Live at History Center tonight! • FWFC Stadium opens soon • St. Paddy's Day events!
Quote of the week: “We want to do everything as cool as possible, as often as possible.” -COO of Fort Wayne FC Scott Sproat
Hey Locals,
Tonight is the night! We’re hosting our first (free!) Local Live event of 2026 in partnership with the History Center, and we’d love to see you there. Learn more in Above the Fold!
In Briefs, we talk about how the Tincaps are about to have some competition for Fort Wayne’s favorite summer pastime. Fort Wayne FC leaders say their new stadium will open in time for their first home game on May 2, and you won’t want to miss what they have in store.
Plus, lots of St. Paddy’s Day events for your weekend, and tips on fun ways to enjoy your free coffee drink at Spoke + Ivy this month – available to paid subscribers only!
New deal: In March, we’re partnering with Spoke & Ivy to bring all paid subscribers of The Local a free coffee drink with any dine-in purchase.
Learn how to claim your offer here.
Now, let’s get started.
NOTE: Links to Journal Gazette articles are marked(*) and may be behind a paywall.
Details on our first Local Live!
Featuring the history of Fort Wayne's development + cultural heritage.
What's happening?
This week, we’re hosting our first Local Live event of 2026 at the History Center tonight at 6 p.m., where we'll be talking about the history of local development and cultural heritage. Our reporter, Rachel Horton, will moderate a conversation amongst local historians, including the History Center’s Executive Director Todd Pelfrey and experts Randy Harter and John Beatty.
We’ll be asking panelists about interesting aspects of local history. On Thursday, we’ll share some reflections from the evening, as well as a deeper dive on what it means to engage with public history, as a community.
What questions would you like our panel to answer? Hit reply to this email, and let us know.
Stay tuned for more information in this week’s Above the Fold newsletter on Thursday – available to paid subscribers only.
Get the tea while it's hot. Paying members support our reporting and our mission to provide citizen-funded, hassle free news. Join today for only $6/month or $60/year. Or test the waters first with a 30-day free trial, and gain access to our "Above the Fold" Thursday newsletter and additional briefs and events for paid members.
- The new Fort Wayne FC stadium in Southwest Fort Wayne will be ready in time for the team’s first home game there on May 2, project leaders say. Last week, The JG* spoke with the club’s Chief Operations Officer, Scott Sproat, who says the project is privately owned by Principal Mark Music, who will make sure the field is ready to welcome visitors in time for the first home game. FWFC opened its season on Saturday at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex Stadium in Naples, Fla., where it fell to FC Naples 2-0. Along with six home games in its first 29-day stretch of being opened, the new FC stadium will host other community-driven events, Sproat says, noting that Music (CEO of Ruoff Mortgage) also holds the naming rights to Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville, which regularly ranks among the world’s top concert amphitheaters based on ticket sales. “There will be world-class acts coming here,” Sproat says. “We can do what we want to do, and that’s important to (Music), too. What he’s done down in Noblesville with the music center speaks for itself.”
- IU Health and nearby residents in Southwest Allen County are opposing a controversial quarry seeking to build near them. Last week, WANE 15 obtained documents showing that the Heritage Group is seeking to acquire about 1,600 acres south of U.S. 24 for an 824-acre quarry and surrounding developments, including a rail spur and staging area, concrete and asphalt plants up to 85 to 100 feet tall, and industrial zoning along I-69. Plans also call for a buffer between the development and the Hamlets neighborhoods, as well as commercial zoning near IU Health for medical offices, assisted living facilities, hotels, and more. Residents are concerned about well water, home values and environmental impacts, and IU Health cited excessive noise and traffic as conflicting with its healing environment. Some also questioned the impression a quarry might make on visitors to Fort Wayne off 1-69. A Change.org petition created by resident Andrea Milliman currently has more than 1,000 signatures. “The Allen County Board of Zoning Appeals is expected to consider the quarry’s special use application on April 15, with the Allen County Plan Commission scheduled to review rezoning requests the following day,” WANE reports.
- City Council narrowly gave preliminary approval to a childcare center* seeking to open Southwest on Illinois Rd. The Goddard School is seeking to open its second location on two acres near the corner of Illinois and Scott roads at 9729 Illinois Rd. The school would serve 80 children in a 12,500-square-foot daycare center with a 31-spot parking lot. Council voted 5-4 in preliminary approval of the plans, with Councilman Scott Myers of the Southwest side voting against it, noting that although state traffic engineers assured him the development would “not increase the traffic burden” for the nearby Deerfield neighborhood, residents “overwhelmingly opposed” it. The Goddard School previously sought to open a slightly larger facility further west on Illinois Road near the Sycamore Hills neighborhood. Both the Plan Commission and City Council rejected it, saying “it’s too close to residences.”*
- Drug overdoses are down, and there’s more support for unhoused individuals in Fort Wayne, according to 2025 data recently released by the FWPD’s Hope and Recovery Team (HART). HART works with local law enforcement to support people experiencing homelessness and substance abuse. It collaborates with local treatment centers and mental health facilities to provide recovery resources, too. Its 2025 program data highlights a 23% decrease in non-fatal overdoses and a 12% decrease in fatal overdoses compared to 2024, along with 337 individuals receiving “warm handoffs to treatment or recovery resources.”
