Daily
Topeka
Wednesday, May 13th, 2026
Good morning, Topeka. Here's your local news at a glance for Wednesday, the 13th of May.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ Summer camps in Shawnee County are filling quickly as parents sign up for affordable, safe programs before summer begins. Shawnee County Parks and Recreation and Topeka Civic Theatre offer scholarship options (up to 40 percent off) to ease costs for families. WIBW
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ Reser’s Fine Foods will open its new Crossroads Distribution Center at 3728 S.E. 6th St. on Wednesday, May 20 with a community ribbon cutting scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. The facility is expected to boost local job growth and support ongoing business expansion. WIBW
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Matt Hay, a local college graduate, shares his journey navigating neurofibromatosis (NF), a condition that can cause tumors to grow on nerves and affect hearing. He explains how music guides him in his podcast 'Hear me. See me.' and his book Soundtrack of Silence. WIBW
EDUCATION NEWS
- ➤ The Kansas State Board of Education will study a plan to use fewer digital devices in classrooms by keeping rooms free of screens through fifth grade and letting parents opt out of device programs as it reviews technology’s impact on learning. The board will continue discussions through the summer. WIBW
- ➤ Today, WIBW-TV is partnering with Washburn University & KU Health System St. Francis Campus to launch a new nursing scholarship program. Washburn nursing dean Dr. Crystal Stevens and TUKHS St. Francis director Adam Meier shared program details on Eye on NE Kansas. WIBW
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ KDOT, Kansas Highway Patrol, and Kansas Turnpike Authority will launch the Click It or Ticket campaign on May 17 to remind drivers to buckle up as travel season begins. Law enforcement will target non-buckled drivers until June 1 (Memorial Day has led officials to stress safety). WIBW
HEALTH NEWS
- ➤ Astra Mental Health and Recovery is offering free classes in mental health awareness this month, including a May 18 session for adults working with youths, a May 29 group for other adults, a June 11 parent course called C.A.R.E., and a six-week program starting May 19 to build parental skills. WIBW
- ➤ Topeka woman Melissa Watson is hosting the My Father’s Business blood drive at Garfield Shelter House on Friday, May 22. Donors may register in advance with Community Blood Center or walk in, and a small food pantry and clothing closet will be available. WIBW
- ➤ Shawnee County Health Department reported a measles exposure at Topeka Baptist Church on May 3 from 10:15 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., advising visitors to monitor for symptoms and avoid high-risk settings until May 24. The Topeka Capital-Journal
- ➤ Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas, a Topeka-based nonprofit health plan, earned its fifth consecutive call center award for customer service on Tuesday at the SQM CX Conference. Officials said the awards honor excellence in call resolution and employee support. WIBW
- ➤ KDHE is monitoring three Kansas individuals with high-risk exposure to Andes hantavirus after contact with a cruise ship traveler — none have symptoms and they are not considered infectious. The department says the public risk remains extremely low and will provide further updates as needed. WIBW
REAL ESTATE NEWS
- ➤ Topeka’s City Council approved ordinances yesterday to boost the affordable housing project Johnson-Betts Meadows in the Hi-Crest neighborhood near 31st and Frontage. Partners THA and SENT Topeka plan a $55 million development with 176 units and onsite support services for low-income families. WIBW
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ Topeka native Gary Woodland won the 2019 U.S. Open and now heads to the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club (in Pennsylvania) as he manages health challenges after brain surgery and a PTSD diagnosis in 2023. Kansas Public Radio
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The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight
8:00-9:30 p.m. — Topeka Performing Arts Center — Ticket prices vary — Experience an epic concert breathing dark energy into legendary Rock & Metal.
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Evans United Carnival 2026
May 21-31 — Stormont Vail Events Center — $18.30 General Admission, $10.05 Child (3-11) — A vibrant carnival featuring parking lot exhibitions and festivals for family fun.
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Party with The BASH
8-11 p.m. — Thunderbirds Grille — Cost info not provided — Dance the night away with live music at Thunderbirds Grille.
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Doggie Date Night
6-8 p.m. — Evergy Plaza — Free entry — Enjoy a fun evening bonding with your pup in the heart of Topeka.
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Signal Ridge Music Evening
6-10 p.m. — Compass Point: Home of Dirty Girl Adventures — Free entry — Enjoy a night of Appalachian Folk-grass tunes with Redd & The Paper Flowers.
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Green Shoebox Band: St. Marys Community Event
6-10 p.m. — St. Marys Riverside Park — Free entry — Enjoy a night of music with the Green Shoebox Band in a vibrant community setting.
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Kelsey Miles Live Performance
12:30 – 4:30 PM — Mulvane Art Fair, Topeka, KS — Free entry — Connect through music and storytelling with Kelsey Miles.
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Yoga Nidra Session
12:15-1:15 p.m. — Florence Crittenton - Integrative Health — Free entry — Experience deep relaxation through guided meditation rooted in ancient yogic traditions.
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TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
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