LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Two post-secondary institutions in Lincoln are celebrating the openings of centers designed to provide academic support and assistance to student veterans.

The Military and Veterans Success Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus is an extension of the school’s First-Year Experience and Transition Programs. Its goal is to help more than 500 veterans or dependents enrolled at the school with class scheduling, career planning and more.

A similar initiative at Southeast Community College called the Veterans Connect Center also opened Friday. It’s aimed at connecting military members and veterans to support services across the college.

The opening of the centers signals a state and nationwide effort to provide service members and veterans with access to higher education.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A good Samaritan has lost the tip of a finger while trying to free motorcyclists who’d been pinned under a car in Omaha.

The accident occurred Sunday afternoon in northeast Omaha. Authorities say Albert Brown and Patricia White were headed south when their motorcycle collided with westbound car that police say didn’t halt at a stop sign.

Police say Willie Parks used a car jack to rescue Brown and White from under the car. Parks severed the tip of his right index finger while freeing the couple.

They both suffered a broken leg. The car driver wasn’t injured.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Authorities are investigating after a man was shot during a drive-by shooting in Omaha.

According to Omaha Police Department spokesman Officer Michael Pecha, Levender Jenkins told officers he was shot around 3 p.m. Saturday by someone in a passing vehicle while in the driveway of a home.

He was transported to Creighton University Medical Center in critical condition. Pecha said Jenkins’ injuries did not appear to be life-threatening.

CHAMBERS, Neb. (AP) — Goose Lake Wildlife Management Area in northern Nebraska has been closed to public access as officials try to keep an invasive aquatic plant from spreading.

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission says it is developing a plan to eradicate a heavy infestation of Eurasian watermilfoil from the lake so the area can be reopened. The plants’ leaves or stem fragments easily can be carried on boats, trailers and other aquatic sporting equipment to other bodies of water.

The plants can spread rapidly from leaves or stem fragments and can grow up to 2 inches a day. Their dense surface mats interfere with boating, fishing, swimming and other forms of recreation.

The lake sits about 10 miles southeast of Chambers in southern Holt County.

The Nebraska State Patrol Troop C Headquarters – Grand Island will once again provide traffic control and special enforcements in conjunction with Husker Harvest Days, September 15-17 in Hall County.

Motorists can expect to see an increased trooper presence as officers’ work to reduce the potential for serious injury and fatality crashes on roadways leading to and from the event site.

Troopers will conduct high visibility patrols within Hall County, during the evening hours on Tuesday, Sept. 16, thanks in part to a grant from the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety (NOHS).

In an effort to reduce congestion and expedite traffic flow, troopers will provide traffic control efforts throughout the three-day event.

Husker Highway, the road leading to the farm show site will again become a one-way road, allowing for westbound traffic only, beginning at 7:30 a.m., each morning. The one-way traffic pattern will then be reversed each afternoon, beginning at 3:00 p.m., becoming a one-way road allowing for eastbound traffic only. During the hours ofnoon- 3:00 p.m., Husker Highway will transition back to a normal two-way flow of traffic.

“Increased traffic volume, and congestion can be expected on roadways headed to and from the event site,” said Captain Chris Kolb, Commander Troop C-Grand Island. “In addition to officers directing traffic, we encourage motorists to check roadside message boards for updated traffic information.”

Troopers will also be in place to direct traffic in both lanes at the intersection of Husker Highway and Alda Road. County roads west of Alda Road, intersecting Husker Highway, will be closed to prevent cross traffic onto the highway during the times of one-way travel.

Motorists are asked to maintain adequate following distance to allow themselves plenty of time to react to changing conditions and to remain alert for law enforcement personnel directing traffic.

Traffic enforcement assistance will be provided by the Nebraska State Patrol, Nebraska Department of Roads, Hall County Roads Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Hall County Sheriff’s Posse, and the Husker Harvest Days staff.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Friends and family are mourning the loss of a 16-year-old Lincoln teen who died several hours after her vehicle collided with a pickup truck.

Lincoln police said Justice Coleman died Sunday afternoon following the morning crash. Coleman’s vehicle collided with a pickup truck hauling a backhoe in west Lincoln around 9 a.m.

Coleman was a junior at Pius X High School in Lincoln. The school planned to hold services to remember her Sunday evening.

Police said the truck’s driver was taken to a hospital for treatment before being released later on Sunday.

Lincoln Police Capt. Danny Reitan says the cause of the crash is still being investigated.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Metropolitan Community College is celebrating the arrival of three new trucks because they will help students learn about driving a semitrailer.

One of the newest trucks is a Kenworth that has four doors and five seats, so there will be more room for students.

Driving instructor Darryl Partner says the new trucks will improve safety for students because it will be easier to get out of the vehicles.

The new trucks will be used by the school’s eight-week driving program.

SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. (AP) — No one was injured when a boat caught fire on the Missouri River between northeastern Nebraska and northwestern Iowa.

The fire occurred just outside the Sioux City Marina at Chris Larsen Park on Thursday night.

The blaze saw firefighters from Iowa and Nebraska respond. Officials said Friday they weren’t sure what sparked the fire.

Sioux City Assistant Fire Chief Dan Cougill says the boat was fully engulfed in flames and was floating downriver when fire crews arrived. The boat’s occupants had escaped the boat early on.

Potts says the boat was destroyed.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 12-year-old Omaha boy has been arrested, accused of bringing an unloaded gun to his school following an argument.

Omaha police say the arrest was made Thursday afternoon after officers learned that a school resource officer was detaining the boy and had secured the weapon.

Investigators say that after the argument, the boy left and returned to the school with the gun.

The 12-year-old was arrested on suspicion of having a firearm on school property and other weapons-related counts.

The Associated Press generally does not name juveniles accused of crimes.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A 52-year-old Ohio man has pleaded guilty to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft in Nebraska’s federal court for a scheme that bilked 17 people of nearly $190,000 for bogus time-shares and precious metals.

Myron Plummer of Mentor, Ohio, faces up to 22 years in prison when he’s sentenced in December.

The U.S. Attorney’s office says Plummer’s business, FCR Global LLC, would contact people who had previously been defrauded and told them that for a fee, the company would be able to recover their money and resell their time-shares.

Officials say at least one of the checks was mailed to Omaha, where Plummer opened a bank account using someone else’s Social Security number.