Can you name the only U.S. state that has to print the word “USA” on its license plate just to prove where it’s from? New Mexico has done exactly that since 1969, according to the state’s tourism magazine. That’s only the start. These are the things that confuse everyone who moves to New Mexico. Note:…
Have you tried passing a combine on a two-lane road going 55 this fall? That combine wasn’t there in July. These are the things Iowans change about their week once the combines are out. 1. Blind Spots at Field Drives Drivers slow down harder near farm driveways and rural intersections once harvest gets underway. Watch…
Montana had nearly two cattle for every resident, according to a recent Montana Free Press analysis of the state’s cattle population. Out-of-staters hear a number like that and think they’ve already got the state figured out. They don’t. These are the things out-of-staters get wrong about Montana. Note: This is general information, not legal or…
Columbus now outweighs Cleveland by more than two to one in population, according to the Census Bureau’s newest count. Residents refuse to call that settled. These are the harmless rivalries Ohioans take very seriously. 1. Skyline Chili vs. Gold Star Chili Skyline Chili and Gold Star Chili turned one bowl of Cincinnati chili into a…
Utah’s “Mighty 5” campaign makes the state sound like America’s national-parks leader. But the National Park Service ranks it third nationally, behind California and Alaska. Third is a strong showing. Nevertheless, out-of-staters arrive with ideas about Utah that don’t hold up, and the parks ranking is just the first place reality catches up with them….
Vermont’s sugarhouses ran 8.2 million taps, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest count. That scale means the prep work you’d never notice starts long before the snow melts. These are the sugarhouse habits Vermonters start long before spring. 1. Thinning the Sugarbush Sugarmakers thin their sugarbush long before the first thaw, walking the…
Ask an Alabama host whether the house looked as good two hours ago, and the honest answer is almost never yes. These are the things Alabamians do before a guest ever rings the doorbell. 1. Lane Cake for Company A Lane Cake means a guest is on the way, never a Tuesday night dessert. Emma…
Ever compare what Arizona takes out of a paycheck with what Nevada takes? The Arizona Department of Revenue charges a flat 2.5% on every worker’s wages, no matter the bracket. Nevada charges zero. That’s just the start. These are the things Nevada does better that Arizonans won’t always admit. Note: This is general information, not…
Merge onto the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge in Charles County, and the Maryland Transportation Authority only tolls traffic heading one direction across the Potomac. The other direction crosses for free. That toll is only one of the things that change once Marylanders reach the Virginia side. These are the things that get worse…
Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts put an unusual race on the ballot: A seat on the local water board. It still gets votes. No governor is attached to that race, and no ad runs for it on the evening news, but Nebraskans keep voting it out of plain habit. These are the everyday habits that only…
