Provided photo: These dancers from Dance Theater are headed to Orlando, Fla. They will be doing a Halloween themed program. Pictured from left in front row: Charlotte McGrath, KaliRaine Brownlee, Emmalynn McGrath, Sydney Bruce and Olivia Maynard. Second row: Arabella White, Natalie Rath, Gracie Tardibone, Elaina Bruce and Gracie Brower. Third row: Baylie Watson, Brook Pisano, Marli Thrash, LiLiana Goebel, Olivia Eaton, Carly Voelker and Makenzie McGrath. Missing from photo: Izabella Murphy.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 October 2023 at 9:07 am
MEDINA – A group from Dance Theater in Medina is headed to Universal Studios in Orlando this week.
Brandon Johnson, owner of Dance Theater, said the local dancers will be part of the Universal STARS performing arts program during the Halloween Horror Nights.
The group will be performing in a stage show, as well as taking a workshop class with universal choreographers and dancers.
“The kids will then perform their choreography on stage in one of the sound stages used to shoot movies and music videos!” said an excited Johnson.
In spring 2021, Johnson said he saw that Universal Studios was looking for performance groups to be part of the STARS Program. He sent a performance reel of the Dance Theater students from the 2021 competition season. In August 2022, he received a call letting me know that we were selected to perform in the fall 2023.
The students will take a two-hour Hip Hop choreography class with a Universal choreographer who will be teaching them choreography from a current show at Universal’s famous Halloween Horror Nights celebration, Johnson said.
The class will include a warmup as well as choreography that the studio teaches to their on-set casts, Johnson said. It will take place in a working soundstage at Universal Orlando where the studio shoots movies and music videos.
“This will give the dancers an experience of what it is like to be part of the working dance industry as well as a backstage look and how a working sound stage looks and what it feels like to be part of a film shoot,” Johnson said.
The Dance Theater group will be performing to songs such as Thriller, Halloween and The Wicked Ones.
“The dancers will also get a one-on-one talk with the choreographer and dancers about what it’s like to be working in the dance industry in theme park and what it takes to be part of the industry in that facet or performance,” Johnson said. “This is a great talk for any dancers who may be hoping to continue into the industry after graduation.”
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Members of Medina Area Partnership who volunteered to welcome guests at the Senior Center are, clockwise from left, Amy Crandall, Cindy Hewitt, Amanda Pollard, Laura Gardner, Patrick Weissend, Amber Sherman, Autumn Fuller and Ann Fisher-Bale, events coordinator for MAP.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 1 October 2023 at 12:08 pm
MEDINA – To say Medina’s annual Ale in Autumn was a resounding success would be putting it mildly.
Medina Area Partnership, who sponsor the event, had intended to cap the tickets sold at 600, but sales were brisk right from the start, according to MAP’s event coordinator Ann Fisher-Bale, so they upped the number to 700 and sold out.
The second annual Busker Festival accompanied Ale in Autumn, and that, too, was very successful, according to Rob Robinson, who came up with the idea. The number of buskers was up from last year’s 17 and included a variety of performers, including musicians, jugglers and magicians.
(Left) Kathleen Schumacher pours Shipyard’s Pumpkin Head ale for Lindsey Snyder of Medina at the Medina Railroad Museum. (Right) Lindsey Snyder and Olivia Hill of Medina enjoy friendship and ale at Medina Railroad Museum during Ale in Autumn on Saturday.
Participants at Ale in Autumn arrived at staggered start times at Medina Senior Center, where their ID was checked, they received a wrist band and bag of goodies and bought raffle tickets for baskets provided by each participating business. There were 23 sites offering a tase of beer.
Kristian Poehlmann and Pam Montague were among the first to line up at the Senior Center before 12:30 p.m.
“This event is fun, and it’s a day hanging out with my bestie,” Poehlmann said. “Pam and I have been best friends for more than 50 years. We like going in all the stores, and I like the beers.”
Poehlmann said she grew up just a block away and remembers hearing the train derailment on Christmas Eve, 1968.
Stacey Sage of Batavia has attended Wine About Winter, but this was her first Ale in Autumn, with Ian Mania of Medina.
“I like being able to sample all the ales and going in the stores looking at everything,” Sage said. “I will also do Wine About Winter again. It may be cold, but it’s always fun.”
(Left) Medina High School seniors Logan Gray, left, and Scott Schultz earned volunteer hours for helping at Medina Railroad Museum during Ale in Autumn Saturday. They pose here with Georgia Thomas in the military room, Gray with a World War I helmet and Schultz wearing a World War II hat. (Right) Georgia Thomas, left, pours a Buergerbrau lager at Medina Historical Society for Abbigail Davis and Mallory Albone of Medina.
