Data Center Finance Watch: Meta is paying about 7.5% to borrow $12.5B for a new AI data center campus in El Paso, with BlackRock-backed funds holding 80% and Meta taking a 20% stake—keeping the debt off its balance sheet via a lease-and-ownership structure. Local Governance & Growth: New Orleans-area leaders are debating how to regulate big data centers, with Iberville officials flagging not just decibel noise but also high-frequency impacts on livestock and pets. Energy & Jobs: The U.S. Department of Energy named Utah, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Idaho as potential Nuclear Lifecycle Innovation Campus states, setting up a new push for the nuclear fuel cycle and related investment. Trade & Housing Costs: Canadian wildfires and proposed tariffs on wood products are pushing up softwood lumber prices, raising the odds of higher housing costs. Port of New Orleans: Port NOLA tapped Brad Guilmino as VP of Finance and Innovative Delivery to lead major capital work, including the Louisiana International Terminal. Community & Housing: The Willows apartments in New Orleans East are starting a privately funded redevelopment, with residents facing relocation as security upgrades begin. Agriculture & Policy: House Speaker Mike Johnson met Louisiana farmers to discuss trade pressures and economic struggles, warning more farms could close without regulatory relief. Business Recognition: Ruston software firm QMS2GO won a 2026 Hermes Creative Awards Gold for its AI-native quality management platform.