District has 3 ceremonies to stay within state threshold of 150 people

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Graduates walk across the turf at Vets Park in front of the scoreboard on Friday afternoon during the first of three outdoor graduation ceremonies. The district split graduation into three services because the maximum size allowed for the programs is 150 people due the Covid-19 pandemic.

Caleb Boyce stands with his classmates after they moved their tassels to symbolize their graduation from Medina. Caleb and his classmates all wore masks due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The district held services at 4 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. There are 110 members of the Class of 2020. There were about 37 graduates at each service. They were allowed three tickets for family members. That allowed for about 150 people to be at the service.

Class Valedictorian Nate Sherman leads the first group to their seats at Vets Park. There was a giant American flag held up by the ladder trucks from Medina Fire Department and the Shelby Volunteer Fire Company. Tim Petry, president of the Shelby Volunteer Fire Company, said the fire departments wanted to add to a special day for the graduates.

“We want to show our support for the graduates,” Petry said. “They’ve had a rough year.”

Nate Sherman prerecorded his speech to his classmates. Sherman, who will play baseball and major in biochemistry at Canisius, said his fellow graduates have risen above adversity.

“We’re still here and I think we are stronger than ever,” he said.

Sherman said the senior class missed out on spring sports, the musical, many other activities and seeing their friends and teachers in person since school buildings were closed after March 13. The class adapted to on-line learning. Sherman urged the graduates to be brave in the next chapter of their lives.

“My advice for you is to go try,” he said. “Go see what you’re capable of.”

He ended his speech my jumping into a swimming pool, while wearing his cap and gown.

Banners of all the graduates were displayed on the fence at Vets Park. Many Medina businesses displayed those banners earlier in the week.

Michael Cavanagh

Principal Michael Cavanagh said the banners were another way the district wanted to celebrate the students.

The principal praised the class for its resilience during the pandemic, for seeing the school year to the end.

“Once again you rose up to meet life’s challenge,” he said.

Many of the seniors have been essential workers during the pandemic, working at grocery stores, nursing homes and other businesses that never closed.

Cavanagh said the community has showed its appreciation for health care workers and other frontline staff during the pandemic.

“How awesome would it be if we continued to show appreciation for others instead of finding fault and criticizing,” he said.

Margaret Klotzbach, the class salutatorian, accepts her diploma during commencement. The district superintendent and Board of Education president weren’t able to give handshakes or hugs for the graduates. They were following guidelines from the state in a pandemic.

Klotzbach, who is headed to Niagara University this fall, said the pandemic has showed students and the community “we shouldn’t take things for granted. Every little moment matters.”

Klotzbach said the sudden closure of the school after March 13 didn’t give students a chance to say goodbye to teachers, staff and each other. That has been the hardest part of the pandemic.

The separation since mid-March has made the graduation more special, she said, with the class able to see many of their friends.

She thanked the community for adopting students – showering the graduates with gifts. And she thanked the district administrators for working out the details for an outdoor graduation.

“The wonderful support of the community has not gone unnoticed,” she said.

Chloe Nashwenter listens to one of the speeches during commencement. Chloe is one of Medina’s top 10 graduates. She will be attending Niagara University in the fall.

She said the hardest part of the pandemic has been the time away from her friends. She appreciated the outdoor graduation, even though it was limited to a third of the class for each service.

“I’m glad we got to do something,” she said.

She likes the outdoor service over the school auditorium, where graduation is typically held.

“It was outside and there was a nice breeze,” she said.

The seniors wait in chairs, spaced six feet apart, for the ceremony to start. Once “Pomp and Circumstance” started, the graduates walked to the center of the field in front of their families who were in the bleachers.

Layna Viloria smiles for her portrait with her diploma.

The daisy chain tradition continued. The 16 girls with the highest GPAs in the junior class and two boys with the highest grade averages made the daisy chain and served as escorts for the senior class at commencement.

The graduates and their family members stand for the national anthem at the second service at 5:30 p.m. Only 150 people were allowed for the service.

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Press Release, Assemblyman Steve Hawley

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) is joining the New York State Department of Transportation in celebrating the re-opening of two local canal bridges that have been closed off to traffic for the better part of a year: the Telegraph Road Bridge in Murray and the Bates Road Bridge in Medina.

