Good News: New Category of Discussions Available

[XLFD]

Have something you want to announce or feature to other Torchbearers in a thread but can't figure out what category to put it in.  We now offer the category "Torches Burning Bright" where you can add another point of light to the many great people areas, and things our area (or your area if you're one of our valued ambassadors from New York, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Shelby {wherever that is}, etc.). 

Some neighbor of yours do something heroic or charitable?  Give 'em a call out.

Some event happen that affected you or others positively.  Share it.

Some news come out that made you smile.  Make us smile too.

Some public organization did something positive for the community.  Make us believe.

 

To start this off, here was a review of the area featured in the New York Times that was fairly positive.  After roundly falling in love with the Pentwater shops they say:

 

"But it was Ludington, a 20-minute drive north of Pentwater, that was the most memorable place for all of us. With fewer striped store awnings, Ludington feels less like a resort town and more like a working port. No doubt that is because the largest car ferry to travel Lake Michigan, the Badger, pulls in and out of Ludington’s port twice a day during the summer on its journey back and forth from Manitowoc, Wis.

At P.M. Steamers, a harborside restaurant where wooden fishing boats hang from the ceiling, we dined on grilled perch, baked trout and a salad filled with Michigan cherries. Then we finished the evening with hot chocolates at a local coffee shop called Redolencia. We fell asleep in the Four Seasons Motel, a boutique motel if ever there was one, complete with lighted lanterns, a Zen-like garden and a relaxation sunroom.

We rose early the next morning and drove past miles of rolling sand dunes and breezy beaches before entering Ludington’s 5,300-acre state park. We stepped over tree roots and rocks, and traversed a boardwalk of bridges on the Island Trail, a four-mile hike along the shoreline with breathtaking views of coves, towering forests and, of course, Lake Michigan. Eventually succumbing to the heat, we waded into the lake’s sparkling waters, diving into the water like mermaids, the waves rolling our bodies back and forth under a clear blue sky, our laughter echoing in the air — my Michigan mission achieved." 

http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/08/28/travel/beach-hopping-along-lak...

Congratulations to the businesses mentioned, including the Cosmic Candy Company and The Bitchen Kitchen in Pentwater.  I think, however, the beauty and diversity of Ludington State Park sealed the deal for a great review.