LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska State Treasurer Don Stenberg says more than $53,200 of unclaimed property was returned to rightful owners during the Nebraska State Fair in August and September.

Stenberg says that’s up from the $52,000 returned at last year’s State Fair.

The number of claims approved also increased to 151 this year from 133 in 2013.

The treasurer’s office database includes more than $135 million in unclaimed property for 350,000 people, businesses, and organizations. So far in 2014, more than 14,200 claims totaling more than $8.3 million has been paid.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska Secretary of State John Gale is encouraging students to show up at the polls for the state’s Nov. 4 general election.

Nebraska students ages 14 to 18 can serve as election workers during the election as part of the Youth Election Service. The service is designed to increase young people’s interest and involvement in the election system.

Students who work or volunteer at least four hours are eligible to have their names selected to receive a $50 gift card. All participants receive a certificate from the Secretary of State’s office acknowledging their service.

More than 260 students from 27 counties worked during the 2012 primary and general elections. The program is sponsored by the Secretary of State’s office and the Nebraska Bankers Association.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Gov. Dave Heineman is encouraging Nebraskans to fly U.S. and Nebraska flags at half-staff on Sunday.

The flag-lowering is part of the annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service. The remembrance honors firefighters and other first responders who have sacrificed their lives to save others.

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation will honor 107 firefighters who died nationwide in the line of duty in part of 2012 and all of 2013.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The state of Nebraska is urging residents to take part in an international earthquake drill set for next week.

The Great Shakeout Earthquake Drill will take place at 10:16 a.m. Thursday around the globe.

Nebraska Emergency Management Agency Assistant Director Bryan Tuma says Nebraskans should participate, too.

Tuma’s agency is asking Nebraskans in homes, schools and other places to take a minute to drop, cover and hold on, as a practice for what they should do during an actual earthquake.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the two largest earthquakes to hit Nebraska occurred on March 28, 1964, near Merriman and on Nov. 15, 1877, in eastern Nebraska. Both were 5.1 magnitude earthquakes.

SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb. (AP) — The state Education Department says a Scottsbluff High School staff member is Nebraska’s 2015 Teacher of the Year.

Shelby Aaberg (AH’-burg) was honored during a surprise award presentation at the school on Friday. The math teacher says he teaches his students “how to think, not just comply.”

A panel of Nebraska educators selected Aaberg, who will participate in the national Teacher of the Year competition later this year.

Aaberg has 10 years of teaching experience. He earned a bachelor’s at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master’s in mathematics education at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2009.

A 47-year-old Hershey woman is facing charges after she allegedly burglarized a home in Hershey.

On October 1, at around 8:30 p.m., deputies with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office met with a homeowner in Hershey who wished to report a burglary.

The homeowner advised that they had been out to eat, and were contacted by a citizen when they returned home, who told them that someone had been in their house.

Deputies arrived and, following further investigation, determined that the only thing missing from the house was prescription medicine.

A witness came forward and told deputies that they had observed Michelle Frels enter the residence through an unlocked door, then leave a short time later.

The homeowners stated that they did not give Frels permission to be in the home.

On October 9, deputies made contact with Frels and placed her under arrest for felony burglary.

She was jailed at the Lincoln County Detention Center.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — University of Nebraska-Lincoln officials have selected a new state geologist.

Robert Joeckel has taken over for Mark Kuzila, who held the position for 16 years.

Joeckel said in a university news release that his research priorities in the post will include investigating the geological framework of the Ogallala aquifer and the paleo-environmental record within Nebraska’s ice age sedimentary record.

Joeckel joined the Conservation and Survey Division of the School of Natural Resources as a research geologist in 2000. He is curator of geology in the University of Nebraska State Museum. He has a doctorate in geology from the University of Iowa.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Supreme Court has upheld the conviction and life sentences given to a western Nebraska man for the stabbing deaths of two people in his home.

Dominick Dubray was sentenced in 2012 to two life terms, plus another 30 to 40 years for weapons convictions, for the February 2012 stabbing deaths of 22-year-old Catalina Chavez, of Alliance, and 42-year-old Mike Loutzenhiser, of Scottsbluff.

In his appeal, the 28-year-old Dubray said the trial court wrongly allowed the jury to see autopsy photographs, that prosecutors engaged in misconduct and that his trial attorney was ineffective for failing to object to a jury instruction, among other things.

On Friday, the high court found Dubray’s arguments were either without merit or didn’t constitute reversible error.

• Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 60. Northeast wind around 6 mph becoming east southeast in the afternoon.
• Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. South southeast wind around 6 mph.
• Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 66. South wind 6 to 11 mph increasing to 12 to 17 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph.
• Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. South wind 13 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
• Sunday: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 61. Breezy, with a west wind 7 to 12 mph becoming north northwest 16 to 21 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph.
• Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42.
• Columbus Day: Sunny, with a high near 62. Breezy.
• Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 36.