By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 November 2020 at 12:42 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA — These homes on Gwinn Street in Medina are lighted up on Saturday night. Medina celebrated its Olde Tyme Christmas on Saturday and wants to continue the festivities with a contest for businesses and residences who decorate for the holidays.
There will be seven categories in the contest, which is open to businesses and homes in the village. Entry forms should be submitted by Nov. 30 with the decorations in place by Dec. 7. Click here to see an entry form and click here to see the rules for the contest. Only decorations on the front face and front lawn of houses will be judged.
Prizes will be awarded in the following categories:
Christmas Spirit – Traditional ($50)
Christmas Spirit – Innovative ($50)
Most Whimsical ($50)
Best Use of Lights ($50)
Probably Visible from Space ($50)
Best Business – Christmas Spirit ($50)
Best Business – Community Spirit ($50)
Grand Champion – $200.
This house on Gwinn Street already is packed with decorations and lights.
Many of the downtown businesses have their storefronts decorated for the holidays including Della’s Chocolates.
The Book Shoppe also has a display in its front window.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 November 2020 at 9:20 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Chris Piontkowski of Cheektowaga is nearly done with a mural on a cinder block building on Proctor Place, a one-lane road that starts near Rudy’s Diner. He is shown on Saturday afternoon.
Piontkowski is working on the fourth large-scale mural in Medina since July. The address for the flower mural is listed as 428-436 Main St. It is on the opposite side of a building that includes the “Canalligator” mural.
Piontkowski first applied gray primer on the wall. He then put geometric patterns and then painted local, native species of pollinator flowers.
Piontkowski, 34, said he will be back on Saturday to put the finishing touches on the project.
This is how the wall looked before Piontkowski went to work on it.
The Form Foundation spearheaded the effort for the four new murals. Besides the one by Piontkowski and the Canalligator, Chuck Tingley painted “Fake It Til You Make It!” on the back of 410 Main St. Tingley painted a traveler joined by dog and a cat on a journey.
Julian Montague, an artist from Buffalo, also painted a mural of geometric characters on two walls of a gym at the corner of Pearl Street and West Avenue.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 November 2020 at 9:21 pm
Medina’s popular parade finds a way to continue during Covid-19 pandemic
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – The Grinch joined the display at Parker’s Pit in Middleport during today’s 12th annual Parade of Lights in Medina. This year the event was a “reverse parade” with the floats and displays stationary at the Medina Central School campus.
Covid-19 restrictions prevented a large crowd from gathering in the downtown and on Park Avenue. This time spectators were limited to passing by inside vehicles.
Shelby firefighters, including Zach Petry up high, decorate a fire truck at about 4:30, before the start of the parade at 5. They were one of 20 floats or decorated fire trucks in the parade. That is down from the 35-40 that are usually featured in the parade.
Shelby and Medina used their ladder trucks to hold up this giant American flag at the start of the parade.
There were some complaints on the Parade of the Lights Facebook page about a wait of an hour or more with traffic bottled up in the village. Other commenters appreciated the chance to attend a parade and holiday celebration with so many community events cancelled since March due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Mary Lou Tuohey, left, and her daughter Nicole continued their streak of participating in all 12 parades with Case-Nic Cookies.
Members of the Cobblestone Service Unit of the local Girl Scouts get their float ready for the parade. They have been consistent participants for several years. They were grateful the temperatures were above freezing, unlike in many previous years.
This group was part of the display for Party Tents Plus. They posed for a group photo before the start of the parade at 5. The parade lasted until 8 p.m.
The Surgical Services Department at Orleans Community Health created this display to thank the community for its donations and support.
The Szatkowski family – from left, Wyatt, mom Sara, Lukin and dad Andrew – passed out stickers and collected money for the fourth annual toy drive. This year instead of toys the collection of money will go to Community Action and the Medina Area Association of Churches for their holiday efforts with local children and families. MAAC is doing a toy drive and Community Action is giving gift cards to families.
