♪ >>> NEBRASKA HAS THE LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN THE COUNTRY.

THAT RATE IS NOW SIMILAR TO THE ONE WE HAD BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

SO, IS OUR STATE ON ITS WAY TO ECONOMIC RECOVERY?

PLUS, HOW STATE LAWMAKERS ARE ATTACKING RURAL BROADBAND AND THE LATEST ON THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

ALL OF THAT TONIGHT ON "“SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA.

"” ♪ >>> THANKS FOR JOINING US ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

I'’M N.E.T.

NEWS DIRECTOR DENNIS KELLOGG.

AT 3%, NEBRASKA IS TIED FOR THE LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN THE COUNTRY.

JOBLESS CLAIMS ARE STILL MUCH HIGHER RIGHT NOW COMPARED TO A YEAR AGO.

OTHER ECONOMIC INDICATORS SUGGEST THE STATE IS DOING BETTER THAN MUCH OF THE COUNTRY.

CREIGHTON ECONOMICS PROFESSOR ERNIE GOSS SAYS NEBRASKA'’S ECONOMY IS MIXED.

IT HAS SOME STRONG PORTIONS, BUT IT ALSO HAS SOME WEAK SPOTS.

>> THE ECONOMY IN NEBRASKA IS VERY STRONG.

NOW, THAT'S STRONG WITH WEAK PORTIONS OF THE ECONOMY, THAT WOULD BE RETAIL.

THAT WOULD ALSO BE LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY, WHICH, NATIONALLY, IS NOT DOING VERY WELL, NOT DOING VERY WELL IN NEBRASKA, AS WELL.

BUT IN TERMS OF THE BASIC INDUSTRIES, MANUFACTURING, OUR SURVEY HERE AT CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY OF SUPPLY MANAGERS INDICATES THAT THE MANUFACTURING ECONOMY IS GROWING, ACCORDING TO SUPPLY MANAGERS.

LIKEWISE, OUR SURVEY OF BANK CEO'S IN NEBRASKA, THE RURAL AREAS SHOWING THAT THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR IS SEEING ITS BEST NUMBERS SINCE 2013 AND '14.

AGAIN, THOUGH THE RETAIL SALES AND RETAILERS ON RURAL -- WHAT WE CALL RURAL MAIN STREET AT CREIGHTON -- ARE NOT DOING AS WELL.

JOINING US NOW ARE TONY GOINS, NEBRASKA'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, AND CINDY JOHNSON, PRESIDENT OF THE GRAND ISLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

>> THANK YOU.

>> THE PANDEMIC HAS HIT JUST ABOUT EVERYONE HARD, NO MATTER WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM.

THE ECONOMY IS CERTAINLY NO EXCEPTION WHATSOEVER.

MORE NEBRASKANS WERE UNEMPLOYED THAN EVER BEFORE LAST YEAR, AND DURING LAST YEAR, AND THAT'S NOT THE ONLY MEASUREMENT, OF COURSE, OF THE HEALTH OF THE ECONOMY.

BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU, WE'’LL BEGIN WITH YOU TONY.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE STATE OF NEBRASKA'’S ECONOMY RIGHT NOW.

>> I WOULD SAY THE STATE OF NEBRASKA OUR ECONOMY IS FAIRLY STRONG.

RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE THE LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN THE UNITED STATES AT ABOUT 3%.

WE HAVE MOST ENGAGED WORKFORCE AT ABOUT CLOSE TO 70%.

OUR GDP IS TYPICALLY BETTER THAN THE REST OF THE PACK.

SO IN GENERAL, OUR ECONOMY IS EXTREMELY STRONG.

WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT HAVE SOME CHALLENGES.

NO SECRET RETAIL -- YOU CAN SEE THE AMAZON TRUCKS AND THE RECENT DIGITAL MOVEMENT HAS CREATED E-COMMERCE, SO OUR FOOT RETAIL STORES ARE HAVING SOME CHALLENGES.

AND, OF COURSE, HOSPITALITY, BECAUSE BUSINESS TRAVEL HAS SLOWED DOWN, SO RELATIVE TO OTHER PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES WE'RE STRONG.

THAT DOESN'T NEGATE THE FACT THAT EVERY BUSINESS IS IMPORTANT.

I DO THINK THAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED ANOTHER STIMULUS TO TRY TO GET US THROUGH.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE GETTING VACCINES IN ARMS, AND HERD IMMUNITY IN ORDER TO REALLY BRING US BACK TO A FULL ECONOMY WHERE EVERYONE IS TRULY PARTICIPATING.

>> CINDY JOHNSON, TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE PANDEMIC IN GRAND ISLAND IN PARTICULAR.

>> I WOULD ECHO A LOT OF WHAT TONY JUST SAID.

GRAND ISLAND REMAINED STRONG THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, AND WE WERE HIT HARD IN THE EARLY PHASES OF THE PANDEMIC.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT GRAND ISLAND COMPARED TO SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES OR OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE IS WE HAVE 7,000 INDIVIDUALS IN THE MANUFACTURING WORLD.

