Warren Blount, Michael Royal, Nelda Toussaint and Mary Brennan Woodruff will be recognized

MEDINA – The Medina school district will be recognized four graduates as “Distinguished Alumni” at a ceremony on April 23 at 2 p.m. in the school auditorium.

The honored alumni include:

• Warren Blount – posthumously, Class of 1963
• Michael Royal – Class of 1997
• Nelda Toussaint – posthumously, Class of 1947
• Mary Brennan Woodruff – Class of 1965

Warren Blount in highlighted for outstanding service to his profession. He served three tours of duty during the Vietnam War with the United States Marines, including the Battle of Khe Sanh and the Tet Offensive. His received the Purple Heart, the Naval Commendation Medal, the Bronze Star, and the Vietnam Cross.

Following his military service, Warren transitioned from the battlefield to the operating room, dedicating himself to the pursuit of medical excellence. After graduating from the University of Birmingham, he became a highly skilled Surgeon’s Assistant in Cardiac Vascular Surgery. His career in Michigan saw him assist in over 6,000 open-heart surgeries and transplants, working alongside world-class surgeons to save countless lives.

He furthered his education at the Michigan University College of Human Medicine, completing a residency in Emergency Medicine to expand his capacity to care for those in crisis.

Blount concluded his distinguished career in Tallahassee, Florida, where he served for 17 years as a practicing emergency physician at the Capital Region Medical Center.

“Whether in the heat of combat or the intensity of the emergency room, Warren Blount lived a life of purpose that fundamentally changed the lives of others,” the school district said. “He remains a shining example of the heights a Medina alumnus can reach through hard work and a heart for service.”

Mary Brennan Woodruff is being honored for outstanding service to her community. Her distinguished 35-year career in education at the Royalton-Hartland School District was marked by a versatile mastery of teaching, ranging from elementary classrooms to specialized middle school mathematics.

Beyond the classroom, Woodruff emerged as a formidable leader in her profession, serving nine terms as Union President and chairing the district’s Professional Council.

Her impact on the local landscape is perhaps most visible through her visionary leadership of the Medina Hometown Heroes initiative. Inspired by a family tribute to her father-in-law, she launched the program in 2019 to honor the military men and women of Medina.

“With meticulous attention to detail and profound empathy for grieving families, Mary has coordinated the placement of over 410 banners throughout the village,” the district said. “Her tireless work balancing design, sponsorship, and logistics has transformed the streets of Medina into a living gallery of gratitude, ensuring that the sacrifices of local veterans are never forgotten.”

Woodruff made history in 2012 by becoming the first woman elected to the Ridgeway Town Council in the town’s 200-year history. Now serving her third term, she remains a steadfast advocate for her constituents and a vital member of the Decorate Medina Committee.

Dr. Michael Royal, Ed. D. is recognized for excellence in his profession. Dr. Royal has built a distinguished career defined by academic excellence and leadership.

A member of the National Honor Society and a record-setting athlete in the 4×400 relay, he carried his Medina work ethic to the Mooresville Graded School District in North Carolina.

Since 2001, he has ascended from an award-winning mathematics teacher and Principal of Mooresville High School to Chief Operations Officer—where he oversaw over $100 million in construction projects—and currently serves as Assistant Superintendent. His visionary leadership in digital learning and student growth earned him the 2016–2017 Administrator of the Year award and led to his appointment as Interim Superintendent in 2022.

Dr. Royal also is a legendary figure in North Carolina athletics. One of only five coaches inducted into the Mooresville High School Athletic Hall of Fame, he led his teams to a staggering 39 team titles and six State Championships. Most notably, his 2007–2008 boys’ teams achieved the historic “Triple Crown,” winning State Championships in Cross Country, Indoor Track and Outdoor Track—a feat unmatched by any other boys’ program in state history.

Beyond the scoreboard, his contribution to humanity is seen in his devotion to his brother, Corey. By running marathons for Team Spina Bifida, he turned personal loss into a mission of hope, raising vital funds and awareness in Corey’s memory.

Nelda Toussaint is recognized for “Outstanding Service to her Community.” Toussaint was a woman of remarkable intellect and determination, graduating at the age of 16 before earning a degree in Fine Arts from Syracuse University, the district noted.

After returning to her hometown, she applied her meticulous organizational skills to the management of her family’s farm and multiple local law offices.

For over seven decades, Nelda remained a pillar of the Medina community, balancing her professional acumen with a deep-seated commitment to civic duty. Whether managing complex finances or serving as an active member of the First Presbyterian Church, she moved through life with a grace and precision that earned her the enduring respect of her peers.”

She offered an unwavering advocacy for local education. For over 20 years, she served as a vital member and President of the Medina School Board, steering the district through decades of growth and change. She continued to serve on the budget committee and attend meetings well into her 90s, ensuring a bright future for generations of students.

Beyond the school district boardroom, her leadership extended to the Medina Memorial Hospital’s Association of Twigs and the Woods Creek Pony Club, reflecting a lifelong mission to enrich the social and educational fabric of the village she loved, the district said.

“To all who knew her, Nelda was a portrait of vitality and spirit,” the district said. “An adventurer at heart, she traveled the world, notably riding a camel across the Sahara at the age of 89. Nelda Toussaint’s life was a masterclass in active citizenship and family devotion.”

