‘I’ve enjoyed all these years with the patients. It’s hard to say good bye.’

Photos by Tom Rivers: Dr. Mark Rumble is retiring at the end of this month after 37 years as dentist in Albion. He said he is happy he has worked in a small-town environment for his career.

ALBION – A dentist will be retiring the end of April after providing dental care to the Albion community for 37 years.

Dr. Mark Rumble said he has enjoyed his career in Albion, forming many friendships with his patients over the years. He didn’t want to be in a big practice where he said it’s a less personal environment.

“I’ve enjoyed all these years with the patients,” Rumble said Monday at his office in the Arnold Gregory Office Building. “It’s hard to say good bye.”

Rumble is a native of Randolph in Cattaraugus County. It is a smaller community than Albion. Rumble in 1986 bought the practice of the late Dr. David Hesek. After he died of cancer, Rumble was helping out at the practice. Hesek’s widow encouraged him to buy the practice and Rumble agreed, choosing Albion over a practice in Rochester.

“I’m from a small town,” he said. “I’m still a small-town guy. It’s been a good fit.”

Rumble has three operatories at 243 S. Main St., suite 121. He has embraced technology with the latest advances in digital and ceramic technology, including a CEREC machine, soft tissue laser and digital X-rays.

Rumble said he tries to use humor and compassion to make what can be a stressful and scary time for patients a bit easier. He also has lots of plants in the office to make it feel more comfortable for the patients.

He praised his staff for their dedication. That includes Jennifer Fitzwater as the dental assistant, Sue Flanagan as the hygienist, and Terry O’Brien as the front desk manager.

“It’s gone by quick,” Rumble said about the 37 years. “You establish a relationship over the years. The small-town patients, they are just nicer. I feel like I fit in.”

Dr. Jeremy Brandwein will be taking over as the dentist in Albion at Dr. mark Rumble’s practice. Brandwein has been working with Rumble since January. “He is very friendly,” Rumble said about Brandwein. “He is great with the patients. His personality fits right in.”

Dr. Jeremy Brandwein will take over as the dentist at Rumble’s practice. Brandwein, 31, has been working with Rumble since January.

Brandwein is a Queens native. His wife is from Toronto. They live in Rochester as a halfway point between their families.

Brandwein earned his dental degree at Touro College of Dental Medicine in Valhalla in 2021. He was networking in Rochester among dentists, and he was encouraged to meet Rumble. The word was out in the Rochester dental community that Rumble was retiring.

Brandwein said he has enjoyed the past three months with Rumble and the Albion community. Even though he is a New York City native, Brandwein said he prefers working in a smaller practice in a smaller community.

“In a big city, it’s high volume,” he said. “People are people and you want to help people wherever they are. Here it’s about bringing a quality of care and a personal touch.”

Rumble said Brandwein has already made a smooth transition to Albion.

“He is very friendly,” Rumble said. “He’s great with the patients. His personality fits right in.”

Brandwein is accepting new patients.

With Rumble’s retirement, he will be the last of his contemporaries to retire in Albion. For many years in his career the other dentists in town included Dr. Karl Heuer, Dr. Don Bishop and Dr. A.J. Monacelli. They have all retired. Rumble said the four enjoyed a good working relationship among each other.

He is looking to the next stage in his life.

“I’m getting tired of Western New York winters,” he said. “I’m leaving to go to warmer shores.”

Press Release, Mercy Flight EMS

Photo by Tom Rivers: Mercy Flight EMS has been operating COVA ambulance based out of Albion and Hamlin since mid-November.

ALBION – A process that began nearly six months ago to the day has culminated in a successful expansion of territory for Mercy Flight EMS.

As of Friday, March 31, upon approval by the NYS Department of Health, Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance’s (COVA’s) Certificate of Need was officially transferred to Mercy Flight EMS. This allows the nonprofit to operate ground ambulance service in all of Orleans County and the Town of Hamlin, in addition to its existing territories of Genesee and Niagara Counties, and the Town of Concord and Village of Springville in Erie County.

“Until last Friday we’ve been operating in Orleans County and the Town of Hamlin under an agreement with COVA that allowed us to hire all of their former employees and staff their ambulances,” said Scott Wooton, Mercy Flight’s Executive Vice President. “Now, we can continue to provide high-quality, nonprofit EMS services in these particular municipalities in our own right.”

