Fort Wayne Update June 17th

Good morning, Fort Wayne - Here’s your Update

— Jenny Sumangid & Jordan Bechtel
The Fort Wayne Update

Wednesday, June 17
Hi – 78° Low – 62° | ⛈ PM Storms → ⛈ Thunderstorms
A mild day begins with a mix of clouds and sunshine, but conditions become increasingly unsettled as scattered showers and thunderstorms develop later in the day. Temperatures reach around 78°F with breezy southwest winds of 10–20 mph. Thunderstorm chances increase significantly Wednesday night, with cloudy skies, periods of rain, and possible thunderstorms continuing as temperatures fall to around 62°F.

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Mayor Tucker Responds To Councilman’s Request Regarding Homeless Center
• Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker responded to City Council concerns about the proposed Anchor Resource Center and its funding timeline.
• Council had voted 5-3 to hold funding for the homeless services center until September, with one councilman requesting additional requirements before approval.
• The city addressed requests involving public input, site selection criteria, operating plan transparency, security planning, and a possible three-year exit option.
→ Read more from WANE

Construction Begins For Sonic Drive-In On Bass Road
• Builders broke ground Tuesday on a new Sonic Drive-In location off Bass Road in Fort Wayne.
• CME Construction held a kickoff event marking the start of remodeling work on an already built structure.
• The restaurant will be located next to a newly built Marathon station near a Bass Road roundabout.
→ Read more from WANE

Should Fort Wayne Start A Data Center Task Force?
• Three City Council resolutions related to a proposed data center task force and Google project sparked a response from Community Development Director Jonathan Leist.
• Leist said he is open to a task force but criticized the proposed structure for lacking staff input and suggested incorporating feedback from ongoing community tours.
• The dispute also includes disagreements over project agreements, funding use from land sales, and whether the Google data center is fully in compliance with city terms.
→ Read more from WANE

Bishop Luers High School Gifted $2M From Alumnus
• Bishop Luers High School announced a $2 million donation from alumnus John Ward of the Class of 1973 toward its capital campaign.
• The gift supports construction of a new auxiliary gym and Luers Fieldhouse as part of the school’s “Ignite the Spirit!” campaign announced in 2025.
• The donation includes a $1 million matching challenge created in memory of Ward’s late brother Michael Ward.
→ Read more from WANE

Veterans National Memorial Shrine Completes Columbarium Project
• The Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum in Fort Wayne has completed a columbarium project that began nearly five years ago.
• The structure includes 128 niches designed to hold the cremated remains of one veteran and one additional person per niche.
• Proceeds from niche sales will support the shrine’s endowment for long-term maintenance of the grounds.
→ Read more from WPTA

I&M Tower Falcon Egg Not Viable, Firework Show To Relocate
• Soarin’ Hawk Raptor Rehab reported that a second egg laid by Peregrine falcon Moxie at the I&M Tower has been deemed not viable by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
• The nest has been classified as failed, with officials citing the age of the falcons as a factor in ongoing non-viable eggs.
• The Fourth of July fireworks show will be moved to another downtown location to protect the falcons under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
→ Read more from WANE

JK O’Donnell’s Hosting World Cup Watch Parties Throughout The Tournament
• JK O’Donnell’s Irish Ale House in Fort Wayne will host World Cup watch parties during the entire tournament.
• Games will be shown in the pub and on The Pitch using 100-plus-inch projectors.
• The venue says schedules and additional details for each match will be posted on its Facebook page.
→ Read more from WPTA

Bald Eagle Arrives At Fort Wayne Zoo
• The Fort Wayne Zoo has welcomed a bald eagle named Liberty, who is currently in quarantine before moving into a new habitat in the Australia section.
• Zoo staff said Liberty will undergo about 30 days of health monitoring to ensure he is disease-free before his public debut.
• A second bald eagle named Spirit is expected to join him, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony planned for July 1.
→ Read more from WANE

Children Sustain Life Threatening Injuries After Northeast Fort Wayne Crash
• Fort Wayne Police responded Monday evening to a three-car crash at Vance Avenue and Hobson Road involving multiple heavily damaged vehicles.
• Investigators said a vehicle traveling east on Vance Avenue allegedly ran a red light and struck two other vehicles in the intersection.
• Four people were injured, including two children who were hospitalized with one in life-threatening condition and one in critical condition.
→ Read more from WANE