Wagner, Prawel picked for village trustees

Photos by Tom Rivers: Medina voters elected the team of Debbie Padoleski as mayor, and Jeff Wagner, center, and Mark Prawel for village trustees. The trio campaigned together and were on the same party line: the “People’s Party.”

MEDINA – Five years ago Debbie Padoleski retired as Medina’s village clerk-treasurer. She worked in the village clerk’s office for 41 years, starting when she was 19.

On Wednesday, village residents elected her mayor.

Padoleski won 489 to 405 for incumbent Marguerite Sherman.

After waiting about 2 ½ hours for the votes to be counted, the outcome was announced by Judy Szulis, the election chairwoman for the village.

Padoleski and Sherman hugged each other when the results were announced. They had waited patiently in the Senior Center until just after 11:30 p.m.

“I’m in shock,” Padoleski said walking in the parking lot. “It was a very close race.”

She was congratulated by several people, with one saying, “It’s time to take back the village.”

Padoleski starts the new two-year term as mayor on April 1 and right away will need to lead the Village Board in working through the new village budget for 2026-27. That spending plan needs to be adopted by April 30.

“I’m ready to get to work,” she said.

Padoleski never expected to be a politician with her name on signs. She was elected village trustee two years ago and has been outspoken about a high tax burden in the village. She led the way in getting the village’s new ladder truck declared surplus. The $1.7 million ladder truck’s fate is uncertain. Padoleski would like to sell it and hold off on an addition to the fire hall.

She worries the high village taxes could drive out residents and businesses. It’s a message that seemed to resonant with many in the community.

“The support I’ve gotten is fabulous,” she said.

Sherman wishes the new board well as it faces many issues, and not just the ladder truck and a possible fire hall addition. Medina should work on developing long-term plan for infrastructure, sidewalks and affordability, she said.

“No matter what the outcome, the board has to come together because there is a lot going on in this village,” Sherman said after the results were announced.

Medina voters also elected village trustees – Jeff Wagner, 491 votes, and Mark Prawel with 487. They ran together with Padoleski on the “People’s Party” line.

Dean Bellack received 319 votes and Courtney Henderson was named on 212 write-in votes for trustee.

Provided photos: The East High student body dances together in the finale of High School Musical, which will be performed by Medina students on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Press Release, Medina Central School

MEDINA – The Medina Junior Senior High School Musical Theater Program invites the community to their highly anticipated spring musical, Disney’s High School Musical, running for three performances from March 20-22 in the JSHS Auditorium.

Following the massive success of their previous productions, Medina students have been working tirelessly since early January to bring the iconic characters of Troy, Gabriella, Sharpay, and Ryan to the local stage. Featuring energetic choreography, a lively pit band, and unforgettable musical numbers, this production promises to be a nostalgic, high-energy event that the whole family will enjoy.

Medina senior Ava Blount plays the role of “Gabriella Montez” while the captain of the East High basketball team, “Troy Bolton,” is played by Jackson McGrath. Jackson embodies this character as he is a leader in multiple music ensembles at Medina JSHS and is an active member of the Medina Varsity football, wrestling and lacrosse teams.

“This show is about a group of students trying to find where they belong within the school community, and ultimately how their differences help them discover who they truly are. It’s a story about acceptance, inclusivity, and friendship which is incredibly important to us as directors,” says Medina JSHS directors Rachel Trillizio and Anna Ferlito. “We have kids in the show ranging in age from 13 to 18, and the lessons woven throughout the story are personal to each kid in different ways. We have students who are uniquely gifted at academics, singing, dancing, acting, building, athletics, organizing, and leading, and they have worked together for the past 3 months to create one amazing show.”

Medina senior Saniyyaha Wilson stars as “Zeke” and is shown with the rest of the East High Wildcat basketball team.

Performance Details:

Where: Medina JSHS Auditorium-2 Mustang Dr. Medina, NY 14103

When: March 20 at 7 p.m., March 21 at 7 p.m., March 22 at 2 p.m. Doors open 30 minutes prior to each show.

Tickets: $12- Available at medinamusic.booktix.com or at the door.

About the Production:

Disney’s High School Musical tells the story of two high schoolers—Troy, the basketball captain, and Gabriella, a shy transfer student—who break the “rules” of high school cliques to audition for the school musical. The show addresses themes of unity, diversity, and being true to oneself, offering a fun, empowering experience for both the performers and audience members.

Arik Papaj is “Ryan Evans” and Arabella White plays his sister, “Sharpay Evans.”

Ava Blount is “Gabriella,” while Madelyn Elliott plays the captain of the science decathlon team “Taylor McKessie.” Mackenzie Poynter, center in back, is the “Martha Cox,” a girl with a secret passion for hip hop.

Vocalists of all experience levels welcome to be part of event

Press Release, Medina Triennial

Provided photo by Yvonne Venegas: Tania Candiani welcomes hundreds of participants for a collective vocal work from 10 a/m. to 2 p.m. at the old Medina High School at 324 Catherine St.

MEDINA – As part of the inaugural Medina Triennial opening this June, internationally renowned artist Tania Candiani, in collaboration with composer Rogelio Sosa, will lead a large-scale filmed performance bringing together hundreds of community participants for a four-hour collective vocal work.

