By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 February 2021 at 11:49 am
Provided photos: Sheryl Watts, owner and creator of Air Raising Events, is pictured with some of the Balloon Buddies she created.
This woman is pleased after receiving her Balloon Buddy.
MEDINA – Senior citizens at Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center and Applegate Manor in Medina received a special delivery of “Balloon Buddies” earlier this month.
Sheryl Watts, owner and creator of Air Raising Events, made 152 of the Balloon Buddies with messages. The community paid $15 each to sponsor one of the buddies.
Watts delivered 140 of the buddies to Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center (Orchard Manor) on Feb. 8. She brought 12 to Applegate Manor on Feb. 5.
“It was amazing,” Watts said about delivering the Balloon Buddies. “The staff and adopted grandparents were so happy. The support from the community has been very positive and enthusiastic. Families from out of state have been very appreciative of the campaign and happy to see their loved one get a Balloon Buddy to brighten their day.”
She is close to meeting her fundraising goal to take 105 to The Villages of Orleans Health and Rehabilitation Center in Albion. Click here for more information about donating or sponsoring.
After the Villages, Watts wants to bring the Balloon Buddies to the Clover Hill site in Albion.
Balloon artists throughout the country are bringing “Balloon Buddies” to residents of nursing homes and assisted-care sites are part of the Adopt-A-Grandparent Balloon Buddy Campaign.
Residents receive a smiley-faced character holding a heart.
The balloon buddy campaign seeks to bring some extra joy to senior living facilities, which have suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic, including extended separation from loved ones.
Watts has added a message that tells the recipients they are not forgotten and are loved.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 February 2021 at 7:23 pm
Officers Navas, Reeves and Meredith presented UR Trauma Star Commendation
Photos by Tom Rivers: Medina Police Chief Chad Kenward recognizes police officer Christian Navas for applying a tourniquet after a woman suffered a serious dog bite on Dec. 7. Kenward also recognized officers Jacob Reeves, left, and Dustin Meredith, center.
MEDINA – Three Medina police officers were dispatched to a home on South Main Street in Dec. 7. They didn’t know how serious the situation was because the call was disconnected to the 911 center at 4:44 p.m.
Officer Christian Navas was first on the scene and was soon followed by officers Jacob Reeves and Dustin Meredith. The latter was doing his field training as a new officer.
Navas entered the house and saw a woman with a very serious dog bite. Her right foot had nearly been bitten off by a dog, a mixed breed.
The resident thought the dog was safely outside, but it barged into the house. The victim of the dog bite was a visiting nurse.
Navas acted quickly, taking Reeves’ personal tourniquet and wrapping it tightly around the injured woman’s thigh. That prevented her from bleeding out and possibly dying.
Reeves and Meredith were able to keep people calm at the scene and provide support.
Navas said officers frequently train on first aid. Even in tactical training, officers will suddenly be told they need to provide aid to another officer, including applying tourniquets. Navas said the injured woman didn’t panic despite the immense pain and scariness of the situation.
“She was such a fighter,” Navas said. “I’ve never seen such a gruesome injury.”
Medina police officer Christian Navas is pictured by a Stop the Bleed display through the University of Rochester and Strong Memorial Hospital. He was credited for quickly putting a tourniquet on a woman’s leg after she suffered a serious dog bite. His actions are credited with saving the woman’s foot and possibly her life.
Medina firefighters – Tyler Harrington and Lt. Steve Cooley – responded soon after the police officers and then found a tourniquet was already properly in place. That allowed them to set a splint to stabilize the open fractures. They then transported the woman to Strong Memorial Hospital. She was there 54 minutes after the initial dispatch call, within the “golden hour” when care is so critical to survival and recovery.
The woman survived and doctors were able to reattach her foot without an amputation. She wanted to express her “heartfelt appreciation” to the police officers and firefighters for their fast and very proficient response, said Todd Draper, lieutenant of the Medina PD.
The three police officers today were presented Trauma Star Commendation awards today from the University of Rochester. The officers were praised for “stopping the bleed” in those early minutes after the 911 call. The awards from the University of Rochester Medical Center were presented by William Hallinan, Trauma Program Manager, and Nick VanStaalduinen, Trauma Injury Prevention/Outreach Coordinator.
Draper said the response from the police officers shows the interagency cooperation between the police and fire department.
“There are no routine days for law enforcement or emergency responders,” Draper said during a presentation in the main meeting room at City Hall. “This is something our guys are out doing everyday along with our partners at the Medina Fire Department.”
Jacob Reeves, the police department’s field training officer, was doing the field training for Dustin Meredith, a new officer on the police department. Meredith joined the Medina PD after working as the animal control officer in Orleans County. He has seen many dog bites, but never one as serious as the incident in Medina on Dec. 7.
The dog in the attack has been euthanized.
This group of Medina police officers and firefighters responded to a call on Dec. 7 when a nurse visiting a Medina home suffered a very serious dog bite where her right foot was nearly bitten off. Their quick actions saved the woman’s foot and likely prevented her from bleeding out and dying. Pictured from left include Dustin Meredith and Christian Navas of the police department, Tyler Harrington and Lt. Steve Cooley of the fire department, and police officer Jacob Reeves.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 13 February 2021 at 9:07 am
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Fire trucks from Medina, Shelby and East Shelby pull into Medina Memorial Hospital in a parade to help North Wing resident Ruth Harold celebrate her 103rd birthday Feb. 13.