AND THE MANUFACTURERS ARE CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES.

SO THAT INDUSTRY, OR THOSE INDUSTRIES, BARELY SAW A BLIP ON THE RADAR.

AS I WAS COMMENTING EARLIER ONE OF OUR COMPANIES HAD IMPLEMENTED OVER 30 NEW POLICIES, PROCEDURES, OR PROTOCOLS TO ENSURE THAT THEIR CUSTOMERS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES WERE SAFE DURING THE PANDEMIC.

THAT'S THE TYPE OF WHEREWITHAL YOU'RE GOING TO SEE FROM GRAND ISLAND BUSINESSES, FROM NEBRASKA BUSINESSES.

THEY WILL DO WHAT IT TAKES TO PROTECT EMPLOYEES.

THEY WILL DO WHAT IT TAKES TO PROTECT CONSUMERS AND THEIR CUSTOMERS, AND THEY'LL MOVE FORWARD.

AGAIN, WE SAW SOFTENING VERY SOFT AREAS WITH THE HOSPITALITY, RESTAURANT INDUSTRIES, AND THE RETAIL.

AND A LOT OF THAT I BELIEVE ESPECIALLY IN THE RETAIL WORLD JUST WAS ACCELERATED WITH THE PANDEMIC.

I THINK THAT WE WERE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION AS A PUBLIC PANDEMIC MADE IT WORSE.

IT MADE IT FASTER.

THE CHANGE CAME TEN TIMES AS FAST AS IT WOULD HAVE BEFORE.

>> AS TONY KIND OF ALLUDED TO, NEBRASKA IS DOING MUCH BETTER THAN SOME OF THE OTHER STATES AND THE REST OF THE COUNTRY, AND AS FAR AS OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WE ARE TIED FOR THE LOWEST AT AROUND 3%.

SO TONY IF UNEMPLOYMENT IS VERY LOW, DOES THAT COME UP WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO RECRUIT A BUSINESS WHEN IT COMES TO THE AVAILABILITY OF THE WORKFORCE?

CAN THAT EVEN BE A NEGATIVE AT TIMES?

>> YOU KNOW, IT COMES UP BUT WE'RE ABLE TO OVERCOME THAT OBSTACLE.

WE HAVE A GREAT UNIVERSITY SYSTEM UNDER DR. CARTER.

WE HAVE GREAT COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM, GREAT STATE COLLEGE SYSTEM, AND SO WE HAVE WAYS OF OVERCOMING THAT CONVERSATION BASED ON THE TALENT PIPELINE COMING OUT OF OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

THE LARGER GAP REALLY CENTERS AROUND SKILLS, THE SKILLS GAP, SO WE HAVE A HIGH NUMBER OF JOBS THAT ARE WHAT WE CALL HIGH PAYING, HIGH DEMAND JOBS AND WHAT WE HAVE TO DO NOW IS RESKILL OUR WORKFORCE TO MEET THAT FUTURE DEMAND AND THAT DEMAND IS REALLY THE MAJORITY OF IT IS TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN.

IT'’S VERY, VERY TECH DRIVEN, EVEN IF IT'S IN THE AGRICULTURE WORLD, IN THE BANKING WORLD, REGARDLESS IT'S TO THE BUSINESS VERTICAL IT'S TECH DRIVEN.

>> IN TALKING WITH ERNIE GOSS WHO WE HEARD AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM, CINDY, HE'S TALKING ABOUT THE AG ECONOMY IS ACTUALLY DOING PRETTY WELL, YOU GO BACK TO 2013-2014, WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THOSE COMPARABLE NUMBERS FOR FARMLAND PRICES AND SOME OF THE OTHER PRICES OUT THERE.

WE'RE SEEING SOME OF THAT GROWTH.

SO, GRAND ISLAND IS OBVIOUSLY IMPACTED BY THE AG ECONOMY, SO DO YOU THINK THAT'S BEEN ONE REASON WHY GRAND ISLAND BUSINESSES HAVE STOOD STRONG, BECAUSE THE AG ECONOMY IS HANGING IN THERE?

>> WE REALLY HAVE AN IMPACT, AG IMPACTS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR MANUFACTURING WORLD, IT IMPACTS WHAT'S HAPPENING ON MAIN STREET.

AND WE STARTED TO SEE THIS IN ACTUALLY Q4 OF 2020, WITH OUR -- WHERE THERE WAS A SLIGHT UPTICK IN THE PRODUCTIVITY FOR SOME OF OUR AG-RELATED MACHINERY AND OPERATIONS.

WE HAVE ONE COMPANY WHO IS LOOKING TO HIRE 100 NEW PEOPLE, AND THAT'S A GOOD SIGN FOR OUR INDUSTRY.

SO ABSOLUTELY, AG DRIVES MAIN STREET GRAND ISLAND.

