Photo by Ginny Kropf: Santa and Mrs. Claus pose with one of their elves on a Santa Christmas train at the Medina Railroad Museum. This year’s Santa Train will run Dec. 17 and 18, after the Polar Express is in town Nov. 26, 27, Dec. 3, 4, 10 and 11.

MEDINA – Families who want to experience the nostalgia and magic of the famed Polar Express can ride the historic train when it returns to Medina Railroad Museum for the 11th holiday season. The Polar Express has been an annual sell-out event here since 2011, with only 2020 missed because of Covid.

Trains are scheduled for six runs a day on Nov. 26, 27, Dec. 3, 4, 10 and 11.

First-class tickets are all sold out, but some coach tickets are still available. A week ago, ticket sales had already surpassed this time last year by 4,000 tickets.

Passengers on the magical train will ride to the sounds of the hit motion picture soundtrack, reliving the classic story as the Polar Express whisks them down the tracks on a one-hour trip to meet Santa.

Once on board, the conductor will punch the passengers’ golden ticket, before hot chocolate and a Christmas cookie are served by the chefs. Passengers then read along with the classic children’s book, The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg. During the trip, characters on each car lead onboard entertainment.

After arriving at the North Pole, Santa will join passengers for the ride back to the museum. Each child will receive their first gift of the Christmas season – a sleigh bell. Families are encouraged to wear their pajamas for the ride.

Tickets to ride also give passengers admission to the Railroad Museum, which boasts one of the largest model train layouts in the country. There will also be an opportunity to take a Christmas photo in Santa’s sleigh.

Food trucks will be stationed on the Museum property and passengers will be able to sit at tables on the covered deck to eat.

After the Polar Express has left for the season, families can visit the Railroad Museum Dec. 17 and 18 and enjoy Santa’s Reindeer Story. This includes a one-hour train ride to the North Pole, during which hot chocolate and a cookie will be served and passengers can take part in a Christmas singalong.

Then passengers can read along with the children’s book, “Santa’s Reindeer Story, How the Reindeer Got Their Names.” The book tells how Santa got the names for Dasher, Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen and “the most famous reindeer of all” – Rudolph.

At the North Pole, Santa will join passengers for the ride back to the museum, while he listens to each child’s wishes and gives them all a gift.

Children and adults are encouraged to wear their favorite holiday pajamas for the relaxing ride in cars adorned with holiday decorations.

Back at the museum, there will be live reindeer for children to visit, photos in Santa’s sleigh and free rides on a miniature train around the yard.

A food vendor will be on site with a variety of food options to choose from. All items purchased may be brought onto the train. No outside food or beverages are allowed.

For more information about tickets, click here or email medinarailroad@gmail.com.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Ryan Czaja of Middleport wears a Santa suit while running a 5K in Medina on Nov. 27, 2021. He was one of 75 participants in the 9th annual Home for the Holidays 5K. Czaja has worn the Santa suit for the race several times. This year’s race will be Nov. 26.

MEDINA – The committee planning the Home for the Holidays 5K run in conjunction with the Olde Tyme Christmas celebration in Medina is making a plea for participants to sign up for this year’s race Nov. 26.

Teresa Wilkins and Debbie Tompkins have chaired the event since 2016 and want to make this one the biggest ever in celebration of its 10th anniversary.

The race signals an early start to a day full of special events, which includes holiday activities throughout the village, sales, a Cutest Little Elf Contest, a pet parade, arrival of Santa Claus, band performances, fireworks and more, topped off by the magnificent Parade of Lights at 6 p.m.

A full schedule of events can be found on the Christmas in Medina website.

Race participants can start registering at 7:30 a.m. at the YMCA, for the USA Track and Field-sanctioned race, which begins at 9 a.m. in the canal basin behind Captain Kidz. Registration forms and more information can be found on the Christmas in Medina website.

Prizes are awarded for first, second and third for men and women in a variety of age categories, starting with 10 and under and going up to 70 and older in increments of five years. For example, 11-14, 15-19, etc.

