It's not every day that Cuban born and longtime Havana resident Chucho Valdés performs outside of his country. But, the Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer and arranger did just that this weekend with back to back packed concerts in Carnegie Hall in NYC and NJ PAC in Newark.

Chucho is not only known as one of Cuba’s greatest jazz pianists and one of the founders of IRAKARE. His father is the famous Cuban pianist and former director of Havana’s famous “Tropicana” nightclub band Bebo Valdés.

Penn State's long-time winning football coach, Joe Paterno has died at age 85. Coach Paterno lead more Penn State teams to victory than any other major-college football coach, becoming an icon at Penn State University.

He became the symbol of integrity in collegiate athletics, only to be fired last year following a child sexual-abuse scandal which shocked college football fans all over the US.

Previously, there had been rumors spreading throughout the Internet, where
some Websites published similar reports prior to official confirmation.

More than 120,000 people affected by the recent violence in South Sudan’s Jonglei state may need emergency assistance – double the number of those originally thought to need help – the United Nations humanitarian official in the country said today.

Fighting between Lou Nuer and Murle communities escalated sharply in late December, causing an estimated tens of thousands people to flee their homes in Pibor County and resulting in casualties, destruction of property and livelihoods.

This Week in History, Jan 22 - Jan 28

Jan 22, 1998
Ted Kaczynski pleads guilty to bombings in a Sacramento, California, courtroom, Theodore J. Kaczynski pleads guilty to all federal charges against him, acknowledging his responsibility for a 17-year campaign of package bombings attributed to the "Unabomber."

Jan 23, 1957

GOP TURNAROUND. Born Again and Renewed Newt.

NYC DEMOCRAT MAYOR. Bloomberg Predicts.

NFL PLAYOFF. Down and Dirty Game.

UK TV PROMOTES. Abortions?

WARM WEATHER. Returns.

Slippery travel will be the weather warning into this evening and overnight. Some pockets of light snow, sleet, or freezing drizzle will continue into the evening. Temperatures will remain below freezing. As such, untreated surfaces will remain quite slippery into the overnight hours.

Authorities advise all that if traveling, make sure you exercise extreme caution and keep alert for slippery spots, especially on bridges and all elevated roadways.

The Associated Press along with several Television network have announced that Newt Gingrich as the winner of the South Carolina primary Saturday, just 10 days after a fifth-place finish in New Hampshire left the impression his candidacy was all but dead.

Some feel that Newt Gingrich's 40+ percent win over Mitt Romney's 20+ percent of the vote is an indication of the GOP's future. Since 1980, every South Carolina winner has won the party's nomination.

Shortly after returning to NYC following a trip, I am faced with our very first winter snow storm of the 2012 season. Thankfully it is finally beginning to wind down, although it was snowing in parts of City Island late this afternoon.

The storm has left behind several inches of snow. Residents should expect a total of 3-6 inches of accumulations by the early evening hours.

By late this afternoon, that snow turned into a wintry mix, with sleet and ice pellets making for dangerous driving conditions.