Ruth Harold, a resident of the North Wing at Medina Memorial Hospital, is all decked out for her 103rd birthday party.
MEDINA – Ruth Harold got to celebrate her 103rd birthday with a very special treat.
A resident of Medina Memorial Hospital’s North Wing, Harold was honored on Friday with a parade of fire trucks from Shelby and East Shelby and a Medina ambulance, who drove through the circle under her window and blew their sirens.
Harold was born Feb. 13, 1918 in Wolcottsville, where she grew up. She married the late Robert Clark, and they had three children, Betty, Kent and Karen. They raised their family in Middleport, where she worked many jobs, but the most rewarding, she said, was babysitting.
Harold told the nurses in the North Wing that when she was younger, “everything was exciting to me.” The first car she ever saw was a Ford Model T. She remembers her grandfather living with them, and she he was a big shot in the Army. He was very important to her, she said, and they had a big memorial for him after he died.
Harold has been a resident of the North Wing since January 2011. She likes to nap and get her nails done. She loves jewelry and the latest fashions. She never thought she’d live to be this age, she said.
“Can you believe I’m over 100,” she asked on Friday as they waited for her parade of fire trucks. “The firemen are coming for me.”
Harold was happy to see to procession of fire trucks and the hoopla for birthday.
“She was absolutely thrilled,” said Niccole Nicholson, a social worker in the North Wing.
Ruth Harold’s window of her room in the North Wing of Medina Memorial Hospital overlooks the drive, where fire trucks from Shelby, East Shelby and Medina and a Medina ambulance paraded in front and blew their sirens on Friday afternoon, in celebration of Harold’s 103rd birthday Feb. 13.
Design by Spohn Ranch Skateparks: The new skate park in Medina will have many elements for skaters, from the beginning level to intermediate and more advanced skill levels.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 February 2021 at 1:43 pm
MEDINA – If the weather cooperates, construction on Medina’s new skate park could start in March, said Alex Feig, president of the Medina Skate Society.
The construction project will take about 90 to 120 days to complete.
“The early estimate is a grand opening in mid to late June with the less optimistic date of mid to late August,” Feig said.
Provided photos: The Village of Medina DPW took down the old fence posts and ripped up the old asphalt tennis courts on Jan. 7 to clear the site for the new park.
The organization has lined up nearly $550,000 to build the new site at Butts Park. That includes $250,570.53 raised through local fundraisers and donations. That allowed the Skate Society to maximize a $250,000 matching grant from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation.
The Skate Society also has been awarded $42,000 for an Environmental Impact Award grant by The Skatepark Project which will be used for storm water management and bioswales.
The funding gives the Skate Society a total working budget of $542,570.53. The organization welcomes in-kind donations from concrete, temporary bathrooms, topsoil to contractor lodging. A list of options for donations is available on the Skate Society website (click here).
The Skate Society also is currently selling meat raffle tickets for $5 a piece or 3 for $10 as the group eases back into some fundraising efforts this year. The raffle drawing is March 20. For information on tickets, call Terri at (716) 998-7516.
The old skate park, a repurposed tennis court, was removed on Jan. 7.
The $550K budget covers the entire design and construction of the skatepark by Spohn Ranch but doesn’t include additional planned seating, signage and other amenities.
“We are continuing to fundraise for these additions along with seeking in-kind contributions and volunteer/partnership opportunities,” Feig said.
The park includes areas and features for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.
Some of the features include:
2.5-foot to 4-foot quarter pipes lining the southern edge of the park.
A 2.5-foot mini-ramp/beginner bowl section that waterfalls down to a 4-foot section along the north eastern edge.
A fun box with a hip and an inventive street sized curb (for doing slappys).
There are hubbas (grind ledges) and grind rails for beginner, intermediate and advanced skaters and riders.
The intermediate kidney shaped bowl begins at 5 feet and waterfalls down to 7 feet.
When entering the park from the walkway stretching from the main parking lot past the pavilion/seating area, there is 9-inch manual pad with a 20-inch ledge that will also bare the name of The Luke Nelson Skate Park, said Alex Feig, president of the Medina Skate Society.
The most prominent feature facing south Main Street is a functional art installation (steep slant) standing approximately 9 feet tall and 24 feet wide, Feig said. “This is where our sponsors will be displayed so it’s the first thing visitors see when they pull into the Butts Park.”
The park will be named for Luke Nelson, a skateboarder from Middleport who often used the park. He was 23 when he passed away on April 22, 2017. His family has donated to the park and helped organize the fundraisers to upgrade the site.
The Skate Society is working on the design of the “donor wall” with Takeform in Medina. The Skate Society also is discussing with Orleans/Niagara BOCES to have some of their students produce a bike rack to be installed at the park as a senior project, Feig said.
“We are planning on adding three long concrete block style benches covered with individualized mosaic tile designs and connected by a lightly landscaped walkway that winds from the parking area into the skatepark,” he said.
The site was cleared of the former tennis court and is ready the new skate park.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 February 2021 at 11:00 am
MEDINA – The deadline passed on Tuesday to submit petitions to be on the ballot for the March 16 village election.
Two candidates submitted petitions and met the threshold for signatures from registered voters.
Owen Toale is seeking a fourth two-year term while Jessica Marciano makes her first run for the Village Board. Toale, a retired newspaper publisher of the former Journal-Register in Medina, and Marciano, who is a member of Medina’s Parks Committee, are running on the Accountability Party.
