09/16/2024“Helena This Week” is reported and written By JoVonne Wagner. Send your Helena news and tips to [email protected] Way needs community’s help with hotel projectThe United Way of the Lewis and Clark Area is seeking the community’s help in raising money to buy a local hotel for affordable housing after attempts to secure adequate grants were unsuccessful.The Helena-based nonprofit announced last week that it had raised $615,000 — just over 12% — of its $5 million end-of-the-year goal to purchase the Helena Inn at 2300 N. Oakes St.“At this point, we’re just seeing it as this is our only option. We’re just gonna get it done,” United Way director Emily McVey told Montana Free Press. “We’re doing everything we possibly can to get it done. We haven’t had any other conversations than go get it done.”United Way began its Housing First Capital Campaign at the beginning of the year to address Helena’s need for affordable housing for low-income people. In March, McVey announced the plan to purchase the hotel and convert it into a 48-unit apartment building that would accept federal housing vouchers and provide on-site essential services to tenants. The Helena Inn project aims to provide multiple, permanent supportive units within one building, which is new to Helena, and community block grant officials found it difficult to assess how to fund it, McVey said. “We know we don’t have the experience and we know this is new, but we just need somebody to believe in it and give us a shot,” McVey said. “We know those dollars are available down the road, but we need them to get started.”In addition to grants, United Way reached out to local banks to discuss loan options and is also in conversations with donors about larger contributions, the organization said in a press release. United Way is now focusing its efforts on community-based fundraising. From Friday, Oct. 18, to Sunday, Oct. 20, United Way, along with other local non-profit partners, will host the annual Family Fun Fest, which includes an array of family-centered events that will give Helenans a chance to give.United Way staff calculated what the community would need to give in order to fund the remaining $3.8 million. McVey said if every Helena resident donated $150, the nonprofit would raise over $4 million, and if everyone in Lewis and Clark County donated, it would raise over $10 million.  While McVey said she understands that not everyone can afford to give, every dollar, no matter the amount, can make a difference and that United Way appreciates the funds that have already been donated. Public Notice The community group, How the Helena, will meet on Tuesday, Sept. 17, at Ten Mile Creek Brewery, 48 N. Last Chance Gulch, for a panel discussion, “Schools: Where Do We Go From Here?” The panel will feature Montanans Organized for Education’s deputy director Jeanette Murnane-Butcher, Gabriel Furshong and Helena school board student representative Charlie Snellman. The discussion will be facilitated by former state legislator Moffie Funk and begins at 5:45 p.m.  5 Things to Know in Helena City sign code amended: Last Monday, the city commission voted to adopt an updated sign ordinance that would have required sign owners to pay an annual fee, limit lighting hours and ban animated content for electronic billboards. However, following comments from local business owners and sign industry professionals, commissioner Sean Logan moved to remove the ban on animations for electronic signs and the light curfew, which passed 3-2. Commissioner Melinda Reed also successfully amended the proposal to remove the fee requirement. The ordinance was then officially approved by the commission on a 3-2 vote. Last Chance Powwow: The Lewis and Clark Fairgrounds will hold the 25th annual Last Chance Community Powwow during the weekend of Sept. 27, in the exhibit hall. The celebration, sponsored by the city of Helena and the Helena Indian Alliance, is free and open to the public and will offer dancing competitions, vendor booths and concessions. For more information about the powwow, vendor spots and nonprofit participation, visit the Last Chance Powwow website. In need of car seats?: The nonprofit Florence Crittenton Family Services, in partnership with Lewis and Clark Public Health, will give away infant car seats next Thursday, Sept. 19, at the Lewis and Clark Fairgrounds playground from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Those interested need to register with Florence Crittenton at (406) 413-7043. Downtown parking changes: The downtown area will now be under one universal parking zone, which means visitors can pay at any kiosk or use the Passport parking app to park at any downtown location. While there are no fee changes for surface or street parking, parking will no longer be free for the first hour in the downtown garages. To address public concerns about employee parking, multiple vehicles can be registered under one permit. The public can expect to see the changes implemented next month.        Saints homecoming: Carroll College’s homecoming festivities begin Thursday, Sept. 19, with a parade through downtown, beginning at 6 p.m. On Friday, Sept. 20, both men’s and women’s soccer teams play against Rockey Mountain College with matches starting at 1 p.m. The Saints volleyball team will also play Friday at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Sept. 21, the homecoming football game against Simpson University begins at 2 p.m. Visit the college’s website for additional details about homecoming events.  