Poehlmann and Montague were encountered later in the day at Medina Railroad Museum, where they shared their favorite drinks. Poehlmann said her favorite was the Liquid Sunshine poured at Canalside Tattoo. Snyder liked the North Ridge cider at Tapped on Main. Both drinks were one-ounce pours, because of a higher alcohol content.
The girls also commented on Schoeferhofer grapefruit poured at the English Rose Tea Shop.
No two stops had the same ale.
Larry and Gabriella Albanese of Albion were enjoying the day. Larry said they had been to all participating stores, some twice.
Kathleen Schumacher at Medina Railroad Museum explained they blocked off the entrance to the train layout, but let visitors get close enough to see what was there. Schumacher said people were picking up brochures in the museum and it was hoped they would go home and think about it and come back or order tickets to an upcoming event.
The Shewan family couldn’t resist when they saw the antique organ at Medina Historical Society. Scott, left, and Ruth sang along as Steve played an old favorite, before heading to the dining room for their taste of ale.
At Medina Historical Society, Georgia Thomas was pouring Buergerbrau lager, an ale she felt would be perfect with fish and chips. She had set a table with a variety of snacks and cake, which created a lot of interest.
In the main exhibit room Craig and Sarah Lacey welcomed visitors and explained interesting artifacts. Mid-afternoon Scott Shewan, Steve Shewan and his wife Ruth came in and spotted the antique organ. Steve and Ruth are both music teachers and he sat down and proceeded to play an old favorite, while Ruth sang along in her soprano voice.
In the military room, two high school seniors were fulfilling their required volunteer hours to graduate. Logan Gray and Scott Schultz both said they chose the Museum because they liked history and wanted to learn more.
In addition to the baskets provided at each stop, there will be one grand prize awarded of an overnight stay at the Hart House Hotel, a cocktail package at the Shirt Factory and a gift certificate to Ashlee’s Place.
Ann Fisher Bale, events coordinator for MAP said profit from these events goes back to the community in the form of beautification projects and promoting local business. They are also a sponsor of Leadership Orleans.
Photos by Tom Rivers: At the Knights of Columbus, Jennifer Szalay serves a Jamaican Lager beer “Red Stripe” to Victoria Taber of Albion and Marcus Watts of Medina.
Evan Anstey performs as one of the buskers providing entertainment during Ale in Autumn while a passerby drops in some money. Anstey of Middleport sang outside the Dance Theater on Main Street. He was joined by Peter Sarchia of Middleport. They performed many bluegrass and folk songs.
Dave Sevenski serves “Berry Sneaky” to Donna Ferry of Darien at the Downtown Browsery. Berry Sneaky is a sour beer. “It’s the hot thing in craft beer,” Sevenski said about the sour beers.
Wesley Rosentreter, right, serves Chai Pumpkin beer from the Ithaca Brewing company at The Coffee Pot, which is co-owned by his son, Hans Rosentreter. Ann Coon of Lyndonville, second from left, and Linda Mirand of Medina were among the 700 people sampling beer for Ale in Autumn.
Coon said her favorites were a blood orange beer, a forbidden apple and a pumpkin beer.
Mirand said she enjoyed the different beers and visiting with so many people.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 30 September 2023 at 10:35 pm
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Julie Berry, center, owner of Author’s Note Bookstore, poses with staff Erica Caldwell, left, and Olivia Marchese with a display in honor of the store’s second anniversary on Saturday.
MEDINA – Author’s Note, a bookstore at 519 Main St., reached the two-year milestone on Saturday, and owner and New York Times Best-Selling author Julie Berry decided to throw a big party.
The store was a beehive of activity from the time the doors opened, with cake and cupcakes for customers, new tee shirts, music and therapy ponies out back for children to color and dress up with bows.
One of the early customers was Rachel Frasier of Medina with her daughter Leona, 3.
“My husband is golfing so we are having a girls’ day out,” Frasier said. “We’ve been to the farmers’ market and now we’re just walking on Main Street.”
Frasier didn’t know about the ponies, but took Leona out back as soon as Berry told her about them.
The ponies belong to Lisa Smith of Wilson and are very gentle and receptive to children being in the pen with them. Children were given colored chalk, which washes right off, and had fun coloring their backs, braiding their manes or pinning ribbons and bows on them. Children were also encouraged to read the ponies a story.
Author’s Note also welcomed a local author during the day, Renee Lama, a Medina native and classmate of Berry’s. Lama’s book Last Call: Hotels, Restaurants and Bars, is a history of the service industry in the Medina area, and copies are flying off the shelf.
(Left) Julie Berry invites Rachel Frasier and daughter Leona, 2, to have a cupcake before going behind the store to interact with miniature therapy ponies. (Right) Therapy ponies from Lisa Smith of Wilson were part of Author’s Note second birthday celebration Saturday. Here, Bailey Seimar, 6, rear, colors a pony blue, while Xander Crockett, 9, tries to pin a bow on another pony.
