Today’s Weather

Friday, May 23
Hi – 62° Low – 38° | ⛅ Partly Cloudy | Wind WNW 10–20 mph (day), NW 10–20 mph (night)
Start your Friday with some clouds, but don’t worry partial sunshine will peek through by afternoon. Expect a comfortable high near 62°F with steady winds from the west-northwest at 10 to 20 mph, keeping things fresh and breezy. As evening falls, skies clear up nicely, dropping to a crisp 38°F overnight with northwest winds continuing at 10 to 20 mph. Perfect weather to enjoy some outdoor time before settling in under clear skies.

In today’s edition:

🕊️ Fort Wayne Family Laid to Rest After Tragic Train Accident

📉 Paper Straw Maker to Close in Fort Wayne, 53 Jobs Lost

📈 Valbruna Slater Stainless to Expand Fort Wayne Plant, Add Jobs

🏟️ Snider High School Breaks Ground on New Stadium

💦 Millions Approved for Fort Wayne Aquatic Center Project

🛝 New $148K Playground Coming to Fox Island County Park

🦭 Fort Wayne Zoo to Debut Reimagined Coastal Cove Exhibit

🚴 iCan Bike Camp 2025 is rolling into Fort Wayne

🛠️ Fort Wayne wants your input for the Waynedale 2040 Plan

💼 Fort Wayne woman sentenced in COVID-19 loan fraud case

Sports

🌧️ TinCaps vs. Kernels game postponed due to rain

📰News

🕊️Three members of a Fort Wayne family; Intisar Mi (5), O Ny Zar (34), and Ram Masan (50) who were killed by a train in Fremont, Ohio, have been buried together in accordance with their Islamic traditions. The burial took place Wednesday at the Muslim Community Help Center Cemetery Association. A fourth victim, 1-year-old Arti Kar, remains hospitalized. Read more from WANE 15 here.

📉Hoffmaster Group will permanently close its Fort Wayne plant at 7310 Innovation Boulevard in November, resulting in 53 job losses. A WARN notice was filed with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development on May 13. Read more from WANE 15 here.

📈Valbruna Slater Stainless will invest $28 million to expand its facility in Fort Wayne, adding 15 to 20 new full-time jobs. The plant, which supplies the defense and aerospace industries, has a history dating back to the 1890s. The company, now part of Italy-based Valbruna, has steadily grown since acquiring the plant in 2004. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🏟️Snider High School held a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday for its first dedicated football stadium. The 4,400-seat multi-use facility will support football, soccer, track, and marching band events. It will include a vented rubber track, synthetic turf, new restrooms, concessions, and additional parking. Construction is expected to wrap up by fall 2026, with a grand opening celebration planned. Read more from WANE 15 here.

💦The Capital Improvement Board has approved $5 million in contingent funding for a new aquatic center in Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne Swim and Wellness is leading the $54.4 million project, partnering with North Allen Community Schools and aiming to address overcrowded and outdated swim facilities. The center will feature an Olympic trials pool, therapy pool, warm water pool, and more. NACS is contributing $38 million, and FWSW has already raised $3.41 million. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🛝 A new $148,505 playground is coming to Fox Island County Park as part of recovery efforts from 2022 storm damage. Approved by the Allen County Parks and Recreation Board, the pod-style playground will feature three separate play areas. Funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, construction is set to begin this fall. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🦭The Fort Wayne Zoo will unveil its expanded sea lion exhibit, Coastal Cove, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday. The updated exhibit includes a larger beach, new shade structures, advanced water filtration, and enhanced monitoring. It now features a shared habitat for California sea lions and harbor seals, a first in zoo history. The 88,000-gallon water space will allow for more animals, with plans to add two more harbor seals next year. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🚴 The Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Indiana is preparing for iCan Bike Camp 2025, set for June 9–13 at Turnstone in Fort Wayne. The camp helps individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities learn to ride a two-wheel bike while building confidence and independence. Registration for riders is open, and volunteers are needed to assist campers throughout the week. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🛠️ The City of Fort Wayne is inviting residents to help shape the Waynedale 2040 Plan, a long-term vision for the area's growth and redevelopment. Free public events featuring complimentary food for the first 100 attendees are scheduled for June 9, June 11, July 10, and July 24 at various locations. The plan will focus on key topics like historic preservation, economic development, housing, and public safety. Read more from WFFT here.

