East Helena is having our 19th “Fright Night” this year on October 31, from 5-7. Businesses on Main Street will be open for all of our wonderful trick or treaters. There will also be a “Trunk R’ Treat”. Then at dusk J4 Automotive will be playing their annual movie in the park with popcorn, hot chocolate, and delicious apple cider!! This year’s movie will be Coco!! Make sure to bring some blankets to snuggle up with while we all enjoy this years Fright Night!
When you are driving around town, please remember that East Helena schools are now open.
THANK YOU!
East Helena Public Schools
2024 Adult Education Classes
Click on Class name
for full information:
Call: 406.227.5750
East Helena Branch
16 East Main Street, East Helena
10 am to 6 pm Monday – Wednesday
10 am to 5 pm Thursday – Friday
10 am to 1 pm Saturday
Closed Sunday
(Click on these images to view full-size.)
East Helena Branch Library Fall Programs (September-November)
SEPTEMBER
Children:
Storytime: No Storytimes during the month of September.
Tiny Tots Movie: Thursday, the 26th at 10:30 AM. The movie, A Land Before Time, will be shown for our youngest patrons; rated G and runs 69 minutes.
Teens: Thursday, the 5th, 5:30 – 7:30 PM. Nailed It cake decorating contest and pizza party.
Adults:
Reading Circle: Friday, September 27th at 3 PM. Copies of September read will be available to share starting September 3rd. Title is Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann. The corresponding movie will be shown in November.
All Ages:
First Fridays: September 6th, 1 – 5 PM. Every first Friday in 2024, pick out a free book (one per person and must be present), receive a small gift or craft, and enjoy refreshments.
Library Card Sign up Month: Starting September 3rd, throughout the month, sign up for library card and/or bring a friend to sign up for a card and get entered into a raffle to win a generous book-related prize. Winner of the drawing will be notified the first week in October.
Library Hours are Monday through Wednesday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Thursday and Friday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Sunday Closed. Located at 16 East Main Street.
OCTOBER
Children:
Storytime: Wednesday at 10:30 AM on 2, 9, 16, 23, 30. Thursday at 10:30 AM on 10, 24. The Thursday Storytime program will be the same stories and activities as the Wednesday program of the same week. A half hour of stories and activities geared towards preschool ages. All ages welcome.
Children’s Movie: Saturday the 12th at 11 AM, Raya and the Last Dragon will be shown; rated PG, runs 114 minutes. Popcorn and soda provided.
Tweens/Teens:
Book Club Free Book: Starting October 1st, 10 copies of The Girl in White by Lindsay Currie will be available for free. One per family please.
Xbox Video Games and Pizza: Tuesday the 8th from 4 – 6 PM. Library provides games, pizza, and soda.
Teen Night: Friday the 18th from 4 – 6 PM, decorate pillow cases, masks, or bags for Halloween. Snacks and drink provided.
Adults:
Tech Program: Wednesday the 16th from 2 – 3 PM. Emily will assist with downloadable audio books. Please bring your charged device.
Friends of the Library Quarterly Meeting: Thursday the 24th at 4 PM. New members always welcome.
Reading Circle: Friday the 25th at 3 PM, discuss The Cold Millions by Jess Walter. A light snack provided.
All Ages:
First Friday: October 4th, 1 – 5 PM. Every first Friday in 2024, pick out a free book (one per person and must be present), receive a small gift or craft, and enjoy refreshments.
Halloween Tea Party: Saturday the 26th from 10 AM – 1 PM. All ages welcome. Wear your costumes for a costume contest. Enjoy face painting, games, snacks, and of course tea!
Library Hours are Monday through Wednesday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Thursday and Friday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Sunday Closed. Located at 16 East Main Street.
NOVEMBER
Children:
Storytime: Wednesday at 10:30 AM on 6, 13, 20, 27. Thursday at 10:30 AM on 14. The Thursday Storytime program will be the same stories and activities as the Wednesday program of the same week. A half hour of stories and activities geared towards preschool ages. All ages welcome.
Tween/Teen:
Full Moon Manga: Friday the 15th, 4 – 6 PM. Snacks and drinks provided.
