HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Community Foundation is encouraging area students and community organizations to take advantage of several upcoming opportunities, including scholarship applications and programs designed to strengthen communities across Reno County.

Jan Steen, who recently joined the foundation as senior program officer, shared details about the organization’s work. Steen said he has been in the role for about four months after previously working with Kansas State University as a Community Vitality specialist focused on community and economic development.

Steen, who has lived in Reno County for roughly two decades, said the position allows him to focus on improving the community where he lives.

“I worked with communities and nonprofits around the state to connect them with resources,” Steen said. “This opportunity came up to better affect where I live, see the progress where I live, and try to make things better here in Reno County.”

One of the most immediate opportunities is the foundation’s scholarship program. High school seniors have until noon on March 27 to apply for several scholarships offered directly through the Hutchinson Community Foundation.

Steen said the foundation offers five primary scholarships with varying eligibility requirements. Details and application information are available at hutchcf.org, while Hutchinson High School also administers additional scholarships in partnership with the foundation.

Beyond scholarships, Steen’s role involves working with nonprofits, volunteer groups and communities across Reno County to connect them with resources and support.

Steen highlights scholarships managed by community foundation

NEWTON, Kan. — A Newton woman died in a house fire late Sunday morning in the 500 block of West Fourth Street, according to authorities.

Newton Fire/EMS crews responded to the scene at approximately 11:30 a.m., where they found the residence engulfed in heavy fire and smoke. Firefighters also encountered an active power line down on the ground as they arrived.

Despite the hazardous conditions, crews entered the structure and located the body of a woman inside the home. She was later identified as Susan Taylor, 74.

Two dogs inside the residence also died in the fire.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze, but the home sustained heavy damage.

Woman dies in Newton house fire

LOREN MILLER and RAFAEL GARCIA Kansas State University News and Communications

The next&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansashistory.gov/kansapedia/charlie-parker/12163">Charlie Parker</a>&nbsp;could be in Scott City, Kansas, and we might never know it, if that child's saxophone fails them and makes them think they're not a great musician.

An aspiring&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascommerce.gov/2026/02/governor-kelly-celebrates-joe-walsh-other-kansas-artists-at-governors-arts-awards/">Joe Walsh</a>&nbsp;could be shredding guitar over in Cimarron, but no one will hear that music student if their bridge needs an adjustment but they instead put down the guitar for good. We might never have another "Dust in the Wind" if tomorrow’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.loudersound.com/bands-artists/kansas-robby-steinhardt-remembered">Robby Steinhardt</a>&nbsp;doesn’t have a good violin to pick up.

There's no shortage of great musicians who have come from Kansas schools, said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/mtd/about/faculty-staff/cook/">Joshua Cook</a>, instructor of instrument repair at Kansas State University.

But like many other community challenges, rural Kansas schools often lack access to convenient, affordable repair options when musical instruments break, leading to student frustration and potential abandonment of music altogether.

"If you hand a fifth grader a trombone and the slide doesn’t move well, it’s going to feel like more work and more effort," Cook said. "They’ll think they’re the problem when really it’s the instrument. And when kids get frustrated, they’re more likely to quit or do something else.

"If we can make sure their instruments are functioning properly, we can help retain more students in band programs and help create the next generation of great Kansas musicians."

A new program and certificate at K-State is putting working, well-maintained instruments right into rural Kansas students' hands — all while also equipping K-State's future music teachers to handle most basic repairs themselves when they begin teaching in Kansas schools.

Instrument repair becomes an Applied Learning Experience for K-State students

What began as a small independent study has quickly grown into a thriving program that blends applied learning with meaningful community service.

For years, Cook had worked with music programs and bands — including the university's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/band/ensembles/marchingband/">Pride of K-State Wildcat Land Marching Band</a>&nbsp;— across eastern Kansas to repair and maintain instruments. Eventually,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/band/">K-State Bands</a>&nbsp;director Frank Tracz figured they were working with Cook so often that they may as well hire him full-time.

Around that same time, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/band/about/facilities/">Tracz Family Band Hall</a>&nbsp;was finishing construction, and since the beginning of planning for the hall, Tracz had insisted on creating a space for a cutting-edge, fully-outfitted repair room.

