By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 October 2019 at 9:49 pm
MEDINA – Construction is expected to start tomorrow (Wednesday) on Medina’s dog park on North Gravel Road by the village’s former compost plant.
The Friends of the Medina Dog Park raised $15,000 for the park, which will be on North Gravel Road by the village’s compost plant.
The first phase includes fencing for three enclosures – for small dogs, large dogs and an agility area. There will also be benches and waste stations with bags for dog poop.
A ribbon cutting is tentatively expected for Oct. 26.
With the second phase, The Friends of the Medina Dog Park wants to add agility equipment, and water and rinse stations. The Medina Village Board agreed to set aside about 1 acre of the land for the dog park, which will be the first in Orleans County.
Construction is also expected to start next week on another citizens-led project. A new splash pad will be constructed at Pine Street Park. A group of residents have raised more than $150,000 for park improvements, including the splash pad. The park will also have new playground equipment and pathway that will include flowers and butterfly gardens.
Mayor Michael Sidari said the community is fortunate to have local residents spearheaded projects to improve the quality of life in the village.
Photo courtesy of Michael Sargent: Ronan Tynan sings during Saturday’s concert at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. He is accompanied by William Lewis.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 7 October 2019 at 1:00 pm
MEDINA – Based on Ronan Tynan’s newfound love for Medina, Orleans Renaissance Group president Chris Busch wouldn’t be surprised to see the Irish tenor return in another two or three years.
Tynan was very verbal in his appreciation of the amenities in Medina during his performance Saturday at St. Mary’s Church. He poked fun at Medina sandstone, which he learned Medina was famous for, and praised his accommodations.
Tynan, a medical doctor, internationally acclaimed Irish tenor and motivational speaker, first appeared at St. Mary’s Church during a concert Sept. 17, 2016, with his accompanist William Lewis. It was Tynan who reached out to the Orleans Renaissance Group requesting a return visit, which was attended by about 520 people.
“Dr. Tynan and Mr. Lewis have expressed both publicly and privately their love for Medina and their desire to return,” Busch said. “From St. Mary’s to the Hart House, Zambistro’s and the Shirt Factory, they had a wonderful experience and said as much many times. I can tell you those comments are genuine. They are two of the most kind, thoughtful and generous people with whom any of us at ORG have ever had the pleasure of working with.”
Photo courtesy of Chris Busch: A nearly packed audience filled St. Mary’s Church on Saturday for the performance of Irish tenor Ronan Tynan, who can be seen at the front of the audience.
Tim and Catherine Cooper, who were instrumental in bringing Tynan to Medina both times, couldn’t stop smiling during Tynan’s performance.
“It still amazes me he is in Medina,” Tim said.
Catherine said it was particularly moving for her to realize many in the audience had parents and grandparents who were connected to the church, through significant events in their lives. She and Tim have previously been to performances of Tynan at Kleinhans Music Hall and the University of Buffalo.
“His voice is so magnificent,” Catherine said.
Busch called the concert “simply breathtaking.”
“People who attended were awestruck by his voice,” Busch said. “He truly connects with the audience. They laugh, they cry and they gave a rousing standing ovation. This was a world-class event all the way.
Proceeds from the evening will be used by ORG to fund other arts, culture and preservation projects, Busch said.
Photo courtesy of Michael Sargent: Ronan Tynan gave a powerful performance on Saturday at St. Mary’s.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Medina firefighters Steve Miller, left, and Sergio DiCenso started to roll up the hose when it began to rain Sunday afternoon during the Medina Fire Department’s annual open house.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 7 October 2019 at 8:33 am
Event is kickoff of Fire Prevention Week
MEDINA – The Medina Fire Department held its annual open house Sunday, featuring a display of firefighting equipment, activities for children, training for adults and a visit by Mercy Flight. The open house is in conjunction with Fire Prevention Week.
Firefighter and paramedic Steve Miller said they had a good turnout of visitors before rain in the early afternoon brought activities to a close.
The fire department had all of its equipment on display, including ambulances, fire trucks and the new small rescue truck and boat.
Steve Miller, left, Medina firefighter and paramedic, and Jason Bessel, deputy chief of Ridgeway Fire Department, watch Bessel’s children Olivia, 8, and Jonathan, 4, climb out of the fire safety trailer at Medina Fire Department’s annual open house on Sunday.
Jason Bessel, deputy chief with Ridgeway Fire Department, drove Ridgeway’s antique fire engine, a 1977 Pierce, and stayed throughout the day with his two children. Another antique truck on display was Medina’s old No. 10, a 1946 Mack owned by Timothy Cooper.