For the RecordDuring a Helena schools board meeting last week, Assistant Superintendent Josh McKay said that the district’s enrollment is down about 150 students. Although enrollment has been declining over the past several years, school officials said the trend isn’t unique to Helena. Student numbers play a role in how Montana school districts are funded through a multi-faceted formula. The Helena school district will conduct its official student count on Monday, Oct. 7, and will submit results to the state Office of Public Instruction by mid-October. McKay will present a student enrollment report to the board of trustees during the next meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 8, detailing where Helena students are going and how the declining numbers could impact funding. 3 Questions ForThe documentary “War Game,” will premiere at the Myrna Loy on Friday, Sept. 20, and will feature former Montana Gov. Steve Bullock. The film follows a mock meeting between government and defense officials as they confront an anti-government group challenging the presidential election results. Bullock, who plays the role of the president, spoke with MTFP about his involvement in the film and its message on democracy. His comments have been edited for length and clarity. MTFP: What is the film about and how did you become a part of it?Bullock: The genesis sort of came from three retired generals in 2022 [who] did an op-ed, I think it was in the Washington Post, that said, “We’re not necessarily prepared for another Jan. 6.” So a non-profit called Vet Voice decided that they were going to do a six-hour tabletop exercise in Washington, D.C., with the objective of writing a report to the Department of Defense and the White House about considerations to better prepare if we ever have anything like Jan. 6, 2021. So they brought probably 40-plus people from the last five presidential administrations, about half Democrats and half Republicans, together to do this exercise and somewhere along the line of that they said, “Why don’t we film it?” A couple of people had reached out to me; the new governor of Pennsylvania had called and said, “Can we talk?” And he was about to get sworn in. I thought he’d probably want some sage advice, but he said, “Would you talk to my brother-in-law?” And his brother-in-law was one of the people who was on the movie side of it. It seemed like an important exercise to do, both for what the outcome would be, but also the seriousness of the other participants. MTFP: What was your experience playing the role of the president? Bullock: There’s essentially the situation room, there’s the military part, the Department of Justice part, the intelligence part, but also what was called the red cell where individuals basically are trying to tear the government down or continue to cause challenges with certification of the election. It was interesting universally within five minutes of even starting, because the people that put together the whole exercise, the game masters if you will, had things just coming in at all times. Like new things happening, new facts coming in and new news clips of what’s happening on the ground in D.C. and around the country. I think it’s fair to say that none of us were even thinking about cameras. It was a stressful enough time when you’re going through this exercise that people weren’t thinking about, “Oh, this could become a documentary.”It wasn’t like, “Pretend you’re Joe Biden or Donald Trump.” All of us were just instructed to use our life experiences in the public sector. There were a number of four-star generals engaged in the process of assessment [who’ve] never done anything in the political realm. It’s all the public policy realm. Just use those experiences to best inform what you should be doing through this exercise.MTFP: Is there a connection between the film and current politics?Bullock:  I think that, yeah, on the governing part, right? There are plenty of days as governor [with] both stressful moments or the moments of “Where the hell did this come from?” There are moments of crisis from natural disasters to trying to manage COVID, and in some respects, this exercise brought back a lot of those things. When you invoke the Insurrection Act and use the military, part of the experiences that I had the opportunity to have of being governor and commander in chief of the National Guard and understanding how the National Guard can be used and how it shouldn’t be used, was probably helpful in informing what I was doing.The directors have said it’s an invitation or a provocation for discussion, right? We all kind of hold up the Constitution and say it’s the Constitution that has guided this country for 250 years. But it’s in all of our collective efforts to try to preserve those norms, even when we’re disappointed with election outcomes. I’d love to think, “It isn’t relevant to what’s happening these days.” I think it is, and I think hopefully it will be a good invitation for discussion on how we go forward. Helena History This photo of Carroll College taken in 1965 shows St. Charles Hall and All Saints Chapel. Credit: “Helena As She Was” from the collection of Bill Clarkson The post Affordable housing project so far short of goal appeared first on Montana Free Press.