Facebook

Medina

Artist begins work on bronze statue of soldier to go by Medina Armory

Staff Reports Posted 21 March 2017 at 9:12 am

Provided photos: Sculptor Brian Porter is pictured with a subframe for a statue of a soldier that will go by the former Medina Armory, which is now the YMCA on Pearl Street.

The statue of a soldier that will go by the former Medina Armory is taking shape.

Brian Porter, a sculptor who works as an assistant professor for Erie Community College, is working on the statue that will resemble a young soldier, someone who looks between 18 and 21.

That was typical soldier of Company F, which trained out of the Armory in Medina. The Company F Memorial Committee wants the statue to look like a typical soldier from the site when they left the community in October 1940 during World War II.

The 7-foot-high bronze statue will be erected outside the Armory, which was used for about 75 years to train soldiers for battle. The statue will honor those soldiers and help people appreciate the building’s past in training soldiers to defend the country

Porter created the statue for the Seabees Memorial in North Tonawanda.

Porter is trying a new process using 3D technology. He scans in the image of the miniature clay model, and data sent to a CNC machine is used to cut out thin plywood slices that are then glued together. The wood structure is a subframe for the clay to be shaped upon.

“It was a really interesting process to get to this point and many people that viewed it on campus were excited about the look of this stage of the structure,” Porter said.

The next step will be to begin carving and prepping the surface for clay modelling.

The plywood slices have been glued together in sections of about 10 pieces each. Porter anticipates that they will be easier to model and mold in this way.

The miniature clay model, about 20 inches high, is next to the wood structure which will be covered in clay in the next step in the process.

Return to top

Yates votes no on money for Medina ambulance, but intends to help fund effort

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 March 2017 at 9:33 am

YATES – The Yates Town Board voted against a contract with the Village of Medina on Thursday night, where the town would contribute to the ambulance service.

Town Board members say they want to pay towards a new ambulance, but don’t like the language in the contract referring to a “deficit” with the ambulance service.

The Medina Fire Department provides ambulance service for the western Orleans County towns of Yates, Ridgeway and Shelby. The Fire Department has four ambulances and wants to replace one every two years. The ambulances cost about $160,000 each, so each year the department wants to set aside $80,000 towards an ambulance.

The three towns and village of Medina will pay a pro-rated share towards the ambulance based on percentage of ambulance calls in each municipality between Sept. 1 to Aug. 31 each year.

In Yates, the town share, including for residents in the Village of Lyndonville, would be about $15,000 a year, said Jim Simon, the town supervisor.

The current contract with Medina expires June 30. Yates has been in a contract with Medina since 2007 for ambulance services. Yates hasn’t been contributing to the cost in recent years.

Town Board members said they want to support paying for an ambulance, but don’t want to be pulled into financing other operational costs.

Yates officials have been meeting with Medina officials for more than a year, discussing the ambulance contract. Wes Bradley, a Yates town councilman, said the focus initially had been on an ambulance replacement fund and having the three towns contribute. But it has expanded to helping with an undefined deficit for the service.

“I’m still not 100 percent comfortable (with the contract),” Bradley said during the Town Board meeting.

Bradley has been a member of the Lyndonville Fire Department for 37 years. He said the Medina Fire Department provides “top-notch” service to the Yates community. He just wants the language clear in the contract.

The proposed contract would establish an Advisory Board, with Yates, Shelby, Ridgeway and Medina all appointing a representative. That board is welcome to make recommendations to the Medina Village Board on how to reduce a deficit with the service.

Medina Mayor Mike Sidari declined to discuss the issue until he had a chance to talk with the Village Board. He said he wanted to three towns to view the ambulance as a shared service.

Jim Whipple was the lone Yates board member to vote for the new contract. Whipple, however, didn’t want the town to be pulled into management of the service.

“We just want to support the ambulance and not get involved in collections and operations,” Whipple said.

The Medina Village Board would still oversee the service, but the new Advisory Board would give the towns more input in how the ambulance service is run.

Town Supervisor Jim Simon, and councilmen John Riggi and Wes Bradley voted against the contract. Councilman Brad Bentley was absent from the meeting.

Simon said the town already budgeted $15,000 this year to support the ambulance. He said Yates is pleased with the service and wants to help pay for new ambulances in the future.

The contract in the past has been rolling over each year. Simon and the Yates officials would like to have the issue settled soon.

“We don’t have another ambulance service we can turn to,” Simon said.