Boys Scout Troop 28 had a booth set up to serve refreshments. Activities included checking out a fire safety trailer and hose competition, where youth could try their hand at aiming a water hose at a target.
Inside the fire hall, there were games and treats for children, and Stop the Bleed training and CPR for adults.
Families head inside the fire house during Sunday’s open house at Medina Fire Department. In addition to activities and displays outside, there were games and treats inside for children and Stop the Bleed training and CPR for adults.
Devin Kinne, 13, of Medina stands by the fire safety trailer on display at Medina Fire Department’s open house Sunday. Devin visited the fire department, where he tried his hand at hitting a target with a fire hose. He also went through the fire safety trailer, where he learned how to put out a fire.
Justin McAdoo, 15, took this picture of Medina Fire Department’s ladder truck during the fire department’s open house on Sunday. Justin can’t wait until he turns 16 in April, so he can join Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Department, where his mother is a paramedic and assistant chief.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Les Segrist of Waterloo unpacks part of his collection of farm toys at the toy show Saturday morning sponsored by Medina FFA in honor of Medina farmer, the late Lee Roberts.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 6 October 2019 at 4:53 pm
MEDINA – The first toy show sponsored by Medina FFA on Saturday morning will most likely become an annual event, according to FFA adviser Todd Eick.
The show at Medina High School was held in honor of lifelong Medina farmer, the late Lee Roberts, who was an avid collector of farm toys.
The day began with a pancake breakfast, during which Eick presented Ginny Roberts with number one in a set of 50 collectible Steiger Panther 111 PTA-310 tractors. The remaining 49 will be sold, Eick said. He plans to obtain a set every five years and then auction them off.
“All the money will go to benefit FFA,” Eick said.
Todd Eick, adviser of Medina’s FFA, presents Ginny Roberts of Medina with number one in a series of 50 toy Steiger Panther 111 PTA-310 tractors during a pancake breakfast Saturday at Medina High School. The remaining 49 will be sold to benefit FFA projects. Roberts’ late husband Lee was a collector of farm toys.
He said the kids will decide what is needed most for the miniature farm the FFA maintains on the southwest side of the high school property.
In the high school gymnasium, nearly a dozen vendors were set up with their massive collections of farm toys.
Les Segrist of Waterloo has been collecting toys since 1985.
“I got started after seeing a friend customize a piece of equipment, and the bug bit me,” he said.
John Seifert of Lyndonville started collecting farm toys about 10 years ago, after retiring as a farmer. His favorites are four-wheel drives, and he said his collection fills his basement and den. He attends four toy shows a year, including those in Brockport, Pavilion and Geneseo.
Nick Adams of Medina goes all over to toy shows. He has been collecting for the last 15 years and his collection includes race cars and semi-trucks. Two of his favorites are a 1965 and 1969 Mustang convertible.
William Nice of Medina got started collecting toys in 1979 because of a joke.
“I had a 50-acre farm across from the fairgrounds, but I didn’t have any equipment,” Nice said. “I had to borrow from other farmers, and I started telling everybody it would nice if I had some equipment of my own. So for Christmas that year, everyone gave me toy tractors.”
His collection includes John Deere, International, Allis-Chalmers and Massey Ferguson. A favorite of his is a Farmall Super M.TA tractor.
Nice owns a construction business, and spends six months in Florida and six months in Medina. He transports his collection back and forth and attends a four-day event in Florida which features 240 acres of vendors.
Donna Wolfe is one of the few women vendors. Her collection includes railroad cars, miniature buildings, army tanks and airplanes. She has been collecting for 10 years.
Saturday’s event also spilled over into the high school parking lot, where several vendors from the weekly farm market were set up. A display of antique vehicles included Farmall and John Deere tractors, a Jeep and fire truck.
The toy show was the result of a lot of work and planning by Eick, the FFA students and FFA alumni, including Cliff Barber, who one vendor said was instrumental in lining up vendors for the show.
William Nice of Medina was one of the vendor’s at Medina FFA’s first toy show Saturday. Nice holds a Farmall Super M.TA, his favorite toy in the collection.
Provided photo: Pictured form left include Camryn Eick, Alexandria Strong and Kennedy Eick, preparing mini tractors for the FFA Toy Show.
Press Release, Medina Central School
MEDINA – The Medina FFA will have its first ever FFA Toy Show and Sale on Saturday. Doors at the High School open at 7 a.m. for a pancake breakfast until 11 a.m. The cost of the breakfast is $5 and that includes entrance into the toy show.
The actual toy show is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the cost of admission is $3 if breakfast is not purchased.
