Month: August 2023

  • Balter-Reitz Named Fellow

    Balter-Reitz Named Fellow

    Montana State University Billings Professor of Communication Susan Balter-Reitz, Ph.D., has been named a University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement Fellow for 2023-2024. Balter-Reitz and her co-author, Michael Bruner, Ph.D., University of Nevada Las Vegas Professor of Communication Studies, together round out the class of ten Fellows who will be examining…

  • Analysis: New Home Builders Shift Focus

    By Victor Skinner,  The Center Square Rising interest rates and construction costs, along with demand for more affordable options, pushed new home builders to shift focus in 2022, according to recent analysis. Microdata from the Survey of Construction 2022 analyzed by Zillow illustrates a shift from primarily single-family home construction before and during the pandemic…

  • Montana Highlights August 1, 2023

    The Milwaukee Bridge west of Terry has been ordered closed immediately by the Montana Department of Transportation as the deteriorating deck conditions have been deemed a significant hazard for public safety. The sudden closure has left a lot of questions both for people who use the bridge to reach the other side of the Yellowstone…

  • Manufacturers Push Against ESG

    The National Association of Manufacturers has gained some traction in pushing back against ESG regulations. The House Financial Services Committee, which spent the last month holding hearings about environmental, social and governance policies that impact American businesses — passed proposed legislation that included measures to protect manufacturers and investors. NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons…

  • It’s Coming Up

    It’s Coming Up

    “Come early!” Not to miss a single moment of what is going to be the biggest and most exciting air show in Montana history, spectators should arrive at least an hour early, advises Mathew McDonnel, co-chair of the team of organizers who are making the Yellowstone International Airshow happen on August 12 – 13 in…

  • IPO Investing Declines

    Companies in the United States that had hoped to become publicly traded have been forced to postpone their plans in part due to the worsening economic climate. This has translated to the U.S. recording one of the biggest historical slumps with initial public offerings (IPO). In particular, according to data acquired and calculated by Finbold…

  • Current Economic Conditions Have Small Business Owners Pessimistic about Future Business Conditions

    Current Economic Conditions Have Small Business Owners Pessimistic about Future Business Conditions

    According to National Federation of Independent (NFIB) Business’ Small Business Economic Trends report, small business owners continue to face challenging economic conditions. The Small Business Optimism Index increased slightly by 1.6 points in June but remains below the 49-year average of 98 for the 18th consecutive month. Labor market concerns and inflation are at the…

  • Crucial Business Legislation Re-introduced in Both Chambers

    On July 18, the Main Street Tax Certainty Act was re-introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. Representatives Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX) introduced the legislation in the House and Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) previously introduced it in the U.S. Senate. The legislation would make the crucial Small Business Deduction permanent, which is…

  • Credit Cards Need Competition

    Credit Cards Need Competition

    The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, released a new video featuring small business owners explaining the impact the Credit Card Competition Act would have on their Main Street businesses if passed into law. The Credit Card Competition Act seeks to ensure competition in the credit card processing…

  • Caregivers Deserve Better

    Caregivers Deserve Better

    By Evelyn Pyburn As jobs go begging in Montana people are often asking why. Where are the workers? While it’s true that more workers are working now than ever before in Montana, it’s also true that there are businesses going out of business because they can’t get the workers they need. The Federal Reserve Bank…