Today’s Weather

Thursday, June 26
Hi – 90° Low – 73° | 🌤️ Mostly Sunny with a Stray Storm | Wind WSW 5–10 mph (day), SSW 5–10 mph (night)
Thursday will be hot and mostly sunny, with just a slight chance of a stray shower or storm in the afternoon. Highs reach 90°F with moderate humidity at 69%. Winds stay light from the west-southwest, and the UV index is very high, so sun protection is a must. Thursday night will be partly cloudy and warm, with a low around 73°F. Humidity increases to 81% with light winds from the south-southwest.

In today’s edition:

🐊 5-Foot Alligator Caught in Fort Wayne Neighborhood

🌡️ Fort Wayne Offers HVAC Loan Program to Residents

🔥 Fire Chief Answers Public Safety Concerns at Council Meeting

🎬 AMC 18 Jefferson Pointe Temporarily Closed for Repairs

🏙️ City Council Delays Vote on Urban Trail Funding

🛣️ Kirkwood Park, Other Neighborhoods Get Millions for Road Repairs

👕 Pie’s Clothing Closet Hosts Free Clothing Giveaway

🍔 Culver’s Supports Local Veterans with Honor Flight Fundraiser

🚲 Fort Wayne Family Gets Specialized Bike for 7-Year-Old Son

Sports

⚾ Butterworth’s Walk-Off Walk Wins It for TinCaps

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📰News

🐊 Fort Wayne Animal Care & Control officers captured a 5-foot alligator last week after a resident reported spotting it in a neighborhood. Officers safely secured the gator and arranged for it to be relocated to a rescue center, where it arrived on Saturday. The center was not named, but officials said the animal would live out its life in an environment similar to its natural habitat. FWACC reminded residents that owning a pet alligator is illegal in Fort Wayne and New Haven, and permits are required outside city limits. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🌡️ The City of Fort Wayne is now accepting applications for its Heating & Air Conditioning Program, offering zero-interest loans to eligible homeowners for new HVAC system installation. Loans are secured by a mortgage and repaid over 10 years, with installations possibly taking up to six months. Applicants must live within city limits, own and reside in the home, and meet income guidelines (up to $72,000 for a family of four). Funding is limited and provided by HUD. Applications and more information on the program can be accessed online here. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🔥Fort Wayne Fire Chief Eric Lahey responded to questions about firefighter staffing, funding, and safety. The firefighter’s union has pushed for his resignation, saying crews are overworked and rigs are sometimes shut down. Lahey said the department is close to its goal of 370 firefighters and is working to fix staffing issues. He explained that while rigs sometimes run with fewer crew members, response times are still strong, and the public is not in danger. He also said the department has enough funding and is well-equipped. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🎬 AMC Jefferson Pointe 18 is temporarily closed due to HVAC repairs. The closure comes amid high temperatures to ensure guest and staff safety. There’s no set date for reopening, but AMC says the theater will reopen once repairs are finished.
Read more from WANE 15 here.

🏙️ Fort Wayne City Council delayed a vote on more than $1.6 million in funding for a new section of the Urban Trail along Superior Street, between Clinton and Lafayette streets. The ordinance also includes ADA upgrades, pedestrian lighting, and landscaping. Councilmembers requested more time to review funding sources, as the current plan uses local income tax dollars. Council President Russ Jehl expects the final version to use downtown-specific funding instead. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🛣️ Fort Wayne City Council approved over $6.7 million for street resurfacing in Kirkwood Park, Southwest Waynedale, and Westchester. Kirkwood Park alone will receive $2.1 million for street repairs, drainage, and possible driveway work. The projects are partly funded by a $1.5 million state grant. Read more from WANE 15 here.

👕 Pie’s Clothing Closet held its annual clothing giveaway for local families in need on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 24–25, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event took place at Miss Virginia’s Food Bank, 1312 S Hanna St., just south of downtown Fort Wayne. On Wednesday, Feeding the Hungry Ministry handed out 100 sack lunches to attendees. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🍔 On Wednesday, June 25, ten area Culver’s locations held a fundraiser to support Honor Flight Northeast Indiana, donating 20% of sales to help send veterans to Washington, D.C. The Honor Flight program offers free day trips for veterans of World War II through Vietnam to visit national monuments honoring their service. Fundraising hours ran from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. at two Fort Wayne locations, and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at eight others across northeast Indiana. Three more flights are scheduled for late 2025, and applications remain open for veterans and guardians. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🚲 The Miller family of Fort Wayne met their $5,700 fundraising goal in March and recently received a specialized bike for their 7-year-old son, Caleb, who has cerebral palsy and Jansen de Vries Syndrome. Provided through The Great Bike Giveaway, the new Josi Jogging Stroller offers better comfort, mobility, and sun protection. The family assembled it themselves and is already enjoying more outdoor activities together. They plan to use it at places like the Fort Wayne Zoo and Rivergreenway Trail. Read more from WANE 15 here.

