Among the projects of the Main Street Beatrice program was commissioning this mural, by local artist Tyler Rinne, to promote the downtown business district. (Courtesy Michael Sothan) LINCOLN — A Nebraska program that helps revitalize small-town main streets and big-town historic districts pales in size compared to efforts in nearby states. The nonprofit Nebraska Main Street Network runs on less than $40,000 a year from memberships and grants and has one part-time employee who works with 17 communities across the state. By comparison, Missouri’s Main Street program gets $500,000 a year from the state and has a staff of nine that works with 163 towns. Programs in Iowa and Wyoming also benefit from annual state funding of $1 million and $500,000, respectively. Meanwhile, Nebraska’s Main Street program hasn’t gotten state funds in six years. “Right now, we’re kind of running on fumes,” said Elizabeth Chase, the executive director of the Nebraska program. ‘Mom-and-pop’ shops On Wednesday, advocates for revitalizing historic shopping areas testified in favor of providing $250,000 a year to a grant program that might help the Nebraska Main Street program. The Main Street Beatrice program not only helps entrepreneurs open businesses and building owners restore historic structures […]
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