ALBION – Gov. Kathy Hochul announced there will be 13 new Covid testing sites run by the state, including one at GCC’s Albion campus.

The new state testing sites are aimed to address a Covid surge. There were 44,431 new positive Covid cases on Thursday, a new record for the state during the pandemic.

The percentage of tests that were positive on Thursday was 12.37 percent.

“To get through this winter surge and protect New Yorkers, we will use every tool at our disposal,” Governor Hochul said. “By mobilizing testing sites throughout the state, we will make sure testing is more accessible and convenient for New Yorkers. We will continue to expand testing availability to every corner of the state, evaluating where more capacity and additional sites are needed soon.”

The GCC site at 456 West Ave. will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday through Saturday.

Each of the 13 sites will offer tests by appointment, as well as walk-ins. Upon launch, all sites will offer RT-PCR testing. Rapid antigen and rapid PCR tests will also be available within a few days of opening, Hochul’s office said.

Starting on Monday, New Yorkers can make an appointment for a Covid-19 test by clicking here.

‘Fowling’ and ‘soccer pool’ among the activities at 10,000 square-foot warehouse in Albion

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Rebecca and Brian Alexander are shown with one of their new games – “soccer pool” – that will be offered at Dubby’s Tailgate at 165 Platt St. in Albion.

The couple has operated the popular Dubby’s Wood Fired Pizza the past three years. They will continue to run that mobile business while starting a new venture next week.

Dubby’s Tailgate will open on Wednesday from 3 to 10 p.m. with many backyard or tailgate games at a 10,000 square-foot warehouse previously used by Helena.

Barret Alexander, 10, eyes the bowling pins as he gets ready to throw a football about 30 feet. “Fowling” combines football and bowling in one of the games offered at Dubby’s Tailgate.

There are nine sets of throwing lanes on the artificial turf. Cornhole will also be available.

Dubby’s Tailgate has Skeeball and four dart boards.

The Alexanders say the business will be “a house of competition” for people to have fun indoors.

They will have the games ready next week, with a restaurant offering pizza and alcohol in the spring. For now the food options will be snacks and soda.

Brian and Rebecca are Carlton residents. They looked at sites in Brockport and Batavia for the business but decided on Albion, where they said the community has been very supportive of their mobile pizza business.

“Albion is where we started,” Rebecca said. “The community has been so welcoming.”

Barret Alexander gets ready to throw the football in a game of “fowling” against his sister, Abigail, 11.

The person who knocks down all of the pins first is the winner.

Brian Alexander tries soccer pool, where players use a soccer ball to knock balls in the pockets. Players can do trick shots, kicking the ball over some balls to hit the target.

Alexander, a civil engineer, built many of the games and tables with some help from friends. He repurposed bowling lanes for tables at Dubby’s Tailgate.

Pinball machines are among the activities at the new business.

Dubby’s Tailgate charges a $5 admission and then different costs for games, although some are free. Soccer pool is $30 an hour for groups of up to six. Fowling is $10 for unlimited play.

The venue will have 17 televisions, including two giant TVs. The Alexanders also want to display faces of community members to create the feeling of being in an arena.

They also plan to use the large parking lot to host events, including truck shows where people are welcome to cruise in and stay with their tailgates down.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – David Mitchell, left, is presented with the Robert J. Uplinger Award for dedicated community service by Dan Conrad, president of the Albion Lions Club.

Mitchell, owner of Christopher Mitchell Funeral Homes, was praised for supporting many events and causes in the community.

For more than 30 years he has also managed the Lions Club’s fund for eye glasses and exams for community members.

Mitchell said his late father, Rho, was an active Lions Club member for many years and set a good example for giving back to the community.

David Mitchell said he has delivered thousands of pairs of glasses collected in the Albion community to Rochester. Sight remains one of the Lions Club’s main missions.

Provided photo

The Lions Club also presented Kim Remley with an Uplinger Award for her work in the community. Club member Ron Albertson presents Remley with the award last week at the Black North Inn.

