Jefferson Parish is getting ready to step into the fast-growing world of youth sports tourism with a major new facility in Avondale—one parish leaders believe could reshape the West Bank's economic outlook. The John Alario Jr. Youth Sports Complex, a sprawling 147-acre project carrying a price tag of roughly $45 million, is nearly finished and already drawing serious attention from travel tournament organizers.

Built on Nicolle Boulevard across from NOLA MotorSports Park, the state-funded complex is designed to host the kind of weekend-long events that pull in families from across the region. At the heart of the site are four multipurpose artificial turf fields that can be configured for baseball, softball, football, soccer, lacrosse, and rugby. The facility also includes the practical pieces that make tournaments work smoothly—covered restrooms, concessions, a pavilion, and a sports shop.

The booking calendar is one of the biggest signs that parish leaders might be onto something. Operators say 2026 is close to full, and reservations are already coming in for 2027 and 2028. The first tournament is set for February 21, with about 60 baseball teams expected, and planners are already talking about future additions like a dormitory and an administrative building. There's even early interest from developers in building a hotel nearby—exactly the kind of spillover investment local officials are hoping to spark.

The project's road to completion has been long. It took more than a decade to move from early feasibility work into full construction, with planning complications, pandemic slowdowns, and shifting costs along the way. What began as a much smaller estimate ultimately ballooned as material and labor prices climbed, and as planners added an additional field to boost the facility's tournament capacity.

Funding and development followed an uncommon path. The effort was championed by former state legislator John Alario Jr. and financed with state capital outlay dollars, but it was developed through the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District—often known as the Superdome Commission. That structure helped avoid the typical requirement that local governments provide a 25% match on state capital outlay projects. The complex was designed by Duplantis Design Group out of Thibodaux, and construction was handled by Ratcliff Construction Co. of Alexandria.

Once it's fully complete, the property will become parish-owned, with Champions Sports Management LLC contracted to run day-to-day operations. Under the agreement, the management group will invest $1 million over five years to build an administrative building beginning in May 2026, with Jefferson Parish matching that investment. The contract also sets up a revenue-sharing model that starts at zero in the first year and gradually increases to 3% of gross operating revenue after year three. The management team includes Andy Powers, who has built baseball training operations in Texas, and Wally Pontiff, whose family is well known in Louisiana baseball circles.

The timing for this kind of project isn't accidental. Youth sports has become a massive industry, with families spending tens of billions of dollars each year—much of it driven by travel tournaments, hotels, meals, and weekend schedules that can turn a single event into a mini-vacation. Parents are spending more per child than they did before the pandemic, and a meaningful share of families see that spending as an investment in future opportunities, whether scholarships or higher-level competition. That reality has triggered a wave of competition among cities and regions trying to build the next "go-to" tournament hub.

Jefferson Parish's pitch is location and experience. The complex sits close to New Orleans and the airport, and parish leaders believe that convenience—paired with nearby attractions like the motorsports park, TPC Louisiana next door, and swamp tours at Bayou Segnette—can give the West Bank a distinct edge. Operators also want to lean into local culture rather than copy the same tournament format families see everywhere else, including ideas like Mardi Gras-style parades and second lines to welcome teams.

The parish is also hoping the complex becomes a catalyst for everyday improvements in the immediate area. Local leaders have pointed out that the surrounding community could benefit from basic amenities like more food options, and they expect tournament traffic to create pressure—and opportunity—for grocery stores, restaurants, and vendors to move in. Beyond that, parish officials see the tournaments as a reliable generator of sales taxes and hotel occupancy taxes, especially during slower summer months when many businesses typically feel the pinch.

This complex is part of a broader push by Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng to make sports tourism a centerpiece of economic development while reinvesting in recreation spaces that aren't reaching their potential. Alongside the youth complex, the parish is lining up other event-driven opportunities—like a professional disc golf tournament at Parc Des Familles, a pickleball tournament in Metairie, and recent major events such as powerboat racing on Lake Pontchartrain. The underlying strategy is simple: build reasons for people to choose Jefferson Parish on purpose, not just pass through it on the way to New Orleans.

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Louisiana education officials have published the latest school and district performance results for the 2024–2025 year, giving communities across the state a new snapshot of how students and systems are performing.

The Louisiana Department of Education says the numbers reflect continued momentum statewide. Louisiana's overall performance score for 2025 came in at 80.9, marking the fourth straight year of improvement. The department noted that the score is more than five points higher than 2021 and sits nearly one point above last year's statewide result.

State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley pointed to the steady gains as evidence of the work happening in classrooms and schools across Louisiana, crediting educators, students, leaders, and families for driving progress and keeping instruction and academic results at the center of the effort.

Next year will also bring a major shift in how those scores are reported. LDOE says it will move away from the current accountability model—often criticized for being outdated and difficult to interpret—and transition to a revised framework called Grow. Achieve. Thrive. The new system is expected to raise performance expectations and place stronger emphasis on student outcomes.

