By Sherri Simmons, President and CEO

January was definitely not a slow news month. From politics to entertainment – which often can be one in the same – there were stories to feed the habit of news junkies from every genre. Many of these we will be following throughout the year – but hopefully there are some one-hit wonders on the list.

So, our picks for the top ten news stories of January 2014 are: 

Support for marijuana legalization is flying high ... Fifty-five percent of Americans support legalization of marijuana, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. 
 
Was Atlanta asleep at the wheel? … Not only do Atlantans not know how to drive in the snow, this year, we had to give up trying. But Southern hospitality sparkled, despite the disaster. 
 
Will the bridge open or close on Governor Christie … It probably depends upon whether or not you were on the bridge. 

Sochi Olympic terrorism threats … Let’s pray that our athletes compete without terror. Citius, Altius, Fortius. 

In Australia, sharks now tweet when they approach the beach ... #Wipeout.

Amanda Knox … Would the U.S. honor an extradition request from Italy?  

Obamacare ...  Officially goes into effect … Like it or not.

Beware of the Norovirus – especially on a cruise … Royal Caribbean now holds the unfortunate record for the highest number of sick people reported on a cruise ship in the past two decades. Don’t forget to put Clorox on the list when packing for your next cruise.

Cauliflower is the new Kale, predicted to be one of the trending foods for 2014 … If eating your veggies is on your list of New Year's Resolutions, you may want to hop on the foodie wagon and give Cauliflower a go. You can switch out the Kale chips for Cauliflower popcorn. 

Justin Bieber Arrested Twice in One Week … Another child star heading down the wrong path? Baby. Baby. Baby.

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