- The JG Editorial Board broke down "the good, the bad, and the ugly" bills passed by the Indiana legislature this spring. New bills are set to become law in July. A few of the most controversial ones* mentioned include: HEA 1343, a "significant shift in state law toward civilian policing," which allows the governor to deploy a "military police force" in cities (without local oversight); SEA 76 (FAIRNESS Act), a "major immigration enforcement measure that mandates local governments, police and public universities cooperate with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers," and SEA 258, which reduces environmental and public health regulations and oversights of nuclear power facilities and related fuel processing plants, including "rules to protect citizens from radiation hazards."
What else? A new local coffee shop coming soon, a powerful local job opportunity, and increased inclusivity in local art. We share additional even brief(er) briefs for paid subscribers only!
New deal with Spoke + Ivy:
Free cafe beverage for dine-in!
What’s happening?
In March, we’re partnering with Spoke + Ivy to bring all paid subscribers to The Local a free cafe beverage with a dine-in purchase (up to $8, one per subscription). We sat down with General Manager, Lane Claar, for a few pro tips.
Here are quick things to know:
- Stay awhile: Claar says his team operates on a tip pool during the day, so you don’t have to worry about burdening your server by sitting at your table for a few hours in the morning or at lunchtime. “We encourage you to enjoy your time, and take a work meeting here, if you’d like. It’s a fun space to hang out.”
- Snag a lunch deal: While you might think of Spoke + Ivy for its classy dinner service, Claar says they also have a popular (and affordable!) lunch menu, with $10 soup and salad, or $15 soup, salad and sandwich. ”We have a great salad menu, and everything is made in-house.”
- Menu recs: Claar says for brunch (served daily), pastries, like cinnamon rolls, are delicious (and big enough to share). For lunch, the focaccia grilled cheese is popular in colder months, with a zippy and sweet tomato jam complemented by an acidic tomato soup. And for dinner, a “fantastic” salmon and pork chop, all complemented by fine wines and bartender-made craft cocktails featuring fresh juices. “Our team loves contributing to our menu, and watching guests enjoy what they create.”
- Coffee recs: “I’d suggest our lattes are the way to go,” Claar says. “Two of our most adventurous and purchased flavors are our raspberry vanilla latte (made with raspberry tea and Madagascar vanilla) and our Tom Yum Latte, which is a play off the popular Thai food dish with spicy, earthy flavors. It’s adventurous, but still accessible.”
- Venture down to Black Rabbit: On Fridays and Saturdays from 6 p.m. to midnight, Spoke + Ivy operates a swanky, candle-lit speakeasy bar in its basement called Black Rabbit, where Claar says “intimate” is the key word. “If you want to make sure you get a seat, we recommend starting your evening there around 6-8 p.m.,” Claar says. “It gets busy around 9-10 p.m.”
Save the date!
A great opportunity to get your free coffee drink might be March 21, when Spoke + Ivy is hosting a special Cafeton event, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., celebrating the release of Black Rabbit’s new tropical cocktail menu. “It’s a party where we’ll be serving Black Rabbit cocktails at Spoke + Ivy, along with coffee drinks, DJs and dancing,” Claar says. Spoke + Ivy will be getting a new summer food menu mid-to late-April, too.
Celebrate: an early St. Paddy’s Day this week with several events around town...
- JK O’Donnells: is hosting two celebrations at The Pitch patio on March 14 and March 17, featuring live music and Irish eats. ($5-7 cash cover)
- ACPL: is hosting free live Irish music by Soltre on March 15 at 2 p.m. in their Main Branch Library Theater.
- Deer Park: is celebrating its 28th annual Clover Classic St. Patrick’s Day March 13-17, with live music and local food trucks on site. (Free admission, $5-7 cover on Saturday and Tuesday)
- Get Green Fest: hosted by the Fort Wayne Professional Firefighters on March 14, 8:30 a.m.-8 p.m., offers a 5-Kilt Run/Walk, St. Mary’s River greening, Lucky Charms eating contest and more.
- Fort Wayne Improv: is sharing the stage with Laugh of the Irish, an improv show featuring a limerick writing competition and improv-style open mic on March 14 at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. ($17)
- Charlie’s Place: is cooking up St. Patrick’s Day Brunch on March 14, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., with music by DJ Trend, limited-time St. Paddy's-themed food specials, and green beer.
More things to do…
- Order: locally made mini-pies by Jana, recommended by @foodieinfw on Instagram. See pictures and details on ordering here.
- Scream: for ice cream at Zestos! The St. Joe Center Road location opened for the season on Wednesday, and the Southwest Falls Drive location opens Friday. Other locations are TBA.
- Honor: 50 years of films at Cinema Center with their 70s-themed Oscar Gala on March 14 at 6 p.m., featuring a special screening of The Godfather and hors d’oeuvres provided by Bittersweet. ($70/ticket)
- Buy tickets: in advance for Middle Waves Music Festival, which announced its 2026 line up last week, including local artists Man of the Flood and Los Aptos opening for The Paradox, Beach Bunny, and Passion Pit. ($55/ticket)
- Experience: the Music of Genesis and Phil Collins at The Philharmonic’s event at PFW on March 14, reimagining “some of the most cherished musical moments of the 70’s to the present day.” (Tickets start at $44)
- Vote: for the final preliminary contest of Bandemonium on March 13 with Neighborhood Strays, Sahara, Sun.Dyle, and Mom Wagon at Baker Street Centre at 8 p.m. ($10/ticket)
What else? An alpaca show(?), a mariachi band, and more. We share additional recommended things To Do for paid subscribers only!
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