Operationally it is a “cosmetic change” as Mercy Flight looks to add its branding to the COVA ambulances and outfit the former COVA employees in Mercy Flight EMS uniforms, Wooton said. “But as an organization, it validates what we aim to do and the manner in which we try to do it,’” he said. “We believe that patient-focused, compassionate, nonprofit ambulance service can thrive, even in rural communities where limited access to healthcare can be a major risk factor for residents.”

Mercy Flight’s agreement with COVA was effective at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13. Mercy Flight will provide ground ambulance service under COVA’s NYS Department of Health “Certificate of Need,” said Scott P. Wooton, executive vice president and treasurer for COVA.

Mercy Flight President Margaret Ferrentino adds, “We’d like to thank the Big Lakes and Monroe-Livingston Regional EMS Councils as well as the NYS DOH Bureau of EMS for their work and diligence during the application process. Just as importantly, we’d like to recognize COVA for over 40 years of dedicated service to their community and their efforts to ensure that the residents of Central Orleans County experienced no lapse in ambulance coverage. We are really proud to have been able to hire COVA’s dedicated employees and pick up the torch that they’d been carrying for over four decades.”

Editor’s Note: Mercy Flight EMS started officially operating COVA on Nov. 15, 2022. That includes the operations in Orleans County based in Albion and in Hamlin, Monroe County. COVA has about 16-20 employees working out of the COVA base in Albion, and about 15 out of Hamlin.

Six towns in central and eastern Orleans have a contract with Monroe Ambulance to provide ambulance services in Orleans during 2023 for $181,200. Monroe will start on April 16 with two dedicated ambulances to eastern/central Orleans County.

ALBION – Today is the deadline for candidates to submit petitions to run for a trustee spot on the Hoag Library board of trustees.

Petitions signed by at least 25 adults in the library’s services area – towns of Barre, Albion, Gaines and Carlton – need to be submitted to the circulation desk by 7 p.m. today.

The position open is the trustee post currently filled by Joyce Riley.

The election will be May 1 from noon to 7 p.m. with results announced at the Hoag Library annual meeting.

Photos by Marsha Rivers

ALBION – It was a near full house with more than 75 people attending the concert Saturday at Hoag Library.

Kinloch Nelson, a professional musician who plays the fingerstyle guitar, performed for the crowd at the Hoag.

 The library started a new series with concerts played the first Saturday each month at noon. The new series is the brainchild of Jim Doyle, an adult reference librarian at the library. He joined Hoag in October. He also has been running Jim’s Guitar Studio for 23 years in Albion, and is a founding member of the Rochester Guitar Club.

“We wanted to bring in people who haven’t performed in Orleans County before,” Doyle said. “I think the community is hungry for music and the arts.”

The next concert will be at noon on May 6, featuring Ricardo Saeb.

The concerts are free to the public with support from the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council and Friends of Hoag Library.

Kinloch Nelson gave a high-level performance on Saturday at Hoag Library.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Barry Hebrank, left, of Main Street Winery in Arcade serves up samples of a green apple wine to Jennifer Ingersoll, right, and her best friend Kelly Froman.

They are inside the Downtown Browsery, one of 14 stops in the Albion Merchants Association’s annual Sip N’ Stroll. More than 300 people were part of the wine-tasting tour.

“I see people I haven’t seen in a while,” Froman said about all the people walking throughout the downtown. There were also stops at Dubby’s Tailgate and the Arnold Gregory Complex.

Darian Papia serves Niagara wine from Viscarra Vineyards in Gasport to Julie Sanford of Albion. They are inside Arnold’s Auto Parts.

“I like to support the community and see everybody having fun,” Sanford said.

The souvenir glasses celebrated the lift bridges in Albion.

Sip N’ Stroll is the biggest fundraiser for the Albion Merchants Association, which uses proceeds for other events and community projects.

Randy Schell of the Iron Smoke Distillery in Fairport serves bourbon, whiskey and whiskey crème in the back of the Toyz N Kandy store on Bank Street.

