Exxon Cleaning Up Major Canadian Oil Pipeline Leak in Arkansas
Exxon Mobil was working to clean up thousands of barrels of oil in Mayflower, Ark., after a pipeline carrying heavy Canadian crude ruptured in a major spill.
Arkansas
More States Cook Up Gag Laws to Hide Health Risks in Your Food
Undercover investigations by journalists, activists, the Humane Society and others have exposed dangerous and illegal agricultural practices that made our food unsafe. So why are some politicians trying to outlaw the investigations?
These Are Most and Least Charitable States - but Why?
Earlier this month, Mint.com published a map of the most and least generous states when it comes to charity. Since then, personal finance writers have struggled to find a pattern to explain why some states give so much more to the less fortunate than others don't.
Best Places to Retire for Under $40,000
Many baby boomers who haven't saved enough to retire well are contemplating delaying retirement. But if working into your 70s isn't possible (or appealing), moving to a place with a lower cost of living can help stretch your savings and finance a better quality of life.
The 5 Richest and 5 Poorest States in America
Median household income in the United States declined for the second straight year in 2011, the Census Bureau reports -- falling more than 8% below its 2007 pre-recession peak. But some states are faring far better than the average -- and, of course, some are faring far worse.
Poverty Rate Holds Steady - and That's Actually Good News
The ranks of America's poor remained stuck at record levels, although dwindling unemployment benefits and modest job gains helped stave off what experts had predicted would be the fourth rise in a row in the poverty rate.
Save a Bundle on Back-to-School with Sales Tax Holidays
When times are tough, every penny counts. That's why shoppers look forward to what has become an annual summer ritual in many states: the chance to avoid sales tax on certain purchases.
Reefer-tirement Plan: Grandma Allegedly Ran Massive Drug Ring
Meet 73-year-old Darlene Mayes, a grandmother from Vinita, Okla., whose late-life career was a doozy: She's accused of running a major marijuana ring across four states. What a way to finance your retirement!
America's 11 Most Miserable States Revealed
You might think that with the economy on its slow climb back to health, Americans would have gotten a little bit happier in 2011. In fact, they got a bit more miserable. And some states have more reasons to be down in the dumps than others.
America's 10 Poorest Cities
America's road to economic recovery has been long and slow -- and uneven. Some parts of the country are doing a lot worse than others. It's a pattern that shows up in the jobs numbers, poverty rates, foreclosures. But if you want a quick, simple gauge of how any part of the U.S. is doing economically, just look at its median household income.
Labor Day Road Trip? Try These 10 Cheap Gas States
As you hit the road for your final road trip of the summer, consider driving to one of the 10 states with the lowest prices on gas. Turns out, those sunny states also offer bountiful vacation options for the budget-conscious family.
The Growing Threat of Food Insecurity in America
The Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as "lack of access to enough food to fully meet basic needs at all times due to lack of financial resources." Record food stamp enrollment over the last two years suggests that food insecurity has been getting worse.
Wal-Mart to Pay $40 Million to Settle Labor Suit
Wal-Mart agreed to pay $40 million to settle a lawsuit filed in Massachusetts that alleged the big-box retailer cheated 87,500 current and former employees in the state out of pay and failed to obey work rules. The class-action suit, filed in 2001, accused Wal-Mart of altering time cards, refusing to pay overtime, and denying workers rest and meal breaks.