Features

Feature Story YLNI Board President Ian Broad-White

4 questions with YLNI Board President Ian Broad-White about the 200 Acts of Kindness Campaign

“Some people don't necessarily want to be recognized or patted on the back or seek out that attention just because they did something that was a small, kind gesture, but I think more so today than ever we need to shed light on that.”

Feature Story Betsy Kachmar, Co-President of League of Women Voters of Fort Wayne, right,  talks with Chris Castaldi about voting at the Allen County Public Library Tecumseh branch.

‘Lots of really good reasons to vote’: How community leaders are championing voter engagement

Getting people to the polls is a marathon, not a sprint —  and starts long before Election Day.

Feature Story Liz Kelpin, owner of Sunbound Books

Sunbound Books: An independent bookstore joins the lineup of small businesses in the 05

“I kept waiting for someone else to open a bookstore and no one did, so I guess I will.”

Feature Story Manchester University students volunteer at a Habitat for Humanity event in Wabash County.

How higher education institutions are prioritizing community impact in Wabash County

“First of all, the fact that we have a university in Wabash County is a special thing and it's my belief that we need to support the community just like the community supports us."

Feature Story The Harvester Homecoming Festival

Local nonprofit honors the legacy and lasting impact of International Harvester in Allen County

"The Harvester Homecoming Museum is expected to attract IH enthusiasts from around the world. With support from the Redevelopment Commission of New Haven and a request to IEDC for additional funding, we are confident in the project’s success and its pivotal role in celebrating Hoosier manufacturing excellence."

Feature Story Content Creator McKayla Nevers

Through her lens, McKayla Nevers brings a new perspective to Fort Wayne

“I love Fort Wayne. I've been here my whole life and to see Fort Wayne come from what it was to what it is now and to be able to capture that and kind of document that– it just feels really special.”

Feature Story Tony Belton inside The Scoop Hitchen, a trailer that he converted to serve ice cream out of.

A sweet expansion: How Brightpoint's small business loans helped Classic City Creamery grow

“Being a CDFI means more than just being able to loan dollars out. It's also providing up-front technical assistance for the businesses– helping them with their business plan, with their projections, registering with the Secretary of State— anything that will give them a better chance at getting started and being successful.”

Feature Story Owners Chuck and Lyndsey Springer at their shop, Reclaimed Fort Wayne, 1514 St. Joseph Blvd. Fort Wayne, IN.

Reclaimed Fort Wayne: Finding new homes for forgotten treasures

“We have the opportunity to bring beautiful pieces back to life, repurpose, and give new homes to live on. Otherwise, it could’ve ended up in the landfill."

Feature Story A CTN bus.

10 proposed solutions to address transportation barriers in Northeast Indiana

“Understanding transportation gaps in all of Northeast Indiana is crucial. In smaller organizations, we have limited resources. No individual system could have gleaned this kind of information. This report gives us important county- and region-specific data that will help us work together to meet the needs of our communities and our riders.”

Feature Story ARCH's office in downtown Fort Wayne was one of their preservation projects.

ARCH is testing new ways to share the history of Fort Wayne's historic neighborhoods

“One of the things that we thought was important was giving people a connection to their own neighborhood history because those historic northeast neighborhoods are old."

Feature Story Fort Wayne has over 130 miles of trails.

#PlacesofNEI: Explore Fort Wayne through its trail network

Fort Wayne's trail network is more than just a scenic route. It’s an active way to connect with the heart of the city.

Feature Story Innovative Housing Showcase features four types of builds.

Innovative Housing Showcase tests new design and construction methods in Fort Wayne

“Traditional housing models and construction methods often fail to meet the needs of diverse and changing demographics, leading to shortages, rising prices, and increased pressure on the market.”

Feature Story Hatfield & Sons Distillery in Waynedale

How Hatfield & Sons Distillery went from garage hobby to successful business

“It kind of turned into an obsession for me. I like building things and understanding the process. My wife let me spend a lot of money on my hobby in the garage until it was ridiculous and then we decided this is way over a hobby and we should try to make money with this.”

