Provided photos: The East High student body dances together in the finale of High School Musical, which will be performed by Medina students on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Press Release, Medina Central School
MEDINA – The Medina Junior Senior High School Musical Theater Program invites the community to their highly anticipated spring musical, Disney’s High School Musical, running for three performances from March 20-22 in the JSHS Auditorium.
Following the massive success of their previous productions, Medina students have been working tirelessly since early January to bring the iconic characters of Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, and Ryan to the local stage. Featuring energetic choreography, a lively pit band, and unforgettable musical numbers, this production promises to be a nostalgic, high-energy event that the whole family will enjoy.
Medina senior Ava Blount plays the role of “Gabriella Montez” while the captain of the East High basketball team, “Troy Bolton,” is played by Jackson McGrath. Jackson embodies this character as he is a leader in multiple music ensembles at Medina JSHS and is an active member of the Medina Varsity football, wrestling and lacrosse teams.
“This show is about a group of students trying to find where they belong within the school community, and ultimately how their differences help them discover who they truly are. It’s a story about acceptance, inclusivity, and friendship which is incredibly important to us as directors,” says Medina JSHS directors Rachel Trillizio and Anna Ferlito. “We have kids in the show ranging in age from 13 to 18, and the lessons woven throughout the story are personal to each kid in different ways. We have students who are uniquely gifted at academics, singing, dancing, acting, building, athletics, organizing, and leading, and they have worked together for the past 3 months to create one amazing show.”
Medina senior Saniyyaha Wilson stars as “Zeke” and is shown with the rest of the East High Wildcat basketball team.
Performance Details:
Where: Medina JSHS Auditorium-2 Mustang Dr. Medina, NY 14103
When: March 20 at 7 p.m., March 21 at 7 p.m., March 22 at 2 p.m. Doors open 30 minutes prior to each show.
Disney’s High School Musical tells the story of two high schoolers—Troy, the basketball captain, and Gabriella, a shy transfer student—who break the “rules” of high school cliques to audition for the school musical. The show addresses themes of unity, diversity, and being true to oneself, offering a fun, empowering experience for both the performers and audience members.
Arik Papaj is “Ryan Evans” and Arabella White plays his sister, “Sharpay Evans.”
Ava Blount is “Gabriella,” while Madelyn Elliott plays the captain of the science decathlon team “Taylor McKessie.” Mackenzie Poynter, center in back, is the “Martha Cox,” a girl with a secret passion for hip hop.
Vocalists of all experience levels welcome to be part of event
Press Release, Medina Triennial
Provided photo by Yvonne Venegas: Tania Candiani welcomes hundreds of participants for a collective vocal work from 10 a/m. to 2 p.m. at the old Medina High School at 324 Catherine St.
MEDINA – As part of the inaugural Medina Triennial opening this June, internationally renowned artist Tania Candiani, in collaboration with composer Rogelio Sosa, will lead a large-scale filmed performance bringing together hundreds of community participants for a four-hour collective vocal work.
Participants of all ages and experience levels will generate a dynamic soundscape using guided breaths, hums, whispers, and tones, inspired by the meeting of waters at Medina’s Erie Canal aqueduct.
Filmed inside the historic former Medina High School auditorium, the performance will transform individual voices into a unified sonic experience, reactivating the space through sound and movement. The resulting work will be presented as part of Candiani’s installation in the Triennial, on view June 6 through September 7.
The Medina Triennial is an upcoming free, village-wide contemporary art exhibition featuring more than 100 artworks by 35 artists and collectives across indoor and outdoor venues throughout Medina. Opening June 6 and running through September 7, the Triennial marks the first recurring exhibition of this scale to take place in a U.S. community of this size, positioning small-town geographies as vital sites of cultural and critical imagination.
LYNDONVILLE – The Lyndonville Central School District is accepting applications for its 2026-27 pre-kindergarten (Pre-K) and kindergarten programs.
