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“Building Business Together” is the motto for the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce, and the group has been doing just that for nearly 80 years. 

The chamber is an active force in our community today, with more than 140 business members and a number of local events hosted and supported by the organization each year, including Race Fest, golf scramble, awards and recognition banquet, and regional business expo.

This monthly article will give you firsthand knowledge about the chamber and the excellent benefits of being a member.

Hello, 2013! I extend my heartfelt New Year greetings and wishes for a prosperous and peaceful year. I hope everyone had a good holiday. A new year also marks a new season in your state capital.

On Tuesday, Jan. 8, the Senate convened for the 2013 General Assembly Session, a session that will last 30 days. The first week is traditionally an “organizational” week, in which the respective caucuses choose their leaders and committee assignments are disbursed to members.

Though our daily lives are affected by local, state and federal government agencies, often we don’t understand their functions or purpose.

For example, if you asked people at random what they believed is the function of the county attorney’s office, they probably would tell you this is the person who prosecutes traffic offenses.

Some may even go further and tell you that the county attorney prosecutes misdemeanors and child-support cases. 

In my searches through Carrollton’s history, I have come across the names of many families who can no longer be readily found in the phone book. Whether from death, disease, opportunity in other parts of the country, or simply being left without a male heir to pass on their family name, their memory is still visible throughout many parts of the community on street signs, parks, public buildings, and old houses. Through pure happenstance, one such family, the Howes, would become a major focal point of my research and ties to Carrollton.