Louisiana Illuminator
@lailluminator.com
Independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization with a mission to cast light on decisions made in Baton Rouge and their impact across the state.
Subscribe to our FREE daily e-newsletter: https://lailluminator.com/subscribe/
Subscribe to our FREE daily e-newsletter: https://lailluminator.com/subscribe/
Louisiana lawmakers have signed off on one-year extensions to the state’s six biggest government contracts, collectively worth more than $17 billion. @jsodonoghue.bsky.social reports lailluminator.com/2025/11/25/l...
Louisiana approves Medicaid contracts. They are the most expensive contracts in the state’s history. • Louisiana Illuminator
Louisiana lawmakers signed off last week on one-year extensions to the state’s six biggest government contracts, collectively worth more than $17 billion. The agreements are with the six health care c...
lailluminator.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Louisiana lawmakers have signed off on one-year extensions to the state’s six biggest government contracts, collectively worth more than $17 billion. @jsodonoghue.bsky.social reports lailluminator.com/2025/11/25/l...
After taking its 529 college savings accounts offline in October following a cyber incident, the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance announced the accounts are back online and were not impacted. @piperhutch.bsky.social reports lailluminator.com/briefs/losfa...
College savings accounts not affected by cyber incident, Louisiana official says • Louisiana Illuminator
After taking its college savings accounts offline in October, LOSFA announced the accounts are back online and were not impacted by a cyber incident
lailluminator.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:29 PM
After taking its 529 college savings accounts offline in October following a cyber incident, the Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance announced the accounts are back online and were not impacted. @piperhutch.bsky.social reports lailluminator.com/briefs/losfa...
BAD NEWS, BEARS: Florida bear hunt to take place next month after judge rejects injunction @mitchperry.bsky.social reports for @floridaphoenix.com floridaphoenix.com/2025/11/24/f...
Florida bear hunt to take place next month after judge rejects injunction • Florida Phoenix
Florida’s first bear hunt in a decade will take place as scheduled next month after a state judge on Monday denied a motion by a conservation group to stop it from taking place. Leon County Circuit Ju...
floridaphoenix.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:58 PM
BAD NEWS, BEARS: Florida bear hunt to take place next month after judge rejects injunction @mitchperry.bsky.social reports for @floridaphoenix.com floridaphoenix.com/2025/11/24/f...
A new kind of creature is making its home where the prairies of Southwest Louisiana turn into brackish coastal marshes. @eplunk.bsky.social has an up-close look at the evolution of a coyote-red wolf hybrid lailluminator.com/2025/11/25/w...
Marshland mashup: Red wolf-coyote hybrids adapt to coastal Louisiana • Louisiana Illuminator
A new kind of creature is making its home where the prairies of Southwest Louisiana turn into brackish coastal marshes.
lailluminator.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:39 PM
A new kind of creature is making its home where the prairies of Southwest Louisiana turn into brackish coastal marshes. @eplunk.bsky.social has an up-close look at the evolution of a coyote-red wolf hybrid lailluminator.com/2025/11/25/w...
POWER GRAB: The politically appointed LSU Board of Supervisors endeavors to take more control of day-to-day operations at the university in its latest move involving the ouster of coach Brian Kelly. @piperhutch.bsky.social reports. lailluminator.com/2025/11/21/l...
LSU board vote to fire Brian Kelly comes as political appointees seek more power over university • Louisiana Illuminator
The LSU Boards’ vote to intervene in the firing of Brian Kelly is its latest move to give members more power over day-to-day operations
lailluminator.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:57 PM
POWER GRAB: The politically appointed LSU Board of Supervisors endeavors to take more control of day-to-day operations at the university in its latest move involving the ouster of coach Brian Kelly. @piperhutch.bsky.social reports. lailluminator.com/2025/11/21/l...
A Louisiana Supreme Court justice, who requested that all of his divorce records be kept private for several months, is one step closer to a lifetime appointment as a federal judge. @jsodonoghue.bsky.social reports
lailluminator.com/2025/11/21/l...
lailluminator.com/2025/11/21/l...
Louisiana Supreme Court Justice, who kept divorce records private, closer to federal judgeship • Louisiana Illuminator
A Louisiana Supreme Court justice, who requested that all of his divorce records be kept private for several months, is one step closer to a lifetime appointment as federal judge.
lailluminator.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:55 PM
A Louisiana Supreme Court justice, who requested that all of his divorce records be kept private for several months, is one step closer to a lifetime appointment as a federal judge. @jsodonoghue.bsky.social reports
lailluminator.com/2025/11/21/l...
lailluminator.com/2025/11/21/l...
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ call for a close reexamination of the 42 million people who receive federal food aid has befuddled advocates and lawmakers. @fischler.bsky.social reports lailluminator.com/2025/11/20/r...