Return to top

20 winterguards competed at Medina event

Posted 13 March 2017 at 12:09 pm

Photos and article courtesy of Medina Mustang Band

MEDINA – Medina hosted a Winterguard show, Colorburst 2017, on Saturday with 20 guards performing, traveling from schools in Western New York and Canada.

Overall the home show was a success in terms of attendance despite the weather. A majority of the guards are sponsored by a school district, but there were five independent guards that are not connected to a school but are community sponsored.

The independent groups include the Patriots from Rochester, the Magic of Scout House and the Ventures from Kitchener, Ontario, Lakeside from Oswego and Prizm from Hamilton, Ontario. The independent guards are made up of people who participated in this activity while in school and want to continue by joining these other groups.

In the Cadet class, Medina took second place. In the Scholastic A class, Medina was awarded first place with a score of 76.09.

In the other classes, 1st place went to Victor Cadets,  Patriots Too in RA with 72.33, Corning Painted Post in A1 with 65.05,  Magic of Scout House in Senior with 68.38,  Patriots in IA with 82.05 and Orchard Park in SO with 76.30.

Medina’s next competition is Saturday, March 25, in Jamestown and then the Championships on Sunday, April 2, at The College at Brockport.

Medina’s cadet group finished second in Saturday’s competition.

Return to top

Medina winterguard takes first at Lancaster

Posted 5 March 2017 at 8:14 pm

Photos and article courtesy of Medina Mustang Band

Lancaster High School hosted a winterguard show on Saturdy and the Medina Varsity Guard took 1st place in the SA class with a score of 71.56.

Winterguard groups range in size from 5 to 25 and both boys and girls participate. Most of the guards are sponsored by a school but there are independent guards comprised of people who are not in school but still want to participate in this activity.

The participants use dance and acrobatics along with props, flags, sabers and wooden rifles. Some shows are at a slower pace while others are faster and yet they manage to not collide or hit each other with their equipment.

Shows are timed and each guard has 7 minutes to get themselves and their equipment on the floor, perform their show and exit with all of their equipment including the floor mat.

Medina’s home show is this Saturday and there will be 20 guards performing.  Doors open at 4 p.m. and the show starts at 5 p.m.  Medina’s cadet guard performs at 5:33 p.m. and the Varsity guard at 8:07.

Return to top

A Facebook group devoted to promoting Medina tops 6,000 members

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 March 2017 at 10:12 am

‘I call myself Medina’s biggest cheerleader’ – Missy Schening

Photo by Tom Rivers: Missy Schening is pictured at Rotary Park in downtown Medina.

MEDINA – It was January 2009 when Missy Schening started the “Memories of Medina” Facebook page. She was looking for a way to promote the community and help residents connect.

She started posting historical photos from the community. She stopped by new businesses and gave organizations and residents a chance to share news about fundraisers and benefits.

The Facebook page immediately developed a following, and continues to add “friends” every day. As of this morning, Memories of Medina is up to 6,079 friends. Schening notes that has passed the village’s population, listed as 6,065 in the 2010 Census.

“I just focus on what people want to talk about,” Schening said on Friday during an interview at Meggie Moo’s, one of the many new businesses that has opened recently in the downtown.

Schening said the business resurgence in the the downtown is one of the many positives she has witnessed since Memories of Medina started.

A photo of the Wolcott’s Dairy Bar posted on March 2 garnered nearly 100 likes and 30 comments.

She has standards for the Facebook group: keep it positive and no politics. There wasn’t any talk on Memories of Medina of the controversial village dissolution, which polarized the community about two years ago. There hasn’t been any posts about Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.

“We don’t want anything political or the whole thing could fall apart,” she said about the group. “I just want it mellow. I just want fun.”

She posts older, silly photos and challenges people to “Caption This” – this morning posting a picture of a pillow fight among two children. She gets many of those photos from the social networking site, Tumblr.

She shares other nostalgic images, including of kindergarteners taking a nap, and asks the group if they remember doing that in school.

The photos often ring up more than a hundred likes and dozens of comments.

“I try to put something funny out to get them chatting,” Schening said.

It eight-plus years Memories of Medina hasn’t hurt for positive material. The Facebook group is fortunate that many talented photographers share photos, Schening said.

She also shares positive news articles about Medina, including many from the Orleans Hub.

She checks old newspapers at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library and posts some tidbits and historical photos. She is given tours of historic buildings, and shows people spots they don’t often see, such as the two jail cells that are in the basement of the Napa Auto Parts in Medina.

This photo that Schening found shows a parade from Old Home Week in 1906.

Memories of Medina recently shared news about two lost dogs, and their reunification with their owners. The post about the dogs’ return topped 300 likes.

