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  • Letter to the editor

    Updated Apr 24, 2024

    We have a very important election coming up this Nov. I am asking every United States Citizen to be sure and vote. If you are not registered go get it done. Then learn about the candidates and if they believe in our Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Do they believe in Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, The Right to assimilable all of the First Amendment. Do they believe in the Second Amendment. This Amendment was written to protect all of the other amendments. You need to vote in all of the elections. Federal, State,...

  • Letter to the editor

    Updated Apr 24, 2024

    Saturday, April 20, prom was held at Carter County High School. The Class of 2025 worked to create a tiki beach themed prom. Palm trees were built, tiki huts made and lights strung throughout the gym. Girls wore beautiful dresses and the young men looked sharp in their tuxes. Grand march was held at 8 and parents were out the door by 9. By 10:30, all couples had left except for 11 kids. After prom was started in the early 90s—over 30 years ago—for students to have a safe, alcohol/drug free place to go after the prom. I wen...

  • MSGA opposes BLM's carbon sequestration project in Carter County

    Updated Apr 18, 2024

    submitted by Montana Stockgrowers Association The Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) recently submitted comments in opposition to the BLM Snowy River CO2 Sequestration Project Environmental Assessment (EA). The BLM is planning to partner with Denbury Carbon Solutions to build a carbon storage facility in Carter County, Mont. The project would encompass 100,200 acres of land south of Ekalaka where 15 deep wells would be drilled and injected with CO2, storing carbon from...

  • Don't let eastern Montana's ag lands become a corporate polluter's dumping grounds

    Updated Mar 28, 2024

    Liz Barbour Hammond I’m a ranch manager in Carter County. Open, “Big Sky” country and expansive grasslands surround my life here. Years ago I stood in my new home and overlooked the plains stretched out before me, baby in arms, feeling overwhelming explosions of gratitude in my soul that formed an unshakable, deep connection to this landscape; a defining moment in my career. I carry those feelings daily as I work stewarding these lands. Join me in protecting Montana, our home, from a disturbing plan from the Exxon corpo...

  • Letter to the editor

    Updated Mar 28, 2024

    Dear Editor, Montana is where airborne warfare got started….fighting fires. The Airborne Battle Memorial at Fort Benning, Georgia, where I attended Infantry Officers Basic Training, doesn’t mention that the founder of U.S. Airborne forces and his staff went out to Missoula in June and July 1942 and watched the early smokejumpers make 10 practice jumps then jump fires in rough terrain from low-flying aircraft. U.S.Army Major William Carey Lee brought parachutes and a static line back to Georgia where he formed the 101st Air...

  • The Winter of 1964 & 1965

    Emmett LaBree|Updated Mar 14, 2024

    Beings I was born in 1934 I had a real good memory of the winter of 1964 and 1965. I bought a place of my own in 1965 over between Ekalaka and Baker on Lame Jones Creek (4000 Deeded, 1640 Leased). I paid $15 per acre for the deeded. The summers of 1960 and 1961 were dry but it went to raining in the fall of ‘62. We were wet until ‘79. I started neighboring with the people; them with tractors and me with horses. I always liked to have plenty horses — saddle horses and teams. When the fall of ‘64 hit, it started snowing...

  • My recollection of the winter of '48 & '49

    Emmett LaBree|Updated Feb 29, 2024

    I was born in 1934 and had a real good memory of that time frame. Our fall of ‘48 wasn’t as bad as it was in the Dakotas and Nebraska. We lived 32 miles south of Ismay, MT. Ismay was a big shipping point for horses, cattle and sheep on the Milwaukee Railroad (600 hundred people) until the depression hit in the 30’s. During Christmas vacation of ‘48 we cleaned out a spring and I remember it was 60 above. December 31st my dad took us to town with team and sled, with mother and four of us boys, it took all day. He stalled...

  • Letter to the editor

    Updated Feb 8, 2024

    Dear Editor and Fellow Constituents, Montana’s election process belongs to the people. We want to facilitate open and fair discussions during our primaries. The National Republican Senate Committee-Chairman Daines- does not need to choose the Arizona candidates or the candidates for Montana… Montanans can pick our own candidates, we do not need rich establishment politicians spoon feeding us our choices for Federal or State offices. We want fair and honest Elections not Selections. Now is a time for the Grassroots of Mon...

  • Montana's public lands should be run by Montanans, not D.C.

