LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is seeking applications for the 16th annual Nebraska Young Artist Awards.

The Hixon-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts is sponsoring the awards, which recognize 11th grade students from Nebraska who are gifted in the areas of visual art, dance, music, theatre, film and new media.

To be recognized, students must submit an application and work sample online, along with a recommendation letter from a teacher. Winners will be invited to a recognition ceremony on April 3rd.

Applications are due by December 14th.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Lincoln police have identified the 44-year-old man who was found dead in a field where homeless people are often found.

Lincoln Police Capt. Michon Morrow says Michael Austin’s body was found Friday in a field next to Salt Creek near 25th and Judson Streets.

Police don’t suspect foul play, but they are still trying to determine what caused Austin’s death.

An autopsy was performed Saturday, but the preliminary results won’t be available until Monday.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — As winter approaches, energy prices in Nebraska and South Dakota appear stable, but consumers could still see higher bills if the weather is colder than last year.

Northwestern Energy officials say the price of natural gas remains significantly lower than it has been, so consumers will be able to expect lower utility bills if this winter is mild.

But if more normal winter temperatures return this year, then utility customers will use more energy and see higher bills than last year.

Northwestern’s Bobbi Schroeppel says the utility encourage customers to make their homes as efficient as possible to help reduce their utility bills.

Homeowners are encouraged to install programmable thermostats and add caulk around doors and windows to seal air leaks. Upgrading windows and doors can also reduce energy use.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska is seeing a steady increase in voters who are shunning both political parties and registering as independents.

The growth comes as the number of Republican and Democratic voters has declined since the 2008 election.

More than 227,000 voters are now registered as a “nonpartisan,” a 16 percent increase since the last presidential election. Registrations overall have risen in each election year over the last decade.

Democratic activists say the growth in independent voters reflects a willingness to look beyond party labels in the overwhelmingly conservative state. Republicans say most of those independents are still likely to support GOP candidates.

University of Nebraska at Omaha political science professor Paul Landow says the shift reflects a national frustration with traditional party politics.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A Wyoming prison inmate is suing the state for re-sentencing that led to the loss of his possessions.

The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports Monday that inmate Michael Patterson is seeking $15 million. Named in the complaint filed Oct. 17 in U.S. District Court are a former and current Laramie County District Court judge, a prosecutor, and state Supreme Court Justice Michael Davis.

Patterson was convicted of accessory before the fact to second-degree murder in the 2006 beating death of James Blankenship.

Patterson claims his civil rights were violated when the courts incorrectly sentenced him four times. His latest minimum 24 year sentence in August followed a Wyoming Supreme Court ruling which led to a new inmate classification that led to the loss of his possessions.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A man arrested for trying to retrieve his backpack as police worked to clear Occupy Lincoln protesters last spring has been found not guilty of failing to comply with a lawful order.

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that a Lancaster County judge found 22-year-old Jeffrey Eggerss, or Lincoln, not guilty on Wednesday.

Eggerss was charged with the misdemeanor after Lincoln police ushered him and two others off of Centennial Mall on May 2. Eggerss says an officer told him to leave the area in which he was standing. He says when he went to pick up a backpack filled with water and snacks, he was arrested.

The judge ruled that he could not find beyond a reasonable doubt that Eggerss had refused to comply with a lawful order.