Thanks to the generosity of Gib and Brenda Compton, Tracz’ vision was realized through the Compton Repair Room — a repair facility for the K-State Bands program that is outfitted with the newest, highest-quality tooling and equipment in the industry.

Cook — who joined K-State's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/mtd/">School of Music, Theater, and Dance</a>&nbsp;full-time in August 2023 — initially used the space to teach instrument repair to a handful of students while managing repairs for the university’s band program.

As interest surged and resources remained limited, Cook partnered with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/mtd/about/faculty-staff/worcester/">Ben Worcester</a>, academic advisor in the&nbsp;<a href="https://artsci.k-state.edu/">College of Arts and Sciences</a>, to explore ways to support more students.

The two explored funding through the inaugural round of grants from K-State's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/leadership/applied-learning/">Applied Learning Experiences program</a>, which funded faculty and staff to develop initiatives that support, expand, deepen and scale authentic experiential learning opportunities across the institution.

“Ben found the opportunity, and we started brainstorming how to build a program that truly worked,” Cook said. “We combined our experience, wrote the curriculum, and figured out what it would take to launch it.”

Throughout summer 2025, Cook and Worcester developed a curriculum for a certificate program. They outlined how grant funding could be used to expand equipment and instructional capacity.

By the end of the summer, their proposal won approval, and the 12-credit hour&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/mtd/academics/minors/bandinstrumentrepair.html">instrument repair certificate</a>&nbsp;was officially launched, alongside a 15-credit minor option for music educators.

With new tools and a structured curriculum in place for the fall semester, enrollment quickly exceeded expectations, and the workshop classes have had to put students on waitlists.

“The grant transformed this from a one-person shop into a learning space for students,” Cook said. “I had what I needed to do the job, but now we have what we need to teach.”

Bringing musical instrument repair to Kansas communities

The program’s impact extends well beyond campus.

Through the School of Music, Theater, and Dance's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.k-state.edu/mtd/about/sawin-arts-extension/">Sawin Arts Extension outreach program</a>, Cook has been able to take students to communities the state like Hays and Scott City to apply their learned instrument repair skills where they can most make a difference.

"Through that support from some very generous donors, I can travel to rural schools, fix what I can and bring my students along," Cook said. "Not every band room will have all these tools and equipment, so this gives students a chance to learn what they can do with just a toolbox and a backpack."

At Bandtober, a marching band festival at Riley County High School, Cook’s students provided free horn repairs for schools unable to afford them. In 2024, one student repaired three instruments. With support from K-State's Applied Learning Experiences program, four students repaired 10 instruments in 2025.

Students also partnered with the Manhattan Optimist Club to repair 12 donated instruments for local youth and worked alongside Band of Angels, a charity that provides instruments to Kansas students.

Over the past two years, K-State students have collaborated with the organization to repair more than 30 instruments.

“We are using what we learn to serve the community, and that is something I am passionate about. We want to use our skills to do good,” Cook said.

One of the students contributing to that impact is junior Chase Wassom, a music performance major who joined the repair program in early 2023.

“We get to give back to the community and help lay a foundation that will benefit music education for years,” Wassom said.

For Wassom, the program has been transformative both academically and personally.

“I get to do something that truly interests me, with great tools and an instructor who shows me the right way to do things,” he said. “This program has made a huge difference for me. I am not sure I would still be a student without it.”

Wassom plans to pursue a career in instrument repair after graduation while continuing to perform. He has already attracted interest from companies impressed by the skills he has developed through the program.

Although not all students in the class plan to teach music, many of them do, and the workshop equips them with the skills necessary to make most basic instrument repairs and maintenance.

"Repair costs have skyrocketed since I started," Cook said. "Back in the day, a trumpet cleaning might have been $65. Now some shops charge $100. Schools that are barely making ends meet can’t always afford that."

If these future educators know how to handle basic maintenance, they can care for their students and community better, Cook said.

