Local Business Relief: Madison’s Willy Street fair is expected to bring a much-needed revenue boost for struggling shops after recent unrest, with Café Coda among those hoping for fresh foot traffic. Visa & Hiring Pressure: Trump renewed a $100,000 H-1B fee and ordered agencies to scrutinize employers’ recent or planned layoffs, a direct compliance headache for small firms hiring foreign workers. Merchant Lending: Ecobank launched a digital lending facility for merchants using transaction history instead of collateral, aiming to close the SME credit gap. Small-Business Leadership: Iowa’s North Central SBDC named Anna Woodward regional director to deliver no-cost counseling across 12 counties. Rising Input Costs: Oklahoma restaurants face higher beef prices, with one operator projecting about a 10% menu increase to protect margins. Local Business Survival Costs: Cairo is standardizing street kiosks with a costly unified design, raising fears some small operators can’t afford the upgrade. New Ownership/Expansion: ARTifact reopened under new ownership in Mankato, moving to a larger, more family-friendly space for pottery painting. Community Markets: El Paso’s 915 Market returns with 30-plus local vendors, spotlighting hyper-local makers. Tech for SMEs: IntellicoERP plans to open in Ghana as it expands its enterprise software into new markets. Policy & Public Safety: Rockland County businesses hit by CHPE construction can apply for financial relief via the Good Neighbor Fund Grant Program. FTC Action: Amway and affiliates agreed to pay $225M after FTC claims about misleading worker earnings and pressured product purchases.