|
|
|
| MATR Newsletter - Tue Apr 28, 2015 |
"The possible's slow fuse is lit by the imagination." -- Emily Dickinson, poet
Hope to see you in Great Falls next week: Montana Economic Conference And Leadership Event, 5/3-6, Great Falls, Montana http://www.matr.net/ev ... =5380
2014 Montana Politics & 2015 Legislature
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
- Montana legislature passes asset forfeiture reform law
In many cases, property is seized despite the fact that the owner has not done anything wrong, merely based on extremely weak evidence that it might have been used to commit some offense.
- Montana Gov. Bullock vetoes bill for weakening consumer fraud protection
The bill, sought by the Montana banking lobby, would have made "the damages available to a Montana consumer among the weakest in the country," Bullock, a Democrat, said in a letter to House and Senate leaders.
- What's in the infrastructure bill that's causing all the fuss? - Gazette opinion: House delivers nothing to build up Montana
The contents of SB416 include:
Big Sky Commerce
- How To Effectively Manage Employees Without Letting The Threat Of Litigation Manage Your Business, 6/4, Missoula
Legal action by employees will always be an inherent risk of running a business with employees; fortunately, there are certain steps and processes that employers can take to minimize liability and keep the focus on running the business.
Great Falls Development Authority
- Big Sky Commerce - Get ready for the October 2015 U.S. EMV chip card mandates.
Starting October 1, 2015, the liability for fraudulent card-present transactions made at the point of sale will shift to the entity without EMV-enabled technology.
Montana Business
- Today 4/28! Be Inspired and Inspire Others
Participate in Startup Fireup! an open mic style evening of
Careers
- 3 Things You Should Be Grateful For (But Probably Aren't)
So let's reflect for a minute on just how much our lives are improved by things like these...
- Bozeman's West Paw Design Honored with "Best for the Environment" - Creating Most Overall Positive Environmental Impact
The B Corp 'Best for the Environment' list sets the gold standard for high impact companies and demonstrates any type of company can use business as a force for good.
- "Boomtowners" - The lives of North Dakota, Montana oil patch residents are focus of Smithsonian Channel series
A documentary chronicling the lives of residents and workers in the oil-rich region of North Dakota and Montana that has created a modern-day gold rush will start airing Sunday on the Smithsonian Channel.
- Trucking industry not finding enough drivers - Sign-up begins for GFC MSU trucker training program
Despite a need for hundreds of thousands of drivers, trucking companies say they are having a tough time attracting applicants.
- Drone businesses pop up in Montana
Roughly a half-dozen Montanans have received federal exemptions to fly unmanned aerial vehicles commercially.
Government
- Job Skills Companies Want But Can't Get
Corporate recruiters say some highly sought-after skills are in short supply among newly minted MBAs
- Commerce's Innovation Exec Seeks to Hire Entrepreneurs
"Making sure state and local officials understand that small businesses are the job creators is essential."
- Are Cover Letters Dead or Just Following Us Around?
Do cover letters make a difference to the employer's choice anymore?
- Blogging your way to your dream job at a startup
So you want to work at a startup. You know how to handle interviews and you know what startup skills you need. You know your strengths and can't wait to hustle.
- The 25 Hottest Skills That Got People Hired in 2014
If your skills fit one of the categories below, there’s a good chance you either started a new job or garnered the interest of a recruiter in the past year.
Idaho Business
- CBS News Montana judge who was censured over teen rape comments to get award
Baugh, who served almost 30 years as a state judge, stepped down last year after being censured by the Montana Supreme Court for his comments and suspended from the bench for 31 days.
- Government HR Directors Get a Personnel Downgrade
HR directors report that their departments aren't seen as the place to go to create a more effective workforce; they're the place to go to balance budgets.
Other Economies
- Idaho Surprise: Gas Tax Hike Signed Into Law
"The measure promises to raise around $95 million a year for Idaho roads and bridges. But many lawmakers left unsatisfied."
- The Daily Show spoofs Simplot, this time for GMO potatoes
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart applied its particular flavor of comedy to the J.R. Simplot for the second time in four years, airing a segment Wednesday night about the Boise-based company's genetically modified line of potatoes.
- Idaho rural counties get $26 million from Forest Service for schools, roads
"The Forest Service's century-long support of America's public schools and roads is one of many ways in which USDA helps rural communities remain self-sustaining and prosperous."