"There are instruments sitting in closets all over rural Kansas — kids who tried band and quit," Cook said. "If those instruments can be donated, fixed up and put in the hands of younger musicians, that’s a real difference we can make for our state.”

The sound of rural school music

For years, it advanced slowly, almost unnoticed. It wasn’t advertised at freshman orientations or highlighted in admission brochures. Yet it’s everywhere, in classrooms, resident halls, even in the quad where students gather.

Over the past five decades, men have steadily disappeared from college campuses nationwide, including here in Kansas.

At all state universities, males represent a minority of undergraduate students.

K-State and Pitt State are closest to parity, while male enrollment at Wichita State, Emporia, and Fort Hays is particularly low; Emporia the most uneven at just 36% male.

Washburn University is even more lopsided at 35%. The pattern extends beyond universities. At 14 of the 19 state community colleges, men comprise less than 45%. At six of them, male representation falls below 35%. Only at Coffeyville and Independence do men reach a majority.

Men are also less likely to complete schooling once enrolled. The six-year college completion rate for women is nearly 10 points higher than for men.

The phenomenon has impacted post-graduate education.

Statewide, men account for less than 40% of graduate students, 45% of medical students, and typically less than half of incoming law classes. Nationally, 47% of 25–34-year-old women have a bachelor’s degree, compared with 37% of men – the gap larger among lower income males. Women now earn 45% more doctoral degrees overall, and nearly twice the number of master’s degrees. To be clear, women are not pushing men out of college. Rather, men are choosing not to go.

The disparities are in part shaped by factors in place well before college. But as women’s history demonstrates, underrepresentation in higher education carries costs, to those directly affected and society as a whole.

The immediate impact is felt in the classroom. Skewed gender representation, favoring men or women, can subtly change the culture of learning and participation norms. This in turn can influence teaching strategies.

Friendship networks and partnership patterns are also impacted. College connects individuals through various functions, social clubs, recreational activities, and academic units. The shared experiences are a catalyst for deeper relationships. About a fifth of meet their partners in college, and 81% of the college educated are married to or partnered with another college graduate.

The labor market is implicated as well. Early career sorting by education draws men and women into increasingly separate professions. Downstream, this impacts marriage timing and family formation.

Finally, education influences politics. Those with college degrees participate, and they vote Democrat. Those without degrees participate less and they vote Republican.

These divisions will undoubtedly grow if gender imbalances in higher education persist, creating even sharper distinctions between men and women and within the male electorate. In 2024, for example, Harris edged out Trump among college educated men by 4 points, but was soundly defeated among non-college men by a whopping 25 points.

Fifty years ago, men dominated college campuses and possessed a substantial educational advantage. Today, that imbalance is gone, only to be replaced by a new one.

A focus on men does not diminish the challenges women still encounter. Instead, it highlights a broad reordering within the nation’s educational pipeline. It’s about work, social mobility, and political power, just as it was fifty years ago.

Joslyn is a professor in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Policical Science at the University of Kansas

Insight Kansas: Women out-degree men and why that matters

Hutch Rec is inviting residents from several Hutchinson neighborhoods to learn more about a new effort aimed at strengthening community connections and neighborhood engagement.

Through its Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative, Hutch Rec is launching a Neighborhood Ambassador Program and will host two free informational sessions this spring for residents interested in becoming involved. 

The sessions are scheduled for Thursday, April 9, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and Saturday, April 11, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Hutch Rec Downtown, 17 E. 1st Avenue. 

Residents living in the Founders, SW Bricktown, Grace Arbor, Creekside, MidTown, College Grove and Farmington Park neighborhoods are specifically invited to attend the sessions. 

The program is designed to help neighbors connect, build trust within their communities and encourage residents to play a role in strengthening their neighborhoods.

During the informational meetings, participants will be able to meet members of the Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative team, learn more about the ambassador program, and find out how they can get involved when the program officially launches in summer 2026. 

The sessions will also provide an opportunity for residents to ask questions and connect with others interested in improving their communities.

Admission to the informational meetings is free, but advanced registration is required. Hutch Rec officials note that childcare, snacks and activities will be available for those attending. 

