vol. x no. 5 october / november 2015 custom companies acquires tri · pdf file ·...

Hello Readers,

Fall is upon us with its

changing of colors,

shorter days and cool

nights, enjoy natures

fall colors.

The Custom

Companies hopes you

have been having a

nice fall and a great

year.

Can you find Perry’s

moustache hidden

within this issue?

Submit your answer to

[email protected]

no later than Friday,

October 30th for your

chance to win a gift

card. Thank you.

THE NEWSLETTER

COMMITTEE

TABLE OF

CONTENTS

Tri-Air

Trucking Industry

Go Pink

Custom Spotlight

Halloween History

Route 666

Desert Diner

Thanksgiving

The Stork

All Stars & Racing

Playoffs

Cooks Corner

Fall Celebrations

Jobs

VOL. X NO. 5 October / November 2015

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 West Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Custom Companies Acquires TRI AIR

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In August The

Custom Companies

acquired TRI AIR

Transportation of

Bensenville, IL. Established over 30 years ago, Tri Air Transportation, Inc. is a

premier freight cartage company providing pick-up and delivery and dedicated

freight operations to hundreds of customers throughout the Chicago-land area and

upper Midwest.

Perry Mandera, CEO of

Custom commented "We are

extremely excited to be

providing transportation and

logistics services to the Tri Air

customer community. In

addition to providing the top

quality local cartage and

dedicated cartage services that

these customers have been

accustomed to, we look forward to providing additional and enhanced logistics and

technology solutions given the breadth and depth of our transportation platform. In

addition to its impressive customer portfolio, Tri Air employed dedicated and

talented drivers and operational team members. We are excited that many of them

have elected to join our team.”

Dane Larsen, CEO of Tri Air commented “I chose

Custom from a variety of suitors. Custom will

efficiently and seamlessly integrate Tri Air’s

customers onto their platform, providing

customers with the same high quality, best in class

service while simultaneously offering an

expanded and more comprehensive solution set.

Custom also recognized the value of our

employees, many of which will be joining the

Custom family.”

mailto:[email protected]

Did You Know???

Orange and black are

Halloween colors

because orange is

associated with the

Fall harvest and

black is associated

with darkness and

death.

Jack o’ Lanterns

originated in Ireland

where people placed

candles in hollowed-

out turnips to keep

away spirits and

ghosts on the

Samhain holiday.

Pumpkins also come

in white, blue and

green. Great for

unique monster

carvings!

Halloween was

brought to North

America by

immigrants from

Europe who would

celebrate the harvest

around a bonfire,

share ghost stories,

sing, dance and tell

fortunes.

The ancient Celts

thought that spirits

and ghosts roamed

the countryside on

Halloween night.

They began wearing

masks and costumes

to avoid being

recognized as human.

Halloween candy

sales average about 2

billion dollars

annually in the

United States.

Chocolate candy bars

top the list as the

most popular candy

for trick-or-treaters



US Truck Tonnage Index Fell 0.9% in August

The American Trucking Association reported this week that their advanced

seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index declined 0.9% in August,

following a revised increase of 3.1% during July. In August, the index equaled

134.2 (2000=100), down from 135.3 in July. The all-time high of 135.8 was reached

in January 2015.

Compared with August 2014, the seasonally adjusted index increased 2.1%, which

was below the 4% gain in July. Year-to-date through August, compared with the

same period last year, tonnage was up 3.3%.

The ATA noted that a few factors hurt August’s reading, including soft housing

starts and falling factory output.

Trucking serves as a barometer of the U.S. economy, representing 68.8% of tonnage

carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and

retail goods. Trucks hauled just under 10 billion tons of freight in 2014. Motor

carriers collected $700.4 billion, or 80.3% of total revenue earned by all transport

modes.

ATA calculates the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership and has

been doing so since the 1970s. This is a preliminary figure and subject to change in

the final report issued around the 10th day of the month. The report includes month-

to-month and year-over-year results, relevant economic comparisons and key

financial indicators.*

However, according to the study known as Forecast, a collaboration between ATA

and IHS Global Insight, overall freight tonnage will grow 23.5% from 2013 to

2025 and freight revenues will surge 72%.

