Provided images: Local author Wendi Pencille and her dog Crush will be at Author’s Note Bookstore on April 25, where she will join several other artists in signing books to celebrate the store’s fifth annual Independent Bookstore Day.

MEDINA – Medina’s independent bookstore, Author’s Note, will join more than 2,000 bookstores around the country in celebrating Independent Bookstore Day on April 25.

In addition to games, activities and giveaways, the day’s festivities between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. will include visiting authors, Ed Ashton, Kate Hosford, David Neth and Wendi Pencille, who will sign books and greet readers.

Children’s author Kate Hosford of Brooklyn will sign books between noon and 1:30 p.m. She is author of seven picture books and two poetry collections, garnering awards such as an American Library Association Notable Book, a Bank Street Best Book of the Year, a Junior Library Guild Selection and a New York Times Best Illustrated Book.

Children’s author Kate Hosford will sign books at Author’s Note.

Her books have been published in eight languages. Her newest title, You and I are Stars and Night, celebrates the love between children and their caregivers through a magical bedtime adventure. In addition to her appearance at Author’s Note, Hosford will do a presentation at Royalton Hartland Community Library at 6 p.m. April 23, and at 5 p.m. April 24 at Author’s Note, following visits to Oak Orchard Primary School in Medina and DeSales Lower School in Lockport.

Ed Ashton has written several novels, including The Fourth Consort.

Ed Ashton, a celebrated speculative fiction author of Mickey 7, the novel on which the movie Mickey 17 was based, will sign books from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Ashton is also the author of the novels Three Days in April, The End of Ordinary, Antimatter Blues, Mal Goes to War and The Fourth Consort, as well as short stories which have appeared in venues ranging from the newsletter of an Italian sausage company to Escape Pod, Analog and Fireside Fiction. He lives in a cabin on the shore of an inland sea, where he enjoys cancer research, teaching quantum physics to sullen graduate students and whittling. His newest novels, After the Fall and the Fourth Consort released earlier this year.

David Neth has a new book out, This Time Around.

Author D. Allen, aka David Neth, is a local school librarian who will sign books at the bookstore between 10:30 and noon. D. Allen writes heartfelt small-town romance, such as the Montana Beach and Small Town Christmas series.  He also writes urban fantasy and superhero fiction under his own name. A school librarian with more than a decade in the book world, he lives in Western New York with his family. His newest novel, This Time Around, released this week.

Wendi Pencille is a local author who will sign books with her dog Crush from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Crush is the main character, cover model and inspiration for Pencille’s new book Crush Finds His Place. Pencille has spent the past 25 years as a therapy dog volunteer, working with children and adults with special needs. As the human sidekick to Crush, a remarkable St. Bernard and certified therapy dog, Pencille will admit he is the star of the team, while she is primarily the chauffer and treat dispenser.

Over the years, her eight therapy dogs have formed very special bonds with the people they visit. It is one of those relationships that was the inspiration for her first children’s book, Crush Finds His Place. Pencille shares her home in Medina with her family, four dogs, a cat and usually a foster dog or cat as well.

All of the visiting author’s books are available now for purchase or online order from Author’s Note. Reserving copies in advance is strongly recommended.

Independent Bookstore Day spotlights the vitality and creative richness that locally-owned independent bookstores bring to readers, authors and neighborhoods in ways chains and e-commerce sites cannot replicate, said owner and author Julie Berry.

This will be the fifth annual Independent Bookstore Day for Author’s Note and the 13th anniversary of the event sponsored by the American Booksellers Association. In 2025, more than 1,600 bookstores celebrated Independent Bookstore Day. This year, the number jumps to more than 2,000, signifying the ongoing flourishing of independent bookstores nationwide, Berry said.

“Every year, Independent Bookstore Day gets bigger and better,” said American Booksellers Association CEO Allison Hill. “It feels more meaningful than ever this year to celebrate what indie bookstores represent – human connection, diversity and inclusivity, independent thought and independence and the power of community and truth.”

Author’s Note self-chosen theme for the day is “Bookstore Joy,” celebrating the genuine happiness bookstores infuse into the life of their communities by sharing stories and fostering real connection and community.

“The love people feel for Author’s Note and the way they light up when they walk through the door is the beautiful surprise I couldn’t have predicted before I owned a bookstore,” Berry said. “Every day I see anew how deeply our customers care for us. They’re glad we’re here. They feel at home here. They add so much joy to our lives. We hope, on this day especially, to reflect even more of that love and joy back to them.”

Throughout the day, in addition to meeting the authors, customers will share in games, including hunting for a Libro.fm Golden Ticket that will entitle the winner to a year of free audiobooks; crafts with children’s author Kate Hosford and a chance to pet Crush, Pencille’s therapy dog. Customers can win gift cards Author’s Note T-shirts and gift baskets. Several IBD-exclusive items supplied by the ABA will be available for sale or giveaway that day only.

Independent Bookstore Day isn’t only about the intangible benefits indie bookstores bring, but about tangible economic benefits, Berry explained. Local bookstores return two and a half to four times as much revenue to their local economies as chains do, while keeping jobs and revenue local and boosting local sales tax volumes.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the rise in online bookselling, chain stores and e-readers caused many people to predict the death of the independent bookstore, Berry reported. Yet, between 2009 and 2018, the number of independent bookstores rose nearly 50 percent. Harvard Business School researcher Ryan Rafaelli, in a landmark 2020 entitled “The Novel Resurgence of Independent Bookstores,” explained that indie bookstores thrive in an online-heavy book market by differentiating themselves along three lines: Community, Curation and Convening.

Berry continued to explain, “Community” refers to how local bookstores strengthen local economies and add vitality to shopping districts. “Curation” underscores how local book-buyers can select inventory that reflects the tastes and preferences of local shoppers, while “Convening” emphasizes the ways bookstores foster a shared sense of community amongst book-lovers by creating book-friendly spaces and hosting events, such as book clubs, story times and author readings to draw readers together.

For more information about Independent Bookstore Day festivities at Author’s Note, 519 Main St., or to reserve copies of the visiting authors’ books, visit AuthorsNote.com, e-mail info@authorsnote.com or call (585) 798-3642.

