Northern Indiana city designated dark sky site

BEVERLY SHORES, Ind. - An international group is recognizing a small northern Indiana city for its efforts to limit light pollution along Lake Michigan.

The Times of Munster reports the International Dark-Sky Association in Tucson, Arizona, has announced that Beverly Shores is the seventh community in the world to be recognized as an International Dark Sky Community.

Residents Alan and Rosemary Bell have led the campaign to reduce light pollution in the community about 50 miles east of Chicago. The couple started a campaign to installing downward shields on streetlights to direct the light toward the ground, reducing distracting glare that washes out nighttime skies. The community also reduced the number of street lights from 61 to 48.

The couple also worked to teach residents about improving outdoor lighting on their properties.