Fort Wayne Update April 29th

Good morning, Fort Wayne - Here’s your Update

— Jenny Sumangid & Jordan Bechtel
The Fort Wayne Update

Wednesday, April 29
Hi – 62° Low – 39° | 🌥 AM Showers Possible → 🌙 Partly Cloudy
A cooler, breezy day with morning shower chances and highs near 62°F under WNW winds. Skies gradually improve but stay mixed. The night turns crisp and partly cloudy, dropping to 39°F with light northwest winds and a noticeably cooler feel.

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New 24 7 Winter Shelter Serves Hundreds In Fort Wayne
• A winter emergency shelter program provided 4,055 nights of shelter from December through March
• A new 24 7 shelter at the Salvation Army served 248 people including women, men, and children
• Officials say the effort highlights the need for a permanent low barrier shelter in the community
→ Read more from WFFT

Smokey Bones Permanently Closes Fort Wayne Location At Jefferson Pointe
• The Smokey Bones restaurant at Jefferson Pointe has permanently closed after a flyer was posted at the location
• Parent company Twin Hospitality Group previously announced plans to convert some locations into Twin Peaks lodges and close underperforming sites
• The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January 2026 but had not announced additional closures at that time
→ Read More From WANE

Two FWCS High Schools Move To Remote Learning Amid Bus Driver Shortage
• North Side and South Side high schools shifted to remote learning due to a shortage of bus drivers in the district
• FWCS Superintendent Mark Daniel said competition for licensed drivers and tighter regulations are straining transportation services
• The district is offering a 5000 dollar sign on bonus and 3000 dollar performance bonus to recruit new drivers
→ Read more from WPTA

Students And Parents Raise Concerns About AI Replacing Jobs At PFW
• Faculty said worries about AI eliminating future jobs were frequently raised during Admitted Student Day conversations with students and parents
• More than 100 students applied to a new Sports Leadership degree focused on coaching, communication, and marketing
• Professors said AI should be used as a tool while emphasizing skills like teamwork and interpersonal communication that technology cannot replace
→ Read more from WANE

Fort Wayne McDonald's Raises $15K for Families with Sick Kids
• Local McDonald's restaurants raised more than $15,000 through the Shamrock Shake campaign
• Customers bought over 60,000 Shamrock Shakes and Oreo Shamrock McFlurries with 25 cents from each sale donated
• The money will support housing and services for families traveling for children’s medical care
→ Read more from WFFT

Man Charged With Murder After Woman Found Dead In Fort Wayne Apartment
• Police found a woman dead and 23 year old Kevin I Smith injured inside an apartment after responding to a disturbance call
• A witness reported hearing someone repeatedly say stop and officers found the apartment door slightly barricaded before entering
• An autopsy determined the victim died from multiple stab wounds and a screwdriver with a dark substance was recovered at the scene
→ Read More From WPTA

Trine University Thunderdome Inflated And Set To Open Soon
• The nearly 8-million-dollar 92000 square foot inflatable dome has been inflated and will serve as a year-round practice facility for multiple sports teams
• The climate-controlled venue will include turf and scoreboards and be used by softball baseball soccer and lacrosse programs
• University officials said the facility is expected to open within the next month and will also host Fort Wayne FC training camps
→ Read more from WANE

Canstruction Food Drive Creations Now On Display At Glenbrook Square
• Community Harvest Food Bank’s annual Canstruction exhibit is now on display at Glenbrook Square mall
• Students from seven schools built “Canimals” themed structures using more than 20000 cans of food
• Donations allow voting for favorite displays with proceeds helping provide meals for families in need
→ Read more from WPTA

122nd Fighter Wing Completes Transition To F-16 Aircraft
• The 122nd Fighter Wing has completed its transition from A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft to F-16 Fighting Falcons
• The change replaced 21 A-10 aircraft as part of a three year conversion project mandated by the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act
• Wing commander Col Scott Boatright said the transition was a resounding and historic success
→ Read more from WPTA

WindSwell Foundation Celebrates Pay It Forward Day
• Pay It Forward Day on April 28 is meant to encourage small acts of kindness around the world
• WindSwell Foundation donated 55000 dollars to local nonprofits supporting inclusion for people with disabilities
• Organizations receiving funds were nominated by self advocates who volunteer with or receive services from them
→ Read more from WPTA

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US Activists Plan Nationwide May Day Economic Blackout
• Labor unions and community groups are organizing May Day Strong events across the United States calling for coordinated economic shutdown actions.
• Organizers say more than 3,000 protests are expected this year, more than doubling last year’s estimated 1,300 actions.
• The movement is tied to opposition against government policies involving immigration enforcement, military actions, and economic inequality concerns.

Why it matters here:
This reflects a growing trend of coordinated mass labor and consumer disruption tactics being used to pressure governments and institutions.

→ Get the full national breakdown from our team at The Nova

Not Talking Out of School: The Hector & Carol Garcia Retrospective
8:00 am – 9:00 pm @ PFW Visual Arts Building — Free

2026 Summer Selections
8:00 am – 9:00 pm @ PFW Visual Arts Gallery — Free

Workers Behind the Wheels Gallery
9:00 am – 5:00 pm @ Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum — $10 – $15

Color In Motion
10:00 am – 5:00 pm @ Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory — $5 – $7

Julie Wall: Grounded In Light
10:00 am – 5:00 pm @ Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory — $5 – $7

Mezzotint & The Power of Darkness
10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art — $8 – $10

Experiments in Form: Glass of Paper Works of Marvin Lipofsky
10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art — $8 – $10

Sue Davis: Familiar Paths & New Directions
10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ The Orchard Gallery of Fine Art — Free

Color Me Spring
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm @ Virginia Stoner Huguenard Art Gallery — Free

Karen Wehr & Friends
12:00 pm @ Sweetwater Sound — Free

Chris Worth
6:30 pm @ Coyote Creek Bar and Grill — No cover

Fake Happy w/ The Dirty Little Rejects
7:00 pm @ Stan's Room at Century Music Hall — $10 – $25

Matt Cashdollar
7:00 pm @ The Club Room at The Clyde — Free

Honeywell Arts Academy Concert Series w/Warren & Flick
7:30 pm @ Eagles Theatre — $25

Demon Hunter
7:30 pm @ Century Music Hall — $39.89 – $97.41

Open Mic Night
7:00 pm @ Summit City Comedy Club — Free

Hellcat Trivia
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm @ Chapman's Brewing at Electric Works — Free

Deer Park Karaoke
9:00 pm @ Deer Park Irish Pub — Free

Bootlegger’s Saloon Karaoke w/KC Ramone
9:00 pm @ Bootlegger's Saloon — Free

Wed, Apr 29th🏒
Fort Wayne Komets @ Indy Fuel— 7:05 PM EDT

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— The Fort Wayne Update