Photo by Tom Rivers: Stephen Lunden, one of three finalists for Medina school superintendent, speaks during a community forum on Monday.

MEDINA – The school district’s former business administrator, Dr. Stephen Lunden, told a community group he would welcome the chance to come back to Medina as school superintendent.

Lunden is one of three finalists for the district’s top administrator. He worked for Medina from 1998 to 2000, and was part of two capital projects in addition to preparing the school budgets and overseeing the district’s finances.

He has worked the past 10 years in Maryvale, currently as assistant superintendent.

Lunden, his wife and their two daughters have stayed in the Medina community. (Lunden’s oldest daughter Amanda was the class valedictorian in 2016. Rebecca is a sophomore at Medina.)

Lunden started his career as a school business administrator at Holley for about four years before going to Medina, then Starpoint for seven years and the past decade at Maryvale in Cheektowaga.

He said districts face increasing financial pressures to provide programs for students without overburdening the taxpayers. Working at the four school districts has shown him different approaches to school finances, providing programs, community partnerships, working with the Board of Education, and many other issues.

He praised Medina and the late Jeff Evoy, the district’s superintendent until his death on June 23, for boosting student achievement, including gains that took Medina off a list of “Focus” schools in need of improvement.

“Medina has taken steps to get off the list,” Lunden said. “It would be foolish to change some of those structures.”

Evoy also worked with Lyndonville in shared services for athletic and drama programs, an initiative that Lunden said he would strongly support because sharing is good for the districts’ budgets, and also maintains opportunities for students.

Lunden was asked by former Board of Education member Virginia Nicholson if he could fill Evoy’s shoes.

“They are big shoes to fill,” Lunden responded. “I will do my best. I think he was a great person. I have every bit of respect for him and the decisions he made.”

Lunden said his expertise is finances, but he has been part of staff hiring and reviews, and overall planning in academics at Maryvale as assistant superintendent.

While Medina is off the Focus list, some students, particularly those from economically disadvantaged families, continue to lag behind peers in academic achievement. Lunden was asked how he would address that issue.

Lunden said there is no one “golden ticket” that can raise student achievement for everybody. He would rely on the teaching staff of 160 professionals.

“We have to look at each individual student and see what’s going on with the results they have achieved,” Lunden said.

Lunden also met teachers, administrators, staff, students, the the Band Boosters and FFA on Monday.

Today, Dr. Michael Weyrauch, principal at the Orleans-Niagara BOCES in Medina, will meet with district stakeholders throughout the day, including a community forum at 6 p.m. in the district office.

Dr. Aaron Slack, principal of the Lyndonville High School, is also a finalist and will meet with Medina stakeholders on Wednesday, including a community forum at 6 p.m.

The Medina Board of Education hopes to make a decision soon after this week’s forums, with an announcement made perhaps by mid-December. The new superintendent could be in Medina by mid-to-late January, said Clark Godshall, superintendent of the Orleans/Niagara BOCES and leader of the superintendent search for Medina.

Return to top

New officers represent half of the Medina PD

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Medina Police Chief Chad Kenward shakes hands with Jacob Reeves, one of six officers to be sworn in during this evening’s Medina Village Board meeting. Sgt. Todd Draper also congratulates the officers who have all been on the force for less than a year. Corey Collins is at right.

The officers stand together while taking the oath of office. They include, from left: Christian Navas, Michael Forgione, Brian Marsceill, Corey Ambrose, Jacob Reeves and Cory Collins.

Two of the officers – Forgione and Navas – joined the Medina PD after recently completing the police academy. Ambrose also joined Medina after finishing the academy about a year ago. Reeves is a transfer from the Le Roy PD, while Marsceill joined Medina after working at the Attica PD. Collins was at Holley before coming to Medina.

The new officers bring the department to 12 officers, which is the most in about a decade.

The officers, in reading the oath, said they will “faithfully, honesty and impartially discharge the duties of police of the Medina Police Department.” They vowed to promote and protect the best interest of the Village of Medina “through fiscal responsibility, honesty, integrity and loyalty.”

Return to top

MEDINA – Here are some more photos of floats from the Parade of Lights in Medina, including the this photo showing a group from the Orchard Manor Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Medina.

These are some of the groups that didn’t win awards, but still made a strong effort. There were 34 entries on the parade.

Organizers believe the 8^th annual parade attracted its biggest crowd yet from the Olde Pickle Factory on Park Avenue to downtown Medina.

Spotlight Studio in Albion with a float in theme of Polar Express.

Prime Time Brass in Rochester

Automotive Solutions

Barnyard Boggers

Joe Mangiola and Calvary Tabernacle Church

Celebrity Day Spa with a Star Wars theme

Calvin Fournier of the Little Bits 4-H Club in Niagara County

Case-Nic Cookies

David Green, left, and Mike Fuller from the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company

Mark Time Marchers

Hartland Carriage with Santa and Mrs. Claus

Return to top

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – The Medina Marching Band, including 34 alumni, get ready to play for the judges during Saturday’s Parade of Lights in Medina.