The Medina Railroad Museum, last year’s grand prize winner, was back for the reverse parade this year. The winners in several categories could be announced on Sunday.
Lynne Menz of the Orleans County Tourism Department used plenty of duct tape on the tourism float.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 November 2020 at 1:47 pm
MEDINA – Lee-Whedon Memorial Library announced it will be closing its building to the public until Dec. 7 due to possible exposure of Covid-19 at the library.
There are also rising number of Covid-19 cases in the community. The building at 620 West Ave. will be off-limits through Dec. 5, with a planned reopening on Dec. 7.
“We will be disinfecting the facility and staff will be tested prior to reopening,” according to a statement from Kristine Mostyn, Library Director, and David Schwert, Board President. “You can still borrow electronic books and movies during this time. We look forward to seeing you in the library soon.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 November 2020 at 9:09 am
Photo by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – The leaders of the #MedinaStrong shirt effort have shared the proceeds from sales of the shirts. The Orleans Community Health Foundation received $2,580 in the spring and then another $1,000 on Friday. The Office for the Aging received $1,000 on Friday.
Pictured from left include Melissa Blanar, director of the Orleans County Office for the Aging; Shawn Ramsey, owner of Canalside Tattoo; Scott Robinson, president of Medina Area Partnership and co-owner of the Shirt Factory Café; Chris Kozody, co-owner of Shirt Factory Café and originator of #MedinaStrong; and Heather Smith, director of the OCH Foundation.
Chris Kozody and Scott Robinson, co-owners of the Shirt Factory Café in Medina along with Scott’s wife Alix Gilman, were considering how to encourage the community back in late March. That’s when many businesses and the schools were closed to in-person learning or in-person customers due to the Covid-19 pandemic and restrictions from the state to slow the spread.
Kozody and the Robinsons thought “#MedinaStrong” would be a good rallying cry for the community, encouraging residents and businesses to stay positive during a tough time.
The Shirt Factory hosted a #MedinaStrong cocktail party through Facebook live in late March with about 50 people tuning in, including former residents who moved to Washington, DC and Florida.
The #MedinaStrong message was connecting with residents. Kozody made an 8-foot-long “#MedinaStrong” sign that he put in the back of his pickup truck and used for deliveries.
Provided photos: Scott Robinson and Chris Kozody are pictured in the spring with an 8-foot “#MedinaStrong” sign Kozody had in his truck, which he used for Shirt Factory deliveries.
Robinson, president of Medina Area Partnership, saw the momentum with the message.
Shawn Ramsey, owner of Canalside Tattoo, was shut down in the spring due to the state restrictions. He also saw power in “#MedinaStrong.”
Kozody, Robinson and Ramsey decided to have T-shirts made with the message with the proceeds going to a local organization that serves the community.
The first shirts were red and 200 went quickly. Ramsey sold many from his Canalside website. He made frequent trips to the Post Office, sending shirts to former residents who have moved out-of-state.
Those shirts were a sell-out and a second batch of shirts, in blue, were made and all 120 of those are gone. The proceeds from the first group of shirts went solely to the OCH Foundation with profit from the second group of shirts split between the Foundation and the Office for the Aging.
The OCH Foundation received $3,580 total from the shirt sales. Heath Smith, Foundation director, said the money will be used to help Orleans Community Health with some of its Covid-19 expenses.
The Office for the Aging received $1,000 and Melissa Blanar, director of the OFA, said it will be used for the Meals on Wheels program, which has seen a 15 percent increase since March.
Photos by Tom Rivers: David and Trudi Schwert are pictured in Medina’s Rotary Park this evening after a tree-lighting celebration. The Schwerts will serve as grand marshals of the 12th annual Parade of Lights on Saturday, which this year will be a reverse parade at Medina Central School, with motorists driving by stationary floats.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 November 2020 at 9:02 pm
David and Trudi Schwert honored at tree-lighting, will serve as parade grand marshals on Saturday
MEDINA – The village held a low-key tree-lighting ceremony this evening at Rotary Park to avoid drawing a big crowd to the park at the corner of Main and East Center streets.
