Some parents have found great value by having their kids join martial arts facilities and classes. In an interview with Aaron Johnson, chief instructor and owner of Achievement Martial Arts in Valparaiso Indiana, he explained why this is.

Aaron runs a martial arts instruction facility that is focused on teaching the fundamentals of martial arts and he offers classes from ages 3 and up for kids as well as classes for adults.  Aaron went on saying that some of the main core values of martial arts are based on life skills, integrity, confidence, discipline, focus, and respect for yourself and for others.

Class in session at Achievement Martial Arts

The Me Gang attended a few of his martial classes for kids that ranged in ages from 5 to upper teens and I can honestly say that integrity and discipline are a main focus in his classes.  There is a real family friendly atmosphere when you are there and many parents stay to watch as their kids are taught some fundamental skills, important moral lessons as well as the feel of achievement.

Micah Moore, an instructor at Achievement Martial Arts, is a great example of what type of character can come out of someone that has made this sport a way of life. You can tell right away that he enjoys his job yet still loves to work with kids but takes his skills quite seriously.

Is martial arts something for you?

Achievement Martial Arts is located at:

786 North McCool Road
Unit 6
Valparaiso, Indiana, 46383
(219) 759-3905

View Their Website HERE

Have a look at some of the clips that we took while attending some classes at Achievement Martial Arts.

The Magic That The Holidays Can Bring:

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The presents get opened and the days are filled with cheer, but let’s not forget the people that are around us all during the year.

New beginnings are born and families are brought together, but let’s not forget the friends that we treasure.

Life can be lonely when nobody is around, so let’s all do our part in making a cheerful sound. Children will laugh and people will sing but opening your eyes can be a very insightful thing.

Taking life for granted can be a very easy thing to do, but if you look around the World, there are many things that we can do.

The Holidays can be warm when you make it your plan, but the magic you give to people can indeed be grand.

So open your hearts so the World can hear, and make the Holiday Magic spread throughout the year!

Warmest Wishes and Happy Holidays from the staff of NWIMe.com!

2010 was a banner year for Deep River Waterpark.  Being selected as the third best public waterpark in the nation was great in terms of national recognition and a summer full of beautiful weather made this season perfect.  Coupled with a slate of fantastic events such as the World’s Largest Swimming Lesson and appearances by B96, 100.3′s Brian Middleton and of course SpongeBob Squarepants made Deep River waterpark the place to be in Northwest Indiana this past summer.

Well that’s not all they have in store for you because starting November 26th thru February 27th, Deep River Waterpark invites you to join them for “Skate the Plaza”.  Enjoy outdoor ice skating on their beautiful 14,500 square foot ice plaza.  The hours of operation are:

• Thursday: 2pm – 9pm
• Fridays: 2pm – 10pm
• Saturday: Noon – 10pm
• Sunday and Holiday periods: Noon – 9pm
• Closed Monday – Wednesday, except during Holiday/School

The cost is $4.00 for everyone from 14 to 61 and $3.00 for everyone else.  Spectators/chaperones are admitted for free.  Skate rentals are available for $5.00.  Discounts are available for groups and fro more information, visit their website here.

There are a few rules.

• Food, beverage and coolers are not allowed in the park
• Alcoholic beverages are not permitted anywhere on Park Department property
• Hockey games and hockey sticks are not permitted

1. Hermione Granger – 33%
2. Harry Potter – 17%
3. Sirius Black – 15%
4. Ron Weasley – 13%
5. Albus Dumbledore – 7%
6. Rubeus Hagrid – 5%
7. Minerva McGonagall – 3%
8. Remus Lupin – 3%
9. Ginny Weasley – 3%
10. Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody – 1%

The vote was part of the promotion for AMC’s “Harry Potter Adventure,” where fans have the opportunity to enjoy the two previous Harry Potter movies – HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX and HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF BLOOD PRINCE – in AMC theatres across the country at 6 p.m. local time on Nov. 18, before they experience the midnight release of HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1.

Fans are also treated to all three films plus a collectible lanyard (while supplies last) for one low price of $20. For more information, please visit: http://www.amctheatres.com/harrypotter

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1 is the seventh and final two-part adventure in the Harry Potter series. In part one, Voldemort’s power is growing stronger and he now controls the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts. Harry, Ron and Hermione decide to finish Dumbledore’s work and find the rest of the Horcruxes to defeat the Dark Lord. But little hope remains for the Trio, and the rest of the Wizarding World, so everything they do must go as planned.

About AMC Entertainment Inc.
Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., AMC Entertainment Inc. is a leading theatrical exhibition and entertainment company. With a history of industry leadership and innovation dating back to 1920, the company today serves hundreds of millions of guests annually through interests in 382 theatres with 5,342 screens in five countries. www.AMCTheatres.com.

1. Megamind
2. Unstoppable
3. Due Date
4. Skyline
5. Morning Glory
6. For Colored Girls
7. Red
8. Paranormal Activity 2
9. Saw 3D
10. Jackass 3D

Nope, I missed it.  Unstoppable, while pulling in a respectable $23.5M did not have enough excitement and action to unseat last weeks top 10 leader Megamind.  Family entertainment is number one again this weekend with $30M in box office receipts.

