Turkey Struck by Vehicle in LaPorte County, Gets Stuck in Windshield

Photo provided by LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office

A family driving through LaPorte County ended up with a wild turkey stuck in the windshield of their rental vehicle Tuesday morning. Deputies with the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office believe a black GMC Yukon was heading westbound on U.S. 20 near Wilhelm Road when it hit a large tom turkey that was flying across the road. Continue reading

Thanksgiving History

The first Thanksgiving
The first Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving, a day off from work, turkey and pumpkin pie, and football games.  That’s how many Americans think of this day. But we should probably remember the day for what it was, a celebration held by the Mayflower Pilgrims in 1621.  The Pilgrims had landed at Plymouth in November of 1620. A little over 100 persons boarded the Mayflower to sail to the new world, but only half survived the trip and the following winter.

We should remember names like William Bradford, Myles Standish, John Alden, and Priscilla Mullins. Those four were part of the group that founded the Plymouth Colony. And of course there’s the famous Indian Squanto who befriended the colonists, and taught them to plant, fish, and hunt in their new home. He also negotiated a peaceful relationship between the Pilgrims and the Indians.  Then there was Massasoit, who brought 90 Indians to the first feast.

Even though some of the facts of the first Thanksgiving are challenged, it still is a great holiday.  It’s a day to give thanks for all that is good, a day to give thanks that we live in such a wonderful country.

Turkey Facts for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving Dinner

Here are a few turkey facts for this year’s Thanksgiving:

  • The largest turkey, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, was 86 pounds (about the size of a large German shepherd).
  • More than 45 million turkeys will be cooked for Thanksgiving (1/6th of all turkeys eaten during the year).
  • Turkey is often cited as the reason you’ll feel sleepy after dinner. It contains L-tryptophan, an amino acid with a documented sleep inducing effect, but the real culprit is the whole meal.
  • Only wild turkeys can fly. Domesticated turkeys cannot.