13 terrifying horror films set at Halloween and where to watch them

“BOO!” (Picture: REX)Now, unless you’re a pagan who celebrates Halloween (or ‘Samhain’, as you might call it) by creating altars, performing wiccan rituals, practising divination and attempting to commune with the dead, Halloween is probably mostly just about sweets, isn’t it?
Many of us will be distracted on October 31 ensuring that the plastic cauldron outside our front door is adequately stocked enough to guarantee that next door’s kids don’t flip out during a mad sugar rush and kick over our favourite pot plant or ram a fistful of Haribo Starmix up our car’s exhaust pipe.
When we’re not doing that, Halloween’s a time for getting creeped out by horror films. There are a hellishly innumerable number of such films to pick from in the genre. So let’s narrow them down for you.
These are the most harrowing and ghoulish horror movies actually set at Halloween…
1. Halloween (1978) – Watch for free (with ads) on Pluto TV

Michael Myers’ birthday cake cutting service proved unpopular (Picture: Alamy Stock Photo)We have no choice here, really. We have to start this list with the most obvious – and arguably best – example of what we’re talking about. There’s not another Halloween-set horror movie out there that quite encapsulates the terror that’s supposed to be associated with October 31. 
Contrary to popular belief, John Carpenter’s seminal slasher isn’t the first of its kind, but it’s undeniably the most influential. It launched Jamie Lee Curtis’ career. It featured a fella in a William Shatner mask painted white stabbing girls. It showcased that iconic theme tune. A true bloodsoaked classic.
2. House of 1000 Corpses (2003) – Rent on Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV+

The estate agents had warned the vendors that ‘House of 1000 Corpses’ might put some potential buyers off the property (Picture: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock)Former frontman of heavy metallers White Zombie, Rob Zombie made his directorial debut with this messy gorefest.
Alright, so it’s not likely to be studied in many film schools but if you like your horror vile, violent and totally moral-free, then this sadistic piece of grindhouse trash should be an annual watch.
3. Late Night with the Devil (2023) – Rent on Shudder, Apple TV+ or Sky Store

And you thought the guests Jonathan Ross gets on were bad (Picture: IFC Films/Everett/REX/Shutterstock)The best horror film of 2023 takes place during a Halloween broadcast in the 1970s. The movie is set on a live late-night talk show, hosted by Johnny Carson-alike Jack Delroy (played by a never better David Dastmalchian).
As the show progresses, what starts as a quirky Halloween special spirals into chaos when increasingly supernatural and horrifying events begin to play out on live TV. It’s dark, it’s clever and it’s refreshingly original. Watch Late Night… late night and it’s guaranteed to freak you out. 
4. The Blair Witch Project (1999) – Rent on Amazon Prime Video, Sky Store or Apple TV+

We can all blame this film for the 450,000 truly dreadful ‘found footage’ films that followed it (Picture: Artisan Pics/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock)It might surprise anyone who remembers this coming out, but this infamous film is now 25 years old. To today’s audiences, it just looks like yet another cheap found footage film. If anything, it may even come across like a rather dreary one. Yet on its release, The Blair Witch Project was a genuine cultural phenomenon.
TBWP follows three filmmakers – Heather, Josh and Mike – who venture into the Black Hills Forest in Maryland to document the legend of the Blair Witch. Instead of showing monsters and gore, the film focuses on the eerie atmosphere of the forest, strange occurrences and the mounting psychological tension among the group. 
The film’s style really does add to the feeling that this is a genuine account of a supernatural encounter. While it’s not directly tied to the Halloween season, the story is set in late October 1994 and that’s not a coincidence. The setting adds even more to the overall sense of the ominous that haunts this low-budget classic.
5. Creepshow (1982) – Rent on Amazon Prime Video, Sky Store or Apple TV+

Quicksand used to be a thing, didn’t it? You don’t tend to hear much about the dangers of quicksand anymore (Picture: Warner Bros/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock)With Stephen King on scribing duties and zombie film director* George A. Romero behind the camera, this fun camp romp of a horror anthology has five chilling tales that expertly blend horror and humour. 
The film opens and closes with a young lad reading a spooky comic book, with the stories inside forming the basis for the movie. Its cartoonish, comic-book style adds to the festive atmosphere, giving viewers a playful yet eerie seasonal thrill. 
It really is perfect for Halloween night horror marathons, even if its Halloween setting is fairly subtle.
*We mean he’s a director of zombie films, not a film director who’s a zombie
6. Ginger Snaps (2000) – Rent on Amazon Prime Video, Sky Store or Apple TV+

This is easily the best horror film on this list named after a biscuit (Picture: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock)While not exactly the most terrifying of entries on this list, Ginger Snaps is still a fun and lively horror flick that blends coming-of-age drama with all sorts of werewolf lore. And before Twilight did too. It follows two teenage sisters, Ginger and Brigitte, who are obsessed with death and face high school alienation.
After Ginger gets bitten by a werewolf, she undergoes a terrifying transformation into, well, you can guess. The film’s set in a suburban town during Halloween, which enhances its dark and eerie atmosphere quite nicely. It’s one for a slightly younger audience but still packs a punch (with a big hairy paw).
7. The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976) – Watch with Amazon Prime Video subscription