If you are a resident of the Lyndonville Central School District and your child will be age 3, 4 or 5 by December 1, 2026, they are eligible to enroll. If your child is already enrolled in our Pre-K program this year, they will automatically be enrolled for the following year. Pre-K space is limited, but openings are currently available for all age groups.
Our developmentally-appropriate Pre-K and kindergarten programs, which include breakfast and lunch at no cost to families, follow this schedule five days a week:
3-year-old Pre-K: 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
4-year-old Pre-K: 7:30 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Kindergarten: 7:40 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
If more students are pre-registered for Pre-K for the 2026-27 school year than available seats, a lottery will be held on May 1, 2026. If Pre-K seats remain, they will be filled per UPK and district guidelines.
To register or obtain additional information, please contact the school at (585) 765-3122 or esmith@lcsdk12.org. You will need to provide your name, address, and child’s name and date of birth. More information and a pre-registration form can be found at Pre-K & Kindergarten Registration.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 18 March 2026 at 10:56 am
Five Holley-Kendall and two Lyndonville wrestlers have earned spots on the Genesee Region League All-Star team.
Champion Holley-Kendall is represented by juniors Brenden Eichas (138), Aiden McGrain (215) and Immanuel Cornell (285) along with freshman Carson Cady (118) and 7th grader Jeremy Lutes (103).
Eichas and Lutes both went 31-9 on the season while Cornell 25-9, Cady 23-11 and McGrain 19-16.
In addition, Holley-Kendall Coach Jim Mapes was named G-R Coach of the Year.
Lyndonville has placed the junior duo of Brody Hazel (150) and Shannon Withey (157).
Hazel went 28-16 and Withey 25-9.
The G-R All-Star squad also includes juniors Ryder Reichert (150), Austin Post (126) and Max Heckman (157) from Alexander/Pembroke along with senior Solomon Smith (175), junior Bradley Tatar (215) and sophomores James Lamb (150) and Parker Moore (157) from Byron-Bergen.
By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 18 March 2026 at 9:56 am
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Lyndonville’s lineup includes, in front, Natalie Rath, Arnie Sturtevant, Brooke Robinson, Alexa Robinson and Isabella Groves. In back are Destinee Holmes, Emily Dill, Barbara Jary, Hannah Fox, Rylan Townsend and Braelynn Dillenbeck.
Last spring Lyndonville compiled a near perfect 12-1 Genesee Region League softball record to earn a share of the Division 2 title.
Now, with their lineup returning nearly intact, the Lady Tigers are again looking to compete for top G-R League honors.
The Lady Tigers veteran group is led by a trio of G-R All-Stars including senior shortstop Brooke Robinson, junior infielder Hannah Fox and sophomore pitcher Arnie Sturtevant.
The large veteran contingent also includes seniors Isabella Groves (first base), Ryland Townsend (outfield/second base), Barbara Jary (outfield), and Emily Dill (outfield) along with sophomore Alexa Robinson (catcher) and freshman Braelynn Dillenbeck (pitcher).
Rounding out the Lady Tigers roster are junior Destinee Holmes and freshman Natalie Rath.
“Our pitching is back and we should be a solid contender for the title,” said Coach Joe Moore.
The Lady Tigers graduation losses included G-R All Star catcher Addison Dillenbeck and third baseman Emma Frees.
Lyndonville is scheduled to begin tuning up for the April 3 G-R League home opener against Wheatland-Chili by visiting Wilson on March 27.
The Lady Tigers posted a 19-3 overall record last year.
ALBION – Arc GLOW is partnering with the Albion Subway to raise awareness for Developmental Disability Awareness Month.
On March 19, community members can support Arc GLOW by visiting the Albion Subway at 162 S. Main St. in Albion. If ordering in person, Arc GLOW must be mentioned. If ordering online, mention Arc GLOW in the comments.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will help promote understanding, inclusion, and support for individuals with developmental disabilities.
