Local Business Events: Martins Ferry’s Project Forward is gearing up for its fifth annual Strawberry Festival, with strawberry treats, live music, 60 craft vendors, food trucks, and a car show/dog show running Saturday noon–9 p.m. Cross-Border Craft & Retail: Casa Filipina in Dubai is spotlighting sustainable Filipino craftsmanship, aiming to help artisans reach global buyers through a showroom backed by Philippine officials. Regulation Shock for SMBs: In Louisiana, auto service shops are bracing after a state move to eliminate vehicle safety inspections, replacing the process with a paid QR code at registration renewals—raising fears for customer flow and road safety. Courts & Costs: A Pennsylvania Supreme Court stormwater ruling leaves municipalities and nonprofits facing “unknowns” over whether stormwater charges function like taxes, with real impact for local budgets and business/university fees. SMB Growth & Jobs: Mark Cuban tells college grads to start job searches with small businesses, arguing they create most new jobs and will benefit from AI-driven competition. Credit Access Push: Nigeria’s payments roadmap is getting a push for credit-led growth, with Moniepoint’s CEO backing credit products built on transaction data to finance underserved MSMEs. SMB Skills & Cash Flow: St. Kitts and Nevis launched a Ministry financial management training programme for entrepreneurs, covering budgeting, cash flow, record-keeping, and planning. Funding & Debt Help (UK): The UK announced expanded business debt advice support via the Money and Pensions Service, targeting thousands more struggling firms. SMB Marketing in the AI Era: A Bakersfield PR firm rolled out free DIY marketing audit tools, warning many local businesses are “invisible” in AI-driven search due to messy listings and weak directory presence. Small Business Spotlight: Ohio’s Humtown Products CEO Mark Lamoncha received a state House resolution after being named SBA Ohio Small Business Person of the Year.