The turnout from alumni was the biggest so far for the parade.

The band is gearing up for a 50^th anniversary celebration next year and welcomes more alumni for the May 29 Memorial Day parade. That day will also be a reunion for band participants in the past half century.

A committee working on the reunion will meet Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. at the VFW in Medina. For more on the reunion, click here.

Return to top

MEDINA – The three finalists for superintendent of Medina Central School will be available for community forums this week as the district works to pick its new leader.

All three finalists are established education leaders locally.

The three finalists are:

• Dr. Stephen Lunden, Assistant Superintendent at the Maryvale CSD and a Medina resident. (Lunden also served as Medina’s director of finance from November 1998 to July 2000.)
• Dr. Aaron Slack, Principal of the Lyndonville High School.
• Dr. Michael Weyrauch, Principal at the Orleans-Niagara BOCES in Medina.

Each finalist has a day to meet with various stakeholder groups – teachers, PTSA, boosters, students, support staff, and administrators – who will interview and provide the Board of Education with critical feedback. Those days are scheduled for Monday through Wednesday.

Community sessions with similar opportunities for input are scheduled each day from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. in the Board of Education room. One candidate will be available each evening to discuss his qualifications and respond to questions from the community.

The school district is currently led by interim superintendent Tom Cox. He has provided temporary leadership for the district following the death on June 23 of Jeff Evoy, who had served as district superintendent for about five years.

The community is welcome to attend the public sessions with the superintendent finalists. Dr. Clark Godshall, superintendent of the Orleans/Niagara BOCES, is serving as search consultant for the Medina and will conduct the sessions.

Return to top

Photo by Tom Rivers: Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul visited several business owners in Medina, including Bread Basket owner Lissa Stewart-James, yesterday during Small Business Saturday.

Hochul stopped by five communities on Saturday. Besides Medina, she was in Brockport, Batavia, Williamsville and Buffalo.

“We want to showcase the small businesses that are the backbone of these communities,” Hochul said in Medina.

She praised Medina for a “vibrant downtown” that creates jobs, a sense of community identity and revenue to maintain historic commercial buildings. The Medina downtown has a “tremendous variety” of retail shops, she said.

“This is out of It’s A Wonderful Life,” Hochul said about downtown Medina.

Hochul said next year she wants to see a special focus on canal communities and their economies. Next year will be the 200^th anniversary of the start of construction for the Erie Canal. It took eight years to build. The state is planning a bicentennial celebration from 2017 to 2025 for the 200^th anniversary of the canal’s construction.

Photo from Kathy Hochul’s Office: Hochul stopped in at Case-Nic Cookies, bought a snack and chatted with store owner Mary Lou Tuohey. Medina Mayor Mike Sidari is in back.

Hochul also purchased one of her favorites, sponge candy, from Sue Fuller at Della’s Chocolates. The lieutenant governor also stopped by The Book Shoppe and English Rose Tea Shoppe.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Hochul is pictured on the reviewing stand for the Parade of Lights with Assemblyman Steve Hawley, left, who served as announcer and Medina Mayor Mike Sidari.

Return to top

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Fireworks burst in the sky in this photo from Main Street in Medina at about 6 p.m., just before the eighth annual Parade of Lights.

There were 34 entrants in the parade that started at the Olde Pickle Factory on Park Avenue and concluded in downtown Medina.

Matt C.M. Contracting , the reigning grand champion the previous three years, created a self-propelled float with a Christmas tree surrounded by presents. Matt C.M. Contracting owner Matt Mundion called this year’s float, “The Night Before Christmas.” He was inside the tree, steering the float down Main Street.

Weedman participants, owner Ken Bieber and Dancing Derrick Bradley, wave to the crowd.

The Shelby Volunteer Fire Company created a display with a message warning people to not overload their outlets this holiday season.

The Orleans County Christian School urged people to “Pray For Our Troops” and not forget the sacrifices of soldiers.

The Knights-Kaderli Memorial Fund, which provides financial assistance to Orleans County residents battling cancer, had a float with a message: “Thank you snow much.”

The Medina Mustang Band played some energetic holiday favorites.

The Little Bits 4-H Club in Niagara Club wore costumes from several other countries.

The Albion FFA used 10,000 lights to create this float.

The Medina FFA created a Christmas scene with a smoky chimney.

The Roy-Hart FFA had a Minion on its float.

Catherine Cooper, director of the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library, served as grand marshal of the parade.

Hands 4 Hope, a street ministry based in Albion, was part of the parade for the first time today.

The Lyndonville Fire Department had a Teddy Bear Santa on the back of its fire truck in the parade.

