Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – It’s a startling sight in downtown Albion with East Bank Street fenced off from Main to Platt Street.

The Village Board on Tuesday had an emergency meeting after the roof collapsed at 20 East Bank Street. The village hired Emergency Enclosures Inc. in Rochester for $10,000. That was the lowest of three bids for the fencing.

Albion will seek reimbursement of the cost from the owner of the building, Frank Corso, or his insurance company.

The roof fell through the third floor, which was unoccupied. The fallen roof prompted the evacuation of 15 tenants from the second floor apartments between 16 to 28 East Bank St., which is the tallest building in the photo.

An engineer will check the building to determine the soundness of the structure. Once that is known, the fencing could be restricted to a much smaller area or perhaps totally removed, said Tim McMurray, an Albion trustee.

The sidewalk on the north side of East Bank remains open while the fence is up.

The fencing is covering a large area of East Bank because the fall zone needs to be 1 ½ times the size of the building. (These photos were taken at about 8:20 p.m. Tuesday while the company put up the fence.)

The fenced-off area also includes the village’s municipal parking lot at the corner of East Bank Street and Platt Street.

Street closed to traffic, entire block of businesses off limits pending engineering inspection

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The south side of the East Bank Street block has been shut down after the roof collapsed at 20 East Bank St. this morning.

That roof was about 40 by 40 feet and fell about 12 feet on the third floor of the building. No one was injured.

Village code enforcement officer Chris Kinter required all 15 tenants in five apartments to leave the building, which goes from 16 East Bank to 28 East Bank. They will be staying at a hotel or with family, Kinter said.

The utilities have been turned off for the entire block on the southside, between Platt Street and Main Street with other businesses in that section temporarily closed pending an engineer’s report on the safety of the building where the roof collapse and also for the neighboring structures.

Kinter, the code officer, said the building’s owner, Frank Corso, is waiting on the engineer, a contractor and an insurance adjuster. Once they assess the building, more will be known including a timeline for when the street will be reopened.

Kinter said he anticipates a crane will be brought in to remove the caved-in roof.

Traffic on East Bank Street, between Main and Platt, is currently closed to traffic and might be until after the fallen in roof is removed and the building is deemed safe. The roof fell straight down and doesn’t seem to have pulled on the sides of the building, Kinter said.

Kinter said the ice and water weight from the melting snow was a factor in the main support beam giving out on the roof at about 6:30 this morning. Corso had been attempting to repair a smaller area of the roof since last week.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Jean Bogue, owner of Holistic Health Care at 25 East Bank St. in Albion, has expertise in natural health.

ALBION – Jean Bogue knows what is like to have lingering pain. In college, she was run over by a horse. Much later as an adult, she fell down the stairs at her home in Lyndonville.

She dealt with digestive issues and arthritis for years.

Bogue felt like medication wasn’t getting at the core issue of her problems. She researched and experimented with holistic health and she felt better and not just as a short-term fix.

Bogue has expanded her knowledge and is now a Certified Holistic Health Practitioner and Traditional Naturopath after completing a program through Trinity School of Natural Health. She has opened a business, Holistic Health Care, at 25 East Bank St. in Albion.

“This is about learning how to clean your system and balance your system to help your body over the years,” Bogue said. “Medications may only treat the symptoms and not get to the root cause of the health concern. You want to build up your health reserves and your system.”

Bogue works as a consultant and makes recommendations to aid in digestion, improve gut health, and help with inflammation, tiredness and anxiety.

Holistic Health Care does an initial consultation to go over a client’s present health concerns, information and history. This includes but is not limited to: saliva and urine testing, Muscle Response Testing (MRT), iris analysis and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) observation.

In a follow-up visit, Bogue does an analysis of potential strengths and weaknesses, foundational and supplemental recommendations, Bach Flower Remedy, and professional referrals as needed.

Jean Bogue of Lyndonville makes recommendations that can help people have better digestion, better gut balance and other ways to reduce inflammation and tiredness. She is shown in her office with a painting done by her husband, Nin Bogue.

She offers mineral heat lamp sessions, infrared therapy, Iris Analysis, Bach Flower Remedies and a healing harp.

The heat lamp and infrared therapy help with circulation and can reduce pain and inflammation. The Bach Flower Remedies can help balance emotional states, including fear and loneliness.

Bogue said biome balance strives for “gut balance” with a healthy community of microorganisms in the body. She can check the pH balance by measuring the acidity or alkalinity of body fluids. She can advise or what foods to add or take away to bring the pH into balance. The healing harp offers gentle vibrations to ease pain, anxiety and stress.

“I want to be build a bridge between the natural health people and the medical people,” she said.

Bogue has walk-in office hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday and Thursday. Her other hours are by appointment. Call her at 716-544-5307 for more information.

She charges $85 for the initial consultant and $45 for follow-up appointments. She offers discounts to first responders and veterans, and is willing to adjust her fees if people need a break.

Bogue said she wants to offer workshops for the public in the future.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The Albion Fire Department gets an aerial view of a building along East Bank Street. A large section of the roof collapsed this morning. These photos were taken at 10:45 a.m.

No one was hurt when the roof caved in onto the third floor, but tenants on the second floor were evacuated and sent to a hotel in Brockport.

The Albion Fire Department, Orleans County Emergency Management Agency, Albion code enforcement and other specialists are assessing the building for structural integrity.

The building is owned by Frank Corso and includes several storefronts and apartments.

Traffic is currently blocked off on East Bank Street between Main and Platt streets.

File photo by Tom Rivers:  The Rev. Dr. Don Algeo, pastor of the Gaines Congregational United Church of Christ, offers the benediction and a closing blessing during an Ash Wednesday service on Feb. 14, 2024 at the First Baptist Church of Albion. Algeo’s church on Route 104 in Gaines will be hosting a community Ash Wednesday service at 4 p.m. on Feb. 18.

Press Release, Albion Ministerium

ALBION — The Albion Ministerium, a longstanding collaboration among local churches, will hold an ecumenical Ash Wednesday service at 4 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Gaines Congregational Church, 14023 Ridge Road West.

Ministerium clergy members will be on hand for the imposition of ashes and prayer from 8 a.m. to 12 noon at Albion First Baptist Church, 30 West Park Street.

Starting February 25 at 12 noon, ONE Catholic will host the Ministerium’s annual Lenten Luncheon series at St. Joseph’s Lyceum, 114 South Main Street.

Soup, sandwiches and desserts are provided by the participating churches. The Ministerium provides beverages and table service. The hour-long gatherings include a brief devotional message from one of the clergy members, as well as a time of hymn-singing. They will occur five consecutive Wednesdays, from Feb. 25 through March 25.

There is no charge for the meal; a free will offering is collected to be used for luncheon supplies and other Ministerium events, such as the Albion High School Baccalaureate in June.

Luncheon attendees are welcome to park in the Albion First Baptist Church lot, adjacent to the Lyceum. A handicapped accessible lift is available at St. Joe’s.