Remley was a key member of the Rebuild Bullard Committee that was instrumental in about $800,000 of upgrades to Bullard, including a new spray park, amphitheater and pavilion with bathrooms.

Remley also is active in organizing the downtown Fall Fest, including a scarecrow competition.

“She is always cheering on the community and bringing the good vibes,” Conrad said.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Today was caroling day for the Albion High School Brass Ensemble and Select Choir, with the groups performing in several locations in the community, including a finale inside the First Presbyterian Church of Albion.

The groups performed from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at locations including: Save-A-Lot, Pro Hardware, Tops, Walmart, Hoag Library, Ace Hardware, the Post Office, East Bank Street, Key Bank and East Park Street.

Connor Doran, high school choir director, plays the piano while the Select Choir sings “Go Tell It on the Mountain” at the Presbyterian Church during a community carol singing.

The Brass Ensemble, with many students wearing Santa hats, plays “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”

Tex is available for adoption at PAWS

Photo and information courtesy of Albion Correctional Facility

ALBION – The Albion Correctional Facility recently celebrated their fifth canine training program graduation. Two rescue dogs from PAWS Animal Shelter, Moxie and Tex, completed the 12-week program.

Throughout the 12 weeks, two teams of three incarcerated individuals served as handlers for the dogs. A community volunteer trainer, Tom Ryan, visited the facility once or twice a week to instruct the incarcerated individuals on how to properly care for and train the dogs.

The dogs mastered a number of different training techniques and showed off their skills at graduation. Tom Ryan praised the handlers at graduation for their commitment to the dogs.

The program gives a second chance to the rescue dogs by strengthening the possibility of them getting adopted. It also provides secondary social/emotional benefits to the incarcerated individuals. It gives them an opportunity to return something positive to the community.

One of the dogs, Moxie, has already been adopted by her forever family. Tex is still waiting to find his forever home.  If you are interested in adopting Tex, applications are available at www.paws14411.com.

Since the graduation, two more dogs arrived to the facility for the handlers to work with and prepare for adoption to their forever homes.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Diane Argento holds one of the lap robes she made for residents of The Villages.

ALBION – Residents of The Villages Health and Rehabilitation Center will have an extra gift under the tree this Christmas, thanks to the generosity and compassion of an Albion resident.

Diane Argento loves to sew and this fall she got to thinking she’d like to do something nice for someone. She contacted Kristin Bloom, activities director at The Villages, and told her she’d like to make small blankets for each of the residents all 104 of them. In all, Diane made 107, as several of the residents are absent from the facility.

Diane, her husband Joe and daughter Jamie this morning delivered totes full of the lap robes, all in Christmas gift boxes.

“It’s nice to have such support from the community,” Bloom said. “It’s a little Christmas cheer after what the residents have been through, with Covid and not being able to see their families.”

From left, Kristin Bloom, activities director at the Villages Health and Rehabilitation Center, helps Diane and Joe Argento of Albion unload totes full of lap robes Diane made for each resident.

Diane said she went to Joann Fabrics to get the material. It took several clerks to cut the 214 yards of material she needed.

Each lap robe is tied and knotted around the edge, something which was very time consuming.

“This is very much appreciated,” Bloom said.

The Argentos said they were happy to do something for The Villages, as his mom was there several years ago.

The Villages’ activities director Kristin Bloom, Joe and Diane Argento and their daughter Jamie unload 107 boxes of Christmas blankets Wednesday morning which Diane made for the residents.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Lynn Palmer, owner of Upscale Overstock, displays some of sports clothing and memorabilia she has in her store in Albion in this file photo from February 2021. She credited a microenterprise assistance program for helping her with her business.

ALBION – The Microenterprise Assistance Program has graduated more than 540 prospective business people since its inception, but few have a more poignant story than Lynn Palmer.

At the November MAP graduation, Palmer shared her story of despair and how she has risen above it after completing the MAP.

Palmer not only started a new business, Upscale Overstock on Main Street in Albion, but she was one of seven applicants who received special grants. Palmer received $15,000.

