NEW ORLEANS, LA — New Orleans City Council Vice President Helena Moreno filed legislation to establish a new local safety alert system designed to locate and aid missing vulnerable children and adults. While AMBER Alerts and Silver Alerts are important tools, they are limited to specific cases, leaving out many at-risk individuals, including children who don’t meet AMBER criteria and adults of all ages with cognitive, developmental, or physical challenges.

The proposed local alert program would fill those gaps, ensuring swift public notification when such an individual is reported missing in Orleans Parish. Alerts would be distributed through the City’s NOLA Ready platform or a comparable system, operating 24/7.

NEW ORLEANS, LA - Councilmembers JP Morrell and Helena Moreno are standing with the Lower 9th Ward community and stating their opposition to the Alabo Street Grain Terminal through a City Council resolution that will be heard at next week’s meeting. Under the agreement made between the Port of New Orleans and Sunrise Foods International, negotiated without any community input, a 10-car train would transport grain through residential neighborhoods with little plans for pest and dust mitigation.

Neighbors have expressed concerns regarding the potential negative impacts of the Alabo Street Sunrise Food grain terminal, including but not limited to: environmental concerns, traffic and safety issues, community displacement, and lack of community engagement. The resolution expresses the need for Sunrise Foods to move to an alternative location. 

NEW ORLEANS - “We have had unprecedented reduction in crime and violence in New Orleans. This is an attack on certain cities. There are many cities with mayors aligned with this President whose crime issues are severe, but they’re not targeted. That clearly shows that this is about scare tactics and politicizing public safety. Ultimately leading to the misuse of public funds and resources to attempt to score political points. We cannot allow this and I will fight to prevent any federal takeover of New Orleans.” 

The news about Bryan Vazquez is devastating and certainly not the outcome we hoped for. I will honor my commitment to his family, advocates, and volunteers to create an improved alert system for vulnerable people in New Orleans and then push for a statewide system. Thank you to everyone who helped search for Bryan and offered assistance to his family. They will continue to need all of our support during this difficult time. 

NEW ORLEANS – City Council Vice President Helena Moreno advanced Ordinance Cal. No. 35,177, aimed at addressing ongoing delays in payment from prime contractors to subcontractors. The ordinance, considered in the Economic Development Committee today, builds on the Council’s successful Net 30 legislation, which requires the City of New Orleans to pay vendors and contractors within 30 days. While this policy has led to measurable improvements in payments from the City to prime contractors, concerns remain that many subcontractors continue to face delays in receiving their share of funds. The ordinance now requires City prime contractors to also follow Net 30 and pay subcontractors for all undisputed amounts owed within 30 days of receiving payment from the City.