Photo by Tom Rivers: The Orleans EDA will be installing another Medina Business Park sign. This one pictured is off Bates Road on the newly named Marcia Tuohey Way. A new two-sided sign will be installed by Pride Pak on Maple Ridge Road.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 July 2018 at 2:09 pm
ALBION – The Orleans County Legislature has approved $42,000 for the Orleans Economic Development Agency to purchase a sign for the Medina Business Park on Maple Ridge Road and also to demolish and remove an abandoned house and garage on Sanderson Road.
The Legislature on June 27 unanimously approved the $42,000, which is in addition to the $180,000 the county is giving the EDA this year.
The EDA board this morning voted to accept the $42,000 in funding with up to $19,207 for an internally lighted sign by Pride Pak on Maple Ridge Road. The Medina Business Park sign will be two-sided and will lighted through solar power.
Takeform Architectural Graphics will make the sign for $,7,759. The sign will be 9 feet high by 6 feet wide. Other costs include installation, $3,550; concrete footer, $3,350; $2,548, solar electrical system; $1,500 for landscaping, and $500 for hydroseeding.
Those costs could be reduced if local municipal crews do some of the work, said Jim Whipple, the EDA chief executive officer.
The EDA also is having a house and garage removed from 11610 Sanderson Rd., which is part of a new 125-acre business park being developed by the EDA. The total costs are $26,895 for the demolition and removal.
The Environmental Construction Group of Albion will be paid $12,690 for asbestos abatement.
ARG Disposal in Albion will be paid up to $9,000 for dumpsters. Can Am Environmental Group will conduct asbestos monitoring for $635 a day or $1,905 for three days. Other costs identified include building removal at $1,000 (done by Orleans County Highway Department), fill for basement at $1,000 (done by county), and $1,300 for contingency.
The EDA is promoting the land available for development at Sanderson Road and the Medina Business Park, about 300 acres total, as the largest NYS-certified “Shovel-Ready” business park in Western New York and the Finger Lakes.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Volunteers at the MAAC Thrift Depot stand under the iconic sign which identified the former Mic-Jac store in Medina. They are sorting merchandise in the large work area, where they have ample room to store donations. The former MAAC Clothing Depot re-opened Monday in their new location. In front is Judy Holbrook. At rear, from left, are Alice Zacher, Sharon Breckenridge, Rose Ann Bensley and Nancy Wasnock.
Posted 13 July 2018 at 10:36 am
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent
MEDINA – Perhaps being evicted from the former Medina High School was a blessing in disguise for the MAAC Clothing Depot.
On Monday, the former Clothing Depot opened its doors in a new location at the corner of Starr and Orient streets, and with a new name as the MAAC Thrift Depot, to better identify their store, which offers much more than clothing.
Melanie Halloway of Medina and her niece Mea Cattrianna shop at the MAAC Thrift Depot’s new location in the former Mic-Jac building at Starr and Orient streets, Medina.
The building, which once housed Bell’s Supermarket and then Mic-Jac Lumber, gives the Thrift Depot more space to collect, sort and sell their merchandise – all in a newly remodeled area.
Shoppers on Thursday were clearly thrilled with the bright, sunny store, with new carpeting and air-conditioning soon to be installed.
Melanie Halloway of Medina was shopping with her niece Mea Cattrianna.
“I just love it here,” Halloway said. “It’s roomier and all the ladies are so loving. I’ll be coming here every week.”
Shirley Tower of Albion agreed.
I like it real well,” she said. “There’s such a lot of room.”
Volunteer Julie Noreck was ringing up customers’ sales.
“It’s going very well,” Noreck said. “People are excited about the new store. We have much more room and it’s carpeted and brighter.”
The Thrift Depot started as a thrift store 40 years ago in a church basement. It moved several decades ago to the old high school, where they operated out of several small rooms. The old school is being renovated into apartments.
“We’ve come a long way, but only with the help of the generous and caring people of the community of Medina,” said Sue Metzo, who led the search for a new store.
The new location is not only remodeled, but is in a more central location and provides plenty of room all in one large space, said volunteer Alice Zacher.