Feature Story Plug and Play's grand opening in Warsaw.

Accelerating Innovation: Bringing Silicon Valley to Northeast Indiana

“Everyone’s been excited and eager to bring this on and see how it has potential to really be such a benefit. To see something that’s warmly embraced on so many levels is really cool.”

Feature Story An exhibit at the Wabash County Museum.

Small towns, lasting legacies: Wabash County's efforts to preserve local history

“I think the most important thing people can do to preserve our history is to stay curious and ask questions. Read the roadside signs and the historical markers. Take that tour of an off-beat, quirky museum. There is so much to gain from learning about the past.”

Feature Story Even after reopening to the public, a large portion of Fox Island Park remains closed off for safety reasons.

Fox Island Park is open again– but the cleanup is far from over

“Nature does what nature does. Nature will heal herself. The forest growth will not recover to previous levels in our lifetimes, but we all hope to be good stewards so that this is here way beyond the lifetimes of anyone currently available to see it.”

Feature Story The bulk of programming at Healthier Moms and Babies consists of home visits, which are done by nurses or family advocates who walk alongside women during and after their pregnancy until the baby turns two.

Local organizations are helping moms and babies flourish with new state funding

“I think that this is really a great example of the state recognizing that we need more public health dollars. This is an excellent example of how it worked all the way from the funding at the state legislature to the Allen County Department of Health and then out to human services organizations.”

Feature Story The Ehle Family

Full House: Generations of families share homes and lives

“We’d go over there, they’d come over here, at least half of the time. I’m not sure whose idea it was, but someone asked, ‘Wouldn’t it be easier if we all lived together?’”

Feature Story Local Food Week is July 26 through August 4.

Local Food Week offers new ways to experience Northeast Indiana’s food scene

“This is just our way of promoting our local farmers, producers, and entrepreneurs in the local food scene.”

Partner Content Maddy Ball works with a co-worker in nutrition services.

Enriching young adults’ lives through work readiness internships

“It teaches skills the participants can take into any workforce, such as arriving on time, working as a team, and completing tasks on time. The program builds confidence and independence. It’s wonderful from a work training and a personal skills perspective.”

Feature Story Jody Hemphill Smith with her husband, Mark Paul Smith

New foundation upholds local artist's legacy and nurtures future talent

"What if I deconstruct the elements of a painting… turn them into steel, throw them into thin air?"

Feature Story 2nd Fridays, North Manchester

Main Street organizations are revitalizing the heart of Northeast Indiana communities

“Without our Main Street organizations, the historic downtowns throughout Wabash County and the work they do, we would fall to the plight of urban sprawl. They are truly focused on the economic vitality of the structures that are part of our cultural heritage of where we were, who we were, and what made our communities even become communities.”

Special Report The Parkview Employer Clinic opening

Parkview Employer Solutions emphasizes wellness, prevention, and cost of care

“We want to partner with our regional employers, whether they’re school systems, local governments, municipalities or private companies. We want to partner with them to obviously keep their co-workers as healthy as possible and productive, but also to do that in the context of controlling the total cost of care.”

Feature Story Carla's home

Home Free: How the Forty Percent Live

“Our home now is worth more than twice what we paid for it. That could be seen as a reason to sell, but we do like living here. I tend to be a person who looks to make what I have work, rather than looking for something new, and so we’ve certainly saved money that way on fixing up what we have instead of upgrading to a new place.”

Feature Story Illustrator James Newton

Meet Roanoke-based illustrator and animator James Newton

“The reason I do what I do is not to necessarily express myself but to connect with people. Even though I spend 90 percent of my time in my office, the most important work comes whenever I sit down with that client to get to know them, try to figure out their vision, talk shop with them, or share my work with other people and see how it resonates.”

Feature Story Indiana Vintage Market in Indianapolis.