Todd Bensley, a Medina social studies teacher and also the village historian, decided not to seek re-election after six years on the board.
Voting will be at the Senior Center on West Avenue from noon to 9 p.m. on March 16.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 February 2021 at 10:22 am
MEDINA – Today is the deadline for candidates to file petitions to run for a position on the Medina Village Board. The election is March 16.
The petitions usually require at least 100 signatures from registered voters in the village. The governor issued an executive order reducing the number of signatures required due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Candidates still need about 60. The governor’s executive order allowed for a minimum threshold of 3.3% of the total number of votes case for governor at the last gubernatorial election, which would be about 60.
The executive order also states the minimum would 70% of the statutory minimum number provided for by election law, which would be 70 percent of 100 or 70. The executive order said to take the lesser of the two, which would be 60.
The petitions are due to the Village Clerk’s Office by 4:30 p.m. today.
The seats for Owen Toale and Todd Bensley are both open. Toale has already submitted signed petitions to run under the Accountability Party. Jessica Marciano, a member of the Parks Committee, also has submitted petitions to run under the Accountability Party.
Albion also has its election on March 16 for one spot on the Village Board. During party caucuses on Jan. 26, The Republican Party backed Joe Martillotta and Democrats picked Zack Burgess to be their candidates.
The Village of Lyndonville is in an off election year and won’t have an election on March 16. Holley holds its election in June.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 February 2021 at 11:20 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: In this photo from April 9, 2020, Donato Rosario of the Medina Fire Department removes some of the metal roofing from a cottage in Yates, which was damaged in a chimney fire.
MEDINA – The Fire Department responded to fewer calls in 2020, mainly due to the impact of Covid-19, especially early in the pandemic in March, April and May.
Medina firefighters responded to 2,437 total calls in 2020, which was down by 10.3 percent from 2019. The restrictions early in the pandemic closed schools and many businesses, and many people avoided non-essential travel. People were also nervous to seek medical treatment out of fear of being exposed to the coronavirus.
Medina firefighters handled 87 calls last year involving people who contracted Covid, according to the annual report compiled by Fire Chief Matt Jackson.
He said 2020 brought many personnel and operational changes. Former Chief Tom Lupo retired and Jackson was appointed to lead the department on Jan. 13. There were three promotions in the department and other new firefighters were hired to fill vacancies.
The Medina FD also needed to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic with added cleaning and safeguards to protect staff and the public.
“Our department has willingly accepted the ever-changing demands that this pandemic sprang on us,” Jackson said in his annual report. “I continue to be impressed by the passion that the personnel of the Medina Fire Department bring to the job and their ability to adapt and overcome in this dynamic environment.”
Medina had six of its 22 full-time staff test positive for Covid in December.
The calls by month include: January, 248; February, 179; March, 161; April, 138; May, 178; June, 217; July, 312; August, 196; September, 217; October, 204; November, 208; and December, 179.
July was the busiest month with 312 calls, partly due to rain storm on July 27 when 7 inches of rain fell in one day and many basements needed to be pumped.
The department averaged 203 calls a month, but the first three months of the pandemic were well below that, with April the slowest month with 138 calls.
The fire chief’s report shows that 5 p.m. is the busiest hour of the day while 4 a.m. is the slowest. Mondays are also the busiest day of the week with Sundays the fewest calls.
The average response time was less than 2 minutes throughout the year, Jackson said.
He also reported that firefighters completed 2,638 total training hours, including 2,409 training hours for fire service and 229 hours for EMS training. Firefighters also taught CPR training to 75 students.
Some other highlights of the report include there were 2,140 emergency medical calls, 572 non-emergency medical transfers from Medina Memorial Hospital, and 297 fire calls, including three house fires in the village.
The calls were nearly split between day and night shifts: 1,268 (52%) for night shift and 1,169 (48%) for day shift.
Medina promoted leaders in the Fire Department. This trio is pictured on Jan. 13, 2020 inside the fire hall after taking their oaths of office. From left include Captain Michael Young, Fire Chief Matt Jackson and Lt. Jacob Crooks.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 February 2021 at 2:03 pm
Local company will be Berkshire franchise, running offices in Medina, Wrights Corners and Orchard Park
Provided photo: Rita Zambito is pictured with her son Mark and her daughter Mandy Gotham. They will be running three real estate offices as part of a franchise with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
MEDINA – A local real estate business, that has grown to be in the top 10 in sales in Western New York in recent years, announced today it is becoming a new franchise for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.
Zambito Realtors, which started in 2006 by Rita Zambito, sees advantages for customers and her 35 employees in joining Berkshire, a company with a national presence. Zambito will continue to run its offices in Medina and Wrights Corners, Niagara County, and will be opening a new office in Orchard Park.
The Medina and Wrights Corners offices will be called Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Zambito Realtors, while the Orchard Park site will be Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Western New York Properties. Zambito’s daughter, Mandy Gotham, lives in Orchard Park and will run that office.
“We decided to join the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network because of its unique technology and marketing tools that will give our agents access to more when assisting clients in looking for their next home, more data, more properties and more neighborhood information,” Zambito said in a news release. “Taking our local expertise and adding the global network and reach that only Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices can offer us, our agents and our clients will have an unbeatable advantage in the marketplace.”
With their brand transition, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Zambito Realtors and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Western New York Properties agents gain access to Berkshire’s referral and relocation networks, and its “FOREVER Cloud” technology suite, a powerful source for lead generation, marketing support, social media, video production/distribution and more.