The findings in this study included:

· Trucking’s share of freight tonnage will grow from 69.1% in 2013 to 71.4%

by 2025;

· Truckload volume will grow 3.5% a year through 2019, then 1.2% annually

from 2020 to 2025 – however, truckload carriers will make greater use of

intermodal rail for intermediate- and long-distance hauls.

· Rail intermodal tonnage will grow 5.5% annually through 2019 and 5.1% a

year through 2025.

· Railroad market share will, however, shrink from 14.5% of all tonnage in

2013 to 13.8% in 2025.*

*Source American Trucking Association www.trucking.org

Did You Know???

Snickers is the #1

candy bar in sales for

Halloween.

Halloween is the 2nd

most commercially

successful holiday,

with Christmas being

the first.

Bobbing for apples is

thought to have

originated from the

roman harvest

festival that honors

Pamona, the goddess

of fruit trees.

Black cats were once

believed to be witch's

familiars who

protected their

powers.

The fear of

Halloween is known

as Samhainopobia.

Signs of a werewolf

are a unibrow, hair

palms, tattoos, and a

long middle finger.

Vampires are

mythical beings who

defy death by

sucking the blood of

humans.

In 1962, The Count

Dracula Society was

founded by Dr.

Donald A. Reed.

To this day, there are

vampire clubs and

societies with people

claiming to be real

vampires.

"Halloween" was

made in only 21 days

in 1978 on a very

limited budget.


Page 3

Breast cancer is the second most common kind of cancer in women. About 1 in 8

women born today in the United States will get breast cancer at some point. The

lifetime risk of getting breast cancer for men is about 1 in 1,000. Breast cancer is

about 100 times less common among men than women but the good news is that

many women can survive breast cancer if it’s found and treated early. October is

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and is a chance to raise awareness about

the importance of early detection of breast cancer. Make a difference!

Every Friday, during the month of October, we invite you to show your support

and wear pink. Mr. Mandera actively supports funding Cancer research ,

prevention and programs that serve and support people with cancer. Everyone who

supports Breast Cancer awareness by wearing pink on Friday during the month of

October, Mr. Mandera will give you a choice of either taking an extra half hour of

paid lunch or donating the 30 minutes of pay to our Breast Cancer Prevention

Fund Jar. If you choose to take the extra half hour of paid lunch, please schedule

the time with your manager on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday of the following

week.

The company’s Halloween contest will be held on Friday, October 30th . For that

reason, we ask you show your support by wearing Pink on Thursday, October

29th. Should you wear pink on both the 29th & 30th, you will be eligible for only

one ½ hour lunch the following week. Please remember our dress code is

business casual so dress slacks and dress shoes are still a must!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

With the founding of The Breast Cancer Research

Foundation in 1993, the pink ribbon, which had

previously been used to symbolize breast cancer, was

chosen as the symbol for breast cancer awareness. The

color pink itself, at times, has been used to striking

effect in raising breast cancer awareness. Many famous

buildings and landmarks across the globe have

illuminated their buildings in pink light.

Cash donations are appreciated and

will be accepted by the HR

Department.

Proceeds from the Breast Cancer

Prevention Fund Jar will go to The

National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Join The Fight Against Breast Cancer,

DONATE

October

Birthdays

Javier Corona

Ramiro Diaz

Javier Gutierrez

Bryan Robbins

Andres Duarte

Steven Mooney

Adonay

Hernandez

Tara Mraz

Clarence Cross

Kevin

Schurwanz

Antonio

Villarreal

William Palivos

Louie Ocana

John Pecnick

Perry Mandera

Jose Rosario

Ramone Dino

Arthur Gonzalez

Korey Batts

Adam Gonzales

Herbert Aquino

Rafael Ibarra

Megan

Luscombe

Manuel

Altamirano

Earl Hahn

Sergio Reyes

Orlando

Manimtim

Kris Rodriguez



Spotlight on Custom Companies!