Photos courtesy of Chris Busch: (Left) Tiny shovels for young students are ready and waiting for the village of Medina’s annual Arbor Day ceremony at 10 a.m. April 24 at the corner of Gwinn and William streets. (Right) The village of Medina will plant 51 trees this year. Here, they are shown lined up at the DPW waiting for planting.

MEDINA – The village of Medina will observe Arbor Day this year with the traditional tree planting ceremony on April 24.

As in past years, the second and third grades from Oak Orchard Primary School and Wise Intermediate School will take part in the ceremonial planting of trees, beginning at 10 a.m. at Gwinn and William streets. Gwinn Street between James Street and Frank Street will be briefly closed for the occasion.

“Fifty-one trees in all will be planted this year,” said Chris Busch, Medina’s forestry coordinator. “Trees will be planted on West Oak Orchard Street, West Avenue and Eagle, Gwinn and West Center streets.”

This flag indicates Medina has been designated a Tree City USA for 2026.

The ceremony, presented by the village of Medina Municipal Tree Board, will also feature the Oak Orchard Glee Club, directed by Andrea Busch.

Special guests welcomed to the ceremony include mayor Deb Padoleski and village trustees.

“We’d like to give an enormous thank you to School Superintendent Mark Kruzynski for Medina CSD’s continued participation in our annual Arbor Day celebrating, and for providing Mrs. Andrea Busch as a school-based resource,” said Mary Lewis, chair of the Tree Board. “The schools have been an important part of Medina’s Arbor Day tradition for more than 17 years. These young students are the stewards of tomorrow’s urban forest.”

The Tree Board’s focus continues to take a three-pronged approach – main arteries and central business district area/parks and high-need residential areas, according to Chris Busch.

“Though we’ve been planting trees for more than 17 years, the need for plantings in all of these areas continues,” Lewis said. “As old trees come down, new trees are planted. The new trees we’ve been planting in our parks are having a beautiful impact, and we’re beginning to make headway on our neighborhoods. There’s still much to be done. We wish we could do more.”

Science shows that trees in neighborhoods have a real and measurable impact in so many ways, Lewis continued.

“We have tons of feedback constantly from citizens about how much they appreciate the beauty of our tree-lined streets,” she said. “We get similar feedback from out-of-town visitors,  too. It’s very gratifying.”

Medina’s urban forestry program is once again a Tree City USA, recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation, Busch said. The annual Tree City award honors Medina’s commitment to community forestry, he said.

The Tree City USA Program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters, and the USDA Forest Service. Tree City USA is awarded annually to those communities who qualify and is a national designation.

Numerous peer-reviewed studies on the impact of neighborhoods with street trees show multiple positive benefits, including increased property values, slower/safer traffic patterns, lower air temperatures and absorption of harmful pollution. The studies also show tree-lined streets in neighborhoods lower blood pressure and improve overall emotional and psychological health, according to Lewis.

“Gifts and contributions from individuals and businesses are essential to our work,” Lewis said. “We’re deeply grateful for this support. It’s crucial to sustaining our future. Medina’s tree-lined streets are a big reason people choose to live or open businesses here, and those donations are what make it possible for us to continue our efforts.”

Tax-deductible donations can be made any time for general tree planting, memorial trees or for “trees on your street,” according to Lewis.

Additional information can be obtained at the village clerk’s office or by downloading the ReLeaf brochure online at www.villagemedina.gov or by contacting Lewis at mLewis.villagemedina@gmail.com.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Medina Village Board members meet in a conference room at the Shelby Town Hall for a workshop meeting followed by budget discussions on Monday evening. Pictured from left and going clockwise: Trustee Scott Bieliski, Trustee Mark Prawel, Mayor Debbie Padoleski, Clerk-Treasurer Jada Burgess, Trustee Jeff Wagner and Trustee Jess Marciano.

MEDINA – The Village Board faces a tall task of trying to pare down expenses and find more revenues before a final village budget is adopted on April 27.

The board held a public hearing on Monday evening on the tentative budget which shows a 22.5 percent tax increase.

Mayor Debbie Padoleski, who campaigned on a more affordable Medina, said the board has more meetings with department heads to try to bring down the tax increase. Padoleski was elected on March 18.

A year ago, the board was in similar predicament with a big tax increase in the tentative budget. Padoleski was a village trustee then and the board would eliminate four full-time firefighter positions, while not filling a vacancy in the DPW and cutting the K9 program.

Padoleski said there aren’t similar cost-savings to cut this time because those cuts were already made.’

The tentative $8,189,601 budget represents a $466,305 more in spending or a 6.0 percent increase from the $7,723,296 in the 2025-26 budget.

The tax levy, what property owners pay in taxes, would increase by $880,423 or 22.5 percent from $3,910,344 to $4,790,767. The tax rate would increase by $3.19 from $13.995 to $17.189.

“This is just the tentative budget,” Padoleski said Monday evening during a public hearing on the budget. “There is still quite a bit more of cutting to do.”

Part of the increase is an additional $139,225 for the first bond payment for a new ladder truck. The board is working to sell that truck, and it’s possible the sale could exceed what the village owes at $1.8 million. There could be some unanticipated revenue from that truck, Padoleski said.

The budget shows a $340,020 increase in salaries (from $3,210,661 to $3,550,681); $5,000 increase in equipment reserve (from $50,000 to $55,000); $17,700 more for capital projects (from $1,756,548 to $1,837,899).

Total revenues are down by $414,118 from $3,812,952 to $3,398,834.

Padoelski said she met last week with the leaders from the towns of Shelby, Ridgeway and yates to request more money from them than the current $35,000 each annually towards the ambulance services in Western Orleans County. She said she sensed resistance to a higher amount from Yates and Ridgeway, while Padoleski said Jim Heminway, Shelby town supervisor, is open “to a new way of doing things.”

Padoleski said the fire department with 17 career firefighters is operating at a deficit of about $1.6 million.

“We’re obligated to come up with a tax rate in the next two weeks,” Padoleski said about a final village budget for 2026-27. “Honestly, right now I don’t know what that looks like.”

