Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Lindy dancers had a great time on Thursday evening in the top floor of Bent’s Opera House, dancing to music from the Gordon Webster Jazz Septet.

About 150 people attended the concert as part of Medina Lindy in the Village.

Medina Lindy started last August has steadily grown, drawing dancers from Rochester, Buffalo and communities in between.

The group meets the third Thursdays at Bent’s with beginner’s lessons offered before the regular dance.

There are also options for beginner dance lessons the first three Mondays each month, except for July when the third Thursday dance is the only option.

Phil Berry, leader of Medina Lindy, said he is thrilled to see so many people learning the lindy and having fun in Medina.

Julia Weatherholtz sings with the Gordon Webster band on Thursday at Bent’s.

The Gordon Webster Jazz Septet played big-band style jazz and swing classics that had the crowd dancing.

Gordon Webster is based in Rochester and travels the country and world. The band performed three sets of music on Thursday night.

Photo from Medina Central School: Oak Orchard Primary Principal Jennifer Stearns with Mike Harmer, Jim Freas and John Follman and students from Miss Grayson’s prekindergarten class: Rebecca Delong, Henry Noga, Barrett Root, Leah Hungerford and Margot Thomas.

Press Release, Medina Central School

MEDINA – June 14th commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States. Medina Central School’s Oak Orchard Primary and Clifford Wise Intermediate School were honored to welcome Mike Harmer and James Freas from VFW Post 1483 out of Medina and John Follman from American Legion Post 1603 in Lyndonville to their schools to celebrate the occasion.

The three men talked about the significance of flag folding as it was demonstrated to the students. An honor guard meticulously folds the flag exactly 13 times in remembrance of the 13 colonies.

The students were told what each fold represents as they watched the proceedings. The flag was then presented to Oak Orchard Principal Jennifer Stearns, who said it will have a place of honor in the main office. Students at Oak Orchard, under the direction of music teacher and Glee Club Director Andrea Busch, sang “You’re a Grand Old Flag” to end the presentation.

At Clifford Wise, Superintendent Dr. Mark Kruzynski introduced Mr. Harmer, Mr. Freas and Mr. Follman and played Master of Ceremonies for the band, poetry readers and singalong. Kruzynski was presented with the flag on behalf of the Intermediate School.

A special thank you to the VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 1483 representative Debbie Barry who organized the event and provided gift bags to Oak Orchard students to help celebrate Flag Day, along with flags for them to proudly wave during the ceremony.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Todd Draper takes the oath of office as Medina police chief this evening in the Medina Senior Center. He is joined by his wife Tricia and their son Tyler.

Draper takes over for Chad Kenward, who retired on June 9 after 7 1/2 years as chief and 20 years with the Medina PD. Draper has been with the Medina Police Department the past 18 years, and was the department’s second in command as lieutenant.

“I feel very confident in him,” Kenward said about Draper. “We worked very well together. He has a lot of integrity and he knows the job very well.”

Medina Mayor Mike Sidari presents Chad Kenward with a plaque in appreciation for his service as police chief. Kenward was praised on the plaque for his “professionalism, dedication, and service to the Medina Police Department and the Citizens of Medina. We wish you all the best in your retirement.”

Don Draper, a retired Medina police chief, puts the chief’s pin on his son, Todd Draper. The retired police chief has another son, Don Jr., who is the county’s undersheriff, with another son Mike as county 911 dispatcher. Another son Steven works as a career firefighter in South Carolina. Todd, 41, is the youngest of the four brothers.

“We were born and bred for public service,” Todd Draper said.

His mother Nancy also was a long-time court clerk for Medina.

Todd Draper takes the oath of office while joined by family members including his father Don Draper, mother Nancy, son Tyler and wife Tricia.

Draper said he enjoys working in his hometown. He will lead a department of 12 full-time officers when fully staffed. The department is currently low on officers with four in the police academy. They will soon join the Medina PD.

Three of the recruits are in the police academy in Niagara County and one is in Monroe County. Draper said he would like the four to be sworn in during the June 26 Village Board meeting.

