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Category Archives: What’s Up Doc / Govdocs
Nebraska USDA Rural Development Announces Funds Available for Low Interest Home Repair Loans and Grants
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development has announced adequate funding remains available to assist very low income households with home repairs. For those who own and occupy homes in need of essential repairs and who are wondering how to get financing, USDA Rural Development can help with grants and low-interest loans for homeowners in rural communities. All communities in Nebraska are eligible for housing programs with the exceptions of Fremont, Grand Island, Hastings, Kearney, Lincoln, North Platte, Omaha and South Sioux City/Dakota City.
Applicants must own and occupy the home and not exceed income guidelines established by county and household size. The family’s income must below 50 percent of the county median income. For many counties in Nebraska, the income limit for a one person household is $21,350; two person, $24,400; three person, $27,450; four person, $30,500 and five person, $32,950. However, some counties may have higher income limits. Please contact your USDA Rural Development office for the details in your county.
Available Low-interest Loans:
Rural Development’s Home Repair Loan program offers low-interest (1 percent) loans, up to $20,000, to very low income rural homeowners. Loans may be used to repair, improve or modernize homes or to remove health and safety hazards. Homeowners must meet household income guidelines, have an acceptable credit history and show repayment ability for the loan based on a household budget.
The USDA repair loan may be made up to $20,000 at a 1% interest rate, with a repayment term 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 5% for 10 years, with a monthly payment of $106.
Available Grants:
Rural Development’s Home Repair Grant program is available to owner-occupants of a rural home, who are 62 years of age or older, are very low income and are unable to repay a loan. Grant funds may only be used to remove health and safety hazards, such as replacing a roof, electrical and plumbing repairs, sanitary disposal systems and accommodations to make the home handicap accessible. Maximum lifetime grant assistance is $7,500.
Eligibility for the program is based on household income and applicants must be unable to repay a loan. If applicants can repay part, but not all of the costs, applicants may be offered a loan and grant combination.
For more information, go to the Nebraska RD website at http://www.rd.usda.gov/ne. You may also contact Single Family Housing Specialist Krista Mettscher at 402-437-5518, krista.mettscher@ne.usda.gov
President Obama’s plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President’s leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America’s economy, small towns and rural communities. USDA’s investments in rural communities support the rural way of life that stands as the backbone of our American values.
Helping people stay in their home and keep it in good repair helps families and their communities. Households interested in affordable home improvements may contact their local USDA Rural Development office or visit the Agency website at www.rd.usda.gov/ne for additional information.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users)
New Government Publications Received at the Library Commission
New state government publications have been received at the Nebraska Library Commission for April 2015. Included are titles from Nebraska Colleges and Universities, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission, the Nebraska Fire Marshal and University of Nebraska Press, to name a few.
New Government Publications Received at the Library Commission
New state government publications have been received at the Nebraska Library Commission for March 2015. Included are titles from the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, the Foster Care Review Board, Nebraska Game & Parks Commission, and University of Nebraska Press, to name a few.
http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/archives/WhatsUpDoc/WUDMar2015.pdf
Nebraska Memories: A Collection of Collections
Did you know that Nebraska Memories is a collection of Nebraska cultural heritage collections? When you visit Nebraska Memories, instead of searching for a particular item or person, try clicking on “View Collections.” As a result, you will find Nebraska historical collections from (almost) A-Z. The histories of Nebraska hospitals, cities, towns, counties, public schools, colleges, libraries, musicians, authors, sports and historical events are all represented in the collections found in Nebraska Memories.
For example, the first collection listed is the Alegent Health Immanuel Medical Center. The rich and well documented history of Immanuel Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska is shown in the images of the early buildings, people and artifacts. The archive of thousands of photos, papers and items has been maintained for over 120 years, carefully stored and currently housed at the Alegent Health Immanuel Medical Center campus.
Other collections in Nebraska Memories include city and county historical societies, such as the Crawford, Fairmont/Filmore County, Hastings, Antelope County, Butler County, and Phelps County, to name a few.
Historical materials related to the Lincoln Public Schools have been collected and saved in some form in various offices, library sites, and schools since the inception of the first school in Lancaster county. Over the years, LPS Library Media Services has made great progress in collecting, preserving, and archiving the history of LPS for the staff and the public.