AG LIKELY DRIVES MAIN STREET EVERY CITY IN THE STATE OF NEBRASKA.

SO WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE A STRONG AG AND WE'RE GLAD THAT WE'RE REBOUNDING FROM WHAT WERE SOME PRETTY DISMAL YEARS.

>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SMALL BUSINESS IN PARTICULAR, BEEN ESTIMATES THAT 80% OF BUSINESSES IN NEBRASKA ARE THOSE MICRO ENTERPRISES, THOSE SMALLER BUSINESSES.

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM THOSE SMALL BUSINESSES IN GRAND ISLAND?

WHAT DO THEY NEED TO THRIVE AND JUST SURVIVE AT TIMES?

>> DEPENDS WHICH BUSINESS YOU'RE TALKING WITH.

IF YOU'RE TALKING TO RESTAURANTS, THEY NEED PEOPLE TO WALK IN THE DOOR.

THEY NEED US TO HAVE FAITH IN THEIR PREPARATIONS TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE SAFE.

RETAIL NEEDS US TO WALK IN THE DOOR.

OR THEY NEED US TO BE ABLE TO GO ONLINE ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND SHOP FROM THEM AS EASILY AS WE WOULD SHOP FROM AN AMAZON OR ONLINE RETAILER.

THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING AT THE STIMULUS PACKAGE AGAIN AS TONY REFERRED TO.

I THINK WITHOUT THAT IN THE SPRING, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DIFFERENT PICTURE FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND FOR OUR COMMUNITIES.

THEY RELIED ON THE PACKAGE.

THEY RELIED ON THEIR BANKERS WHO WERE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER SOME APPLICATIONS FOR THEM, AND AS A RESULT, MORE STAYED AFLOAT THAN WHAT THEY ANTICIPATED SEEING.

SO RIGHT NOW, TECHNOLOGY IS THE NAME OF THE GAME.

WE ARE LOOKING AT IMPROVEMENTS IN EVERY SECTOR IN OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT'S AG MANUFACTURING, SERUM MANUFACTURING, WE HAVE A COMPANY THAT CREATES SERUM FOR ANIMALS AND TECHNOLOGY IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT MORE AND MORE AND MORE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

THE INTRODUCTION OF SOME OF THE NEW TECHNOLOGICAL OPERATIONS THAT CAN MAKE YOUR COMPANY MORE EFFICIENT, MAKE THE PRODUCTS MORE CONSISTENT, IS ALWAYS GOOD FOR A COMPANY, AND WE'RE SEEING OUR BUSINESSES INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY.

>> TONY GOINS, YOU'RE NOT JUST THE STATE'’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, BUT YOU'’RE ALSO A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, AS WELL.

YOU OWN CAPITAL CIGAR LOUNGE IN LINCOLN.

>> THAT'’S CORRECT.

>> HOW HAS YOUR SMALL BUSINESS BEEN IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STEPS YOU'VE TAKEN PERSONALLY TO HELP THAT BUSINESS MOVE FORWARD?

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, LIKE ANY OTHER SMALL BUSINESS SPECIFICALLY IN THAT PARTICULAR SECTOR, RESTAURANTS AND BARS, WE WERE GREATLY IMPACTED, BUT MY PARTNER AUSTIN HILLIS AND BRYLIN BROWN AND JEFF FRY AND ETHAN NELSON, WE PUT OURSELVES IN THE ROOM, AND WE HAD TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE DIGITIZE THIS BUSINESS.

SO, DO WE RECREATE THE WEBSITE SO WE CAN DO HOME DELIVERIES, SO THAT WE CAN DO MAIL ORDERS.

WE ALSO HAD TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO BE CREATIVE FROM AN INNOVATIVE STANDPOINT TO STILL BRING TRAFFIC TO THE BUSINESS, BUT NOT ALLOW THEM TO COME IN, SO THAT WAS CURBSIDE SERVICE.

WE PARTNERED WITH MARY ELLEN'S BARBECUE.

WE PUT A BARBECUE TRUCK OUTSIDE.

THE LINE WAS AROUND THE DOOR, AND WE ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY TOOK, THANKS TO GOVERNOR RICKETTS AND HIS LEADERSHIP, HE ALLOWED US TO DO COCKTAILS TO GO AND WE PHYSICALLY TOOK COCKTAILS AND CIGARS OUT TO CARS.

WE HAD MUSIC IN THE PARKING LOT, SO WE WERE JUST INNOVATIVE.

AND IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, YOU KNOW, AS CINDY MENTIONED, THE STIMULUS SPECIFIC TO PPP, THE EIDL LOAN, KUDOS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, MY TEAM, AND TO THE SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY BANKERS AROUND THE STATE OF NEBRASKA WHO WERE ABLE TO DISTRIBUTE THE PPP LOANS FASTER THAN ANY OTHER STATE IN THE UNITED STATES.

WE WERE NUMBER ONE PER CAPITA IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF PPP LOANS.