“We have quite a few collectors and sellers that will be there,” says FFA advisor/agriculture teacher Todd Eick. “Some will have antiques, some will have toys that are brand-new and never been out of the box. Some might be older and used toys, but they will still have the box. One guy is coming just to set up his display and show off his collection.”
Mr. Eick says he has been wanting to have a toy sale for over the past 10 years and with the help of Medina and FFA alumni, Bill Nice and Cliff Barber, they decided this would be the year that they start it.
“Bill and Cliff know the value of this sort of thing for our FFA kids,” Eick said. “We also decided that our inaugural show would be in memory of Mr. Lee Roberts, he was an avid toy collector, Medina farmer and a huge supporter of agriculture in the community.”
The Toy Show is also being tied into National Alpaca Farm Days. “We have extended it by a week so that our attendees can come and check out our model farm and meet our alpacas,” Eick said. “We also have a free antique truck and tractor show in our high school parking lot and the Medina Canal Village Market tent will be set up for samples as well. We are hoping that people think it is a pretty cool venue for this.”
Since there are some other great events going on Saturday in Medina such as the Knights-Kaderli Memorial 5K Run/Walk and the Scarecrow Festival hosted by the Medina Lions Club at Forrestel Farm, Eick hopes that people will spend the day in the community enjoying all of it. “We are hoping people start the day with us for breakfast and go to the other events, then come back, have a snack and check out the farm, the displays and the show.”
Mr. Eick says the FFA students have been really stepping up to the plate to help make this event a success.
“We also want the public to know that there will be basket raffles and that we are also selling tickets for $5 apiece for the chance to win a John Deere Fire Truck pedal car with a display case,” he said. “We were fortunate enough that someone donated the money for half of it and the FFA put in the other half. We are getting a great response to that. We are hoping to see a lot of people there. It is going to be a very family fun event.”
Photo by Tom Rivers: Claire Ashley of Chicago created the large inflatables in the gym at the former Medina High School during the PLAY/GROUND art show from Friday to Sunday. There were also art stations and family activities available to try in the gym. Ashley calls her installation piece, “Celestial Boulders (Unseen Organs).” She likes to transform mundane materials into inflatable painted sculptures and performative props.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 September 2019 at 12:29 pm
MEDINA – The PLAY/GROUND art show at the former Medina High School attracted 4,100 people from Friday through Sunday, more than double the attendance during the event’s debut last year.
The immersive art experience included works by 34 artists, who encouraged people to interact with the pieces.
Talis Equity and the Hungerford family worked to put on the show with Resource: Art in Buffalo. The school is currently mostly vacant and will be turned into apartments. Right now Talis and the Hungerford family are working to redevelop Bent’s Opera House.
The preview party on Friday was sold out with 750 people, many coming by shuttle from the Hotel Henry in Buffalo.
“There is excitement in the air,” said Medina artist Tom Zangerle, who attended the show on Saturday afternoon. “This is just fantastic.”
In “Newton’s Clock,” artist Michael Bosworth used the elements of a pinball machine to create a series of interactive works.
Amanda Besl set up “Persphone,” an ethereal forgotten greenhouse at the bottom of the stairs. “Are the contents languishing within or bursting to escape their confines?” participants were asked.
In “Rolling Thunder,” by Tom Holt and Quincy Koczka, skateboarding ramps were painted and turned into artwork.
Sara Di Donato painted life-size images of girls from different eras for “If These Walls Could Talk.” The installation was in a bathroom. Di Donato, a painting and drawing professor at Brockport State College, wanted to show “the performance of girlhood in the present is a reverberating echo of the past, yet constantly fluid and changing.”
Kari Achatz made “Betwixt,” patterned passageways and shadows. She wanted participants “to be seen and unseen at the same moment.”
“Into the Void” was a popular installation, with many people posting images of the space on social media. William Quintana and Christa Trautman made a set of six telescoping, brightly colored boxes to replace the traditional four walls. “The bright hues are meant to entice users to explore the space further and immerse themselves in the unknown well of color.”
People check out “Medina Green,” by artist Nate Hodge of Brockport, in a former locker room in the school.
The art show included a Medina artist, Kathryn Granchelli. She created a Zen garden-like installation. She filled the room with sand and paper-clay sculptures. She said the exhibit was inspired by her travels in the deserts. She runs a nanny referral agency for families in New York City, Los Angeles and abroad. She is also is an accomplished artist.
Granchelli welcomed the chance to be part of PLAY/GROUND in her hometown.
“I really think it’s great for Medina to experience something outside the norm,” she said.
Ani Hoover created the “Shade Garden” in a stairwell. She made the display out of plastic bags, thrifted lampshades and lighting hardware. She sought to take neglected materials and transform them into “an unconventional oasis of light and shadow.”
