OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A number of private colleges in Nebraska and Iowa have come up with creative ways to compete for new students due to the number of high school graduates leveling off nationwide.

National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities spokesman says the fairly flat numbers of prospective students mean colleges are competing harder to boost enrollments.

To help attract students, the College of St. Mary in Omaha has dropped the tuition price for this coming school year by 33 percent, to just under $20,000.

The college says a price of more than $30,000 would scare off potential students.

College spokeswoman Sarah Kottich says since the reduction, applications and deposits at the school are up by 15 percent over any of the past three years.

LEXINGTON, Neb. (AP) — Testimony has resumed in a lawsuit that alleges religious and other bias on the part of a south-central Nebraska apartment owner and his property manager.

The trial began Monday in Lexington for Gerald Rich, owner of the Cottonwood Apartments complex, and his property manager, Laurie Reinick. The state attorney general’s office filed the action in November 2015. Among the allegations: The two disparaged the tenants’ national origin and their Muslim religion, entered the apartments at unreasonable hours and without notice, didn’t do repairs and charged the tenants for damage they didn’t cause.

The defense attorney said in his opening remarks Monday that there was no discrimination, that landlord-tenant disputes are common and that the allegations against Rich and Reinick have been blown out of proportion.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Pete Ricketts plans to lead a trade delegation to Canada in August to promote business relationships with Nebraska.

Ricketts announced the trade mission Tuesday with state agriculture and economic development officials. He’s encouraging agricultural and business leaders to considering joining the trip.

Officials say roughly one-fifth of Nebraska’s exports go to Canada. Ricketts describes Canada as the state’s best customer.

The trip comes at an uncertain time for the North American Free Trade Agreement between the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The Trump administration has said it wants to rework the agreement. Ricketts says he hopes to hear any of the concerns Canadian officials might have.

Ricketts also plans to visit Japan in September on a trade mission that will include the Midwest U.S.-Japan Association’s annual conference.

CHADRON, Neb. (AP) — A western Nebraska judge has ordered a Chadron-area mental health therapist to pay more than $300,000 to the state for improper Medicaid billing.

A Dawes County District Court judge on Tuesday ordered Anna Young to pay after the Nebraska Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Patient Abuse Unit found she had billed Nebraska Medicaid nearly $103,000 for mental health services. The Attorney General’s office says Young admitted to knowingly failing to maintain documentation to support the submission of the claims, as required by law.

She was ordered to repay triple the amount she billed to Medicaid, per the Nebraska False Medicaid Claims Act.

Officials say Young submitted the claims while employed by Ann Brost Counseling Agency. Brost settled a separate action with the state that stemmed from the same incident.