ROYALTON – A Medina man is among the four people who were killed in a two-vehicle collision on Tuesday afternoon in Royalton, State Police said.

Simon P. Fox, 20, of Medina was the front seat passenger of a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze that was in a collision. Fox was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two others in the Cruze – the driver Austin W. Wilson, 20, of Wilson and a rear passenger, William Bernadt IV, 21, of Newfane – also were killed. Both front seat occupants were not wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision, State Police said.

Wilson was driving the Cruze westbound on Slayton Settlement Road at about 3:15 p.m. The vehicle was struck by a 2002 Bear Recreational Vehicle that was traveling south on Orangeport Road and failed to stop, State Police said.

The operator of the RV, Michael H. Duffy, 81, of Sommerton, SC and the passenger, Linda E. Duffy, 80, of Sommerton, SC were transported to Erie County Medical Center in critical condition.  Linda E. Duffy succumbed to her injuries at ECMC, State Police said.

The State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit, Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Niagara County District Attorney’s Office assisted in the investigation, which remains ongoing.

MEDINA – Multiple people were stabbed in an argument that escalated to a physical altercation early Sunday morning at 610 Main St.

There were five people either cut or stabbed. All of the people who were stabbed are in stable condition, Medina Lt. Todd Draper said.

There was an unrelated death in the village on Sunday that was due to a medical situation and had no connection to the stabbings, Draper said.

The Medina PD was dispatched to the scene at 1:35 a.m. on Sunday for a stabbing. Medina Police arrived on scene at 1:36 a.m. and were advised of multiple stabbing victims including a person bleeding severely from a leg wound.

Officers requested additional units and emergency medical services while administering first aid, placing a tourniquet on the leg of one of the victims, Draper said.

Additional resources responded to the scene including the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, State Police, Medina Fire Department Ambulance and COVA Ambulance.  Multiple victims were transported by both ambulance and private vehicle to Medina Memorial Hospital and Erie County Medical Center, according to a press release from the Medina Police Department.

The initial investigation determined that all parties involved knew each other, Draper said. The incident started as a verbal argument that escalated into a physical altercation in which a subject used a knife against multiple people.

The subject in this incident is known to law enforcement and he is wanted for questioning.  There have been no charges filed at this time as the investigation is still ongoing.

Anybody who has information regarding this situation is encouraged to contact the Medina Police Department immediately at 585-798-5602.

This incident is being investigated by Medina police officers Richard Messmer and Jonathan McManus.

The Medina Police Department would like to thank all law enforcement and EMS agencies that responded, along with Orleans County Dispatch for their assistance, Draper said.

Photos and information courtesy of Medina Band Boosters

WEBSTER – On Saturday, Webster Central School hosted a marching band competition, which was Medina’s  fourth competition this season.

A total of 10 bands in five different classifications presented their shows. In SS1 Medina earned 1st place with a score of 82.825 followed by East Irondequoit with 82.55. Both of these bands are under the direction of  Medina band alumni.

In SS3 Leroy took 1st place with 71.675 followed by Marcus Whitman with  71.1. Greece took 1st place in LS3 with 75.9 followed by Hilton w/73.4. In LS2 West Seneca earned 1st place with 80.65 followed by Webster with 79.175.

There were two national bands competing and Victor earned 1st place with 85.925 followed by Lancaster with 84.025.

Medina’s next competition is Saturday in Victor.

It takes support from the Medina Band Boosters and the community to put the Medina band on the road week to week. These four people are a crew who unload equipment needed for the band performance, from left: Chad Kenward, Jason Clare, Dennis Wright and Art Clare.

Some of the Medina band staff include Diana Baker, Matthew Jaeger, Steve House and Kyla Leno.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: This family were kids at heart when they came to make their own scarecrow. From left are Maegan Zeller of Wilson, who intends to take her creation to her classroom in Wilson, where she teaches; Kimberly Eick of Medina; and Karen Eick of Nashville, who plans to take her Bills-attired scarecrow home in the front seat with her.

KNOWLESVILLE – The Medina Lions’ 2022 Scarecrow Fest attracted 200 people to the 4-H fairgrounds on Saturday.

Held in the Lartz Building at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds, the event brought families from throughout the area.

Organizer Sherry Wheatley she had been collecting clothing all year to make sure they had enough shirts and pants. Those left over will be stored for next year, along with the T-posts which were cut and donated by Barden Homes.

Wheatley’s mother Pauline Lanning of Albion has volunteered every year to cut and sew the heads, making 400 for this year, in case they surpassed last year’s record 300.

Piles of straw also provided a lot of fun for kids to play in while their parents stuffed scarecrows.

The Art Class at Medina High School and Barb Jantzi painted faces on the heads, and no two were alike, Wheatley said.

For those who wanted to paint their own face, there was a table with markers.

Adam and Kristine Stockwell and their children K.J. and Penelope came from Buffalo after seeing it advertised on Facebook. They didn’t see anything like it in their area and they wanted to make a scarecrow, Kristine said.

Meagan Zeller teaches in Wilson High School and came with her future sister-in-law Kimberly Eick and Karen Eick from Nashville. Meagan said her scarecrow will probably make it to her classroom, while Karen said her Bills-attired scarecrow was going to sit on the front seat beside her on the drive home.

Lion Tom McGrane of Medina explain the procedure to K. J., Penelope and their parents Kristine and Adam Stockwell of Buffalo.

There were new features this year. Patty Caleb of Medina bought a booth to sell her stuffed dogs, and they were selling like hotcakes.

Wheatley said they came up with a new idea for scarecrow heads. They pulled three pair of panty hose over a head and then braided the six legs together. They looked adorable, she said.

