
The latest news & upcoming events in Fort Wayne Indiana
- Jenny Sumangid, Jordan Bechtel
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Good morning, Fort Wayne! Here is today’s update.

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Today’s Weather
Monday, December 8
Hi 21° Low 9° | 🌤 Partly Sunny, Snow Showers Late
Monday starts cold with partly cloudy skies and a high near 21°F. Gentle ENE winds keep the air crisp throughout the day. Tonight, mostly cloudy skies bring a few snow showers late with lows dipping to around 9°F and S winds adding to the chill.
In today’s edition:
⛪ Headwaters Church Finishes Historic Renovation
🚨Northeast Allen County Crash Ends With One in Cuffs
🔫2 Face Attempted Murder Charges For Weekend Shooting At Fort Wayne Hotel
👮Thoughts From Recent FWPD Citizens Police Academy Graduates
🚂 All Aboard Fern’s Fairylight Express
🎄Christmas At The Farm Offers A ‘Magical’ Christmas Experience
⚖️Judge Sides With Woman In Pikes Pub Defamation Lawsuit
🎅Proclamation Made To Honor ‘Fort Wayne’s Favorite Santa Claus’
🌞Sen. Brown Meets With Farmers On Push To Limit Industrial Solar
💳Buy Now, Pay Later Use Climbs As Holiday Shoppers
Sports
🏒 Komets Collapse In 5-4 Overtime Loss At Walleye
Events and Live Music Schedule
📰News
⛪Headwaters Church completed a major renovation at its 2000 Wells Street campus, transforming a former swimming pool and racquetball courts into a new sanctuary. The 25-acre property, originally St. Vincent’s Orphan Asylum (1886) and later the YWCA (1978), was purchased by the church in 2019. The renovation preserves the historic beauty while creating a space for worship, improved lobby layout, and community gatherings. Read more from WANE 15 here.
🚨The Allen County Sheriff’s Office responded to a crash at Stopher and Notestine roads in Springfield Township early Sunday morning. The incident involved a blue pickup truck and a large white van. Police were seen placing one man in handcuffs while clearing the scene. It is currently unclear if anyone was injured. Read more from WANE 15 here.
🔫Jamya Nelson, 18, and Alonta Walker, 28, were arrested Thursday in connection with a Sunday shooting at the Travelers Inn on E. Washington Boulevard. Walker allegedly fired ten rounds at a hotel room door while trying to enter, and both suspects were seen fleeing in an SUV. The victim was treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Walker was previously convicted of multiple offenses, including robbery and assault. Police used security footage and cell phone pings to track down the suspects. Read more from WANE 15 here.
👮The Fort Wayne Police Department recently completed its 16th Citizens Police Academy, the first since 2008. Over seven weeks, more than two dozen residents learned about FWPD operations. Participants came from diverse backgrounds, including nursing, social work, business, and law enforcement aspirants, sharing insights on why they joined the program. Read more from WANE 15 here.
🚂Hop aboard Fern’s Fairylight Express at the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory for a magical experience. The exhibit features model trains and a whimsical story by local author Talitha Shipman, following Fern, Bug, and Sprout on their adventure. The display runs through April 12 and is included with general admission. Read more from WANE 15 here.
🎄Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation is hosting Christmas at the Farm at Salomon Farm Park on Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. Families can enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides, visit Santa, participate in crafts, see farm animals, and sample holiday treats. A local market at the Wolf Learning Center will also be open for holiday shopping. Admission is $5 per vehicle. Read more from WANE 15 here.
⚖️A judge ruled against Kent Adamonis in his defamation lawsuit, which claimed a woman misidentified him as one of the attackers in a May Pikes Pub incident. The small claims court awarded court costs to the woman. Adamonis had been arrested based on her statement but was cleared when he proved he wasn’t present. The six men charged in the attack will face trial in May 2026. Read more from WANE 15 here.