💼 Rakita Davis, 45, has been sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to repay over $55,000 for COVID-19 loan fraud. Rakita pleaded guilty to wire fraud after falsely claiming she ran a catering business to receive two PPP loans in 2021. At the time, Davis was employed by the IRS and used the loan funds for personal expenses, including jewelry, vacations, and luxury car rentals. Restitution will be paid to the Small Business Administration. Read more from WANE 15 here.

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Events 

Friday, May 23rd

🎨 Arts

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

• Chautauqua Plein Air Paint Out and Demonstration
  9:00 am – 4:00 pm @ Oakwood Resort
  Free

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

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

• Grace Yencer: Gentle Turning
  10:00 am – 5:00 pm @ Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory
  $5 – $7

• My PURSEonal Favorites
  10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
  $8 – $10

• FAILE: A Riot of Existence, Wishing on You
  10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
  $8 – $10

• Matt Plett: Too Big To Hold
  10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Artlink
  Free admission

• Heads Up: Current Approaches to Portraiture
  10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Artlink
  Free admission

• Whitney Sage: Traces, Remnants & Recollections
  10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Artlink
  Free admission

• Suzie Emley’s Oil Paintings & Julie Langensiepen’s Soft Sculpture
  10:00 am – 6:00 pm @ The Orchard Gallery of Fine Art
  Free admission

• Truthful Illusions: Realism in the Age of Abstraction
  11:00 am – 6:00 pm @ Fort Wayne Museum of Art
  $8 – $10

• Highlights from the Collection
  5:00 pm – 8:00 pm @ Garrett Museum of Art
  Free admission

🎶 Music

• Ross Kinsey
  5:00 pm – 8:00 pm @ La Dolce Vita
  No cover

• Sunny Taylor
  6:00 pm – 9:00 pm @ Sylvan Cellars
  No cover

• Jordan Bridges
  6:00 pm – 9:00 pm @ Vinland Reserve Winery
  No cover

• Cassie Beer
  6:00 pm – 9:00 pm @ Country Heritage Winery
  Free

• F.A.M.E. Night of Celebration
  7:00 pm @ Embassy Theatre
  $10

• Kara Cole
  7:00 pm – 10:00 pm @ Hartland Winery
  No cover

• Eden
  8:00 pm @ The Club Room at The Clyde
  No cover

• Mammoth WVH with Nita Strauss
  8:00 pm @ The Clyde Theatre
  $27.50 – $45

• Drayton Farley
  8:00 pm @ Piere's
  $17.50

🦒 Tours

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

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

• Glo Wild
  6:30 pm – 9:30 pm @ Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo
  $20 – $25

🛍️ Shopping

• Harlan Days Spring Craft & Vendor Market
  3:00 pm – 7:00 pm @ Harlan Community Park
  Free

🎤 Special Events

• Billy Gardell
  7:00 pm @ Summit City Comedy Club
  $27 – $37

• Karaoke Night
  9:30 pm @ Latch String Bar & Grill
  No cover

🏀🏈Sports🏒⚾

🌧️Wednesday night’s TinCaps game against the Cedar Rapids Kernels was postponed due to weather. It will be made up as part of a doubleheader on Friday, May 23, starting at 5:35 p.m. with two seven-inning games at Parkview Field. Tickets from the postponed game can be used for any remaining game this season, subject to availability. The TinCaps’ 12-game homestand continues, including Fort Wayne Wizards Night on Thursday. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🗓️ Tincaps Schedule

Fri, May 23
⚾ @ Cedar Rapids — 7:05 PM EDT

Sat, May 24
⚾ @ Cedar Rapids — 6:35 PM EDT

Sun, May 25
⚾ @ Cedar Rapids — 6:35 PM EDT