Adults:
Guest Author: Saturday the 9th, 11 AM – 1 PM, Theresa Rose will read from and discuss her Amazon published book: Marine Sergeant’s Daughter
Learning Circle: Wednesday the 21st, 5 – 6:30 PM. Enjoy learning a new skill. Light snack provided.
Matinee Movie for Adults: Friday the 8th, 1 – 5 PM. Killers of the Flower Moon will be shown; rated R and runs 206 minutes. Pizza, popcorn, and soda provided.
Reading Circle: No Reading Circle in November or December.
All Ages:
First Fridays: The 1st, 1 – 5 PM. Every first Friday in 2024, pick out a free book (one per person and must be present), receive a small gift or craft, and enjoy refreshments.
Craft Swap: The 18th – 23rd, drop off gently used and new crafts during Library open hours. The 25th – December 3rd during open hours, shop for free “new to you” crafts.
Food Drive: While the Craft Swap is going, the 18th – December 3rd, drop off non-perishable food to the library for the East Helena Pantry of Helena Food Share and pick out a free book.
Library Hours are Monday through Wednesday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM,
Thursday and Friday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM,
Saturday 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM,
Sunday Closed.
Located at 16 East Main Street.
NEW SIDEWALKS FOR EAST HELENA!
These photos show the construction of a new sidewalk along the full length of Lewis Street, from Montana Ave./Valley Drive (Prickly Pear Elementary School) to Kalispell Ave. (East Valley Middle School). Estimated completion of the sidewalk is August 25 . This project will help keep the many students, pedestrians, joggers, and dog-walkers who use Lewis Street safe from street traffic, which has increased significantly in recent years. Residents will no longer need to walk in the middle of the street!
CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE!
Click on this graphic to read articles and stories from the past 15 years of Prickly Pear Junction!
We started posting Prickly Pear Junction online in 2009. Many of the past stories dealt with the history of East Helena.
Enjoy reading about East Helena!
We thank East Helena for the support and encouragement you have given us.
Read how
and when
Prickly Pear Junction
became East Helena!
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY ~ First 6 homes in East Helena!
These six new homes are move-in ready for East Helena families after a dedication ceremony was held by Helena Area Habitat for Humanity on Thursday, August 22, 2024. Over the past year, volunteers spent 5,000 hours, and the Mutual Self-Help home builders spent 2,600 hours working on these homes, and participants worked as a group to build their own homes. Some families started moving in right after the ceremony on Thursday. Keys were handed over to six new homeowners in the Highland Meadows neighborhood of East Helena directly following the dedication ceremony. Habitat for Humanity has officially landed in East Helena!
THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME: VALLEY DRIVE
These photos were taken from the middle of the new passing lane on Valley Drive, between Canyon Ferry Road and Plant Road, which was constructed during the summer of 2023. This is a tremendous improvement to Valley Drive and plans are currently underway to continue this work on the full length of Valley Drive/Montana Ave.
CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO VIEW FULL-SIZE!
THE FUTURE OF VALLEY DRIVE:
East Helena is currently the recipient of a RAISE grant, a federal grant which is meant to create necessary infrastructure in rural and urban areas.
The RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) grant program through the US Department of Transportation is giving East Helena a little over $10 million which will go toward widening Valley Drive, and will likely create a walking path, bike lane, curb gutters, storm drains, and better crosswalks.
Valley Drive / Montana Ave. Future Reconstruction (Aerial View)
Many East Helena residents have asked us how Valley Drive/Montana Ave. would work as a “three-lane” road. This artist’s rendering shows that the third lane (middle “turning” lane) would begin at Canyon Ferry Road and would end and merge into two lanes at Lewis Street/Prickly Pear Elementery School. This model is not intended to represent a final plan but is fairly close to being an accurate model. (Click on the map to view full-screen!)
What would East Helena look like if the ASARCO slag pile never existed?
PRICKLY PEAR JUNCTION used METG aerial photographs of the huge slag pile out at the old ASARCO East Helena site. We ran the photos through Artificial Intelligence imaging software to see how East Helena might have looked without the slag pile. This project is NOT intended to represent the actual final results of the work METG is currently performing, but rather is a “fantasy” about how East Helena might have looked if ASARCO had never existed. This was just for fun!
