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| MATR Newsletter - Tue Aug 7, 2018 |
"In these tough political times, I find myself returning to a line from Norman Maclean’s story “A River Runs Through It”: “We can love completely what we cannot completely understand.” Those words serve as a reminder of past failures and a guide for a better future. But they also remind me of a friend whose path I was once lucky enough to cross." Joe Scarborough --- The lessons we can still learn from my friend and former Congressman Ron Dellums --- http://www.matr.net/ne ... 84120
Montana Ambassador Awards And Celebration Dinner, 08/08, Billings http://www.matr.net/ev ... =6976
2018 Montana Politics
Montana Department of Commerce
- Montana Representative Greg Gianforte says he'll seek broad input on unlocking WSAs
Rep. Greg Gianforte Field Hearing - "Wildlife Management And Response: Challenges And Opportunities" - 8/7- Hamilton, MT There will not be an opportunity for public comment.
- Kathleen Williams To Hold Wilderness Study Area Round Table Discussion - 8/15
The round table will begin with information from experts from a variety of backgrounds. The meeting will include time for public input and audience participation.
- Policy prohibiting Montana lawmakers from harassing, discriminating against each other advances
The policy initially approved on a subcommittee's 4-0 vote calls for mandatory training, encourages prompt reporting, sets a process for investigating complaints and would make information about substantiated complaints available to the public.
Northwestern Energy
- DermaXon: Missoula startup receives $99K grant from the Montana Department of Commerce to research med for chronic pain
The $99,326 grant from the Montana Board of Research and Commercialization Technology, or MBRCT, will help finance further research and development of the topical treatment. Data generated by the research will help attract investors and grants from the government.
- Survey: How Can We Improve Fair Housing Opportunities in Montana?
That's why we want to hear from you to learn ways the Department of Commerce can improve fair housing opportunities.
Great Falls Development Authority
- Webinar Series Aims To Help Business Owners
The next webinar is slated for Tuesday, Aug. 7 from noon-1 p.m. on the topic of customer service.
The Telecommuting and Gig Workforce in Montana
- GFDA Top 10
Congratulations to NorthWestern Energy on their Centennial Celebration of the Holter Dam Hydroelectic Powerhouse.
21st Century Education Initiative - "You Should Care..."
- How Procter & Gamble, Eli Lilly And Boeing Innovate Through Alumni Networks In The Gig Economy - Does your company have an alumni network?
Even in the employed portion of the workforce, employees who have autonomy over their work have been found to be more productive and happier at work, while also working longer hours and taking less time off sick.
Visit Montana
- 23 Best Technology and Science Podcasts That Will Make You More Intelligent
Instead of listening to the radio or randomly watching cat videos on YouTube, why not spend your time constructively and listen to some interesting and informative podcasts.
- How 'innovation ecosystems' can be used to create new education solutions
One reason for this lack of adoption and implementation is the disconnect that often exists between educators and entrepreneurs.
- Arne Duncan on Face the Nation - Public education and 'big lies': Arne Duncan's 'How Schools Work' is really about politics
"Lies are emblematic of our educational system as an apple left on the corner of a favorite teacher's desk," he writes. "But, unlike the apple, the lies aren't sweet. They are overripe and rotten."
- Why GIS in Education Matters
GIS offers a powerful decision-making toolkit that can be used in educational administration, educational policy, and in instruction.
- Study: For most home buyers, a good school is more important than a garage or an updated kitchen
Savvy home buyers, even when they don't have children, typically recognize the connection between good schools and strong home values.
VR/AR, Blockchain, Bitcoin, Artificial Intelligence and The Internet of Things
- 'You don't know what you've got here': Why Yellowstone is one unique national park
"We cannot even imagine national parks on this scale," said Packham, a wildlife ecologist who regularly appears on TV programs. "It's one of those landscapes where it's truly epic in its proportions and scale."
- It's a beautiful summer at Tippet Rise Art Center in Fishtail, Montana
Open for sculpture tours through September 2 and for classical music recitals through September 8. Between the music and the birdsong, the land art and the wildflowers, the smiling faces of our friends and guests, it's a beautiful summer at Tippet Rise. We hope to see you here soon!
