MATR Newsletter – October 9, 2020
The state with the best education wins!

“Imagine”

John Winston Lennon 10/9/40 – 12/8/80 RIP

Corona Virus Information

• Missoula biotech firm joins statewide effort to boost COVID testing capacity

  FYR Diagnostics said this week that it will begin to process COVID-19 tests immediately, joining the state lab and Montana State University in the effort.

• For kids to stay in school, adults need to buy in to COVID-19 health rules, new Billings campaign says

  “Does our community need to do better? 100%,” she said. “Clearly if we don’t take this more seriously, those numbers aren’t going to turn in the opposite direction.”

• Governor Bullock Directs $200M in Coronavirus Relief Funds to Boost UI Trust Fund, Lower Fees for Montana Businesses

  Doubling Montana Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund will provide significant relief for 43,000 Montana businesses

Tell Us Something

• Tell Us Something – October Storytelling News – Reflection and an Invitation to Listen

  Storytelling is a survival skill. Storytelling is a way to have a conversation with ourselves, and by sharing our story, we invite others into that conversation.

Come Home Montana

• Montana Career Opportunities – Controller, Administrative Internship and more (Alaska and California) – Backcountry Hunters & Anglers

    Backcountry Hunters & Anglers seeks to ensure North America’s outdoor heritage of hunting and fishing in a natural setting, through education and work on behalf of wild public lands and waters. Want to join the BHA team? We are a small group of dedicated professionals passionate about protecting our outdoor heritage and maintaining public land…

• Two Montana Towns Named as The Top 100 Best Places to Live

  I’ll admit at first I was a little disappointed that Bozeman didn’t even make the top 100. But perhaps this means people will be looking to these other top Montana towns to move to instead.

• Montana Career Opportunities – Billings Project Supervisor – Transystems

  The successful applicant must have an interest, knowledge of, or experience in the trucking/transportation industry and it is helpful to have background in heavy equipment or agriculture. This position is hands-on and involves teaching and coaching employees. Must possess or obtain a CDL-A and have a good driving record. Training is available to obtain a…

Montana Department of Commerce

• New Montana state grant program helps businesses refill lost jobs from pandemic

  “Our businesses are so important to our communities across the state for the services they provide, and one important thing they provide is job opportunities within their communities,” said Department of Commerce Director Tara Rice.

Next Generation Broadband in Montana

• Huge Drone Successfully Beamed Internet from 62,500 Feet High

  The giant solar-powered drone was able to host video calls around the globe!

• Bullish on Broadband: Time to Get Your Grant Proposals Ready

  At least 15 federal agencies provide grants to support better broadband. It’s time for communities to get moving if they want to claim their share.

• NTIA’s BroadbandUSA Practical Broadband Conversation: Digital Inclusion and K-12 Education: The Impact of COVID-19 on Students and Educators 10/21 -12PM MST

  This panel will explore the challenges that communities and schools are facing, their innovative solutions to keep students connected, and their plans to transition from short-term solutions to long-term sustainable programs.

• How Will the Latest Wi-Fi Tech Affect Local Areas?

  The FCC’s decision to open up spectrum for Wi-Fi 6 technology may significantly increase broadband access. However, utilities and public safety are afraid their communications may be compromised.

• US Ignite Announced Project OVERCOME to Grow Broadband Access

  Project OVERCOME, led by US Ignite and funded by the National Science Foundation, will select five proof-of-concept projects to grow access to broadband connectivity in underserved or unserved areas.

• Bullish on Broadband: New Fiscal Year Means Replenished Grant Funds for Many Programs

  Billions of dollars’ worth of broadband support are up for renewal as the federal government celebrates its new year. Craig Settles offers an overview of the types of grants and where to start hunting.

• Why only “Broadband” – Why not “Gigabit Fiber” for Montana?  Let’s build for the future. Digital Town Squares Drive Economic Development

  Gigabit internet is the next generation of broadband internet service which is typically delivered over fiber optic lines and provides speeds of 1,000Mbps, which is also referred to as “1 Gbps” or “Gigabit” internet.

Montana Ambassadors

• Governor Bullock Announces Montana Ambassador Award Recipients

  “It’s my honor to recognize this group of hard-working Montanans and Ambassadors who help ensure that Montana remains one of the best places in the country to live, work, play, start a business and raise a family,” said Governor Bullock. “This commitment to growing Montana’s economy, creating more good-paying jobs, and revitalizing communities across the state is vital to our continued success.”

Funding and Building your Business

• How the B Corp movement is remaking business

  After a summer where two new B Corps went public, a new book outlines the growth of the responsible capitalism certification movement.

Incubators and R&D

• Montana State University scientist Blake Wiedenheft who shared in Nobel Prize-winning research celebrates award announcement

  Wiedenheft, whose work in Doudna’s lab as a postdoctoral researcher contributed to the breakthrough discovery that earned her what is widely considered science’s top honor, immediately sent a heartfelt note of congratulations to his mentor, whom he described as a humble champion of higher education.

Regional Business News

• This Company’s Simple Blood Tests Could Reimagine Telemedicine

  Tasso’s simple plastic device is enabling everything from drug trials to disease monitoring, at the push of a button.

Careers

• What it Takes to Win a Nobel Prize

  When we crunched the numbers a couple years back, we found that out of 881 individuals who won any of the Nobel Prizes between 1901 and 2016, only 48 were women. Even with this year’s wins, the laureates chosen in recent decades have done little to advance that cause, or to improve equally stark problems with people of color winning the awards.

North Dakota Business and Economic Development

• North Dakota Launches Statewide Cybersecurity Campaign – “DefeND”

  Since the pandemic began, attempted cyberattacks on state entities have been incessant, but North Dakota hopes to cut down on risk by spreading information about common threats to its entire population.

Oregon Business

• Oregon Economic Development Conference: Resilient Economic RecoveryOct 26 – 28, 2020

  Oregon’s statewide economic development community will gather virtually this October to explore all features of effective economic response – and what it will take to bring sustainable, equitable recovery across Oregon.

Transportation

• Are you ready to ride in a car without a driver? Waymo vans going public in Arizona

  The launch of this new phase of Waymo’s car service, which begins with a smaller step on Thursday, marks a significant milestone in the company’s march toward offering a fully autonomous ride service.

• Now Is the Time to End Traffic Fatalities. Here’s a Simple Plan to Do It.

  Let me state what is obvious to anyone who steps back and critically observes our half-full streets: We’ve engineered them for high performance. We should be engineering them for safety.

• Israeli company that builds recharging roads expands in Europe

  ElectReon informs Tel Aviv Stock Exchange that it signed MOU with road construction company Eurovia to build wireless electric road systems in Germany, France, Belgium

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