But the event was still a chance to show appreciation for David and Trudi Schwert. The couple moved to Medina in 2010 and immediately became involved in community causes, including helping to plan the annual Parade of Lights. They would raise money for the event, distribute cards promoting the event in the community, and help with staging the floats at the Olde Pickle Factory before they went on a route in front of several thousand people.
This evening’s tree-lighting was the first they had been to because that event is normally just before the start of the parade. They couldn’t be at those tree lightings because they were helping to organize the order of the floats and lighted fire trucks.
Mrs. Schwert served as a parade marshal, walking on the route on Park Avenue, helping to make sure the floats were moving at a steady pace before they turned onto Main Street.
The couple will serve as a parade grand marshals on Saturday, doing a ribbon-cutting at 5 p.m. and they driving the first car on the parade route through the Medina school campus, starting at the elementary school and going past six parking lots with floats until going past the high school. It’s a “reverse parade” that ends on Maple Ridge Road.
Trudi Schwert, right, said the Medina community has been very welcoming to her and her husband. She spoke during a tree-lighting ceremony this evening. Jim Hancock is second from right.
The Schwerts aren’t part of the parade committee this year. They praised the organizers for finding a way to keep the event going during a pandemic with restrictions on crowd sizes. This time there won’t be a crowd. Everyone will pass by the floats in vehicles.
“It really is a brilliant idea,” Mrs. Schwert said.
She and her husband have been married 55 years. They raised three children. They both worked at Alfred State College with Mr. Schwert a biology professor and Mrs. Schwert working as a director of academic advising.
When they retired from Alfred, they bought a campgrounds in Houghton. They ran that for 15 years before selling that business. They were looking for a small town near Rochester and decided on Medina.
“We came to visit on a Saturday and everybody who passed us said hello,” Mrs. Schwert said. “People were so friendly to us.”
The two wanted to involved in the community and joined the effort to put on the big parade. Mr. Schwert also has been active on the board of trustees for the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library and Mrs. Schwert is very involved at the First Presbyterian Church of Medina.
The tall Christmas tree was lighted up for the first time this evening for the holiday season. Takeform in Medina made the letters along the edge of the park with Christmas messages.
Jim Hancock, chairman of the Parade of Lights, said the Schwerts and other volunteers have been essential in the annual event.
“It takes a whole village,” Hancock said. “They have been with us from the very beginning.”
Saturday’s “reverse parade” will include about 20 floats and decorated vehicles. Hancock said the parade committee wanted to keep the event going, even though it will look different this year.
“It’s going to be a nice array of trucks and floats,” Hancock said. “It will be a nice diversion with so many things being cancelled this year.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 27 November 2020 at 9:25 am
Photos by Tom Rivers: Cobblestone The Girl Scouts in the Cobblestone Service Unit won the “Littlest Elf Award” for their float in the Nov. 24, 2018 parade.
MEDINA – In spite of the Covid pandemic, the village of Medina has found ways to celebrate their annual Christmas in Medina, scheduled on Saturday.
While the annual Christmas in Medina will have a different look this year, there will be a celebration on Saturday, which will conclude with the Parade of Lights in a reverse format.
Cindy Robinson and Kathy Blackburn are the annual chairs of the day-long event in Medina, which will begin with the Home for the Holidays 5K at 9 a.m. That event is sold out.
Residents are invited to join merchants for Shop Small Saturday, with specials being offered by many local small town merchants.
One local shopper is Karen Sawicz, owner of the Orleans Hub and Lake Country Pennysaver, who prefers to shop as much as possible with small local merchants in Orleans County, because she believes they are the backbone of the county in providing jobs as well as goods and services.
Shopping local and supporting small town businesses is crucial to their existence, especially with the hardships caused by the pandemic.