Julian Montague expanded on the murals in the hallways he started last year.
People check out “Safe Space,” created with cardboard and white plaster by Rich Tomasello with help from 150 students at Kenmore, Town of Tonawanda and Starpoint schools. The installation addresses the anxieties of growing up in American schools where lockdrown drills are commonplace.
Marquis Burton and Tara Sasiadek’s “Wave and Shore” installation was popular. The artists encouraged participants to pause and take in fresh sensations.
Carina and the Six String Preacher perform in the auditorium at the school on Saturday afternoon. Musicians performed in the space over the weekend.
Provided photo: Medina school officials celebrate receiving funds for a new scholarship. Pictured from left include: Ed Grabowski, attorney for the estate of Mariann R. Holcomb; Arlene Pawlaczyk, Board of Education president; and Mark Kruzynski, superintendent of Medina Central School.
Press Release, Medina Central School
MEDINA – Medina High School will begin to give out a new scholarship this year in honor of a former teacher.
Ed Grabowski, attorney for the estate of Mariann R. Holcomb, presented a check at the Medina Central School District’s Board of Education meeting on Sept. 26 in the amount of $35,274.86. The new scholarship will be given in Mrs. Holcomb’s name.
Mariann R. Davies-Holcomb, a former business teacher at Medina High School, passed away on January 17, 2018. Mrs. Holcomb taught Keyboarding, Business Communications, Personal Typing, Business Math, Office Practice, Recordkeeping, Introduction to Occupations, Business Law and Business Dynamics from 1974 until her retirement in 1997.
As part of her estate, she left money to fund a scholarship to be awarded annually to a deserving Medina business student who is graduating and going to college.
The Medina Central School District is honored and appreciative of this generous gift.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 30 September 2019 at 7:45 am
Antique trucks and cars will also be featured on Saturday
Photo by Ginny Kropf: The late Lee Roberts looks at one wall of the antique tractors in his collection, taken at his house in 2006. A toy show Saturday at Medina High School is being held in Roberts’ honor. Roberts, a Medina graduate, had an extensive collection of farm toys.
MEDINA – The late Lee Roberts was a busy local farmer, but he also made time to play.
Roberts, whose memory will be honored by the Medina FFA with a toy show on Saturday at Medina High School, was also an avid collector of farm toys and tractors. A room in his house was devoted entirely to his collection.
Saturday’s event, planned by Medina FFA adviser Todd Eick, will include vendors, displays and more.
The day will begin with a pancake breakfast in the high school cafeteria from 7 to 11 a.m. The cost of $5 will include admission to the toy show, which will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Without breakfast, admission to the toy show is $3.
Other events of the day include a free antique truck and tractor show in the high school parking lot, along with a Medina Canal Village Farm Market sample tent from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Tickets will be available for a basket raffle and drawing for a John Deere Fire Truck pedal car provided by the Medina FFA and FFA Alumni. Tickets on the pedal car are $5 and anyone who buys a ticket and brings the stub to the toy show will received $1 off admission. The pedal car is brand new and comes with the original box and a custom made display case. Drawings will take place at 2 p.m.
Also free will be a National Alpaca Days tour at FFA’s model farm on the southwest corner of the school grounds.
Photos by Michael Sargent: Irish tenor Ronan Tynan performs at St. Mary’s Church in Medina with accompanist Billy Lewis, during his appearance here in 2016. Tynan was impressed with Medina and has asked to return for another concert. He will be performing at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at the historic church on West Avenue.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 28 September 2019 at 1:15 pm
MEDINA – In 2016, the Orleans Renaissance Group reached out to famed Irish tenor Ronan Tynan to see if he would be interested in performing at St. Mary’s Church in Medina.
He was not only interested then, and performed to a sold-out audience at St. Mary’s Church, but reached out to ORG again about returning this year.
“He genuinely enjoyed his experience in Medina,” said Chris Busch, president of ORG. “Of course we said ‘yes’ to his return. Since we saw him last, he sang at the bedside and funeral of President George H.W. Bush.”
Tynan will again appear at St. Mary’s Church at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5.
Ronan Tynan performed to a sold-out crowd of 650 at St. Mary’s on Sept. 17, 2016.
In a telephone interview this week, Tynan said he was impressed with Medina and looking forward to his return.
“It is a quaint town,” he said.
Tynan is no stranger to Western New York, he said. He used to sing for the Buffalo Sabres when Tom Golisano was owner.
Although he has sung for presidents at their funeral and inauguration; decorated veterans; at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Carnegie Hall and the Washington National Cathedral; and across the National Mall and for popes at the Vatican, Tynan still prides himself on singing music which appeals to audiences of all ages.