The Neighborhood Ambassador Program is part of Hutch Rec’s broader Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative, which focuses on empowering residents to build stronger, more vibrant neighborhoods through local leadership and collaboration.

Residents interested in learning more can contact Community Initiatives Director Denice Gilliland at <a href="mailto:dgilliland@hutchrec.com">dgilliland@hutchrec.com</a> or 620-663-6179.

Hutch Rec launching Neighborhood Ambassador program

Residents across central, south central and southeast Kansas are being urged to prepare for potentially damaging winds on Sunday as a High Wind Warning takes effect.

According to the National Weather Service, the warning will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.

Forecasters say northwest winds of 30 to 40 miles per hour are expected, with gusts reaching up to 60 miles per hour at times. The strong winds could lead to significant impacts across the region.

Officials warn that the powerful gusts may blow down trees and power lines, which could lead to widespread power outages. Travel may also become hazardous, particularly for high-profile vehicles such as semis, buses and campers.

Residents are encouraged to take precautions ahead of the storm. Safety officials recommend staying in the lower levels of your home and away from windows during the strongest winds. People should also watch for falling debris and tree limbs.

Drivers who must be on the road Sunday are advised to use caution, especially in open areas where wind gusts may be strongest.

High Wind Warning issued

Here’s the latest booking activity from the Reno County Jail. This information is provided by the Reno County Sheriff’s Office and is not criminal history. The Hutch Post assumes no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, or completeness, of this information. All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. ——————————————

Erin	Eden	Stowell		3/14/2026 2:44&nbsp;PM	Failure to Appear

Desirea	Nicole	Larralde		3/14/2026 3:01&nbsp;PM	Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked; misd; unknown conv, Insurance; Fail to maintain liability insurance

Jimmy	Ray	Miller		3/14/2026 6:13&nbsp;PM	Stalking; Conduct after receiving notice of protection order causing fear; 2nd conviction, Burglary; Dwelling for felony, theft, dv, sex, Viol protection order; Abuse order

Jason	Dean	Lankford		3/14/2026 6:59&nbsp;PM	DUI; 2nd conv; blood or breath .08 or higher

Everette	Wilbert	Hardy		3/14/2026 11:50&nbsp;PM	Criminal Trespass; Defiance of Order

Andrew	Charles	Pauly		3/15/2026 1:01&nbsp;AM	DUI; 1st conv; blood or breath .08 or higher

Daily Bookings

RICE COUNTY, Kan. — A driver was taken into custody early Saturday morning after leading law enforcement on a pursuit that began in Rice County and ended in Barton County.

According to the Rice County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy was conducting traffic enforcement along U.S. Highway 56 during the early morning hours of March 14 when a vehicle was observed traveling at a high rate of speed. When the deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the driver failed to yield to emergency lights and siren and fled westbound into Barton County.

During the pursuit, an officer with the Ellinwood Police Department deployed stop sticks, which successfully disabled the vehicle. A short time later, the driver was taken into custody without incident.

The suspect was transported to the Rice County Detention Center and is being held on multiple charges in lieu of bond.

The Rice County Sheriff’s Office thanked the Ellinwood Police Department and the Barton County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance during the incident.

Authorities said no additional information will be released at this time.

Suspect arrested after early morning pursuit

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/pages/weather">Click here for the KSStorm.info forecast.</a>

Three-day Outlook

KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT&nbsp;

TOPEKA – Kansas Governor Laura Kelly issued a proclamation to kick off National Poison Prevention Week, which takes place March 15-21. The Poison Center at the University of Kansas Health System and Safe Kids Kansas want to remind Kansans that when the unexpected happens, Poison Help is here for you 24/7 with fast, free treatment advice by calling Poison Help (1-800-222-1222).

Whether it’s a question or an emergency, Poison Help can provide life-saving information when people need it most. Calling a Poison Center provides immediate, accurate information - far more reliable than searching online. Each year, an estimated 90% of poisonings occur in the home, and nearly 90% of callers who reach out from a non‑healthcare setting get the help they need right where they are - saving both time and money.

