What the Helena

When an AI data center proposal at the old Bonner Mill site sparked intense public pushback this past summer, Missoula County took action passing an emergency moratorium on new industrial computing facilities. But under state law, a pause comes with a mandate: study the problem, assess the risks, and figure out what local regulations can actually do.

Now, Missoula County’s long awaited Data Center Draft Study is officially out.

In this follow up episode of "What the Helena?", host Caleb Klaus breaks down the technical and legal reality of bringing hyperscale computing into Western Montana. We dive into the study's key findings, from single facilities requiring energy loads ten times larger than all of NorthWestern Energy’s Montana customers combined, to the hidden paradox of water vs. energy cooling systems, 24/7 low frequency noise, and potential rate hikes on residential power bills.

Plus, we examine how the Montana Legislature’s "Right to Compute Act" limits local government bans, what zoning tools Missoula County can use to protect residents and wildlife, and how you can participate in the upcoming public hearings at the Missoula County Fairgrounds and Courthouse.

🔗 Important Links and Public Engagement Resources:

Read the Study and Submit Public Comments: missoulacountyvoice.com/data-center-interim-zoning

Watch/Listen to the Agenda Podcast: youtube.com/watch?v=Tdl-XgFNvNI

Check Out Our Voter Guide: forwardmontana.org/2026-midterm-election-voter-guide

Learn More About Our Work: forwardmontana.org

What does true political representation look like when it’s built from the ground up? In this episode of What the Helena?, I sit down with historic leader Denise Juneau, former State Superintendent of Public Instruction and the first Native American woman elected to statewide executive office in the nation. We take a deep dive into the past, present, and future of civic engagement across Indian Country in Montana.

From breaking down systemic voting barriers to the rising power of youth organizers and the legislative Native American Caucus, Denise breaks down what it takes to convert election season momentum into long term political authority. 🔗 To get engaged: forwardmontana.org

Since 1906, Montanans have used the citizen initiative process to pass pivotal laws, from expanding public lands access and raising the minimum wage to protecting healthcare choices and restricting lobbying. But in recent years, mounting bureaucratic hurdles, legal delays, and legislative pushback have made bringing an issue to the ballot harder than ever.In this episode, host Caleb sits down with Dani Hess from the Montanans Decide campaign to break down Constitutional Initiative 133 (CI-133).

🔗To find out more about CI-133: montanansdecide.com🔗To get involved with Forward Montana: forwardmontana.org

Every election cycle, millions of dollars in untraceable dark money flood Montana mailboxes, TV screens, and text messages. But this fall, Montanans are voting on Initiative 194 (also known as "The Montana Plan") a ballot measure designed to pull back the curtain on political spending and eliminate anonymous money.

In this episode of "What the Helena?", podcast host Caleb Klaus sits down with Russell Cleveland, Executive Director of Partnerships for I-194.

🔗For a complete breakdown of I-194: montanaplan.org

🔗Find out more at Forward Montana: forwardmontana.org

From the Rattlesnake Valley to the Beartooth Range, Montana’s roadless areas offer clean water, world-class outdoor access, and pristine wildlife habitat. But a new federal proposal could open up nearly 60 million acres nationwide to industrial logging and road building. Host Caleb Klaus speaks with MontPIRG Campus Organizer Madison Morgan about the history of the 2001 Roadless Rule, the disconnect between public demand and federal policy, and why the fight to protect our public heritage is coming to a head right now.

🔗 Get involved with MontPIRG: www.mtpirg.org

🔗 Find out more at Forward Montana: forwardmontana.org

How do you exercise your constitutional right to vote when you don’t have a mailbox, an ID, or a fixed address?

In this episode of What the Helena?, host Caleb Klaus sits down with David Quattrocchi, an organizer with the Unhoused Neighbors Union in Missoula. Together, they break down how housing insecurity acts as a structural form of voter suppression; from loss of critical documents during encampment sweeps to $500 urban camping fines that trap working people in the legal system.

David shares how the Unhoused Neighbors Union is building cross-class solidarity, why community organizing relies on those with lived experience, and what concrete federal and local policy changes are actually needed to guarantee housing justice for all Montanans.

🔗Get involved with Forward Montana: forwardmontana.org

🏠Learn more about the Unhoused Neighbors Union: UNU Missoula on Instagram

Montana now holds the worst price-to-income housing ratio in the entire country, surpassing Los Angeles, New York, and Hawaii. In this episode, we sit down with Forward Montana organizers Julie Sanders and Sage Bennett to break down what this reality actually looks like on the ground for young workers, students, and renters. From choosing between rent and basic groceries to navigating predatory property managers, we unpack the structural math of a crisis where local wages simply haven't kept pace with skyrocketing costs.

We also dive into the policy fights shaping our neighborhoods, exploring density bills, urban sprawl, local city council pushback, and the crucial need for renter representation in local office. Most importantly, Julie and Sage lay out how young Montanans can build collective power through tenant organizing and voter turn-out.

🔗Check your voter registration status and learn how to get involved at forwardmontana.org

Should political party bosses dictate who sits on state courts? In this episode of What The Helena?, Caleb Klaus sits down with retired Montana Supreme Court Justice Jim Nelson to discuss Constitutional Initiative 132 (CI-132) and the high-stakes fight to protect nonpartisan judicial elections in Montana.

In the second installment of our Nonpartisan Judicial Elections series, Justice Nelson breaks down the clash between state judicial ethics and recent campaign funding laws, explains how courts act as a check on legislative overreach, and reminds us why democracy isn't a spectator sport.

🔗 Get involved with Forward Montana: ⁠forwardmontana.org⁠

👩‍⚖️ Check out Montanans for Nonpartisan Courts: yeson132.com

When partisan politics enters the courtroom, everyday citizens lose. For over 90 years, Montana has elected judges on a nonpartisan ballot, keeping party bosses and corporate special interests out of judicial rulings. But with political pressure mounting, Constitutional Initiative 132 (CI-132) aims to permanently enshrine nonpartisan judicial elections into Article VII of the Montana Constitution.

In this episode of What The Helena?, Caleb Klaus sits down with Trent Bolger, Executive Director of Big Sky 55+, to unpack the history of Montana's courts, the dangers of modern "judge shopping," and why protecting an independent judiciary is an issue where young and old Montanans share common ground.

🔗 Get involved with Forward Montana: ⁠forwardmontana.org⁠

🏫 Learn more about Big Sky 55+: bigskyfiftyfive.org

👩‍⚖️ Check out Montanans for Nonpartisan Courts: yeson132.com

Montana has a long history of voters stepping up when politicians refuse to act, a tradition rooted in direct democracy since 1906. But today, extra filing fees, legal roadblocks, and attempts to politicize state courts are threatening that power.

On this episode of "What the Helena?", Alice Boyer (Executive Director of Forward Montana) drops in to explain why independent courts act as our last line of defense, and how CI-132 and CI-133 work together to keep power in the hands of the people.

🔗 Get involved with Forward Montana: ⁠forwardmontana.org⁠📌 Check out upcoming events: ⁠forwardmontana.org/events⁠📲 Follow us on Instagram for the latest updates: instagram.com/forward_montana