Berry is thrilled with the success of her bookstore and can’t thank the community enough for its support.
“There’s a reason so many businesses fail in their first or second year,” Berry said. “I understand them better now than I ever did before. A small-town indie bookstore is an audacious experiment in a world where behemoth corporations maintain fleets of trucks and billions in state-of-the-art technology. We’re in this together and we feel your care for us and our survival daily. Every friend you send to Author’s Note allows us to remain here. If that’s not worth a party, what is?”
It was in April 2020 when Berry, living in California with husband Phil, learned the book shop in her home town was on the market.
She had previously told the Orleans Hub she couldn’t bear to think of her home town not having a book store.
So she started thinking about returning home.
“By late October we had a deal,” Berry said.
She and her family returned to Medina and began months of renovation to store. They had it ready for a soft opening in the spring, then celebrated with a full opening in the fall.
“It’s been an incredible journey,” Berry said. “The thing that moves me most is the incredible dedication of my team, which make Author’s Note a magical place.”
Salespeople and book buyers are Erica Caldwell and Olivia Marchese, who have been there since the store opened.
“I am also amazed at the response from the community and the love people feel for the book store,” Berry said. “They love our book clubs, they love our events and they love being here to celebrate these events with us.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 September 2023 at 8:50 am
Total currently more than $4 million above limit that will be funded by state
Photos by Tom Rivers: The north end of Main Street in Medina is pictured earlier this month.
MEDINA – A committee in Medina faces a difficult challenge of trying to narrow $8.7 million from 22 potential projects for Medina’s NY Forward grant of $4.5 million.
The state will ultimately decide which projects are awarded funding. The Medina committee could just send the $8.7 million in projects to the state, and let state officials decide. But the local group, which met on Tuesday evening, wants to try to get the number down to $6 to $6.5 million. The state would then make the final cuts. (There is also a chance some projects may pull out of the process after the list is submitted to the state. That is why Medina is willing to send a list over $4.5 million.)
“We’re not doing our job if we don’t whittle it down,” said Medina Mayor Mike Sidari, a member of the local planning committee.
The group is working to finalize a list and prepare detailed project descriptions to send to the state. The draft of the plan should be complete by mid-November with the final document sent to the state by mid-December. The state is then expected to announce which projects are approved for funding and at what amount possibly by February or perhaps in the spring.
The committee and the state will give greater priority to projects that are transformative to the downtown, that can catalyze other investments and benefit other businesses. They will also determine if the property owner is “ready” and can make the project a reality, said Kimberly Baptiste of the Bergmann engineering, architecture and planning firm. She is assisting the Medina committee in putting together the plan to submit to the state.
The committee said all of the projects submitted are very worthwhile and meet the goal of the NY Forward program of making the downtown more live-able and attractive.
The committee put out a survey to the community and the responses tended to put public projects as higher priority than privately owned initiatives.
A $500,000 request from Lee-Whedon Library to help with an addition was the top choice in the community survey.
A request from the owners of Avanti Pizza for $600,000 to help develop the second and third floors of their building received the least support among the community.
But that doesn’t mean the Avanti project should be dismissed from consideration. That building is on the main corner in downtown Medina. Avanti’s has been a key part of the downtown for nearly 20 years.
Avanti’s is among several projects that would add residential and office space on the upper floors in the downtown, spaces that are currently underutilized.
The committee agreed on Tuesday it should be the one to help narrow the projects, rather than sending all 22 at projects at $8.7 million in requested funding for the state. The committee debated whether some projects should be considered higher priority if they are on Main Street, rather than a block or two away. And should projects be ranked higher if they are facing the Erie Canal waterfront?
The group will try to determine a rationale for eliminating some projects to get the total down in the $6 million to $6.5 million range.
“I’d like to see us trim it down, rather than the state trim it down,” said committee member Tim Elliott, who is also a member of the Medina Village Board.
These are the 22 projects with their requested funding from NY Forward in parentheses.
Canal Basin Parking Lot (Multiple Options)
ALTERNATIVE A ($2 million) – This alternative is the most transformative, with significantly expanded green space, pedestrian pathways, and gathering areas. This alternative includes 53 parking spaces.
ALTERNATIVE B ($1.5 million) – This alternative expands the green space area along the canal and enhances pedestrian connections to the waterfront. This alternative includes 71 parking spaces.
ALTERNATIVE C ($1 million) – This creates a multi-functional pedestrian promenade space at the rear of the Main Street buildings that can be used for seating, outdoor dining, and temporary events. This space can also accommodate loading and deliveries. This alternative includes 45 parking spaces.