Schening is the main administrator for Memories of Medina, but there are others as well who keep an eye on the site and will delete posts that are political or have a nasty tone.

“I want it to be like back in the day when you talked over the fence or on your porch,” Schening said.

She credited Dawn Meland and the late Michelle Stanton Jones for encouraging her in the early days of Memories of Medina. Back then, 2,000 friends for Memories of Medina seemed like a longshot. But the group has steadily grown.

Schening, who said she is shy by nature, has made numerous friends through the site.

“I know a lot more people now,” she said. “I call myself Medina’s biggest cheerleader. I’m just letting people know what Medina is.”

Return to top

With power out, Medina will use Senior Center as warming center

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 March 2017 at 9:40 am

MEDINA – The Senior Citizens Center at 615 West Ave. will be used as warming center until at least 4 p.m. while a portion of the village has electricity out, Fire Chief Tom Lupo said.

The Senior Citizens Center will be open with staffing while National Grid works to restore power for about 500 customers on the west side of the village. The fierce winds on Wednesday evening knocked down two utility poles, including one with a transformer, at the Olde Pickle Factory.

National Grid estimated this morning it could be six to eight hours before the power is restored.

Return to top

Report ranking Medina as among most affordable for housing seems flawed

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 February 2017 at 5:14 pm

File photo by Tom Rivers: A report about housing affordability in Medina underrepresented the property taxes for the Medina community.

MEDINA – The Medina community enjoyed some nice publicity recently when it was listed among the top 10 of most affordable communities for housing in New York. (Click here to see “Medina ranked one of most affordable housing markets in NY.”)

The listing for Medina at No. 9 in New York might have puzzled many people in Medina, who pay the highest overall tax rate in the Finger Lakes. The tax rates in the village, town, county, school and library are about $58 per $1,000 of assessed property. (Click here to see “Medina community has highest combined tax rate in region.”

However, the report from SmartAsset took a holistic look at household affordability, considering closing costs, real estate taxes, homeowners’ insurance and mortgage rates.

SmartAsset lists the average property tax bill in Medina at $2,786. With a $58 tax rate that would mean the average house assessed in Medina is about $48,000 in order for SmartAsset’s numbers to add up for average property tax bill.

However, the average house value is $81,220 when you consider other SmartAsset claims about Medina.

SmartAsset says the property taxes account for 3.43 of the average home’s value. The site lists $2,786 as the average property tax bill. However, it would take a house at an average value of $81,220 for SmartAsset’s numbers to work out for a tax bill of $2,786 representing 3.43 percent of the housing value.

The numbers go awry with an $81,220 value because Medina’s tax rate is $58. At that tax rate the total tax bill would be $4,710, nearly $2,000 more than what SmartAsset listed, and a number that would push Medina well out of the top 10 for affordability.

If the report looked at houses outside the village but with a Medina zip code the numbers still don’t add up. In Ridgeway and Shelby outside the village it’s about $17 cheaper per $1,000 of assessed property.

However, even Ridgeway and Shelby tax rates of about $41 per $1,000 of assessed property would be too high for SmartAsset’s math. For the average $81,220 home value (determined by calculating SmartAsset’s numbers), the property tax bill outside the village would be $3,330, which is $544 more than what SmartAsset has listed for the property tax.

Conclusion: The report from SmartAsset about Medina’s housing affordability misses the mark.

Return to top

Medina promotes firefighter/paramedic to captain

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 February 2017 at 9:45 am

Provided photo by Owen Toale

MEDINA – Matt Jackson, left, is congratulated by Medina Fire Chief Tom Lupo after Jackson was promoted to captain of the Medina Fire Department during Monday’s Village Board meeting.

Lupo is presenting Jackson with his captain’s badge and collar brass.

Jackson has worked as a firefighter/paramedic for Medina the past 10 ½ years. He replaces Josh Wolck who recently transferred to the Lockport Fire Department.

“I wanted the opportunity to help mold and develop our team,” Jackson said.

He said he enjoys working with Chief Tom Lupo and Jonathan Higgins, the other captain.

The captains oversee a platoon of firefighters and and take leadership at EMS and fire calls. They also have additional administrative duties.

Return to top

Orleans EDA promotes 300-acre site in Medina as largest certified ‘shovel ready’ business park in WNY

Posted 27 February 2017 at 10:52 am

Provided photos: The Medina Business Park has contiguous lots from 5 to 125 acres.

Press Release, Orleans Economic Development Agency

MEDINA – Spanning both sides of Route 31A in Medina, the Medina Business Park encompasses over 300 acres and is now the largest NYS-Certified “Shovel-Ready” business park in Western New York and the Finger Lakes.

