MEDINA – The Medina Area Partnership will continue to implement beautification projects in Medina’s downtown business district with the annual placing of flower pots.

MAP is seeking monetary donations to assist with the cost of flowers, soil and other products needed to achieve those initiatives.

Cost to sponsor a flower pot is $75, and anyone interested is asked to send a check payable to Medina Area Partnership to Mary Lewis, Creekside Floral, 509 Main St., Medina. Lewis is chair of MAP’s Beautification Committee.

Those who sponsor a pot will be recognized on a sign in a flower pot, as well as on the large sign outside of city hall and on the MAP website. Larger donations are also welcome to assist with other beautification projects, where the objective is to make the downtown community and greater Medina area an attractive place to visit.

Provided photo

MEDINA – The Medina Area Partnership on Wednesday unveiled a new cutout standup board with a historical theme. The new standup board was painted by artist Brandi Zavitz.

MAP has the display next to the Hemp House at 409 Main St. The new artwork allows two people to poke their faces in cutouts and appear like a Victorian couple on a walk with their cute little dog. The Erie Canal Basin is in the background.

Kathy Blackburn, one of the MAP leaders, said the effort gives people another activity while they are in Medina. The display is expected to be out until after Christmas.

The MAP events’ committee would like to have another cutout standup sign in the future.

Rate drops from $21.16 to $13.97 after tax base grew by $100 million

MEDINA – The Village Board adopted a $7,678,256 budget for the general fund on Thursday that will increase the amount of taxes collected by 3.1 percent. However, the tax rate will plunge more than $7 – from $21.16 to $13.97 per $1,000 of assessed properties.

The towns of Shelby and Ridgeway, where the village is located, both completed town-wide reassessments in 2023 and those new values take effect in the 2024-25 village budget.

The tax base increased by $100.5 million, going from $178,984,667 to $279,494,874. That is a 56.2 percent increase.

The tax rate dropped 34.0 percent or by $7.19.

During a budget public hearing on April 8, the budget was at a 34.9 percent tax increase or up by $1,320,759. The Village Board and the department heads shaved $1.2 million from that to try to get to a “minimal amount,” said Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman.

However, she said the board can only cut so much. The village will be looking for more revenues outside of the property tax. Medina has tried for years to get in increase in the local sales tax, but has been kept flat by the County Legislature since 2001.

“This board has had numerous discussions on the need to pursue additional funding sources while looking long-term on how to best to continue services while trying to keep the tax rate affordable,” Sherman said.

Overall spending in the general fund is at $7,678,256 – up $84,960 or by 1.1 percent. The water fund is up 4.1 percent or by $83,296 to $2,102,947. The sewer fund is down 3.1 percent or by $39,816 to $1,256,195.

Debbie Padoleski, retired village clerk and treasurer, was elected to the Village Board in March and started her term on April 1. She ran for the board partly due to the rising assessments in the village and potential for much higher tax bills.

Some residents will actually see lower tax bills with this village budget, depending on the percentage of increase in their reassessments, Padoleski said. But others will be paying more.

“While we were able to reduce the levy by $1.2 million from the proposed budget, our hands have been tied by several factors,” she said.

Union contracts push up labor costs, and Padoleski said the lack of an increase in the local sales tax strains the village budget. Medina gets $160,160 of the local sales tax total, which is expected to be near $25 million this year. That is less than 1 percent for Medina of the total in the county.

Padoleski also thinks the village isn’t properly treated by the towns of Shelby and Ridgeway with divvying up the tax burden at the town level. Village residents should be seeing more of a break in their town taxes, padoleski said.

Without some relief from the towns and county, Padoleski said the Village Board could face hard choices in the future about cutting some services.

“We are one step away from cutting services and while some of us are not yet ready to do that, I have been assured that we will continue to look for ways to cut costs, increase revenue and be open to different ways of doing business,” Padoleski said. “Our taxpayers need to be our main priority, always.”

Here are the village tax levies and tax rates in the past six budgets:

• 2024-25 tax levy, $3,903,200; tax rate, $13.97
• 2023-24 tax levy, $3,786,964; tax rate, $21.16
• 2022-23 tax levy, $3,296,140; tax rate, $18.95
• 2021-22 tax levy, $3,259,119; tax rate, $18.77
• 2020-21 tax levy, $3,197,059; tax rate, $18.46
• 2019-20 tax levy, $3,138,059; tax rate, $18.32

Event was fundraiser for East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Cheech, one of the pro wrestlers who competed Saturday in the Medina High School gym, acknowledges the crowd after he won a five-man scramble.

It was one of the featured battles in the “Spring Smash,” a benefit for the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company. Empire State Wrestling brought a group of pro wrestlers, including three with ties to Orleans County, for the event.