While there will still be some work to be done on both bridges, the DOT has assured it will not affect traffic. Both bridges will be open to vehicular traffic by the end of the day on Saturday.

“The coordination and dedication of those workers to restore the bridges for modern traffic is both commendable and admirable,” Hawley said. “I am just as excited as the next person to finally have this construction done and have these roadways open to us again.”

The Telegraph Road Bridge has been closed since Aug. 5, 2019 for steel repairs. The Bates Road Bridge has been closed since Nov. 8, 2019 for the same reason. The Telegraph bridge will have minor final touches being completed by the construction crew but traffic will be able to flow through. The Bates bridge will have open traffic flow, but continue to have a construction crew presence in order to install sidewalk grating.

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Photos by Rebecca Cooley: Medina firefighters respond to smoke coming from the roof of a house at 1100 South Main St.

Press Release, Medina Fire Department

MEDINA – At 5:10 pm on Wednesday evening while on routine patrol, police officers from the Medina Police Department noticed smoke coming from the roof at 1100 South Main St.

Orleans County Sheriff’s Office dispatchers quickly alerted the Village of Medina Fire Department along with firefighters from the Shelby and Lyndonville. Crews from the 3rd and 4th Platoons arrived to find smoke coming from the second floor of a 2-story single family residence.

All five occupants were out of the house on arrival of firefighters. The family was alerted by several smoke detectors that activated as the Police Department spotted the smoke.

Fire Chief Matt Jackson arrived and was in command of the scene as crews made entry and discovered high heat and low visibility on the second floor. Crews found and extinguished the fire in a bedroom and were able to keep the fire damage contained to the room of origin. There is smoke damage throughout the second floor as well as water damage to the first story. The family is currently being assisted by the American Red Cross.

Also assisting at the scene were members from the East Shelby Fire Department along with Coordinators and Investigators from the Orleans County Emergency Management Office.

The Ridgeway Fire Department stood by at the Medina Fire house and handled a fire alarm at Medina Memorial Hospital while the units were still on scene at the South Main Street fire.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation at this time. One village firefighter received a lower body injury He was treated and released from Medina Memorial Hospital and remains off duty at this time.

We would like to thank all our Public Safety partners for their assistance and we would also like to remind everyone to please check your smoke detectors monthly to ensure they are in working order. Smoke detectors save lives!

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Photos courtesy of Jenifer Cardone

MEDINA – Medina juniors in the daisy chain are out in a field on Blair Road this morning, picking daisies for the daisy chain for Friday’s graduation.

The daisy chain tradition dates back about a century in Medina. It will continue for Friday’s commencement, which has been split into three ceremonies. The state has capped the size of graduation ceremonies to 150 people.

Medina decided to have three different commencement celebrations for the Class of 2020, which includes 110 members. The ceremonies will be at Vets Park instead of the high school auditorium. The services will be at 4 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.

These daisy chain members include, from left: Lexi Hare, Sophia Cardone, Abby Blount and Hannah Kenward.

The daisy chain includes the 16 top-ranked girls academically and top two boys in the Class of 2021. They will gather on Thursday morning to build a 54-foot-long daisy chain.

The daisies are always picked close to graduation to be fresh for the ceremony.

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Press Release, Medina Mayor Michael Sidari

MEDINA – The Village of Medina has received complaints from village residents of a company offering to take credit card payments for water bills.  The company name is Doxo.com.

The village does not utilize any outside third party firm for collection of any fees, bills or taxes (other than Medex the billing company for the ambulance) due the village and warns residents that any request for payments from other than the village or Medex should be considered fraudulent.

All fees, bills and taxes due the village (other than Medex) can be made in person at the village clerk’s office on Park Avenue utilizing cash, check or credit card. In addition, payments can be made by credit card by phoning the village clerk’s office at 585-798-0710.

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Photos by Tom Rivers: The Medina Marching Band performs at home on Sept. 21 during the Fall Festival of Bands. Medina on Oct. 27 won the Small Schools 1 Division in New York State Field Band Conference Championship. Medina scored 91.6, which topped the seven other marching bands in the division.

MEDINA – Medina Marching Band director Jim Steele has announced the band awards and the students leaders for next year.