The Trump administration wants everyone to reapply for food stamps. What does that mean? • Louisiana Illuminator
Rollins said SNAP was beset by widespread fraud, citing data that 29 mostly Republican-run states submitted to the department.
lailluminator.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:05 PM
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins’ call for a close reexamination of the 42 million people who receive federal food aid has befuddled advocates and lawmakers. @fischler.bsky.social reports lailluminator.com/2025/11/20/r...
YOUR LEGAL RISK: Starting in February, hundreds of Louisiana officials could sue you if you post their basic biographical info on line and refuse to remove it. @jsodonoghue.bsky.social says there could be criminal penalties, too. lailluminator.com/2025/11/20/l...
Louisiana officials will soon be able to sue citizens over internet posts with their personal info • Louisiana Illuminator
Gov. Jeff Landry and state lawmakers approved a new law earlier this year allowing a wide swath of public officials to bring lawsuits against those who don’t take down online posts with officials’ per...
lailluminator.com
November 21, 2025 at 2:48 PM
YOUR LEGAL RISK: Starting in February, hundreds of Louisiana officials could sue you if you post their basic biographical info on line and refuse to remove it. @jsodonoghue.bsky.social says there could be criminal penalties, too. lailluminator.com/2025/11/20/l...
NEW: The EPA wants to take away protections for millions of acres of wetlands in Louisiana and the rest of the country, allowing them to be polluted or developed without the need for permits under a new set of proposed regulations. @eplunk.bsky.social reports. lailluminator.com/2025/11/19/l...
Louisiana wetlands advocates fear new federal rules will peel back protections further • Louisiana Illuminator
The EPA’s long-awaited proposed rules would change what counts as federally protected waters in the United States.
lailluminator.com
November 19, 2025 at 11:04 PM
NEW: The EPA wants to take away protections for millions of acres of wetlands in Louisiana and the rest of the country, allowing them to be polluted or developed without the need for permits under a new set of proposed regulations. @eplunk.bsky.social reports. lailluminator.com/2025/11/19/l...
NEW: LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center has added to its adjunct faculty a noted conspiracy theorist who spread vaccine misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. @piperhutch.bsky.social reports he also has close ties to U.S. Health Secretary RFK Jr. lailluminator.com/2025/11/19/l...
LSU biomedical research center adds outspoken anti-vaccine advocate to faculty • Louisiana Illuminator
LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center has appointed Dr. Robert Malone who gained fame by spreading vaccine misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic as an adjunct professor
lailluminator.com
November 19, 2025 at 9:14 PM
NEW: LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center has added to its adjunct faculty a noted conspiracy theorist who spread vaccine misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. @piperhutch.bsky.social reports he also has close ties to U.S. Health Secretary RFK Jr. lailluminator.com/2025/11/19/l...
NEW: U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins typically aligns his views with those of President Trump, but the firebrand conservative from Louisiana did not switch his stance against the release of the Epstein files. lailluminator.com/2025/11/18/h...
Why US Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana voted against releasing the Epstein files • Louisiana Illuminator
Higgins has consistently positioned his views alongside those of President Trump, who flipped his stance Sunday and encouraged lawmakers to approve the release of the Epstein files.
lailluminator.com
November 18, 2025 at 8:59 PM
NEW: U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins typically aligns his views with those of President Trump, but the firebrand conservative from Louisiana did not switch his stance against the release of the Epstein files. lailluminator.com/2025/11/18/h...
CLOUDFARE CRASH: If you're wondering why our "Morning Look" email hasn't landed in your inbox yet, it's connected to the Cloudfare server issues that have affected websites globally. We'll get today's edition out once problems have been resolved.
a cat is sitting in a pile of smoke .
ALT: a cat is sitting in a pile of smoke .
media.tenor.com
November 18, 2025 at 2:26 PM
CLOUDFARE CRASH: If you're wondering why our "Morning Look" email hasn't landed in your inbox yet, it's connected to the Cloudfare server issues that have affected websites globally. We'll get today's edition out once problems have been resolved.
COMMENTARY from @greglarose.bsky.social
Why did it take an environmental disaster for officials to finally act against a business with an established track record of wiping its feet on regulations meant to curb pollution?
lailluminator.com/2025/11/17/s...
Why did it take an environmental disaster for officials to finally act against a business with an established track record of wiping its feet on regulations meant to curb pollution?
lailluminator.com/2025/11/17/s...
Louisiana’s lax regulatory climate set the stage for Smitty’s Supply disaster • Louisiana Illuminator
Why did it take an environmental disaster for officials to finally act against a business with an established track record of wiping its feet on regulations meant to curb pollution?
lailluminator.com
November 18, 2025 at 1:12 AM
COMMENTARY from @greglarose.bsky.social
Why did it take an environmental disaster for officials to finally act against a business with an established track record of wiping its feet on regulations meant to curb pollution?
lailluminator.com/2025/11/17/s...