Wilkins said they are very grateful for more than a dozen Medina High School seniors who have volunteered to help this year, manning the route and directing runners. She is also thrilled to have several runners sign up this year from Canada.

Wilkins and Tompkins are both runners and in the past have run 10 to 15 races together a year.

The YMCA has not only offered use of its facility to host registration for the race, but it has invited racers who may be from out of town and want to stay for the day to come back after their run and use the facility’s showers.

The race ends at the American Legion Post on North Main Street, which opens up for racers to come in and have a donut, donated by Dunkin’ Donuts, and/or an apple, donated by local farmer Dale Root.

All the proceeds from the race go to a local charity, and in the past they have donated to the Knights-Kaderli Fund, Hands 4 Hope, the Warrior House and the library. This year’s proceeds will be given to a new local charity, Cat by Cat Inc., led by Shannon Blount in Medina. The group in Medina works to humanely “TNVR” cats through targeted trapping. Those cats are then neutered, vaccinated and either returned or adopted out.

MEDINA – Village officials are open to new basketball courts at Butts Park, even after Medina wasn’t approved for a grant that would have added new basketball courts, a pickleball court and an ice skating rink.

Melissa Valley, a member of the Parks Committee, said the committee is disheartened by the grant denial. The group waited eight months to hear the application’s fate.

Valley and the committee don’t want to give up on the basketball courts. She asked the Village Board on Monday how much village funds would be available for two new asphalt courts. That would be down from the original goal of three.

Jess Marciano, a village trustee, said she would be willing to spend $60,000 to $80,000 towards the courts, with those funds coming from Medina’s pot of federal money from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Mayor Mike Sidari also said he would support ARPA funds towards the courts.

Trustee Tim Elliott said he would like to see the basketball courts be the priority because Medina doesn’t have any outdoor courts at its parks.

“We’re the only town without one,” he said.

A pickleball court could be set up at the tennis courts on the school property, Elliott suggested.

Mayor Sidari also said an ice skating rink is part of a long-range plan at State Street Park by the Erie Canal and that would be his preferred location rather than at Butts.

Valley said the dollar amount from the village will help the committee as seeks cost estimates from contractors.

Trustee Owen Toale said he would like to see a plan for Butts Park, which has become busier with youth sports, adult softball, and a new skate park. All of the park users have maxed out a lot of the parking, he said.

Jason Watts, the Department of Public Works superintendent, has a plan to expand parking at Butts Park, said Trustee Marguerite Sherman.

She wants to see the courts at the park because many kids are playing basketball in the streets.

MEDINA – Fire Chief Matt Jackson said the department will be changing its work hours in January, going to 24 hours on duty with the next 72 hours off.

The 19 career firefighters currently work two 10-hour day shifts, followed by two 14-hour night shifts. Jackson said that schedule with the two consecutive nights disrupts their sleep patterns and takes a toll on their physical and mental health.

Fire departments and EMS providers have found the 24-hour shift with three days off allows personnel to have a better sleep routine and more personal time off, Jackson told the Village Board on Monday.

The change in schedule won’t result in any additional overtime costs for the village, he said.

“It will be good for the health and safety of firefighters” by allowing for more recovery time from an all-nighter, he said.

Jackson said it will make Medina Fire Department more attractive as a place to work.

“I think it’s beneficial and I’m tired of our guys leaving for other things,” he said. “If we commit to our employees, it gives a better chance they will commit to us.”

Trustee Owen Toale said the change should be negotiated as part of a new contract, with firefighters offering a concession to the village.

However, Toale said Jackson has the power to set the firefighters’ work schedules and he can make the change without the board’s endorsement.

Trustee Tim Elliott said he was concerned about firefighters, who also run the department’s ambulance services, providing emergency medical services when they are at the end of a 24-hour shift. He said it would seem those staff would be struggling with fatigue.