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

• 2025-26 tax levy, $3,910,344; tax rate, $13.995
• 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

The mayor also said the village faces costly upgrades in the near future at the sewer plant and replacing very old waterlines. Those undertakings will likely result in higher sewer and water bills for village customers, although she said Medina would be pursuing grants to hep offset the costs.

Provided photo: This photo from December shows Medina’s new ladder truck. The quint truck has a 100-foot ladder and many other capabilities. Medina Fire Department officials visited the truck manufacturing site in Appleton, Wisconsin.

MEDINA – Village officials will soon be putting together a package for prospective buyers of Medina’s new ladder truck.

A new administration on the Village Board, led by new mayor Debbie Padoleski, wants the ladder truck sold soon.

The truck is currently in Tonawanda where is waiting for a part, the cover for a metal box for tools. The truck hasn’t been put into service and the letters haven’t been put on that says it is a Village of Medina Fire Department truck.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Mayor Debbie Padoleski said she wants the village to push to sell the new ladder truck. Trustee Mark Prawel is at right.

“I’m hoping we can move forward with a sale,” Padoleski told other Village Board members during Monday’s board workshop meeting. “I want to keep this ball moving.”

Before she was mayor, Padoleski was on the board as a village trustee. She led a majority that included Mark Prawel and Scott Bieliski to vote on Feb. 9 and declare the truck surplus and begin the process for selling it.

Padoleski campaigned that the truck is unaffordable for the village. Besides buying the truck at $1.7 million, Medina would likely need to put an addition on its fire hall to house the truck. The current fire hall only has 10-foot, 6-inch clearance. The new truck can’t fit in the fire hall.

The truck with the addition could put the village on the hook for up to $4 million, Padoleski has said.

She wants to sell the truck at a minimum bid to pay off the loan, which is close to $1.8 million. The first of 20 payments at $139,225 is due in the village’s 2026-27 budget. That budget needs to be approved by the end of the month.

The Village Board needs to determine a minimum bid for the truck because there could be other costs, including a broker’s fee. The board could settle at a $1.9 minimum, Padoleski said.

The truck is expected to be back in Medina today. The village will take photographs of the truck, and prepare precise specifications for interested buyers. The potential bidders will likely want to come see the truck in person.

The mayor, who took office last week, said the truck could be sold through a sealed bid or an RFP (Request for Proposals).

Trustee Scott Bieliski said many fire departments have shown interest in the truck, including nearby Brockport and departments in other states. The village could sell the truck for more than $2 million, making a profit on the sale. Similar new ladder trucks are now $2.4 million at the time of the order with a wait from the manufacturer that could be three to four years.

Bieliski said Medina could work out a deal with Brockport and avoid needing a broker. A broker would charge a 1 percent fee and likely make about $20,000.

Village attorney Matt brooks said the Village Board is obligated to try to maximize the sale price. That could mean utilizing the services of a broker.

Bieliski said he would work to put together a bid package and reach out to brokers to help with the potential sale. In the meantime, the truck is expected to be stored in the DPW facility when it’s back in Medina.

Photo courtesy of Medina Triennial: This is a production still for Two Waters, 2026, by Tania Candiani. It is a new commission for the Medina Triennial.

Press Release, Medina Triennial

MEDINA – The Medina Triennial is pleased to unveil the full list of artists of its inaugural edition, All That Sustains Us, taking place June 6 to Sept. 7 in the Western New York village of Medina, along the Erie Canal.

Co-Artistic Directors Kari Conte and Karin Laansoo have invited 39 artists and collectives from across five continents to create a free, walkable, village-wide exhibition featuring over 100 works, including new site-specific commissions by 18 artists shaped in response to Western New York’s communities and ecosystems—many created in collaboration with local residents.

Following a year of on-the-ground research, Conte and Laansoo developed a curatorial framework rooted in the intersection of art, ecology, architecture, and rural contexts, while prioritizing local production to minimize carbon-intensive shipping.

Bringing artists from across the globe into dialogue with Medina and Western New York, the Triennial unfolds amid the histories, materials, and social worlds of the region. The works on view approach maintenance through linked themes: land relations and extraction, waterways and water stewardship, labor and repair, public life and community building, and the visible and hidden systems that shape everyday life.

Moving across different scales, the exhibition brings together building blocks and ruins, folklore and industry, farming and food security, interspecies kinship and ecological grief, as well as broader questions of conflict. Throughout Medina’s buildings, canalfront, parks, and former industrial sites, visitors encounter works that embody both endurance and fragility.

“All That Sustains Us echoes a question artist Mierle Laderman Ukeles posed in 1969 and never stopped asking: what does it take to keep things going? The Medina Triennial asks what forms of labor, knowledge, and commitment sustain civic life, ecological systems, and the built environment, especially under conditions of strain,” said Kari Conte and Karin Laansoo, co-artistic directors of the Triennial. “The works gathered here emerged from research and dialogue with artists and offer many distinct positions. What connects them is a shared attention to the forces, materials, and ideas that hold communities together, and to the conditions under which those structures begin to break down.”

The Triennial’s sites span the full breadth of the village. Situated in a former sandstone hotel overlooking the canal, the Medina Triennial Hub will serve as a welcome center, a home for education and residency programs, and a site for two major commissions—48 Collections from the Erie Canal by Futurefarmers and Reflection by Asad Raza.

The main exhibition site is 25,000 square feet of the Catherine Street Old Medina High School building, which has been closed to students and the public for more than three decades and recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, where new commissions include A Good Wall by James Beckett, Two Waters by Tania Candiani, INT. HOME(S) by Ash Arder, THE TELL by Matt Kenyon, and Between Blossom and Core by Kärt Ojavee.

Works will also be presented at the Medina Railroad Museum, Orleans County YMCA, Medina Memorial Hospital, Rotary Park, State Street Park, and Sacred Heart Church, as well as installations directly on the Erie Canal.

Anchoring the outdoor program is a new site-specific commission by Lina Lapelytė, Faithfully Recording, a durational performance where singers and construction workers collaboratively build a public sculpture from reclaimed Medina sandstone on the Medina Railroad Museum’s grounds.

