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| MATR Newsletter - Fri Dec 4, 2015 |
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"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." -- William Arthur Ward, writer
Early Edge Montana
Northwestern Energy
- Better Birth-to-Third-Grade Polices Could Boost Children's Reading Skills
"Only about one-third of all children attending school in the United States can read proficiently by fourth grade."
Energy and Climate Change
- Property Taxes are Major Component in Montana Utility Bills
A high property tax rate, combined with a high assessed value from the Montana Department of Revenue, translates into a very high property tax burden for NorthWestern and its customers in the State of Montana.
Come Home Montana
- Solar rising in Montana
All in all, the future for solar energy in Montana is looking bright, but there are policy decisions that could derail Montana's momentum.
- What Climate Change Looks Like: Dying Pine Forests
This week, we're featuring images that show how global warming has already impacted the world.
- The Showdown at the Electricity Meter
Prudent utilities will be responsive to their customers in this time of rapid change. Barring this, we can expect more turmoil as empowered cities struggle to take charge of their energy future.
- Stanford study finds promise in expanding renewables based on results in three major economies
A new Stanford study found that renewable energy can make a major and increasingly cost-effective contribution to alleviating climate change.
- Google nearly doubles bet on renewable energy
"It's an opportune time to make a strong statement," said Gary Demasi, Google's director of data center energy.
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- Montana Career Opportunity - Business Advisor/Missoula - The Montana Manufacturing Extension Center (MMEC)
MMEC's objective is to help Montana manufacturers succeed by providing growth and profit enhancement assistance to Montana manufacturers for a fee.
- Montana men the hottest in the country
"(This shows) the cowboy will never go out of style," the website wrote.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Associate Dean - Missoula College
The college seeks an innovative, dynamic, and experienced leader who will enhance and further the college's academic position.
- Montana Career Opportunity - Full Time Data Scientist - Upstream Health Systems Inc.
The job requires a minimum of five years of experience with spatial and non-spatial data, structured and unstructured data, NLP, algorithm development, GIS-data types and other data formats, SQL database, and common scripting languages.
- Montana Career Opportunities - Membership & Fundraising Director, Program Director, Montana Women's Business Center - Prospera Business Network
Nobody works harder for your success than we do... Except maybe you
Leadership Montana
- Smaller Cities Vie to Be the Next Silicon Valley
Cities and states across the country are trying to promote entrepreneurship, especially in technology. With dreams of becoming the next Silicon Valley -- or at least something like it -- they are providing money and expertise to startups and clustering tech companies in millennial-friendly neighborhoods.
MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association
- The Need for Entrepreneurial Leadership
Entrepreneurship is not just for startups. It's a lens through which all organisations should view strategy and leadership in the 21st century to address societal problems.
Montana Business
- MEDA December Online News
I hope this holiday season finds you enjoying all of the hustle and bustle, including your efforts and work in economic development across the state.
Careers
- Anglers asking for zero risk to Smith River
We write today on behalf of representatives of Montana's fly-fishing industry and others who share a grave concern regarding the proposed mine in the headwaters of the Smith River.
- Private pay med schools jockey for position in Montana
While Grunke sees Manipal's med school as an economic prize, he knows there's only room in Montana for one of the competing organizations. Win or lose, he says Missoula needs to support what's best for medical education, even if it's found in a different community.
- Butte's Harrington Bottling Co. named Business of the Year by the Butte Local Development Corp.
A mother-daughter partnership heading a longtime Butte business received the Business of the Year Award Thursday in the third annual Butte Elevated Awards ceremony, sponsored by the Butte Local Development Corp.
Rural Communities
- Where to look when considering a career in health care
When people think about choosing careers, an interesting job and a healthy paycheck are usually near the top of their wish list. Health care careers may offer both.
Government
- Have You Heard of "New Ruralism"?
The "New Ruralism" project highlights the creative and passionate work going on in rural communities.
Idaho Business
- Why Recent Changes in Social Security Are Unfair
I believe these changes aren't closing loopholes, but further movement of Social Security toward an income-redistribution program.
- 3 Ways Cities Can Promote Innovation Up and Down the Food Chain
Approaches like user research, human-centered design and product management can help government do better.
- Unfunded infrastructure: Montana Legislature's spending debate likely to start right where it left off
Many critical projects have gone unfunded for three legislative sessions or more.
South Dakota
- Inergy Solar reaches $50,000 crowdfunding goal on first day
The Predator Solar Panels collect solar energy and the Kodiak Solar Generator stores that power inside a lithium-ion battery bank.
- Idaho to investors: Let's make a deal
A new report released by Idaho Technology Council documenting Idaho's deal flow -- the rate at which financiers receive investment pitches -- may send a powerful message: Others are already investing in Idaho. You should, too.
Workforce Development
- Foreign Investors Claim South Dakota EB-5 Program Tricked Them
The lawsuit was only the latest action involving EB-5 in South Dakota. In September, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which administers the program nationally, notified the state of its intent to drop South Dakota from the program.