Not everyone realizes that Poison Centers are for everyone. While poison centers receive frequent calls about children and teens, the calls about adults and older adults tend to be more serious. In 2025, more than 60 percent of calls to the Kansas Poison Center involved medications or pharmaceuticals. Other frequently reported exposures included household chemicals, plants and mushrooms, pesticides, animal bites and stings, carbon monoxide and a wide range of other non-pharmaceutical substances.

“One of the most important things you can do is to program the Poison Help number, 1-800-222-1222, in your phone and post it visibly in your home,” said Stefanie Baines, Education Coordinator for the Kansas Poison Center. “This way, you are prepared in the event of a poisoning emergency or if you simply have questions.”

Here are the ways Poison Centers save time, worry, lives and money:

Time - When seconds count, calling a poison center is faster and more accurate than a confusing internet search.

Worry - Calls to the Poison Help Line are answered by specially trained nurses, pharmacists and physicians. Support is available in over 150 languages. Healthcare professionals turn to us for help every day.

Lives - Whether you have a question or an emergency, Poison Centers are there with life-saving information when you need it the most.

Money - All calls are free. Nearly 70 percent of people who call get the help they need right where they are – avoiding unnecessary trips to the doctor or hospital.

“Children are naturally curious and can get into everything. That’s why you can ask Poison Centers anything,” said Cherie Sage, State Coordinator for Safe Kids Kansas. “When you need it, Poison Help is here for you 24/7. No judgment – just fast, free, confidential and expert advice.”

If you think someone has been poisoned, call 1-800-222-1222 right away. Fast and free expert help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For more information about preventing accidental poisoning visit Kansas Poison Center and Safe Kids Kansas Poison Prevention.

When the unexpected happens, poison centers are here for you

Dear Dave, My husband and I are making great progress in paying off almost $100,000 in debt from student loans and a car loan using your debt snowball system. Our current combined income is $90,000 a year. He makes $45,000 as a teacher, and I make $45,000 as a retail assistant manager.

My husband would like to go back to school and get his master’s degree. We’ve talked about him quitting his teaching job in order to do this full-time. He’ll be able to make significantly more money with an advanced degree, and he would only be unemployed for two years. Plus, I can pick up extra hours at my job to bring in a little more money. The program will cost us about $2,500 out of pocket per semester for those two years. How do you feel about this? — Lisa

Dear Lisa, I love the way you’re both looking toward the future and trying to make better lives for yourselves. But my advice would be to wait until you’ve got your debt knocked out. Then, your husband could go back to school when you two are in a much better financial situation.

I mean, you could slow down your debt snowball and use some of that money to pay for school, but I can’t recommend it. I’ve seen too many people try to slow down, or skirt around the getting out of debt part of the Baby Steps, and next thing you know they’re still in debt—or have even more debt—four or five years down the road. They’ve lost all their momentum and fire for becoming debt-free and gaining control of their finances.

There’s really no reason for your husband to quit his job to make this happen. Lots of people, especially teachers, hold down their jobs and go back to school to further their education. It’s a pretty common thing, actually. Trying to make it on one income when you’re that deep in debt? It just sounds like a bad plan to me.

But whatever you do, please don’t borrow more money to make this happen. Cash flow it, or don’t do it.

You can hear Dave Ramsey, Monday through Friday evenings from 7 to 10 p.m. on KWBW, unless it is preempted by sports coverage.&nbsp;

Dave says: Don't lose your momentum

TOPEKA, KAN. – A previously convicted sex offender was sentenced to 137 months in prison for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) while he was on supervised release for similar crimes, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Michael Pinkerton, 48, of Topeka pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – possession of child pornography.

In September 2010, a U.S. District Court judge in the Western District of Missouri sentenced Pinkerton to 120 months in prison followed by 60 months of supervised release after convictions for attempted receipt of child pornography and attempted possession of child of pornography.&nbsp;

In April 2024, while Pinkerton was living in Kansas on supervised release, two U.S Probation Office officers went to his home in Topeka. They observed Pinkerton attempting to hide something and asked him what it was. Pinkerton admitted to having an unauthorized smartphone that contained saved images of CSAM. Investigators later confirmed the phone contained CSAM.

