Fraud & Accountability: Massachusetts’ Lawrence mayor Brian DePena was charged with wire fraud and money laundering over alleged misuse of $1.5M in COVID small-business loans, including campaign spending and personal tax and mortgage payments. Disaster Relief for SMBs: The U.S. Small Business Administration is still accepting applications for tornado victims in Lincoln County, Mississippi, offering low-interest loans for homeowners, renters, and businesses/nonprofits. Local Growth & Main Street: Mount Vernon, Washington welcomed a new teahouse, while Medford, Michigan celebrated a $900,000 renovation at Anhorn’s Gas & Tire with major community support. Business Support Infrastructure: Dayton’s west-side incubator opened refurbished offices with a $2M SBA-backed investment, plus mentorship, microloans, and coworking. Policy & Costs: Maine approved ACA premium hikes averaging 14.8% for individuals and 13.5% for small employers—another pressure point for small budgets. Tech & Infrastructure Debate: Texas Gov. Abbott announced major data-center operators will comply with his standards, while a Massena grassroots group pushes for a referendum moratorium on new/expanded data centers. SMB Hiring/Confidence: NFIB reports small business optimism rising, even as owners keep warning about rising costs and cash strain.