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 When this whole school board sex education thing came up, I had no interest in writing about it. Most of the time, I'm content to sit back and let other people scream until hoarse or vent their spleens on useless “moral” issues, particularly when (in this case) a pervasive culture of sex and sexuality overrides any parent attempting to control their child. But, when the arguing reaches a fever pitch, I get curious.
So I started paying attention. I read the 62-page Helena Public Schools Health Enhancement K-12 Critical Competencies Draft, not just the Human Sexuality section (which makes up like five pages). I went to the school board meeting last week. I saw flocks of misguided zealots picketing with Bible verses to justify setting educational standards. Half the time, I walked around just looking at people, fascinated by how many moralists I forgot existed. Particularly telling was the exaggerated moaning, groaning, and other signs of disrespect given to the openly gay speakers.
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Caleb Sowell, Jordan Epstein and Carter Reeder from Kingsland Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, helped garden, weed and transplant trees at Margaret Stuart Home in Helena this week. They were part of a 40-person volunteer crew here from the church. (Photos courtesy of Rocky Mountain Development Council)
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Trout Creek Canyon on the Helena National Forest is the destination July 23 for a moonlight hike sponsored by the Montana Discovery Foundation. Call 495-3711 for more information about this family-friendly outing and other area hikes being held in July. (Photo by Debbie Anderson)
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Mine reclamation specialists with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality recently teamed up with staff members from the City of Helena Parks and Recreation Department to close off two adits near a popular local hiking trail.
On Wednesday, June 23, the team sealed off the openings, or adits, with expandable foam that hardens like concrete.
The adits are located across the street from the DeFord Trailhead near Davis Gulch Road in Helena’s south hills. The openings are about three feet in diameter. One adit is 60 yards in length; the other is 20 yards long. Sixty cubic feet of expandable foam was applied to seal off the adits.
“DEQ did this as a public service for the city and the people who live nearby and recreate on the city’s open space lands. The city asked us to help, and we did so gladly to protect public health and safety,” said DEQ Abandoned Mine Program Reclamation Specialist Steve Opp.
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One of the rock stacks up on Mount Ascension. These small towers of rock get built up, tumbled down, and rebuilt again by hikers, making for constantly varied art forms depending on who’s on the trail and whether they’re a stacker or a tumbler. (Photo by John "JR" Zavalney)
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The Helena Flag Day ceremony at Centennial Park on Monday afternoon took place under brilliant blue skies. The event featured a riderless horse, veterans of various wars, lots of families, a free barbecue and raising of the huge flag at the park. (Photo by Thom Champion)
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Seniors from Capital High and Helena High graduated this past Saturday during ceremonies held at Carroll College’s Nelson Stadium. Greg Mortenson of Bozeman, author of “Three Cups of Tea,” spoke to both graduating groups on Saturday. (Photo by Thom Champion)
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Mayn Cemetery just south of White Sulphur Springs featured a huge display of American flags this past Memorial Day weekend. The weather wasn’t the best for tending graves and remembering loved ones, but several people were there anyway. (Photo by Thom Champion)
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In the controversial realm of right-to-die issues, Oregon has functioned as a sociopolitical laboratory in which actual data have collided with overblown projections of what might happen after voters approved the Death With Dignity Act via initiative in 1994.
That’s according to Ann Jackson, former CEO of the Oregon Hospice Association and former hospice caregiver who is now an end-of-life consultant. She spoke Monday to a large crowd at the Lewis and Clark Library about Oregon’s experience and what Montana may anticipate now that the state Supreme Court has mostly backed Judge Dorothy McCarter’s ruling permitting aid-in-dying under the Montana Constitution.
The ball is now in the Montana Legislature’s court, and we can expect lawmakers to take up various bills in January clarifying, setting up rules and regulations, and possibly even negating McCarter’s decision.
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