Due to Covid restrictions, visits with Santa on Saturday will be at the Senior Center on West Avenue this year. Children and parents can enter through one door and exit through the other, thereby adhering to social distancing. Masks will be required and there will be no sitting on Santa’s lap this year.
Santa and Mrs. Claus’ schedule for their appearances at the Santa House in Rotary Park throughout the holiday season will be posted on Medina’s Olde Tyme Christmas Facebook page and in store windows.
Here is map for the “reverse parade” on Saturday at the Medina school campus. The floats will be stationary and people will pass by them in vehicles. The entrance is on West Oak Orchard Street at the Oak Orchard Elementary School drive. Vehicles will exit on Maple Ridge Road near the high school.
The fourth annual Parade of Lights Toy Drive, led by Andrew Szatkowski, also had to adapt this year, and instead of collecting toys downtown, they are hosting a “Santa Hat Drive” at the start of the parade. Volunteer elves with Santa hats, much like a fireman’s boot drive, will be at the parade to collect spare change. All donations will go directly to local groups to help make a brighter Christmas for kids in Orleans County.
The Cutest Little Elf contest has gone virtual this year. Pictures can be submitted to Medina’s Olde Tyme Christmas Facebook page from this Saturday through Dec. 12. Winners will be based on how many “likes” a photo receives. Prizes will be provided by hometown businesses.
The Children’s Window Scavenger Hunt theme this year will be “The Night Before Christmas Mouse.” Entry forms are available online at christmasinmedina.com and at the English Rose Tea Shoppe, 527 Main St.
The Canal Village Farmers’ Market will take on a Christmas theme every Saturday until Christmas. The market is located at the corner of West Avenue and West Center Street.
The traditional children’s activities offered by downtown merchants will be available this year for two weeks – on Saturday through Dec. 12 (unless otherwise noted) during each business’s regular hours. This is to avoid large crowds which might violate Health Department recommendations.
Shoppers can enter to win an electric toy train by dropping off a non-perishable food item at the English Rose Tea Shoppe and receiving one raffle ticket for each item donated. Donations will be given to the Medina Food Pantry. Also at the English Rose Tea Shoppe, kids can pick up their special Santa Claus stationary to write their letter to Santa. Letters can be mailed in a special mail box in front of Rotary Park. The Tea Shoppe will also be handing out free samples of their most popular teas.
Alexandra Peracciny Photography on the second floor at 519 Main St. will be offering a holiday photo card/frame kit. Also, a complimentary photo booth will be set up in the studio from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday, Dec. 5 and Dec. 12.
At Case-Nic Cookies at 439 Main St, kits to “Frost Your Own Cookie” will be sold for $1, with the proceeds going to the Medina Food Pantry.
Creekside Floral at 509 Main St. will offer a surprise “take and make” craft to complete at home.
Children can pick up a picture at Blissetts, 449 Main St., for a coloring contest. Pictures should be returned to blissetts by Dec. 12 to be entered to win a prize.
At the Book Shoppe, 519 Main St., there will be a take and make snowman bookmark craft.
Upscale Overstock at 339 North Main St. will offer a different take home kids’ craft each week.
Also at 339 North Main St., Mandeo’s Candy Shoppe will have cups of hot chocolate (with surprise ingredients, such as a peppermint stick or chocolate spoon) to make at home. Cost is $3 and proceeds will be donated to Anchoring Hope of New York and Buffalo Sabres Warriors Sled Hockey Program.
The Downtown Browsery at 413 Main St. will offer a take and make Santa ornament and a letter to Santa on which children can put their wish list. It can be returned to the Browsery and put in the Letters to Santa mailbox. The Browsery is also one of the locations for the MAAC collection barrels, and shoppers are encouraged to drop off a new toy to help make Christmas special for those less fortunate.
Since Canalside Tattoo can’t host the toy drive this year, they got together with Erin Townsend Photography to make 2021 calendars which they will sell for $30.
A variety of take and make crafts will also be available at Lyric & Lizzy Boutique, 335 North Main St.