ALTERNATIVE D ($500,000) – This alternative creates a small pedestrian plaza area at the north end of the East Center Street alleyway which can accommodate gathering and outdoor dining. The rest of the basin is kept as is. This alternative includes 83 parking spaces.
Canal Village Farmers Market at 127 West Center St. ($300,000) – This project will renovate the existing building at 127 West Center Street to create a year-round space for the Canal Village Farmers Market. Expanded vendor space, public restrooms, a visitor center, and green space will also be included on the site.
Canal View Bar/Tasting Area at 135 East Center St. ($100,000) – This project will create a bar/serving area with an exterior patio overlooking the Canal Basin in the rear of the Modern Mercantile building.
409-413 Main St. ($200,000) – This project will renovate the second floor of the building at 409-413 Main Street into 3 new one-bedroom apartments and 1 new two-bedroom apartment.
Knights of Columbus Building Accessible Community Space ($150,000) – This project will make facade improvements to the Knights of Columbus building and install a lift at the rear entrance to make the 200-person community event space on the second floor ADA accessible for public use.
424 Main Street ($250,000) – This project will create 4 new apartments on the upper floors of the building at 424 Main Street. The commercial units on the ground floor will also be renovated.
433 Main Street ($300,000) – This project will create a new two-bedroom apartment on the upper floors of the building at 433 Main Street.
Community Arts Workshop and Gift Store at 509 Main St. ($150,000) – This project will renovate the second floor of the building at 509 Main St. to create a community arts and crafts workshop and gift store.
Bunkhaus Apartments at 511 West Ave. ($100,000) – This project will renovate the Bunkhaus Hostel to create 4 one-bedroom apartments targeted for short- and long-term rental housing for professionals, snowboards, and/or tourists.
Author’s Note Bookstore at 519 Main St. ($200,000) – This project will create a two-bedroom apartment unit on the second floor for short- or medium-term rental, targeted at artists. The basement of the building will also be renovated to create an event space to be used for book clubs, workshops, etc., or by other community groups.
521 Main Street ($150,000) – This project will renovate the second floor of the building at 521 Main Street into a new one-bedroom apartment and two Airbnb units.
Walsh Hotel Redevelopment at 525 West Ave. ($550,000) – This project will complete renovations to the upper floors of the Walsh Hotel as part of a larger project to create 22 studio and one-bedroom apartments.
Arenite Brewing Company at 339 Main St. ($400,000) – This project will create a microbrewery and tasting room with outdoor seating overlooking the canal at 339 Main Street.
Avanti Pizza Upper Floors Renovation at 500 Main St. ($600,000) – This project will renovate the upper floors of the Avanti Pizza building into a mix of residential and office space.
Hart House Hotel Renovations at 113 West Center St. ($500,000) – This project is the last phase of a larger project to upgrade the Hart House Hotel with a formal lobby, café, spa, outdoor event space and gastropub.
Lee-Whedon Memorial Library at 620 West Ave. ($500,000) – This project will create an addition on the library with new tutoring rooms, meeting rooms, and quiet rooms for community use. The existing library building will also be renovated to create an expanded children’s area and new entry.
Medina Theatre Renovations at 601-611 Main St. ($150,000) – This project is the first phase of a larger project to upgrade the Medina Theatre. This project will renovate the existing marquee and facade, make cosmetic improvements to the theatre, and prep the building for a future restaurant and conference space.
Downtown Wayfinding Signage ($250,000) – This project will install a system of directional, informational, and interpretive signage at key locations and destinations to guide visitors throughout downtown.
Public Lot Connectivity Improvements Description ($1 million) – This project will improve the public parking lot at the southeast corner of Main and Center Streets with better circulation, shade trees, and improved connectivity to the Canal Basin and Main Street businesses.
East Center Street Alleyway Improvements ($400,000) –This project will enhance the alleyway that connects the Canal Basin across East Center Street to the public parking lot. The alley will have landscaping, lighting, seating and signage.
Canal Basin Park Gateway Signage ($150,000) – This project will install two large, gateway signs at the Mill Street entrance to the Canal Basin (off Main Street) and at the East Center Street alleyway entrance to the basin.
Small Project Grant Fund ($300,000) – The Small Project Grant Fund would provide support to downtown business and property owners to implement smaller-scale projects like façade improvements, window replacement and other repairs.
The committee met Tuesday at the Medina district office boardroom and reviewed the survey findings from the community. About 200 people took the survey in-person or online, giving their opinion on how to prioritize the funding. Kimberly Baptiste of the Bergmann engineering, architecture and planning firm led the committee in reviewing the results.
With the survey from community members (taken by 180 online and 35 in person), high priority was given, in descending order, to the library, farmer’s market, Knights of Columbus, small grants for multiple businesses, East Center Street alley, public parking lot, Canal basin signage, arts workshop at 509 Main and Medina Theatre.
