Photo by Tom Rivers – Matt Mundion of Matt C.M. Contracting won the grand champion award for his float that show a team of deer pulling a sleigh stacked with presents. The top photo shows the float making its way down Main Street on Saturday. The bottom photo shows the float in the staging area at the Olde Pickle Factory in Medina.

Photo by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – A float that featured a team of stuffed deer heads, including one with a lighted red nose, has been named grand champion of the Parade of Lights.

Matt Mundion of Matt C.M. Contracting won the top award for the parade that included 42 floats. Mundion traveled the parade course in what appeared to be a sleigh pulled by reindeer.

Parade organizers praised participants for their added creativity with the floats in the fifth annual Parade of Lights.

Other float winners include:
Not-for-Profit – Orleans YMCA
Religious – Medina Methodist Church
Service Organization – Medina Mustang Boosters
Fire Company – Medina Fire Department
Business – Roberts Farm Market
Other Groups – Medina Central School Transportation Department

Photo by Tom Rivers – The Orleans County YMCA won an award for its Candyland themed float.

Star Award winner for Creativity – Orleans Master Gardeners

Littlest Elf Award for best design for involving youths and adults – Orleans County Town Clerks

Community Service Award for entry best representing their Community – Lyndonville Fire Company

There are other winners from Saturday’s Old Tyme Christmas celebration in Medina, including:

Cutest little elf contest winners: first place to Benjamin Root, second to Jaelyn Castricone, and third to Winry Tester.

Scavenger hunt winners: first place to Bobby Vidovich, second to Jonathan Becker, and third to Cindy Sands.

Coloring contest winners: first place to Saige Woodhams, second to Dakota Alexander, and third to Nathan Sherman.

Outfits included tutus, Santa hats and other holiday spirit

Photos by Tom Rivers – Mercedes Houseman of Oakfield, left, and Debbie Tompkins of Medina are in the home stretch of the first Home for the Holidays 5K this morning. The race ended on Main Street by the American Legion.

Patty Hastreiter of Lancaster sprints to the finish line in the 5K. She also ran the Turkey Trot in Buffalo on Thursday. Her sister-in-law, Cindy Robinson, organized today’s race with her husband Jim Robinson.

MEDINA – The first Home for the Holidays 5k attracted 85 runners this morning in Medina. Many of the participants ran in Santa hats, jingle bells and other outrageous outfits, including tutus.

Race organizer Cindy Robinson was pleased with the turnout for the first race. She wants it to become an annual tradition, a kickoff to Medina’s Old Tyme Christmas celebration that continues until 11 p.m. today.

Robinson has seen how a holiday-themed race can become a major draw. Seneca Falls started the “It’s A Wonderful Life 5K” in 2009. Last year it attracted 2,000 participants to the small village that was used for the classic film starring Jimmy Stewart.

“For the first race I’m thrilled,” Robinson said. “We can build on this and make it better.”

Many of the runners in this morning’s 5-kilometer race were dressed for the holidays. This group includes, from left: Stephanie Hill of Medina, John Ritter Jr. of Pembroke, Jennifer Pritchett of Basom, Katy Owczarczak of Medina and Sharon Koszuta of Akron.

The fastest runners were awarded prizes for completing the 5K course. Robinson wants to add prizes in the future for best costumes.

The race attracted many participants from outside Medina. Robinson is hopeful that the race will bring people to the community who will stick around for more events as part of Medina’s Old Tyme Christmas. (Click here for the schedule.)

I heard people exclaim about the beautiful course along the canal. The only complaint: It was a little slippery for some of the runners. But everyone seemed in good spirits.

“It was fun and we wanted to do it for the first year,” said Sharon Koszuta of Akron. “We want to support running events.”

Gary Lantinen, 58, of Gasport is all alone and ahead of the pack while running along the towpath next to a frozen Erie Canal. He won today’s race with a time of 20:36.

Stephanie Schmidt of Sanborn finishes in 21:19, the fastest time for all of the women runners.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Before they ventured down Park Avenue and emerged on Main Street in downtown Medina, the floats for the Parade of Lights gathered in the parking lot at the Olde Pickle Factory.

It was a spectacular site, seeing about 50 floats altogether. All of the entries showed a lot of spirit and many were very creative.

I thought the fleet of reindeer, with Rudolph as the leader, was particularly good. It looked like a bunch of real reindeer with a red-nosed Rudolph. Matt C.M. Contracting created this float.

I took the pre-parade photos with a SmartPhone. Some of them are a little fuzzy, including this one of East Shelby firefighters, with Fire Chief Mike Fuller in the front. I wanted to use it on the Orleans Hub because it shows the spirit and willingness of the participants to put on a good parade.

