Tim Phillips Show, 7/30/26

Some states do a better job of taking care of their residents than others and a new report highlights which ones are leading the way. The 2026 Best States rankings have just come out from “U.S. News & World Report,” revealing that a reigning champ holds onto the top spot.

The rankings rate each state on how they serve their citizens in a range of areas, including healthcare, education, economy, infrastructure, opportunity, fiscal stability, crime & corrections, and natural environment.
States are rated on 71 metrics, including their roads and bridges, public safety record, and the financial stability of the state government.
Based on all that, Utah has been named the best state in the country for the fourth consecutive year.
It lands in the top 10 in five of the eight categories evaluated, coming in second for economy and fiscal stability, and fourth for infrastructure, but it’s 48th in natural environment.
Texas is first for economy, moving up from second place last year.
Colorado moves from third to first for education.
Hawaii is number one for healthcare and for natural environment.
Nevada is first for infrastructure, Vermont tops the list for opportunity, Wyoming is first for fiscal stability, and New Hampshire is number one for crime & corrections.
The Top 10 2026 Best States

Utah
South Dakota
Minnesota
North Dakota
Nebraska
New Hampshire
Idaho
Florida
Washington
Vermont
Source: U.S. News & World Report

Montana 29

Throwback Thursday to 1993 

CAN'T HELP FALLING IN LOVE - UB40

What happened in 1993 Major News Stories include Pentium microprocessor introduced, Islamic Fundamentalists bomb World Trade Center, US and Russia sign the Start II treaty, Beanie Babies go on sale, Federal Agents raid religious cult in Waco TX, Earthquake and Tsunami Japan, Brush Fires destroy world's second largest national park Royal National Park in Australia, Ethnic fighting between Muslims and Croats in Bosnia, For the first time Islamic Fundamentalists bomb World Trade Center. A devastating tsunami, caused by an earthquake off Hokkaido, Japan kills 202 on the small island of Okushiri. The ever popular Beanie Babies are launched . In technology the first bagless vacuum cleaner is invented and Intel introduces the Pentium Processor.
Movie Ticket $4.14
Average cost of new car $12,750.00
Loaf of Bread $1.57
Jurassic Park Command Compound
Price: $69.80
Western Barbie and Western Star Horse
Manufacturer: Mattel
Price: $15.50 for Barbie, $25.59 for Horse
The World Wide Web was born at CERN
Space Shuttle Endeavour mission to repair an optical flaw in the Hubble Space Telescope.
Popular Films
Jurassic Park
Mrs. Doubtfire
The Fugitive
The Firm
Sleepless in Seattle
Indecent Proposal
In the Line of Fire
The Pelican Brief
Schindler's List
Cliffhanger
Philadelphia
Robin Hood: Men in Tights

A new survey found nearly one in four Americans say a relationship ended, at least in part, because of their partner's nighttime behavior. The biggest offender? Snoring. In fact, 44% said it's the most annoying sleep habit. Women were more likely than men to have an issue with snoring — 49% vs. 39%. Other sleep annoyances were tossing and turning (30%), stealing the covers (27%), watching TV in bed (24%), and eating in bed (18%). One respondent said their ex "snored like a chainsaw," while another said "eating potato chips in bed was the final straw." The good news is most people are willing to work through it, with nearly two-thirds saying they accept their partner's sleep quirks. Experts say communication and compromise can go a long way toward keeping both your sleep and your relationship healthy. 

