By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 23 September 2016 at 11:01 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Katie Bilicki and Kristian Snyder, right, were crowned king and queen of Medina Homecoming. Jake Cotter and Elena Wilson-Drury, left, were members of the court. They were introduced during halftime of the Medina football game against the University Prep Griffins.
Madison Holland, drum major, leads the Mustang band during its halftime show.
Maverick the Mustang entertained the crowd during the football game. The mascot was played by Medina senior Matt Hann.
Kristian Snyder, after being introduced as king, joined the Medina band during a performance at halftime. Medina hosts the Fall Festival of Bands on Saturday at Vets Park beginning at 6 with Medina expected to perform at 8:30 p.m.
Katie Bilicki, the Homecoming queen, also joined the band for the halftime show.
Alexandra Strong, a flyer with the cheerleading squad, is up high during a halftime routine.
Kali James, left, and Keara Pitts help to fire up the home crowd during the football game.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 September 2016 at 9:16 am
Tim and Crystal Elliott receive award for ‘New Business of the Year’
Photos by Tom Rivers Tim and Crystal Elliott, owners of Brushstrokes Studios, opened the business on Nov. 28 during Medina’s Old Tyme Christmas festival.
MEDINA – The Chamber of Commerce’s “New Business of the Year” allows people of all ages to tap into their creative side.
Brushstrokes Studio opened last Nov. 28. Since then, customers have created more than 5,000 ceramics or glass fused art. Many of the pieces resembles sharks, caterpillars and other creatures feature din children’s books.
Brushstrokes hosts many story hours, and children can paint ceramics that look like the main star in the books, such as “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle.
Brushstrokes is popular for birthday parties, bridal showers and for outings among friends, looking to create a nice memory in a family friendly environment.
Mrs. Elliott, a special education teacher for the Holley school district, said the ceramics and glass fused art are durable with a personal touch.
“This are all unique and they last,” she said. “And they’re useful.”
A ceramic spoon rest is the most popular mold picked by customers.
“We’ve also done lots and lots of coffee mugs,” Mrs. Elliott said.
Many of the creations include hand prints or foot prints from small children. Those plates, mugs and other ceramics are then popular for Father’s Day and Mother’s Day gifts, and for presents for grandparents.
These ceramic creations were decorated using either bubble painting or color blocking techniques. Brushstrokes has classes to help people improve their skills.
“There’s a lot of memories with these,” said Mr. Elliott, a village trustee who also owns and manages properties in Medina. He also is co-owner of a new escape room that opened on Main Street, where people need to solve puzzles to get out.
Elliott said he is interested in bringing more people to Medina to help strengthen the local businesses. Brushstrokes draws many customers from outside the county, who then visit other local businesses. Brushstrokes has partnered with some of the businesses in promotions.
The Elliotts have a bright-colored space at Brushstrokes. They have enjoyed seeing people make so many different ceramics and fused glass, showing an artistic side many didn’t realize they had.
Madelyn Elliott, 7, works on a ceramic at her parents’ business on Saturday.
Although you don’t need to be artistic to paint and create at Brushstrokes, the Elliotts have classes teaching some basics in bubble painting and color blocking. They are planning more classes this upcoming year.
They have also expanded their inventory and color options from 30 to 70. After the ceramics are painted, they are glazed, dried and put in a kiln, bringing out vibrant colors.
Brushstrokes also has a glass kiln for artwork and pieces made with glass fusing. The Elliotts say they already have many dedicated customers, and people interested in classes to learn techniques and hone their skills or just have fun.
“People want something new to do,” Mr. Elliott said. “You get a tangible item to take home.”
The Chamber of Commerce on Friday presented the ‘New Business of the Year’ to Brushstrokes. They were among the award winners recognized during the Chamber’s annual awards banquet at Tillman’s Village Inn.
The Elliotts were praised for offering a family-friendly activity in downtown Medina, and a for starting a business that draws many out-of-towers to the community.
“It’s entertainment whether you are 2 years old or 100,” Mr. Elliott said. “You can create a memory.”
Crystal Elliott holds one of the glass fused pieces at Brushstrokes. With glass fusing, glass plates and strings of glass are melted in a design and then can be bent with curves. Before the business opened, Mrs. Elliott worked on Brushstrokes for about 2 1/2 years, wanting to give families an activity they can do together. She completed a small business class through the Orleans Economic Development Agency.
