Today’s Weather

Thursday, July 17
Hi – 82° Low – 61° | 🌧️ AM Showers & PM Storms Possible | Wind W 10–15 mph (day), NNW 10–15 mph (night)
Thursday starts with a chance of early morning showers, followed by scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day. Expect a high of 82°F with humid conditions at 79%. Winds from the west will pick up slightly, and the UV index remains high, especially between showers. Thursday night turns cooler with lingering clouds and a few light showers possible (30% chance). The low drops to 61°F with a north-northwest breeze and rising humidity.

In today’s edition:

🌊 Fort Wayne Seeks Volunteers to Help Protect Rivers

🍔 Powers Hamburgers Holds Second Annual Slider Eating Contest

🧸 ACPL Expands Early Learning Program to Grabill Branch

🏥 IU Health Reaches Construction Milestone for New Hospital

🌏 Gala to Highlight Fort Wayne’s Five Sister Cities

🏗️ Electric Works Shares Campus Update and Future Plans

📈 Fort Wayne named LinkedIn’s “Cities on the Rise”

Sports

🏒 Petruzzelli and Murphy Return to Komets for Next Season

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📰News

🌊 Clean Drains Fort Wayne is asking residents to become “Drain Stormers” and help keep storm drains clear of trash and debris. With over 20,000 drains leading to local rivers, this effort aims to reduce pollution and prevent flooding. Volunteers can sign up at cleandrainsinthefort.org to receive a free kit that includes gloves, drain markers, and chalk. It’s a simple and fun way for all ages to support the community and the environment. Read more from WFFT here.

🍔 Powers Hamburgers hosted its second annual slider eating contest Tuesday evening as part of Powers Fest. Contestants had 10 minutes to eat as many sliders as possible. The winner beat last year’s record by eating 26 sliders, while WANE 15’s Ethan Dahlen came in second with 24. Powers Hamburgers plans to attempt a world record for most sliders sold in a single day on Wednesday. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🧸 The Allen County Public Library added its fifth StoryScape early learning area to the Grabill branch on Tuesday, July 15. Designed for children ages seven and younger, the new space reflects Grabill’s railroad history and features a play steam train, crawl-through tunnel, and coal-like stackable bricks. StoryScapes aim to promote early literacy and are part of ACPL’s 2024–28 strategic plan. Future installations are planned for Monroeville and Waynedale. The Grabill StoryScape is open during normal library hours and was funded through library reserves. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🏥 IU Health marked a major milestone Wednesday with a “topping out” ceremony at its new hospital site in southwest Allen County. Located at 10101 Ernst Road in Roanoke, the $421 million facility will include 140 beds, 17 emergency exam rooms, 6 operating rooms, 3 catheterization labs, and up to 4 endoscopy rooms. The hospital is on track for completion by summer 2027. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🌏 A gala on August 9 will showcase the “sights, sounds and flavors” of Fort Wayne’s five sister cities: Takaoka (Japan), Gera (Germany), Plock (Poland), Taizhou (China), and Mawlamyine (Myanmar). Hosted by Fort Wayne Sister Cities International, the event will feature speakers including Mayor Sharon Tucker and Fire Chief Eric Lahey, plus a silent auction. It will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the Parkview Mirro Event & Conference Center. Tickets are $125, with sponsorships starting at $250. Proceeds will support Sister Cities programs. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🏗️ During a July 15 Fort Wayne City Council meeting, Electric Works development partner Kevin Biggs shared updates on the campus’s progress. Union Street Market is 80% leased, with two more vendors expected to sign soon. In 2024, the campus hosted 380 events and welcomed 63,000 visitors. The Elex apartment complex will begin housing tenants on July 25, starting with age-restricted and affordable units. Additional leasing is expected in December. The project, described as an “ongoing life endeavor,” will also expand to the eastern half of the former GE building in future phases. Read more from WANE 15 here.

📈 Fort Wayne and Indianapolis have been named “cities on the rise” by LinkedIn based on job postings and talent migration. Indianapolis ranked No. 14 thanks to major construction projects, growing tourism, and strong hiring in manufacturing and healthcare. Fort Wayne ranked No. 24, credited for its tech investments, affordable housing, and low cost of living. Top employers include IU Health and Eli Lilly in Indy, and Parkview Health, PFW, and Sweetwater in Fort Wayne. Read more from WANE 15 here.

