Public safety push: U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that Baton Rouge has been selected as one of four cities to receive nearly $300 million collectively through the Justice Department’s Model Cities Initiative. The program aims to strengthen the rule of law and improve public safety through investments in participating communities. Baton Rouge joins Jacksonville, Florida; Jackson, Mississippi; and St. Louis, Missouri, as a grant recipient.
Addiction accountability: Meta has settled another lawsuit alleging its social media platforms contribute to child addiction, avoiding a trial involving an 18-year-old Mississippi woman. YouTube and TikTok also settled claims brought by the plaintiff, leaving Snap as the only company expected to defend itself in the upcoming trial, part of a broader group of cases that could expose tech companies to significant financial penalties. The settlements come after Meta and YouTube were ordered to pay $6 million in damages in an earlier case, adding to mounting legal and financial pressure over child safety and privacy concerns. The New York Times has the full story.
Recycling the future: As the U.S. seeks to reduce its dependence on China for rare-earth metals, recycling companies are looking to aging wind turbines as a new source of critical materials. Paladin EnviroTech is targeting thousands of older turbines scheduled for retirement, with newer models potentially containing up to $100,000 worth of rare-earth metals in their generators. The biggest challenge is economically extracting and processing the materials, prompting Paladin to partner with Critical Materials Recycling to scale technology that can recover rare earths from discarded equipment. The Wall Street Journal has the full story.
Do you think LSU quarterback Sam Leavitt will enter the 2027 NFL draft or remain at LSU for another year?