Why did it take an environmental disaster for officials to finally act against a business with an established track record of wiping its feet on regulations meant to curb pollution?
lailluminator.com/2025/11/17/s...
PAYOUT PRICE TAG: The Illuminator & Tiger Rag have obtained public records from LSU that show how much the university has spent on buyouts for coaches and athletics department leadership over the past decade. @piperhutch.bsky.social reports lailluminator.com/2025/11/17/l...
LSU has spent over $43 million on athletics buyouts over the past decade • Louisiana Illuminator
LSU has paid more than $43 million to buy out the contracts of its coaches and athletics department leaders over the past decade and soon might be on the hook for more than $53 million more.
lailluminator.com
November 17, 2025 at 10:40 PM
PAYOUT PRICE TAG: The Illuminator & Tiger Rag have obtained public records from LSU that show how much the university has spent on buyouts for coaches and athletics department leadership over the past decade. @piperhutch.bsky.social reports lailluminator.com/2025/11/17/l...
A task force Gov. Jeff Landry assembled is recommending that Louisiana’s colleges and universities join six other university systems from Southern states in a new conservative accrediting body. @piperhutch.bsky.social reports: lailluminator.com/2025/11/14/l...
Landry’s higher ed task force recommends Louisiana join conservative college accreditor • Louisiana Illuminator
A task force Gov. Jeff Landry assembled is recommending that Louisiana’s colleges and universities join six other university systems from Southern states in a new conservative accrediting body. The g...
lailluminator.com
November 14, 2025 at 10:26 PM
A task force Gov. Jeff Landry assembled is recommending that Louisiana’s colleges and universities join six other university systems from Southern states in a new conservative accrediting body. @piperhutch.bsky.social reports: lailluminator.com/2025/11/14/l...
Reposted by Louisiana Illuminator
LATEST ON EPSTEIN DISCHARGE PETITION: Arizona’s Adelita Grijalva sworn in to US House, signs Epstein petition -- by @ashleymurray.bsky.social for @statesnewsroom.com DC www.newsfromthestates.com/article/ariz...
Arizona’s Adelita Grijalva sworn in to US House, signs Epstein petition
WASHINGTON — Democratic Rep. Adelita Grijalva was sworn in to office Wednesday after a delay that U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson attributed to the long government shutdown, but that critics allege wa...
www.newsfromthestates.com
November 12, 2025 at 11:40 PM
LATEST ON EPSTEIN DISCHARGE PETITION: Arizona’s Adelita Grijalva sworn in to US House, signs Epstein petition -- by @ashleymurray.bsky.social for @statesnewsroom.com DC www.newsfromthestates.com/article/ariz...
COMMENTARY from @greglarose.bsky.social :
LSU is casually tossing aside the state's Open Meetings Law – why you should care. lailluminator.com/2025/11/12/l...
LSU is casually tossing aside the state's Open Meetings Law – why you should care. lailluminator.com/2025/11/12/l...
LSU continues to skirt Louisiana’s Open Meetings Law • Louisiana Illuminator
UNO and its future under the LSU System might not directly impact you, but there’s cause for concern when the state’s Open Meetings Law is so casually overlooked.
lailluminator.com
November 12, 2025 at 6:23 PM
COMMENTARY from @greglarose.bsky.social :
LSU is casually tossing aside the state's Open Meetings Law – why you should care. lailluminator.com/2025/11/12/l...
LSU is casually tossing aside the state's Open Meetings Law – why you should care. lailluminator.com/2025/11/12/l...
DC CARNIVAL CASH: The Louisiana Board of Ethics has confirmed elected officials and political candidates can use their campaign money for expenses related to Washington Mardi Gras following a law change earlier this year. @jsodonoghue.bsky.social reports lailluminator.com/2025/11/10/l...
Louisiana officials, candidates can use campaign cash for D.C. Mardi Gras, ethics board confirms • Louisiana Illuminator
The Louisiana Board of Ethics confirmed Friday that elected officials and political candidates can use their campaign money for expenses related to Washington Mardi Gras following a law change earlier...
lailluminator.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:56 PM
DC CARNIVAL CASH: The Louisiana Board of Ethics has confirmed elected officials and political candidates can use their campaign money for expenses related to Washington Mardi Gras following a law change earlier this year. @jsodonoghue.bsky.social reports lailluminator.com/2025/11/10/l...
President Trump’s anti-wind energy agenda is harming Louisiana businesses that form the backbone of the US offshore oil & gas industry. @wesmuller.bsky.social reports they stand to lose billions if Trump fulfills his promise to end construction of offshore turbines.
lailluminator.com/2025/11/07/t...
lailluminator.com/2025/11/07/t...
