This Urbana born and Tolono grown retired University of Illinois employee has heated up the chili competition circuit for 45 years! From Vegas, Missouri, Palm Springs and Myrtle Beach and back, Mark has thousands of dollars invested and countless wins, including nine state titles, under his belt.

 Listen as Mark expertly explains the fascinating world of chili competitions. From participant to competition organizer, Mark leans on one rule of thumb: "If you were stranded on a desert island, what would be the chili you would want to eat for the rest of your life?" Mark’s recipe originated from an old newspaper column, “Mostly for Men.” From its inception, Mark has tweaked the recipe now using beer and mostly all his homegrown ingredients. Beans? Much to Mark’s chagrin, there are no beans allowed in traditional red chili and can lead to disqualification. Mark also talks about cheating among chili cooks and competing against your wife! Just in time for cool weather, give Mark’s award winning chili a try this fall and winter. **The recipe will follow on social media.**

I am adding video podcasting to my repertoire of mediums. During this transition, I have banked a batch of episodes in the new studio. The infrastructure and powers that be aren't quite ready. If you want to listen to the audio version as normal, NOTHING will change for you. However, if you want to WATCH the full-length podcast, that option will now be available. In the meantime, stay with me and listen to these still relevant recordings of the HyperLocal(s) Podcast.

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