🎅Fort Wayne honored the late Phil Steigerwald, longtime Santa for Wolf & Dessauer, with a proclamation from Mayor Sharon Tucker, declaring Dec. 4 as Santa in Wonderland Day. Steigerwald, who also hosted the TV show Santa in Wonderland, served as Santa for over 40 years. His family donated his Santa suit and memorabilia, now displayed at the History Center. Read more from WANE 15 here.
🌞Sen. Liz Brown met with farmers and local officials in Churubusco to discuss her 2026 proposal aimed at keeping large industrial solar projects off Indiana farmland. The plan would allow counties to review and vote on industrial solar projects like other commercial developments, while still permitting smaller solar installations on individual properties. Brown said the goal is to protect farmland and local decision-making. Read more from WFFT here.
💳More Indiana shoppers are turning to “Buy Now, Pay Later” (BNPL) services like Klarna, Afterpay, and Affirm this holiday season. U.S. holiday spending through BNPL reached $18.2 billion last year, and local experts see the trend growing in northeast Indiana. While BNPL offers flexible, interest-free installments and quick approvals, financial advisors warn missed payments can hurt credit, and multiple payments can add up fast. Experts recommend budgeting, setting reminders, reading the fine print, and using these services with discipline. Read more from WANE 15 here.
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Events
🎨 Art
Saint Francis Creative Arts Alumni/Faculty Exhibition w/Brooke Owens
9:00 am @ USF Rolland Art Center
FreeArt of Hope
9:00 am @ First Presbyterian Gallery
FreeArt for the Holidays
10:00 am @ The Orchard Gallery of Fine Art
Free
🎶 Music
Kevin Elmore (Acoustic)
12:00 pm @ Sweetwater Sound
FreeKyvon & Gloamwalker
12:00 pm @ Sweetwater Sound
FreeMonday Blues Jam Session w/ G-Money Band & Special Guests
7:00 pm @ The Club Room at The Clyde
FreeBaker Street Center Open Mic
7:30 pm @ Baker Street Centre
Free
🎄 Festival
Tashi Kyil Tibetan Monks: Opening Ritual
9:00 am @ ACPL Downtown
FreeTashi Kyil Tibetan Monks
9:00 am @ ACPL Downtown
FreeFestival of Gingerbread
9:00 am @ The History Center
$5–$7
🌃 Sightseeing & Tours
Christmas at Camp
6:30 pm @ Camp Chief Little Turtle
FreeChristmas at the Castle
4:00 pm @ USF Brookside
$10Blue Jacket Fantasy of Lights
5:30 pm @ Franke Park
$20–$80Fort Wayne Zoo’s Wild Lights
5:30 pm @ Fort Wayne Zoo
$10–$12
🧑🎨 Classes & Workshops
Line Dance Lessons
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm @ Unify Ballroom Dancesport Center
$6
🎭 Theater
Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol
7:30 pm @ Embassy Theatre
$44.95–$86.30
🥾 Sports & Recreation
Headwaters Ice Rink
4:00 pm @ Headwaters Park
$7
🧩 Karaoke & Trivia
Music Bingo
6:30 pm @ Lakelife Bar & Grill
FreeKARAOKE w/ "Big Country"
8:00 pm – 12:00 pm @ Four D's Bar & Grill
🏀🏈Sports🏒⚾
🏒 The Fort Wayne Komets fell 5-4 in overtime to the Toledo Walleye on Saturday. Leading 3-1 late in the second period, the Komets couldn’t hold the advantage as Toledo scored four power-play goals. Tanner Dickinson netted the overtime winner on a 4-on-3 advantage with less than five seconds left. Kirill Tyutyayev scored twice for Fort Wayne, while Blake Murray also tallied a power-play goal. The Komets remain first in the ECHL Central Division with a 13-4-2 record and will host Cincinnati on Sunday at 5 p.m. Read more from WANE 15 here.
🗓️ Komet’s Schedule
Fri, Dec 12 🏒
Kansas City vs Fort Wayne — 7:35 PM EST
Sat, Dec 13 🏒
Kalamazoo vs Fort Wayne — 7:35 PM EST
Sun, Dec 14 🏒
Kalamazoo vs Fort Wayne — 3:00 PM EST
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