Renewable Fuels and Twitter

In Twitterland, I’ve met a few peeps (or as they refer to themselves, “tweeps”) in the renewable energy sector that have introduced me to a few new tools that track global activity in the renewable sector.  The coolest so far?  Social Approach’s Alternative Energy site.  Check it out here.  You can follow global conversations on renewable fuels AND look to see how particular locales are integrating renewable energy projects in their communities.  Plus you can connect your Twitter account with the conversation and join in the fun.

Registration Open House at OLC

Next Wednesday night, from 6-8 pm the Ord Learning Center will be hosting a registration open house for Central Community College students and prospective students.  If you are either enrolled in, or looking for more information about the extended learning services and individualized study courses, next Wednesday night is for you.

For more information about course offerings from CCC, check them out online, or contact us directly:  308.728.7875 or email Lu Lansman:  llansman@frontier.com

We look forward to seeing you there!

$500 Christmas Bingo Winner

Alice Stevens was the big winner in our Christmas Bingo shopping promotion.  Mrs. Stevens won $500 in ChamberBucks by shopping at local Chamber businesses: Speeds Apple Market, Anderson Pharmacy (twice) and First National Bank.  Ord Area Christmas Bingo participants were eligible if they visited a Chamber business listed on their bingo sheet and won a bingo.

Congrats Alice and to our participants, thank you!! Buying local is not only important, it’s essential to the vitality of our community.  Buying locally, especially during the holidays, produces measurable benefits here at home.  Locally-owned businesses return an average of 75% to 80% of each dollar to their community and that dollar will return up to five times that amount within the Ord area.

Not convinced?  We’ve blogged before on the impact of buying locally here, here, here and here.

Please think twice before you spend your Ord-earned dollars in Grand Island or Kearney.

Rural lacks broadband access

So says the Fed.  And it looks like they are putting teeth behind an effort to get the ball rolling.  Have a look at here, as it sums up my concern over this trend:

“It’s just the cost of doing business,” Lewis said. “I have to sell one more car a month to pay for Internet access we don’t get.” Otherwise, he said, “we can’t sell cars.”

One particular piece of data that we all ought to chew on?  Connected Nation offers insight into the economic impact:

Connected Nation, a nonprofit group based in Washington that works to expand broadband adoption, projected that raising the broadband adoption rate by 7 percentage points nationwide would reap $134 billion a year in immediate economic impact.

I plan to bring this issue to the NEDA board to see what our professional association should do about it.  Your input would be helpful, and sharing would be essential.  A long while back I polled you all to see if you were happy with your connectivity.  Take the poll again here.

One more thing – Happy Monday!

Merry Christmas

We’re closing up shop until Monday of next week.  I’ll be signing off for a few days for some R&R with my family.  We at Valley County Economic Development & the Ord Area Chamber want to wish all of our readers a very Merry Christmas!  Be safe, be merry and be well!

We’ll be back at it Monday morning with updates on the Ord Learning Center, New Neighborhoods and more.  Adios amigos.

Valley Cinema

One of the major reasons for the light posting as of late is the project activity in the community.  One in particular that we’ve been involved with is the current renovations at Valley Cinema.  Have a looksie at KNLVradio.com:

Brian and Kelly took the idea of the Cinema building, originally being a full theatre with the utilities for plays and other productions, and ran with it.

The current stage that was built in front of the original, is in the process of being torn down. To cater to a wider range of audiences tables and additional seating will be added. So will a fully functional bar, open for select productions.

The big idea behind the renovations was to give Valley Cinema the ability to host comedians, bands, plays and other productions, along with Husker games.

I for one am stoked to see how this will unfold.  One more thing: Brian and Kelly are still showing movies, so stop by for a flick and see the renovation project in progress.  This gem will shine even brighter when this whole effort is complete.

Board meeting cancelled

Today’s Economic Development Board Meeting has been cancelled, due to the weather.  We have rescheduled our meeting for January 6th @ noon, Chamber offices.

You can read what is up for discussion here.

The Chamber will be open today and if you need last minute ChamberBucks, stop on by!

2010 Microenterprise Tax Credit

Tax season is just barely a month away.  For those of you interested in filing for the Microenterprise Tax Credit, you can earn up to $10,000 back for your small business.  The rules of the road:

The Microenterprise Act has $2 million available for each calendar year through December 31, 2015 to provide tax credits to applicants for creating or expanding microbusinesses. The total lifetime tax credits claimed by any one taxpayer and any related person(s) are limited to $10,000.

An individual may file another Microenterprise Application after the first two year application period has ended. The individual may claim no more than the difference between the $10,000 lifetime limit and the pending amount previously requested.

Remember folks, there is a lifetime cap of $10,000 per applicant, and it is *first come first serve*.  These funds run out around March, so talk to you local accountant and get yourself prepared.

Details of the Microenterprise Tax Credit can by found at the Nebraska Department of Revenue or by clicking here.

Economic Development Board Meeting

The Valley County Economic Development Board will be having their monthly board meeting tomorrow, at noon here at the Chamber offices.

You can download the agenda here, and last month’s meeting minutes here.

Hope to see you there!

Holiday Hours

We’re back! For the Christmas and New Year’s season, office hours will be a bit different this year.  For Christmas, the office will be closed both December 24th and December 25th.

For New Years, the office will only be closed 1/1/10.

Looks like we’re going to have a white Christmas this year.  Please be safe out there!