About 450 people attended the 2 ½-hour “Spring Smash” on Saturday. That matches the crowd from about a year ago, when ESW held its first event at Medina. ESW previously did an annual event at the Orleans County 4-H Fairgrounds, with crowds of 350 in 2018 and then 200 in 2019. The Covid-19 pandemic kept the wrestlers away starting in 2020 before last year’s return to Orleans County.

Cheech, one of the ESW’s more popular wrestlers, now faces the ESW champion Spencer Slade on May 18 during Brawlfest at Riverworks in Buffalo.

Colin Delaney, formerly of the WWE, screams when Spencer Slade twists Delaney’s leg. Slade, the ESW champion, kept his title.

Spencer Slade, an imposing physical specimen, acknowledges the crowd before his match. Slade is hearing-impaired and wears ear protection.

Kevin Blackwood, one of the most successful pro wrestlers from Orleans County, returned to battle Yoya. Blackwood has Yoya in a headlock.

Blackwood, 33, grew up in Albion as Kevin Lockwood. He lives in Los Angeles and wrestles all over the United States and Canada.

Erin Moody of Albion is Lockwood’s uncle. Moody remembers Lockwood as a little boy, jumping off the couch and pretending to be a wrestler.

“I’m really happy to see Kevin following his dream,” Moody said. “He is really doing it. Not many people get to live their dream.”

Maxx Cannon, “The Big Filthy,” makes his entrance into the gym. Jacob Miller of Medina wrestles as Maxx Cannon. Miller, 30, has been wrestling for about four years, but he took nearly a year off after the birth of his daughter. Saturday was his return to the ring.

He said he was thrilled to get a big response from the local crowd.

He battled Frankie Feathers, the former ESW champion.

“There is nothing like being in your hometown,” Miller said.

He has wrestled with ESW, Buffalo Championship Wrestling, Southern Tier Wrestling and Xcite Professional Wrestling.

Maxx Cannon gives a big facial reaction in his match against Frankie Feathers. Cannon had Feathers beat, but the referee missed the count after being knocked down.

Cannon enjoys interacting with the crowd and being on the microphone, talking some trash with his opponents.

During Saturday’s match, when he had the mic, he snuck in, “Let’s go Mustangs!” in a tribute to his alma mater.

Gavin Glass (right), a Medina native, is up high on the ropes with Darren Crowe. Glass used his “Glass Cutter” move to finish off Crowe.

Glass, 26, returned to the ring last month after taking about a year off when he became a father. Glass has been wrestling for almost a decade and travelled all over the country and Canada.

“I grew up wanting to do this since I was in fourth grade,” he said. “The dream has come true.”

Gavin Glass signs an autograph on a kid’s arm after Glass was victorious.

Adrianna Fury, right, has Haley Dylan down on the mat in the only match featuring women wrestlers. Dylan won the battle.

Zach Nystrom was among the wrestlers in a  five-man scramble. Nystrom, a Texas native, now lives in Pittsburgh. He wrestles “up and down the East Coast,” often devoting Thursdays through Sundays to wrestling, and then returning to his regular job in logistics for a trucking company. He said the regular job “is much more boring than this.”

Nystrom, 26, played college football and was working as an iron worker when he decided to give wrestling a try. He loves the physicality of the sport, and some of the exaggerated showmanship.

He is a power wrestler. He doesn’t do fancy moves. His slogan: “Making the Basics Brutal.”

Nystrom typically is a “bad guy” in the matches. He enjoys connecting with the crowd.

“Wrestling is physical theater,” he said. “It’s somewhere between sport and show. For us, it’s our passion and we’re living out our dream.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Second graders at Oak Orchard School in Medina helped plant four trees Friday on North Avenue as part of an Arbor Day celebration in the village. These kids with shovels include Emma McGrath in blue sweater and Gabrielle Watts.

The four trees plants by the kids were “Northern Acclaim” varieties.

This group is in a second grade class taught by Jamie Brooks. Her students have helped with Arbor Day plantings for five years. They students look forward to it every year and it ties in with their science lessons.

“They are learning about the earth around them,” Brooks said. “It’s talking the classroom outside.”

Members of the second grade Glee Club at Oak Orchard Primary School sang three songs to help celebrate the tree planting on Earth Day. Here they are singing, “This Land Is Your Land.”

Andrea Busch, director of the Glee Club, leads them in singing from a stage on North Avenue, not far from the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library.

The group sang “This Land Is Your Land,” “Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley, and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”

Medina is planting 69 trees this spring with 44 new trees on North Avenue, South Avenue, West Avenue, Park Avenue and State Street Park. The other 25 trees are going in Boxwood Cemetery.

