Best of the East

Best of the East is a monthly gallery that features some of the top photojournalism made by AP staff photographers and freelancers based in AP's 10-state U.S. East region.  

This month’s selection begins with a a single-engine aircraft crash into a building across the Merrimack River from Lawrence Municipal Airport in Methuen, Mass.

Outside Philadelphia, Bill Cosby attended a pre-trial hearing in his sexual assault case.

In New York’s Times Square, a Muslim man prayed during a rally against President Donald Trump’s executive order banning travel from seven Muslim-majority nations.

A rare visit to a salt mine in upstate New York and a routine professional hockey game in Newark, New Jersey yielded memorable daily life images.

In New York, the father 6-year-old Etan Patz, who disappeared on the way to a school bus stop 38 years ago, reacts after the second trial of Pedro Hernandez, convicted of killing the boy.

Celebrity appearances, both human and creature, happened in varied places such as Punxsutawney, Pa., Cambridge, Mass., and New York City.

Weather was a factor throughout the region, impacting millions of lives.

Lastly, a mix of sports images, New York fashion preparation, a circus performance and rail car defects rounds out this month’s diverse report.

This gallery was curated by Jacqueline Larma, Regional Photo Editor/East for the Associated Press.

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Firefighters investigate the scene after a single-engine aircraft crashed into a building across the Merrimack River from Lawrence Municipal Airport, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, in Methuen, Mass. According to police, the pilot of the home-built plane was killed, while no one in the building was hurt. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Bill Cosby arrives for a pretrial hearing in his sexual assault case at the Montgomery County Courthouse, Monday, Feb. 27, 2017, in Norristown, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

A man prays during a rally against President Donald Trump's executive order banning travel from seven Muslim-majority nations, in New York's Times Square, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

In this Jan. 27, 2017 photo, American Rock Salt Co. workers use hand scalers to remove loose roof material at the mine in Hampton Corners, N.Y. Deep below upstate New York’s farm country, workers in ghostly tunnels are praying for snow. Fiercer winters mean better business, longer hours and fatter paychecks at what’s billed as the nation’s most productive salt mine, which ships trainloads of snow-melting road salt to municipalities across the Northeast. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

Santiago Lopes, 3, of Newark, N.J., wears a goalie helmet as he watches action during the first period of an NHL hockey game between the New Jersey Devils and the Ottawa Senators, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Stan Patz, right, father of 6-year-old Etan Patz who disappeared on the way to the school bus stop 38 years ago, reacts after a news conference with Assistant District Attorney Joel Seidemann, following the second trial of Pedro Hernandez, whos convicted of killing the boy, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, in New York's Manhattan Supreme Court. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Singer Rihanna addresses an audience after being presented with the 2017 Harvard University Humanitarian of the Year Award during ceremonies, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, at the Sanders Theatre on the school's campus, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Uno, an American shorthaired cat, from Trenton, N.J., is seen during the meet the breeds companion event to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Rumor, a German shepherd, leaps to lick her handler and co-owner Kent Boyles on the face after winning Best in Show at the 141st Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, early Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Groundhog Club handler John Griffiths holds Punxsutawney Phil, the weather prognosticating groundhog, during the 131st celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa. Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017. Phil's handlers said that the groundhog has forecast six more weeks of winter weather. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

A make artist work on a model as her assistant light the model's face during the Brandon Maxwell show at the Fashion Week, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Kyle Mertz, of Emmaus, Pa., performs with a giant fishing hook during the 10th annual World Sword Swallower's Day at the Ripley's Believe it or Not!, Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, in New York's Times Square. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

Cyclist David Cassidy of Bangor, Maine, enjoys the moment after crossing the finish line in an 18-mile bike race at the Fat Tire Festival at the Sugarloaf ski resort, Saturday, Feb 11, 2017, in Carrabassett Valley, Maine. Riders had to endure heavy snowfall and 2 degree F temperatures as parts of New England get hit with another winter storm. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Icicles are formed on a street lamp as firefighters douse over an area at a large apartment complex, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2017, in Maplewood, N.J. Authorities said the fast-moving fire has destroyed most of the luxury apartment complex that was about to open to residents. Town officials said 235 units were planned for the complex overall, and roughly 30 of them were due to be ready for occupancy in about six weeks. AvalonBay, which owns the complex, faced a similar situation two years ago when a 240-unit apartment complex it operated in Edgewater was gutted by a massive blaze. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

A woman uses an umbrella to shield herself from falling snow while approaching the Hoboken PATH train terminal, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, in Hoboken, N.J. A powerful, fast-moving storm swept through the northeastern U.S. Thursday, making for a slippery morning commute and leaving some residents bracing for blizzard conditions. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

A man makes his way through wind and snow past the Oculus of the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, in New York. A powerful, fast-moving storm swept through the northeastern U.S. Thursday, making for a slippery morning commute and leaving some residents bracing for blizzard conditions. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Philadelphia 76ers' Robert Covington hangs on the rim after a dunk during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2017, in Philadelphia. San Antonio won 111-103. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Xavier's Quentin Goodin, right, passes against Villanova's Mikal Bridges (25) and Jalen Brunson, center, in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

A stylist trims a model's hair before the start of the Raf Simons men's collection runway show during Men's Fashion Week, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Acrobats perform in transparent balls hung from the rafters during the opening night show of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)

Trains makes their way along the Market-Frankford Line in Philadelphia, Monday, Feb. 6, 2017. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority took cars out for inspection after a crack was found on a main load-carrying beam on a Market-Frankford Line car during regularly scheduled vehicle overhaul work. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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