Photo gallery captures vigil, high-school wrestling, and city appointment

This week’s gallery collects the strongest images from around Lewis and Clark County, threading together moments of mourning, competition and civic process. Photographers documented a Jan. 9 vigil at the Paul G. Hatfield Federal Courthouse for Renee Nicole Good, action-filled frames from Helena High’s wrestling dual with Capital, and photographs from the Jan. 7 appointment of Julia Gustafson to the Helena City Commission.

The vigil at the courthouse drew residents to a civic space more often associated with legal proceedings than communal grieving. Photos show neighbors gathered on the courthouse steps, clusterings of candles and signs, and the quiet ritual of people seeking accountability and solace in a public place. Such gatherings underscore how traumatic events ripple beyond immediate families to affect collective mental health. Visual coverage of these moments reminds local authorities and service providers that grief and calls for justice are public health concerns, and that access to trauma-informed support and culturally competent mental health care remains essential for a community healing together.

Sports shots from the week capture the pace and intensity of the Helena High- Capital wrestling dual, with coaches and teammates visible on the mats and in the stands. High-school athletics serve more than scorekeeping; they are a locus for youth physical health, mentorship and community connection. The images highlight the value of maintaining equitable athletic opportunities across our schools, including safe facilities, transportation for athletes, and coaching support that prioritizes long-term health and development over short-term wins.

Photographs from the Jan. 7 Helena City Commission appointment show the formal side of local democracy: an official taking a seat where decisions on housing, public safety, infrastructure and public health are made. Visual record-keeping of civic rituals helps residents see who represents them and how local governance operates. It also raises questions about representation and whose voices are most visible in municipal decisions—issues that matter for equity in zoning, emergency response, and access to city services.

Taken together, the gallery is more than a weekly scrapbook. It is a civic ledger that captures how grief, youth activities and governance intersect in daily life here in Helena. The pictures invite conversations about community resilience, the resources neighbors need after a tragedy, and how we support young people and hold officials accountable.

The takeaway? Our two cents? Look at the faces in these photos and consider what they need: show up at a meeting, check on a neighbor after a public loss, cheer for the kids at a match, and ask city leaders how their decisions will protect health and equity in our town.