Participants of all ages and experience levels will generate a dynamic soundscape using guided breaths, hums, whispers, and tones, inspired by the meeting of waters at Medina’s Erie Canal aqueduct.

Filmed inside the historic former Medina High School auditorium, the performance will transform individual voices into a unified sonic experience, reactivating the space through sound and movement. The resulting work will be presented as part of Candiani’s installation in the Triennial, on view June 6 through September 7.

Casting is open to the public, and individuals of all experience levels are encouraged to participate. Registration is available at https://medinatriennial.org/programs/casting-call.

The Medina Triennial is an upcoming free, village-wide contemporary art exhibition featuring more than 100 artworks by 35 artists and collectives across indoor and outdoor venues throughout Medina. Opening June 6 and running through September 7, the Triennial marks the first recurring exhibition of this scale to take place in a U.S. community of this size, positioning small-town geographies as vital sites of cultural and critical imagination.

Candidates share their perspectives on issues facing the village

Photos by Tom Rivers: Marguerite Sherman, left, is being challenged in her re-election bid for Medina mayor by current village trustee, Debbie Padoleski, who is retired from the village as clerk-treasurer.

MEDINA – It’s election day in the Village of Medina with voters to pick a mayor and two trustees. Polls are open from noon to 9 p.m. at the Senior Center at 615 West Ave.

Two candidates are on the ballot for mayor: Marguerite Sherman, the mayor the past two years, is challenged by Debbie Padoleski, a current village trustee who is retired as the village’s clerk-treasurer. Sherman will be on the “Village Party” line while Padoleski runs under the “People’s Party.”

Three candidates are on the ballot for trustee. Mark Prawel, a current trustee, retired Medina police officer and car mechanic; and Jeffrey Wagner, the owner of the former Apple Grove restaurant in Medina and a retired general manager for Cracker Barrel, are both on the “People’s Party” with Padoleski.

Dean Bellack, an active community member as a volunteer for the YMCA, United Way and Lions Club, also is running as a trustee under the “Connect Orleans Party.” Bellack is retired as owner of a manufacturer’s rep company and has been vocal about the village’s high taxes and need to expand housing options in the community.

Courtney Henderson also is mounting a write-in challenge for village trustee.

Mayoral candidates

Marguerite Sherman has led the village the past two years as mayor. She sees a village on an upswing with many projects and initiatives in the works, including implementation of the $4.5 million NY Forward grant in the downtown and Canal Basin. She acknowledges the headlines and conversation are often dominated by a new ladder truck and its permanent home.

Medina voted to purchase the ladder truck three years ago for $1.7 million. The truck doesn’t fit in the existing fire hall. Sherman wants to pursue grants for a one-bay addition to the fire hall. In the meantime, she said the truck could stay in the DPW garage.

Padoleski said the Village Board poorly thought out getting a ladder truck that didn’t fit in the existing fire hall, or having a solid plan for an addition to house the truck. “Their eyes got bigger than their pocketbooks,” she said.

She wants to sell the ladder truck, scrap plans for an addition on the fire hall and start the process over, with funding lined up before proceeding.

“This village in the last two years has spiraled into such a state of chaos I think they need me,” Padoleski said about running for mayor.

She retired in 2021 after working in the village office for 41 years. She said she has expertise in the village’s finances to set the community on a better path.

“We need to be able to self sustain and take care of ourselves,” she said. “We can’t sit around and wait for grants. That shouldn’t be the only way to survive, by relying on help from the outside.”

Padoleski said village taxpayers are bearing too much expense for services, especially for a fire department that often goes outside the village lines.

The fire department represents $2.9 million in spending, and brings in about $1.2 million in fees through its ambulance service. Padoleski said the $1.7 million difference is too much for village taxpayers, and accounts for more than the budgets for police and the Department of Public Works.

The Medina Fire Department is expected to do too much for communities outside the village, she said. She said a ladder truck typically sees little action in the village, but would be expected to respond frequently outside Medina.

The three towns of Shelby, Ridgeway and Yates currently pay $35,000 annually to the village towards the cost of replacing an ambulance. Medina is the primary ambulance provider for those towns and all of western Orleans. Padoleski said those three need to pay significantly more towards the service.

The village tax levy has gone from $3,197,059 in 2020-21 to $3,910,344 in 2025-26, a $713,285 or 22.3 percent increase. In Sherman’s two budgets as mayor (and Padoleski’s and Prawel’s two budgets as trustee), the tax levy went up $123,380 or 3.3 percent over two years, a significantly lower tax increase.

About a year ago, the Village Board ended the school resource officer from the Medina PD and the K9 program, and also cut four full-time firefighters and didn’t fill a vacancy in the DPW.

Padoleski worries if the village took on the new ladder truck and a fire hall addition. The ladder truck would represent $130,000 payment annually over the next 20 years, with the addition if financed at $1.3 million over 20 years another $110,000 payment. Those two together would raise the village tax rate by 88 cents per $1,000 of assessed property, she said.

She said taxpayers have encouraged her tough stance against taking on more big expenses for the village.

“I’m on the right side of it,” she said. “I have the support of the community.”

Sherman said she is committed to giving village employees the tools and equipment they need to safely provide services to the community.

“These employees put their heart and soul into the village every day,” she said.

She is very optimistic funding can be secured for the fire hall expansion as well as some improvements to the current fire station from the 1930s.