Scott Hocking presents a new commission in the empty lot beside the historic Medina Theater on Main Street. Further highlights include Anne Duk Hee Jordan’s water purification sculpture I travelled 66 million years to be with you and then you came, to be shown at State Street Park; Community Toolshed for the Birds by Richard Ighby & Marilou Lemmens, an interspecies collaboration installed at Rotary Park; Jane Jin Kaisen’s Sorrow Waters This Land; and Evelyne Leblanc-Roberge’s multimedia installation All the hours, presented at the Medina Memorial Hospital.

The Triennial also marks the first U.S. presentation of works by Deirdre O’Mahony and Tokyo-based collective SIDE CORE, whose large-scale installation at Sacred Heart Church brings their distinctive engagement with construction infrastructure and public space to an American audience for the first time.

New works were produced under the Medina Triennial Fieldwork Residency, an initiative that gives artists time, space, and resources within Medina—including a cohort of local scientists, architects, farmers, and small business owners from across Western New York—to support research, foster collaboration, and deepen community connections. The program is designed to tailor commissions to the region through immersion in the village and its surroundings.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Mary Mattingly is shown in September on a canal barge that she will be turning into a floating garden that should bear fruit this summer as part of the inaugural Medina Triennial. Mattingly will transform the 27-by-80-foot barge into a showcase for plants and nature. She led a similar initiative in New York City, and that repurposed barge drew 350,000 visitors and more than 900 guided tours.

In Fall 2025, Mary Mattingly and James Beckett began their residencies to create new commissions for the Triennial. Mattingly developed Floating Garden, a barge-based living artwork built with local residents and students from the Rochester Institute of Technology led by architect Amanda Reis, while Beckett explored how architecture carries local history, material intelligence, and slow instability, in collaboration with the University of Buffalo.

This Spring, Selva Aparicio and Michael Wang are in residence in Medina—Aparicio at work on Maintenance, a broom carved from anthracite coal, while Wang develops Future Sugarbush, a nascent sugar bush grove planned by the artist, and Sugarbush Energy, a canned maple sap drink that will be available for free throughout the Triennial, and at select businesses across Medina.

The Triennial also creates a space for recontextualization of existing works. Alice Bucknell’s Staring at the Sun, a sci-fi documentary about solar geoengineering and the limits of rendering the atmosphere as something wholly knowable, will be shown in the U.S. for the first time.

Buffalo-based Nigerian artist Victoria-Idongesit Udonian, also presenting at the 2026 Venice Art Biennale, will show a new configuration of her large three-part installation, exploring the links between bodies and transit within global labor economies. AKI INOMATA presents How to Carve a Sculpture—an ongoing series of wood carvings produced by beavers enlisted by the artist’s collaborators at zoos across Japan. The Triennial will also honor Jay Carrier—an essential presence in Western New York’s artistic community, who passed away in 2025, presenting three of his mixed media works, The Children Will Heal Us (2018), American Landscape (2015), and Night Dancer (2019) throughout the Catherine Street main site.

The Medina Triennial was initiated with major support provided by the New York Power Authority and the New York State Canal Corporation, conceived as part of a broader strategy to showcase the Erie Canal as active civic infrastructure.

Further programming and event details forthcoming. For more information and to sign up for the official newsletter, please visit medinatriennial.org.

Medina Triennial 2026 Artists

• Ash Arder (she/they) b. 1988, Flint, MI; lives in Detroit, MI
• Selva Aparicio (she/her) b. 1987, Barcelona, Spain; lives in Alfred, NY, and Chicago, IL
• James Beckett (he/him) b. 1977, Harare, Zimbabwe; lives in New York, NY and Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Taysir Batniji (he/him) b. 1966, Gaza, Palestine; lives in Paris, France
• Alice Bucknell (they/them) b. 1993, London, UK; lives in Los Angeles, CA
• Tania Candiani (she/her) b.1974, Mexico City, Mexico; lives in Mexico City, Mexico
• Jay Carrier (he/him) Onondaga/Tuscarora Nations, Wolf Clan; b. 1963, Six Nations reservation in Ontario, Canada; d. 2025, Niagara Falls, NY
• Harun Farocki (he/him) b. 1944, Nový Jičín, Czechoslovakia (present-day Czechia); d. 2014, Berlin, Germany
• Jeneen Frei Njootli (they/them) b. 1988, Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada; lives in Old Crow, Yukon, Canada
• FIBRA – est. 2019, Lima, Peru; Lucia Monge, b. 1983; Gianine Tabja, b.1983; Gabriela Flores del Pozo, b. 1979
• Futurefarmers – est. 1994, San Francisco, CA; including Amy Franceschini, b. 1970, Patterson, CA; Michael Swaine, b. 1971, Buffalo, NY; and FS Bàssïbét, b. 1997, Elmina, Ghana
• Terike Haapoja (she/her) b. 1974, Helsinki, Finland; lives in Berlin, Germany
• Greg Halpern (he/him) b. 1977, Buffalo, NY; lives in Rochester, NY
• Carole Harris (she/her) b. 1943, Detroit, MI; lives in Detroit, MI
• Scott Hocking (he/him) b. 1975, Detroit, MI; lives in Detroit, MI
• Gözde İlkin (they/them) b. 1981, Kütahya, Türkiye; lives in İstanbul, Türkiye
• Richard Ibghy (he/him) & Marilou Lemmens (she/her) b. 1964, Montreal, Canada; lives in Durham-Sud, Canada b. 1976, Ascot Corner, Canada; lives in Durham-Sud, Canada
• AKI INOMATA (she/her) b. 1983, Tokyo, Japan; lives in Tokyo, Japan
• Anne Duk Hee Jordan (they/them) b.1978, South Korea; lives in Berlin, Germany
• Jane Jin Kaisen (she/her) b. 1980, Jeju, South Korea; lives in Copenhagen, Denmark, and New York, NY
• Matt Kenyon (he/him) b. 1977, Baton Rouge, LA; lives in Buffalo, NY
• Evelyne Leblanc-Roberge (she/they) b. 1981, Maria, Quebec, Canada; lives in Rochester, NY
• Dionne Lee (she/her) b.1988, New York, NY; lives in Columbus, OH
• Lina Lapelytė (she/her) b. 1984, Kaunas, Lithuania; lives in London, UK, and Vilnius, Lithuania
• Matthew López-Jensen (he/him) b. 1980, CT; lives in Bronx, NY
• Cathy Lu (she/her) b. 1984, Miami, FL; lives in Richmond, CA
• Mary Mattingly (she/her) b. 1978, Rockville, CT; lives in New York, NY
• Deirdre O’Mahony (she/her) b. 1956, Limerick, Ireland; lives in Cork City, Ireland
• Abraham O. Oghobase (he/him) b.1979, Lagos, Nigeria; lives in Toronto, Canada
• Kärt Ojavee (she/her) b. 1982, Rakvere, Estonia; lives in Tallinn, Estonia
• Asad Raza (he/him) b. 1974, Buffalo, NY; lives in Berlin, Germany
• Gamaliel Rodriguez (he/him) b.1977, Bayamón, Puerto Rico; lives in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico
• Selma Selman (she/her) b. 1991, Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina; lives in Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Finnegan Shannon (they/them) b. 1989, Berkeley, CA; lives in New York, NY
• Jean Shin (she/her) b. 1971, Seoul, South Korea; lives in Hurley, NY
• SIDE CORE – est. 2012, Tokyo, Japan; based in Tokyo, Japan
• Victoria-Idongesit Udondian (she/her) b. 1982, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria; lives in New York, NY, and Lagos, Nigeria
• Mierle Laderman Ukeles (she/her) b. 1939, Denver, CO; lives in New York, NY and Jerusalem, Israel
• Michael Wang (he/him) b. 1981, Olney, MD, USA; lives in Upper Grandview, NY