THEN YOU HAD THE EIDL LOANS, AND NONE OF OUR BUSINESSES HAD TO CALL A 1-800 NUMBER, BECAUSE YOU ALL HAD THE PHONE NUMBER OF YOUR BANKER.

AND SO, RELATIONSHIPS MATTER HERE.

KINDNESS MATTERS HERE.

AND THE SPEED IN WHICH THAT LIQUIDITY HIT OUR SYSTEM IS THE LARGEST DRIVER AS TO WHY YOU DID NOT SEE A DROP LIKE YOU DID IN OTHER PLACES AROUND THE COUNTRY.

>> SO, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE STIMULUS, WE TOUCHED ON IT.

BUT LOOKING FORWARD, PRESIDENT BIDEN AND THE DEMOCRATS AT THIS POINT WANT A $1.9 TRILLION STIMULUS PACKAGE.

>> CORRECT.

>> THAT WOULD UNDENIABLY HELP NEBRASKA'S ECONOMY, BUT IT ALSO COULD SPUR INFLATION A LITTLE BIT AND RESULT IN SOME HIGHER PRICES.

>> SURE.

>> AND POTENTIALLY A DRAG ON THE ECONOMY.

WHAT IS BETTER?

DO WE NEED THIS $1.9 TRILLION STIMULUS?

>> YOU KNOW, I KNEW THAT QUESTION WAS GOING TO COME UP, AND I KNEW WHAT MY RESPONSE WAS GOING TO BE.

I DON'T THINK THAT I WANT TO DEBATE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT.

WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT UNTIL WE GET THE VACCINE AND WE GET SOME LEVEL OF HERD IMMUNITY, WE'RE GOING TO NEED A SMALL BRIDGE.

I THINK THE STIMULUS NEEDS TO BE TARGETED TOWARDS THOSE INDUSTRIES THAT HAVE THE GREATEST NEED.

YOU'RE GOING TO NEED SOME KIND OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE.

YOU'RE GOING TO NEED STIMULUS JUST FOR THE BRIDGE.

THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS DEBATABLE.

WHAT I DON'T THINK IS DEBATABLE IS THE FACT THAT IT IS 100% NEEDED UNTIL WE REBUILD CONSUMER CONFIDENCE AROUND THE VIRUS, AND AROUND CUSTOMERS FEELING MORE -- FEELING SAFE TO COME IN AND JUST CONGREGATE LIKE BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT.

>> CINDY, IN GRAND ISLAND, JUST IN GENERAL, WHAT'S THE RATIO OF NEW BUSINESSES AND BUSINESSES THAT ARE FAILING AND HAS THAT CHANGED DURING THE PANDEMIC?

ARE WE SEEING MORE FAILURES BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC?

>> WE HAVE CERTAINLY SEEN SOME CLOSURES.

FAILURES IS A DIFFERENT WORD THAN CLOSURES.

I THINK THAT THE ECONOMY HAS DRIVEN THE CLOSURE OF SOME BUSINESSES PARTICULARLY SOME OF THE SMALLER BUSINESSES THAT WERE IN THEIR START UP PHASE.

AND HADN'T ESTABLISHED THEIR BASE YET.

AND OFTENTIMES THAT'S OWNER -- OWNER TYPE OF BUSINESS, AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO WITHSTAND SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT 2020 THREW AT THEM.

WE SAW ONE LARGE MANUFACTURING COMPANY CLOSE, AND THAT WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO A CORPORATE POLICY.

BUT MOSTLY WHAT WE'VE SEEN HAVE BEEN THOSE RETAIL STORES.

AND IT'S NOT THAT THE GRAND ISLAND PENNIES WAS ANY LESS PROFITABLE THAN ANOTHER PENNIES IN ANOTHER COMMUNITY, BUT OVERALL, THE CORPORATION HAD MADE THE DECISION TO CLOSE.

AND SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN OCCURRING IN GRAND ISLAND, JUST LIKE THEY'RE OCCURRING IN CITIES ACROSS THE STATES.

AS FAR AS SMALL BUSINESSES STARTING UP, WE'VE HAD SOME THAT SEE OPPORTUNITY.

THEY DON'T SEE THE CHALLENGES.

THEY SEE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE A PRODUCT OR A SERVICE THAT IS NEEDED IN A COMMUNITY AND A LOT OF IT IS RELATED TO TECHNOLOGY.

THOSE COMPANIES THAT HAD TO MAKE A MOVE, LIKE TONY'S BUSINESS, HAD TO MAKE A MOVE TO DO DIFFERENT IN THEIR PRODUCT DELIVERY, OFTENTIMES RELY ON SOMEBODY WITH A TECHNOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE TO HELP THEM DO THAT.

NOT ALL OF US ARE GEARED THAT WAY, AND SO HAVING RESOURCES, INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE THOSE SKILLS AND TALENTS TO MOVE US FROM A FOOT TRAFFIC STORE TO AN ONLINE WAS VERY IMPORTANT AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE VERY IMPORTANT.

