Free Republic

Buffalo has been plunged into chaos as brazen looters wreak havoc on storefronts amid a historic blizzard that dumped six feet of snow on the northern New York city. It has become the deadliest storm to hit the western part of the state in 50 years, with at least 27 people reported dead as scores of others remain trapped in their houses and cars. Roads in the city remain impassable under several feet of heavy snow, as first responders struggle to reach those who remain trapped days after the storm hit.

New Yorkers are struggling to find COVID-19 tests as the city suffers a surge of infections driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant. After New York recorded a record number of new cases on Friday, each new positive test is kicking off frantic text messages to friends and colleagues warning them to get tested, and the looming Christmas holiday is prompting scores more to seek the tests before they travel. The surge in demand has stretched the city's testing capacity to the limit, with wait times of more than two hours on Saturday at some city testing centers and pharmacies...

Sixty people were shot, seven of them fatally, over the weekend in Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s (D) Chicago. By Monday morning, the number of shooting victims had doubled, with ABC 7/Chicago Sun-Times reporting 60 shooting victims and seven shooting fatalities