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🌱 Patch AM: How could Tecumseh’s new battery project change power reliability near Topeka?

Make time for Oktoberfest on the Topeka Patch calendar

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Saturday October 3rd Patch AM
Saturday October 3rd Patch AM (keith H.)

Hello Topeka! Here's our latest buzz. Let's get into it. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • How could Tecumseh's new battery project change power reliability near Topeka?
  • Why a Topeka woman now faces armed robbery and assault allegations
  • How high is the Kansas River in Topeka—and should you worry?

Also on today's calendar: Oktoberfest and 9 more events.

And lastly, we have a post from a neighbor, Keith H.!

Today's riddle: What has a cap but no head? 🤔 (Answer below!)

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Weather forecast:

  • Saturday: Sunny and comfortable, with a high of 73 and low of 54 degrees.
  • Sunday: Mostly sunny and comfortable, temps: high: 75, low: 46.
  • Monday: Sunny and pleasant, with a high of 71 and low of 47 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. New battery storage project proposed for Topeka area (kansas.com) — A large battery storage project is being explored just east of Topeka near the former Tecumseh Energy Center, potentially powering tens of thousands of homes during peak demand. Deriva Energy has secured a long-term lease and held local open houses, while Topeka-Shawnee County League of Women Voters members and other residents ask questions about clean energy benefits, grid reliability, and whether the facility will stand alone from any data center.
   

2. Topeka Woman Booked on Armed Robbery, Aggravated Assault and Burglary Allegations (thisistopeka.com) — A Topeka woman is back in the Shawnee County jail, this time booked on serious allegations including armed aggravated robbery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Detention records show 39-year-old Rashonda Louise Mendez was booked Wednesday afternoon with no bond listed yet. Details of the alleged incident remain unavailable while reporters seek police and court documents.
   

3. Kansas River rises to 23 feet in Topeka Friday: NOAA (ksnt.com) — The Kansas River in Topeka has surged to just over 23 feet after several inches of rain, still below the 27-foot moderate flood stage but high enough to prompt close monitoring. City utilities crews are watching rainfall and river levels, starting to close some gates, and adjusting water and wastewater operations while NOAA reports levels have begun to slowly fall.
   

4. How these apps can help you save as gas prices rise across Kansas (cjonline.com) — Drivers in Topeka are paying just over $4 a gallon for regular gas, slightly below the Kansas average but far above last year's prices. The piece walks through popular apps like GasBuddy, Gas Guru, and Upside, plus simple driving and maintenance habits, to help you track nearby prices and squeeze more savings from every fill-up.
   

5. 'It's very peaceful': Kansas couple talk benefits of hunting traditions (ksnt.com) — Hunters in and around Topeka are heading into peak fall season, and state wildlife officials are reminding everyone that safety and hunter education come first. A longtime Kansas hunter and his wife describe how hunting provides food, relaxation, and time in nature, while pointing newcomers toward certified education courses and state resources for licenses, permits, and finding legal places to hunt.
   

📸 Around Topeka

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📸 Gage Park Founders Fest is Friday October 2 and Saturday October 3. Gage Park Founders Fest & the Topeka Zoo celebrate the history, community, and conservation that make Gage Park special. —keith H. Like

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Before I donate these children's clothes, boys 7-8, new, washed and ready to wear I want to offer them here for free if there is a family in need.
    Not for resale but personal family need due to cost of life and living these days, no strings attached. If interested IM me, thx. (Nextdoor Gage Blvd)
  • Want an easier way to stay connected with the City of Topeka?
    We are excited to announce the launch of a new texting service, TextMyGov, which will provide residents with another way to stay informed of upcoming… (Nextdoor )
  • Topeka Public Schools posted a job opening for Executive HR Assistant & Benefits Specialist in Topeka. Apply here.
  • Dollar Tree posted a job opening for Assistant Manager I in Topeka. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Topeka here.

Ok Topeka! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "What has a cap but no head?" — A bottle (Thank you Glo M. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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