Steele posted the news on Facebook. The band was unable to have its annual banquet due to the Covid-19 pandemic and a current limit on social gatherings to no more than 25 people.

The following nine seniors will be graduating from the program:

• Mary Margaret Flores – Flute Section Leader
• Reagan Wilkins
• Grace Cook – Alto Sax Section Leader
• Lily Kiebala – Mellophone Section Leader
• Trenton Crews – Clarinet Section Leader
• Margaret Klotzbach – Head of Percussion and Assistant Drum Major
• Lacey Kenward – Trumpet Section Leader and Assistant Drum Major
• Miranda Zelazny – Low Brass Section Leader and Assistant Drum Major
• Jada Draper – Drum Major

Band Awards are as follows:

• NYSFBC Scholarship – Jada Draper – $400 scholarship and certificate
• Steele Family Scholarship – Margarget Klotzbach – $250 scholarship, certificate and name on Steele Family Scholarship Plaque
• Medina Mustang Band Service Scholarship – Lacey Kenward – $150 awarded after first semester of college, certificate and name on the Service Scholarship plaque
• Joseph C McKain Award – Senior – Miranda Zelazny Junior – Faith Ann Vanderwalker – certificate and names on the McKain plaque
• Alfred Hartway Drum Major Awards – Jada Draper, Lacey Kenward, Miranda Zelazny and Margaret Klotzbach – certificates and names on the Drum Major Plaque

Outstanding Band Member awards – trophies

Rookie of the year

• Brass – Cameron Kenward
• Woodwind – McKenzie McGrath
• Percussion – Riley Tompkins
• Guard – Abigayle Wright

Most Improved

• Brass – Joe Brueckner
• Woodwind – Caiden Class
• Percussion – Reagan Wilkins
• Guard – Karina Rotoli

Most Valuable

• Brass – Chris Woodroe
• Woodwind – Bailey Jackson
• Percussion – Mark Barcena
• Guard – McKenna Callard
• Directors Awards – Madison Owens from Miss Diana, Reagan Wilkins from Mr. Steele, Mrs. Botsfords TBA

All members of the fall band from 2019’s show – Walk the Path will be receiving their 2019 Championship Patch.

The field band performs at Vets Park on Sept. 21. Medina won the state title in the field band competition.

All members of both the Junior Varsity and Varsity Winter Guards will be receiving patches for the 2019-2020 season from the NECGC.

Those members that will be receiving their Letter “M” for 6 or 7 seasons of service are the following:

• 6 seasons: Gabbi Flores Medina, Seagan Majchrzak, Mason Moreland, Will Roush, Alayna Smith, Kayleigh Wright, Bailey Jackson, Lana Ortiz, Jaxon Phillips and Madison Owens.

• 7 seasons: Bryce Quintern, Kiana Cleveland, Aries McMurray, Ayden Amrhein, Sam Boyle, Kaylee Lacey, Regan Timmer, Sophia Cardone, Destiny Jones and Michelle Tagg.

Those members getting a service bar for 10 or 11 seasons of service are:

• 10 seasons: Megan Zakes, Paige Adkins, Carter Green, Kylie Hinman, Hannah Kenward, Emma Leonard, Jaden Pencille, August Pietrafesa, Melanie Poynter, Emma Roush, McKenna Callard, Faith Ann Vanderwalker, Chris Woodroe, Amanda Woodruff, Grace Cook, Lacey Kenward and Mary Flores.

• 11 Seasons: Paige Martin and Lily Kiebala.

Student Staff for 2020-2021:

• Flute Section Leaders – Hannah Kenward, Amanda Woodruff
• Clarinet Section Leaders – Faith Ann Vanderwalker, Emma Roush
• Alto Sax Section Leader – Megan Zakes
• Mellophone Section Leader – Seagan Majchrzak
• Trumpet Section Leader – Alex Doval
• Low Brass Section Leader – Carter Green’
• Tuba Section Leader – Paige Adkins
• Front Ensemble Section Leader – Jaden Pencille
• Head of Percussion – August Pietrafesa
• Head Band Manager – TJ Burgess
• Band Managers – Jaxon Phillips, Mia Hobbs, Dana DeVera and Gabe Mark
• Uniform Managers – Kylie Hinman and Regan Timmer
• Attendance Officer – Kayleigh Wright
• Secretary/Librarian – Kaylee Lacey and Bailey Clare
• Guard Managers – Ava Chambers, Aires McMurray, Destiny Jones, Melanie Poynter
• Guard Captain – McKenna Callard
• Assistant Drum Majors – Chris Woodroe and Mark Barcena
• Drum Major – Bailey Jackson

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File photo by Cheryl Wertman: Lt. Todd Draper and Kye, the Medina Police Department’s K-9, are pictured in January 2014 when they met children at a local basketball game.

