MATR Newsletter – August 26, 2024
The state with the best education wins!

Come Home Montana

• Free Press Fest 2024 – 9/5-7 – Missoula (Interesting Schedule of Important Discussions)

  Montana Free Press is thrilled to announce the inaugural Free Press Fest, a dynamic three-day event taking place from September 5-7, 2024 at the University of Montana. This exciting festival aims to promote civic engagement, celebrate Montana’s rich culture, and empower attendees to actively participate in shaping the future of our state.

MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association

• Montana Airline Rendezvous looks to boost flights

  The meeting, which has never been held in Billings before, combines statewide airports with airline representatives in an effort to bring these services to the Big Sky state.

• Montana Department of Commerce Weekly Roundup – Volume 1, Issue 3

  Commerce is improving our communications to better serve you.

Five Valleys Archery Club

• Five Valleys Archery Club – What’s happening at the Missoula range?

  A Big Thank you to Northwestern Energy

Flathead Valley Community College

• Flathead Valley Community College Provides A ‘Running Start’ on College

  Three decades after its inception, Flathead Valley Community College’s dual enrollment program has expanded into two dozen high schools, giving students a boost on college access and bolstering the industries that power Montana’s small towns

Great Falls Development Alliance

• GFDA Top Ten for 8-25-24

  Congratulations to the artists, property owners, and sponsors of another amazing ArtsFest Montana Great Walls week in Downtown Great Falls! We’ll start sharing photos of the murals next week. Thank you to the City of Great Falls for supporting this annual downtown improvement and to the Business Improvement District for organizing it.

• Housing initiatives target Great Falls developers, homebuyers

  A housing study commissioned by the Great Falls Development Authority estimates a demand for 630 new houses, apartments or other housing units in the city each year over the next decade. And while building projects are underway, the study predicts they won’t be enough to meet that demand.

Montana Business

• Missoula foresters estimate a loss of up to 1,000 trees after July storm

  So far, it estimates a loss of 600 to 1,000 trees on city land alone. More than 450 have been marked for removal.

• Planning for the End-of-Life of Urban Trees

  Experts say urban trees could replace as much as 10 percent of annual lumber needs in the United States, but many are currently being chopped up for mulch, reducing their carbon sequestration abilities.

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte

• Governor calls for “cell phone-free” schools in Montana

  “Our students are glued to their cellphones, not unlike adults,” said board member Nick Melvoin, who spearheaded the resolution. “They’re surreptitiously scrolling in school, in class time, or have their head in their hands, walking down the hallways. They’re not talking to each other or playing at lunch or recess because they have their AirPods in.”

• Governors are building more homes. Here’s how Congress can help 

  At a recent conference, governors from states as diverse as Montana, Hawaii, New Jersey, North Dakota and Maryland shared ideas on what they’re trying and what is working.

Housing

• The Apartment Rental Market Is Rigged by Algorithms, a DOJ Lawsuit Alleges

  The US Department of Justice claims that a company called RealPage is responsible for price-fixing across millions of apartment rental units nationwide.

• Montana task force releases final recommendations to tackle housing availability

  A statewide task force made a long list of recommendations to address Montana’s need for available, affordable housing

• Decrease in Bozeman taxable values attributed to improper assessment of new construction

  While the city of Bozeman was expecting to see 3% growth when certified values were released by the Department of Revenue. They instead saw over a 2% decrease, which equating to a loss of more than $5 million in taxable values.

Developing Funding Opportunities in Montana

• With Low FAFSA Completion Rates, Montana Students Leave Millions in College Aid on the Table 

  Montana students apply for federal financial aid at strikingly low rates, foregoing millions in monetary support for post-secondary education. According to education experts, a lack of incentives to apply, knowledge barriers and government distrust may explain the phenomenon.

Incubators and R&D

• 48% efficiency boost brings eco-friendly air con a step closer

  Built on an entirely different principle for cooling than vapor compression that enables traditional air conditioners to do their thing, it entirely negates the need for greenhouse-gas-emitting refrigerants in AC units.

21st Century Education Initiative – “You Should Care…”

• Neuroscience Says Making a Simple Change to Your Workday Will Help You Make Smarter Decisions and Be More Productive

  Research shows how to leverage circadian rhythms, and better manage the energy level of your decision-making muscles.

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