- From mines to mansions: Why you should see Butte, Montana, like a tourist
So treat yourself to a Butte kinda time.
Energy and Climate Change
- This design studio wants to give VR its iPhone moment
What could possess a design firm to invest so heavily in a pet project?
- Energy-Blockchain Advocates Hit Back at Criticisms of the Technology
Why blockchain may be fine for energy trading after all.
Come Home Montana
- Plug Pulled on Plans for the Largest Wind Farm in the U.S.
Political opposition that doomed the project waslargely funded by money from fossil fuel interests. Industry predicts the demise of the project will only mark a temporary setback for the wind industry.
- Idaho's Solar Roadways proud to be semi-finalist in energy contest.
We are so excited to have been chosen as a semi-finalist and are hoping to be chosen to be a finalist to present in Amsterdam in September:
- The problem with plastics. Montana recycling program faces possible closure
ROWL, and hundreds of other groups like it all across the United States, are in trouble. A sudden shift in the global trade in plastics has undercut their value as a recyclable. Much of that can be traced back to consumer laziness.
- Global heatwave is symptom of early stage cycle of civilisational collapse
A key signifier of how insidious this is, is in yourself. Look to see how your critical preoccupations are not with yourself or those with which you identify; but that and those whom you oppose and consider to be ‘wrong.’
- Perfect Storm of Factors Makes Fires Bigger, Harder to Control
Fire seasons are growing longer in the United States and worldwide.
- Wind Power is Blowing up Local Montana Economies
Judith Gap may have been the first wind farm in Montana but it was nowhere near the last. The wind industry in Montana is blowing up, and bringing local economies with it.
- Hothouse Earth: Runaway global warming threatens 'habitability of the planet for humans'
Such a hothouse Earth climate would see global average temperatures some 6 to 8 degrees Fahrenheit higher than they are now, with sea levels 30 to 200 feet higher than today, the paper said.
- German Commission Grapples With an End to Coal: 'The Biggest Story No One Is Talking About'
Germany's efforts to phase out coal could send a powerful signal to the rest of the world.
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- Montana Career Opportunities - Data Analyst, Senior FP&A Manager, Backend Engineer, Front End Engineer and more... - ClassPass
Join the team and make an impact helping people live happier, healthier lives.
- ClassPass to expand to Missoua's First Interstate Center, looks to add 40 more high-paying jobs
ClassPass CEO Fritz Lanman told the Missoulian last year that a big part of the reason he chose Missoula was because of the "abundant active lifestyle opportunities" here.
Montana Business
- Guest opinion: Network with Montana entrepreneurs Thursday 8/9 in Billings
We're lucky to have passionate entrepreneurs in Montana -- people who are dedicated to building a better life through building a business.
Careers
- The city of Bozeman has a housing crisis, with vacancy hovering close to zero percent.
Desperate for a place: Bozeman's tight housing market crunches students, drives up rental prices
- For better gut health, cricket-eating may be the way to go - Belgrade, Montana based Cowboy Cricket Farms
It was found that when consuming the cricket powder, test subjects experienced an increase in a metabolic enzyme associated with gut health, along with higher levels of beneficial gut bacteria such as Bifidobacterium animalis. They also had lower levels of an inflammatory blood protein known as TNF-alpha, which has been linked to non-gastrointestinal health problems.
- My Two-Week Edible-Insect Feast
An oft-touted emerging sector of the US food industry, projected by some market researchers to be worth $126 million by 2023 and repeatedly proposed as a solution to our impending global food crisis: edible insects.
Come Home Idaho
- Learn To Talk Like A TED Talker
We are looking for more down-to-earth examples of speakers who can show us how good we could be. The good news is that it turns out that there are a lot of them, we call them TED speakers.
- The Art of Active Listening
It never hurts to brush up on these skills as listening is an irreplaceable tool in your communications toolkit.
- The lessons we can still learn from my friend and former Congressman Ron Dellums
In these tough political times, I find myself returning to a line from Norman Maclean's story "A River Runs Through It": "We can love completely what we cannot completely understand." Those words serve as a reminder of past failures and a guide for a better future. But they also remind me of a friend whose path I was once lucky enough to cross.
