Coastal Delivery Push: CPRA, DOTD and USACE say they’ll fast-track Louisiana coastal resilience work after a “Summit at Sea Level,” aiming to cut red tape and speed project timelines. Port & Infrastructure Funding: USDOT awarded $136.8M in BUILD grants to 12 maritime projects nationwide, with Louisiana-area stakeholders watching how dock and planning upgrades could ripple into regional logistics. Data Center Jobs vs. Growth Concerns: In Shreveport and Caddo Parish, SLB’s former GM site is now fully occupied, with commissioners weighing job gains against issues like worker housing and long-term benefits. Maritime Labor Tension: American mariners protested a Chinese asphalt tanker operating under a Jones Act waiver in Louisiana, arguing it undermines U.S. jobs. Retail Shakeout: Brookshire’s/Super 1 Foods plans to close three Louisiana stores after a performance review, highlighting pressure on grocery operators. Energy & Grid Reliability: A guest column revisits Louisiana’s grid failure and asks what must change so load-shed outages don’t repeat. Public Finance Watch: A Tax Foundation report ranks Louisiana as having the highest average sales tax burden in the U.S., driven by state and local add-ons. Weather & Recovery: Longue Vue House and Gardens is still cleaning up after a June tornado damaged trees, plants and historic features. Workforce & Education: ULM landed a $4.2M federal contract to expand weather nowcasting and forecasting, including new monitoring stations across the Lower Mississippi River Basin.