Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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Communities in every corner of the country now struggle with a lack of affordable homes, an ailment long associated with fast-growing urban areas. A lack of affordable housing hamstrings rural towns’ abilities to attract workers and slows business growth. Quality housing is also linked to health and well-being, and home ownership remains a primary way working people build equity and ownership. Small towns need affordable, quality housing for people across the financial spectrum. Solving this s...
With school beginning next week, summer's end is in sight. What did you do over summer vacation? While the question may be a first-day ice breaker, a teacher's response may surprise you. Several teachers run their own side business in the summer to keep them busy and gain a little extra cash. Kindergarten teacher, Taryl Bazelman stayed busy throughout the summer by offering car detailing and creating custom T-shirts. She also makes shirts throughout the school year. Individuals interested in...
JESSICA CAMPOS Women’s Business Center director Center for Rural Affairs During the first quarter of 2022, 85% of small business owners said their business was affected by inflation, and 67% were forced to raise prices, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Inflation can be catastrophic for small businesses and many owners are worried. However, small businesses can be more flexible and responsive to shifts in markets and in demand than their larger counterparts. Here are some steps to t...
For two years, processors and producers across rural Nebraska have fought hard to get a program to improve and expand Nebraska's meat processing capabilities approved and established. Their work, along with that of the Nebraska Legislature and staff at Nebraska Department of Agriculture, has paid off as grant applications for the Independent Processor Assistance Program are now being accepted. This development is not only good news to processors who've spent the last two years doing everything...
Ewing's newest business is owned by 2021 Summerland School graduate Anthony Umphress. A Ewing native, Umphress was inspired to open his business - Tony's Tires - after working for Connot Tire Services in O'Neill for a year. Although he loved what he did, the idea of working for himself, instead of a boss, began to sound like a million-dollar idea. Although the endeavor was Umphress's idea, his father, Jake, inspired him to enter the business world. Jake owns a trucking company, Umphress...
Google and Facebook have enormous economic and political power in society – especially over the news industry. Many ask if they have played a role in the misinformation that erodes our free press and plagues our democracy. Google and Facebook have a duopoly of the distribution of digital news content, which drives people to their platforms where they make money. The platforms hoard critical data and use clever tactics, like reframing stories in rich previews, to keep users on their sites – sip...
PROCEEDINGS VILLAGE OF CLEARWATER BOARD OF TRUSTEES July 13, 2022 The Board of Trustees of the Village of Clearwater met in regular session, Wednesday, July 13, at 7:30 p.m., in the fire hall meeting room. Meeting opened at 7:30 p.m. Notice of meeting was given in advance by publication in Summerland Advocate-Messenger and notice was given to board members prior to meeting. Public was informed of location of Open Meeting Act poster. Present: Kevin Filsinger, Steve Hankla, Kelly Kerkman, Cody Kester. Others present: Jeff Schlecht, Kate Ahlers,...
Got Style, in Clearwater, is owned by Marsha Drury and has been supporting the community with all its hair needs since 2000. While Got Style has been open since 2000, the building itself has quite the history. On Aug. 16, 1918, the building was a functioning schoolhouse known as District 20, located five and one-half miles southwest of Neligh. It was brought to Clearwater, across a couple of bridges, by a steam tractor. The building was first located at 604 Main Street, where Cornerstone Bank is...
Summer is in full swing and with that comes cookouts and gatherings where food is featured. As you plan your menu, keep local farmers in mind. Buying locally-produced food strengthens the local economy. According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, on average, every $100 spent at a locally-owned business results in $45 flowing back into the local community. This is much higher than the $14 that stays in the community when we spend our $100 at a business that isn’t locally owned. More c...
A new business offering home upgrades hopes to build a small business into a full-time gig. Travis Shaffer, of Orchard, started T. Shaffer Home Improvement three months ago. According to Shaffer, the venture started when he was working on a project for his father-in-law. People started complimenting his work and asked if he could complete projects for them. Shaffer thought he would try a small business to see if he could eventually make it a full-time business, since he is still working a...
Imagination, innovation and invitation are three of the most important words in community building. These words hold great power in shaping hometowns in Greater Nebraska, today and in the future. For 20 years I've had the pleasure of working with community leaders throughout Holt County (population 10,127) in north central Nebraska. Amazing people live and work in Atkinson, O'Neill, Stuart and many other small towns in Holt County. It's always been a great place to be a kid. Today, Holt County...
NFPW Communicator of Achievement director Karen Stensrud and NPW COA director Ruth Brown contributed to this article. LuAnn Schindler of Clearwater received the 2022 Communicator of Achievement Award from the National Federation of Press Women. This prestigious award has been given for 65 years. Schindler received the honor during a celebration at the organization's annual conference, held June 23 to 25, in Fargo, North Dakota. Now in its 85th year, NFPW is a nationwide organization of...
