About Us

In Fall 2013, Justin Kiel, a junior at LaCrosse High School, began submitting pictures for The Regional News. Not long after, he began writing articles to accompany these pictures. In February 2014, while sitting at the kitchen table, he learned that The Regional News and Westville Indicator had been put up for sale and would be discontinued if a buyer wasn’t found in two weeks. He looked up from the bleak for sale notice and told his mom, Kelly Kiel, “We should buy the papers.” Initially rebuffing the idea, Kelly soon decided that owning a newspaper was something they could do and that would make for an interesting experience. And so on Friday, March 14, 2014, The Regional News and Westville Indicator transitioned to its new owners, Kelly Kiel and her son Justin Kiel.

The two quickly got to work learning how to run a weekly newspaper. The papers were redesigned, a Facebook page was created, and advertising prices were adjusted all in the first week. They recruited students to write articles about the happenings in their school and locals to share what was happening in their communities. Since day one they have taken the approach that the best story teller is the one who lived through it.

Their hard work paid off and the newspaper took off. Within one year their circulation had grown 500% and in store sales were 11 times higher. Not long later, in June 2015, Justin convinced Kelly that they should buy the old LaCrosse Library building next door to their house. Prior to being used as a library, the building was, believe it or not, the office of The Regional News.

Today, readership is up almost 2600% from the beginning of their ownership and the business is outpacing every other newspaper in their coverage area. As these small town newspapers keep growing, they intend to continue to promote and publish the local community news, allowing each of the respective communities the opportunity to share what is important and valued within their communities.  

— Our Newspapers —

The Regional News

The Regional News provides local news to the communities of LaCrosse, Wanatah, Westville, Hanna, Union Mills, and LaPorte County every week. Every issue of The Regional News is $1. You can pick up a copy at the LaCrosse BP Gas Station, LaCrosse Dollar General, LaCrosse Public Library, Wanatah Dollar General, Wanatah Speedway, Wanatah Casey’s, Dewey’s Auto Supply, the Marathon Plaza 30 Truck Stop near Hanna, or the Kouts Family Express. A yearly subscription can be purchased for $45 for subscribers located in a 463** zip code and is delivered by USPS every week. Non-local subscriptions cost $60 per year. Order The Regional News.

The Westville Indicator

The Westville Indicator provides local news to the communities of Westville, Union Mills, Otis, and LaPorte County every week. Every issue of the Westville Indicator is $1. You can pick up a copy of the Westville Indicator at the Westville Meat and Grocery, Casey’s General Store in Westville, the Westville Family Express, Dollar General, or the Westville BP. A yearly subscription can be purchased for $45 for subscribers located in a 463** zip code and is delivered by USPS every week. Non-local subscriptions cost $60 per year. Order the Westville Indicator.