Low-interest HOME REPAIR LOANS OFFERED THROUGH USDA

Scottsbluff, Neb., February 17, 2012-The current economic environment and its impact on the housing market is leading homeowners to repair their homes instead of buying a new one.  If your residence requires home improvements and you’re wondering how to get financing, USDA Rural Development can help with low-interest (1 percent) loans for those repairs.

“Now is a good time for homeowners to evaluate the need for necessary repairs or replacement of items such as a roof, electrical, plumbing, siding, or to improve energy efficiency through replacement windows and insulation.” said Debra Suhr, Area Technician for USDA Rural Development.  “The replacement of a furnace, sanitary disposal system, modernization of a home or making a home accessible for disabled household members may also be eligible under the program.”

The home loan repair program has a maximum loan amount of $20,000 and offers a 1% interest rate for up to 20 years.   Loans of less than $7,500 may not require a mortgage against the property.  The low interest rate and extended terms of the loan make repayment more affordable for households with limited income.  For example, a $10,000 loan at 1% interest for 20 years would have a monthly payment of $46, compared to a conventional loan with an interest rate of 4.75 % for 10 years, with a monthly payment of $105.

The applicant must own and occupy the home and not exceed income guidelines that are established by county and household size.  For example, for many counties in Nebraska, the income limit for a one person household is $19,950: two person, $22,800; three person, $25,650; four person, $28,500 and five person, $30,800.  However, some counties may have higher income limits.  Please contact your USDA Rural Development office for the income limits in your county.  Applicants must also have an acceptable credit history, show repayment ability and be unable to afford a conventional loan.

These low interest loans are available to homeowners in rural areas.  Rural is defined as those communities with a population of 20,000 or less, and includesColumbusandNorfolk.

“Rural Development has adequate loan funds available under the home repair program and I encourage homeowners to contact me,” said Suhr.

For additional information or to obtain an application, contact Debra Suhr at USDA Rural Development, (308)632-2195 x 1136, 818 Ferdinand Plaza, Suite B, Scottsbluff, NE   69361 or debra.suhr@ne.usda.gov  Visit: www.rurdev.usda.gov/ne/.

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The Center for Rural Affairs’ Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP) and its services are available to rural communities across Nebraska.  REAP offers technical assistance, educational and networking opportunities, and a loan program for small businesses.  REAP is designed to assist all types of small businesses, including businesses with 10 or fewer employees, self-employed full-time, part-time, home-based, farm-based, start-up, and store-front businesses. REAP has six regionally based Business Specialists, including 2 bilingual Specialists that also work with our Hispanic Business Center and the state’s only Women’s Business Center. These Business Specialists can get involved in assisting entrepreneurs at various stages of their business progress.

MEDC is pleased to partner with REAP in order to offer an expanded list of services to businesses of all sizes.

Mayor Dennis Berry, responding to a challenge accompanied by a generous personal gift from Senator Ben Nelson during the McCook Quasquicentennial Celebration, provided the leadership to form a task force to develop a community-wide marketing plan. Now organized under an interlocal agreement and known as Vision McCook the group seeks to: 1. Build the McCook brand with an updated logo and tagline 2. Develop a marketing plan with a new website and social media platform to reach a greater audience and 3. Manage the ongoing promotion of the McCook community both locally and abroad.

The core message coming out of this effort is that McCook is the Go To City of Southwest Nebraska. It is the place to go for great career opportunities, to start a business, for a quality lifestyle or for recreation and tourism. The new website at gotomccook.com allows close linking with the different member organizations while allowing them to maintain their own identities. The Tourism and Visitor’s Committee will maintain a calendar of recreational events and add capability to access the site from your mobile phone. Individuals from each of the member organizations have been trained to update information on events, attractions, lodging, hotels, businesses, organizations, volunteer opportunities and churches. Next the Vision McCook Group will engage in promotional activities both locally and to outside audiences that may be interested in the great things life in McCook has to offer.

The members of Vision McCook want you to join them in inviting the world to McCook, the Go To City of Southwest Nebraska!

In 2010, NBDC’s North Platte office provided assistance to more than 110 clients.  These clients were assisted with business plans, financial projections, general business consulting, and loan packaging.  They were approved for more than $10 million in loans and more than $11 million in total investment, which created more than 80 jobs.

NBDC’s general services are provided at no cost.  NBDC is a cooperative program of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the College of Business Administration of the University of Nebraska at Omaha.  Through the Small Business Development Center program, NBDC provides direct management and technical assistance to more than 2,000 businesses in Nebraska each year.  NBDC operates centers throughout the state in Omaha, Lincoln, Wayne, Norfolk, Kearney, North Platte, Chadron, and Scottsbluff.

Please feel free to contact the North Platte NBDC, Phone # 308-534-5115, Email jtuller@mail.unomaha.edu, Address:  300 East 3^rd, Rm 275, North Platte, NE 69101, or visit our website at http://nbdc.unomaha.edu

McCook, Neb. – With record crop yields the last two years in Southwest Nebraska, Northwest Kansas, & Northeast Colorado, the McCook Farm & Ranch Expo is the place to be. The Expo will return to the Red Willow County Fairgrounds on Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 16-17, 2011.

