Fort Wayne Update June 26th

Good morning, Fort Wayne - Here’s your Update

— Jenny Sumangid & Jordan Bechtel
The Fort Wayne Update

Friday, June 26
Hi – 78° Low – 59° | ⛅ Partly Cloudy → ☁️ Mostly Cloudy
A pleasant summer day with mostly sunny skies and comfortable temperatures reaching around 78°F. Light southwest winds and moderate humidity will make for enjoyable conditions outdoors, though the UV index remains very high during peak afternoon hours. Clouds gradually increase through the evening, leading to mostly cloudy skies overnight with a mild low near 59°F.

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Slate Auto Begins Taking Preorders For $25,000 Electric Pickup Truck
• Slate Auto has opened preorders for its customizable two seat electric pickup truck.
• The company plans to build a production facility in Warsaw that is expected to create 2,000 jobs in Kosciusko County.
• Prices start at $25,000 and first customer deliveries are expected by the end of 2026.
→ Read more from WPTA

Greek Fest Returns To Headwaters Park
• Greek Fest runs Thursday through Sunday at Headwaters Park with authentic food, live music, and traditional dance performances.
• Admission is free until 3 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with free entry all day Sunday, and children 12 and younger enter free.
• Organized by Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, the festival is celebrating its 46th year in Fort Wayne.
→ Read more from WANE

Fort Wayne Receives $500,000 EPA Brownfields Grant
• The City of Fort Wayne received a $500,000 Brownfields Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
• The funding will support environmental assessments and cleanup planning for former commercial and industrial sites.
• City officials said the grant will help prepare blighted properties for redevelopment and create new economic opportunities.
→ Read more from WPTA

Student Led Summit Addresses Youth Violence
•Fort Wayne Community Schools students met with local leaders Thursday at First Wayne Street United Methodist Church.
•The Community Youth Summit focused on youth violence, its root causes, personal impacts, and ways to promote peace.
•The event was part of the Alive Community Outreach Peacemaker Academy and was organized with Fort Wayne Community Schools, Alive Community Outreach, and Big Hearts Community Projects.
→ Read more from WANE

The Lutheran Foundation Breaks Ground On New Headquarters
•The Lutheran Foundation held a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday for a new headquarters on the campus of Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne.
•The 8,500 square foot facility will include executive offices, meeting spaces, a boardroom, a conference room, and a multipurpose room for community events and programs.
•Design Collaborative is providing architectural services, and CME Construction will manage construction of the project.
→ Read more from WPTA

Electric Works Events To Be Managed By New Team
• Event planner Kelly Geiser is taking over management of events at the Electric Works campus.
• The campus continues to host a variety of public events and private business meetings.
• Officials expect Vera Bradley to begin moving its headquarters to Electric Works before the end of the year.
→ Read more from WPTA

Josephine’s Place Women’s Shelter Rebrands To Reach More Women
• St. Joseph Missions has officially rebranded as Josephine’s Place Women’s Shelter to better reflect its services for single women experiencing homelessness.
• Leaders said the previous name often caused confusion among donors, partners, and women seeking assistance about who the organization serves.
• The shelter has served more than 500 women since opening in 2021 and will continue providing housing and support services from its Lake Avenue location.
→ Read more from WANE

FWPD Officer Fired For Improper Conduct
•Officer Zachary A. Chapman was terminated in June 2026 following what disciplinary documents described as an inappropriate transaction with a citizen who had diminished mental capacity.
•Chapman joined the Fort Wayne Police Department in August 2016 and primarily served C Shift operations on the city's northeast side.
•Department records show he previously received Letters of Commendation in 2021 and 2023 and had no other documented disciplinary history.
→ Read more from WPTA

Coroner Identifies Man Killed Days After Fight In Fort Wayne Neighborhood
• The Allen County Coroner identified the victim as 61-year-old Wayne Andrew Foster of Fort Wayne.
• Foster died Tuesday from complications of head injuries sustained during a physical altercation on June 11 in the 2000 block of Nelson Street.
• The coroner ruled the death a homicide, and the case remains under investigation.
→ Read more from WANE

Fort Wayne Police Seek Help In Fatal Hit And Run Investigation
•Investigators are asking for information about a fatal hit and run that occurred in the 6700 block of Maysville Road.
•Police believe the crash happened between 11:30 p.m. on June 18 and 3:15 a.m. on June 19 near Lake Forest Drive.
•The victim was identified as 49 year old Donsia Lamont Kizer and no suspect has been identified.
→ Read more from WANE

