Good morning, Fort Wayne.

New Mercies Ministries will break ground next week at the former Bowker Hall on the Headwaters Church campus at 2000 N.

Wells St to convert the 1950s building into supportive housing for vulnerable families, with the first phase serving 7 families and 24 beds and targeting a spring move-in.

IU Health volunteers refreshed the Renaissance Pointe YMCA on Friday by painting hallways and adding fidget toys to sensory rooms + the facility hopes these improvements will help reduce stigma while encouraging visits; volunteers plan to return soon.

A Sept. 16 walkthrough of the historic Schaab building at 1216 N.

Harrison St shows progress on Mitchell’s Downtown—a family-friendly eatery—and Flashbacks Downtown, a dance club with riverfront views. Attendees sampled menu items ahead of the soft launch this week, while plans for a deli are still underway.

Today and tomorrow, the 51st Johnny Appleseed Festival at Jonny Appleseed Park offers live entertainment, food and vendors in an 1800s-themed celebration, though soft ground and water runoff have forced relocated attractions — including cancellation of the River Stage.

Art This Way Fest has announced The Strumbellas as the Oct.

2 headliner at its 10-year downtown celebration (the band will perform at 10:30 p.m.). The free, two-day festival runs Oct. 2-3 and offers sign language interpreters provided with WindSwell Foundation support.

Indiana farmers face record diesel fuel prices as on road diesel averages $6.53 per gallon and experts warn it may hit $7 soon.

Rising fuel costs add pressure to harvest operations and could push food prices higher.

Fort Wayne Community Schools’ Amp Lab program—which now inspires another district—has led Perry Township Schools to design a similar career-connected innovation initiative on the UIndy campus.

The program offers hands-on learning in 14 career clusters to build entrepreneurial skills in students.

More than 12,300 northeast Indiana students received about $86.5 million in private school tuition vouchers last academic year — Fort Wayne Community Schools topped recipients with $46 million for 6,465 children, according to the Indiana Department of Education.

The state will load replacement SNAP benefits on eligible EBT cards around Sept.

26 for roughly 36,500 households in 19 counties, including Wayne County, that lost food during Aug. storms (rates range from 15% to 60%). USDA approved the request as part of a broader storm recovery effort.

Super Shot launched its annual 'Be a Flu Fighter' campaign on Friday to encourage residents to get their flu shot before the flu season.

The organization aims to raise the local vaccination rate from 26% to 70% by 2030 and advises everyone aged six months+ to get vaccinated.

An analysis by Ojai Recovery using CDC data from 2019 to 2024 found that several Indiana counties had high accidental overdose death rates, with Scott County recording 73 deaths per 100,000 residents while concerns grew over local sales of 7-OH, a potent form of kratom.

The Three Rivers Ambulance Authority has donated 5 AEDs to Fort Wayne Zoo to boost its emergency response for cardiac events.

The devices will be placed throughout the zoo and registered with NEAR (National Emergency AED and Resource Registry) to help first responders locate them quickly.

Monarch Festival

The Little River Wetlands Project announces its annual Monarch Festival to be held on Sunday, September 20, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Eagle Marsh Nature Preserve barn, located at 6801 Engle Road, Fort Wayne. This family-friendly event celebrates the incredible lifecycle and transformation of monarch butterflies through a variety of engaging programs and activities.