- The 5-Hour Rule Used by Bill Gates, Jack Ma and Elon Musk
The most successful people on the planet are also the people likeliest to devote an hour a day to reading and learning.
- All Great Leaders Obsess Over This 1 Thing
Almost everything leaders do wrong in the workplace results from misunderstanding--or just not caring--about employees' dignity.
- Three reasons you shouldn't retire. Ever.
There is a lot of research on why continuing to work throughout your senior years can be beneficial. There are at least three good reasons not to retire.
Rural Communities
- McCall, Idaho puts out the call to tech workers in Seattle and San Francisco
"We want to attract people with equity in homes and good paying jobs," he said.
- Southern California app-development startup Cred is moving to Boise and seeks to fill jobs paying 6 figures
Founder and CEO Brandon McQueen, 35, an Idaho native, seeks engineers skilled in React Native, a development tool for making mobile apps.
Government
- MCDC Receives Grant In Support of Rural Grocery Cooperatives
This grant enables MCDC to effectively assist young, community-based grocery cooperatives operating across north central and northeast Montana and to create a training support network for their general managers.
- Rural Grocery Co-ops Get Down to Business
In response to this growing interest, the Montana Cooperative Development Center (MCDC) has established a Montana Rural Co-op Managers? Network.
Idaho
- Town Hall With Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari -9/5 - Bozeman, MT
Curious about how the Minneapolis Fed gathers data and informs its work within the Federal Reserve System?
- Ontario cancels its basic income pilot-leaving thousands scrambling
Launched in 2017, the program equipping low-income people with as much as $24,000 annually was meant to last three years. Now it's over.
- How Humans Have Made Wildfires Worse
Beginning in the late 19th century, the U.S. government established a policy of fire suppression. Wildfires were seen as "the moral and mortal enemy of the forests" according to one Joint Fire Science Program report they damaged agricultural land and destroyed valuable timber.
- Wildfires have changed. The technology to fight them hasn't -- yet
"We're using decades-old tools and strategies to fight fires that are a lot different than they were 30 or 40 years ago," said Edward Struzik, author of "Firestorm: How Wildfires Will Shape Our Future."
- Contracting With The State Of Montana: How–To Workshop, 08/29, Missoula
Join us for a morning learning about what it takes to successfully contract with the State of Montana.
Incubators and R&D
- The best-kept secret in the Pacific Northwest
There is one place where you might have to wait in line. It serves two things: ice cream and alcohol.
- In aging rural Idaho, this town says it's benefiting from Boise's growth
Since 2010, more than half of Idaho's 44 counties have seen hardly any population growth.
- It's no surprise that in Boise, this 'More Good' traveler found lots of kindness
Her collection of happy stories is not meant to ignore that there's a lot of bad things happening. But her mission is to remind people that there's a lot of good around, too.
- Idaho Travel Council Announces Annual Grant Awards - Over $5.5 Million Awarded for Tourism Promotion
During its meeting held in Wallace this week, the Idaho Travel Council (ITC) granted $5,590,819 in tourism marketing funding to non-profit organizations through the Idaho Regional Travel and Convention Grant Program.
Other Economies
- With $50K on the line, Missoula tech company hones business plan at accelerator
"We got a lot out of it and it was really insightful," Hollenback said of the accelerator program. "We went in with a business plan that was pretty conservative. It exceeded my expectations, really."
Regional Business
- Tech Scale-Ups In Israel Are On A Roll
In July, at least 5 Israeli startups raised funding rounds of between $10M-$20M, part of a new trend we at Start-Up Nation Central are seeing: a growing group of "scale-ups" staying independent for longer, and raising larger rounds than usual in these parts.
Regional Economic Development
- California Gov. Jerry Brown predicts recession within two years
"It's going to happen," the governor said of the next slowdown. "We maybe have two years if we are lucky."
- Justice Dept. calls judge's approval of AT&T-Time Warner merger 'deeply flawed'
Regulators had said the deal would indirectly lead to higher prices for consumers when AT&T used its control over Time Warner to demand higher content prices from rival TV services.
Workforce Development
- LCCDC's August E-Newsletter Celebrating the Dog Days of Summer & Cherry Season!
