Medina

Medina Village Board goes to downtown merchants for feedback

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 August 2021 at 2:18 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Four of the Medina Village Board members are out visiting downtown merchants today to hear how from them how they think the village could better assist the business owners.

This photo shows Mayor Mike Sidari in front crossing Main Street, followed by trustees Jessica Marciano, Marguerite Sherman and Owen Toale.

The merchants on the south end of Main Street were very positive so far, the board members said. They were expecting to hear concerns about parking, but Sidari and the trustees said the merchants on this end of Main Street seem happy with the municipal and private lots for parking.

The board is looking at an overall parking plan for the downtown. Sidari and the board members also said they are optimistic Medina will be awarded a $10 million grant through the state’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, which would provide funding for several projects, including with Medina’s waterfront.

The board members will be out again next Wednesday to meet with more business owners in the downtown. Pictured from left include Mayor Mike Sidari and trustees Marguerite Sherman, Jessica Marciano and Owen Toale. They are wearing new shirts that they paid for themselves.

Museum purchases 6 railroad coaches that had been leased past 20 years

Photo by Ginny Kropf: The Thomas the Train event pulls coaches for an excursion ride. Thomas has been in Medina for 15 of those events, which several thousand people to Medina. The Medina Railroad Museum had been leasing six coaches for rides the past 20 years. The museum now owns the coaches and is looking to upgrade them.

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 17 August 2021 at 10:53 am

Medina Railroad Museum looks to upgrade interiors, including making one a dining car

Provided photo: Rick Henn is president of the board of directors for the Medina Railroad Museum.

MEDINA – The Medina Railroad Museum has taken a big step forward toward advancing their goals far into the future with the purchase of the five coaches they previously leased from Western New York Railway Historical Society of Buffalo.

The purchase will result in long-reaching savings to the Museum, which has leased the coaches for special excursions for nearly 20 years, according to Museum board president Rick Henn.

The coaches were stored in the Steel Plant in Lackawanna and spent four years in Canada before bring brought to Medina Railroad Museum, where they are kept secure on the siding near the Pickle Factory.

In recent years, Henn said the WNYHRRS has talked periodically about moving the cars to Jamestown, and he knew that could mean doom for the MRRM.

“These coaches are our greatest revenue source, allowing us to keep our doors open throughout the year,” Henn said. “We depend on these cars and it became evident we had to go shopping for our own coaches or buy these.”

Last fall Henn approached WNYRRHS about buying the coaches. He said regulations now require state rail cars to meet Amtrak standards, which costs a minimum of $100,000 per car, meaning WNYRRHS’s ability to use the coaches was compromised. That is not so on the Falls Railroad, which is the line on which the Medina Railroad Museum operates excursions from Lockport to Brockport.

After several months of negotiations, a deal was struck to purchase the five coaches, one spare and a large inventory of parts for $350,000. The Medina Railroad Museum took ownership on July 31.

That didn’t happen without a lot of wheeling and dealing on the part of Museum board members and Museum director Janien Klotzbach, who approached friends, family and railroad buffs asking for loans or donations. That accomplished, now the search is on for grants and donations to repay the loans.

It is the Museum’s goal to upgrade the interiors of the five coaches and eventually add air conditioning. Henn’s dream is to gut the sixth car and turn it into another first-class dining car.

“This will get us closer to our dream of running dinner trains,” Henn said.

The Museum is ready to release its fall schedule of train rides, which will include autumn train rides in October, Santa trains in December and the return of Polar Express in November and December.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to help with the purchase of the coaches may send a check to Medina Railroad Museum, 530 West Ave., Medina. Donations may be made in honor or in memory of a loved one.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Lynn Heintz, a conductor for the museum, checks on passengers before a ride with Thomas the Train Engine in May 2018. The Railroad Museum now owns the coaches carrying the passengers.

Fundraisers return for Orleans Community Health Foundation

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 17 August 2021 at 8:32 am

Money from Treasure Island, Mega Drawing will go towards projects at hospital

MEDINA – After a year dampened by the Covid pandemic, Orleans Community Health has embarked on a campaign of fundraising events.

Heather Smith, executive director of Orleans Community Health Foundation, has announced the return of the Mega Drawing, which took the place of the annual Treasure Island last year.

“The cash raffle was such a success that we have decided to do it again,” Smith said.

Tickets are already nearly sold out, and information to purchase a ticket can be found online at www.supportoch.org/events.

The date of the drawing has been moved up to Sept. 14. With hopes that restrictions will stay lifted, the Foundation is considering a small event that evening, in addition to doing the drawing live online.

