Out in front: One of the country’s top public relations executives will address the graduating class of LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication on Friday. Renée Edelman, senior vice president at Edelman, a leading global communications marketing firm, has been announced as the school’s spring commencement speaker. Edelman, who previously worked at New York Daily News, the Home News in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and Women’s Wear Daily, has more than 25 years of experience in executive positioning and strategic media relations for digital media and technology companies. She has worked with such clients as eBay, Symantec, Veritas, Adobe Systems and Fujitsu America. Read more.
Fighting on: Supporters of Confederate-era monuments slated for removal in New Orleans have launched a new court fight to save one of them. The Associated Press reports monument supporters contend the statue of Confederate Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard at the main entrance to New Orleans City Park isn’t actually owned by the city. Rather, monument supporters say their research shows the statute is owned by the City Park Improvement Association, an agency overseen by the state. Monument supporter Richard Marksbury says he has filed a lawsuit in state court to prevent the statue’s removal. The City Council voted in 2015 to take down four monuments.
Voted down: Voters won’t be deciding whether they want to ban certain traffic cameras in Louisiana. The Associated Press reports the House transportation committee resoundingly defeated a proposal from Rep. Paul Hollis, R-Covington, to prohibit local governments from using automated speed enforcement devices to regulate traffic. Lawmakers on the panel voted 14-1 against the measure today. Hollis says the cameras aren’t being used to regulate safety, but are aimed at raising money for municipalities through traffic tickets. He says New Orleans has received $100 million from traffic penalties paid because of the cameras.