There are other unique collections in Nebraska Memories as well: the Omaha Community Playhouse (pictured right), that includes digitized images of the Playhouse and some of its performances; the Lincoln Police Department, that includes digitized images of police officers from 1885-1907; the Durham Museum in Omaha, with the William Wentworth Collection that consists of 4663 negatives of images that document life in Omaha, Nebraska from 1934 through 1950; and the Bess Streeter Aldrich House and Museum in Elmwood, Nebraska (pictured below), images of which have been selected to give the viewer a deeper understanding of the influences and inspirations that Bess Streeter Aldrich drew upon when writing the 1928 novel “A Lantern in Her Hand.
Visit Nebraska Memories to search for or browse through many more historical images digitized from photographs, negatives, postcards, maps, lantern slides, books and other materials.
Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see Introduction to Participating in Nebraska Memories for more information, or contact Beth Goble, Historical Projects Librarian, or Devra Dragos, Technology & Access Services Director.
InnovateHER: 2015 Innovating for Women Business Challenge
InnovateHER is a cross-cutting women’s business challenge to unearth innovative products and services that help impact and empower the lives of women and families.
We know that our workforce looks very different from 50 years ago. Women now make up nearly half of the labor force and play a critical role in our nation’s economic prosperity. Most children live in households where all parents work. And as our population ages, families are increasingly caring for aging parents while balancing the needs of work and home. As demands on women and families grow, the need for products and services that address unique challenges increases. This Challenge will provide that platform.
Challenge Criteria
InnovateHER provides an opportunity for entrepreneurs to showcase products or services that have a measurable impact on the lives of women and families (30%), have the potential for commercialization (40%), and fill a need in the marketplace (30%).
Participants must be at least 18 years of age, U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and meet other requirements as defined in the Competition Rules.
How to Participate
Throughout the month of March, universities, accelerators, resource partners and other organizations will host local competitions. A month after going live, each host will select and submit one local winner to the SBA, who will then identify no more than 10 finalists. Finalists will make a live pitch to a panel of expert judges during National Small Business Week, May 4 – 8, 2015, in Washington, D.C. where they will compete for top three awards and prize money totaling $30,000.
Finalists will be responsible for covering their own travel costs to DC for the national competition.
2015 InnovateHER Local Competitions – Updated
View a map of InnovateHER host organizations
Download the list of locations and contacts as a spreadhseet
SBA will continue to update this list as additional host organizations are confirmed.
More Questions?
- Read our Frequently Asked Questions
- Contact us at womenbusiness@sba.gov (link sends e-mail)
Grand Island to Host Conference Dedicated to Growing Women Entrepreneurship in Nebraska
To help celebrate Women’s History Month in March, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Rural Enterprise Assistance Project’s Women’s Business Center will host a day of speakers designed to inspire and offer down-to-earth advice for women to start or grow a small business.
The Women Entrepreneur Conference is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18 from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the YWCA of Grand Island, 211 East Fonner Park Road.
Patricia Brown-Dixon, Region VII Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration and Rebecca Greenwald, Region VII Advocate for the SBA, will offer remarks. Additionally, among those on the agenda are:
- Jennifer Rosenblatt of Argyle Octopus, a marketing firm which took home the award as the SBA’s Small Business of the Year for the 1st Congressional District in 2014;
- J’Nan Ensz, Accounting & Business Consulting Group, LLC;
- Speakers from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Entrepreneurship Legal Clinic;
- And, Kitty Vacha, owner of Tasteful Indulgence, Cake Art of Seward; Megan Gewecke of Stepping Stones Psychological Services, LLC; and Sally Jurgensmier, owner of sculptures by SALLY, will serve on a panel of local entrepreneurs who will share their challenges and successes as women small business owners.
The event also will offer a half-hour fun and fast networking event hosted by Lisa Tschauner and Megan Arrington of Open For Business Magazine, to connect entrepreneurs with resource providers and other small businesses.
According to figures provided by the SBA Office of Advocacy, 6.6 percent of women in Nebraska are self-employed, and women represent 32.5 percent of all small business owners. Small businesses significantly impact Nebraska’s economy. They represent nearly 97 percent of all employers and employ 48 percent of the private-sector labor force. The latest data shows 167,678 small businesses in the state.
