Jul. 28—A very hearty congratulations to the winners and finalists of the Stillwater News Press Best of Stillwater contest.

It's also interesting to see who the fan favorites for businesses and other services.

The list seems to grow every year, and that's because every year people have new ideas about the kind of things they'd like to be able to vote on. And, every year, there are still people who feel something's missing. That's an easy fix, you just have to remember to nominate that person, place or thing for next year's publication.

As News Press employees, we always get a kick out of going into a place of businesses that has the Best of Award hanging on the wall. We appreciate that. You should be proud. While, yes, sometimes the awards reflect successfully campaigning for the award, it still means you have a strong presence and have made a strong impression on people.

A lot of awards, you'll see, are just about what people enjoy. In Stillwater, it seems our audience has a lot of opinions on food. The eateries are also among the categories with the most voter participation.

We are grateful for the thousands of voters who weighed in, and we are thankful for those who placed thank-yous into the special section — that's what allows us to keep the contest going every year.

You're the best.