Thursday, August 7
Hi – 86° Low – 66° | 🌤 Mostly Sunny | Wind SE 5 mph
A warm and bright day ahead! Expect a pleasant mix of sunshine and a few scattered clouds. Highs reach 86°F with humidity around 69%, summery but manageable. Light southeast winds will keep the air moving just enough. Thursday night stays partly cloudy with a comfy low around 66°F. A calm, breezy evening to wind down your day.

🏫 Homestead High School Nears End of $169M Renovation

💸 Lawsuits Make Self-Insurance Costly for Fort Wayne

🦁 Fort Wayne Zoo Teen Program Inspires Future Zookeepers

🚌 Schools Back in Session Across Fort Wayne

♻️ Recycling Program Saves Fort Wayne Over $1M

🗳️ Therese Brown Won’t Seek 5th Term as Commissioner

🚗 Car Flips in Coventry Lane Crash

🚓 Arrest Made in Waynedale Murder Case

⚾ TinCaps Drop Opener to Cubs

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🏫 Homestead High School students are back in class while final work continues on the school’s $169 million renovation project. Most of the academic wing is now complete, with remaining areas like the cafeteria, corridor, woodworking space, and parking still in progress. The project, which began in 2020, was delayed by COVID and supply chain issues but is expected to be fully finished by year’s end. Safe walkways are in place, and the building is ready for use. Read more from WANE 15 here.

💸 Fort Wayne City Council reviewed self-insurance figures this week, revealing nearly $2 million in open personal injury and wrongful death cases up sharply from prior years. Despite this spike, experts and council members remain confident in the city's self-insurance strategy, which avoids costly premiums by using reserved funds to cover claims. The city plans to continue self-insuring, citing long-term savings and strong risk management. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🦁 The Fort Wayne Zoo’s Teens for Nature program is helping young animal lovers take their first steps toward a zookeeping career. Animal care specialist Gianna Porfilio started her journey through the zoo’s teen program and is now the zoo’s dive safety officer. High school senior Grace Schoegler and 11th-grader Liam Biltz are following similar paths, gaining hands-on experience with animals and learning directly from current zookeepers. The program gives teens a chance to grow their passion into a profession. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🚌 Fort Wayne-area schools are reopening with major upgrades. Northwest Allen added new facilities at Carroll High; Southwest Allen’s Homestead High is nearly finished with renovations; and East Allen began construction on Leo Intermediate and other sites. Schools return starting August 8 on East Allen County School, Northwest Allen County Schools, and Southwest Allen County Schools. August 9 on Fort Wayne Community Schools. August 13 on Norwell Community Schools, and South Adams Schools. And August 14 on Adams Central Community Schools and Blackhawk Christian School. Read more from WANE 15 here.

♻️ Fort Wayne’s Solid Waste Department reported strong results from its partnership with GFL and its citywide recycling program during Tuesday’s City Council meeting. Since switching from Red River in 2022, GFL has helped the city save money and improve services. The recycling program alone generated $600,000 over the past two quarters and is expected to exceed $1 million this year, helping maintain consistent rates for residents. Bulk collection has also improved, allowing the department to refocus on core services. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🗳️ Allen County Commissioner Therese Brown announced she will not run for a fifth term in 2026. After decades in county government, Brown said she wants to focus on family, friends, and parish life. She has served as Treasurer, Auditor, Clerk, and currently Commissioner. Brown is a Bishop Dwenger graduate and earned her Business Management degree while working full-time. She was honored in 2019 with the Arthur R. Himsel Award for her service. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🚗 A crash involving two vehicles flipped one car over Wednesday afternoon at Coventry Lane and Falls Drive in southwest Fort Wayne. One driver was reported to be in serious condition.The matter remains under investigation. Further updates will be provided as they become available. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🚓 A man was arrested early Wednesday morning in connection to a deadly shooting at Willow Creek Crossing Apartments in Waynedale. Fort Wayne police responded around 2 a.m. and found a man with gunshot wounds; he later died at a local trauma center. Officers arrested 25-year-old Alaye Stephon Hanson on a preliminary charge of murder. The victim’s identity has not yet been released, and police have not disclosed a motive. Read more from WANE 15 here.

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⚾ Rosman Verdugo and Braedon Karpathios hit back-to-back solo home runs, but the TinCaps still lost to the Cubs in their series opener Tuesday night. Read more from WANE 15 here.

Thu, Aug 7
⚾ @ South Bend— 7:05 PM EDT

Fri, Aug 8
⚾ @ South Bend— 7:05 PM EDT

Sat, Aug 9
⚾ vs Great Lakes— 7:05 PM EDT

Sun, Aug 10
⚾ vs Great Lakes—2:05 PM EDT

The Fort Wayne Update helps readers like you stay in the know quickly and clearly.

If you love what we do, becoming a Member is the best way to support it.

You will help us cover more of the city, and give back to the community.
Members also get exclusive perks along the way.