Proceeds for this year’s drawing will be split between two projects which are part of the hospital’s “Together We are Stronger” campaign to raise $350,000. The money will be used to fund eight small projects in several departments across Orleans Community Health, instead of one big project, Smith said.

First, they plan to purchase a new Hoyer lift system for the patient care unit on the second floor of Medina Memorial Hospital. The second project will be to purchase a new stress test system for the cardiac services department.

“We feel so blessed to be able to keep this vital service available to our community, however, the time has come for an upgrade to the unit we currently own,” Smith said.

In radiology, the successful golf tournament raised funds to purchase two pieces of equipment – an ultrasound probe and a new ceiling mount for the X-ray machine.

The main laboratory and outpatient lab have received new chairs for drawing blood, and countertops have been replaced in the department.

In February, a new coagulation analyzer was purchased with grants from the Lyndonville Area Foundation and Elizabeth Curtis Dye Foundation.

New hospital beds will be purchased for the second floor, at a cost of $10,000 to $25,000 each, depending upon the size and functionality, Smith said.

A grant from the Association of Twigs allowed for the purchase of a new oven in dietary services.

Other improvements include new privacy walls in registration and a separate entrance door to each registration area, thereby increasing patient confidentiality.

The pharmacy will see a new temperature control system to regulate medications, along with new windows, cabinets and counters.

Outside, all new signage is planned at the hospital and two dialysis centers to better inform anyone visiting.

In addition to raising money from the Mega drawing, the Foundation is planning the return of Treasure Island.

They are hoping to reach their fundraising goal with additional monies from grants, individual giving and corporate donations.

Hospital CEO Marc Shurtz announced the campaign at the end of 2020, and the board approved all eight projects, Smith said.

“The Lyndonville Foundation really got the ball rolling with their grant of $40,000 in February,” Smith said.

She added the hospital opened the door for a huge piece of funding by initiating employee giving this year. In early August they already had $8,000 in pledges, and $80,000 in grants was pending.

If Covid restrictions continue to be lifted, Treasure Island will take place Nov. 6 at Shelby Fire Hall.

Medina announces school will be in-person only with no remote option

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 August 2021 at 9:04 pm

District holding off on decision about masking for students until late August

MEDINA — When students head back to school beginning Sept. 8, there won’t be an option for remote education in the 2021-22 school year, district superintendent Mark Kruzynski said in a letter to the community today.

School will be in-person only and will be full-time, five days a week. In addition, instrumental music, chorus and elementary specials will be full classes, just as before the pandemic, Kruzynski said.

The district, however, is holding off on a decision about students wearing masks. Kruzynski acknowledged it’s a controversial issue for many people.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the federal Center for Disease Control and state Education Department are all recommending students, teachers and staff wear masks, regardless of vaccination status. The CDC updated its guidance on Aug. 5 and cited the highly contagious Delta variant. The CDC also recommended maintaining at least 3 feet of distance between students.

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul will take over as governor following Andrew Cuomo’s resignation on Aug. 24. She said on Thursday she anticipates the state will issue a masking mandate for students.

“Whether those masking mandates are universal or based on community transmission levels remains unclear at this point,” Kruzynski said in his letter.

The district will wait until the end of August to make a decision about masks when it’s clear what will be required from the new Hochul administration.

“Quite simply, there is no reason to put out masking regulations today if things might have to change before school starts on Sept., 8, 2021,” Kruzynski wrote.

The district superintendent said it remains the district’s “number one priority” to have students back in school safely, in person, every day.

Poler’s Pub will open Monday in Medina at former O’Briens

Provided photo: The newly remodeled Poler’s Pub at 610 Main St., Medina, will open for business at 11 a.m. Monday. New owners, Ethan and Jim Poler, plan to be open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week.

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 13 August 2021 at 12:14 pm

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Ethan Poler, right, and his dad Jim Poler stand in front of the former O’Brien’s at 610 Main St. in Medina.

MEDINA – A historic building on Medina’s Main Street, which has been a favorite gathering place for locals for more than a century, will reopen Monday with a new look and a new name.

The former O’Brien’s has been purchased and remodeled by Ethan Poler and his dad Jim. It will open at 11 a.m. Monday as Poler’s Pub.

Built in 1902 for Edward Kelly, the building at 610 Main St. has had several names, but it has always been a bar, according to information in a book, Medina Through Time, by Frederick Fierch of Middleport.

