KILGOROUND

WE’RE ALL salivating at the News Herald office at the thought of the Oilmen’s Chili Cook-Off Thursday at the World’s Richest Acre. (Mitch Lucas and Bill Woodall swear this is their favorite Kilgore “holiday.”)

If you haven’t been, for $5 you get a wristband and five votes for your favorite chilis. You can vote all for one or one for five, or whatever mix you like. Awards will be presented at noon-30, so come early (tasting begins around 11), eat a lot and vote as soon as you can.

Last week we learned at least 70 teams have signed up, so no one will go hungry, especially considering each team begins with a minimum of 50 pounds of chili meat. Bring extra cash to buy soft drinks, which are sold exclusively by the folks at the Kilgore Community Crisis Center.

The real winners are the Crisis Center and the battered women and their children who are helped all year long thanks to this fundraiser. The he-

roes are the wonderful, generous, fun-loving chili cooks and teams, along with the thousands who come downtown to eat and raise big bucks for a worthy cause.

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BELIEVE IT or not, we’re little more than two weeks away from turning on the lights and kicking off the holiday season.

Kilgore Historical Preservation Foundation’s 2009 Christmas in the Patch will be “A Celebration of Stars” as local talent takes to the stage at the World’s Richest Acre Park on Thursday, Nov. 19. If you’ve never been, this is what I might call “A Mayberry Moment” because the turning-on of the downtown Christmas lights and stars atop derricks all over town is a heartfelt event that Andy, Opie and Aunt Bea would definitely attend if they were here.

Deana Covin, chief organizer, emailed us this week to say the entertainment lineup includes: the KC Ranger Band, twirlers, drumline and Rangerettes; the KHS High Steppers and drumline; the Pine Tree Swingsters; the Sabine Singing Sensations; several soloists; plus a trio of little girls who will sing their favorite Christmas songs. Mark Fried will emcee and Debbie Dane, John Whitehead and James Holder will open the show.

The totally free and endearing show begins at 6 p.m. This year chairs will be furnished (yay!).

Deana says, “Come enjoy as we turn on our Christmas lights!”

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GO AHEAD and mark your calendars for these other events:

— Downtown Business and Loft Tour, Saturday, Nov. 28.

— Christmas Parade, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1.

— KHPF Holiday Happening in Homes Tour, Saturday, Dec. 5.

— Library Open House, 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8.

— Mt. Kilgore Snow Hill Experience, Friday and Saturday, Dec. 11- 12.

We’ll fill in the details re: time, place and cost in upcoming editions of the News Herald.

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THE PICKINGS are getting mighty slim for the CTK Crusaders’ brittle sale. Mary Grush reports the pecan brittle is completely gone, the peanut brittle is almost gone, and there are about 60 buckets remaining of the cashew brittle.

CTK sells brittle each year to raise money for Kilgore’s American Cancer Society Relay for Life.

If you need/want brittle before it’s all gone, call Mary at 903-984- 7737 or Eunice Evers at 903-983-1350.

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Celebrating birthdays in the coming days are Karen Cole, Max Miller, Ronnie Strong Jr., Janice Marie Webb, Gary Leerstang, Robert Green, Beverly Dorminy, Carmen Calloway, Thelma Miller, Joey De Graffenreid, Rachel McLester, Jimmy Green, Lerline Stokley, Mary Dunn, Eric Parish, Johnny B. Gunn, Helen Jones, William Barber, Harley Joe Mitchell, Janice Badger, Ann Thurmond, Mildred Meabon, Mona Clower, Eric Mitchell, Ann Rossum, Bailey Francis.

Cathy Geese, Lauren Elrod, Arthur Coleman, Camilla Ballard, Kenneth Autry, Joseph E. Taylor, Justin Chambers, Victor Firdel Tyeskie, Robert S. Peek Jr., Daron Scott Trull, Chris Logan, Minnette Luis, Akin Harris, Tina King, Michael Bynum, Blake Messer, W.C. Rodgers, Nelda Graham, Kit Kirk Laird, Meachell Bell, Steven Gleaton, Gertrude Marshall, Melvin Caskey, Isabel Trejo, Erica Trejo, Vicki Clayton.

Lane Jordan, Nannette Lewis, Steven Leach, Christine Tanner, Mabel Richardson, Josephine Davis, Natasha Griffith, Gary Pepper, Janet Green, Cindy Cline, John Tanner, Jan Wylie, Ricky Lawler, Max Grimes, Dorothy Brooks, Judy Brooks Carpenter, Patsy Jones, Jayce McFarland, Corey Stewart, Mamie Jones Debose.

Celebrating anniversaries in the coming days are Wesley and Betty Lou Stone, Robert and Eloise Green.

Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Pegues.