MEDINA – The village about two years ago was approved for a state grant to put in fast charging stations.

The state committed to a $245,184 grant for two direct-current fast charger pedestals. The project costs jumped to a projected $370,000 with National Grid and the state Department of Environmental Conservation to pay the additional expenses.

The village has been working with the Barton & Loguidice engineering firm on the design and engineering work for the project, which is planned for the Canal Basin. The stations, the first fast chargers in the county, would go in a median in the parking lot where there is access to three-phase electricity.

The project, however, is going to be handed off to the state which is doing a $1.345 million redesign of the basin and the parking lot.

The Village Board on Monday paid $3,750 to Matt Zarbo, a managing engineer with Barton & Loguidice. That money will be reimbursed by the state.

The state has its own firm working on the Canal Basin parking lot redesign. The basin will be transformed into a “waterfront gateway” with green space, seating areas and boater/cyclist amenities. It’s one of eight projects to be funded with a $4.5 NY Forward grant.

File 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 places to charge up electric vehicles.

David Wagenhauser, a Democrat who ran for Congress in the NY-24^th District, has passed away at age 65.

Wagenhauser is being praised for giving voters a choice in a district with a heavy Republican advantage. He lost the election this past November to Claudia Tenney.

“He was a common-sense, realistic moderate,” said Jess Marciano, a Medina village trustee who is active in the Orleans County Democratic Party. “I was very excited for his campaign. I don’t feel well represented by Claudia Tenney.”

Wagenhauser went door to door in Medina, and learned about local issues, Marciano said, including the STAMP manufacturing site just across the Orleans County border in the Town of Alabama, and the prospect of large wind turbines in Shelby.

Wagenhauser, a retired lawyer from Waterloo in Seneca County, made the trek frequently across the sprawling district.

He died on Jan. 11. His calling hours are from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday at Doran Funeral Home in Seneca Falls. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday at 10 a.m. at St. Mary’s Church in Waterloo.

Wagenhauser grew up in Spencerport and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at SUNY Brockport and put himself through law school at Syracuse University. He was a marathon runner and a self-taught carpenter who enjoyed restoring his old home in Waterloo.

In a message posted on his campaign website, he said Congressional representatives from Upstate don’t do enough to help the area with better job prospects and a more affordable cost of living. He longed for a bipartisan approach with less bickering in Congress. He blamed “extremists and ultra-partisans” for making governing “a chaotic nightmare where finger pointing and insults replace common sense, hard work and achieving real results.”

“I’m not a knee-jerk Democrat,” he wrote. “I believe in getting things done to make people’s lives better. It starts with finding common ground. I’ll work with anyone who can help me in my fight to deliver results for the people and communities of Upstate NY.”

His daughter, Dana Wagenhauser, served as his campaign manager.

“My father was a fighter for all – family, friends, and strangers alike – until the end,” she posted on Facebook, informing his supporters of his death. “His fierce intellect, conviction, and heart will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

“A strong and confident man, my father worked very hard in his effort to represent the people of the district, with the goal of being a voice for those who were not being heard. It was an exhausting endeavor, and we thank each of you for all you did for us during the campaign season. We could not have done it without you.”

Press Release, Diocese of Buffalo

BUFFALO – Bishop Michael Fisher has directed parishes in the Diocese of Buffalo to take up a special emergency collection in response to the devastation caused by the ongoing wildfires in Southern California.

Catholic Charities USA, the official domestic relief agency of the Catholic Church in the U.S., has launched a dedicated disaster relief donation campaign. All funds raised in the diocese will assist those displaced or suffering because of the fires. One hundred percent of all donations will be allocated to Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, which will provide critical humanitarian relief to those most in need.

In addition of the upcoming special collection in parishes, gifts also may be made online through www.catholiccharitiesusa.org and by accessing the LA Wildfires Disaster Relief “Give Now” button, or by texting FIRES to 20406.

In his request to diocesan priests requesting the special collection, Bishop Fisher said, “I know the generosity of our people and their deep care for those in need. I trust that you will find the best way of making these needs known to the faithful of your parish community. Please include an intercession for all those affected by the fires in the Universal Prayer at Masses.”

Press Release, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

MEDINA – The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has determined that the cleanup requirements to address contamination related to the former Bernzomatic Facility site at 1 Bernzomatic Drive, under New York State’s Brownfield Cleanup Program have been met.

The site is in the Village of Medina in the towns of Ridgeway and Shelby. The site is about 15 acres and is bound by New York Central Railroad and a vacant commercial property to the north, vacant wooded land to the south, Bernzomatic Drive to the east, and wooded land and commercial property to the west.

From 1969 through 2014 site operations involved the machining, assembly, packing, and shipping of hand-held torches by the Bernzomatic Corporation.

Current site activities include dry goods storage and material assembly, packaging, and shipping of air duct components.

The cleanup activities were performed by the Newell Operating Company and B360 Holdings LLC with oversight provided by the DEC. The DEC has approved a Final Engineering Report and issued a Certificate of Completion for the site.

The following activities have been completed to achieve the remedial action objectives:

• Demolition – The eastern machine building was demolished, and the concrete slab was removed. Following removal, the building footprint was backfilled with clean fill.
• Excavation – Excavation and off-site disposal of about 23 tons of contaminated soil exceeding the Restricted Commercial Use soil cleanup objectives was performed. The excavations were backfilled with clean fill.
• In-Situ (in-place) Reductive Chlorination – Groundwater at the site is impacted with Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). To prevent groundwater contamination from migrating off-site, Liquid Activated Carbon and Biological amendments were injected into the ground to breakdown the VOCs.
• Site Cover System – The site cover system includes hard cover (building foundations, asphalt pavement, and concrete sidewalks), and 1-foot of clean soil cover in landscaped areas.
• Site Management Plan (SMP) – Development of a SMP for long-term management of residual contamination.
• Easement – An Environmental Easement was recorded to prevent future exposure to any contamination remaining at the site and to ensure implementation of the SMP.

