'Nebraska A Top Ten State In Which To Make A Living'
According to new analysis by MoneyRates.com, Nebraska is one of the nation's best places to earn a living. http://www.money-rates.com/research-center/best-states-to-make-a-living/2013.htm

Columbus Telegram section on Reversing Brain Drain
http://columbustelegram.com/special-section/power-and-progress/power-and-progress---march/pdf_97ddd14e-90c8-11e2-b5cf-0019bb2963f4.html

'Lincoln is happiest place in the U.S., says Gallup'
(Lincoln Journal Star) -- JournalStar.com reports that Lincoln is the happiest place in the United States, topping nearly 190 other metropolitan areas "in the 2012 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, which tallies scores in six measures of well-being." Omaha checked in at 27th. The story notes that it is "actually job satisfaction that put Lincoln over the top." And "the city also ranked high in the basic access category, which measures things such as clean air and water and access to health care." Nebraska as a whole also fared well in the survey, coming in at No. 7 among the states, up one spot from 2011, the article notes.
http://journalstar.com/news/local/lincoln-is-the-happiest-place-in-the-u-s/article_33db256b-16d0-50ce-99ec-fbe7fc048ff6.html

'Nebraska: A Top-Ten State For Well-Being'
Nebraska is again ranked sixth in the country for well-being, according to a new survey by Gallup. The annual report measures physical health, emotional health, work environment, lifestyle behaviors, access to basic needs such as clean water and medicine, and people's perceived satisfaction with their lives. Those participating in the survey were asked about their eating habits, daily stress levels, and whether they used their strengths at work, among other things. Nebraska scored 68.5 out of a possible 100. Ranked ahead of Nebraska were Hawaii, Colorado, Minnesota, Utah and Vermont. States in the Midwest and Northeast typically scored higher, while most Southern states scored the lowest. The bottom five states were Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky and No. 50 West Virginia. For full results, visit www.well-beingindex.com.

'Report: Nebraska offers most-affordable home ownership'
(AP/KRVN.com) -- The AP reports that a new study by LendingTree, which runs an online market for mortgages and other loans, "says Nebraska homeowners paid $711 per month for their mortgages, on average over the past year" -- the lowest mortgage payments in the nation. "Washington D.C. is home to the highest average mortgage payment of $1,641. Hawaii has the second-highest payments of $1,536, and California ranks third at $1,445 per month." Hawaii is the most expensive state in the U.S. to buy a home with an average price over $742,000, while Nebraska is the cheapest.
http://krvn.com/index.php?more=49xwmy4h

'Nebraska gains ground in population'
(The Business Journals) -- BizJournals.com reports that Nebraska is one of eight states that have changed positions in the nation's population rankings since the 2010 federal census was taken. West Virginia had held a population lead of 26,700 over Nebraska when the 2010 census was conducted. But new estimates indicate that Nebraska has now squeaked ahead by 900 to take 37th place. California remains the nation's most populous state with 38.19 million as of Dec. 1, 2012, followed by Texas, New York, Florida and Illinois. Meanwhile, Georgia has pulled past Michigan for eighth place, while Arizona has surpassed Indiana for 15th place. The District of Columbia, which is considered a state for statistical purposes, has leaped ahead of No. 50 Vermont. Wyoming remains the nation's least populated state.
http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/on-numbers/scott-thomas/2012/11/8-states-change-positions-in-us.html

'Household incomes expanding quickly in Neb., Dakotas'
(Sacramento Business Journal) -- BizJournals.com reports that a new report by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis finds that personal income rose in 3,062 of the nation's 3,113 counties in 2011. "Of the 50 counties with the fastest personal income growth in 2011, 45 were in the Plains Region — with 41 of the 45 counties located in Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. ... Increases in farm income were a major factor in the growth rates for most of these counties." Nationwide, personal incomes rose an average of 5.2% in 2011, up from 3.8% in 2010. Inflation, meanwhile, accelerated to 2.4% in 2011 from 1.9% in 2010.
http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2012/11/27/sacramento-household-incomes-on-rise.html

'Report: Nebraska No. 5 for housing market health'
(South Florida Business Journal) -- Nebraska is ranked near the top in a new LendingTree LLC index on healthiest housing markets. In a story published at bizjournals.com, Nebraska came in at No. 5 on the list. "The LendingTree Healthiest Housing Index shows North Dakota has the healthiest housing market in the U.S., followed by Wyoming, Minnesota, Alaska, Nebraska, Utah, Virginia, Colorado, Kansas and Iowa." The bottom 10 were Nevada, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Illinois, Louisiana, California and New Jersey.
http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2012/03/21/florida-among-worst-states-for-housing.html

'NU Report Shows More Economic Growth For Nebraska'
(10/11 News) -- 1011now.com reports that the "Nebraska's Leading Economic Indicator increased by 0.93% in February 2012, indicating that the Nebraska economy will grow at a moderate rate in mid-2012." According to the story, "this marks the third consecutive monthly increase in the Leading Economic Indicator -- Nebraska, which is produced by faculty and students within the UNL College of Business Administration."
http://www.1011now.com/home/headlines/UNLs_Leading_Economic_Indicator_Report_Shows_More_Growth_142989995.html