Top Achieving School Systems (Highest District Performance Scores) West Feliciana Parish: 97.7 (A) Plaquemines Parish: 97.6 (A) Ascension Parish: 96.0 (A) DeSoto Parish: 95.6 (A) Cameron Parish: 94.7 (A) Zachary Community Schools: 94.3 (A) Central Community School: 94.1 (A) Vernon Parish: 93.4 (A) Livingston Parish: 92.7 (A) Lincoln Parish: 92.3 (A)

Top Growing School Systems (Largest District Score Gains) Red River Parish: +7.6 (B) Pointe Coupee Parish: +6.2 (C) St. John the Baptist Parish: +5.5 (C) Plaquemines Parish: +4.0 (A) Morehouse Parish: +3.9 (C) Catahoula Parish: +3.7 (B) East Carroll Parish: +3.5 (C) Franklin Parish: +2.9 (C) Avoyelles Parish: +2.5 (B) East Baton Rouge Parish: +2.3 (C) Tangipahoa Parish: +2.3 (C)

Top Achieving K–8 Schools (Highest School Performance Scores) Caddo Parish Middle: 124.5 (A) Metairie Academy: 124.0 (A) Gretna No. 2 Academy: 119.2 (A) A.E. Phillips Laboratory School: 119.2 (A) Lake Forest Elementary: 118.5 (A) South Highlands Elementary: 117.5 (A) Mayfair Laboratory School: 116.8 (A) Airline Park Academy: 116.6 (A) T.S. Cooley Elementary: 114.8 (A) Eden Gardens Fundamental Elementary: 113.4 (A)

Top Growing K–8 Schools (Largest School Score Gains) Shady Grove Elementary: +19.6 (D) Cottonport Elementary: +13.0 (D) Claiborne Elementary: +12.9 (F) Judge Lionel R. Collins Elementary: +12.5 (C) Alma Redwine Elementary: +12.4 (C) Louisiana Key Academy Northshore: +12.2 (D) Laureate Academy: +12.2 (C) Lucille Cherbonnier School: +11.9 (D) Highland Elementary: +11.8 (B) Martha Vinyard Elementary: +11.6 (C)

Top Achieving High Schools (Highest School Performance Scores) Haynes Academy: 137.3 (A) Early College Academy: 137.1 (A) Benjamin Franklin High: 133.9 (A) Caddo Parish Magnet High: 133.7 (A) Patrick F. Taylor Academy: 131.8 (A) Baton Rouge Magnet High: 130.2 (A) Thomas Jefferson High: 126.4 (A) The Willow School: 123.4 (A) Louisiana School for Math, Science & the Arts: 123.0 (A) LSU Laboratory School: 117.8 (A)

Top Growing High Schools (Largest School Score Gains) Bolton Academy: +22.3 (A) Collegiate Baton Rouge: +17.2 (B) LaSalle High School: +16.6 (A) Lake Charles College Prep: +16.5 (A) Sophie B. Wright Institute: +14.0 (A) Delhi Charter School: +12.6 (B) New Orleans Center for Creative Arts: +12.2 (A) Delhi High School: +12.1 (C) Madison High School: +12.1 (B) Red River High School: +11.8 (A) Donaldsonville High School: +11.8 (B)

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Willie Hall Playground Breaks Ground Again, This Time as a Flood-Fighting Sports Hub

For years, the old Willie Hall Playground sat in limbo—an empty reminder of a place that once anchored the St. Bernard neighborhood. Now it's finally moving forward, reborn as a major public works and recreation project: a roughly $35 million athletic field complex built on top of a massive underground stormwater storage system designed to help relieve chronic flooding nearby.

City leaders gathered at McDonogh 35 High School last week to mark the official start of construction. The message from officials was clear: this is about building infrastructure that matches the reality of living in a flood-prone city, especially in a community that took on severe water after Hurricane Katrina. Instead of treating flooding as an occasional disaster, the city is trying to redesign key public spaces so they can absorb and manage stormwater when heavy rain hits.

The first phase focuses on what you won't see once it's finished. Beneath the roughly five-acre site, crews will install huge storage tanks capable of holding up to five million gallons of stormwater. Those tanks will tie into the city's drainage network and act like a pressure release valve during major storms, easing the strain on aging pumps and tight drainage capacity.

On top of that underground system, the site will become a new home for everyday community use. Plans include a football field next to McDonogh 35, along with lighting, bleachers, and other game-day basics. Later phases push the project beyond a standard field upgrade, adding features like rain gardens, a kayak launch, walking trails along Bayou St. John, and a multi-use recreation facility—improvements meant to serve both the neighborhood and the city at large.

When everything is complete, the fields won't belong to just one group. The New Orleans Recreation and Development Commission and McDonogh 35 will share access through a partnership with the Orleans Parish School Board, with the school taking priority when scheduling conflicts come up. The operating plan also spells out how the property will be used after school hours, including specific time windows for public access and shared logistics like evening parking.

This project also sits inside a bigger, long-running effort: the Gentilly Resilience District, a network of "green" flood control projects backed by a $141 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded in 2016. That funding was supposed to accelerate stormwater solutions across Gentilly, but delays have piled up. In fall 2023, HUD labeled New Orleans a slow spender because only about 15% of the grant had been used at that point, putting more pressure on the city to show real progress before the deadline to spend the money in 2029.