Jodie Foster was only 13 when she filmed this low-key horror flick, by which time she’d already starred in some eight other movies… (Picture: Zev Braun/Icl/Filmedis-Filmel/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock)This creepy low-key thriller centres on Rynn, a mysterious 13-year-old girl (played by a young Jodie Foster) who is living alone and hiding dark secrets from her nosy neighbours. Set around Halloween, the film’s unsettling atmosphere adds to its overall spooky vibe. 
It’s a bit of a slow burn, but the eerie suspense and Foster’s brilliant performance make it worth watching if you’re into odd, unsettling tales rather than jump scares. Co-starring Martin Sheen, it’s definitely more of a cult horror offering than a stone cold classic. But it’s worth checking out for Jodie Foster’s performance alone.
8. Terrifier (2018) – Watch with Amazon Prime Video subscription, rent on Apple TV+

“What can I getcha, hun?” (Picture: Everett/REX/Shutterstock)You’re probably all a little tired of hearing about how the third Terrifier movie is (apparently) making everyone who watches it faint and sick and whatever else the PR company promoting it is saying about it at the moment. 
While the hype around these Halloween-set killer clown movies is silly and – to be fair – so are the movies themselves, you can’t argue that they shortchange viewers when it comes to inventive kills. Only book Art the Clown for a kid’s birthday if they’ve been really, really naughty.
9. Ghostwatch (1992) – Buy on Apple TV+

If you ever want to induce an anxiety attack in a millennial, just show them this image (Picture: BBC Picture Archives)Alright, so we’re cheating here a little bit. But it’s a shame not to feature Ghostwatch when talking about terrifying things set at Halloween. Originally put out by a very ambitious and brave BBC back in ‘92, this TV special can better be described, perhaps, as a feature-length TV mockumentary.
This haunted house investigation went out as though it were real, however, featuring as it did three famous faces from BBC TV: Sir Michael Parkinson, Sarah Greene and Craig Charles. We now know that it was pre-recorded and fake, but precious few Brits at home realised at the time and it goes down as an incredible hoax and piece of entertainment. 
Watch it back now and we know the provenance, so it feels like watching a movie. But to anyone from the UK of a certain age, this was nightmare fuel for decades…
10. The Guest (2014) – Watch for free on ITVX or Plex, with Amazon Prime Video or Netflix subscription, rent from Apple TV+ or Sky Store

Along with It Follows, The Guest is one of the movies that set Maika Monroe up as bona fide scream queen (Picture: REX/Shutterstock)You could argue that this excellent Adam Wingard film is more of a thriller than a horror, but there are more than enough creepy vibes on display to make an argument that this Maika Monroe and Dan Stevens-starring cracker is at least part-horror.
It’s certainly set over Halloween, as the brutal and tense final set piece in a haunted house set up at a high school Halloween party proves. Come for the sexy leads and creepy atmos, stay for one of the best goth-tinged synth-pop movie soundtracks ever.
11. Trick ‘r Treat (2007) – Rent on Amazon Prime Video, Sky Store or Apple TV+

Is that… quicksand?! (Picture: Warner Br/Everett/REX/Shutterstock)Another anthology that intertwines multiple stories and, as its name suggests, this creepathon is set on Halloween night. Each tale reveals dark secrets behind the not particularly festive holiday, from deadly pranks to sinister traditions.
Watch it with a bingo card of ‘weeny tropes and you’ll have them all ticked off in no time. Trick ‘r Treat’s hardly a classic, but it’s a sound recommendation for the evening of October 31.
12. Donnie Darko (2001) – Watch with Arrow subscription, rent on Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV+

Luckily there’s no one behind them. Only there’s always a giant evil rabbit in front of us when we go to the cinema (Picture: Dale Robinette/Flower/Gaylord/Adam Fields Prod/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock)The surreal modern classic Donnie Darko isn’t the first film you think of when you start drawing up a list of horror films, whether they’re set at Halloween or not. And while Richard Kelly’s debut isn’t entirely set at Halloween, it does play quite a significant role in the thing. The film’s climax occurs around a Halloween party, for instance, with characters all dressed in costumes.
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Read More StoriesThe eerie atmosphere and, of course, Frank the Rabbit’s truly unsettling presence both fit quite nicely into the spooky Halloween vibe.

Tch. Bloody KIDS (Picture: THA/REX/Shutterstock)13. The Exorcist (1973) – Watch with NOW TV Cinema subscription, rent on Amazon Prime Video, Sky Store, Apple TV+ or Curzon Home Cinema

We end on the mic drop of horrors. Billy Friedkin’s cinematic masterpiece, arguably the most controversial movie ever made. It’s The Exorcist. 
While it’s not exactly a central plot point (the family of Regan MacNeil have got bigger things to worry about), it is actually Halloween during some of the major events of this demonic possession chiller… Hence the often-misheard line, “your mother sucks chocs in Hell!”
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Lake Geneva Business Improvement district wants to work with city to address potential issues during future project (copy)

Dennis Hines

Representatives from the Lake Geneva Business Improvement District want to partner with city officials to help address issues that may arise as a result of an upcoming road improvement project.Wisconsin Department of Transportation officials plan to conduct a road reconstruction project on Highway 50/Main Street in 2027 and 2028.The project is set to include road reconstruction work, stormwater drainage improvements, pedestrian ramp upgrades, sidewalk connectivity and road resurfacing work.Areas of Main Street are expected to be closed during the course of the project, which is expected to cause traffic and parking issues in downtown Lake Geneva.Representatives of the Business Improvement District plan to work with city officials to develop ideas to reduce the impact that the project could have on Lake Geneva and its businesses.