“We feel it will truly benefit our clients and our agents,” said Zambito’s son Mark Zambito, an associate broker and co-owner of the business. “Their brand is globally known. Their technology and reach is why we aligned ourselves with them.”
Berkshire vetted the Zambito business for several months, to make sure it was a good match, Zambito said in an interview.
He praised his mother for her work in building the business. She started as a real estate agent in the mid-1990s for Stovroff-Potter. She opened her own business about a decade later and Mark joined her after he graduated from college.
Zambito Realtors opened in December 2006 with the mother and son running the business with four agents on North Main Street. In 2019, they moved to a bigger site on Maple Ridge Road and also opened the office in Wrights Corners.
Mandy Gotham, Rita Zambito’s daughter, also has joined the real estate company and she will be running the Orchard Park office.
“We are thrilled to welcome Zambito Realtors to our network,” said Chris Stuart, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. “Zambito Realtors has long been Western New York’s hometown real estate company and I know their service to the community will expand moving forward. Zambito agents represent the same Berkshire Hathaway principles of trust, integrity, stability and longevity. Their leadership’s mission to uphold the integrity of their professionals through building lasting relationships with their clients creates the long-term success we are looking for.”
Zambito Realtors will continue to offer insight and guidance for all types of real estate transactions, from single-family homes, multi-family homes, vacant land, commercial listings, farms with specific expertise in equestrian properties, according to the news release from Berkshire.
Gino Blefari, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, also welcomed the company to the network.
“Zambito Realtors demonstrates a commitment to their community beyond their business, which is a wonderful example of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices mission to be dedicated to our clients and continuously improve their lives,” Blefari said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 February 2021 at 11:10 am
Sheryl Watts would like to expand program to all nursing homes, assisted care sites in county
Sponsors are sought for “balloon buddies” for each of the 140 residents at Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina. The balloons will include a poem.
MEDINA – A certified balloon artist wants to bring some joy to residents of nursing homes and assisted-care sites in Orleans County.
Sheryl Watts, owner of Air Raising Events, has joined a nationwide effort in the Adopt-A-Grandparent Balloon Buddy Campaign.
She is first focusing on making a balloon buddy for all 140 residents at Orchard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina. Watts is halfway there. She doesn’t want to do the program unless every resident gets a balloon, which is a smiley-faced character with a heart. She will add a poem that the recipients are not forgotten and are loved.
“We want to adopt everyone so no one feels left out,” she said. “Once they are all adopted, I make the balloon buddies and deliver them at one time.”
The balloon buddy campaign is a national effort by balloon artists, seeking to bring some extra joy to senior living facilities, which have suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic, including extended separation from loved ones.
Watts is seeking sponsors for $15 for a balloon buddy for each resident. If she has sponsors for all 140 residents at Orchard, she will then do the program at another site in Orleans County.
Watts has been working as a balloon artist for the past 20 years, working at children’s parties, graduation events, weddings and other celebrations.
Balloon artists throughout the country are joining the effort to bring balloon buddies to the senior citizens.
“We like the idea of bringing hope and happiness to the seniors in nursing homes and assisted living facilities,” she said. “Many of them are suffering from depression and loneliness.”
For more on the program, including how to become a sponsor, click here.
Sheryl Watts made this strawberry costume during the June 2019 Strawberry Festival Parade. She has been making balloon creations the past 20 years.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 January 2021 at 10:11 am
MEDINA – A committee that has been meeting since August to study police reform is recommending changes for the Medina Police Department, including the establishment of the Community Policing Board.
That board should include a cross-section of the community and should meet regularly, the Committee on Police Reform Collaborative. The new community policing board would work towards forming better relations between law enforcement and the community.
“These relationships can be beneficial to convey information in both directions,” according to the report from Committee on Police Reform Collaborative. “This Board may also be tasked with aiding in community relations events.”
The committee submitted a draft report this past week of its recommendations. (Click here to see the report.) The Village Board set a 7 p.m. public hearing on Feb. 22 for residents to comment on the report.
Medina needs to submit a report to the state by April 1. Gov. Andrew Cuomo last June approved an executive order requiring all 500 municipal police agencies in the state to have the public involved in studying current police policies, with possible recommendations for changes. Those reports need to be submitted to the state by April 1 or Cuomo said the state will withhold funding from communities that don’t do the report, which needs to include public meetings.
Cuomo, in his executive order, said the communities with police departments need to go over their policies on use of force by police officers, crowd management, community policing, implicit bias awareness training, de-escalation training and practices, restorative justice practices, community-based outreach and citizen complaint procedures. The communities may find no changes are needed, Cuomo said.
• MENTAL HEALTH and PROCEDURAL JUSTICE – The committee in Medina also is recommending increased training for Medina police officers in mental health and procedural justice.
The regular mental health training schedule should seek out opportunities for crisis intervention training and mental health first aid.
Medina has already sent an instructor for certification in “Principled Policing.” That program covers areas such as History of Policing, Communication, Racial Bias, Decision Making, Trust Building and Core Values.
“Regular training in this area may help officers deal with the difficulties of modern-day policing,” the committee report states. “All of these training areas can be reinforced through reality based training, including interactive scenarios involving use of communication skills.”
• COMMUNITY POLICING/RELATIONS: The Committee recommends that the Medina Police Department take efforts to increase community policing and relations. The committee recommended the Medina Village Board put $10,000 in the next budget to assist with these community policing initiatives.