By the 1930s it was known as O’Brien and Kelly, run by Francis O’Brien and John Kelly, and later as the Marble Grill. It appears there was a period when there were two businesses there, as there are pictures of the Horseshoe Grill painted on the north window of the building.

Ethan, who was working for All Metal Works in Gasport designing steel structures, has wanted to open his own business for quite a while.

“Back when I was in the Army I told my buddies I was going to open a bar,” Ethan said. “I really wasn’t serious, but now it’s actually going to happen.”

He and his father had been looking at several different places last fall when Ethan drove by 610 Main St. and saw the “For sale” sign on the building.

After contacting the owner, they struck a deal and began to plan their renovations.

The bar was all green inside, even with green carpet around the bar, said Ethan’s uncle John Poler. There was a “box” on the ceiling above the bar, and when they tore it out a bone-handled barber’s straight razor fell out.

Ethan Poler stands under a new sign in Poler’s Pub.

Behind the draft cooler, they found a yellowed envelope addressed to O’Brien and Kelly with war posters of Allied adversaries – Hitler, Mussolini and Yamamoto. When the Polers took down a beam, a horseshoe fell out, no doubt from the days when the Horseshoe Bar was on the north end of the building. In the basement they found the rusted cash register which is in a picture of O’Brien when he opened his business there in the early 1900s.

For months now, the Polers, with help from family and friends, have been remodeling the interior. They tore out partitions to make a larger kitchen, painted the original wainscoting, took the carpet off the bar, painted the exterior and hired a contractor to wrap all the dormers in aluminum. A fenced-in area will provide seating at umbrella tables.

“We saved a lot of money by doing the work ourselves,” John said.

He and his uncle John have been there almost every day, and Jim, who still works as used car manager for Hartway Motors, is there as much as he can.

They have installed three 70-inch TVs, an electronic dart machine, jukebox and ATM.

At first, they will offer a limited menu of pub food, in addition to beer and mixed drinks, but may expand the menu as time goes on. They are also thinking about the possibility of starting a dart league.

Poler’s Pub is scheduled to open on Monday. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week, but that could change, Ethan said.

New Medina skatepark is taking shape

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 12 August 2021 at 3:06 pm

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – The new Medina Skatepark at Butts Park is rapidly taking shape. This a a panoramic photo of the facility which will be named the Luke Nelson Skatepark in memory of the Middleport skateboard enthusiast who spent a lot of time at the old Medina skatepark. His family has contributed to the project and has spearheaded a major fundraising effort. That effort by the Medina Skate Society raised some $250,000 which was matched by a grant from the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation to finance the $550,000 project.

The old skatepark was removed by the Village of Medina in January and ground was broken for the new facility in early June. The project is scheduled to be completed by early September.

The skatepark will include areas and features for beginners, intermediate and advanced levels for skateboards, bikers and in-line skaters.

50 train buffs from several states make trek to see Medina RR Museum

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 8 August 2021 at 3:21 pm

‘Rare Mileage Collectors’ praise site in Medina

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Jim Fetchero of Charlotte, N.C., left, talks to passengers as them disembark the train at Medina Railroad Museum Saturday morning. Fetchero rented the train for 50 fellow train buffs who call themselves “Rare Mileage Collectors.” Many have ridden trains in all 50 states, most of Canada and several foreign countries.

MEDINA – The Medina Railroad Museum hosted an uncommon group of individuals on Saturday, who call themselves “Rare Mileage Collectors.”

“We’re not an officially recognized group, just a lot of people who love riding trains,” said Michael Dault of New York City.

Some of the Rare Mileage Collectors aspire to reach 100,000 miles riding the rails.

John Schmidt of Springfield, Va., “Boomer John” as his friends call him, has ridden trains in all 50 states and all but two provinces in Canada. He said with all the places he’d been, he was very impressed with Medina Railroad Museum.

Saturday’s ride from Lockport to Brockport in Medina Railroad Museum’s two first-class dining cars was funded by Jim Fetchero of Charlotte, N.C.

Fetchero admits to being a train buff all his life, in addition to being retired from the Iowa-Pacific Railroad.

“Just like some people are bird watchers and like to watch for all kinds of birds, I like to ride trains and see how many miles I can accumulate while seeing the sights.”

He said he has ridden on too many railroads to count – throughout the United States, Europe and South America.

“I’m delighted to have this museum here,” he said of Medina Railroad Museum, where they stopped for an hour layover. “We’re having a great day and appreciate the museum being flexible and working with us.”

