|
|
|
| MATR Newsletter - Tue Oct 7, 2008 |
"There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all." -- Peter F. Drucker
Lots going on this week but I wanted to start off with a big thank you to the advertisers on MATR who help make this effort to publicize the success of the Intermountain economy possible. http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- If you've read about the Plum Creek land purchase in Montana, here's your chance to learn more and ask questions: " City Club Missoula - Purchase Of 312,000 Acres Of Land from Plum Creek Timber In Western Montana, 10/20, Missoula" http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html --- Great insight into the "green" business potential on the Northwest: " Carbon-Free Prosperity 2025 - How the Northwest Can Create Jobs, Enable Energy Independence, and Be a Global Clean-Energy Leader " http://www.matr.net/ar ... .html
2009 Montana Legislature
City Club Missoula
- Concerns arise over ballot issue as Montana State Fund loses $26 million
At the same time, voters in the state received an informational pamphlet describing the pros and cons of Constitutional Amendment 44, a provision approved by the 2007 Legislature to allow up to 25 percent of all state trust fund assets to be invested in stocks.
Come Home Montana
- City Club Missoula - Purchase Of 312,000 Acres Of Land from Plum Creek Timber In Western Montana, 10/20, Missoula
This summer, The Nature Conservancy and The Trust for Public Land announced an agreement with Plum Creek Timber Company to purchase approximately a quarter of its land holdings in western Montana.
Come Home Wyoming
- Montana-Wyoming Virtual Career Fair
The Montana-Wyoming Virtual Career Fair website http://www.workmt.com is designed to provide you expanded information on the employers of both states.
Developing Tech Jobs in Rural Communities
- Wyoming-Montana Virtual Career Fair
The Wyoming-Montana Virtual Career Fair websites http://www.workwy.com and http://www.workmt.com are designed to provide you expanded information on the employers of both states.
Developing a more Entrepreneurial Montana
- In Silicon Valley, more homeowners are spending more than half their income on housing
Devoting a majority of your income to housing is one definition of "house-poor"; people are often advised to figure on 30 percent as the right proportion.
Montana Business
- Montana Indian Equity Fund Launches its Third Year of Grants for Indian Business Owners
The grant is open to enrolled members of Montana Tribes. Two recipients from each of the Tribes may receive up to $7,000 each to fund either a business startup or to grow their business.
- Turning equity into opportunity: Montana fund helps Native entrepreneurs enter the financial mainstream
A new small business funding program from the State of Montana is designed to address the severe shortage of equity among entrepreneurs in Indian Country.
Montana Economic Development
- MurMax Productions of Power, Montana is a 'one-man video production band'
With clients such as the Montana Department of Agriculture, Benefis Healthcare and other businesses throughout the state, Murray's commercials, videos and recruitment tapes have found a wide audience.
- Montana Auditor John Morrison provides ‘Fraud Under the Big Sky’ screenings
“Fraud can happen to anyone and that’s what this documentary shows,” Morrison said in a written statement. The film “not only highlights these two cases, it teaches people how to prevent fraud from happening in the first place. It describes the resources offered by the state auditor’s office and explains how we can assist Montanans.”
- Bob Rowe: From Montana Public Service Commissioner to CEO of Northwestern Energy
"Montana Power Co. as its best, was a large, highly capitalized business that owned everything form soups to nut," Rowe said. "We are not quite the well capitalized behemoth that MPC was but we continue to one of the most important private sector entities in the base that we serve."
- Lt. Governor to speak at Small Business Expo in Great Falls MT on Oct. 16
The expo is provided by Great Falls Development Authority, Small Business Development Center, and War Sheild Development.
- Floating Islands International of Shepherd, Montana grows to worldwide business
Bruce Kania, founder of Floating Islands International, believes his invention will play a major role in cleaning the world's polluted waters.
Regional Economic Development
- Plum Creek's Huge Housing Development in Maine Has Whitefish, Montana Wondering
Plan by Plum Creek to develop 975 homes and two private resorts, some 2,000 housing units, on what once was working forest is the biggest residential project in the state's history.
- Affordable housing planned in the Flathead Valley of Montana
There has been a lot of talk about affordable housing in the Flathead Valley but little action. Until now.
- Governor Schweitzer works nation to lure new businesses to Montana
Schweitzer is Montana's premier salesman. Never a desk jockey who enjoys refereeing bureaucratic turf wars, Schweitzer instead crisscrosses the country to lure energy and other businesses here.
- Missoula Area Economic Development Corporation Newsletter - 10/6/2008
MAEDC Sponsors Wood Products Initiative, Walks for AHA, Sponsors NewWest Conference
Careers
- The O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West Newsletter - October - November 2008
- Infrastructure, the Economy: Hello! — They’re Linked!
A retooled national infrastructure will be an essential part of the solution to maintaining our economic clout and future prosperity, while providing the needed stimulus of a near-term jobs engine.
- Carbon-Free Prosperity 2025 - How the Northwest Can Create Jobs, Enable Energy Independence, and Be a Global Clean-Energy Leader
This new study shows that the Pacific Northwest agricultural community can play a leadership role in the region’s clean energy future.
