Reinke Manufacturing honored for innovative efforts

Reinke Manufacturing Co. has been named the recipient of the first-ever Nebraska Innovation in Manufacturing Award. The Deshler company that makes mechanized irrigation systems and chassis equipment was honored at the annual meeting of the State Chamber’s Manufacturers Council on Wednesday. Presented by the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry and professional services firm RSM McGladrey, the award recognizes Nebraska manufacturers demonstrating new ways of conducting business.

Reinke was selected based on its workforce training and retention efforts. The company has partnered with local schools and community colleges to create career opportunities for those who want to remain in the Thayer County area. “Reinke has devised a solid model to attract and retain employees,” State Chamber President Barry Kennedy said in a news release.

“The company is proving the skeptics wrong when they say it’s impossible to find enough skilled labor in rural Nebraska.” Reinke employs about 400 employees in a community of nearly 900.

Northeast Nebraska mailbox project invites grads to return home

Each of the 172 seniors who graduated this year from one of the six high schools located in Holt County received an identical present — a congratulatory note offering graduation wishes and an open invitation to remember the communities where they grew up. And the invitation came inside a personalized mailbox. Nicole Sedlacek, Holt County Economic Development (HCED) director, said the mailbox project urged graduates who are entering the work force to take an active role now in the community.

Students who plan on attending college were asked to consider placing their mailboxes in their hometowns and Holt County following graduation from college. Sedlacek said most youths have hometown and school pride. Showing graduates the career and entrepreneurial opportunities that are available or needed in the region might help reverse trends in regard to population of rural communities. Making a connection with youths while they are still in high school is a key to success.

Sedlacek said that giving youths a sense of ownership instills a sense of community, which helps develop an attitude of wanting to return home. With the popularity of online networking, HCED can keep individuals updated via their e-mail. The development office has created an online presence at Facebook and currently has more than 100 members.

Nebraska Economic Leaders: Rural America Is Dying

Is rural America dying? Economic development leaders in Nebraska say yes. With the workforce leaving for better paying jobs in bigger cities, leaders are asking themselves, how can rural towns retain businesses, fill schools, and stay vibrant? An economic summit Thursday in Wayne, Neb., sought to answer those questions.

Mayors, city council members, and economic development leaders from all over Nebraska attended seminars and networked with economic development experts. The summit’s keynote speaker said rural towns need to recognize that it’s not location that keeps people in town; it’s quality of life.

“Communities that invest in themselves and create the amenities that attract people,” keynote speaker Don Holbrook said. “Like having a great college like Wayne State here as an asset, huge asset. If they play off of that, any community can be a world class community.”

From sessions throughout the day, to networking and meeting other economic leaders, the summit’s goal was to share experiences and forge partnerships throughout the region. The summit was funded by a grant from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

Nebraska building relationships for global investment

Nebraska is the first state to make detailed business development presentations to the Chinese cities of Xi’an and Hangzhou. More than 300 Chinese attended the sessions in Xi’an (pronounced SHE-ahn), which has a population of 2.7 million, and in Hangzhou (pronounced HANGH-joe), with 6.4 million residents, said Joe Chapuran, international development manager for the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. The stops at the two cities were highlights of six Nebraskans’ recent 18-day trade mission to China and Japan, aimed at finding new business relationships and enhancing existing commercial connections between Nebraska and the two Asian giants.

Also on the trip were representatives from the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, Nebraska Public Power District, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Werner Enterprises and JZW International, a trade firm. Many of the discussions centered on farming. Manufacturing, distribution, importing and exporting were big topics, too, said Marisa Ring, international business developer for the Omaha chamber.

“We were answering questions about work force, on incentives, on operating environments, about the full scope of questions you get when someone is seriously evaluating an opportunity,” Ring said.

In Japan, the group visited Kobe, Saitama, Shizuoka and Tokyo, mostly for individual talks with business contacts built up over years of commerce between Japan and Nebraska. By being first in the two Chinese cities, Chapuran said, Nebraska’s economic developers hope to compete with larger states that have more resources to focus on foreign trade. The Nebraska group was also promoting the state’s first “reverse trade mission,” Sept. 10-12, which is expected to draw 100 or more business officials from Brazil, China, Japan, Germany and other countries.

Currently, there are 350 oreign-owned businesses in Nebraska, with 19,000 employees.

May showers continue to delay corn planting in Nebraska

Above-normal rainfall and cooler temperatures this month are playing havoc on farmers trying to get into the fields to finish corn planting. Corn planting was rated at 55% complete as of Sunday, according to the weekly Nebraska Weather and Crop Report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office.

That’s well behind last year’s rating of 64% complete and five days behind the average of 71%. The wet, cool weather is also delaying soybean planting statewide, as only 6% of the crop has been planted. That’s behind last year’s 23% and the five-year average of 19%.