Brushstrokes has many ceramic animal molds. After they are painted, they are glazed, dried and put in a kiln, bringing out vibrant colors.
Mitchell Farley of Medina paints a ceramic Christmas tree on Saturday with his family, including wife Jessica and their children, Jacob, left, and Madison, right.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 September 2016 at 8:31 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – The Orleans Renaissance Group welcomed famed Irish tenor Ronan Tynan to Medina for a performance Saturday at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. The concert sold out with 650 in the historic church. Extra chars had to be retrieved from the balcony and other rooms to accommodate everyone.
Tynan’s powerful voice filled the church, and he had the audience laughing with some of his stories. He was joined by his accompanist, Bill Lewis.
The tickets for Ronan Tynan were popular, drawing many local residents and people outside the area.
The ORG said it could have sold more tickets for the concert featuring Tynan, a world-class performer who has sung for four U.S. Presidents and as single soloist at the funeral of President Ronald Reagan. He has sung for Pope John Paul II at St. Peter’s Basilica and Pope Benedict at the Concert of Hope.
Tynan is pictured as a silhouette in this photo looking through the front doors of the church. Tynan has appeared in concert halls across the United States and internationally. (He can now add St. Mary’s, a historic church built in 1902, to the list.) He is a Sony recording artist who has released more than 10 titles, 4 of which have achieved platinum status.
Jan-Mikael Erakare of Erakare Studios in Albion set up the sound system for the concert on Saturday.
Kathie Valley, left, and Elizabeth Passarell served as ushers at the concert.
Chris Busch, president of the ORG, welcomes the crowd to the concert. He is joined upfront by the Rev. Daniel Fawls, pastor of St. Mary’s and the Holy Trinity Parish.
The Orleans Renaissance Group has been high-profile in recent years for its push to revive the Bent’s Opera House on Main Street. The ORG last year also started running a farmers’ market on Saturday in the downtown. The ORG’s original mission was to bring high-caliber cultural events to Medina. In 2013, the acclaimed group, Anonymous Four, performed in Medina at a concert organized by the Renaissance Group.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 September 2016 at 4:15 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers: Ken Daluisio is pictured inside The Print Shop, which expanded to the former Bernie’s Laundry at 124-126 E. Center St., Medina. Daluisio will the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce’s Phoenix Award during an awards program Friday at Tillman’s Village Inn.
MEDINA – The downtown in Medina has enjoyed a renaissance in the past decade with many new businesses tackling major renovations and building projects in recent years.
But one building, the former Bernie’s Laundry, was in shambles. The building is high profile on East Center Street, one of the first structures that people see heading west in the downtown.
Ken Daluisio, owner of The Print Shop, eyed the building for several years of expansion. But the site was difficult to get, due to tax liens and a complicated chain of title from bankruptcies with past owners.
But Daluisio was persistent, and with help from the Orleans County government, was able to get the back taxes cleared up.
On March 19, 2015, he took possession of the former laundromat building. One year and one day later, a vastly improved building was ready for The Print Shop.
When doing renovations for the expansion, Daluisio needed 13 dumpsters to haul out laundry machines and dryers, as well as the old floor, ceiling, partition walls and other debris.
These photos show 124-126 E. Center St. in Medina after major renovations and before Ken Daluisio tackled the project.
It took seven dump truck loads to remove bricks and dirt from the basement. The building was stripped down to four bare walls and then rebuilt with new floor, a roof, electrical system and other upgrades. Daluisio’s brother John managed the construction project.
Ken Daluisio holds a T-shirt with a four-color design that was printed in the basement of The Print Shop.
“This is an area that was just dilapidated,” said Kathy Blackburn, owner of Meggie’s Moos, down the street from The Print Shop. “Ken’s revamping of the building just helps everybody. The building was falling in. I’m surprised he could save it.”
Blackburn is the grants manager for the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce, which is presenting Daluisio with the “Phoenix Award” on Friday.
Daluisio opened The Print Shop in 2004. He was crammed for space before the expansion, which gives him 3,000 additional square feet. He has added two high-speed digital production machines.
Photo courtesy of Ken Daluisio: It took seven dumptruck loads to remove debris and dirt from the basement.