The committee recommended open community meetings hosted by the Medina Police Department. These meetings can be used to relay relevant information, and hear public concerns.
The Medina PD should also do an annual public survey to gather input from local citizens on police activities.
Some other ways to strengthen community interaction with the department could be more officers on foot patrol, bike patrol and community activities. The committee recommended an annual gathering open to the public where police officers can have positive interactions with the community.
Medina might also consider assigning a Community Policing Officer to focus on creating opportunities for positive interactions with the community.
• ACCREDITATION: The Committee recommends that the Medina PD attempt to obtain NYS accreditation status. The NYS Accreditation Program provides outside guidance and oversight to law enforcement to ensure performance in areas such as policies, procedures and training.
• FUNDING: The committee said funding should be increased at the local and state levels for law enforcement and mental health services.
The Medina PD could pursue state grant funding for mental health, training and equipment.
The committee also said Medina should fund an investigator position in the Medina PD. “A designated position should result in a higher rate of case closures, which it is assumed will also increase public confidence,” the committee stated in the report.
• The Committee members include Chairman Scott Robinson (Medina Area Partnership), Medina Mayor Mike Sidari, Medina Police Chief Chad Kenward, Daniel Doctor (Medina Central School District Representative), Pastor Jovannie Canales, Jacquie Chinn, Medina PD Lt. Todd Draper, Sherry Tuohey, David King, Cynthia King, Danielle Figura (Orleans County Mental Health Department), Joe Cardone (Orleans County District Attorney) and Joanne Best (Orleans County Public Defender).
• The Medina Police Department currently has 13 officers, including a police chief, lieutenant, sergeant, a school-resource officer, eight patrolmen (including a K-9 officer) and a part-time officer. The department operates with two officers on duty 24-7. The department made 465 arrests in 2016, 551 in 2017, 416 in 2018 and 374 in 2019.
• Survey: The committee created an online survey with topics about transparency, racial bias, trustworthiness, and community participation. Respondents could also list their biggest concerns, as well as suggestions for improvements.
There was approximately 255 respondents to the survey, with 90 percent from Medina residents, with an equal response between male and females, with 80 percent from White, 8 percent from Hispanic and 7 percent from Black.
The survey respondents gave an overall ranking of the Medina PD at 3.7 out of 5, with the biggest concerns listed at 27% say increased training, 27 percent said community policing/relations, and 21 percent said mental health.
• Department policies reviewed: The committee reviewed the following departmental policies: use of force, mental health, body worn cameras, community relations, civilian personnel complaints, performance evaluations, handling deadly force incidents, use of firearms including taser and less lethal shotgun.
An email address was created to allow residents to voice specific concerns in detail. The committee will continue to accept comments at medinaprrc@gmail.com.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 January 2021 at 3:46 pm
MEDINA – The Village Board has approved installation of about 50 bluebird houses at several local parks and Boxwood Cemetery.
Daniel Rosentreter presented the plan to the Village Board, which gave its approval on Monday. Rosentreter needs to check with DPW Superintendent Jason Watts on the final locations.
Rosentreter, 28, would like to have most of the bluebird houses in place before the April-May nesting season.
The bluebird houses will be on ¾-inch galvanized electrical pipe, which have a smooth surface so squirrels can’t climb up on them, Rosentreter said.
He is an avid birder and wildlife photographer who wants to encourage bluebirds in the Medina community.
“The bluebird has decreased in population,” Rosentreter said. “This is a big way to bring them back.”
He is planning to have the bluebird houses installed at the perimeter of Boxwood Cemetery, Butts Park, Canal Basin Park, Gulf Park, Gwinn Street Park, Lions Park Pine Street Park and State Street Park.
When this group of bluebird house sis done, Rosentreter said he would like to add some to Ridgeway at a municipal-owned cemeteries and also at the Shelridge Country Club.
He has some volunteers to help with the effort of installing the bluebird houses.
“We have a lot of work to do now that this has been approved,” he said. “
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 January 2021 at 10:34 am
Courtesy of Village of Medina, DRI application: The Village of Medina wants to improve public access to the Medina Waterfalls by constructing an elevated platform from the towpath. That project was part of Medina’s application in 2019 for $10 million in DRI funding.
MEDINA – A $10 million grant to catapult economic and housing opportunities in the downtown district is again available to each of the 10 regions in the state, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced during his State of State addresses.
Medina was a finalist in 2019, missing out to Seneca Falls in the Finger Lakes Region.
“You’re not going to get it if you don’t go for it,” Medina Mayor Mike Sidari sad this morning.
The Village Board will discuss applying again for the grant during this evening’s board meeting. Medina could have a consultant “tweak” the previous application or Medina could start over with the application. Medina worked with Bergmann Associates previously to help prepare the application.
Medina was one of five finalists in 2019. That makes Sidari think the community already has a strong case for the funding.
Medina has a committee that identified residential, commercial and tourism projects that would build on recent successes and investments in the downtown and canal area.
The new application will likely be due in June with the winners announced in October or November.
Previous $10 million grant winners in the Finger Lakes region include the City of Geneva in 2016, the City of Batavia in 2017, the Village of Penn Yan in 2018 and Seneca Falls in 2019.
Medina’s application from 2019 lists the following projects to be considered for DRI funding:
• Streetscape Improvements at an estimated $1 million in DRI funding
Medina wants to improve the downtown pedestrian experience through street furniture, landscaping, and crosswalk enhancements on Main Street and Pearl Street.
