Hey Locals,

This week, we're exploring Downtown-specific crime data from the FWPD and taking a look at how the City is working to reduce crime and homelessness.

We also explore why the Fort Wayne Fire Department hasn't had a full-time PIO since Chief Eric Lahey took leadership in 2015, and we cover a regional initiative aimed at attracting new residents to town.

Plus, we spotlight a guest blog post this week by Chef Sean Richardson of Rune, previewing Local Food Week in July.

Don't forget: In June, we're partnering with Carmeli's Dough at Union Street Market to bring all paid subscribers to The Local a FREE doughnut, made fresh daily. Did you know we give our paid members a freebie every month at a local business to cover the cost of membership? See what a paid membership is all about with this 30-day trial, and you can get that deal!

Now, let's get started!

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

Homelessness + crime Downtown:

New data from the FWPD + how the City is responding to homelessness.

What’s happening?

A few weeks ago, a reader reached out, saying that since the pandemic, they and other property owners they know Downtown have noticed more people loitering, and in some cases, damaging property or causing disturbances. They wanted to know: Is homelessness increasing, and is Downtown safe? Also, what’s happening to address solutions for unsheltered people, stakeholders and the general public?

Since then: We’ve received Downtown-specific crime data from the FWPD for 2019-2024 and interviewed leaders at Downtown Fort Wayne, as well as the City of Fort Wayne. (Learn more in our full Q&A with the City's first Manager for Homeless Services.)

So what does the crime data show?

• Essentially: Fort Wayne’s overall crime rate decreased 2.81% 2023-2024, but Downtown's total crime rate increased 2.3% that same year.
• Even so: while rates of homelessness citywide are assumed to be increasing alongside this slight increase in crime Downtown, there’s no local data linking the two. National data shows homeless individuals are more likely than housed individuals to be both the perpetrators – and the victims – of crime.

See the data and other key takeaways in our premium newsletter.

• While reporting on the Fort Wayne Fire Department (FWFD)'s union calling for the resignation of Chief Eric Lahey, we've learned the FWFD hasn't had a full-time Public Information Officer (PIO) under Lahey's leadership. The last full-time FWFD PIO Stacey Fleming left the position in May 2015, a month before Lahey was sworn into leadership. Lahey tells us his leadership team and the previous mayoral administration (Tom Henry) had determined the Mayor's office and FWFD would "team up on PIO duties to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars while also continuing to provide accurate and timely information to the media and public. The Mayor’s office does the general PIO duties for the department, while experts in the FWFD, at the current time Jonathan Flickinger, handle the on-scene incidents and any other emergencies that the department handles." Firefighters and members of the union say there are incidents the public doesn't know about that are behind their decision to call for Lahey's resignation. We're meeting with Lahey later this week to discuss the situation and the city's ongoing contract negotiations with the fire union.
• Fort Wayne is one of several Northeast Indiana cities planning to offer incentives to attract new residents. In 2024, the Northeast Indiana Strategic Development Commission approved $660,000 to partner with MakeMyMove, which will be matched by the Indiana Economic Development Corp. MakeMyMove provides incentives (like cash and other perks) to lure workers and families to cities, where they contribute to the economy. (Indiana University’s Public Policy Institute found every $100,000 of new household income in-state generates $83,000 in economic impact annually.) About 70% of Indiana's population growth in 2024 came from net international migration – a figure at risk of declining in 2025 due to the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. The JG* also notes that death rates are starting to outpace birth rates statewide.

Plus: new neighborhood plans, additional miles of trails and more. We cover it all in our premium newsletter.

Chef's choice on Local Food Week events.

We're partnering with Chef Sean Richardson of Rune for a new monthly blog feature.

What’s happening?

Fort Wayne’s food scene is one of our (Kara and Mike’s) favorite parts of living here, and one of our favorite parts of running The Local is getting to know some of the chefs, service industry professionals and farmers who make it all happen. One such individual is Chef Sean Richardson of Rune, who’s building a culture – not just around delicious food, but around sourcing ingredients as locally and creatively as possible. Considering our mutual interest in the city’s food scene and all things local – as well as Richardson's brief foray into journalism as a one-time Journal Gazette intern – we thought it would be fun to collaborate on a monthly blog series, featuring his insights from behind the kitchen doors. 

