Kansas was among states that temporarily saw increased numbers of cases early last year of the upper and lower respiratory disease human metapneumovirus, or HMPV, said the website of the American Medical Association.

No vaccine to prevent it or specific antiviral therapy to treat it exist for HMPV, which USA Today says has affected states early this year that include New Jersey and California.

HMPV is treated using medical care that is “supportive,” with most people recovering on their own, said the federal Centers for Disease Control.

What’s the latest data show?

The latest data available shows HMPV makes up just over 5% of weekly reported positive tests for respiratory viruses, according to the National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System, or NREVSS.

That was up from 3.83% previously.

What are the symptoms?

HMPV was discovered in 2001, said the CDC.

HMPV was discovered in 2001, said the CDC.

It “is so common that most people will be infected as children and experience several infections in their lifetimes,” the AMA website said, adding that HMPV is rarely fatal in higher-income countries.

HMPV symptoms are similar to those brought by other viruses that cause upper and lower respiratory infections, the CDC said.

Those symptoms can include fever, cough, nasal congestion and shortness of breath, it said.

In some people, symptoms may progress to include bronchitis, croup, asthma attacks, middle ear infections and pneumonia, the CDC website said.

Here’s how long HMPV usually lasts

Much like the flu, HMPV is seasonal, meaning it generally circulates in the winter and lasts through spring, health professionals say.

HMPV’s incubation period can be three to six days, according to the CDC.

The groups at highest risk include younger children and adults 65 or older, it said.

HMPV can be spread from person to person or through surfaces.

The CDC encourages those who think they have HMPV to stay home, rest and drink plenty of liquids.

For patients having a hard time breathing, treatment can include IV fluids, steroids and oxygen therapy, said the Cleveland Clinic.

State of Kansas doesn’t specifically track HMPV cases

“Since there are no treatments for HMPV, healthcare professionals may not routinely consider or test for HMPV,” said the CDC website. “However, testing can help distinguish HMPV from other infections and guide decisions about isolating, antibiotic use, and need for more testing.”

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment doesn’t track HMPV specifically, said Jill Bronaugh, its communications director.

She said in an email last week that the state was generally seeing a decrease in hospital emergency department visits for acute respiratory illnesses.

As reported in the Topeka Capital Journal

An enthusiastic group gathered Wednesday morning in front of Ye Old Mill on the Kansas State Fairgrounds to celebrate the official kickstart of the Ye Old Mill Preservation and Renewal Campaign.

Bridgette Jobe, Director of the Kansas Tourism Division, presented a check to the Kansas State Fair in the amount of $99,000-an Attraction Development Grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce.  The presentation of the check was a launching pad for the fundraising campaign to preserve one of the Kansas State Fair’s most iconic attractions.

Built in 1913 and opened in 1915, Ye Old Mill shares memories with many Kansans.  Kansas State Fair Board Vice President Holly Lofton says people love this piece of history at the fair: “People will say, ‘Oh! I had my first kiss there,’ or they’ll say, ‘My grandparents took me there, that’s one of my first memories of the fair,’ I mean, just, all kinds of things.”

Kansas State Fair General Manager Bryan Schulz shared some of the details of the project,  “We know that the canal leeches water out, it’s a concrete canal.  So we want to get that all re-epoxyed, so the water doesn’t leak out.  We know the roof needs a little assistance, but the biggest piece is the boats and the launching systems.”  He emphasizes “Everything is still safe and secure, we just want to make it, for the next 100 plus years, for somebody else to enjoy.”  Schulz says the boats are likely the original boats from 1913, and he is excited to preserve the attraction for future generations.

The Kansas State Fair and the Kansas Fairgrounds Foundation are now inviting individuals, families, and businesses to help preserve Ye Old Mill.  The significant grant from the Kansas Department of Commerce helped to launch the Ye Old Mill Preservation and Renewal Campaign, and they are excited to keep the attraction running for many more years.

Schulz says they hope to have the project completed for the 2027 Kansas State Fair.  Find more information on the Kansas State Fair’s Website.  KansasStateFair.gov

CLEVELAND, Ohio (AP) — A 7-ton meteor that sped across the Cleveland sky at 45,000 miles (72,420 kilometers) per hour on Tuesday before breaking apart in a thunderous boom startled residents who feared an explosion.

People several states away reported seeing the bright fireball even though it was 9 a.m. The American Meteor Society said it received reports from Wisconsin to Maryland. NASA later confirmed that it was a meteor nearly 6 feet (1.83 meters) in diameter.

“This one really does look like it’s a fireball, which means it’s a meteorite — a small asteroid,” said astronomer Carl Hergenrother, the group’s executive director.

“So much stuff is being launched that a lot of times what you see burning up is just reentering satellites. But usually those don’t get especially bright,” he said.