Diane Blanchard, right, coordinator of the Microenterprise Assistance Program, wipes her eyes after hearing Lynn Palmer tell her heartbreaking story of being down and out and how she has fought her way to success. Palmer hugs MAP mentor Jon Costello and Blanchard at the recent MAP graduation.

“I cannot say enough about the Microenterprise Assistance Program,” Palmer said. “Twelve years ago I was a single mom of three children who were 20, 17 and 15 at the time. I had raised them by myself since the youngest was 4.”

She shared how when she became pregnant with her last child she was determined to do whatever she needed to keep that baby. She was living in a very small house, but was able to find a five-bedroom home in Medina whose landlord was willing to rent to her. After a year, the rent was increased to $1,200 a month and Palmer couldn’t afford it.

“I had a degree in early childhood education, so I asked the owner if I could license it as a day care center,” Palmer said.  “When I opened, I had a waiting list, so I thought why not re-license it for 16 children and hire some help.”

Then she learned the property owners were not keeping up with the mortgage and she was going to lose everything.

She was able to find space at Towne School, but she had to have a teacher and aide in each room, plus two substitutes. She would have had to pay 20 employees and she couldn’t do it.

“I closed and became depressed, suicidal,” Palmer said. “I took a job in a day care center in Batavia making minimum wage, and went to work at Walmart part-time. It was just paying the  bills.”

Palmer began to think she would like to be a business owner again. Her dream was to own a bar and grill with a game room, but she was looking at $250,000.

“I thought long and hard,” she said.

Her daughter, 22, by then was selling overstock merchandise and traveling to cities all over the county, making a good living.

Palmer enrolled in MAP’s class of 2019.

“The timing was terrible,” she said. “On Nov. 30, I opened Upscale Overstock in Medina and three months later Covid shut us down.”

To stay afloat, Palmer’s daughter began making face masks and sanitizer. There was such a demand, she couldn’t make them fast enough. Praising Kids, a child care center in Medina, and Orchard Manor each ordered enough for all their employees.

Palmer tried to apply for a PPE grant to see her through, but because she hadn’t been in business three years she was not eligible. She went to work at Walmart again until June, when she was able to start up her business again.

Her lease in Medina was up at the end of October, and her daughter had seen a “for rent” sign on a store front in downtown Albion.

“A year ago, I would have laughed if you told me where I’d be today,” Palmer said. “I have a bigger store for less rent. I’m next door to a bank and when people cashed their stimulus checks, they came into my store and spent it.”

Her sales in the first month there tripled, she said.

In the spring she got a call from Diane Blanchard, coordinator of the MAP, telling her there was a grant available.

“I wanted to apply, but my computer was 15 years old and my credit was not perfect,” Palmer said.

She contacted Blanchard and MAP mentor Jon Costello.

“Jon sat down with me for hours and helped me,” Palmer said. “But I knew I wasn’t going to get the money.”

Then the day came when Blanchard contacted Palmer and told her to check her e-mails.

“Instead of $10,000, I got $15,000,” Palmer said. “I didn’t sleep that night. I thought it was a joke.”

She called Costello, who congratulated her. She was able to buy a new computer, shelving for her store, a pallet jack cart, and the rest she spent on inventory.

“I’m making more at the store than I did at Walmart,” Palmer said. “If anything, this pandemic has taught me to be prepared. For the first time in my life, I have money in the bank. My credit cards and student loan are paid off. My car is paid off. I have no debt. I cannot say enough about this MAP program.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Mitch Grater and Ed Wolfe flip chickens that are among the 1,000 chicken dinners being served today at the Arnold Gregory Office Complex on South Main Street.

At 1:45 about half of the dinners were gone. The Albion Masonic Lodge is volunteering to cook the dinners and many other volunteers are serving them as part of a Christmas celebration at Arnold Gregory until 6 p.m.

Best of Tymes Party Rentals, owned by Christine Nenni and Michelle Wiseman of Medina, and the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries worked together to organize the “Que In” for Christmas at Arnold Gregory.

The New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association, the union representing corrections officers, donated $1,000 towards the chicken dinners.

