LEXINGTON, Neb. (AP) — A May trial has been scheduled for a 34-year-old woman accused of trying to conceal a man’s slaying in Dawson County.

Online court records say Melissa Callahan, of Lexington, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of felony accessory to murder. Her trial is set to begin May 9 in Lexington.

Authorities say in court records that Callahan was present when Jose Regalado-Mendez shot to death Jose Hernandez in October and then helped move the body and conceal the slaying. Hernandez’s remains were found Dec. 12 near a farmhouse north of Lexington.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s longest-serving lawmaker is once again trying to repeal a law that could allow county officials to kill black-tailed prairie dogs on private property if a neighbor complains.

Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha says the 2012 law violates property rights by allowing the government to trespass on private land without a warrant or other due process safeguards. He proposed a repeal measure Tuesday to the Legislature’s Agriculture Committee.

Black-tailed prairie dogs are native to Nebraska and considered an important species to maintain the region’s ecological balance, but some ranchers view them as pests because they tear up valuable grassland.

Only Sheridan County in northwest Nebraska has made use of the law. County Commissioner Jack Andersen says the law helps local officials deal with landowners who don’t manage their property.

RIVERTON, Neb. (AP) — A former village clerk in south-central Nebraska has been given six months’ probation for stealing from her community.

Court records say 32-year-old Kelly Jackson also was fined $1,000 at her sentencing Monday in Franklin County Court. She’ pleaded no contest to misdemeanor theft after prosecutors lowered the charge from a felony count.

Court documents say a state audit alleges that Jackson took nearly $16,000 from Oct. 1, 2013, through Jan. 31, 2015, from the village of Riverton, which has about 90 residents.

Several former and current village board members told investigators that a village official signed blank checks so Jackson could pay village bills. Officials say Jackson instead wrote checks to herself.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A new advertising campaign is seeking to raise awareness of the dangers of opioid abuse before it becomes a major public health crisis in Nebraska.

The statewide campaign announced Monday includes public service advertisements in radio and television outlets and newspapers.

Attorney General Doug Peterson says the campaign is a pre-emptive effort to keep Nebraska from experiencing the same problems as Ohio, New Hampshire and other states where opioid abuse has become an epidemic.

Gov. Pete Ricketts says state officials want to make sure the public is educated about the problem.

The partnership that launched the campaign includes state and federal officials as well as the Nebraska Broadcasters Association and the Nebraska Press Association.

Nebraska launched a prescription drug monitoring program earlier this year.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska could become the third U.S. state to raise its smoking age to 21.

Sen. Merv Riepe of Omaha presented a bill to a legislative committee Monday that would apply to smoking, chewing tobacco and alternative nicotine products such as e-cigarettes.

Riepe says adolescents are particularly vulnerable to addiction because their brains aren’t fully developed. He says raising the age also could keep cigarettes from younger teens because they’re more likely to be around 18-year-olds than 21-year-olds.

The Nebraska Nurses Association, Nebraska Hospital Association, and American Lung Association support the bill. They say it could save lives and money.

Advocates for vaping say e-cigarettes are less dangerous and shouldn’t be included. Opponents also contend raising the smoking age takes away rights from teens old enough to join the military.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse has formed an advisory commission to review candidates for federal offices such as U.S. attorney and U.S. marshal in Nebraska.

Sasse announced Monday that former Nebraska Gov. Kay Orr and businesswoman Cynthia Milligan will serve as the commission’s co-chairs.

The Nebraska Justice and Judicial Nominations Advisory Commission will review applications, interview candidates and make recommendations to Sasse about potential nominees. Sasse says he wants the independent judgment of Nebraska leaders to fill the positions.

Commission members include a law school dean, prosecutors, private attorneys and a retired FBI agent.

Completed applications are due by March 13.

GERING, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a driver was injured when his car was struck by a train in the Nebraska Panhandle.

The Nebraska State Patrol says the crash occurred around 3:20 a.m. Saturday about a mile and a half east of Gering. The car was sitting between two rail lines with one tire between a set of the tracks when it was hit by the train. The car was pushed about 30 yards before flipping off the tracks and ejecting the driver.

The driver was taken Regional West Medical Center. The patrol identified him as 23-year-old Julian Salinas, of Morrill.