News in Numbers
The number of mass shootings in 2021 as of April 16, according to the Gun Violence Archive. To be considered a mass shooting, there must be a minimum of four gunshot victims. April 16 was only the 106th day of the year.
The estimated number of homeless people who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Seattle, Wash., since the pandemic began; 22 have died. More than 100 shelters and service sites in the area have had coronavirus outbreaks.
The latest bid amount for a Colorado license plate that reads: ISIT420. The state is auctioning off 14 cannabis-themed license plates, including plates that read BONG, GANJA, TEGRIDY and HASH, as a fundraiser for the state’s Disability Funding Committee. Bids are being collected until 4:20 PM on April 20.
The number of candidates vying to fill the spot of the late Texas Rep. Ron Wright, a Republican who died of COVID-19 in February. The special election to fill the Congressional seat will take place on May 1.
The amount that Uber Technologies Inc., PayPal Holdings Inc., and Walgreens Inc., have put into a fund to provide free ride-hail trips to COVID-19 vaccination sites across the U.S. for those without access to transportation.
The number of acceptance emails that the University of Kentucky accidentally sent out to high school seniors for a program that usually only accepts about 36 students per year. Some of the students who received the acceptance letter claimed to have never applied to, visited or went onto the website for the university. The university apologized for the mistake and said it was due to a “technical issue.”
The amount of money that was hidden somewhere in Maine by a couple to celebrate the state’s 200 years of statehood. The money is the reward to an elaborate treasure hunt that includes solving a secret, a riddle and a puzzle, and encourages residents to explore the state.
The number of Americans in 36 states who signed up for federally sponsored health-care plans between Feb. 15 and March 31 under the Special Enrollment Period that was reopened by the Biden administration.
The number of new coronavirus cases reported in Michigan on Sunday and Monday, making it one of the worst affected states for new cases and hospitalizations.
The estimated number of Republicans who believe that the riot at the U.S. Capitol was largely non-violent or was by left-wing activists “trying to make Trump look bad,” according to a new poll. Only three in 10 Republicans agree that former President Trump has some responsibility for the attack.
The proportion of Americans who support automatic voter registration. A new poll found that about half of Americans supported increased voting access through early and mail voting.
The amount of Biden’s $2 trillion jobs and infrastructure plan that would be allocated towards supporting community-based violence prevention programs.
The amount that President Biden’s infrastructure plan would allocate toward boosting the electric vehicle and renewable power markets. The $2 trillion infrastructure plan also promises to spend $165 billion on public transit, Amtrak and other rail programs.
The consumer confidence index in March, an increase of 19.3 points, which is the highest increase since April 2003. The index is at its highest level since the pandemic began a year ago; however, consumer confidence is still down nearly 23 points from pre-pandemic levels.
The year when Massachusetts will have net-zero carbon emissions, according to a new climate law that Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law last week. Experts believe the state will achieve the net-zero goal by adopting new building codes, establishing new targets for electric vehicles, charging stations and energy storage, as well as planting trees and other forms of direct air capture of carbon dioxide.
The number of low-wage workers in America, with an average annual salary of $17,950. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that if the federal minimum wage was raised to $15 an hour by 2025, 1.4 million jobs would get cut but 17 million workers would receive a pay raise.
The amount that Atlantic City, N.J., will spend to repaint its Black Lives Matter tribute on the road in a way that will not confuse motorists. The tribute, which covered the entire road, confused drivers so much that the city had blocked it off to prevent anyone from driving on it.
The number of Americans killed by guns in 2020, making it a record year for gun violence.
The proportion of parents who are at least somewhat concerned that in-person instruction will lead to more coronavirus infections. Seven in 10 parents are worried about their child falling behind academically.
The amount that a small number of eligible Black residents of Evanston, Ill., could receive in reparation payments that can be used towards home repairs or other house payments, in response to the city’s historically racist housing policies. Though other cities have launched initiatives, reparation payments are not widely supported; a survey last summer found that only one in five respondents agreed that the U.S. should pay reparations.
The amount that the Wisconsin Public Service Commission has awarded as grants to improve high-speed Internet access to underserved communities in 39 counties.
The amount that the Biden administration has promised for COVID-19 testing expansion in schools, in hopes to get students back into the classroom quickly.
The number of tickets that were handed out last year in Florida for texting while driving, which was made a primary traffic offense in 2019. However, the low number suggests that the new law is rarely enforced. There are more than 15 million licensed drivers in the state.
The number of cities across the nation that could lose their status as a metropolitan statistical area if the federal government raises the population criteria for core cities in metro areas to 100,000 residents instead of just 50,000. The change would reclassify one-third of the areas as micropolitan statistical areas, which many fear would impact funding and future development.
The number of prison staff members that have been infected in Michigan, Kansas and Arizona. Nationally, more than 388,000 incarcerated people and 105,000 staff members have had COVID-19 in the past year. However, a high proportion of prison staff have declined getting vaccinated against the virus.
The number of people on South Dakota’s missing persons list that are believed to be indigenous, with 19 native people going missing last month alone. State Rep. Peri Pourier has proposed legislation that, if passed, would create a full-time missing indigenous persons specialist at the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office.
The proportion of Americans who approve how Biden is handling the pandemic, including approval from 22 percent of Trump supporters.
The age at which people are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Alaska, which is the first U.S. state to remove eligibility requirements.
The number of crashes that self-driving vehicle company Waymo simulated across nine years and found that its artificial intelligence driver was able to avoid or mitigate all of the crashes except for those where the vehicle was hit from behind.
The number of homes that can be powered on a hot summer day by a 100 megawatt battery that Tesla subsidiary Gambit Energy Storage LLC is building in Angleton, Texas.