Arc GLOW is a public, non-profit organization founded by parents and friends of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, serving Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties. For more information on Arc GLOW and its services, visit ArcGLOW.org.
Have you been wanting to tell the Genesee County EDC what you think of the $1.44 billion subsidy to Stream Data Center? This is your chance! On Thursday, March 19 at 7 p.m. at the Town of Alabama Fire Hall, the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) is holding a public hearing on the request from STREAM US Data Centers and its parent company, the multinational private equity firm Apollo Global Management, for $1.44 billion dollars in tax subsidies for the massive data center complex – 2.2 million square feet and 500 MW of electricity – they want to build at the failing STAMP site.
I oppose this plan for many reasons: it would dump pollution into our air, toxic chemicals into our water, make 24/7 noise that would scare away deer and other wildlife in the nearby preserves, and it would make all of our energy bills go up while also knocking down our property values.
I think it’s a bad investment, too: we could create a lot more jobs, with a lot fewer environmental and quality of life problems, for that kind of money (they say the project would create 125 jobs, so if you do the math that’s $11.5 million dollars per job… but we all know the workers won’t see that kind of money!)
But most of all, I oppose this plan because I don’t want to invite Big Tech and private equity into our peaceful, rural home. We don’t know the Big Tech firm that would operate the data center once STREAM builds it (that’s right, GCEDC has signed a non-disclosure agreement – so we don’t know whether it would be Amazon or Google or Meta or some other company that would eventually move in). But we do know about Apollo Global Management, and what we know is that the company does not share our values.
Leon Black, one of the founders and the former CEO, was apparently Jeffrey Epstein’s main client: he paid Epstein $158 million to help him dodge roughly $2 billion dollars in taxes. And another one of the company’s founders – Marc Rowan, who is still an executive at Apollo – communicated extensively with Epstein about the company’s tax arrangements.
Is this the kind of company we want to welcome into our community? I don’t think so. Apollo Global Management does not have the best interests of Genesee County or the GLOW Region at heart. No – they want to profit off us. They want to make a quick buck while ruining our local way of life. They think we are country bumpkins who won’t put up a fight.
Let’s prove them wrong. Join me at the public hearing this Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Town of Alabama Fire Hall. Tell GCEDC what you think about this plan and why it’s a terrible deal with Genesee County. If you can’t be there, tell your friends and family to go, and submit a written comment to streampublichearing@gcedc.com by March 31. For more info, check out “STOP the STAMP Monster Data Center” on Facebook.
On March 19, the Village of Medina elections will come to a close. Campaigns will thank their supporters, yard signs will be picked up, and materials will be set aside. What also needs to happen is that we all realize this has all been done because of a mutual love for our community.
As many of you know, I dislike politics, but I am deeply committed to serving people. As much as I enjoy speaking with all of you in the community, coming up with solutions to problems, and being a helping hand, I do not like the political side of any of this.
With that being said, I have an incredible amount of respect for anyone who decides to jump into these races. We do not have to agree, but I know that in order to run for local office, we at least agree on our desire to put in the time to help make things better. All of us need to do a better job at being able to sit down and constructively work through the challenges that we face. Our community is strongest when we focus on what unites us.
I believe this race is likely to be close, and every vote is going to matter. This election is not about a single issue, but about an entire community who wants what’s best for the Village of Medina. Whether you are running for office or not, I hope this moment acts as a catalyst for increased involvement, whether by attending meetings, serving on boards and committees, or simply staying engaged.
Please remember to vote on March 18 at the Senior Center from noon until 9 p.m. I sincerely hope I can count on your support, and I promise to offer you mine as we go through these challenges together.
The ones who have been here the whole time. We’ve watched it progress from great to rock bottom and back to good again.
But still we don’t feel heard. They keep telling us just a little more tax. Go without that happy meal for the kids so the village can have this or that. Yet we never see the improvements.
And next year?
They’re back again, asking us for more sacrifice.