• CLICK ON THE PHOTOS TO VIEW FULL-SCREEN • CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL 7 EXAMPLES
Aerial photos (left column) are by METG and “Artificial Intelligence”photos (right column) are by Prickly Pear Junction.
Note: The 16-million-ton slag pile at the former ASARCO smelter site will remain in place. The last remaining cleanup measure will involve grading and capping the pile.
Montana Environmental Trust Group Website:
mtenvironmentaltrust.org
This video shows METG’s recent work at the East Helena Site throughout 2023. It showcases updates such as a new soil repository, reductions in the groundwater contamination plume, and redevelopment progress, including the Prickly Pear Land Trust’s Greenway Trail.
J4 Automotive
Visit J4 Automotive Website
Kit and Vi Johnson started J4 Automotive over 22 years ago in 1994 with an SBA loan, some help from family members and a lot of prayers. Fast forward to today and we find the shop doing close to 1 million dollars in gross sales and still family owned and operated. The second generation of Johnson’s are now working in the business, with Kit and Vi’s daughter Nikita and her husband Chris carrying on the strong tradition of outstanding automotive repair and service and giving back to our community. The third generation of Johnson’s (the grand kids shown sitting with Viola) are growing up in the shop just like their mothers did and will most likely continue the family tradition well into the future.
J4 Automotive’s mission statement stresses community service, which they do a lot of. The yellow veterans ribbons, the kids activity tent in the Christmas stroll, sponsor of the spring school clean-up, the Halloween movie in the park and Frite-night are but some of the events Kit and Vi and the J4 Crew organize and participate in. Their experienced staff of seven, including three Master Mechanics, fix all makes and models of vehicles and are the recipient of many awards. The National Technician of the Year, and the Helena Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year are just a few examples of their commitment to excellence.
J4 Automotive is a Better Business Bureau A+ rated member, AAA Top Shop and NAPA AutoCare center that enjoys a 5 star Google and Yelp rating. Give them a call next time you need advice or maintenance and repair on your vehicle and use their convenient pick-up service while you work! 227-8622 or make an appointment on line at j4 Automotive.com.
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Meet your Police Department: (Left to right)
Chris Kirkegaard, Police Officer
Bonnie Jones, Evidence Technician / Administrative Assistant
Trent DeBoo, Police Officer
Kirk Johnston, Police Officer
Ed Royce, Police Officer
Mike Sanders, Police Chief
Did you know PureView has two local pharmacies that offer FREE delivery of your prescriptions and other health product needs right to your door ? And you do not have to be a patient of PureView to enjoy this service! Just call our main pharmacy number at 406-500-2080 or visit our website at www.pureviewhealthcenter.org
Thank you East Helena for your continued support for PureView Health Center!
PureView Health Center
1930 9th Avenue
Helena, MT 59601
Call us at 406.457.0000
Contact Us ~ Click Here!
Saint Chales Hall, Carroll College, Helena, Montana ~ September 8, 2002
All photos and panoramas by david george hill.
Contact Prickly Pear Junction
Your email address will NEVER be posted publicly.
Help is right here!
Times are tough but nobody should go hungry or be left out in the cold! On this page are some resources to help you and your family:
Dept. of Public Health and Human Services: administers SNAP (food stamps), Medicaid and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Call: 1.888.706.1535
Salvation Army: Emergency food, clothing, shelter, and utility assistance. Call: 406.442.8244
God’s Love: Provides food, shelter, clothing, and any other basic necessities for transients and families. Call: 406.442.7000
LIEAP – Low Income Energy Assistance Program: pays part of winter energy bills for those eligible. Can also help in emergencies if your power is cut off for non payment. Call: 406.447.1625
Rocky Mountain Development Council: https://www.rmdc.net/
If you know a family in need,
please share this information with them.
East Helena Mobile Pantry Update
The East Helena Mobile Pantry is open with service Mondays and Thursdays. The Lewis Street Pantry in Helena is open for Choice Shopping and is open Monday through Friday. If you are in need of food support, please come see us. We have food for all who need it. There is no need to provide an ID – just let us know the number of people in your household.
