The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Behlen Observatory will mark its 40th anniversary with a free viewing night for the public.

The event is scheduled to run from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 19.

Provided the sky is clear, visitors will be able to see several celestial objects with the observatory’s 30-inch telescope and with smaller telescopes set up outside the observatory in Mead, which is in eastern Nebraska

There will be a special talk on the history of the observatory, beginning at 8 p.m.

The observatory also will be open to the public from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Nov. 16. Additional public nights are planned for the spring semester.

More information can be found on the observatory website, https://astro.unl.edu/observatory.

The Grand Island City Council has rejected a proposal to extend anti-discrimination protection to homosexual, bisexual and transgender people.

The council voted 8-2 against the proposed ordinance on Tuesday night.

If the ordinance had been adopted, it would have been illegal in Grand Island to fail to hire or promote someone based on sexual orientation. Bias in housing or retail settings also would have been barred.

State and federal laws already bar discrimination based on race, ethnic origin and other factors in jobs, housing and other settings. But neither state nor federal laws expressly bar discrimination against homosexual, bisexual or transgender people.

Two girls were killed when a sport utility vehicle ran off a road on the northwest side of Omaha.

Authorities say the crash occurred about 12:15 a.m. Wednesday in the Irvington area.

Both girls were under the age of 5. The car driver, another young passenger and a woman were hospitalized. Their names have not been released.

Authorities say the SUV didn’t stop at a T intersection and flipped over after it ran into a ravine.

Officers suspect the driver may have been driving drunk.

Omaha-based Travel and Transport Inc. says it is buying Ultramar Travel Management Inc. of New York City.

Financial terms of the all-cash deal between the corporate travel agencies were not announced.

Ultramar will retain its name and operate independently.

The companies said Tuesday that after the deal closes, they will have more than 1,000 employees in 37 states with total annual sales in excess of $2 billion.

Travel and Transport President Bill Tech told the Omaha World-Herald that the acquisition will help bolster Travel and Transport’s business in New York, where Ultramar is strong.

A Nebraska group has filed a state voting-rights complaint on behalf of a blind woman who says she wasn’t given access to ballot-marking technology that helps disabled residents vote.

Nebraskans for Civic Reform filed the complaint Tuesday with the Secretary of State’s office.

It was filed on behalf of Fatos Floyd, a blind woman who requested access to an Automark machine at the Lancaster County Election Commissioner’s office. Federal law requires the machines at all polling places, but Floyd says she was told one wouldn’t be available during early voting.

Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale says this is the first complaint of its kind filed in the state. Gale says his staff is reviewing the complaint and will determine what needs to be done to resolve the issue.

A $46,100 grant from the Nebraska Arts Council will be used to help the state develop public school standards for visual and performing arts.

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that the Nebraska Department of Education will use the money to draft the standards, but the plan will not include assessment tests like the state uses for the core subjects of math, science, reading and writing.

The arts standards, set to be finalized by August 2014, will include dance, media arts, music, theater and visual arts.

The state currently has had guidelines for arts education, but no standards. Donlynn Rice, the department’s administrator of curriculum, instruction and innovation, says the department eventually would also like to develop standards for world language and coordinated school health education.

Nebraska-based Pinnacle Bank has agreed to buy First State Bank of Joplin, Mo.

Financial terms have not been disclosed. The transaction is expected to close in December.

First State Bank has four branches in Joplin, one in Sarcoxie and one in Webb City and a total of $183 million in assets.

Pinnacle Bancorp Inc., of Omaha, is the subsidiary owner of Pinnacle Bank and is a $6.7 billion financial holding company operating 127 community banks in eight states.

The Grand Island City Council has scheduled a vote on extending anti-discrimination protection to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

The Grand Island Independent reports that the council vote is scheduled for Tuesday night. If the proposed ordinance were to be adopted, it would be illegal in Grand Island to fail to hire or promote someone based on sexual orientation. Bias in housing or retail settings also would be barred.

The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office has issued a nonbinding opinion that cities have no authority to adopt such ordinances. The Lincoln City Council has revoked its ordinance, but a public vote is expected. The Omaha ordinance remains in effect.

Neither state nor federal laws expressly bar discrimination against homosexual, bisexual or transgender people.

A teenager accused of killing an Omaha girl wants his case transferred to juvenile court.

The 17-year-old boy faces adult charges of first-degree murder and use of a weapon to commit a felony. He’s accused of killing 16-year-old Melanie Koontz. Her body was found in an Omaha creek in May. Prosecutors say she was strangled.

KETV-TV says the boy’s attorney filed a motion last week to transfer the case to juvenile court. A hearing date hasn’t been set.

The Associated Press generally doesn’t identify juveniles accused of a crime.

Mortuary items from caskets to embalming tables have drawn a crowd, including a few Halloween hunters, during a unique auction in Columbus.

The auction was held on Saturday with items from two consolidated funeral homes.

The items including 15 caskets, ranging from fancy ones with colorful felt and silver-colored handles to simple, wooden designs. Also up for bid were grave markers, embalming tools and viewing tables.

Charles Bronson works with Grubaugh Auction Service, which held the auction. He says it’s rare to get the opportunity to auction off funeral home accessories. He expected the crowd to include many looking for Halloween decorations. That’s what brought Julie Wilke, of Columbus, to the auction. She bought a casket to put in her front yard.