Hi, everybody.

I'm Ed Leon.

Welcome to the 260, where we covered life and community in Northeast Indiana on this episode, how cocktails to go are paying dividends for the local economy, protecting the natural beauty of our wetlands, the hidden problem of diaper insecurity, and a preview of the regional events coming this fall.

It's all right now on the 260.

Downtown Fort Wayne has evolved into one of the Midwests most vibrant urban centers, and the designated outdoor refreshment area, otherwise known as Dora, is one of the newest tools helping fuel that momentum.

Now, we're not talking sodas and Slurpees here, folks.

We're talking adult beverages.

And here to explain what Dora is and how it works is Preston Wallace, director of marketing for downtown Fort Wayne.

Preston, welcome to the 260 So good to see again.

All right.

Explain to folks what Dora is.

Yeah.

So it's a it's a pretty universal concept.

Designated outdoor refreshment area.

It's new to us within the last couple of years here in downtown Fort Wayne.

But essentially what it allows patrons to do is to purchase alcoholic beverages from any of the approved establishments throughout the Dora district and then carry those alcoholic beverages in a specific cup outdoors and kind of roam the area.

Explore all the quality of life amenities that we offer, enjoy outdoor programing, things of that nature.

So really, at the end of the day, it's an economic building block.

Okay, so it's a special cup and you buy it if I'm a bar within the zone.

Am I a Dora, you know, acceptable establishment.

Yeah.

So you do have to go through an application process through the state, through the Alcohol Tobacco Commission and so through that.

It's a pretty straightforward application.

Essentially, you're checking off a couple different boxes, getting a rubber stamp approval from the state, making sure that you've got your liquor license, whether it's a two or a three way liquor license.

We get that back and then go through a kind of a formal approval process at the local level, and then you're good to go.

So it's pretty straightforward.

You purchase those cups if you're one of those participating businesses from us through downtown Fort Wayne.

And then it's pretty much up to you how you want to serve your guests and your audience.

And and how does it work for people?

What rules do people need to know about this?

Yeah, that's a great question.

So that was kind of one of the big hurdles that we ran into as we were launching.

This is all of the same laws apply.

You have to be 21 years or older to consume those alcoholic beverages.

You can't have disorderly conduct, things of that nature.

But for the most part, what it really is doing is ultimately just changing the ability for those bars and restaurants within the footprint to be able to sell that beverage to go.

So generally, where is this?

Yeah.

So we just expanded this at the beginning of the year.

And so we went from about a 12 block radius to really what is most of our downtown district.

So it's just over North River.

We're going to see a lot of that development continue to kind of take off in the investment in that area all the way up to Electric Works campus as well.

Ed: All right.

So, why did Fort Wayne decided to do this and we try to become Bourbon Street here.

Is it.

So like I said this is a universal concept.

We've seen this in small medium to large markets all throughout the United States.

And ultimately we were finding a way that we could better connect patrons to the community, to the different elements that we have as far as quality of life amenities go.

And really a big thing for us as an organization was so much of our programing and outdoor events are outdoors, and so to be able to make it a more of a seamless process.

So if I want to enjoy an alcoholic beverage, but I also want to spend time with my family at this family friendly event, you can do that seamlessly as opposed to having a perimeter with a beer garden, things of that nature.

So how do people know they're in Dora or not in Dora?

We have tons of signage throughout the district, so you would be hard pressed to not know where you're at within the bounds.

But we also have all that information on the website as well, all the different signage, so you can get familiar with those things as well.

And then also when you're leaving an establishment that's an approved vendor, you're going to see signage on their doors entering and coming from that establishment.

That's going to say, hey, keep in mind, these are the ordinances.

Keep in mind, you know, don't be a fool, things like that.

But has there been an uptick in intoxication?

You know, we are really proud to say that there has not been an uptick in crime or anything related to that.

That was a big piece of our research when we started looking at this program, talking to other law enforcement agencies throughout the state and really throughout the Midwest.

And they were also proud to say that they had not seen an uptick in crime.

So we're really excited.

