The Roanoke Times, which likes to write about places like Floyd and Stuart as though they are foreign locales worthy of tourist attention, matched the two small Southwestern Virginia towns head-to-head in Saturday’s “Extra” section.

The comparison, which came as part of a feature on Stuart and Patrick County, is not on the newspaper’s web site but can be found in Saturday’s print edition. The Times compared things like dining out, shopping, entertainment, traditional music and other criteria before deciding that Floyd edges out the competition when it comes to places to eat (citing Oddfellas Cantina, Pine Tavern and Blue Ridge Restaurant), shopping (New Mountain Mercantile, Harvest Moon, etc.) and live music (The Friday Nite Jamboree, et. al).

Stuart took the honors on “mountain music” and “surrounding scenery,” although some of us would take issue on both counts. A sixth category, “FloydFest,” was a draw beause the event has Floyd’s name but is actually held in Patrick County.

You can read the Times article on Stuart online but to see the comparison chart you will need to dig a copy of Saturday’s paper out of the trash or go to the library.