Orleans Hub will post more pictures Sunday of the parade.

Return to top

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Medina hosted its fourth annual ‘Home for the Holidays” 5K this morning with about 100 runners completing the 3.1 mile course. The race started in the canal district.

Jose Quiros of Medina, left, and Joey Robinson, No. 47, are out in front early in the race.

Michael Irish, No. 93, and Olivia Sweet, 8 years old of Medina, head up Route 31 in today’s race.

Runners pass by State Street Park and the war memorial.

Daniel Heil, 16, of Medina is out in front in the homestretch of the race. He was the overall winner with a time of 19:12. Lindon Morici of Albion was the fastest woman with a time of 21:09.

A pack of runners keep a good pace along the Erie Canal.

These runners are on the towpath by the canal.

The race was co-sponsored by Beta Sigma Phi-Kappa lota Chapter, Medina LOYAL Baseball, Medina Veterinary Clinic and The English Rose Tea Shoppe. Proceeds from the race are being donated to the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in support of their children’s reading program and Medina LOYAL Baseball.

To see the race results, click here.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDNA – Santa Claus gets the rock-star treatment when he showed up outsde the Medina Theatre after a parade down Main Street at noon. Santa posed for pictures with a long line of youngsters.

Medina’s Olde Tyme Christmas has a schedule packed full of events today, including the Parade of Lights at 6 p.m.

Santa waves to kids along Main Street while he traveled by carriage down Main Street.

Santa poses for a picture with Christopher Mulcahy, left, his brother Ethan of Medina (right), and Glenn Spencer of Lockport. The boys’ mother, Megan Bailey of Medina, takes the photo.

The Medina Fire Department joins the noon parade which ushered in Santa’s arrival for a busy day.

Frosty the Snowman was an energetic greeter to the crowd that gathered along the street.

There also was a “Pet Parade” as part of the noon spectacle on Main Street.

Wendi Pencille walks a dog with a Christmas bow in the Pet Parade.

The Medina Mustang Band played some holiday favorites.

This band member makes music while wearing an elf’s hat.

Hartland Carriage gave Santa and Mrs. Claus a ride down Main Street.

To see the schedule of events for today, click here.

Return to top

Press Release, Steve Cooley, Medina firefighter and public information officer

MEDINA – We all know emergencies do not take holidays. The past 24 hours for the Village of Medina Fire Department have been very busy with 15 calls, several of them very serious calls.

Early this morning with one crew out on an inter-hospital transfer, we encountered four serious patients within a span of 45 minutes. Just after a crew had attended to a patient who suffered a head injury from a long fall, we were dispatched to three separate heroin overdoses.

That makes four opiate overdoses in less than a 48-hour period. If you or someone you know is addicted to heroin or opiates, please seek out help. Our area, like many across the country is being plagued with deaths caused by opiates. The phone number for Genesee/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (GCASA) in Albion is 585-589-0055. The Rochester Narcotics Anonymous phone number is 585-235-7889.

Shortly after noon today, Orleans County Public Safety Dispatchers received multiple phone calls reporting a fire at 127 Starr St. Dispatched along with Medina was an engine from Shelby and a FAST crew from Lyndonville.

Incident Commander Captain Joshua Wolck arrived on scene with Medina engine 11 reporting a fully involved garage with fire spreading to a larger adjoining building and ordered a second alarm. Second alarm departments were Ridgeway with one engine to the scene with an engine from Middleport, a rescue from East Shelby and an ambulance from COVA EMS to stand by at the Medina Fire Station.

The fire investigation is being handled by county fire investigators and appears non-suspicious at this time. The garage is a total loss and due to damage sustained today by the fire, along with pre-existing damage, the second adjoining structure was condemned and demolished. There were no injuries incurred at this fire.

This evening just before 6 p.m., Medina along with one engine from Shelby and a FAST crew from Lyndonville were dispatched to 311 North Ave. for smoke in the 2-story house containing two apartments.

After some investigation, crews found and extinguished a small fire in the duct work and wall. There were two people transported to the hospital, one by Medina Fire Department crews and one by COVA EMS, both for non-fire related medical problems. The Red Cross is assisting two adults and four children. The cause is currently under investigation and appears non-suspicious at this time.

We would like to thank all our neighboring departments for their assistance today along with Orleans County EMO staff, the dispatchers, and the Village of Medina Police Department.

Return to top

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – The Village of Medina Department of Public Works hung up the garland in on Main Street in Medina today. The DPW runs a wire across the the street and then fastens the decorations above the street.

Medina is prepping for its big annual festival, Old Tyme Christmas, on Saturday which includes many events from 9 a.m. until the evening. The celebration is capped with the parade of Lights at 6 p.m. To see the full schedule of activities, which starts with a “Home of the Holidays” 5K at 9 a.m., click here.

Return to top