DATE: Friday, October 24, 1997              TAG: 9710220123

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 02   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   87 lines

TOWN TALK

The 18th edition of the Great American Food Fest, still popularly known to many as the ``Sheriff's Barbecue,'' was one for the books, the record and cook books, that is.

The event, which raises money to benefit the community service work of the South Norfolk Ruritans and Chesapeake Sheriff John Newhart's Elderly and Indigent Victims Program, took place on a gorgeous Oct. 1 fall day at Chesapeake City Park.

It was co-hosted by Newhart and South Norfolk Ruritan president Steve Tise. Mayor William E. Ward hosted the welcoming ceremonies and Newhart was presented a special commendation from the state attorney general's office for his support of the TRIAD program.

Thanks to the made-to-order weather, the lure of all-you-can-eat food and the popularity of the event, the festival drew a record crowd, conservatively estimated at about 6,500 people.

And those thousands of people certainly brought along their appetites.

According to Joel Kirshon of the Sheriff's office, the fete served up 50,000 portions of food, which broke down to 6,500 pieces of chicken, close to 50,000 hush puppies, more than a ton of barbecue and about 100 gallons of Navy bean soup. In addition, more than 2,000 portions of other food items were served including hamburgers, corn dogs, fried fish, pot roast, prime rib, pizza, steak, chili, chicken quesadillas, numerous side dishes and various deserts.

Maybe next year's event will set up a combination Alka-Seltzer/Tums booth.

- Eric Feber Craving cappucino

Western Branch residents know what they want.

It's not a Food Lion at Chesapeake Square Mall. It's not a new hotel near the Western Branch Community Center. And it's definitely not a Home Depot.

A Starbucks coffee shop, on the other hand, would be just divine.

Many of the Sunray farmers suggested they'd gladly welcome the upscale Starbucks coffee chain. Sunray Farmers Association president Gary Szymanski appeared to crave a little caffeine.

Szymanski's reaction to the suggestion: ``A Starbucks would rock!''

So, Gary, will that be a double tall, half-and-half, decaf mocha latte to go?

- Liz Szabo Driven to distraction

If there's anything sillier than a cat named Mutt, it's a cat named Jeff who likes to hitchhike.

Mutt and Jeff showed up on Mildred Clarke's rural doorstep when they were less than a year old. Since then, Jeff has given new meaning to the term lap cat.

Jeff likes to hop aboard Clarke's golf cart as she rides around her 25-acre farm in Western Branch.

He'll contentedly curl up in her lap - even if she's sitting at the wheel of a moving, open-air vehicle. He chases after her golf cart as she drives, and gleefully leaps onto her lap whenever she comes to a stop.

Most farmers keep a few cats in the barn to chase mice. But how many others actually chauffeur them around?

- Liz Szabo Gander at them geese

For the city's second in command, Vice-Mayor John W. Butt, it was a recent case of goosey-goosey gander.

Buut was seen earlier this month with a fishing pole in hand at Goose Creek Estates in Western Branch.

But Butt wasn't skimming the Goose Creek pond for dinner. Instead, he along with Fred Napolitano, president of the Tidewater Builders Association and the Rev. Tom Mercer, rector of the Hickory United Methodist Church, were waving paper Canada Geese in the air.

The geese, which were tied to fishing poles, were part of the kick-off ceremony for the 1997 Homearama, taking place this year at Goose Creek Estates.

While most politicians can expect to kiss a few babies and shake the hands of their constituents, geese waving is an unusual job description for public officials.

One wonders what the TBA would have thought of if Homearama was located in any other Chesapeake development such as Wild Horse Ridge, Foxgate or Las Gaviotas, which means seagulls in Spanish.

- Jennifer O'Donnell ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Good weather and the lure of all-you-can-eat food drew a record

crowd of about 6,500 to the 18th edition of the Great American Food

Fest.

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