Neither here nor there

Many Frytown, Iowa, residents have lived in the unincorporated community for decades. However, online destination sites, including MapQuest, do not produce any results that mention the 120-resident village, named for William Fry, who purchased the land in 1851. Since 1938, federal government maps have called the town Williamstown, after Cyrus Williams who bought the land in 1854, sparking the existing debate, according to USA Today. The Board on Geographic Names will determine the town's actual name by the spring, but the change will not be reflected on maps for years.

Pumpkin tax squashed

Although Iowa officials announced last year that they would begin taxing pumpkins in 2007, residents — including farmers of the orange gourds — only recently learned of the plan. Previously, pumpkins were excluded from Iowa's 5 percent sales tax and were deemed edible squash, according to The Associated Press. But, officials said that pumpkins were mainly used for decorations, and, therefore, should be subject to taxation. Iowa Gov. Chet Culver, in October, ordered the state Department of Revenue to rescind the tax, calling it “ridiculous.”