TULSA, Okla — Tulsa has seen a boost in its food industry, thanks in part to a growing population.

The Hispanic and Latino population has also contributed to the Oklahoma economy through restaurants, catering businesses, and food trucks.

According to a study conducted by the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, the number of Hispanic and Latino individuals who have gone into the state’s food service industry has grown by more than 12,000 between 2001 and 2021.

To help continue this growth, the Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation is starting up its “Lanzamiento Program” for Spanish speakers who are interested in pursuing a career in the culinary industry.

The classes are held in partnership with Mother Road Market for 12 weeks.

Wendy Henriquez is the owner of Sugar Crave and completed the program back in 2024.

She said it was a huge help when it came to learning the ins and outs of the industry.

It also helped her that it was all in Spanish, the language she prefers.

“All of the classes were focused on the regulations here in the United States and Oklahoma needing to be met,” she said. “In every class, we had experts talk to us about things like taking out loans, insurance, credit.”

“Wow, I mean it isn’t easy, but it’s possible,” she said. “Perseverance is important.”

Abel Aguilar is the Program Manager in charge of the Lanzamiento course.

“We believe it’s important because not only do we have a strong population of both Hispanic and Latin entrepreneurs here in Tulsa, they may not know the resources that they have available to them,” he said.

While tuition doesn’t start off as being free of charge, there are financial assistance options to help.

We Street Credit Union has also pitched in to offer funds for financial assistance so some weight can be taken off of the participant.

Aguilar also said Lobeck Taylor will work something out if finances are the only obstacle to applying.

For others interested in other resources to help kickstart their business, Avanzando Juntos is also a non-profit organization that can help.

Primarily for Spanish speakers, Avanzando Juntos helps connect business owners with grants and funding that can help eliminate some of the costs that come with starting a business.

For those interested in applying to the “Lanzamiento” Program, you can visit the Kitchen 66 website for the application.

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On July 1, three days before fireworks erupted across the United States, South Carolina football launched some of their own across the college football world after landing five-star cornerback Joshua Dobson.

Dobson’s commitment to the Gamecocks marked the highest-rated defensive back commit in program history. Additionally, the No. 12 prospect in the nation is the third-highest-ranked Gamecock commit ever, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.

On July 3, ESPN’s Craig Haubert, Eli Lederman and Tom Luginbill predicted the fit of all current five-star prospects with their future schools. That list included Dobson’s fit with South Carolina.

What does this mean for the Gamecocks? Mingo Martin and fellow subscribers are discussing it now on The Insiders Forum.

“ESPN’s No. 2 cornerback was a priority local target for South Carolina coach Shane Beamer in the 2027 cycle,” Lederman wrote. ” … If he signs later this year, Dobson will represent the program’s highest-ranked signee since defensive end Jordan Burch arrived at South Carolina as the No. 4 overall recruit in the 2020 class.”

Dobson, originally of Fort Mill, S.C., transferred to Hough High School in Cornelius, N.C., after his junior season. In the days following his commitment, his Hough teammate, Davion Jones, joined him in South Carolina’s recruiting class.

“A long, gifted corner with elite level speed, he posted a 4.39 40 this spring. Dobson is smooth and transitions extremely quickly in and out when turning and running or closing on the ball,” Luginbill wrote. “He can mirror without allowing separation in man-to-man, shadowing receivers out of their breaks. He tracks the deep throw well, showing a second gear to break under the ball and has outstanding hands and ball skills.”

The former quarterback and ESPN national recruiting director also predicted that Dobson can be an early starter at South Carolina.

There is precedent in ensuring young defensive backs see the field as freshmen under Beamer. During the 2025 season, true freshmen Kendall Daniels Jr. and Damarcus Leach saw limited action.

Daniels featured in nine games primarily on special teams while Leach saw limited time across seven matchups. Both players returned to the Gamecocks for a sophomore season in 2026.