Last week, she led the effort to submit a $1 million grant request through Congresswoman Claudia Tenney’s office. The money would go towards the one-bay fire hall addition and also $475,000 in renovations to the current fire hall.

Sherman said the ladder truck and building issues have highlighted the challenge of villages to provide services at today’s escalating costs.

“It’s brought attention to Medina’s needs and the plea for all municipalities to work together for the benefit of the whole community,” she said.

Sherman, 63, is a retired special education teacher at Medina. She was on the Village Planning Board before joining the Village Board as a trustee a decade ago.

If elected to a new term, she will push for long-term strategic plans for infrastructure and sidewalk replacement. Last week she announced private donations for $200,000 towards new sidewalks.

She sees momentum on many fronts for Medina. She is seeking another term to continue that progress and see through the $4.5 million Forward NY grant, the development of the long-term plans for infrastructure, completion of Canal Corporation’s plan to repair the north wall in the Canal Basin and upgrade the canal trail.

She said the village deserves and needs more of the local sales tax (a share to towns and villages that hasn’t been increased by the County Legislature in 25 years). She wants to explore having Medina become a city, a change that would bring in a significant hike in state municipal aid and could also give Medina more leverage in the local sales tax pie.

“There’s no question our tax burden is too high,” Sherman said about the village.

She said she values her relationships with other local municipal leaders, including Shelby Town Supervisor Jim Heminway, Ridgeway Town Supervisor Brian Napoli and Yates Town Supervisor Jim Simon. All are serious about long-term strategies to make the local government more sustainable for residents, Sherman said.

“You can preach affordability, but you have to have a plan,” she said.

She praised the many residents and committees that give Medina a high quality of life. Volunteers run concert series and many other community events, developed the skate park and dog park, and worked to upgrade Boxwood Cemetery and village parks.

“We’re putting ourselves on the map through the efforts of a lot of people,” she said. “In Medina, we support each other. Everyone is important. Every idea is important. That’s what makes Medina great. We’re here to support each other.”

Village trustee candidates

The trustee candidates on the ballot include, from left: Jeff Wagner, Mark Prawel and Dean Bellack. Courtney Henderson also is mounting a write-in campaign.

Jeff Wagner, 72, is making his first run for public office. The former owner of the Apple Grove Inn, he also started the Miss Apple Grove that was a tourism juggernaut locally, with mules pulling a packet boat in Medina. It was featured in National Geographic.

Wagner would go on to serve as general manager of the Cracker Barrel in Lancaster, and corporate had him go to other stores as a training manager. He won GM of the year several times through Cracker Barrel.

Wagner wants to bring his business acumen to the Village Board.

“I would like to make a difference in how this runs,” he said.

He serves on Medina’s Tree Board and frequently brings his dog to the Medina Dog Park on North Gravel Road.

He wants to help develop plans for addressing the village’s aging infrastructure, sidewalks and fire hydrants.

Mark Prawel, 55, has been a trustee the past two years. He retired as a Medina police officer on April 16, 2023. He worked for the village for 16 ½ years. That gave him insight into the village operations. He also runs Prawel Auto Service on Ryan Street in Medina, where customers have been telling him the village taxes and too high, especially for the senior citizens.

Prawel said the fire department is consuming too much of the village budget, when other departments feel a very tight financial pinch. The DPW, for example, was reduced by a full-time employee a year ago and now only has a staff of nine full-time workers.

Prawel said Medina gives so much to the overall community, but village taxpayers get the bill.

“Everybody enjoys the Village of Medina,” he said. “We have all the parks, the ball fields.”

The village needs to bring in more outside revenue to help pay for the services offered to the community, he said.

He is proud of Medina’s downtown, but he said the bustling district can give the impression all is well in the village. Just a few blocks away, Prawel said neighborhoods are in decline and in need of help. He wants to bring more attention to those neighborhoods.

“We have a lot of issues in Medina, but a limited amount of money,” he said.

With the ladder truck and fire hall addition, “the facts are we just can’t afford it,” Prawel said.

He voted to declare the new ladder truck surplus, and expects the village will break even or make some money off a sale. He believes a smaller used ladder truck can be found that would fit in the existing fire hall.

“I’m not against equipment, I just want it to be a smart decision,” he said.

Dean Bellack, 68, says Medina needs to “change the curve” and form stronger alliances with other towns and villages in the county. Together they can share services and costs, and pursue much larger grants to help all the municipalities.

“We need to talk about true partnerships across towns and villages,” he said. “With bigger, larger grants you can get more political weight behind them.”

Bellack sees a village government in need of a new model. The current system puts too much cost burden on the municipality with about 6,000 residents. Bellack said more revenues are needed to help offset the load on the village. That could come through grants, or additional local sales tax, and state aid.

Bellack favored the efforts to dissolve the village back in 2014 and create “One Medina” with the towns of Ridgeway, Shelby and the village of Medina combined into one entity.

“If we went through with that I believe our economic situation would be much better,” he said. “You can’t just be focused on the short-term. I tend to think very large and very long-term.”

Bellack has helped revived struggling entities before. He noted the former Lake Plains YMCA was on the verge of closing before forming a successful partnership with the GLOW YMCA. Bellack is now chairman of the organization’s board, and he said the experience gives him a close look at communities in Genesee, Wyoming and Livingston, as well as Orleans. The local Y went from being broke to a remodel of the former Armory site in Medina that now has an endowment directing $70,000 a year to building maintenance and projects.