Photo by Ginny Kropf:  Members of Butts-Clark American Legion Post, Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion are welcoming the 76th New York State Bowling Tournament to Medina Lanes on April 18. This is the first time the tournament has been played in Medina. From left, in front, are Kim Stevens, Rick and Robin Boyle, Scott Carlton, Cathy Fox, Greg Smith, Judi Overholt and Chris and Jim Foss, owners of the bowling alley. Second row, from left, are Wayne Hale, Bob Stevens, Phil Rudnick, Guy Eaton, Joni and Bob Meehan.

MEDINA – For the first time in 75 years, the Annual New York State American Legion Family Bowling tournament will take place in Medina.

Members of the Butts-Clark American Legion Post, Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion will welcome 80 bowlers to the tournament at Medina Lanes for four weekends from April 18 to May 10.

The tournament is open to members of posts, units, squadrons and chapters across New York, including Legion Riders.

The committee planning the event has already received incredible support from the community, said Phil Rudnick, a member of Sons of the American Legion.

“We want to thank them,” he said.

Sponsorship opportunities include full, half or quarter page or business card size ads in the program book; lane sponsors with a lane banner with business name and logo; and donations of baskets for a raffle.

“This is an excellent opportunity for the businesses of Medina to shine and encourage visitors to come back again and again,” the committee said.

In addition to Rudnick, committee members include Judy and Rick Overholt, Auxiliary and American Legion members; Cathy Fox, president of the American Legion Auxiliary; Rick and Robin Boyle, Sons of the American Legion and Auxiliary; Scott Carlton, commander of Sons of the American Legion; Wayne Hale, SAL; Bob and Kim Stevens, SAL and Auxiliary; Guy Eaton, Sons of the American Legion; Greg Smith, American Legion; and Bob and Joni Meehan, SAL and Auxiliary.

Rudnick said they invite bowlers to come on Friday night, explore the town and shop.

“We hope they will come back for the Triennial,” he said.

Rudnick acknowledged Penny Brown of Batavia, who spearheaded efforts to bring the tournament to Medina and helped organize it.

“We are very happy to welcome this tournament to Medina, and all the veterans and their families,” Rudnick said.

The event begins with an opening ceremony with flags at 12:30 p.m. April 18 at Medina Lanes.

The Medina Triennial is proposing banners to be on the Medina Triennial Hub building at 345 North Main St., the former NAPA site. The Triennial also wants a series of other wayfinding signs for the upcoming arts initiative that is expected to draw 50,000 people to Medina from June 6 to Sept. 7.

MEDINA – The Village Planning Board has approved sign applications for several downtown businesses and also gave the OK for a series of signs in the village for the upcoming Medina Triennial arts exhibition.

• The Planning Board met on Tuesday and approved the sign application for Alexandra Peracciny Photography. She is moving her studio from the upstairs of Blissett’s to a storefront at 426 Main St.

The board approved the main sign for the building at 16 feet by 2 feet, but wants more details one three vinyl cling signs with two proposed for the windows and one for the door. Peracciny will need to provide more information on the size of the vinyl signs.

• The board approved a new projecting sign for Cuppa Joe at 112 East Center St. Joe Blake is the new owner of the coffee shop after acquiring the Coffee Pot Café from Dan and Hans Rosentreter.

• A sign was approved for “Medina Mart” at 123 East Center St. Saleh Almadhrahi of Lackawanna is running the business and will have a sign mounted near the roof. The sign will be 166 inches by 20 inches.

• The Medina Triennial wants a series of wayfinding signs, as well as two large banners on the Triennial’s main building at 426 North Main St. The banners will note the theme of the Triennial: “All That Sustains Us.”

The Triennial is seeking permission for many temporary signs around the village and downtown area. The Planning Board gave its OK. The Villkage Board will need to give final approval for signs on village-owned property at Rotary Park, State Street Park and the Canal Basin.

The Triennial wants 12 vinyl signs on sidewalks with arrows directing people to the Hub building at 345 North Main St., Rotary Park, State Street Park and the Railroad Museum.

The Triennial also wants 4 stake signs directing people to Medina Triennial, the old high school on Catherine Street which will house several exhibits, and the Railroad Museum on West Avenue.

The Triennial also wants 10 post signs about the Medina Triennial with the theme “All That Sustains Us” and eight A-frame signs.

