AI Infrastructure Finance: Meta is paying about 7.5% to borrow $12.5B for a roughly one-gigawatt El Paso data center campus, with BlackRock-backed funds owning 80% and Meta taking a 20% stake while leasing the capacity. Local Governance & Growth: Iberville Parish is paving the way for road upgrades, with a servitude deal for Jesse Romig Drive and progress on La. 995 (Avondale Road) nearing completion. Data Centers, But Make It Local: At a national NaCO conference, Louisiana officials flagged concerns beyond economics—especially noise impacts on livestock and pets and pressure on local water supplies—pushing for smarter ordinances. Energy & Climate Costs: Louisiana HVAC pros warn extreme heat is stressing AC systems and driving up bills, urging routine maintenance and filter changes. Solar Payback Shrinks: Across the U.S., states are cutting rooftop solar credits, and Louisiana’s lower-value net metering makes payback harder. Agriculture & Trade: House Speaker Mike Johnson met Louisiana farmers to discuss fuel, fertilizer, and import competition squeezing commodities like rice, sugarcane, beef, and timber. Nuclear Fuel Cycle: DOE named Utah, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Idaho as potential host states for Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campuses, setting up major workforce and investment talks. Construction Materials Watch: Canadian wildfires and proposed tariffs are pushing up wood-product prices, raising the odds of higher housing costs. Manufacturing Software Win: Ruston-based QMS2GO won Hermes Creative Awards Gold for its AI-native ISO 9001 quality management platform.