MEDINA – Kye, Medina’s K-9 since 2012, will soon be retiring. Kye is a Belgian Malinois that works each day with his partner/handler Lt. Todd Draper.

The Medina Village Board announced Kye will be retiring and the board agreed to sell the dog to Draper for $1, which is typical when a K-9 retires. The dog then spends the rest of its life with its handler’s family.

Medina already has enough in donations to purchase a new a Belgian Malinois. Police Chief Chad Kenward said a new dog will likely be purchased next month. The department will also announce a new K-9 handler later this week.

The handler and the dog will then be trained together other the summer. The dog should be in serve in September or October. Once the new dog is ready, Kye will be retired, Kenward said.

Kye’s main duties have been tracking, drug detection, building searches and criminal apprehension. Kye and Draper have attended many public events and visited local schools and done demonstrations for the community.

“K-9 Kye has filled out his retirement papers and put his paw print on it,” said Mayor Mike Sidari.

The Village Board at this evening’s meeting also accepted the resignations of two full-time firefighters. Sergio DiCenso and Bob Urtel are both transferring to other fire departments.

Mayor Sidari said the village is in “quite the quandary” with the filling the two positions because a spring Civil Service test was cancelled. Fire Chief Matt Jackson said the department will work on filling the position.

Jackson said the department will be down from 20 full-time firefighters to 16. Medina’s firefighters are also emergency medical technicians or paramedics and run an ambulance service.

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‘We are asking the public to please keep yourself, your loved ones, and other village residents and their property safe by not discharging fireworks.’ – Chief Chad Kenward

Press Release, Medina Police Chief Chad Kenward

MEDINA – In recent weeks, our agency, along with several surrounding agencies, have received multiple fireworks complaints from citizens.

These incidents are happening at multiple locations, and it can be difficult for officers to identify a specific suspect who set off these devices. Unfortunately, this is not an issue that is isolated to the Village of Medina, and though our investigations, we believe that a majority of these illegal devices are being purchased outside of the area.  We assure you that we are as frustrated with the problem as you are.

Over the weekend, additional officers were put on the street. These officers were able to take some enforcement action, and effected multiple arrests in direct relation to these situations.  Here is a brief recap of the charges filed by our agency over the weekend, and the corresponding number of arrests:

Unlawful Possession of Fireworks (four arrests), Disorderly Conduct (unreasonable noise), Criminal Nuisance (2 arrests), Obstructing Governmental Administration (2 arrests), Resisting Arrest (2 arrests) and Escape.

Due to current legislation, arrests for these offenses are non-bailable offenses, meaning, after the arrest, subjects are released to appear in court at a later date.

We have had multiple instances where arrested individuals have been believed to have continued setting off fireworks after being arrested and released. Despite these difficulties, our agency will continue enforcing NYS law in regard to possessing and discharging illegal fireworks.  It should be strongly noted, that individuals who maintain any premise where this illegal activity is conducted may also be charged with Criminal Nuisance, even if they are not the ones discharging the fireworks.

It should go without saying, but fireworks are very dangerous. Annually, approximate 10,000 people are hurt or killed by fireworks, including 1/3 who are under the age of 16 years old. In addition, fireworks start an average of 18,500 fires each year. We are asking the public to please keep yourself, your loved ones, and other village residents and their property safe by not discharging fireworks.

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MEDINA – Now that governor has increased the maximum size of social gatherings from 10 to 25 people, the Medina Village Board is returning to in-person meetings.

The board has been meeting through Zoom since late March.

The board will meet this Monday, June 22, at 6:30 p.m. for a workshop at the Shelby Town Hall on Salt Works Road, with the regular meeting to follow at 7 p.m.