Santa and Mrs. Claus make their way to the Medina Theatre after a parade through the downtown last year on Nov.30 when they rode in an old Medina fire truck. This year they will be at the Senior Center on West Avenue. Children and parents can enter through one door and exit through the other to adhere to social distancing. Masks will be required and there will be no sitting on Santa’s lap this year.
Anyone who brings a small baby item to Herbalty Collage will receive a “Stress-Free Holiday Bath Soak.” Baby items will be donated to Care Net of Greater Orleans.
Shoppers can drop off a gift for children and/or teenagers in the MAAC barrel at Ashlee’s Place, 116 East Center St.
As is the tradition, the day will be topped off with the spectacular Parade of Lights, which definitely has a different look this year. There will not be the traditional fireworks, but Instead of the parade passing by the spectators, the parade will be stationary and the spectators will drive by it. This is to eliminate the big crowds which usually gather on Main Street.
This year, cars will enter the parade route on West Oak Orchard Street at the Oak Orchard Elementary School drive near Genesee Street. Genesee Street will be closed to traffic. Cars are to proceed to the parade entrance and follow the route through the school campus, exiting at the high school on Maple Ridge Road. The parade will start promptly at 5 p.m., immediately after a ribbon cutting near Vets Park with parade marshals Dave and Trudy Schwert. Parade floats will be on display until 8 p.m., according to parade chairman Jim Hancock.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 25 November 2020 at 6:36 pm
Photos by Ginny Kropf
MEDINA – Employees with the village of Medina strung lights on this giant Christmas tree next to the cannon in State Street Park on Tuesday.
The two Department of Public Works employees worked high in their bucket trucks to string Christmas lights in this tree at State Street Park.
Decorating the park for the holidays has been a tradition for Medina Lions for several decades, and this year is no exception.
The Christmas display which extends the full length of State Street Park is an annual tradition in Medina. The manger and Three Wise Men are just part of the extensive display, which Medina Lions put up on Saturday.
Lions’ members spent several hours putting up the decorations, which run almost the entire length of the park and include the Manger scene, Three Wise Men and Advent wreath.
Lion Dean Bellack said this a favorite project of the Lions and members support it wholeheartedly. More than two dozen members showed up to help put up the decorations, he said.
After the holidays, the Lions will remove the decorations and store them away for next year.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 25 November 2020 at 7:48 am
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Staff of Salon de Coiffeur in Medina presented $1,681 to Supportive Care of Orleans as the result of a basket raffle they held. Presenting the gift to Supportive Care’s Development and Public Relations Manager Derek Reiner are, from left, stylists Leslie Saj and LeAnn Phillips, and salon owner Terah Jackson.
MEDINA – A Medina beauty salon jumped into the holiday spirit by holding a fundraiser to benefit Supportive Care of Orleans (Hospice).
The staff of Salon de Coiffeur had a holiday open house with a basket raffle last year and donated the proceeds to CareNet.
But this year, with the Covid pandemic, they couldn’t have a live open house at their location on Maple Ridge Road, but they decided they could do a basket raffle, said salon owner Terah Jackson.
“We had Hospice for my mother before she died June 1,” Jackson said. “They helped us enormously and I wanted to do something for them. They were just amazing. When we needed meds on Memorial Day weekend, we got meds on Memorial Day.”
The ladies at the salon never expected the basket raffle to be as big as it was. They advertised it among friends and customers and on Facebook. Downtown businesses support it, and they soon ended up with 60 baskets.
Phillips said customers would come in and see another basket had been added and buy more tickets.
“People we didn’t even know came in and wanted to donate or buy tickets,” Phillips said.
In the end, 150 people bought tickets, either in person or online.
On Tuesday afternoon, Derek Reiner, Development and Public Relations manager at Supportive Care of Orleans came to accept the donation. He expressed appreciation for the salon’s efforts and said they were grateful for the support.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 November 2020 at 8:08 pm
Photo courtesy of Owen Toale: Medina Police Chief Kenward (left), Tyler Draper and Lt. Todd Draper are pictured with Kye at the Village Board meeting on Monday. Kye has retired as Medina’s K9 and will be staying with Draper’s family.
