Who is said to haunt the Embassy Theatre in downtown Fort Wayne, occasionally “checking in” on the building he once lovingly managed?

A) Charlie the Conductor
B) Bud Berger
C) Tony the Ticket Taker
D) Frank the Film Projectionist

🔍 What’s Up in the Summit City (Oct 23 – Oct 30)

🌙 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

Heart of the Matter, Part 1:  Circulation & Vitality

Fort Wayne’s leaves are crisp, coffee cups are warm, and sweaters are officially back in rotation. 🍂 It’s the perfect moment to give some love to your hardest-working muscle...your heart. As temps dip and routines pick up speed, circulation and vitality can take a hit. This week, let’s move, breathe, and warm up from the inside out.

💃 Hack 1: Move for the Beat

Even 10 minutes of brisk walking, stair climbing, or dancing in your kitchen gets your heart pumping.
Why it helps: Short bursts of movement improve circulation, boost mood, and strengthen heart function.
Tags: Beginner | Cardiovascular System | Time: 10 min/day

🫖 Hack 2: Spice It Up

Add circulation-boosting spices like cinnamon, cayenne, or turmeric to oatmeal, soups, or tea.
Why it helps: These warming ingredients promote better blood flow and reduce inflammation.
Tags: Intermediate | Circulatory & Immune Systems | Budget: Low

💧 Hack 3: Hydrate for Heart Flow

As the weather cools, it’s easy to drink less water. Aim for half your body weight in ounces daily, herbal teas count!
Why it helps: Adequate hydration helps blood move freely and keeps blood pressure balanced.
Tags: Beginner | Cardiovascular System | Time: Ongoing

🌬️ Hack 4: Breathe Deeply, Often

Pause for three slow, belly-filling breaths a few times a day...in through your nose, out through your mouth.
Why it helps: Deep breathing improves oxygen delivery and relaxes blood vessels, easing heart strain.
Tags: All Levels | Cardiovascular & Nervous Systems | Time: 2 min

🎶 Hack 5: Find Your Joy Pulse

Put on your favorite upbeat song and let yourself dance, sing, or simply smile through it.
Why it helps: Joy releases endorphins that lower stress hormones and support a healthy heart rhythm.
Tags: Beginner | Emotional & Cardiovascular Systems | Time: 5 min

🔧 Bonus Gear Section: Top 3 Health Watches

Here are three smartwatches with strong user reviews for health and wellness tracking (note: we are not affiliated, compensated by, or endorsing any of these brands).

• Samsung Galaxy Watch7:   A sleek, well-rounded smartwatch that blends health-tracking with everyday style; heart-rate tracking, wellness tips, and solid design.

• Fitbit Sense 2: A focused health watch with detailed sleep tracking, stress-management tools, and heart-health indicators for the wellness-minded user.

• Google Pixel Watch 3: Android-friendly, strong in readiness and cardio load insights, blends fitness tracking with smart notifications and wellness data.

🩺 Health Snapshot:

People who walk briskly for just 21 minutes a day reduce their risk of heart disease by up to 30%. (Harvard Health, 2024)

🌟 This Week’s Reflection:

What’s one small, heart-happy habit you can repeat daily this week:  movement, music, or mindful breath? Share your ideas (or your favorite heart-warming Fort Wayne view) using #SummitCityHealthHacks, let’s keep our community’s hearts strong and spirits high!

🥬 Summit City Food Challenge

Protein Power Week: Strong on a Budget

The Challenge:
Add a lean, affordable protein source to every meal this week. It’s easier and cheaper than you think.

Why It Matters:
Protein keeps your muscles strong, your hunger steady, and your metabolism humming. Many people skimp on it early in the day and then overdo it at night. Spreading your protein through breakfast, lunch, and dinner helps balance blood sugar and energy, no expensive powders required.

Nutrient Focus:
Protein, found in eggs, Greek yogurt, beans, tuna, cottage cheese, and chicken.

5 Ways to Win:

🍳 Eggcellent Start (👶 Easy Mode) Scramble two eggs or top toast with one fried egg for a cheap, filling breakfast.

🥣 Yogurt Parfait (👶 Easy Mode) Mix Greek yogurt with fruit and oats for a quick, high-protein snack.

🥗 Bean Salad (👶 Easy Mode) Toss canned beans with olive oil, vinegar, and spices for a no-cook lunch.

🌮 Tuna Tacos (⚙️ Weekend Warrior) Mix tuna with light mayo, add salsa, and wrap in tortillas.

🍗 Roast-and-Save (🔥 Kitchen Hero) Roast a whole chicken once, then use leftovers for sandwiches, soups, and salads.

📊 Nutrient Snapshot: Aim for 20–30 grams of protein per meal. 3 oz chicken = about 26g, ½ cup beans = 7g.

💵 Budget Bonus: A $6 bag of dry beans or a $10 chicken can stretch into five hearty, protein-packed meals. Eating well doesn’t have to drain your wallet.

🧪 Double Bonus: Clean Up Your Protein Shake

Recent testing by Consumer Reports found that more than two-thirds of protein powders contained measurable lead. Plant-based powders showed the highest levels. Lead exposure over time can increase inflammation, affect brain and kidney health, and raise disease risk, especially for children and pregnant women.

What You Can Do:
• Choose powders with third-party testing seals such as NSF, USP, or ConsumerLab.
• Limit plant-based powders or rotate with whole-food proteins like eggs, yogurt, or beans.
• Treat protein powder as a supplement, not the core of your diet. Real foods build stronger, longer-lasting health.