Dan Gardner, the code enforcement officer, acknowledged the situation is out of the ordinary with so many temporary signs. He said the village should consider these on a case-by-case basis.

He said the signs are needed because there will be an influx of visitors and the art installations will be at multiple locations in the community.

Planning Board members said they are concerned about an abundance of signs in the downtown already, but they agreed the wayfinding signage would be helpful to the visitors and local residents during the three months.

“There will be a lot of exhibits all over the village and people will need to know where to go,” Gardner said.

Planning Board member David Flynn cast a no vote on the signs saying them seemed out of character with the historic downtown.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: The committee heading a meat raffle to benefit Medina Rotary discuss plans at a meeting at The Walsh. Clockwise from left are Liz Landis, Dawn Meland, Skip Helfrich, Carl Tuohey, Cindy Hewitt and Barb Jantzi. The event is scheduled April 25 at Ridgeway Fire Hall.

MEDINA – The Medina Rotary Club will sponsor its third annual meat raffle April 25 at Ridgeway Fire Hall, 11392 Ridge Rd.

Founded in 1923, Medina Rotary continues to serve the community with a handful of members. The group is currently seeking sponsorships from local businesses to support their latest venture, which they call “a fun, community-based event,”  according to Cindy Hewitt, who co-chairs the fundraiser with Barb Jantzi and Liz Landis. Other committee members are Dawn Meland, Carl Tuohey and Skip Helfrich.

Sponsorship benefits will include recognition as an official event sponsor, the business name and logo displayed on a printed banner at the event, exposure to more than 150 local attendees and support of the Medina Rotary Club’s mission.

Funds raised through sponsorships will be used to cover four larger door prizes and themed gift baskets for the basket raffle, helping Rotary to create an exciting and memorable experience for attendees, Hewitt said.

“The Medina Rotary Club is proud to support local community organizations and respond to calls of need within Medina,” Hewitt said.

The Medina Rotary Club’s community involvement includes volunteering at the food pantry at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church,  scholarships for local high school seniors, financial support for local non-profit organizations, assistance for local families in need at Thanksgiving and Christmas and installation of benches in town parks and sports fields. They also provide mattresses for people in need.

Medina Rotary’s main objective is service – in the community, the workplace and around the globe, according to information provided by Hewitt. It is part of Rotary International, a non-political and non-religious group open to all.

The April 25 meat raffle will also include a 50/50 drawing. Doors will open at 6 p.m., followed by the event from 7 to 10 p.m.

Sponsorships of any amount are greatly appreciated.

Anyone wishing to support the meat raffle or looking for more information can contact Medina Rotary Club by e-mail at medinanyrotary@gmail.org.

New members are always welcome at Medina Rotary. Anyone interested will find more information by logging on the group’s website (click here).

Photos by Ginny Kropf: The king and queen of Dyngus Day were crowned Monday night at Sacred Heart Club in Medina. The new royal couple, Patty Jones and Chris Kozody, were crowned by last year’s royalty, Eileen Pettit and Eli Howard.

MEDINA – Dyngus Day couldn’t come and go without a celebration at the Sacred Heart Club.

Although the club on North Gravel Road doesn’t throw the big party they used to for the community, they still observe the traditional holiday for their dedicated members.

J.T. Thomas, president of Sacred Heart Club, and member Chris Kozody spent the weekend cooking the traditional Polish dishes for their Dyngus Day feast Monday night, which also included crowning of a king and queen.

Georgia Thomas, wearing a traditional red outfit for Dyngus Day, fills a plate with authentic Polish food at the buffet Monday at Sacred Heart Club.

Last year’s royalty, Eileen Pettit and Eli Howard, crowned the new king and queen, Chris Kozody and Patty Jones.

Kozody and Jones were both surprised, even shocked, to have been chosen, they said.

Kozody is a dedicated volunteer at Sacred Heart Club, where he cooks for fish fries and Dyngus Day, Thomas said. He also does the inventory and ordering.

 Jones volunteers her time at almost every event, Thomas said.

“Whether it’s decorating or working the door or raffles, she is always there,” he said.

During the evening, members enjoyed the feast prepared by Thomas and Kozody, both of whom said they learned to cook from their family – Thomas from his father Ron, who was a butcher; and Kozody from his mom and grandma.

Kozody prepared sweet and sour cabbage and golabki (stuffed cabbage rolls), while Thomas made lazy pierogis, smoked Polish sausage with kraut and fresh Polish sausage. An array of Polish sweets was provided by Hans’s Bakery.

There were also pussy willow branches for guests to take home, another tradition on Dyngus Day.

Thomas said Sacred Heart stopped running a big Dyngus Day celebration for the public several years ago when it became impossible to find a polka band.

Dyngus Day is steeped in tradition. It celebrates the end of the often restrictive observance of Lent and the joy of Easter. Information provided by Thomas says many Polish customs date back to pre-Christian, Slavic practices. The custom of pouring water is an ancient spring rite of cleansing, purification and fertility. The same is true of the complimentary practice of switching with pussy willow branches.

Dyngus Day is associated with the baptism of Prince Mieszko I and his court on Easter Monday in 966 AD. In more modern times, the tradition continued when on Easter Monday farm boys in Poland wanted to attract girls of their choice by throwing water on them and hitting them on the legs with twigs or pussy willows. On Easter Tuesday, the women would return the favor.

Chris Kozody, left, and J.T. Thomas, president of Sacred Heart Club, pose in front of the array of Polish dishes they cooked for Dyngus Day.

Photos by Tom Rivers: Debbie Padoleski takes the oath of office as Medina mayor on Monday evening while her husband Tom Padoleski holds the Bible. Village Clerk-Treasurer Jada Burgess administers the oath in the Shelby Town Hall.

MEDINA – Mayor Debbie Padoleski took the oath of office and presided over her first meeting as Medina mayor on Monday.

Padoleski said the Village Board will be working on the budget this month and developing plans to address issues in the village.

She congratulated Jeff Wagner and Mark Prawel for their victories as village trustees. Both joined her in taking the oath of office on Monday.

