The skilled trades are at a pivotal moment in time. More than a decade of understaffing issues remain unresolved as the Great Retirement looms, and current economic uncertainty is shifting budget priorities away from workforce development at many organizations. As for the next decade, the U.S. Bureau of Labor (BLS)...Continue Reading
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics most recent report released on March 10, 2023, the unemployment rate for March was 3.5 percent. The unemployment rate has hovered at this level over the last 12 months, ranging between 3.5 percent and 3.7 percent, except for in January 2023 where it...Continue Reading
August 09, 2023
NEW STUDY WARNS ABOUT IMPENDING FINANCIAL CLIFF FOR NEBRASKA'S EARLY CHILDHOOD SYSTEM
Loss of Federal Funds Contributes to Growing Gap for Fully Funding Vital Child Care Services
OMAHA, Nebraska – A looming federal funding cliff for child care providers could further strain Nebraska’s...Continue Reading
Yarn is woven to create clothing like jeans that offer protection and strength greater than its singular ability alone. The fabric of a community can be thought of similarly, with the actions of individuals, businesses and organizations intertwined to strengthen economic vitality, raise the quality of life and impart a...Continue Reading
A new fiber internet business is open in north Beatrice.
Pinpoint Fiber cut the ribbon on their new highway 77 location Thursday afternoon as they bring fiber internet to Beatrice. Pinpoint's Tom Shoemaker says the work will change fiber operations across the city.
Read the complete article here. Continue Reading
The Beatrice City Council has voted 6-1 to move forward with a concept to make the downtown more pedestrian-friendly and reroute truck traffic off Court Street. But the body amended its resolution to state it’s only a concept at this point. Mayor Bob Morgan says the design process, working with...Continue Reading
Nebraska Heritage and Pioneer Farm families were presented awards on Sunday afternoon at the Gage County Fair.
Two families received the Heritage Farm Awards from the AKSARBEN Foundation for 150 years of continuous ownership by the same family. The Nebraska Farm Bureau and the Nebraska Association of Fair Managers...Continue Reading
A portion of pipeline which transports natural gas across southern Nebraska would be transitioned to handling carbon dioxide, under an energy company’s plan. Gage County Supervisors Wednesday received an update on the plans for the Trailblazer Pipeline, from Tallgrass…an energy company. The existing 36-inch natural gas pipeline that crosses portions...Continue Reading
The inability to find enough qualified workers is a consistent storyline everywhere today, from social media and industry news platforms to the local coffee shop. Its prominence has pushed the ongoing issue of support for existing workers to distant awareness. Not so in Gage County, Nebraska, where NGage and the...Continue Reading
More than a half-year since being filed, Gage County has approved a permit for a joint project between an Adams farm family and Summit Pork, of Iowa.
The Gage County Board Wednesday voted 5-2 in favor of a special use permit in Hanover Township between Pickrell and Adams, for...Continue Reading
Southeast Community College plans to hold several information sessions on the new funding model for community colleges, approved in legislation this year and signed by the Governor.
LB 243 will eliminate the ability of community colleges to levy property taxes for general operations, replacing that revenue with money from...Continue Reading
A Beatrice manufacturer will make use of tax increment financing for a $2.3 million expansion of their north Gage County Industrial Park Operation.
Kinney Holdings, doing business as Precise Fabrication, cleared the final regulatory step Friday, for using tax increment financing, which assists in funding utility infrastructure, site preparation...Continue Reading
The head of Main Street Beatrice says there’s been some interest in a huge downtown former hotel and retirement center in Beatrice.
The City of Beatrice and the local business group have been working on getting a developer or developers to take over the Paddock-Kensington, which closed as a...Continue Reading
Childcare is a critical economic and community growth driver, and NGage has committed to addressing the lack of childcare after learning of Gage County’s need. In 2023, Gage County was one of five areas in Nebraska selected for Rooted Community Partnerships, a childcare provider quality enhancement activities project through the...Continue Reading
The Beatrice Municipal Airport hopes to rework its apron and fueling location, but also faces the need for more hangar and avionics space.
Beatrice Municipal Airport Manager Dennis Schmitt told city officials Monday night that he has put together a plan for needed improvements. The facility in north Beatrice currently...Continue Reading
Elected officials also approved issuing of bonds backed by economic development funds for the purchase of 80 acres of property for business and industrial use, west and north of Precise Fabrication. Up to $1.25 million in bonds will be issued.
"These particular bonds, since they are paid for by...Continue Reading
The City of Beatrice will exercise an option on land that will add to available industrial space in the city.
The mayor and city council conducted a public hearing on the plan, Monday night. City Administrator Tobias Tempelmeyer says the tract involved is 80 acres."It would be to the...Continue Reading
Meet Dr. Krista Haake and Andrew Haake: A Beatrice Couple Who Moved Back Home
Dr. Krista Haake and Andrew Haake grew up in Beatrice. In fact, if you were to ask Andrew Haake what the best thing about growing up here was, he is likely to say it was...Continue Reading
Erin Chadwick and husband Trevor Chadwick, owner and manager of Brown’s Shoe Fit Co., are young professionals and actively engaged community members. Through their work in either economic development or business management, the Chadwicks understand the importance of maintaining a strong community and encourage other young professionals to follow their...Continue Reading
Colleen and John Schoneweis, owners of Vintage Venue and Colleen's Catering, have spent over two decades catering weddings, corporate meetings, parties, dinners and charitable events. During that time, they were on the lookout for a building they could purchase and turn into an event space. “Very often, when working for...Continue Reading
Beatrice is home to a thriving community of young professionals, including two medical professionals, Steve and Anni Paulmeyer. Steven Paulmeyer, MD, is a physician at Beatrice Internal Medicine and Anne Paulmeyer, PA-C, works at Gage County Medical Clinic. Anni grew up in Beatrice, but Steve moved here from Chicago and...Continue Reading
The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) is accepting applications for the Developing Youth Talent Initiative (DYTI). This year, DED is also accepting applications for a special program funded by the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER II-DYTI).
In March 2020, the U.S. Congress established the GEER Fund through...Continue Reading
Today, Governor Jim Pillen announced a partnership between the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) and the Aksarben Foundation to create and lead a new internship program to strengthen Nebraska’s workforce. Over the past year, Nebraska’s job creation has outpaced the rest of the Midwest and most of the nation,...Continue Reading
The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) has awarded $1.37 million from the Nebraska EDA Tourism Grant Program to six subrecipients. The awards cover two project types: Events & Marketing projects and Planning & Technical Assistance projects. Awards in a third category—Infrastructure Projects—will be announced in the coming weeks pending...Continue Reading