Great state and local sites

New Jersey Department of Agriculture: New Jersey takes its home-grown vittles and greenery very seriously, if this well-done site is any indication. It offers a wide variety of resources for residents who want to support local efforts. There is a comprehensive list of roadside markets, pick-your-own farms and community farmers markets. Another page has a listing of vendors who offer New Jersey-grown trees, flowers and shrubbery. And elsewhere on the site, you even can find a list of recipes for Jersey Shore seafood. Tell us how the "Jersey Fisherman's Stew" works out. (www.nj.gov/agriculture)

Buckeye Traffic (Ohio): Never get stuck in Ohio again. The Ohio Department of Transportation has set up an interactive map that shows traffic and road construction for the state. (www.buckeyetraffic.org)

D.C. Public Safety Radio and Television Shows (Washington D.C.): Operated by the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency, this site offers podcasts and Web videos of a wide range of topics, from drug treatment plans to interviews with law offenders. One of the most popular government multimedia offerings, this site gets over 122,000 visitors per month. (media.csosa.gov)

Utah.gov Online Services (Utah): Like many good state portals, Utah's consolidates a wealth of resources, not only from its own state agencies, but outside resources as well. The site also offers an innovative search service, in which you can specify the general type of service you seek, and then the service itself, making it easier to find a specific offering. (www.utah.gov/services).

Lead Poisoning Prevention (Minnesota): The Minnesota Department of Health has taken the lead on the issue of lead poisoning, offering a comprehensive site that offers information on what to do with a house that may have lead paint. (www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/lead/rule.html).

Marin County Home (Marin County, Fla.): Marin County's home page is all about government transparency. Here on the home page you will find a complete list of the county's bids, as well as the awarded contracts. The agendas county board meetings are posted, as are videos of the events afterwards. (www.martin.fl.us)

MyMonroe (Monroe County, N.Y.): Monroe County has taken to offering Web services with a gusto that is rare among its peers. From the citizen-centered home page, you can find out how to order your birth certificate, research property and assessment information, or register your cell phone with emergency call centers. The site also has an amazing collection of maps generated by ESRI Geographic Information System software, covering everything from voting districts to population distribution. It even has a live feed of recent 911 calls. (www.monroecounty.gov/home-index.php)

Transvista Map (Texas): For El Paso, Texas' Department of Transportation offers a comprehensive map, supplied by Microsoft Virtual Earth mapping service, that provides icons that link to traffic cameras, road-warning signs and alerts. (elpits.dot.state.tx.us/its-cameras).

Leon County, Fla.: One of the slickest and most enjoyable county sites on the Web, the Leon County Web site has received accolades aplenty. In 2008, it earned the Digital Counties Survey award from the Center for Digital Government, which sought to commend Web sites that make better use of government resources by offering services to citizens. In 2006, the site earned an A the National Policy Research Council's e-gov report card. (www.leoncountyfl.gov)