Albany | featured news

SCHENECTADY - Firefighters extinguished a fire that damaged the back of a home on Brandywine Avenue on Tuesday.The fire at 514 Brandywine Ave., was reported shortly after noon. Firefighters stopped it from spready from the rear of the building and everyone was able to get out safely, Deputy Fire Chief Don Mareno said.

State Police arrested a Colorado man after they said they discovered he was driving drunk with a loaded AR-15 with several magazine and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

A 74-year-old Berlin man was sentenced to 15 years in state prison on Tuesday after pleading guilty to one count of a criminal sexual act, according to WRGB.

Several advocacy groups are opposing the National Grid rate hike plan that the utility recently hammered out with state regulators.The groups that oppose the rate settlement include the Alliance for a Green Economy, PUSH Buffalo, Acadia Center and Syracuse United Neighbors.

WATERVLIET - The city is dealing with a minor water-main break on Eighth Avenue.The break occurred south of 19th Street. Repairs will begin at noon.

Rep. Elise Stefanik has invited Sarah Pratt, the daughter of State Trooper Timothy Pratt to be her guest for President Donald Trump's State of the Union speech next month."I am humbled by the opportunity to host Sarah in our nation's Capital and know that she will greatly enjoy the opportunity to hear the President address the nation," Stefanik said.

NEW YORK (AP) — A beloved circus performer known as Grandma the clown has resigned from the Big Apple Circus following accusations that he pressured a 16-year-old aerialist to pose forpornographic photos.The circus's chairman, Neil Kahanovitz, told The New York Times on Tuesday that 65-year-old Barry Lubin offered his resignation on Friday shortly after the alleged victim came forward.

Toys R Us plans to close stores in Latham and Glens Falls, according to a list posted on USA TodayThe store that's targeted in Latham appears to be a Babies R Us on Wade Road extension.Toys R Us bought more time to decide how many of its 840 U.S. stores will close as it tries to get out of bankruptcy in time for the next holiday season.

The temperature plunged overnight, falling from the mid 40s on Tuesday to about 30 degrees around the area Wednesday morning.A flood advisory issued by the The National Weather Service in Albany is expected to end after 10 a.m. Wednesday.

WASHINGTON _ In voting Monday with stalwart progressives like Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., to keep the government shutdown going, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand solidified her position at the molten core of the Democratic Party’s left wing.With a likely slam-dunk re-election bid later this year and a 2020 presidential run perhaps beckoning, Gillibrand had little to lose in voting “no” on a Senate resolution to end the 69-hour shutdown.