REP. ADRIAN SMITH The importance of a strong agriculture economy to the state of Nebraska and our entire nation cannot be overstated. Often overlooked in policy conversations, products supplied by farmers and ranchers are fundamental to fueling our lives, filling our plates, putting shirts on our backs and so much more. Yet, American ag producers currently face a bevy of historic crises which threaten their livelihoods and the long-term health of our economy. This comes at a time when relief for Americans suffering because of inflation and the...
TJ's Market, in Orchard, continues to upgrade the business to serve the small town with the luxury of having a grocery store. It's come a long way since a grocery store first opened in the village. In fact, the village's Main Street and TJ's Market, as it is known today, looked quite different in past years. An Oct. 7, 1993, Orchard News article detailed the history of the Market. Perry Elder bought the Wolfe Store in Ewing in 1890, and took the contents to Orchard, from Ewing, on wagons. It...
Every morning, vehicles fill the lot at Royal One Stop, where customers are greeted at the door by a group of individuals playing cards. While the town's population has dwindled over the years, Royal One Stop continues to flourish. The "Royal Centennial" outlines the history of the business. The convenience store has not always been called Royal One Stop. The business started in the early 1920s when Hiram and Louise Beal bought land from a Mr. Allen and built a service station and home on the...
JESSICA CAMPOS Center for Rural Affairs Women’s Business Center director Many small business owners wonder how cybersecurity pertains to their business or think they could never fall victim to cybercriminals. But, according to the Small Business Administration, cyber-attacks are a growing threat for entrepreneurs and the U.S. economy. In 2020 alone, the FBI reported that the cost of cybercrimes reached $2.7 billion. While some small businesses have little to no financial resources to devote t...
If you could rewind to your first day in high school (maybe even junior high), would you choose the same path when it comes to course selection? Or, would you rethink those choices, reconsider your future and develop a skillset that will offer hands-on training? The idea came to mind recently, when I was invited to attend the SkillsUSA VIP tour during the organization’s annual convention in Grand Island. If you are unfamiliar with Skills- USA, the career and technical education organization p...
With their approval of several key pieces of legislation, Nebraska lawmakers solidified the importance of small entrepreneurs, local meat processors and family farms to our state’s economy and way of life. Their support also preserves a healthy future for rural Nebraska. Entering this legislative session, lawmakers faced tough decisions regarding how to spend the state’s allotment of recovery funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. For rural senators, priorities included support for...
The Legislature gave second-round approval to budget bills this past week, working late each evening. This will allow the budget to be read on Final Reading next week, meeting the requirement to have it passed by the 50th legislative day. The budget provides funding to cover salary increases recently negotiated with the union and the state for employees at correctional facilities and other 24/7 facilities that were experiencing dangerous staffing shortages. Worker shortages and competition also...
Federal programs that invest in rural America have a significant impact on small communities. As resources are made available to local businesses and farmers, they are better equipped with the tools they need to succeed. Each year, Congress is responsible for passing an appropriations bill that allocates additional funding to programs that support agricultural, rural development, and small communities. On March 11, President Joe Biden signed the 2022 appropriations bill, totalling $1.5...
On March 1, U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development announced the availability of $19.75 million in total funding for projects as part of the Value-Added Producer Grants program. Individual farmers and ranchers, as well as agricultural businesses and producer groups, may apply for the grants, which must be used to develop new products or expand existing markets for value-added products. The applicant must produce at least 50% of the raw agricultural product to which value is being added...
A few weeks ago, I read somewhere that March is National Peanut Butter Month. "Aha!" I thought. "Perfect topic for a column sometime soon." But when I began doing research, I discovered that whoever wrote that was wrong. As far as I can tell, there is no actual National Peanut Butter Month, although November is recognized as National Peanut Butter Lovers Month. So while peanut butter doesn't get it's own month, people who love peanut butter do. They also get their own day with National Peanut...
Judy Petersen, executive director of the Central Nebraska Economic Development District, met with Ewing Village Board of Trustees, Monday, during the board's monthly meeting. CNEDD offers business, community and economic development services to a 14-county area. Petersen provided background information on projects the district is currently working on, including broadband and livestock concerns. A livestock survey, asking about the need for small, local meat processing facilities, is available fo...
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For Nebraska’s small business owners, the past two years have been anything but easy. From forced closures to supply chain disruptions, entrepreneurs are seeing a new challenge at every turn. The Nebraska Legislature will have an opportunity to provide some much needed stability with two bills scheduled to appear in front of the Appropriations Committee in February. Legislative Bill 1090, introduced by Sen. Myron Dorn, would allow lawmakers to increase funding for the Business Innovation A...