Long-time end-of-year tradition returned last year after decade absence

Provided photos by Jason Klein: (Left) Cayla Seever competes in the Medina Track and Field Days. She set a new record for Medina in the long jump. (Middle) Fifth-grader Aurelius Schalck broke Wise Middle School’s record for the one-mile race during Track and Field Days. (Right) Caliyah St. Luis set a new record in the football throw.

MEDINA – Track and Field Days has a long history in Medina, having been started more than 50 years ago by physical education teachers Bill Ossont and Kay VanNostrand. It continued to take place until 2012 when Oak Orchard and Towne schools reorganized. (The Towne Primary School closed about a decade ago.)

In 2022, Melissa Valley, physical education teacher, moved to Wise Middle School and decided to bring the event back. With help from Kristi Young and Mollie Mark, a very successful Track and Field Days was held last year, with 90 to 100 students participating. Also helping was retired teacher, Kathie Valley, who brought in retirees to help out.

(Left) Jude Lacy broke the boys’ record in the 100 and 400 meter dashes. (Right) Talia Rupp gets a high five from Coach Mollie Mark.

This year’s event began on May 31 and concluded on June 6, with a number of records being broken. Sixth graders who broke records were Jude Lacy, 100 and 400, dash; Talia Rupp, girls’ mile; Caliyah St. Luis, football throw; and Cayla Seever, long jump. Fifth-grader Aurelius Schalck broke the one-mile record.

Each student was allowed to choose two events in which to compete and trophies were awarded. First-place winners were chosen for each grade. The sixth-grade winner was Ms. Valley’s class; fifth-grade winner was Mrs. Weber’s class; fourth-grade winner was Mrs. Mark’s class; and third-grade winner was Mrs. Cree’s class.

Named Most Valuable Players were sixth grade – Jude Lacy, Caliyah St. Luis and Cayla Seever; and coach’s award, Payton Allen; fifth grade – Aurelius Schalck and Lily Hungerford; fourth grade – Lucius Boyle and Erin Allis; and third grade – Abigail Sutch and Bryson Heilgenthaler.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Mollie Mark, a Medina teacher, directs students where to line up for an event during the last day of Track and Field Days at Wise Middle School.

Photos and information courtesy of Medina Marching Band

The Medina Mustang Marching Band traveled to Sherburne in Chenango County to participate in the 74th Annual Sherburne Pageant of Bands. This is the oldest pageant of bands in New York State.

Thirty bands performed in the parade and were rated by judges. Medina earned several awards including:

• The Frank Miller Outstanding Band Director Award
• Best in Class Award – Class A
• Drum Majors Award, 1st Place
• Color Guard trophy, 1st Place
• Parade trophy, 1st Place
• Drum Line trophy, 2nd Place

Medina took first in Concert Band in Class A with 91.5 points. Medina also earned second for Jazz Band with a score of 92, behind Norwich in first with 93.5, and Medina was second in Small Ensemble with 97 points, behind Norwich with 98.

The Mustangs were first in Color Guard in Class A with a score of 98, first in parade in Class A at 95.75, and second in drum line in Class A with 81.705, behind Pulaski at 86.725.

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Phyllis Winters, Lions Club president Jim Punch and Donna Bushover stand at the four corners of downtown Medina, getting ready for the annual Community Yard Sale. Winters and Bushover handed out maps showing location of yard sales and Punch set out some of the equipment available in the Lions’ Medical Loan Closet.

MEDINA – With nice weather, 34 participating vendors and hundreds of shoppers, the Medina Lions are proclaiming their annual Community Yard Sale a “resounding success.”

“We couldn’t be happier,” said chairman Jim Hancock.

The chicken barbecue sold out, the Weinermobile (which traveled the streets during the sale so shoppers could grab a hot dog and not have to stop for lunch) sold out, the Lions’ food booth at the Olde Pickle Factory did very well and 70 percent of the Lions membership turned out to help, Hancock said.

“And I am amazed at how many people there were out and about,” he said.

Lions members, including Phyllis Winters, Donna Bushover, president Jim Punch, Dave Bellucci and Dean Bellack were at the four corners of Main and Center streets at 8 a.m. to hand out maps of the yard sales to passersby. Those who wished, could make a donation for the maps. Punch brought out wheelchairs, walkers and canes to display.

“I want the public to be reminded that we have these things to loan out at our Medical Loan Closet,” Punch said.

