Author

Piper Hutchinson

Piper Hutchinson

Piper Hutchinson is a reporter for the Louisiana Illuminator. She has covered the Legislature and state government extensively for the LSU Manship News Service and The Reveille, where she was named editor in chief for summer 2022.

Southeastern cyberattack did not result in theft of student records, personal information 

By: - August 3, 2023

A cyberattack on Southeastern University this spring did not result in the theft of student records or personal identifiable information, president William Wainwright said in a message to the university.  The university suffered a security breach in February that crippled IT at the university for weeks.  Wainwright said the investigation into the incident, which involved […]

Head coach Kim Mulkey of the LSU Tigers holds the Invesco QQQ WBCA Coaches’ Trophy after defeating the Iowa Hawkeyes 102-85 during the 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament championship game at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2023, in Dallas, Texas.

LSU women’s basketball coach ‘surprised’ by inclusion of PMAC funds in budget 

By: - August 3, 2023

LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey said she was surprised – but happy – state legislators included money for the school’s basketball arena in Louisiana’s construction budget.  “I didn’t know anything,” Mulkey said of the project in an interview with the Illuminator. “I’m happy for anything LSU can get, whether it’s for the library, whether […]

Liz Murrill

Louisiana Republican Party endorses Liz Murrill for attorney general 

By: - August 3, 2023

The Louisiana Republican Party endorsed one of Attorney General Jeff Landry’s top deputies, Liz Murrill, in the race to replace him, the party announced Thursday.  “With a new governor, legislature, and attorney general, we will have an opportunity to bring true conservative reform to state government,” Murrill said in a press release. “Now is the […]

Harsher fentanyl sentencing law pushed by Louisiana AG candidate takes effect

By: - August 1, 2023

A new law pushed by a Republican candidate for attorney general that sharply increases the criminal penalties for fentanyl possession took effect Tuesday. It sets up a tiered system that doles out increasingly harsher penalties for fentanyl possession based on the amount of drug a person possesses and subsequent convictions. “The hope is that this […]

As LSU strategy chief leaves university, strategic plan remains unfinished

By: - August 1, 2023

 Almost two years after he came to LSU as the newly-created vice president for strategy, Mark Bieger has left the university, leaving LSU’s strategic plan unfinished.  Bieger, who served alongside President William F. Tate at the University of South Carolina, was charged with creating LSU’s new strategic plan, a process universities engage in every several […]

Davante Lewis

Louisiana public service commissioner slams carbon capture 

By: - July 31, 2023

Davante Lewis, a newly-elected progressive Democrat on the Public Service Commission, criticized carbon capture and sequestration at a Monday meeting of the Baton Rouge press club.  “We heard a significant rise of movement about carbon capture, which I think is an untested, unproven science,” Lewis said. “That is costly, but one of the questions that […]

Free speech group demands LSU rehire graduate assistant terminated for vulgar voicemail 

By: - July 21, 2023

A national free speech organization has sent a letter to LSU President William F. Tate that demands the university undo its termination of a graduate assistant who left a vulgar voicemail for a state senator.  In a letter sent Friday, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a national First Amendment advocacy organization known […]

The exterior of the The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles location on Veterans Boulevard in New Orleans.

Louisiana to offer free credit monitoring following massive OMV data leak

By: - July 21, 2023

After millions of Louisianians had their personal information leaked in a global cyberattack, the state announced it will offer a year of free credit monitoring to impacted residents. The state will offer 12 months of free monitoring through LifeLock. Interested residents can sign up for the program at nextsteps.la.gov. The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles […]

The Memorial Tower on LSU's campus in Baton Rouge

LSU fires graduate assistant who left vulgar voicemail for state senator

By: - July 20, 2023

An LSU graduate assistant will be relieved of his teaching duties — but remain at the school as a student — after leaving a vulgar voicemail for a state senator, the university confirmed Thursday. The student, Marcus Venable, was incorrectly identified as a professor at LSU by conservative commentator Greg Price, who circulated a voicemail […]

Student loan borrowers stage a rally in front of the White House to celebrate President Joe Biden’s student debt relief plan

Over 15,000 in Louisiana to have student loans forgiven, White House announces

By: - July 20, 2023

More than 15,000 Louisianians will have their student loan debt automatically discharged under the Biden administration’s changes to federal repayment plans. The U.S. Department of Education announced last week that over 800,000 borrowers nationwide would have their remaining debt forgiven, wiping out about $39 billion in student debt.  The total debt wiped out for Louisiana […]

The LSU baseball team celebrates after winning the College World Series against Florida, 18-4, on June 26, 2023, at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Nebraska.

LSU’s College World Series win drives Louisiana sports betting revenue

By: - July 20, 2023

LSU’s first College World Series win since 2009 was a home run for Louisiana sports betting revenue, according to the chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. Ronnie Johns credited the Tigers’ performance with an increase in gambling revenue for the state over the previous June. “I think the win ratio was actually down, so […]

Republican presidential candidate former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Moms for Liberty Joyful Warriors national summit at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown on June 30, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Louisiana’s education chief to address extremist Moms for Liberty group

By: - July 19, 2023

Louisiana’s superintendent of education will speak to a local chapter of a national group a civil rights watchdog has identified as an extremist organization.  Cade Brumley, who oversees the state’s K-12 public schools, will be the featured speaker of the East Baton Rouge chapter of Moms for Liberty at its monthly meeting July 24. The […]