In the basement he can print 4-color T-shirts and 4-color signs.
He has a dedicated local clientele, but also is subcontracted by many print shops in the region for special order jobs. He also handles big contracts, including the sole printer of custom fortune telling cards for Zoltar and Esmeralda fortune telling machines.
Even in the age of the Internet, Daluisio said his business has been growing.
“Many of the print shops with older equipment have died off,” he said. “But print is still very much alive.”
The Internet has allowed new businesses to start, and they often need stickers and signs, Daluisio said.
He and his five full-time employees and two part-timers print many books, signs, banners, and other products.
“We’re a one-stop shop for anything that would have your name on it,” he said.
Provided photo: Jordan Burroughs, an Olympic champion wrestler, is pictured with two Medina wrestlers in the modified program: Dominick Callara, left, and Logan Callara.
Press Release, Medina Central School
MEDINA – Two Medina students, Dominick and Logan Callara, had a chance to meet a wrestling legend recently.
Jordan Burroughs is an Olympic gold medalist, world champion and national champion. He was recently at a wrestling clinic at the University at Buffalo where the two boys, who are in the modified wrestling program at Medina Clifford Wise Middle School, had the chance to meet him and get his autograph.
Christian Held, coach of the modified team, says that the modified program is for 7th and 8th graders and has 20 athletes participating this year.
“Modified wrestling teaches basic wrestling skills and the rules of wrestling,” he said. “They compete in shorter matches, but follow all standard wrestling rules. Our main goal of our modified program is to prepare new and young wrestlers to compete at a varsity level when they get to high school.”
Held invited all of his athletes to attend the wrestling clinic at UB where Burroughs spent two hours showing wrestling moves and answering questions from the audience.
Dominick Callara was thrilled to have the champion sign his headgear.
“It was a great clinic,” Held said. “It was an honor to learn new things from one of the greats in our sport. Most consider Mr. Burroughs to be the greatest wrestler in the USA right now.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 September 2016 at 9:15 am
File photo by Tom Rivers: These Little People, which were manufactured when Fisher-Price was in Medina, are pictured as part of a display by the Medina Historical Society in 2014.
The Little People are on the short list to be inducted in the Toy Hall of Fame at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester.
The Little People are manufactured by Fisher-Price and for many years were made in Medina until Fisher-Price left Medina in the late 1990s. The company started operations in the Orleans County community in 1970.
The Little People are the first Fisher-Price toy to be a finalist for the Hall of Fame.
Fisher-Price first offered its wooden Little People in the 1959 Safety School Bus. Made of brightly painted wood and fashioned for little hands, the figures help small children imagine big adventures at the Little People school, airport, service station, amusement park, zoo, and farm. During the 1990s, Fisher-Price added arms and legs to the figures.
There are 12 finalists being considered for the Hall of Fame. Two or three will be picked for the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame will announce the winners on Nov. 10.
Other toys that are finalists include: Bubble Wrap, Care Bears, the Clue board game, coloring book, Dungeons & Dragons, Nerf, Pinball, Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, swing, Transformers, and Uno. For more on the Toy hall of Fame and the finalists, click here.
MEDINA – Todd Bensley, Medina’s village historian and a member of the Village Board, leads a dedication ceremony on Saturday for the new historical marker at Boxwood Cemetery. The cemetery on North Gravel Road was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.
Community members, including Mayor Michael Sidari and Cemetery Commission Chairwoman Kathy Blackburn, were on hand for the dedication along with a group of tour goers. Bensley led tours of the cemetery on Saturday and also on Sunday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 September 2016 at 4:54 pm
MEDINA – The Village of Medina and the Boxwood Cemetery Commission will dedicate a new historical marker on Saturday at noon. The marker notes the cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.
The marker is by the entrance of the cemetery, next to the chapel built in 1903 from Medina sandstone in a Gothic Revival style.
After the marker is dedicated at noon, Village Historian Todd Bensley will lead a tour of the cemetery which opened in 1850. He will discuss funerary art and some of the residents buried in the cemetery on North Gravel Road.
The tour is part of the Orleans County Heritage Festival, which highlights many of the cemeteries in the county, as well as “historic gems,” transportation and agriculture.
