Author

AJ Hughes

AJ Hughes's Latest Articles

Renee Gabet, founder and owner of Annie Oakley Natural Perfumery
Ligonier perfumery pays homage to Annie Oakley with natural fragrances

“For the last 40 years, I’ve pulled some of the best oils and raw materials together to make perfumes."

Townhouses owned by Jen and Ben Bailey are under construction in Lagro.
Time, talent, money and love are transforming rural communities in Wabash County

“We want people to see our little community and see that we have something to offer and that it’s a great place to live and to raise a family."

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.”

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.”

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.”

Shane Waters in his Wabash-based podcast studio.
Meet Shane Waters, an award-winning true crime and history podcaster based in Wabash

Shane Waters is the owner of Black Label Podcasting, the host of multiple podcasts, a proud Wabash resident and the recent winner of the 'Best True Crime Show' award from CrimeCon.

For families, there is no shortage of activities in Wabash, parents Madeline and Aaron Spring say.
What is it like to raise a family in Wabash?

“Wabash is a beautiful little gem. It’s in the middle of cornfields, but it’s got everything that we need.”

Dr. Dungy-Poythress speaks about implicit bias and how it impacts Black maternal and infant health at the University of Saint Francis.
Local organizations offer hope among bleak maternal and infant mortality data

“If we have a pregnant mom or a mom who might be experiencing post-partum depression or showing signs of that sort of thing, we try to help them find their voice when it comes to interacting with their doctor’s office.”

The Riverfront at Promenade
How old and new buildings are providing a lasting vibrancy to Downtown Fort Wayne

“If you look at the vibrancy in the development of Downtown Fort Wayne, you’ll find that some of the most exciting places have a mix of contemporary buildings and historic buildings. All of those contribute to who we are and to a wide variety of tastes.”

Kentner Creek, a new housing development in Wabash County.
New housing developments in Wabash County seen as a catalyst for growth

“For 40 years we’ve had a declining population, and we’re trying to figure out that decline. One of the ways we can do that is by creating various programs—new housing being one.”

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