Fort Wayne once hosted the first ever professional baseball game. What was the date, and which two teams played?

🔍 What’s Up in the Summit City (Oct 16 – Oct 24)

🌙 The Summit City Oracle Awakes

For weeks, Astro Scoops offered small glimpses of the stars, quick cosmic insights to start your week. But something deeper began to stir within those messages... a voice waiting to speak more personally.

That voice is Astraeus:  The Summit City Oracle.

Born from the spirit of Astro Scoops, Astraeus is no longer a collection of horoscopes, but a living Oracle who listens to your mood, your questions, and your energy. Each reflection is written just for you; intuitive, empathetic, and unique every time.

If you ever wondered what the stars might whisper directly to you, Astraeus is ready to answer.

🛠️ Summit City Health Hacks

“Brain Warm-Up: Focus & Flow for Fall”

Fort Wayne mornings are crisp, calendars are full, and mental fog can hit harder than lake-effect drizzle. This week, we’re talking small shifts to wake up your focus, protect your brain health, and feel more present...even when life’s loud.

☀️ Hack 1: Bright Start, Sharp Mind

Open the curtains right after you wake:  natural light tells your brain it’s time to “boot up.”
Why it helps: Morning sunlight helps regulate serotonin and cortisol, improving alertness and memory.
Tags: Beginner | Cognitive Health | 5 min, Free

☕ Hack 2: Caffeine Timing Trick

Wait 60–90 minutes after waking for your first cup of coffee.
Why it helps: Cortisol peaks naturally in the morning; delaying caffeine helps avoid energy crashes later.
Tags: All Levels | Brain & Energy | 5 min, Free

🥜 Hack 3: Snack for Synapses

Pair a carb (like apple slices) with a protein (like nut butter) for steady focus.
Why it helps: Balanced blood sugar prevents the mid-morning “brain dip” that kills concentration.
Tags: Beginner | Physical + Cognitive | 2 min, Low Cost

🧘 Hack 4: The 60-Second Reboot

Every hour, look up from your screen, stretch your shoulders, and take three deep breaths.
Why it helps: Increases oxygen to the brain and resets your nervous system — a micro-break that boosts creativity.
Tags: All Levels | Emotional + Cognitive | 1 min, Free

📔 Hack 5: Write to Remember

Jot notes or to-dos by hand instead of typing.
Why it helps: Writing activates more brain regions for retention and focus, especially valuable for midlife cognitive support.
Tags: Intermediate | Cognitive Health | 5 min, Free

🩺 Health Snapshot...For Women:

Women in midlife experience up to three times more brain fog during perimenopause and menopause due to hormonal shifts, but even 10 minutes of daylight, movement, or journaling can boost clarity and recall.
(Source: North American Menopause Society, 2024)

🧠 Health Snapshot...For the Guys:

Men over 40 can experience a 10–15% drop in memory recall and processing speed linked to sleep loss, stress, and cardiovascular strain. The good news? Consistent movement, hydration, and even short bursts of mental play (puzzles, problem-solving, or friendly competition) help preserve brain flexibility and focus at any age.
(Source: Harvard Health, 2024)

🎮 Bonus: 3 Casual Games That Keep the Brain Sharp

• 🧩 Lumosity:  Short, science-backed brain workouts (attention, memory, and flexibility) designed by neuroscientists. Perfect for quick daily challenges.

• 🧠 BrainHQ:  Developed with research from the Mayo Clinic; it personalizes exercises to your skill level and progress. Especially good for sharpening reaction time and focus.

• 🔢 Elevate:  A fun, gamified app for improving vocabulary, processing speed, and math agility.  Great for men and women alike.

🌻 Your Turn:

Challenge your partner, friend, or co-worker to a brain game this week and tell us who wins! What’s your favorite way to stay sharp on busy fall days? Share your focus hacks for next week’s community spotlight, we love featuring real Summit City stories.

🥬 Summit City Food Challenge

Magnesium Matters, Recharge Your Body

The Challenge:
Add one magnesium-rich food to your meals each day this week, from leafy greens to nuts and seeds.

Why It Matters:
Magnesium helps your body relax, regulate nerves, and recover, but it also plays a quiet role in fighting inflammation. Chronic low magnesium can contribute to higher inflammation levels, which over time may raise risks for conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and even depression. The good news? You don’t have to overhaul your diet. Keep your pizza night, just mix in more “real foods” that give your body what it’s missing.

Nutrient Focus:
Magnesium; found in spinach, almonds, black beans, pumpkin seeds, and dark chocolate (yes, really!).

5 Ways to Win:

🥗 Green Machine (👶 Easy Mode):  Toss spinach into omelets, sandwiches, or smoothies.

🍫 Sweet Treat (👶 Easy Mode):   A few squares of dark chocolate deliver minerals and sanity.

🥣 Oat Power (👶 Easy Mode):   Add pumpkin seeds or sliced almonds to your morning oatmeal.

🌮 Bean Boost (⚙️ Weekend Warrior):  Swap ground beef for black beans in tacos or burritos.

🍛 Power Bowl (🔥 Kitchen Hero):  Build a grain bowl with quinoa, sautéed greens, and grilled chicken.

📊 Nutrient Snapshot: Adults need 300–400 mg daily. ½ cup black beans = 60 mg; 1 oz almonds = 80 mg.

