Photos by Tom Rivers: The Bent’s Opera House is shown on Monday evening with many decorations up for the holidays. Bent’s has 10 hotel rooms on the second floor. The top floor is an events center while a restaurant is on the first floor.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 December 2024 at 12:29 pm
MEDINA – The Medina Village Board will have a public hearing at 6 p.m. on Jan. 27 at the Ridgeway Town Hall to hear feedback about a new 2 percent bed tax for hotels, motels, short-term rentals and other lodging establishments in the village.
Village officials sought for years to have the new tax, which will be on top of the 8 percent sales tax and the county’s 4 percent occupancy tax.
The tax was signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Nov. 22, following approval by the State Assembly and State Senate.
Medina officials say they pushed for the new tax as a way to generate some additional money to work on infrastructure projects at the Medina Business Park and in the village to promote economic development.
However, a draft proposal of the new law for the tax says it will go in the village’s general fund to be “allocated at the discretion of the Medina Village Board for any Village purpose.”
Bent’s Opera House has 10 hotel rooms in addition to the Harvest restaurant and events venue. The site has many new holiday decorations up this year to enhance the downtown experience for local residents and visitors.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 December 2024 at 4:07 pm
Company, acquired by Hendrickson last year, looking to fill 60 positions locally
Photos by Tom Rivers: Brian Peyatt, plant manager for Brunner in Medina, led tours of the factory on Bates Road on Saturday. It was the first tour open to the community in more than a decade. The company makes brakes for tractor-trailers, buses and dump trucks.
MEDINA – Brunner International opened the doors to its factory on Bates Road to the community on Saturday and attendance was brisk.
Employees were happy to show off the workplace to friends and family, and Medina community members welcomed the chance to see the manufacturer which has robots doing some of repetitive tasks, forges heating steel to 2,200 degrees, and about 220 other workers.
Brunner has about 60 positions open right now, from entry level to skilled trades as machine operators, fabricators, electricians and in maintenance. People can apply in person at Brunner or through the Brunner website.
Brunner has had a presence in medina since 1992, moving into the former Abex Corporation site that had been shut down and vacant for seven years before Brunner moved in.
Brunner had a manufacturing site in Niagara Falls, Ontario. It has kept that site in Canada while growing in Medina, making brakes and components for heavy-duty trucks and trailers.
Jermy Zingo of Holley, a 14-year employee at Brunner, shows his daughter Evelyn the finished product at Brunner. The truck brake weighs about 250 pounds.
The company last year was sold to Hendrickson, a long-time customer. Hendrickson is based in Illinois. It sees strong potential in Medina with a dedicated core of employees and access to lower-cost hydropower, said Brian Peyatt, the plant manager.
Peyatt has worked at Brunner for 12 years. He said Saturday’s community open house was a first in his tenure at Brunner.
“We want to introduce ourselves to the community and show them what we do,” he said.
Hendrickson has factories in several countries, and US sites in Ohio, Illinois, Tennessee, Missouri, Texas, Kentucky, South Dakota, Indiana and New York (Medina).
In announcing the acquisition of Brunner on Oct. 1, 2023, Hendrickson said Brunner’s primary product lines of brake shoes and s-cams complement Hendrickson’s primary business of designing and manufacturing suspension systems for the medium- and heavy-duty truck and trailer markets.
The Brunner product brand will be kept and used going forward, Hendrickson officials said.
“We are excited about this acquisition, as it will provide a platform for Hendrickson to expand our core competency in braking and provide additional components that will enhance our existing product portfolio,” said Matt Joy, president and chief executive officer of Hendrickson. “We look forward to working with our new associates and strengthening our business serving the Commercial Truck and Trailer industry.”
Saamir Rahman, materials manager and director of continuous improvement for Brunner, shows some of the brake components made by Brunner. About 60 people were on the tour for the first three hours on Saturday.
Brunner has recently added a few of the laid off workers from the Sumitomo Rubber in the Town of Tonawanda. The factory abruptly closed last month, putting 1,550 people out of work.
Brunner went to a job fair for those displaced workers. Peyatt urges people to give Brunner a try. The company offers competitive wages, a 401K retirement plan, and health care, vision and dental benefits.
