbiville Memorial, $1,000 - Darin Schallenberger Ralph Ehret, $300- Kenzie Tooke and Ella Rucker Rev. I.N. Stanley, $50 - Kenzie Tooke Frank and Clara Nies, $100 - Darin Schallenberger and Kenzie Tooke Duane P. W...
After electing not to produce a calendar featuring local photographs taken by local photographers last year, the Carter County Chamber of Commerce voted to print the community calendar again for 2023, due in part to high demand. The chamber plans to print the calendar early this year to catch Labor Day visitors and early hunters. If local photographers have pictures from this year or last year, they may send them to the chamber now for a chance to be featured in this year’s calendar. Photos of Carter County events, l...
Carter County Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Community Wide Garage Sale is slated for Saturday, June 4 this year. The sale has been very popular for the last several years, drawing shoppers from other towns. Sign up sheets for the sale will soon be made available. The sheets will have a place to write your name, street address, items for sale, and if you are paying the $10 fee in cash or by check to the chamber. Fees charged help pay for printing and circulation of the map that shows all sale locations. The deadline for s...
Over eighty people attended a town hall meeting with Governor Greg Gianforte at Carter County Events Center last Thursday. The town hall was held as part of the governor's fifty-six county tour, which began last week. Carter County Chamber of Commerce assisted in putting the event together and multiple area businesses as well as producers brought meats, cheeses, other snacks to share. "Getting out of Helena and into our communities to visit with Montanans is my favorite part...
After electing not to produce a calendar featuring local photographs taken by local photographers last year, the Carter County Chamber of Commerce decided at their recent meeting to print the community calendar again for 2023, due in part to high demand. The chamber plans to print the calendar early this year to catch Labor Day visitors and early hunters. If local photographers have pictures from this year or last year, they need them. Let this article serve as notice to start taking photos of Carter County scenes, or to...
submitted by Carter County Chamber of Commerce After discussions about seemingly perennial fire concerns and the core mission of the organization, the Carter County Chamber of Commerce voted at its December 2021 meeting to discontinue its practice of facilitating fireworks displays. The Chamber will continue to support and organize those activities which follow its mission to “develop, aid, encourage and promote projects for the entire county in order to expand business and industry for the entire area.” The Community Yar...
On Monday, The Montana Department of Commerce announced more than $1 million in grant funding was awarded through its Tourism Grant Program to strengthen local economies in twenty-one communities. "These grants will serve 22 tourism and recreation projects across Montana, including unincorporated small towns, rural communities, and areas of known attractions to non-resident visitors," Commerce Director Scott Osterman said. "Not only will these funds help boost tourism...
Carter County Chamber of Commerce is scheduled to meet this Thursday, November 18th, at 5:50 p.m. inside Stompin’ Grounds. Members unable to attend in person may take part via phone-in or Zoom by contacting President Eva Grimes at 406-975-6444. During the chamber’s October meeting, a report on Festifall was provided by Grimes. Suggestions for next year included a cake walk and a costume contest for children to participate in. This year’s winners of the chili cook-off were Phil Cook, Terri Jump and Abbey Bruski. An update on t...