All the while not appearing to sacrifice anything themselves.
They’re pushing us out. Our families were loyal to this town and now a lot of us can’t afford to live here.
My parents started in an upper apartment on East Center across from the Vets. Then we moved to Church Street in a small half house.
I know that feeling well….
That feeling of never being comfortable enough to stop looking over your shoulder because we have no safety net. We only have ourselves.
Electric bill comes, we toss it on the kitchen table. There it sits for weeks because we dread opening it. Same with the gas, or cable, and those taxes every June. Dread.
We’ll open them later….don’t wanna ruin our day.
But still, our leadership pushes on.
Just a little more, make that sacrifice!
And they often rig the system in their favor. The public payrolls sometimes read like a family tree.
Many of us face the fact that our current family generation may be our last in Medina.
Driven away by a disregard for the common people that make this town what it is.
I could have left…but I didn’t.
And what you’ve been hearing from me the last few weeks is my resistance. I’ll be damned if I go down without pushing back.
I’m a Village Boy at heart, still playing on the trestle of Church or in the milk barns off Starr, walking to Meyers for penny candy and pop.
I never forgot where I came from, because I never really left.
To the real Medinans, my people…. Don’t be fooled by a slick, polished, money bought campaign. Vote for “Change” in the eelction.
Give that fiscally responsible group of 3 another voice at the table.
Do it!
And I’m confident that 4th voice will be our voice!
I am honored to write this letter on behalf of my mother, Mayor Marguerite Sherman, candidate for mayor in the upcoming Village of Medina election.
Over the past few weeks, I feel as though the rhetoric that divides us as a community has created a lot of noise and has done little to strengthen us as one. Real progress comes from thoughtful leadership, honest conversations, and a willingness to work together for the good of everyone who calls Medina home.
At the end of the day, we all want the same thing: to see our community thrive. That is my mother’s vision. She is a dedicated leader and an effective public servant to the Village of Medina.
I chose to raise my family here and to teach here because I believe deeply in this community. I see the potential in the people, the pride in our neighborhoods, and the opportunities for our future. This place matters to me not just as a resident, but as someone invested in the next generation growing up here.
A lot of that belief comes from the values my mother, Marguerite Sherman, instilled in me—hard work, caring about your neighbors, and standing up for what you believe is right. When you grow up with those values, you learn that community isn’t just a place you live. It’s something you show up for, support, and work to improve, which is exactly what she has done and will continue to do.
Throughout my life, I’ve watched my mother approach challenges with integrity, experience, and a steady commitment to doing what she believes is right. Her belief has always been that leadership is not about personal recognition or political noise—it is about service, accountability, and making decisions that help move a community forward —making thoughtful decisions that benefit everyone.
My hope is that as we move forward, we remember that our shared goal should always be to strengthen the place we all call home. I encourage residents to vote Sherman for Mayor on March 18th.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 March 2026 at 8:17 am
ALBION – Village residents today will elect a mayor and two village trustees. Voting is from noon to 9 p.m. at Village Office at 35-37 East Bank St. The terms of the positions are for four years.
Two current trustees want to be mayor. Joyce Riley is running under the Democratic Party and independent “Vote for Albion” lines, while Tim McMurray has the backing of the Republican Party.
Jami Allport, Issac Robinson and Kevin Sheehan are running for trustee. There are two positions open. Robinson is running under the independent “Vote for Albion” while Allport and Sheehan both are backed by the Republican Party.
Click here to see coverage from a candidate forum on March 5.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 March 2026 at 7:44 am
Candidates share their perspectives on issues facing the village
Photos by Tom Rivers: Marguerite Sherman, left, is being challenged in her re-election bid for Medina mayor by current village trustee, Debbie Padoleski, who is retired from the village as clerk-treasurer.
MEDINA – It’s election day in the Village of Medina with voters to pick a mayor and two trustees. Polls are open from noon to 9 p.m. at the Senior Center at 615 West Ave.
