Snowstorm slows evening commute in New York City

NEW YORK - The first snowstorm of the season to hit the New York City area brought several inches of snow, slowing Thursday's evening commute to a crawl, after contributing to at least seven deaths as it swept across the country.From St. Louis to the South and into the Northeast, snow, freezing rain, and in some parts, sleet, made driving tricky and closed schools Thursday.In New York City, the wet snowfall and wind gusts Thursday downed numerous tree branches. Police advised people to stay indo