“After child sex offenders complete their prison sentences, tools like supervised release and registries are used to monitor them and try to keep our communities safe from deviant behavior. &nbsp;These mechanisms worked in this case thanks to the proactive work of our probation officers.” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser.

Kan. sex offender caught with child porn on his cell phone

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Johnson County, Kansas.

Just after 4:30a.m. Sunday, police&nbsp; were dispatched to a burglary in progress at Target, 6100 Broadmoor in the city of Mission, Kansas, according to a media release. Officers responded to both the front and rear of the store to establish a perimeter. 

Soon after arrival an officer witnessed a person at the rear of the store carrying duffle bags. The officer confronted the suspect who fled on foot. The officer gave chase. The suspect then fired a handgun at the officer, discharging multiple rounds toward the officer.

 The officer returned fire, striking the suspect. First aid was rendered by officers on scene, and the suspect was transported to a local hospital. The suspect’s injuries are non-life threatening. No officers were hurt during this incident. 

The Johnson County Officer Involved Critical Incident Team will be handling the investigation and all media inquiries should be directed to that team.

The Target store is one of multiple crime scenes in this incident. Police released no additional details.

Kan. burglary suspect injured in exchange of gunfire with police

WABAUNSEE COUNTY—One person died in an accident in Wabaunsee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Jeep Wrangler driven by Danny R. Miller, 59, Alma, was westbound on Pavillion Road between 11p.m. Friday and 9a.m. Saturday. The Jeep traveled off the roadway to the south, became air born for approximately 27 feet, struck the south roadside ditch and a tree.&nbsp;

Miller was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Forensic Medical. He was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Kansas man died in violent jeep accident

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-stobbe">MIKE STOBBE</a>

NEW YORK (AP) — As the U.S. flu season winds down, health officials say the flu vaccine didn’t work very well, with one of its worst effectiveness rates in more than a decade.

A new strain that dominated the early winter was not well matched to the vaccine, leading to an intense early onslaught of flu.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday posted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2026-week-09.html" target="_blank">data</a>&nbsp;that showed a continued decline in doctor’s office and hospital visits for flu symptoms through last week. The number of states reporting high flu activity dropped to 16, many of them in a belt stretching from Colorado to Virginia.

“The winter respiratory virus season is slowly coming to a close, and we’re all very grateful for that,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University vaccine expert.

This season’s vaccines were around 25% to 30% effective in preventing adults from getting sick enough from the flu that they had to go to a doctor’s office, clinic or hospital, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/75/wr/mm7509a2.htm?s_cid=OS_mm7509a2_w" target="_blank">CDC report</a>&nbsp;this week. Children who were vaccinated were about 40% less likely to get treatment at a doctor’s office or hospital.

Officials generally are pleased if a flu vaccine is 40% to 60% effective. Judging from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu-vaccines-work/php/effectiveness-studies/index.html" target="_blank">past CDC research</a>, this season saw one of the lowest effectiveness rates in the last two decades.

Flu infections&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-flu-cases-cdc-subclade-k-29cc5a68eb100585c8e0dbd2ec47b3eb">surged in late December</a>&nbsp;and were especially intense in some parts of the country. New York City health officials called it the most intense season in 20 years.

Relatively low flu vaccination rates did not help, but experts also blamed the new flu strain that was causing most infections.

The new strain belonged to a category of flu virus, called A H3N2. This new version, subclade K, seemed to spread more easily — though it did not necessarily cause more severe illness.

The vaccine available for this season was built to address a different version of H3N2, and the new strain’s explosion is a likely explanation for why the vaccine was less effective, Schaffner said.

CDC scientists estimate there have been at least 27 million illnesses, 350,000 hospitalizations and 22,000 deaths from flu so far this season. At the same point last year, the estimates were at least 40 million illnesses, 520,000 hospitalizations, but about the same number of deaths.

At least 101 children have died so far this season. For those whose vaccination status is known, about 85% were not fully vaccinated against flu.

The flu vaccine may not protect everyone from getting sick, but it can prevent people from becoming severely ill and dying. That’s why getting a flu shot remains worthwhile, Schaffner said.