He also led the change in structure for the local United Way, which has been renamed “Orleans Community Connects.” Bellack said the agency has switched its focus from being a fundraiser for local non-profits to bringing in significant grants to address difficult issues in the community, from housing assistance, food access, caregiving support and technology help.

Bellack also owned and managed 43 apartments units in Medina. He said all of his experiences have him ready to serve as a village trustee, and look for long-term solutions for the village government.

“I have the time, the energy and I care,” he said.

He chose “Connect Orleans Party” as his party line. It speaks to a focus to bring communities in the county together on addressing issues.

“In Orleans County we can’t continue to be disconnected to each other,” he said.

Courtney Henderson

Courtney Henderson, a write-in candidate, said she wants to be a voice for village residents on the board. She has been endorsed by the union for the firefighters, Medina Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 2161. That union also backs Sherman for mayor.

“We support these candidates because they are committed to listening to all village residents, encouraging open public engagement and making decisions based on what is best for the entire community,” the union stated on its Facebook page. “Medina deserves leaders who welcome conversation, value transparency and put residents first, not personal agendas.”

Henderson said the firefighters, who also serve as EMTs on the ambulance, are short-staffed and that has resulted in $300,000 of overtime this budget year. The Village Board about a year ago eliminated four of the 21 full-time firefighter positions.

“A Village Trustee’s job isn’t just to vote,” she said on her campaign page on Facebook. “It’s to listen to residents, ask questions, review how tax dollars are spent, and make decisions that reflect what the community actually wants and needs. Small government works best when communication goes both ways, when residents feel comfortable speaking up, and when leadership takes the time to truly hear them.”

100 artworks by 35 artists and collectives will be featured June 6 to Sept. 7

Press Release, Medina Triennial

MEDINA – The Medina Triennial, a new contemporary art triennial centered in the Western New York village of Medina along the Erie Canal, is pleased to announce key artist commissions, sites, and the theme for its inaugural edition taking place June 6 to Sept. 7.

Co-Artistic Directors Kari Conte and Karin Laansoo have invited artists from across five continents to present site-responsive installations and public programs.

Titled “All That Sustains Us,” this ambitious, free, village-wide exhibition features more than 100 artworks by 35 artists and collectives. It marks the first recurring exhibition of this scale to take place in a U.S. community of this size, positioning small-town geographies as vital sites of cultural and critical imagination.

Grounded in place and shaped through deep community engagement, the Triennial features new commissions alongside recent and historical works across 12 indoor and outdoor sites.

The curatorial framework of the Triennial sits at the intersection of art, ecology, architecture, and rural contexts and considers maintenance not only as a physical act of upkeep, but also as a social, political, and environmental process shaped by fragility and resilience. The Triennial brings together artistic practices that examine how civic and ecological systems are structured by labor, regulation, extraction, and repair. At its core, the Triennial asks: What essential efforts and commitments are required to sustain life in our fractured world?

Commissioned artworks include:

• Ash Arder’s INT. HOME(S) (2023/2026), an expanded sculptural installation made from parts of a 1987 Cadillac Sedan de Ville—her family’s childhood car—salvaged from a local junkyard and wrapped in gold. Reconstructed as an interactive vessel and a domestic space, the work features a new multi-channel video that traces the artist’s Detroit childhood and her relationship with the automobile, which served many roles as home, guardian, and safe space in a factory town.
• Tania Candiani’s Two Waters (2026), a large-scale filmed performance created with 1/4 composer Rogelio Sosa and hundreds of local volunteers, inspired by Medina’s aqueduct, where the Erie Canal crosses above Oak Orchard Creek—two waters that never touch.
• Futurefarmers (Amy Franceschini, Michael Swaine, and FS Bàssïbét) present 48 Collections from the Erie Canal (2026), a three-part installation that begins with a local legend and expands outward through collective memory. Working with residents, the artists gathered oral histories and archival fragments, translating them into sound and video works, as well as a series of glass sculptures that encase canal sediment.
• Matt Kenyon’s The TELL (2026) reimagines a champagne tower using glass, Medina sandstone, and roses of Jericho—plants that revive with just a drop of water. A custom atmospheric water generator suspended above the tower draws moisture from the air and releases it unpredictably, creating a fragile, living system in which renewal is never guaranteed.
• Asad Raza imagines a site-specific new work, Reflection (2026), redirecting the Erie Canal’s water into the Medina Triennial Hub. By physically rerouting water that once powered extraction and trade, the work confronts the canal’s histories of labor and environmental transformation. The installation foregrounds the canal as a living system shaped by human intervention, repurposing its infrastructure for the play of bodies and light.
• Kärt Ojavee collaborates with local farmers on Between Blossom and Core (2026), an installation exploring scent extraction from Honeycrisp apple blossoms and scent-mapping of Medina’s orchards, soils, and industrial sites.

Triennial sites range from post-industrial buildings to public spaces and locations on the Erie Canal. The Medina Triennial Hub, located in a former sandstone hotel overlooking the canal, will serve as a welcome center as well as the home of the Triennial’s residency and education programs.

