🌱 LDS Church Opens In Helena + Home Visiting Program For New Moms

Hello, Helena! It's me, Sean Peek, your host of the Patch newsletter. Let's get this day started off right with a quick dive into the most important things happening these days in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: A t-storm around in the p.m.. High: 68 Low: 46.
• Thursday: Pleasant with periods of sun. High: 73 Low: 47.

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Here are the top three stories in Helena today:

1. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Helena is set to open this week after a remarkably short construction period of 25 months. This speedy process was made possible by a new design-manufacture-install process that the church will use for select temples. The temple, the church's 178th, will be dedicated on Jun. 18 and will provide a sacred place of peace for the 51,000 Latter-day Saints in Montana. (KSL)
2. Lewis and Clark Public Health, in partnership with The Nurse-Family Partnership of Montana, provides a Home Visiting Program that offers specialized nurses to support first-time expectant mothers. The program begins during pregnancy and continues until the child reaches the age of two, providing new moms with the confidence, tools, and stability needed for a healthy start and future success. In addition to the Nurse-Family Partnership, Lewis and Clark Public Health also offers extended support programs such as Parents as Teachers, fostering long-term relationships with families up until the child enters kindergarten. To learn more, click here or call 406-457-8900 to schedule an appointment. (KTVH)
3. After a four-year journey, East Helena High School has received full accreditation from the Montana Board of Public Education, just in time for its first-ever graduating class. The superintendent, Dan Rispens, expressed excitement and gratitude for the achievement, acknowledging the hard work of the staff and Principal Brian Kessler. The school received positive feedback from the Office of Public Instruction, which praised its leadership, school climate, and community involvement, noting the opportunities provided for college and career readiness. (Independent Record)

Today and tomorrow in Helena:

Wednesday, May 17:

• Montana Housing Partnership Conference At Delta Hotels by Marriott (9:00 AM)

Thursday, May 18:

• Sew In Love At Our Redeems Lutheran Church (9:00 AM)
• Trail project: North Fork Blackfoot At Wild Montana (All Day)

From my notebook:

• The Helena Police Department is urging the community not to attempt to relocate fawns if they encounter them. According to a Facebook post by the department, deer temporarily leave their fawns while they feed, but they do return for them. (ABC)
• Governor Greg Gianforte expressed concern and announced new penalties for fentanyl traffickers in Montana. He emphasized the need to crack down on the criminals profiting from these deadly drugs, citing a significant increase in fentanyl seizures in the state. (Montana Gov)
• The Silver Star Steak Company in Helena has been named one of the best places to grab a steak in Montana! They offer a variety of meat cuts and they highly recommend trying their whiskey peppercorn sauce as an accompaniment to your steak. (XL Country)

Thanks for following along and staying informed. See you all soon for another update!

— Sean Peek

About me: Sean Peek is a writer and entrepreneur with a degree in English Literature from Weber State University. Over the years, he has worked as a copywriter, editor, SEO specialist, and marketing director for various digital media companies. He currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.