THE DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT OF OUR SMALL BUSINESSES IS GOING TO BE ONE OF OUR NEXT STEPS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

>> TONY, WHEN IT COMES ON A STATEWIDE LEVEL TO RECRUITING DURING A PANDEMIC, TO USE A BASEBALL ANALOGY, ARE YOU OUT THERE TRYING TO HIT HOME RUNS AND GET THAT BIG CORPORATION TO MOVE INTO NEBRASKA OR ARE YOU TRYING TO HIT SINGLES AND GET MORE SMALLER, MEDIUM-SIZED BUSINESSES TO COME TO THE STATE?

>> YOU KNOW IT'S REALLY A MIXTURE, BECAUSE WE ARE IN CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME LARGE FIRMS RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT DOESN'T NEGATE OUR FOCUS ON RECRUITING -- I WOULD USE THE TERM "“EXPANSION"” OF THE FIRMS THAT ARE ALREADY HERE.

I MEAN, WE HAVE AN ACQUISITION STRATEGY.

WE HAVE AN ORGANIC GROWTH STRATEGY AND THAT ORGANIC GROWTH STRATEGY REALLY CENTERS AROUND LOOKING AT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE, LOOKING AT THEIR CUSTOMERS, LOOKING AT THEIR NEEDS FROM A WORKFORCE STANDPOINT AND LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN HELP THEM EXPAND TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY CAN HIRE MORE PEOPLE, PAY BETTER WAGES, AND SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF TAX RECEIPTS.

AND UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF GOVERNOR RICKETTS THAT ACQUISITION EXPANSION STRATEGY IS HUGE.

I'LL MENTION THIS, AND THIS IS NUMBER TWO BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT AS WE THINK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY WILL NEED TO DO A MUCH BETTER JOB AROUND INTERNSHIPS AND APPRENTICESHIPS.

BECAUSE AS WE LOOK AT OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM SPECIFICALLY, AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL, WE HAVE TO STOP OUR YOUNG PEOPLE FROM GOING TO CHICAGO, DALLAS, MINNEAPOLIS, AND DENVER.

THOSE PLACES REALLY DON'T HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF ACCESS IN TERMS OF CAREER GROWTH THAT WE DO, BUT WE HAVE TO GIVE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT THEY HAVE HERE IN NEBRASKA AND INTERNSHIPS AND APPRENTICESHIPS, THAT'’S A LARGE LEVER, A LARGE DRIVER, IN RETENTION OF TALENT HERE WHICH IS A LEVER FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH.

>> I'M SO GLAD YOU SAID THAT, BECAUSE GRAND ISLAND HAS IMPLEMENTED A STRATEGIC PLAN.

IN 2014, WE DEVELOPED THE GROW GRAND ISLAND STRATEGIC PLAN.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS IDENTIFIED WAS OUR ABSOLUTE NEED TO HAVE YOUNGER ADULTS, COLLEGE EDUCATED FOR THE HIGH WAGE, HIGH PAY, HIGH DEMAND TYPE OF SECTORS, THAT WE'RE SEEING.

AND IT'S COMING TO FRUITION NOW TODAY, AGAIN, I BELIEVE ACCELERATED, BY THE PANDEMIC.

BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH WAYNE STATE COLLEGE TO BRING FOURTH- YEAR COLLEGE STUDENTS INTO GRAND ISLAND IN THEIR FOURTH YEAR, SO THAT THEY HAVE REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE WORKING FOR A COMPANY, AND THEN FOR US THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THESE YOUNG ADULTS COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY THAT MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE BE THERE.

WE DON'T HAVE A FOUR-YEAR UNIVERSITY IN GRAND ISLAND.

SO WE HAVE TO BE CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE IN FINDING WAYS TO BRING OUR FUTURE LEADERS INTO THE COMMUNITY IN WAYS THAT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH NOT TO HAVE TO DO.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.

>> SO WE HAVE A MINUTE OR SO LEFT AND I WANT TO ASK YOU BOTH THIS QUESTION.

LOOKING FORWARD, DO YOU THINK 2021 IS GOING TO BE A YEAR OF ECONOMIC GROWTH FOR FIRST OF ALL GRAND ISLAND?

>> I THINK IT WILL BE.

SOME OF THE SIGNS WOULD TELL US THAT MIGHT NOT HELP UNTIL Q3, Q4 AND MAYBE NOT EVEN UNTIL 2022.

I HAPPEN TO BE OPTIMISTIC AND THINK THAT WE ARE SEEING A SLIGHT REBOUND RIGHT NOW, AND WE HOPE THAT THAT WILL CONTINUE AND AS VACCINATIONS COME OUT, AND PEOPLE GET MORE COMFORTABLE, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE A RETURN TO PERHAPS WHERE WE WERE.

>> AND TONY FROM A STATEWIDE PERSPECTIVE ARE WE GOING TO SEE THE GROWTH THIS YEAR?