Regional Business
- New Hampshire Opens its Doors to Tech Startups
"Live Free and Start," a state/private partnership, launched a website and a contest for fledgling tech startups Thursday.
Washington State Business
- Comcast's deal is dead, so now Charter wants to buy Time Warner Cable
Advisers for Charter Communications have reached out to Time Warner Cable to begin friendly talks on an acquisition after Comcast Corp. withdrew its bid for the company, people with knowledge of the matter said.
Wyoming Business
- State of Washington's roads in bad shape, report warns
Washington has ignored its roads for so long, the state economy's in jeopardy.
Education
- A Vacant Lot In Wyoming Will Become One Of The World's First Vertical Farms
A unique conveyer belt design allows the three-story greenhouse to be efficient and sustainable, providing jobs and fresh produce to the Jackson community.
Missoula Children's Theatre
- Dad's Photos of 'Flying' Toddler Inspire Many - That Dad Blog
"We have signs on the road -- 'Careful for Flying Babies,'" Alan Lawrence joked.
- Schoogle - A New Way to Help Schools From Losing Textbooks
Schoogle, a new app that monitors everything from tablets to trombones, can help districts save time and money.
Missoula Schools Excellence
- The Missoula Children's Theatre is the world's largest touring children's theatre and positively impacts thousands of children every year, both locally and around the world.
Bring MCT to Your Community!
Montana Education Excellence
- Missoula's Hellgate High School to officially launch new Finance Academy
"It is our role as leaders in the community to ensure that we invest in our students, they are the real future of Missoula."
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- Every Montana Public School Junior to Take the ACT at No Cost to their Families
"We want to encourage every high school student to create options for a bright future after graduation. Offering the ACT at no cost allows every Montana junior the opportunity to take the first step toward college," said Superintendent Juneau.
- Video: Hatch EDU DSEL @ MSU
The CHALLENGE: Design the School of the Future
Community
- Empowering Montana teachers: Conference aims to foster the next generations of engineers
Titled Springtime in the Rockies, the STEM training conference has been held at MLC for several years.
Funding and Building your Business
- Six New Cities Awarded Heart of the Community Placemaking Grants
Through their groundbreaking Heart of the Community program, established in 2014 in partnership with PPS, Southwest has become a pioneer in the Placemaking movement.
- Complete Streets Deliver More Than Just Good Vibes
In this study of 37 projects, Smart Growth America found that Complete Streets projects tended to improve safety for everyone, increased biking and walking, and showed a mix of increases and decreases in automobile traffic, depending in part on the project goal.
Energy and Climate Change
- Right after announcing he was taking a pay cut to raise employees' salaries, business is booming.
Here's a story to show your boss. When it comes to taking care of his employees, Gravity Payments CEO Dan Price is going above and beyond (and business has never been better).
- Google Wants to Buy Your Patent to Keep It Away From Trolls
The US patent system isn't just broken. It's being abused to curb innovation, handicap inventors, and redirect company resources toward pointless and lengthy litigation.
Government Technology
- Petitioning the University of Montana - The Answer is Clear- Bring Glass Recycling to Missoula
We will be presenting our project to President Engstrom and want to get an idea of how our community feels about the idea. If you would recycle your glass waste or support this initiative, sign below! Feel free to leave any comments.
- If the industry makes its connections, your next home may run off a battery
The company will introduce the Tesla home battery, plus a "very large utility-scale" battery, at an April 30 unveiling event.
Non-Profit News
- Miami Summit Showcases Civic Tech Startups
Panelists shared views on convenience, transportation choice, affordability, consumer satisfaction, and how these trends can deliver benefits to society.
Transportation
- Chris Wood - Changing the World: One Trout at a Time
"It can seem insignificant -- replanting streams site areas, protecting headwaters, working to keep water in streams -- it truly does make fishing better, but it also makes the world a better place. We are leaving a better land legacy than the one we received. For a lot of us this work is more than a volition, it is a calling."
- Drivers Love the Tech That'll Soon Power Self-Driving Cars
The good news for those working overtime to take our hands off the steering wheel is people love this stuff.
- Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks get $200K for electric vehicles
Their next goal is to encourage gateway communities to install charging stations.
- How to get more electric cars on the roads (+video)
In a report released Wednesday, the National Research Council (NRC)--part of the National Academy of Science--said the Federal government should take further steps to promote adoption of electric cars.
To subscribe or unsubscribe from the free weekly MATR newsletter, please visit our list info page