News in Numbers
The number of oil barrels that the United States plans to draw from its emergency oil reserves in the coming months to try and bring down high gas prices.
The amount, in federal Edward J. Bryne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants, that Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has announced will be used to support the state’s criminal justice system via drug task forces, school resource officers, justice technology initiatives and more. Overall, 156 grants were awarded to 140 local agencies across 56 counties.
The approximate time in minutes that Vice President Kamala Harris held presidential power on Friday, Nov. 19, while President Biden underwent a routine colonoscopy. Harris is the first woman and the first South Asian American to hold presidential power.
The proportion of people aged 15 to 24 who reported that social media is a “go-to” source of information, as compared to just 17 percent of those aged 40 and older.
The increase in drug overdoses in the U.S. during the 12-month period ending April 2021 as compared to the previous 12-month period.
The approximate number of pieces of debris left in space after the Russians launched a test missile that destroyed a satellite. The U.S. condemned the test as reckless and irresponsible. It left a cloud of debris in earth’s orbit and forced astronauts aboard the International Space Station to briefly take shelter as a precaution.
The amount that Washington state is seeking from three drug distributors for their role in the nation’s opioid epidemic. The money would be used to pay for treatment services, criminal justice costs, public education campaigns and other programs over 15 years.
The amount of proceeds that Miami, Fla., has earned from the city’s cryptocurrency, MiamiCoin. Mayor Suarez has said he intends to give the proceeds directly to city residents.
The total amount that residents of Flint, Mich., will receive for being exposed to lead-contaminated water, with final approval for the payout from a judge on Wednesday, Nov. 10. The settlement was first announced in August 2020. The majority of the money, $600 million, is coming directly from the state.
The number of governors that have sent a letter to U.S. lawmakers, urging them to pass the $52 billion CHIPS Act, which would include subsidies for semiconductor factories that produce microchips for cars. The bipartisan group claims the global auto chip shortage has affected 575,000 jobs in the industry.
The year in which new vehicles will be required to have monitoring systems that prevent drunk people from driving, under the new infrastructure package that awaits President Biden’s signature. In total, approximately $17 billion is allotted to road safety programs.
The amount that the Spokane County, Wash., Sheriff’s Office spent on two days of billboard advertising in New York City’s Times Square to recruit deputies. Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich wanted to buy the ad space in cities in which elected officials had talked negatively about police officers.
The number of attorneys general who have filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s vaccine requirement for workers at companies with at least 100 employees. All of the attorneys general are Republican.
The amount that Edward Durr spent on his election campaign to oust New Jersey’s Senate president Steve Sweeney, who has held that position since 2010. Durr, a furniture company truck driver, defeated Sweeney in Tuesday’s elections.
The estimated number of Jews in the U.S. that have been the subject of antisemitism over the past year, according to a new report by the American Jewish Committee. Thirty-nine percent of American Jews have changed their behavior in the past year for fear of antisemitic acts.
The number of people who died on U.S. roads during the first half of 2021, an 18.4 percent increase compared to the same six months of 2020.
The proportion of Americans who say they will trust the results of the 2024 elections, regardless of outcome.
The increase in COVID-19 shots among Minnesotans aged 12 to 17 since the state launched a $200 incentive program. To qualify, teens must get their first dose by Nov. 9.
The amount that American consumers are expected to spend on Halloween this year, an increase of more than $2 billion from 2020. The average consumer will spend nearly $103 on costumes, candy and greeting cards, $10 more than last year.
The amount that Philadelphia will spend to equip and train its police officers with stun guns before requiring officers to wear them while on duty. The announcement came on the anniversary of the fatal police shooting of Walter Wallace Jr., a Black man who was having a mental health episode while holding a knife. Wallace Jr. was shot by two officers 14 times.
The proportion of Americans who want Congress to pass a bill ensuring more of the nation’s electricity will come from clean energy and less from fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas, which damage the climate. In a related survey question, 59 percent of Americans feel the Earth’s warming was a very or extremely important issue to them.
The inches of rain that Sacramento, Calif., accumulated on Sunday, Oct. 24, amounting to 81.9 percent of the total rainfall that the city got during the 2020-2021 water year. The rainfall also broke the city’s previous record for the most rain on a single day, which had stood since April 20, 1880.
The increase in electricity generation from coal this year as compared to last year, partially due to coal’s stable prices and a high natural gas cost. The increase comes after the industry hit a 50-year low in 2020 that idled or closed 151 coal mines across the nation.
The proportion of Americans who believe that social media companies, like Facebook and Twitter, do more harm than good, according to a new poll. Forty-seven percent of respondents said the government should be involved with regulating Facebook and Twitter, while 45 percent do not believe government should intervene.
The estimated number of children in the age group of 5 to 11 years old, who may soon be eligible to receive a COVID-19 shot. The White House has estimated that authorization for the Pfizer shot for elementary-aged children is within a matter of weeks.
The number of pregnant women who died from COVID-19 in August, a one-month record. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 161 pregnant women have died from the virus. The CDC has issued an urgent advisory that recommends pregnant women get vaccinated against the coronavirus to protect themselves and their babies.
The size of West Virginia’s broadband strategy that Gov. Jim Justice announced last week. The plan is expected to bring high-speed Internet to more than 200,000 homes and businesses across the state.
The decrease in President Biden’s net approval rating among Black voters since Sept. 8, the day before he issued vaccine mandates.
The proportion of American households that have had to delay care for serious illness because hospitals are filled with COVID-19 patients.
The proportion of eligible Americans who have received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, an increase of 20 percentage points after the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate.