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Events 

Thursday, July 17th

🎨 Arts

• Hubble and Webb Space Telescopes: New Views of the Universe
  10:00 am – 4:00 pm @ Science Central
  $10 – $12

• Watercolors & Mononprints by Laura Barnhardt Corle; Otis Family Pottery
  10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ The Orchard Gallery of Fine Art
  Free

• 47th Members’ Showcase
  10:00 am – 8:00 pm @ Artlink
  Free

• Habatat International Glass 53rd Invitational
  10:00 am – 8:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
  $8 – $10

• Echoes of Home
  10:00 am – 8:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
  $8 – $10

• 20th Century Japanese Prints
  10:00 am – 8:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
  $8 – $10

• Weaving the Narrative: The Works of Dinh Q. Le
  10:00 am – 8:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
  $8 – $10

🎶 Music

• JacksonVibe
  11:30 am – 1:30 pm @ Freimann Square
  Free

• Chris Worth
  5:00 pm @ Monument Pizza Pub, Angola
  No cover

• Tom Koenig
  5:30 pm @ Vinland Reserve Winery
  Free

• Reload
  6:00 pm @ Paige's Crossing, Columbia City
  Free

• Alfie Jean & Fella Jack
  6:00 pm @ Sylvan Cellars, Rome City
  No cover

• Open Mic Night w/Chris Hambrick
  6:00 pm – 8:30 pm @ Country Heritage Winery
  Free

• Joe Hess
  6:30 pm @ Fort Wayne Zoo
  $25

• Jazz Jam (Featured)
  7:00 pm @ Sweetwater Sound
  Free

• Indy Annies (Featured – Nashville Thursdays)
  7:00 pm @ The Club Room at The Clyde
  No cover

• Open Mic w/David Vaides
  7:00 pm – 10:00 pm @ Hook & Ladder
  Free

• Quincy Sanders & Jim Jones
  7:30 pm @ Nick's
  No cover

• Tronic Thursdays
  10:00 pm @ O'Sullivan's
  No cover

🎉 Festival

• St. Joe Pickle Festival: Day 1
  10:00 am – 10:00 pm @ Riverdale Elementary School, St. Joe
  Free

• Lunch on the Square w/JacksonVibe
  11:30 am – 1:30 pm @ Freimann Square
  Free

• Concerts at The Crossing: Throwback Night w/Reload
  6:00 pm – 9:00 pm @ Paige's Crossing, Columbia City
  Free

• Rock & Roar w/Joe Hess
  6:30 pm – 9:30 pm @ Fort Wayne Zoo
  $25

🎭  Theater

• Steel Magnolias (Featured)
  7:00 pm @ Wagon Wheel Theatre, Warsaw
  $21 – $51

• Sweeney Todd
  7:30 pm @ Homestead High School
  $19.90 – $24.10

🛍️ Shopping

• Leo-Cedarville Farmers Market
  4:00 pm – 7:00 pm @ Leo-Cedarville Downtown Plaza
  Free

🎤 Special Events

• The Bringer Show
  7:00 pm @ Summit City Comedy Club
  $10

• The Barrel Room Karaoke Night
  7:00 pm – 10:00 pm @ The Fairfield
  Free

• Bobby McGee’s Trivia
  7:30 pm @ Bobby McGee's
  Free

🏀🏈Sports🏒⚾

🏒 The Fort Wayne Komets announced Tuesday that veterans Anthony Petruzzelli and Matt Murphy will return for the upcoming season. Petruzzelli has played 393 regular season games with the Komets, scoring 115 goals and assisting on 121. Murphy, a key defenseman during the Komets’ 2021 Kelly Cup win, skated with Fort Wayne, Cincinnati, and Tahoe last season, contributing 10 goals and 28 assists in 81 games. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🗓️ Tincaps Schedule

Fri, July 18
⚾ @ Lake County— 7:00 PM EDT

Sat, July 19
⚾ @ Lake County— 7:00 PM EDT

Sun, July 20
⚾ @ Lake County— 1:00 PM EDT

A Message from The Fort Wayne Update

Members make it possible.

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.

👉 Become a Fort Wayne Update Member