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A recent Census Bureau report shows Nebraska's Latino-owned businesses opening at a rate faster than the U.S. average. And nationally, the Cornhusker state ranked No. 1 in the percentage increase in revenue generated by Latino business owners. Sales receipts in Nebraska reached an estimated $434 million in 2002, according to the study, which covered 1997 to 2002. That's a 207 percent increase from five years earlier.

Leroy Jeter came to Bellevue seven years ago to head a unit of Lockheed Martin Corp. that worked for the Air Force. His crew had 20 people. Today, Lockheed has 240 people in Bellevue offices and at Offutt Air Force Base, 150 of whome will soon settle into Lockheed's new building west of Bellevue.

As Ben Bernanke takes the chairman's seat, Federal Reserve watchers wonder how many more interest rate increases are in store. Bernanke and his Fed colleagues are expected to boost America's borrowing costs yet again at the end of their two-day meeting Tuesday. And analysts will be searching for clues about where the central bank is headed after that.

The Midlands' rural economy grew slightly in the past month, according to a survey of bank executives, who also expect slow growth in the next six months.