MATR Newsletter – June 8, 2020
The state with the best education wins!

“Not everything that is faced can be changed but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” James Baldwin

Whatever women do, they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good.

Luckily, this is not difficult.

(Unknown)

Today’s MATR Newsletter is sponsored by:

Above-normal fire season predicted for Western Montana; Wyoming drying out
“The wild card, of course, is COVID and how we’ll deal with response,” said Bryan Henry, a NIFC meteorologist, in a June 1 podcast.
WHO Releases Crucial New Guidance Regarding Masks
They now need to consist of at least three layers of different materials. They must have an absorbent inner layer, a middle layer of non-woven materials such as polypropylene, and a non-absorbent outer layer.
Idaho offers unemployed workers $1,500 in ‘bait’ to return to jobs. Here’s what to know
The bonuses will be financed with up to $100 million in federal relief funds, and they will be available to Idaho workers already deemed eligible for unemployment benefits during the coronavirus pandemic.
$50 million Wyoming COVID-19 business relief program launching Monday
“The program offers grants of up to $50,000 to independent Wyoming businesses who, as of March 31, 2020, employed 50 or fewer full-time employees,” the WBC said in a June 4 release. “Visit wyobizrelief.org Monday after 10 a.m. to apply.”

Great Falls Economic Development Top 10 for 6-7-20
Here is our Top 18 for this week celebrating work and successes to grow and strengthen the Great Falls regional economy — Montana’s Golden Triangle.

Focus on these 3 time horizons for your strategy – Fail Fast – Fail Often
“Scenarios need to be regularly updated, as, over time, the certainty of direction will increase; therefore, the initial portfolio will also have to be adjusted as well,”
Coronavirus might spell the end of tech hubs. That’s a good thing for Montana
If executed well, can create a new model for collaborative innovation – one that overcomes the limits of existing clusters and unleashes human potential around the world.
Denise Juneau Reminds Us That Public Schools Must be Anti-Racist Institutions
If you aren’t hearing this message from your local and state education leaders, they’re failing their students and communities.

Virtual internships and the Zoom skills you don’t learn in college
“This is the future of work,” Sadeghi said. “People don’t need to put on a suit, go to a cubicle, or wait until summer to [do an internship.] We’re preparing people for what work looks like now.”
Will the Pandemic Push Knowledge Work into the Gig Economy?
Clearly, the experience of working during the pandemic provides useful insights on how to successfully contract knowledge work to external contractors. But we need to approach these lessons carefully.
Remote working: How cities might change if we worked from home more
Employees are coming to realize remote working is not only possible but, in some cases, preferable. A shift to a new way of working might already be under way.
Best and Worst Qualities for Remote Employees
Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell them apart.

Does Broadband Access Increase Rural Home Values?
Real estate agents will now have to start including available internet services and costs when they offer a home or office.

Blink Rides E-scooters hit the Bozeman streets again
“We were getting rides right away,” said Lana Kitto, the founder and owner of Blink Rides. “We’re super excited with the immediate response.”

Road Trips Around Southwest Montana 2020
With far fewer visitors from outside the state expected and many ambitious vacation plans curtailed, this year we decided to use this opportunity to remind Montanans of the joys in our own back yard.
Welcome to the new Hike Wild Montana Newsletter
Welcome to the first edition of MWA’s Hike Wild Montana Newsletter. If you’re just getting started exploring trails on the new and improved hikewildmontana.org, and would like to learn more about how to search for trails, submit trail reports, and add new trails, we’ve got you covered.

15 things founders should know before accepting funding from a corporate VC
More than $50 billion of corporate venture capital (CVC) was deployed in 2018 and new data indicates that nearly half of all venture rounds will include a corporate investor.

Radically Rural: To Meet New Challenges, Be Idea-Friendly
Old answers won’t work in the “new normal.” Nurturing new ideas will be key.
‘Now Is the Time to Step Up’: Statements from Organizations Serving Rural America
Groups working in agriculture, health care, conservation, arts and culture, and other rural fields are expressing support for anti-racism protests sweeping the nation.

Seattle startup Cabana pitches vanlife vacations as travel alternative during pandemic
A handful of tech startups are pitching camping as a low-risk alternative, including a new venture launched by former Seattle Department of Transportation head Scott Kubly.

Self-Driving Vehicles for Urban Mobility Deployed in European Smart Cities
From this spring onwards, three autonomous vehicle prototypes will be evaluated in real-life conditions in five European cities.
Could Ultracapacitors Replace Batteries in Future Electric Vehicles?
Ultracapacitors have been making the news of late but could they viably replace batteries in the EVs of the future?

So, What Exactly Is Building Electrification?
Only one of the most important pieces of the decarbonization puzzle.

Is a ‘Cyber Pandemic’ Coming?
Over the past week, multiple global business leaders warned of a coming cyberattack with devastating impacts. Is this just FUD or current reality? Let’s explore.