New hours for the Thrift Depot are 9 a.m. to noon Monday and Thursday; 9 a.m. to noon and 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday; and 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
Also new is “1/2 price day” the first Tuesday of each month.
Drop-off chutes for donations are available outside the building. MAAC accepts good, clean clothing, shoes and jewelry; clean household items in good condition, including small appliances and small furniture; books, toys and linens; DVD’s and CD’s; kitchen items; and holiday decorations.
The MAAC Clothing Depot now has a bright new home in which to display and sell their merchandise. After being evicted from the old Medina High School, the Clothing Depot opened Monday in the former Mic-Jac store.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 July 2018 at 5:33 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: On June 22, 120 students graduated from Medina High School. Next year graduation will be six days later on June 28.
High school graduation will be almost a week later next year, compared to this year’s ceremonies, for most local high schools.
Albion, Medina and Lyndonville will hold commencement on June 28, while Holley has it on June 29. That is six days later than graduation last month for those school districts.
Kendall, however, has opted not to wait until June 28. The district typically has graduation the fourth Friday in June. It will have the service on June 21 next year.
The Albion Board of Education and school administrators on Monday discussed moving its ceremony to June 21 next year. That would be five days before Regents are done. Elementary and middle school students also have half days of school on June 24-25.
Albion has traditionally ended the school year with graduation.
The board decided to continue with graduation on the fourth Friday of June.
Students will have completed all of their final exams, including Regents, by then. That way high school staff can make sure students have the appropriate designation noted on their diplomas. Some of the graduating seniors might be taking a Regents exam after commencement if it was held on June 21. Their score could determine if it is an Advanced Regents or a different designation – or if they meet the standards for a diploma.
There is a drawback with having graduation on June 28. It doesn’t give much time off in June, board members said, especially for varsity athletes who have practices in mid-August. They will have a short summer vacation.
Albion also could hold graduation on Wednesday, June 26, or the Thursday the 27th, so there would be more vacation time in June. But the board decided that graduation on a Friday is a long-time tradition in Albion that should be preserved.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 July 2018 at 1:17 pm
File photo: Medina held its first Farm-to-Table dinner event on a closed off Main Street on Aug. 4, 2016. There were 137 people at that dinner, a five-course meal featuring locally grown food and wine.
MEDINA – It’s a sellout. The third annual Farm-To-Table dinner was capped at 200 tickets at $100 each. It took less than an hour to sell them all.
The five-course meal on Aug. 2 will be at a closed-off section of Medina’s historic Main Street. The event is hosted by the Orleans Renaissance Group, with proceeds to benefit the Canal Village Farmers’ Market, which is also sponsored by the ORG.
This is the third year of the dinner. The first year was planned for 100 people, but was expanded to 137 due to demand. Last year was capped at 200 and it took a few days to sell all of the tickets.
This time the tickets were all gone within an hour of being available online and at the English Rose Tea Shoppe.
Chirs Busch, chairman of the ORG, said the dinner is the highly anticipated.
“It is an incredible event in a beautiful downtown,” he said.
Organizers use the event to showcase Medina’s thriving downtown, and also to highlight local foods, restaurants and wineries.
Arriving guests will be treated to a complimentary Chef’s Course paired with award-winning Tiny Bubbles sparkling wine, courtesy of Schulze Vineyard & Winery of Burt. The dinner will deliver a sensational locally-sourced, five-course meal with Zambistro once again collaborating with local culinary colleagues.
Among those joining Zambistro in preparing the dinner will be Mariachi De Oro, Mile 303, Sourced Market & Eatery and the Shirt Factory. All ingredients used in the meal will be locally sourced and farm-fresh, provided almost entirely from the vendors at Canal Village Farmers’ Market.
This year’s event will feature a couple of new elements. In addition to a 200-seat table, guests will hear live music provided by The Road to Azure and Dark Road Duo.
Proceeds from the event will go towards operational costs of the farmers’ market, Busch said. The ORG is working on plans to make the farmers’ market year-round.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Jeremy Schall and Tracy Magallen of Miami are participating in the Cycle the Erie Canal ride which started Sunday in Buffalo. He rides, while she follows in the car with their 8-month-old son Sabastian and camps with Schall at night.
