Uncategorized
The road to success for rural Montana?
Published
13 years agoon
By Deb Courson Smith, Big Sky Connection
If rural Montana is going to thrive, improvements in transportation have to be part of the picture. Those improvements can include better roads, but a bigger issue is how to help people find a ride when their driving abilities are limited by disabilities, age or lack of cash.
Billy Altom, executive director of the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) says a lack of transportation can kick off a series of problems.
“It’s almost a snowball effect, sometimes, whenever you look at, ‘Okay, if I lose my ride, then the next day I’ve lost my job, I’ve lost my house,’ and then you wind up in dire straits.”
Altom explains a lack of transportation also makes it hard to tend to health needs and interact with family and friends. Solutions include mass transportation and coordination of services on a smaller scale, such as vans.
Altom says some transportation options are available in rural areas, but they’re often limited or only operate to the county line. He points out that collaboration can address such limitations.
“Having those folks that say, ‘Well, I can only go to this county line, will you meet me at this county line?’ So, getting getting transportation services that will coordinate with each other.”
He adds that transportation providers and residents also need to have a voice in the next federal transportation bill, which he hopes will cover a six-year period.
“If you just do a two-year bill and you’re trying to coordinate programs, by the time regulations and stuff come out of the feds we’re two years in, and we haven’t done anything. If we can spread it out into six years, I think we’ll be much better off.”
Only 6 percent of federal transit funding goes to support rural areas, Altom points out, yet 25 percent of Americans live in the countryside.
More information about APRIL is available at april-rural.org/.
Megan Paulson is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Outlaw Partners.
Upcoming Events
april, 2024
Event Type :
All
All
Arts
Education
Music
Other
Sports
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before 9/10/2024:
more
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before
9/10/2024: Kindergarten
enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year can be completed by following the
registration process now.
Children
born on or after September 11, 2019: 4K enrollment is now open for
families that have a 4-year-old they would like to enroll in our program for
the 2023-2024 school year. Please complete the 4K Interest Form to
express your interest. Completing this form does not guarantee enrollment into
the 4K program. Enrollment is capped at twenty 4-year-olds currently
residing within Big Sky School District boundary full time and will be
determined by birth date in calendar order of those born on or after September
11, 2018. Interest form closes on May 30th.
Enrollment now is critical for fall preparations. Thank you!
Time
February 26 (Monday) - April 21 (Sunday)
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
more
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm
Time
March 23 (Saturday) 6:00 pm - April 23 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm
Location
Santosha Wellness Center
169 Snowy Mountain Circle
Event Details
We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a
more
Event Details
We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a limited palette to create different color combinations? Are you tired of carrying around 15-20 different tubes when you paint plein air? Have you ever wanted to create a certain “mood” in a painting but failed? Do you create a lot of mud? Do you struggle to achieve color harmony? All these problems are addressed in John’s workbook in clear and concise language!
Based on the bestselling “Limited Palatte, Unlimited Color” workbook written by John Pototschnik, the workshop is run by Maggie Shane and Annie McCoy, accomplished landscape (acrylic) and plein air (oil) artists,exhibitors at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery and members of the Big Sky Artists Collective.
Each student will receive a copy of “Limited Palette, Unlimited Color” to keep and take home to continue your limited palette journey. We will show you how to use the color wheel and mix your own clean mixtures to successfully create a mood for your paintings.
Each day, we will create a different limited palette color chart and paint a version of a simple landscape using John’s directives. You will then be able to go home and paint more schemes using the book for guidance.
Workshop is open to painters (oil or acrylic) of any level although students must have some basic knowledge of the medium he or she uses. Students will be provided the book ($92 value), color wheel, value scale and canvas papers to complete the daily exercises.
Sundays, April 14, 21 and 28, 2024
Noon until 6PM.
$170.
Time
14 (Sunday) 12:00 pm - 28 (Sunday) 6:00 pm
Event Details
Come join us at Cowboy Coffee as we celebrate a fun night of drinks, games, and meeting others within the community. This event is from 6-8 and all are welcome
Event Details
Come join us at Cowboy Coffee as we celebrate a fun night of drinks, games, and meeting others within the community. This event is from 6-8 and all are welcome to come, if you don’t know who to bring come alone this is a great mixer event! This is an event hosted by Big Sky OUT as we work to provide queer safe spaces throughout the community.
Time
(Sunday) 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location
Cowboy Coffee
25 Town Center Ave. Big Sky, MT 59716