Mayor Mike Sidari said any attendees will need to wear a face covering.

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MEDINA – The school district today counted about 2 ½ times as many ballots this election, which was done entirely through absentees due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The district’s proposed $40,491,733 budget passed overwhelming, 912 in favor to 203 opposed.

The 1,115 votes counted in the election compare to the 424 cast in the last election, May 21, 2019.

The $40,491,733 budget is up from the $40,284,425 in 2019-20. The tax levy, what the district collects in taxes, remains at $8,641,861. This is the 12^th time in the past 13 years the district has either kept taxes flat or cut them.

The budget maintains nearly all academic programs and all extracurricular activities. The budget does eliminate intramural (reducing $24,000) and a summer program in the elementary school (saving $50,000). Medina also is eliminating the director of curriculum and the tax collector position (saving $140,000).

Proposition 2 – Establishment of a General Capital Reserve Fund (Approved – Yes, 895; No, 221)

The district will put up to $4,000,000 in the fund for the purpose of financing capital improvements to the district’s buildings and facilities.

Board of Education Candidates (Elect 3)

• LuAnn Tierney – 916 votes

• Annette Allis – 902 votes

• Arlene Pawlaczyk – 878 votes

Current Board member David Sevenski (who did not seek re-election) had the most write in votes with 11.

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Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Owen Foos, right, and Andrew Lafave carry boxes of food to a trunk of a vehicle outside the Calvary Tabernacle Church in Medina on Friday.

There were 352 vehicles that stopped by the church for a food distribution that expanded from one box to three.

The distribution was supposed to be maxed out at 300, but the church was able to accommodate more than 300.

The distribution was scheduled to go from 9:30 to 11:30. Cars were lined up by 8 and the distribution continued until after 12:30 p.m. due to the long lines that stretched out over several streets. Most of the vehicles were in line for hour and a half to 2 hours.

Greg Reed, director of the Orleans County YMCA, hands a box to Andrew Lafave. Some of the YMCA staff helped with the distribution on Friday.

Three different trucks delivered the food on Friday morning. The boxes were in three groups: mixed dairy, cooked meat and produce. Each box was about 25 pounds.

Vince Iorio, pastor of the church, motions for the next vehicle to pull up. The church uses the former Medina High School on Catherine Street.

The next distribution may be moved to the Medina Middle School where there is a bigger parking lot, but that hasn’t been confirmed yet.

Heather Smith, director of the Orleans Community Health Foundation, volunteered at the food distribution with her daughter Gabriella. Smith’s son Isaac and daughter Paige also helped with the effort..

Donna Poore, left, coordinator of the food pantry at Calvary, asks how many are in the household, if there are any senior citizens in the household and what zip code they live in.

Melissa Blanar, right, is director of the Office for the Aging in Orleans County. The OFA handed out 100 washable face masks to seniors and 200 bottles of 2-ounce hand sanitizer. The OFA did the same last Friday during a food distribution in Albion.

The volunteers went through about 1,000 boxes of food on Friday.

This round of food distributions introduces a new state-funded program called Nourish New York. This funding allows Foodlink to purchase local product.

Some of the Foodlink product also is from the federal USDA’s new initiative called CFAP (Coronavirus Food Assistance Program). In this program, distributors who would normally serve schools, restaurants, and municipal programs are able to pre-pack boxes of perishable product and deliver to distributions being done all over the country.

People don’t need to register for the food distribution. They are encouraged to clean out their trunks and keep their windows closed. Volunteers will put a box of food in the trunk and then close the trunk.

The food distributions the next two weeks include:

• Friday, June 19 – Community Action, Main Street Store, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
• Wednesday, June 24 – beginning at 10 a.m. at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds on Route 31 in Knowlesville (includes one box of produce)
• Friday, June 26 – Holley Community Center, former Save-A-Lot grocery store parking lot, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

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Market changes hours for 2020, open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays

Photos courtesy of Chris Busch: Hannah Pollard, a new vendor at the Canal Village Farmers’ Market, sold pies and masks on opening day last Saturday.

MEDINA – Blue skies and sunshine greeted visitors to Medina’s Canal Village Farmers’ Market last Saturday.