Welcome Tri –Air Customer Service Team

Custom Companies welcomes our new

team members from Tri-Air

Transportation. Tri-Air staffs proven

history of excellence in customer service

will help ensure a smooth transition as our

teams become one.

From Left to Right: Susan Garcia, Richard

Magrady, and Chris Piotrowski.

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10/20

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With winners for individual costumes were:

#1 Gizmo/The Bad Gremlin! Justin Horgan

#2 Dead Bride! Bridget Van Der Bosch

#3 The Incredible Hulk! Agostino Chiaramonte

What will happen this year? Only the shadow

knows…

Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner and plans have already begun to top last years

entries in the department and individual costume competitions. Recall that last year

All Hallows Eve came with a vengeance to The Custom Companies. Ghouls and

goblins took over the offices with departments competing to win the years prizes for

best costumes.

Many departments creatively used shipping materials to conjure up fanciful scenes

in their office spaces. Last year the department winners were:

#1 CDN Driver Settlement – Toy Story

#2 City Dispatch Ghouls

#3 CDN Safety – Dead Wedding-Accounting Graveyard

October

Anniversaries

Tom Kolzow

Bruce Lenau

Tom Mroz

Ramir Sison

Jon Dujardin

Bob Heinz

Jaroslaw Odziemiec

Mary Holowicki

Jose Cedeno

Marie Huff

Bob Deneen

Jose Fabian

George Maciel

Alejandro De Leon

Ron Pearce

Herbert Aquino

Anthony Stram

Julio Loaiza

Luis Banuelos

German Melendez

Bob Barbosa

Noel Lugo

Freddy Huerta

Linda

Haralampopoulos

Dennis Henao

Victor Garcia

Arthur Tracy

Manuel Altamirano

Rob McDonald

Moises Pimentel

Gabe McBride

Arthur Gonzalez

Dwayne Irby


Years

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19

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History of Halloween

the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the

ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging

crops, Celts thought that the presence of the other-worldly spirits made it easier for

the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people

entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important

source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.

By 43 A.D., the Roman Empire had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In

the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of

Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.

The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally

commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona,

the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the

incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of

“bobbing” for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.

By the 9th century the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands, where

it gradually blended with and supplanted the older Celtic rites. In 1000 A.D., the

church would make November 2 All Souls’ Day, a day to honor the dead. It is

widely believed today that the church was attempting to replace the Celtic festival

of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. All Souls Day was

celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in

costumes as saints, angels and devils. The All Saints Day celebration was also

called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning

All Saints’ Day) and the night before it, the traditional night of Samhain in the

Celtic religion, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween.*

* Source; History channel www.history.com

Halloween’s origins date back to

the ancient Celtic festival of

Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The

Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in

the area that is now Ireland, the

United Kingdom and northern

France, celebrated their new year

on November 1. This day marked

the end of summer and the harvest

and the beginning of the dark, cold

winter, a time of year that was

often associated with human death.

Celts believed that on the night

before the new year, the boundary

between the worlds of the living

and the dead became blurred. On

Did You Know???

There really are so-

called vampire bats,

but they're not from

Transylvania. They

live in Central and

South America and

feed on the blood of

cattle, horses and

birds.

Many people still

believe that

gargoyles were

created by medieval

architects and stone

carvers to ward off

evil spirits.

Halloween is on

October 31st, the last

day of the Celtic

calendar. It was

originally a pagan

holiday, honoring the

dead.

Halloween was

referred to as All

Hallows Eve and

dates back to over

2000 years ago.

Worldwide, bats are

vital natural enemies

of night-flying

insects.

The common little

brown bat of North

America has the

longest life span for a

mammal it's size,

with a life span

averaging 32 years.

The Ouija Board

ended up outselling

the game of

Monopoly in its first

full year. Over two

million copies of the

Ouija Board were

shipped.



Route 666 By Mary Poreda

It is pitch

black, the

moon is full

and you are

driving alone

down Utah’s

Highway 191.

