Hey Locals,

Thanks to everyone who stopped by our booth last weekend at the YLNI Farmers Market. We are official media partners with the market this year, and we're planning to have booths there every few weeks (TBA). On Saturday, we had fun meeting some of you and passing out free donut samples from local shops to determine Fort Wayne’s Favorite Donut! See the results in today’s Local Spotlight.

This week, we’re talking about all the projects Surack Enterprises is working on around town – and how Electric Works could learn a thing or two from their development strategies. We also brief you on casino updates, including a public vote this fall, and a new charter school seeking to open in the FWCS district.

Plus, in our To Do List, we help you prep for spring with a native plant workshop, a local book club and new merch from your favorite Fort Wayne sports teams!

We have a new deal for you in March, too....

This month: 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’ll fill you in on the restaurant – and all things Te Gusto Hospitality – in next week’s newsletter.

Don't forget: our free, public Local Live event is happening next week at the History Center on Tuesday, March 10, at 6 p.m. 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.

Now, let’s get started.

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

More entertainment Downtown coming soon.

And what Electric Works could learn from Surack Enterprises.

“As our community grows, we’ve got more people wanting more entertainment, more places to go.”-Chuck Surack tells The JG*

What's happening?

There might soon be more things to do Downtown, thanks to Surack Enterprises’s efforts to save and modernize the former Scottish Rite Center.* 

• You might remember: Surack’s Sweet Real Estate purchased the facility in June 2024 with its main parking lot and nearby former Mizpah Shrine for about $4 million. He now owns the entire block, including the Bell Mansion and Pfeiffer House (which will remain). The Scottish Rite was most recently the University of Saint Francis’ Robert Goldstine Performing Arts Center, and its music technology program is still there. 
• Last week: Surack Enterprises sought $5M of public funding from the Capital Improvement Board (CIB) to renovate the Scottish Rite – the first time Surack has sought public funding for any of his projects. His team told the CIB that public funding is required as leverage to secure a state grant for the building, noting that Surack is still paying for more than half of the $47M project ($5 million in work already done and an additional $23 million).

So what’s planned for the Scottish Rite Center? How does it relate to everything else Surack is working on? And what might Electric Works learn from Surack’s strategy?

We break it down in this week's Above the Fold newsletter on Thursday – available to paid subscribers only.

• A referendum on your ballot this November could determine whether Fort Wayne gets a casino. Last week, both chambers of the state legislature passed House Bill 1038, which would permit a new casino license — with voter approval — in either Allen, DeKalb or Steuben county. The bill now heads to Gov. Mike Braun’s desk for approval. If signed into law, it would allow a new Fort Wayne-area casino without closing the Rising Star Casino in southeastern Indiana (Indiana’s lowest-performing casino previously planning to move to New Haven). While industry experts have warned that adding a new casino license could destabilize Indiana’s gaming market, lawmakers reworked HB1038 to convert one of the state’s unused off-track betting licenses (Horse Racing Commission) into a casino gaming license. Still, the Indiana Capital Chronicle warns: “Several senators supported the bill only conditionally, saying they could oppose it later if concerns over casino siting decisions and the bill’s potential long-term fiscal impacts aren’t resolved.”
• Fort Wayne Community Schools leaders are asking state officials to deny a charter school that's seeking to open in their district this fall and led by a former administrator. The charter school, Williams Arts and Technology Academy, was founded by former FWCS administrator Dr. Faye Williams-Robbins and is planning to open inside Pilgrim Baptist Church on the Southeast side in August, serving 120 students grades K-3 and expanding to grades K-6 in coming years. A state-approved charter school authorizer (the University of Southern Indiana) is hosting a public hearing and informational meeting on the plans on March 5 at 6 p.m. at the church. FWCS Superintendent Mark Daniel tells The JG* the charter could strain the already financially strapped district, including further reducing its enrollment funding from the state and its property tax revenue (beginning in 2028, as a result of SB1 property tax reforms last year). Related: Southwest Allen County Schools is opening its enrollment this fall* to students from any district to address declining numbers due, in part, to the state’s expansion of policies that “inject public dollars into private and charter schools, as well as other non-public or non-traditional settings.”
• Just in time for spring, bikes (and e-bikes) have new rules to improve safety on trails and sidewalks. Last week, City Council unanimously approved amendments requiring cyclists to alert trail users before passing them and setting speed limits for e-bikes. (Previous ordinances were in place before modern e-bikes existed.)  The City held electric micro-mobility device meetings with trail users to develop these ordinances, and violations could result in fines of $15-$2,500.
• One week after the Indiana Senate passed House Bill 1002 addressing utility bill prices, Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) dropped a news release announcing plans to reduce base rates. I&M claims the reduced rates are a result of increased revenue from large customers, including data centers. Their new Customer Benefit Plan includes this base rate reduction as well as a tool to stabilize fluctuating rates and reliability improvements for fewer and shorter outages. “We know customers are concerned about affordability and the impact of data-center growth on rates,” says I&M President and Chief Operating Officer, Steve Baker. “The fact that we can reduce rates while continuing to invest in the infrastructure and technology that supports reliability, is evidence that growth in I&M’s service territory is benefiting all customers.”
• A new local wings and smash burgers spot is opening this spring in the former Wendy’s at Broadway and Oakdale and voicing the importance of supporting small business. The eatery, Wingin’ It, is owned by city native and PFW grad Kaid Salih, who plans to offer creative-flavored wings. He tells WANE 15: “I’ve been in the commercial scene quite a bit, and I know how many of these businesses are owned out of state, out of country, even. I would love everybody to invest in their own city.” Wingin' It is across the street from the locally owned 07 Pub near the Clyde Theatre.

