Replies

[diggler]

Valpo premiere of 'Shifting Sands' documentary Monday

Times Staff

VALPARAISO — The locally produced documentary "Shifting Sands on the Path to Sustainability" will have its Porter County premiere at 7 p.m. Monday at the Porter County Administration Center.

The documentary was filmed all along the south shore of Lake Michigan, an area known as the birthplace of ecological science in North America. It describes the 90-year history of the Indiana Dunes State Park as well as the controversy around the designation of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore 50 years ago.

It also focuses on the emerging partnerships between government, business and environmentalist on restoring the dunes and making it sustainable for future generations.

The viewing is free.

A reception and question and answer program will be held following the premiere, at 8 p.m., at Greek's Pizza.

The event is sponsored by the Valparaiso Chain of Lakes Group. For more information, call Walter Breitinger at (219) 462-5821.

[diggler]

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore receives land donation

Emma Mazurek


PORTER — The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has received a donation of more than 30 acres of land surrounding the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Visitors Center.

Officials there plan to protect the wetlands and forest of the donated land and also develop a hiking trail and a nature play zone, said IDNL Superintendent Paul Labovitz.

The donation was announced at a ceremony on Thursday morning at the Visitors Center on Ind. 49 at U.S. 20.

Grace Lee, the executive director of the National Park Trust, said the land was purchased through the National Lakeshore Trust, with a donation from NIPSCO, and will become a permanent part of the park.

An additional 5 acres of land also was purchased and will be split between the National Lakeshore and the neighboring Discovery Charter School, which had fourth-graders in attendance at Thursday’s ceremony.

Benjamin Felton, vice president of power delivery at NIPSCO, challenged the Discovery Charter School students to go to all of the national parks in their lifetimes.

Felton then went on to ask the students about conserving energy and also provided them with advice on how to continue doing so. He said NIPSCO partners with organizations like the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore “to expand and restore properties so that future generations can enjoy it.”

Labovitz thanked NIPSCO, and his co-workers who helped get the donation.

“This ... property is going to add value to this great stop because (it) is the gateway to our national park and our state park,” Labovitz said.

After all the speakers, Discovery School students Zoe Crofton and Meryck Gonzalez presented Felton and Labovitz with dolls of the national parks mascot, “Buddy Bison” for their work.

Then the fourth-graders were presented their park passes as part of the Obama administration’s Every Kid in a Park program. This program gives fourth-graders and their families across the country passes so they can go into national or state parks for free.