“I am committed to accountability and transparency with the public and with each other,” she told the board members on Monday.

She said it will be a team effort among the board members. “We need to use our individual strengths and talents towards a more affordable village,” she said.

Mark Prawel takes the oath for another two-year term as village trustee. His wife Tina holds the Bible while Padoleski administers the oath.

Some of the appointments approved at Monday’s meeting include:

• Deputy Mayor – Scott Bieliski
• Fair Housing Officer – Jess Marciano
• Village Historian – Todd Bensley
• Clerk-Treasurer – Jada Burgess
• Deputy Clerk-Treasurer – Miranda Herbert
• Registrar and Deputy Registrar – Jada Burgess with Miranda Herbert as the deputy
• Three appointments to Planning Board with five-year terms – Chris Goyette, Mary Lewis and Richard Moss with Dean Bellack as an alternate
• Member of Tree Board for three-year term – Lisa Tombari
• Member of Boxwood Cemetery Commission for three-year term – Jacob Hebdon
• Member of the Minimum Standards Appeals Board for five-year term – Chris Busch
• Three appointments to Parks Committee for two-year terms – Brooke Beatty and Randall Reese
• Four appointments to Tourism Committee for two-year terms – Jim Hancock, Kelly Kiebala, Janet Smith and Barbara Gorham
• Village Attorney – Matthew Brooks

Mayor Debbie Padoleski led her first meeting as mayor on Monday evening. She has attended numerous meetings over the years as the former village clerk-treasurer and the past two years as a village trustee.

Padoleski approved the following trustee liaison committee assignments:

• Fire/Ambulance – Scott Bieliski
• Police – Mark Prawel
• Code/Planning/Zoning – Jess Marciano
• DPW – Jeff Wagner
• Employee Relations – Scott Bieliski, Mark Prawel
• Clerk/Treasurer – Debbie Padoleski
• Town of Ridgeway – Mark Prawel
• Town of Shelby – Jeff Wagner
• Orleans County – Scott Bieliski
• Parks Committee – Jess Marciano
• Boxwood Cemetery – Debbie Padoleski
• Joint Recreation – Jess Marciano and Jeff Wagner
• Tourism Committee – Debbie Padoleski
• Waterfront Development Committee – Jess Marciano

Jeff Wagner is congratulated after taking the oath and joining the Village Board as a trustee for the first time. Padoleski, left, administered the oath while Jada Burgess held the Bible.

Photos courtesy of Rev. Randy LeBaron and Matt Caldwell

MEDINA – Matt Caldwell and his wife Rebecca carry the cross in the Canal Basin as part of today’s “Cross Walk” on Good Friday. The Cross Walk has been an annual tradition in Medina and is organized by the Medina Area Association of Churches and the Medina Clergy Fellowship.

The Cross Walk began at City Hall and then about 60 people proceeded to several stops in  the downtown area, Canal Basin and on West Avenue. At each stop, the group read a passage from the Bible and sang a hymn.

Mike Zaidel, a leader at Alabama Full Gospel Fellowship, carries the cross down the sidewalk on Main Street. They group was headed to Rotary Park.

Neil Samborski, a member at Glad Tidings Missionary Baptist Church, is dressed as a centurion, a Roman soldier.

The Medina area churches will have a sunrise service at 7 a.m. Sunday at Boxwood Cemetery with the Rev. Randy LeBaron from the New Hope Community Church leading the service.

MEDINA – GLOW YMCA has announced launch of its Strong Communities Annual Campaign at the Orleans County branch in Medina.

Strong Communities Campaign is an annual fundraising effort dedicated to ensuring that everyone in the community has access to the YMCA’s life-changing programs and services, regardless of financial circumstances, according to Andrew Houseman, senior program director at the YMCA in Medina.

This year, GLOW YMCA has set a fundraising goal of $30,000 to provide critical financial assistance for children, families and individuals across the region.

“The YMCA is a place for all,” Houseman said. “Everyone deserves the opportunity to belong, grow and thrive. Our Strong Communities Annual Campaign allows us to ensure that everyone – from children and families to seniors in our community, have support and access to our facility. We are proud to provide a place that has such a positive impact on individual’s health, development and overall well-being.”

Each year the campaign is supported by volunteers, staff, donors and community partners who work together to raise funds that make a direct impact locally, Houseman said. Through this collective effort, the YMCA continues to provide a welcoming space where people of all ages can build connections, develop healthy habits and reach their full potential.

The impact of the Strong Communities Annual Campaign can be seen in the lives of the families and individuals who benefit from YMCA programs every day, Houseman added.

An example is Josh, who found staying active and improving his health wasn’t always easy. Before finding the YMCA, even getting to a fitness facility depended on whether he had access to a bike, making consistency a challenge. That changed when he connected with a life planner through the ARC. Through that partnership, Josh was able to receive support with transportation and access YMCA financial assistance to help cover the cost of membership.

With those barriers removed, everything began to change for Josh.

At the YMCA he found more than just a place to work out. He found a routine, a sense of purpose and a welcoming community. He now spends his time building strength and staying active, whether it’s riding the stationary bike, walking on the treadmill or using strength equipment.

 But for Josh, it’s about more than physical fitness, Houseman explained.

“I like to listen to music and just get in the zone,” Josh shared. “The YMCA makes me feel like I’m building muscle, feeling healthier and just better overall. Without it, I wouldn’t feel as good or as healthy.”

Beyond the equipment and workouts, the YMCA has given Josh something even more meaningful – connection. Whether he’s seeing friends, spending time around others or even running into family members like his aunt, the Y provides a space where he feels engaged and part of something bigger, Houseman said.

“There’s a lot to do here, and it’s fun,” Josh said.

Josh also credits his life planner for helping him stay motivated, offering encouragement and guidance along the way. That support system, combined with access to the YMCA, has made a lasting difference in his life.

Stories like Josh’s are a powerful reminder of what’s possible when barriers are removed, Houseman added. Through strong community partnerships and financial assistance, the YMCA ensures individuals of all abilities have access to the resources, support and connects they need to live healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Through the YMCA’s Strong Communities Campaign, individuals like Josh are not only improving their health, they are building confidence, finding belonging and discovering new possibilities.