The village wants to enhance crosswalks; add more benches, bike racks, trash receptacles and pedestrian lighting; and plant more street trees and shrubs.
• Rail with Trail, a multi-use trail along the Medina Railroad from the museum to Main Street, at an estimated DRI funding request of $200,000
The village wants to improve a gap within the pedestrian network and improve the connectivity from the Railroad Museum to the downtown. A “rail-with-trail” would create a multi-use path alongside the rail line.
• The Canal Village Farmer’s Market would become a year-round market with a community kitchen, distillery and event space as part of a $3 million project, with $2.8 million in DRI funding
The market is in its fifth year at the northeast corner of West Center Street and West Avenue. The market, which is run by Orleans Renaissance Group, currently operates on select weekends throughout the year out of a small building and temporary stands in the parking lot.
The ORG is seeking to construct a large, enclosed structure to allow for continuous, year-round operation of the market. The structure will be anchored by three tenants: the farmer’s market with a community kitchen and exhibit space; a distillery or microbrewery on the second floor; and a rooftop event space.
• Canal Basin Park – Improved waterfront access and amenities at the Canal Basin Park for $2 million, to be funded with the DRI.
The village in its application says the spot is hampered by an “overabundance of paved parking space and limited recreational access to the Erie Canal.” Medina wants to increase public access to the waterfront area and encourage recreational and passive use at this prime waterfront location.
Recommended improvements include:
• Installation of a pedestrian boardwalk along the rear facades of Main Street buildings;
• Conversion of the existing parking space into public greenspace with access to the Erie Canal;
• Construction of a promenade along the Erie Canal;
• Installation of boating docks on the Erie Canal;
• Comfort amenities, such as restrooms and showers;
• Crosswalk enhancements to improve pedestrian connection across East Center Street.
The village anticipates the changes would prompt building owners to “activate the rear facades of the buildings on Main Street, creating commercial opportunities on both sides of these structures and allowing for the development of new businesses.”
• State Street Park – enhanced programming to make the park a year-round recreational destination, with an ice skating rink, enhanced lighting, boat tie-ups, benches and bicycle racks, and a construction of a nature trail at a $600,000 cost, with the DRI funding $500,000.
The installation of motor boat tie-ups will allow boaters on the canal to join in on the enjoyment of local musicians’ performances at the bandstand during the summer months while the ice skating rink will allow for winter activities and encourage continued use of the park even during the off-season, the village stated in its application.
• Lions Park Boater Access – The village seeks $250,000 for the DRI to install boat tie-ups and docking facilities at the Lions Park near the Route 63 lift bridge.
The village, in its application, says boater amenities and docking infrastructure are limited within Medina. Throughout the community engagement process, the public consistently expressed a need for additional boater amenities along the waterfront.
This project also includes the creation of a fitness trail through Lions Park, with various pieces of fitness equipment located along the trail.
• Medina Falls Overlook – The village wants to better utilize the Medina waterfalls by adding a viewing platform and overlook off the Erie Canalway Trail, near the Horan Road Bridge. The project would cost an estimated $1.9 million with the DRI funding $1.5 million.
“Medina Falls is one of the Village’s stunning natural wonders,” according to the village’s application. “Its 40-foot drop dazzles onlookers and makes a great challenge for any kayakers willing to brave it. The scenic Falls, however, lacks an easily accessible viewing point and is obscured by brush, foliage, and a significant grade change that can be dangerous for interested onlookers to traverse.”
• Wayfinding Signage – Install a cohesive and well-branded system of wayfinding and directional signs at a cost of $200,000 with the DRI funding $150,000.
The signs would direct visitors to the Erie Canal, Waterfalls, public parking and other resources. Medina wants to add gateway signs, directional signs, kiosks and interpretive signs, light pole banners and identification signs for destinations and parking areas.
• Small Grant Fund – This fund will support economic-development related activities through the distribution of small grants to local businesses and investors. Medina would like a $900,000 fund with the DRI paying $600,000.
The fund is intended to support projects that retain jobs, generate increased economic activity, and improve the economic viability and livability of Downtown Medina. Eligible projects could include historic rehabilitation and repair, facade improvements, land acquisition, new construction, and event programming.
• Mustang City: Adaptive Reuse of the old Medina High School – A $9 million project with the DRI request at $3 million.
A developer, Talis Equity, seeks to transform 90,000 square feet into 40 loft apartments. Mustang City will fulfill Medina’s need for additional housing options and will allow for a new kind of “maintenance-free” living, with amenities and services including grocery delivery, cleaning, and laundry pickup. Just steps from the Erie Canal and downtown’s restaurants, shops and nightlife, Mustang City will provide attractive living options for anyone from young entrepreneurs to retirees, according to the village’s DRI application.
• Snappy’s Mixed-Use Development: This project at $1.8 million includes a $1 million DRI request. It would redevelop the Snappy facility on Commercial Street by the Erie Canal into a mixed-use commercial and residential space. The property could be redeveloped with the first floor for commercial uses and the second floor for residential.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Sherry Tuohey of Elm Street in Medina arranges tree stumps in her yard to send a message to the Buffalo Bills. The ash tree serves as a canvass for her art work cheering on the Buffalo Bills.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 21 January 2021 at 7:57 pm
When the village of Medina cut down this ash tree in Sherry Tuohey’s yard on Elm Street, they left this 10-foot stump, along with some cut-up chunks on the ground, so she decided to decorate them and support the Bills.