Megan Marisa of the Blue Barn Cidery in Hilton serves a white peach mango jam to Jonpaulette Boyce and Jeannie Olsen, right, both of Albion. They are inside the Gotta Dance Studio.

Olsen said she enjoyed sampling the wines with her friends and family.

“It’s a fun night out,” Boyce said.

Photos and article courtesy of Albion Central School

ALBION – The school district broke ground on its capital improvement project Tuesday morning as construction is set to begin on the campus-wide upgrades.

Students Javier Lopez, Charlotte Bannister, Grace Nesbitt, Jaxon Lynch, Finnegan McCue and Julia Knight placed golden shovels in the dirt to officially kick off the project.

Board of Education President Wayne Wadhams, Superintendent of Schools Mickey Edwards, Business Administrator Rick Recckio II and Director of Facilities Tim Mercer along with Kevin Donaghue, Mike Ferreri and Terry Nothnagle from Campus Construction Management and Mark Azzarello, Tina LaRosa and Kirk Narburgh of King + King Architects were also on hand for the ceremonious event.

“We are excited to get construction underway and to improve our campus for all students, staff and community members,” said Superintendent Edwards. “We appreciate everyone’s patience during this process as we continue to make Albion schools safer and better.”

At the forefront of the project are safety and security enhancements to all three buildings, including security films, access controls, exterior and interior door replacements and notification systems. The elementary school will benefit from mechanical upgrades, sidewalk replacements and a reconfigured entry vestibule. At the middle school, there will be an improved drop-off loop, gymnasium renovations, new pool shower areas and plumbing and mechanical upgrades.

The high school will receive new lockers, improved sidewalks, renovations to the gymnasium, new hot water heaters and lines, renovated locker rooms and mechanical upgrades. Additionally, improvements will be made at the bus garage and the football, soccer and softball fields will be replaced with a multi-purpose artificial surface.

The district’s capital improvement project was approved by public vote in December 2021. Construction will continue through 2024. For all updates and information on Albion Central School District’s capital improvement project, click here.

Students Javier Lopez and Charlotte Bannister from the elementary school, Grace Nesbitt and Jaxon Lynch from the middle school, and Finnegan McCue and Julia Knight from the high school used golden shovels during a ground-breaking celebration.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – These runners make a final push towards the finish line in today’s Wayne A. Burlison Colon Cancer Awareness Run in Albion. From left include Micah Martin of Albion, Mark Basile of Williamsville, Mickalene Cross of Forestville and her nephew Nathan Cross of Silver Creek.

The race started on Clarendon Road near the elementary school, went down Route 31 to Mount Albion Cemetery for a loop and then came back on 31 with the participants finishing in the parking lot of the elementary school.

About 50 people completed the 3.17 mile course in heavy rain. The top three finishers in age groups received one of these coasters with a saxophone player. There were also medals and mugs with a similar likeness.

The event is in memory of an Albion elementary music teacher who passed away at age 36 from colon cancer on March 26, 2014.

Burlison’s wife Lisa and son Adam attended today’s event in Albion.

Lindon Morici of Albion was the first female with a time of 22:02 and Rodney Egli of Newark was the fastest male at 20:38. The course is slightly longer than a 5K at 3.17 miles.

The race is organized by Bert Gallmon of Wolfpack Multisport, which also manages the Albion Strawberry Festival 5K and 8K on June 10.

Gallmon wanted to add a half marathon to today’s Burlison event. He is hoping the half marathon will debut for the race next March.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – The cast of The Addams Family performs the opening number of the musical on Thursday during a preview day in the middle school auditorium. They are singing, When You’re An Addams.”

The family is visiting the graveyard for an annual gathering of all family members, including the dead who are the Ancestors.

Albion performs the musical with shows at 7 p.m. today, and noon and 7 p.m. on Saturday.

“There are so many parts and so many opportunities for the kids in the cast, crew and all of it,” said Connor Doran, the musical director.

He said the message in the show challenges the audience to consider what is normal.

“They want to be heard, respected and loved,” he said about the Addams family members. “It’s within all of us to look within ourselves and discover who we are.”

The Ancestors, including Chloe Gray in front center, perform throughout the show. The dresses were made by students in Kathy Winans class. Winans is the long-time assistant director for the Albion high school musicals.

