Tuesday, December 16
Hi 32° Low 29° | ☁️ Mostly Cloudy
Skies stay mostly cloudy through the day with temperatures topping out near 32°F. A steady south to southwest breeze will make it feel a bit colder at times, especially during the afternoon. Clouds hang around overnight as well, with lows dipping to about 29°F and continued breezy conditions.

❄️Fort Wayne Winter More Severe Than Parts Of Alaska

🚧 Hillegas Road Widening To Begin In Spring 2026

🐱 FWACC Urges Help for Stray Cats During Winter

🚗Weekend Fort Wayne Crash Leaves Driver With Life-Threatening Injuries

🌳Fort Wayne Invests $3M In Parks, Completes 90+ Projects

☕Café & Wine Bar Moving Into Former West Central Ice Cream Shop

⚖️Fort Wayne Woman Charged With Bestiality Released Conditionally

🔫75-Year-Old Man Faces Attempted Murder Charge After East Side Shooting

🏀 Corey Hadnot Named Horizon League Player of the Week

❄️Fort Wayne is experiencing an extreme start to the 2025–2026 winter, according to the Accumulated Winter Season Severity Index (AWSSI) from the Midwestern Regional Climate Center. As of Dec. 13, Fort Wayne’s AWSSI is 150, well above the average of 59 and higher than cities including Cleveland, Erie, and Juneau, Alaska. The index reflects persistent cold, snowfall, and snow cover relative to local averages. Fort Wayne has already received 13.7 inches of snow, nearly matching last winter’s total, with much of the season still ahead. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🚧 Fort Wayne will begin a major, three-year renovation of Hillegas Road starting in spring 2026. The project will widen and modernize the roadway between West State Boulevard and West Coliseum Boulevard, adding travel lanes, a center turn lane or raised median, sidewalks, a multi-use trail, lighting, storm sewers, and landscaping. Construction will take place in two phases to reduce traffic impacts, with work expected to continue through fall 2029. Read more from WFFT here.

🐱 Thousands of stray cats in Fort Wayne are braving dangerously cold winter weather, and Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control (FWACC) is urging residents to help. Tyna Reiter, FWACC Community Outreach Specialist, warns that cats can develop frostbite within 30 minutes if left unprotected. Residents are encouraged to provide small, insulated outdoor shelters, place unfrozen food and water outside, and consider heated options like “Snuggle Safe” discs. Even small acts, like checking shelters or reporting cats in distress, can make a big difference for these animals. To learn more about how you can help Fort Wayne’s stray cats or obtain an outdoor shelter, click here. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🚗Fort Wayne police are investigating a serious crash Saturday morning on Lake Avenue east of Reed Road that left a driver with life-threatening injuries. Officers say the male driver was ejected after his car struck a utility pole around 8:42 a.m. Preliminary findings indicate the driver was using the center turn lane to pass stopped vehicles before losing control. The Fatal Crash Team and Air Support Unit are assisting with the investigation. Read more from WFFT here.

🌳Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation completed more than 90 capital improvement projects in 2025 using $3 million in city funding. Projects included playground replacements, Botanical Conservatory upgrades, and reconstruction of the Headwaters Park Fountain, with Riverfront Phase IIb still in progress. City leaders highlighted community connection as a priority, and $4 million is planned for park improvements in 2026, including trails, lighting, and playground upgrades. Read more from WFFT here.

☕A Fort Wayne couple plans to open a coffee shop and wine bar called Snail in the former Brooklyn Pints Microcreamery space at Sheridan Court in West Central. Owners Joshua Heckelsmiller and Emily Heins plan 6–8 weeks of renovations, with hopes to open by February or March. Snail will operate as a coffee shop during the day and a cozy wine bar in the evening, sourcing coffee from roasters across the country and aiming to be a welcoming neighborhood hangout. Read more from WANE 15 here.

⚖️A Fort Wayne woman, Cassie L. Snay, appeared in Allen Superior Court after being charged with two Level 6 felony counts of bestiality. Court records show probable cause was found, a redacted affidavit was released publicly, and a warrant was served before her initial hearing. Snay was granted monitored conditional release, with a follow-up omnibus hearing scheduled for Feb. 4. The case remains pending, and the charges are allegations. Read more from WFFT here.

🔫A 75-year-old man, identified as Richard Krueckeberg, was arrested following a Monday morning shooting on Fort Wayne’s east side that left a victim with life-threatening injuries. Police responded near Lake and Laverne avenues, and the victim was later found at Daryl B. Cobin Memorial Park. Investigators say the shooting was not random and that the victim and Krueckeberg knew each other. Krueckeberg faces charges of attempted murder and aggravated battery and is being held without bond. Read more from WANE 15 here.

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🏀 Purdue Fort Wayne’s Corey Hadnot II earned Horizon League Men’s Basketball Player of the Week honors after stellar performances against Eastern Michigan and Detroit Mercy. He averaged 21.5 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 54.8% from the field. Hadnot scored 28 points in the win over Eastern Michigan and added 15 points with eight rebounds against Detroit Mercy. This marks his second Player of the Week award of the season and career. The Mastodons next play at Notre Dame on Sunday, Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. Read more from WANE 15 here.

Wed, Dec 17 🏒
Bloomington vs Fort Wayne — 8:00 PM EST

Fri, Dec 19 🏒
Indy vs Fort Wayne — 7:35 PM EST

Sat, Dec 20 🏒
Cincinnati vs Fort Wayne — 7:35 PM EST