Sign up for the free Helena This Week newsletter and stay in the loop on Helena city government, public school meetings, business news and upcoming entertainment and events. Sign up 02/16/2025 Allegations against the former nurse played role in federal investigation St. Peter’s Health hospital in Helena. Credit: John S. Adams / MTFP Montana Free Press last week reported about a 2025 federal investigation into St. Peter’s Health, which found, among other details, that at least two allegations of sexual abuse were made against former hospital nurse Aaron Gams. This was not the first time we’ve covered Gams. I reported about the former ICU nurse a little over a year ago, after MTFP received a tip that he had lost his nursing license during a Montana Board of Nursing hearing in December 2024. While reporting that story, I wondered if the allegations against Gams would lead to criminal charges. But, as a local reporter still familiarizing herself with how these legal processes play out, I certainly wasn’t expecting Gams to be arrested during the afternoon of Dec. 31, 2024.  But once the Lewis and Clark County jail confirmed Gams had indeed been arrested on charges of abuse of a vulnerable person, a felony, we knew this story needed to be published as soon as possible, a task that felt a bit daunting considering it was New Year’s Eve. I was unsure whether attorneys, hospital officials and other sources would be able to provide comments needed for the story’s context.  With the help of my editor, a former crime reporter, I navigated between emails to the hospital, calls to Gams’ attorney and county prosecutors and several calls back to the jail as I gathered as many details as I could. Still, I wanted not only to get the story out as quickly as I could, but also to ensure it was reported ethically and accurately. It was just my colleague and me left in the office, and I wondered how comical I must have seemed, hearing me call the jail to ask for details I probably should have asked the first time I reached out. Working into the evening, we got the story published around 7 p.m., which turned out to be MTFP’s last news article of the year. It was tough to report on a hard issue with sensitive, upsetting details, but the impact would be lasting. About six days after this story came out, federal health inspectors began their internal investigation into St. Pete’s, uncovering an array of systematic and procedural failures in how hospital staff handled misconduct allegations.  Gams had pleaded not guilty to the felony charge during his arraignment last January, but recent court filings show that he is scheduled to appear at a change-of-plea hearing Wednesday, Feb. 18, at the county courthouse. MTFP will continue to cover any updates.  In Case You Missed It Last week, MTFP reporter Tom Lutey covered Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte and Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s announcement of an investigation into the city of Helena regarding the city’s recently passed immigration resolution. During a press conference, the two said that Helena’s resolution, which codified that local law enforcement would “avoid” assisting federal immigration officers, appeared to violate a 2021 state law that bans cities from giving refuge to illegal immigrants. That law includes a $10,000 penalty for every five days that it’s not followed, and, according to Knudsen, that fine was up to $30,000 as of last Wednesday.  Helena’s public information officer Amanda Opitz subsequently issued a statement that the city’s resolution was legally vetted before it was adopted by the city council. “The resolution was drafted with careful consideration of applicable local, state and federal law, and the City believes the resolution is consistent with those legal requirements,” the release stated. “The City remains committed to upholding all applicable federal and state laws.” Read Lutey’s full story here.  5 Things to Know in Helena  Helena City Manager Alana Lake updated the commission last week on the status of an interstate connector project. The Federal Highway Administration has fully funded a $1.3 million grant for the city to begin preliminary planning to construct a connecting route between U.S. Highway and the I-5 south interchange. The city was officially notified in January of 2025 that it would receive the grant, but the process stalled due to changes in federal funding. The connector should provide an alternative route for travelers to reach the highway, bypassing the Capitol exit, according to city staff. The city will next seek design consultants for the project. Construction is expected to take up to two years to complete, Lake added.   The Helena School Board of Trustees approved a $60,000-per-year lease agreement for a commercial building to store district vehicles and equipment. District facilities director Todd Verill presented the proposal last week and said that the facilities department needed a new storage location to accommodate the construction of the new district kitchen. The lease will last for five years.     The Helena Education Foundation received a $100,000 donation from Boeing last week.  The education foundation, an organization that provides supplementary funding to local teachers and district initiatives, announced the gift on its social media page, stating that the money will go towards a robotics education program for the district’s high schools.     Registration for the community’s annual fundraising event, Greater Helena Gives, opened last Friday for local nonprofits, according to Helena Area Community Foundation executive director Emily Frazier. The community foundation facilitates Greater Helena Gives, a 24-hour fundraising drive that raised about $305,000 last year for 117 nonprofits from more than 1,340 donors. This year, the event will be from 8 p.m. May 6 to 8 p.m. May 7. Visit the event website for registration details.  The city is conducting fire-fuel mitigation work near the Dump Out Trail on Mount Helena, which is expected to last for the next two weeks, depending on weather conditions. A city parks and recreation social media post said there are no trail closures, but caution is advised. By The Numbers  The amount of damage across Helena parks caused by a December windstorm that brought down light poles and trees and caused hours-long power outages. According to the Independent Record, wind gusts reached 91 miles per hour and toppled trees in Memorial, Batch, Barney and Beattie parks, resulting in more than 3,450 cubic feet of downed logs. Public Notice  The Helena city administration offices, municipal court and transfer station will be closed Monday, Feb. 16, for Presidents’ Day. Capital Transit buses will be in operation, but its office will also be closed. The East Valley and East Helena transit service and administrative office will also be closed.   Might Be Fun The Painted Pot is celebrating its 20th anniversary during the weekend of Feb. 20. The DIY pottery paint shop will hold a Grown-Ups Night on Friday, featuring discounted products and a catered dinner. On Saturday, the business will host a party open to the public. Visit the Painted Pot’s website for additional event details. The post Reporter’s notebook: How we reported about Aaron Gams appeared first on Montana Free Press. ...read more read less