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BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs announced today that its work alongside The Boot has helped secure nearly $175,000 per year for the next five years in new federal funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration to establish a Veterans Business Outreach Center in Louisiana. The grant, announced by SBA on Sept. 25, 2026, as part of a nearly $4.9 million nationwide investment to expand the VBOC network in Alaska, Florida, and Louisiana, will fund entrepreneurship training, counseling, and technical assistance at no cost to veterans, active-duty service members, National Guard and Reserve members, military spouses, and eligible family members who want to start, grow, or expand a small business.

(The Center Square) — With Americans questioning the hundreds of thousands of AI-enhanced surveillance cameras across the country, one Republican lawmaker is introducing legislation to curb the worst abuses of the technology.

(The Center Square) — Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jamie Davis is urging a halt to new data center construction in Louisiana, worrying that too little is known about the water consumption needed to cool the massive complexes.

Jeff Davis Parish officials are taking an early look at expanding two existing economic development districts and making it easier for certain commercial and lightindustrial development to locate along portions of the I-10 corridor. Members of the Police Jury Economic Development Committee discussed potential additions to the existing Roanoke and Lacassine economic development districts during a meeting Wednesday.

With Homecoming celebrations still ahead for schools across the parish, officials remind students and parents that school spirit and tradition should not come at the expense of safety, property or the law.

(The Center Square) — The Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed the House 417-3 two weeks ago, failed to advance in the Senate Wednesday. The procedural vote was 57-43, short of the 60 votes needed.