Peyatt said employees also can feel pride in making the brakes for trucks and buses.
“Ninety percent of the time you’re out on a drive you’re probably near something we built,” he said about the company’s brake products.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 11 December 2024 at 11:32 am
Provided photo: Aaron Grabowski, organist at St. Mary’s Church in Medina, is music director for the first Christmas concert Dec. 21 with Holy Family in Albion and St. Mary’s in Holley.
MEDINA – Three Catholic churches in the Orleans-Niagara East Catholic community known as ONE Catholic are combining their musical talents to present the first Christmas concert together.
Aaron Grabowski, organist at St. Mary’s Church in Medina, is music director for the concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 21 at St. Mary’s in Medina, where they will be joined by the choirs, soloists and instrumentalists from St. Joseph’s in Albion and St. Mary’s in Holley.
“This is a first for all three churches,” Grabowski said. “We hope to make it an annual event, as the feedback we’ve received from all three communities has been very positive.”
The concept for a combined concert began in Medina with Grabowski and his cantor Abigail Campbell. Several solos will be performed by people who are learning voice, he said.
“But the standout will be when we bring all the voices together to sing,” Grabowski said.
Instruments featured will be the organ, flute and a harpsichord which he built.
There is no admission charge, but a free-will offering will be taken. A reception will follow the approximately one-hour long concert.
Passero Associates created this rendering of the front of the building, which includes an overhang near the entrance. This is part of a $5.2 million capital project at the library, which includes a 4,785-square-foot addition.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 December 2024 at 10:02 pm
MEDINA – The community, in a close vote, approved a bond resolution today allowing the Lee-Whedon Memorial Library to borrow up to $5.2 million for an expansion of the building at 620 West Ave.
The resolution passed, 223-214. The library should be able to break ground on the construction project in mid-2025, said director Kristine Mostyn.
Lee-Whedon will work to complete the engineering drawings and go through the bidding process.
A 4,785-square-foot expansion would go 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, a teen room and 14 parking spots.
There would 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 library already has $795,320 in grants secured and $175,000 in reserves, leaving a $4,229,680 to be financed over 20 years. That would result in a $48 a year increase in taxes for homes valued at $100,000, said Christine Crowley, president and municipal advisor with Fiscal Advisors and Marketing.
That represents the “worst-case scenario,” she said during a meeting last week, because the library is likely to get additional grants and raise money in a capital campaign.
The library is seeking an additional $789,520 grant from the state for library construction. If that is secured, the amount to be financed would be $3,4410,160, lowering the tax impact to an average of $39 for houses at $100,000 in assessed value, Crowley said.
The library also expects it could raise $500,000 in a fundraising or capital campaign. If that is successful, the amount to finance would be $2,940,160 or a $34 impact for property assessed at $100,000.
Lee-Whedon has already acquired and razed two buildings behind the library for the addition. That property and building demolition has already been paid for.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Erica Wanecski, center, is given a pair of tickets for the Polar Express by Medina Railroad Museum director Jeff Lewis, in appreciation of her hours of volunteering at the museum and throughout her community. Looking on, from left are board member Dave Murphy; Lew Capwell, event consultant with Rail Events; and Joe Kujawa, also a board member.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 10 December 2024 at 9:31 am
MEDINA – A local woman who thrives on volunteering was rewarded for her efforts by the Medina Railroad Museum on Monday.
To show their appreciation for all she does, Museum director Jeff Lewis presented Erica Wanecski with two tickets to ride the Polar Express. There to share in her honor were board members Dave Murphy and Joe Kujawa and Lew Capwell, event coordinator from Rail Events, who own the rights to Polar Express.
Lewis acknowledges that events like Polar Express require a lot of volunteers to make them happen.
“Since all our trains were sold out and we added an extra day, we thought, ‘Why not recognize the volunteers, without whom we couldn’t do this,” Lewis said. “So we picked someone who goes above and beyond and has been here the longest – Erica.”
“She is truly a distinguished volunteer,” Capwell said. “She shows exemplary leadership.”
He said this is his second year of representing Rail Events at Medina’s Polar event, and he loves the town.