Brenda Cherry of 504 Park Ave., Medina, puts out clothing in her yard sale early this morning.

Many people took part in the yard sale, including Brenda Cherry of 504 Park Ave. She has participated other years, and sometimes she has done well, and other times not so well, she said. She enjoys doing it and it’s a good way to get of things she can’t use.

There’s no telling what shoppers would find at the location advertised here at the corner of West and Park avenues.

“I like the opportunity to help someone who might need something I have, and it helps the Lions and the community,” she said.

Some families combined their goods into one large sale. Shoppers could find almost anything they were looking for, and often things they weren’t looking for.

Rob Klino on West Center Street had his sale, but went across the street and bought something from his neighbor.

At the Olde Pickle Factory, vendors included everything from baked goods and jewelry to fancy dishes and books.

OCALS, Orleans County Adult Learning Services, annually has a book sale at the vendor show.

“You can’t believe how many books we sell,” said Don Colquhoun, treasurer of OCALS.

This morning Pam Schuner, Carolyn Wagner and Kathy Punch were running out of room to display all the books that had been donated. Books included everything from baking to World War II.

Rob Robinson and his band entertained at the vendor fair, and the crowd really enjoyed them, Hancock said. “Everything went very well.”

Pam Schuner, front, Carolyn Wagner and Kathy Punch fill OCALS’ table with donated books at the vendor fair at the Olde Pickle Factory today.

Provided photos: Jacob Dorpfeld will be making these benches and stools for a new boutique hotel in Portland, Maine.

Article courtesy of Sharon Baker

Jacob Dorpfeld

MEDINA – Jacob Dorpfeld, a custom furniture maker in Medina, has been picked to make 125 hand-crafted benches and stools for the guestrooms for The Longfellow Hotel, a 48-room boutique hotel under construction in Portland, Maine.

The hotel, named after legendary poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, is slated to open this fall and will mark the first independent, full-service hotel to open in Portland in 20 years. The Post Company is designing the five-story, ground-up building in Portland’s historic West End neighborhood.

The interiors will feature paired-back minimalism and traces of rugged elements in a nod to Portland and American craftsmanship, and are blended with a warm ambiance for relaxation and restoration, says Spencer Fried, lead designer for the hotel at the Post Company.

Dorpfeld, 33, runs his business out of his Ridge Road home. His online posts of his custom-made furniture on Etsy caught the eye of the designers of the hotel.

When choosing the interior furniture, “it was important we used American craftsmanship and a lot of wood,” Fried says. “We saw Jacob’s Etsy shop and were impressed with his pieces, which convey a modern aesthetic but with styling of times past. His work was perfectly transitional in our eyes.”

The Post Company provided design materials including a Shaker stool and asked Dorpfeld to design a bench with a profile that was more streamlined and modern. The resulting sample “was lovely and just as we imagined,” Fried said.

Dorpfeld is making 7’6″ wooden benches for 42 rooms, and 87 smaller round and rectangular stools for the hotel.

He has handmade and sold more than 400 Danish Modern style benches for customers around the country during his five years in business. In addition to making other custom furniture such tables, chests, and dressers, Dorpfeld also designed and installed custom closet cabinetry, library bookshelves and wet bars.

Dorpfeld’s designs and furniture typically include mortise and tenon joinery and other traditional joints, and he enjoys collaborating with consumers on custom furniture as well as working with designers on commercial hospitality and restaurant projects.

You can view his work at www.jacobdorpfeld.com and purchase items from his Etsy store (click here).

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Bob Meehan, back right, is joined by his grandchildren and other Sons of the American Legion in passing out 2,100 flags before the Memorial Day parade in medina. Meehan’s grandkids include Riley Meehan, left in red John Allen jersey; Tyler Meehan, front center; Ashton Erickson, back in blue shirt; and Julian Erickson, back in red shirt.

The Honor Guard carries the colors near the start of the Memorial Day parade which went from the Olde Pickle Factory on Park Avenue to Main Street and then down East Center Street to State Street Park.

A casket draped with an American flag sent a powerful message about Memorial Day. Bill Maryjanowski of Medina drives a 1969 deuce and a half, carrying the casket.

Medina Mayor Mike Sidari passes out candy along the parade route. Here he is on park Avenue in front of the fire hall.