Willie Hall became one of the most visible examples of how complicated and slow these projects can get. The original agreement between NORD and the school board dates back to 2018, and early designs aimed to store around two million gallons of stormwater. Engineers later concluded the tanks needed to be much larger, which sent projected costs soaring and forced the city to seek federal approval for the change. On top of that, the project had to clear a series of routine but time-consuming steps—environmental and archaeological reviews, plus property research to settle jurisdiction questions.

Even with all that, momentum still struggled until the agreement neared expiration. Community pressure helped revive the effort, and the terms were revised and extended, outlining a clearer shared-use plan and setting the project up to move from paperwork to construction.

There's also a deeper history attached to this site, which is part of why the groundbreaking matters to longtime residents. Willie Hall Playground dates back to the 1960s, created to serve Black children during a time when New Orleans parks and recreation facilities were segregated. After Katrina and the intense flooding that followed, the playground was moved to Pontchartrain Park, and St. Bernard was left without a comparable green space. Meanwhile, the neighborhood has changed, with major investments like McDonogh 35's newer campus building completed in 2015, but the loss of that shared outdoor space lingered.

For NORD leadership, the return of Willie Hall is personal as well as practical. NORD's CEO, who grew up nearby, described the site as a formative place—one of the few safe green spaces that served thousands of kids before Katrina. From his perspective, bringing it back isn't just a construction milestone; it's restoring something the neighborhood has been missing for a long time.

The first phase of construction is expected to take about 18 months. If the project stays on track, the St. Bernard area won't just get a new field—it'll gain a piece of infrastructure that quietly does heavy lifting every time the clouds open up.

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How to Turn Your Bathroom Into a Daily Ritual Space

With all due respect to the kitchen, I think the bathroom has a strong case for being the real heart of the home. It's where you start your day—half awake, trying to get moving—and where you end it when you're finally ready to shut your brain off. If you've had a long week or you're running on empty, that room is often the only place you can grab a few quiet minutes without anyone needing something from you.

That's why a bathroom shouldn't feel like a purely functional pit stop. Yes, it has a job to do—but it can also be a space that helps you breathe. The good news is you don't need a total makeover to make it feel better. A few smart, realistic changes can take your bathroom from "get in, get out" to "this actually feels like a reset."

If you want one upgrade that instantly changes the vibe, start with the bath or shower experience. A deep soaking tub, especially one you can actually stretch out in, has a way of slowing everything down. It doesn't just look nice—it gives you permission to linger. Add hot water, a book, a candle, and suddenly you've got a little ritual that feels like a mini vacation without leaving your house.

Now let's talk about the not-so-glamorous stuff, because that's where comfort really lives. If you've ever used a smart toilet with warm-water washing, a heated seat, and features that make everything feel cleaner and easier, you already know: it's one of those upgrades that sounds unnecessary until you try it. Then you wonder why you waited. The point isn't luxury for luxury's sake—it's making your everyday routine feel smoother and more comfortable.

Another thing that makes a bathroom feel peaceful is surprisingly simple: getting the clutter under control. When counters are crowded with bottles, cords, and random "I'll put this away later" items, the room starts to feel stressful. Better storage—drawers that actually hold what you use, cabinets that don't become junk zones—can make the whole space feel calmer without changing a single tile.

For the things that do need to stay out, like hand soap or shampoo, make them look intentional. This doesn't mean you have to buy expensive products. Even basic drugstore items look ten times better when you put them in matching bottles or clean dispensers. It's a small change, but it makes the bathroom feel more pulled together—and it's easier to keep tidy.

Cleaning is another big one. The more nooks and weird corners something has, the more it becomes a magnet for grime and water spots. Choosing smoother, easier-to-wipe surfaces (and finishes designed to resist buildup) makes a bigger difference than people realize. You're not just saving time—you're keeping the room from feeling like a constant project.

Lighting is also a game-changer. Harsh overhead lights can make even a nice bathroom feel sterile, and nobody wants to start their morning feeling like they're under a spotlight. Soft, even mirror lighting makes the space feel warmer and more flattering, especially when you're getting ready early or winding down at night. It's one of those details that affects the mood more than you think.

If you want the room to feel like a spa, bring in something living. Plants do that better than almost anything. A trailing pothos near the shower, a fern that loves humidity, or a small succulent on the counter can soften the whole space instantly. It's not about decorating—it's about making the room feel alive and calm.

And then there are the little "extra" things that don't feel extra once you have them. A towel warmer sounds like a splurge until you step out of the shower on a cold morning and wrap up in a warm towel. Natural light works the same way. If a skylight is possible, it changes everything—suddenly the bathroom feels open, bright, and fresh in a way that no light fixture can replicate.

At the end of the day, a bathroom sanctuary isn't about copying a magazine. It's about making a room you use every single day feel better to be in. When your bathroom supports your routines—when it feels calm, clean, and comfortable—it quietly improves your mornings and your nights. And that's a win you'll feel all year long.

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