NEW ORLEANS – Here, from staff and wire reports, are the week’s top business stories:
Louisiana lawmakers ended their historic veto session Wednesday after two days in which Republicans failed to overturn any of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ bill rejections, a significant blow to GOP efforts to assert independence from the Democratic governor. The session collapsed after House Republicans couldn’t garner the votes to reverse Edwards’ veto of legislation banning transgender girls from school sports teams, the driving force behind the first veto session ever held under the nearly 50-year-old state constitution. “It appears that we have concluded the business of the veto session,” Republican Senate President Page Cortez said two hours after the House’s failed override vote. (AP) …
With the daily average of new COVID-19 cases surging to numbers not seen in months, New Orleans officials issued an advisory Wednesday “strongly recommending” people resume wearing masks indoors, hoping to avoid the kind of virus-related shutdowns that devastated the city’s tourism economy in 2020. Mayor LaToya Cantrell stopped short Wednesday of requiring mask wearing. She said the advisory being issued “puts the responsibility on individuals themselves,” rather than having the city enforce a mandate. The announcement came as the city posted figures showing the surge, driven by the highly contagious delta variant, has pushed the seven-day average of new cases reported in the city to 117, the highest since early February. It had fallen as low as eight in mid-June but began climbing sharply in early July. (AP) …
New Orleans’ iconic Superdome may soon bear the Caesars Entertainment name and logo, under a 20-year naming rights deal with the Saints that is nearing completion and won required legislative backing Thursday. Terms of the contract are still being finalized. But the deal is estimated to be worth about $138 million through 2041, according to information provided to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, the House and Senate panel that approved the naming rights transfer without objection. “We look forward to a long, 20-year relationship,” said Sen. Bodi White, the Baton Rouge Republican who chairs the budget committee. The money will go to the Saints organization, as provided in state law as part of Louisiana’s contractual arrangement with the NFL team. (AP) …
This week, Dr. Calvin Mackie launched STEM Global Action, a campaign and network of affiliates he said will pursue the advancement of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education for children, parents and communities. SGA hopes to promote the benefits of STEM education and provide STEM learning opportunities to K-12 students in low-income and communities of color. In 2013, Mackie founded STEM NOLA, a New Orleans-based nonprofit that has worked to promote STEM education locally. STEM NOLA says it has impacted more than 70,000 students, 17,000 families and 2,150 schools in 47 states and five other countries. …
Nolé is reopening as a 6,500-square-foot special events venue with culinary options provided by Mirepoix Event Catering. The Latin-inspired restaurant, owned and operated by Al Copeland Jr., debuted in 2019 at 2001 St. Charles Avenue in a spot formerly occupied by a Cheesecake Bistro, another Copeland family operation. The space has been temporarily closed during the pandemic. …
IberiaBank, a division of First Horizon Bank, announced in a press release that it has named Hunter Hill chief digital transformation officer for the entire organization – a 12-state footprint – and promoted Tony Adams to New Orleans market president. Hill joined IberiaBank in 2009. In 2014, he became New Orleans market president. In his new role, he will be responsible for “creating and driving enterprise digital vision, strategy and thought leadership across all lines of business (retail, private client, business banking, commercial and specialty LOBs),” according to the release. His role will also include responsibility for “consumer digital, treasury management and payments, including strategy, sales, on-boarding and servicing.” He will serve on the company’s operating committee and technology advisory board. …
Louisiana economic development officials announced that Idaho-based 1,4GROUP, maker of agricultural chemicals, is considering Ascension Parish as a potential site for a $35 million processing facility. The proposed plant would manufacture an insect repellent and a preservative for potatoes in storage. Officials says the project would create 34 new direct jobs with an average annual salary of $68,619 plus benefits. They estimate it also would result in 126 new indirect jobs, for a total of 160 new jobs for Ascension Parish and the capital region.