His previous appearance at St. Mary’s Church was one of the most incredible events Busch said he has ever witnessed, certainly in Medina.
“He has an amazing presence,” Busch said. “Never have I seen an audience so thrilled and so moved.”
Tynan credits his amazing life to having wonderful parents.
“They always supported and encouraged me,” he said.
Born on a farm in County Kilkenny, Ireland, Tynan was born with lower leg deformities. Despite this, his parents never let his disability stand in his way. He attended an all-boys school and vigorously competed in athletic activities. A motorcycle accident at the age of 21 resulted in both his legs being amputated below the knee. Out of this tragedy came triumph, as Tynan went on to compete as a double amputee and win 18 gold medals and set 14 world records in the Paralympics Games from 1981 to 1984.
Then, Tynan decided to study medicine and became a medical doctor, specializing in orthopedic sports medicine. By the time he pondered singing, his life was already one of incredible accomplishment. He was 30 years old in 1993 and in his fifth year of medical school when he began to study voice.
By 1998 he had established himself as an award-winning tenor and joined Irish tenors Anthony Kearns and Finbar Wright. They went on to legendary fame across the globe. He left the group after six years and began his now legendary solo career.
In addition to thrilling sold-out audiences with his incredible voice, Tynan is one of the most sought after motivational speakers in the United States.
“We have amassed a very credible track record with serious artists over the years, including some world-class artists, such as Anonymous 4 and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra,” Busch said. “We’ve also hosted the Genesee Symphony Orchestra, Genesee Chorale (whose director is Ric Jones of Medina), Fredonia Trombone Choir, BPO Brass, Greycliffe String Quartet and Buffalo Tango Orkestra. We’re quite proud of the talent we’ve brought to Medina, and apparently, Dr. Tynan felt we were credible, as well.”
The 2016 concert by Tynan was an idea of Timothy Cooper, local funeral director, whose Irish family heritage and love of Ireland are well known in Medina.
“Tim travels there often, and once wondered aloud to me if ORG thought Tynan might entertain at an event here,” Busch said. “So we reached out and he accepted. Tim was thrilled when he learned the great tenor had said yes, and generously helped sponsor the event.”
“I always remember my parents talking about Bill McGrath, a Medina native who became a great tenor,” Cooper said. “It left an impression. It’s not often you have talent like that in Medina. Ronan’s is an amazing story, how he became disabled yet went on to become a doctor.”
Busch said Tynan would be a hit anywhere he performs.
“But think about it – to have one of the world’s great tenors perform in the soaring beauty of St. Mary’s Church, an old Irish parish,” Busch said. “How could an event such as that be anything else but an epic, world-class event. To have our small town and parish host a voice, not once, but twice, which has performed for popes and presidents is quite remarkable and an endorsement to our little village. Not since the heyday of Bent’s Opera House has talent of such international renown come to Medina.
Tickets are available online at www.medinaalive.com, or at the door if not sold out.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 September 2019 at 8:38 am
Busy schedule includes Homecoming, Mud Run, Walk to End Alzheimer’s, PLAY/GROUND, and event at Colonnade
Provided photo: A Chinese Dragon Dance will be part of a concert from 5 to 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Colonnade, 229 West Center St. The World Life Institute and the Voice Gavel Club of Toronto are hosting the event.
MEDINA – It will be a busy weekend in Medina. Although the popular Ale and Autumn has been cancelled for Saturday, there are still many community events are on the schedule.
• Today, Medina concludes a busy homecoming week with an afternoon pep rally at Vet’s Park. Click here to see the schedule.
• The former Medina High School is hosting a three-day art show and cultural event, beginning this evening. PLAY/GROUND returns for a second year with 34 art installations at the school, 324 Catherine Street.
The activities today at the school with a preview party from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. The party includes theatrical performances, and a variety of food and drinks. PLAY/GROUND continues Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day with family friendly activities in the former gymnasium and live music curated and presented by Revolution Gallery. For more information, click here.
• Saturday morning Medina hosts the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, with a ceremony starting at 10 a.m. at State Street Park, 343 East Center St.
The walk gets underway by 10:10 a.m. About 250 people are expected to attend, most wearing purple or special T-shirts that designate a family or corporate team. Each participant gets a nylon pinwheel flower and generally chooses a color that represents why they are walking.
• The Orleans County YMCA will have a 5K Mud Run on Saturday with 15 obstacles that begins at 10 a.m. at the Sacred Heart Club. The race continues to Gallagher’s Farm, the towpath and concludes at the Sacred Heart Club.