Posted 9 July 2018 at 3:54 pm
Craig and Meg LeBeau of Spencerport finish their breakfast at Wise Middle School, Medina, before hopping on their bikes for the next leg of Cycle the Erie Canal. They will pass through their home town today, en route to Pittsford to spend tonight.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent
MEDINA – What was dubbed “Tent City” on Sunday was pretty much all cleaned up by 8 a.m. this morning, as the 650 cyclists and 90 volunteers began the second day of the Cycle the Erie Canal tour.
After a night camped out on the grounds of Medina’s Wise Middle School and Medina High School, the bikers headed for Pittsford, where they will spend tonight, after making brief stops in Albion and Holley.
The cyclists range in ages from 6 to 82.
Jeremy Schall and Tracy Magallen of Miami were participating in the ride with their 8-month-old son Sebastian.
Schall is riding, while Magallen follows in the car with Sebastian, joining him on the campgrounds each night.
“She’s road-tripping and meeting us to camp,” Schall said.
They said Sebastian slept well in the tent Sunday night. The family has relatives in Pittsford and Albany, which played a role in their decision to make the trip.
“I’m into cycling and had gotten a flyer on this trip,” Schall said. “We pieced it all together and said, ‘We can do this.’”
It turned out to be very doable, he said. He shipped his bike and they flew up and rented a car.
The trip was also memorable for Craig and Meg LeBeau of Spencerport, who did the ride last year in memory of her sister who had done the ride, but since passed away.
Butterflies have a special meaning for the family, and Meg said Sunday she was taken aback when a Monarch butterfly followed her for a mile.
“That was real special,” she said.
The LeBeaus were enjoying breakfast this morning, catered by Zambistro. Sunday night’s menu was meatloaf, which they said was awesome.
They are looking forward to the trip today, which will take them through their home town. They live only a stone’s throw from the canal, they said.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Cyclists put up their tents on the grounds of Wise Middle School Sunday afternoon. The 650 cyclists and 90 volunteers with Cycle the Erie Canal will leave Monday morning for a stop in Albion as they make their way to Albany.
By Ginny Kropf, corrrespondent
MEDINA – If Medina wanted to impress the cyclists who descended on the village Sunday as part of the 20th annual Cycle the Erie Canal, it would appear the community succeeded.
“Medina certainly rolled out the red carpet,” said Jack Luftman of Bridgewater, N.J., as he peddled into the Canal Basin during a concert Sunday afternoon by The Foolz Band of Rochester.
Trucks carrying the cyclists’ gear and tents began arriving early Sunday morning on the grounds of Wise Middle School and Medina High School.
Jack Luftman of Bridgewater, N.J. rode his bike to the canal basin where the band the Foolz was playing. Luftman is one of the 650 cyclists who spent the night in Medina Sunday on the 20th annual Cycle the Erie Canal ride. Riders came from 36 states and Australia to participate in the event.
About a third of the 650 cyclists had arranged to have their tents put up for them, while the rest had to set up their own when they arrived.
“There could easily be 300 tents on the grounds,” said Kaden Smith of Grand Island, who was taking part in the ride with his parents George and Amy.
This was the family’s first year participating in the ride and it was Kaden’s 13th birthday.
The family will ride every other day and share volunteer duties the other days.
“We are very excited to be ‘newbies’ to this event,” Amy said. “We’ve already met many new people, some who have done this ride for 15 or 16 years.”
“They all say they’ll come back again,” Kaden said.
Cyclists from 36 states and Australia started the tour in Buffalo.
“There are riders from California, Oregon, North Carolina, Washington and all over the country,” said Ken Thomas of Amherst, who was also a first time rider/volunteer.
He and another first-timer, Greg Kaladjian of Schenectady, took time Sunday afternoon to enjoy a drink and some camaraderie with riders Mike and Kathy Eudy of Concord, N.C., and Sasha Eisenstein of Albany. Eisenstein, who was also cycling with the others, is the trails manager for the New York State Canal Association.
“I’ve only been on the job for five months, so I thought this would be a great way to get familiar with the canal,” she said.