The Ancestors include Kailee Anstey, Julia Button, Chloe Gray, Haleigh Pollock, Charlie Allen, Madalyn Ashbery, Neveya Barnes, Samantha Hand, Khalil Thompkins, Danielle Wyant and Keira Zambito.

Nick Andrews plays the role of Uncle Fester, who brings lots of zaniness to the show, including singing a love song to the Moon.

Andrews, a senior, has been in the Albion shows since he was in sixth grade.

He said he has gained confidence and many friends through his years on the stage. He has gravitated toward the characters who provide comic relief.

The role of Uncle Fester caps his acting career at Albion.

“I wanted to get to be the funny person and jump around the stage,” Andrews said.

Fester isn’t just for laughs.

“He sends a deeper message, to love who you want, even if it’s the Moon,” Andrews said.

Pugsley, played by Ella Trupo, is the little brother of Wednesday, played by Alexis Hand.

In this scene Wednesday is torturing Pugsley on a rack.

Pugsley enjoys the punishment by his sister and is sad when she develops a love interest and doesn’t give as much attention to her little brother.

Hand said she enjoys playing the adventurous and very independent role of Wednesday.

“You don’t have to change yourself for other people,” Hand said about the character’s message.

Natalie Baron plays the role of Grandma, a feisty old woman with many concoctions. Pugsley takes one of the potions, hoping to change Wednesday from her love obsession. But the magic liquid ends up in the wrong hands.

The Beineke family follows a map and tries to find the Addams Family home where they are headed for dinner. James Ruiz plays the role of the father, Mal, while Aaron Woodroe is Lucas (Wednesday’s boyfriend) and Mallory Kozody is Alice, Lucas’s mother.

Zack Baron plays the role of Gomez, the head of the family. He loves his wife Morticia deeply but struggles to keep a secret from her, that his daughter wants to get married. Morticia detests secrets.

Morticia played by Mallory Ashbery shares a drink and conversation with Alice (Mallory Kozody). They are joined by Cousin Itt (Keira Zambito).

Morticia tells Alice a marriage should be honest without any secrets.

Ashbery said Morticia is a loving and caring wife and mother, with a strong presence.

“She doesn’t tolerate any secrets, because she believes secrets can break a family,” Ashbery said.

Performers will show talents in fingerstyle guitar, harp, African dance and drumming, Chinese Zither and “Pipa”

Provided photos: Hoag Library starts a new music series on April 1, with Kinloch Nelson (right) the leadoff performer. Leah Ou is scheduled for a July 1 concert at the Hoag.

ALBION – Hoag Library is starting a new music series with most of the concerts set for noon on the first Saturday of the month. Hoag has musicians booked through late September and expects to add more.

The new series is the brainchild of Jim Doyle, an adult reference librarian at the library. He joined Hoag in October. He also has been running Jim’s Guitar Studio for 23 years in Albion, and is a founding member of the Rochester Guitar Club.

He knows many of the performers in the series. He is a regular at The Little Theater in Rochester where several have performed in the café.

Many of the performers in the Hoag Music Series are graduates of the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, which Doyle said is a world-level conservatory drawing top students from around the globe.

Duo Purla will be at the library on June 3 for a concert.

Doyle wanted to help organize a concert series at Hoag, but wanted something different for the community.

“We wanted to bring in people who haven’t performed in Orleans County before,” Doyle said. “I think the community is hungry for music and the arts.”

Photo by Tom Rivers: Hoag Library staff members Michael Magnuson and Jim Doyle have put together a new music series at the library. Doyle, owner of Jim’s Guitar Studio in Albion, knows many of the musicians in the new series.

The Hoag Music Series kicks off on April 1 with a noon concert in the meeting rooms by  KinLoch Nelson, a professional musician who plays the fingerstyle guitar.

The lineup of performers also includes:

• Ricardo Saeb: Saturday, May 6, at noon
• Womba Africa Dancing & Drumming: Monday, May 15, at 6 p.m.
• Duo Purla: Saturday, June 3, at noon
• Leah Ou: Saturday, July 1, at noon
• Trio Ghidorah: Saturday, August 19, at noon
• Sunshine Quan: Saturday, September 23, at noon

The concerts are free to the public with support from the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council and Friends of Hoag Library.