MEDINA – Sherry Tuohey really isn’t a diehard football fan, but when the Buffalo Bills are playing, she’s watching the game.
Recently, the village of Medina cut down a dead ash tree in her yard on Elm Street and left a 10-foot trunk standing along with 10 large chunks of wood. She looked at them for a few days and then decided she had to do something with them.
She went to the hardware store and bought paint. She brought out her ladder and paint brush, and climbing up the trunk, she started painting “Go Bills” down its length with red paint. Problem is, she didn’t calculate her lettering right, and ended up running out of room at the bottom for the letter “S” in Bills.
So she put her creative hat on and decided to use all the smaller chunks and spell out “‘Bill’ieve.”
First, she found a roll of newspaper print in her basement, on which she drew free hand the Bills’ buffalo logo from a picture on her cell phone. Then she transferred it to a piece of plastic to make a stencil and painted that on the largest chunk of wood. That took up the space where the “S” should have gone. An extra small chunk of wood was painted with a red heart.
She truly loves the Bills who are playing Sunday in the AFC championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The winner goes to the Super Bowl.
Tuohey said when she finished painting she had red paint in her hair and on her sweatshirt, but it was worth it.
“With this pandemic, there’s nothing going on and I wanted to do something,” Tuohey said, eyeing her completed display. “I just had to stir up some excitement. I don’t claim to be artistic, but I’m pretty pleased with the way it turned out.”
Tuohey said moving the heavy chunks of wood was a challenge and she had to attach rope around some of them to pull them into place.
Village workers have since come by and she asked them if they could put off removing the stumps until after Bills’ season is over – hopefully ending with the franchise first Super Bowl trophy.
The DPW said they would wait.
Tuohey lives on south end of Elm Street, on the east side of the road, and welcomes drive-bys.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 January 2021 at 9:22 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: A dock is pictured in Medina’s Canal Basin in this photo from a recent fall day. Medina has received a grant to add a kayak launch at the canal.
MEDINA – The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor announced a $10,500 grant today to help develop and install an ADA-accessible kayak launch on the Erie Canal in downtown Medina.
This is one of 13 Erie Canalway IMPACT! grants for non-profit organizations and municipalities. The grants total $108,787 and will advance projects that preserve and showcase canal heritage, educate youth and welcome people to explore the canal in their local communities, the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor said in a news release.
The grants range from $1,500 to $12,000 and will leverage an additional $146,630 in private and public project support.
“As the pandemic continues to present abnormal challenges it is especially gratifying to support diverse canal inspired innovations,” said Bob Radliff, executive director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. “We are so pleased to make these timely investments and contribute to the resilience of our canal communities.”
The organization now has made 96 grants to communities and non-profit organizations since 2008 that have spurred $2.49 million in additional investments in heritage preservation, recreation, and education, Radliff said.
The IMPACT! grants are made possible with funding support provided by the National Park Service and the NYS Canal Corporation.
“We are proud to support this year’s IMPACT! grant recipients as the winning projects will positively improve canalside communities while ensuring the New York State Canal System continues to drive economic growth while safeguarding the environment and preserving the history of the nation’s most iconic waterway for the next generation,” said Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton.
The 2021 Erie Canalway IMPACT! grant awards include:
Buffalo Maritime Center, Buffalo – Award: $12,000 to create an exhibit dedicated to the Haudenosaunee alliance of Native Americans and Erie Canal history to complement Buffalo Maritime Center’s building of the Packet Boat, Seneca Chief.
Canal Society of New York State, Port Byron – Award: $5,300 to install wayside signs to improve outreach and accessibility to cultural and natural resources at the Erie Canal Heritage Park at Port Byron.
Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum, Chittenango – Award: $9,967 to produce a virtual 3-D tour of the museum complex to expand outreach efforts and create new opportunities for education. In addition, develop a STEM-based distance learning program for youth blending concepts of robotics and canal infrastructure.
City of Amsterdam – Award: $11,757 to institute creative, place-based visitor enhancements at Riverlink Park and Mohawk Valley Gateway Overlook.
Corn Hill Navigation, Pittsford – Award: $11,388 to implement a variety of educational initiatives aboard the Sam Patch, including a bird watching tour in partnership with the Montezuma Audubon Society, and hands-on learning for students in the Erie Canal Environmental Education program, which blends STEM, history, and environmental curriculums.
Erie Canal Museum, Syracuse – Award: $11,000 to partner with restaurants and other local businesses to offer public programming on the Erie Canal’s relationship to food, specifically as it pertains to agriculture, irrigation and transportation of goods.
Erie Canal Discovery Center/Niagara County Historical Society, Lockport – Award: $4,180 to support the development of five virtual lessons on the history, geography, engineering and national impact of the Erie Canal.
Lumber City Development Corporation, North Tonawanda – Award: $3,500 to install a historic mural near the dock area at Gateway Harbor Park in the City of North Tonawanda, enhancing the beauty of the park for visitors while establishing a strong sense of place and heritage.
Montezuma Audubon Center, Savannah – Award: $10,865 to organize a Canalway Conservation Corps to develop early detection invasive species management programs and STEM-based educational opportunities at the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.
Village of Brockport – Award: $4,830 to enhance Brockport’s self-guided walking tour by upgrading tour materials and interpretive panels.
Village of Medina – Award: $10,500 to develop and install an ADA accessible kayak launch located on the Erie Canal in the heart of downtown Medina.