Fort Wayne’s Favorite Donut this week is:

Rise’n Roll’s Cinnamon Caramel!

What’s happening?

In a highly scientific blind taste test last week at the YLNI Farmers Market, we sought public feedback on a critical question: Who makes the best donut in Fort Wayne?

Method: We selected four local donut shop competitors, three based on the top internet ratings/recommendations and one wildcard. We then asked our competitors for their best-selling donuts: Tom’s Donuts classic Glazed, Rise’n Roll’s Cinnamon Caramel, Jack’s Blueberry Cake and wildcard ChillzDelights Original Glazed.

Results: In a ranked vote of 34 surveys at the market, Rise’n Roll’s “Amish crack” took the cake. (Tom's made for a very close second.) Disclaimer: This survey was conducted just for fun by The Local staff, so do-nut take these results too seriously!

Thanks to everyone who participated and to all of our worthy competitors! Stay tuned for our next YLNI Farmers Market appearance in coming weeks.

Don’t forget! the YLNI Farmers Market has an amazing selection of locally grown and produced products every single Saturday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. – currently indoors at the Parkwest Shopping Center. They've been voted Indiana's #1 Farmers Market by American Farmland Trust four years in a row and Fort Wayne’s Best Farmers Market (by the Readers Choice) seven years in a row.

We did some shopping ourselves while we were there, and some of our favorite finds were...

• Fresh mushrooms (Black Oyster) from Myzel Risin' (recommended by Rune restaurant). 
• Grass-fed beef (NY Strip) by Grown Well Regenerative Farm.
• Calla lilies, radishes and greens from Country Garden. Stay tuned for news on their CSA program coming soon!
• Fresh-pressed juice from Lu Garden. All the flavors are amazing and available to sample!
• A spicy and delicious plate of meatball curry and rice by the Flavor Patch: Fort Wayne’s first Sri Lankan eatery! More on their business coming soon, too.

What are your favorite farmers market buys? Hit reply to this email, and let us know.

• Read: The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff for a spring book club at Sunbound Books on March 22 led by Liz & Liz Get Literary!. The event starts with a sip and shop by Fort Wayne Coffee Club 2-4 p.m., followed by the book club meeting at 4 p.m.
• Shop: new locally designed gear for the Fort Wayne Football Club (FWFC) and Fort Wayne Komets.
• Compete: at a six-week pinball tournament at Old Crown Coffee with Fort Drain Pinball Social, starting March 5 and continuing every Thursday, 6-8 p.m. ($5/entry)
• Light: the night with Glo Wild night-time lantern festival at the Fort Wayne Zoo, returning on March 5 7:30-10 p.m. ($18/ticket)
• Learn: how to attract pollinators and create a (HOA-friendly) native garden with a three-hour Native Plant Workshop at LC Nature Park on March 7 at 9-12 p.m. Discover landscaping techniques, and take home your own detailed garden design. Join them after the workshop for a private guided hike through the park. Light snacks provided. ($50/ticket)
• Volunteer: with Fort Wayne Trails’s “soft maintenance” program, which assists the municipal team in cutting overgrowth, pulling weeds, flagging potential safety concerns. A recent report by Input Fort Wayne highlights how volunteers are stepping up to build better trails – and a better community.
• Exercise: at three free classes at Promenade Park on March 8, starting with Barre by Discover Yoga at 9:15 a.m., followed by Yoga with Discover Yoga, at 10:30 a.m. and Pilates with Pure Movement Studio at 11:45 a.m. All classes are beginner-friendly.

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Have a great week, Locals!

-Your Editor, Kara Hackett

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