The $35 registration fee also covers lunch and may be paid at the door. Register online at http://events.sba.gov/eventmanagement/EventRegistration.aspx?id=9bc4ad23-d99c-e411-8f7e-02bfa56e2a24.
For more information, please call Monica Braun, REAP Women’s Business Center Director at (402) 643-2673 or Elizabeth Yearwood, Economic Development Specialist at the SBA, at (402) 221-7200.
For more information regarding SBA, please visit our website at: www.sba.gov/ne.
New Government Publications Received at the Library Commission
New state government publications have been received at the Nebraska Library Commission for February 2015. Included are titles from Administrative Services, Colleges and Universities, Education, and Public Power, to name a few.
http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/archives/WhatsUpDoc/WUDFeb2015.pdf
SBA Has a New Online Tool To Match Lenders To Entrepreneurs
The Small Business Administration is launching a first-of-its-kind tool on their website that will allow entrepreneurs looking for a small business loan to get matched with a SBA lender. This new tool, called LINC (Leveraging Information and Networks to access Capital) will have small business owners fill out a simple online form of 20 questions and connect them with lenders within 48 hours. By directly connecting with prospective borrowers, the agency will be able to provide more guidance and ensure more capital is reaching our nation’s entrepreneurs.
“LINC will bring entrepreneurs and SBA lenders together. There’s a hunger among entrepreneurs to find financing to get their business off the ground or take the next big step in their expansion plan. The SBA stands there ready to help them, now with a few simple clicks,” said SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet. “Across the country, thousands of small business owners pound the pavement every day looking for term loans, equipment financing, lines of credit, invoice financing, and real estate loans to help them hire and grow. If you have a bankable business idea backed by good credit and sound financial planning, the SBA wants to streamline the process for you to get the capital you need.”
After filling out the form, a borrower’s answers will be sent to every lender in that borrower’s county, as well as to other lenders with a regional or national reach. Once lenders have reviewed the information that matters most to them, they’ll respond within 48 hours, all this for no fees or commitment. This option will untether entrepreneurs from the one neighborhood bank, using technology to get their foot in the door at any number of institutions and improve their access to capital.
LINC will roll out in waves. It will begin by connecting small business owners with nonprofit lenders that offer free financial advice and specialize in micro lending, loans in our Community Advantage program, and real estate financing. In the longer-term, SBA will look to add more traditional banks that offer an even wider array of financial products.
As of the launch of LINC, 124 lenders across SBA’s lending programs are participating in the outreach effort, operating in all 50 states, DC, and Puerto Rico. Since 2009, these borrowers have made more than 42,000 SBA loans, totaling more than $17 billion. Prospective borrowers may immediately go to https://www.sba.gov/tools/linc.
New Government Publications Received at the Library Commission
New state government publications ranging from Administrative Services to University of Nebraska Press, received in January 2015.
http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/archives/WhatsUpDoc/WUDJan2015.pdf
New Government Publications Received at the Library Commission
New state government publications ranging from Agriculture to University of Nebraska Press, received November and December, 2014.
http://nlc.nebraska.gov/publications/archives/WhatsUpDoc/WUDNovDec2014.pdf
A Balloon School in Nebraska?
While I was in Rochester, New York this past Christmas visiting my husband’s family, my father-in-law showed me some letters from a World War I 2nd Lieutenant from Spencerport, NY, who had a Nebraska connection. Based on the letters and some further research, I found out that this young man was stationed at Fort Omaha, Nebraska for Balloon School.
Fort Omaha (the Nebraska Memories picture to the left), located at 5730 North 30th Street, in Omaha, Nebraska, was opened in 1868 as an Indian War-era United States Army supply depot for various forts along the Platte River. This is also where Ponca Chief Standing Bear and 29 fellow Ponca were held prior to the landmark 1879 trial of Standing Bear v. Crook. Judge Elmer Dundy determined that American Indians were persons within the meaning of the law and that the Ponca were illegally detained after leaving Indian Territory in January 1879. 
The Nebraska Memories picture of the fort to the right, was taken about that same time period.
