Applied Digital AI buildout: Gov. Jeff Landry and Louisiana Economic Development announced Applied Digital’s $3.6B “Delta Forge 1” AI data center campus in Rapides Parish near Boyce, targeting 300 acres, 300 MW of IT load, and about 418 jobs (plus peak construction employment). Energy & power demand: A separate reader letter warns data-center growth could strain Louisiana’s electricity and water, raising questions about costs to ratepayers as approvals accelerate. Copper tariffs watch: Reuters reports the U.S. decision on refined copper import tariffs is due by end of June, with widening price premiums pulling more metal into the U.S. and tightening supply elsewhere. Maritime policy: The American Maritime Partnership launched a national campaign urging Trump to end the Jones Act waiver, saying it’s hurting U.S. maritime jobs and shipyard activity, with Louisiana included in the outreach. Hurricane readiness: FEMA’s acting administrator Bob Fenton said the agency is ready for the 2026 season as FEMA runs “Silent Echo” drills ahead of June 1. Local infrastructure cleanup: Calcasieu Parish crews cleared debris from Lacassine Bayou ahead of hurricane season to protect drainage and reduce flood risk. Workforce & training: Engage2Excel named Chief Analytics Officer Dr. Charles Scherbaum a Fellow of SIOP, highlighting analytics and talent-management research. Education research: LSU’s flagship reported $601M in research expenditures for FY 2024–2025, a fifth straight year of record growth. Sports betting regulation: AG Dave Yost and other state attorneys general urged the CFTC to recognize state authority over sports-related prediction markets, arguing they function like unregulated sportsbooks.