Funding and Building your Business
- Montana's "Navigator" Disability Program
The Disability Program Navigator helps people with disabilities “navigate” through the enormous challenges of seeking work.
- Law brings parity for mental health
More than one-third of all Americans will soon receive better insurance coverage for mental health treatments because of a new law that, for the first time, requires equal coverage of mental and physical illnesses.
Incubators and R&D
- The qualities of an outstanding Chairman of the Board
An outstanding chairman is someone who is never afraid to ask what might appear to be a silly question.
- Updating a Classic: Writing a Great Business Plan
The people making the forecasts are more important than the numbers themselves.
- Five Ways to Get Employees to Think Like Entrepreneurs
Creating an environment where employees feel like owners doesn’t happen magically.
- Business Cool Toward McCain’s Health Coverage Plan
The officials, with organizations like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable and the National Federation of Independent Business, predicted in recent interviews that the McCain plan, which eliminates the exclusion of health benefits from income taxes, would accelerate the erosion of employer-sponsored health insurance and do little to reduce the number of uninsured from 45 million.
Montana Education Excellence
- University of Washington, Washington State University, Oregon Health & Science University collaborate in landmark national study of children's health
The study center will recruit participants and collect data in the largest study of child health ever conducted in the United States.
Montana Education/Business Partnerships
- University of Montana Launches New International Degree Programs with Institutions in Germany and Ireland
"The greatest advantage for students in these programs is that they benefit directly from the unique educational resources available at each of the partner institutions."
- Consortium for Educational Advancement-The New Tech Prep in Montana Students
Articulation is a cooperative effort between Montana's high schools, linking them with certificate, diploma and associate degree programs.
- University of Montana Takes Lead with Online Accountability System
In an effort to produce more accountability in higher education, The University of Montana helped develop and implement a new national Web site that allows students and their families to easily compare institutions of higher learning.
Idaho Business
- Building America with John Ratzenberger (Cliff of "Cheers" and his Nuts Bolts and Thingamajigs Foundation) one tree house at a time at Bozeman's HATCHFest
“We’re running out of skilled workers, because everybody bought into the myth that you have to go to college,” Ratzenberger said Saturday. “And that’s just not true.”
North Dakota Business and Economic Development
- Idaho's pre-K classes lack state funding
According to a study prepared at Boise State University, offering pre-kindergarten classes to all low-income children in the state would cost less than $17 million annually.
- California tech firm, Ugobe, moves headquarters to Eagle, Idaho - Where's Pleo?
The Idaho Department of Commerce and Labor hailed the move as a successful result of Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter's initiative called Project 60, which uses Idaho executives to reach out to targeted company executives in other states.
- Is Idaho too cool toward business?
One legislator says a No. 29 ranking for tax climate is too low, because 'political attitude' makes the state business-friendly.
Wyoming Business
- Innovate North Dakota incubates ideas
Innovate ND is a competitive program that awards cash prizes. Entrants participate in online education, business planning and mentoring from proven business owners.
Community
- Wyoming has business friendly tax system - Montana rated 6th best.
"States with the best tax systems will be the most competitive in attracting new businesses and most effective at generating economic and employment growth."
- Wyomingites come up short in study of personality traits
The study found that nearly all states that rated low in neuroticism were sunny and stereotypically laid-back Western and Midwestern states. New Yorkers and others in the "stress belt" of the Northeast tended to be more neurotic.
Connectivity & Communications
- Montana Warm Line launched to support those with mental illness.
Eighty percent of Montana communities have less than 3000 residents. Mental health problems don't only affect those living within 10 or 20 miles of a mental health clinic or provider, but many of the people who live in these rural communities, too.
- Transition Towns Wiki
This site provides a focal point for all of these towns, villages, cities and localities around the world as they implement their own Transition Initiative.
Energy
- University of Washington creates a computer mouse driven by sound
UW researchers have developed a way for disabled people to navigate a computer without the need to use a mouse.
- Genoa Connections allows the blind to "see"
The blind users are not tethered to stationary computers but rather to light weight, hands-free equipment.
- Tech Tips for the Basic Computer User
I’m sure the basics could fill a book, but here are a few to get you started. All of these are things that certain friends, family or coworkers, over the years, did *not* know. Clip, save and pass along to…well, you know who they are.
- Yellowstone National Park wireless plan draws protests
“Yellowstone now aspires to be an amusement park.”
Non-Profit News
- Massive solar credit OK'd with bailout
The bill included $128 billion in tax incentives and breaks including the $18 billion solar energy tax credit that offers 30 percent credit to both commercial and residential solar installations.
- ACEEE "Rates the States" on Employing Energy Efficiency as the "First Fuel" to Power Their Economies
"The top ranked states are demonstrating great leadership in promoting energy independence with cost-effective energy efficiency investments."
Transportation
- Nonprofit Funding Dries up on Federal, Local Levels - Industry is one of Montana’s biggest employers
Nonprofits in Montana contribute more than $1 billion in wages per year and provide nearly 40,000 jobs across the state.
- Air service in Sidney, Montana may increase to Helena, Billings stops
“I’m cautiously optimistic,” McNutt said. “There are a lot of ifs in there.”
To subscribe or unsubscribe from the free weekly MATR newsletter, please visit our list info page