21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
- Entrepreneurial Thinking Will Solve the Skills Gap -- Even If There Isn't One
Entrepreneurial Thinking Will Solve the Skills Gap -- Even If There Isn't One
Montana Education Excellence
- Growing push to expose more students to computer science
Backed by technology leaders, nonprofits and companies, schools in New York, San Francisco and other cities have committed to offer computer science to students in all grade levels. Chicago also says computer science will eventually become a high school requirement.
- Education Commission of the States launches a new website and newsletter
Education Commission of the States is your education policy team. We provide research and unbiased analysis of policy covering the full education spectrum, from early learning to postsecondary, and everything inbetween. We also provide counsel and offer opportunities for collaboration so that you don't have to recreate the wheel.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- A Homework Assignment for the People Running Public Universities
States that will best compete economically over the long run will be those whose public universities are not only well funded but also have embraced their most important public mission.
- Poor retention rates at Missoula College not helping enrollment
Over the past fifteen years, the amount of first-time students who enter Missoula College and obtain an associate degree within two years or a bachelor's degree in four years has gone from bad to worse.
- President Engstrom faces criticism for University of Montana enrollment woes
"It wasn't so clear this was going to be a long-term thing," Engstrom said of the declining enrollment in a meeting with the Tribune's editorial board Thursday morning.
Community
- Montana State University Business Students to Offer Free Consulting this Spring 2016
During the four-month courses, students will help manage special consulting projects requested by area businesses and non-profit organizations.
Funding and Building your Business
- New census data shows Bozeman young, educated and saddled with housing costs
In many cases, the new census figures represent the best information available on our community, both to city leaders and the broader public.
Connectivity & Communications
- The Inventors of This Travel Jacket Set Out to Raise $20,000 With Crowdfunding And Ended Up Raising More Than $10 Million. Here's What Happened Next.
As the campaign picked up speed, barreling through the coveted $1 million mark, Sanghavi soon realized he wouldn't be able to manage both getting his MBA and running a startup that was absolutely exploding.
- How to Boost Traffic to Your Small-Business Website
Follow these tips to gain a larger audience and leave a lasting impression while doing so.
- Tony Hsieh got rid of bosses at Zappos -- and that's not even his biggest idea
By smashing the corporate ladder, he is hoping to keep and attract a specific kind of worker — the kind who is disruptive, bold and who would otherwise leave to realize his or her own great new idea.
- How an army of Amazon reps handles customer confusion -- and rage
Amazon.com founder and Chief Executive Jeff Bezos has said that customer contact with Amazon, such as the one over missing email, usually represents a "defect" in the online retail giant's operations.
- The CEO Paying Everyone $70,000 Salaries Has Something to Hide
Inside the viral story of Gravity CEO Dan Price.
- 7 Keys To A New Business Model For Today's Economy
Companies like Airbnb, Uber, Zappos, and Whole Foods are setting the example, and leading the way in profitability and purpose.
Government Technology
- Farewell to Flash, sort of: Adobe dropping Flash name in newest creation tool
Adobe is dropping the Flash name from its Web animation tools as the company continues its long goodbye to the much-maligned Flash.
- The Biggest Victim of Weekly Newspapers' Demise: Good Government
There's a particular void that's left when alt-weeklies go away.
Miscellaneous Ramblings
- Missoula releases online tool to view current building projects
"It makes it more transparent especially when it comes to building permits, zoning permits, engineering permits, and so you can actually pinpoint an area in the city and find out what's happening," said Assistant Director of Missoula Development Services Don Verrue.
- 7 Ideas for Using Government Data More Effectively
From city managers to auditors, local officials offer ways to fix data collection.
Cool Stuff That's Coming
- Yahoo's board to discuss sale of Internet business
The board will discuss whether to stick to its plan to spin off its stake in Alibaba Group Holding, to find a buyer for Yahoo's Web businesses, or both
Transportation
- You're Only Human, But Your Kids Could Be So Much More
The point of my bluntly laying out the incredible possibilities of what designer baby technology might be able to do for you was to illustrate how seductive it will be to many of us.
- New Nerve Drugs May Finally Prevent Migraine Headaches
Now a new chapter in the long and often curious history of migraine is being written.
- 30 genes out of 40,000 extend lifespan
Influence only one of the 30 genes and the animals stay healthier and live longer.
- Flathead County Economic Development Authority announces approximate timeline for Core & Rail Redevelopment
With the TIGER Grant secured, the Flathead County Development Authority announced today that it is on track to begin construction of the Glacier Rail Park in Spring 2016.
- There Will Be 20 Million Self-Driving Cars On the Road by 2025
To get consumers over the psychological speed bump of letting go of the wheel, the switch from entirely human-operated cars to self-driving vehicles will be gradual.
- New Research: Planning for Cars That Drive Themselves
No Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) actively plan for the new autonomous-driving technology.
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