What are the vendors and and the establishments within Dora saying about the program?

Yeah, they've been wildly surprised at how successful this program has taken off.

I think those that are leaning into it a little bit more are seeing more of the fruits of their labor.

I think the key in my mind is the more simplistic you can make it for your guests and the consumer, the better off you're going to be.

And so we've got about 26 approved vendors right now that are participating in the program.

We've got another 4 or 5 applications that are in kind of the holding pattern right now with the state, but to have 30 different participating vendors and this big of a district has been a huge win for us.

That's awesome.

But by the way, you can you don't have to be a vendor to participate, right?

Like if I'm a candle shop or am I, you know, some other kind of retail establishment, can people walk into my establishment with with a Dora cup?

Yeah, that's totally up to the discretion of the business owner itself.

Some businesses, very little have said, hey, we don't want to participate, even if we don't have a 2 or 3, we liquor license.

We really don't want to have those Dora beverages come into our shop.

But others are like, hey, you know, we don't have a liquor license, but we want people to come in, sip shop, linger a little bit longer.

And the idea what that is, is hopefully that people stay downtown longer and spend those dollars.

Happy customers.

Have you been able to track the monetary increases?

Yeah.

So again, those businesses that are really leaning into it, they're seeing an uptick in their sales anywhere from 20 to 30%, which is a huge, huge win.

Obviously there's a big price tag that comes with the alcohol.

That's really normally the revenue driver for a lot of these bars and restaurants.

And so again, it's we're seeing more of a seasonal aspect of it.

We have tried to introduce some thermal cups for the winter time.

Yeah I was going to say it is summertime.

It is it is.

Peak season.

Right now.

But I will say even toward the end of last year, even like we had some really nice fall days and people were still outdoors and enjoying it.

And so I think it really is a testament to the vibrancy that we're continuing to invest in in downtown Fort Wayne.

All right.

So you said you expanded.

What's next?

What's next for Dora?

Yeah.

So with the expansion, we've added tons more businesses and tons more area that we're looking to really dive into.

I think at this point we're trying to find cross collaboration opportunities, whether I'm a retail boutique or a bar or restaurant that's neighboring next door.

How do we get those two business models to kind of partner together to really enhance the program and hopefully drive more revenue and traffic to both of their businesses?

And so being meticulous and intentional on how we partner and bring those people together from different industries and sectors of the businesses that we represent, I think is really what this next season for us is going to.

Be about.

All right, all right.

To learn more about the Fort Wayne Dora district, or better yet, try it out, visit Dora in the fort.

Long before Fort Wayne became the city of Three Rivers, much of southwest Allen County was covered by one of Indiana's largest wetland systems.

Today, the little River Wetlands Project is working to restore pieces of that historic landscape, not just for wildlife, but to improve water quality, reduce flooding, preserve biodiversity, and connect people with nature.

Here to tell us about their work is executive director Cammy Sutter.

Welcome to the 260 Cammy.

Thank you so much, Ed.

The wetlands are part of a watershed.

What's a watershed?

What's the wetlands?

Define those terms for me.

Right, right.

So a watershed, basically, is the whole area where the water flows into a particular area.

So our watershed is the little River Valley watershed.

So we're interested in that particular stretch that runs basically from our current largest preserve, Eagle Marsh, all the way up to Huntington, where that little river valley joins in with the Wabash River.

We're going to talk to our mission.

Ed: We're going to talk about Eagle Marsh.

How many acres in total are you trying to protect?

Cammy: The mission area runs that whole length, which is like 25,000 acres.

We currently protect around 1400.

There's probably another 7000 yet in the valley that would be potentially restorable.

So we've got a lot of work, we've done a lot of work and have a lot of work to do yet.

Ed: And when you say protect, what is that involved?

What do you do to protect?

Cammy: Well, we're a land trust.

So when we when we acquire the land, a little river wetlands project and we own it, then that land is really protected against development, basically in perpetuity forever.

So that's one of the ways we protect it.