The main exhibition site is 25,000 square feet of the historic former Medina High School building, which has been closed to students and the public for more than three decades and recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. Artist’s works will be presented at the Medina Railroad Museum grounds, Medina Memorial Hospital, Rotary Park, State Street Park, and Sacred Heart Church, as well as installations directly on the Erie Canal.

“Thinking with artists through a small town like Medina gives us a sharp lens for considering how our shared futures are built and carried forward, and shows why places often seen as peripheral are, in fact, central to responding to the crises shaping our world today,” said Co-Artistic Directors Kari Conte and Karin Laansoo. “By bringing artists from across the globe into dialogue with the Erie Canal and Medina’s post-industrial histories, the Triennial fosters new artistic gestures and shared work with local partners. The Triennial invites neighbors and visitors to come together and reflect through art on a time shaped by ecological breakdown and social division—while holding space for hope.”

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

For more information on the Triennial and to sign up for the official newsletter, please visit medinatriennial.org.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – The varsity winterguard for Medina performs on Saturday during its ColorBurst home show at Medina Junior-Senior High School.

The top photo shows Natalie Herbert in blue and Mackenzie Poynter. They are two of the 15 members of the varsity winterguard.

Medina’s show is titled, “A Dream to Me.” It explores the balance “between control and chaos – between dreamer and the dream.”

The Medina winterguard is led by director Melissa Jaeger, instructor/choreographer and drill designer Kara Brown, and instructor/choregraphers Katie Crooks and Kaela Grosslinger, wth assistance from consultant Molly Beth Jaeger.

Maddie Voss carries a flag for the Medina winterguard on Saturday.

Skielair Montgomery looks up and gets ready to catch the twirling flag on Saturday for Medina.

Here are the scores from the competition:

• Novice – Gates Chili, 1^st at 62.040

• Cadet – Lancaster 1^st at 69.470; Medina JV, 2^nd at 67.810; Batavia, 3^rd at 65.880; and Marcus Whitman, 4^th at 61.120

• Regional A – Greece RA, 1^st at 80.000; Victor JV, 2^nd at 76.960; Gates Chili RA, 3^rd at 76.640; Ventures RA, 4^th at 74.860; and Orchard Park JV, 5^th at 65.260

• A1 – Marcus Whitman, 1^st at 74.550; Hinsdale Headliners, 2^nd at 74.320; and Medina Varsity, 3^rd at 73.720

• Scholastic A – Victor Blue Devils, 1^st at 86.670; Greece, 2^nd at 84.340; Lancaster HS, 3^rd at 81.450, and Orchard Park, 4^th at 74.030

• Independent A – Batavia Varsity, 1^st at 81.180

• Senior – Luminosa, 1^st at 81.940

The Marcus Whitman Marching Wildcat Varsity Winterguard presented “Mine.” The show asks people to reflect on life’s everyday challenges and demonstrates how witnessing the resilience of others shapes the way we face our own obstacles. At the end of the performance the members each ripped up the paper with the obstacle they were facing.

The Marcus Whitman winterguard includes students from Marcus Whitman and Penn Yann school districts.

Greece High School performed “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall.”

Greece took first place in the Regional A Division.

Gates-Chili Regional A winterguard presented “Oh, The Places You’ll Go,” which is inspired by the book by Dr. Seuss.

The Gates-Chili show gives a message of following your own path, embracing challenges and trusting the journey ahead.

Victor’s RA winterguard presented “A Sky Full of Stars.”

The Hinsdale Headliners presented a show “Lose Yourself” by Eminem with a western twist.

The Ventures Regional A Guard performed “Here Comes the Sun” with music by The Beatles.

The Heritage Hurricanes, all all-abilities guard team, includes performers from Heritage Christian Services and other community members. The group is directed by Medina native Melissa Jeager.

This member of the Heritage Hurricanes gives a peace sign after the performance ended. The Hurricanes’ show was set to “Hand Clap” by Fitz and the Tantrums.

Photos Tom Rivers: Brandi Zavitz is shown last August working on a 32-foot-long mural at Medina Dog Park. She painted portraits of 69 dogs, 3 cats and Orly the Ox (the county’s bicentennial mascot). The mural will get bigger this year with 50 more dog portraits to be added.

MEDINA – The portraits of beloved pets at the Medina Dog Park will be expanded this year to include 50 more dogs.

Brandi Zavitz, a retired art teacher, has agreed to paint more canine companions. People need to pay $150 and send at least two pictures of their dogs, which can be living or deceased. The project is a fundraiser for the Medina Dog Park. The mural also has received funding through GO Art! The grant is less than last year’s amount which is why the portrait fee increased from $100 to $150.

There was an overwhelming response to the mural after it debuted last year. Many people were amazed how Zavitz painted dogs as superheroes with capes, or doing their favorite activities – carrying sticks, playing with balls, eating ice cream or watching a Bills game.

An application to have a pet included on the mural is available on the Friends of Medina Dog Park Facebook page. People can submit photos by May 30 to brandizavitz@gmail.com or text her at 585-798-9780.

In the application, people will be asked to describe their dog’s personality – whether affectionate, goofy, etc., and to note activities the dog enjoys with family.

Kye, Medina’s K9 for nine years, is shown with his super hero cape. He passed away from bone cancer in February 2022. Kye was an 11-year-old Belgian Malinois that served the Medina PD from 2012 to 2021.