Projects given medium priority from the survey respondents (in descending order) include way finding, Author’s Note, Arenite Brewing, Canal View Bar, Hart House Hotel, Canal Basin lot ($1.5 million option), Canal Basin lot ($2 million option), 521 Main and 409 Main.
The projects ranked as low priority in the community survey (in descending order) include the Walsh Hotel, 424 Main, Basin lot ($500,000 option), Bunkhaus, Basin lot ($1 million option), 433 Main and Avanti Pizza.
The two parking lots – at Canal Basin and behind Main Street on East Center, would total $3 million of the $4.5 million grant if pursued at the full proposal, Baptiste, the planning consultant, said scaling those plans back to just repaving the lots likely wouldn’t get funding from the state. The NY Forward program wants to add beautification and other elements to make the parking lots better.
During last Tuesday’s meeting, Joe Cardone attended and make a pitch for the Medina Theatre, one of the first buildings seen on Main Street when people enter from the south. He wants to add a modern digital marquee with LED lighting. He said it would be a vast improvement at a gateway into the business district. However, the current village code doesn’t allow digital signage in the historic district. Mayor Sidari said the village is looking to modify the code for signage.
Lee-Whedon Memorial Library, the top vote getter in the community survey, also isn’t currently in the target area for the NY Forward grant. It is adjacent to the area. The boundaries can be changed to include the library, Baptiste advised the committee.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Renee Lama listens to David Kusmierczak on Monday at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library for a book-signing and discussion about her new 390-page book, “Last Call: Hotels, Restaurants and Bars. A History of the Service Industry in Medina.” Lama will be signing copies of the book from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday at the Author’s Note bookstore in Medina.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 September 2023 at 9:19 am
Photos courtesy of George Lama: Renee Lama speaks on Monday’s during a presentation about her new book.
MEDINA – Renee Lama worked about a decade collecting information and stories about Medina’s restaurants, bars and hotels.
The exhausting effort chronicles Medina history going back 150 years. The project grew to a 390-page book, “Last Call: Hotels, Restaurants and Bars. A History of the Service Industry in Medina.”
She held her first public event on Monday at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library as the featured speaker for the Medina Historical Society.
About 80 people attended and Lama sold six cases of books.
“I was so happy with the turnout and that so many people are interested in the book,” she said. “I have been wanting to share my findings with everyone for so long. I am glad that I finally can.
There are some pretty cool stories in there!”
She will be back in Medina again on Saturday at the Author’s Note bookstore from 1 to 3 p.m.
About 80 people attended the book discussion on Monday, which was the monthly featured program of the Medina Historical Society.
Provided photo: Julie Berry (Author’s Note owner), Principal Michael Cavanagh, Jennifer O’Toole (high school librarian) and Ally Condie are shown Monday at the school.
Posted 28 September 2023 at 9:50 am
Press Release, Medina Central School
MEDINA – Ally Condie, a number-one best-selling author, visited Medina Jr./Sr. High on Monday. Librarian Jennifer O’Toole, along with English teachers Mindy Hill and Kayla Rosenbeck and local bookstore owner Julie Berry (Author’s Note), invited Ms. Condie to discuss her new Young Adult novel “The Only Girl in Town” with students and hold a writing workshop with the Creative Writing Class.
“We are thrilled to have her visit our school and being able to engage with our students,” said Principal Michael Cavanagh. “It is an amazing opportunity to hear about her writing process and have her inspire our students.”
Ms. Condie is the author of the number one New York Times bestselling Matched trilogy and its companion novel, The Last Voyage of Poe Blythe. She has also authored the book Summerlost, which is an Edgar Award winner.
The Only Girl in Town is a novel with a fractured reality twist about a girl named July Fielding. July finds nothing has been the same since the summer before senior year. She finds herself alone as everyone in her town disappears and she struggles to get them back.
She read a few chapters to her audience and took questions from students on everything from her personal life to events in the book.
“It was wonderful having Ms. Condie here,” said Mrs. O’Toole. “We are very grateful to Julie Berry for including us as one of the schools Ms. Condie is visiting in the area.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 26 September 2023 at 10:26 pm
Provided photos: Rob Robinson, center, listens to a pair of buskers including Alex Feig at left playing next to Modern Mercantile on East Center Street during last year’s Ale in Autumn/Busker Festival.
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Rob Robinson poses in his busker T-shirt from last year’s Busker Festival during Ale in Autumn. The Busker Festival will again compliment Ale in Autumn on Saturday in Medina.
MEDINA – Medina Area Partnership will roll out the red carpet for 700 visitors on Saturday who have purchased tickets for Ale in Autumn and the second annual Busker Festival.