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Several Business Improvement District officials attended the Oct. 7 Lake Geneva City Council Committee of the Whole meeting to discuss the issue and present ideas to city aldermen.Janine Osborn, president of the Business Improvement District Board, said they want to partner with city officials to develop a plan before the road reconstruction project is started that will reduce traffic issues and assist downtown business owners.“The BID is feeling the pressure to have a solid plan. We want to be a resource, and it’s extremely important that we partner with you guys every step of the way,” Osborn said. “So that’s a huge priority for our objectives in the next year or so to have a good, strategic plan to make every sure every business survives.”Spyro Condos, Business Improvement District Board member, proposed that a parking structure be constructed to help provide much-needed parking and to reduce traffic concerns in downtown Lake Geneva.He said the area behind the Geneva Lake Museum, 255 Mill St., would be an ideal location for a parking structure because it is located off of Highway 50/Main Street and it is located within walking distance of the downtown area.Condos also said the city owns the property behind the museum, and the structure would be located near a city parking lot that is adjacent to the museum.“By putting a parking structure behind Highway 50, 90% of your traffic comes in on Highway 50. People could park their cars right behind the museum,” Condos said. “A parking structure would fit in just perfectly.”Condos said city officials need to decide soon if they want to build a parking structure before the Highway 50/Main Street project is started because they still need to determine the costs for constructing a parking facility, and a referendum has to be approved before such a project is started.“We feel that we need to get moving on this. There’s only a few years. It takes that time to put together a plan, engineering and a referendum for a parking structure,” Condos said. “Lake Geneva needs a parking structure. We should get moving before they start ripping up Highway 50 in Lake Geneva.”Business Improvement District Executive Director Alexandria Binanti said business representatives have been discussing ideas for providing additional parking in the downtown area during the past year.She also would like to work with city officials to develop a marketing campaign or funding resources for business owners that will be affecting by the project.Binanti proposed obtaining a grant from the Tourism Commission to help promote the downtown businesses or a program that will help business owners make improvements or renovations to their storefronts.“We have a lot of historic buildings here and knowing that there might be some opportunities to help preserve businesses during the construction and during traditionally slow traffic times,” Binanti said. “It might incentivize businesses to stay here.”Members of the Business Improvement District Board also discussed the issue during their Oct. 2 meeting.Condos said besides constructing a parking structure, city officials also could establish offsite parking at the Hillmoor property and on city-owned property near SERVPRO of Lake Geneva, 120 E. Sheridan Springs Road.He also proposed developing a transportation system that will bring people into the community.“There’s a number of spots outside of Lake Geneva, outside of the business district where you can bring people in,” Condos said. “But you have to have a plan, and you have to have a plan like right now.”Business Improvement District Board member Anthony Silvestri said he heard that city officials are planning to develop a transit system into Lake Geneva during the course of the Highway 50/Main Street road reconstruction project.Alderwoman Sherri Ames, who also is a member of the Business Improvement District Board, agrees that additional parking is needed before the road reconstruction project is started and is in favor of constructing a parking structure in the community.“We do a need a parking garage in this city,” Ames said.Condos said some type of additional parking needs to be established before the project is started because it is already difficult to find parking in Lake Geneva, especially during the summer tourism season.“We’re bringing people here. Where are they parking though?,” Condos said. “We advertise to bring people here. What good is it to see them driving around in a circle.”Besides additional parking, Condos said city officials also need to find a way to encourage people to visit Lake Geneva and the downtown businesses during the course of the road reconstruction project.“My fear too is when this project starts people on social media are going to say, ‘Well, I don’t want to deal with that,’” Condos said. “They’re just going to want to go to the Dells. They will just keep going.”Osborn said they need to work closely with city officials to develop a plan to encourage people to visit Lake Geneva when the Highway 50/Main Street road reconstruction project is being conducted.“This topic has to be the priority for Lake Geneva,” Osborn said. “For the BID, what are we doing here if we’re not going to support and help these businesses survive?”
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‘Emotionally resonant’ animation wins top prize at London film festival

A whimsical Australian stop-motion film about separated twins has taken the top prize at the London film festival, with the jury calling it a “singular achievement in film-making”.The Oscar-winning director Adam Elliot’s Memoir of a Snail won the best film award, the first time a stop-motion animation has been awarded the top prize.Other contenders included Christopher Andrews’ debut Bring Them Down, which starred Christopher Abbott and Barry Keoghan, and The Extraordinary Miss Flower by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard, the team behind 20,000 Days on Earth.The official competition jury, which included the documentary film-maker Alexandre O Philippe and June Givanni, said: “Emotionally resonant and constantly surprising, Memoir tackles pertinent issues such as bullying, loneliness and grief head-on, creating a crucial and universal dialogue in a way that only animation can. The jury is delighted to recognise an animated film alongside its live-action peers.”Elliot said: “To win best film among such incredible films from around the world shows that stop-motion animation is alive and well and is not a genre but a wonderful medium and vehicle to tell potent and universal stories that can make audiences both laugh and cry.”skip past newsletter promotionafter newsletter promotionElliot first rose to prominence when he won an Oscar for his 2003 film Harvie Krumpet, “a Candide-like tale of a man struck in turn by Tourette’s, lightning, a cancerous testicle and Alzheimer’s”, which he followed with 2009’s Mary and Max, voiced by Toni Colette.Memoir of a Snail attracted more A-list talent, with Succession’s Sarah Snook lending her voice to the main character: Grace Pudel, a lonely middle-aged woman who is “a reclusive hoarder, surrounded by chaos and snail memorabilia”.The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw said there was “an ingenuousness and innocence to Memoir of a Snail, a family-entertainment approachability that belies a strange intensity”, while adding that Elliot had a knack for “creating a distinctive kind of lovability and pathos and importantly an instinct for the underdog and the outsider”.Elliot told the Guardian that Memoir of a Snail came after a decade-long process of soul-searching. “I went through a period of despondency and then depression because Mary and Max was so difficult … to finance and get made,” he said.Other winners included On Falling by Laura Carreira, which won the Sutherland award for first feature; Mother Vera by Cécile Embleton and Alys Tomlinson won the Grierson award for best documentary, and the short film award went to Vibrations from Gaza by Rehab Nazzal.

