“Give a child a smartphone when you’re ready for their childhood to end.”

Come Home Montana

• Montana: #1 State for Senior Healthcare in 2024 [New Research]

  With a population of just over 1.1M, its healthcare access score was second among all states – a number aided by the Montana Rural Physician Incentive Program that subsidizes and attracts medical professionals.

• Missoula County to explore affordable housing strategies, seek new specialist

  As Missoula County begins searching for a new housing specialist, it may also explore a range of goals in its push to develop affordable housing, with the Wye being one of the top opportunities. Garrick Harmel, the county’s outgoing housing specialist, crafted a number of recommendations for the county to consider. When he left the job last week, he named land-banking, partnerships and potential incentives as tools the county may consider as it eyes affordable housing.

• Montana Ranks 45th in the US for this Attractive Job Option? I’m calling bunk on this study.

  Based on internet speed and the number of available remote jobs per 10,000 people, Montana doesn’t look great from the outside. But I feel like this study doesn’t accurately portray the reality of the work-from-home model in Montana.

• Number of small businesses with job openings they can’t fill still high

  Just over half of owners reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they had.

MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association

• Commerce Leaders Put Child Care Center Stage—The Same Day It Gets Sidelined At Presidential Debate

  “If you want women there—and men there—we need to think more holistically about child care. It’s good for business and our economic competitiveness, and the lack of our care infrastructure is costing us dearly.”

• The Critical Computer Science Principles Every Strategic Leader Needs to Know
  Technology is such an integral part of so many industries now that business executives can’t afford to leave all the digital know-how to their tech teams. Andy Wu explains the five essential principles of computer science that all leaders need to grasp to gain an edge.
• BioScience under the Big Sky July 2024 Newsletter- Special Edition – Sharon Peterson May 28, 1940 – June 30, 2024

  I am saddened to report the passing of Sharon Peterson, Founder and long-time Executive Director of the Montana BioScience Alliance.

• Montana Dept. of Commerce Regional Meetings in Libby and Glasgow in Person and Online 7/24 and 8/1
  The Montana Departments of Commerce and Public Health and Human Services are developing the State’s 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development and Fair Housing Equity Plan.
• Paid or unpaid, child care is vital to the economy. This program recognizes that

  A half dozen women — in their 30s, 40s and 50s — gather in a classroom in Phoenix for a few hours on a weekday morning.

  They are all caregivers of young children.

• Mansfield Dialogues – Security Technologist Bruce Schneier Reimagining Democracy in the Age of AI – 7/18 – Bozeman and Zoom

  AI is altering the work of democracy across the globe. Many of these changes could make democracies more responsive to the will of the people and involve citizens more deeply in governance, but only if we prioritize the creation of secure and trusted AI systems. Join internationally renowned security technologist Bruce Schneier for an exploration of these topics.

Missoula Chamber of Commerce

• Montana’s ORNJ Zesty Media – We deliver zesty commercial-ready video content tailored to your needs

  At ORNJ we believe in hard work, creativity, and integrity when it comes to doing business with clients, and our focus is to provide the highest quality commercial video content from beginning to end

• Missoula’s CostCare Direct – Access All Your Healthcare Needs For One Low Monthly Price

  The Way Healthcare Should Be Done – Accessible, Cost-Effective, Transparent

• Weight Tutor – Let’s get healthy together! Personalized nutrition guides and small group strength training for Missoula area residents.

  Does it feel like nothing is working?

Montana World Affairs Council

• Global Gauntlet – A Trivia Competition of Global Proportions – 9/27- Missoula – Which Company Does Yours Want To Challenge? 

  This MWAC “signature” fundraiser is a team trivia competition like no other. Modeled after our Academic WorldQuest competition, teams of community supporters vie to test their knowledge on global events. Funds raised from this evening event support the Council’s ongoing efforts to increase global awareness and understanding in Montana’s classrooms and communities and especially supports our Global Education Initiatives.

• Welcome to the Montana World Affairs Council

  MATR is proud to help support and promote the Montana World Affairs Council and it’s goal of fostering global understanding and awareness in Montana’s communities and classrooms.

• International Careers Week 2/5-7 – Montana World Affairs Council – Online

  Join the Montana World Affairs Council as we cover a range of different international careers opportunities. Our distinguished guest speakers will discuss with students how they got into their career path, what the career daily life entails, and more! Students will have plenty of time to ask any questions. Programs will be recorded and uploaded to our YouTube. All grade levels are encouraged to participate and are free to join!

Big Sky Commerce

• Let’s Improve Missoula’s Reserve St. Public Working Group Meets Every Friday at 9AM on Zoom

  Mission Statement: To improve functionality and livability in Missoula’s busiest corridor for all citizens with a focus on traffic safety, mobility options, and chronic homelessness.