“Because at the Y, everyone deserves the opportunity to grow, connect and thrive,” Houseman said.

Community members and local businesses are encouraged to support the Strong Communities Annual Campaign through donations, sponsorships and volunteer efforts. Every contribution helps the GLOW YMCA continue to strengthen the community and expand opportunities for all.

For more information about the Strong Communities Annual Campaign or to make a donation, visit www.glowymca.org or contact Houseman at ahouseman@glowymca.org.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Rob Klino, left, and Gary Berger stand next to a wall filled with a collection of butter pat holders in the home of Berger’s parents, the late Frank and Nancy Berger. Klino will have an estate sale there on April 9 through 12.

Provided photo: Nancy and Frank Berger were long-time local leaders in Medina.

MEDINA – When Rob Klino goes to work, he isn’t punching your average “nine to five” timeclock. He’s embarking on a journey into the lives of those he serves.

Klino is a collector and an antique dealer whose profession is conducting estate sales. When he takes on a job to dispose of someone’s estate, he is delving into their most prized possessions – what their interests were, what they cherished, and often “what made them tick.”

Klino is a Medina native who grew up here, went to college and in his 20s, decided to move to Atlanta to escape the snow.

His love of antiques actually began while he was in high school and baby sat for a prominent family who loved to go antiquing. He would often go with them on short trips and witness them buying and selling antiques. As a teenager, he wanted designer jeans for school, but his mother wouldn’t spend the money, so he started buying and selling pieces in order to buy his own jeans. Soon he was buying art and pottery, and the foundation for his next profession was set.

In spent 23 years in Atlanta, working in human resources and software development. Then a desire to be near his family prompted his return to Medina in 2018. Shortly after, he opened Thistle Ridge Antiques on Main Street.

He remembers clearly his first estate sale – that of Tim and Maura Pierce on the corner of West Center and Ohio streets.

“I am very selective about the estate sales I do,” Klino said.

This is some of the collection in the estate of Frank and Nancy Berger which will be sold at a  sale April 9 through 12.

His largest estate sale was that of a local doctor, but an upcoming estate sale April 9 through 12 has tugged at his heartstrings.

“It is an honor and a privilege to have been chosen by the family of Frank and Nancy Berger to host their estate sale,” Klino said. “I have often referred to Nancy and Frank and ‘Mr. and Mrs. Medina.’ Their sale is a fantastic opportunity to purchase a piece of Medina memorabilia to remember them by.”

The Berger’s lived at 3626 North Gravel Rd., where they built their home in 1959, and filled it with memorabilia. There, they raised two sons, Gary and Brian.

“Both my parents were big in history,” Gary said. “My dad was a big supporter of veterans and was active in the American Legion. He spent his whole life in Scouting.”

Rob Klino, who will have an estate sale at the home of the late Frank and Nancy Berger, holds a Pack 14 flag, which is part of a massive collection of Boy Scout memorabilia which will be sold.

Frank served in the U.S. Navy, spent 30 years as an industrial arts teacher at Medina High School and continued to serve several terms as president in the Retired Teachers’ Association. He was commander of the Butts-Clark American Legion Post, head of Medina’s Memorial Day parade for more than 40 years, a longtime Mason, a founding member of Medina Historical Society and a county legislator for 14 years. He was named “Medina Citizen of the Year” in 1972 and 1999.

Nancy no doubt inherited her love of antiques from her father, with whom she would go antiquing. Gary remembers going with them as a child. She was employed as a medical secretary for several area physicians, and in 1981, she opened The Personal Touch, primarily a fabric store, in Medina.

When that closed in 1999, she continued to run a Christmas shop at her home. She became passionate about Mid Eastern dancing, which she taught for eight years. Nancy also became involved in Scouting as a Den Mother for Cub Scouts, earning their highest achievement – the Silver Beaver Award.

In March 1986, the Bergers became the first couple to receive Medina Chamber of Commerce’s Distinguished Service Award.

Nancy died at 3:30 a.m. Sept. 27, 2015, and Frank at 3:35 a.m. Sept. 27, 2025.

This collection of stoneware will be sold during an estate sale at the home of Frank and Nancy Berger, 3626 South Gravel Rd.

Gary said his parents started collecting “stuff” as far back as he can remember. There is hardly a space in their house that doesn’t boast a collection of something.

“There’s some pretty amazing stuff,” Klino said. “It spans 79 years of their lives.”

The basement is filled with Frank’s Boy Scout memorabilia and a military collection on one half, while an assortment of Nancy’s collections fills the other half. The first floor is filled with antiques, primitives, “farmhouse fabulous décor,” Medina memorabilia, a huge butter pat holder collection, tea cup holders, glassware and stoneware.

Upstairs is devoted to Nancy’s collection of dolls, sewing notions and teddy bears.

The garage is also filled with everything from garden tools to Christmas decorations.

“Frank’s stuff was all over the place, while Nancy’s was so organized,” Klino said.

Because of the enormity of the estate, Klino said they have added an extra night for the sale. It is scheduled from 4 to 8 p.m. April 9, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 10 and 11 and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 12.

Gary Berger looks at a newspaper article on Dec. 31, 1999 announcing his father’s selection as Medina’s Citizen of the Year. He received the honor in 1972 and 1999.

Medina varsity comes in 4^th, JV in 2^nd

Photos and information courtesy of the Medina Band Boosters

GATES – Medina’s varsity and JV winter guard groups both competed Saturday in the North East Color Guard Circuit Championships at Gates Chili.

The top photo shows Medina’s varsity winter guard with scored 78.55 and finished fourth in the A1 class. Corning-Painted Post HS won with 82.810 in the division.

There were 29 guards performing that came from NYS, Canada and PA at the championships.

Classifications are determined by age and skill level.  The Medina Colorguard Club performed in exhibition and therefore not scored.

Medina’s JV guard competed in the Cadet class and scored 75.24 putting them in 2nd place in a group of 6 guards. The Lancaster Cadet scored 76.780 for first place.

While the WG season comes to close the entire band will be preparing for the parade season.