Girl Scouts in 82094 basked in the bright sunshine.

Boy Scouts were well represented in the parade.

Dave Sevenski is joined by a friend in passing out treats for the Knights of Columbus.

These girls kept their pinwheels moving during the parade on a very sunny Memorial Day.

Levi Welker, 2, enjoys a lollypop and the view from his father Zack Welker’s shoulders.

The Medina Marching Band gave a high-energy performance for the home crowd.

The band marched in a precise procession during the parade.

The white plumes on the Medina Marching Band hats are shown as the band headed down East Center Street.

Josh Vacanti of Lockport, one of the stars of Season 21 of NBC’s The Voice, sang from a float during the parade. He was promoting an upcoming performance at 7:30 p.m. on July 22 for the Salt & Light Festival in Gasport.

Jim Freas reads the names of veterans from Medina who have passed away since the last Memorial Day. It was part of a service at State Street Park.

Photo by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – The Village Board agreed to dedicate use of one of the docks at the Erie Canal for a new business offering boat rides.

Brian Hellner will need to pay $125 a month or $625 for the season to have exclusive access to one of the docks.

Mayor Mike Sidari said brick-and-mortar stores pay village taxes. He said it’s only fair a business using the dock pay a fee.

“We have to maintain down there and mow the lawn,” Sidari said about the Canal Basin area.

Brian Hellner of Newfane is looking to open a new business offering rides for up to six people on a 20-foot-long pontoon boat. Hellner said he has been a licensed charter captain the past 12 years and an avid boater the past 50 years. He also is a former vice president of the Buffalo Maritime Center.

Hellner said he sees an opportunity to grow tourism in the village through the canal cruises. He plans to call the business, North Star Charters. He would like to offer one-hour rides from Friday through Sunday from June to the fall. The Erie Canal closes to boating traffic on Oct. 11. It opened for its 199^th season on May 19.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Medina’s fast-charging stations are planned for the Canal Basin near the median where there is access to electricity. There would be four spots with each station having two.

MEDINA – The total cost for the Village of Medina’s two fast-charging stations is estimated at $370,000.

It shouldn’t cost the village anything, unless the village opts for short-term financing, said Matt Zarbo, a managing engineer with Barton & Loguidice.

He went over the grant and project with the Village Board this week. Medina on April 17 was approved for a $245,184 grant for two direct-current fast charger pedestals.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation and National Grid will also contribute to the project, Zarbo said.

Medina will go through the design and procurement phase of the project. Zarbo said the village needs to pay upfront and then get reimbursed. Medina can consider short-term financing or using existing village funds, Zarbo said.

The state and National Grid will pay for all construction, design, engineering, signage and painting for the project, but the short-term financing expense may not be included, Zarbo said.

When Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the funding for Medina last month, it was part of $8.4 million awarded statewide for charging stations. Medina was one of 28 to receive funding for the fast-charging stations that take only 45 minutes.

The Village of Albion one of 454 to be awarded $10,500 for two Level 2 charging ports that take longer for a charge.

The charging stations approved for Medina need to be in the downtown area and there needs to be four parking spots designated for electric vehicles at the charging stations.

Village Board members on Monday said there may be some pushback from business owners about having spots reserved for electric vehicles.

“We are excited to have them don’t get me wrong but  we have a shortage of parking spots in the village,” said Village Trustee Marguerite Sherman.

Zarbo said he sees the fast-charging stations as a big benefit to the businesses. They will be the first fast-chargers for public use in the county, and will show up on apps, drawing electric vehicle drivers to Medina.

Zarbo suggested the spots go in the Canal Basin parking lot, where there is existing three-phase electric infrastructure in the median of the parking lot. That would make the project less costly.

“This should help the businesses not hurt them,” Zarbo said. “Apps show where fast-charging stations are located. You may draw more people here.”

Users of the charging stations are expected to be billed through a credit card or an app.

Provided photo

MEDINA – These Medina students Bella Gomez (left) and Taylor Frentz are in art teacher Jennifer Scott’s class. They are touching up the village sign outside the village office as part of the Impact Day of doing service projects in the Medina community. Jack Daigle also is part of the effort with the sign.

The students have finished one side of the side and will do the other and put on polyurethane on both sides.