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Big Give Thayer County Is Back
Nov 21 2024Thayer County is a prime Midwest location within a day’s drive of many popular metropolitan areas. Its low cost of living and doing business, rich agricultural assets, and strong workforce should also make it known for its strong community. The residents of Thayer County bond together to build, create, and...
Nebraska’s number one industry is agriculture. Farms and ranches have stood strong for generations because of strong family bonds within the business. Known for having a high-level work ethic and strong family values, these families make Nebraska a place where high quality foods are produced to feed the world.Well into...
Rural America gets a bad rap. Often thought to have limited job opportunities, lack of education, lack of diversity, lack of progress, and backward thinking, rural communities have come a long way in being diverse, dynamic places boasting rich history, culture, and progressiveness. Many rural communities offer a unique perspective...
This Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment...
Notice of Public Comment Period: Proposed 2023 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER)
Oct 21 2024The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) are soliciting public comments on the Proposed 2023 Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report (CAPER). Public comments will be accepted from October 18 – November 1, 2024.The CAPER pertains to the programs in the...
Smartphones have enabled us to attend to work from nearly anywhere. But their productivity power also frequently encroaches on our personal lives—making it too easy to reply to business emails or Slack messages when we should be focused on dinner with the fam. Likewise, when we want to get work...
The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) is now accepting applications for the 2024 Rural Workforce Housing Fund (RWHF) program year. A Letter of Intent is due by November 21, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. CT. Full applications are due by 6:00 p.m. CT on January 15, 2025.The RWHF program was...
The rise in artificial intelligence (AI) in the franchising world may seem like a fairly recent phenomenon, but it first began to have a noticeable impact on the industry five years ago. Since that inflection point, AI technologies have rapidly matured in areas like machine learning, data analytics and language...
Reinke Unveils E3 Precision Center-pivot System
Oct 14 2024Reinke Manufacturing has unveiled its E3 precision series center pivot system — the third generation of Reinke Electrogator center-pivot systems.“E3 takes things to the next level,” said Mark Virus, manager of mechanical and structural engineering at Reinke Manufacturing. “It’s the first of it’s kind to have precision spacing from beginning...
The University of Minnesota Extension has conducted extensive research on succession planning and leadership transitions within the business community. Their research and resources provide economic developers with a toolkit they can use with businesses during Business Retention & Expansion (BRE) visits.Michael Darger, a seasoned Extension Specialist at the University of...
Walter J. Thompson moved his loan company from Burlington, Wisconsin to Hebron, Nebraska in 1871, and using that knowledge, founded the Exchange Bank in 1874, later to be renamed. Thayer County Bank has served, serviced, and invested in the community since its inception. In 1883, Thompson partnered with Frank Wetherald,...
If you’re in the food manufacturing business, you’ve probably been hearing a lot about cold storage over the last few years. It’s not just a trend. Cold storage is rapidly becoming a critical component of the industrial real estate landscape. The pandemic has only accelerated this shift, highlighting the essential...
In the high-stakes world of startups, founders often find themselves facing a paradoxical challenge: how to attract buyers without sellers and sellers without buyers.This chicken-and-egg problem has derailed more promising startups than we care to count. The truth is, you can overcome this dilemma. Successful marketplaces like Airbnb, Uber and...
The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) is pleased to announce the recipients of $10.72 million in awards under the 2024 application cycle of the Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund (NAHTF).The Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund (NAHTF) was established by the Nebraska Legislature in 1996 through the Nebraska Affordable Housing...
Airports are often seen as gateways to the sky, but for economic developers, they represent much more--an untapped economic engine waiting to be harnessed. Our whitepaper, From Runways to Revenue: Economic Benefits of Your Local Airport, dives deep into the economic opportunities airports provide to communities, particularly in rural areas...
Reinke Manufacturing will be investing $12 million into advancing robotics. Reinke is testing out a 19 robot cell and President Chris Roth said this is important because the pipe cell they have now is aging out, so they have reinvest in themselves to make what Roth calls ‘the world’s finest...
5 Ways AI Is Making The World A Safer Place
Sep 9 2024Artificial intelligence has skeptics, critics and scaremongerers. People are trolling AI news sites and starting protests against the technology. But it’s not all lost jobs and robots taking over. Discoveries and new inventions in artificial intelligence are making the world a safer place for humans. And that’s the point.Here’s what’s...
Out of Sites? Out of Mind.
Sep 2 2024Site readiness programs have significantly evolved over the decades, influenced by changing project demands and market trends.New York pioneered proactive site readiness with the Build Now New York program in the late 1990s. Initially, these programs centered on earning certifications, like a seal of approval — signaling credibility but varying...
The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) has announced the names of four (4) applicants who will receive $10,302,671 of investment in local projects through the HOME American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) Program. The funds will support the development of affordable rental housing to assist individuals or households who are homeless,...
Public awareness campaign launches to educate Nebraskans about new child care tax credits
Aug 27 2024First Five Nebraska (FFN) today kicked off a public education campaign promoting the Child Care Tax Credit and School Readiness Tax Credit. The refundable and nonrefundable tax credits are designed to help address key challenges facing child care providers and the families, employers and communities who depend on them. They...
4 Retail Marketing Strategies for Small Shops
Aug 19 2024As a small retail shop owner, you have big ambitions but, perhaps, a tight budget. You want to attract more customers but not blow all your means on expensive ads or social media marketing. What are some strategies to implement now and attract more customers?From the in-store experience to upping...
Federal funding is available to help preserve, expand, and upgrade local airport facilities. “From Runways to Revenue: Economic Benefits of Your Local Airport” provides key information and tips on how to secure this funding. Before downloading, here is an overview of what you need to know.Federal Funding for Airports: Part...
Which AI Tools Work for Job Recruiters?
Aug 19 2024Great talent is hard to find, especially in the wake of the Great Resignation. Artificial intelligence (AI) makes it easy (and quick) to accelerate and diversify talent pipelines, which can include millions of candidates and various specialized talent pools.How is AI being used by HR, workforce development, and headhunting pros...