We also are happy to work with farmers or other landowners in that valley and educate them on different programs where they can enroll their own property into a wetlands protection program, where they can keep farming the land or keep using the land in the way they want.

But it's still got some wetlands benefit.

To it.

So what do they do?

What do they need to do to to be protective of the wetlands?

A lot of them are about implementing sustainable agricultural processes that improve water quality.

Sometimes they can take the whole parcel and enroll it in a wetlands program.

They actually revegetation it.

They'll stop farming it and turn it into a wetland ecosystem with different plants, basically So you talk about the ecosystem.

What what do wetlands do?

They serve multiple purposes in an ecosystem.

They really do.

They're fantastic.

About everything that wetlands.

Do, everything in the six minutes.

That you have.

So primarily and let's just take Eagle Marsh as an example.

One of the primary benefits that provides, not only is it creating a lot of habitat and all kinds of diverse plant matter, which provides all supports, all kinds of wildlife, hundreds of species of wildlife, but it also acts like a great big sponge, so that when it rains and what would normally be flood water that would flood our basements and homes and businesses, all that water rushes to Eagle Marsh and it gets held there and soaked up where it can trickle down into the ground and then replenish the, the groundwater and the, the aquifer rather.

So that's one thing it does as it does that filtering down through it gets cleaned at the same time.

So the water that does come out the other side is pure.

So it filters out all these pollutants.

One of the benefits that people don't know about is in this, in this environment where we're dealing with climate change and super storms and wildfires and all that stuff, wetlands actually are the ecosystem that stores the most carbon of any other ecosystem on the planet.

No kidding.

No, but very few people know that it stores more carbon even than forests.

So we really need wetlands.

And destroying our wetlands with development is really just taking everything the wrong direction.

So that's one of the things we try to do as a land trust.

Not only are we trying to encourage wetlands because they do so much good, but we're also trying to protect and save this.

The critical land, the important land before it is lost to development.

So that's one of the critical roles of a land.

Ed: You mentioned development.

Not too long ago, there was there was an attempt to place a quarry nearby the marsh areas.

What what what was the danger of that?

I know there was a there was a large public outcry against it.

Yeah, there was a lot of concerns with it.

Partly it's because we have, you know, as a residential area and they didn't really want an industrial complex right there.

It's not adding to their quality of life, but from an environmental point of view, in order to to run a quarry, they've got to and they're digging down into the ground and that water table is right there.

So in order to excavate the rock, they have to pump that water out.

So this is groundwater they're pumping out and sending downstream.

So the fear is that it will continue to lower the water table and run the aquifer dry.

Ed: Back to Eagle Marsh.

What makes it unique for this area?

First of all, it's the largest nature preserve in Allen County.

Most people don't know that it's bigger than Fox Island or, you know, Mattea or any of the other county parks.

It's one of the country's largest inland urban wetland restorations around.

So the fact that it's in the city limits, it's in an urban setting right here in our back door, we've got this 800 acre preserve that supports, you know, 260 species of birds and has 12 miles of hiking trails.

It's just a real gem for the community.

Ed: Yeah.

You mentioned the the species of animals.

Do you know how many species?

Do you have any idea how many species of animals and plants and birds are in the marsh?

Cammy: I would say well over 350 We just got word this year that the 260th bird species was was located.

This year it was spotted.

So just birds alone of 260.

Wow.

We had a bio blitz in 2025 where scientists from around the state came.

And for a weekend they just tried to do an inventory of how many plants and insects and bugs and wasp killing flies and all kinds of interesting creatures are there.

And so we're looking forward to getting those results back.

BioBlitz I like I like the idea of that.

Besides the conservation efforts, there's other things that you that you have there and that you do things going on.

A lot more.

Yeah, a big piece of our mission is education, because we believe that the community needs to know why this work matters.

So we have a full education program.

We do guided hikes from top for toddlers all the way up to presentations for retirees and festivals and birding programs, and just a whole 2 or 300 programs a year.

Ed: And you have something coming up in September, right?

You have a big Event.

Cammy: Yes.

Ed: Talk about that.