Suddenly you

feel a chill, the

hair stands up

on the back of

your neck and

you break out

in goose bumps. Your heart begins to race and you are overcome by an intense fear

and a feeling that you are no longer alone.

Standing in the middle of the road is a huge wolf, its yellow eyes glowing. You slam

on the breaks, but instead of hitting it, you seem to drive right thru it. You glance in

the rear view mirror and yellow eyes stare back at you. Your blood runs cold and a

blood curdling scream escapes your lips….

What you do not know is that most people do their best to avoid this stretch of

highway. Originally named Route 666 in 1926 the route number was changed to 191

in May 2003, after many years of people protesting and petitioning highway

authorities to have the name changed. Folks believe assigning the road the numbers of

the evil one opened the door to evil spirits and others think that it is cursed because it

was built on an ancient burial ground. Either way, some very strange occurrences have

been reported along this stretch of highway. It is thought to be the most haunted

highway in America and its nickname is the “Devil’s Highway”.

There are stories of a pack of wild dogs that have been labeled the “Hounds from

Hell” that can run as fast as any vehicle and have caused many accidents. Others

claim that they have been stalked by an ominous black sedan that comes upon them at

a high rate of speed then disappears just as quickly. One man reported seeing a truck

that looked like it was on fire heading

straight for him. The truck was going

so fast that sparks flew from the

wheels and flames flew from the

smokestack! Native Americans believe

that creatures called skin walkers

inhabit the area. According to Native

American legend, skin walkers are

people that have the ability to

Did You Know???

The Wampanoag

Indians were the

people who taught

the Pilgrims how to

cultivate the land.

The Pilgrim leader,

Governor William

Bradford, had

organized the first

Thanksgiving feast in

1621. He invited the

neighboring

Wampanoag Indians

to the feast.

The first

Thanksgiving

celebration lasted

three days.

Mashed potatoes,

pumpkin pies,

popcorn, milk, corn

on the cob, and

cranberries were not

foods present on the

first Thanksgiving's

feast table.

Lobster, rabbit,

chicken, fish,

squashes, beans,

chestnuts, hickory

nuts, onions, leeks,

dried fruits, maple

syrup and honey,

radishes, cabbage,

carrots, eggs, and

goat cheese are

thought to have made

up the first

Thanksgiving feast.

The pilgrims didn't

use forks; they ate

with spoons, knives,

and their fingers.

Benjamin Franklin

wanted the turkey to

be the national bird

of the United States.


The Never-Open Desert Diner by Mary Poreda

Book Review

Author: James Anderson

If you are ready for an

adventure, ride along with Ben

Jones the main character in James

Anderson’s exciting debut

novel, “The Never Open Desert

Diner”. Ben is a 38 year old truck

driver who makes deliveries to some

very unusual and reclusive

customers along Utah’s state road

117. This area of the desert is

beautiful but can be brutal and

unforgiving if you don’t know your

way around. No worries

though, Ben knows the area well.

Along the way you will meet some very interesting characters, including two

brothers living in an abandoned box car and Walt, the unpredictable owner of “The

Never Open Desert Diner”. If he likes you he may even whip up some lunch. If

not, be ready for a hasty departure!

Everyone has a story to tell and secrets to keep. They depend on Ben and trust

him with their secrets, strange cargo, and sometimes their lives.

The adventure begins when Ben comes across a mysterious cello playing woman

with a craving for butter brickle ice cream living in an abandoned housing

development called Desert Home. This story will take you on many twists and

turns and there will be decisions to make along the way but it is definitely worth

the journey.

transform into an animal such as a wolf or a bird.

After beginning their journey on Route 666 people have disappeared for hours or

even days reaching their destinations with no recollection of where they have been

or what they have done. Others have never been seen again…

You wake up in your car on the side of the road, the sun is blazing down thru your

windshield, confused, covered in sweat, very thirsty. You take a sip of the coffee

you picked up at the gas station the night before, now cold. You think that you must

have gotten sleepy and pulled off to the side. You turn the key in the ignition and

nothing happens.

