New Hampshire

5 People Diagnosed with Legionnaires' Disease in New Hampshire After Possible Exposure to Cooling Tower

Published

2 years ago

August 14, 2024

5 People Diagnosed with Legionnaires' Disease in New Hampshire After Possible Exposure to Cooling Tower

Five people in New Hampshire have developed Legionnaires’ disease after possibly being exposed to contaminated water droplets from a cooling tower.

The bacterial pneumonia, which is caused by inhaling water droplets contaminated with Legionella bacteria, was found in five people between June and July, said the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in a press release on Monday, Aug 12.

An investigation showed that all five individuals may have been exposed to water droplets from a cooling tower behind the RiverWalk Resort in the downtown area of Lincoln, N.H., that tested positive for the bacteria.

“RiverWalk is partnering with DHHS to address the contamination, with additional test results for the cooling tower expected next week,” the press release said.

The resort also confirmed in a statement that they are “working very closely with state officials” to remediate the situation.

Legionnaires’ disease.

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“Upon discovery, our team immediately took the necessary corrective action to kill any residual bacteria per the state’s guidelines. Based on our engineer’s preliminary tests performed this morning, Tuesday, August 13, remediation appears to have been successful,” their statement posted on Facebook read.

According to NBC News, four of the five infected people were initially hospitalized and later discharged. All five individuals have recovered from the disease, per the outlet.

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) noted in its press release that because the cooling tower is “still in operation while remediation is ongoing, there may continue to be some risk of exposure to the public, especially for people within a half-mile of its location.”

New Hampshire State Epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan advised that people who have visited the area near the contaminated cooling tower should monitor themselves for symptoms.

Legionnaires’ disease.

Getty

“People who develop fever or other symptoms of pneumonia within 14 days after spending time in this area should talk to their healthcare provider about testing for Legionella infection,” Chan said in a statement included in the press release.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Legionnaires’ disease usually develops two to 10 days after exposure to Legionella bacteria, with an infected individual examining symptoms such as a headache and muscle aches.

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By the second or third day, additional symptoms can include a cough, shortness of breath, and chest pain, per the Mayo Clinic.

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New Hampshire

N.H. woman accused of civil rights violation after allegedly shooting at lost man because he was Black

Published

11 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

N.H. woman accused of civil rights violation after allegedly shooting at lost man because he was Black

Local News

Diane Durgin, 67, is accused of shooting at a Black man who inadvertently drove to her property after a prearranged truck part sale, prosecutors said.

A New Hampshire woman is accused of violating the state’s Civil Rights Act four times after she allegedly shot at a man because he was Black, prosecutors said.

Diane Durgin, 67, of Weare, N.H. could face up to a $5,000 fine for each violation she is found to have committed, the office of New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella said in a press release Tuesday.

Durgin is also charged with criminal threatening against a person with a deadly weapon and attempted first degree assault with a deadly weapon, Michael Garrity, a media representative for the New Hampshire Attorney General, said in an emailed statement to Boston.com.

Durgin had a final pre-trial conference last week, Garrity said.

In a civil complaint filed Tuesday, Durgin is accused of threatening physical force against the victim, the AG said. Prosecutors asked the court to issue a preliminary injunction barring Durgin from repeating her alleged behavior and from contacting the victim and his family.

During the morning hours of Oct. 20, 2024, the victim claims, he “mistakenly” drove to Durgin’s home after a prearranged purchase of a truck part with a seller online, prosecutors wrote as part of their request for an injunction.

When the man — whom prosecutors identified in court documents as X.G. — arrived, Durgin allegedly stepped out of her home and approached his car with a gun “holstered by her waist,” prosecutors wrote.

Upon noticing that X.G. was Black, Durgin allegedly “removed her gun and pointed it at X.G.,” prosecutors said in the injunction request.

While X.G. explained that he was lost, Durgin called the victim a “Black mother[expletive],” and threatened to “kill him,” prosecutors allege.

As the victim attempted to drive away, Durgin allegedly took her gun and fired two shots at the fleeing man’s car, missing both times, the AG’s office said.

While on the phone with a dispatcher, Durgin allegedly said she shot the man’s car because the victim is Black, the AG said.

“The guy is Black. And he, he…he says he’s meeting someone here and I think he’s coming here to steal,” Durgin allegedly said.

Police located X.G. and brought him to the Weare Police Department, stopping along the way at the correct seller’s home to complete the truck part purchase, prosecutors wrote in court documents.

To prove a violation of the New Hampshire Civil Rights Act, the AG must show that Durgin “interfered or attempted to interfere with the rights of the victim to engage in lawful activities by threatening to engage in or actually engage in physical force or violence, when such actual or threatening conduct was motivated by race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, or disability,” prosecutors said.

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New Hampshire

Up to 4 inches of snow expected in NH tonight. See latest forecast

Published

23 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Up to 4 inches of snow expected in NH tonight. See latest forecast

It may be March, but winter in New Hampshire is far from over. Just one week after a blizzard tore through the state with heavy snow and high winds, the state is getting another round of snowfall.

The state will get three to five inches during the evening and night of Tuesday, March 3, says the National Weather Service (NWS) of Gray, Maine. While the accumulation will not be significant, the snowfall may cause dangerous road conditions and a layer of ice on the ground in certain parts of the state.

Here’s what to know before tonight’s snow in New Hampshire, including snow totals and timing.

When will it snow in NH tonight?

According to the NWS, it will start snowing in New Hampshire during mid-afternoon or early evening and continue through the night. Specifically, snow will arrive to the southern part of the state around 2-3 p.m., spreading northwards through the rest of New Hampshire by 5 p.m.

Rain or freezing rain will mix in later this evening across southern New Hampshire, creating a wintry mix. All precipitation should move out of the state by midnight.

Due to the timing of today’s snowfall, the Tuesday evening commute will be affected, with the NWS warning to slow down and exercise caution while driving.

How much snow will NH get tonight?

New Hampshire will get one to four inches of snow tonight, with one to two inches in northern New Hampshire, two to three inches in southern New Hampshire and three to four inches in the center of the state, with the possibility for five inches in localized areas.

In the Seacoast specifically, Portsmouth, Rye, Hampton and York are expected to get between two to three inches of snow, while Dover, Exeter and Rochester may get up to four.

The wintry mix may also cause a light glaze of ice across southern New Hampshire.

NH weather watches and warnings

The NWS has issued a winter weather advisory for the state of New Hampshire, in effect from 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3 through 4 a.m. on Wednesday, March 4.