Davis and Zavitz wanted a mural to enliven the park. They were talking about it in 2024. Some of the dogs that were regulars at the park had passed away since it opened in September 2020.

Zavitz has painted other murals in the community. She envisioned a mural where she would paint some of those dogs, giving them angel wings. Zavitz has long painted portraits of dogs and she wanted show their personalities and activities they enjoy.

She gave them superhero capes, tutu dresses, a Buffalo Bills jersey and other features to show their character. One dog enjoys sailboat rides so Zavitz painted a sailboat on the mural.

The mural was initially planned to be 24 feet long and would include 50 dogs. But there was a big response last year from the community that Zavitz added another 8-foot-section.

The Medina Dog Park is at fenced-in area on North Gravel Road, next to the village’s former compost plant, just south of Boxwood Cemetery.

MEDINA – The Village Board approved a formal resolution calling on the governor and State Legislature to increase funding to municipalities.

The New York Conference of Mayors, a organization representing cities and villages throughout the state, asked Median to support the resolution. Medina also will send a letter of support from Mayor Marguerite Sherman.

The state’s current Aid and Incentives to Municipalities distributes $715 million statewide to towns, villages and cities outside of New York City.  With AIM, the cities get $647.1 million or 90.5 percent of the total, while towns statewide receive $47.9 million, and villages share $19.7 million.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has proposed a $150 million increase in Temporary Municipal Assistance with the lion’s share again going to cities of all sizes in the state.

Medina approved the resolution of support on Monday, but Trustee Scott Bieliski noted Medina doesn’t get much in the program, despite offering many municipal services.

“With the state budget, our residents could be paying more than they are receiving,” he said.

The Village of Medina with a population of population 6,047 currently gets $45,523 in AIM, and would get another $9,555 in Temporary Municipal Assistance, or $55,078 total. That breaks out to $9.11 per person.

 That is a far cry from what smaller cities receive. The City of Batavia in Genesee County, population 15,174 gets $1,750,975 in AIM, and would receive another $609,978 in TMA for $2,360,953 total. That would be $155.59 per person.

Sherman, the village mayor, noted villages like Medina don’t get much in AIM and Temporary Municipal Assistance.

“We don’t get a huge share of this,” she said. “Hopefully we can get some more. Every bit helps.”

The resolution from the Medina Village Board states the increase in funding from the state will help municipalities “address fiscal challenges and maintain essential services for residents.”

The cities, villages, and towns are essential in delivering services, infrastructure, public safety, and quality of life that residents expect and deserve, the resolution states.

“Local governments across New York continue to face mounting fiscal pressures driven by inflation, increased service demands, infrastructure needs, and rising operational costs, while striving to provide relief to taxpayers amid a rising cost of living,” according to the resolution.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – It’s a radical different look inside Lee-Whedon Memorial Library these days. There aren’t too many tables or chairs left, and the big book shelves are mostly gone.

The books are on temporary shelves with wheels. Those shelves will be rolled into storage pods for interior work on the library as part of a $5.2 million capital project.

The library will close next Saturday on March 21 and reopen about six weeks later on May 4.

The books are on shelves from Lincoln Moving & Storage of Buffalo.

While Lee-Whedon is closed, library users can access digital materials through hoopla, Libby, Mango and Freegalmusic.

Lee-Whedon members also can use their card at other Nioga libraries. The closest ones are Yates Community Library, Hoag Library in Albion, and Royalton-Hartland Library in Middleport.

Lee-Whedon broke ground last Aug. 22 for a 4,785-square-foot addition on the back of the current library, which is 11,100 square feet.

The addition will create space for two meeting rooms, two tutoring rooms, a programming room with makerspace, Friends of the Library book sale room, a quiet research room, an art gallery, a teen room and 14 parking spots.

There will also be additional restrooms, a new circulation desk, a new entry portico with automatic sliding doors, about a 10 percent increase in the collection and upgraded technology.

The state is contributing nearly $1.7 million in New York State Public Library Construction Aid grants to the $5.2 million project. The community also has donated more than $500,000 to the expansion.

GameTime design: The proposal for Medina from GameTime includes playground equipment would be accessible to children with disabilities and mobility issues.

MEDINA – The Village of Medina has $110,000 secured towards a new inclusive playground that would serve kids of all abilities, including those with mobility issues.

But the village will need a sizable state grant to make the playground a reality. The village could pursue three state grant programs for the playground, which would have cost $541,252 in 2024. That price has likely gone up in the two years since then, perhaps by $100,000, said Haylee Ferington, who is helping to lead the effort for the new playground as a member of Friends of Medina Parks.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Haylee Ferington, a member of the Medina Parks Committee, updates the Village Board on Monday about upcoming grant opportunities for an inclusive playground at State Street Park.

The Friends applied for state grants last year but didn’t get picked for funding. Ferington advised the Village Board the grant applications would be stronger I fthe Village of Medina was the applicant.

The board will consider that, and needs to decide before the next round of grant applications in May, Ferington said.

The state funding opportunities come with a 50-50 match through the state Canal Corp., 70-30 match through the Environmental Protection Fund, and a 90-10 match through the State Historic Preservation Office, she said.

Gov. Hochul on Jan. 6 also has announced a new “NY Plays” funding opportunity for $67.5  million towards playgrounds. The grants range from $100,000 to $2.5 million, and require a 20 percent local share.

