Hey Locals,

Thanks again to everyone who turned out for Local Trivia Night last week. We had about 40 contestants and three lucky winning teams! 

In this week’s news: We’re covering a hot topic for residents: funding for the Allen County Public Library, which drew a slew of citizens to City Council last week to advocate on the library’s behalf.

We also update you on Citilink’s progress rightsizing its budget (good news) and fill you in on a new parking garage Downtown, as well as a few fun and free live music events for your To Do List.

Plus, a special feature with Rune’s talented bartender Mae Strubel on tips for impressing your guests this holiday season with locally sourced, craft cocktails.

Don’t forget: Today is the last day to take advantage of our special food deal with The Fairfield! All paid subscribers to The Local get $2 off a shareable Duck Fry Plate (regularly valued at $10.50), which comes with three house-made dipping sauces. 

This month, our newsletter is brought to you by AARP Indiana. Did you know they have a local team in Fort Wayne, hosting events and engaging the community on issues we care about at The Local, like transportation, civic engagement, healthy living and more? Visit their website for details!

Now, let's get started!

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

City Council holds funding for ACPL’s future.

We talk budget concerns + what’s on the chopping block.

What’s happening?

Indiana’s property tax reductions (SB1) haven’t taken full effect, but they’re already making Fort Wayne City Council sweat. Last week, funding for the Allen County Public Library took center stage at council where members sparred across party lines over whether they should review the budget more closely for cost-savings or trust the ACPL’s board to make appropriate decisions. One sticking point was a proposed 3% cost-of-living salary increase for library employees, in line with what’s being granted to county employees. 

Eight residents spoke in favor of the library’s proposed 2026 budget, highlighting the service’s educational value, world-class genealogy center, and tourism draw. Rep. Geoff Paddock (D-5) said he felt “very uncomfortable trying to micromanage” the library’s budget; whereas Rep. Nathan Hartman (R-3) made the case for reviewing the budget more closely. Council opted to discuss the library’s funding again at its Oct. 7 meeting with a decision required by Oct. 14.

So... What are a few key considerations about the library’s future? What might be on the chopping block? And why does council have a say in the library budget at all?

We break it down in this week’s Thursday newsletter for paid subscribers only.

• Thanks to a combination of short-term funding solutions and strategic adjustments, Fort Wayne Citilink has stabilized its budget. Last year, the city’s largest public transportation provider told council it was facing a $2.5M fiscal cliff, which would result in drastic cuts to its already meager bus service. Since then, Citilink has taken a variety of steps to reduce its budget, including a slight fare increase, not replacing six employees, outsourcing its access service, and “taking a 0% increase in next year’s budget,” including leadership salaries. Metzinger says the city is also contemplating a direct contribution to Citilink for the first time, which could help make up for flatlined funding at the state level.
• The parking garage at the long-awaited The Lofts at Headwaters Park, near Club Soda, is now open. The garage in the 200 block of East Superior Street offers about 420 spaces to the public at rates consistent with other City-owned garages. (Free for the first 15 minutes and then $1/hour with a maximum daily rate of $8.) More than 200 additional spaces are reserved for people who will live and work at The Lofts, scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2026, housing about 350 residents.
• In about 30 days, Three Rivers Ambulance Authority (TRAA) will no longer provide Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) service for 911 calls outside Fort Wayne city limits. On Thursday, it issued a warning that ambulance service outside of Fort Wayne will soon be provided by various county fire departments, and 911 calls may no longer be handed off to an Emergency Medical Dispatcher while the ambulance is on its way. In January, county commissioners pulled out of a 40-year agreement with the city on TRAA, calling its service model “outdated.” TRAA says about 20% of its work comes from outside city limits, costing roughly $400,000. Commissioners say that if residents have questions or concerns, they should “talk to county fire districts.” 
• The City of Fort Wayne's Community Development Division recently mapped and published heat and air quality city-wide, thanks to a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA). Northwest Fort Wayne rated the hottest, likely due to industrial and commercial areas, whereas the South and Southeast were coolest. Overall, the study found a “significant” 8.3-degree maximum temperature difference across the city’s various regions, noting that “the presence of street trees, green spaces, and proximity to water can serve to alleviate heat in dense urban areas.” Residents are invited to explore the results online. (The city’s Engage Fort Wayne website includes a five-minute explainer video.) The city plans to use the study to plan for climate action; we’ll follow up with a breakdown of key findings.
• The new $300 million Allen County Jail at 2911 Meyer Rd. is on schedule. Fort Wayne-based Weigand Construction is overseeing the project, which is about 40% complete.* Despite controversy about the new facility’s size, location and cost, officials with the county jail say it will bring efficiency for about 156 employees as well as more better mental health care for inmates, particularly those who are “severely mentally ill.” Regular operations will likely begin in early 2028. In related news: Last week, the Indiana Capital Chronicle also reported “the state’s prison population is again nearing capacity while funding for local alternatives is shrinking.” State grant funding has flatlined for seven straight years and was cut by $7 million this year, with more reductions expected in 2026.
• The Fort Wayne Zoo is partnering with Blue Jacket to extend its light show with a new Fort Wayne Light Fest. The festival continues Blue Jacket’s beloved three-mile Fantasy of Lights with a new “Wild Lights at the Fort Wayne Zoo,” including an opportunity to meet Santa, explore a display of nearly one-million lights, attend a dance party and nightly tree-lighting hosted by Santa’s elves, toast s’mores, ride the Evergreen Express, decorate sugar cookies, and even get nose-to-nose with Santa’s reindeer. The festivities will be open select dates Nov. 28 -Jan. 4 with early-elf discounts available now.

