Perception is reality: A newly released survey of parents in New Orleans indicates an increasingly optimistic view of New Orleans’ slowly improving public schools. The survey by the Cowen Institute at Tulane University says 66% of parents surveyed in 2011 felt that schools are better after Hurricane Katrina, compared to 31% of parents surveyed in 2009. Most parents surveyed indicate they believe the schools are on the right track, with 74% saying schools are getting better and only 6% saying they are getting worse; 21% responded either that they were uncertain or that the schools are staying about the same. Read the full story from The Associated Press here.
On deck: In preseason rankings released today, Baseball America magazine says LSU has the eighth-strongest squad heading into the 2012 season. The Tigers are one of seven SEC teams appearing in the top 25 ranking, along with No. 1 Florida, No. 3 South Carolina, No. 4 Arkansas, No. 10 Vanderbilt, No. 11 Georgia and No. 22 Ole Miss. LSU starts preseason practice at 3 p.m. Friday in Alex Box Stadium. The Tigers open the season at home: 7 p.m. on Feb. 17 against Air Force. The LSU roster includes 21 lettermen from the 2011 squad, including 10 position players with starting experience and eight pitchers who have recorded innings for the Tigers. Get the full story here. LSU was No. 12 in the Collegiate Baseball newspaper poll released a month ago.
Know your representatives: Louisiana Governmental Studies is taking pre-orders for its 2012 directory to the Louisiana Legislature and its 2012-16 edition of the “Grass-Roots Guide” to the Louisiana Legislature. The group has been putting out the pocket-sized edition of its directory for 28 years now. The “Grass-Roots Guide” is 500-plus pages, featuring profiles of all 144 legislators, detailed maps of all newly drawn districts and a special section on reapportionment. Both guides will ship in March. Check out all the details at the group’s website here.
