How the Ivy League Education System Broke America. Success in school is not the same thing as success in life.

We’re all trapped in a system that was built on a series of ideological assumptions that were accepted 70 or 80 years ago but that now look shaky or just plain wrong.

MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association

• Credit card debt surges to another record high, New York Fed data shows

  Total credit card debt rose to $1.17 trillion during the third quarter, an increase of $24 billion from the previous quarter, according to the report. It marks the highest level on record in Fed data dating back to 2003.

• Climate change could cause Montana agriculture economy declines of 20%

  “Without concerted efforts to slow the release of emissions and measures to support smaller producers, we may see devastating impacts to this important sector of Montana’s economy.”

• Glacier National Park seeking input to improve visitor experiences – Virtual and In Person Public Meetings

  The park is sharing initial ideas for addressing traffic congestion, visitor movement challenges, transportation, and related issues that affect visitor experience

Great Falls Development Alliance

• GFDA Top Twenty for 11-17-24

  Entrepreneurs, this night is for you! Join us at the Newberry on Wednesday, November 20th, from 5:00 to 6:00 PM for the First Annual Entrepreneur Celebration—an evening dedicated to honoring the innovators and business owners driving success in our 13-county region. Enjoy live music, small bites, and a no-host bar while networking with fellow entrepreneurs and supporters. A professional photographer will be on hand to capture the excitement as we celebrate your achievements.

Housing

• The US is short millions of housing units. Mass deportations could make it worse.

  Immigrants make up a significant portion of the construction labor force, and removing them en masse would cripple the industry – not to mention having devastating social and emotional consequences, experts and advocates say.

• Escaping the Housing Trap: The Strong Towns Response to the Housing Crisis 1st Edition

  Only local change, on a neighborhood or city-wide scale, can begin to restore balance to the housing market.

Visit Montana

• ‘Yellowstone’ fans flock to Montana to ‘experience untamed America’

  The final installment of ‘Yellowstone’ season 5 debuted on Paramount+ Nov 10

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

• Montana’s K-12 school enrollment drops by nearly 2,000 students from last fall

  Enrollment plays a major role in setting school budgets in Montana. The Office of Public Instruction says enrollment is down in more than half of public schools. Of the state’s eight largest districts, Helena saw the greatest decrease, with 130 fewer students. Bozeman schools added 65 students, the most of any district.

• How the Ivy League Education System Broke America. Success in school is not the same thing as success in life.

  We’re all trapped in a system that was built on a series of ideological assumptions that were accepted 70 or 80 years ago but that now look shaky or just plain wrong. The six deadly sins of the meritocracy have become pretty obvious.

2025 Montana Legislature and Politics

• Report details how states can implement reliable, effective generative AI

  The report suggested that states should focus on data quality and accessibility to ensure that generative AI systems are effective and accurate.

• Gianforte eyeing large income, property tax cuts in 2025 Montana budget proposal

  Dubbed the “Path to Security and Prosperity,” Gianforte says his proposals include the largest income tax cut in state history by reducing the rate most people pay from 5.9 percent to 4.9 percent. Combined with a proposal to increase the income tax credit, Gianforte predicts about $850 million in permanent tax relief

Government News & Events

• Europe’s Baby Bust

  In Sweden, the parents of every newborn (or newly adopted child) are legally entitled to 480 days of leave. Ninety of those days are paid at a standard rate, and the remaining 390 days are based on the parents’ ordinary income. There’s also a 1,250 krona (about $121) monthly government subsidy per child; the amount increases from the second child.

• Get Your Electric Car Order In ASAP! Trump Plans To Kill $7,500 EV Tax Credit.

  “Repealing the subsidy, a signature measure of Democratic President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), is being discussed in meetings by an energy-policy transition team led by billionaire oilman Harold Hamm, founder of Continental Resources, and Republican North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, the two sources said,” Reuters reports. 78-year-old Hamm appears to be one of the few people who’s genuinely friends with Trump.

Government Technology

• The WIRED Guide to Protecting Yourself From Government Surveillance

  Donald Trump has vowed to deport millions and jail his enemies. To carry out that agenda, his administration will exploit America’s digital surveillance machine. Here are some steps you can take to evade it.

American Prairie

• This is American Prairie

  Visit one of the most exciting and ambitious conservation projects in the world! From the Missouri River Breaks to the C. M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, American Prairie is working to connect, conserve, and share more than 3 million acres of prairie grassland in Montana’s Northern Great Plains. We offer an unparalleled and uncrowded true Montana experience.

Let’s Improve Missoula’s Reserve Street

• The most dangerous roads in America have one thing in common – Join “Let’s Improve Missoula’s Reserve Street” on Friday

  Rather than revise problematic roads themselves, states can hand them over to local officials, letting them manage improvements and maintenance. Washington state, for instance, in 2011 transferred a 2.5-mile strip of state road 522 to the Seattle suburb of Bothell.

• Missoula’s Reserve St. Public Working Group Invites Media and Officials to Engage in Public Discussion on Missoula County’s Newest TEDD – Grant Creek Crossing – 11/22 – Online

  This meeting, like the regular weekly sessions organized by the Reserve St. Public Working Group, is free and open to all interested individuals. The first half-hour will be dedicated to a general discussion among involved officials, setting the stage for insightful dialogue and collaboration. The remaining half of the hour will be open for a Questions and Answers session, providing attendees an opportunity to engage directly with the panelists.

Careers

• ‘Lookism’ is alive and well and getting worse. Here’s why your appearance is judged more than performance

  Research of nearly 1,000 leaders, social media posts, and articles found myriad cases of lookism showing women’s appearance at work is “never quite right.”

Transportation

• Car-Free Streets are Good For Business, Yet Another Report Shows

  “This just confirms the old saying, ‘Cars don’t spend money, people spend money,’” said one open street advocate.

• World’s First Permanently Electrified Road to Charge Electric Vehicles While Driving Opens in Sweden

  It’s an important step towards sustainable transport, allowing cars and trucks to recharge on the go, which experts say allows them to travel longer distances with smaller batteries and avoid waiting at charging stations.

• Seven inane arguments about EVs and how to handle them at the dinner table

  If you have friends and family who are unsure about electric vehicles, here’s a handy guide answering their toughest questions.

• Study Proposes Covering Highways With 52 Billion Solar Panels – Why not pave highways with solar panels? Welcome to Solar Roadways®

  The heart of Solar Roadways is the Solar Road Panel. Hexagon in shape, this solar panel contains an onboard microprocessor which controls heating elements (to help prevent snow/ice accumulation), LEDs (to illuminate road lines, create verbiage, graphics, etc.), and communicates with other panels and vehicles wirelessly. T

• Missoula explores electric vehicle future with community feedback

  Residents in Missoula expressed optimism about the feasibility of EVs in their area. The city already has infrastructure like charging stations in place. A Missoula resident shared that EVs are a practical choice for local errands.

Energy and Climate Change

• Climate Mis- and Disinformation Are Shaping Discourse & Opposition To Renewables

  Do you ever wonder why so many people just don’t get how severe the climate crisis is? One big reason why is because Big Tech companies are fostering climate mis- and dis-information.

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