As temperatures rise, local officials and community groups are continuing the discussion of homelessness and how to address issues at the First United Methodist Church at the corner of 2nd Avenue North and 6th Street in downtown Great Falls. Over the last year, the pastor at FUMC has allowed people to sleep and congregate on the church property, causing concern
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Tension among downtown residents, businesses and church communities has continued over the First United Methodist Church on the corner of 2nd Avenue North and 6th Street allowing homeless people to congregate and sleep on their property. The issue has been ongoing for months, becoming a regular topic at City Commission and other downtown meetings. City officials have been working to
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City Commissioners continued their discussion of the recommendations from the crime task force during their Dec. 7 work session. They have no yet identified any priorities or agreed on how or what of the recommendations to fund. Staff told commissioners that they’ll need commissioners to start prioritizing or offering guidance as to what they want staff to pursue implementation of
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The Cascade County Sheriff’s Office released information on Oct. 11 regarding an incident involving Belt School last week. Undersheriff Cory Reeves said that at 3:01 p.m. Oct. 6, Belt School received an anonymous call “stating another Sandy Hook would be happening in a few minutes and then hung up.” GFPS addresses process for threat investigations School officials called 911 and
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Bright Eyes Cafe Beth McKinney of Bright Eyes Cafe is seeking a new owner for the turn-key business. The cafe is listed at a negotiable $60,000 and interested parties should contact the seller for “full list of inclusions (equipment, decor, etc.) Wonderful landlord and neighbors.” Alluvion Health Alluvion Health has moved administrative staff into the space at 505 1st Ave.
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City Commissioners are continuing their discussion on establishing a task force to “evaluate crime issues in our community and produce detailed actionable recommendations on how to reduce crime in Great Falls,” according to Commissioner Rick Tryon’s proposed concept. Tryon first raised the idea during the commission’s annual priority setting meeting in January. It was the only concrete idea to come
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Crime is a concern in most communities and in Great Falls, it’s again become a focal point of conversation for government officials. Most acknowledge that local crime rates are concerning, but many will say it’s a more nuanced conversation with more complicated solutions than simply adding more law enforcement officers. Mental health, poverty, substance abuse and trauma are factors, and
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The Downtown Safety Alliance made its largest distribution to date from its Coins for a Cause program on Wednesday. During the 2019 calendar year, area residents and visitors donated $867.03 to the Coins for a Cause program, either in the donation boxes located in businesses throughout the downtown or the collection boxes that were added to some lightposts along Central
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Addiction and mental health are major contributors to crime in Cascade County. The issues are complicated, but many in the community are working to find solutions and The Electric spent the last few weeks learning about a few of the current efforts. Mental Health Treatment Court at Municipal Court Recognizing that many of the same people are in his courtroom
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There are many myths surrounding mental health and addictive disorders, which is why Great Falls College MSU, Gateway Community Services, Alliance for Youth and other community organizations have planned a week of events titled “Stop the Stigma.” “The goal of this event is to educate people on mental health and addictive disorders and to debunk some of the myths that
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