Mobile Service:
50 Prickly Pear Avenue N.
East Helena, MT 59635
(406) 443-3663
Monday 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Thursday 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Helena Food Share is closed on the following holidays:
Thursday, Nov 23 – Thanksgiving
Monday, Dec 25 – Christmas
Monday, Jan 1 – New Year’s
Monday, Jan 15 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Monday, Feb 19 – President’s Day
Monday, May 27 – Memorial Day
Thursday, July 4 – Independence Day
Monday, Sept 2 – Labor Day
See helenafoodshare.org/get-help/locations-and-hours/
for schedule updates.
HIGH PLAINS SHEEPSKIN 2020
In 1993, Gary Thomas bought a building on Main Street in downtown East Helena, Montana for a practical reason: it was the closest commercial space to his house that he could afford. His plan was to change the nature of his business from retail to mail-order and do away with most of his products to concentrate on making sheepskin slippers. It turned out to be a great decision because of something he didn’t initially expect – East Helena is a truly great place to run and operate a business. It’s a small town that should brag about itself more often than it does. Downtown may only be a couple of blocks long, but it has filled up with incredible business owners who are all in it for the long haul. It’s a quiet place in good country.
There are several reasons for why East Helena works out so well for an independent business. The commercial real estate is reasonably priced yet still easily accessible to the nearby population of the Helena area. Bank access, postal service and City Hall are a few things that are just down the street. The primary element that makes East Helena such a great location is its abundance of amazing neighbors – both in the business community and residents of the town. One of those neighbors that we would like to single out is our incredible local Post Office. We are a mail-order business, and we ship out over 2,000 packages each year. The East Helena Post Office is a local partner that we could hardly do without. Everyone on staff really goes out of their way to streamline the process and get our goods into the postal stream as effortlessly as possible. We owe those folks a tremendous amount of gratitude.
Our Founding
High Plains Sheepskin was started in the cold and windy basins of southern Wyoming (hence the name “High Plains”) in 1975. Gary’s first shop was in Laramie, WY. After nine years, he moved to Last Chance Gulch in Helena, MT. Then, in 1993, Gary moved one final time to our current location at 5 West Main Street (formally known as Prickly Pear Junction) in East Helena, MT. We are right across the street from Dave and Annie’s restaurant, Main Street Easts (best breakfast around!), and next door to Stacks Clothing CO. & Antiques. This is our factory, warehouse, shipping center and retail outlet all rolled into one.
Prior to starting High Plains, Gary had several years of experience in the tanning and industrial sheepskin industry. In the tannery, he worked as a sheepskin finisher and grader. As an apprentice under an old school Czech craftsman, Gary made sheepskin paint rollers, industrial applicators, and saddle pads. His passion for doing what he loved led him to work for himself, building High Plains Sheepskin from the ground up. Gary employed many ambition and talented people throughout the years who helped him build and sell his slippers, mittens, and hats. Spencer Haire was his final trusted employee and worked alongside him until Gary made his last pair of slippers. Gary Thomas tragically passed away in August of 2019 leaving Spencer and his wife Casey Sasek to purchase High Plains and continue providing his beloved sheepskin slippers to tens of thousands of customers around the country. They make a good team. Spencer manages the shop and makes all of the products while Casey’s background in banking allows her to handle the books and marketing. In 2020, they welcomed their first son, Jackson, to the wonderful world of sheepskin slippers.
The new management of High Plains has also hired their first employee, Trevor Held, who is an East Helena native and part of the first graduating class of East Helena High School. Go Vigilantes!
High Plains Sheepskin has always been a small business. We work all year to make thousands of slippers, mittens, and other products that we then ship to all 50 states, Canada and overseas. We enjoy what we do and love being a part of East Helena’s small but growing community.
CLICK HERE to see Duke’s crew in action!
Contact Us ~ Click Here!
Sales of my artwork and art books on the ETSY Art/Craft website help support
Prickly Pear Junction “CLOUD”. Click HERE to visit my ETSY Shop!
contact Prickly Pear Junction (Click)> david@davidhill.tv ~ phone ~ 406.431.6026