Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Emma Lilleby, 2, of Medina and Zach Allen, 2, of Medina hold hands as they head down Main Street for Beggar’s Night. Emma was a lion with  a witch’s hat and Zach was Batman.

It was another big turnout for Beggar’s Night in downtown Medina this evening when Medina businesses handed out candy to hundreds of children.

Kathy Bogan, an attorney, dressed as the scary clown from It. Her husband Kevin Bogan, a local funeral director, wore a shirt that declared him the undertaker. Their dog, Roscoe, is a rescue dog from Puerto Rico.

Kathy Blackburn is dressed as Snow White. She is at the start of the Beggar’s Night line. Blackburn is one of the leaders of the Medina Business Association and owner of Meggie Moo’s.

Madelyn Elliott, 8, of Medina is dressed as Hamilton. She handed out candy at her parent’s business, Brushstrokes.

Rebecca Hunt wears a banana costume while handing out candy to Riley Holmes, who is dressed as Princess Poppy from the Trolls.

Medina Police Chief Chad Kenward directs traffic in the downtown during the popular Beggar’s Night.

Ely Howard enjoyed scaring people in this gorilla costume.

Sandi Beneway, 8, of Medina is Princess Leia from Star Wars and Lukin Szatkowski, 6, of Medina is a biker.

Danette Oakes (left), the owner of Filomena’s Favorites, and Linda Dennis hand out treats to kids.

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New flags will be put out in spring before Memorial Day

Provided photo from Gary Hill

MEDINA – Guy Eaton of the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 204 in Medina removes flags from Boxwood Cemetery there were tattered and worn.

The Sons of the American Legion removed about 1,100 flags and retired them in a flag-burning ceremony this evening.

The Sons will put new flags out in the spring before Memorial Day.

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File photo by Tom Rivers: The Albion FFA was grand champion of last year’s Parade of Lights. Local organizations are urged to start planning their floats for this year’s parade on Nov. 25.

Press Release, Medina Parade of Lights Committee

MEDINA –  The 9^th Annual Parade of Lights is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 25, beginning at 6 p.m. Planning is well under way for this spectacular event.

Back again this year is the “Light Up Park Avenue” contest.  Residents are asked to decorate their homes along the parade route on Park Avenue. The winner receives $100 with $50 for the runner up. Committee member Kathie Valley is coordinating this project.

Also back again is the beautiful fireworks display prior to the parade. Young Explosives from Rochester will again put on a beautiful display at approximately 6 p.m.

New this year is a Community Christmas Tree in Rotary Park donated by the Decorate Medina Committee. It’s going to be amazing when our Grand Marshal throws the switch. This will take place prior to the start of the parade. There will also be music in Rotary Park compliments of Prime Time Brass from Rochester at 5:30 p.m. So come early and get your spot to see all these events.

The parade caps off a day-long Olde Tyme Christmas Celebration in the downtown business district sponsored by the Medina Business Association and the Village of Medina Tourism committee. A noon parade on Nov. 25 will welcome the arrival of Santa on Main Street..

The Parade Committee urges residents, organizations, businesses and fire companies to get their parade entry forms in to reserve their spot in the parade.

In addition to Jim Hancock, the Parade Committee includes Kathie Valley, Mark Irwin, Dave & Gail Miller, Dave Stacey, Dave and Trudi Schwert and Rienhard & Betty Rogowski.  For more information go to www.christmasinmedina.com.

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MEDINA – Firefighters from Medina delivered the third baby born this year in the back of an ambulance on Sunday morning.

Steve Miller and Daniel Scanlan delivered a baby boy at 5:38 in the morning. The ambulance was on the way to Unity hospital in Rochester. The baby’s grandmother cut the cord in the ambulance, Fire Chief Tom Lupo told the Village Board on Monday.

Each firefighter who helps deliver a baby receives a stork pin. Mike Young leads with three pins in recent years, Lupo said.

Since Medina Memorial Hospital closed its maternity wing in 2011, the fire department has been transporting women in labor to hospitals in Batavia, Lockport, Buffalo and Rochester.

The Medina Fire Department has responded to 2,301 total calls so far this year. Village Trustee Marguerite Sherman said the babies are heart-warming, feel-good stories. Firefighters provide critical care in many other calls, often working with the police department, Sherman said.

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Village Board wants trucks to use Bates and Salt Works roads

MEDINA – The Village Board approved a 5-ton weight limit on village streets, a move intended to direct tractor trailers to Salt Works Road on the western end of the village and Bates Road on the east side.

The village did have some streets with 8-ton limits, but now all village streets will have a 5-ton limit for vehicles.

The board made the change on Monday, following a public hearing that drew no dissenting voices.

“Hopefully this will eliminate some of the trucks coming through the village and ruining our streets and sidewalks,” said Mayor Michael Sidari.

The weight limit does not apply to emergency vehicles or for local deliveries, Sidari said.

The board has had heard complaints from residents in recent months, especially about trucks that use Park Avenue early in the morning through the evening.

The board wants trucks to stay off Park Avenue and instead take Maple Ridge Road to Salt Works Road. From there they have access to Associated Brands and companies in the Olde Pickle Factory.