>> I ALSO, AS CINDY, REMAIN VERY OPTIMISTIC.

I DO CONCUR, Q3, Q4, BUT I THINK TWO LARGE DRIVERS.

I THINK AS A STATE, WE HAVE TO REALLY FOCUS ON UNDERSTANDING THE DEMAND AROUND THE TRADES, BECAUSE IF YOU WANT TO GROW YOU NEED PLUMBERS, YOU NEED ELECTRICIANS.

WE HAVE A GREAT COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM AND THEY CAN GET CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS.

AND THERE ARE JOBS RIGHT NOW THAT ARE RESPECTABLE, HIGH PAYING JOBS.

STU BAUER OF BAUER UNDERGROUND HAS BROADBAND AND TECH CONSTRUCTION JOBS RIGHT NOW.

I THINK THAT'S NUMBER ONE.

NUMBER TWO, BROADBAND, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF LEGISLATIVE BILLS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW AROUND BROADBAND AND HIGH SPEED, FIBER CONNECTIVITY.

YOU CAN'T GROW AND EXPAND SPECIFICALLY IN OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES IF YOU HAVE FAMILIES THAT CAN'T DO TELEMEDICINE, WORK FROM HOME AND SCHOOL FROM HOME.

SO WE ALL WEAR THE SAME JERSEY.

WE HAVE TO ALIGN OURSELVES AND FIX THIS BROADBAND ISSUE.

AND THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY CRITICAL IN OUR OVERALL GROWTH, NOT JUT FOR Q3 AND Q4 BUT THE FUTURE OF THE STATE.

>> TONY GOINS, NEBRASKA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AND CINDY JOHNSON, PRESIDENT OF THE GRAND ISLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WE APPRECIATE IT.

THIS INTERVIEW AND TONIGHT'’S PROGRAM ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE.

JUST GO TO NETNEBRASKA.ORG/ SPEAKINGOFNEBRASKA.

AND JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

YOU CAN FIND US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER AT N.E.T.

NEWS NEBRASKA.

♪ >> LET'’S TAKE A MOMENT TO CATCH EVERYBODY UP ON THE COVID-19 AND THE PANDEMIC.

HERE TO DO THAT IS DR. MATT MASLONKA, AN INTENSIVIST AT BRYAN MEDICAL CENTER.

DR. MASLONKA, WELCOME VERY MUCH.

THANKS FOR BEING ON "“SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."”.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YOU WORK A LOT WITH THE MOST CRITICALLY ILL PATIENTS IN THE ICU AND WE'VE READ AND HEARD THOSE HORROR STORIES ABOUT WHAT WENT ON IN NEW YORK CITY AT THE PEAK OF THE PANDEMIC AND HOW THEY WERE COMPLETELY OVERWHELMED.

WHAT WAS THE SITUATION LIKE IN YOUR ICU AT THE PEAK OF THE PANDEMIC?

>> WELL, FOR US, IT WASN'T QUITE THAT DRASTIC, THANKFULLY.

BUT WE DID RUN INTO ISSUES WITH BEING AT THAT BREAKING POINT OR AT LEAST MAKING PLANS FOR THAT BASED UPON THE AMOUNT OF ILL PATIENTS THAT CAME IN ALL AT ONCE IT SEEMED.

THIS WAS IN NOVEMBER TO EARLY DECEMBER.

AND THINGS WERE DIFFICULT TO MANAGE, JUST THE VAST NUMBER REALLY WAS THE HARDEST PART.

BUT THANKFULLY WE DIDN'T EVER HAVE TO RATION CARE OR MAKE ANY OF THOSE DECISIONS THAT YOU HEAR ABOUT IN ITALY OR NEW YORK AND THE NUMBERS HAVE GOTTEN MUCH BETTER.

>> SO RIGHT ABOUT THAT TIME YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN DECEMBER, YOU TOLD THE "“LINCOLN JOURNAL STAR"” THAT YOU WERE WORRIED ABOUT THE UNCERTAINTY OF TREATMENT OF COVID PATIENTS WERE GETTING.

YOU ASKED IS THAT BECAUSE OF A CHANGE OF EXPOSURE OR IS IT BECAUSE WE'RE BEING STRESSED AS PROVIDERS, NOT GIVING THE SAME STANDARD OF CARE.

I HATE TO SAY THAT BUT I DON'T KNOW, SOMETHING IS HAPPENING WHERE THE PATIENTS ARE BECOMING MORE SICK.

THAT WAS BACK IN DECEMBER.

WHAT'S THE SITUATION LIKE NOW?

MUCH IMPROVED?

>> I WOULD SAY THAT OUR ABILITY TO TREAT AND UNDERSTAND THE SPECIFIC PHYSIOLOGIC CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH COVID IS MUCH MORE UNDERSTOOD NOW, AS FAR AS LIKE AN EXAMPLE EARLY ON WE USED TO HAVE A VERY QUICK DECISION TO INTUBATE OR PUT A TUBE DOWN AND PUT SOMEONE ON MECHANICAL VENTILATION.

