Oh yes, it’s finally here. Like a big fat turkey on Thanksgiving, the wait is over and it’s time to dig in.

It probably doesn’t rank up there with winning the lottery but hey, money can’t buy love anyway.

It’s the 2006 Locals Choice. The best of the best, the cream of the crop, the voter’s picks.

Every year, businesses, individuals, venues, professionals and others are picked to be honored by you, the Post Independent reader.

But let’s not get too carried away. Oh yeah, it’s special, but just like a politically correct children’s soccer game — we’re all winners here.

Yeah right! “Give me that @#%*# plaque,” right?

I’m sure to most of us this is just fun, but I hear that Scooter and Skittles pair over at Mountain Valley Developmental Services are as territorial about this competition as a magpie feasting on roadkill.

We have nine categories this year — Atmosphere, Arts & Culture, Food and Drink, Retail, Service, Professional, Travel & Tourism, Outdoors & Sports and Local Life.

There’s little doubt that you’ll see your favorite restaurant named somewhere in the results, you might even see your doctor, dentist, and if you’ve been in a little trouble, maybe even your favorite attorney.

The best pizza, burger, fries, ice cream, coffee and margarita will all be revealed. Not to mention the best smile, cowgirl, bartender, handyman and hairdresser.

A little of everything — a plethora of results, if you will.

We do have a best place to take a first date but we decided against best place for a break-up.

Of course, there’s the best business mascot, and those pesky felines over at Mountain Valley will be very full of themselves for another year. Well, I let the cat out of the bag in that category.

Since we get bunches of ballots, there’s always a variety of spellings of names. We hope that we have them right and we try and track down people the best we can but there’s always a chance we may have some names misspelled. Let me offer an apology in advance and let us know if we did misspell a name and we’ll get it corrected.

Enjoy, and remember this is all in good fun. And if you or your favorite didn’t make the list this year — mark your calendar for when the ballots come out in 2007.

Scooter and Skittles are already licking their chops at the thought of another title.

Drum role please …

— Dale Shrull