Registration is at the Orleans County YMCA on Pearl Street. Click here for more information.
• The annual Cobblestone Tour of Homes also is Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. A bus for the tour is full but self-drive tours are available.
The 10-site tour includes two stops in the Medina. Click here for more information.
• The World Life Institute is teaming with the Voice Gavel Club in Toronto for the fourth annual “Leaves of September” concert, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Colonnade, 229 West Center St.
The Voice Gavel Club is a youth leadership program, and an affiliation of Toastmasters International. Those students will perform with local musicians.
The concert is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the sophisticated sounds of the Er-hu, Pipa, Piano, Cello, Flute, and traditional guitar, as the concert ends with a thematic composition of poetry and song. The Toastmaster’s Gavel Club will be accompanied by international musicians from Toronto to Medina, and for the first time ever, bringing you the artistic performance of the traditional Chinese Dragon Dance.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 26 September 2019 at 6:19 pm
Provided photos: Medina native Colin Huwyler, center, accepts a $1 million check from Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul Wednesday at Binghamton University. Huwyler, who founded Optimus Technologies in Pittsburgh, was announced as the winner of NYSERDA’s 76West Clean Energy competition. From left are Southern Tier Regional Economic Council co-chair and president of Binghamton University, Harvey Stenger; Hochul; Huwyler; New York State Energy Research and Development Authority president and CEO, Alicia Barton; and Judy McKinney Cherry, executive director of Schuyler County Partnership for Economic Development.
BINGHAMTON – When Colin Huwyler got the call to be in Binghamton this week, he was hoping, but definitely not expecting to be named the winner of NYSERDA’s 76West Clean Energy competition.
When the awards were announced Wednesday at Binghamton University, Huwyler, however, was the winner of the $1 million first prize.
“I can’t even comprehend a million dollars,” said Huwyler’s mother Bobbi Huwyler of Medina, after learning of her son’s honor. “He knew he had won something, but he is very humble and was happy just to be one of the six finalists.”
Huwyler became interested in clean energy while still in Medina High School. His first endeavor while still a teenager was to purchase a diesel car and convert it to burn used salad oil.
He went on to found Optimus Technologies, which today is recognized as a leader in the field of designing and manufacturing biodiesel fuel systems for medium- and heavy-duty diesel trucks, enabling them to operate on up to 100 percent biodiesel, thereby reducing fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80 percent.
Medina native Colin Huwyler is interviewed Wednesday by television crews in Binghamton after he was announced as the top winner of $1 million in NYSERDA’s 76West Clean Energy Competition. More than 160 companies worldwide entered the competition, which was narrowed to six finalists.
With his million dollar prize money, Huwyer plans to establish a company in the Binghamton/Ithaca area. He will be focusing his attention in the coming months on leasing a facility and setting up a growth plan for the Southern Tier region. He said his first hires will be in manufacturing, followed by engineers and technicians.
He expects to be operational in the Southern Tier by early 2020.
“This award will definitely have an impact on my business,” Huwyler said. “I am really excited to be working with NYSERDA. They are putting New York state at the forefront of renewable energy and clean technology. Hopefully, other states will take notice.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 September 2019 at 12:52 pm
MEDINA – The Medina Village Board wants to have a Facebook page for the village government but first will develop a policy for what type of news and events will be shared, and if comments will be allowed.
If comments are allowed and some seem like personal attacks or uncalled for criticism, the Village Board will consider whether there will be a threshold for removing those comments.
“I question the removal of negative comments,” said Trustee Owen Toale.
He said he is often shocked at how nasty and mean-spirited people can be on Facebook. He worries about that on an official village social media page.
The Medina Fire Department and Police Department each have their own Facebook pages.
“They get tons of positive comments,” said Mayor Mike Sidari.
He wanted the village to check if negative comments can be allowed or if that is considered a form of censorship.
Todd Bensley, a village trustee, said the village should either have a Facebook page that doesn’t allow comments, or allow them all – including all of the negative comments. He thinks deleting comments would be considered censorship by the community.
The board said it will continue to look at options. It wants to use social media to help get information out about the village government.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 September 2019 at 10:32 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: Jim Hancock, chairman of the Medina Tourism Committee, said the Visitor’s Center at Rotary Park had a 17 percent increase in registered visitors this past summer.
MEDINA – The Medina Visitor’s Center at Rotary Park welcomed 220 registered guests from Memorial Day to Labor Day, a 17 percent increase from the previous season.
Jim Hancock, the Tourism Committee chairman, shared the news with the Medina Village Board on Monday.