The Busker Festival was an idea of Rob Robinson, who said he has been trying for several years to bring the event to Medina. Last year during Ale in Autumn, 17 entertainers from all across the area came to Medina and were a big hit with participants of Ale in Autumn, he said.
Robinson explained a busker is someone who entertains in doorways or stairwells, hoping for tips. They are not necessarily all musicians, he said. Some are jugglers, dancers, street performers and magicians.
Busker performances will coincide with Ale in Autumn from 1 to 6 p.m. Twenty-one performers from throughout Western New York have committed to attend. They are from Medina, Lyndonville, Lockport and Niagara Falls.
Robinson has mapped out the appropriate sites for the buskers to entertain and said they are spaced far enough apart so one’s performance doesn’t interfere with the next one.
Robinson was a busker himself in Toronto during the 1970s and early 1980s, where he said it is more common than in the States. A pianist and guitar player, he comes by his musical talent naturally, as his mother Virginia Bishop was organist at the old Apple Grove for 30 years.
It was the Apple Grove that brought the family to Medina. He said his mother was playing organ throughout southern Ontario and Western New York, when her agent told her she needed to contact Walt Hilger at the Apple Grove. He told her if she did that, it would be the only gig she would ever need. Turns out, he was right.
The driving motivation for a busker is not making money, Robinson said. It’s being part of a festival and the hope of getting a gig out of it.
“The bottom line is, it’s fun,” he said.
A trio of buskers entertains on Main Street during last year’s Busker Festival, which coincided with Ale in Autumn.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 26 September 2023 at 10:09 pm
MEDINA – Oak Orchard Assembly of God is embarking on a new mission this year to ensure no school child is cold this winter.
Paster Bryan McDowell has announced the church wants to help schools prepare for cold weather with their first coat drive.
“We are hoping to make this an annual event,” McDowell said. “Anyone can drop off new or lightly used coats at the church office from 9 a.m. to noon during the rest of this week or during the Sunday service.”
They are also collecting hats and mittens.
The donations will be given to Lyndonville and Medina schools to be distributed to students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 September 2023 at 10:53 am
Provided photo
MEDINA – The Medina Area Partnership last week celebrated a ribbon cutting with Rollin Hellner, owner of The Walsh at 525 West Ave. Hellner, third from left in front row, acquired the site in the spring and has expanded the menu and is working to add studio and one-bedroom apartments to the upper floors.
He is joined by local officials, family and friends in the ribbon-cutting, including the front row, from left: County Legislator Skip Draper, Legislature Chairwoman Lynne Johnson, Hellner, Medina Mayor Mike Sidari, Barry Flansburg (representing Assemblyman Steve Hawley) and County Legislator Bill Eick.
Photos by Tom Rivers
Hellner is shown with a 24-foot-long shuffleboard table from 1937 that was added to the bar. It was a challenge to get it inside and had to be brought through a window.
The Walsh is open seven days a week. Hellner has been active in real estate development.
He acquired The Walsh from Tim Cooper, following extensive renovations from Cooper. (He is being honored with a preservation award on Oct. 20 from the Cobblestone Museum.) Cooper was able to bring the first floor back, including a banquet hall. He said Hellner brings new energy to The Walsh’s continued renovation with the apartments upstairs.
Rollin Hellner said customers are enjoying the food and drinks at The Walsh, which is managed by Alex Purnell. Emily Plumb, a bartender, is shown in back in this photo.
The Walsh has other specials, including the “Walsh Wednesday” where people can spin a wheel and if it lands on their zodiac sign, they get $5 off.
Hellner said he has made the banquet hall available to local organizations for their meetings, including the Lions Club, Rotary Club and the Medina Sandstone Society. He is working to have the lottery added soon, while also trying to get the apartments ready in 2024.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 September 2023 at 9:05 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – “Peaches” greets the public on Sunday in Medina at the FFA Model Farm by the high school. The FFA was among five local alpaca farms featured for National Alpaca Days on Saturday and Sunday.
The other four farms included:
Stoney Meadows Alpacas at 16038 Glidden Rd., Holley
MayFields Equestrian and Alpaca Farm at 3263 Allens Bridge Rd., Albion
SanGer-La Alpacas at 2845 Colby St., Brockport
Ladue Alpacas at 1186 Ladue Rd., Brockport
Alex Drum, a Medina freshman, feeds two alpacas and a llama at the FFA Model Farm.
These animals include, from left: Simba, an alpaca; Peaches, an alpaca; and Echo, a llama.
Kaylin Mickey, a junior, weaves using a continuous strand of fabric. The Medina FFA had alpaca products for sale.
Alpacas are primarily raised for their fleece in North America. Alpaca fleece has a variety of natural colors: pure white, several shades of fawn and brown, several shades of gray and true black.