November

Birthdays

Hector Perez

Brad Woodbury

Mark

Dannhauser

Julio Loaiza

Bruce Watry

Ron Garcia

Rob Deneen

Ramiro Villarruel

Tom Boyle

Mike Gale

Mark Lemberger

Kamal Salah

Nicole Vallez

Manuel Vega

Anthony Stram

Ed Orr

Sheila Pajarillo

Donna Robinson

Bruce Schaller

John

Angelopoulos

Dorland

Henderson

Gail Abdallah

James Dietz

Francisco

Hernandez

Alberto Perez

Jay Blumenthal

Freddy Huerta

Anthony Roldan

Tyler Tellekson

Militza

Rodriguez



11/03

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11/06

11/10

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11/13

11/13

11/13

11/13

11/15

11/15

11/17

11/20

11/20

11/21

11/21

11/24

11/24

11/25

11/25

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11/26

11/27

11/27

11/27

11/27

11/30

Thanksgiving Traditions By Jay Cohen

The North American Thanksgiving holiday tradition is commonly traced to thinly

documented 1621 celebration at Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts. The 1621

Thanksgiving event was prompted by a good harvest and consisted of a feast held by

the Wampanoag Indians and the Pilgrims that lasted three days.

Thanksgiving in the United States has been observed on various dates throughout

history. From the time of the Founding Fathers until the time of Lincoln, the date

Thanksgiving was observed varied from state to state. The final Thursday in November

had become the customary date in most U.S. states by the beginning of the 19th century.

Thanksgiving was first celebrated on the same date by all states in 1863 by a

presidential proclamation of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln proclaimed the date to be the

final Thursday in November in an attempt to foster a sense of American unity between

the Northern and Southern states. However, because of the ongoing Civil War and the

Confederate States of America's refusal to recognize Lincoln's authority, a nationwide

Thanksgiving date was not realized until the 1870s. In a controversial move, Franklin

Delano Roosevelt lengthened the Christmas shopping season by declaring Thanksgiving

for the next-to-the-last Thursday in November. Two years later, in 1941, Congress

responded by permanently establishing the holiday as the fourth Thursday in the

month.

In the United States, certain kinds of food are traditionally served at Thanksgiving

meals. Turkey is usually the featured item on any Thanksgiving feast table so much so

that Thanksgiving is sometimes referred to as "Turkey Day". Stuffing, mashed potatoes

with gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet corn, fall vegetables (mainly various

kinds of squash), and pumpkin pie are commonly associated with Thanksgiving dinner.

Families and friends usually gather for Thanksgiving making the Thanksgiving holiday

weekend is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Thanksgiving is a four-day or

five-day weekend vacation for schools and colleges. Thanksgiving Eve, the night before

Thanksgiving, is one of the busiest nights of the year for bars and clubs as many college

students and others return to their hometowns to reunite with friends and family.

The idea that communities should be thankful for their prosperity has fostered other

traditions that coincide with Thanksgiving. Many communities have started annual food

drives around Thanksgiving that collect non-perishable packaged and canned foods,

corporations sponsor charitable distributions of staple foods and volunteers have come

to make and distribute Thanksgiving dinners for those in need.

Parades are also a Thanksgiving Day Tradition with most being televised locally or

even nationally. Since 1924, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been held every

Thanksgiving Day in New York City. The parade travels from the Upper West Side of

Manhattan to Macy's flagship store in Herald Square and is televised nationally. That

parade features parade floats with specific themes, scenes from Broadway shows,

November

Anniversaries

James Cambelll

Giovanni Valente

John Dembowski

Rafael Ibarra

Juan Reyna

Lisa Smith

George Barney

Alonso Blanco

Ron Boyles

Seferino Arias

Jose Garcia

Pat Walsh

Billy Hudson

Oscar Bolanos

Carlos Melendez

Andrew Wagner

Jesus Cucio

Gary Richard

Bonnie Zotos

Joseph Bronski


Years

23

21

19

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10

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3

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1

The Stork & The Bell Congratulations go out to Julian Soto (Local Driver)

and his wife Vianey on the birth of their baby boy

Nolan. Nolan was born on August 19th weighing in at

7 pounds, 19 inches long.