Jackson said he is confident the staff will be going strong throughout their shift. He expects they will be fresher than the current work schedules, which leave many sleep-deprived because their schedules aren’t consistent.

Trustee Marguerite Sherman said first responders are wired differently, and the adrenaline kicks in on late-night calls, whether they are volunteers or paid staff.

Elliott asked Jackson to consider some mandatory time off for someone who finishes a 24-hour shift. Jackson said he would look at how other departments handle required time off.

MEDINA – The Medina Police Department said several suspects are in custody after search warrants were executed this morning in Medina.

The local police department worked in cooperation with multiple local, county, and federal agencies to execute two federal search warrants, the Medina Police Department stated on its Facebook page.

“Multiple suspects were taken into custody,” the Medina PD said. “No names are being released at this time as this is an ongoing investigation.”

Village asked to consider renaming State Street Park in honor of Burroughs family

The stained-glass window donated by the late Silas Burroughs will be repaired. The window and the chapel at Boxwood Cemetery were featured on Sept. 26 in a night-time tour of the cemetery. Catherine Cooper, county historian at center, is shown discussing the window.

MEDINA – The Friends of Boxwood Cemetery have met their fundraising goal of $7,500 to repair the stained-glass window in the chapel at Boxwood.

The window was donated by the late Silas Burroughs, who was influential in the pharmaceutical industry. Burroughs and Henry Wellcome pioneered the use of Empirin Compound for headaches. They also developed a technique to make powdered medicine more palatable by making pills.

Burroughs in his estate left money to Boxwood Cemetery. The bottom half of the window and frame will be repaired by Pike Stained Glass Studios in Rochester. The company will remove the window in the spring and try to have it back in place in time for next year’s “Boxwood at Night” event, where many of the cemetery paths were lighted up.

The inaugural “Boxwood at Night” on Sept. 26 attracted more than 200 people. The event was a big fundraiser for the window restoration. There was also music and seven stops with docents or interpreters discussing people buried in the cemetery. One of the stops was inside the chapel where people could see the window donated by Burroughs.

The Village Board approved the repair at a cost of $6,750 with the money coming from the Friends of Boxwood.

Todd Bensley, the village historian and member of the Friends of Boxwood, said a bigger goal for the Friends of Boxwood is a complete restoration of the Medina Sandstone chapel. The group would like to get contractors in the building over the winter to prepare bids for a project.

Bensley also asked the Village Board on Monday to consider an interpretive panel about Burroughs and his father at State Street Park. The panel would be done in a similar style as the ones in the downtown. Bensley said once the panel is designed it will be presented to the board for its input.

Burroughs father, Silas Burroughs, was a member of Congress from 1857 until his death on March 4, 1860. The elder Burroughs was a lawyer, a brigadier general in the New York State Militia and a state assemblyman.

The family home was at State Street Park until 1916. Bensley asked the board to consider renaming the park in honor of the Burroughs family.

That request was made to the village in 2019 by Chris Busch, the former Village Planning Board chairman and current president of the Orleans Renaissance Group.

Bensley said the village previously renamed a park. South Main Street Park was renamed Butts Park in honor of John Butts, a Medal of Honor recipient in World War II.

“We’re not asking for it to happen today, but trying to gauge the interest level,” Bensley said during Monday’s board meeting.

Village Trustee Marguerite Sherman said one possibility could be naming the new pavilion at the park in memory of the Burroughs family.

“The village board needs some time to digest,” Mayor Mike Sidari responded to Bensley.

The board last month approved having a sidewalk at the corner of the park leading to a World War I cannon. An anonymous donor is covering the cost.

Photos from Medina Fire Department

MEDINA – A railcar is a total loss and another suffered minor damage after a fire Saturday in Medina.

A fire was quickly extinguished from a building with plastic totes burning on plastic pallets, the Medina Fire Department stated on its Facebook page this morning.

Firefighters were dispatched at about 7 p.m. to the area of Genesee Street at the railroad crossing, with a caller to 911 reporting smoke.