On the last week of each month, Richardson will be sharing tips, stories and events all about Fort Wayne’s food scene – and if you like what you read, you can find more on his Substack and by following @RuneRestaurant on Instagram.

To kick things off: He’s giving us a quick look at Northeast Indiana's annual Local Food Week celebration, July 25-Aug. 3. While it might seem far away, the 10-day celebration of local food, chefs and growers features more than 75 tours and events – many requiring reservations. So now is the time to start planning. 

We sat down with Richardson to see what's on Rune's menu and radar.

1. Tell us more about Rune's plans for Local Food Week.

SR: Here at Rune, we have enjoyed presenting monthly tasting dinners that showcase local farms, producers, and non-profits that support our mission since last summer. So, for this year’s Local Food Week, we are collaborating with Zach Hawkins of Hawkins Family Farm to host a five-course tasting dinner, utilizing Hawkins Family Farm produce on Wednesday, July 30th. Zach and I will be on hand at the dinner to talk to guests about the dishes, the ingredients, and how your support affects our local food economy. Reservations are required and can be made by clicking here. Tickets are $115 per person with an optional wine pairing for $45.

What are a few other can’t-miss items on your to-do list for Local Food Week?

SR: The Facebook event page lists tons of great food events in the 11 counties of Northeast Indiana. A few on my list are:

Hawkins Family Farm Pizza Night on July 25, 5-7 p.m. If you haven't met Jeff and Zach Hawkins yet, they're third- and fourth-generation farmers in Wabash County, and they host amazing wood-fired pizza nights on their farm, partnering with local chefs using farm-fresh ingredients. For Local Food Week, they'll be on hand, sharing stories and answering questions about farm life and local food, as well as their Food Club and its farmers. 

Draft Taproom & Coffee's Summer Block Party on July 26, 2-6 p.m. If you didn’t get to experience Rune's tasting dinner last winter, showcasing Daylily Estates's low-intervention wine, Draft Taproom's Block Party features it, along with 25+ vendors and live music.

Chance Bar's tasting menu. Our friends at Chance Bar will offer a three-course tasting menu on select days during the week, featuring locally sourced ingredients from Schmucker's Produce, Kuehnert Dairy, Wood Farms, Berry Hill Farms and Myzel Risin’.

Fort Wayne’s Farmers Market has some fun things in the works for July 26-Aug. 2, too. You can’t beat a good farmers market to shake the hands of those who raise our food. One of my favorite vendors to visit at FWFM is Myron from Berry Hill.

Just for fun: What’s in season in July locally?

SR: Around the end of June is when the farms really start busting at the seams with produce. Myron at Berry Hill Farm sends a handful of texts notifying me throughout the week what he is seeing as he is out in the field. We are getting snap and snow peas, cherry tomatoes, larger heirloom tomato varieties, fennel, fresh carrots, all the herbs you could think of, and some special items, like chamomile, that will be on our cocktail and dinner menus in coming weeks. This is a special time for restaurants in Fort Wayne. It is truly when our menu could change week-to-week. (How could I forget cucumbers?!?) It is too soon to know what I will be utilizing from Hawkins for the dinner with Zach, but it is exciting to begin to see the overload of options.

• Listen: to live music outdoors this week at several local events, including...
  • A free Concert in the Woods at Lindenwood Nature Preserve, on June 28, 6-8 p.m., featuring music by the RagTag Bunch (Irish and Celtic folk tunes), along with free snacks and drinks in the campfire circle. BYO lawn chair or blanket.
  • 89.1 WBOI's first Live & Local on The Landing, on June 27, 7-9 p.m. It's a new free monthly event, featuring music by Connor Christian (Southern Rock and Blues) in June, with food and drinks available for purchase.
• Middle Waves Music Festival, on June 28, starting at 3 p.m., featuring headliner "Phantogram." Music begins at 4 p.m. ($45 general admission, $10 kids 12 and under)
• Patriotic Pops free outdoor concert by the Fort Wayne Philharmonic at Parkview Field on June 30, 8-10 p.m., featuring patriotic songs and fireworks.

What else? We share more things to do and exclusive tips in our premium newsletter.

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Got a story tip or idea?

Let us know at thelocalfortwayne@gmail.com.

Have a great week, Locals!

-Your Editor, Kara Hackett