N.Y. Today: 18 Days, 20 Lives: New Yorkers Who Didn’t Survive the Cold

February 16, 2026

Anna Watts for The New York Times

18 Days, 20 Lives: New Yorkers Who Didn’t Survive the Cold

Freezing days and nights claimed the lives of a grandmother, a dancer, a dispatcher and a man who lived among a colony of feral cats.

By Andy Newman, Nate Schweber, Mihir Zaveri, Shayla Colon and Elizabeth A. Harris

How a Family of 4 Lives on $168,000 in East Elmhurst, Queens

Erika Fernandez-Pacheco and her husband, Manuel Pacheco, have a kind landlord and parents who can babysit. They try to take one big family vacation each year.

By Eliza Shapiro

Manhattan’s Only Wild Turkey Has Her Own Entourage

Astoria, first spotted in Queens last spring, is now a resident of Lower Manhattan, where three devoted women watch over her.

By Dodai Stewart

A woman with a dark dress on poses next to a dresser with three drawers removed that shows an opening in the floor.

In the East Village, Hiding in Plain Sight: A Secret Passage to the Underground Railroad

A passageway hidden below a dresser at the Merchant’s House Museum had long been a mystery. Then researchers learned that the home’s original builder was an abolitionist.

By Remy Tumin

A close-up of a person’s hand holding a cellphone. On the screen is an image of a smiling Michelle Montgomery.

Woman Apparently Crushed by Trash Compactor in Building, Police Say

The medical examiner’s office is investigating the cause of death of Michelle Montgomery, 39, whose remains were found two weeks ago in a public housing building in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

By Maia Coleman

Todd Snyder poses in front of racks of men’s jackets, wearing a black blazer and shirt, and blue jeans.

How the Designer Todd Snyder Gets Ready for New York Fashion Week

The menswear leader sketches over French fries, then dashes to the office to see one of his favorite models bring dozens of his looks to life.

By Addie Morfoot

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