Our congratulations go out to Steve Morrison

(Recruiting) and his wife Lindsay on the birth of their

baby boy Gavin. Gavin was born August, 23rd at 9:07

p.m. weighing in at 8 pounds 8 ounces.

Congratulations to Orlando Pabon CSR

who was married on 9-9-15 on Grand

Cayman in the Cayman Islands. Best

of luck to you both!

large balloons of cartoon characters, TV personalities, and high school marching

bands. The float that traditionally ends the Macy's Parade is the Santa Claus float, the

arrival of which is an unofficial sign of the beginning of the Christmas season.

American football is an important part of Thanksgiving celebrations in the United

States. The National Football League has played games on Thanksgiving every year

since its creation. The Detroit Lions have hosted a game every Thanksgiving Day

since 1934, with the exception of 1939–1944 (due to World War II). In 1966, the

Dallas Cowboys adopted the practice of hosting Thanksgiving games. A third NFL

game was added in primetime by the league in 2006, which has no set site or team,

allowing the opportunity

for all the teams in the

league to possibly host a

Thanksgiving game in the

future.

On behalf of the Custom

Companies Newsletter

Committee, we wish

every member of the

Custom Companies

family and our customers

a very Safe and Happy

Thanksgiving.



Custom Companies Congratulates 15-

Year-Old Rookie, Austin Kunert

When 15-year-old Austin Kunert made the big

jump from Legends cars to full-bodied stock

cars, he knew it would be a challenge to say the

least in adapting to the bigger, faster machines.

The Batavia, Illinois teenager is a contender for the Howie Lettow Memorial Rookie of the Year title in

the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour Presented by Chevrolet Performance driving the #29 Blue Demon Welding

Supplies / Ford for veteran Midwestern team, Lorz Motorsports.

Prior to his move up to Legends cars, Kunert earned the Central States Region (CSR) Championship as

well as the STARS Series / Grundy County Speedway (IL) titles while running a Mini Cup car. For the

rest of the 2015 racing season within the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour, Kunert’s black and blue #29 Lorz

Motorsports / Ford Fusion will carry sponsorship decals and sticks from Blue Demon Welding Supplies

as well as The Custom Companies Incorporated, Kings Express, You-Fill-It, X-Treme Graphics, Prince

Industries, Lechler Incorporated, True Power Racing Oil and M.P.H. Promotions. *

* Source; Champion Racing Association www.cra-racing.com

All Star Game Ratings By Daniel Leach

Although the NFL is the most popular sports franchise in the United States, the Pro Bowl generates poor

ratings. While the NBA has a strong domestic and worldwide following, you wouldn’t know it judging

from viewership of their All-Star game. Yet, the MLB’s ability to generate rating for a game that doesn’t

really matter is impressive. So, how are they doing it?

Just a few months back, the MLB posted record breaking numbers in the rating of their most recent All-

Star game. This All-Star game included young players, both established and up-and-coming. OF Mike

Trout, P Dallas Keuchel, P Chris Sale, 3B Manny Machado, and OF Andrew McCutchen are just a handful

of established talents that were featured in this game - and they are all under 30 years old! In fact, Mike

Trout was the 1st player to ever be named a back-to-back All-Star game MVP. It’s not just young talent,

it’s young talent being associated with clubs on the rise that are regularly featured on nationally televised

games.

For all of the MLB’s faults, especially with the strike followed by the steroid era, the level of competition

in the league has improved and the general population is catching on. There’s an excitement that’s

brewing in this league as the MLB is shaking off the shackles of its past with new faces leading the way.

Subtle changes like the pitch count clock have sped up the game to appeal to a newer audience who are

accustomed to watching sports with a quicker pace.

More changes are coming. We might actually see the AL and NL adopt a uniform set of rules in our

generation. At least the MLB is willing to give these changes a chance, and the results of these changes

along with the new faces is made self-evident in the success of their All-Star game.


