GNO, INC Update – 5/15/2020

Regional Stakeholders,

During a crisis, timely, accurate, and actionable information is important.  In order to help you get this information, GNO, Inc. is sending out regular updates.  Please see below, and feel free to forward.

May 15, 2020 Update

News

• Orleans Parish Reopening – Beginning tomorrow, Orleans Parish will begin moving into Phase 1 of reopening.  Mayor Latoya Cantrell this evening released a formal proclamation providing further guidance on business reopening.  You can read the full proclamation here and find further guidance here.
• Paycheck Protection Plan – Today, Greater New Orleans, Inc. released a statement highlighting the success of Louisiana banks and businesses with the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).  For Round 2, Louisiana is #9 in the USA in loans approved per 10,000 businesses.  Overall, in five weeks of implementation, more than 4.2 million PPP loans, totaling $530 billion, have been approved across the country, with an average loan size of more than $126,000.
• House Passes Relief Package – Tonight, the federal House of Representatives passed a massive $3T coronavirus-relief package, by a margin of 208-199.  The package is not expected to pass the Senate, but sets the stage for further talks between both parties and the White House.  You can read more here.
• Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles – Beginning May 18, Office of Motor Vehicles will start providing limited services at 11 offices across the state, include offices in Mandeville, Harvey, and New Orleans.  To view up to date information from the Office of Motor Vehicles, click here.

Information

• Louisiana Reopening – Today, Louisiana formally began Phase 1 of reopening.  Phase 1 is expected to last a minimum of 21 days before moving into Phase 2.  Under Phase 1, the following types of businesses may now be open, with limitations (25% occupancy, sanitation, spacing for physical distancing):

–          Churches

–          Solo and non-contact sports

–          Barbers and salons

–          Museums, zoos, aquariums (no tactile exhibits)

–          Gyms and fitness centers

–          Malls

–          Restaurants, coffee shops and cafes

–          Bars and breweries with LDH food permit – takeout, delivery and dine-in seating only

–          Theaters

–          Casinos and Video Poker

–          Racetracks (not open to spectators)

–          Offices

–          (Massage establishments, spas, tattoo parlors, and all other places of public amusement remain closed)

You can register to receive updates on state guidance from opensafely.la.gov.  The website is being updated to provide the option to download information specific to your business type without registering on the site.  Registration is not used for tracking purposes – it only provides a business with automated notifications as guidance is updated

• Parish Reopening Plans – In response to Governor Edward’s announcement Monday to reopen Louisiana (Phase 1), parishes in Greater New Orleans have begun to announce parish-specific guidelines.  Parishes have largely followed the guidance outlined by the Governor (see below), but do have the discretion to enact stricter guidelines.  Below are the available announcements made by each parish in Greater New Orleans:
  • Jefferson Parish
  • Orleans Parish
  • Plaquemines Parish
  • St. Bernard Parish
  • St. Charles Parish
  • St. Tammany Parish

Resources

Are you looking for:

• Work? – If you want a job in a sector that is surging right now, new openings are on WorkNOLA.com.
• Employees?
• A database of local talent looking for new job opportunities, including quick employment history and skills summary, is on theWorkNOLA Workforce Directory.
• GNOmatch provides custom connections between companies with lay-offs, and those hiring for transferable skills.
• Online Training? – A catalogue of opportunities for online training from the region’s higher education partners and private training providers can be found here.
• COVID-19 Customers/Purchasers? – If you have pivoted your business to make a new, coronavirus-related product, register on GNOpivot.
• COVID-19 Supplies/Services? – If you are looking for PPE, sanitizer, food providers, and other related products and services, search the GNOpivot Resource Tool.

As always, general information is on the GNO, Inc. Coronavirus Business Resource Page.

Please feel free to contact me [email protected] or VP Policy Ileana Ledet at [email protected] with any questions or suggestions.

Take care,

Michael

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