CDC data suggests&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluvaxview/dashboard/adult-coverage.html" target="_blank">adult vaccination rates</a>&nbsp;are up slightly this season, to 46.5%, following an unusually bad season last year that set a record for the most child deaths this century.

An estimated 48% of U.S. kids were vaccinated against flu around the end of last month. That’s about the same as last year, but down from the 52% vaccinated at this point in 2024, according to CDC data.

Starting in 2010, the government recommended annual flu vaccinations for Americans 6 months and older. In January, however, the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/childhood-vaccine-schedule-trump-rfk-hhs-9b8df9e2767c1261aaac4e2331e77fa3">stopped broadly recommending</a>&nbsp;flu shots for all children, saying instead that it’s up to parents and family doctors to decide.

Meanwhile, work is already underway for next winter’s flu season. Last month, the World Health Organization announced its recommendations for which virus strains to address in the vaccines for the 2026-27 northern hemisphere flu season. The vaccines should be built to handle subclade K, the organization said. This week, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee endorsed the WHO recommendations.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Officials found flu vaccines didn't work that well in the US

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are&nbsp;investigating a fatal hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian early Sunday morning near the Sedgwick County Zoo.

At about 12:06 a.m., deputies along with Sedgwick County EMS and the Wichita Fire Department responded to a report of a pickup truck striking a pedestrian in the 5800 block of West Windmill Road, according to Sheriff's Department spokesman Branden Stitt. Witnesses stopped to assist and called 911 after the pickup truck left the scene.

Despite life-saving measures, the pedestrian, a 29-year-old Wichita man, died at the scene.

Based on preliminary findings and debris recovered at the scene, the suspect vehicle is believed to be a black Dodge Ram 1500 pickup, model years 2013 through 2022. The truck was last seen traveling westbound on Windmill Road toward 13th Street North and Ridge Road and is expected to have noticeable damage to the front driver’s side, including a broken grille.

The Sheriff’s Office Major Crash Team and detectives are continuing to investigate.

Anyone with information about this crash is asked to contact the Major Crash Team at 316-660-3760 or Sheriff’s Investigations at 316-660-5300. Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Crime Stoppers of Wichita/Sedgwick County by calling 316-267-2111 or by using the P3 Tips app.

Police looking for pickup in deadly Kan. hit-and-run

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — High winds fueled multiple wildfires across a broad swath of Nebraska’s range and grassland, causing one death in Arthur County, officials said. The victim was not immediately identified, and the sheriff’s office did not disclose other details about the death.

What state officials have dubbed the Morrill County fire has burned at least 735 square miles (about 1,880 square kilometers) so far across four counties. At least 12 structures have been destroyed, according to the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency.

Chelle Ladely of Sidney said her home was currently safe, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of the nearest fire. But she worries for other friends and family in the area.

“Smoke is filling the air, and at night I can see the burn of the fires on the horizon,” Ladely said. “My father is a crop agronomist, and his company as well as other local farmers are all gathering their water trucks to help aid with the fires, and truckloads of bottled water and food is being supplied by our good patrons for our volunteer firemen trying to extinguish the blazes.”

Several other wildfires pushed by winds of up to 65 mph (105 kph) burned another 225 square miles (about 580 square kilometers) for a total of nearly 938 square miles (about 2,430 square kilometers) by midday Saturday. The strong winds have kept firefighters from containing any of the fires, the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency said. Gov. Jim Pillen toured areas burned by the Morrill County fire.

Hundreds of thousands of people were left without power Saturday after high winds raked eastward from the Great Lakes region, leaving trees down and substantial property damage in their wake. Farther west, at least one person died in a massive wind-driven wildfire in Nebraska.

About 346,00 customers were still without electricity as of the late afternoon in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide.

A 66 mph (106 kph) gust at Pittsburgh International Airport on Friday was deemed its fourth-strongest on record that was not caused by a thunderstorm, according to the National Weather Service. Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport saw winds hit 85 mph (137 km) that afternoon.

