One of my birthday presents this year was a renewed subscription to my hometown newspaper, “The Ekalaka Eagle”. It’s a weekly paper that’s been in circulation for over a century. Many of the best (and worst) parts of my life have appeared in its pages. Baby announcements. Graduations. Obituaries. Tornadoes, blizzards, floods, and fires. Annual school supply lists.

My love for my hometown newspaper is one of the reasons I’m so excited to help present a two-part series on the enduring importance of journalism next week at the Library. You don’t have to attend both events to participate in the program, but we hope to see you at the Library for at least one. 

First, join us on Tuesday, May 16 for a film screening. We’ll show All the President’s Men (PG, 1976, 2h18m), a classic film about the wild ride that was reporting on Watergate. Watching and discussing this film was one of the highlights of my high-school government class, and I can’t wait to watch it again. Previews will start at 5:30 PM, the main picture will begin at 6:00 PM, and we’ll have lots of popcorn. Please call the Library or visit our website for the film title and other details.

After the screening, we’ll host a conversation with News-Argus staff about the history and impact of local journalism on Thursday, May 18 from 6:00-7:30 PM. Panelists will answer questions about the importance of local newspapers, the relationship between journalism and local government, and the most sensational stories our panelists have covered. We’ll also have time for audience questions at the end of the night. Light refreshments will be provided.

We’d like to thank the News-Argus for partnering with us for this event and Humanities Montana for funding our film screening equipment.

Please contact the Library at 406.538.5212 with questions.