Camden Fike, a freshman, plays cornhole. The FFA had several activities to the public to try in addition to visiting the alpacas and llamas.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 25 September 2023 at 8:31 am
Renee Lama worked 11 years on 390-page publication
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Medina native Renee Lama poses with her new book, which she will discuss and sign at 7 p.m. today at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library and from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at Author’s Note.
MEDINA – Renee Lama has worked 11 years chronicling hotels, restaurants and bars in Medina. The 390-page book – “Last Call: Hotels, Restaurants and Bars. A History of the Service Industry in Medina” – includes 150 years of Medina history.
Lama will discuss the book and sign copies at 7 p.m. this evening in an event with the Medina Historical Society at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library. She will also sign copies from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday at Author’s Note in Medina.
Lama, who currently lives in Hilton with her husband George, said she never intended to write a book.
A daughter of Kathy and the late Tony “Vic” Vicknair of Medina, Lama graduated from Medina High School in 1992 and then Niagara County Community College, where she studied art.
“I wanted to be a fashion designer,” she said.
Lama ended up in Orlando and attended the University of Central Florida and applied to get into the advertising course schedule. She was required to take (and pass) a typing test. I never took typing in high school so I could not type fast or properly and failed several times – it cost $35 each time to retake it.
“Not being able to pass the test to get into the advertising courses, I took a semester off to figure out what I wanted to do,” she said.
Lama got a job at Regal Cinemas and shortly after became Head of Promotions for that location.
“This was right when Disney’s Tarzan came out and I started drawing the characters for a promotion we had to do,” she said. “I quickly found that I loved that and applied to be in the animation department at the University of Central Florida and graduated with a degree in Animation.”
Before she graduated, she worked for Disney World by making candy, hoping to make her way into their animation department.
“But then 9/11 happened and so much shut down,” she recalled. “The animation department at Hollywood Studios closed. It took a very long time for Disney to recover. I remember it was so slow for months and months.”
Animation studios were not as plentiful then as they are now. “It was tough to find a job in animation unless I moved to California.”
By this time, she had met her future husband George and they moved to Medina. Renee started a job as a graphic designer at Lake Country Pennysaver in Albion. Renee and George married in 2004 and had their son in 2008.
Renee went out on her own in 2011 and what first started as George Lama Photography morphed into RG Lama Studios, which is mainly graphic design now.
Lama said she had always been fascinated with prohibition and wondered how it affected people, especially in her home town.
“I looked for speakeasy stories, but there were not a lot in Medina,” Lama said. “Most of them were in Holley and Albion.”
Lama has spent 11 years putting this book together. She found the first documented hotel in the area was the Ridgeway Hotel, built in 1811.
“For a long time, I had all these pieces of information, and I wondered how I was ever going to piece them all together,” she said. “I was becoming overwhelmed.”
Numerous times she thought the book was finished, and then she’d discover something new.
“Last Call” is packed with more than 150 years of stories, newspaper articles, scandals, fires, murders, mysteries and photos. The book focuses on Shelby, Ridgeway and Medina. Lama said she sought information from Alice Zacher, Shelby historian, among others. Marissa Olles did a wonderful job of editing, Lama said.
Not surprisingly, when asked if she might write another book, Lama replied, “I’ve already started it – about the history of the street names in Medina.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 24 September 2023 at 8:49 pm
MEDINA – Medina Mustang Sports Boosters will celebrate homecoming this week, beginning Monday and concluding on Friday when Medina’s hosts Barker/Roy-Hart’s football team.
“To us, homecoming is a community event, a time to celebrate not just Mustang athletics, but who we are as a community,” said Mustang Sports Boosters president Melissa Valley. “Mustang Sports Boosters are always incredibly appreciative of the support the Medina business community provides us, and now we want to celebrate you.”
Their goal for homecoming week is for the whole community to be involved and get into the Mustang spirit. Valley said they hope to get Medina businesses involved in two ways – first, for downtown to show its Mustang spirit with their second annual window decorating contest. Second, the Mustang Boosters want to promote businesses by adding their homecoming specials of the week to the school’s Mustang Menu.
“We will promote your Mustang Special for the week and expect nothing in return,” Valley said.
Businesses have been encouraged to decorate their store front to show Mustang spirit. The community will be invited to vote via the Boosters’ Twitter and Facebook pages to determine the best decorated window. The winner will be announced at halftime during the Homecoming game.
Last year’s winner was the Coffee Pot Café.
The Print Shop has made banners which will be displayed this week on Main Street and in Vets Park.
“This is something that unites the community in a positive way,” Valley added.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 September 2023 at 8:28 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Lancaster performs in front of a big crowd at Vets Park in Medina to cap off the Fall Festival of Bands.
The bleachers were full for the show which included 12 schools for the Fall Festival of Bands, which was up from seven at the 2022 show.