Today’s event features costumed characters including the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who. They are portrayed by Marcus Cavarello and his fiancé Morgan Waple. Their dog Toby is playing the Grinch’s dog, Max.

The Grinch and Cindy Lou are pictured with the Best of Tymes Party Bear (with Christine Nenni in the outfit) and Albert D. Wilson Jr., pastor of the Royal Body Shop Ministries.

Wilson also leads a church in Buffalo. The Albion congregation meets on Fridays for services at 7 p.m.

Wilson’s grandfather, Roy Rodolph, founded the Royal Church of God in Christ on Baker Road in Carlton in 1952.

Wilson said the new church welcomes everybody and reaches across denominations and faiths.

“We want to show the love of Jesus and be kind to one another,” he said.

There were numerous Christmas presents given away today. Kassie Crane, left, joins Jayda Elsenheimer and Theresa O’Hearn in giving out the presents.

Harley Weis, 9, of Albion is happy to meet with Santa.

John Santiago, 6, of Albion joins Santa on a giant white chair.

There were also many games and activities available in the building for children and families.

Santa was given a ride to Arnold Gregory on a fire truck. Here he greets Albion Fire Chief Rob Conner, right, and firefighter Jeremy Babcock.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – This decorated car was part of the debut “Santa’s Coming Home” light parade in Albion today.

The procession included about 30 vehicles. They started from the parking lot at COVA and the Arnold Gregory Office Complex on South Main Street and went north before turning onto East Bank Street. Then children were welcome to visit with Santa in the Albion firehall.

Rose Friedl, right, and Chelsea Arnold worked together to help organize the parade, along with others. They are shown with Friedl’s display.

They were pleased with the turnout for the debut event, which was organized in the past three weeks.

“I’m so happy and so excited,” Friedl said.

She wants to see Albion celebrate its role as home of a Santa Claus School run by the late Charles Howard from 1937 to 1966.

Chelsea Arnold decorated her car with a National Lampoon’s Vacation theme, including a cutout of Clark Griswold in the front passenger seat.

About 30 vehicles decorated for the parade with lights and characters. This photo shows one of the vehicles turning onto East Bank Street.

Last Saturday’s Barre Lighted Tractor Parade was cancelled due to the powerful winds. Two of the tractors usually in that parade made the trip to Albion.

The tractors turn from Main onto East Bank.

This group has fun on a float from LoMay Mo Llamas in Oakfield.

COVA Ambulance was among the participants in the parade.

This vehicle had Darth Vader spreading holiday cheer.

Santa rides in style on his way to the Albion fire hall where he met with youngsters and gave them presents.

Addie Rotoli, 5, of Pavilion shares her Christmas wish with Santa.

Twin brothers Lexington and Roman Prigden, 3, of Albion get ready to meet Santa in the fire hall.

Photos and information courtesy of Albion Central School

ALBION – Community Action of Genesee & Orleans staff this morning received many donated items collected from students at the Ronald L. Sodoma Elementary School.

Students in Mrs. Joan Mrzywka’s third grade class and students in Mrs. Toni Plummer’s health class led the initiative. After contacting Community Action to see what items were most needed, the elementary school gathered donations of personal care items, winter wearables and pet food and supplies.

In all, the school collected 218 toothbrushes, 130 tubes of toothpaste, 50 deodorants, 100 pet items and countless hats, mittens, scarves and socks, as well as some toys. A group of students made the trip over to Community Action to donate the items this morning.

Pictured with students include from left: Michelle Figueroa, Community Action case manager; Cameron Richardson, head custodian in back; third grade teacher Joan Mrzywka; and Katrina Chaffee, Community Action director of community services and reporting.

Mrs. Plummer’s classes discuss empathy, gratitude and becoming a change in the world, lessons that play a big role in the holiday season. The giving tree was a great way for all elementary students to have a chance to help community members.

Community Action of Orleans and Genesee’s mission is to provide services, with dignity and respect, that help people become self-sufficient. The organization has helped low-income and disadvantaged individuals and families for more than 40 years.