- Rural America is ripe with potential, starving for capital
Many people think immediately of agriculture when focused on rural communities, yet it only makes up 6 percent of today's rural economy.
Montana Education Excellence
- Manufacturers Increase Efforts to Woo Workers to Rural Areas
They call it the "Not So Heavy Metal" tour. It's a lighthearted effort by Minnesota-based Alexandria Industries to introduce middle and high school students -- as well the general public -- to manufacturing.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- MSU's Cruzado optimistic, expects moderate growth in coming year
Ask Waded Cruzado if she has any plans to retire from Montana State University, and she laughs.
- Carroll College's Early Access provides free college for high school juniors and seniors
Students interested in the program can join us for an "Early Access" Open House scheduled from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 7, in Trinity Hall on the Carroll College campus.
- University of Montana's new provost Jon Harbor wants to serve students from A to Z
"You can't make good decisions without good data," he said. "How are we making sure that we're thinking through all of the opportunities to help a student shape their life?"
Funding and Building your Business
- MSU business students to offer consulting for area businesses and non-profits
Montana State University's Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship is seeking local and regional businesses and non-profit organizations that are willing to offer students practical business experience in return for research, issue analysis or operational advice during the upcoming fall semester, which runs from Aug. 27 through Dec. 7.
Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR)
- How This Pitch Deck Raised $66 Million in VC Funding and How You Can Too
She pitched to 11 investors over five days, and walked away with 10 investment offers.
- 3 Entrepreneurs (Idaho's Solar Roadways) Who Raised More Than $1 Million Crowdfunding Share the Secrets to Their Success
Brusaw explained that the Solar Roadways Facebook page had "a few thousand" followers before the campaign launched, and said that the social media support and advance press they obtained was invaluable.
- Worried about Losing Your Best Talent? Here are 11 Top Reasons Why Employees Stay
A clean and organized workplace with a lively atmosphere, ample space, and sufficient facilities is crucial to maintain employee morale.
- This Company Let 300 Employees Work From Anywhere for a Week. Here's What Happened
As long as you lay ground rules and empower your team leaders, getting everybody out of the office at once has significant benefits.
- This Company Let 300 Employees Work From Anywhere for a Week. Here's What Happened
As long as you lay ground rules and empower your team leaders, getting everybody out of the office at once has significant benefits.
- 6 Guidelines For Proper Responses To Investor Queries
Those who respond with one of the wrong answers, such as "I want to pay myself a salary," usually go home empty-handed.
Non-Profit News
- SBIR/STTR Workshop With Jim Greenwood - 8/21-22 - Sheridan, Wyoming
We are bringing in a nationally recognized expert, Jim Greenwood to lead the workshops.
Transportation
- 'Tell Us Something' We've got three active calls for stories going right now! Missoula, Helena and Butte, we need your stories!
Plus: Youth Summer Camp, YouTube news and recent press.
Events
- Tesla Says Its New Self-Driving Chip Is Finally Baked
For Tesla owners, there's still no timeline for those promised full self-driving capabilities, but Musk did say a coast-to-coast demonstration drive might be possible by the end of the year. (Something he also said last year.)
- Uber and Lyft won't solve traffic. Local governments must step in. - The Washington Post Editorial Board
Analyzing data from nine cities including the District, his study found that pooled ride services make traffic worse.
- What Happens If Parking Structures Become Obsolete? Design parking garages so they can easily become housing
As a future where there are vastly fewer cars becomes possible, we should consider future-proofing new parking lots to make sure they can easily transition into other uses once they're no longer needed.
- Data Suggests Free Wi-Fi, Charging Stations Help Drive Rest Stop Choices
Not all visitors to rest stops were out-of-towners. A surprisingly high number of visitors at rest stops -- 35 percent -- are traveling from within 20 miles from home.
- Traffic Data in Tampa Gets the AI Treatment
"The goal is to demonstrate to the entire community, and the region, if not the nation, that this is a good idea and it's worth investing in, and expanding,"
- How To Sell To The State Of Montana, 10/04, Bozeman
- How To Sell To The State Of Montana, 09/27, Helena
- Doing Business With The States Of North Dakota, South Dakota & Minnesota Webinar - 8/7
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