Sign up for the free Helena This Week newsletter and stay in the loop on Helena city government, public school meetings, business news and upcoming entertainment and events. Sign up 12/22/2025 City services responding to hefty wind damage  Helena Public Schools maintenance staff work to clean up several fallen trees outside the district’s administrative building, Thursday, Dec.18, 2025. Credit: Courtesy of Helena Public Schools City and county responders continue to clean up and assess damage across Helena after severe winds rocked the area and the state last week. Last Wednesday, most of western Montana experienced dangerous winds, with the Helena area recording gusts as high as 91 mph. The wind knocked out power in neighborhoods across town for several hours, uprooted trees and toppled light poles. The damage resulted in more than 500 calls for service from the shared Lewis and Clark County and the Helena 911 Center, a record number, according to its social media post. The center averages 135 calls a day in December. The center also reported 131 downed power lines and 98 safety and road hazards. The city’s urban forestry staff reported at least 100 requests for assistance with tree damage, although the city is only responsible for addressing trees on public property and right-of-ways, city public information officer Amanda Opitz told Montana Free Press. “The entire street staff was out [Wednesday] and most of the evening clearing blocked streets or closing streets where there were dangerous conditions,” Opitz said. “That team continues to address these same issues today and, likely, for the coming days.” Several city departments have been working together during the cleanup, including the urban forestry, streets, parks and open land staff.  Additionally, the Helena Fire Department had all its teams responding to calls Wednesday, including 25 personnel, four command units, three fire engines, two rescue units, two wildland units and one ladder truck, Opitz said. The windstorm also led to several businesses closing and Helena Public Schools releasing students early.  While no major damage was reported to school facilities, Rossiter Elementary’s power went out, Jim Darcy Elementary had some damage to its roof and the district’s administrative building, the Lincoln Center, had several downed trees on the property, district communications specialist Taylor Lassiter told MTFP. Downed trees from severe winds block the entrance of the school district’s administrative building, Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025. Credit: Courtesy of Helena Public Schools Lassiter said that the district’s maintenance and facilities team was on the scene and checked each school before students returned to their normal schedules the following day. “It all came down to them assessing all buildings early [Thursday] morning, and since there was no serious damage, the admin called for all systems go,” Lassiter said in a text message to MTFP.  The city thanked the agencies that responded to the damage and acknowledged that the cleanup will take weeks.  “Though clean-up and recovery will continue in the days and weeks to come, we are so grateful for your efforts to mitigate the impacts of the storm and keep people safe,” the city stated in an online post. In case you missed it Last Friday, a panel of Montana state medical board members voted unanimously to revoke the medical license of Dr. Thomas Weiner, the former Helena cancer doctor who has been accused of prescribing unnecessary treatments and harming patients. You can read the full story by MTFP’s Mara Silvers here. 5 Things to Know in Helena  The Helena city commission discussed a draft resolution regarding the city’s policy on federal immigration enforcement during a meeting last week. Both City Attorney Rebecca Dockter and Police Chief Brett Petty presented the proposed policy. The resolution is intended to codify the current actions of the police department “in furtherance of the goals for public safety and protection of its citizens.” The draft also stated that HPD would not use its resources to aid federal enforcement and that the city would avoid entering a formal agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. However, during the discussion, Commissioner Melinda Reed asked Dockter about recommendations she submitted regarding certain details of the draft. Those suggestions include adding a reference to a 2004 city resolution and prohibiting racial profiling to the draft.  Dockter said that the language in the draft is broad enough to include Reed’s suggestions and that police policy currently addresses racial profiling. Chief Petty said that he is comfortable with the draft resolution and that it is lawful. The draft will be presented to the commission for an official vote at a later meeting, although no date has been announced. In a special meeting last week, commissioners voted 3-2 to appoint Alana Lake as the next city manager. The selection was made after nearly three months of recruitment, involving nearly 90 applicants, public disputes over the hiring timeline, and a lawsuit. Lake is the current executive director of the Montana Public Service Commission and has an extensive military background. However, the selection of Lake prompted some public outcry and disagreement within the commission, with commissioners Andy Shirtliff and Reed voting in opposition.  “The approach was fundamentally flawed and did not serve the best interests of our community. The commission failed to establish a shared vision or criteria for our new city manager. There was no collective discussion to guide our decision-making,” Reed said at the meeting.  You can read more here. Lewis and Clark County announced that the Tri-County Community Organizations Active in Disaster, or COAD, has opened an emergency shelter. The shelter is at Echo Church, 2210 Dodge Ave., and is intended to house individuals who are without power from last Wednesday’s windstorm, and it will be open “until further notice,” according to the county management department’s social media post.  Helena’s annual Longest Night Memorial Service was Sunday and aimed to honor those who have died as a result of homelessness. The service was held at Womens Park and organized by community nonprofits, including Good Samaritan Ministries, United Way of the Lewis and Clark Area, the Friendship Center and YWCA Helena. According to the most recent HUD survey, Helena has 143 homeless individuals.  In the wake of the mass shooting in Australia that killed 15 people during a Hanukkah event earlier this month, members of the Jewish community gathered last week at the state Capitol to celebrate the holiday, the IR reported. The event was intended to serve as a reminder of the importance of religious freedom, mutual respect and learning from one another, according to the Montana Jewish Project executive director.  Public Notice  The city announced the closure of the Sanders Street and Cole Avenue intersection through Wednesday, Dec. 24, due to gas line repair work. No on-street parking or through traffic will be allowed in the work zone. Repair work will also be weather-dependent. For additional information, contact the city at (406) 447-1566.  The Lewis and Clark County Emergency Management is asking the public to report of storm damage to homes, property, businesses and infrastructure through a survey. The information collected will be used to identify affected areas and improve preparedness for future extreme weather events, according to a county press release. Might Be Fun Christmas Eve at the Civic Center is a free event where Narrate Church invites Helenans to gather  to enjoy live music and a retelling of the first Christmas. The event is from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and will feature holiday refreshments.  Queen City Views The Capitol Christmas Tree, decorated with red and gold ornaments, lights up the rotunda, Tuesday, Dec.16, 2025. Credit: Lauren Miller, Montana Free Press, CatchLight Local/Report for America The post Windy city aftermath appeared first on Montana Free Press. ...read more read less