Community Corner

🌱 How firefighters stopped a duplex blaze before it spread further

Happening soon: A Magical Cirque Christmas on the Fort Wayne Patch calendar

Thursday December 11th Patch AM
Thursday December 11th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Morning Fort Wayne! We've got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • How firefighters stopped a duplex blaze before it spread further
  • Fort Wayne community mourns Officer Justin Koehl’s passing
  • See how a new light sculpture will transform 77 Steps Alleyway

Also on today's calendar: The Dinner Detective True Crime Murder Mystery Dinner Show - Fort Wayne, IN and 6 more events.

Find out what's happening in Fort Waynefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: What did one tuna say to the other after getting caught stealing files from work? 🤔 (Answer below!)


Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Fort Waynefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Thursday: Mostly cloudy and cold, with a high of 28 and low of 21 degrees.
  • Friday: A little snow in the morning, temps: high: 30, low: 9. ⛄️ Brr!
  • Saturday: A little snow in the p.m., with a high of 14 and low of 8 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Cause Under Investigation After Duplex Fire in Fort Wayne (wowo.com) — Fort Wayne firefighters quickly contained a duplex fire on Olympia Court Tuesday evening, heavily damaging one unit but preventing serious harm to the adjoining apartment. Everyone inside had evacuated before crews arrived, no injuries were reported, and investigators are still working to determine what sparked the blaze.
   

2. Fort Wayne Police Officer Justin Koehl Dies After Battle With Brain Tumor (wowo.com) — Fort Wayne is mourning Officer Justin Koehl, who has died after a battle with a brain tumor, according to the Fort Wayne Police Department. Local law enforcement agencies are honoring his service and courage, and a GoFundMe campaign remains active to support his family during this difficult time.
   

3. Fort Wayne's Public Art Commission selects artist to create light sculpture (21alivenews.com) — A new kinetic light sculpture called “Flow” is coming to downtown Fort Wayne’s 77 Steps Alleyway, inspired by the city’s rivers and designed to transform the corridor with movement and color. The Public Art Commission chose artist James Lucey from more than 30 applicants, with a $100,000 budget and installation planned for early summer 2026.
   

4. Gov. Braun Completes Seventh Annual Tour of All 92 Counties (wtreradio.com) — Governor Mike Braun’s 92-county tour included a major stop in Allen County, where he announced Bombardier will open a new service center in Fort Wayne, bringing highly skilled aircraft technician jobs to the community. The statewide tour also highlighted investments in manufacturing, farming, workforce training, and redevelopment projects aimed at boosting Indiana’s long-term economic growth.
   

5. Goodbye SW racetrack, hello Auburn Motorsport Park (wane.com) — Fort Wayne readers will see a long-discussed southwest Allen County racetrack plan officially replaced by a new vision: Auburn Motorsports Park at the former Kruse Auction Park site near I-69. Local investors say the FIA-level road course, kart track, and potential surrounding development could draw visitors and new businesses to northeast Indiana by 2028.
   


📸 Around Fort Wayne

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Comcast’s Xfinity Launches National Video Plans; The Best Entertainment Experience for One Simple Price —Samantha VanHoef Read on Patch
  • Here's another photo my son took of Sneaky cuddling with me after I got home from the hospital.
    He had been sleeping until my son got out his phone to photograph him! Its been six days since I came home; and most of the pain and nausea are gone. (Nextdoor Three Oaks)
  • Hello,
    In July of 2023, I was granted SSDI disability due to kidney failure and dialysis. However, Social Security has a rule where you have to wait 5… (Nextdoor The 05)
  • Central Garden and Pet posted a job opening for 1st Shift Inventory Associate in Fort Wayne. Apply here.
  • The Buckle, Inc. posted a job opening for Freight Coordinator (Part Time) in Fort Wayne. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Fort Wayne here.

Ok Fort Wayne! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I could get canned for this!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!


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