Two candidates are on the ballot for mayor: Marguerite Sherman, the mayor the past two years, is challenged by Debbie Padoleski, a current village trustee who is retired as the village’s clerk-treasurer. Sherman will be on the “Village Party” line while Padoleski runs under the “People’s Party.”
Three candidates are on the ballot for trustee. Mark Prawel, a current trustee, retired Medina police officer and car mechanic; and Jeffrey Wagner, the owner of the former Apple Grove restaurant in Medina and a retired general manager for Cracker Barrel, are both on the “People’s Party” with Padoleski.
Dean Bellack, an active community member as a volunteer for the YMCA, United Way and Lions Club, also is running as a trustee under the “Connect Orleans Party.” Bellack is retired as owner of a manufacturer’s rep company and has been vocal about the village’s high taxes and need to expand housing options in the community.
Courtney Henderson also is mounting a write-in challenge for village trustee.
Mayoral candidates
Marguerite Sherman has led the village the past two years as mayor. She sees a village on an upswing with many projects and initiatives in the works, including implementation of the $4.5 million NY Forward grant in the downtown and Canal Basin. She acknowledges the headlines and conversation are often dominated by a new ladder truck and its permanent home.
Medina voted to purchase the ladder truck three years ago for $1.7 million. The truck doesn’t fit in the existing fire hall. Sherman wants to pursue grants for a one-bay addition to the fire hall. In the meantime, she said the truck could stay in the DPW garage.
Padoleski said the Village Board poorly thought out getting a ladder truck that didn’t fit in the existing fire hall, or having a solid plan for an addition to house the truck. “Their eyes got bigger than their pocketbooks,” she said.
She wants to sell the ladder truck, scrap plans for an addition on the fire hall and start the process over, with funding lined up before proceeding.
“This village in the last two years has spiraled into such a state of chaos I think they need me,” Padoleski said about running for mayor.
She retired in 2021 after working in the village office for 41 years. She said she has expertise in the village’s finances to set the community on a better path.
“We need to be able to self sustain and take care of ourselves,” she said. “We can’t sit around and wait for grants. That shouldn’t be the only way to survive, by relying on help from the outside.”
Padoleski said village taxpayers are bearing too much expense for services, especially for a fire department that often goes outside the village lines.
The fire department represents $2.9 million in spending, and brings in about $1.2 million in fees through its ambulance service. Padoleski said the $1.7 million difference is too much for village taxpayers, and accounts for more than the budgets for police and the Department of Public Works.
The Medina Fire Department is expected to do too much for communities outside the village, she said. She said a ladder truck typically sees little action in the village, but would be expected to respond frequently outside Medina.
The three towns of Shelby, Ridgeway and Yates currently pay $35,000 annually to the village towards the cost of replacing an ambulance. Medina is the primary ambulance provider for those towns and all of western Orleans. Padoleski said those three need to pay significantly more towards the service.
The village tax levy has gone from $3,197,059 in 2020-21 to $3,910,344 in 2025-26, a $713,285 or 22.3 percent increase. In Sherman’s two budgets as mayor (and Padoleski’s and Prawel’s two budgets as trustee), the tax levy went up $123,380 or 3.3 percent over two years, a significantly lower tax increase.
About a year ago, the Village Board ended the school resource officer from the Medina PD and the K9 program, and also cut four full-time firefighters and didn’t fill a vacancy in the DPW.
Padoleski worries if the village took on the new ladder truck and a fire hall addition. The ladder truck would represent $130,000 payment annually over the next 20 years, with the addition if financed at $1.3 million over 20 years another $110,000 payment. Those two together would raise the village tax rate by 88 cents per $1,000 of assessed property, she said.
She said taxpayers have encouraged her tough stance against taking on more big expenses for the village.
“I’m on the right side of it,” she said. “I have the support of the community.”
