The largest fine ever issued for speeding was $290,000 for the driver of a red Ferrari in Switzerland. Context In May 2022, the Biden administration proposed a new regulation limiting the speed of any vehicle weighing more than 26,000 pounds, such as semis or 18-wheelers, through the use of mandatory speed…

Hopefully the commissioners wouldn’t have to sit at least six feet apart. Context Sometimes after a notable or deadly event, the government charters an outside commission to investigate what went wrong. The most prominent example this century is the 9/11 Commission, chaired by former New Jersey governor Thomas Kean, which investigated…

Under this bill, that suburban Illinois school district could no longer be defunded because Ferris Bueller took the day off. Context Six states factor a school district’s average daily attendance into their education funding allocations: California, Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, and Texas. While five of those six…

Pro tip: at D.C.’s Reagan Airport, order the famous “half smoke” at the local institution Ben Chili’s Bowl. Context The nation’s capital ranks among the country’s most popular destinations for travelers, whether for business or for tourism. Millions visit the monuments, the White House grounds, and the Smithsonian museums every year. …

As the anti-drug expression goes, “crack is wack.” But what about crack pipes? Context When the Democratic-controlled Congress enacted the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, they appropriated $30 million to combat substance abuse. It was up to the Biden administration to decide where to actually spend that $30 million, and…

In some parts of the country, it now costs a dollar an egg.

It would be the most prominent NYC institution to close since the Copacabana nightclub in 2020. Context In April, the Justice Department arrested Lu Jianwang and Chen Jinping for allegedly operating a secret police station on behalf of the Chinese government, located in Manhattan’s Chinatown neighborhood. Occupying an entire floor of…

The new federal holiday would arrive between Presidents’ Day and Memorial Day. Context 5,190 Americans died from injuries sustained on the job in 2021, the most recent year for which Bureau of Labor Statistics data is available. That’s slightly higher than the 5,044 Americans who died of HIV in 2019. Put…

For “real” judge shopping, visit the Supreme Court’s gift shop, which includes Court-themed umbrellas, AirPod cases, and salt and pepper shakers. Context In April, Texas District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk struck down the abortion pill mifrepristone nationwide, finding the FDA’s original approval in 2000 was unconstitutional. This…