Blog

Jennifer James Autin was recently named the new Executive Director of the Rayne Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture during its December Board of Directors’ meeting. Autin has been serving as the Business Development Coordinator for nearly a year and shares her excitement to move to this new position. Autin grew up in Rayne, graduated fromRead more

There have been two large changes to loans offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). If your business utilized a loan from the SBA, check out these two changes to see if your loan qualifies in the changes: 1)    Paycheck Protection Program loan expense deductions changed by recent Omnibus bill:  A brief from the Congressional Research Service,Read more

LAFAYETTE, La. – One Acadiana (1A) and the Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Public Policy Center at UL Lafayette (Blanco Center) have signed an agreement to form a strategic partnership to advance the two organizations’ shared missions. Both organizations are engaged on work to improve the policy environment at the local, regional, and state level, and thisRead more

If your business has fewer than 500 employees and meets other eligibility requirements from the Small Business Administration (SBA), you may have qualified for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans issued to businesses. Even better, if you received the PPP loans, you may be eligible for the forgiveness application. The SBA has approved a simpleRead more

On Monday, December 21, the U.S. Senate approved a deal on a $900 billion stimulus package that provides much-needed aid for small businesses, schools and unemployed Americans. The legislation was passed with a 92 to 6 vote following weeks of intense debates. Efforts to pass economic relief measures in the weeks leading to the presidentialRead more

Louisiana House Speaker Clay Schexnayder recently appointed State Representative John Stefanski (District 42) to chair the influential House and Governmental Affairs Committee. This is the committee which oversees redistricting that will take place during 2021. Stefanski, a Crowley Republican and ally of the Speaker, will replace former State Representative Stephen Dwight, a Republican who wasRead more

Months of dispersion throughout the northeast and southern United States has finally seen the COVID outbreak concentrating in rural areas, surging in remote, sparsely populated towns and inflicting a toll on all communities within them. Alongside this rural surge comes doomsday queries: Will rural America be able to survive this storm? Can rural small businesses-theRead more

Everyone is looking to grow in the beginning of the year. Individuals make New Year’s resolutions and try to better themselves in whatever way they choose. Businesses are no different! Many of our local small businesses will be taking stock of what they can do to create growth for the next year. What better placeRead more

The word “rural” has been thrown around the past few years by everyone. As the word is used more and more frequently, misconceptions begin to grow about what it truly means. The current trend of what is used to define rural America is white, dependent on traditional industries, and characterized by stagnation, decline, and despair.Read more

Due to the pandemic, the way businesses have had to conduct themselves and their business has altered dramatically. The digital age has indeed come full force upon us, with Zoom conferences, online classes, and digital marketing being utilized by every industry. Yet even with this emphasis on digital means of connecting, local businesses still relyRead more