‘I love story’: Colorado Springs author releases 40th book, reflects on writing career

After having her first child, Kimberley Woodhouse found herself captivated by writing.Her baby, Josh, was often sick. To cope, Woodhouse turned to the pen.“I just started writing in the middle of the night to do something with the creative juices. I never told anybody, because I was a music person,” she said.The new mother hid her written work in a drawer for years. Not even her husband knew of her growing collection. It wasn’t until a friend who was helping the family pack for a move to Alaska in 2000 that her stockpile was discovered.“You are hiding your light under a bushel. You got to be sharing these stories,’” Woodhouse’s friend told her.Although Woodhouse initially pushed back, her friend convinced her to become serious about her secret passion.“You got to step out of your box,” Woodhouse’s friend told her.Now, the Colorado Springs-based author is releasing her 40th book, “70 North,” the conclusion to her Alaskan Cyber Hunter series. Her professional writing career spans two decades.Focused on mysteries and thrillers, Woodhouse’s work has won her a Carol Award, Christian Market Novel of the Year, the Holt Medallion and many other accolades. Just recently, she was named a Christy Award finalist in the mystery/suspense/thriller category for her second book in the Alaskan Cyber Hunter series, “8 Down.”From the time she was a teenager, Woodhouse remembers being encouraged to write. But, she felt called to follow a different creative path: music, receiving a scholarship to Juilliard to pursue piano performance and pedagogy.“I decided to go to a different school, because Juilliard was very overwhelming. It was amazing, but overwhelming,” she said.It was at college where Woodhouse met Jeremy, her husband of 33 years. The couple have two children — son Josh and daughter Kayla. Woodhouse’s daughter has a rare nerve disorder, which led the family to Alaska nearly 25 years ago, looking to the weather to provide relief. During that time, Woodhouse learned more about the publishing business and received feedback from editors.After about five years in Alaska, Kayla continued to face health issues, and in search of answers, the family moved to the Springs. It was here that doctors discovered Kayla had a Chiari malformation (where the lower part of the brain presses down on the brain stem), separate from her nerve disorder. Kayla was scheduled for brain surgery for the newly understood problem.During this time, Woodhouse took a break from writing. Her mentor and fellow author, Tracie Peterson, reached out, encouraging her to jump back into her passion.“My life was really hard and we’d gone through some really tough things. It was wonderful to have people who reminded me that there were stories to tell, and there were people’s lives to be touched with story,” Woodhouse said.

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Featured Local Savings“She’d kind of prod me to get me back into being able to use that creativity, because I needed to be refreshed.”For about eight weeks, Woodhouse sat beside her daughter on the couch as she recovered from surgery.“She was reading books, and I was diving back into writing,” Woodhouse said.Many might recognize Woodhouse and her family from the popular reality ABC series, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.” The family was selected in 2007 — a year after Kayla’s surgery — to be recipients of a newly built home in Colorado Springs. Around the same time, Woodhouse contracted her first book.“Things really started kind of taking off at that point,” Woodhouse said. “It was really exciting, too, after all these years — working and writing for so many years — it just it became a reality.”In 2009, the first installation of her Alaskan Cyber Hunter series was released. The concept of the series came from an idea her husband had in the middle of the night, Woodhouse said.“He rolls over one night, wakes me up and taps me on the shoulder, and he goes, ‘I have an idea,’” Woodhouse said. “I’m half asleep, and he goes, ‘What if the power goes out in Alaska when it hits 26 below … and of course, then my wheels are spinning.”The series follows a team of experts working to track down a serial killer and cyber-terrorist wreaking havoc in Alaska. While working on the story, Woodhouse consulted her son-in-law, who is a cybersecurity expert for the Army Cyber Institute.“It was a lot of fun to brainstorm with him and bring the cyber thread into the stories,” Woodhouse said. “They’re very high in intensity, high action. … It’s so fun to see it come to life.”The final book highlights the account of David “Mac” McPherson, whose wife and daughter were victims of the killer’s first attack. Formerly the head of the Cyber Solutions team, McPherson has since stepped back, obsessing over vengeance. Meanwhile, McPherson’s surgeon, Tracie Hunter, who saved him from the attack, is working hard to stay sober and continue saving lives.“His journey is not just catching the bad guy. His journey is very much one of healing. He’s got to find how to heal and also how to forgive when the person who did it isn’t sorry,” Woodhouse said.An important element throughout her work and in her life is faith, Woodhouse said. It’s what continues to give her hope, which she wants to share with readers, even in the dark themes of some of her novels.“For me, faith is a part of every aspect of my life,” she said. “We wouldn’t make it through without our faith. God is just so good, and that doesn’t mean that life is going to be a bowl of cherries, but I pray that my faith does ooze out in the stories, just to give people hope.”Looking to the future, Woodhouse is eager to start a new chapter in her writing career: children’s books. As a proud grandmother, she’s been reading plenty lately.“It is absolutely the best thing in my life to be ‘Nana the Great,’” Woodhouse said. “It’s always family first, and then I have a million stories still in my head, and I have a lot of books I’m contracted for still, so I’m just going to keep writing until I’m done.”