ALBION – A caravan of vehicles decorated in lights and Christmas displays will be part of a debut “Santa’s Coming Home” parade in Albion today.

The community is welcome to decorate cars and other vehicles and show up at the Arnold Gregory Office Complex on South Main Street at 5:30 p.m.

At 6 p.m. the vehicles will head down Main Street and then turn on Bank Street.

Rose Friedl has taken the lead in organizing the event with help from Angie Wolfe, Cassie Dash, Tim McMurray, Angel Javier Jr. and Kevin Sheehan.

The community is welcome to line up on the parade route to see the display. Afterwards, Santa will be at the Albion fire hall on Platt Street giving out presents.

Many of the Albion businesses also will be staying open until 9 p.m. today.

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Bill Robinson of the Albion Lions Club took a two-hour shift this afternoon at Tops in Albion, ringing the bell for the annual Red Kettle campaign. Lions Club members have been there throughout the day.

Last year there weren’t bell ringers due to Covid concerns. Instead, residents were encouraged to give to the campaign through counter-top kettles that were placed in many local stores.

This year the bell ringers are back.

The proceeds from the Red Kettle campaign go to serve people in crisis in Orleans County. The campaign usually raises about $25,000 which is administered by Community Action.

Albion Correctional provides gifts for children of young mother killed in October

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Cameron Richardson, custodian at Community Action in Albion, stands in a hallway full of boxes he taped together and helped fill for families at Christmas.

ALBION – The holiday time is incredibly busy at Community Action of Orleans and Genesee.

As Christmas day rolls closer, staff at Community Action have been taken applications for holiday assistance, packing boxes of food for families and filling bags with presents for children.

The halls in the office at 411 East State St. are lined with food boxes and offices are piled high with bags full of gifts.

On Tuesday afternoon, Community Action was involved in a very special donation.

For four years, the Albion Correctional Facility has adopted a family and provided enough toys and gifts which Santa would admit would fill his sleigh.

Yeshua Nunez-Rexach, 16, and his brother Yelian will receive gifts and toys for Christmas donated by Albion Correctional Facility.

This year, the correctional facility chose to help the family of Cristal Nunez-Rexach, the 33-year-old mother who was killed Oct. 15 on Route 104 in an accident with a tractor trailer.

Nunez-Rexach left behind two children, Yeshua, 16, and Yelian, 13.

Her story is heartbreaking for Michelle Figueroa, emergency services case worker at Community Action.

“We had become good friends,” Figueroa said. “I helped her get clothes and an apartment when she first came to the area.”

Figueroa explained Nunez-Rexach moved locally after Hurricane Maria devasted her home in Puerto Rico.

Stephanie Peruzzini, offender rehabilitation coordinator at Albion Correctional Facility, said they were blessed to have been able to provide this family with a Christmas they truly deserve.

“We love sharing our experience working with you guys, which has over the years has resulted in others in our families and our friends helping contribute with us,” Peruzzini said. “This is honestly something we look forward to each year, knowing we can help others in need, especially with all that is going on in the world.”

Annette Finch, soon-to-be-retired emergency services coordinator at Community Action for 30 years, said Albion Correctional Facility is a great friend to Community Action. She said last year they adopted a family with young children who didn’t have beds and were sleeping on the floor.

“The Correctional Facility went all out last year,” Finch said. “With help from the Emma Reed Foundation, we got beds for all three girls and the Correctional Facility bought clothes and toys for all of them.”

This year, in addition to clothes and toys for the Nunez-Rexach children, the Correctional Facility purchased the family a large television.

ALBION – School district residents passed a $26,690,000 capital improvement project today by a 225-44-vote.

The project includes work at all three schools, the district office, the bus garage, and will put in new synthetic playing surfaces for football, soccer and softball. There will also be security enhancements to all of the school buildings.

“Thank you to everyone who came out and voted,” Superintendent Mickey Edwards said. “This project will greatly benefit all students in the district. We are excited to move forward and bring these needed upgrades to Albion.”

