MONDAY - July 13, 2009

IDAHO STATE CHAMPIONSHIP CHILI COOKOFF
Friday, July 10, 2009
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Eight teams in Nampa's Hot Chili Nights competition descended on downtown Friday night to bring a little spice to the start of Snake River Dayz.
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Bragging rights, cash prizes and a chance to compete in the International Chili Society's World Championship Chili Cookoff which will be held on October 11, 2009 in Charleston, WV, were all on the line for the cooks who tantalized visitors' taste buds for a $3 fee. The chili competition put recipes from Caldwell and Nampa and all the way to Hawaii to the test.
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"What20can I say: Rodeo and chili go together," event co-chair Jonette Flores, with the Nampa Lions Club, said.
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The event, in its eighth year, benefits the Lions Club's vision fund and its youth leadership groups. It's only the second year Hot Chili Nights has run in conjunction with Snake River Dayz, and the first year it's jointly known as the Idaho State Championship Chili Cookoff.
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The chili cookoff took place along with a variety of other events Friday in downtown Nampa for Snake River Dayz, including music and kids' activities. Snake River Dayz continues today with a breakfast, concert and outdoor movie presentation.
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In a typical year, the cookoff raises about $3,300. Nine judges ranging from local legislators, law enforcement personnel, business owners, Chief Judge Andrew Pena, and ICS representative Charlie Ward choose the winners.
Tallying the votes was Scorekeeper Barbara Ward. Spectators choose the People's Choice recipient.
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"Everyone loves it, and it's growing every year," Flores said. "Everyone is just down here having fun and you don't need to be an expert to be one of our teams."
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Last year's winners, Alicia and David Garcia with Garcia's Tex-Mex Grill in Caldwell, returned with hopes to represent Idaho at the world championships.
"I think chili, you have to be neutral with it, so everyone can taste it, all the way from the little ones to the older people," Alicia said. "So we try not to have it too spicy."
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Bill Forsyth, whose son lives in Boise, brought his "Not Forgotten" chili from Kapolei, Hawaii, to help represent the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC). "It's got a little bit of heat to it with a little backburn from a habanero we throw in there," he said. "It's just a lot of fun and meeting nice people. I don't care if we win or lose, it's just for fun and telling our story of JPAC.". "They're all a little different but they're all good."
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Winners:
Red Chili
1st — Bill Hess - Eugene, OR: $500
2nd — Cory Mikhals - Boise, ID: $400
3rd — Chris Rowe - Nampa, ID: $300
Honorable Mentions:
4th — Dennis Robinson - Caldwell, ID
5th — Alicia Garcia - Caldwell, ID
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People's Choice: Cory Mikhals, Boise, ID
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Salsa
1st — Bill Forsyth - Kapolei, HI: $100
2nd — David Garcia - Caldwell, ID: $75
3rd — Bill Hess - Eugene, OR: $50
Honorable Mentions:
4th - Cory Mikhals - Boise, ID
Tied for 5th - Gary Hunt and Vince Poxleitner, Boise, ID
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Contributed by J. Meyer (Idaho Press Tribune) and Barbara Ward

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Old Miners Regional

- Big Bear 7/11/2009

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Old Miners Days runs for about a month in Big Bear.  Our weekend of it starts with the Calcutta on20Friday night.  It's dinner and then auctioning off the pre-registered cooks.  Mike Austin & Mark Sweeney take the microphones for the auction and Mark Gains takes the money. The proceeds of the auction are split 1/2 for the Local Cooks and 1/2 for the Best Overall Cook, each amount is then split into thirds: 1/3 for the cook, 1/3 for the buyer and 1/3 for the charity.  It's a great deal for everyone and the sunset over the Lake was absolutely beautiful!

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Things were a little slow coming together in the judging area so thank you to Karen Ray and Dennis Macklin for numbering the booths, so Val & I could stay and finish putting things together.  Mark Sweeney did a great job as Chief Judge; Scorekeepers: Val Gereghty, Donnie Gordon, Melody Sweeney and Jim Scofield; Wranglers: Bob Witt, Amanda Izen & Kellie Sweeney and of course, keeping it going all day was Emcee Mike Austin. And the winners:

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Cl eaning up the Local Events by taking  1st Time Cook & Best Local Cook & Perpetual Merchant's Trophy + she bought herself in the Local portion of the Calcutta - Michelle McCoy, Michelle's Cafe, Big Bear Lake. Great day for our 1st time cook!

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People's Choice - John Gorzik - B's BBQ

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Salsa (11 Contestants)

3rd Place - Mike Stewart, CA

2nd Place - Leo Nolan, CA

1st Place - Steve Crawford, CA

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Verde (8 Contestants)

3rd Place - Paul LaRouche, CA

2nd Place - Allene Macklin, CA

1st Place - Steve Crawford, CA

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Red Chili (30 Contestants)

5th Place Tie - Dennis Macklin & Leo Nolan, CA

4th Place - Bill Ray, CA

3rd Place - Marty Leitner, NV

2nd Place - Jim LaTendress, CA

1st Place - Gene Beller, CA

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Best Cook Calcutta    Cook - Jim LaTendress

                                    Buyer - John Gorzik

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Congratulations to all the winners and Thank You to all who came to support this event, especially all the volunteers who make my life so much easier.

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Donnie

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< U>ICS MESSAGE from Carol Hancock

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CHILE PEPPER MAGAZINE
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THIS MESSAGE DOES NOT APPLY TO MEMBERS WHO JOINED ICS PRIOR TO JUNE 2009.  SUBSCRIPTIONS ALREADY IN PLACE WILL NOT BE AFFECTED
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Effective immediately, ICS memberships will no longer include the subscription to Chile Pepper Magazine.  Our agreement was made with the original publishing company out of Ft. Worth, Texas, in 2001.  Chile Pepper Magazine has been sold twice in the past five years and both new publishers have honored our agreement.  That agreement is no longer feasible for either ICS or Goodman Publishing Company, however, they are offering a one-year subscription (6 issues) to ICS members at a discounted rate of $19.95.  If you're interested in subscribing directly through the publishing company, they have requested that you either log onto ChilePepper.com and enter the special code ICS999 or call directly 1-866-378-2951 and mention the code. 

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