Gary Demon House exorcist questions accuracy of Netflix film

Rev. Michael L. Maginot, a priest who performed exorcisms on the family that lived in the Gary Demon House, did not find much that was recognizable about his experience in the new Netflix film that was inspired by the story of Latoya Ammons, a former Gary resident who claimed demons possessed her children.Maginot, the former pastor at the former St. Stephen, Martyr Catholic Church in Merrillville, assisted Ammons after she claimed strange happenings occurred after her family moved into a rental home in Gary’s Glen Park neighborhood, including swarms of flies in winter, one child levitating above her bed and another child walking backward up a wall.He said “The Deliverance,” which was based on Ammons’ story, took many creative liberties and did not reflect his actual first-hand experience with the case.”It was inaccurate,” he said. “I did see the movie and it was not the true story. The true story was an ugly story in that it was dealing with the devil. It was really horrendous.”

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The Academy Award-nominated director Lee Daniels, whose films include “Precious,” “The Butler” and “The United States vs. Billie Holiday,” directed the movie, which debuted at No. 1 on Netflix. It starred Andra Day, Glenn Close and and Mo’Nique.”Ammons, who since moved to Indianapolis, claimed her family grappled with demonic possession after moving into a home in Gary in 2011. The story became a national sensation after it was unveiled by former Times of Northwest Indiana investigative reporter Marisa Kwiatkowski in the Indianapolis Star in 2014.Kwiatkowski reported how the Gary Police Department and Department of Child Protective Services investigated Ammons’ claims in a story that called to mind classic horror movies like “The Exorcist” and “The Amityville Horror.””It was witnessed by a lot of people, professional people, and think that is what captivated the world’s imagination. It went viral because of the witnesses involved. The policeman, the psychologist and child protective services were all saying the same thing,” Maginot said. “It was a story about her children being taken away from her and she was able to get that back after her exorcism. It was the good story of the church helping a person.”The legend only grew after paranormal investigator Zak Bagans, the host of the Travel Channel’s “Ghost Adventures,” acquired “the house of 200 demons” at 3860 Carolina St., which has been described as a “portal to hell.” Bagans released the documentary “Demon House” about living there, tore it down and recreated the basement in his museum in Las Vegas.Netflix recently released a fictionalized version of the Gary Demon House story, changing details like moving the setting from Gary to Pittsburgh and replacing a Catholic priest with a Protestant minister.Maginot had never previously performed an exorcism. He was the Catholic priest on call for Methodist Hospitals. The job normally entails providing spiritual guidance and anointing the terminally sick before they die.”I got a call for an emergency and that a woman reported her child walked up the wall backward,” she said. “I explained I would be willing to help out but would need to gain permission from the bishop.”He helped Ammons even though she was not Catholic, consulting with exorcists and learning how to perform exorcisms. He said he most strongly questioned the film’s portrayal of her family.”The film was horrible. I didn’t recognize the people, especially Grandmother Rose as played by Glenn Close,” he said. “She was a holy lady in her Baptist faith. They got along but the film made it seem like there was tension between the two to put drama in there.”Characters also died in the film, while no one died in the real-life story that inspired it, he said.”There was a pastor that supposedly died there but that has no bearing on anything,” he said. “They did seek a church that dealt with that kind of stuff and she came running out of the basement with that famous quote about how the basement was filed with 200 demons. She couldn’t deal with it and was overwhelmed. But no one died.”The film also took a lot of dramatic license with details, he said.”It was stuffed full of inaccuracies,” he said. “They had flies the whole movie where they were at the beginning on the porch in November, when it was kind of cold. But the biggest thing is I think the family would be disappointed in how they were portrayed. It wasn’t every flattering.”

NWI Business Ins and Outs: Mi Tierra closing after 22 years; La Carreta, Flako’s Tacos, Wendy’s, Bulldog Ale House, WhoaZone, The Love of Arts and Illinois Dermatology Institute opening

Opening

La Carreta Mexican Restaurant and Bar fires up the grill in Winfield early this week.The Mexican restaurant with locations in Schererville and Merrillville is targeting a Monday or Tuesday opening for its new eatery in the former Anytime Fitness at 10711 Randolph St. in Winfield. It’s just awaiting a final inspection.La Carreta offers authentic cuisine like tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, fajitas and chimichangas. It has multiple nachos plates.The traditional Mexican eatery has a number of steak, seafood and chicken entrees. One can get a T-bone with shrimp, pollo loco or Camarones el Caribe with mushrooms, onions and a simmering cheese sauce. The Camarones la Carreta cooks a pound of shrimp in garlic, onion and white wine.A house special is the Arroz Texano that mixes steak, chicken and shrimp with grilled peppers, onions, tomatoes and cheese.There’s a kids’ menu, lunch specials and combination plates. Dessert options include flan and deep-fried ice cream.The restaurant also has a three-way liquor license allowing it to serve beer, wine and liquor. It specializes in margaritas, tequilas and cold imported beer.For more information, visit www.lacarretarestaurantandbar.com.

