tornadoes across parts of the south. new covid records. omicron surges as america prepares for a new year's celebration. plus, the state department warning for americans thinking of an international getaway. tiger attack aftermath. naples zoo reopens as prosecutors mull charges against the man who reached into the tiger's enclosure. and "on the road." how a michigan dad's idea got the kids out of the house and on to the ice. >> this is the "cbs evening news" with norah o'donnell reporting from the nation's capital. >> garrett: good evening, everyone. thank you for joining us. i'm major garrett in for norah. we leave 2021 with some echoes of 2020-- rising covid cases and scaled-down new year's eve celebrations. there's one big difference, though-- vaccines have made a difference and reduced risk. it's already 2022 in some parts of the world, of course, and in a few hours, new york city will greet the new year with a traditional ball drop, but a smaller crowd than originally planned. we start tonight where we must-- with the death of an american tv icon, betty white. white died today at her home in los angeles days before her 100th birthday. earlier this week, white tweeted about her upcoming "people" magazine cover, celebrating her centennial, writing, "i'm so lucky to be in such good health and feel so good at this age." fans have already begun placing flowers on her star on hollywood's walk of fame. cbs' bill whitaker shows us the many ways in which betty white made us laugh. >> maryann. it's betty white. >> reporter: betty white's career spanned decades from the 30s until now. >> i never go away. >> reporter: betty marion white was born in 1922 in oak park, illinois. she first appeared on an experimental tv station in los angeles in 1939, hosting a live variety show in 1949, and starring in sitcoms in the 1950s. >> what's so terrible about spiders? >> tell him, honey. >> they go don. >> ing. >> reporter: in the 60s she hosted the tournament of roses parade and appeared on almost every game show you can think of, including "password" where she met and married her longtime love, the late allen ludden. then came the role that was made for her. mary tyler moore even said, "we need someone who can play sick ninningly sweet like betty white." white played sue ann nivens, sickeningly sweet on the outside, and snemming, conniving, lustful, hilarious on the inside. >> did you crash the men's room? >> of course not! i went as somebody's guest. ( laughter ). >> reporter: she was so good as sue ann, with two emmy awards, that she was offered much the same role in "the golden girls," the sassy, man-hungry blanche. but the director changed her to the opposite, the sweet, naive rose. >> i got him a golf club. ( laughter ) don't tell him. it's a surprise. ( laughter ). >> reporter: but betty white didn't really become america's senior citizen sweetheart until a candy bar commercial in 2010. >> you're playing like can the we out there. >> that's not what your girlfriend said. >> reporter: suddenly, america couldn't get enough of white, a sweet old lady with a naughty, raunchy side. thanks to hundreds of thousands of fans on facebook, white became the oldest host on "saturday night live" at age 88. >> i didn't know what facebook was. ( laughter ) and now that i do know what it is, i have to say, it sounds like a huge waste of time. ( laughter ) ( applause ) >> reporter: she ended up starring in the sitcom "hot in cleveland," which once reunited her with her old costars. >> hello! looks like she made it after all. you're never too old for anything. well, maybe some things, but... ( laughs ). >> reporter: betty white was never old at all. bill whitaker, cbs news, los angeles. >> garrett: tonight, president biden remembered betty white as a "cultural icon," who brought a smile to the lips of generations of americans. "cbs sunday morning" will take an in-depth look at betty white's remarkable life and career. now to colorado and wildfires that destroyed as many as 1,000 homes and forced tens of thousands to evacuate. satellite images show housing development in the town of superior. more than 100 homes there were reduced to ash. marissa armas from our cbs denver station,s kcnc, is on the scene in louisville, colorado. >> reporter: a combination of hurricane-force winds and wildfires left a trail of devastation across parts of boulder county, colorado. wind gust evidence more than 100 miles per hour fueled the flames, destroying everything in its path, including nearly 1,000 homes. >> there are ashes in the sky and fire in the ground. so pretty scary. >> reporter: a scary scene at this costco store shows shoppers evacuating into the store's parking lot. >> i can't get this door open. >> reporter: inside this chickee cheese, panicked parents and children rushed for the exits as large clouds of smoke rush in but struggled for a few seconding to get the doors open due to the strong winds. >> go,s go! >> reporter: they eventually made it out. >> god help us. >> reporter: this colorado driver narrowly avoided running straight into flames on a highway. firefighters tried to battle the massive complams of flames, but it was moving too fast. >> the last 24 hours have been devastating. >> reporter: today, governor jared polis toured the area and described the fire as a disaster in fast motion. >> this is