The next step is the design phase, which will begin in January and run through August 2022. Construction is expected to take place 2023-2024.

There will be no new tax impact on property owners. The local share of the project already has been saved in a capital reserve fund.

ALBION – Eligible district residents 18 and older will vote today on a $26.69 million capital project that includes all three schools, as well as the bus garage, and new synthetic playing surfaces for football, soccer and softball.

Residents can vote from noon to 8:30 p.m. at the District Office Conference Room A which is in the back of the elementary school.

District officials say there won’t be an additional tax impact from the project because the local share of $7,195,000 is already in a capital reserve. State funding at $19,495,000 will cover the rest.

The project was identified following a building conditions survey required every five years by the state. King & King Architects of Syracuse worked with the district on putting together the project. Kirk Narburgh, King & King CEO, is an Albion graduate and led a discussion about the project during a public hearing on Dec. 2 in the middle school auditoirium.

The scope of the project includes:

Elementary School – $6,300,000

• Security enhancements to include security films, access controls, exterior/interior door replacements/hardware, communication/notification systems
• Refinish main gym floor and replace folding partitions with divider curtains
• Reconfigure entry vestibule and finish renovations to the district office
• Replace plumbing fixtures and domestic hot/cold water, sanitary and storm piping in 1955 building
• Mechanical upgrades, including original building wing unit ventilators
• Integrate carbon monoxide monitoring and upgrade building system controls, panel board and switchgear
• Sidewalk replacements
• East side drop-off loop improvements

Kirk Narburgh, CEO of King & King, goes over the capital project during a public hearing on Dec. 2. Here he is highlighting synthetic fields for football, soccer and softball, which he said will allow teams to be outside on the surfaces sooner in the season. Physical education classes could also use the fields, and they could be opened to the community for some activities as well.

Middle School – $9,945,000

• Security enhancements to include security films, access controls, exterior/interior door replacements/hardware, communication/notification systems
• Gymnasium renovations, including gym floor refinishing, lift replacement, new wall pads, ceiling and lighting
• Renovate pool lockers shower areas, including plumbing and lighting
• Replace auditorium air-conditioning
• Provide parallel pool pump and replace hot water heaters and storage tank
• Mechanical upgrades for electrical room/transformer vault
• Integrate carbon monoxide monitoring and upgrade building system controls, panel board and switchgear
• Reconfigure parent drop-off loop. (Traffic often currently backs up to Route 31 due to long lines. Albion would reconfigure the loop to allow for more staging of vehicles.)
• Renovate playground
• New multi-purpose field surface at soccer/softball complex

High School – $9,795,000

• Security enhancements to include safety films, access controls, exterior/interior door replacements/hardware, communication/notification systems
• Gymnasium renovations, including gym floor replacement, re-surfaced folding partitions, bleacher replacement, ceiling/lighting, ventilation system and new wall-mounted scoreboards
• Renovate locker rooms
• Replace corridor lockers
• Replace hot water heaters, add additional boiler and replace heating line
• Integrate carbon monoxide monitoring and upgrade building system controls, panel board and switchgear
• Improve sidewalks for accessibility
• Tennis court reconstruction
• New multi-purpose field surface at football stadium complex

Bus Garage – $650,000

• Security enhancements to include security films, access controls, exterior/interior door replacements/hardware
• Replace large overhead doors in 1997 maintenance bay addition
• Replace roof in 1997 maintenance bay addition
• Integrate carbon monoxide monitoring and upgrade panel board
• Extend paving at bus parking and dumpster pad

Campus Notification System

In addition to the renovations being proposed in the capital project referendum, Albion Central School District is planning to install a new public address and visual notification system for the elementary, middle and high schools. This work may be separate from the capital project and would be paid for using $1,995,000 in funding available to our district through the Smart Schools Bond Act of 2014.

A timeline for the project includes:

Dec. 14: Project vote, noon to 8:30 p.m., District Office Conference Room A

January 2022 to August 2022: Design Phase

September 2022 to December 2022: SED Review

2023 to 2024: Construction