News in Numbers
Food stamp applicants -- out of 67,400 -- who the Walker administration predicts would test positive if Wisconsin becomes the first state to drug test for the program. The idea has been rejected by federal courts and the Obama administration. Nevertheless, Gov. Scott Walker is moving ahead with his plan.
Name of a smartphone app that can now be used in South Carolina to summon emergency roadside assistance from state highway troopers.
The number of Puerto Ricans that fled to Florida in the wake of Hurricane Maria as of mid-November. Central Florida, especially Orlando, is struggling to accommodate the sudden influx.
Money Oklahoma state agencies spend on "swag" a year, according to the governor's office. But as her state faces a roughly $200 million budget hole, Gov. Mary Fallin signed an executive order last week that bans any more money going to promotional items like key chains, stress balls and T-shirts.
Record-breaking amount of money that California raised in its most recent auction for cap-and-trade permits, which companies are required to buy to release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The money is then used for projects and programs meant to reduce emissions.
States where it's illegal to leave your pet in a car in extreme heat or cold weather.
Gun background check requests made on Black Friday, which is the most ever made in a single day. The number of guns purchased, however, could be higher since one request could be for multiple weapons.
New minimum wage for full-time municipal workers in Bergen County, N.J. The county estimates that it will cost $360,647 in the first year, which is less than 1 percent of its $52.8 million budget.
Time before a train in Tokyo was scheduled to take off but left the station anyway. The early departure didn't elicit complaints from customers, but the rail company still issued an apology.
Proposed cost of podcasts -- which are free to the public -- for prisoners in Indiana. The tablets they would use to download them, though, would be supplied free of charge to the state.
Tax credits that New Jersey is offering the candy company Mars Wrigley Confectionery to locate its new headquarters in Newark.
Increase in state spending from fiscal 2016 to fiscal 2017, which is more than double last year's growth rate. The states collectively spent nearly $2 trillion.
The old minimum age to hunt in Wisconsin. As of Monday, the state is one of 35 where children of any age can hunt.
States, cities and counties that are suing at least one prescription drug company. Most are seeking monetary damages for the opioid epidemic. Some also want the drugmakers to change their marketing tactics.
Education funding meant to serve special needs and low-income students that Arizona misallocated over the past four years. Some schools got too much and some not enough.
Amount a Chinese energy company agreed last week to invest in West Virginia's natural gas industry. President Donald Trump was reportedly present at the signing of the deal. Details about it -- such as how many jobs it would create, and how, and what the impact might be on the coal industry -- are sparse.
Pennsylvanians who signed up for the state's medical marijuana registry in its first week.
States where Democrats will have full control in 2018, after the party gained power on Tuesday over the Washington state Senate and the New Jersey governor's office.
Number of Democratic governors in the country, which rose by one on election night after New Jersey elected Democrat Phil Murphy to replace GOP Gov. Chris Christie.
Formal education needed to read and understand the average measure on this year's ballots, according to a readability study.
Time it would take Harris County, Texas, to acquire the 3,300 or so homes on its priority buyout list. Hurricane Harvey, meanwhile, damaged at least 69,000 properties.
Prisoners released early on Wednesday in Louisiana because of a new state law that lets some nonviolent offenders with good behavior shave time off their sentences. The change is expected to drop the prison population by 10 percent and save $264 million over a decade.
The cost of the Gateway Program, a massive undertaking to add tunnels, replace old bridges and expand Penn Station in New York City. Writer Daniel C. Vock stressed that it would be "one of the most expensive infrastructure ventures in the history of the United States."
Amount the city of Boston will start paying landlords who rent to homeless people using housing vouchers. The money is meant to cover unpaid back rent or property damages caused by the tenant. Similar programs exist in almost 10 other jurisdictions across the country.
Governors' seats that political experts predict are vulnerable to being flipped next year, which is almost twice as many as predicted in January. Of those, 12 are held by Republicans and five by Democrats.
The drop in Alaska's Obamacare premiums for silver plans, which are the most popular. It's one of just three states where premiums will go down next year, as the average premium will rise 34 percent.
Frequency that scientists predict catastrophic flooding that used to occur once every 500 years will hit New York City by 2030 to 2045.
Proposals submitted to Amazon from cities, counties and states that want the online retailer to build its second U.S. headquarters in their region. Some offered the company billions of dollars worth of tax incentives.
Money North Carolina has set aside to pay TV and movie producers to film in the state next year. It's triple the 2015 amount but more than half as much as it was paying before that when shows like "Homeland" shot there.
