Thursday, October 16
Hi – 68° Low – 45° | ☀️ Mostly Sunny → 🌙 Mostly Clear
Bright and pleasant with sunshine and a high near 68°F, plus a light east breeze ideal for outdoor errands or a relaxing lunch outside. Tonight stays mostly clear with a few late clouds and a cool low around 45°F.

🌽 Get Lost At Kurtz Produce Corn Maze And Pumpkin Patch

🏬 New Academy Store In Fort Wayne To Create 60 Local Jobs

🎶 Family-Friendly Day Of The Dead Concert Set For Fort Wayne

🚚 Semi Blocks I-469 Traffic To Help Fellow Driver

🏠 Airbnb Host Calls Gang Activity A Fluke, Police Disagree

🌆 Fort Wayne Promises Same Service Amid Tight Budget

🕊️ Mayor Tucker Updates Youth Violence Prevention Program

🏈 Concordia Student Honored At Colts vs. Raiders Game

🌽 Kurtz Produce in Allen County is celebrating fall with its 2025 corn maze and u-pick pumpkin patch. The 24-acre maze, created in collaboration with the Fort Wayne Zoo for its 60th anniversary, is open Fridays through Sundays in October. Admission to the maze is $5 per person, and kids four and under get in free. The pumpkin patch is pay-what-you-pick. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🏬 Academy Sports + Outdoors will open its first Fort Wayne store in November 2025 at 614 East Coliseum Boulevard, the former Kittle’s Furniture site. The 53,325-square-foot store will feature sports and outdoor gear from brands like Nike, adidas, and Jordan, along with Academy’s own Magellan Outdoors and BCG lines. The new location will create about 60 local jobs, with applications available at careers.academy.com. Read more from WFFT here.

🎶 The Fort Wayne Philharmonic will open its Family Series with a free Día De Los Muertos concert on Saturday, October 18, at the PFW Music Center. The event features music from across Latin America and performances by Folklor Di Mi Tierra. Guests can enjoy pre-concert activities at 10 a.m., a costume contest, and sensory-friendly experiences. Admission is free, but registration is required at fwphil.org. Read more from WFFT here.

🚚 A semitrailer driver stopped on I-469 near Stellhorn Road Tuesday afternoon to help a woman whose car went off the road, briefly backing up traffic to New Haven exits. The woman sustained only minor injuries, according to the Allen County Sheriff’s Department. Traffic cleared around 4 p.m., as the area remains under one-lane construction. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🏠 Fort Wayne Police broke up a 30-person gang-related party early Saturday on Jamaica Drive, finding guns and arresting three people. The property owner, who manages 43 rentals, called the incident a “fluke” and said it was his first such issue. Other local hosts agreed, saying they screen renters carefully with cameras, longer stays, and Airbnb’s vetting tools. Police, however, said gangs often use rentals for gatherings. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🌆 Fort Wayne officials presented most of the 2026 budget, focusing on keeping services steady despite tight finances. The Fire Department cut its budget from $67 million to $61 million and delayed the Waynedale Station 5 project. The Police Department reported crime down 14–16% and will keep 510 officers on staff. The Parks Department gained $1 million and plans to maintain facilities while exploring new funding. Other departments, like 911 communications and finance, adjusted to rising costs. Read more from WANE 15 here.

🕊️ Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker announced the recipients of the city’s Youth Violence Prevention Program microgrants, funded by $125,000 from ARPA interest earnings. Grants of up to $10,000 were awarded to local groups working on youth mentorship and violence prevention, including FortLAN, Hooley Family Farms, Fort Wayne UNITED, and The Bloom Project. No taxpayer dollars were used for the initiative. Mayor Tucker said the funding marks an important step in creating lasting change for local youth. Read more from WANE 15 here.

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🏈 Concordia Lutheran High School senior Ariella Riviera was recognized by the Indianapolis Colts as one of two Indiana nominees for the NFL Latino Youth Honor. A leader on and off the field, Riviera plays on Concordia’s first girls’ flag football team and serves in multiple school organizations, including JROTC and HOSA. She was celebrated at the Colts vs. Raiders game with VIP sideline access and on-field recognition. Read more from WANE 15 here.