It Figures

$9 Million

Minimum value of settlements that the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, Delaware estimates it will have to pay to over child sexual abuse cases. The diocese says it may have to sell assets to pay them, although they won’t decide until the church’s liability and the number of lawsuits are known this summer.

$5 Million

Settlement reached between film star Woody Allen and clothier American Apparel, which used an image parodying Allen as a rabbi without his permission. The settlement – which will be paid by American Apparel Inc.’s insurance company – came on the morning the trial was to start in federal court in Manhattan. Allen had originally sought $10 million

1,600

Weight, in pounds, of metal gate that fell and killed an 11-year-old boy in Methuen, Mass. on Labor Day 2007. The boy and his brother were playing in a school yard when the gate fell on them. Last month, the family of the boy agreed to a $600,000 settlement from the city – the maximum amount allowed under state law.

3

Minimum number of suspicious fires to strike Berlin, New Hampshire over a three-day period last month. Curiously, the new fires followed a series of at least six arsons that were thought to have ended in January, when a local 27-year-old, Kerry Tibbetts, admitted to lighting the blazes. Officials say Berlin is prone to arson because it’s a depressed city with high unemployment that is overstocked with old, vacant buildings.

$50,000

Estimated damage to a used car lot in New Boston, New Hampshire where vandals smashed windows, filled cars with fire extinguisher foam and spray-painted taillights last month. At least 25 trucks were damaged.