THIS LETTER TO THE EDITOR leads the Peninsula Voices section of the Commentary page in today’s (Tuesday’s) print edition PDN:
As a Chattanooga, resident, I would like to submit this letter to the editor:
You all won, not us.
Chattanooga won “Best Town” over a hard-fought contest with Port Angeles.
Chattanooga will get a front page in Outside magazine more than likely. It will be featured; it’s not the first time.
But the real winner is Port Angeles.
In a matter of a week, your tiny town in Washington with just more than 19,000 people ran neck and neck with a city of 170,000 people.
I’d never heard of Port Angeles before in my life.
But you know what?
Now that I know about it, I want to visit it.
We have a great city. You have a cool town. No one can laugh at you.
You have oceanfront. You have mountain biking.
You have a national park in your backyard.
If all things were created equal, I’d crown Port Angeles the best town and Chattanooga the best city.
But this competition in the end is going to mean more to you than to us.
We’re already robust and booming.
But for a city of 19,000 people? You just got put on the map.
In the end, I’m glad we had this competition because I’m glad I got to find out a cool town like Port Angeles.
And others have, too.
It’s a win for us. But it’s a win for you, too, Port Angeles.
I’m glad I got to know you.
Cliff Hightower,
Chattanooga, Tenn.