Michael Magnuson, an adult services librarian at Hoag, also helped organize the events. He said Hoag was careful not to compete with other concert series in the community.

The events will be in the meeting room space at the library which seats well over 100 people.

Magnuson said the noon time on Saturdays may work better for people to attend concerts. Most of those concerts tend to be weekdays in the evenings.

Ricardo Saeb will perform May 6, and Sunshine Quan is scheduled for Sept. 23.

Doyle has connected with musicians in a range of styles, from guitarists, a harpist, the Chinese Zither, the Chinese lute or “Pipa.”

Doyle drives 45 minutes to see them perform, and he said it’s well worth the trip. He is happy the Albion and Orleans County community can have such high-caliber musicians come to the Hoag Library. More musicians are expected to be added to the performance schedule.

Womba Africa Dancing & Drumming performs at the Hoag on May 15, which is a Monday evening. This is the only performance that won’t be at noon on a Saturday.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Main Street in Albion is shown on Wednesday, including the businesses for Laura Loxley Vintage Inspired Goods and 39 Problems.

ALBION – The Albion Village Board is asking the Orleans County Legislature to consider an increase in the local sales tax for the village.

The county took in about $22.5 million in local sales tax in 2022, according to the state comptroller.

The county shares $1,366,671 of that with the 10 towns and four villages. The Village of Albion received $165,688 of that amount in 2022, which is 0.7 percent of the total in the county.

The towns and villages have been frozen at $1,366,671 since 2001. The County Legislature gave a slight boost in 2001 after the sales tax share was frozen in 1996 to the towns and villages.

Clarendon Town Supervisor Richard Moy is trying to rally the towns and villages to seek an increase in the local sales tax revenues.

He sent the Albion Village Board a letter and a sample resolution, seeking the sales tax share for towns and villages go back to the 14 percent in 1996.

The $1,366,671 to the towns and villages represents 6.1 percent of the total local sales tax in the county.

“It’s a reasonable ask,” Albion Deputy Mayor Joyce Riley said during Wednesday’s Village Board meeting. “We want an increase.”

County Legislator John Fitzak attended the village meeting. He said legislators are aware some towns and villages are pushing for more in the local sales tax revenue.

“We’ve seen the resolution,” he said. “We’re not in a position to make a determination right now because we don’t know what the state budget will be.”

County legislators are concerned the state budget could shift some Medicaid costs, at a $1 million hit for the county budget.

The Murray and Kendall town boards have approved resolutions asking the Legislature to increase the sales tax revenue for towns and villages, Fitzak said.

The sales tax rate is at 8 percent per taxable $1, with the state getting 4 cents and the county 4 cents.

Orleans County’s sales tax revenue is up by $4.8 million or 27 percent in the past three years. In 2019, the sales tax collections were at $17.7 million, followed by $19.4 million in 2020, $21.8 million in 2021 and $22.5 million last year, according to the state comptroller’s office.

File photo by Tom Rivers: The Barre water tower is pictured on Sept. 6, 2017 with a rainbow. Barre will be billed more for water from the Village of Albion beginning on June 1.

ALBION – The Village of Albion is raising the water rates charged to towns from $2.94 to $3.34 per 1,000 gallons.

That 13.6 percent increase is effective June 1.

The village directly bills the towns of Carlton, Gaines, Barre and Albion. (Most of Albion’s water however comes through Barre’s water system and Barre bills most of the Town of Albion.) Village water also goes to portions of Ridgeway and Murray, going through the Town of Albion system, with Gaines sending some village water to Murray.

The village pumps about 1.45 million gallons a day on average and the towns and prison account for about 60 percent of that usage.

The Village Board approved the rate hike on Wednesday evening, with trustee Chris Barry casting the lone no vote.

The $3.34 rate for the towns compares to a $3.39 rate charged to the water users inside the village.

The board on Wednesday also voted to increase the penalty for about 20 village water customers who have not allowed the village to put in new water meters. Those meters are put in at no cost to the water customers.

The board voted to increase the penalty by $25 per month to $65, or $195 every quarterly billing cycle.

There are about 2,000 water customers in the village and a small percentage, about 1 percent, continue to hold off on swapping out their old water meters.