LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The city of Lincoln is installing 10 charging stations for electric cars as part of a grant program to encourage more residents to buy cars that use alternative fuels.

The dual-port stations will be purchased and installed with a more than $490,000 grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust for a statewide initiative to show that advanced technology vehicles reduce carbon-dioxide emissions and cost less than comparable gas-powered vehicles.

Lincoln will have 24 charging plug-ins available in public places around the downtown area. That will be enough charging stations to juice up about half of all electric cars in Lancaster County.

State Department of Motor Vehicles data shows the county had 50 electric-only cars last July. There were also more than 3,600 bi-fuel vehicles that could use the charging stations.

NORTH BEND, Neb. (AP) — Dodge County authorities say a driver was killed when a locomotive struck his pickup at a rail crossing.

The accident occurred just before 6 p.m. Sunday at a crossing on County Road 3 west of North Bend. The driver of the southbound pickup was ejected when struck by the eastbound train.

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office says the crossing has a railroad crossing sign and a stop sign.

The pickup driver has been identified as 65-year-old Robert Conn, of North Bend.

The accident is being investigated.

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — A group of chaplains has been formed in Grand Island to assist law enforcement in helping people who are suffering during or after a traumatic event.

About six local pastors have joined the Public Safety Chaplains Corps and have received training from another chaplain who works with law enforcement officials in Kearney and Buffalo counties.

Grand Island Police Chief Steve Lamken says a chaplain can “go further” than law enforcement can at a scene by helping people suffering or with other needs.

Lamken says the pastors can also help law enforcement officers or emergency workers who might need to talk to someone after a particularly tough situation. They may also assist in notifying families of a death.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A 21-year-old fraternity president has been accused of telling fellow members not to talk to police about a sexual assault reported at the Lincoln frat house last month.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln police arrested Timothy Kubert last week, alleging that he was tampering with an ongoing investigation. He’s since posted bond. He said the allegation is wrong, and that he didn’t tell Delta Upsilon chapter members not to talk to investigators about what happened on the evening of the reported assault, April 5.

University spokesman Steve Smith says administrators will review the police information about Kubert and take appropriate action when the review is finished.

No arrest of any sex assault suspect has been announced.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The mother of an 11-year-old girl whose hair got caught in a spinning carnival ride says her daughter underwent surgery to repair her scalp and remains in a Nebraska hospital.

Virginia Cooksey says her daughter didn’t suffer any fractures or brain trauma but could have vision problems or need more surgery.

Police say the girl was taken to Nebraska Medicine after the incident Saturday afternoon at a Cinco de Mayo festival in Omaha. Witnesses said the girl’s hair got caught in a ride called King’s Crown.

Omaha police Lt. Steve Cerveny said officials are trying to determine whether there was a malfunction with the ride.

The ride vendor, Thomas D. Thomas Shows, says an investigation is underway.

A series of tornadoes has hit eastern Colorado and caused several minor injuries, while damaging motorhomes, farm buildings and other structures.

The National Weather Service says four tornadoes hit in Yuma County, about 100 miles east of Denver, near Colorado’s borders with Nebraska and Kansas.

NWS Science and Operations officer Jeremy Martin says one of those twisters struck just north of the town of Wray about 6 p.m. MDT Saturday.

He says five people suffered minor injuries.

Storm chasers reported that the tornado traveled for about 10 miles on the ground.

There were no immediate reports of injury or damage from the other three confirmed tornadoes in the area.

Earlier in the day, officials say a tornado in Morgan County, about 65 miles northeast of Denver, damaged about a dozen fifth-wheel campers and caused some minor injuries.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A former Lincoln middle school teacher who is serving 20 to 30 years in prison for sexually assaulting a student has had his Nebraska teaching certificate permanently revoked.

The move by the state Board of Education on Friday means Jackson Hedrick will never teach in Nebraska again.

Hedrick pleaded guilty in the case to first-degree sexual assault. Police say the 23-year-old Hedrick admitted to sending lewd texts to a 14-year-old girl who was a student at Irving Middle School, where he taught social studies. Police say he also provided her with alcohol and had sexual contact with her.

Hedrick graduated in 2014 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a bachelor’s degree in education. He is appealing his sentence.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A 21-year-old Lincoln man has been sentenced to five to 10 years in prison for a sexual relationship he had with a teenage girl when he was 19.

Brandon Diequez pleaded no contest to attempted first-degree sexual assault.

The girl’s mother went to police in December 2014 to report that her daughter was pregnant with Diequez’s child.

The girl, then 15, told investigators she had several sexual encounters with Diequez beginning in July 2014.

Diequez told police he waited until after she turned 16 that August.

Lancaster County District Judge Lori Maret sentenced him Wednesday. He also will have to register as a sex offender.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police say one man is dead after officers say they shot their way into a burning apartment to get to the victim and his attacker.

48-year-old Steven Edwards died at Creighton University Medical Center hours after being pulled from the burning apartment.

Witnesses reported a stabbing and someone pouring gasoline on others at the apartment around 7:35 a.m. Friday. When police arrived, they could see flames, but the suspect had locked the door. When officers couldn’t break down the door, police say, one officer fired four shots at the lock on the door to get in.

Officers then used a stun gun on the suspect, 32-year-old Antone Page, who was flown to St. Elizabeth Regional Burn and Wound Center in Lincoln.

NORFOLK, Neb. (AP) — Sales tax issues will be voted upon in at least four communities in northeast Nebraska during the Tuesday primary.

Residents in Oakland, Albion, Meadow Grove and Leigh will vote on local sales tax increase proposals. The local tax would be collected in addition to the state’s 5.5 percent sales tax.

In Oakland, the proposal would raise the city’s sales tax a half-percent to 1.5 cents on every dollar to benefit streets, police and parks.

Albion voters will decide whether to continue collecting an existing half-cent tax for a swimming pool and property tax relief.

Meadow Grove and Leigh are seeking a 1.5 percent sales tax to be used for community improvements.