Jonathan Miano, The Times

Closing

Mi Tierra has been serving authentic Mexican food in a unique setting for more than two decades.The casual dining restaurant served up hearty, homestyle Mexican food as planes took off and landed just outside the windows in the Griffith-Merrillville Airport. But now the longtime owner Jesus “Don Chuy” Toledo, a Mexican immigrant who served in the U.S. Army, is retiring and turning the restaurant space over to new owners.”After 27 years in the restaurant business — 22 of them in the Griffith-Merrillville Airport — and some long discussions, Don Chuy and his family have decided they’re ready to take their next steps and are closing Mi Tierra. Our last day is June 30,” Mi Tierra posted on social media. “But wait! Before you despair, we also have two other, even better announcements: First, we’re handing over the reins to Flako’s Tacos, an East Chicago-based restaurant whose food truck has a strong fan base in Griffith. They’ll be bringing their amazing Birria tacos and flavor to town, but they’re also keeping some of what we do, too. It’s a win-win! They’ll be up and running in July.”Mi Tierra had fare like Steak Ranchero, Fish Caribbean and the Three Amigos combo. Diners could ask what’s cooking for Don Chuy’s latest special.But it’s not the final chapter for Don Chuy. “And because you know no one can keep him down (trust us — we’ve tried), Don Chuy will still be whipping up spices and chorizo in a nearby space, so he’ll still be floating around and hopes to see the many of you he’s come to know and love. We also hope he takes a well-deserved vacation or six, but you know how that goes,” Mi Tierra posted on social media. “We’re so very grateful to each one of you who’ve come through our doors and gotten to know us through the years. It’s bittersweet knowing we raised a whole family within these walls, but it’s also time for a new family to grow, and we hope you’ll show them the love and support you’ve shown us.”

Joseph S. Pete

Coming soon

Where’s the beef?It’s coming soon to Indiana Harbor.Wendy’s is opening its latest Northwest Indiana location in the downtown of East Chicago’s Indiana Harbor neighborhood. A new fast-food restaurant with a drive-thru is under construction at the corner of Columbus Drive and Main Street, across from Subway in the Harbor’s main commercial drag.Wendy’s offers old-fashioned square hamburgers, sea salt fries, baked potatoes, chili, Frosties and its famous nugs. Known for its irreverent social media presence, it overtook Burger King for second place by revenue, trailing only McDonald’s as the top-selling fast-food burger joint.The chain has multiple Northwest Indiana locations, including Hammond, Highland, Munster, Schererville, Merrillville, Crown Point, Portage, Chesterton, Valparaiso, Michigan City, LaPorte and Hebron. 

Joseph S. Pete

Open

Bulldog Ale House Food & Brews is now pouring drinks in downtown Lansing. It took over the former Jack’s Sports Pub and Eatery at 3325 Ridge Road. Billing itself as a burger, pizza and beer company, it’s a local Chicagoland chain with locations in Algonquin, Aurora, Bolingbrook, Carol Stream, McHenry, New Lenox, North Aurora, Rogers Park and Rolling Meadows.It serves traditional pub fare like burgers, sliders, tacos, pizza, wings, soups, salads and sandwiches. Signature entrees include chicken and waffles, pot pie, chicken parmesan and fish and chips. It also has shareable plates like truffle parmesan fries, garlic parmesan fries, loaded waffle fries, street corn, kale and artichoke dip and Italian beef egg rolls.Sandwiches skew traditional with options like Rubens, Monte Cristos and French dips. Diners also can save room for house-made desserts like cheesecake and Rumchata bread pudding.Drink options include beer, wine, liquor and cocktails.For more information, visit bulldogalehouse.com.

Joseph S. Pete

Open

The Love of Arts Community Center is now teaching art classes in Griffith.Founder and Executive Director Sade Carrasquillo opened the community center at 1115 E. Ridge Road. It provides classes and artistic resources meant to spur creativity in both youth and adults.”I have dreamed of this day, and still can’t believe that it has finally happened,” said Carrasquillo. “Our community deserves more outlets where we can creatively express ourselves. I am honored to be one of those providers.”It hosts arts, crafts and STEM activities for kids between 6 months and five years from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.It also offers beginner guitar classes, VR Graffiti Art, Beginners Videography, Acting, Acrylic Painting, Hip Hop Dance and other programming for youth and adults, as well as art classes for people in the Lake County work release program. Most creative classes are six weeks in length.”All of us have some type of talent and many want to explore new ones,” Carrasqullio said. “The Love of Arts Community Center is here to cultivate these talents and of course offer fun and memorable experiences. We are excited to expand our reach to the town of Griffith as well as all of Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland” said Sade Carrasquillo, founder of For the Love of Arts Community Center.”For more information, visit artsforlove.org.

Joseph S. Pete

Open

Illinois Dermatology Institute recently expanded its footprint in Northwest Indiana by opening an office in Munster.The clinic is now treating patients for skin conditions at 9601 Calumet Ave., Suite E, in the Centennial Village development by Centennial Park. It treats conditions like acne, skin cancer, psoriasis, eczema, nail disorders, rosacea, warts, allergy patch testing, hair loss, cosmetic dermatology and pediatric dermatology. It performs procedures like mohs surgery and surgical excisions.The Illinois Dermatology Institute office is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.For more information, call 219-491-3376.

Joseph S. Pete

Open

The WhoaZone floating water park at Whihala Beach in Whiting has reopened for the season.The family attraction features slides, stairs and other inflatables in the lake. It’s a floating obstacle course at 1561 Park Road in Whiting.Kids can climb stairs, run around and splash into the water while lifeguards supervise.For more information, call 219-234-2615 or visit https://whoa.zone/whiting/.