The center is staffed by volunteers from Monday through Friday. This was the second season at Rotary Park. Previously the volunteer had a welcome center at City Hall.
Hancock said the Rotary Park location is more ideal. It’s closer to the canal where boaters and cyclists often stop to see the downtown business district.
Hancock said adding signage on the main thoroughfares, directing people to the Erie Canal and public parking lots, would likely get more people to stop in the downtown.
“Many of the visitors don’t realize there is a parking lot behind Main Street,” Hancock told the Village Board. “There is also no sign on Center Street or Main Street pointing to the canal.”
Mayor Mike Sidari said the state Department of Transportation has told the village it already has too many signs on Main Street.
Village officials however have a plan to add signs as part of the Medina Local Waterfront Revitalization Program. A committee with input from the community developed a plan to improve the waterfront areas surrounding the Erie Canal, Glenwood Lake and Oak Orchard River.
Sidari said the village expects to receive state funding to implement components of the plan, including signage for local attractions.
In the short-term, Hancock said smaller sandwich signs could be put on sidewalks directing people to the parking lot, canal and other attractions.
Hancock also said some of the cyclists who pass through the community would like a spot to pitch a tent for the night. He suggested State Street Park have designated camping spots, and those people register with the village so the police are aware of their presence.
Sidari said camp sites are included in the waterfront plan.
Hancock encouraged the village to work on that, even if there isn’t state funding.
The Tourism Committee welcomes more volunteers next year, and would like to expand to Saturday, Hancock said.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Michael Hungerford and Emily Tucker, one of the curators of the PLAY/GROUND art show and cultural event, are shown with puppets created by Kyla Kegler of Buffalo. Kegler is one of 34 artists featured with work Friday through Sunday at the former Medina High School at 324 Catherine St. Performers will be wearing the puppet heads and costumes during the art show.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 September 2019 at 8:59 pm
Last year’s debut of PLAY/GROUND attracted about 2,000 people
MEDINA – Artist have been transforming rooms, hallways, stairwells, even locker rooms and closets in the former Medina High School.
PLAY/GROUND, an immersive art experience, is back at the former school from Friday through Sunday. PLAY/GROUND debuted last year and attracted about 2,000 people to the show.
This year’s show will be bigger, with 34 artist installations, up from the 29 last year.
Talis Equity and the Hungerford family have worked to put on the show.
“For three days this building will be the center of art world in our area,” said Michael Hungerford, one of the leaders of the project.
Keith Lemley created “Symmetry Breaking” which combines geometric objects with light and architecture. Lemley hopes people who see the installation will think about everyday materials in new ways.
Hungerford and Talis Equity have teamed with Resource: Art, which includes three Western New York art curators – Anna Kaplan (Anna Kaplan Contemporary), Elisabeth Samuels (Indigo Art) and Emily Tucker (Benjamin Gallery).
The curators didn’t want traditional art – paintings, sculptures and framed photos.
Nate Hodge of Brockport created this abstract painting, “Medina Green,” in a locker room. Hodge will be covering every inch of the room with acrylic, house paints, salvaged wood and panels, inks and aerosol.
“We want you to think about art in a different way,” Tucker said Monday evening, giving a walk-through of the school.
It sounded like a construction zone with hammering, sawing wood and drilling screws.
“It’s fun to see it all come together,” Hungerford said. “Some of the rooms are done and it’s so much better than we imagined.”
Hungerford, a regional director for Takeform in Medina, read about a similar as PLAY/GROUND a couple years ago in a vacant warehouse in New York City. Last year, Hungerford pushed for the former Medina school to host an immersive art experience.
Michael’s uncle Roger is planning to turn the building into apartments. While it is vacant, Roger Hungerford agreed to give artists free rein to paint and create inside – and even some spots on the outside. (Look for a sailboat on the side of the building this weekend.) Hungerford also is paying the artists for their work.
Emily Tucker, one of the curators, said the funding and exposure through PLAY/GROUND has been appealing to the artists. Often artists are asked to work for free or on a very low budget. Or, they aren’t given full latitude to be creative. PLAY/GROUND urged them to push the envelope and create multi-sensory art work.
Tucker and Hungerford expect to top last year’s attendance. PLAY/GROUND will be running shuttle buses from Buffalo for the opening night celebration and preview party.
Tucker also said the event has been talked about since last year, with much more anticipation among in the arts community now that people know it’s such a unique experience, having so many artists in one building, with wildly divergent work.
Highlights of the three-day event include:
Friday – PLAY/GROUND opens with a 21 and over preview party from 7 pm – 11 pm. General Admission Tickets are $35 in advance and $45 at the door. There are also ticket options which include a shuttle ride to and from Medina leaving from Hotel Henry at 6 p.m.