“This event has grown over last year,” Capwell said. “This Museum is a real asset. Kids love the layout.”
Wanecski loves helping others, learning new things and sharing them with her community. She is especially fond of volunteering at the Medina Railroad Museum.
“I knew founder Marty Phelps, even before he started this museum,” Wanecski said. “I have been here from the beginning.”
Erica Wanecski, left, was at the Master Gardeners’ booth at the Orleans County 4-H Fair in July with nancy Walker, another Master Gardener. Volunteering as a Master Gardener is one of Wanecski’s favorite pastimes.
Wanecski, 74, loves history and her community. Telling people about them is the joy of her life. She is a member and/or volunteer of Medina Historical Society, Cobblestone Society, Attica, Warsaw, Oakfield, Clarence and Hartland Historical societies, Master Gardeners and the Steel Plant Museum in Buffalo. She maintains flower beds at Medina Memorial Hospital and helps many of the museums with their landscaping, weeding, collections and setting up exhibits.
“I was inspired by Marty and his passion,” Wanecski said. “If I can add to other people’s experience, then they walk away happy, and I’m happy. The message I want to share is for everyone to find their passion and consider volunteering and sharing their time with others. You’ll find it a very positive and rewarding experience.”
Photos and information courtesy of Medina Central School
MEDINA – The Medina Junior-Senior High School’s Student Association recently collected over 1,600 non-perishable food items for St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church Food Pantry.
The church is located at 1355 West Ave. in Medina and provides emergency food once per month to residents of Medina in need.
Student Association co-advisor Sara Cinquino said she is thrilled what the 35 students and staff were able to achieve this year.
“We doubled what we collected last year and we have to thank the Medina Teacher’s Union for swapping drives with us,” Cinquino said. “They are collecting essential items, which we normally do, to make it more affordable for the students to participate in this event. I have to also thank fellow teacher Joe Byrne who helped me to oversee the food drive while my co-advisor is out on maternity leave.”
The Student Association collected, counted and sorted the food every day the week of Nov. 18-22. Lieutenant Steve Cooley and other members of the Medina Fire Department volunteered on their day off to come to the school and collected the boxes from the students who carried them out to their vehicles.
“Every year, we as a club are so thankful that we can do something at the Junior-Senior High School and give back to the community,” Cinquino said. “It takes just a small effort on our end, but we can make a difference and impact for so many people in this community.”
Medina students brought the boxes of food to Medina firefighters, who transported it to St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church Food Pantry.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Mike Wright, left, a deacon and 40-year member of the First Baptist Church of Medina, and new pastor Randy LeBaron stand by the sign announcing the church’s new name, New Hope Community Church.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 6 December 2024 at 5:48 pm
MEDINA – After serving the people for nearly two centuries, the First Baptist Church of Medina is going forth with a new name.
The Rev. Randy LeBaron, former pastor of the Albion Free Methodist Church, assumed pastoral duties at First Baptist Church in September 2023.
He recently announced a name change for the church – New Hope Community Church.
The First Baptist Society was formed in Medina 195 years ago. The historic sandstone building was erected 151 years ago, having been dedicated Jan. 8, 1873, according to Mike Wright, a deacon and member of the church with his wife Joyce for more than 40 years.
Like many mainstream churches, attendance at the First Baptist Church had been declining.
“When I first started here, there was a core group who were casting a vision for the church,” LeBaron said.
“We wondered what we were going to do,” Wright said.
LeBaron grew up in Chautauqua County, attended Central Christian College in Kansas, then transferred to Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester. His first assignment was as assistant pastor in Warsaw, then lead pastor in Niagara Falls.
“When they asked me to come to Albion Free Methodist Church, I didn’t know where Albion was,” he said.
It was 2004 when he moved there with his wife Sheryl and children Ashlyn and Brendan. Two more daughters, Madison and Jillian, were born later.
(Left) The church has collected toys in the annual Red Barrel Drive. (Right) Randy LeBaron holds a cake celebrating the name change from Frist Baptist to New Hope Community Church.