Fort Omaha today is primarily occupied by Metropolitan Community College, but continues to house Navy, Marine and Army Reserve units. The fort is located in the present-day Miller Park neighborhood of North Omaha. The Fort Omaha Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The district includes the 1879 General Crook House Museum, as well as the 1879 Quartermaster’s office, 1878 commissary, 1884 guardhouse, 1883 ordnance magazine and 1887 mule stables.
In 1907 the Army built a large steel hangar at Fort Omaha for use in experiments with dirigibles, a program that was abandoned in 1909. This program and its successor, the military use of hot air balloons for reconnaissance missions, were part of the American Expeditionary Forces. A balloon house was built in 1908, and in 1909 the first balloon flight took place. Here is a picture from Nebraska Memories of the Balloon House at Fort Omaha, taken sometime between 1908 and 1910:
Shortly after the United States entered World War I, 800 men enlisted in the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corp, one of whom was William Spencer Barker, from Spencerport, NY. They were immediately sent to the Balloon School at Fort Omaha for training. More than 16,000 airmen went through the Balloon Schools at Fort Omaha and other locations around the U.S., between 1908 and the close of the program in 1919.
Balloonists were trained in map reading and charting troop movements. This information was communicated through an extensive switchboard system to artillery troops on the ground. The balloons were “captive” stationary balloons, utilized tail fins for stabilization, and had cables to tether the balloon to the ground.
In 1917, 2nd Lieutenant Baker was part of the 5th Squadron, Balloon Division, and did see military action with balloon squadrons in France from 1918-1919.
Visit Nebraska Memories to search for or browse through many more historical images of digitized from photographs, negatives, postcards, maps, lantern slides, books and other materials.
Nebraska Memories is a cooperative project to digitize Nebraska-related historical and cultural heritage materials and make them available to researchers of all ages via the Internet. Nebraska Memories is brought to you by the Nebraska Library Commission. If your institution is interested in participating in Nebraska Memories, see http://nlc.nebraska.gov/nebraskamemories/participation.aspx for more information, or contact Beth Goble, Historical Services Librarian, or Devra Dragos, Technology & Access Services Director.
Tax forms flyer available for your customization and use
Daniel Glauber a librarian in White Plains, NY has made this wonderful flyer regarding the lack of tax forms and instructions this year available for others to customize and use. You can download the Publisher file and all you really need to do is change the printing cost information and address of your nearest Taxpayer Assistance Center or other relevant service provider. (And maybe the date for the arrival of the state forms.)
2015 Nebraska Travel Guide
The new 2015 Nebraska Travel Guide is now available free from the Nebraska Travel Commission.
Copies are available individually and in quantities.
To request copies of the 2015 Nebraska Travel Guide please contact Kaitlyn Watermeier at ntc.tourism2@nebraska.gov or call Kaitlyn at 402-471-3744.
January webinar: Pathways to Guide Health Education at Your Library
Registration is now open for our January webinar: Pathways to Guide Health Education at Your Library:
Monday, January 26th
2:00 PM Eastern/11:00 AM Pacific
Access to reliable consumer health information is an essential component of individual and community well-being. Because of their unique role and reputation for being open and available to all, public libraries bring valuable assets to supporting local community health efforts. In this WebJunction webinar, participants will explore essential pathways for libraries to address meaningful health information and services. Participants will be introduced to foundational considerations for ensuring ethics and privacy in patron interactions, maintaining health collections at the public library, addressing community health literacy, and supporting healthy communities through partnerships. Participants will also be introduced to resources to advance these topics in their community, and leave the session prepared to join the strong network of public libraries advancing health education nationwide.
Learn more and register here: http://webjunction.org/events/webjunction/pathways-guide-health-education.html
IMLS and Dept. of Ed. hosts free digital strategy webinar
Tomorrow, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) at the U.S. Department of Education will host “Reboot your Digital Strategy,” a webinar that will explore national initiatives, resources, and tools that public and school librarians can use to enhance their digital literacy programming and services.
IMLS and OCTAE are working together to encourage effective collaborations between libraries and federally funded adult education programs. The issue is of national importance. The Survey of Adult Skills estimates that one in six adults, or about 36 million Americans, have low literacy. The goal of this joint effort is to enhance skills, employability, and quality of life for youths and adults with low literacy and digital literacy skills.
The “Reboot your Digital Strategy” webinar supports state and local level efforts to cross-train staff on digital literacy and builds awareness about national and regional Internet access expansion efforts. We encourage librarians to invite local partners, or potential partners, to participate in the webinar.