MEDINA – Kye, Medina Police Department’s K9 for 8 ½ years, has officially transitioned to civilian life.
Kye, a Belgian Malinois, had his last day on the job on Nov. 13. He worked with Lt. Todd Draper since 2012.
Phoenix, the Medina PD’s new K9, has taken over for Kye. Phoenix works with handler and Medina police officer Jacob Reeves.
The Medina Village Board declared Kye “surplus” on Monday and agreed to sell him for $1 to Lt. Draper. Kye will continue to live with the Draper family.
Draper was joined at Monday’s meeting by his 8-year-old son, Tyler, who has spent his entire life with Kye in the Draper household.
Tyler actually paid the $1 for Kye and did a small demonstration for the Village Board on Monday, showing the trustees and Mayor Mike Sidari some of the commands he has learned while Kye has been a member of the family.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 November 2020 at 7:48 pm
Photo courtesy of Medina Police Department
MEDINA – The Medina Police Department’s Police Benevolent Association has used donations collected from “No Shave November” to purchase Thanksgiving meals for some local family.
Pictured from left are PBA Union President Greg Fraser, First Presbyterian Pastor William Wilkinson and Police Chief Chad Kenward.
Members of the Police Department were allowed to grow facial hair during “No Shave November” and collect donations to be giving to a good cause.
This year the PBA chose to purchase Thanksgiving dinners for local families. The Medina Area Association of Churches helped to select recipients. Today the meals were purchased and delivered by MPD police officers.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 21 November 2020 at 9:57 am
Student population will be reduced during Covid pandemic with strict protocols in place
MEDINA – When the Covid pandemic hit in March, 36,000 students nationwide were sent home from Job Corps centers.
With the announcement that students are slowly being phased back to the Iroquois Job Corps comes the news the center will again be under the management of Education and Training Resources (ETR), headquartered in Bowling Green, Ky., effective Dec. 1.
ETR’s CEO Brian Fox made the announcement via Zoom at the Orleans County Legislature meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
ETR was the former manager of Job Corps for 12 1/2 years through 2017, Fox said. He said ETR is transitioning the center, with the current incumbent operator still having responsibility and operational authority, so ETR is not authorized at this point to speak on any specific matters involving Iroquois Job Corps.
“I can, however, provide an overview of what to expect following Dec. 1,” Fox said.
“We are no stranger to the Iroquois Job Corps Center,” Fox said. “We are proud to be back and be part of the Medina, Orleans County, GLOW and Western New York communities. We thank you for the opportunity to be your manager again. We will strive to be good partners to Western New York.”
Fox added, under ETR’s new contract, they will be focusing a lot of the Center’s outreach and recruitment of new students from within the nine-county Western New York area.
Fox added this is obviously a change from the past, but a positive one in that it focuses heavily on enrolling and serving Job Corps eligible students from Western New York and less on sending larger number of students from New York City. He said the credit for this new local and regional focus goes to the United States Department of Labor, which recently implemented a National Enrollee Assignment Plan for all Job Corps centers across the nation.
“Our goal is to enroll about 300 new students per year from the counties of Orleans, Genesee, Livingston, Wyoming, Monroe, Wayne, Ontario, Yates and Seneca,” Fox said. “Additionally, the Iroquois Center will receive about 150 students per year from within the five counties of Niagara, Erie, Allegheny, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus, through applicant referrals from the Cassadaga Job Corps Center. Lastly, the Iroquois Center may also receive up to 100 students from the New York City area.”
According to Fox, the USDOL has begun selecting centers to reopen, with very strict protocols, testing and quarantine requirements in place. Before arrival, 100 percent of staff are tested for Covid and required to be negative. Upon arrival, all students are tested and required to be negative. Any student testing positive will be isolated and returned home.