For more on the festival, which runs from Sept. 9-11, click here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 September 2016 at 1:31 pm
Ronan Tynan will perform at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Sept. 17
Ronan Tynan
MEDINA – The Orleans Renaissance Group decided to “reach for the stars” by inviting famed tenor Ronan Tynan to Medina. Tynan will perform at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Sept. 17.
The concert is nearing a sellout with 93 tickets left out of about 650. Some of the concert-goers are coming from out of state, travelling from Massachusetts, Ohio and California to see Tynan, said Chris Busch, president of the ORG.
The group has been high-profile in recent years for its push to revive the Bent’s Opera House on Main Street. The ORG last year also started running a farmers’ market on Saturday in the downtown.
Busch said ORG’s original mission was to bring high-caliber cultural events to Medina. In 2013, the acclaimed group, Anonymous Four, performed in Medina at a concert organized by the Renaissance Group.
“Every couple years we try to do something world class,” Busch said. “We were trying to brainstorm our next move to bring in a world class event.”
Tim Cooper, a local funeral home owner, suggested welcoming Tynan, an Irish tenor who also is a recording artist, physician and champion disabled athlete.
The concert will be at a church that was largely built by the Irish community in the early 1900s. Tynan has sung at the funeral for Ronald Reagan, during the World Series at Yankee Stadium and many concert halls across the United States and internationally.
Busch said St. Mary’s is ideal for a concert with a powerful and majestic voice.
“I’m sure it will be spectacular,” Busch said. “It’s a very live acoustic environment. For a voice like his it will be spectacular.”
A Sony recording artist, Tynan has released more than 10 titles, 4 of which have achieved platinum status. Additionally, between 1981 and 1984, Tynan amassed 18 gold medals and 14 world records while participating in the Paralympics. Nine of his records still stand.
Tynan has performed for four U.S. Presidents including George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. Tynan has sung for two Popes, Pope John Paul II at St. Peter’s Basilica and Pope Benedict at the Concert of Hope.
For more on the Renaissance Group, visit www.bentshall.org.
Photos by Thom Jennings This group tried to solve the clues in the Medina escape room last week. They include, from left: Tracy Jennings, Terry Stephens, Laura Stephens, Chris Dix and Megan Dix.
By Thom Jennings, Correspondent
MEDINA – Medina’s burgeoning Main Street has added another unique stop, Orleans County’s first escape room, Into the Enigma.
For those who are not familiar with what an escape room is, it is a live action adventure game where groups of people try and solve a puzzle and “escape.” The rooms are popular attractions for groups of friends and corporate team building activities.
Into the Enigma is located at 525 Main St., Medina.
Into the Enigma follows the standard model and starts with a narrative before you enter the room to look for clues.
While there are some rules of thumb, just about anything in the room could contain a clue so players must examine everything.
If players get stuck there are opportunities to receive additional clues to help get everyone on track. There are time penalties when you use an additional clue.
Into the Enigma houses one room, and for the sake of reviewing the room I gathered up a group of six players. I was the only person that had ever experienced an escape room.
From my perspective the room was well thought out and extremely challenging. As a group we were able to work together to find clues and while we were stumped on occasion it was never frustrating. The 60-minute time limit went by very quickly because we were having a great time and enjoying the twists.
Facebook: Myke LaVoice, Tim Elliott, and Joe Gould worked together to develop the escape room at Medina. The trio tried other escape rooms in the region. They are pictured after getting out of the Queen City Escape Room on Louisiana Street in Buffalo.
The new business is the brainchild of three people: Mike LaVoice, Joe Gould and Tim Elliott.
The three of them started discussing the idea of creating a Medina based escape room back in May and tried out a number of them in Western New York to understand the model and develop their own room.
The business opens to the public on Thursday and will have one room for patrons to try and escape from, a second room is in the works and should be open by early October and then two more will be developed next year.
Rooms will be revamped periodically, anywhere from eight to ten months. Each room can accommodate from three to ten people at a time.
The number of people does not give you any major advantages, but larger groups will force people to work together, and there are more than enough clues to keep a large group busy.
Whether or not you are good at puzzles really does not matter, the rooms are meant to entertain and engage.
In an era where people are chasing Pokemon with their cell phones, Into the Enigma offers a great opportunity for people to disconnect from technology and have a great time.
The marker is by the entrance of the cemetery, next to the chapel built in 1903 from Medina sandstone in a Gothic Revival style.