NOWADAYS, WE KNOW THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST ANSWER AND SO WE HOLD OFF ON THAT UNTIL WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO.

SO THINGS LIKE THAT, DIFFERENT TREATMENT OPTIONS, AND PREVENTIVE OR I GUESS EARLY ON TREATMENTS ARE SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN A HUGE GAME CHANGER AS FAR AS PEOPLE NOT HAVING THOSE SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS UPFRONT, BUT TALKING TO THE PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER AND GETTING THE TREATMENTS THAT THEY NEED, SOMETHING CALLED BAM THERAPY OR INFUSION, THAT HAS STOPPED PEOPLE FROM BECOMING THAT SERIOUSLY ILL. >> I WANT TO ASK ABOUT THE VACCINATION PROCESS, AS WELL.

SO FAR NEARLY 80,000 NEBRASKANS MORE THAN 5% OF THE ELIGIBLE POPULATION HAVE HAD BOTH DOSES OF THE COVID-19 VACCINATION.

HOW DO YOU FEEL THAT'S GOING, THE WHOLE PROCESS?

IS IT WORKING SMOOTHLY?

>> YEAH, I WOULD SAY SO.

LOGISTICALLY, THINGS ARE -- IT'S REALLY INSPIRING TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THE AMOUNT OF TEAMWORK AND ALL HANDS ON DECK TYPE OF MENTALITY TO GET THIS GOING.

I KNOW PINNACLE BANK IS EXPECTING OVER 7,000 FOLKS TO BE VACCINATED THIS WEEKEND.

IT'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE THING TO BE THE PART OF, BUT I THINK THAT IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF GETTING THE RESOURCES THAT WE NEED, THE HUMAN RESOURCES AND VOLUNTEERS THAT WE NEED TO GET THE SHOTS INTO FOLKS' ARMS, BUT OUR JOB AS PROVIDERS ALSO IS TO BRING AWARENESS ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO GET THE VACCINE AND TO REALLY HIGHLY ADVOCATE FOR ALL OF OUR PATIENTS AS SOON AS THEY ARE REGISTERED AND ABLE TO GET IT DONE, GET IT DONE IN A TIMELY FASHION.

>> AND JUST A QUICK ANSWER, IN TEN SECONDS OR SO, DO YOU FEEL LIKE -- DO YOU FEEL POSITIVE ABOUT WHERE WE'RE MOVING, WE'RE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION?

>> YES, I DO.

THE TRAJECTORY IS A VERY POSITIVE ONE, AND IT'S LIKE EVEN TODAY, I'M WORKING AT SOME OF THE LONG-TERM ACUTE CARE HOSPITALS, AND WE DON'T GET TO SEE MANY OF THESE, BUT A PATIENT THAT WAS THERE FOR OVER 60 DAYS WAS ABLE TO BE DISCHARGED AND SO WE HAVE A SEND OFF WHERE WE HAVE ALL OF THE STAFF GET TOGETHER AND CLAP AND HAVE SIGNS, AND IT WAS A VERY EMOTIONAL THING.

BUT THOSE POSITIVE EXPERIENCES SHOULD BECOME MORE OFTEN.

>> THAT'S GREAT TO SEE.

DOCTOR, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING IN WITH US TODAY.

THANKS SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT VACCINES, YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS SECTION AT BRYANHEALTH.ORG/ VACCINE.

AND YOU CAN FOLLOW THE NET NEWS COVERAGE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AT NETNEBRASKA.ORG/CORONAVIRUS.

♪ >>> THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE'’S BEEN DEALING WITH ISSUES RANGING FROM EXPANDING RURAL BROADBAND TO IMPROVING SCHOOL SAFETY.

HERE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'’S GOING ON AT THE CAPITOL IS N.E.T.

NEWS LEGISLATIVE REPORTER FRED KNAPP.

FRED, WELCOME.

TALKING ABOUT RURAL BROADBAND, IT SEEMS LIKE IT'’S BEEN A PERSISTENT AND PERPLEXING PROBLEM FOR STATE SENATORS THROUGH THE YEARS.

WHAT'’S THE DISCUSSION LIKE THIS YEAR?

>> THERE IS A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON GOVERNOR PETE RICKETTS' PROPOSAL TO SPEND $40 MILLION OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS TO EXPAND RURAL BROADBAND.

A LOT OF TALK ABOUT HOW THERE MAY BE FIBER AND CONNECTIVITY IN TOWNS, BUT WHEN YOU GET OUT INTO THE COUNTRY IT'S NOT ECONOMICAL FOR COUNTRIES -- FOR COMPANIES TO CONNECT THE LAST MILE AND SO THAT'S WHAT THIS WOULD BE FOCUSED ON.

AND IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT DURING THE PANDEMIC, OF COURSE, BECAUSE OF THE NEED FOR REMOTE LEARNING.

