After more than 10 years, personalized plate rejected as obscene

A woman in Columbus may lose her long-time vanity license plate because the state now says it's obscene.

Pat Niple (NY'-puhl) has had a plate with the letters N-W-T-F. She says they're short for "Northwood Tree Farm," a Christmas tree business she and her late husband owned.

But the 74-year-old recently got a letter from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles saying the personalized plate violates the agency's standards against profanity.

At a BMV office, Niple says she was told the letters are an abbreviation popular online. She says a clerk whispered it stands for a phrase beginning with, "Now what the."

Niple plans to appeal.