In 2019, LeBaron shifted his ministry to become a Free Methodist Conference evangelist. During that time, he founded and became president of Go Scatter Ministries, with the goal to equip Christians for everyday evangelism. He traveled and spoke to more than 100 churches in 22 denominations. He preached, presented workshops and started posting Refill with Randy videos on his blog. That led to a bi-weekly column. One received more than 18,000 shares in more than 32 countries.
“I still felt very much connected to ministry in our county,” LeBaron said.
While running Go Scatter Ministries, LeBaron became involved with other agencies, such as a volunteer with Hands 4 Hope, a counselor at Care Net and chaplain for the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department. He went every other week to different churches, preaching messages on evangelism. In January 2022, he joined Hospice.
“I was just going to be there five hours a week,” LeBaron said. “But three others left for various reasons and I became spiritual care and bereavement counselor for all the grief support groups in Orleans County.”
About that time, he was asked to help as interim at North Point Chapel, at the former United Methodist Church in Albion, then other Free Methodist churches and the Albion First Baptist Church. He actually helped to bring the pastor, Marsha Rivers, to the Baptist church Jan. 1, 2023.
“Then one day Mike Wright gave me a call and asked if I could fill the pulpit of the First Baptist Church in Medina, and help them with their pastoral search after the Rev. Michael Stephenson left,” LeBaron said. “They had quite a few candidates apply, but the more I saw the heart of the people here, I felt called to put my name in.”
The Covid pandemic hit in March 2020 and churches weren’t able to do in-person services for about three months. Full attendance didn’t come back immediately when the churches reopened.
“Covid really hurt our attendance,” Wright said. “It was demoralizing – a very dark time for us, and we didn’t have the resources we needed. A lot of pastors who came to fill the pulpit had some really good messages. Buffalo pastor Rebecca Allis asked if we were not here, would people miss us. She said if the answer is ‘No,’ then you’re done. But if the answer is ‘yes,’ then you need to get involved in the community.’ And we hired Randy. He had so many contacts.”
Randy LeBaron sits at the altar of New Hope Community Church, where he preaches his sermons since becoming pastor of the church.
LeBaron started as interim Feb. 20, 2023, and was hired as lead pastor that September.
“I didn’t know if I’d fit in theologically,” LeBaron said. “A decade ago, the American Baptist denomination switched to North American Baptist Association, which now serves us more regionally and are much more mission-oriented.”
They picked three things they wanted to become involved in: Hands 4 Hope, Care Net and Campus One-80. The Campus One-80 became so popular, two young students joined and are now leading campus ministries in their college.
“When I first started here, there was a core group who were casting a vision for the church,” LeBaron said.
“But we didn’t know what to do,” Wright said.
LeBaron said when he first filled in, attendance was down and the atmosphere was dire.
“Then, suddenly there was new hope,” Wright said.
Changing the name of the church is meant to reflect that hope and give new hope to others, LeBaron said.
They had a long meeting with the congregation about changing the name. Some looked at it as “breaking my heart,” but the majority favored the change.
“We are still a Baptist Church,” LeBaron said.
“The Lord continues to bring people he wants here and people continue to come,” Wright said. “One or two at a time, and they don’t just attend, they want to join.”
When LeBaron first came to the church, attendance averaged eight to 10 people. Now they are happy to share attendance has increased to 50 to 60, and they have performed a dozen or more baptisms.
“We are a very casual, contemporary Christ-centered church,” LeBaron said.
They meet every Sunday after church for coffee and conversation. There were a number of attendees who didn’t believe in anything, and now they want to be involved in everything, LeBaron said. Even a former atheist who now leads the new men’s group and helped carry the cross at Easter.
Their community involvement includes sponsoring a free garage sale every June, where the church basement is filled with merchandise, which people can just walk in and take. They give away hot chocolate during the Parade of Lights and coats during the winter.
A sunrise service every Christmas at 7 a.m., followed by breakfast is a tradition more than 100 years old.
Sunday worship is at 10 a.m., and this week begins a new sermon series, “Advent 2 Christmas,” to which everyone is invited.
Provided photos: Medina High School’s A'Cappella Choir will present its annual Christmas concert at 7 p.m. Dec. 15 at St. Mary’s Church in Medina.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 6 December 2024 at 9:05 am
MEDINA – Two esteemed musical groups from the Medina Central School System will join once again this year to present their annual Community Christmas Concert.