Medina Mayor Marguerite Sherman reads an Arbor Day Proclamation and shares her enthusiasm for the community’s commitment to trees.

Arbor Day 2024 marks the 17th year Medina’s urban forestry program has been a participant in the Tree City USA program of the National Arbor Day Foundation. The annual Tree City award honors Medina’s commitment to community forestry.

Many of the trees were paid for with donations through ReLeaf Medina. Click here for more information.

Mary Lewis, the Medina Tree Board chairwoman, said the Tree Board welcomes corporate and community sponsors to the tree-planting program.

The Arbor Day celebration included 2nd and 3rd graders from Medina Central School. The kids in front are second-graders in Abbi Keppler’s class.

Provided photos: Medina students Alexander Balaban, Isabella Gray and Elaina Bitsas pitched their idea of Pets & Found.

Press Release, Medina Central School

BUFFALO – Medina Junior-Senior High School business students competed and won top honors at the first-ever 43North Students to Startups Finals! The event was held at Seneca One Tower in Buffalo, NY.

Medina students Alexander Balaban, Isabella Gray and Elaina Bitsas competed against nine other teams, most from larger districts, and came home with first place and $1,000 for their hard work and effort.

Their business idea – Pets & Found – was a subscription style app to help owners find their pets and partner with local veterinarians to develop a kind of animal patient portal to benefit both pet owners and veterinarians.

43North is an accelerator program for seed-stage startups and has given over $5 million annually into growing Buffalo’s startup ecosystem. 43North is excited to collaborate with educators to inspire entrepreneurship and innovation in their classrooms.

“We are so proud of these students,” says Jody Sargent, one of the school’s business teachers.  “We want to congratulate them for their hard work and effort as well as Business/Computer teacher Mrs. Krista Lindke who worked extensively to prepare these students for their success.”

The students were featured on  the news television stations in Buffalo last night.

From left include Mr. Jody Sargent, Isabella Gray, Elaina Bitsas, Alexander Balaban and Mrs. Krista Lindke at the 43North Students to Startups Finals.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Alexandria Purnell, left general manager of the Walsh Hotel, and bar manager Emily Plumb stand in the dining room, where Monday night euchre is going to be offered beginning April 29.

MEDINA – The staff of the Walsh Hotel is going all out to bring new life to the historic building, after an extensive remodeling by Tim Cooper and subsequent purchase by local developer Rollin Hellner.

General manager Alexandria Purnell has announced new features about to be launched, including extended hours, expanded menu and euchre games on Monday nights.

Purnell and bar manager Emily Plumb will welcome guests to the facility which, since 1852 has served the community as a bar, restaurant, hotel and speakeasy.

New hours of operation will be 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Wednesday and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.

“We are getting busier and busier, and that is wonderful,” Purnell said. “We have even booked our first wedding and reception here for October.”

“It is so much fun to see the support from the community,” Plumb said.

Hellner reports that he expects to begin renovation of the upper floors by fall, creating 22 studio and one- or two-bedroom apartments.

Perhaps the most exciting news is the start of euchre games every Monday night. Seating is available for up to 48 players.

Games will begin at 6:30 p.m., and players can earn substantial prize money, based on the number of players.

A veteran euchre player, Lee Smith of Lyndonville will oversee the games and be a substitute player if someone ends up without a partner. No one will have to worry about getting a seat to play, whether they come with a partner or not.

A server will be available to take orders from the card players, so they won’t have to interrupt a game to get a drink. Free coffee and snacks will be provided.

The cost to play will be $5 per person, plus $2 to get in a loner pot. Prizes will be paid for first, second, third and last place.

YMCA on Saturday hosted benefit for Ahmed Cherif

Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) Neven, an 8-year-old volunteer with Voice Gavel Club, left, walks 9-year-old Ahmed Cherif down the runway during a fashion show Saturday at the YMCA. The fashion show was one of many events which took place at the Y to benefit Ahmed’s medical treatments. (Right) Mariem Cherif, left, chats with French interpreter Marie Scott of Lyndonville during a benefit Saturday at the YMCA in Medina to benefit Cherif’s son Ahmed. Looking on is Scot’s daughter Anma, 3. Mariem and Ahmed came to Medina a year ago from Tunisia seeking medical help for Ahmed, who faces multiple health problems.

MEDINA – A crowd of people filled areas of the YMCA Saturday during a fundraiser to benefit 9-year-old Ahmed Cherif, who came from Tunisia a year ago with his mother Mariem seeking medical help.