    U.S. Senator Steve Daines|Updated Jan 31, 2024

    As a fifth-generation Montanan, I have fond memories with my Grandpa Daines of learning how to fish and hunt north of Big Timber, and my goal is to pass these traditions on to my own children and grandchildren. There is no better way to experience Montana than backpacking, hunting, hiking or fishing. I share this passion with many Montanans, which is why improving access to our public lands is such a high priority. That’s why I introduced my “Montana Sportsmen Conservation Act.” Montanans should determine what is best for o...

  • Legislative Report

    Jerry Schillinger|Updated Jan 18, 2024

    1-13-24 Representative Schillinger Reports, Happy New Year! We’re getting some good old fashioned January weather! My last report, was at the end of April as the end of the 68th Montana Legislature drew near a close. After an abrupt and unexpected motion to Sine Die (adjourn), was passed in the Senate on the 88th day of session, we in the House recessed, reorganized, took care of the business we were able to at that point, and voted to adjourn as well at about 10 p.m. that e...

  • Protecting our nation and honoring those who've already done so

    Updated Dec 21, 2023

    by Sens. Ken Bogner, John Fuller, Russ Tempel, and Barry Usher For years, Montana has had one of the highest rates of military participation and veterans per capita in the nation. The 2023 Legislature took many steps to both help our men and women in uniform protect our state and country going forward, as well as recognize and honor their service. First, we passed a new law that prohibits foreign adversaries from owning critical infrastructure and agricultural land in Montana. This is crucial to national defense, making it...

  • Letter to the editor

    Updated Dec 14, 2023

    Last year after a visit my daughter was returning home, in Wyoming she realized she had not left a set of my keys. Along the way she stopped to mail them back. The package arrived – the package had been opened – keys removed – replaced with a number of photos and paper. This year she mailed a package from C.A. – a homemade gift – package again was opened – evidently contents not of interest – gift was broken but arrived. Have always had confidence in the Postal Service but for this to happen twice in a year’s time – leaves m...

  • GUEST COLUMN: Hunting

    Updated Nov 30, 2023

    submitted by Anthony Gunderson The days were getting shorter, and the weather began to get colder. Winter? Yes, but something else, something I look forward to every year, hunting season. I can still remember being twelve and living in Rapid City, that year was my first deer. I came down to Baker, like many hunters from all around do and learned how to shoot a gun. I can still remember my grandpa steadying the gun when my hands started to shake when I saw the deer that would be mine. I ate that deer, and deer meat is still on...

  • Letter to the editor

    Updated Nov 21, 2023

    Dear Editor, Tomorrow November 11th, is Veterans Day, and yesterday November 9th, I had the honor of helping put on the Veterans Appreciation Program at the School. There were quite a few Veterans, several who had been adopted by each class and others as well. In planning the Program I attempted to make it a Program that would be entertaining to all, educational to our future and a show of appreciation to who mattered, our local Veterans, and Veterans we don’t know near and far. My father was in WWII, and I am very proud o...

  • Letter to the editor

    Updated Nov 21, 2023

    The most important global issue of the day is that of the middle east conflict. The barbaric evil of Hamas was in full display October 7th. The reports are undeniable; “The IDF told CNN that women, children, toddlers and elderly were brutally butchered in an ISIS way of action.” (CNN, Oct. 13) LA Times, Oct.12 wrote, “Reporting on the violence by Hamas and response by Israel…. is requiring onscreen warnings before showing pictures of how the Hamas onslaught killed families and children in their homes, leaving behind blood-s...

  • Talking actual property tax numbers

    Updated Oct 25, 2023

    Montana collects $2.1 billion in property tax, with allocations as follows: 56% to schools, 28% to counties, 11% to cities/towns, and 5% to special districts. The 6 statewide university mills stay at the state, while the 95 statewide school mills are redistributed to local community schools, accounting for 35-40% of the $1.1 billion annual state school funding distribution. According to the latest Department of Revenue (DOR) appraisal, Montana properties have a total market value of $259 billion, spread across 18 tax and...

  • Letter to the editor

    Updated Oct 5, 2023

    October 4, 2023 Mr. Eric Lovec RE: BLM wells for CO2 Carbon sequestration project Dear Eric Just a comment on the BLM meeting to be held October 12; I doubt if any objections will stop the eventual plan, however this is an ill advised idea based totally on political construct to sequester money and power and not on science. Scientists who have looked at the climate change claim by the likes of Al Gore, Pres Obama, Biden and others have pronounced the claim as completely false. First the IPCC doctored their computer program...