Cammy: One of our biggest events of the year is our annual Monarch Festival.

It's going to be on Sunday, September 20th.

This festival is to highlight the importance of the monarch butterfly migration, because the monarch butterfly species is one of those indicator species.

So when that species is struggling, it's an indicator that the ecosystem is just out of balance.

So it's a it's an important one there.

And it's a way to get people out to Eagle Marsh and let them see the work we're doing and how the, the plants that we have support monarchs and other pollinators, and it gives us a chance to engage them.

Let's hope there's a lot of butterflies and a lot of people that come out for the event to learn more and to get involved in the little River Wetlands project, go to their website, which is real simple LRWP.org With the change of season comes a new batch of events and festivals.

To fill up your social calendar.

Here with a preview.

Is the Features and Engagement editor for the Journal Gazette, Corey McMaken.

Corey, welcome to the 260.

Thank you.

All right.

So let's start with.

Big festivals.

There's so much to see in the fall.

So much to do.

Tell us about the festivals.

So one of the big ones happening here in Fort Wayne is Johnny Appleseed Festival.

It's a seasonal favorite every year.

So over at Johnny Appleseed Park on September 19th and 20th, there will be 1800s period demonstrations because, of course, that was Johnny Appleseed.

Johnny Appleseeds time period.

Ed: Was that the time of Johnny?

Corey: John Chapman, Johnny Appleseed as we know him.

Yeah.

So there will be all sorts of activities, vendors, antiques, and of course, what everyone goes to a festival for is the food.

So there'll be some great apple options and some other things.

Ed: Stuff going on in Grabil to right?

Corey: Grabill country fairs coming up.

Absolutely.

And in Roann there's the Covered Bridge Festival coming up.

Brian, Ohio and Syracuse, Indiana both have fall harvest events going on with vendors and fall themed activities.

Right.

All right.

Some of the best parts of autumn events is the fall displays that everybody puts out.

And then we have some big ones on tap.

Right?

Absolutely.

In Waterloo at the North Folk Farms, they have their corn maze and fall festival happening right now.

Their corn maze is 20 acres.

Wow.

Spider-Man themed.

Ed: Spider-Man?

Ed: Why Spider-Man?

I mean.

This is the year.

This is year of Spider-Man, right?

So yeah.

All right.

Cool.

And then there's I've read about one that you wrote about, which was a giant hay bale trail that looked crazy.

Yeah, the giant straw bale art trail.

You can say that three times fast, right?

Is happening in Elkhart and Lagrange county's 33 sites, using more than 130 giant straw bales.

And they make these temporary public art installations.

There are things like cows and bingo balls.

I think there's a hamburger, maybe things like that.

Ed: All built out of.

Corey: All, built out of Straw bales.

And then artists come in and sort of paint the, the straw bales and other things.

So there's other good seasonal things that are happening to like the Hobnobbin Film Festival.

Talk a lot about that a little bit.

Hobnobbing Film Festival will be happening in October at Cinema Center downtown brings in both local, national and international film films and filmmakers from all, all throughout the area.

And I was I was kind of interested in Be a tourist in your own hometown, which is a great idea.

Be a tourist in your own hometown is this weekend, and it's a great opportunity for folks to experience some things around Fort Wayne for free that they might not experience.

Go behind the scenes at some places, like.

Like what?

What places?

Parkview Field, you can go behind the scenes.

New this year is Ruof Mortgage Stadium.

All right.

Now the big one in the fall, of course, is Halloween.

There's so many things on tap for Halloween, right?

Yeah.

It's spooky that it's our time of year.

Right.

It's already.

Spooky, right.

So first up is the haunted houses haunted activities things like that.

So those really start this month and then we'll have in October.

Every weekend in October, the Fort Wayne Zoo will have Zooloween.

So there is a different theme every weekend.

One weekend you might see princesses, one weekend you might see superheroes.

The pumpkin path display that's happening at Follinger Freimann Botanical Conservatory is a great opportunity to get out and get some photos of the family with fall backgrounds.