Village of Newark – Award: $1,500 to repair vandalism damage to a prominent Erie Canal themed mural on the canalfront and guard against further damage or deterioration with protective coatings.
Western New York Land Conservancy, Inc., East Aurora – Award: $12,000 to transform an unused rail corridor into The Riverline, an iconic, innovative, and inspiring nature trail and greenway along the Buffalo River near the terminus of the Erie Canal.
Photo by Tom Rivers: A painter puts a finishing touch on the top of the Bent's Hall in September. Construction workers have been a steady presence at the site in recent months after taking a hiatus after March due to restrictions with the Covid-19 pandemic.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 12 January 2021 at 12:51 pm
MEDINA – After a work stoppage of almost six months due to the Covid pandemic, restoration again began in late August/early September on the sandstone building at the four corners of Main Street, known as Bent’s Hall.
Local entrepreneur and Medina native Roger Hungerford purchased the building in 2016, with plans to totally restore it.
It has proven a daunting challenge, much more than Hungerford expected.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Here is the balcony in this photo taken this week as restoration nears completion.
The building had been given to the Orleans Renaissance Group by Bank of America when they left Medina. ORG had hoped to take over the opera house on the third floor, but found themselves owners of the entire building, which they soon learned was in danger of collapsing into the street. Saving it would require more resources than they possessed. They realized they had to find an investor and Hungerford was contacted.
In an interview almost a year ago, Hungerford said the project turned into an engineering nightmare.
His thoughts were reinforced by project superintendent Charlie Spencer of Clarendon, an employee of LeChase Construction of Rochester, which was given the contract to restore the building.
Spencer called the job the most challenging of his career.
This is the first floor of Bent’s Hall looking toward what will be the Harvest Restaurant during the early stages of the restoration. The stairs were only temporary to access the second floor while work was ongoing.
The wide stairway which led from the second floor when the Eagles Club was there has been closed off half way down, with a landing which leads to the new stairs down to the first floor. The original Douglas fir floors have been completely refinished.
Work was in full progress in March when the pandemic hit and all work came to a halt.
“When Governor Cuomo issued orders that any unnecessary construction had to stop, we already had,” Hungerford said.
Hungerford said they thought there might be a surge in Covid cases, but they never thought it would be as bad as it got.
He said the work remaining to finish the project was going to be a large expense, and if they had continued to work, there would be no way to immediately use the building and start recouping his costs.
This photo of one of the boxes in Bent’s Hall opera house was provided by Orleans Renaissance Group several years ago. ORG got the restoration of the building started when it was given to them by Bank of America. They soon realized restoration was more than they could handle and sought a buyer, local entrepreneur Roger Hungerford, who is credited with saving the building from ruin.
This is what the boxes look like today in the opera house. This section of the wall is the first to be painted.
In the meantime, two chefs hired by Hungerford to operate the Harvest Restaurant on the main floor of Bent’s, Lionel Heydel and Jose Ocasio, remained on the payroll, working to develop menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Heydel said the restaurant will make a comeback.
Hungerford was hoping work could be completed enough so the Harvest Restaurant could open this month, followed by the 10 unique hotel rooms on the second floor by the end of February or end of March. He was then hopeful the third floor opera house could be completed by the end of April and they could start booking events for fall. But, with the increase in Covid cases, that is no longer a reality.
He is optimistic about the vaccines which have been developed and said they are an amazing medical breakthrough and a great achievement.
Ten themed hotel rooms will occupy the second floor of Bent’s Hall. Some of the rooms lead off this hallway, which ends at the stairs to the third-floor Bent’s Opera House.
This is the same hallway before restoration began, when the opera ticket window was located near the stairs.
With the 30 workmen able to return, finishing work has been progressing nicely, Spencer said.
“We are happy to be back to work, and everything is going pretty well,” he said.
The original floors in the building are all Douglas fir and have been refinished, and all the window casings are either restored or replaced with historic replicas, Spencer said.
Hungerford said all doors and windows have been replaced or renovated, and the pediment on top of the building is complete.
Kitchen equipment is all lined up ready to be installed in the Harvest Restaurant which will be a highlight when Bent’s Hall is ready to open.
Hungerford founded a company he called Talis Historic Restoration to undertake restoration projects. The company will also be continuing work on Stonehurst Mansion on West Center Street and the former Medina High School, which Hungerford has named Mustang City and plans to turn into high-end loft apartments. He said Talis Historic Restoration started with 10 employees and he foresees it growing to as many as 100 when more historic restoration projects begin across the country.
Spencer said while the work is still challenging, the end is in sight. Work now mostly consists of finishing wood trim, painting and installing electrical outlets, lights and kitchen equipment in the restaurant. He anticipates they could complete the work by late spring.
The restaurant will not only have a sizable dining room, but a bar and private dining room with windows into the kitchen. The vault used by the bank will be left as a historic attraction, Spencer said.
Opening the restaurant got support from the village with the recent approval to cut out a section of curb in front where cars/limousines can pull up and drop off diners.
Bent’s Hall on the corner of Main Street and West Center Street is resplendent as restoration work nears completion. The building sports new or restored windows, a striking pediment and repointed sandstone.
Mark Hungerford, left, and Nate Fisher work on the door to the former bank vault, which will be left in the Harvest Restaurant as an attraction.
MEDINA – A committee that has been meeting since August to study police reform is recommending changes for the Medina Police Department, including the establishment of the Community Policing Board.