  • Letter to the editor

    Updated Oct 5, 2023

    To the voters of Ekalaka and surrounding area in regard to the coming vote on the school’s housing bond: The school is already fleecing the taxpayers in town and in the county. The school has already purchased property and housing, removing said properties from the local tax base. The town of Ekalaka exists on taxes. The county owns a lot of ground in Ekalaka with the courthouse, museum, hospital, fairgrounds, old county shop, and Carter County Schools — all non taxable grounds. Everyone likes to complain about streets and...

  • Let's Focus on Property Tax Solutions Not Political Soundbites

    Representative Llew Jones, Appropriations Chairman|Updated Sep 20, 2023

    Montana is facing a growing housing crisis, driven by an influx of out-of-state home buyers and telecommuters. This is pushing up prices, making it difficult for Montanans to find affordable housing, and increasing residential property taxes. A solution I propose for consideration is to change the way property taxes are calculated for vacation homes and short-term rentals. Currently, all residential properties are taxed at the same rate, regardless of whether they are owner-occupied, rented out long-term, rented out...

  • Protecting Montanans from government surveillance

    Ken Bogner|Updated Sep 7, 2023

    We scored a big win for Montanans’ privacy and against invasive surveillance technology during this year’s legislative session. My Senate Bill 397 severely restricts government’s use of facial recognition technology and is now law in the Last Best Place. Legislators conducted a study of facial recognition between the 2021 and 2023 legislative sessions. We learned how state government was beginning to deploy the technology and even discovered that at least one school distr...

  • Letter to the editor

    Updated Aug 31, 2023

    Aug. 27, 2023 I just returned from the Days of ‘85 Rodeo and I watched the movie “Feek’s Vision.” This was an exciting day and brought my mind back to another even more exciting day!! Our country school hadn’t started and my dad said that I could go with him to the Tooke Ranch for the day. Feek Tooke asked my dad to buck out some horses for him. My dad was an outstanding bronc rider in the 1930s! (See the Ekalaka Eagles of August and September of 1933.) So at the Tooke’s rodeo grounds he bucked out eighteen horses that day. T...

  • Fighting for MT Public Schools

    Updated Jun 14, 2023

    submitted by Senator Shannon O’Brien SD 46 406-274-3805 [email protected] Every parent remembers the day we took our child to their first day of school. It pulls at your heartstrings. Fortunately, in Montana, we knew our children were in good hands. They were entering schools with teachers who were well qualified and supported, learning lessons from curriculum we had approved, and following the rules set by school boards we had elected. As a mom, a teacher and a legislator, I believe that the work Montanans have d...

  • Letter to the editor

    Updated May 11, 2023

    The leadership team at DMHA is honored and humbled to recognize our nurses the month of May for their personal dedication, commitment, courage, and unwavering compassion. The American Nurses Association encourages a month of celebration and professional exploration into the complex layers of what it means to be a “nurse.” DMHA is providing recognition throughout the month in alignment with the American Nurses Association (ANA). May is the month that we recognize and celebrate the profession of nursing. The American Nur...

  • Legislative Report

    Jerry Schillinger|Updated May 4, 2023

    4-29-23 By the time most of you read this, I hope to be home on a tractor or sprayer! Fortunately, Brett and Boomer are putting seeds in the ground while we wrap up business in the 68th Legislative Session. At this point, committee work is done for most members, leaving only Floor session work as the formal task. Of course, there is still a lot of behind-the-scenes lobbying going on for the policy bills still with unfinished business. On the appropriations side of the coin...

  • Some of the better horse breeders in the area during my time

    Emmett LaBree

    John Scott came from Texas in ‘48 or ‘49 with some well bred ranch horses. Good feet, flat bone, cinched up big, could travel over the rough country and really could get down and turn a cow. Desentio, Eddy 40, Sugar Bars bred. Top horses if you could ride “em!” Tookes had the best bucking horses in the country. You could work ‘em maybe. Albert Phelps brought in a good thoroughbred stud. Poddy Askin brought in a stud named Steve Reed, that crossed good on any mare. Bickles had a few remounts from Fort Keogh that were good...

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