Passengers on the ride came from California, Washington State, Ohio, North Carolina , Pennsylvania, Virginia, Florida and Illinois, as well as New York state.

All were impressed with the museum and “awesome,” “awesome” was heard over and over.

John Schmidt “Boomer John” of Springfield, Va. looks at the bell of the famed 999 engine at Medina Railroad Museum on Saturday. He was among the 50 train buffs who rode the train from Lockport to Brockport, with an hour stop at the museum.

“This museum is the ultimate rail fan basement syndrome,” said Greg Molloy of Seattle. He has ridden trains in all 50 states.

Chuck Weinstock of Pittsburgh said he usually isn’t a fan of railroad museums.

“Some people have a couple of rusting cars in the weeds or a room full of junk and call it a museum,” he said. “But this place has great stuff.”

After reboarding the train to continue to Brockport, lunch was served on the train by volunteer coordinator Grace Stewart. The lunch, catered by Captain Kidz, included a sandwich or salad, potato salad, chips, water and a train cookie from Case-Nic Cookies.

Museum board president Rick Henn was conductor for the trip, and engineer was Neal Keirn of Middleport.

“This was a great ride,” Henn said. “It was such fun to be with a group of people who love trains and train riding. It was also great to hear how much they were wowed by the museum.

“It’s a huge credit to everyone involved, including Genesee Valley Transportation. I have to thank them for their assistance in organizing this trip and thank the train crew for their cooperation in making the ride special.”

The Rare Mileage Collectors will continue their quest to rack up the miles by riding the train Sunday from Gowanda to Dayton, and then on Monday the Arcade and Attica.

Jim Fetchero, left, who rented the two first-class dining cars from Medina Railroad Museum for a day-long trip from Lockport to Brockport, talks to Greg Molloy of Seattle and Cincinnati, and Chuck Weinstock of Pittsburgh during their stop to visit the Railroad Museum.

Medina farmers’ market seeing big increase in traffic so far this year

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 6 August 2021 at 8:39 am

Provided photos: Black Button distillery in Rochester has been a regular at Medina’s Canal Village Farmers’ Market every month all summer.

MEDINA – The Canal Village Farmers’ Market has come a long way since it first opened six years ago.

Like other farmers’ markets everywhere, Medina’s market this week is celebrating National Farmers’ Market Week.

Although struggling through months of uncertainty, farmers’ markets became essential throughout the Covid pandemic, according to Chris Busch, president of the Orleans Renaissance Group, which sponsors the market.

“Now, in 2021, they’re better than ever,” Busch said.

That is the message the Farmers’ Market Federation of New York wants to get out by celebrating National Farmers’ Market Week.

Markets everywhere stayed open throughout the pandemic as an essential source of local, healthy food, and Canal Village Farmers’ Market was no exception, Busch said. The local market created “meal deals,” which were packages of local products that could be ordered online and picked up via a drive-thru system at the market. Rose and Ken Baker of Baker Farms, along with market manager Gail Miller of Medina, and other CBFM vendors kept the market alive, providing healthy, local food for families’ tables, Busch explained.

“Now that the pandemic restrictions have been lifted, markets are open to all and finding ways to be better than ever,” Busch said.

“People really seem to be grateful for the return of the market,” Miller said. “This year, Canal Village Farmers’ Market has had outstanding vendor participation and record numbers of customers. Our old vendors have returned and new vendors have come on board. While regular and familiar customers have also returned, many new faces are in the mix too – especially young families. It’s been fantastic.”

Dubby’s Wood Fire Pizza made several appearances at Medina’s Canal Village Farmers’ Market this summer. Farmers’ Markets across the country celebrated National Farmers’ Markets Week from Aug. 1 to 7.

After a slow 2019 and 2020, Busch said they are seeing a 65 to 70 percent increase in customer traffic this year.

“Sales are strong with all vendors,” he said. “The increase is tangible and the market is hopping.”

“People are truly enjoying being able to gather Saturday mornings at the market,” Miller said. “Great crowds, outstanding product selection, live music, food trucks, weekly contests for adults an kids are just some of the market events. We absolutely love providing such an outstanding experience for the community every Saturday, and folks seem to be enjoying it.”

New vendors this year include NewHouse Breads, Heartland Organics, HateCuddler Craft Works, HeBrews 5:9 Coffee, Panek’s Pickin’ Patch, Flower Fields Forever, in addition to rotating food trucks, including Dubby’s Wood Fired Pizza, Kaleema’s Creative Foods, Greenlief’s On the Go and El Gran Burrito.

