In the News

Eight students studying for future careers in agriculture, nursing, diesel technology and other high-demand careers received generous scholarships because they plan to return to Phelps County to work after graduation. The High Demand Jobs Scholarships are part of the Phelps County Development Corporation’s efforts to create a quality local workforce. Thi...Continue Reading

The costs of opening a new business or franchise can hinder some from even starting. The new PCDC Business & Franchise Development Program will remove some of those roadblocks and help entrepreneurs through the initial stages of starting a business. The new GO! BUSINESS program offers support and financial incentives t...Continue Reading

Holdrege’s largest employer is about to become even larger. BD Holdrege has hired 130 employees in the last six months and plans to hire up to 70 more new employees by the end of 2021 boosting its total employment to about 710 associates. The company’s local growth is fueled by the nee...Continue Reading

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts and several agricultural officials on Tuesday kicked off June Dairy month by releasing details of an Economic Development Study of the state’s dairy industry. Nebraska State Dairy Association Executive Director Kris Bousquet says they evaluated three different cities with the biggest return coming in Grand Islan...Continue Reading

Phelps County Development Corporation’s High Demand Jobs Scholarships are a key component of its workforce development strategy. The scholarships are intended to encourage graduating seniors and non-traditional students to pursue work in local high-demand jobs: nursing, agribusiness and ag technology, automotive and diesel mechanics, engineering technologists, mechatronics engineers, injection mol...Continue Reading

One of President Joe Biden’s first acts was to announce a $2.3 trillion bill to repair and upgrade the nation’s infrastructure. The bill addresses what has become a perennial topic of debate in Congress, and one that has repeatedly been set aside for action at some future date. It has bee...Continue Reading

The pandemic wreaked havoc across every industry, and companies in the manufacturing and mobility/transportation sectors were not spared. The result? Companies are re-evaluating their supply chains and operations in a post-COVID environment. Realigning the Supply Chain For the past 20 years, manufacturing moved operations from the U.S. to East Asia to tak...Continue Reading

When scouting locations for a retailer, an experienced real estate team knows precisely what to look for: sites that have high visibility, easy accessibility, and close proximity to a population base and competing stores. By comparing options that meet this small handful of criteria, the final selection can be relativel...Continue Reading

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Nebraska was awarded a $1.8 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to support tourism across the state. The U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) awarded the funds to the Nebraska Tourism Commission, in an effort to boost the state’s tourism industry through coordination and marketing. This ED...Continue Reading

Youth baseball season swings into full gear this month, and there’s good news ahead on the future Holdrege baseball complex. Holdrege City Administrator Chris Rector said the city is moving forward with work on the complex this summer. Rector said the city is ordering lights and working with contractors to put i...Continue Reading

A new bistro will be the newest tenant in the historic location formerly known as the Hotel Dale in downtown Holdrege. The Blue Vine will serve pasta, sandwiches and fresh salads along with cocktails and other menu items at its new location opening this summer. “We are very excited about openin...Continue Reading

Good news is on the horizon for potential homebuyers in Holdrege. The Phelps County Development Corporation has secured McElhinny Builders of Kearney to build 16 homes in the new CREW subdivision. McElhinny Builders started construction on three single-family homes in the CREW subdivision in mid-May. Construction could be complete in as earl...Continue Reading

When David Dooley had to decide between leading a plant in Georgia or Holdrege, the strong work ethic at Allmand and employees’ openness to change led him to choose Holdrege. After just seven weeks in the role, he knows he made the right choice. Dooley, the new vice president and genera...Continue Reading

Broadband access is critical in today’s world. Nebraska’s Rural Broadband Remote Access Grant program, using $40 million in CARES Act funds, has helped deploy high-speed internet to the state’s smaller communities. Appreciating the importance of connectivity has been a silver lining of the pandemic, Nichole Reiner, chief strategy officer for the Nebrask...Continue Reading

PCDC wants to help local business owners enhance their education and online sales opportunities with its Digital Marketing Support Program. Education, building and upgrading websites and launching e-commerce can be expensive. PCDC wants to remove financial barriers to help local businesses grow and thrive in an increasingly digital world. “We launched thi...Continue Reading

Phelps County retail sales finished strong in 2020 buoyed by shoppers spending dollars closer to home, improved corn and soybean prices for area farmers and strong automotive sales. Recently released local sales tax numbers for 2020 show that Phelps County and Holdrege posted strong sales numbers in December and ended th...Continue Reading

It has been nearly a year now since local moviegoers have been able to watch a movie while enjoying delicious buttery popcorn at Holdrege’s Sun Theater. But, the days of watching movies in downtown Holdrege are coming again soon, and it’s going to be better than ever. “I appreciate the patience tha...Continue Reading

The sixth annual National Economic Development Week is May 9-15, 2021. National Economic Development Week was created in 2016 by the International Economic Development Council — the largest professional membership organization for economic developers — to recognize the unique role that economic development has in creating vibrant communities with stron...Continue Reading

Life is easier, more secure, and more fulfilling in Phelps County Nebraska and the efforts of the Phelps County Development Corporation (PCDC) are a significant part of that equation. This non-governmental organization consisting of private investors works with community partners to create a vibrant and growing local economy through recruitin...Continue Reading

Being a small-town lawyer in his hometown didn’t seem like an exciting plan for Nate DeWald when he attended Holdrege High School in the late 1990s. But, after some time, climbing the corporate ladder in the big city didn’t seem like a great plan either. The city lights began to dull...Continue Reading

It’s a hot sellers’ market in Phelps County right now. With just a handful of houses on the market, homes are selling fast. Colby Gray, Realtor at Country Road Realty, said a house that recently came on the market in Holdrege sold in less than 24 hours at an offer above th...Continue Reading

The Holdrege Veteran’s Memorial Committee has approved construction bids for its new project in Holdrege’s South Park. Doug Stevenson of Olsson organized and administered the process on behalf of the committee and submitted bids for approval. The committee awarded bids to Popple Concrete Construction for the concrete work, K&D Motor &...Continue Reading

Fred Diedrichsen is retiring from the Phelps County Development Corporation Board of Directors after serving for eight years. Diedrichsen, who worked for 42 years as a local dentist, has volunteered on many local boards and appreciates opportunities to lead and serve in the community. “As with any board I’ve ever been on...Continue Reading

A Holdrege native has been elected to replace Fred Diedrichsen on the Phelps County Development Corporation Board of Directors. Jeff Moon, managing broker at AgWest Land Brokers, LLC, began his board service this month to help lead economic development activities in the county. Fred Diedrichsen has retired from the board afte...Continue Reading