Impress your guests with locally sourced holiday cocktails

Rune Bartender Mae Strubel spills a recipe + pro tips.

What's happening?

It's fall in Fort Wayne, and Visit Fort Wayne is celebrating with a virtual Apple Trail through the end of November, highlighting apple-themed activities, orchards and menu items at local restaurants.

One drink on the menu is Rune's house cocktail, The Montana, created by Beverage Director Mae Strubel, who has shaken up some delicious fun in the city's craft cocktail scene for many years now.

As the holiday season approaches, Mae is taking over our local food blog this week to share a few of her best tips to impress your guests with locally sourced cocktails.

She suggests:

• Recycled glassware: Special cocktails call for unique glassware. For Rune, I sourced most of ours from St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store and Re-Store. (I'd suggest serving the Montana in a coup.)
• Foraged ingredients: Certified forager Carrie Vabrel of Wild Edible Indiana taught me it's good for the environment to pick invasive plants, and some of them happen to make great ingredients. Although not invasive, but quite native to the region, in the cooler months, I like to forage shag bark and white pine needles for cocktails. (Stay tuned for a foraging class at Rune soon!) *Strubel notes: Referring to a trained expert to help you correctly identify foraged plants is highly recommended for safety reasons.
• Events to remember: If you're not in the mood to host a gathering at home, take the party to go. This fall, Packard Tap House is collaborating with Rune for an Oktoberfest-inspired event on October 18th, and on Halloween night, I’ve got some spirited cocktails planned for a special spooky movie night, featuring Night of the Living Dead after the dinner rush. 
• Experimentation: For those who were lucky enough to come to Rune’s Daylily Estates collaborative wine tasting dinner, you know about their delicious Delaware Pét-Nat. Its acidity level makes it a great floater in sweeter cocktails, so grab a bottle, and don’t be afraid to experiment! (Daylily doesn't have a public winery, but you can enjoy their wine at Rune and purchase it at shops like Wine Time.)

Mae’s Montana

• 2 oz bay-infused vodka
• ¾ oz apple cardamon syrup
• ½ oz lemon juice
• Shaken and served in a coupe glass. Garnish with a bay leaf. 

Stay tuned for Rune events and more at @runerestaurant.

• Listen: to free live jazz music on The Fairfield’s patio for its final Sips & Sounds event on September 30, 6–9 p.m.
• Learn: about the impact of historic preservation in Fort Wayne at a free public presentation by Donovan Rypkema of PlaceEconomics on Oct. 1 at 1:45 p.m. at the Embassy Theatre. Residents are invited to hear Rypkema’s review of Fort Wayne’s heritage tourism and 74 local projects that have benefited from historic tax credits since 2001. (No registration required.*)
• Enjoy: art and music at JK O’Donnell’s Art-a-Licious night on The Pitch patio Oct. 2, 5-8 p.m., featuring live music, a silent art auction and people’s choice award for local art. (A suggested $5 donation supports Creative Women of the World.)
• Sip: craft local and regional brews of all kinds – beer, coffee, tea, wine, cider and mead – at the Botanical Conservatory’s annual Botanical Brew on Oct. 3, 4-9 p.m., including performers, local food, regional artisans and its current showcase exhibit. ($10)
• BYOD (bring your own dog): for Yappy Hour on the Riverfront at Promenade Park, a FREE evening for pups and owners on Oct. 3, 6-8 p.m., including live music and Clay Paw Print Keepsakes for purchase.
• Check out: the 2 Fast 2 Furious car show on The Landing by Fort Wayne Driving Club on Oct. 4, from 5–11 p.m., expanding to The Pearl this year with live music The Landing, 8–11 p.m., and outdoor bars at Mercado and Ducky’s.
• Fall into Fitness: with a month of self-care classes at The Fairfield every Sunday of October, starting with Barre on Oct. 5, 11 a.m.-noon with Pure Barre overlooking the Fort Wayne skyline.
• Tour: the Wild Zoo Halloween, including spooky Keeper Chats, Halloween-themed enrichment, treats, and appearances by Halloween characters. Costumes welcome. (Recurring weekly Friday-Sunday.)
• Learn: the story behind a decorated chair along Bass Road.
• Celebrate: the Mexican tradition of Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, starting Oct. 4, featuring an exhibit of memorial altars.
• Shop: new or gently-used books at a Riverfront Book Swap on Oct. 5, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., including a chance to win gift cards to local bookstores and take part in the Zine Workshop.
• Attend: First Fridays on the Broadway Corridor on Oct. 3, 5-8 p.m.

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Have a great week, Locals!

-Your Editor, Kara Hackett