Sherman said she is committed to giving village employees the tools and equipment they need to safely provide services to the community.
“These employees put their heart and soul into the village every day,” she said.
She is very optimistic funding can be secured for the fire hall expansion as well as some improvements to the current fire station from the 1930s.
Last week, she led the effort to submit a $1 million grant request through Congresswoman Claudia Tenney’s office. The money would go towards the one-bay fire hall addition and also $475,000 in renovations to the current fire hall.
Sherman said the ladder truck and building issues have highlighted the challenge of villages to provide services at today’s escalating costs.
“It’s brought attention to Medina’s needs and the plea for all municipalities to work together for the benefit of the whole community,” she said.
Sherman, 63, is a retired special education teacher at Medina. She was on the Village Planning Board before joining the Village Board as a trustee a decade ago.
If elected to a new term, she will push for long-term strategic plans for infrastructure and sidewalk replacement. Last week she announced private donations for $200,000 towards new sidewalks.
She sees momentum on many fronts for Medina. She is seeking another term to continue that progress and see through the $4.5 million Forward NY grant, the development of the long-term plans for infrastructure, completion of Canal Corporation’s plan to repair the north wall in the Canal Basin and upgrade the canal trail.
She said the village deserves and needs more of the local sales tax (a share to towns and villages that hasn’t been increased by the County Legislature in 25 years). She wants to explore having Medina become a city, a change that would bring in a significant hike in state municipal aid and could also give Medina more leverage in the local sales tax pie.
“There’s no question our tax burden is too high,” Sherman said about the village.
She said she values her relationships with other local municipal leaders, including Shelby Town Supervisor Jim Heminway, Ridgeway Town Supervisor Brian Napoli and Yates Town Supervisor Jim Simon. All are serious about long-term strategies to make the local government more sustainable for residents, Sherman said.
“You can preach affordability, but you have to have a plan,” she said.
She praised the many residents and committees that give Medina a high quality of life. Volunteers run concert series and many other community events, developed the skate park and dog park, and worked to upgrade Boxwood Cemetery and village parks.
“We’re putting ourselves on the map through the efforts of a lot of people,” she said. “In Medina, we support each other. Everyone is important. Every idea is important. That’s what makes Medina great. We’re here to support each other.”
Village trustee candidates
The trustee candidates on the ballot include, from left: Jeff Wagner, Mark Prawel and Dean Bellack. Courtney Henderson also is mounting a write-in campaign.
Jeff Wagner, 72, is making his first run for public office. The former owner of the Apple Grove Inn, he also started the Miss Apple Grove that was a tourism juggernaut locally, with mules pulling a packet boat in Medina. It was featured in National Geographic.
Wagner would go on to serve as general manager of the Cracker Barrel in Lancaster, and corporate had him go to other stores as a training manager. He won GM of the year several times through Cracker Barrel.
Wagner wants to bring his business acumen to the Village Board.
“I would like to make a difference in how this runs,” he said.
He serves on Medina’s Tree Board and frequently brings his dog to the Medina Dog Park on North Gravel Road.
He wants to help develop plans for addressing the village’s aging infrastructure, sidewalks and fire hydrants.
Mark Prawel, 55, has been a trustee the past two years. He retired as a Medina police officer on April 16, 2023. He worked for the village for 16 ½ years. That gave him insight into the village operations. He also runs Prawel Auto Service on Ryan Street in Medina, where customers have been telling him the village taxes and too high, especially for the senior citizens.
Prawel said the fire department is consuming too much of the village budget, when other departments feel a very tight financial pinch. The DPW, for example, was reduced by a full-time employee a year ago and now only has a staff of nine full-time workers.
Prawel said Medina gives so much to the overall community, but village taxpayers get the bill.
“Everybody enjoys the Village of Medina,” he said. “We have all the parks, the ball fields.”
The village needs to bring in more outside revenue to help pay for the services offered to the community, he said.
