It's been a year unlike any other. Lockdowns and fears surrounding viral infection have plagued cities across the nation, and sometimes it can be a little difficult to find the good and the best in our respective communities.
That wasn't the case in Texarkana.
Every year we are excited to present the Reader's Choice winners, and every year the victors are deserving.
But this year feels different. Maybe it's due to Reader's Choice being a staple of normalcy in an otherwise tumultuous 12 months. Regardless, we are especially happy to honor Texarkana's best of the best as selected by our readers.
In August we printed four ballots. Two were found in the Texarkana Gazette and two were found in our free weekly publication, The Midweek Review. There were more than 1,500 ballots cast, which generated our nominees.
The top four ballot vote recipients in each category were placed on a digital platform where anyone could vote. And boy did Texarkana vote. More than 140,000 votes were cast in Texarkana and the surrounding area for your nominees, generating the most active and most engaged Reader's Choice we have on record.
We couldn't be more pleased with Texarkana's participation in our annual Reader's Choice and are happy to present you with your winners. Hopefully this adds a little normalcy to these strange times, but if nothing else the people and businesses in this section showcase Texarkana's incredible wealth of talent worthy of pride.
Congratulations to all of the winners and the nominees, and thank you for voting, Texarkana. These are your best of the best.