The Local Fort Wayne

The Local Fort Wayne Your essential Fort Wayne news brief.

In this week’s newsletter, a significant former vendor at Union Street Market speaks out about what’s happening behind-t...
05/15/2026

In this week’s newsletter, a significant former vendor at Union Street Market speaks out about what’s happening behind-the-scenes there. Link in bio.

In April, we’re partnering with the new cafe and reading room, 1892 Coffee & Books in Columbia City, to bring all paid s...
04/18/2026

In April, we’re partnering with the new cafe and reading room, 1892 Coffee & Books in Columbia City, to bring all paid subscribers a BOGO coffee drink. The cafe is located inside , an 1892 church that Fort Wayne couple, Retta and Ben Yoder, transformed into a two-storey vendor mall with everything from handcrafted furniture and home goods to one-of-a-kind vintage art, decor, clothing and more. Learn more in our full Q&A at thelocalfw.com!

Allen County switched to a “vote center county” this year, so you don’t have an assigned precinct voting location. Inste...
04/09/2026

Allen County switched to a “vote center county” this year, so you don’t have an assigned precinct voting location. Instead, registered voters can cast a ballot at any designated vote center.

So… How might the new system affect voter turnout? What’s one local race to watch? And how might state and national factors play into local primaries?

At first we started out real cool.... Not too long ago, Indiana customers had some of the most affordable energy in the ...
04/02/2026

At first we started out real cool.... Not too long ago, Indiana customers had some of the most affordable energy in the U.S. But recently, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) has “heard from thousands of utility customers from all over Indiana that they are struggling to pay their energy bills.” In response, they’re hosting listening sessions in April to give citizens a chance to share their concerns regarding rising utility costs. We caught up with IURC External Affairs Specialist Ben Gavelek to learn more about these sessions and what’s happening with your utility bills. Learn more in today’s newsletter on the link in our bio.

About one year ago, we broke news on concerns (and lawsuits) connected to Fort Wayne’s largest (ever?) public-private pr...
02/27/2026

About one year ago, we broke news on concerns (and lawsuits) connected to Fort Wayne’s largest (ever?) public-private project, Electric Works. Since then, we haven’t seen much in-depth reporting about the campus, in general, so we decided to check in and get an update for you in this week’s Above the Fold.

02/12/2026

Since last fall, several readers have emailed us about cameras they’ve spotted around town, wanting to know more about their purpose and who uses them.

Some have identified them as AI-powered Flock Safety license plate recognition (LPR) cameras and shared security concerns. Others have been concerned about whether they might be used by ICE to target immigrants, considering what’s happening in Minneapolis. (The ACLU says: Flock’s system is creating “dangerous nationwide mass-surveillance infrastructure” and “is being used by ICE to help carry out the Trump Administration’s abusive removal program.”) We’ve also heard the topic brought up by citizens during public comment sessions at City Council and at last week’s ICE Forum.

So...
How many Flock cameras are in Fort Wayne?
How are they being used and funded?
And what benefits and risks should residents know about?
Learn more on the link in our bio.

You’ve probably seen a lot of national and local stories about immigration policy lately – everything from murders and p...
01/30/2026

You’ve probably seen a lot of national and local stories about immigration policy lately – everything from murders and protests, to federal changes, presidential memos and judicial actions (or reactions). It’s leading to a lot of chaos, confusion and – if you’re like us – concern about how it all relates to Fort Wayne.
This week, we did our best to break down a few key issues for you based on four things we’re watching locally. Learn more at link in bio.

Nearly 300 citizens attended Tuesday’s public forum about a casino in Fort Wayne. Our reporter Rachel Horton was in atte...
01/22/2026

Nearly 300 citizens attended Tuesday’s public forum about a casino in Fort Wayne. Our reporter Rachel Horton was in attendance, and she came away ready to share her notebook with us, starting with why citizens don’t have a vote on the casino in the first place – and how a red herring might be at hand.

ends Jan. 25! Here are our tips to snag a last-minute deal.
01/20/2026

ends Jan. 25! Here are our tips to snag a last-minute deal.

It may be freezing outside, but things are likely to heat up at tonight’s county council meeting, where the public is in...
01/20/2026

It may be freezing outside, but things are likely to heat up at tonight’s county council meeting, where the public is invited to weigh in on a potential casino in Fort Wayne. We’re attending and breaking down what to know in this week’s Above the Fold email newsletter on Thursday — available to paid subscribers only. See what a paid membership is about with a free trial on the link in our bio.

In case you didn’t make it out for Small Business Saturday, there are more opportunities to shop local at events this we...
12/02/2025

In case you didn’t make it out for Small Business Saturday, there are more opportunities to shop local at events this week, including:
-Ladies Night at on Dec. 4, 5-7 p.m., offering food, drinks, fire pits and discounts of 30% off apparel and 15% off gear and accessories.
-Evergreen market at the GE Club at on Dec. 5-7, featuring handmade goods, gifts, & more. (First 300 guests receive a free reusable tote, and Dec. 5, 5-9 p.m., is free admission. Other days $5.)
- Winter Market, featuring 10+ creative small businesses on Dec 6 and Dec 13, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
-Holiday Sip & Shop at on Dec. 6, noon-4 p.m. (all ages)
-Sleigh Days Christmas Village & Market at the on Dec. 6-7, featuring 50+ vendors, photos with Santa, face painting and more.
-The Art Farm Holiday Pop Up Gallery in Spencerville, hosting national and local artists, open Wednesdays-Sundays, noon-6 p.m. Dec. 6-Jan. 11, with an opening reception Dec. 5.
-The Store Holly Shopping, featuring locally produced items from artisans every Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. through Dec. 20.

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