Federal Contracting & Innovation: Vermont APEX Accelerator and the U.S. Department of the Navy OSBP will host “Navy Week: Doing Business with the Navy and Marine Corps Small Business Workshop” Aug. 26 in Burlington, with SBIR/STTR, Mentor-Protégé, and procurement prep for SMBs. AI for SMBs: Meta is rolling out an AI assistant upgrade that can pull in Facebook/Instagram analytics, Meta Ads, and Google Workspace data to generate recommendations, documents, and reminders for small business owners. Disaster Loans (SMB access): SBA will open Disaster Loan Outreach Centers again for Northern Illinois storm damage—Chicago and Hazel Crest—offering walk-in help with business and nonprofit loans (up to $2M) and property/economic injury applications. Local Retail Vitality: Keighley traders say Cavendish Street’s lack of retail variety is hurting footfall and call for pop-up shops to bring customers back. Small Business Risk Management: A South Africa commercial insurance expert warns vehicle theft and hijacking can hit cash flow and continuity, urging SMEs to treat it as resilience planning. Policy & Compliance Pressure: DoD’s CMMC reform debate highlights ongoing confusion around controlled unclassified information marking, a cost driver for smaller contractors. Tech Job Market Reality: A former UX leader says AI layoffs are pushing tech workers into new SMB-focused agencies, offering AI workflow help and implementation. Community Business Support: Rock Springs launches “Brewed for Business,” a quarterly workshop series pairing practical sessions with networking for local SMBs. Tourism Dollars: Jackson County tourism spending hit $486.85M in 2025 (+5.1%), supporting jobs and tax revenue tied to travel.