YOU HEAR STORIES OF KIDS HAVING TO DRIVE TEN MILES TO A HILLTOP TO GET ENOUGH CONNECTIVITY TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK.

AND ALSO IT'S IMPORTANT FOR TELEHEALTH.

SO EVEN $40 MILLION THOUGH, IT STILL WOULD ONLY ADDRESS ABOUT HALF OF THE ESTIMATED 80,000 HOUSEHOLDS THAT DON'T HAVE THE FCC STANDARD OF 25 MEGABITS PER SECOND DOWNLOAD SPEEDS AND THREE MEGABIT PER SECOND UPLOAD SPEEDS AND SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, WHAT WE OUGHT TO BE SHOOTING FOR IS 100 BY 100, WHICH WOULD LEAVE A LOT MORE HOUSEHOLDS STILL TO BE CONNECTED, AND IT'S OBVIOUSLY A LONG-TERM PROBLEM.

>> THERE'’S STILL A LOT OF DISCUSSION AHEAD, I'M SURE.

LET'S SWITCH ISSUES AND TALK ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY.

THERE IS AN EFFORT OUT THERE TO TALK ABOUT SETTING UP A SYSTEM FOR PEOPLE TO REPORT CONCERNS ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY.

TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT.

>> RIGHT.

THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN INSTITUTED IN A NUMBER OF OTHER STATES.

IT STARTED AFTER THE COLUMBINE, COLORADO HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTING IN 1999.

AND IT'S INTENDED TO ADDRESS CONCERNS WITH PEOPLE CONNECTED WITH SCHOOLS, STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, SUCH AS SUICIDE PREVENTION, DRUG USAGE, INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR BY TEACHERS, AND THREATS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST THE SCHOOL.

IT WOULD BE AN ANONYMOUS HOTLINE FOR PEOPLE WHO SEE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS, BUT THEY DON'T WANT TO GET TOO INVOLVED SO THEY CAN TALK ANONYMOUSLY.

AND THERE WAS A PILOT OF THIS LAST YEAR IN -- STARTING LAST YEAR IN DOUGLAS COUNTY INVOLVED ABOUT 40 SCHOOLS, THE HOTLINE WENT TO SPECIALLY TRAINED PEOPLE AT BOY'S TOWN WHO IN TURN CONTACTED CRISIS ASSESSMENT TEAMS AT THE VARIOUS SCHOOLS THAT WERE INVOLVED, AND THEY'RE VERY PROUD OF THE FACT OVER 80% OF THE CALLS THEY RECEIVED WERE RESOLVED WITHOUT INVOLVING LAW ENFORCEMENT.

>> SO A LOT OF HEARINGS GOING ON ON LEGISLATIVE BILLS RIGHT NOW.

AND THE COMMITTEES ARE STARTING TO SHAPE PROPOSALS.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT PROCESS?

>> FOR EXAMPLE, SENATOR DEBOER HAS A PROPOSAL FOR A SCHOOL FINANCE REVIEW COMMISSION TO TALK ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES AND HOW TO REDUCE RELIANCE ON THEM.

BUT, IT'S LARGELY COMPOSED OF MEMBERS OF SCHOOL GROUPS WHO IN A HEARING SAID THAT WHAT THEY WANT IS NEW SOURCES OF REVENUE.

AND, OF COURSE, SENATOR LINEHAN WHO IS CHAIR OF THE REVENUE COMMITTEE SAYS THAT MEANS TAX INCREASES, AND SHE ALSO OBJECTS TO THE FACT THAT THERE AREN'T ANY SENATORS SCHEDULED TO BE ON THIS, SO THAT COMMITTEE MAY BE REWORKED.

>> ALL RIGHT, FRED KNAPP COVERING THE LEGISLATURE FOR US.

YOU'’LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT AND WE'’LL SEE YOU AGAIN ON OUR NEXT "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

>> VERY GOOD.

>> FRED KNAPP DOES COVER THE LEGISLATURE AND INFORMS US ON WHAT'’S GOING ON THERE EVERY SINGLE DAY.

LISTEN FOR HIS UPDATES ON N.E.T.

RADIO AT 5:45 AND 7:45 WEEKDAY MORNINGS, AND 5:45 IN THE EVENING AND YOU CAN READ HIS STORIES EACH DAY ON OUR WEBSITE AT NETNEBRASKA.ORG/NEWS.

♪ THAT'’S ALL FOR THIS WEEK ON SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA.

THANKS TO TONY GOINS AND CINDY JOHNSON, AS WELL AS DR. MATT MASLONKA, FOR JOINING US, AND TO FRED KNAPP FOR HIS REPORTING.

WE'’LL BE OFF NEXT WEEK, BUT IN TWO WEEKS JOIN US FOR A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BLACK EXPERIENCE IN NEBRASKA.

UNTIL THEN, I'’M N.E.T.

NEWS DIRECTOR DENNIS KELLOGG.

THANKS FOR SPENDING SOME TIME WITH US AND WE'’LL SEE YOU IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

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