1. Social media and phone lines lit up last night after a giant flash of light was seen in the sky along with a big boom!
Video from the east side, where most of the reports came from, showed a flash of light flying across the sky, believed to be a meteor. People there also reported they felt the ground shake.
Dispatchers in Ottawa, Ionia, and Barry Counties all took similar reports around 8:30 p.m.
In a tweet, the National Weather Service said it was likely a meteor, but they're waiting for official confirmation.
2. While some people grumble over the snow, it means big business for the local economy.
Officials say more people are buying snowmobile permits, compared to last year.
According to the West Shore Snowmobile Council, more than 200,000 permits were issued this year in the state. That's up almost 7 percent over last winter.
The money from those permit costs goes toward grooming snowmobile trails.
The council is made up of five clubs, with volunteers who maintain about 188 miles of trail in Ottawa, Muskegon, Newaygo, and Oceana Counties.
3. The weather may be cold, but Laker basketball is hot! Grand Valley State University's basketball programs are holding their second Downtown Thursday Nights event of the season at the Deltaplex.
The Lakers play host to Lake Superior State, with the action tipping off with the women's teams at 6 p.m., followed by the men at 8 p.m.
Both the men and women's teams come in on a roll. The women's team is 14-3 overall and has won seven of its last eight games. The men's basketball is experiencing a similar run, winning six of its last seven games.
4. McDonald's is pledging to look out for Mother Earth, the fast food chain is pledging to use renewable, recyclable or certified materials in all of its packaging by 2025.
The chain also says it will outfit every restaurant with recycling bins. Right now, only 10 percent of its restaurants have them.
Executives say they are responding to customer demands to reduce packaging waste. McDonald's plans to get rid of all foam in its packaging by the end of this year.
5. If you've been craving hot tea lately, you may be dealing with what some say is the "Mariah Carey" effect. Weeks after Carey's New Year's Eve performance, the pop star is being credited with a rise in tea sales.
The Grammy Award Singer demanded a cup of hot tea during her performance in New York's Time Square. Since then the Whitby Hotel has seen a spike in tea sales, where they are offering a $45 per person British style afternoon tea service.
Recent stats show that 158 million people drink tea every day.
