NEW ORLEANS - Council President Helena Moreno, as Chair of the Utilities Committee, has been working closely with Entergy New Orleans on ensuring that people struggling financially during this pandemic receive significant assistance with bill payments. The company has agreed to provide a range option for residential and commercial customers, including potential bill reductions and providing an extended period of time to catch up with bills.

NEW ORLEANS - After a successful fundraising campaign, United Way of Southeast Louisiana (UWSELA) is reopening emergency grant applications for hospitality workers. Council President Helena Moreno partnered with UWSELA to raise dollars to provide for more grants after the initial application process on March 21 had to temporarily shut down due to the high demand. The first round of grants provided $500 individual grants to more than 1300 people. Since then, the fund has now grown to $1.5 million with the help of many major donors, including Peyton Manning, Saints linebacker Demario Davis, Entergy New Orleans, Zatarain's and many others.

NEW ORLEANS - "I've read public letters and many emails regarding Mayor LaToya Cantrell's extension of the stay at home order to mid-May. My response every time is that her decision was based on health data on what could lead to saving the most lives of people in New Orleans and as President of the New Orleans City Council, I support her putting life, health and safety of New Orleanians above all else. Some ask why is New Orleans taking mitigation steps so seriously? The answer is simple...in New Orleans, the virus is clearly very prevalent. We've seen the most cases and deaths in the state. At one point, New Orleans had the most deaths per capita in the Nation. We've lost 329 people. I'll also add that data shows that if we open too early or make mistakes in reopening, it will not only lead to a great loss of life but even further exacerbate economic impact. 

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NEW ORLEANS - Today, Council President Moreno announced that the next scheduled regular Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 15, through video teleconference. The New Orleans City Council had suspended all meetings scheduled to occur since March 13, 2020.