1st Place: Native Bay Restaurant
2nd Place: Dog Hut
3rd Place: Holding former school board members accountable

Native Bay, out on Lake Wissota, was unlike other local restaurants in a lot of ways. They were committed to local and organic ingredients, their dishes were unique, and they were one of our few options for true fine dining. Whether it was from the drive or the price tag, Native Bay closed their doors over the summer. Dog Hut was on the opposite end of the spectrum – they stood for simple, yet tasty on-the-go food served by actual big-city people (with Chicago accents and everything!). Western Wisconsin apparently has yet to embrace the hot dog as anything other than a kids’ food, and Dog Hut also closed over the summer. And in third, Carol Olson and the former members of the local school board that backdated contracts and did Lord-knows whatever other unethical actions faced no consequences, save for our collective disapproving looks. That sounds fair, right? – Eric Rasmussen