A Medina firefighter who was first on the scene reported there was smoke coming from a railcar parked behind The Olde Pickle Factory at 711 Park Ave. A crew of Medina firefighters arrived on scene and were confronted with heavy fire coming from one railcar impinging on a second railcar as well as the structure, the Medina FD said.

Firefighters from Shelby and Albion arrived to the scene. As Medina firefighters attacked the burning railcars, other Medina firefighters forced entry into the building and found fire inside the building that entered through a large window.

“The interior fire was extinguished so quickly by interior crews that the building’s sprinkler system never activated,” the Medina FD stated. “As more companies arrived on scene they assisted Medina with search and ventilation of the structure as well as extinguishment and overhaul of the railcars.”

Firefighters remained on scene until 11:15 p.m. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Medina Fire Department Fire Investigation Unit with assistance from the Medina Police Department, the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and the NYS Office of Fire Prevention and Control Fire Investigation Unit.

Comprehensive damage estimates are unavailable right now, the Medina FD said. Damage to the building and contents are well under $10,000.

“We are happy to report that there were no injuries to any civilians or firefighters at this scene,” the Medina FD said. “We would like to thank all the agencies listed above as well as the fire departments of East Shelby, Middleport, Lyndonville and Tri-Town Ambulance Inc. for their assistance at either the scene or standing by at our firehouse.”

Photos by Ginny Kropf: Scouts in Troops 28 and 35 and Packs 28 and 35, their leaders and parents who participated in the Scouts’ annual food drive lined up for a picture in the food pantry at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Medina on Saturday morning. Kneeling, from left, are Gideon Pask, Scoutmaster Tim Miller and Matthew Jacobs. Standing are parent Joseph Brueckner, Nate Miller (a third-generation Scout), Aidyn Jackson, Jake Jackson, Aaron Thomas and parent Robert Jacobs.

MEDINA – Food pantries at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church and Calvary Tabernacle Assembly of God got a big boost today for the holiday season with the annual food drive conducted by local Boy and Cub Scouts from Troops 28 and 35 and Cub Packs 28 and 35.

Scouts, their leaders and parents covered every street in the village of Medina a week ago, leaving a tag at each home which residents could use to identify donated food items left on the porch for Scouts to pick up. On Saturday morning, the Scouts again traveled down each street, looking for homes who had put donated items out for the Scouts to pick up in their annual “Scouting for Food” drive.

Rob Robinson, a Scout leader with Troop 28, said the Scouts interrupted their camping weekend on Scott Road to pick up the food items and deliver them to St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.

Scouts Will Miner, Jimmy Dieter and Colton Smith and assistant Scoutmaster Shaun Smith bring in food items which were donated by the Medina community to the food pantry at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. The food drive is an annual Scout project.

At the church, Robin Dubai, who has headed the food pantry at St. Peter’s for almost 30 years, her husband Denny, volunteers Bob Hoffman and Diane Mazur and Donna Poore, head of Calvary Tabernacle Assembly of God’s food pantry, sorted bags and boxes of food as they were delivered. Items were stacked on shelves according to category, and then were divided between St. Peter’s and Calvary Tabernacle Assembly of God.

Boy Scout Nicholas Reese said it was good to do something in return for the community.

Robinson said his involvement in Scouting started back in 1990 when he was in church one Sunday.

“I had been a Scout as a kid and I let it be known if a Scout troop needed help to let me know,” Robinson said. “One Sunday, a Scout leader came up to me and said, ‘I understand you’d like to help a Scout group.’ The rest is history. My life has grown expediently because of Scouting, in terms on trips and experiences, such as camping at Niagara Falls Air Force Base.”

From left, Denny Dubai, Robin Dubai, Rob Robinson and Bob Hoffman sort food donations at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church this morning.

The Scouts annually do a food drive just before Thanksgiving to benefit the local food pantries. Another food drive by the Post Office in May will also benefit them, Dubois said.

St. Peter’s food pantry is open from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and Thursdays (closed Thanksgiving until Dec. 1) then open again until Dec. 15, when it closes until Jan. 3.