Ed: And Kosciusko County has their own.

Passport to spookiness.

What is that?

Kosciusko County has a digital passport.

You can download and check in as you go around some allegedly paranormal sites in their county, and if you check in, I believe it's at four or more.

You get entered to win a contest.

Awesome.

Well, I can smell the pumpkin spice already.

You can read Corey's full list.

Of fall events at JournalGazette.Net/260 Thanks for being here, man.

Corey: Thank you.

We hear a lot about food insecurity, but today I want to look at a less discussed the issue that affects local families and that is diaper insecurity across Northeast Indiana.

Many families struggle to afford enough diapers because diapers are one of those few necessities not covered by federal programs like Snap or Wick, even though they are essential to the health, comfort, and development of babies.

Here to discuss the issue.

As Amanda Davis, Chief Development Officer for Healthier Moms and Babies.

Amanda, welcome to the the 260 Thanks for having me.

So how big of a problem is this put.

Put it into context.

For us.

So nationally, one out of every two families faces diaper insecurity.

So half of those families with with babies or children in diapers are struggling to afford them.

Ed: How about Indiana?

Amanda: Same.

Ed: Same?

Amanda: Same.

Ed: Are you know, diapers are expensive.

You know how much for a month of disposables.

Amanda: On average is about $100 a month.

So $1,200 a year per child.

If you're looking at 2 or 3 children in the home.

That's a big part of the family's budget.

And what about families opting for reusable diapers?

Is that not a choice?

We don't encourage the use of those with our families in our program.

There's other factors that come into play.

Do you have the proper way to wash those diapers?

If you do, is it going to increase your utility bill and cause other hardships for the family?

So we really do encourage.

Those disposables.

We don't hear about this as much.

Why do you think that is?

I think that there's a misconception that they are covered by buy things for assistance, and they're not so at Healthier Moms and Babies were trying to fill that gap for families.

I'm going to talk about your programs in a second, but what are the risks for babies if they're not?

They don't have clean diapers.

Health risks.

They're at higher risk for rashes.

They're at higher risk for further problems if they're staying in those diapers for too long.

If families are trying to reuse them, unfortunately.

They're just a major health concern.

And it has an impact on the parents as well.

Right.

Not being able to care for their their baby appropriately.

The other factor that's really important is many daycares require families to provide their own diapers.

So if they can't provide those diapers, they also can't take their children to daycare and then turn work.

All right.

Talk about how Healthier Moms and Babies help these mothers.

So we operate a 6000 square foot diaper warehouse.

It's one of our programs that healthier moms and babies.

We give 75 diapers per child in the household per month to families.

Those going through our home visiting services get those diapers monthly from our nurses and family advocates.

But we also have a mobile unit called the Hopper.

It's an outreach van.

It travels to neighborhoods throughout Northeast Indiana.

Anyone's eligible to sign up for those diapers, so you don't have to necessarily be going through a Healthier Moms and Babies program.

You can get on our website, sign up and say that you have that need, and go to that location and receive those diapers.

Ed: And what does it take for someone to to qualify for for.

your help?

Amanda: No qualifications.

Ed: There's no qualifications for your help?

Amanda: We will help anyone who needs it.

Our program is a consistent program where we do it on a monthly basis, where they can rely on that.

We're going to the same neighborhoods every month.

We're trying to break down those transportation barriers or they don't have to come to us.

We're bringing them to them.

How do you turn the tide on something like this?

Because it's probably a growing problem, right?

Yeah.

I think advocate advocacy is very important.

And talking with our officials and really talking about the diaper need and how these families are struggling.

To afford it.

How can our viewers help?

We will accept donations of diapers and wipes anytime.

We also take monetary donations.

You can do that through our website.

We have events throughout the year where we encourage people to bring diapers as well.

So everything is on our website.

HealthierMomsAndBabies.org.

Thank you.

You did it for me.

Learn more at Healthier Moms and Babies.

Thank you so much, Amanda.

Thank you for having me.

Yeah.

That's all the time we have for this episode.

I'll see you next time on the 260.