He is proud of Medina’s downtown, but he said the bustling district can give the impression all is well in the village. Just a few blocks away, Prawel said neighborhoods are in decline and in need of help. He wants to bring more attention to those neighborhoods.
“We have a lot of issues in Medina, but a limited amount of money,” he said.
With the ladder truck and fire hall addition, “the facts are we just can’t afford it,” Prawel said.
He voted to declare the new ladder truck surplus, and expects the village will break even or make some money off a sale. He believes a smaller used ladder truck can be found that would fit in the existing fire hall.
“I’m not against equipment, I just want it to be a smart decision,” he said.
Dean Bellack, 68, says Medina needs to “change the curve” and form stronger alliances with other towns and villages in the county. Together they can share services and costs, and pursue much larger grants to help all the municipalities.
“We need to talk about true partnerships across towns and villages,” he said. “With bigger, larger grants you can get more political weight behind them.”
Bellack sees a village government in need of a new model. The current system puts too much cost burden on the municipality with about 6,000 residents. Bellack said more revenues are needed to help offset the load on the village. That could come through grants, or additional local sales tax, and state aid.
Bellack favored the efforts to dissolve the village back in 2014 and create “One Medina” with the towns of Ridgeway, Shelby and the village of Medina combined into one entity.
“If we went through with that I believe our economic situation would be much better,” he said. “You can’t just be focused on the short-term. I tend to think very large and very long-term.”
Bellack has helped revived struggling entities before. He noted the former Lake Plains YMCA was on the verge of closing before forming a successful partnership with the GLOW YMCA. Bellack is now chairman of the organization’s board, and he said the experience gives him a close look at communities in Genesee, Wyoming and Livingston, as well as Orleans. The local Y went from being broke to a remodel of the former Armory site in Medina that now has an endowment directing $70,000 a year to building maintenance and projects.
He also led the change in structure for the local United Way, which has been renamed “Orleans Community Connects.” Bellack said the agency has switched its focus from being a fundraiser for local non-profits to bringing in significant grants to address difficult issues in the community, from housing assistance, food access, caregiving support and technology help.
Bellack also owned and managed 43 apartments units in Medina. He said all of his experiences have him ready to serve as a village trustee, and look for long-term solutions for the village government.
“I have the time, the energy and I care,” he said.
He chose “Connect Orleans Party” as his party line. It speaks to a focus to bring communities in the county together on addressing issues.
“In Orleans County we can’t continue to be disconnected to each other,” he said.
Courtney Henderson
Courtney Henderson, a write-in candidate, said she wants to be a voice for village residents on the board. She has been endorsed by the union for the firefighters, Medina Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 2161. That union also backs Sherman for mayor.
“We support these candidates because they are committed to listening to all village residents, encouraging open public engagement and making decisions based on what is best for the entire community,” the union stated on its Facebook page. “Medina deserves leaders who welcome conversation, value transparency and put residents first, not personal agendas.”
Henderson said the firefighters, who also serve as EMTs on the ambulance, are short-staffed and that has resulted in $300,000 of overtime this budget year. The Village Board about a year ago eliminated four of the 21 full-time firefighter positions.
“A Village Trustee’s job isn’t just to vote,” she said on her campaign page on Facebook. “It’s to listen to residents, ask questions, review how tax dollars are spent, and make decisions that reflect what the community actually wants and needs. Small government works best when communication goes both ways, when residents feel comfortable speaking up, and when leadership takes the time to truly hear them.”
Art has a unique way of bringing a community together. In the Town of Barre, a new mural will hang as a reminder that even small towns can express big stories through creativity and pride.
The mural will be a community paint by number by local artist Stacey Kirby. It will reflect the history, character and spirit of the town. In a rural community like Barre, where generations of families have lived, worked, farmed and built their lives, the mural becomes a visual celebration of that shared identity.
When the artist contributes her talents, the mural will help shape the visual landscape of the Town of Barre and leave something meaningful for future generations.