Q&A with Indiana Vintage Market co-organizer Sam Brann

Indiana Vintage Market comes to Fort Wayne for the first time on July 20 at the Grand Wayne Convention Center from noon to 5 p.m.

Feature Story Friends gather to play at Hileman Farms, which features 5 private pickleball courts.

‘Keep them local’: How proposed pickleball courts in Wabash County promote placemaking

“It’s been amazing how many people locally have approached me and said that they've been playing for years and they love the sport and can't wait to have courts. It’s been neat to see the response and the positivity.”

Feature Story A heat sensor from CAPA Strategies attached to a car in Utah.

The City of Fort Wayne is launching an urban heat island mapping campaign

“I think the most important takeaway is that this is a chance for us to have some really important data that we can use to make well-thought-out, well-researched decisions in the future."

Feature Story Smores ice cream in a bubble waffle cone from Pufferbelly Ice Cream.

#PlacesofNEI: Pufferbelly Junction Ice Cream serves up scoops and sweets on the Riverfront

Pufferbelly Junction Ice Cream sells ice cream by the scoop in a variety of flavors, including dairy-free options.

Partner Content Signage for the Double Up program at Ft Wayne's Farmers Market on Dynamo Alley.

Expanding the reach of Double Up Indiana, a SNAP-matching program

“Over the course of the last three and a half years, we have matched approximately $300,000 so that would be $300,000 worth of fresh fruits and vegetables that are going to families who pay with SNAP or food stamps.”

Partner Content Antonuccio’s Italian Market, a specialty Italian market in the 07 zip code

What is the Elevate Small Business Grant and how is it helping local entrepreneurs?

“At the Bank, we offer several different programs to support affordable housing development and homeownership, all of which are designed to support strong communities. The Elevate Small Business grant is that final piece of the puzzle needed to help build robust and thriving communities across our district.”

Feature Story BonJo talks about her artwork at Union Street Market.

Meet BonJo: A painter helping shape the future of Fort Wayne’s creative community

“I was just so excited to get my artwork out and seen and talk about it with people I don't know and see how people just break it down because art has its own story to every different eye. Having opportunities and being a part of the opportunities just builds your portfolio up. It builds your support system.”

Partner Content Dr. Alan Yahanda, president of the Parkview Packnett Family Cancer Institute

Meet Dr. Alan Yahanda, the new president of the Parkview Packnett Family Cancer Institute

“I’m excited to pursue new innovations in technology and treatment, and expand the availability of clinical trials for our patients. I also want the PFCI to continue to be a valued partner in the Fort Wayne community, not just in taking care of cancer patients, but also ensuring the health of the community as a whole through prevention and education.”

Feature Story Student nurses at IU Fort Wayne now receive Mental Health First Aid Training (MHFA) as part of their curriculum.

How IU Fort Wayne is enhancing its mental health education for student nurses and their patients

“Students are more prepared, have better mental health communication skills, and are overall more confident going into mental health facilities."

Feature Story Ripple, 2023

Middle Waves Music Festival returns with new leadership and plans for a long-lasting legacy

“We’re looking forward to having a legacy of a great music festival that we’ll grow over time. We’ll become a huge destination for people visiting our city, and in 10 or 20 years, people are going to think of Middle Waves way outside of Fort Wayne. It will be a destination.”

Feature Story Wolfe leads book clubs for participants.

ACPL librarian recognized nationally for creating programming for adults with disabilities

“I guess what I love the most is the library and library staff try really hard to meet the needs of everyone in the community regardless of what the needs are. It's a really good feeling to work in a place that people love and a place that exists just to help and to meet the needs of the community.”

Feature Story Students in Mr. Larsen's class add toppings to their quesadillas as part of the Cooking in the Classroom program.

How local organizations are using state funding to challenge the status quo around public health

“We all have to be very mindful that it's probably going to be at least 10 years until we start seeing actual changes in outcomes, such as obesity or food insecurity. As a state that took a long time to get where it got, it'll take a long time to begin to see betterment in that.”

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