Good morning. We're home after a quick weekend trip to the ICS World's in Mnachester, New Hampshire. The weather was chilly and sometimes wet but the friendship and camaraderie with other chili cooks was warm. The City of Manchester and its residents put on quite a show welcoming the cookoff. In two days, they sold an amazing 110,000 tasting cups.

NEWS

"Thank you Kay Lefler for reminding me about the "goody bags" for the Terlingua school students. Once again, Rose City Pod will sponsor getting these together at Terlingua. We love our cookoff "Goody bags" and we very much appreciate all the hard sell that goes into getting all these items, but if you have been saving everything that you can't use , don't need or have excess of, please get them to Blu Daniels by Wednesday Nov. 3 at the ranch. I will be in Chandler this weekend and at the Tyler Elks on Oct. 16. If you are coming to either cookoff or know someone coming and have items to donate,I would appreciate getting as much in advance as possible. Otherwise, bring or send to Terlingua and bring it to me at the white bus parked hopefully to the right of the stage across from the Old 320.

We give them to the students when the ROTC, band and dancers come out to entertain us Friday morning. Thank you," Blu Monday-Daniels

RESULTS AND UPCOMINGS

"Results from the 9th Annual Veteran's Memorial CCO held at the Irving VFW on October 2nd:

Chili (38 judged)
1. Tom Dozier - Irving
2. Babs Johnson - Irving
3. Dan Campbell - Cedar Hill
4. Charles Breeden - Alvarado
5. Stephanie Brockman - Euless
6. David "Budda" Manske - Arlington
7. Joel Sexton - Parts Unknown (Garland)
8. Ray Medlin - Rowlett
9. Dru Stewart - Hurst
10. Beth Moon - Hurst

Show
1. Bull Rush - Ginny Williams - Irving
2. Dream Catcher - TJ Friedel - Irving
3. Hell's Fury - Shirley Sexton - Dallas

Beans (12 judged)
1. Tom Dozier - Irving
2. Kelly Brignon - Ennis
3. Ginny WIlliams - Irving

VFW Member Chili (7 judged)
1. Ray Medlin
2. Mike Downs
3. Betty Pittman

50/50 Drawing ($95)
Bob Coats"
(Ron Barnes)

"PEORIA IL—For the third consecutive year, the New Chili Year opened in Peoria IL on the banks of the Illinois River. Last Saturday, Oct 2, was a great day to start the new year. Cool and sunny, but quite breezy. We (chili cooks) start the day, then the rib cookers move in. They are followed by the custom cars; some really great vehicles from my youth were on display. Later the bands get going. It's a great fall festival with something for everyone.

Peoria County has one of the most aggressive health departments we have run into. They send us inspectors who lack common sense and a sense of humor. They don't seem to understand we are competitive chili cooks, not vendors. They have vendors there, they should be able to tell the difference. We are safe and sanitary, they just want us to jump through their hoops. Chili cooks love a challenge, and we are getting pretty adept at getting our way while still complying with the law.

This cookoff gets many local cooks, so we have some people getting there first CASI points. There was no showmanship at this cookoff, so here are the chili winners:

1. Bill Pierson, Batavia IL

2. Cheryl Pierson, Batavia IL

3. Ryan Koener, Morton IL

4. Rick Geiger, Midlothian IL

5. Brian Spencer, Champaign IL

6. Bill Shelander, Washington IL

7. Lyle Cunningham, Metamora IL

8. Dianne Pointer, Metamora IL

9. Bob Lawrence, West Peoria IL

10. Mike Johnstone, Peoria IL"
(Bill Pierson)

POTPOURRI

Happy Birthday to Johnnie Sullivan. Happy Anniversary to Jim and Shirley Stateczny.

"Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: You don't give up." - Anne Lamott


News items and pictures for the CHN can be emailed to pepperdean7@verizon.net - Please note new email address