The Medina High School A’Cappella Choir and Oak Orchard Elementary School Glee Club Community Christmas Concert is scheduled at 7 p.m. Dec. 15 at St. Mary’s Church.
Rachel Trillizio directs the A’Cappella Choir, while Andrea Busch leads the Oak Orchard Glee Club. They will be joined by Kyla Leno and Matt Jaeger, who will direct offerings by several instrumentalists.
The tradition of the A’Cappella Choir Christmas Concert began decades ago at the First Presbyterian Church of Medina, with former choir director Robert Connor.
The much-beloved event became so popular, it eventually outgrew the Presbyterian Church and moved to St. Mary’s, according to Chris Busch, an alumnus of Medina High School and member of St. Mary’s Church.
The event attracts a capacity crowd and is free and open to the public, Busch said.
The Oak Orchard Elementary School Glee Club will join the High School A’Cappella Choir for a Christmas concert Dec. 15 at St. Mary’s Church.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 December 2024 at 5:50 pm
Provided photos
MEDINA – A cast of 91 fifth- and sixth-graders at Clifford Wise Intermediate School is performing Finding Nemo KIDS, a musical, this evening and Friday at 7 p.m.
The 45-minute musical is the based on a beloved Pixar film from 2003, Finding Nemo. The musical is designed for elementary school-aged performers. The cast is led by Anna Ferlito, Morgan Janese, Renee Copperthite, Demerise Eadie and Jeanette Sheliga.
“This is the event that most students look forward to each year!” said Ferlito, a Medina music teacher and the musical director. “It is so exciting to watch them put together a show from start to finish and be proud of their production. It’s amazing to be a part of a community that supports the arts and encourages students to explore their musical abilities!”
This is the third production at Clifford Wise Intermediate School as part of their 5th and 6th grade Performing Arts Program. Other productions included Aladdin Jr. and The Jungle Book kids.
“Over the past two years we have seen tremendous growth in the High School Musical Theater program as a result of equipping students with theatrical fundamentals in the younger grades,” Ferlito said. “The kids love when high school students come and work with them on singing, stage presence, choreography, etc, and we love when the kids already feel connected to the vocal program when they enter high school.”
For information on purchasing tickets please email Musical Director Anna Ferlito at aferlito@medinacsd or call (585) 798-2700 ext. 6204.
Disney and Pixar’s Finding Nemo KIDS is presented through special arrangement with and all materials are provided by Music Theatre International.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 4 December 2024 at 7:50 pm
Provided photos
MEDINA – Canalside Tattoo Company held its annual toy drive on Saturday, timed with Medina’s Parade of Lights and the Olde Tyme Christmas celebration.
Pictured from left include Canalside’s team, in front kneeling: Matt Rolfe and Rhianna Rosone. In back: Regan Timmer, owner Shawn Ramsey, Tyler VerCruysse, Andrew London, Megan Furness and CJ Cruickshank.
Canalside for several years has collected toys that are distributed by Community Action of Orleans & Genesee, and the Medina Area Association of Churches (MAAC).
The business moved from Main Street to 627 West Ave. on Aug. 9.
Representatives from the Medina Area Association of Churches and Community Action of Orleans & Genesee picked up the toys this morning. They will distribute them to local children. Both organizations say they are seeing increased need this holiday season.
Pictured form left include Community Action’s facility staff Ernie Gursslin; Sherry Touhey-Sipple, MAAC’s red barrel coordinator; Jim Sipple, MAAC; Community Action Facility Manager Ricky Standish; and Katrina Standish, director of Community Services & Reporting for Community Action.
The toy donation from Canalside’s toy drive will assist in providing gifts to approximately 150 children in Orleans County through Community Action’s holiday program, Katrina Standish said.
On average, the agency serves about 700 individuals for the holidays. Adults receive a holiday meal and children under the age of 18 receive gifts. Outside agencies are invited to “adopt a family” Please call Community Action’s main office in Albion at (585) 589-5605 for more information on adopting a family for the holiday.