Earlier during the Beamer era, Nick Emmanwori, DQ Smith, and Jalon Kilgore all earned Freshman All-American honors with the Gamecocks.

“He also shows good closing speed and aggressiveness in run support, and isn’t just a finesse cover corner,” Luginbill wrote about the Gamecocks’ 2027 Freshman All-American hopeful. “Dobson has awareness and instincts for the position that are coveted, and his speed sets him apart.”

Dobson’s speed features 100-meter track times in the 10.4-second range alongside his 6-foot 5-inch wingspan.

However, the crown jewel of South Carolina’s 2027 recruiting class still has a senior year to play. In an age of NIL and constant player movement, Dobson’s recruitment remains far from over. Should the Gamecocks retain their potential star through signing day, the sky is the limit for him and Clayton White’s secondary.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Home power bills are feeling the impact of data centers opening across Tennessee communities, according to a new report from ThinkTennessee.

Researchers found electricity usage has increased by more than 7.2 times over the past five years as data centers opened in the Tennessee Valley region. Areas with data centers saw average power bills rise more than the state average, but the increase was not distributed evenly among customers in those areas.

“Tennessee’s data center growth is arriving faster than the rules designed to manage that growth,” research director Chris Candelaria said. “Our report isn’t saying whether data centers are good or bad. Instead, we’re trying to highlight the issues that communities and policymakers need to know about.”

Residential customers hit harder than businesses

Residential customers in communities with data centers saw their bills jump 3.2 percent, to an average of $149 a month, between 2023 and 2024, the report found.

During that same period, commercial customers, including data centers themselves, saw their bills slightly decrease. By comparison, the statewide average power bill over the same period increased 1.3 percent.

Candelaria said the findings are tied directly to where the data centers are located and signal what may be ahead for the rest of the state.

“Residents seeing these higher prices and that’s associated with where the data centers are located,” Candelaria said. “We know that the data centers are coming, and the report’s really just forecasting that this situation may play out in more places across the state. This is an issue that city and community leaders will need to address directly.”

He said the trend warrants close attention, but stopped short of drawing firm conclusions in their report based on the data analyzed.

Tennessee emerges as a data center hub

The report, titled “Powering the Boom,” describes Tennessee as an emerging data center market that has likely not yet seen the full scale of potential growth. For roughly 15 years, the state’s electricity consumption was essentially flat or declining before the current surge began around 2020.

Data center facilities planned, operating or under construction in Tennessee represent approximately 2,177 megawatts of demand capacity which is roughly equivalent to powering more than 1.3 million homes for a year. Those facilities are concentrated in and around Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville.

Grid strain, costly outages a concern

Candelaria said the study drew on data from across the country to examine how data centers are already affecting communities and what Middle Tennessee should plan for.

“As we get requests for more data centers, there’s an issue with how is that going to affect our current grid infrastructure? This is the key question,” Candelaria said. “We also provide in the report some studies from other states. If you over-strain the system, what does that mean? Well, it could lead to costly outages. We’re just trying to think strategically.”

Alex Kardokus is among the more than 500,000 people who signed a petition against a proposed data center near the Nashville Zoo. He said his concerns have since expanded to the broader impact data centers could have across the city after learning about this report.

“NES, we don’t want that (bill) to go higher because it’s already expensive in Nashville. Don’t want that to be a raising,” Kardokus said.

Policy seen as key to managing growth

Candelaria said policies, including data center zoning restrictions Metro Council is currently working on, will be key to protecting families from further cost increases. He said the decisions made now will shape whether the growth benefits or burdens Tennessee residents.

“The policy choices that we make now on pricing and grid planning will determine whether that growth is going to strengthen the state’s economy or whether that’s going to shift costs onto everyday households,” Candelaria said.

He added that the situation requires a balancing act, as data centers also bring jobs and economic opportunities to the communities where they operate.

ThinkTennessee said a second installment of the “Powering the Boom” series is expected to lay out policy options aimed at protecting ratepayers while the sector continues to grow.