Ferington said the new playground has secured funding commitments of $50,000 from the Community Foundation of Buffalo, $50,000 from the Community Foundation of Rochester, and $10,000 from Brookfield Power which runs a hydroelectric plant in Medina.

“We’re hoping 2026 will bring about more fruitful funding opportunities through the state,” she told the Village Board.

The Friends of Medina Parks will meet at 6:30 this evening to make a recommendation to the Village Board on which state grants to pursue. The board will have to decide by May which ones to go after and if it will apply as the village.

Village Board thankful for short-term “SOS: Save Our Sidewalks” assistance, aims for long-term plan

MEDINA – Bob Sanderson enjoys taking walks around the village of Medina, but he said he has to pay close attention to crumbling sidewalks so he doesn’t trip.

Sanderson decided to help the village and homeowners get some of the sidewalks in better shape. He has pledged some of his own money and lined up other donors at $200,000 so far towards new sidewalks.

The Village Board on Monday unanimously voted for Sanderson to move forward with a “SOS: Save Our Sidewalks” plan that would go 50/50 for property owners willing to put in new sidewalks. Sanderson advised Mayor Marguerite Sherman he would have a committee review the proposals for the new sidewalks and that committee would distribute the funds, which would be outside the village budget.

Medina had a similar local grant program more than a decade ago when a donor offered to help people paint their houses. That money and program was handled outside the village budget.

Board members expressed their appreciation to Sanderson during Monday’s meeting. Sherman said Sanderson and the committee want to have a simple process for residents to put in new sidewalks. They likely will have to submit an estimate to the committee before work gets started. Sherman said more information will be forthcoming on the process.

The board has tried to encourage better sidewalks in the community. In 2021, it removed a sidewalk application fee to replace the walkways. The village Department of Public Works also removes the old sidewalks so new ones can be put in.

Sherman also announced an effort for a longer-term plan – “Medina Safe Steps Initiative.” The board voted to have the Planning Board look at updating the sidewalk ordinance for ongoing maintenance. The village also will be looking at grant sources to help replace the sidewalks. Sherman said there are state funding sources for sidewalks through the Department of Transportation.

Sherman said she hears from many residents, including the mail carriers at the U.S. Postal Service, about the rough conditions of the sidewalks in the village.

She said she is grateful that there will soon be assistance from the Sanderson-led group, and the village will have a long-range plan.

Left – Provided photo: Nicole Tuohey holds one of the heart cookies like her mother used to make and sell at Case-Nic Cookies to benefit the Arc and developmental disabilities. This is the eighth year of selling “Have a Heart” cookies, during which time they have raised more than $13,000. (Right – Photo by Ginny Kropf) Hans Rosentreter stands in front of Hans Bakery, holding a plate of “Have a Heart” cookies to promote the fundraiser started by former owner of the store, Mary Lou Tuohey and her daughter Nicole. Rosentreter is continuing the tradition Mary Lou and Nicole sponsored for years in support of Arc GLOW during Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. The basket raffle in the store window will also support the ARC and run through March 30.

MEDINA – A fundraiser started by Mary Lou Tuohey with her daughter Nicole while owner of Case-Nic Cookies is now being continued by the store’s new owner, Hans Rosentreter at his Han’s Bakery.

Rosentreter purchased the store just over a year ago.

“I knew Mary Lou would want to continue to do her fundraiser, and I was happy to go along with it,” Rosentreter said.

Nicole was born 35 years ago with a developmental disability called Triple X Syndrome. Doctors told her parents at her three-week checkup that she may never walk, talk, read, write, do math or ride a bike.

At 3 months of age, Nicole was enrolled in the Arc’s Rainbow Preschool, which was her stepping stone to a full life, Mary Lou said. Nicole is now 35 years old and attends the Day Hab Program through Arc GLOW. She not only does everything doctors said she wouldn’t do, but more.

“The early intervention and her current involvement with Arc GLOW have helped make her the woman she is today,” Mary Lou said. “That is why Nicole will be having a cookie sale and window basket raffle again, with all the money raised going to programs that serve individuals at Arc GLOW.

Rosentreter said his family has dealt with developmental disabilities and that is why he is happy to participate in the Tuohey’s fundraiser.

He is baking the frosted heart cutout cookies, using Mary Lou’s recipe. They are being sold in his bakery for $1 each. He also has allowed use of his store window for a basket raffle to support Arc GLOW, the same as Mary Lou did when she owned the store.

A plastic bucket has been placed in the entryway full of envelopes which contain a listing of each basket. Customers may take an envelope home, include the amount of money for a sheet of tickets and then indicate next to each item how many tickets they want placed in the drawing for that item. Then they return the envelope and bring it in the store during open hours or drop it in the mail slot during closed hours.

Extra cookies may be ordered by calling the bakery at (585) 798-1676.

The cookie sale and basket raffle will continue until March 30.

Photo and information courtesy of Troop 35 in Medina

MEDINA – Scouts and friends of Troop 35 in Medina removed two dump trailer loads of wreaths that were placed in December as part of Wreaths Across America.

The group removed the wreaths from Boxwood, St Mary’s, and Sacred Heart cemeteries on Sunday in preparation for spring cleanups. Picture below if some of the volunteers that helped.

Picture left top right: Lani Dieter, Maddox Smith, Jimmy Dieter and Cole Herman.