High energy prices hinder economic growth in Midlands

High energy prices have led to languishing economic growth and continued job losses in 10 Midwestern and Plains states, according to a survey of rural bankers. The overall economic index for the region rose slightly to 47.5, from 46.3 in March, still weak and below the nearly two-year low of 50 measured in February.

An index over 50 represents economic growth; a score below 50 signals economic downturn. Farmers aren’t the only ones hurting from higher energy prices, according to the survey, which includes Nebraska. “Higher energy prices appear to be the culprit in the (index’s) downturn,” said Creighton University economics professor Ernie Goss. Goss and Bill McQuillan, chief executive officer of City National Bank in Greeley, Neb., created the monthly survey of rural bank presidents and chief executives.

“Any time there are abuses of the financial system by the large financial firms, community banks pay the price,” said Jim Stanosheck, CEO of State Bank in Odell, Neb. The farm equipment sales index was a strong 71.4 in April, down slightly from 72.5 in March but up from 64.3 in April 2007. The farmland price index stood at 71.3, down from March’s 78.1. Bank indicators were mixed for April. Farmers pushed loan volumes up, to 57.3 from 54.5 in March.

Super Advantage tax program clears final round

Lawmakers passed a measure April 15 that creates a new tier in a business tax incentive program created in 2005.  LB895, introduced by Sen. Ray Janssen of Nickerson at the request of the governor, creates a news tier of qualifications for the Nebraska Advantage program.  Called the Nebraska Super Advantage tier, LB895 provides tax credits to employers that invest at least $10 million and create at least 75 new jobs that meet a wage threshold, or invest at least $100 million and hire at least 50 new employees.  <br /><br />To qualify, the newly-created jobs must pay at least 200% of the average wage in the county in which the project is located or at least 150% of the statewide average wage, whichever is higher.  LB895 allows benefits for projects in villages if the project promises at least two new jobs and at least $125,000 of new investment. Currently, such small projects must be in counties with a population of 15,000 or less, or in an enterprise zone.  <br /><br />Benefits also will be allowed for projects in one or more census tracts located in metropolitan class cites that have more than 30% of residents in poverty and in any adjacent census tracts if the project promises at least two new jobs and at least $125,000 in new investment. Currently, these small projects must be in small counties or in enterprise zones. Benefits will be allowed for projects in second class cities if the project promises at least five new jobs and at least $250,000 of new investment. <br /><br />Currently, projects in this tier must be in counties with a population of 25,000 or less.  The bill excludes livestock modernization or expansion efforts performed to correct environmental violations if they are made within five years of a complaint by the director of the state Department of Environmental Quality.  <br /><br />Finally, companies seeking benefits under the Super Advantage program are required to pay a $10,000 nonrefundable application fee.  LB895 was passed by a 43-1 vote.

More snow in Wyoming means more water for Nebraska’s Big Mac

The mountain snowpack in Wyoming is above average for this time of year, and experts say the abundance of high-country moisture this spring could recharge reservoirs drained low by drought. That’s good news for Lake McConaughy in western Nebraska.

The big lake’s principal supplier is the North Platte River, which is fed by snowmelt in the mountains of Wyoming and Colorado. A storm Thursday in southeast and central Wyoming deposited up to 20 inches of snow in the Medicine Bow Range in Carbon County and 7 inches in the Centennial area.

That helped push the snow-water equivalent in the critical Upper North Platte drainage to more than 115% of average, and the Little Snake River drainage in Carbon and Sweetwater counties to nearly 130% of average.

Nebraska water officials agree to more talks on Republican River

Water officials from Nebraska and Kansas have agreed to another month of talks as they try to resolve differences over use of Republican River water. But the top water official in Kansas says that isn’t a sign that legal proceedings are any less likely.

Following a meeting between the two states on Friday in Kansas City, David Barfield said there is still “a significant gap” between Nebraska’s plans to reduce water use and what Kansas officials think needs to be done.

Nebraska in recent years has used more Republican River than it was allowed under a legal compact that guides use of the river. Kansas water officials have said they would seek millions of dollars from Nebraska and a sharp reduction in irrigation in the river basin.

More snow in Wyoming means more water for Nebraska’s Big Mac

The mountain snowpack in Wyoming is above average for this time of year, and experts say the abundance of high-country moisture this spring could recharge reservoirs drained low by drought. That’s good news for Lake McConaughy in western Nebraska.

The big lake’s principal supplier is the North Platte River, which is fed by snowmelt in the mountains of Wyoming and Colorado. A storm Thursday in southeast and central Wyoming deposited up to 20 inches of snow in the Medicine Bow Range in Carbon County and 7 inches in the Centennial area.

That helped push the snow-water equivalent in the critical Upper North Platte drainage to more than 115% of average, and the Little Snake River drainage in Carbon and Sweetwater counties to nearly 130% of average.