our community, and to watch it burn so quickly, so unexpectedly, is something that i think we're all just struggling to believe and understand. >> holy cow. >> reporter: more than 30,000 residents were directed to evacuate. as residents ake their way to their neighborhoods, all that's left is complete devastation. the fire is believed to have started after high winds toppled power lines and transformers. josh mitchell's home was burned to the ground. he facetimed with his family to show them the devastation. >> we're all in it together. glad everybody is safe. i'm just... , you know, we'll rebuild. >> reporter: and here's a look at another home that's completely gone. it's pretty much just a hole in the ground. the basement is filled with debris. one of the only things still standing is this fireplace. and just a couple of hours ago, it started snowing again, but you can say one day too late. major. >> garrett: kcnc's marissa armas, thank you. severe weather is threatening millions as we start the new year. and cbs' lonnie quinn joins us with the forecast. lonnie, good evening. >> reporter: well, good evening, major. you know, the severe weather risk you're talking about hasn't formed yet. i'm watching this line of light rain, from texas into arkansas. that is going to intensify. so much so that we think by midnight, okay, you're ringing in the new year, the risk of potential for severe weather anywhere northeast of dallas towards nashville, tennessee, and as you work your way into sunday. i mean, now you're look at severe weather in the nashville, tennessee, valley area. that could be strong enough to spark a tornado. snow is falling anywhere from detroit to chicago. then that snow will make its way to memphis by the time you get to sunday. today, memphis, 70, sunday you're look at snowfall. houston on saturday is 87. baltimore 65. by sunday, houston is going to be dropping down to 52 for a high temperature, a 35-degree drop. baltimore, though, look at that, hasn't really budged at all because the cold air hasn't gotten there yet. the east coast, you tap into that big temperature drop by the time you get to monday. that's our weather picture as we kick off the new year. major, it's all yours. >> garrett: with all the details, lonnie quinn, thanks so much. the u.s. is ending the year with a record number of new covid cases, more than 2.5 million in the past week. 568,000 new infections were reported just yesterday. cbs' nancy chen is in new york's times square where the big new year's celebration is it just a bit smaller. nancy, good evening. >> reporter: major, good evening to you. average daily new cases in new york have increased nearly five-fold in just two weeks. but the show guilty on here tonight in times square, though, with a much smaller crowd than usual. >> happy new year! >> reporter: with the hope of a new year and the crossroads of the world, a scaled back celebration in times square, with everyone vaccinated and masked. as new hospitalizations from covid have more than doubled in one week in new york city, 15,000 revelers are gathering to watch the iconic ball crop. about 25% of the crowd in year's past. >> you just think a little bit more risk, and go out and try to celebrate it. >> reporter: and as omicron surges across the country, many cities are readjusting their celebrations at the advice of public health officials, like dr. dave chokshi. where is new york right now in this surge? >> it's been a difficult few weeks,s and, unfortunately, we have a tough few weeks ahead of us as well. >> reporter: atlanta and san francisco scrapped their new year's eve plans. las vegas and chicago are still moving forward. >> since it's outdoors and we're spacing people out, we have some confidence. >> reporter: 15 states are seeing record new case counts. the united states reported more than two million coronavirus cases in one week, breaking yet another record. and as holiday vacations wrap up, the f.a.a. warned today of more travel troubles. workers continue to test positive, disrupting flights. >> hopefully we can make this one coming up. >> delayed again. >> delayed again. >> reporter: more than 1,500 flights were canceled today. meanwhile, the state department is warning people traveling abroad may face unexpected challenges while trying to return to the u.s. and should make contingency plans. a bumpy start to a new year that public health experts hope will get smoother. >> we all have to dig deep, muster our energy and will, and i have a deep conviction and a belief that we will get through this. >> reporter: now, there is also a hopeful sign from south africa. a month after the omicron variant was first reported there, officials are seeing a decrease in cases, suggesting that the peak in the surge has now passed. the country also saw far fewer deaths than in previous outbreaks, major. >> garrett: still ahead, the states where workers are getting a new year's raise. and a top zoo official speaks out after a tragic tiger attack. ? 