Cubs Make Playoffs! By Daniel Leach

Some would say the game was over after OF

Kyle Schwarber hit a 2-run homer in the 3rd

inning. Others would argue that it was CF

Dexter Fowler’s solo shot in the 5th. But for

me, the 2015 Chicago Cubs best summarized

what they are all about during the 7th inning

of the 2015 NL Wild Card game.

Though Cubs P Jake Arrieta had a shutout

performance, he beaned 2 batters of the

Pittsburgh Pirates. It was clear on the replay

that both weren’t intentional. Nonetheless,

Pirates Reliever Tony Watson did purposely

bean Arrieta as payback while he was up to

bat. Emotions got the better of the 2 teams

and the benches cleared. Sean Rodriguez,

utility player for Pittsburgh, pushed forward

taking a shot at Jake Arrieta before venting

his frustrations on a Gatorade dispenser and

being ejected from the game. Once the

umpires took control, Jake Arrieta took his

base and then - seconds later - stole another

one. While tempers did flare that didn’t skew

the Cubs’ focus. This - more than anything- is

what makes this team a winning team! Now

they head for St. Louis to take on the

As for the Pittsburgh Pirates, something has to be said for a team that makes it to the NL Wild Card game

3 consecutive times only to lose them all. The Pittsburgh Pirates were 2nd in overall wins in the MLB but

they are not in the playoff picture. Some have argued that this is the beauty of the game and that the

rules, as they stand, make every game down the stretch meaningful. While others make a point that no

team this good - like the Pittsburgh Pirates - should be out of contention this quickly just because they

share a division with the St. Louis Cardinals, who have been #1 in the MLB throughout most of the

regular season.

The MLB has demonstrated a willingness to change with the times. Perhaps in light of the Pirates

missing the playoffs in such a fashion - despite their amazing regular season performance - a change in

the playoff structure might be up for discussion during the offseason. But the Chicago Cubs are back in

the playoffs with their greatest challenge lying ahead in the Gateway to the West. We’ll see if the Cubs’

calm, cool, and collected demeanor can match how red-hot the Cardinals have been all season long!

Chicago Cubs players celebrate with Gatorade, courtesy

of far right, Chicago Cubs second baseman Javier Baez

(9), after their win over the Pittsburgh Pirates, in the

wild-card playoff game, at PNC Park, in Pittsburgh, on

Oct. 7, 2015

Jake Arrieta delivers in the sixth inning. Cardinals.


Cooks Corner By David Lorge

Deep Fried Turkey Ingredients 6 quarts hot water 1 pound kosher salt 1 pound dark brown sugar 5 pounds ice 1 (13 to 14-pound) turkey, with giblets removed Approximately 4 to 4 1/2 gallons peanut oil* *Cook's Note: In order to determine the correct amount of oil, place the turkey into the pot that you will be frying it in, add water just until it barely covers the top of the turkey and is at least 4 to 5 inches below the top of the pot. This will be the amount of oil you use for frying the turkey. 1) Brine the turkey - Place the hot water, kosher salt and brown sugar into a 5-gallon upright drink cooler and stir until the salt and sugar dissolve completely. Add the ice and stir until the mixture is cool. Gently lower the turkey into the container. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure that it is fully immersed in the brine. Cover and set in a cool dry place for 8 to 16 hours. Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse and pat dry. Allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking. 2) Prepare the stockpot for frying - Place the oil into a 28 to 30-quart pot and set over high heat on an outside propane burner with a sturdy structure. Bring the temperature of the oil to 250 degrees F. Once the temperature has reached 250, slowly lower the bird into the oil and bring the temperature to 350 degrees F. 3) Frying the turkey - Once it has reached 350, lower the heat in order to maintain 350 degrees F. After 35 minutes, check the temperature of the turkey using a probe thermometer. Once the breast reaches 151 degrees F, gently remove turkey from the oil and allow to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes prior to carving. The bird will continue to rise in temperature once removed and should reach an internal temperature of 161 degrees F due to carry over cooking. Carve as desired.