Joseph S. Pete

Anniversary

Ella Jayms, a women’s boutique, is celebrating the third anniversary of its brick-and-mortar location in downtown Valparaiso.”Ella Jayms is a woman-owned, lifestyle boutique that’s dedicated to women of all generations and celebrating life’s happiest moments,” Customer Experience Lead Raeann Grusak said. “We take pride in providing a warm, welcoming environment for all & ensure that each person who walks through our doors leaves feeling happier and uplifted.”The boutique is located at 260 Franklin St., Suite 102.”Giving back and paying it forward is the soul of our company,” she said. “Since we opened our doors in the summer of 2020, we have had the honor of donating time and money right back into NWI to help our neighbors in need through nonprofits like The Caring Place, Women United, The Porter County Community Foundation, Housing Opportunities and Hilltop Neighborhood House.”It stocks clothes, footwear, accessories, home decor and Foggy Dog Ruby Dog Bow Ties to “make your pup extra dapper.””While we reflect on these past three years, we want to thank our amazing community and customers,” Grusak said. “Being a part of Valparaiso has been an honor; we’ve loved every second of it. We’re beyond grateful for the support we’ve received and look forward to many more years of celebration.”For more information, visit www.ellajayms.com.

Joseph S. Pete

Leased

Shops on 41 in Schererville is now 100% leased.Crown Point-based Latitude Commercial, one of the leading commercial real estate firms in Northwest Indiana, leased out the last two spots in the new strip mill on Indianapolis Boulevard just south of U.S. 30 and the Crossroads of the Nation intersection.A high-end barber shop and dental practice both signed leases. The new tenants plan on starting construction immediately.“We’re excited for the two new tenants to join the existing strong tenant lineup and get us to 100% occupied, said Brett McDermott of Latitude Commercial. Both of the tenants will benefit from the great visibility on 41 and all of the tenants complement each other well. The Landlords did a great job on the design and look of the building and are happy to have filled the last remaining space.”

Joseph S. Pete, The Times

219 News Now 6/23/23

NWI Business Ins and Outs: Maple + Bacon, deli and Divalicious Desserts Bakery & Cafe opening

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20th Louisiana Book Festival celebrates readers and writers. Here’s what you need to know.

Planning the Louisiana Book Festival is like planning a Mardi Gras parade, the festival’s executive director Jim Davis said. He’s been coordinating book festivals for 15 years. As soon as the festival is underway, he and his team have to start thinking about the next one.The Louisiana Book Festival is in its 20th year, and according to Davis, it’s a celebration of readers, writers and books in Louisiana.

“Readers come first because that’s our focus,” he said. “We try to make our festival very relaxing and accessible. I think we create a really good environment for people who come to the book festival to have a somewhat intimate relationship with the authors who are presenting.”

Jim Davis is the executive director of the Louisiana Center for the Book and the Louisiana Book Festival.

PROVIDED PHOTO

On Friday, the day before the festival, attendees also have the opportunity to learn from authors in “WordShops” where select authors will be presenting on topics ranging from the business of publishing to writing children’s books.

The festival schedule at a glance is coming soon, but until then, you can check louisianabookfestival.org for more information.This year, poet David Kirby is receiving the Louisiana Writer Award. Many former award recipients will be returning as presenters, and there is also special programming for children such as face painting and storytelling. Costumed characters Waldo, Bruce the Bear and Zoom Squirrel will all be making a special appearance.

Arriea Jones, 8, presses on paper while making an ink picture at the Print Guild of LSU tent at the Louisiana Book Festival at the State Capitol complex on Saturday, October 28, 2023 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

We caught up with Davis ahead of the festival to chat about special programs, how to prepare and how books are selected. The Louisiana Book Festival is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, in downtown Baton Rouge.Tell us a little bit about the festival. What can people expect?It’s been held annually since 2002. There were a few years where we had to cancel it: after Katrina, and then during the pandemic, we had to cancel it one year. The next year, we had to have an all virtual festival, but we were able to go back live in 2022.

The festival is a full day of programming with authors presenting their books, either on panels or solo. It’s designed for readers of all ages. We have programs for adults, a children’s pavilion with children’s authors, crafts that relate to the books that are being featured, a teen headquarters, a cooking demo tent with folks who have a book out about cooking and a music stage.

Newlyweds Alex and Christopher Anderson, married Sunday, listen to a poem made for them by Cassandra de Alba at the Poetry-to-Order booth at the Louisiana Book Festival at the State Capitol complex on Saturday, October 28, 2023 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

We have a book tent where all of the featured books are available for purchase through our partner, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs. After each program, the authors are scheduled for a book signing in the book tent, so you can hear an author and then go to the book tent and get your book personally signed by the author.

How are books/authors selected?

We have a selection committee within the library. It’s kind of an informal process, and anybody can recommend a book to us to consider.It’s an ongoing process from one festival to another. As we find out about books, we start inviting authors continually throughout the year. We try to have something for everybody.

Part of our mission is to be supportive of Louisiana authors and Louisiana publishers.

So, we always find out from Louisiana publishers what books they have coming out in the next year before the festival. We get those lists, get those copies and make decisions as we go. But Louisiana readers don’t just read Louisiana writers, and they don’t just read books about Louisiana, so we’re looking at what’s being sold, what’s coming out nationally, and we try to get some big names from national best sellers.

Author Adam Dennis points to his book “Gary and the Tooth Fairy” that is featured at the Louisiana Book Festival at the State Capitol complex on Saturday, October 28, 2023 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

Just when we think we’ve completed our roster, we find out about another book that we didn’t know was out there, and we try to squeeze another one in. It winds up that the festival’s kind of bursting at the seams.

Is there any special programming this year?We have someone coming to the festival who is an internationally recognized expert on the Beatles, Bruce Spizer. He’s done a series of books on different albums by the Beatles.