Winds took down a gas station canopy in New Franklin, Ohio, and an auto parts store sign in Baldwin, Pennsylvania. Trees and tree limbs fell into or onto homes and cars from Cleveland to Pittsburgh. The roof of a school building in the Chicago suburb of Niles, Illinois, was severely damaged by wind.

In Chicago, thousands of revelers turned out to see the city's namesake river dyed bright green and a downtown parade celebrating the St. Patrick's Day holiday, despite the threat of snow and stiff winds that drove the feels-like temperature well below freezing.

Dangerous winds were but one piece of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/heat-dome-snow-blizzard-cold-polar-flooding-55e3baf6877e81ee1961aade3cb361c3">wild weather mosaic</a>&nbsp;that included heavy rains in Hawaii, triple-digit heat coming next week in Phoenix and a return of winter cold to the Midwest and Northeast. Chicago was forecast to approach the single digits Fahrenheit by Tuesday, with Minneapolis seeing lows around zero (minus 18 C).

Several Minnesota cities have already declared snow emergencies starting Sunday, when what could be the season’s largest snowfall is expected to hit. Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula are also in the crosshairs.

AccuWeather warned of a “potent triple-threat March megastorm” from Sunday into Monday.

“It’s definitely a very active weather weekend, that’s for sure,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist John Feerick said. “It’s a highly amplified pattern, which means you get a lot of extremes. Also, not just the Lower 48, but Hawaii’s getting hit hard right now with some very heavy rain.”

Feerick said people along the Wisconsin-Iowa border might see some ice as travel conditions become dangerous in large parts of the Upper Midwest.

1 dead as high winds fuel wildfires across Nebraska grassland

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/david-a-lieb">DAVID A. LIEB</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mark-scolforo">MARK SCOLFORO</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/julie-walker">JULIE WALKER</a>

A pilot from Alabama had just been promoted to major in January and had been deployed less than a week when the refueling aircraft he was aboard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-iran-tanker-aircraft-crash-iraq-kc135-c337359a58be6280dc96fdbf1cb48a5b">crashed in Iraq</a>&nbsp;this week, killing him and five others, his brother-in-law said Saturday.

Alex Klinner, 33, leaves behind three small children: 7-month-old twins and a 2-year-old son, his brother-in-law, James Harrill, said Saturday while confirming his death.

“It’s kind of heartbreaking to say: He was just a really good dad and really loved his family a lot — like a lot,” Harrill said.

Klinner was one of three people killed in the Thursday crash who the U.S. government said were assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida and who Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said were stationed in Birmingham. On Saturday, the U.S. government identified the other two as Capt. Ariana Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington, and Tech. Sgt. Ashley Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky.

Three additional deceased service members on the aircraft were assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio. They were identified by federal and state officials as Capt. Seth Koval, 38, Capt. Curtis Angst, 30, and Tech. Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28.

The U.S. government listed Koval from Mooresville, Indiana, while the Ohio National Guard listed his home Stoutsville, Ohio. The Ohio National Guard listed both Angst and Simmons from Columbus, Ohio, while the U.S. government listed Angst as from Wilmington, Ohio.

The aircraft was in “friendly” airspace, supporting operations against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/iran">Iran</a>, when an unspecified incident involving another aircraft occurred, according to U.S. Central Command. The other plane landed safety, U.S. military officials said.

Klinner, a graduate of Auburn University and an eight-year U.S. Air Force veteran from Birmingham, Alabama, had just moved with his family into a new home, his wife, Libby Klinner, said in an Instagram post mourning his death.

An outdoorsman who enjoyed hiking, Klinner was also ready to help others. When Harrill last saw him in January, Klinner had shoveled Harrill’s vehicle out of the snow during a family wedding.

“Alex was one of those guys that had this steady command about him,” said Harrill, of Atlanta, who helped set up a GoFundMe site for Klinner’s family. “He was literally one of the most kindest, giving people.”

Libby Klinner said in a post that her heart is broken for their children, who will grow up not knowing their father.

“They won’t get to see firsthand the way he would jump up to help in any way he could,” she wrote. “They won’t see how goofy and funny he was. They won’t witness his selflessness, the way he thought about everyone else before himself. They won’t get to feel the deep love he had for them.”

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