Hey Locals, 

It’s another busy week of updates about Flock cams and the City’s homeless resource center Downtown. We fill you in on the latest news to know.

In Briefs, we also discuss the City’s Portland Loo project, which is getting poo-pooed by county and state representatives. Plus, we share a story about a local musician working to revive some popular former music venues around town – starting with one on Calhoun Street.

In our To Do List, we have lots of fun foodie events you won’t want to miss, including a special pizza and sandwich pop-up at Rune. And of course, we’d love to see you IRL on Wednesday night at Kara’s Neighborhood Power Lab presentation from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Allen County Public Library Downtown. (Free registration required – including free dinner!)

On Thursday, we’ll drop into your inbox with a recap of the evening for those who can’t attend. Here’s a little teaser for her talk on a “Resident’s Guide to Local Media.”

How do you let people know what your neighborhood is doing, share your small business, or get attention for causes you care about? For generations, local news outlets have been the primary place that residents, neighborhood groups, small businesses and advocates turn to make their voices heard in their communities. But our news landscape -- and our access to technology -- is rapidly changing how this vital element of our democracy functions. Kara Hackett is the Co-Founder of The Local (thelocalfw.com) weekly newsletter, a Fort Wayne media organization bridging the gap between traditional local news outlets and residents like you trying to navigate the system and get attention for causes you care about. In this Power Lab Series, she and other local newsmakers will break down how the system works, how we got here, and how you can get more plugged into the stories shaping our city's future.

Don’t forget: This month, we’re partnering with Amoré Italian Steak & Seafood to bring a special deal to all paid subscribers: $15 off a $40 purchase.

Last, but not least: We're hiring! The Local Fort Wayne is seeking a freelance Account Manager to help grow our newsletter through advertising and sponsorships. If you have experience in sales, marketing, and relationship-building (and are local to the Fort Wayne area), we'd love to hear from you! Think you'd be a great fit? Send your resume and a brief intro to thelocalfortwayne@gmail.com.

Now, let’s get started.

NOTE: Links to Journal Gazette articles are marked(*) and may be behind a paywall.

City Council’s Flock vote is coming up.

Tonight is the last public comment session.

What’s happening?

Tonight, City Council is hosting its last public comment session before its vote next week on the FWPD’s controversial Flock cam contract renewal. While the City’s contract has technically expired, the FWPD continues to benefit from a “grace period” with Flock, which allows them to keep using the company’s automated license plate reader (ALPRs) cameras until Council’s vote on Aug. 25. (Read our previous coverage on Flock here and here.) 

In the meantime, here’s the latest Flock-related news:

• The FWPD ended its trial of Flock’s audio-detection services and decided against utilizing the technology. WANE 15 reports that the trial began in May, using Flock’s Raven audio detection system to “identify sounds associated with gunfire and other potential public safety threats.” The article does not specify the FWPD’s reasons for not proceeding with the technology locally.
• The JG* examined different communities’ approaches to Flock across Indiana. While Bloomington voted to allow its contract to expire, South Bend and Michigan City, Ind., have continued using Flock services. 
• The City of Fort Wayne and the FWPD have engaged with the public this summer to gather opinions on Flock and answer questions. The FWPD published a lengthy Q&A on the cameras and their use locally, responding to more than 70 questions from resident submissions.
• We learned from one of our readers about a $30,000 contract between Flock and Allen County. The “contract does not meet the $50,000 threshold for mandatory submission to the Indiana Gateway,” and thus, has not been uploaded online. Allen County currently operates 10 ALPRs, according to a report by WANE 15. Earlier this summer, a Huntertown local official expressed concern about Flock cameras being installed in his area.
• At the state and federal levels, lawmakers are concerned about Flock and similar ALPRs, and recent legislation puts some limits on their use in Indiana. In February, Gov. Mike Braun signed House Bill 1150, which prohibits homeowners' associations from installing ALPRs. And Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., has described the technology as “invasive,” after being flagged for expired vehicle registration by Flock cameras, according to the Indiana Citizen.
• Flock Safety has increased its privacy policies, according to the Indiana Capital Chronicle. Following months of backlash and reports of municipalities terminating contracts with the company, Flock has updated its data retention recommendations and is adding “tools to restrict data sharing between agencies and detect potentially abusive searches.”

That’s all for now. Stay tuned for our Thursday newsletter this week, where we’ll share highlights from Kara’s Neighborhood Power Lab presentation on Wednesday, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the ACPL’s Main Branch. (Or register for free – including free dinner – and join us in-person!)

