Sylvie Cachay Death Ruled Homicide; Cathie Black Waiver Upheld; Blizzards Head West

• The death of Sylvie Cachay, the swimsuit designer found dead in a bathtub at the Soho House in early December, has been ruled a homicide — she was killed “by a combination of strangulation and drowning.” Her ex-boyfriend Nick Brooks has been charged with the crime. [NYP]

• The luckiest of the people stranded by cancelled flights and airport closings were those who knew how to tweet, apparently. If you got a new flight that way, kudos — you’re one in like 8 percent of people who know what that little bird can do, and you’re probably online right now! [NYT]

• What we’ve lost (in New York institutions) this year — newsstands, Coney Island, St. Vincents, and more. [Jeremiah’s]

• The city won’t be able to put up gross signs of decayed teeth or lungs at wherever you happen to buy your cigarettes. A judge determined yesterday that only the federal government can dictate those warnings. [SILive]

• Cathie Black’s waiver to become the next New York City schools chancellor was upheld by state supreme court. Her first day on the job, officially, is Monday. [NY1]

• A man has been living in an East Village snowpile next to a Starbucks for the last few days. [EV Grieve]

• Blizzard-apalooza hits the West Coast. [ABC]

[JDoll]