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tell your kid to come outside and go ice skating," you know. >> reporter: it's not really if you built buildit they will come. it's if you build it and go harass some families,s they will come. >> that's true as well. they're coming, that's for certain. >> reporter: in droves. scott chittle's side yard became the place to be. the dark winter that was suddenly springing with joy for children and parents alike. >> none of these kids have electronics in their hands. >> it's amazing. >> it is amazing. >> reporter: since we stirs told this story in february, the rink has grown, considerably. >> very much so. last year i was 3,000 square feet, and this year, i'm 5,000 square feet. >> reporter: he also has a new skate sharpener, ice grooming equipment, and a lighting system, all donated by companies who saw our story and wanted to help. >> it's been unbelievable. it's the best thing i've ever done. >> hot dogs! >> reporter: you know, when scott's inner voice told him to build that rink, he had no idea what he was really creating. but now it's clear. for those who come, the sounds and smells and smiles of this winter will be forever lasting, an iconic memory, the kind children need to cherish their childhoods. >> we all know that you got to provide for your kids, but somehow you gotta give them some magic every now and again ( voice breaking ) it doesn't get any better than that. >> reporter: for child and parent. steve hartman, cbs news, "on the road." >> garrett: we'll be right back. huh. is that true? 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[upbeat acoustic music throughout] some people have joint pain, plus have high blood pressure. they may not be able to take just anything for pain. that's why doctors recommend tylenol®. it won't raise blood pressure the way that advil® aleve® or motrin® sometimes can. for trusted relief, trust tylenol®. the nation," margaret's guests include former f.d.a. commissioner scott gottlieb and january 6 committee members liz cheney and adam schiff. if you can't watch us live, don't forget to set your dvr so you can watch us later. that is tonight's "cbs evening news." for norah o'donnell, i'm major garrett in the nation's capitol. before we go, we'd like to take a moment to thank the journalists from around the world who helped put this broadcast on the air night after night during yet another challenging year. from all of us at cbs news, happy new year. ♪ should old acquaintance be forgot ♪ and never brought to mind ♪ should old acquaintance be forgot and auld lang syne ♪ for auld lang syne, my dear for auld lang syne ♪ for auld lang syne. >> 10, nine, eight, seven, 6, five, four, three, two, one. ♪ should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind ♪ should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne. ♪ auld lang syne, my dear for auld lang syne ♪ we'll take a cup of kindness yet for auld lang syne ♪ for auld lang syne, my dear for auld lang syne ♪ we'll take a cup of kindness yet for auld lang syne ♪ happy new year, baby . >> does anybody really know the words? ( laughing ) might as well sing along. ♪ happy new year, baby happy new year, baby. ♪ should auld acquaintance be forgot ♪ and never brought to mind should auld acquaintance are forgot ♪ happy new year to you and your friends ♪ and have a drink on me >> 10, nine, captioning sponsored by cbs eight, seven, six five, four, t >> judge judy: when was the last time you had a place of your own? >> um, 2004. >> announcer: a boyfriend who can't settle down. >> after we moved in together, i ended up losing my job, and i just felt like everything went downhill after that. >> judge judy: you just left? >> yes. >> judge judy: leaving the pregnant dog? >> yes. >> announcer: then he left his ex high and dry. >> i had to end up busting the door open because the dog was in there. she had the babies already. >> judge judy: you can't leave somebody else to clean up your mess. >> announcer: "judge judy." you are about to enter the courtroom of you are about to enter the courtroom of judge judith sheindlin. captions paid for by cbs television distribution tiara spencer is suing her former live-in boyfriend, angel carrillo, for unpaid rent and for damage to their apartment caused by his dog. >> byrd: order! all rise! this is case number 246 on the calendar in the matter of spencer vs. carrillo. >> judge judy: thank you. >> byrd: you're welcome, judge. parties have been sworn in. you may be seated. >> judge judy: ms. spencer, the defendant was your boyfriend. it is your claim that he owes you some money for rent. >> yes. >> judge judy: i have some preliminary questions for you. in what month and year did you sign this lease with mr. carrillo? >> february 1, 2015. >> judge judy: and where had you been living prior to that? >> an apartment. it's called the santa fe apartments. >> judge judy: with whom? >> myself. >> judge judy: how long did you live in the santa fe apartments? >> for 15 months. >> judge judy: and what was your rent in the santa fe apartments? >> $700. >> judge judy: and, mr. carrillo, where did you stay prior to signing this lease in february of 2014? >> i was staying with my family, with my grandfather. >> judge judy: how old are you? >> 37. >> judge judy: when was the last time you had a place of your own? >> i was living in new york before i moved out here. >> judge judy: in what year? >> 2004. >> judge judy: so since 2004, you've been living with relatives? >> yes. >> judge judy: and you're still living there? >> no. >> judge judy: who are you living with now? >> now i'm staying with a friend. >> judge judy: do you work? >> no. >> judge judy: why?