11:30 LrN Newscast

A float in last night’s Nyx Parade in New Orleans hit and killed a woman on Magazine Street. Witnesses say the woman stepped in between the front float and back float of a tandem float, was struck by the second float and died.

Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre says a school traffic guard has died after being struck by a vehicle in the northern area of the parish. State Police is investigating.

On his monthly call-in radio show Ask the Governor, Governor Edwards addressed the controversy over his decision not to include a specific teacher pay raise in his budget, saying he is confident teachers will ultimately receive another raise next year. Edwards hopes teachers will see a raise from the additional 39-million dollars he proposes for K-through-12 public schools.
Cut 10 (12) “…a pay raise.”
The Humane Society of Louisiana is offering a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest of a person who threw a dog food bag containing eight puppies from a bridge into Bayou Portage in St. Martin Parish on Sunday. Humane Society of Louisiana executive director Jeff Dorson says a nearby fisherman saw the man toss what appeared to be litter into the water…
cut 7 (12) “…in the sack.”
Dorson says the person behind the tossing could face up to eight felony counts, one for each pup.

The Louisiana Lottery says the lack of massive Powerball and Mega Million jackpots recently has resulted in fewer dollars for education. Lottery spokesperson Kim Chopin says from July to December they transferred about $42-million dollars to the state treasury.
Cut 3 (09) “…of last year.”
Chopin says many people will not buy lottery tickets until the jackpots hit 400-million dollars plus.