|
|
|
| MATR Newsletter - Tue Sep 23, 2008 |
"I call them the Wyoming machine, because they are. They just dominate," said Scott Chauvet, superintendent of Fort Benton Schools and former superintendent in Stanford, Mont. The overall budget for K-12 education in Wyoming is about $1.2 billion this year, compared with approximately $704 million in Montana. Montana has approximately 140,000 students enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grades, while Wyoming has 85,000 students. That means Montana spends about $5,000 per student, while Wyoming forks out more than $14,000 per student. "The rush is on to recruit and hire Montana teachers in Wyoming." http://matr.net/articl ... .html
"Forming Angel Organizations, 9/25, Missoula, Montana" http://matr.net/events ... =2386
2009 Montana Legislature
Boomtown Institute
- Montana Chamber 2009 Legislative Prosperity Plan
In this plan, there are a number of priorities to keep Montana competitive with the rest of the nation, and even a few that could put us ahead of the pack when it comes to attracting new businesses to the state.
Missoula Children's Theatre
- Boomtown Institute - New Skills Essential for Global Competition
The report states that the United States' ability to create an education system that produces better-prepared students is the "central economic competitiveness issue" facing the nation.
The Burton K. Wheeler Center
- New York Times Movie Review "The Little Red Truck" - Small Eyes on the Big Stage
This sweet little movie isn’t going to change the world, but when those little red trucks roll up, and all those little eyes light up, that’s exactly what happens.
- "The Little Red Truck" opens in NY, Rolls Out Nationwide"
Visit http://www.fandango.com for exact theatre locations, showtimes and tickets
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- Bus available from Bozeman to Billings for Oct. 1 - 2 conference on transportation
“This is an important information exchange on the implications of rising fuel costs to transportation systems,” said Jim Lynch, director of the Montana Department of Transportation. “It is also a chance for Montana to help the Deputy Secretary of Transportation understand the importance of maintaining rural transportation systems as a key component of national connectivity.”
Leadership Montana
- Young, Rich, and Calling Their Own Shots
And don't forget Leanna Archer, who was barely 10 years old when she launched a line of all-natural hair-care products. This year, she's set to bring in $150,000. In October, she turns 13.
Montana Business
- How Leaders Create and Use Networks
Successful leaders have a nose for opportunity and a knack for knowing whom to tap to get things done. These qualities depend on a set of strategic networking skills that nonleaders rarely possess.
Montana Economic Development
- Modwest.com and Grupthink.com of Missoula are moving to new digs
Our new office space once overlooked an indoor swimming pool.... Seriously.
- Montana companies to share challenges and triumphs at conference in Missoula Oct. 2-3
The popular conference segment "Lines on Success" will feature Bjorn Nabozney, co-founder of Big Sky Brewing Company; Peter Stark, founding partner at North Slope Sustainable Wood in Missoula; and Laura M. Fleming, president of SRS Crisafulli in Glendive.
- Working woman's blues - The Last Best Place to Work
Whether such acts are intentional or not, discrimination continues to pervade the workplace in Montana and beyond, putting women at an economic disadvantage later in life.
- Montana businesses will feel economic impact from Alberta oil-sands industry. Berry Y&V Fabricators
Financial ripples from the multibillion-dollar oil-sands industry in the Canadian province of Alberta are already being felt in Montana, but few businesses will benefit from the development as directly as Berry Y&V Fabricators in Billings.
- Tricon mill lays off 40 workers
That leaves only 60 workers at the stud mill in St. Regis and Tricon's post and pole plant in Superior - less than half the 125 to 130 who were on the payroll a year ago, said Tricon manager Angelo Ververis.
- Great Falls Business seeks Rising Stars
We are seeking nominations for our third annual Rising Star awards. Winner will be featured in the November issue of Great Falls Business.
Regional Economic Development
- Prospera business network becomes “.org”
Prospera Business Network has changed its website domain name extension from “.com” to “.org”. The change is effective immediately and the former “.com” extension is no longer in use.
- Association of Counties (MACo) comes to Hamilton, Montana
Anxiety over federal funding for rural communities tops the agenda this week as the Montana Association of Counties gathers in Hamilton for its annual conference.
