Fraud Crackdown: A Jacksonville pastor, Marcus Eichelberger, pleaded guilty to wire fraud tied to fake Paycheck Protection Program claims, showing how pandemic-era loan scams still land in court. Small-Business Support: United Way of St. Charles launched a Bridge to Business and Careers Lunch and Learn series with free, practical sessions (plans, hiring, budgeting, marketing) plus meals and raffles. Local Business Spotlight: Indiana Sen. Ron Alting celebrated two Tippecanoe County stalwarts—Market Square Lanes and Brand Electric—earning the Governor’s Half Century Award. Community Commerce: Monroe’s “Burger Wars” brings seven restaurants together for a QR-code voting showdown, with a $1,500 prize. Cyber & Scam Safety: Westpac NZ highlighted a case where a scammer used remote access and phone impersonation to try to move $148,000—nearly $500,000 more—before staff stopped it, urging vigilance for smaller firms. Tech for Visibility: Polygon launched Prism, a self-service digital billboard platform aimed at making out-of-home ads easier for SMEs. AI & Contracts: A new report warns federal AI adoption could widen the small-business contracting divide if access and proposal costs keep rising. EU App Store Shake-up: Apple agreed with EU regulators on simplified App Store fees, changing commissions for small developers. Disaster Resilience: Palisades Farmers Market reopened after the 2025 wildfires, bringing back vendors and local foot traffic.