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Topeka launches EV pilot, continues Get Digital program and schedules community events
Summary
City officials announced an electric vehicle pilot (one truck delivered, five more expected this year), continuation of the Topeka–Shawnee County Get Digital program to support 370 households, and upcoming community events including a Battle of the Badges blood drive and Camp Courage fire academy week.
The city manager said Topeka has started an electric vehicle pilot program with one EV truck already delivered to the inspections team and five more expected this year, for a total of six vehicles in 2026. He credited the Sustainability Commission for input and said the pilot will advance the city's sustainability goals.
The manager also re-announced the 10th annual "Battle of the Badges" blood drive scheduled for Monday, May 18 from noon to 6 p.m. at the Cyrus K. Holiday Building (620 Southeast Madison Street), and said Camp Courage, a week of fire‑academy training for females aged roughly 16–18, will run June 1–5 with applications open through May 1.
Monique Gladue, director of Inclusive Communities, said the Topeka–Shawnee County "Get Digital" initiative, funded through a 2021 Kansas Health Grant, will continue and is expected to support 370 qualified Topeka households through an income‑based program that increases access to connectivity and essential services; details on how to apply will be released later in the week.
The manager also described a "Fight the Blight" alley cleanup on the 400 block of Taylor Street, thanked volunteer groups (Westside Baptist Church youth group, First Presbyterian youth group, Habitat for Humanity) and organizer Deborah Edwards, and apologized for a food delivery mishap at the volunteer event.
Why it matters: The EV pilot and Get Digital continuation are operational steps toward sustainability and digital equity goals; the community events provide volunteer and public‑engagement opportunities. The Get Digital program's scale (370 households) gives a quantifiable measure for follow-up reporting.
What's next: City communications will publish full Get Digital application details later in the week; the city will monitor the EV pilot and report results as the initiative expands.