The meteor was first seen about 50 miles above Lake Erie, near Lorain. It traveled more than 34 miles (55 kilometers) through the upper atmosphere before fragmenting over Valley City, north of Medina, NASA said in a statement from Bill Cooke, who leads the agency’s Meteoroid Environments Office in Huntsville, Alabama.

It unleashed an energy of 250 tons of TNT when it broke apart, causing the boom. Staff at the National Weather Service in Cleveland also heard it and felt the vibrations. They had no early reports of any debris being found.

“There could be some small fragments, but a lot of it would have burned up in the atmosphere,” NWS meteorologist Brian Mitchell said.

Meteors typically fall somewhere in the U.S. about once a day, while smaller pieces of space dust might fall 10 times an hour, Hergenrother said. Scientists track meteors through a network of special cameras that help capture the night sky, but more members of the public are catching them on cellphones and security cameras of their own.

“Now we’re seeing them, and there’s dozens of videos popping up all the time,” Hergenrother said.

Nitrate levels have continued to be above allowable limits in Rural Water District 101, which serves the Yoder area. The last nitrate level test was collected on March 4, 2026. The level tested at 13 mg/L, which exceeds the Kansas and Federal (EPA) maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 10 mg/L for public water supply systems. The nitrate levels in water resources have fluctuated in many areas which come from natural, industrial, or agricultural sources (including septic systems and run-off).

Reno County provides routine notices for acute nitrate violations from KDHE. Notices provide Yoder residents education about nitrates in drinking water, and informs residents that bottled water will be provided, upon request, to any household with members at increased risk from the nitrates, such as infants under 6 months, nursing mothers, pregnant women, and other at-risk customers as identified by a health care provider.

Construction has started to blend the water in the Yoder Water District with water from the City of Hutchinson.  This blended water will have an immediate reduction in the Nitrate concentration that is served to the public.  The project is on track to be completed by the end of May, 2026.

The District will continue the KDHE required quarterly samples and public notifications until this issue is resolved. We appreciate your patience.

Changes are coming to the arena at Cheyenne Frontier Days in Wyoming this summer, and as with most changes to long-standing traditions, the response from the rodeo community has been spirited.

Known as the “Daddy of ’Em All,” Cheyenne Frontier Days has been a celebratory cornerstone of Western culture since 1897. The 2026 event will run July 17–26 and will introduce a revised competition format that organizers say is designed to address a number of modern challenges facing large rodeos.

According to CEO Tom Hirsig, who began volunteering in the Cheyenne Frontier Days arena at just 10 years old, the change has been under discussion for several years and stems from several realities affecting rodeo production today including rising livestock costs, limited arena space, and changes in how contestants travel.

“Cattle prices are finally where ranchers can make a living,” Hirsig said. “That’s a good thing for agriculture, but it also means rodeos are paying significantly more for stock.”

He noted that last year, Cheyenne contracted roughly 275 calves for competition, with the cost of livestock alone exceeding $350 per calf roper. Unlike jackpot competitions, professional rodeos cannot deduct livestock costs directly from contestant entry fees, meaning rodeo committees carry much of the expense up front.

The situation has been further complicated by livestock shortages tied to border restrictions, which have reduced the availability of certain steers traditionally used in events such as steer wrestling.

Another factor causing major hurdles is space. Modern rodeo contestants often travel with large living-quarters trailers and equipment rigs, requiring significantly more room than the smaller setups common decades ago.

“We’ve been battling space for years,” Hirsig said. “The rigs are bigger, the footprint is bigger, and it makes accommodating large numbers of contestants much more difficult.”

The biggest change for 2026 comes in how contestants qualify to compete at the “Daddy of ’Em All.”

In past years, many of Cheyenne’s timed events relied heavily on slack rounds, large qualifying runs that allowed hundreds of competitors to enter before the field narrowed.

This year, organizers are shifting toward a bracket-style format that moves contestants through a series of progressive rounds. Rough stock events will largely remain unchanged, while timed events will advance competitors through preliminary rounds, semifinals, and a championship final.

Steer roping will remain the only event retaining slack rounds, with competitors narrowing to the top 12 for the final round during the performances.

Contestants in timed events will qualify through a combination of world standings, circuit placements, and a group of designated qualifying rodeos selected by the PRCA and WPRA. Winners from those events will automatically earn a spot at Cheyenne, while other competitors may qualify through standings or circuit rankings.

Hirsig said the goal is to maintain a strong competition format while ensuring the event remains sustainable for the long term.

At the same time, Cheyenne Frontier Days draws a uniquely broad audience. Hirsig estimates that roughly 85 percent of ticket buyers either attend only one rodeo a year, Cheyenne, or have never been to a rodeo before.

That mix of long-time rodeo fans and first-time visitors has helped keep the historic Wyoming event thriving for more than a century.

As the rodeo world continues to evolve, Hirsig says Cheyenne Frontier Days is simply working to balance tradition with the practical realities of producing one of the largest rodeos in the country.

By Amber Hardin, Range Magazine