A table was set up with assorted colored markers for the child who wanted to design his own face. One was Emma Lilleby, 7, of Medina. Emma’s mom had painted her daughter’s face like a scarecrow. She said Emma loved to draw and chose to make her own face.

Jarred Saj, left, sews a scarecrows arms together, while Dean Bellack measures out a lengthy of string.

Jarred Saj and Dean Bellack of Medina “operated” at one of the three surgical tables, sewing the scarecrows together. Bellack asked everyone to give their scarecrow a name.

The piles of straw to stuff the scarecrows were also popular for kids to play in.

The Scarecrow Fest is not only popular with kids, but adults as well. Hallie Gray and Steven Long of Medina came with his sister and two kids, but made a scarecrow for themselves. Grandparents came and just watched the beehive of activity.

Boy Scout Troop 28 did a brisk business selling hot dogs, chili, corn chowder, hot chocolate, water, banana boats and smores.

“We put a lot of work into this,” Wheatley said.

Proceeds from all Lions’ events go back for projects to help the community.

A festive Halloween display greeted visitors to the Lions Club’s annual Scarecrow Fest Saturday at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds.

Pauline Lanning of Albion, mother of the Scarecrow Fest’s founder Sherry Wheatley, spent three months cutting and sewing 400 heads. They were painted by the Art Class at Medina High School and Barb Jantzi.

Jack Hansler of Medina staples heads onto the T-posts before they are stuffed.

Emma Lilliby, 7, of Medina, whose mom painted her face like a scarecrow, chose to draw her own face on her scarecrow head.

Those with special needs may not respond to commands in the usual way

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Debbie Fuller and her son Collin get approval from Officer Dustin Meredith of the Medina Police Department on placement of a decal on the door to Collin’s apartment indicating a person with special needs lives there. The decals are a new idea the police department is promoting to inform first responders a person in the home might not respond to their presence in the usual way.

MEDINA – A new program being promoted by the Medina Police Department is designed to provide first responders with pertinent information when encountering people with special needs.

Lt. Todd Draper has taken the lead to develop a decal which can be placed on the door or car window to let first responders know they may encounter a person with special needs. Assisting with the program are officers Dustin Meredith and Clayton Smith.

The idea for the decals came out of a Police Advisory Committee meeting, where Debbie Fuller of Medina shared information about a similar program she learned of in Lake Wales, Fla. The sheriff’s department there promotes the decals, which give first responders notice that someone in the house or car may not respond to commands or requests as they normally expect.

The decals are available for homes and cars.

As an example, Debbie said Collin once had a smoke alarm go off.

“He called me in a panic,” she said. “It was then I realized in an emergency situation, he wouldn’t know what to do. You can’t practice something like that.”

Collin was diagnosed at 18 months with pervasive development disorder. Over the years, his diagnosis changed through various autism spectrums, his mother said. He is able to live on his own, with daily supervision from Paula Stanton from the Arc. Stanton spends 25 hours a week assisting Collin with daily living skills, such as preparing meals and paying bills. She thinks the decals are a wonderful idea.

“When I can’t be around, emergency personnel should realize someone like Collin can’t process rapid fire questions, commands or requests,” Debbie said. “I’m hoping this program will bridge that gap.”

Draper thinks if they can get the information out it will help a lot of people.

“I hope this program catches on,” he said. “It will help people with various disabilities, not just autism.”

The idea for the decals was unrolled Aug. 2 during National Night Out, Draper said. Since then, 10 applications have been turned requesting decals. Information on the applications is also supplied to the Orleans County dispatch, so when a call comes in from a home with a decal, the dispatcher can alert the first responders.

The decals are designed to be weather resistant. The officers explained the correct place to put them on a car is on the little window behind the back door on the driver’s side.

“That is always the side where an officer approaches a vehicle,” Draper said.

Applications for a decal are available on the village website or at the Medina Police Department. They can also be picked up at Orleans County Mental Health Department and the Arc.

Draper also stressed families don’t have to display a sticker, if they would rather not,  because key personnel would have the information on file.

First-time event is sold out in fundraiser for chapel window

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Hazel Mason, 5, of Lockport tries the giant Light Brite at the start of Saturday’s Boxwood at Night event at Boxwood Cemetery.

All 200 tickets sold out for the event and organizers accommodated more people who wanted to experience Boxwood. Many of the cemetery paths were lighted up. There was also music and seven stops with docents or interpreters discussing people buried in the cemetery.

Sue and Kevin DeHollander share about George Kennan, a traveler, investigator and writer. He was born in 1845 and died in 1924. He went on an expedition to Siberia in the 1860s to explore the feasibility of the telegraph in that land. He wrote about his experiences in 1870 with the book, “Tent Life in Siberia.”

The Friends of Boxwood Cemetery gave the historic cemetery a different look for the event on Saturday with lights along the paths.

Georgia Thomas speaks about May Howard, who survived the Titanic at age 27 in 1912.

David Stacey shared about the potter’s field where 107 people are buried. Those people were poor, “unknown or unclaimed,” Stacey said. The potter’s field only includes 28 gravestones.

The band “Cosmic Oases” provided music for the walkers at the cemetery.

The cemetery was a display of lights on Saturday.

Catherine Cooper led a tour inside the chapel at Boxwood where the large stained-glass window needs repairs. The window was donated by the late Silas Burroughs, a Medina native who was an influential innovator and entrepreneur in the pharmaceutical industry. A new book by Julia Sheppard – “Silas Burroughs, the Man who made Wellcome – American Ambition and Global Enterprise” – highlights his life.

The stained-glass window needs about $7,500 in repairs. The tickets on Saturday were $10 each and raised over $2,000 towards fixing the window.