The show opens at 9 a.m. both days and closes at 7 p.m. the first day and 4 p.m. the second. Admission and parking are free.

To kick things off, there will be a free producer’s breakfast at 7:30am on Wednesday November 16^th. Come join us for some great food and friendly faces. This event is sponsored by Willow Creek Meats, Archer Petroleum, Hometown Family Radio, Kugler, Pepsi, Nebraska Bull Service, Kleins Motor Electric, Cappel Sales, Eugene Koch Pioneer Seeds, Chief Hotel & Restraunt, Arickaree Ranch Supply, Cowboy Up Tack, Grosch Irrigation & Farmers Magazine.

“It’s a great place to come see the newest and latest in farming and ranching practices and technology,” said Darren Dale, show manager. “We are expecting 350 vendors from 20 states, Canada & Australia.”

Exhibitors include displays for farm and ranch equipment, seed and
chemicals, agricultural services, irrigation manufacturers, financial providers, commodity organizations, colleges, governmental services, home services, furniture and art galleries and much, much more.
This year the McCook Farm & Ranch Expo will feature a working Ranch Horse Sale on Wednesday the 16^th starting at 6:00pm. The sale will show case the best performance horses for sale in the state that will be sold to the highest bidder. This event is sponsored by Z Tags North America. Along with the horse sale many local FFA Chapters will be making a project that will be auctioned off with all proceeds going back to that chapter.

Scott Daily Horse Training will be displayed this year at the expo. Scott has been featured on RFD-TV.  He will be show casing his low stress horse training techniques both days at the expo. Scott has been around horses most of his life. His love for horses and desire to train them began in 4-H while he was growing up in Inola, Oklahoma. Scott started training horses about 15 years ago. After many years of working with challenging colts and horses, Scott has developed and perfected his own techniques. Scott believes in building trust between horse and rider. Scott Daily Horse Training is sponsored by Vap Construction.

There will be park and drive zero turn mower demonstrations in front of the Kiplinger Arena. They will be brought to you be Kurtzer’s Walker Mowers.

We have a great line up of Rodeo Athletes this year, including Professional Bull Fighter Quirt Hunt, World Champion Steer Wrestler Dean Gorsuch, World Champion Bareback ride Will Lowe, along with Miss Rodeo Nebraska. They will be at the expo both days signing autographs along with other Rodeo queens from the area.  There will be several drawings at the expo including tickets to the Tri-City Storm Hockey and a beer garden to quench that thirst.  Corporate sponsors for the expo include Southwest Implement, Hometown Family Radio and the American Hat Company.

McCook is in the center of rich farmland and cattle feedlots in southwest Nebraska and northwest Kansas.

“Our parking lot counts from last year showed vehicles from 37 Nebraska counties, 20 Kansas counties, 13 Colorado counties and 10 other states,” says Dale.
The Red Willow County fairgrounds are in north central McCook, near West Fifth and O Streets.

For more information, contact Darren or Tana Dale at 866-685-0989 or dales@bwtelcom.net or go online to www.mccookfarmandranchexpo.net

Microenterprise Tax Credit & Agribusiness Sales Tax Exemption. Individuals who make an investment in personnel or depreciable assets for a small business can receive up to $10,000 as a refundable income tax credit. The class discussion will include the types of investment that qualify, how to apply and later claim the credit, and use of the applicable forms. In addition, this class will cover, in detail, the sales tax exemption for commercial agricultural producers on the purchase and repair of equipment. This session will benefit farmers, implement dealers, equipment suppliers, and parts store owners, as well as those who operate machine shops and other types of repair facilities. Plenty of time will be allowed for questions. No materials are provided for the class. Participants are requested to print a copy of the presentation found at www.revenue.ne.gov. Class will be held Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 1-4:30 p.m. in McMillen Hall, room 201 with instructor Margaret Sherard. Class fee is $10.

Microenterprise Tax Credit & Construction Contractors. Individuals who make an investment in personnel or depreciable assets for a small business can receive up to $10,000 as a refundable income tax credit. The class discussion will include the types of investment that qualify, how to apply and later claim the credit, and use of the applicable forms. In addition, this class will assist construction contractors in how to properly remit sales and use taxes by learning what is and is not considered tax exempt, which tax forms to use, and how to properly compute Nebraska taxes when working a job in another state. This class will benefit construction contractors, lumber yards, building supply businesses, and anyone who performs accounting services for these entities. Plenty of time will be allowed for questions. No materials are provided for the class. Participants are requested to print a copy of the presentation found at www.revenue.ne.gov. Class will be held Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 1-4:30 p.m. in McMillen Hall, room 201 with instructor Margaret Sherard. Class fee is $10.

Sales & Use Tax. This Nebraska Department of Revenue seminar will cover the basics of sales and use tax and will benefit anyone who is starting a business, running a business or performing accounting services for a business. Students will learn about exempt sales, when you are required to collect sales tax, how to get licensed, and how to file your sales tax return. There will be plenty of time for questions and problem solving.  No materials are provided for the class. Participants are requested to print a copy of the presentation found at www.revenue.ne.gov. Class will be held Wednesday, Oct. 5, from 8:30 a.m.-Noon in McMillen Hall, room 201 with instructor Margaret Sherard. Class fee is $10.

