Daily
Topeka
Thursday, February 12th, 2026
Good morning, Topeka. Here's your local news at a glance for Thursday, the 12th of February.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ Brewster Place residents crafted over 1,100 Valentine’s Day cards for Meals on Wheels clients and delivered them to Midland Care last Wednesday. Meals on Wheels will deliver the cards + food to brighten the day for clients who see only their driver. WIBW
- ➤ Lifehouse Child Advocacy Center is moving to a larger office in southwest Topeka to improve privacy and space for children and families. Staff began moving this week and plan to settle in by the 16th for enhanced support and new services. WIBW
- ➤ Doorstep has launched its Soup-er Bowl Sunday campaign where Topeka churches are invited to donate nonperishable food to meet the high demand amid rising expenses, and donations can be dropped off at 1001 SW Buchanan St. through February. This call for community support comes as food orders have steadily increased over the past few years. WIBW
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ J.M. Smucker Co. is planning an expansion of its Topeka manufacturing facility with a project that includes a $17.8 million real property investment + $2.7 million in equipment. Local officials approved $383,000 in economic development incentives to support long-term growth. WIBW
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ The Topeka Zoo is hosting Bee Mine Bingo (adults Feb. 13, 6 to 8 p.m.; families Feb. 14, 10 a.m. to Noon) along with a $10 roach naming donation, and will debut its first ZooVerse pop culture festival on March 7 with vendors and a contest. WIBW
ECONOMY NEWS
- ➤ HF Rubber in Topeka is expanding its operations with a $1 million property and $600,000 equipment investment that will add 19 jobs over the next five years; the Joint Economic Development Organization approved a $147,000 incentive package to support the expansion, expected to bring $71 million in impact. WIBW
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ USD 434 board approved closing the Scranton preschool by the end of this school year due to long-term declining enrollment; the preschool class will move to Overbrook Attendance Center as the district plans to repurpose the building (a measure to better allocate resources). WIBW
- ➤ A club at Robinson Middle School hosted an event on Wednesday, Feb. 11, where students rotated through self-care stations & listened to local women share their stories of overcoming obstacles ahead of Valentine’s Day. WIBW
- ➤ The Shawnee Co. Extension Master Gardeners are sharing research-based gardening tips with Topeka residents; they held Seed Starting 101 on Feb. 11 and will host Planning a Vegetable Garden today at 6 p.m. at the public library — more events follow later this month. WIBW
- ➤ The House education committee advanced a bill yesterday that would require public schools to stock Narcan and teach opioid abuse dangers to high school students. The measure now heads to a full House debate so school staff can act fast in overdose emergencies. WIBW
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ Motorists are urged to slow down in Topeka work zones as highway construction continues on US-24 and I-70. KDOT and Kansas Highway Patrol warn that ignoring signs puts drivers and workers at risk and can lead to fines up to $253+. WIBW
- ➤ Kansas Vietnam veterans were honored at the Statehouse Wednesday when Governor Laura Kelly signed proclamations for Kansas Armed Forces Appreciation Day and Vietnam War Veterans Day — a long-overdue welcome home for service members like Stephen Williams. WIBW
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ Washburn basketball will play Northeastern State on Valentine's Day as the games are televised on WIBW-TV on Saturday, Feb. 14. Coaches Lora Westling and Brett Ballard shared excitement for the women’s game tip off at 1 p.m. and the men’s game at 3 p.m. (Pink Out promotes breast cancer screening). WIBW
-
CNA Refresher Course
Feb 17 - Feb 23 — Homestead Assisted Living & Memory Care of Topeka — Course fee applies — Complete your nursing assistant refresher course with a mix of online and in-person clinical training.
-
Evening with Cleveland Blue
6-10 p.m. — Compass Point: Home of Dirty Girl Adventures — $10 cover — Experience soulful blues with the legendary Cleveland Blue and a local opener.
-
Topeka LEGO Brick Convention
10 AM - 5 PM — Stormont Vail Events Center — Tickets start at $39 — Experience a weekend filled with creativity and fun at the Brick Convention.
-
Larry the Cable Guy Live Show
7-10 p.m. — Prairie Band Casino & Resort — Ticket prices vary — Catch the hilarious Larry the Cable Guy as he brings laughs to his fans with all-new material.
-
Mater Dei Irish Fest 5k
3-4 p.m. — Evergy Plaza — Check the festival's website for registration fee — Celebrate the return of the Mater Dei Irish Festival with a spirited 5k and lively Irish music.
No new real estate listings today. You can submit one here.
No new job posts today. You can submit one here.
No new community announcements today. You can submit one here.
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The reason to win the game is so that you can be free of it.
Know who said this? Send us an email!
Reveal the authorAbout Daily Topeka
Welcome to the Daily Topeka, your community newsletter that's anything but snooze-worthy, packed with positive, impactful local news + events across the Topeka, Kansas community. If you like the Daily Topeka, support us by subscribing to our email newsletter and sharing us with your friends and family in Topeka.
Advertising Opportunities
Advertising with us will make sure you stay at the top of everyone's mind—in Topeka and across Kansas. You can learn more here. We'll work together to build a custom plan to hit your goals this year.
Alternatively, you can submit events, announcements, real estate listings, and job postings. We'll include them in our newsletter on whichever dates you like.
Community, delivered
Our hyper-local media company activates communities through daily email newsletters that curate the most positive, impactful local news + events – all for free.
Subscribe to Daily Topeka
A free Topeka community newsletter.
- Daily local news
- We curate the most positive, impactful local news + events.
- 6AM City
- A publication of 6AM City, the nation's leading local newsletter-first media network. Nominate your city.
© 6AM City Inc. 2025. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy. Terms of Service. Questions? Contact us here
Sitemap: https://dailytopeka.com/sitemap