20-Year-Old Fort Wayne Motorcyclist ID’d In Fatal I-69 Crash
• Authorities identified the victim of a late-night I-69 crash as 20-year-old Fort Wayne man Payton James Thomas.
• Investigators said the motorcycle veered into the median and struck a cable barrier near the GM Fort Wayne Assembly Plant at the 297 mile marker.
• The Allen County Coroner ruled the death an accident, marking the 18th traffic fatality in the county this year.
→ Read more from WPTA

*Sam Snyder Makes Every Step Clear ✔️
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• With Sam Snyder guiding the process, you always know what comes next—no confusion, no guesswork.
• From preparing your home for sale to negotiating offers or finding the right property, Sam handles each step with precision and care.
• Backed by 150+ deals and 10 years of experience, he’s helped Fort Wayne clients move forward with confidence time and time again.
• His “Rx for an uncomplicated move” approach keeps things simple, organized, and stress-free.
→ Call or text Sam Snyder at 260-466-2595 or visit his website to take the next step with clarity.

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Trump White House Ballroom Cost Reportedly Climbs To $600 Million
• Internal cost estimates reviewed by The Washington Post put the White House ballroom project at up to $600 million.
• The report said about $293 million would come from private donors, with the remaining costs covered by taxpayer funds.
• President Donald Trump has continued to say the project is funded by himself and private donors, while legal challenges over construction remain ongoing.

Why it matters here:
Major federal construction projects funded with public money can influence national spending priorities and become key issues in election debates over government costs and accountability.

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

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

2026 Summer Selections
8:00 am – 9:00 pm @ PFW Visual Arts Gallery — Free

Austin Beale
9:00 am – 3:00 pm @ Dash-In — Free

Workers Behind the Wheels Gallery
9:00 am – 5:00 pm @ Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum — $10–$15

Fort Wayne Artists Guild 48th Annual Ventures in Creativity
9:00 am – 5:00 pm @ USF Rolland Art Center — Free

Color In Motion
10:00 am – 5:00 pm @ Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory — $5–$7

Julie Wall: Grounded In Light
10:00 am – 5:00 pm @ Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory — $5–$7

The Art of Ezra Tucker
10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art — $8–$10

Chuck Sperry: Archetypes
10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art — $8–$10

The Fashion of Art Deco: Lifestyle in the Jazz Age
10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art — $8–$10

Kim Lanoue: Pastel Paintings
10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ The Orchard Gallery of Fine Art — Free

American Regionalism & Images of the Heartland
10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art — $8–$10

All Gone Blue
6:00 pm @ Union 12 — Free

Q & The Cold Fusion
7:00 pm @ The Club Room at The Clyde — Free

Cold w/Sierra Swan, Maciann
7:00 pm @ Century Music Hall — $28.03

Hubie Ashcraft Trio
7:00 pm @ Indian Trails Park — Free

The Barrel Room Open Mic w/Chris Hambrick
7:00 pm – 10:00 pm @ Pinhouse Social at The Fairfield — Free

Star 69
8:00 pm @ Whitley County Courthouse Square — Free

Union 12 Food Truck Night: Health Care Heroes
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm @ Union 12 — Free

Old Settlers’ Days: Day 2
5:00 pm – 10:30 pm @ Whitley County Courthouse Square — Free

Open Mic Night
7:00 pm @ Summit City Comedy Club — Free

Monty Python’s Spamalot
7:30 pm @ Embassy Theatre — $46.70–$88.05

Deer Park Karaoke
9:00 pm @ Deer Park Irish Pub — Free

Bootlegger's Saloon Karaoke w/KC Ramone
9:00 pm @ Bootlegger's Saloon — Free

Wed, June 17th⚾
TinCaps vs. South Bend — 7:05 PM EDT

Thu, June 18th⚾
TinCaps vs. South Bend — 7:05 PM EDT

Fri, June 19th⚾
TinCaps vs. South Bend — 7:05 PM EDT

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— The Fort Wayne Update