This mural at the town hall is more than a painting on the wall. It is a statement that art belongs everywhere, including the heart of Barre.
This mural is sponsored by GO Art! and the Barre Betterment Committee.
“As one digs deeper into the national character of the Americans, one sees that they have sought the value of everything in this world only in the answer to this single question: How much money will it bring in?” – Alexis de Tocqueville, circa 1840
The French aristocrat de Tocqueville traveled around America in the 1830s and wrote the classic and still popular book, Democracy in America. After nearly 200 years the above quote is still relevant.
Today, a few ultra-rich corporations have a tremendous influence on our economy and culture. As every business student learns, the sole criterion for corporate success is the generation of wealth for the shareholders. That’s it. Anything else – equitable distribution of wealth, concern for nature and the environment, concern for employees and customers, basic human empathy – is only important if it helps increase shareholder wealth.
A consequence of this philosophy is the raw capitalistic ethos that dominates 21st century America: phenomenal wealth but savage inequalities, material well-being for some but hardship for many others, and emotional and spiritual desolation for nearly all. A change is needed.
A microcosm of the whole cultural picture is being played out locally, in the form of a proposed data center in Genesee County.
It will be huge, around 37 football fields.
It will use far more electricity than the combined total usage of Genesee, Orleans, Livingston and Wyoming counties.
It will cost over $19 billion to build, and will employ only 125 people.
The builder is asking Genesee County for over $1.4 billion in tax breaks.
It will be noisy – constant, 24/7 noise.
It will burn large amounts of polluting diesel fuel to run its backup generators.
Its wastewater will be handled by an awkward, heavily criticized plan to discharge treated waste into an already impaired Oak Orchard Creek.
It will be nearly surrounded by government protected land (e.g., the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and others) and by the Tonawanda Seneca reservation. Spills of diesel fuel or cooling fluid could cause great harm.
It will be used by an undisclosed corporation, almost surely for artificial intelligence computations.
If America can avoid a bubble-bursting AI crash, the data center could be immensely profitable. Where will the profits flow? Essentially all the profits will flow out of our area, most to fabulously rich high tech corporations on the West Coast.
Data centers are, in essence, extractive entities. They use resources like land and electricity, and do not return meaningful wealth to the area, mostly because they employ very very few people. Granted, PILOT payments and fees paid to the GCEDC stay local, but remember that there’s also the proposed $1.4 billion in abated tax revenues that the state and county will never see. Finally, to make the whole situation worse, residential electric bills will go up. Please ask yourself: Is this what we want?
Perhaps more important than the economic issues are the social and environmental risks that come with data centers. Those risks are all borne locally. The Big Woods of the Tonawanda Seneca Nation gets the unceasing noise, the diesel exhaust, and groundwater pollution from any spills. We believe that it is neither ethical nor moral to subject the Nation to such risks.
Moreover, the buildings themselves will lie along the border of the reservation – looming, noisy reminders to the TSN that for 250 years our government has taken advantage of them. Again, is this what we want?
Beyond the TSN reservation, the protected wildlife areas will be subject to pollution risks, the magnitudes of which are very difficult to quantify, but are not zero.
In summary, we contend that the local economic case for a data center in Genesee County is weak. We also contend that it is fundamentally wrong to base the decision on economics alone, and that arguments based on the lifestyles and well-being of local people and the health of the environment should be given more weight than they have been given. From humanistic and environmental points of view, the risks of the data center outweigh any benefits.
Though our culture tends to channel us toward a narrow view, the value of everything in our beautiful world cannot and should not be reduced to economics alone. If you agree with us, please consider making your voice heard. We urge you to come out explicitly against the data center. You can start by contacting your local and state elected officials. This is not just a Genesee County issue; it affects all of western New York and beyond. Other communities around the country have come together and successfully stopped data center projects. We can too.
Sister Dolores O’Dowd (Chairperson, Green Orleans)
