"Crazy For You" Opens at Lofte Theatre

The Lofte Community Theatre near Manley is excited to announce the continuation of its thirty-third season with the energetic Musical Comedy, "Crazy For You" opening on July 17th. "Crazy For You" is often referred to as "The new Gershwin Musical Comedy." Debuting on Broadway in 1992, it later won the Tony Award for Best Musical that year. The show relies entirely upon the music of George Gershwin who died in 1937. "Crazy" has all of the traditional elements of a classic Broadway show of the early 20th century; toe-tapping tunes, boy-gets-girl storyline and a comic ensemble cast.

Written by Ken Ludwig, the story is set during the theater scene of the 1930s. Bobby Child is a wealthy banker's son and socialite playboy whose real dream in life is to dance. Bobby is sent to a rundown theater in Nevada by his domineering mother for the purpose of foreclosing on the dilapidated venue. Instead, Bobby falls in love with a girl, the theater and decides to put on a show to pay off the mortgage. Singing cowboys, spunky heroines and an unwanted fiancee round out the cast of colorful characters.

Starring in his first leading role as Bobby Child is Adam Kovar of Lincoln. The plucky Polly Baker is played by Elizabeth Monzingo of Papillion. Other members of the cast include Jeff Johnston, Ross Mumford and Wade Mumford of Elmwood; Anne Riha of Louisville; Melinda Mead of Plattsmouth; Mimi Ostmann of Eagle; Lucy Myrtue of Murray; Samantha Colbert of Weeping Water; Ronnie Hurlbut, Marikita Payne, Olivia Herr, Sydney Timmons, Megan Kovar, Margaret Anne White, Mark Kranz, Alex White, Zack Schafer and Mick Kovar of Lincoln; and Derek Kowal, Anna Cashero and Levi Stroebel all of Omaha.

Nebraska Named a Pollina Corporate Top 10 Pro-Business State

Nebraska has once again been named as one of the Pollina Corporate Real Estate Inc. Top 10 Pro-Business States. The Top 10 Pro-Business States report reflects state leadership that truly understands the importance of producing the best business environment and the best opportunities for job growth for their constituents.

The Pollina Corp. Top 10 study examines 33 factors relative to states’ efforts to be pro-business, and is the most comprehensive examination of states available. The Top 10 Pro-Business selection process is based on a comprehensive 2-stage approach: Stage I: Labor, Taxes & Other Factors (19 of the 33 factors), and Stage II: Incentives & State Economic Development Agency Factors (14 additional state government-controlled factors).

Summary comments taken directly from the report state:

You can’t hold Nebraska back! Nebraska has once again climbed the list of Pro-Business states, assuming the previously held 10th place spot it had in 2007. Nebraska’s Human Resource factors continue to account for part of its strong showing by receiving high marks for High-School Completion and College Attainment. In addition, Nebraska’s low Unemployment and low Number of Jobs Gained or Lost, as well as Right-to-Work Status, low Unemployment Insurance, and low Workers Compensation Costs combine to provide good human resource conditions. Nebraska also had a strong Stage I: Labor, Taxes & Other Factors score based on their Pro Business Litigation Environment, Transportation Infrastructure, Low Cost of Electricity, and Broadband Access. In terms of Stage II: Incentives & Economic Development Agency Factors, Nebraska continued its strong showing by placing 7th in Stage II (overall), reflecting the emphasis Nebraska has placed on fostering a pro business environment in which the state is able to provide the tools necessary for businesses to grow in our challenging economy.

http://www.pollina.com/publications/probiz~1.htm/

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Stuhr Named One of '110 Places to Get Kids Hooked on History'

Grand Island Independent

Stuhr Museum has been named one of True West Magazine's "110 Places to Get Kids Hooked on History" in the July 2009 edition, which is on newsstands now.

The magazine interviewed Ann Atkins, Stuhr’s director of education about how it uses its grounds and knowledge of its time period to make history come alive for students. From the article:

"Museums have a tendency to be hands-off and keep-quiet – tough concepts for all 7-year-olds – and all about dead people," the article says. "Living history museums, on the other hand, are great ways to make history come to life."