Organized by volunteers from World Life Institute in Waterport and the Voice Gavel Club (junior Toastmasters), the afternoon featured numerous events for children and adults, including a bounce house, henna painting, bookmark making station, paint pouring workshop, bake sale, concession stands, arts and crafts table, face painting, basketball game and walk with Ahmed during a youth fashion show.

Highlight of the afternoon was auctioning off a painting by a young artist named Aricia, a grade 10 student at St. Robert Catholic High School. The painting was donated by the Voice Gavel Club of Toronto and sold for $300.

Ahmed’s mother mingled with the crowd and shared her joy for the support they have received. She told about selling her car, quitting her job as an accountant and leaving everything behind to bring Ahmed here.

“She was very brave, going to the unknown,” said Marie Scott of Lyndonville, an interpreter who speaks French with Mariem.

“It’s so hard leaving Ahmed’s dad back in Tunisia,” Mariem said. “But I am so happy with Ahmed’s progress. Since I met Project Life things started moving ahead.”

Mariem is also attending English as a Second Language classes twice a week at World Life Institute Education Center in Waterport, under sponsorship of Orleans-Niagara BOCES.

While Ahmed still isn’t able to speak, there was no mistaking his joy on Saturday as he danced around with the other boys and girls.

Noori Bibi, vice president of the YMCA board, said the event was a huge success in her eyes.

“It was wonderful to watch people enjoy the many activities and the atmosphere,” she said. “There were people from not only our community, but neighboring places like Buffalo and Rochester, as well as Canada, who came to show their support. I am so proud of all the young people and what they accomplished on the day. I am also very grateful to all the volunteers and the Medina local businesses and the YMCA for their generous support. I know Ahmed and Mariem felt the love and support from the wider community.

“And although Ahmed doesn’t have the voice or words to express himself, he certainly showed his joy by dancing throughout the event,” Bibi said. “This was a great start to our fundraising efforts for Ahmed. Thank you to everyone who supported this and participated, and please keep on supporting Ahmed by donating on our website.”

Click here to donate through World Life Institute.

YMCA hosted a benefit Saturday in support of Ahmed Cherif, a 9-year-old from Tunisia who came to Medina with his mother for treatment of multiple medical conditions.

MEDINA – The village will soon have a committee working on the planning and fundraising for a new all-inclusive playground at State Street Park.

The playground would serve children with and without disabilities. Mike Sidari, the village mayor for eight years, will be on the committee for the project. His term ended on march 31 and didn’t seek re-election.

He told the Village Board on Monday the committee would likely include representatives from the Medina Parks Committee or perhaps a new “Friends of State Street Park.”

There have been two proposals so far submitted for the playground, with another one expected.

Sidari said the committee will meet with the companies making proposals and try to determine the best fit for the village. Sidari said the proposals so far range from $360,000 to $500,000.

One proposal from GameTime included PowerScape playgrounds with large decks and uprights to provide strength and capacity. Other features include sensory wave seats, RoxAll See Saw, inclusive whirl, Bunny Spring Rider, four-bay swing frame, including two with a belt, two with enclosed tot, two with Zero G, one expression swing and one expression swing with a universal seat.

There would also be a freestanding sensory wave arch climber with sensors, four benches, geotextile rolls and wood fibers.

The Rochester Community Foundation told Sidari charitable foundations would likely contribute to the project. Sidari also said the Medina Rotary Club has agreed to be a pass-through for any donations locally towards the project. The Rotary Club would accept the funds and then direct them to the new playground, Sidari said.

Mayor Marguerite Sherman believes the playground will be a big draw in the community, drawing visitors too who don’t have an accessible playground in their town.

“I think it will bring in a lot of people, and will get a lot of use,” Sherman said. “People are looking for accessible areas. If you build it they will come and they will bring their families.”

Sherman attended a recent conference by the NYS Canal Corp. where state officials encouraged canal communities to make their recreational opportunities more accessible for people in wheelchairs and with other disabilities.

Sidari said there are many disabled veterans who would welcome an accessible playground so they could be with their children.

In other action at Monday’s Village Board meeting:

•  The board set 6 p.m. Thursday at the Senior Center for a final vote on the village’s budget for 2024-25. There will be a workshop on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. to further scrutinize the budget.

“We are putting a lot of time and thought into it,” Sherman said.

• The board voted to seek a $50,000 state engineering planning grant for the development of an engineering report to identify sources of inflow and infiltration. The village’s share is $10,000.

• Appointed Bill Chmylak as a Waste Water Treatment Plant Operator.

• Approved a permit for Leonard Oakes Estate Winery to sell alcohol at up to seven blues concerts this summer at State Street Park.

“I was skeptical about alcohol in the parks, but it is very well laid out,” Sherman said about the layout at the concerts, which drew up to 800 people. “It’s just wonderful for our community.”