Webinar Details
Date: December 18, 2014
Time: 1:00–2:30 p.m. ET
Register for the Webinar
Presenters:
- Susan H. Hildreth, Director, Institute of Museum and Library Services
- Heidi Silver-Pacuilla, Team Leader, Applied Innovation and Improvement Division of Adult Education and Literacy, Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, U.S. Department of Education
- Sandra Toro, Senior Library Program Officer, Institute of Museum and Library Services
- Amber Petty, Program Associate, Everyone On
Librarians interested in more information about digital literacy resources can visit the Department of Education website.
Reprinted by District Dispatch–the ALA Washington Office Newsletter, December 11, 2014.
Doc Spot: Senate Report on CIA Detension and Interrogation now available online
The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) has made available the official and authentic digital and print versions of the Report of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency’s Detention and Interrogation Program, together with a forward by Chairman Feinstein and Additional and Minority Views (Senate Report 113-288).
This document comprises the declassified Executive Summary and Findings and Conclusions, including declassified additional and minority views. The full classified report will be maintained by the Committee and has been provided to the Executive Branch for dissemination to all relevant agencies.
The digital version is available on GPO’s Federal Digital System (FDsys).
The print version is available for purchase at GPO’s retail and online bookstore for $29.
Enroll in a health insurance plan TODAY for coverage starting January 1
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Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
President Barack Obama signed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) into law on July 22, 2014. WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy. More information and resources are available from the U.S. Department of Labor.
In addition, the American Library Association (ALA) has released a list of resources and tools that provide more information about the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) as it relates to libraries. The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act allows public libraries to be considered additional One-Stop partners, prohibits federal supervision or control over selection of library resources and authorizes adult education and literacy activities provided by public libraries as an allowable statewide employment and training activity.
- Have additional questions about WIOA? Access additional WIOA resources (pdf)
- Watch the archived WIOA webinar now (Note: You must download the WebEx media player to view the video)
- Download PowerPoint slides from the webinar (ppt)
Reprinted from District Dispatch: The Official ALA Washington Office Blog, November 25, 2014.
Free webinar: The latest on Ebola
As the Ebola outbreak continues, the public must sort through all of the information being disseminated via the news media and social media. In this rapidly evolving environment, librarians are providing valuable services to their communities as they assist their users in finding credible information sources on Ebola, as well as other infectious diseases.
On Tuesday, December 12, 2014, library leaders from the U.S. National Library of Medicine will host the free webinar “Ebola and Other Infectious Diseases: The Latest Information from the National Library of Medicine.” As a follow-up to the webinar they presented in October, librarians from the U.S. National Library of Medicine will be discussing how to provide effective services in this environment, as well as providing an update on information sources that can be of assistance to librarians.
Speakers
- Siobhan Champ-Blackwell is a librarian with the U.S. National Library of Medicine Disaster Information Management Research Center. Champ-Blackwell selects material to be added to the NLM disaster medicine grey literature data base and is responsible for the Center’s social media efforts. Champ-Blackwell has over 10 years of experience in providing training on NLM products and resources.
- Elizabeth Norton is a librarian with the U.S. National Library of Medicine Disaster Information Management Research Center where she has been working to improve online access to disaster health information for the disaster medicine and public health workforce. Norton has presented on this topic at national and international association meetings and has provided training on disaster health information resources to first responders, educators, and librarians working with the disaster response and public health preparedness communities.
Date: December 12, 2014
Time: 2:00 PM–3:00 PM Eastern
Register for the free event
If you cannot attend this live session, a recorded archive will be available to view at your convenience. To view past webinars also done in collaboration with iPAC, please visit Lib2Gov.org.
Reprinted from District Dispatch: The Official ALA Washington Office Blog, November 21, 2014.
Immigration Information
In light of President Obama’s immigration speech last night, libraries may be receiving more questions about contacting Immigration Services.
Please take a moment to make note of, bookmark, or post these sources for information:
USCIS Nebraska Field Office: Omaha (Website)
USCIS
1717 Avenue H
Omaha, NE 68110
402-633-4000
USCIS National Customer Service Center (Website)
1 (800) 375-5283
1 (800) 767-1833 (TTY)