The Town of Oakfield joined Medina’s parade, one of several participants from outside Medina.

The Wildwood Lake KOA Campground in Medina was part of the Parade of Lights for the first time.

These parade participants have a few things to go over before heading out on the parade route.

Albion FFA members created a float with a Grinch and Whoville theme.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Santa Claus arrived in Medina today by horse-drawn carriage. He was led into town in a mini-parade down Main Street with a band, color guard and elves.

Kathy Blackburn, president of the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce, dressed as an elf and helped direct children in costumes through the downtown business district.

Santa rode in the carriage with Ben Root, 2 ½ of Medina. He won the award for best-dressed elf. Ben is the son of Patrick and Jennifer Root. Ben also was the first one to sit with Santa in the Medina Theater Company. Ben is pictured in his award-winning outfit with Santa, who is scheduled for photos with children from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

Santa will help light the Christmas display in Rotary Park at 5:30.

The parade of lights will be at 6 p.m. More events are also on the schedule. For more information, click here.

Photos by Tom Rivers – The Albion FFA had a Grinch and Whoville themed float. Adam Krenning, the club advisor and agriculture teacher, dressed as the Grinch and drove the tractor.

The Town Clerks Association of Orleans County joined the Parade of Lights for the first time tonight. Shelby Town Clerk Darlene Rich, left, greets the crowd from the lighted display.

MEDINA – More than 50 community groups created floats and decorated them in brilliant glowing colors for the fifth annual Parade of Lights in Medina.

The event was a dazzling display that left many folks, including myself, awestruck. There was an enormous crowd of people along Main Street and a line of people along Park Avenue. Many of them were in lawn chairs.

The parade included several new entries. It keeps growing and getting better each year.

Stanton Signs put a friendly face at the end of its float.

Habitat for Humanity makes its way down Main Street with its lighted float.

The Medina Transportation Association turned a 15-passenger bus into a pirate ship as part of their float.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Dancing Derrick Bradley was part of the Weed Man display from Albion.

The Master Gardeners joined the parade with a “Hoe, Hoe, Hoe” themed float.

The Abominable Snowman was one of the stars of the Roberts Farm Market float.

One of the fire trucks has a giant glowing Mickey Mouse at the back as it heads down Main Street through a big crowd in downtown Medina.

MEDINA – Medina’s “Old Tyme Christmas” celebration on Saturday is being promoted by Greater Niagara Region USA as an alternative “to the chaotic mall scene.”

The tourism promotion agency is urging people to spend Saturday in Medina to see a parade of lights at 6 p.m. and numerous other activities that make for a “nostalgia-filled adventure.”

“Welcome the arrival of Santa, indulge in holiday delicacies, enjoy children’s activities and experience the festive lights as Medina greets the holidays,” the tourism agency proclaims.

The group touts the historic charm of Medina’s downtown business district, which includes many buildings from the 1800s with shops run by local merchants rather than chain stores.

“Medina escaped the ‘urban renewal’ craze of the 60’s, and its commercial district boasts locally owned stores and eateries,” according to the Greater Niagara tourism organization.

To see the group’s news release about Medina and Old Tyme Christmas, click here.

File photo by Tom Rivers – The village of Medina knocked down these two houses on Genesee Street last week. This photo was taken in April.

MEDINA – Two boarded-up houses that have long been eyesores and targets of vandalism were torn down by the village of Medina last week.

“It’s great to see them down and the lots cleared,” Marty Busch, the village code enforcement officer, told the Village Board on Monday.

The houses at 613-615 and 617 Genesee Street have depressed the neighborhood, Busch said.

The village in recent years has been taking down one or two houses a year. Busch said many more should come down because of their poor condition and negative impact on the neighborhood.

Medina Fire Chief Todd Zinkievich said firefighters were able to practice drills and other valuable training on the houses before they were demolished.

Busch said he will soon have a report on the final costs of the demolition.

In other action on Monday:

The board is looking to fill a vacant captain position in the Fire Department. That spot has been open since R.J. Morgan retired about two years ago.

The department typically has two captains who each lead a platoon of six firefighters. Mike Maak, the current senior captain, heads the EMS training and responsibilities. The new captain will help head up the firefighting efforts.

Three internal candidates are seeking the captain’s position. The candidates will all be interviewed Monday by the Village Board, Zinkievich and Maak.

Approved an agreement with the Medina School District allowing the school to use the village’s fueling station. The school district will pay the state contract price per gallon, plus another 5 percent, which will help the village with maintenance and other costs of the fueling station, said Mayor Andrew Meier.