Those who are income-eligible are reminded to get and use SNAP coupons at the market. In addition to those, the market also accepts Double UP Food Bucks, FMNP and Fresh Connect checks. Most of the vendors now accept credit, Venmo and/or PayPal, as well as cash.

The summer market runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday through October. The winter market will return from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays from November through May.

Several new weekly contests have been added this summer, Busch said. “Passport of Prizes” and a kid’s scavenger hunt are two of them.

65 senior citizens enjoy picnic at Junior Wilson Club in Medina

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 5 August 2021 at 8:02 am

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Card players passed the time with a game of euchre as they waited for lunch at the Medina Senior Center picnic Monday at Junior Wilson Club. Clockwise from left are Lee Smith, Larry Morgott, Kathy Ausman and Yvonne Peters.

Becky Karls from the Orleans County Office for the Aging distributed farmers’ market coupons to those eligible at the senior citizens’ picnic Monday.

MEDINA – Nearly 65 seniors from the Senior Center of Western Orleans enjoyed a catered picnic lunch Monday at Junior Wilson Club.

The day provided an opportunity not only for lunch, but for camaraderie, fun and a game of cards.

Becky Karls with the Orleans County Office for the Aging was there with coupons for farmers’ markets to those who were income eligible.

Highlight of the picnic was an auction of bagged gifts each senior was asked to bring. Billy Martin of Medina volunteered as auctioneer, as seniors bid on their unknown prizes, which included everything from gift cards and candles to playing cards, candy and gags.

Kelly Shaw, director of the Senior Center of Western Orleans, reminded seniors the center is closed Monday and Tuesday during August, but still open for cards from noon to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Any interested senior is encouraged to join. Cost for the remainder of 2021 is $5 and a full year’s membership, beginning Jan. 1, is $10.

The center offers exercise from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays and free baked goods on Monday mornings, resuming in September.

Events in the planning include a dinner meeting Sept. 13; a chicken barbecue, eat in or takeout, on Oct. 14; and a basket raffle on Oct. 16. Baskets may be donated any time the center is open. Deadline for donating a basket is Sept. 16.

Seniors line up for lunch at the senior picnic Monday at Junior Wilson Club. From left are Rosemary Eden, Cece Wilson, Marsha Snyder and Sherry Tuohey.

Auctioneer Billy Martin of Medina, left, and Lynn Creasey, president of the board of Senior Center of Western Orleans, auction off brown bags full of surprises at the senior picnic Monday at Junior Wilson Club.

Medina primary, intermediate schools hosting picnic for students on Aug. 30

Posted 2 August 2021 at 3:57 pm

Photo courtesy of Medina Central School: Pictured from left include Daniel Doctor (Co-Principal Clifford Wise Intermediate School), Chris Hughes (Co-Principal Clifford Wise Intermediate School) and Jenn Stearns (Principal Oak Orchard Primary School).

Press Release, Medina Central School

MEDINA – Oak Orchard Primary School Principal Jenn Stearns and Clifford Wise Intermediate Co-Principals Daniel Doctor and Chris Hughes are excited about starting the school year with a meet-and-greet with students and their families.

On Monday, August 30^th, from 3 to 6 p.m. between the two schools on the playground, the two schools will be hosting a welcome back picnic.

“We feel this will be a good head start to the new school year and it will be nice to see the kids and their parents,” Mr. Hughes said. “Also we will now have the third grade at the intermediate school and it will give the students and their parents a chance to get comfortable with that. Summer is long for us when we are at the school and there are no students. We really miss them!”

Mrs. Stearns says the get together will achieve many goals.

“It’s an opportunity to visit the campus before the start of school, meet some of the staff, allow the students to catch up with friends and for us to get everyone’s paperwork before school actually starts,” she said. “For some of our students, they have not been in class for over a year and a half. We want to ease any fears they have about coming back and get them excited.” Mr. Doctor says it’s a great way to build partnerships with parents.

“We can’t wait to see everyone!”

In the event of rain, the picnic will be moved to the gymnasiums of each school. The principals say that parents can feel free to bring their child’s school supplies in a labeled paper bag. They also encourage families to bring in their filled out paperwork they received in their summer mailer.

For 7th and 8th graders who will be entering the high school this upcoming school year, there will be an orientation and tour on Wednesday, August 25^th, for 7th grade at 6 p.m. and on Thursday, August 26th, for 8th grade at 6 p.m. Students will get information about academics, school activities, clubs and a copy of their schedule.