Good Housekeeping says a purple Oreo with brown sugar pancake creme is out. The limited-edition cookie is a first for Oreo.  The filling is inspired by hotteok, a Korean sweet pancake.
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Dual Citizen Brewing Company in St. Paul, Minnesota, has created a ranch-dressing-flavored beer for the Minnesota State Fair. The cream ale beer, called Old Ranch Hand, clocks in at 5% alcohol by volume and blends smooth malt with hints of buttermilk, herbs, and spices. Making the experience even better — or at least, more unique — each pour comes in a glass lined with a ranch-seasoned salt rim. The Minnesota State Fair runs from August 27th through September 7th, so you still have time to book your flights to get your hands on this stuff.
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The Verge says DoorDash recently announced a new drone delivery program called DoorDash Air.  They plan to deliver small packages by drone.   DoorDash will design and build its own drones.
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InsideFlyer says United Airlines and Delta have joined other airlines in banning  humanoid robots from flights. The bans cover carry-on and checked baggage and follow Southwest’s similar move after an incident.  Travelers could have their  robot confiscated if they try to fly with it. Some travelers may try to fly with a robot by classifying it as a support animal
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A small sound design studio thinks it has found a way to make microwaves less annoying without changing any of the hardware inside them
They explained that microwaves use cheap parts called piezo buzzers to make their beeping sounds, since they only cost a few cents each
The designers built a tool that lets them reprogram those same cheap buzzers to make softer, more pleasant sounds like chirps and tones
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More retailers are introducing sensory-friendly shopping hours, giving customers a quieter, calmer experience. Stores like Sephora, Walmart, and Target are reducing music, bright lights, and other distractions during designated times. The goal is to make shopping more comfortable for people who are sensitive to noise, lights, crowds, or strong smells, including many neurodivergent shoppers. Experts say these quieter hours can also benefit parents with young children and anyone who prefers a less hectic environment. Sephora's new "Quiet Hours" take place during the first hour of business on Tuesdays and Saturdays at participating stores. And as more retailers embrace the idea, sensory-friendly shopping may be moving into the mainstream.
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Move over unicorns and dinosaurs. Gen Alpha's favorite animal may actually be the axolotl, a rare salamander known for its permanent smile and feathery gills. Kids are obsessed with them, and they're showing up everywhere from stuffed animals and backpacks to Minecraft, Roblox, and Fortnite. What's funny is that many parents had never even heard of an axolotl until their kids started spelling the word with ease and asking for axolotl-themed toys and birthday parties.  The real animals are native to Mexico and are famous for their ability to regenerate body parts, including parts of their hearts and brains. But despite being toy-store superstars, axolotls are critically endangered in the wild due to pollution and habitat loss. Conservationists hope this newfound fascination with them might help inspire the next generation to protect them
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Action News Jax says personal items from Colonel Sanders were recently sold at a public auction. His clip-on bow tie and suspenders sold for $8,000. Sanders' executive planner from 1964 went for $30,000. The home Sanders lived in will be sold by sealed bid on Friday.
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The NY Post says a Newport Beach, California woman recently gave birth in a Jack in the  Box parking lot after Hoag Hospital turned her away twice. Michelle Cisneros says her contractions were five minutes apart  when she headed to the hospital. She was sent home and then helped by firefighters as her  baby was born in the Jack in the Box lot.  
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The NY Post says a 71-year-old grandmother from China, who recently learned how to swim, jumped into a river to save a man who was drowning. Liu Defang dragged the man towards the shore. Two local residents helped pull him to dry land. He survived.
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Don’t drive your lawn mower to the store while you’re drunk. It sounds like simple advice, but it’s apparently complicated. An Iowa woman was arrested after police say she rode a lawn mower while drunk to a gas station parking lot. Thirty-six-year-old Michelle Hudson showed up at a Casey's store in Tiffin on a riding lawn mower, and witnesses called police after she appeared intoxicated. Officers said she failed field sobriety tests and had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, and poor balance. Even though her breath test came back below the legal limit, officers believed she was impaired by drugs and arrested her anyway. She has a prior drunk driving conviction from 2022, along with past charges for theft and drug possession.
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The Herald-Tribune says a Ruskin, Florida man was recently arrested for stealing power tools from a boat. James Tidwell was wearing a  Superman costume when questioned. He admitted that he went on the boat and took three items. Man of Steal