Students testing negative are quarantined for 14 days in a dorm room with virtual learning resources in place; and then retested again. If negative, their cohort group can move to in-person training in classrooms, but will not mix with other cohort groups until all protocols are completed.
The Iroquois center’s director will be Dennis Essom of Cheektowaga, who said he was excited to be working for ETR at the Iroquois Job Corps.
“This is the first Job Corps I went to when I started, and I know these gentlemen there,” he said. “I love the community, this center and the staff.”
Skip Draper of Medina, who has worked at the Job Corps for 20 years and has been Corporate Business Community liaison, said he is happy ETR is back.
The Iroquois Job Corps Center had a pre-Covid capacity of 275, but with Covid restrictions, the student population won’t be anywhere near that, Draper said.
All dormitories will be switched to accommodate one or two students, and will be thoroughly sanitized according to CDC guidelines. Additionally, the USDOL has invested significant resources in the Covid-specific retrofitting of all physical areas on centers across the nation, including dorms, cafeterias, offices, classrooms and all other areas on the campus.
Students will not be allowed to travel back and forth to their home and no weekend passes will be issued. Fox said, following Dec. 1, if any local public health officials would like to contact the Center and review the Covid protocols in place, that transparency and support would be welcomed and important.
Fox said the center will be interested in expanding relationships with schools, colleges and other organizations in the community.
“We are pleased to be back and look forward to working with all the partners in the area,” Fox said.
Iroquois Job Center will continue to provide Health Occupations Career Technical Training programs for employment of students in the areas of clinical medical assistant and certified nurse assistant. They will also provide four pre-apprenticeship CTT program with union partners in the skilled area of electrician, bricklaying, carpentry and painting.
Fox added the Iroquois Center is always interested in hearing from local residents and professionals who are interested in serving on the Center’s Community Relations Council and Workforce Council. Also, recognizing there are many other workforce development providers in Western New York, Iroquois Job Corps Center is always interested in how they can adjust the Center’s CTT programs to better meet the needs of the employers in the region.
Legislature chairwoman Lynne Johnson welcomed Fox and ETR back.
“You are a huge contributor to our county and we are proud to have you back on site,” Johnson said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 November 2020 at 6:53 pm
Senator is pleased Rochester will be Triple AAA team for Washington Nationals after Twins departure
Photos by Tom Rivers: U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer spoke in Medina today about the need for the federal government to release $9 billion in funding already designated for Covid testing and contact tracing. Schumer took questions from the media and said a new federal relief package is needed for small businesses and local governments. Lynne Johnson, chairwoman of the Orleans County Legislature, also attended the press conference.
MEDINA – U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer was at Medina Memorial Hospital today to show his support for releasing $9 billion in federal funds for free Covid testing and more tracing. He highlighted Orleans County as a community without free Covid testing for residents.
The senator said he also is determined to get another Covid relief bill passed, and very soon. He said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell seemed open today to negotiating a deal.
Schumer said he wants the $2.2 billion HEROES Act already passed by the House of Representatives to be the framework for the package. That includes funding for schools and other local governments.
The state has warned schools they could be facing a 20 percent cut in aid. That would be about $5 million for Albion and Medina.
“We have to get aid, not just testing aid, we need aid for businesses, we need aid for unemployment, we need aid for local governments, we need aid for many things,” Schumer said.
The senator said the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) provided a lifeline to small businesses and he favors expanding that program in the new relief package.
“We need something very similar and strong,” he said about the PPP. “That is what we’re trying to do.”
A previous proposal from McConnell didn’t include local government aid, which stalled discussions. Schumer said he is more optimistic today that McConnell is open to the aid to local governments.
“We need state and local aid,” Schumer said. “It affects our governments and the schools. It is at the top of our list.”
U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer arrives at Medina Memorial Hospital for a press conference this morning about the need for a free Covid testing site in Orleans County.