Mayor Sidari said the village has notified companies that provide GPS directions about the weight limit change. The village also wants to put up signs along the state roads, directing trucks to either Salt Works or Bates roads. Sidari said Medina will need permits from the state Department of Transportation for those signs.

Tractor trailers in the village have run over some signs and damaged curbs while making turns.

The mayor said the new laws for truck traffic will also help the Police Department better monitor the truck traffic in the village and eliminate confusion about weight limits on village streets.

(Editor’s Note: This article was updated to say emergency vehicles and local deliveries are exempt from weight limit.)

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Photos courtesy of Chris Busch

MEDINA – This photo on Sunday shows trees that have been taken down on the canal embankment by the Marshall Road canal bridge in Ridgeway.

The Canal Corp. has begun taking down many trees on the embankment in Medina. The Canal Corp. hired Mohawk Valley Materials from Utica to remove vegetation on the Canal Corp. right of way.

The company started the tree clearing in Medina and will be headed east to Fairport, trying to clear about 140 acres before the end of the year.

Sections of the towpath are closed while contractors work to clear trees.

The Canal Corp. discussed the plan on Sept. 25 during a meeting in Medina at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library. The Canal Corp. won’t be touching any trees on privately owned land. The trees have roots that can burrow into the soil, going under the towpath and reaching the canal walls. That can make the canal vulnerable to leaks and weaken the walls, Canal Corp. officials said.

After brush, vegetation and some trees are removed, the land will be seeded and mowed. That will make it easier for Canal Corp. officials to do inspections of the embankments, to make sure there aren’t any leaks or problems, Canal officials said.

Some of the wood is stacked after being cut down near the Marshall Road bridge.

Chris Busch, chairman of Medina’s Tree Board, said the tree clearing is upsetting to many residents, but he supports the effort to remove trees close by the canal.

“These trees were not a managed forest,” Busch said. “They were not planned and placed so as to be in harmony with the canal bank. Albeit beautiful, they have grown wild and random, creating a danger to the stability of the canal bank.”

Busch said a canal breach – a collapsed wall – would be catastrophic with the likely flooding.

“This is the beginning of managing the plant growth along the canal bank,” Busch said. “It’s a good thing.”

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Provided photos, Medina Lions Club

MEDINA – It just keeps getting bigger. The Medina Lions Club held its annual Scarecrow Fest on Saturday at the Orleans County YMCA. An estimated 400 people came through the door and 137 scarecrows were made by the children and families.

This event was the brainchild of Lion Sherry Wheatley who works each year to gather clothes, make Scarecrow heads and get the T-posts made.

For $10 a full-size scarecrow is made from scratch. The Lions surgical teams then tie together the loose ends and deliver the scarecrows to the happy children.

The YMCA provided the space, and a bounce house for the enjoyment of the families. The Medina Lions also offered free vision screenings and food to round out the day.

The monies raised by the Lions goes to back into the community to local charities, eye glasses for those in need, school scholarships, and decorating State Street Park for the holidays.

Medina Lions Club members Bob Holtz, left, and Pete Kaiser work on a scarecrow. If you have an interest in becoming part of our Medina Lions Club, message the club on the Medina Lions Facebook page, or call 585-721-6716 for Lion Dean Bellack.

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Press Release, GCC

MEDINA – For 10 years, Genesee Community College’s Campus Center in Medina has been educating and changing lives. On Oct. 23, in recognition of this milestone, the college is hosting a public celebration on site at 11470 Maple Ridge Rd.

The Medina Campus Center will host an open house from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The public is welcome to come meet the staff and faculty and enjoy some refreshments, and also tour the 9,000-square-foot facility and see the state-of-the-art science lab, computer lab, video-link classroom and five SMART classrooms.

At noon on Oct. 23, Associate Dean Jim Simon will kick off a commencement ceremony by introducing James M. Sunser, president of GCC. Sunser will share the story of the campus center’s establishment and speak about the critical role GCC plays today in the Orleans County community. Also in attendance will be members of the Albion and Medina Advisory Committee. The public is invited to attend the ceremony as well.

Established in 2007 in response to the significant enrollment growth at the Albion Campus Center, the Medina Campus Center became GCC’s second college location in Orleans County. Its opening propelled one of GCC’s priorities: to expand access to educational opportunities for residents in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties, which encompass GCC’s designated service area.

Since its opening a decade ago, the Medina Campus Center has served more than 2,500 students in credit classes. In addition, over the last 10 years, the facility has hosted over 3,500 community members from local businesses and organizations in on-site gatherings and non-credit BEST Center courses. It has also hosted numerous community events, Civil War encampments, history lectures, summer biotech camps and art gallery displays and it was one of the many stops on the Orleans County Heritage Festival for the past two years.

“It has always been and will continue to be critical for GCC to provide college close to home through its campus centers by offering not only educational, but also cultural experiences and business development services to the communities in the GLOW region,” Simon said. “We are excited to do even more in the next ten years!”

Today, with its beautiful campus centers, high-tech environment, online learning options, as well as the friendly and dedicated staff and faculty, GCC welcomes over 25 percent of the college-bound high school graduates in Orleans County.