Chris Busch, president of Orleans Renaissance Group, which sponsors the market, said market volunteers and vendors were happy to be back for the summer season, and welcomed many regular and new customers.

Greg Canham, a vendor at the Canal Village Farmers’ Market, greets customers at one of the two designated entrances. Covid-19 social distancing signs were donated by Takeform in Medina.

“The market looks essentially the same, with the customary colorful canopies and vendor tables,” Busch said. “However, Covid-19 has forced a few new protocols that differ from years past, and upon a closer look, some changes are evident.”

One noticeable change, not related to Covid-18, is the hours of operation. The market now starts one hour later, at 9 a.m., and closes one hour later, at 2 p.m.

“Over the past several years, we’ve studied our trends and customers have asked if the market could remain open later to allow better access,” said market manager Gail Miller. “We hope these new hours make it possible for more people to come to the market.”

Other changes are definitely Covid-related, Busch said.

“The market has two identified entrances this year to greet customers, offer hand sanitizer and explain our market guidelines,” Miller said. “Being an open air market makes it safer than being in an enclosed space. When everyone comes through the entrances, we are able to ensure there are not too many people in the market at the same time, so maintaining social distancing requirements is easy.”

Market personnel and vendors emphasize if anyone is sick, they should please stay home.

Face masks are required to enter into the market, and vendors and staff are also required to wear face masks at all times. Customers are encouraged to move quickly around the market.

Miller said that on opening day, patrons were very kind and responsible about following the new guidelines.

Vendors still have their products on display, allowing customers to see what is available and ask questions. But only vendors and their staff are allowed to handle products. Customers point to what they would like to purchase and the vendor helps them.

The Canal Village Farmers’ Market opened last Saturday, while observing safety precautions during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Social distancing is also required, with customers maintaining a six-foot distance from vendors’ stands, staff and other customers. Reminders are positioned around the market.

Food demos are not allowed this year. Food items available for purchase must be treated as take-out and consumed off the premises.

“Farmers’ markets everywhere have worked hard over the years to encourage people to gather, linger, eat and converse as a community, but unfortunately we can’t do any of that right now,” Miller said. “But we look forward to the day when we can again have the market as a gathering place. Until then we will abide by the state rules and guidelines for a safe environment.”

Miller said products available each Saturday are listed every week on the market’s Facebook page at Canal Village Farmers’ Market.

“As the season progresses, we will have our usual wide variety of offerings, including vegetables and fruit, beef and pork products, pies and cookies, vegetable, herb and flower plants and face masks, in addition to a different local winery, meadery or distillery each week,” Miller said.

Miller said state guidelines initially prohibited some vendors, such as artists and crafters, but that has recently changed.

“Current modifications to state guidelines now allow artists and crafters, so we will definitely be adding them back at the market, starting this Saturday,” Miller said.

For anyone who is uncomfortable coming into the market, has a mobility issue or just needs to be in and out quickly, there are new options available, Miller said.

“An online pre-order option will be available very soon,” she said. “This will enable a customer to select from vendor products offered online. The process will be very simple and user friendly. They just need to go to the online store, open an account, select products and pay in cash only when they pick up their order at the back of the market building between 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. The market’s Facebook page will announce further details soon.”

Miller said while most market transactions continue to use cash, several vendors are able to accept cashless transactions on site.

The market accepts Senior Coupons, WIC, SNAP and Fresh Connect Checks and will soon be able to offer Double Up Food Bucks to SNAP recipients. More information is available in at the Market Manager’s tent.

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School district wants to hire more African-Americans, include literary works by black authors

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Anita Chinn, center, was among a group carrying a long “Black Lives Matter” poster down East Center Street, on a walk from Rotary Park to State Street Park.

About 100 people participated in a “Walk for Peace & Inclusion” this evening. The event was in response to the killing of George Floyd in custody of a Minneapolis police officer on May 25. Floyd was on the ground and died after being held down for nearly nine minutes while an officer had his knee on Floyd’s neck.

His death has spurred nationwide protests and marches for more than two weeks and already led to legislation being passed in Albany banning chokeholds by police.

More legislation is likely on the way against police brutality and more accountability, including unsealing police officer’s disciplinary records. Many legislators and activists also are calling for spending less money on law enforcement and more on community development.