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

🛠️ Summit City Home Hacks

Theme:   🎃 Halloween Hacks: Round Two

Spooky season is still in full swing here in Fort Wayne, and we’re not done haunting our homes just yet! This week’s list takes things up a notch with creepy-cute upgrades that won’t drain your wallet or your weekend. Grab your hot cider and your glue gun, and let’s keep the scares rolling!

🕯 Bloody Candle Drip (Easy)
Melt a red crayon over white candles to create eerie “blood” drips that look straight out of a haunted mansion. Perfect centerpiece for your table or windowsill.
⏱️ Time: 10 min 💵 Cost: $3 🧰 Skill: Easy

🎭 Trash-Bag Ghosts (Easy)
Stuff white trash bags with old grocery sacks, tie off the “neck,” and draw on spooky faces with a black marker. Hang from trees or porch hooks for a floating ghost crew.
⏱️ Time: 15 min 💵 Cost: $2 🧰 Skill: Easy

🧤 Skeleton Hands Pathway (Intermediate)
Stick rubber skeleton hands into your yard soil or flowerpots to make them look like they’re clawing their way up. Add glow sticks or tea lights nearby for extra drama.
⏱️ Time: 30 min 💵 Cost: $10 🧰 Skill: Intermediate

📦 Monster Door Makeover (Easy)
Use construction paper, tape, and googly eyes to turn your front door into a goofy monster face. Bonus points for paper teeth and a “Keep Out!” sign.
⏱️ Time: 20 min 💵 Cost: $5 🧰 Skill: Easy

🍫 Candy Cauldron Cooler (Intermediate)
Swap your punch bowl for a plastic witch’s cauldron. Fill it with ice and stash your trick-or-treat candy or drinks for a fun, themed refreshment station.
⏱️ Time: 10 min 💵 Cost: $8–$15 🧰 Skill: Intermediate

🎃 Bonus Hack: Pet Costume Parade (2 Easy Ideas!)

🐾 Paw Patrol Pumpkin (Easy)
Turn your furry friend into a walking pumpkin patch! Use an orange dog shirt or cut-up T-shirt, draw black jack-o’-lantern eyes with a fabric marker, and tie a green ribbon “stem” around their collar.
⏱️ Time: 10 min 💵 Cost: $5 🧰 Skill: Easy

🦇 Bat Cat (or Dog!) (Easy)
Cut simple bat wings out of black craft foam, attach them to a soft harness with Velcro or safety pins, and let your pet strut their spooky stuff. Great for night walks!
⏱️ Time: 15 min 💵 Cost: $5–$10 🧰 Skill: Easy

🎃 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

“Bank Smarter...Keep More of What You Earn”

Fees, overdrafts, and missed perks quietly eat away at your balance, but a few banking tweaks can put that money back where it belongs.

💳 Go local. Fort Wayne’s credit unions like 3Rivers FCU and ProFed CU offer free checking and better savings rates than most national banks.

💰 Split your direct deposit. Send a fixed amount to savings automatically. Even $20 a week builds a $1,000 emergency cushion in a year.

📋 Watch the fine print. Many “free” accounts require one direct deposit or ten debit swipes per month to avoid fees.

🔔 Use alerts. Set balance or large-transaction notifications to catch fraud early and prevent overdrafts.

🤝 Negotiate politely. If you’ve been a loyal customer, banks often waive one overdraft or maintenance fee when you ask.

📊 Money Snapshot:
👉 Cutting just two $12 bank fees a month saves $288 a year.  Invested at 7% for 10 years, that’s $4,000 gained instead of lost.

💬 Maddison reminds readers: “The best banking hack isn’t fancy. It’s the one you actually stick with.”

🛡️ Bonus Hack — Top 3 Ways to Avoid Fraud

💳 Shop smart online. Use a credit card for online purchases, not a debit card. Credit cards limit your liability, make it easier to dispute charges, and keep thieves from draining your checking account.

🧾 Freeze or alert your credit. If you lose your ID or Social Security number, place a fraud alert or credit freeze. Reporting it to one bureau automatically notifies the other two.

🔐 Turn on alerts and use strong passwords. Enable text or email alerts for transactions and use a password manager for secure, unique logins.

If your identity is lost or stolen, visit IdentityTheft.gov or call 1-877-438-4338 to report it and create a recovery plan.

📞 Quick help lines: Experian 888-397-3742, TransUnion 800-916-8800, Equifax 866-349-5191

💬 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 did the ghost join a gym in Georgetown?
Because he wanted to work on his boo-ty!

📜 A Quick Haunting of History: Georgetown Edition

Georgetown began as one of Fort Wayne’s early suburban developments in the 1960s, built around the city’s northeast growth boom. At its heart was Georgetown Square, a tidy open-air shopping plaza that became the go-to stop for everything from groceries to gossip. The plaza’s original anchor, Rogers Market, and the iconic Georgetown Library branch helped turn the area into a neighborhood hub long before Jefferson Pointe or Glenbrook dominated local retail.

Today, Georgetown is still a cozy community-within-the-city, home to classic eateries, family-run shops, and locals who swear the Georgetown Bowl has its own ghosts (mostly of league nights past).

“What Halloween phrase is hidden in this image?

Think you’ve cracked it? Email your answer to summitcityscoop@gmail.com and prove you’ve got a spooky sixth sense.”

, 

Answer: Bud Berger

💡 Did You Know?

• Bud was so dedicated that he often slept at the Embassy, treating the theatre like his own home.

• Staff still notice empty seats lowering during organ rehearsals, as if Bud’s grabbing his favorite spot for the show.

• He’s credited with saving the building twice warning staff of burst pipes and faulty pumps through unexplained “hauntings.”

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