LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Cornhuskers’ athletics department plans to fund a new scholarship program for nonathletes.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Ronnie Green and Athletics Director Shawn Eichorst announced the Husker Scholars program at the university system Board of Regents meeting Friday. Green says Nebraska Athletics will contribute $5 million annually to help keep an education from the university “affordable and accessible.”

He says the first scholarships will be awarded in time for the 2018-19 school year.

Eichorst says the scholarships are made possible through the loyal Husker fan base, which helped the department generate $112 million in revenue in 2015-16, compared with overall expenses of $104 million.

TERRYTOWN, Neb. (AP) — The mayor of a western Nebraska town has issued a warning saying a nearby lake is dangerous.

New warning signs have been placed around Terry’s Lake prohibiting swimming and boating. Terrytown Mayor Kent Greenwalt says the water is dangerous because the shallow lake bottom drops off about 10 feet (3.05 meters) to 15 feet (4.57 meters) in.

Greenwalt says he’s heard various estimates of how deep the lake actually is, but “wouldn’t doubt” it’s deeper than 50 feet (15.2 meters).

The mayor says the city’s maintenance crew is monitoring the lake and police will also patrol the area. Greenwalt continues encouraging people to stop by the lake, but to stay out of the water for safety reasons.

LEWISTON, Maine (AP) — Folks rooting for a snowy winter are going to like the forecast from the Farmers’ Almanac, in the Northeast, at least.

The Maine-based almanac that goes on sale this week is predicting a snowy winter from Maryland to Maine with five coastal storms to bring misery to the region.

The publication, now in its 200th year, predicts cold weather for central regions, wet weather for the southeastern states, and dry weather for the nation’s western third.

The almanac editors aren’t afraid to go out on a limb using a secret formula that dates to 1818.

But that doesn’t mean they’re always right. The publication was off the mark last winter when heavy snow failed to materialize in the Midwest and the Middle Atlantic states were milder than anticipated.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Powerball jackpot will continue to grow above $400 million this week because no one matched all the numbers in Saturday’s drawing.

Lottery officials estimate that the jackpot for the next Powerball drawing on Wednesday will be $430 million.

The Powerball prize will be the only big lottery jackpot this week because someone who bought a ticket in Palos Heights, Illinois, won Saturday’s $393 million Mega Millions jackpot.

But remember that the odds of winning Powerball remain long at one in 292.2 million.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The solar eclipse will sweep through Nebraska later this month, and some professors and institutions see it as an opportunity to teach students about astronomy, space and science.

The University of Nebraska at Kearney and Concordia University in Seward will invite students and visitors into their stadiums for the solar eclipse Aug. 21.

Some universities have encouraged instructors to allow students to observe the eclipse or have cancelled classes that day. Other colleges have planned viewing parties with drinks and snacks. Some professors are holding events leading up to the eclipse.

The moon will cover the sun for about 2 ½ minutes in the eclipse’s roughly 70-mile-wide path.

The last total eclipse to cross the U.S. from coast to coast occurred nearly 100 years ago.

CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) — The average price of a gallon of regular-grade gasoline jumped 8 cents nationally over the past three weeks, to $2.40.

Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg of the Lundberg Survey said Sunday that the spike results from higher crude oil prices.

The current price is 23 cents above where it was a year ago, but well below where it was in mid-August of 2015, 2014, and 2013.

Gas in San Francisco was the most expensive in the contiguous United States at an average of $3.02 a gallon. The cheapest was in Jackson, Mississippi, at $2.08 a gallon.

The U.S. average diesel price is $2.57, up 6 cents over the past three weeks.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska at Omaha’s biomechanics program is getting a new home, thanks to a plan approved by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents.

The board on Friday approved a plan to build an $11.6 million addition to the three-level Biomechanics Research Building, which was erected four years ago. The addition will be privately funded.

The regents expect construction on the addition to start in April and to be completed in September 2019, more than doubling the size of the existing building.

Biomechanics is the study of movement and mechanics of biological activity. The program offers a bachelor’s degree, and UNO also has a doctorate in exercise science with a focus in biomechanics.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska state agency that awards grants for environmental projects has logged another uptick in applications, and the executive director expects to see even more in the future as federal and private grants shrink.

Mark Brohman, executive director of the Nebraska Environmental Trust, says the organization received a record 130 new applications for the current year. That number has increased slowly but consistently over the last several years.

Brohman says part of his increase is due to cuts at the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other federal agencies that have traditionally awarded grants.

The trust has given away $275 million for more than 2,000 projects statewide since it was created in 1992.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska authorities are reminding hunters that state recreation areas are closed to hunting until Sept. 5.

Several hunting seasons, including one for archery deer, open Sept. 1, and the early teal season opens Sept. 2.

State regulations say some state recreation areas are open to hunting from the first Tuesday following Labor Day through the end of the spring turkey hunting season, unless restricted. A park entry permit is required for vehicles entering the areas.

Hunting is barred within 100 yards of any public use facility or activity area, including picnic areas, campgrounds, private cabins, concession areas, boat ramps, and parking lots.

For summaries of hunting regulations, read the Small Game, Waterfowl and Big Game guides at www.OutdoorNebraska.gov/guides. Purchase permits at www.OutdoorNebraska.org.

NEW YORK (AP) — The “Conjuring” spinoff “Annabelle: Creation” scared up an estimated $35 million in North American theaters over the weekend, making it easily the top film and giving the lagging August box office a shot in the arm.

The opening came close to matching the film’s predecessor, “Annabelle,” which opened with $37.1 million in October 2014. Warner Bros. could celebrate not only the month’s biggest debut but also having the week’s top two films. Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” followed in second with $11.4 million in its fourth weekend according to studio estimates Sunday.

Last week’s top film, the poorly received Stephen King adaptation “The Dark Tower,” slid dramatically. It toppled nearly 70 percent on its second weekend with an estimated $7.9 million.