MATR Newsletter – November 2, 2022
The state with the best education wins!

Come Home Montana

• 10 new nonprofit jobs in Montana

  MNA’s 600+ nonprofit members address a broad array of missions, come from all four corners of the state, and range in size from the smallest all-volunteer nonprofits to the largest…

MEDA -Montana Economic Developers Association

• Reports Look At Climate Resiliency In Rural Communities
  Two new reports from the Center for American Progress examine how rural communities can access federal grant funding to build climate resiliency.

The Telecommuting and Gig Workforce in Montana

• Rupert Murdoch (Fox “News”) is officially a remote worker in Montana now

  An SEC filing from July suggests that Murdoch found it necessary, for legal reasons, optics within the company, or some other rationale, to codify his decision to relocate daily work activities to his ranch in Montana.

Next Generation Broadband in Montana

• Analysis: Access Is Not Everything – With Inadequate Broadband Digital Dignity Is Lacking

  New research shows that inadequate broadband can lead to waiting, forcing people to take up unusual schedules, miss work opportunities, and more.

Housing

• Realtors say Gallatin County is still a seller’s market, but options are improving for buyers

  Single-family home prices up almost 26% from last year

• Butte, Montana seeks proposals from firms to create new housing plan

  Among the goals of the plan will be to protect Butte’s history while reducing sprawl and ensuring vibrant neighborhoods.

Montana Business

• 35 Years of Montana Rail Link

  Over the course of MRL’s 35 years, it had become one of the most popular regional roads in the country among railroad enthusiasts. For one thing, the 600-mile former NP between Huntley, Mont. (just east of Billings, the state’s largest city), and Sandpoint, Idaho, is among the most scenic pieces of railroad in the country. Secondly, in its early years, MRL relied on a fleet of attractively painted first- and second-generation EMD locomotives, providing a bit of variety alongside Burlington Northern and later BNSF through freights. Even today, a few GP9s and SD45s soldier on alongside a fleet of SD70ACe locomotives that hold down most main line assignments.

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

• Montana University system to explore ‘sprint degrees

  A new pilot program at MSU-Billings looks to meet health care workforce demands by accelerating academic timelines.

2023 Montana Legislature and Politics

• Montana Governor Greg Gianforte rolls out education priorities ahead of legislative session

  Three key pillars were discussed:
  · Parent Involvement
  · Digital and Workforce Education
  · Higher Teacher Wages

Transportation

• Billings invites public input on urban area long-range transportation plan

  Public input is important to this community mobility effort. The public is invited to provide input using the interactive map on the project website: http://www.billingslrtp.com. The deadline for the first round of public participation is November 11.

• Cruise Expands Robotaxi Service in San Francisco Massively

  Cruise has just expanded quite massively and now covers almost all of San Francisco. That’s an impressive feat, and could signal a lot of potential for Cruise to go into numerous big cities and provide nearly complete coverage within its borders and suburbs.

• What Is Bike Infrastructure?

  Safe and comprehensive bike facilities play a crucial role in keeping vulnerable road users safe, promoting biking as an everyday transit mode, and reducing carbon emissions and traffic congestion by encouraging a shift to more multimodal transportation.

Energy and Climate Change

• Consumers, not corporations, saved the power grid. What else can we do?

  Individual decisions can be a powerful force against climate change, but only if they’re pointed in the same direction.

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