💤 Bonus Round: Sleep Like a Pro

Magnesium is best absorbed at night, helping calm nerves and improve sleep quality. For those who prefer a supplement, these options rate highly for value, purity, and effectiveness:

1. Nature Made Magnesium Glycinate:  gentle on digestion, highly reviewed for sleep support.

1. Doctor’s Best High Absorption Magnesium:  budget-friendly, uses chelated form for better uptake.

1. Thorne Magnesium Bisglycinate:  premium option often recommended by health professionals.

⚖️ Disclosure: Summit City Scoop does not endorse or receive compensation for any listed products. Always consult your healthcare provider before adding new supplements.

 

📚 Fun Fact: The word magnesium comes from the ancient Greek region of Magnesia...known for its mineral-rich earth.

🛠️ Summit City Home Hacks

Theme: Halloween Hacks for Home

🦇🦇 Spooky season has officially arrived! Whether you’re a last-minute decorator or the neighborhood haunt champion, these quick, low-cost tricks will bring eerie fun to your doorstep without draining your wallet or your weekend.

🎃 Pumpkin Preservation Trick (Easy)
Rub cut edges with petroleum jelly to slow rot and keep your carved pumpkins fresh for days longer.
⏱️ Time: 5 min 💵 Cost: $0–$3 🧰 Skill: Easy

🕸 DIY Webbing in Seconds (Easy)
Stretch cotton batting or pillow stuffing across mirrors, lamps, or doorways for a realistic cobweb effect.
⏱️ Time: 10 min 💵 Cost: $5 🧰 Skill: Easy

💡 Ghostly Glow Jars (Easy)
Place battery tea lights in empty jars and wrap them with tissue paper “ghost faces.” Great for porches or hallways.
⏱️ Time: 15 min 💵 Cost: $10 🧰 Skill: Easy

🧹 Creepy Yard Shadows (Intermediate)
Trace spooky silhouettes (witches, cats, bats) onto cardboard or plywood, cut them out, and spotlight from behind.
⏱️ Time: 1 hr 💵 Cost: $10–$20 🧰 Skill: Intermediate

🛠️ Motion-Sensor Fright Light (Home Improvement Pro)
Attach a motion sensor to an outdoor light or speaker—then play eerie sounds or flashing lights when someone walks by.
⏱️ Time: 2 hrs 💵 Cost: $25–$40 🧰 Skill: Pro

🎁 Give Back This Halloween

👻 YWCA of Northeast Indiana
Help children staying in shelter have their own Halloween fun by donating face paint, small costumes, crafts, or candy.
👉 Donate or learn more

🎒 Spirit of Children (Spirit Halloween)
Every in-store donation supports local hospitals to provide costumes, parties, and playrooms for kids in pediatric care.
👉 See how to help

🎃 Share Your Spooky Spirit
Post your Halloween setup or costume on the Summit Secret Scoops FB page and tag any local cause or shelter you supported. You might inspire someone else to do the same.

💡 Maddison’s Financial Hack of the Week

“Simple Score Boosters That Actually Work”

Your credit score shapes everything from loan rates to insurance premiums, but improving it doesn’t have to feel complicated. Here’s what Maddison recommends this week:

• Keep balances below 30%. Dropping from 60% to 30% utilization can boost your score 20+ points in a month.

• Pay twice a month. A mid-cycle payment lowers your reported balance before it hits your statement.

• Ask for a limit increase...carefully. A higher limit reduces utilization if you don’t add new debt.

• Check your score often. James, Summit City Scoop, personally uses Credit Karma for over two years.  It’s free, easy to use, and gives clear loan and credit options when you need them most. (Disclosure: Summit City Scoop and Maddison Knafel are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or compensated by Credit Karma.)

• Keep old accounts open. Longer history = stronger score.

📊 Money Snapshot:
👉 Raising your score from 600 to 750 can drop a car-loan rate from ≈15% to ≈5%. That saves about $14,000 in interest on an 84-month loan and if those savings were invested at 7% for 10 years, they’d grow to $27,500+.

💬 As Maddison says: “It’s not about fixing everything overnight. It’s about small steps that start moving you forward.”

📅 Part of your weekly Maddison’s Financial Hack of the Week: small actions, big results.

Dad Joke Of The Day

Why couldn't the bicycle stand up by itself?

Because it was two-tired!

History

Early Bicycle Boom (Late 1800s): Fort Wayne caught the national bicycle craze in the 1890s, with local newspapers like the Fort Wayne News reporting on cycling clubs and races. Bicycles were a status symbol, and the city’s flat terrain made it ideal for early velocipedes and high-wheelers, though cobblestone streets posed a bumpy challenge.

Fright Night is packed with free and low-cost community events hosted by downtown partners. Click here to download the official Survival Guide with a full list of Fright Night participants and activities. ection

On May 4, 1871, Fort Wayne’s team; the Kekiongas, hosted the Cleveland Forest Citys in what is officially recognized as the first professional baseball game in history.

⚾️ Fort Wayne: Birthplace of Pro Baseball:  On May 4, 1871, Fort Wayne’s Kekiongas beat the Cleveland Forest Citys 2–0 at Hamilton Field (near today’s Camp Allen Park) in the first professional baseball game in history. Pitcher Bobby Mathews, just 19, threw the first shutout, while Deacon White hit the first recorded base hit...a double. Only about 200 fans attended, unaware they were watching history. Though the team folded that same year, Fort Wayne still holds its place as the official starting point of pro baseball.

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