The Foolz Band from Rochester entertained cyclists and community members in Medina’s canal basin Sunday afternoon. The band was one of the events planned by Medina’s Tourism Committee to welcome the 650 cyclists and 90 volunteers to the village.
Eisenstein said the Governor last year committed $200 million to complete trails from New York City harbor, past Lake Champlain to the Canadian border, and from Albany west to Buffalo. It is the governor’s vision for the Empire State Trails Initiative to be the longest multi-use trail in the country, and be completed by 2020.
Ground was broken in May on a two-mile stretch of the trail across from the Buffalo/Niagara Heritage Village near Lockport, making the trail 85 percent complete. This will enable cyclists to ride the 135 miles from Buffalo to east of Rochester on an uninterrupted trail, Eisenstein said.
As part of their welcome to Medina, the Medina Tourism Committee, headed by Jim Hancock, arranged for the afternoon concert in the Canal Basin and another in the evening at the school campgrounds by the band Pocket Change.
Kaden Smith of Grand Island constructs a makeshift sign out of cardboard at Wise Middle School in Medina to identify which truck which brought these bags to the campsite for the 650 cyclists who are spending the night in Medina on the 20th Cycle the Erie Canal event.
There was also a shuttle running from 3 to 7 from the school through downtown to the canal basin and back. Dinner Sunday night was catered by Zambistro’s and breakfast Monday morning was provided by the school.
One of the highlights of the day was a talk at 7 p.m. in the Middle School Auditorium by Tom Grasso, past president of the New York Canalways Organization.
Gary and Susan Cotton of Amherst, Ohio, have been biking for 15 years, but this was their first time in the Cycle the Erie Canal ride. Gary was amazed at the information Grasso provided on the Erie Canal.
“I couldn’t believe all the alterations it has gone through in its history,” Gary said. “And it was so interesting how they use it now. I didn’t know about the culvert and will be looking for it when we ride over it tomorrow.”
Suzanne Erbes of Detroit said she didn’t know anything about the canal before attending the talk.
“I’ve seen it when I’ve driven through New York, but I didn’t know anything else, like about the mules,” she said. “Tom’s knowledge and details were incredible. His talk was inspirational and instructional and I look forward to seeing the things he talked about.”
The cyclists will make short stops in Albion and Holley on Monday, before heading to Pittsford to spend the night.
Taking time to relax in the shade of Medina High School on Maple Ridge Road are cyclists and volunteers with Cycle the Erie Canal. From left is Ken Thomas from Amherst, a first-year volunteer and rider; Sasha Eisenstein of Albany, New York State Canal Association trails manager; cyclists Mike and Kathy Eudy of Concord, N.C.; and Greg Kaladjian of Schenectady, a first-year volunteer and rider.
As the sun went down Sunday night, cyclists with Cycle the Erie Canal bedded down in their tents on the grounds of Wise Middle School and Medina High School, ending the first leg of their journey to Albany.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 July 2018 at 4:02 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – A new band stand is being built at State Street Park in Medina. Students from the Job Corps have done much of the construction so far after the Village of Medina DPW prepared the site and dug holes for the posts.
The interior ceiling will be tongue and groove and there will be asphalt shingles on the roof. Donations are covering the costs of the materials for the project.
The Medina Planning Board is working on a policy for how events will be handled at the site.
Chris Busch, chairman of the Planning Board, said the long-term plans include decorative lights similar to those on West State Street. The covered pavilion is expected to be available for use by the community for concerts, weddings and other special events.
The Orleans Renaissance Group is facilitating and supporting the project.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Susan Schultz, a library clerk at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina, holds an autobiographical book by her parents, Tom and Jo Forrestel. The book was recently published and is available at Lee-Whedon.
MEDINA – A Medina native has written an autobiography of her sailing adventures with her husband, including his tragic death and the family’s courageous trip back to the United States.
Jo Forrestel, 90, has written “An American Thread.” The book includes many photos of her and her husband, Tom, in their sailing trips around the world.
Mr. and Mrs. Forrestel went sailing across the ocean without the help of GPS or cell phones.