This year’s bands included Pioneer, Hilton, Greece, Oswego, Northwestern, Orchard Park, West Seneca, Jamestown, Webster, Central Square, Medina and Lancaster.
About 2,000 people attended the show.
Lancaster’s show was entitled “Believe Again” with a message about “standing on the shoulders of giants.” The band said younger musicians are mentored by the older students.
“The acknowledgement that we need each other and the message that children require the thoughtful leadership and tutelage of adults should inspire us all to Believe Again,” the band states about its show this year.
Eleanor Keane, drum major for the West Seneca Marching Band, leads the band in performing “Out of the Woods.” She is shown during a brilliant sunset.
West Seneca’s message included it’s easy to get lost in the “woods” of life. “To find our way out, we have to follow the light.”
The Webster Marching Band performed a show entitled “Our Voices Carry – You are strong. You are worthy. You are enough. You are not alone.”
Medina’s band with 76 members enters the field and gets ready to perform its show, “Confined.”
Caiden Class, assistant drum major for Medina, plays the saxophone. He was often “confined” by other band members and constricted before eventually finding his way out. The message of the show: “You are confined only by the walls you build yourself.”
The Central Square band from north of Syracuse performed “Bent” with original music. “This year’s production is a show that will BEND the minds of audiences throughout,” the band states in the program.
The Jamestown High School Band traveled more than two hours to be in the event and performed “Quest,” a show about how an artifact was stolen from the good people of Jamestown and scouts help to relocate the “Horn of Prosperity.” It is a perilous journey in reclaiming the artifact.
Orchard Park performed “The Last Leaves of Fall,” which celebrates the fall season through the colors, sounds and feelings of autumn in New York.
The Northwestern Marching Band from Albion, Pa., presented a show: “The Resilient Heart.”
Oswego’s show “Destinations” took people on a train journey with scenes from New York City, New Orleans and California, highlighting vibrant cultures around the country.
The Greece Marching Band presented a show – “Seasons” – and moved through four quadrants on the field with lots of music and movement.
Hilton’s show was entitled “Bailamos – We Dance!” The Pioneer Marching Panthers, not pictured, presented a show, “Fire and Ice.”
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 22 September 2023 at 8:08 am
Rummage sale today and Saturday in fundraiser
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Playing cards is a popular activity for members of the Medina Senior Center. Playing euchre here on a Friday are, clockwise from left, Dorothy Casey of Medina, Dick Preston of Albion, Larry Morgott of Medina and Judy Fischer of Middleport. Behind Casey is Tom Fenton of Medina.
MEDINA – Senior Citizens of Western Orleans is inviting all seniors to consider the benefits of becoming a member. Whether it’s just something to occupy their time, enjoying camaraderie or volunteering at one of their fundraisers, the Medina Senior Center offers it all.
Located on West Avenue, across from the Medina Railroad Museum, the Medina Senior Center is where seniors can join in playing cards, enjoy a meal, work on a jigsaw puzzle or help with the various fundraisers planned throughout the year.
Cost of membership is $10 a year. In addition to collecting membership dues, director Kelly Shaw of Gasport plans several fundraisers to help pay the bills. This includes a money raffle, two basket raffles, two rummage sales and a chicken barbecue every year.
The last rummage sale of this year is today and Saturday, and support from the community, as usual, is unbelievable, according to Shaw. People start bringing in their rummage months before each sale and the variety of merchandise never fails. There are the usual clothes, shoes, toys, games, books, housewares, gifts and holiday items, but always an assortment of unique items. This time Kelly said they have a panini maker, portable sewing machine and a car seat, among the unusual items.
“I really appreciate that people keep us in mind when they have to clean out a loved one’s home or get rid of stuff,” Shaw said.
The sale will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. From noon to 1 p.m. on Saturday, everything will be “fill a bag for $5.”
The Senior Center is now selling tickets on its next fundraiser, a chicken barbecue on Oct. 12. Chicken will be available from 4 to 7 p.m., drive thru or eat in. The Wiedner family from Eden, who have been in the barbecue business since the 1950s, will cook the chicken.
Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at the center during regular hours of 9 a.m. to noon on Monday and Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday and noon to 4 p.m. on Friday.
In addition to euchre on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, pinochle on Wednesday and Thursday when there are enough interested players and exercise classes on Wednesdays at 10 a.m., there are dinner meetings the second Monday of each month. Meals alternate between potluck, catered and prepared at the center. Cost is $8. There is often a speaker or entertainment after meetings and raffles for gifts and money every meeting.
On Monday and Tuesday mornings, free day-old baked goods from Tops are available to members.
The center also has a gift shop full of unique items, including a large assortment of jigsaw puzzles, jewelry and assorted giftware.
Being a member of the Senior Center is a wonderful way for seniors to spend a few hours a week, while meeting new people or old friends, Shaw said.
