5 things you need to know Monday
New 2018 state laws legalize pot, custody fights over dogs
New Year's Day ushers in a host of new state laws around the country, from the groundbreaking to the eccentric. Among them: Legalizing recreational marijuana in California, allowing guns on campus in Georgia and making pets subject to custody fights in Illinois. In Tennessee, a new law permits barbers to make house calls, while in Minnesota, health insurance companies will now have to cover prescription eye drop refills before the expiration date. Legal pot in California is a biggie. Five other states already offer legal marijuana sales; however, California's sheer size is expected to reshape the pot industry worldwide, potentially driving down prices for consumers while generating hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes.
College football's Final Four kicks off
The first day of 2018 brings the semifinals of the College Football Playoff: Georgia vs. Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl (5 p.m. ET) followed by Alabama vs. Clemson in the Sugar Bowl. In the Rose Bowl, Oklahoma's maligned defense has much to prove vs. a Georgia offense led by a confident freshman in QB Jake Fromm. Oklahoma has the weight of the Big 12 on its shoulders. In the nightcap, we get a rematch of last year's championship game when Alabama, which has found itself after a late-season loss to Auburn. The winners face off on Jan. 8 in the national championship game. Check out our NCAA experts' picks on who will be playing for the national title.
It's 2018: New year, new you
2017 is over, Kwanzaa has come to a close, and now it’s time to celebrate the new year. Most people kick things off with a fresh start, which means making resolutions. A recent Marist Poll found "being a better person" is the most popular New Year's resolution for 2018. But what does that mean? Here's how you can find out if you are one. Think you'll have trouble staying true to the new you? Never fear! Motivation is the key to success when it comes to making (and keeping) resolutions. And if all else fails, here's the tech you need to help reach all your productivity and fitness revolution goals in 2018.
Look up! It's the first supermoon of the year
The first supermoon of 2018 happens Monday, according to NASA. When you look at the sky, you'll see a moon that appears bigger and brighter than a full moon. According to NASA, what we call a supermoon is actually called a perigean by astronomers, or a full moon occurring near or at the time when the moon is at its closest point in its orbit around Earth. Not feeling up to moon-gazing after an eventful New Year's Eve? The next supermoon arrives at the end of the month. According to NASA, the Jan. 31 supermoon will feature a total lunar eclipse.
2018 begins with record cold
Bone-chilling cold gripped the middle of the U.S. as 2018 began, breaking low temperature records, icing some New Year's celebrations and leading to at least two deaths attributed to exposure to the elements. The National Weather Service issued wind chill advisories for Monday covering a vast area from South Texas all the way to Canada and from Montana and Wyoming in the west through New England in the east.