Forrestel now lives in Savannah, Ga. She spends part of the year at Cuba Lake. She and her husband had 10 children – all daughters.
Jo Forrestel wrote the book, drawing on her dairy and recollections from sailing adventures that started on Lake Ontario with the boat, Sunfish. Mr. Forrestel was owner and partner in Coldspring Construction Company. He later graduated to sailing a 41-foot Morgan out of Point Breeze.
Jo and Tom would sail across the ocean aboard a 51-foot sailboat named Liberty. They sailed the high seas on wit and wisdom.
“An American Thread” is told by both Tom and Jo Forrestel, with Tom’s words posthumously from letters home and a daily diary he kept during their journey.
The story shares the couple’s love, endurance, loss and triumph.
The book is available on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com and also at The Book Shoppe, 519 Main Street, Medina, NY.
Photo courtesy of Medina Police Department: Firefighters kept the fire from spreading to neighboring structures on East Oak Orchard Street.
Information courtesy of Steve Cooley, public information officer for Medina Fire Department
MEDINA – Firefighters were dispatched to a house fire in Medina on Wednesday morning at 104 East Oak Orchard St.
The Village of Medina Fire Department responded along with first alarm assistance from the Shelby and Lyndonville fire companies. Third Platoon firefighters under the direction of Captain Jonathan Higgins arrived on scene with Engine 11 and Ladder 40 to find flames coming from two windows on the East side of the structure.
As the crews made entry into the structure, Captain Higgins requested a second alarm be struck due to several other buildings being in close proximity to the house fire, as well as the high heat index.
Ridgeway firefighters were sent to the scene on the second alarm and units from the East Shelby and Middleport fire companies along with COVA EMS were sent to fill in at the Medina firehouse. Crews quickly extinguished the bulk of the flames in two rooms on the first floor and performed primary and secondary searches of this two-story structure.
The fire had extended to a void area in a roof of a step down area in the rear of the structure. Extensive overhaul was required to make sure no other void areas contained fire. Severe fire damage was contained to the two rooms on the first floor with smoke and water damage to the rest of the first floor. The second floor suffered some smoke damage as well as some damage from overhaul that was necessary to access the void area in the back roof.
One minor injury was sustained by a firefighter and that firefighter remained on duty at the scene. No civilian injuries were reported. Two canines were found deceased and were recovered by firefighters.
A Medina Fire Department fire Investigator with assistance from a Fire Investigator from the Orleans County Emergency Management Office have the fire deemed accidental at this time. Friends and family of the occupant are assisting her at this time and the Red Cross was contacted.
Also assisting on scene was Deputy Fire Coordinator Hydock from the Orleans County Emergency Management Office and the Medina Police Department.
“We would like to thank all our public safety partners for assisting and that includes the multiple neighbors that came out with water and cold drinks for all responders on scene,” said Steve Cooley, Medina firefighter and public information officer.
Also worth noting, four EMS calls were dispatched during this fire, the first EMS call during the fire was handled by COVA EMS who was already on stand-by, Cooley said. Three additional EMS calls then occurred at the Lyndonville Fourth of July celebration. Those calls were handled by MFD firefighters who assisted Lyndonville Fire/EMS. After this rush of EMS calls, the Barker FD was also placed on standby per Lyndonville FD.
“These events highlight the continued cooperation and communication between multiple local agencies to ensure the highest quality EMS care and fire response happen, no matter what other emergencies are occurring,” Cooley said.
MEDINA – Medina 1 softball coach CJ Castricone and the Medina 2 softball coach Jessica Demmer are pictured with their teams and volunteer umpire Joey D. Molisani last Wednesday when the players had a dress-up game at Butts Park.
The girls wore their favorite dresses and played a full game. The girls had a lot of fun and hope this becomes a tradition for years to come.
Ike Fuller Watts has a cousin from Webster whose daughters had a dress-up game. Watts suggested to the two Medina coaches and they agreed to give it a try.
The teams play in the Medina minors league with a few of their older sisters that play on the Medina majors team. The team captains were Sydney Watts and Janessa Lindsey.
At the end of the game each girl slid home in order to get a treat at Double Dips.
