Officers ready to cook, Italian style
By BRENDA SOMMER and BARRY HALVORSON

Having had nowhere near enough time last year to finetune recipes and exchange trash talk, area law enforcers are back for more friendly rivalry at the second annual Spaghetti Cookoff fund-raiser Saturday.

Proceeds benefit the 100 Club of Wharton County, a nonprofit organization supporting the county's law enforcement community.

This year's cook-off is Saturday, Oct. 20, at Crescent Hall on the Wharton County Youth Fairgrounds.

"We are number one, and we'll probably be number one this year," said Wharton County Sheriff Jess Howell, whose "Italian Stallions" team is the defending champion.

"We have the very best spaghetti recipe, and we proved it. The judges were overwhelmed by it - they threw the rest of the junk away," he said.

El Campo Police Department Lt. Terry Stanphill is not concerned.

"First of all, good luck to all the teams involved - You will need it," Stanphill said.

"We opened training camp in August. We have now stepped it up to two-a-days."

"The teams to watch out for are the political offices: the sheriff's department and constables," he said.

"I would advise any and all Italian cooks to stay off the streets between now and the 20th or you may find yourself a trustee at the Wharton County Jail, cooking spaghetti sauce."

"I appreciate the idea," Sheriff Howell replied.

Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Danny Terronez said his as-yet-unnamed team is aiming to win.

"After years of extensive research, with input from throughout the state, and with a lot more resources than the other departments, we've come up with a new and improved recipe, guaranteed to win," Terronez said.

Wharton Police CID Officer Randy Whitlock said his team is intent on taking top honors.

"There's an 'Alpha Dog' syndrome among law enforcement that makes us all pretty competitive," he said.

"Our head chef is going to be a good Texas country boy (Patrol Sgt. Jared Cullar) so I guess we'll see just how much 'Italian' he has in him."

Precinct 2 Constable J.A. Szymanski's department is not entered this year.

"We didn't get the e-mail because (Emergency Management Coordinator) Andy Kirkland had the wrong address," he said.

"I think it was an honest mistake and isn't part of a conspiracy to keep us out of it. But if it happens next year, I might have to re-think my position."

Szymanski said rumors his office would be looking to undermine other departments are far-fetched.

"We'll have people who will probably be attending and I would hope they would support the other teams.

"But they will be off-duty and outside Precinct 2, so what they do on their own I won't have any control over."

In addition to an interesting dining experience, Wharton PD's Whitlock said the competition provides law enforcement with an opportunity to show the public a different aspect of their lives.

"It's good for us to see the public in a different venue and good for the public to see us the same way," he said.

"See us as people with families and as dads that help out and cook - see us in a much lighter mood.

"Most of the time, the public doesn't see us under good circumstances, such as getting a traffic ticket or after a crime has been committed."

Judges this year, whose decisions comprise half a team's score, are District Judge Randy Clapp, County Judge John Murrile and "our designated Italian guy, Sylvan Miori," Kirkland said.

The other half of a team's score "is a blatant fund-raising thing, where you can go throw money in a bucket in front of your favorite sauce cooker," Kirkland explained.

Cooking starts around 2 p.m., judging begins at 5 p.m. and serving will commence at 5:30 p.m..

Plates can be prepared to go, but there won't be drive-through service. All-you-can-eat tickets are $5 in advance or $6 at the door.

Tickets are available at Briggs & Veselka in El Campo, Wharton Feed Store in Wharton, from 100 Club board members and most law enforcement officers.

"I would not advise you break the law just to get an officer's attention and buy a ticket," Kirkland said.

The 100 Club supplies life insurance for the county's law enforcement officers - $100,000 paid to the family of any officer killed in the line of duty.

The club also funds benefits and equipment, including bullet proof vests.

"I ask everyone to come out and enjoy some good spaghetti, have some good fun, meet some officers and their families, and support the 100 Club," Sheriff Howell said.