- Rural Dynamic's goal is to teach economic independence
The goal at Rural Dynamics Inc. Consumer Credit Counseling Services is to help people become more economically sound by learning to earn money, keep it and grow it.
- Montana Department of Commerce Director to Announce $1.2 Million in Funds for Pinesdale, Montana
“This Pinesdale project is a perfect example of how important state, local and federal partnerships are for Montana’s small communities,” said Governor Brian Schweitzer. “These funds will be used to help this community face a critical situation and ultimately protect the health and well being of its citizens.”
Careers
- IREC Releases Renewable Energy Training: Best Practices and Recommended Guidelines
The report, a detailed review in eight sections, contains recommended training guidelines, training criteria, assessment tools, task analyses, credentialing programs, and other related resources for renewable energy training programs.
- Improvement District Strikes Fear in Small Businesses
Local Improvement Districts typically are formed by property owners who agree to tax themselves in order to make improvements to their neighborhood. But in this instance, the city hatched the plan, then pitched it to property owners.
- Developing sustainable local economies
Increasingly, communities are taking a more balanced, integrated approach of economic development that includes all deal flows.
- Nebraska Entrepreneurship News - Volume I, Issue 4, September 2008
Time to mark your calendar with special Entrepreneurship education events in 2008-2009
- Do High Technology Policies Work? High Technology Industry Employment Growth in U.S. Metropolitan Areas, 1988-1998
"The challenge is coordinating state, local and university policies to match our existing "agglomeration and location advantages." Associate Professor Greg Larson
Funding and Building your Business
- States work to avert nurse shortage
A perfect storm of retiring baby boomers, an aging nurse population that’s leaving the profession and too few nursing instructors is setting up a health-care crisis. One report estimates that by 2020, there will be a staggering shortage of nurses — possibly more than 1 million vacancies.
- Workplace Coach: Boomers who need work will find their experience welcomed
The good news: Your decades of experience are highly valuable and many companies need it badly.
- Just Got Promoted? Network! Network! Network!
If you've just been promoted or are about to move into a new job, it's imperative that you start talking to lots of people and make connections right away, so you can acquire crucial information about your new job and succeed early.
Montana Education Excellence
- Tough times offer silver lining for entrepreneurs
""This can be a great time to start a business. When everything else is down, that is the time to start. The pressure is off and you can still find early adopters and you have more room for a learning curve."
- Next software for the masses? How about three-dimensional design
"If you want a lot of people to use a product, you can't price it at $5,000 or $10,000, and you have to make it easy to learn and use."
- A New Kind of Venture Capitalist, Union Square Ventures, Makes Small Bets on Young Firms
Union Square Ventures has built its portfolio making small bets on young companies.
- Monitoring Your Brand and Reputation Online
Many companies do not know what information about them is floating around cyberspace.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- Tribal colleges in Montana receive grants
The Montana colleges are Little Big Horn, Fort Belknap, Stone Child, Salish Kootenai, Chief Dull Knife, Blackfeet Community College and Fort Peck Community College. Most of the schools will get about $272,000.
- The rush is on to recruit and hire Montana teachers in Wyoming.
On her drive back home, the Gillette school district called her and offered her a fifth-grade language arts position that paid her $43,500 to start -- nearly $10,000 more than what she could earn in Helena and nearly $20,000 more than what she could earn in a rural school district in her home state.
- Montana Tech a family tradition - Hard work leads to career helping investors
"I came from a rural family of 10 on a working ranch in Billings, so I had to pay my own way for college. The University of Montana offered me a football scholarship, but no engineering program. Montana State University offered engineering, but no guaranteed football scholarship. "So, when Montana Tech's head of petroleum engineering and the head football coach offered me both opportunities, I chose Montana Tech," he said.
- University of Montana Office of Research and Development faces possible $675,000 deficit
The projected deficit is rooted in an overhead account that deals with the portion of federal grants called “indirect costs,” which is money UM receives from granting agencies to pay bills and other expenses related to the funded research.