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Venture Capital Firm Investing Big in Tiny Enzyme

A recently discovered brain-derived enzyme with big potential to treat Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease has led to the largest investment of venture capital funds to date obtained by the University of Nebraska Medical Center and its technology transfer company, UNeMed Corporation.

NeuMedix Health Group (http://www.neumedix.com/), a biotechnology venture capital firm based in Sydney, Australia, has invested approximately $2 million in the work of Tsuneya Ikezu, M.D., Ph.D., a professor in the UNMC Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience.

The money will be used to further Dr. Ikezu’s research on finding a compound that will block the enzyme's function with a high degree of specificity and subsequently prevent the damaging effects of the enzyme's overactivity thus preventing the onset of dementia.

"The University of Nebraska Medical Center has an international reputation in producing quality research and Dr. Ikezu has done an impressive amount of research in this particular area," said Michael Issakidis, NeuMedix managing director. "We hope that by our investments, we can assist hundreds of thousands of individuals and their families in achieving a better quality of life."

UNeMed first filed a patent application on the enzyme when Dr. Ikezu discovered it in 2002 and expects the patent to issue later this summer. "The reward of UNeMed and Dr. Ikezu’s diligence over the past six years is paying large dividends," said Michael Dixon, Ph.D., vice president of UNeMed. "Everything has come together nicely and we are pleased to be able to attract additional research money to this valuable research as well as establish a partner to help translate the results of this research into the clinic."

Dr. Ikezu's lab developed a transgenic mouse model to show that the gene known as TTBK1 induces memory impairment. The mouse model study was published in the December issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. The finding revealed that TTBK1 is a potential therapeutic target for neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

"This enzyme can be a therapeutic target of neurodegenerative disorders," Dr. Ikezu said. "We are all excited about the publication and the venture capital funding. It will allow us to initiate a drug screening program to regulate this enzyme activity in the brain."

Due to the complex nature of the project, negotiations and planning between NeuMedix and UNeMed took nearly a year to complete. The research will take place over the next four years at which time, it is anticipated that it will be ready for clinical trials.

Contact Lisa Spellman, UNMC PR at 402-559-4353.

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Nebraska Tourism Quarterly Input Session

Quarterly input sessions provide you the opportunity to share thoughts, experiences, and insight as an active member of Nebraska’s tourism industry.

The meetings are conducted at Snitily Carr’s expense, and participants need only attend one as the same agenda will be followed at each.

Feel free to attend the meeting that best fits your schedule.

August 24, 4 p.m., Lincoln County Historical Museum, 2403 North Buffalo Bill Avenue, North Platte

August 25, 10:30 a.m., Hastings Museum, 1330 North Burlington Avenue, Hastings

September 21, 10:30 a.m., Quarry Oaks near Ashland

Representatives from Snitily Carr, DED's Tourism Division’s advertising agency, will be on hand to gather input.

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Continuum of Care Meeting and Housing Training Coming to North Platte August 26-27

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and DED are teaming to provide the HHS Continuum of Care Annual Meeting and DED Housing Training, August 26 and 27 in North Platte.

The Continuum of Care portion will feature workshops on topics ranging from RentWise, Foster Care & Homelessness, Permanent Supportive Housing and more. DED also will conduct workshops on components of the Nebraska Affordable Housing Program including conducting environmental reviews, reporting and monitoring, technical writing assistance and more.

Humorist Juli Burney will be the luncheon keynote speaker on August 26. A networking session will follow the day’s workshops.

Cost for the two days is $50 per person. To register, go to DED’s website at: http://www.neded.org/content/view/117/243/, by the August 14 deadline.

Registrations can be emailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or mailed to Divya Gopal, Nebraska Department of Economic Development, P.O. Box 94666, Lincoln, NE 68509-4666.

THE NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

If appropriately credited, material in this newsletter may be reproduced without permission. It is the policy of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development not to discriminate on the basis of sex, disability, race, color, religion, marital status, age or national or ethnic origin.