Originally a private initiative by the Hormel Family Foundation, the Hormel Business Plan Competition is now an Invest Nebraska Venture Competition. Click here to learn more about INC’s Venture Competitions.

Local sponsors for the Hormel Business Plan Compatition include Community Hospital, USDA Rural Development, McCook Community Development Company, comprised of AmFirst Bank and McCook National Bank. Thank you for your commitment to McCook and Nebraska!

When? November 4, 2011

Where? The Hormel Business & Technology Center on the McCook Community College campus in McCook, Nebraska.

Who? Any start-up or existing business owner already located in, or willing to locate to, the McCook, Nebraska area.

How? A number of preselecteded applicants will be called upon to make a pitch presentation to a judges panel composed of local and regional business leaders. The judges panel will then select the most promising business plan, and the winner will be awarded a $25,000 cash investment in exchange for a minority stake in the proposed or existing company.

Why? Because we are confident that your success can be Nebraska’s success, and a community that encourages innovation, optimism, and entrepreneurship, is a community that will never stop thriving.

Deadline: October 21, 2011

2011 Hormel Competition Rules and Guidelines

Submit your business plan online by clicking here, or mail it to us at 4701 Innovation Dr. Lincoln, NE 68521.

Include a signed copy of the competition application.

Questions? Contact Susan Harris-Broomfield at susan@investnebraska.com

To CareerLink.com, the region’s leading career development resource where job seekers, employers, students, educators and entrepreneurs connect.

With 13 million hits per week, this free online job recruitment tool is available to McCook area businesses. Join us on Friday, September 23, at noon, to discover what this valuable tool can do to help your business! Representatives will be present to assist you in getting started.

Providing Careerlink access to businesses in southwest Nebraska was made possible by investments from several communities in the region. In McCook, MEDC made an investment of local Economic Development Sales Tax funds on behalf of the McCook area business community.

Who: Anyone who has owned, currently owns, or would like to own a business

What: Introduction to Careerlink, followed by networking with your peers

Where: Keystone Business Center, 402 Norris Ave., McCook, NE – third floor training room

When: Noon – 1:15pm, Friday, September 23, 2011

Bring a friend and your lunch!

Individual appointments are available in the afternoon for CareerLink staff to help businesses get set up to use the site.

NABB Fall Conference

October 17 & 18, 2011

Location:  Prairie Creek Inn B&B, Walton, NE

Monday, October 17

8:00 – 1:00     Aspiring Innkeeper Workshop  Join us to learn the ABC’s of Innkeeping.

Want to Operate a B&B?  Experience the Possibilities!

By

Harriet Gould

 Innkeeper, Pine Crest Farms B&B, Valparaiso, NE

President, Nebraska Association of Bed and Breakfast

Have you ever dreamed about running your own business right out of your home?  Do you have extra bedrooms in your home that guests would enjoy?  Do you enjoy entertaining and being a hostess?  Do you like to cook?  If your answer to these questions is “yes”, then perhaps you ought to consider operating a bed and breakfast, an in-home business opportunity that can provide additional income in these tough economic times.

To help you investigate these questions and more, the Nebraska Association of Bed and Breakfast (NABB) is hosting a workshop on Monday, October 17, 2011.  The Aspiring Innkeeper Workshop (AIW) will be held just east of Lincoln, NE, in rural Walton at the Prairie Creek Inn Bed and Breakfast.  Veteran innkeepers, all members of NABB, will host this workshop.  They bring a variety of innkeeping experiences to this workshop and provide you with important knowledge about running a B&B in Nebraska.

Some B&B’s are located in cities while others are in very rural settings.  Amenities vary widely from inn to inn too.  Lincoln’s Atwood House is a stately Georgian colonial that has Jacuzzi tubs and luxurious bathrooms while Whispering Pines has an outdoor hot tub and Pine Crest Farms has a spacious outdoor swimming pool.  Burchell’s White Hill Farmhouse Inn in Minden has a restaurant on the property as well as a gift shop.  Traditions B&B in Columbus has an award-winning restaurant attached to the B&B while The Hanlon House in Scottsbluff hosts many cultural events at the B&B.  KrazyWoman Orchard B&B in Scribner is an updated 1900s era farmhouse surrounded by pine, hazelnut, pecan trees and country views. Other inns have none of these amenities but offer the traveler a quiet night’s rest in a unique setting.  There are many, many options available when you begin to think about creating your B&B.  Check out the NABB website to explore the many approved and inspected inns that are members of the state’s B&B association, offering a quality standard for the B&B industry.

Consider attending the Aspiring Innkeeper Workshop on October 17 at Prairie Creek Inn Bed and Breakfast.  Attendees must register in advance for this workshop, and you’re encouraged to book a night at the B&B prior to the workshop.  Complete details about this workshop and the NABB Fall Conference are located on the NABB website : http://www.nebraskabb.com