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Events 

Thursday, June 26th

🎨 Arts

• Charles Yang: Fermata
  8:00 am – 5:00 pm @ Honeywell Center – Clark Gallery (Wabash)
  Free

• PFW Summer Selections Exhibition
  8:00 am – 9:00 pm @ PFW Visual Arts Gallery
  Free

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

• Truthful Illusions: Realism in the Age of Abstraction
  10:00 am – 8:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
  $5 – $10

• My PURSEonal Favorites
  10:00 am – 8:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
  $5 – $10

• FAILE: A Riot of Existence, Wishing on You
  10:00 am – 8:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
  $5 – $10

• 47th Members’ Showcase at Artlink
  10:00 am – July 27 at 8:00 pm @ Artlink
  Free

🎶 Music

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

• Dan Smyth
  5:30 pm @ Vinland Reserve Winery
  Free

• The DeeBees
  6:00 pm @ Paige’s Crossing
  Free

• Grateful Groove (The Pregame Concert Series)
  6:05 pm @ Parkview Field
  $9 – $21

• The Bulldogs
  7:00 pm @ South Whitley Town Park
  Free

• The New York Bee Gees (Featured)
  7:00 pm @ Eagles Theatre (Wabash)
  $29

• Mississinewa Valley Band (Honeywell Summer Plaza Series) (Featured)
  7:00 pm @ Honeywell Center (Wabash)
  Free

• Rylie Lynn Band
  7:00 pm @ Parlor City Plaza (Bluffton)
  Free

• Joe Hess Band (Nashville Thursdays) (Featured)
  7:00 pm @ The Club Room at The Clyde
  No cover

• Mike Neglia & The Nobles
  7:00 pm @ Nick’s
  No cover

• Fort Wayne Philharmonic: Patriotic Pops (Featured)
  7:30 pm @ Pokagon State Park (Angola)
  Free

• All Under Heaven w/ Precious Neophyte, Necromoon, Seventh Cloud
  9:00 pm @ The Brass Rail
  $15 – $17

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

🐾 Tours

• Fort Wayne Zoo
  9:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Zoo
  $22 – $24

• Black Pine Sanctuary
  1:00 pm – 4:00 pm @ Black Pine Animal Sanctuary (Albion)
  $10 – $17.50

🎓Workshops

• Urban Golf Youth Clinic
  10:00 am – 12:00 pm @ The Fairfield
  $3 – $60

🎭 Theater

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

🎉 Festivals

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

• Concerts at The Crossing: Car Cruise-In Night w/ The DeeBees
  6:00 pm – 9:00 pm @ Paige's Crossing (Columbia City)
  Free

🛍️ Shopping

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

🎶 Special Events

• Tread the Trails
  6:00 pm @ Turnstone Center
  Free

• 2Toms Trivia Night
  7:00 pm @ 2Toms Brewing Company
  Free

• Comedy Death Match
  7:00 pm @ Summit City Comedy Club
  $10 – $16

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

• Karaoke Night w/ PK Houston
  9:30 pm @ Latch String Bar & Grill
  No cover

🏀🏈Sports🏒⚾

⚾ Brandon Butterworth drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth, lifting the TinCaps to an 8–7 win over the Great Lakes Loons in the opener of their six-game series at Parkview Field. The TinCaps set a new franchise record by drawing 16 walks in the game. Leo De Vries led with four, while Rosman Verdugo and Brandon Durfee each added three. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🗓️ Tincaps Schedule

Thu, June 26
⚾ vs Great Lakes— 7:05 PM EDT

Fri, June 27
⚾ vs Great Lakes— 7:05 PM EDT

Sat, June 28
⚾ vs Great Lakes— 6:35 PM EDT

Sun, June 29
⚾ vs Great Lakes— 1:05 PM EDT

🗓️ Fort Wayne FC Schedule

Sat, June 28
⚽ vs Atlas FC U-23— 7:00 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