One thing special that we’re doing this year — this is a one-off, we always have live and in-person programs — James Lee Burke, a very national bestseller, popular author from Louisiana, doesn’t travel any more and he lives in Montana, so we’re going to be able to do a virtual, live program with him.

We have a full day of poetry too. The Louisiana Poet Laureate, Allison Pelegrin, will be hosting two panels that feature Louisiana poets. The National Student Poets will be with us. Each year, five poets are selected from five regions throughout the country, and they’re all going to be with us. I think it’s their only appearance this year outside of the ceremony where they were announced.

Author Toya Boudy demonstrates cooking cajun chili at an author meet and greet at the Louisiana Book Festival at the State Capitol complex on Saturday, October 28, 2023 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

STAFF PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON

What advice do you have for people as they’re looking at the festival schedule and deciding what to go to?

Work ahead of time.Print the schedule out and have your pen ready and make notes. Your source for finding out about those names and authors listed is the website because of the two wonderful resource pages for the festival: Featured Authors and Featured Books.

So a title or a book cover may catch your eye, and you can click on that book and it will take you to the author’s page where not only do you find out about the author, but read a description of the book that’s being featured.This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Small Business Owners And Students Partner With A Purpose

Small businesses represent the dreams and hard work of Americans, empowering people to build their livelihoods and generating over $16.2 trillion in revenue in the US. Unfortunately, many small businesses face an uphill battle with limited access to the tools and skills support needed to thrive in the rapidly evolving world where customers are often won over with social media and digital apps.

Aarya Dhru and Veda Swaminathan, Co-Founders of the non-profit I3 Foundation, are championing a creative solution through their flagship initiative, the I3 Competition—short for Imagine, Innovate, and Inspire. Dhru and Swaminathan started the competition as 16-year-old high school students to bring together small businesses that need help bolstering their digital infrastructure and students who need an outlet for their digital genius.

I had an opportunity to talk to Dhru and Swaminathan about the success of the I3 Competition – which has helped ~60 small businesses tap into the talent of 200+ students over the last four years. The now 20-year-olds shared why they are so passionate about the competition and shared tips for how small businesses can tap into high schoolers to help them.

A Connection With A Purpose
Swaminathan and Dhru started the I3 Competition for the same reason many small business owners started their businesses: “It was a solution to problems we were facing ourselves.”
Aarya Dhru(left) and Veda Swaminatha (right) are recognized as youth leader ar the 5th Annual … [+] Riley’s Way Gala.Photo courtesy of Riley’s Way
Swaminathan adds, “At home, my mom is a business owner and would often ask me for help with her social media or web pages. And at school, my peers were complaining about not having opportunities to make an impact or bolster their resume for college because of the pandemic. I realized that if I had the digital skills to help my mom, other kids did too. This competition felt like a win-win partnership.”

Real Work With Real Impact
Students today are the leaders of tomorrow, and a key goal of the I3 Competition is to give students a chance to hone their skills in a real business environment.

“There’s a common misconception that high school students are limited to unskilled work, but the reality is that they bring invaluable expertise in areas like social media and technology. Since these students have grown up using these platforms, they know how to engage an audience and create innovative ideas. They’ve developed an ability to recognize trends and craft strategies that resonate with today’s digital audience. For business owners, this means receiving unique insights and creative solutions that go beyond the ordinary, which can help them long-term,” explains Dhru
The competition works by partnering each business with a team made up of 3-4 high schoolers. Over a four-month period, the high school students and the small business collaborate with the students, building out a tailored app, website, or social media marketing campaign for the small business. To ensure high quality deliverables and added intangible benefits for students, students are matched with a mentor who are typically business and nonprofit CEOs/presidents, former entrepreneurs, or partners at Big4 consulting firms.
Mentors share advice to help them with their specific projects (e.g., how to best increase SEO for the websites they are building), as well as softer skills such as how to improve their communication skills.
A key benefit is that “these mentors stay in the students’ networks forever,” said Swaminathan.
A Win-Win Collaboration
As part of the competition, student teams compete for up to $2,000 in prize money.
This year’s winning collaboration involved a team of four high school juniors who worked with Furbaby Bestie Pet Care, an LA-based tech company that matches pet professionals with pets in need. The students developed a “viral formula” for a social media campaign using Instagram Reels. The results were game-changing for Furbaby, helping them reach 10M post views and 60K profile views, which increased total video play time from 17 minutes to almost 35,000 hours. And they did it all in just under four months.
Two of the team members signed on as paid interns for Furbaby Bestie Pet Care.
Swaminathan and Dhru add that even if a team of students does not win the $2,000 prize, they still come out as winners.
“Beyond the incredible feeling of doing something good for your community, students are using their experiences as a way to increase their own growth opportunities. For example, each year, more than 60% of our teams are offered formal summer internships and jobs by their business partners or competition judges. And alumni of the competition have ended up at elite universities such as Stanford, Harvard, NYU Stern, the University of Pennsylvania, and more.”
“It’s not only about building resumes or gaining work experience,” Dhru adds. “These businesses are deeply personal; they represent people’s lives and stories.”
How To Start Collaborating
Small business owners who are interested can apply to be matched with a team of students for a project in 2025. They can fill out the registration form on the I3 Competition website. Business owners will have to submit their digital platform of choice (either website creation, app development, or social media marketing) and provide a company overview.
Registration closes December 18th, 2024.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line? High school students are often an untapped resource for helping small businesses. Likewise, small businesses can offer high schoolers the opportunity to work on meaningful projects that can have a real impact – something that gets today’s youth excited.