• Mayor Sharon Tucker announced yesterday that the City will be holding a public forum for its proposed Anchor Resource Center on Monday, Aug. 24, 5:30-7 p.m., in the Grand Wayne Center's Calhoun Ballroom (or on livestream). This follows last week’s contentious City Council meeting, where Council voted along party lines* to continue delaying their decision on $2.75 million of public funding for the project until their Sept. 1 meeting. Councilwoman Michelle Chambers (D-At Large) had proposed voting on the funding at last Tuesday’s meeting, but Democrat and Republican members of Council ended up sparring about whether the City had satisfied five concerns about the project raised by Councilman Nathan Hartman (R-3) in June. One request Hartman made of the City was to host a public forum, which it had not yet done in-person, but offered a website to accept comments virtually. 
• Related: Last week, the City also told The JG* it received a settlement of $2,500 from Hendricks Behavioral Health in Indianapolis for two citations of violating the city’s homeless relocation ordinance. Another violation issued against Shore Behavioral LLC, of Ethan Crossing Indianapolis did not result in a fine.
• Downtown Fort Wayne’s Portland Loo project is facing pushback from the county and state – but not down the toilet yet. You might remember: In Feb. 2025, City Council unanimously approved $280K in funding for the modern public restroom on Barr Street between Washington and East Wayne near the YLNI Farmers Market, which the City says will “improve public health and sanitation while addressing an urgent need for accessible public restrooms.” But the county and state are less convinced. Last week, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) rejected a variance for the loo, saying the City needed more specificity on codes, as well as public health protections, following concerns raised by Allen County’s Building Commissioner, Joseph Hutter, about the loo’s “occupancy classification, sanitation, and potential code precedent,” WANE 15 reports. The loo has also gotten potty talk from Commissioner Ron Turpin on WOWO, where he noted its application described it as a restroom for “homeless use.” In recent years, public defecation Downtown has been an increasing challenge for property owners related to increased homelessness in the area. However, the city maintains that the loo would be a public facility, open to all. They are now disputing the state, noting that similar loos have been installed at more than 250 locations across the U.S. and Canada and highlighting support from the Fort Wayne Fire Department.
• A local metal rock artist is working to revive a shuttered music venue Downtown on Calhoun St. – and perhaps (eventually) the former Piere’s. Earlier this month, frontman of the local band, Sons of the Pyre, Blaze Wenglikowski, announced plans to build up the city’s music scene on GoFundMe, following the closure of Century Music Hall (formerly Piere’s). Since then, he tells WPTA 21, the owners of another venue on Calhoun Street gave him approval to host shows out of their building, which also hosted live music before closing in recent years, citing “violence in the community.” Wenglikowski says safety will be his “number one” priority at the new Grand Summit Hall, set to host its first show on Sept. 12, featuring his band and a variety of other acts and genres. The venue’s capacity is 150 people, and he plans to staff at least five security personnel.
• The Fort Wayne International Airport completed its seven-year, $145 million modernization effort, Project Gateway, last week. The project began in 2019, following 10 years of passenger growth, which culminated in about 1M passengers last year – a roughly 15% increase from 2024. The airport added about 45,000 sq. ft. to a west terminal along with renovating about 47,000 sq. ft. of existing space. It now offers Hop River Brewing, Bon Bon’s Coffee, and a marketplace shop, along with parking improvements, a children’s play area, a rental-car canopy, solar improvements, and more. Greater Fort Wayne Inc. tells The JG*: “For a community our size, having an airport of this quality and caliber is a significant competitive advantage.” 
• Just in time for football season, Snider High School cut the ribbon on its $30M new stadium* last week to be used for football, marching band, soccer, flag football, and track. The stadium was named for Snider’s legendary football coach and educator, Russ Isaacs, who told students at the ceremony: “All that matters in life is that we get up every day with a purpose to serve others.” Despite Snider’s strong football teams over the years, the school hasn’t had its own playing field. It previously held home games at Northrop High School. The Russ Isaacs Stadium features 4,400 seats, a vented rubber track, press box, and new concession and restroom facilities, along with expanded parking.

• Waste not: at Dirt Wain’s Community Give Back Event, on Aug. 22, 1-4 p.m., featuring a tour of their new compost site plus free burlap bags and compost. “The general public can bring a 5-gallon bucket for compost—existing customers can fill up to three,” a Facebook post says. 
• Celebrate: Utopian Coffee’s 20-year anniversary with a latte art throwdown event at their new coffee lab on Aug. 21, 5-9 p.m., featuring cocktails from Penny Drip with Bravas’ food truck on standby. 
• Cheer: on FREE, live, independent music at We Make Noise’s Artist Showcase at The Fairfield’s Pinhouse Social on Aug. 18, 7-10 p.m., featuring performances by more than 20 female and gender-diverse artists.
• Move: at Promenade Park’s KPop Random Dance event on Aug. 21, 5-8 p.m., in preparation for Korea Festival, coming up on Sept. 12. (Free)
• Eat: all you can, with a pop-up by the new local pop-up Casimir’s Pizza and Cappy’s Unbelievable Sandwiches (of Elkhart, Ind.) hosted at Rune Restaurant. Reservations required. ($30)
• Vibe: at Penny Drip’s late-night disco-themed party on Aug. 22, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

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Have a great week, Locals!

-Your Editor, Kara Hackett

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