'Lincoln, Omaha Named As Top 10 Cities To Raise A Family'
The online financial publication 24/7 Wall St. has named Lincoln and Omaha as top ten cities to raise a family. According to the website, Lincoln is ranked No. 5, while Omaha is No. 8. The study considered quality of schools, health care and recreational opportunities, in addition to green space and playgrounds, hospitals, unemployment and violent crime rates. Regarding No. 5 Lincoln, the publication noted that the city's economy "has done exceptionally well through the recession," with its unemployment rate for 2011 the lowest among all major cities. "The city also has large amounts of land dedicated to parks and playgrounds." Eighth-ranked Omaha, according to the story, had the nation's second-lowest unemployment rate for 2011 due to its "bustling economy, with a large insurance, health care, and finance presence. Five Fortune 500 companies are based there," as well as "a number of top-ranking hospitals."

'UNL economists predict Neb. economy to keep growing'
(AP/BusinessWeek.com) -- The AP reports that a new economic report from UNL suggests that "Nebraska's economy will continue growing at a moderate pace in the next six months." The university economists looked at "single-family housing starts, airline passengers, initial unemployment claims, manufacturing hours, the value of the U.S. dollar and the data from a survey of Nebraska businesses. ... The only factor that suggested slower growth was the unemployment data. UNL economist Dr. Eric Thompson said that growth in the Leading Economic Indicator in January suggests the Nebraska economy will accelerate later in 2012.
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9SV93QO0.htm

'As Legislature debates data center legislation, communities like Aurora prepare'
(NTV, Kearney) -- Nebraska.tv reports that Aurora Chamber director "Christian Evans has his head in the clouds, as he pictures a corn field as a data center at the heart of modern cloud computing." The article and NTV video notes that Nebraska lawmakers have advanced LB1118, an incentive bill for large data centers. Senator Galen Hadley of Kearney says Nebraska has "five cities that have pad-ready sites, so I hope we have five projects that come to Nebraska that come to five cities." Cities with technology parks include Kearney, Aurora, Fremont, North Platte and South Sioux City.
http://www.nebraska.tv/story/16955076/legislatures-advances-data-center-incentives

'Lt. Gov: Nebraska has good chance to land 'The Edge''
(Kearney Hub) -- KearneyHub.com reports that Nebraska Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy, in a speech to the Kearney Rotary Club, said Nebraska has a good chance at landing a planned $1.2 billion data center. "'We have a good chance at being successful,' Sheehy said about The Edge project, which reportedly is deciding whether to locate in Kearney or in Iowa.'" The story notes that state lawmakers are pushing tax incentives for the data center (under LB1118) and rate-setting authority for Nebraska Public Power District to provide electricity at a discount for the data center (under LB1043).
http://www.kearneyhub.com/news/local/article_986a2e50-5cbc-11e1-9408-0019bb2963f4.html

'Nebraska travel guide goes digital'
(Nebraska Dept. of Economic Development) — Nebraska's DED reports, "The 2012 Nebraska Travel Guide is now available in a fully interactive digital format. Travelers can learn about Nebraska, search attractions and accommodations, watch videos, link directly to websites and find everything they need to start planning their next getaway. It's all there with just a few quick taps. View the digital guide on a computer at www.VisitNebraska.gov/zinio or get the guide on your tablet via zinio.com/NebraskaTravel.

'NU business students market their Nebraska family values'
(AP/TheRepublic.com) -- The AP report that "business administration students at UNL are creating a code of ethics that they hope will get them noticed as they move into the business world" and "give them an advantage in the job market." The code will be announced tomorrow, Feb. 14. According to the story, "the code's four major areas include integrity, honesty, professionalism and respect and compassion. ... Among the tenets: Accept responsibility for actions and be sincere and authentic in communications with others."
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/34692ce18c304725847e768f6630a221/NE---Business-Ethics/

'Nebraska Among States With Demand For Skilled Workers'
(San Francisco Chronicle) -- SFGate.com reports that "in 2012, if you want to go where the jobs are," check out the states with the lowest unemployment rates in the country -- Utah, Wyoming, Minnesota, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Nebraska and North Dakota. "Each has a largely business-friendly climate, if not a swimsuit-friendly one. But more to the point, each has a gaping dearth of people available to do what needs to be done." The story notes that these states have employers in ag, manufacturing, industrial machinery and equipment, construction, and energy production. "Whatever these sectors might lack in glamour, they more than make up for in steadiness and income. ... So if you're a heavy equipment field service mechanic, as opposed to an overeducated liberal arts graduate who's working on a master's degree while paying off student loans, kudos to you for getting that diesel technician's two-year diploma and making a sound investment in your education. The world, or at least the geographical heart of North America, is your oyster." http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2012/02/08/investopedia72635.DTL#ixzz1lrK1DWbd