Included in the price of the tickets to the September 27th PLAY/GROUND Preview Party is a performance from Torn Space Theater. The avant garde theater group known for their site specific performances at Silo City, has created a new work, Auditorium, which will be performed at two different times during the preview event. The party will feature a variety of food and drinks including small bites prepared by Chef Lionel Hydel of the soon-to-open Harvest Restaurant, associated with Bents Opera House in Medina. There will be a cash bar by Mile 303 and kombucha from Bootleg Bucha and Snowy Owl Kombucha.
Saturday and Sunday – the event costs $10 ($5 for all students with ID). PLAY/GROUND is geared towards families for these weekend days. The site can be visited from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day, and children 12 and under are admitted free of charge. There will be family friendly activities in the former gymnasium and live music curated and presented by Revolution Gallery in the Auditorium.
Rich Tomasello made “Safe Space” out of cardboard and white plaster. More than 150 students from Kenmore, Tonawanda and Starpoint schools helped create the artwork. The installation addresses the anxieties of growing up in American schools where lockdown drills are commonplace.
Staff Reports Posted 25 September 2019 at 12:15 pm
Provided photo: Medina native Colin Huwyler stands by a truck that uses his technology to burn used vegetable oil and restaurant grease.
BINGHAMTON – A Medina native’s company, which turns used vegetable oil and restaurant grease into fuel for trucks, is the $1 million winner of a renewable energy contest.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that Optimus Technologies, based in Pittsburgh, PA, won the grand prize in the annual 76West Clean Energy Competition, one of the largest contests in the country that supports growing clean energy businesses to foster economic development.
Optimus Technologies was created by Colin Huwyler, a 2002 Medina graduate. The company designs and manufactures biodiesel fuel systems for medium and heavy-duty diesel trucks to operate on up to 100 percent biodiesel, thereby reducing fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80 percent.
Huwyler, 34, a son of Bobbi Huwyler of Medina and Monte Huwyler, is founder of Optimus Technologies in Pittsburgh, the market leader in development of biodiesel conversion systems for medium and heavy duty trucks. Huwyler has four patents on his technology, with several more pending. (Click here to see a previous Orleans Hub article on Huwyler.)
A total of $2.5 million was competitively awarded to six innovative companies at today’s awards ceremony at Binghamton University where Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul announced the winners. Besides the $1 million for Optimus Technologies, the state recognized a $500,000 winner and four $250,000 winners. The competition is administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.
In this year’s 76West competition, NYSERDA received 169 applications representing 14 countries and 21 states. Of these, 18 semifinalists were chosen and participated in a two-day pitch session this summer at Binghamton University. Judges then recommended the top six winners.
As a condition of the award, companies must either move to the Southern Tier or establish a direct connection with the Southern Tier economy, such as a supply chain partnership, job development with Southern Tier companies or other strategic relationships with Southern Tier entities that help spur economic development and create jobs. For companies already located in the Southern Tier, they must commit to substantially growing their business and employment in the region.
The 2019 76West winners are:
• $1 million grand prize – Optimus Technologies from Pittsburgh, PA: Designs and manufactures biodiesel fuel systems for medium and heavy-duty diesel trucks to operate on up to 100 percent biodiesel, thereby reducing fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80 percent.
• $500,000 award – Radical Plastics of Marblehead, MA: Develops a biodegradable replacement for agricultural plastic mulch, lowering greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality by reducing fertilizer and avoiding plastic incineration.
• $250,000 award (4) –
Cambridge Crops of Somerville, MA: Produces an edible bio-based protein coating that reduces food spoilage and waste as well as associated carbon dioxide emissions from food production and transport.
Carbon Upcycling Technologies of Calgary, Canada: Transforms carbon dioxide emissions into nanoparticles that can be used to produce coatings and additives to extend the life of concrete, thereby helping to avoid greenhouse gas emissions associated with concrete manufacturing.
CleanFiber of Buffalo, NY: Manufactures low-dust high-performance cellulose building insulation from recycled carboard that increases energy efficiency and reduces energy costs.
ProsumerGrid of Atlanta, GA: Produces integrated planning software enabling electric utilities and energy service companies to optimize deployment of distributed energy resources such as solar and energy storage.
76West began in 2016 as a four-year $20 million competition and support program. Empire State Development has committed $20 million to extend the competition through 2023 as part of the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, offering $10 million in awards and $10 million in business support.
Applicants will again compete for $2.5 million in total prizes each year, with a $1 million grand prize and other awards. NYSERDA will continue to administer 76West, working closely with the Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) and local partners in the region.