The hit comedy Due Date has another decent weekend but drops one position to number three.  The new Sci-Fi adventure Skyline comes in at number 4 and the star studded Morning Glory opens at number five.  Lionsgate’s For Colored Girls gets pushed back to number six by the three new openers.  This weeks movies did not have the draw that last weeks movies did as the entire top ten list only took in $110M.

Four weeks in the theatres finds Red down to number seven and is still holding strong with an $80M total so far.  The surprise hit Paranormal Activity 2 jumps ahead of Saw 3D but don’t count out the 7th installment of the “Worlds Most Successful Horror Series” because fans are going to want to own it for their collections when it comes out on DVD.

Jackass 3D looks to be at the end of its run on the top 10 list with almost $115M at the box office but look for it in your local second run theatres as the cult following will no doubt be interested in a second look at discount prices.

1. Megamind
2. Due Date
3. For Colored Girls
4. Red
5. Saw 3D
6. Paranormal Activity 2
7. Jackass 3D
8. Hereafter
9. Secretariat
10. The Social Network

It didn’t take a genius to figure out that Megamind was going to be this weeks big winner. Family friendly plus lots of advertising plus cool weather equals box office hit.

Two more new releases round out the Top 10; Warner Brothers Due Date and Lionsgate’s For Colored Girls.  Together, the top three accounted for $100M in box office receipts.

After 3 weeks Red is still holding strong and in is second weekend, Saw 3D appears to be losing some steam.  The other scary movie on the charts, Paranormal Activity 2, drops 4 spots to number 6 but with over $77M at the box office and a renewed advertising push it may just be due to a such a powerful top 3.

Jackass 3D appears to be losing steam pulling in only 5% of the first two weeks take but the popularity of the franchise will no doubt take in some big dollars when the DVD hits the store shelves.  Hereafter drops 3 spots to number 8, Secretariat loses 3 to land at number 9 and The Social Network moves down 3 as well to finish off the list.

Saw 3D

As you may have already guessed, this weeks big release, Saw 3D, tops the box office.  It is Halloween weekend so it is not that surprising.  Besides, it is the World’s Most Successful Horror Movie Series.

Everything else stays about the same.  Paranormal Activity 2 benefits from the Halloween weekend and Red jumps ahead of Jackass 3D which passes the $100M mark after only 2 weeks.  Hereafter, drops to number 5 after only one weeks and Secretariat moves to the number 6 slot after 3 weeks.

The popular The Social Network is still hanging on after 4 weeks as is the heartwarming Rom-Com Life As We Know It after 3 weeks.  After 6 weeks on the list is the crime drama thriller, The Town.  Rounding out the list is Fox Searchlight Picture, Conviction, which finds its way on to the list after two weeks.

The Indiana University Northwest School of Nursing will host its annual health fair on Tuesday, Nov. 16, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the Savannah Center, located at 3400 Broadway in Gary, Ind.

Available services will include lab work, free health screenings, and health information. Organized by IU Northwest nursing seniors, this year’s fair is themed “Let’s Get Physical: Improve Your Health.”

Community health agencies and university groups will participate in this event. Available services include lab workups (lipid profile, metabolic panel and hemogram); and prostate-specific antigen screenings, which screen for prostate cancer in men ages 40 to 50 years and older.

Free health screenings include blood-pressure screenings and bone-density tests.

Lab work will be conducted between 7:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Blood-test recipients must fast for 12 hours and may only drink black coffee or water during the fast.

Lab work is $18.60 for community members. IU Northwest faculty and staff must pay $15.60, while IU Northwest students may have lab work done for free with a valid student ID.  The prostate-specific antigen screening test is $17.50 for everyone.

Payment for testing is due the day of the test. Only cash or checks will be accepted.

As a Northwest Indiana leader in health education, the IU Northwest School of Nursing and College of Health and Human Services are pleased to offer these important health screenings to the community.

The Savannah Center is located in the southeast corner of the main campus parking lot at 33rd Avenue and Broadway.

For more information, contact Clinical Coordinator Glenda Dexter-Brown at (219) 980-6619, or email her at gbrown@iun.edu.

Lakeshore Jewelers & Appraisers is family owned and operated by Jeff & Natalie Fleischauer, residents of Porter, IN.  The couple brings to Chesterton 23 years experience in the jewelry industry and previously owned and operated a retail jewelry store in downtown Chicago for the past 14 years.  Lakeshore Jewelers is a full service jewelry store offering diamonds, precious & semi-precious stones, gold & silver jewelry, custom pieces and jewelry & watch repair.

Additional notification time is sometimes needed to allow large groups, such as Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops, to know where to meet in the parade line-up and avoid frustration for parents and children alike. Stop by the Chamber office located at 220 Broadway, Chesterton, Monday through Friday 8:30am to 5pm to pick up your application or call us at 219-926-5513 to have one mailed to you.

Please email inquiries to tbley@chestertonchamber.org. All groups, organizations, individuals and businesses are welcome to participate in the parade. All entries are due by Monday, November 15, 2010.