Good morning, Albany.

Fire crews battled a deadly blaze Monday morning at a house on Twiller Street in Albany that left five people dead including three children—fire spread to two neighboring homes and caused significant property damage.

Albany Fire Chief Joseph Gregory said his team has completed immediate rescue efforts, and a vigil was held Tuesday at 7 p.m.

A Capital Region bookstore is moving its store within a popular Guilderland open-air plaza and will soon settle between Sur La Table and Athleta—returning to its former site from the 1980s.

The move will place the store closer to The Lawn to boost book events and signings.

The downtown Hattie’s reopens this week as Hattie’s Culinary Lab Powered by SEAT Center and will serve dinner on Thursday and Friday at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. — Students work in both kitchen and service roles to learn real-world culinary skills while the program supports hands-on training.

The Empire State Youth Orchestra and Albany Symphony invite student and community musicians to perform together in the 'Symphony Side by Side' event at MVP Arena on October 13—instrumentalists must RSVP by October 3 and vocalists by October 10 with doors opening at 12:30 p.m. The orchestra will also launch its 2025-2026 Season of RISE on October 25 at Proctors Theatre—featuring a world premiere and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4.

Artist Len Tantillo completed a commissioned painting titled 'Late for Practice' that reimagines Albany’s Guild House with a new Elk Street entrance to support its $5M restoration — the work was unveiled at an event attended by donors and local officials.

Limited-edition prints will be sold to raise funds for the project.

For more than a decade, schools have reduced librarian staffing as districts use teachers and aides to run libraries.

Some schools even close libraries—converting them into classrooms—to meet space needs, a change that has raised concerns about student access to quality resources.

GE Aerospace Foundation, UAlbany, miSci and NY Creates launched the Next Engineers program in New York Capital Region to offer hands-on learning for students aged 13 to 18 with design challenges, career coaching and college-readiness workshops starting in early 2026.

The program aims to reach 4,000 students over four years (supporting local high-tech growth) and builds on GE Aerospace’s long legacy of innovation.

Assemblymember Phil Steck presented a $25,000 grant to Higher Horizons Development Corporation last Friday to expand its food security, workforce development and youth programs across the Capital Region.

The funds will help strengthen services that provided food and mentoring to over 2,000 individuals and more than 500 households last year — supporting a stronger community network.

The University at Albany football team will host its annual Pink Game at 1:00 p.m. on November 8 against Bryant to support the American Cancer Society, and donors who give $50 will have a Tribute Helmet displayed (donations must be submitted by October 22).

University at Albany field hockey's Emma Peeters and Jette Kurz were honored Tuesday by America East—Peeters was named Defensive Player of the Week after making ten saves in shutout wins against Maine and Colgate while Kurz was named Rookie of the Week after scoring two goals.

The Great Danes will play at Bryant on Friday and host Northeastern on October 12.

TV Doctors Live at Lark Hall

6-9 p.m. — Lark Hall — Free entry — Experience a psychedelic jazz trio blending funk, reggae, and contemporary jazz with improvisational flair.

Albany Midnight Mile Vampire Run

10 PM – 3 AM — Albany, NY — Tickets on sale now — Experience a thrilling vampire-themed fun run under the moonlight.

Psychedelic Furs Concert

8:00 – 9:30 PM — Palace Theatre — Ticket prices vary — Catch the iconic Psychedelic Furs live in a great local venue.

The EBlock Featuring Glass Pony and Victory Soul Orchestra

8:00-9:30 p.m. — Lark Hall — Ticket info not provided — Experience an electrifying night of soul, funk, and rock with some of Albany's best local bands.

Drake White Concert

8-9:30 p.m. — Empire Live — Tickets from $39 — Experience the energetic performance of Drake White at a local favorite venue.

Nate's Playlist Live Performance

6-8 p.m. — The Eleven — Free entry — Experience the debut performance of Nate's Playlist in an inviting local venue.

Stardew Valley - Symphony of Seasons

8:00-9:30 p.m. — Palace Theatre — Cost not specified — Experience a musical journey through the beloved world of Stardew Valley with a live orchestra performance.

Hilltop Halloween Bash

8-9:30 p.m. — Lark Hall — Free entry for early show — Enjoy a night of funk rock with Hilltop and Red Meat Conspiracy at Lark Hall's festive Halloween event.

Day of the Deadbeats Concert

8-9:30 p.m. — Lark Hall — Tickets available — Relive the Grateful Dead vibes with an award-winning tribute band delivering a unique musical experience.

From Ashes To New Concert

7-8:30 p.m. — Empire Live — Tickets from $46 — Experience the high-energy performance of From Ashes To New in Albany, NY.