As offshore wind energy falls flat under Trump, Louisiana businesses wait and hope
Trump’s anti-wind energy agenda is harming Louisiana businesses that form the backbone of America’s offshore oil and gas sector.
lailluminator.com
November 7, 2025 at 10:10 PM
President Trump’s anti-wind energy agenda is harming Louisiana businesses that form the backbone of the US offshore oil & gas industry. @wesmuller.bsky.social reports they stand to lose billions if Trump fulfills his promise to end construction of offshore turbines.
lailluminator.com/2025/11/07/t...
lailluminator.com/2025/11/07/t...
NEW: Why didn't Orleans Sheriff Susan Hutson meet a deadline for filing a campaign finance report? @jsodonoghue.bsky.social reports the sheriff said it's because her attorney was incarcerated. lailluminator.com/briefs/orlea...
Orleans sheriff says she missed campaign report deadline because her attorney was incarcerated • Louisiana Illuminator
Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson successfully argued Friday that she shouldn’t have to pay the full fine for missing a campaign reporting deadline because her attorney was incarcerated at the time.
lailluminator.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:44 PM
NEW: Why didn't Orleans Sheriff Susan Hutson meet a deadline for filing a campaign finance report? @jsodonoghue.bsky.social reports the sheriff said it's because her attorney was incarcerated. lailluminator.com/briefs/orlea...
Do you want our daily headlines in your inbox each morning?
IT'S FREE – subscribe here lailluminator.com/subscribe/
IT'S FREE – subscribe here lailluminator.com/subscribe/
November 7, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Do you want our daily headlines in your inbox each morning?
IT'S FREE – subscribe here lailluminator.com/subscribe/
IT'S FREE – subscribe here lailluminator.com/subscribe/
The ethics board has questions about a campaign transparency law for judges. @jsodonoghue.bsky.social explains why you should care. lailluminator.com/2025/11/07/l...
Louisiana ethics board raises questions about judges’ campaign transparency • Louisiana Illuminator
Three elected judges in Louisiana are leveraging a new privacy law to remove their home addresses and spouse’s work addresses from the state’s public campaign finance database that tracks political do...
lailluminator.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:22 PM
The ethics board has questions about a campaign transparency law for judges. @jsodonoghue.bsky.social explains why you should care. lailluminator.com/2025/11/07/l...
NEW: LSU failed to give public notice, as required under state law, for its first UNO transition committee meeting. @piperhutch.bsky.social reports this could invalidate any action the panel takes at Wednesday's meeting. lailluminator.com/2025/11/04/l...
LSU failed to give public notice for its first UNO transition committee meeting • Louisiana Illuminator
LSU did not comply with state public notice requirements ahead of the first meeting of a committee that’s helping guide the UNO's transition to the LSU System
lailluminator.com
November 5, 2025 at 12:21 AM
NEW: LSU failed to give public notice, as required under state law, for its first UNO transition committee meeting. @piperhutch.bsky.social reports this could invalidate any action the panel takes at Wednesday's meeting. lailluminator.com/2025/11/04/l...
NEW: Louisiana State Police confirms it's exploring allegations at Coushatta Casino Resort, where federal agencies are looking into claims the tribe’s former chairman used a casino credit card to help build & furnish his home. @nataliemclendon.bsky.social reports. lailluminator.com/2025/11/04/c...
Louisiana State Police confirm ‘ongoing investigation’ into Coushatta Tribe casino • Louisiana Illuminator
Louisiana State Police cited an “ongoing investigation” when asked via about the Coushatta Tribe's former chairman and two former casino managers.
lailluminator.com
November 4, 2025 at 7:39 PM
NEW: Louisiana State Police confirms it's exploring allegations at Coushatta Casino Resort, where federal agencies are looking into claims the tribe’s former chairman used a casino credit card to help build & furnish his home. @nataliemclendon.bsky.social reports. lailluminator.com/2025/11/04/c...
BREAKING: LSU has named McNeese State leader Wade Rousse its next system president and picked a chancellor for its main campus. It marks the first time the university has separate system and main campus leaders since 2012.
@piperhutch.bsky.social reports: lailluminator.com/2025/11/04/l...
@piperhutch.bsky.social reports: lailluminator.com/2025/11/04/l...
LSU splits president-chancellor roles, makes two hires • Louisiana Illuminator
The LSU Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to hire current McNeese State University President Wade Rousse as its next president.
lailluminator.com
November 4, 2025 at 6:57 PM
BREAKING: LSU has named McNeese State leader Wade Rousse its next system president and picked a chancellor for its main campus. It marks the first time the university has separate system and main campus leaders since 2012.
@piperhutch.bsky.social reports: lailluminator.com/2025/11/04/l...
@piperhutch.bsky.social reports: lailluminator.com/2025/11/04/l...