Conveniently located between Buffalo and Rochester, Orleans County’s Medina Business Park is also within 45 minutes of the Ontario, Canada border.

With contiguous sites available ranging from 5 to 125 acres, Medina has the available infrastructure and incentive packages to make it a sought-after location for foreign and domestic companies looking to expand into New York State.

The Medina Business Park is the hub of a thriving industrial, manufacturing and agribusiness corridor in Medina, which is well-known throughout the US and Canada for attracting international firms looking to expand their market share in a location with strategic access to the northeast corridor.

James Whipple, CEO Orleans Economic Development Agency said, “Our niche is midsized companies that are privately owned. They’re good to do business with, and when they come, they stay.”

This map shows the Medina Business Park, which runs on both sides of Route 31A.

Site selectors and business owners find Orleans EDA to be a proactive business development partner.

“We believe in customer service and commit the time, attention, and resources to developing businesses, regardless of size,” says Gabrielle Barone, VP of New Business Development. “A smaller business gets every bit as much attention here in Orleans County as large-scale attraction projects. That is who we are and how we do business.”

In November, Canada’s largest fruit and vegetable processor, Pride Pak opened its U.S. headquarters in Medina. Phase One of their operation is a 68,000 square-foot facility set on 13 acres in the Medina Business Park. With plans to add two additional fruit and vegetable processing plants over the next two years, Pride Pak will ultimately invest over $50 million in Medina.

Steven Karr, CEO of Pride Pak said, “I cannot emphasize enough the value of doing business in Orleans County and the Finger Lakes, where they are very welcoming to new business.”

Other Canadian companies with operations in Orleans County include Hinspergers Poly Industries, Freeze­Dry Foods, Brunner Inc, and Niagara Food Specialties.

BCA Ag Technologies and California’s Sierra Biological have also expanded their operations in to New York State in order to be part of Orleans County’s robust agribusiness community.

New York State Senator Robert G. Ortt said, “You don’t have to be in Rochester to attract a world-class headquarters. Companies are investing here in Medina, in Orleans County, in Upstate New York.”

Local and state incentives can be secured by eligible new businesses looking to develop in the business park, including Sales Tax Abatement, Mortgage Tax Abatement, Low-Cost Loan Money, and Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT). Incentives for new business in Orleans County also includes access to the Orleans Revolving Loan Fund, New York Power Authority Hydro Allocations and the New York State Linked Deposit Program.

Return to top

Medina and Lyndonville village elections have unopposed candidates

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 February 2017 at 9:48 am

File photo by Tom Rivers: Owen Toale, left, and Todd Bensley are unopposed in the March 21 village election at Medina.

Two villages in Orleans County will hold elections on March 21 for positions on the Village Board. The candidates in Medina and Lyndonville are all unopposed.

The deadline for submitting petitions passed on Feb. 14.

In Lyndonville, Mary Kage is the lone candidate for a two-year term as a village trustee. Kage was appointed to the board in September, filling a vacancy created when Jim Tuk resigned. The election on March 21 is for the final two years of Tuk’s term. Lyndonville’s election is from noon to 9 p.m. at the Village Hall.

In Medina, two incumbents are uncontested for re-election. Owen Toale and Todd Bensley are seeking two-year terms on the board. Polls will be open from noon to 9 p.m. at the Senior Citizens Center, 615 West Ave.

Toale is a retired publisher of the former Journal-Register in Medina. Bensley teaches AP government and participation in government in Medina, and also is the village historian.

There aren’t any positions up for election in Albion, and Holley holds its election in June.

Return to top

Medina ranked one of most affordable housing markets in NY

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 February 2017 at 9:40 am

File photo by Tom Rivers: Main Street in Medina is pictured in May 2015 with a banner, American flag and hanging basket.

Medina is among the top 10 in New York State for being the most affordable housing in New York.

SmartAsset looked at closing costs, taxes, insurance premiums, mortgage payments and median incomes in making its list of most affordable communities for housing. Medina is ranked ninth in New York.

The housing costs in Medina are all well below the state average including Medina’s average closing cost of $3,408, annual property tax of $2,786, annual homeowner’s insurance of $308, and average annual mortgage payment of $3,289.

SmartAsset determined affordability by adding those four costs as a percentage of the median household income.

The $41,538 median income in Medina is well below the state average and also is the third lowest of the 10 communities in NY with the most affordable housing. Hornell, which is ranked No. 3 as most affordable, has a median income $38,598, and Dunkirk, which is ranked No. 4, has a median income of $38,937.