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Mashed Sweet Potatoes

· 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

· 2 tablespoons heavy cream

· 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

· 1 teaspoon sugar

· 2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthwise,

and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch-thick (about 2 large

or 3 medium-small potatoes)

· salt & freshly ground black pepper

Combine butter, cream, salt, sugar, and sweet

potatoes in large saucepan.

Cook, covered, over low heat, stirring occasionally,

until potatoes fall apart when poked with fork.

This will take between 30 to 45 minutes.

Take off heat and mash sweet potatoes in saucepan with potato masher.

You can also put potatoes into kitchen aid mixer and mix.

Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with chive or parsley serve immediately.

Pumpkin Pie

2 cups of canned pumpkin purée

1 1/2 cup heavy cream or 1 12 oz. can of

evaporated milk

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/3 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs plus the yolk of a third egg

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest

1 crust homemade or frozen

Preheat your oven to 425°F. Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Mix in the sugars, salt, spices, and lemon zest.

Mix in the pumpkin purée. Stir in the cream. Beat together until everything is well mixed.

Pour the filling into an uncooked pie shell. Bake at a high temperature of 425°F for 15 minutes. Then

after 15 minutes, lower the temperature to 350°F. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes more, or until a knife

inserted in the center comes out clean. (About half-way through the baking, you may want to put foil

around the edges or use a pie protector to keep the crust from getting too browned.)

Cool the pumpkin pie on a wire rack for 2 hours. Note that the pumpkin pie will come out of the oven all

puffed up (from the leavening of the eggs), and will deflate as it cools.

Serve with whipped cream if desired.

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Fall Harvest Festival ideas for

Families

By Linda Haralampopoulos

If you’re looking for a fun time with the family this fall

bring them to Bengtson’s Pumpkin Fest located at 13341 W

151st St., Homer Glen, IL 60491 for our Chicago Families

and for our LAX families visit Shawn’s Pumpkin Patch

located at 6815 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90045.

It’s nonstop fun for everyone. They have activities for all

ages. Check out their awesome hayride that takes you

through corn mazes and makes a stop at the pumpkin

chucker. Take in a pig race, pick your own pumpkin and ride

all the carnival rides. They also have Halloween face

painters and straw mazes.


For those of you who want to be

scared out of your mind check out

this haunted house located 1940

George St, Melrose Park, IL

For our Los Angeles folk check

Knott’s Scary Farm located 8039

Beach Blvd in Buena Park.

Thanksgiving is coming up and what

better way to dress your table with

your own DIY centerpiece.



The Custom Companies, Inc. 317 West Lake Street

Northlake, IL 60164

708.338.8888 Office

708.338.9550 fax

[email protected]

The Full Service Transportation Company

www.customco.com

www.customgl.com

www.gocdn.com

Newsletter Committee Members

Jay Cohen

Ron Garcia

Carol Guarino

Linda Haralam-

Popoulos

Mary Holowicki

Kris Larson

Daniel Leach

David Lorge

Megan Luscombe

Michele Marek

Tom Mroz

Mary Poreda

Bryan Robbins

Bonnie Zotos

How about you?

At The Custom Companies, our main objective is to deliver your goods

on time and in perfect condition. We understand the importance of a

great customer – vendor relationship. Our customer service center is just

a phone call away to provide a rate quote, track a shipment, schedule a

pickup or access accurate documentation. In todays fast paced

environment, we work to provide transportation solutions that

fit every economic situation.

Our “Customer First” program ensures that your shipments will be

delivered on time and with the highest degree of care. In order to

maintain these standards, we measure performance levels on every

shipment. As a result our internal operational systems are constantly

improving to provide better, more accurate service, allowing our

transportation specialists to meet your growing needs.

Customer Service Support

Michele Marek

Your preferred Scentsy Provider

www.scentstooremember.scentsy.us

vol. x no. 5 october / november 2015 custom companies acquires tri · pdf file ·...

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