- Entrepreneurs to be honored at UM
The University of Montana School of Business Administration and the Montana Academy of Distinguished Entrepreneurs will honor two world-class entrepreneurs with the 2008 Lewis and Clark Pioneer in Industry Award at a reception on Friday, Oct. 3.
- Governor Schweitzer Says Historic Investments Made in Public Ed and Commits to Continue to Invest in Montana Kids. School funding issue back in court
“This is an example of taxpayers suing taxpayers and taxpayers paying for lawyers on both sides,” said Governor Schweitzer of the lawsuit. “This is money that could be going towards other things like teacher salaries or technology in the classroom.”
Regional Business
- Local Telecommunications and Electric Companies Sponsor Youth Tour to Helena
The goal of the Capitol Connection program is to connect our youth with the legislative process and give them an understanding of the telecommunications and electric industries in Montana.
Idaho Business
- SBA head not surprised to hear that banks are reining in credit
“But we in the SBA are absolutely here to help small businesses. We’re active in working with lenders to make loans available to credit-worthy businesses. We’ve been active on a number of fronts to make that happen.”
Oregon Business
- Wanted: Idaho workers 55 years and older
The agency has planned an Oct. 4 job fair in Meridian that will cater to older workers seeking employment.
- Little dream on the prairie - Kootenai County Professional Technical School
The dream is a charter-quality high school operated by all three school districts, turning abundant local potential into a productive, well-paid workforce.
Utah Economic Development
- Portland, Ore., tops sustainable cities list
We look forward to seeing more cities score higher, and we expect an increasing pace of innovation adoption across the board.
Washington State Business
- Salt Lake is the place . . . to pull your hair out
Forbes placed Salt Lake City in the Top 10 for stress. Those are housing affordability, unemployment, the cost of gasoline, air quality, the number of sunny days and population density.
Education
- Seattle's Housing Can't Handle Projected Growth
The "Affordable Housing Action Agenda" that the Seattle Planning Commission released in February included calls to allow backyard homes and cottage houses in more of the city and encourage their development. It also recommended exploring ways to accommodate more generations within single-family houses. Planners "have begun to explore" these ideas, Stevens said.
- Washington’s Top Students To Be Offered Assured Admission to Washington State University
Effective immediately, applicants from the state of Washington to the Pullman, Tri-Cities and Vancouver campuses who rank in the top ten percent of their class or who have earned at least a 3.5 GPA at the time of their application will be granted assured admission.
Community
- Business school evokes sense of entitlement
The school's stated mission has encouraged hubristic behavior and a sense of entitlement among its graduates, he said. ''Business has become bigheaded. There's no reason . . . for every businessperson to think they should be running everything in the world.''
Connectivity & Communications
- Cities rethink wisdom of 50s-era parking standards
Officials hope that offering the freedom to forgo parking will lead to denser, more walkable, transit-friendly development.
Energy
- Google browser's tracking feature alarms developers, privacy advocates
Unlike other popular browsers such as Internet Explorer or Firefox, the Chrome browser creates a unique identifier, if activated, that broadcasts information back to Google so the Internet giant can track how people are using its software and gather detailed information such as how often users hit the back button and how many Web pages they load.
Government Technology
- New Route to Hydrocarbon Biofuels
A simple catalytic process converts plant sugars into gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
- European Report: Carbon capture may pay for itself
An expensive technology that promises to slash carbon emissions from coal-burning power plants could pay for itself by 2030, management consultants McKinsey & Co said in a report published Monday.
Non-Profit News
- Social Networking Site Targets a Government Audience
Web 2.0 collaboration tool aims to help public employees share knowledge.
VIRUS ALERTS
- Financial mayhem hurts non-profits, foundations
In a survey the council released in May, 52% of the community foundations that responded said they plan to distribute less grant money next year because of the economic downturn.
- Russian computer roulette in Billings
Cyber criminals, apparently Russians, are running a sneaky and costly computer virus that has infected hundreds of Billings-area computers. They stole more than $40,000 from one man's credit card accounts.
To subscribe or unsubscribe from the free weekly MATR newsletter, please visit our list info page
