Fort Wayne Update February 5th

Good morning, Fort Wayne - Here’s your Update

— Jenny Sumangid & Jordan Bechtel
The Fort Wayne Update

Thursday, February 5
Hi – 21° Low – 20° | ⛅ Partly/Mostly Cloudy → 🌨️ Snow Showers Late
Thursday starts off partly to mostly cloudy with a brisk WSW breeze at 10–15 mph and a high near 21°F—perfect for layering up on your morning walk. Overnight, snow showers develop after midnight with temperatures dropping to 20°F and winds picking up from the SW at 10–20 mph. Expect light accumulations under an inch, setting a cozy winter scene for late-night moon gazing under the waning gibbous.

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Fort Wayne Clerk to Offer Free Marriage Ceremonies Feb. 13
• The City Clerk’s Office will provide free ceremonies on February 13 from 10 a.m. to noon and from 2 to 4 p.m.
• Appointments must be scheduled by phone and ceremonies will be held first come, first served at Citizens Square.
• One partner must live in Allen County and couples must have a valid Indiana marriage license before arriving.
→ Read more from WPTA

Waynedale 2040 Plan Open Houses Set for February
• The city will host two public open houses to gather resident feedback on the Waynedale 2040 Plan.
• Meetings are scheduled for February 17 from 6 to 8 p.m. and February 19 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Waynedale Branch Library.
• The sessions will wrap up the community input phase ahead of the plan’s expected completion in summer 2026.
• To learn more about the Waynedale 2040 Plan, click here.
→ Read more from WPTA

PSM Icehouse to Host Free Winter Games Event Saturday
• The Winter Games event will take place Saturday starting at 1:30 p.m. at PSM Icehouse.
• Activities include ice skating lessons, hockey lessons, and a figure skating performance.
• All events are free and begin with an opening ceremony inspired by the Winter Olympics.
• For more information about how to sign up for free skating lessons, click here.
→ Read more from WPTA

Fire Breaks Out in Southeast Fort Wayne Home
• A small fire broke out in an upstairs bedroom of a Reed Street home around 1:20 p.m. Wednesday.
• The fire was caused by an unattended space heater and caused smoke damage to the room.
• No injuries were reported, and Fort Wayne Fire Department contained the fire within 15 minutes.
→ Read more from WANE

Warrant Issued for Fort Wayne Man for Coworker with Special Needs Rape Case
• Police are seeking 25-year-old Yandri Jose Torres Veliz on a rape charge tied to an alleged 2024 assault at a fast-food business.
• Court records say the adult victim with the mental capacity of a preteen told police she refused a sexual request before the alleged assault occurred while taking out trash.
• Investigators documented blood at the scene and medical staff reported a significant injury during a sexual assault examination.
→ Read more from WPTA

Former Indiana Congressman Lee Hamilton Dies at 94
• The Evansville native represented Indiana’s 9th District in the U.S. House from 1965 to 1999.
• His work included leadership on foreign policy issues and involvement with the Iran-Contra investigation, the 9/11 Commission, and the Iraq Study Group.
• He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 and flags will be flown at half-staff on the day of his internment.
→ Read more from WPTA

NIPSCO Explains Winter Gas Bill Increases
• Bills consist of Gas Supply Charges based on market prices and Delivery Charges covering infrastructure and service costs.
• Higher winter usage drives up both charges, with average January 2026 usage more than 11 times higher than August 2025.
• Customers can enroll in NIPSCO’s free Budget Plan to spread costs evenly and avoid seasonal spikes.
→ Read more from WANE

Two Magistrates Run for Allen Superior Court Judge
• Magistrate Jesus “Rick” Treviño, serving since 2021, announced his candidacy at The Hoppy Gnome.
• Magistrate Samuel Keirns, in the criminal felony division since 2011, announced his campaign at Citizens Square.
• The race follows Judge Fran Gull’s retirement at the end of the year, with the winner decided in the November general election.
→ Read more from WANE

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SBA Bars Green Card Holders from Loan Eligibility Starting March 1
• The Small Business Administration says lawful permanent residents (green card holders) will no longer be eligible to apply for SBA-backed loans.
• The policy reverses earlier guidance that allowed limited non-citizen ownership and tightens eligibility to U.S. citizens and nationals only.
• SBA officials say the change is meant to ensure taxpayer-backed loans support “U.S. job creators and innovators.”
• Small business advocates warn the move could slow business formation and job growth, noting immigrants are more likely than native-born citizens to start businesses.

Why it matters here:
SBA-backed loans are often a lifeline for entrepreneurs who can’t secure affordable financing through traditional banks. Restricting access could reshape who is able to start or expand small businesses, affect local job creation, and change the makeup of Main Street economies—especially in communities where immigrant-owned businesses play a visible role in retail, food service, construction, and professional services.

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

Annual Fine Art Competition
8:00 am–5:00 pm @ Clark Gallery at Honeywell Center — Free

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

Portraits of Lives Affected by Incarceration
9:00 am–9:00 pm @ ACPL Jeffrey R. Krull Gallery — Free

Art From the Heart
10:00 am–6:00 pm @ The Orchard Gallery of Fine Art — Free

Fiber Collage & Functional Works
10:00 am–6:00 pm @ The Orchard Gallery of Fine Art — Free

Mimesis: The Natural World of Glass
10:00 am–8:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art — $8–$10

Kablam!: The Impact of Cartoons and Comics on Art
10:00 am–8:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art — $8–$10

Midwest Regional
10:00 am–8:00 pm @ Artlink — Free

Storied: Narrative Art
10:00 am–8:00 pm @ Artlink — Free

Postcard Exhibition & Sale
10:00 am–8:00 pm @ Artlink — Free

Creative Resistance
12:00 pm–5:00 pm @ First Presbyterian Gallery — Free

Country Heritage Open Mic w/Chris Hambrick
6:00 pm @ Country Heritage Winery — Free

TobyMac w/Crowder, Jeremy Camp
7:00 pm @ Memorial Coliseum

Blackberry Smoke
7:00 pm @ Honeywell Center — $51

StraitJack — Nashville Thursdays
7:00 pm @ The Club Room at The Clyde — Free

Dave Pagan’s Love Jams
8:00 pm @ Wrigley Field Bar & Grill — No cover

Tronic Thursdays
10:00 pm @ O’Sullivan’s — No cover

Fort Wayne Boat Show
3:00 pm–8:00 pm @ Memorial Coliseum — Free

Headwaters Ice Rink
4:00 pm–9:00 pm @ Headwaters Park — $7

Chapman’s Brewing Bingo
6:00 pm–8:00 pm @ Chapman’s Brewing at Electric Works — Free

Latch String Karaoke
10:00 pm @ Latch String Bar & Grill — Free

Fri, Feb 6th 🏒
Iowa Heartlanders vs Fort Wayne — 7:35 PM EST

Sat, Feb 7th 🏒
Toledo Walleye vs Fort Wayne — 7:35 PM EST

Sun, Feb 8th 🏒
Bloomington Bison vs Fort Wayne — 2:05 PM EST

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Thanks for reading. Together, we’re making Fort Wayne an even better place to live.

— The Fort Wayne Update