‘The World Looks Different Now’: 2022 Starts Without Betty White

ACROSS AMERICA — Good morning and cheers to a new year! It’s Jan. 1 and the first day of 2022. Before you get started on those resolutions and kick off yet another trip around the sun, here are the stories we’re following today”

• A Colorado wildfire destroyed at least 500 homes by Friday.
• More canceled flights frustrated air travelers on the final day of 2021.
• The far-right group Proud Boys delivered toys to a Long Island hospital.
• AOC tells Republicans to stop “projecting their sexual frustrations” at her.

Betty White, the iconic actress and comedian beloved by generations and best known for her roles on "The Golden Girls" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," has died, her agent Jeff Witjas confirmed in a statement to PEOPLE and The Washington Post. She was 99 years old.

White was preparing to celebrate her 100th birthday on Jan. 17. She died Friday at her home in Brentwood, California.

White’s death immediately triggered an outpouring of grief and memories from those who knew her and those who admired her from afar.

Among those paying tribute to White was Ryan Reynolds, her co-star in 2009’s “The Proposal.”

“The world looks different now,” Reynolds tweeted. “She was great at defying expectation. She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough. We’ll miss you, Betty. Now you know the secret.” »Betty White, Beloved Comedian And Actress, Dead At 99, via Los Angeles Patch

• RELATED: Betty White: Remembering An American Treasure In Photos

Wildfire Decimates Colorado Towns

The Marshall Fire burned through Boulder County on Friday, charring around 6,000 acres and destroying more than 500 homes in Colorado, making it likely the most destructive wildfire in the state's history. The fire was one of several that started in the region as winds gusted up to 110 mph and spread the fires rapidly, weather officials said. »Marshall Fire Likely The Most Destructive In Colorado's History, via Boulder, Colorado, Patch

• RELATED: Colorado Wildfires: Devastating Photos of Marshall Fire Aftermath

Flight Cancellations Soar Again

More canceled flights frustrated air travelers on the final day of 2021 and appeared all but certain to inconvenience hundreds of thousands more over the New Year's holiday weekend. Airlines blamed many of the cancellations on crew shortages related to the spike in COVID-19 infections, along with wintry weather in parts of the United States. »Flight Cancellations Soar Again On Last Day Of 2021, via Across America Patch

Best Of Patch 2021: Celebrating Local

In 2021, Patch helped communities across the country tell thousands of stories. Each focused on something different. The stories told tales of discovery, dissent and determination. In Georgia, parents rallied for a new high school. In Maryland, an ancestry kit brought together strangers from the same family. And in Manhattan, a small group of people fought to protect a sacred space. »Best Of Patch 2021: 'Let's Help People'; Book Ban Questioned, via Across America Patch

Your Good News Fix

While 2022 got off to a bittersweet start, cheer up with this week’s collection of happy stories and inspiring tales. A special education teacher plans to open a coffeehouse inspired by her uncle Tom. A man and his granddaughter graduated high school together, and meet the Food Network’s youngest baker. »11 Good News Stories: He Ate How Many Pancakes? Plus, Dog Days, via Across America Patch

More national headlines on Patch, other news websites:

• Far-Right Proud Boys Deliver Toys To Long Island Hospital
• Avoid Cruise Travel Regardless Of Vaccination Status, CDC Says
• U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley Tests Positive For COVID-19
• PETA Accuses NIH Of Buying Beagles From VA Facility Cited By USDA
• 'Slow-Motion Insurrection': How The GOP Seizes Election Power
• Domestic Violence Cases Often Rise Around New Year's Eve: Here's Why
• Ocasio-Cortez Criticizes GOP For 'Projecting Their Sexual Frustrations' At Her, via The Hill
• U.S. Schools Grapple With How To Stay Open Amid Omicron Surge, via The Washington Post

Around ‘The Patch’

• Colorado Governor Reduces Trucker's 110-Year Sentence To 10 Years, via Lakewood, Colorado, Patch
• After Parents Try To Remove Books From Schools, Sarasota Poetry Event For Students Nixed, via Sarasota, Florida, Patch
• Federal Suit Settled With NJ Company Claiming COVID 'Treatment', via Hopatcong-Sparta, New Jersey, Patch
• New Illinois Laws For 2022 Include First-In-Nation Legislation, via Springfield Patch
• CA's 'New Normal': Wildfires Char 3.1M Acres In State, via San Francisco Patch
• Sonoma County Mom Accused Of Leaving Baby In Car, Evading Arrest, via Rohnert Park-Cotati, California, Patch

House Hunting

If you want to follow in the footsteps of the rich and famous, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin is unloading this gorgeous Malibu mansion. The massive Cape Cod-style farmhouse has six bedrooms and unbelievable amenities like multiple bars, a pool, a private movie theater and manicured lawns.

This Day In History

In 1902, the first college football bowl game was held as the University of Michigan defeated Stanford in what later became known as the Rose Bowl.

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