Indiana Marks One Month With Nation's Cheapest Gas
• Governor Mike Braun said Indiana has had the lowest gas prices in the United States for one month.
• The governor said the savings followed his decision to suspend the state's gasoline usage tax and excise tax.
• According to AAA, Indiana gas prices have remained about 60 cents below the national average and drivers have saved more than 61 cents per gallon.
→ Read more from WPTA

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Great American State Fair Opens On National Mall In Washington
• The 16 day fair organized by Freedom250 features pavilions representing all 50 states and U.S. territories along with attractions, performances and a 110 foot Ferris wheel.
• Several states declined to organize official booths due to cost concerns, though volunteer groups are representing those states at the event.
• Visitors can explore state themed exhibits, rodeo and charro shows, AI powered history displays and a variety of traditional fair foods.

Why it matters here:
Large scale tourism and cultural events like this often influence how states market themselves, attract visitors and showcase local industries, ideas that communities across the country continue to adopt.

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

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

Kaleigh Middelkoop: Collective
9:00 am – 3:00 pm @ Dash-In — Free

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

Artlink Members Showcase
10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Artlink — Free

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

Habatat International Glass 54th Invitational
10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art — $8–$10

From Gesture to Geometry: American Abstract Artists
10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art — $8–$10

Ron Rumbaugh
2:00 pm @ StoryPoint Fort Wayne West — Free

Cole Swindell w/ Greylan James, Jordan Dane Johnson & The Hubie Ashcraft Band
4:00 pm @ Sylvan Cellars — $85

The DeeBees
6:00 pm @ Hilton Garden Inn North Patio — Free

#IYKYK
6:00 pm @ Country Heritage Winery — Free

JacksonVibe
6:00 pm @ Vinland Reserve Winery — Free

Misha Thomas & Eric Adams
6:30 pm @ Charlie's Place — Free

Lacey Jane Band
6:30 pm @ Two-EE's Winery — No Cover

Man of the Flood
7:00 pm @ The Landing — Free

The Hubie Ashcraft Band
7:00 pm @ Eley Memorial Park — Free

Summit City Honey
7:00 pm @ Dynamo Alley at Electric Works — Free

Purple Thriller: Michael Jackson vs. Prince
7:30 pm @ Redwood Inn

Chris Worth
7:30 pm @ Nick's Martini & Wine Bar — Free

Yacht Party
7:30 pm @ Fort Wayne Zoo — $25

Yachtley Crew
8:00 pm @ The Clyde Theatre — $36.25

Ty Causey
8:00 pm @ The Club Room at The Clyde — Free

Holiday Hours
8:30 pm @ Deer Park Irish Pub — No Cover

Public Figure w/ Mourning Glory & Little Good
9:00 pm @ The Brass Rail — $7

Peachtree
9:30 pm @ Latch String Bar & Grill — $5

Todd Harrold Band
10:00 pm @ O'Sullivan's — Free

Allen County Fair: Day 4
9:00 am – 10:00 pm @ Allen County Fairgrounds — $2–$10

Fort Wayne Greek Festival
11:00 am – 11:00 pm @ Headwaters Park — $3–$12

Avilla Freedom Festival: Day 2
4:00 pm – 11:00 pm @ Eley Memorial Park — Free

Bikes on Bricks
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm @ Dynamo Alley at Electric Works — Free

Carousel
7:00 pm @ Wagon Wheel Theatre — $25–$55

Just A Few of Our Friends: A Stephen Sondheim Revue
7:00 pm @ Churubusco Jr.-Sr. High School — $10–$15

Disney's High School Musical Jr.
7:00 pm @ Embassy Theatre — $9.35–$16

Roanoke Farmers Market
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm @ Downtown Roanoke Main Street — Free

Belly Dancing on the Patio
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm @ Pedal City — $20

AJ's Karaoke w/ Ultimate Karaoke Company
8:00 pm @ AJ's Bar and Grill — Free

Fri, June 26th⚾
TinCaps @ Lake County — 7:00 PM EDT

Sat, June 27th⚾
TinCaps @ Lake County — 7:00 PM EDT

Sun, June 28th⚾
TinCaps @ Lake County — 1:00 PM EDT

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— The Fort Wayne Update