Schumer acknowledged there is a shortage of PPE for hospitals and businesses and the relief package needs to help organizations have PPE for their employees.
The senator also responded to criticism Gov. Andrew Cuomo has faced about wanting to ensure the vaccine is safe and fairly distributed to people throughout the state. Cuomo has been criticized for slowing down the vaccine’s distribution in the state.
“The governor was simply trying to make sure the vaccine is distributed effectively to all parts of the state and efficiently,” Schumer said. “For him to request that is just fine. We need vaccines and I’ll be on top of that working with the governor to make sure New York gets its fair share.”
The senator from Brooklyn said he was happy to share some good news at press conference outside Medina Memorial Hospital this morning.
The senator confirmed the Washington Nationals are bringing their Triple AAA baseball team to Rochester and leaving Fresno, Ca. The Minnesota Twins announced last week they were ending an 18-year agreement with Rochester for Triple AAA.
Rochester didn’t have to wait long for a new team. The Nationals won the World Series in 2019. Schumer said he spoke with the Nationals owners on Wednesday, and urged them to commit to Rochester.
Binghamton also will have a minor league team in 2021. Schumer said he wants to press now for Batavia and Auburn to keep their professional teams in the future.
“We’re trying to convince Major League baseball that these teams are vital,” Schumer said.
The baseball games bring several hundred people to downtown Batavia, with many going to restaurants and other businesses before or after games.
These protestors stood along Ohio Street near the hospital and said Democrats are trying to steal the presidential election from Donald J. Trump. “Lying, Cheating Democrats,” the man holding the “Trump 2024” sign shouted several times. Schumer’s conference was moved from near the road to farther down the driveway away from the protestors.
The protestors also heckled members of the media. “You couldn’t tell the truth if it bit you in the a–,” one of the demonstrators yelled to the journalists.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 November 2020 at 1:25 pm
MEDINA – The high school won’t be returning to in-person learning until Nov. 30, after the Thanksgiving break, the school district announced today.
The high school has been remote-only the first three days this week and that will continue the rest of this week and next week.
“Given the amount of staff members currently out at the high school due to mandatory quarantine and/or waiting for COVID test results, Medina High School will remain 100% virtual through Wednesday, November 25,” district superintendent Mark Kruzynski said in a letter to parents and the community.
The district plans to reopen for in-person learning on Nov. 30. High School students in the BOCES program will also be virtual through Nov. 25.
The Oak Orchard Elementary and Wise Intermediate/Middle School will continue to hold in-person instruction as scheduled.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 November 2020 at 11:59 am
Public welcome to fill out online survey, email comments
MEDINA – The Medina Committee on Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative was planning a second public meeting on Wednesday to take comments from the community.
But the recent spike in Covid-19 cases locally prompted the committee to cancel the in-person meeting.
“With new restrictions being put in place, we want to make sure we’re taking the public health of the community into account with all of our actions,” said Scott Robinson, a member of the committee.
The committee has been reviewing current Medina Police Department policies and procedures, while also reviewing new additions and modifications for consideration.
Following the public comment received on September 23, the committee launched an email address and survey to increase participation in the process. Comments can be emailed to medinaprrc@gmail.com.
Click here for a link to the survey in English and click here for the survey in Spanish.
Through the remainder of 2020, the committee will be reviewing public comments, policy and procedure recommendations, and additional recommendations being offered by stakeholders from the community and committee.
On June 12, Governor Andrew Cuomo initiated an executive order entitled the New York State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative. The core objective was that each local government with a police department needed to review the policies, procedures, and strategies of the police department.
To achieve this, each head of government must work with the leader of the police department to compile a group of community stakeholders who will review these activities. In medina’s case, Mayor Mike Sidari and Police Chief Chad Kenward worked to form a committee.
The committee includes faith-based leaders, business owners, the district attorney, public defender, a representative of the public schools, and others.
Consistent with the Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order, after receiving community input, a plan will be submitted for acceptance to the Medina Village Board and provided to the state by April 1.