Elizabeth Novak, 26, of Albion holds up a sign that says, “Your Fight is My Fight!” Novak said she is a proud Mexican-American who supports the Black Lives Matters movement. The other side of the signs said, “Chicanos for BLM.”

These demonstrators hold a sign, “Please I Can’t Breathe” in the walk down East Center Street with about 100 people. George Floyd spoke those words while he was held down by a police officer.

Medina native Carolyn Chinn, now of Georgia, gave the opening remarks. Medina Police Chief Chad Kenward is at left and Mayor Mike Sidari is in back.

Chinn graduated from Medina in 1973. She said her family was the first black family to move to Church Street and had their house burned down. They weren’t wanted in the neighborhood. Two years ago she was back home in Medina, driving a Mercedes-Benz when she said she was pulled over by a Medina police officer for no other reason than “driving while black.”

Jennifer Chinn holds her cousin Mari on the walk on East Center Street to State Street Park. She was at the event, wanting to see the community “come together as one and be united as one.”

She said white people don’t get pulled over for driving a nice car. White people don’t have to talk to their children about how to respond when pulled over by police. “Yes sir, no sir” and keep your hands on the steering wheel at all times, Chinn said.

She said Medina should have more community policing, with officers walking the streets and getting to know residents better.

She said the death of Floyd, which was videotaped, has struck a chord with the country. Floyd cried out for his mother before  becoming unresponsive with an officer’s knee on his neck.

Chinn read the names of more than a dozen other people who have been killed by police officers. She said the country is grappling with discrimination. She said hard discussions are needed.

“I am fighter, I am a survivor,” she said. “We can do this together.”

Mayor Sidari also addressed the group, telling them he has an open mind and open heart. He said the community needs to acknowledge “an imbalance not only today but going back to the beginning of our country.”

“Let’s keep this discussion moving forward,” Sidari said.

The Walk for Peace was organized by Cheryl Thompson, a school district employee.

Medina Police Chief Chad Kenward, a 1992 Medina graduate, said the department strives to be responsive to the community. All officers now wear body cameras, and the department has increased its training, and will do more.

Kenward said he is “disgusted and enraged” at Floyd’s death by the Minneapolis officer.

He said he wants to hear from the community “on where we need to go and how to get there.”

Mark Kruzynski, superintendent of Medina Central School, is joined up front by Dan Doctor, the district’s director of community outreach.

Kruzynski said the district’s workforce doesn’t reflect the makeup of the student body, where about 10 percent of the students are black. Kruzynski said Medina would work to hire more African Americans and also would have students read books by black authors. Right now, all of the books read in the school are by white writers.

“We’re going to review our hiring practices so we have a staff that is more reflective of the community,” Kruzynski said. “We are going to become better, I promise.”

Dan Doctor, the district’s director of community outreach, is shown speaking while someone holds up a sign that says, “Silence is Betrayal.”

Doctor said the community needs to continue a march for justice, for better opportunities for students. The parents and guardians of students need to be more engaged in their kids’ education.

Doctor said it truly takes a community to raise a child. He said the march for justice includes students who excel at school.

“Our actions speak louder than words,” Doctor said. “Faith without works is dead.”

Rich Damey, pastor of Faith Bible Baptist Church, said he is sad that many Americans are marginalized right now. The death of George Floyd has galvanized the country, and highlighted the systemic injustices – “our economic and social systems are very biased.”

Damey urged everyone in the crowd and community to ask themselves what they can do for black lives.

“The voice of the African-American community is being heard throughout the world like never before, in an unprecedented way,” Damey said. “You have the world’s ear.”

Greg Boose, a deacon at Glad Tidings Baptist Church, leads the crowd in singing, “Every Praise.”

Nathaniel Little, elder at Glad Tidings Baptist Church, said God made black and white people in his image. “Until your heart changes there will not be change,” he said.

Anita Chinn and about 100 people knelt for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in memory of George Floyd. That’s how long his was down on the ground with a police officer’s knee on his neck.

Medina Lt. Todd Draper and Police Chief Chad Kenward joined the group in taking a knee in memory of George Floyd.

The group, which included several Medina teachers and staff members, kneels as a tribute to George Floyd.

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