SmartAsset ranked communities with populations of at least 5,000. The most affordable communities had the smallest proportion of median income devoted to total housing costs.

To see the report from SmartAsset, click here.

Return to top

BOCES students help Medina K-9 by fixing malfunctioning equipment

Posted 15 February 2017 at 11:56 am

Provided photo (from left) – Medina Sgt. Todd Draper and Kye the K-9 are pictured with James Trembley (Lockport), Brendan Schyve (Royalton Hartland) and Fessor Thomas (Lockport).

Press Release, Orleans/Niagara BOCES

MEDINA – Bill Leggett’s Electricity/Electronics students at the Orleans Career and Technical Education Center occasionally take on projects to help out those in the community.

Recently Medina K-9 Officer Todd Draper asked if the class could help him and his four legged partner, Kye. A device they use for narcotics odor recognition was malfunctioning.

“It was battery operated and in need of repair,” said Mr. Leggett.  “Several students worked on it and were able to fix it for Officers Draper and Kye.”

Kye, a Belgian Malinois, has been part of the Medina Police Department since 2012, working with Draper, who is the dog’s handler.

Return to top

Medina winter guard units off to a good start this season

Posted 12 February 2017 at 9:49 pm

Provided photos, Medina Marching Band

MEDINA – The Medina Mustang Band is hosting two winter guard units this season. Both started practicing in November and students had to audition for both.

The Varsity Guard consists of 20 students in grades 8 through 12. This year their show “Frame(d)” features choreography surrounding different parts of a frame that evolve into one large geometric shapes.

They first performed in competition on Jan. 28 at Orchard Park. In the Scholastic A class Medina took first place with a score of 60.93. They performed for the second time on Feb. 11 at Victor and came in first place with a score of 64.39.

The Cadet Guard consists of 24 students in grades 2 thru 9.  Their show is “There’s No Place I’d Rather Be” and portrays the idea of when you find the right person in life, there’s no place you’d rather be. The music is a woven composition of the original from the group “Clean Bandit” and the A’Cappella version by the “Pentatonixs”.

They performed for the first time on Jan. 28 at Orchard Park in the Cadet class and took second place with a score of 44.7. They also competed at Victor on Feb. 11 and came in second with a score of 49.2.

The next competition for both guards is Saturday, Feb. 25, at Gates. The WG Home show in Medina is Saturday, March 11, and gives the community an opportunity to see these students perform without having to travel far.

Return to top

Medina FFA will refurbish vintage tractor

Provided photo: Medina FFA members Ian Joseph, left, and Jack Hill are pictured with advisor Todd Eick and a 1947 Farmall A tractor. 

Posted 7 February 2017 at 1:46 pm

Press Release, Medina Central School

MEDINA – Members of the Medina’s FFA Chapter have a new project on their hands: refurbishing a 1947 Farmall A tractor.

Teacher Todd Eick issued a challenge to two of his students, Ian Joseph and Jack Hill.  “I told them if they could find a 1947 Farmall A tractor for sale or for $1,000 or less, our chapter would consider purchasing it. I thought it would be a good project for the students to work on.”

The Farmall A was built by International Harvester from 1939 to 1947 in Chicago, Illinois and Louisville, Kentucky. The frame, engine and drive train are offset to the left and the driver’s seat and controls are offset to the right to give the driver an unobstructed view of the ground and crop being cultivated.  “I think it is a very fitting tractor for our chapter and Medina,” said Ian Joseph.

The students had been itching to get a tractor to use in the village’s Memorial Day parade and immediately started working on finding a tractor. One day when Mr. Eick was driving through Albion his spotted his quarry. He told the students about it and Ian set about negotiating the price from its owner. Ian then worked up a business plan to present to the other members of FFA and they decided to purchase it.

“The tractor runs, but has some mechanical issues,” Eick said. “But I feel like it came together so fast for a reason.”

He said if the project goes well he would like to purchase two more tractors for the class.  “A lot of chapters like to take something in rough shape and fix it up and then donate one to the FFA to auction off for a fundraiser. Hopefully in five years we will be in a position to do this.”

“The students are determined to have it running by the time the parade comes,” Eick said. “It will probably take weeks to fix this one. It will not be instant gratification. But I can tell they have a real appreciation of this vehicle and they are excited about getting started on it.”

“We are really looking forward to refurbishing it,” Ian said.  “It will need some basic mechanics, engine work and the painting will need to be redone. We would like to get it show quality. We can’t wait to show it off at the parade.”

Return to top