WISNER, Neb. (AP) — Church members say increasing operation costs and sluggish enrollment numbers led to the impending closure of Zion St. John Lutheran School and pre-school near Wisner.

The school has only four students in kindergarten through eighth grade, plus two preschoolers. The 2014-2015 academic year will be the last for the school.

The congregation of the Zion St. John Lutheran Church voted in October 2014 to close the school. The building will continue to be used by the church for large events. School items will be auctioned off or used at other Lutheran schools.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Topeka man has been charged with conspiracy in a plot to bomb the Fort Riley military base.

A court document unsealed Tuesday but initially filed April 23 alleges Alexander Blair conspired with John T. Booker Jr. in the planned attack. Blair previously had only been charged with knowing about the plot but failing to report it to authorities.

His attorney, Christopher Joseph, acknowledges the new conspiracy charge is more serious, but won’t comment further.

The government alleges in the document that Blair gave money to Booker on March 17 to rent a storage unit in Topeka to store components he believed would be used to build an explosive device for the attack at Fort Riley.

Booker faces charges including attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — A jury has found a 20-year-old Denison man guilty of killing two elderly people and trying to burn their bodies.

Jurors delivered the guilty verdict Tuesday to Jayden Chapman, convicting him of two counts of first-degree murder and reckless use of fire in the deaths of 80-year-old Marvin Huesling and 81-year-old Alice Huisenga.

Chapman testified Monday in his own defense, saying he shot Huisenga because another man, 27-year-old Michael Schenk, gave him the gun. Chapman said Schenk threatened to kill him if he didn’t shoot.

Authorities say Schenk and Chapman shot the pair in March 2014 at a trailer home in Deloit and then set it on fire. Schenk was sentenced in March to two life terms for his role in the slayings.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — New rules that would let Lyft, Uber and other ride-hailing companies operate legally in Nebraska have advanced to a final vote in the Legislature.

Lawmakers gave the measure second-round approval on Tuesday. The bill by Sen. Heath Mello of Omaha follows months of negotiations.

The bill imposes requirements on drivers, the ride-hailing companies and insurers.

The companies have been operating unregulated in Nebraska for about a year despite warnings from the Department of Insurance and Department of Motor Vehicles.

Proponents say the companies provide a new transportation alterative in a state with limited and expensive options.

After final approval in the Legislature, the bill will go to Gov. Pete Ricketts.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln woman is suing a man she’s dubbed “Inconsiderate Battery Guy” after she tripped over a vehicle battery in a check-out lane and broke an elbow.

Pamela Bauer Flanagan doesn’t know the man’s name but filed a lawsuit last week in an effort to discover his identity. She and her attorney say they hope to compel information from the Tractor Supply Co. store that will help find him.

Bauer Flanagan says she tripped over the battery in January after the man placed it behind her and didn’t let her know. The man went to another check-out lane, paid for the battery and left.

Bauer Flanagan says she just wants the man to help pay her medical bills, which total more than $28,500.

BEATRICE, Neb. (AP) — Beatrice’s 911 service is operating again after being knocked out by a lightning strike.

The bolt struck a tower or the police department building downtown around 10:45 p.m. Monday. Police Chief Bruce Lang said it took around five yours to get 911 back up and that it will take two or three days to repair the Beatrice Communications Center. The center handles emergency dispatching for all of Gage County.

In the meantime, the dispatching work has been moved to the emergency operations center in the Gage County Courthouse.

Lang says no one was injured by the lightning strike.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police say two men whose bodies were found at a northeast Omaha residence were victims of homicide.

Officers were sent to investigate the shooting a little after 4:30 a.m. Tuesday. Both men were declared dead at the scene.

Police haven’t released the victims’ names or any other details. No arrests have been reported.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The first class of seniors from an eastern Nebraska school will graduate this month.

Six students of Cornerstone Christian School in Bellevue will graduate May 24.

The school, which was started in 1984, isn’t tied to a specific church — its staff and students represent more than 65 churches in the area. The school expanded from its K-8 roots by adding a freshman class in 2011.

The senior class compares their experience with being the oldest child in the family. One of the graduates, Marcus Hilding, joked that their class is the “guinea pig” and the ones who set examples for students in lower grades.

Last weekend, the school held its first prom.

NORFOLK, Neb. (AP) — Officials say Nebraska Livestock Sales of Norfolk has suspended its summer schedule.

Jim Barta owns the operation, and he said Monday that, “due to the declining number of cattle in the area, we are going to go with seasonal sales at the livestock market.”

Sales recently were cut to two days a week from three.

In March 2006 the market was sold by the Emrich family and Don Balfany of Norfolk to the Barta family, of Fremont. The Bartas own other livestock markets, including Nebraska Livestock Sales operations in Alma, Blue Hill, Ericson, O’Neill and Tecumseh.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A gay teacher whose Omaha Catholic school contract is not being renewed has found a new job.

According to local media reports, Matthew Eledge, an English teacher and speech coach, will join the Millard North High School faculty next school year. An online petition in support of Eledge says officials at Skutt Catholic High School decided to not renew his contract after learning he was engaged to his same-sex partner. The school’s decision prompted the petition by school alumni to end what they saw as discriminatory employment practice.

Deacon Tim McNeil with the Archdiocese of Omaha said the teacher’s contract was not renewed because he was in breach of the code of conduct and morality clause all teachers are required to agree to.