Prospera Business Network

• Prospera Pulse Networking Events

  Monthly Member Meetups are Prospera’s signature networking event, bringing our members together for light fare, drinks, and meaningful business connections.

Montana Business

• Missoula airport to seek year-round service to Chicago

  According to the county, year-round service to Chicago would bring a number of benefits, from regional connectivity to tourism and hospitality. It also would provide and economic impact, the county said.

• Triple Creek Ranch in Darby voted best Montana resort hotel in ‘Travel + Leisure’ awards

  It marks the 11th consecutive year the Darby ranch has been named as a World’s Best Award winner, earning Triple Creek a World’s Best Awards Hall of Fame honoree designation. A Hall of Fame designation means that the business or destination has been voted onto a specific World’s Best Awards list for the past 10 consecutive years.

• Wine Spectator’s 2024 Restaurant Awards – Congratulations to 17 Montana Restaurants including Pangea and Boxcar in Missoula

  Restaurants who receive an Award of Excellence offer at least 90 selections, feature a well-chosen assortment of quality producers, and maintain a thematic match to the menu in both price and style, according to Wine Spectator.

• Peace Of Mind Amidst Wildfire Season – Protect Your Home From Wildfires

  One of the most important reasons to choose fire-resistant siding is to protect your home from wildfire.

• Biz to Biz – Strong Communities, Stronger Businesses

  Join our vibrant community of entrepreneurs and gain access to powerful connections, expert guidance, warm leads, and a supportive network dedicated to helping your business thrive.

Housing

• What has helped you afford housing in this market? We want to hear from you

  Sharing your story will help us understand what the high cost of housing means for people’s lives. We may contact you to find out more and ask if you’d be willing to do an interview.

• High real estate prices in Jackson, Wyoming, highlight stark divide – CBS News Video

  Real estate and housing costs in Jackson, Wyoming, have become unaffordable to many, even those who would be considered wealthy in most other places. It’s causing a stark divide between those who can afford to live there and those who work in town but have been priced out of living there.

Funding and Building your Business

• This Media Bias Detector Analyzes News Reports in Real Time

  Researchers from Wharton and Penn have developed a new tool to equip news consumers with a way to gauge bias in media.

Incubators and R&D

• What Job Seekers Can Learn from the Three Minute Thesis – It’ All About Knowing How To Tell A Story

  The 3MT format teaches scholars how to distill complex ideas into simple, understandable language — a skill that is invaluable in navigating the job market in academia. Here’s how you can apply the principles of the 3MT competition to your job search in higher education:

• A One-Time Poultry Farmer Invents the Future of Refrigeration

  Mechanical cooling revolutionized the global food supply—and accelerated global warming. Peter Dearman’s liquid air engine could change all that.

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

• The college-to-corporate pipeline is facing extinction. Here’s why

  Gen Zers are rejecting thankless corporate jobs and stifling college debt—and embracing the internet economy, this Gen Z cofounder says. His new venture, Whop, helps aspiring online entrepreneurs.

• TONIGHT – Tell Us Something Evening Storytelling – 7/11 – Bonner Park Bandshell

  Join Tell Us Something and the University of Montana for an evening of storytelling featuring 6 graduate students from the Creative Pulse Summer Graduate Program.

2024 Montana Legislature and Politics

• Missoula Mayor proposes strategic plan for 2025 budget

  The pillars include community safety, health and well being, community design and livability, economic health and organizational excellence and resilience.

• City Club Missoula – Montana Supreme Court candidates talk judicial independence, partisan attacks, individual rights

  Jerry Lynch, former federal magistrate, and Judge Katherine Bidegaray both participated.

• MSU Extension’s Local Government Center providing resources to local government review studies

  Clark said Local Government Center staff want to “take the mystery” out of what is expected of a study commissioner.

Government Technology

• Utah Launches Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy

  The Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy at the Utah Department of Commerce has opened roughly four months after its creation. It will explore the most effective methods of AI regulation and guide development of responsible policies.

Tell Us Something

• Tell Us Something is helping Yellowstone Park Employees tell their stories this weekend 7/13-14 – Open Hearts Open Trails

  So, this upcoming weekend, I’m heading to Yellowstone to produce Open Hearts Open Trails. It’s a little scaled down from what we’re used to because we had to pull it together pretty quickly, and I am excited about being back in the Park. I’ll keep you posted next month.

• Call for Storytellers on the theme: “Never Again” – Tell Us Something – Deadline August 9

  It’s that time again when you have your opportunity to share your story with the Missoula community. Storytellers are paid for sharing their stories and receive story coaching from Tell Us Something staff. Got a story to share? We want to hear it!

Transportation

• ‘Hard to argue against’: mandatory speed limiters come to the EU and NI

  All new cars must have the devices from 7 July, adding fuel economy as well as safety. Will mpg become the new mph?

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