Calvary Tabernacle’s food pantry is open the same days, from 9 a.m. to noon.

Dubai said families may go to both food pantries, if they have the need.

Volunteers sorting food as it is delivered by Scout groups on Saturday morning are, Robin Dubai, who heads the food pantry at St. Peter’s Church; Bob Hoffman, Diane Mazur and Donna Poore, head of the food pantry at Calvary Tabernacle Assembly of God.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Charlene Favata, right, past district president of the VFW Auxiliary, presented a certificate of appreciation to the VFW Lincoln Post 1483 Auxiliary in Medina on Wednesday night in recognition of 75 years in existence. From left are Aaron Horn, trustee of the Medina Post; Becky Persons, senior vice president of the Auxiliary; and Cindy Harris of Gasport, president of the Medina VFW Auxiliary.

MEDINA – The Lincoln VFW Post 1483 Auxiliary was recognized for its years in existence at its meeting Wednesday night.

Although the Post is 85 years old, the national organization only recognizes membership in increments of 25 years, and for some reason recognition was overlooked at the 75th anniversary.

On Wednesday night, the Auxiliary was presented with a certificate of appreciation by Charlene Favata of Holley, past district president of the VFW Auxiliary.

The Post was founded on March 11, 1937, and Favata said their mission remains the same – dedication to and support of veterans and their families.

The Post currently has 132 members.

“We are going strong and plan to continue,” said Cindy Harris of Gasport, president of the VFW Auxiliary.

She noted it is no longer referred to as the “Ladies Auxiliary,” as men were allowed to join in 2016. Also, women are able to join the VFW Post.

Individuals who are eligible are encouraged to join. This is a wonderful organization which provides opportunities for socialization with other veterans, one member commented.

Their goal is to have a dinner and/or event every month.

On Veterans Day, they sponsored a baked ziti lunch for veterans. A community spaghetti supper is planned from 5 to 7 p.m. Nov. 19. Tickets will be on sale at the door. For the first time since the pandemic, the Post and Auxiliary will have their Christmas party for kids.

MEDINA – Austin Mosher, a Medina firefighter, is part of the new graduating class from the State’s Recruit Firefighter Training program at the Office of Fire Prevention and Control’s Academy of Fire Science in Montour Falls.

Austin Mosher

Mosher, 19, was hired as a career firefighter for Medina on Feb. 15, after volunteering the previous 18 months with the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company.

The 86th Recruit Firefighter Training class represents graduates from 18 different fire departments across the state.

The rigorous 15-week residential program provides extensive fire service training in an environment similar to a full-time fire department. Upon graduation, all recruits will begin to serve as career firefighters in their respective fire department.

“Today’s ceremony celebrates the achievements of New York’s newest career firefighters as they begin their path in public service to protect their fellow New Yorkers,” said Jackie Bray, commissioner of NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. “Following the completion of the Academy’s course, these firefighters have the necessary training and are well-equipped with the knowledge to keep our communities safe from fire danger and the many emergencies they are asked to respond to day in and day out.”

The Office of Fire Prevention and Control’s Recruit Firefighter Training Program provides basic training for recently hired career firefighters, as well as volunteer firefighters. During the 15-week program, recruits participate in more than 600 hours of training in both classroom and practical settings.

Classes focus on areas such as structural, vehicle and flammable liquid firefighting, emergency vehicle operations, hazardous material emergency incident and basic rescue technician operations. Recruits also participate in daily physical fitness training in preparation for the Candidate Physical Ability Test. Upon completion, graduates receive national certification from the National Board of Fire Service Professional Qualifications in Firefighter I, Firefighter II and Hazardous Materials Operations.

The graduates received training in areas such as operating aerial devices; traffic incident management to keep firefighters safe on roadways; health and safety; firefighter rescue; hazardous materials response, and technical rescue. During the training program, students use iPads to provide them with greater access and flexibility to testing, as well as study materials.