Fort Wayne Update March 5th

Good morning, Fort Wayne - Here’s your Update

— Jenny Sumangid & Jordan Bechtel
The Fort Wayne Update

Thursday, March 5
Hi – 61° Low – 48° | 🌧 Showers → 🌦 Scattered Showers
Expect a rainy day with a high near 61°F and W winds at 10–15 mph, as rain showers move through with a 60% chance of precipitation. Tonight, scattered showers continue with a low around 48°F, SSW winds at 5–10 mph, and humidity rising to 77%—a cozy evening for indoor plans or watching the waning gibbous moon peek through breaks in the clouds.

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Power Restored To 1,000 Customers After Outage
• Nearly 1,000 Indiana Michigan Power customers lost electricity Wednesday morning near State Road 930 and Maplecrest Road.
• Power was fully restored by 10:30 a.m. following an initial restoration estimate of 1 p.m.
• The outage resulted from a vehicle crash that downed a power line and caused significant traffic backups.
→ Read more from WANE

Families Seek Support Following Deadly Fort Wayne Duplex Fire
• A child identified as Briella died and her mother was severely injured in an overnight fire on Sterling Street.
• A GoFundMe has been set up to help with Briella’s funeral and memorial expenses, as well as short-term support for her family.
• A neighbor couple was also displaced by the blaze after losing their home and belongings of more than 20 years.
• A GoFundMe has been set up for them as well. It will help with covering their basic necessities, temporary housing, and rebuilding costs.
→ Read more from WPTA

Fort Wayne City Utilities Breaks Ground On Bullerman Drain Project
• The reconstruction of the ditch between Maplecrest Road and Maple Terrace Drive aims to protect over 100 homes from flooding.
• Engineering crews will reroute water to a nearby retention pond to increase drainage capacity and move water more efficiently.
• The yearlong project includes the restoration of 7.5 acres of native wetland habitat and the addition of a walking trail.
→ Read more from WPTA

Fort Wayne International Airport Opens New Long-Term Parking Section
• A new section has been added to the long-term parking lot to accommodate a growing number of passengers during the busy travel season.
• Travelers can access the terminal via a new paved walkway or by calling for a free shuttle ride.
• The airport is providing real-time parking availability updates on its social media platforms.
→ Read more from WFFT

New Online Tool Helps Northeast Indiana Students Find Financial Aid
• The Questa Education Foundation has launched the Questa Compass Fund Finder to connect learners with scholarships and grants.
• The digital platform is designed to help students, adult learners, and families overcome financial barriers to postsecondary education.
• Development of the tool was supported by the Don Wood Foundation, NIPSCO, the NiSource Charitable Foundation, and BT Pro Solutions.
→ Read more from WFFT

Republican Candidate For Indiana Senate Calls For Statewide Spending Audit
• Darren Vogt announced the Great Hoosier Audit to conduct an independent review of Indiana state government for waste and fraud.
• The proposed plan would utilize AI-driven data tools and increased investigators to analyze the state's $22 billion General Fund budget.
• Incumbent Senator Liz Brown criticized the proposal and cited her own recently passed laws that address fraud and government transparency.
→ Read more from WANE

Lutheran Health Network Hosts Annual Jars Of Love Peanut Butter Drive
• The donation drive aims to collect 7,000 jars of peanut or other nut butters by March 30 for six area food banks.
• Organizers are targeting these specific items because they are high in nutritional value yet among the least donated products.
• Donation bins are located at all Lutheran Health Network hospitals, physician offices, and several local YMCA branches.
→ Read more from WPTA

Fort Wayne Police Department Reports Decrease In Overdoses
• Fatal overdoses dropped by 12% and non-fatal overdoses decreased by 23% from 2024 to 2025.
• The Hope and Recovery Team distributed more than 900 units of Narcan and received 2,760 total referrals last year.
• Outreach efforts included over 80 visits to hotels and unhoused encampments to provide treatment resources and support.
→ Read more from WPTA

Seventeen-Year-Old Wanted In Fort Wayne Homicide Arrested
• Mariah Franklin faces charges of felony murder and attempted armed robbery for the January shooting death of 19-year-old Damion Jacobs.
• The shooting occurred during a reported robbery attempt where Franklin allegedly fired a shot that struck her accomplice as the victim tried to drive away.
• A second woman remains charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly discarding evidence and cleaning blood from the vehicle used in the incident.
→ Read more from WPTA

Seventeen-Year-Old Charged In Deadly Cell Phone Sale Shooting
• Mariah Franklin faces felony murder and attempted robbery charges for a January shooting that killed her accomplice, Damion Jacobs.
• The incident occurred during a meeting with a buyer from Michigan where Franklin allegedly brandished a handgun and demanded the driver's belongings.
• Investigators used witness interviews and cell phone data to identify Franklin as the person who fired the fatal shot as the driver attempted to flee.
→ Read more from WFFT

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Iran War Disrupts Global Shipping, Raising Costs for Goods and Pharmaceuticals
• About 3,200 ships are stalled in the Persian Gulf, blocking oil, fertilizers, semiconductors, and other global cargo.
• Airlines and airports in the Middle East are closed, delaying perishable and high-value shipments like pharmaceuticals and electronics.
• Shipping companies are rerouting vessels around Africa and adding fuel and war-risk surcharges, increasing costs for goods worldwide.

Why it matters here:
Local prices for everyday items, medicine, and electronics could rise as global supply chains face longer delays and higher transportation costs.

→ 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

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

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

Living in Theory
10:00 am – 8:00 pm @ Artlink — Free

Between Light & Shadow
10:00 am – 8:00 pm @ Artlink — Free

Sticking Together
10:00 am – 8:00 pm @ Artlink — Free

2026 Scholastic Art & Writing Award Winners
10:00 am – 8:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art — $8–$10

Art Will Set You Free: Portraits of Lives Affected by Incarceration
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm @ First Presbyterian Gallery — Free

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

Brandon Lake (Contemporary Christian)
7:00 pm @ Memorial Coliseum

Tartan Terrors (Celtic)
7:00 pm @ Eagles Theatre — $28–$48

StraitJack (Country)
7:00 pm @ The Club Room at The Clyde — Free

‘Fort’issmo Opera: All’s Fair in Love, War & Opera (Opera)
7:00 pm @ 2Toms Brewing Company — Free

PFW Faculty Recital: Dr. Matthew Giallongo w/ Ellen Boll (Variety)
7:30 pm @ PFW Rhinehart Recital Hall — $5–$8

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

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

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

Comedy Open Mic (18+)
7:30 pm @ Draft Taproom — Free

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

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

— The Fort Wayne Update