Discussed a letter from Stop Polluting Orleans County, a citizens group in the Albion area that is opposed to more landfill operations in Albion. The group is seeking a resolution from Medina, stating its opposition to another landfill.

Meier said the board will consider the request at an upcoming meeting. The board usually doesn’t weigh in on issues in other communities, but Meier said the Village Board may want to go on the record against another landfill in Albion.

“There would be a significant impact on the quality of life and the truck traffic through our village,” Meier said.

MEDINA – The village may have had a record-breaking year in 2013 for issuing violation notices for properties with unmowed lawns.

Code Enforcement Officer Marty Busch sent out 234 violation notices, which he said was up from the previous year.

“More and more houses are sitting empty,” Busch told the Village Board on Monday. “We’re cutting more.”

If the property owner doesn’t cut the grass soon after the notice, the village imposes a $100 fine for tall grass and wild weeds. Medina will also have a contractor cut the grass. The $100, plus $65 fee for the grass cutting, is then charged to the property owner. If the bill isn’t paid, it is put on the village tax bill.

The village billed $15,569 for grass and weed violations in 2013, Busch said. A lawn-mowing contractor was paid $4,437. The net of $11,132 goes to the village.

Busch said he spends a lot of time on the issue, inspecting lawns throughout the village and then checking on them after the notices go out.

He wants to keep the fine at $100.

“We want to provide an incentive for people to take care of the problem,” Busch said.

Photo by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – I couldn’t help but stop and take a photo of this hitching post and carriage step last night in Medina, with a historic home as a backdrop with its Christmas lights.

This house is located at 801 West Center St., at the Erie Street intersection. For the next month or so Orleans Hub will feature properties decked out in the holiday spirit.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Several downtown Medina businesses are decked out for the holidays with lights, decorations and Santa themes as part of their window displays.

Some businesses, including Della’s Chocolates (below), have even decorated the second floor of their buildings.

The Medina Business Association and Medina Tourism Committee on Saturday will celebrate their seventh annual Old Tyme Medina Christmas Celebration. The events run from 9 a.m. to late in the evening, highlighted by a parade of lights at 6 p.m.

To see the schedule, click here.

DPW strings lights on trees at State Street Park, with Main Street planned for Monday

Photos by Tom Rivers – Ben Lacy of the Medina Department of Public Works strings lights on a tree at State Street Park today.

John Fike, left, and Ben Lacy of the DPW get a tree ready for the holidays. They used a bucket truck to string lights on two trees in the park today. The DPW is scheduled to hang the lights and decorations on Main Street on Monday.

The Main Street lights won’t be turned on until before the Parade of Lights starts at 6 p.m. on Nov. 30. About 40 lighted floats are expected for the fifth annual parade.

The DPW will also set up a 30-foot-high tree by the Santa House in Rotary Park next week. That tree will be lighted in a ceremony at 5:30 p.m. before the parade.

Medina has many activities planned for Nov. 30, its seventh annual Olde Tyme Christmas celebration. New to the event will be a 5-kilometer run at 9 a.m.

For more on the day’s events, click here.

Provided photo

MEDINA – The Medina Lions Club is embarking on its annual poinsettia sale, where profits are used to fight blindness, decorate State Street Park for Christmas and to help fund other causes in the community.

Pictured include, from left: Lions Club member Bridgette Yaxley, President Dave Bellucci and Lions member Laura Gardner.

The flowers are for sale from any Lions member or they can be ordered through the Medina Lions Club Facebook page or by emailing dbellack@yahoo.com. There are two delivery dates. To have poinsettias for Dec. 6 they need to be ordered by Dec. 2. For the Dec. 13 delivery, they need to be ordered by Dec. 9.

Provided photo – Elizabeth McCarthy, 9, for the third time has donated some of her hair to Locks of Love. She holds the donated hair on Saturday after getting it cut.

MEDINA – Every two years since she was 5, Elizabeth McCarthy has had her long hair cut so she could donate her tresses to Locks of Love, an organization that provides wigs to children suffering hair loss from cancer and other illnesses.

Elizabeth, 9, had 10 inches cut from her hair on Saturday. Gretchen Carr of Sheer Elegance in Medina cut the hair. She put the hair in special bags to be sent to Locks of Love.

“She feels like she is helping kids who are going through something very difficult,” said Stacy McCarthy, Elizabeth’s mother.

Elizabeth first had her hair cut for Locks of Love when she was 5. It took her two years to grow her hair long again. Then she told her mother she wanted to have it cut for Locks of Love.

She did it again on Saturday.

“I’m very proud of her,” Elizabeth’s mother said. “She doesn’t just want her hair cut. She has the presence of mind to want her hair donated. It makes me proud.”

For more of Locks of Love, click here.