5 Things to Know

5 things you need to know this weekend

USA TODAY

In this Jan. 1, 2016, file photo, revelers celebrate as confetti flies over New York's Times Square after the clock strikes midnight during the New Year's Eve celebration as seen from the Marriott Marquis hotel. The New York Police Department says it will bolster security for this year's celebration that comes less than two weeks after a deadly truck attack on a Christmas market in Berlin.

Goodbye, 2016. Hello, 2017!

The strange, surreal year of 2016 ends this weekend. After all the weirdness, why not have some fun New Year's Eve as you kick 2016 to the curb? You can watch the famed ball drop in Times Square, and lots of other places around the USA will be dropping their own oddball things. Have a glass of champagne or at least some "sparkling wine." Put out a New Year's buffet for your friends. Netflix will run video countdowns to help you get the kids to bed early. If you're going out, know that many cities in the U.S. and abroad are bolstering security, especially in the light of the most recent deadly truck attack in Berlin. See you later, 2016! JR wrote, cara edited

7 states will have higher gas taxes Jan. 1

Pennsylvania – ouch! The Keystone State already claims the largest gas tax in the country at 50.4 cents per gallon. The rate will rise 7.9 cents per gallon with the new year. The other big increase comes in Michigan, where the gas tax is already 30.54 cents per gallon and will rise 7.3 cents per gallon. Nebraska, Georgia, North Carolina, Indiana and Florida gas taxes are all going up, too. The hikes reflect state efforts to balance budgets for road construction and maintenance at a time when Congress hasn't raised the federal gas tax of 18.4 cents per gallon since 1993.EB wrote, Kat edited

New secretary general takes reins at United Nations

António Guterres assumes his role Sunday as the U.N.'s next secretary-general, taking over from Ban Ki-moon. Guterres, Portugal’s former prime minister who also served as U.N. refugee commissioner, has no army to exert his influence, but he has one of the world's most powerful bully pulpits to accomplish his goal of ending conflicts and easing suffering around the world. From global warming and extreme poverty to Syria's civil war, the world's premier diplomat has a job of “getting parties together that otherwise won’t talk to each other,” said Peter Yeo, president of Better World Campaign. EB wrote, Owen approved, cara edit

Wait! New Year's Eve will be one second longer this year?

That's right. As if 2016 couldn't get long enough, an extra second will be added to the year's final day. The bonus "leap second" is tacked to bridge the gap between Earth time, which varies a bit due to the planet's inconsistent spin, and the more precise atomic clock built in the 1950s. At least once every 10 years scientists add an extra second to ensure that GPS navigation and computer networks stay on track. That means you'll have to wait one second longer Saturday before welcoming 2017, so hold the champagne for just a sec. JR wrote, cara edited

It's a huge weekend for football fans of all stripes

Saturday the spotlight is on the semifinals of the College Football Playoff: No. 1 seed Alabama faces No. 4 Washington in the Peach Bowl at 3 p.m. ET. The scene then shifts to the No. 3 seed Ohio State vs. No. 2 Clemson clash at 7 p.m. ET in the Fiesta Bowl. note: USAT poll rankings are different, so make sure to leave word SEED The winners of those semifinals meet Jan. 9 in Tampa for the national title. (See the full slate of the weekend's bowl games.) As for the NFL, the 12 teams in the postseason will be finalized Sunday. The Detroit Lions host the Green Bay Packers in a winner-take-all showdown for the NFC North title at 8:30 p.m. ET. Also Sunday, the Washington Redskins can clinch a wild-card berth with a defeat of the New York Giants, as long as the Lions-Packers matchup doesn't end in a tie. erick wrote, cara edited, donna backread

And the essentials:

TV: Wondering how to ring in the New Year? TV critic Robert Bianco has all the details.

Be Inspired: You smiled, laughed, cried. Your favorite heartwarming stories of the year.

As 2016 winds down, remember the year that was with one photo from every day.

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