MATR Newsletter – May 10, 2019
The state with the best education wins!

Montana Department of Commerce

• Coast-to-coast bike trail could be boon for places like Three Forks, Montana

  The Great American Rail Trail, a rails-to-trails project that replaces old, out-of-use railroads into biking and walking trails, will be the first multi-use trail that runs from coast to coast. Enthusiasm for the project is palpable in Three Forks.

Montana Office of Tourism & Economic Development

• 10 must-see music festivals in Montana this summer

  For festival producers, summertime in Montana is a literal heyday as tourism heats up, and every town on the map seems to be getting in the festival business.

Northwestern Energy

• Missoula residents blast NorthWestern Energy’s requested rooftop solar rate hike

  Thirty of the almost 50 people attending argued that the PSC should not allow NorthWestern Energy to create a new more expensive billing category for net-metering customers.

Great Falls Development Authority

• Great Falls was ranked 11 in the “Best Small Cities for Small Business” report for 2019 from Go.Verizon.

  “Great Falls is Montana’s best kept secret for small business.”

Next Generation Broadband in Montana

• Emmett, Idaho adds to community fiber optic network

  Now in its third year of installing fiber optic cabling, the city of less than 10,000 continues to serve as a model to others. Funding comes from a combination of city funds and grants, Knittel said.

• Gov. Bullock vetoes bill creating tax abatement for new high-speed broadband

  Bullock said Wednesday that most of the tax abatements would go to “large, multistate corporations deploying fiber-optic and coaxial cable in cities.”

Montana Businesses For Sale

• Missoula, Montana’s Goodworks Ventures launches Evergreen to retain small businesses

  Goodworks Ventures of Missoula has quietly launched a new effort to purchase stable, profitable companies and help them grow under new leadership.

Montana Business and Govt. Agency Collaboration Success

• Got capital gains? Butte entrepreneurs organize Thursday-night Opportunity Zone presentation

  Sarah Borduin has a message for locals wanting to learn about the federal government’s Opportunity Zone program: don’t let the financial jargon scare you away.

Gov. Steve Bullock

• ‘Being Governor Ain’t What It Used to Be’: How Their Road to the White House Became an Uphill Climb

  As an unofficial candidate, Bullock has been touting his success in winning office in a rural state and getting bills passed by a Republican legislature.

Montana Economic Development

• Butte-Silver Bow commissioners pondering new plan for economic development

  The BLDC would use 10 percent of the money each year to administer the program, get $20,000 for general operations, and give the rest to Butte small businesses and entrepreneurs.

• Workforce Development – Confront the New Threat of Technology with an Old Idea

  To make sure more than just a few people prosper from the change, we need a technology training program like the Extension Service to give communities more control of their own economic future.

• Beer Olympics in Bozeman, Montana showcases economic growth for state

  The size and growth can be attributed back the importance of the craft brewing industry on the Montana economy.

• Traffic safety leaders meet in Helena to discuss “Vision Zero”

  The meeting was part of the “Vision Zero” initiative, a steady effort to one day get the number of deadly traffic crashes in the state to zero.

• Missoula Economic Partnership expands focus beyond business attraction

  While MEP adjusts its focus to touch on housing and other local challenges, it will continue to work on behalf of businesses, including those looking for state grants to grow their local workforce.

Montana Business

• Runner’s retail: Downtown Missoula running shop among Top 4 nationwide

  Most of the nominated stores are in larger cities and have multiple storefronts. Missoula is the smallest city represented in the rankings.

• Kickstarter Campaign: Montana’s Bee Alert Technology uses new technology to help beekeepers

  The Bee Health Guru is expected to assist beekeepers in quickly identifying health problems, and take the necessary steps to maintain strong colonies.

The Creative and Cultural Economy

• C-SPAN visits Missoula to share city’s rich history, personalities

  The reports will be part of “Missoula Weekend” on C-SPAN2 and C-SPAN3.

Regional Business News

• China’s Electric Vehicle Market: A Storm of Competition Is Coming

  “China has been willing to pull all of the policy levers available to them to jumpstart the electric vehicle market,”

Idaho News & Events

• Idaho Deal Flow report: Numbers are up, dollars are down

  Overall, the number of deals was 163 compared with 147 in 2017.

• All your Idaho Virtual Reality Council news, updates and events in one place!

  Check out how they’re bringing VR to large scale events around the world. We hope to see you at an event soon!

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

• How a school in India taught me to raise my expectations for my child

  A difference in approaches to education: Choice. Or the lack of it.

Montana Education Excellence

• Tomorrow-proofing at the University of Montana

  Studies estimate that more than half of the jobs today’s students will be doing in the coming decades do not yet exist.

• Montana State University Billings nurtures outdoor leadership program

  Although outdoor recreation generates $7.1 billion in consumer spending every year in Montana, few people know that Montana State University Billings is graduating students with degrees specifically targeted at the ever-expanding industry, as well as other jobs that require leadership, environmental and communication skills.

Montana Politics & Legislature

• Montana Department of Commerce warns of fake census form mailed by Republican National Committee

  The survey is called the “2019 Congressional District Census” and was mailed by the Republican National Committee.

Government News & Events

• Bike Lanes Continue Through Intersections, According to New Oregon Law

  Oregon lawmakers confirmed Monday that a bike lane still exists when interrupted by an intersection, despite the absence of paint on the roadway.

• Montana Senator Steve Daines introduces bill adding citizenship question to 2020 U.S. Census

  It’s an issue the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to hear before the forms are printed in July.

• The Evidence Is Strong: Air Pollution Seems to Cause Dementia

  Scientists link air pollution—from power plants, motor vehicles, forest fires, you name it—to one of the least understood and most frightening of illnesses: dementia.

Miscellaneous Ramblings

• Wedding Rings: Symbols of Love that Can Mangle Fingers

  The doctor sawed through the ring in two places to remove it. He then sewed the finger back together with 14 stitches, and wrapped Herndon’s hand in a bandage that was “bigger than a grizzly’s paw.”

Transportation

• Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan: Let’s try scooters, but let’s do it right

  Seattle was the first city in the country to pilot free-floating bike share – and it’s taken off. Now, we have a permanent program for companies to operate bike share in Seattle.

• Amsterdam Announces Plan to Ban All Polluting Cars by 2030

  Amsterdam residents lose an average of one year off their life expectancy due to air pollution.

TED and TEDX Talks

• Today’s TED Talk The case for having kids

  “For those who can and choose to, may you pass on this beautiful thing called life with kindness, generosity, decency and love,” he says.

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