MATR Newsletter – March 11, 2019
The state with the best education wins!

In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.

Abraham Lincoln

Today’s MATR Newsletter is sponsored by:

Montana Career Opportunity – Software Engineer – Triangle Communications
Helena lands #27 spot on “Top 100 Best Places to Live” survey
According to Livability, the local obsession is hot water. Helena has over 60 natural hot springs and approximately 15 commercial locations.
Kansas and Vermont pay college grads to move to small towns. Montana could follow suit.
Rep. Joel Krautter, R-Sidney, has introduced House Bill 405, which would offer recent college graduates between $5,000 and $15,000 apiece if they commit to living and working in a qualifying county for five years. The bill would also offer grantees a property tax credit of up to $2,000 a year for five years.
Great Divide Ski Area sale falls through, owners exploring new possibilities
The Taylors purchased Great Divide from the Belmont Ski Club in 1985. Under their ownership, the area has grown from a T-bar to five lifts servicing 1,600 acres.

How Fast Is Rural Internet? Consumers Are Asked to Fill in the Gaps
Three national groups combine their resources to create a new app to measure broadband speeds around the country. All they need now is you and your smart phone.
Elon Musk Will Bring Free Internet To The Whole World
Musk is hoping to launch 4,425 broadband-internet satellites that will be interlinked into space where they will orbit about 700 to 800 miles above Earth.

For sale in southwest Montana: Views that stretch from past to future
You could call it a “million-dollar view,” but that would be significantly undervaluing it.

Governor, First Lady Bullock Highlight Report Ranking Montana with the Largest Increase in School Breakfast Participation in the Nation
“These are real results for Montana and it shows that childhood hunger is a problem we can continue to solve,” said Governor Bullock.

How Should Cities Attract Businesses?
What’s most exciting is that this new wave offers great opportunities for state and local governments that have the will to make long-term investments.

Trade war worries outdoor gear makers in Montana
“The current negotiations create a significant amount of uncertainty for us,” said Matthew Christensen, Simms Fishing Products senior director of sourcing, planning and development.
Greenhouse Growing On Montana’s Hi-Line: Miles’ Hydroponic Lettuce Operation
Customers can now buy Cody Miles’ hydroponic-grown, soil-less green leaf lettuce at Havre’s Gary and Leo’s Fresh Foods grocery.
Berries to eat and milkweed to heat: Students pitch innovative ideas at Montana University John Ruffatto Business Plan Competition
Teams also complete for $50,000 in awards while also having the opportunity to network with venture capitalists, investment bankers, economic developers, corporate executives, early-stage investors and successful entrepreneurs. Past winners have gone on to start successful businesses in Missoula.
Next Frontier Capital 2019 Q1 Update
Next Frontier is executing on our mission to partner with entrepreneurs to build Montana technology companies of impact, utility, and value, while adding Colorado and its vibrant ecosystem to our mandate.

“Epic Yellowstone: Return of the Predators” – Seeing Yellowstone through the eyes of wolves, pumas and other predators
In recent years, however, predators’ numbers have soared. The documentary “Epic Yellowstone: Return of the Predators” sees the park through their eyes.

TechLink – Weekly tech roundup: International Women’s Day special edition
In honor of International Women’s Day, this week’s roundup is a tribute to Hedy Lamarr.

GFDA Top 10
Every industry is important in the Great Falls economy. We support and love them all, because we appreciate and NEED every single one!

The 5 finalists to be Boise State’s president were here this week. Here’s what they think.
The first presidential search ultimately proved fruitless, as none of the five finalists was deemed “strong enough” by critics, per previous Statesman reporting, and so the process started anew.
Latah County, Idaho, IT Does Big Work in Small Jurisdiction
Laurel Caldwell, IT director in the county of just 39,000 residents, discusses delivering a full suite of online services and building strong relationships among county agencies despite limited resources.

The Art of the Executive Summary
Most guides to writing an executive summary miss the key point: The job of the executive summary is to sell (and get a meeting), not to describe.
What’s Driving the Demand for Data Scientists?
Data analytics is becoming mission-critical to more and more businesses. One of the biggest challenges they face: recruiting data scientists.
7 Lessons From Airbnb and Uber On Customer Values
Contrary to popular myth, to be a disruptive new businesses, you don’t always need an innovative new technology to win.

Smart city planners are rethinking parking by getting rid of it
As cities get smarter and mobility solutions and consumer habits change, more urban planners are eschewing the construction of public parking garages — or changing how they conceive of them altogether.
‘Noah’s Town: Where Animals Reign’…a book about the life of an economic developer who becomes a hero by saving her town from a total disaster.
Enjoy, laugh, and learn

For the fun of it: Butte area middle and elementary school students prepare for Montana Tech science and engineering fair
“It’s just fun doing science…there’s always something new to discover. The trail never stops, it just keeps on going,” Piccin said.
Top Universities Join to Push ‘Public Interest Technology’
As technology becomes increasingly pervasive in American life, universities across the United States have been devising ways to teach students how to grapple with the consequences on society.

Can Humans Reconnect in an Age of Isolation?
Modern technology certainly has made life easier, he says, but it’s also made it easy for people to isolate themselves from opposing views, critical thought and even each other.

North Dakota State University announces new $50M research institute
North Dakota State University is launching a new research institute that will focus on trade, global innovation and economic growth.

The Speeder: Jetpack Aviation opens pre-orders on jet powered flying motorcycle
A self-stabilizing, jet turbine-powered flying motorcycle capable of 150 mph speeds, 20 minute endurance and 15,000 ft altitudes.