Jennifer Peltz

A Legionnaires’ disease outbreak on Manhattan’s Upper East Side has resulted in one death and at least 67 infections, with dozens hospitalized. Health officials are investigating cooling towers across more than 75 buildings after detecting Legionella bacteria, requiring affected buildings to clean and disinfect their systems. The disease, a severe form of pneumonia, poses heightened risk to older adults, smokers, and individuals with chronic health conditions. The source of the outbreak remains unknown.

A couple known for extreme rooftop climbing appeared in a New York court after scaling the Empire State Building’s broadcast antenna for a marriage proposal, leading to felony charges including reckless endangerment and burglary. Police intercepted them after powering down the antenna, citing risks to officers and evidence of a broken security lock. Both were released without bail under New York law. Their attorney said they would review the evidence and praised the proposal, while building management called the climb unauthorized.