Photos from LaBella: These images show some of the cleanup work at the former Bernzomatic site in Medina.

NYSDEC has approved the Final Engineering Report Approved, which:

1) Describes the cleanup activities completed.

2) Certifies that cleanup requirements have been achieved for the site.

3) Describes any institutional/engineering controls to be used. An institutional control is a non-physical restriction on use of the site, such as an environmental easement, when contamination left over after the cleanup action makes the site suitable for some, but not all uses. An engineering control is a physical barrier or method to manage contamination such as a cap or vapor barrier.

4) Certifies that a site management plan for any engineering controls used at the site has been approved by NYSDEC.

The following institutional controls have been put in place on the site:

• Site Management Plan.
• Groundwater and Land Use Restrictions.
• Environmental Easement.
• Vapor intrusion must be evaluated for any buildings developed on-site.

The following engineering controls have been put in place on the site:

• Cover System.

Next Steps: With its receipt of a Certificate of Completion, the applicants are eligible to redevelop the site. In addition, the applicants are eligible for tax credits to offset the costs of performing cleanup activities and for redevelopment of the site.

Foundation directs $500K to 56 arts and cultural organizations in WNY

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Cobblestone Museum, a National Historic Landmark on Route 104 and Route 98 in Gaines, has been awarded funding from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

GAINES – The Cobblestone Museum and Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council have been approved for $15,000 from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo.

The Foundation today announced $500,000 to support 56 small to mid-sized arts organizations serving the eight counties of Western New York, plus Monroe County, through its competitive grants process.

The funding comes from the 2024 Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Arts & Culture Initiative. Since the establishment of the Arts & Culture Initiative in 2021 by the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, the Community Foundation has prioritized community feedback in the creation of this annual funding opportunity, the Foundation stated in a news release.

In 2024, an Advisory Committee was convened to further evolve this funding. That committee members synthesized data from the two previous grant years and drew heavily on their own experiences working in grassroots arts nonprofit organizations and as reviewers for grant processes outside of the Community Foundation.

The funding was awarded in two categories:

Category 1: Combined Capacity-Building and General Operating Funds for organizations with at least one full-time (or one FTE) staff member to help organizations build the solid foundation necessary to pursue an ambitious mission and vision.

Grantees include:

• Alfred Box of Books Library – $15,000
• BFM Arts, Inc. – $15,000
• Buffalo Center for Arts and Technology – $13,000
• Buffalo Institute for Contemporary Art – $15,000
• Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus, Inc. – $14,000
• Carousel Society of the Niagara Frontier – $15,000
• Center for Exploratory and Perceptual Arts, Inc. – $15,000
• Community Canvases – $14,000
• Cordelia A. Greene Library – $15,000
• Danceability, Inc. – $15,000
• El Museo Francisco Oller Y Diego Rivera – $15,000
• Fenton Historical Society of Jamestown, New York – $15,000
• Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council – $15,000
• Gowanda’s Historic Hollywood Theater, Ltd. – $15,000
• Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center – $15,000
• IndicatorArt Corporation – $15,000
• KORP Foundation Inc. – $14,000
• Lewiston Council on the Arts Inc – $15,000
• Locust Street Neighborhood Art Classes, Inc. – $14,000
• North Park Theatre of Buffalo, Inc. – $13,000
• Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Collective – $15,000
• Shake on the Lake – $15,000
• Sukanya Burman Dance Inc. – $15,000
• The Cobblestone Society – $15,000
• The Fountain Arts Center, Inc. – $15,000
• The Theatre of Youth Company, Inc. – $15,000
• West Falls Center for the Arts – $15,000
• Western New York Minority Media Professionals Inc – $14,327

Category 2: General Operating Micro Grants up to $2,500 for organizations with less than one full-time staff member to execute immediate programming.

Grantees include:

• American Scandinavian Heritage Foundation – $2,500 for Celebrating Scandinavian Folk Cultural Traditions at the Scandinavian Folk Festival
• Arts Services Inc. – $2,500 for B.flo-Girls: Creating Connections for Women in Hip Hop
• Buffalo Music Hall of Fame – $2,500 for Strengthen Our Foundation
• Buffalo Niagara LGBTQ History Project Inc – $2,500 for General Support
• Buffalo Society of Artists – $2,500 for Buffalo Society of Artists -Community Engagement Initiative
• Canalside Radio Inc – $2,500 for Local Voices, Stronger Signals: LPFM Transmitter Project
• Clann Na Cara Parents Organization INC d/b/a Buffalo Irish Dance Parents Organization – $2,500 for BIPDO General Operating Funds Application
• Concordia Foundation, Inc. – $1,500 for New Website
• Depew Community Action Team, Inc – $2,500 for Arts Education Collaboration with Lancaster Opera House
• El Batey Inc. – $2,500 for El Batey Cultural Arts- Areyto: Taino Heritage Festival
• El Museo Francisco Oller Y Diego Rivera – $2,500 for Nuestra Cultura: A WNY Multidisciplinary Arts Project
• Fractured Atlas – $2,500 for Sotto Voce Presents Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor
• Genesee Symphony Orchestra – $2,500 for The Genesee Symphony Orchestra’s 78th Season
• Greater Niagara Ballet Company – $2,500 for Nutcracker 2024
• GWBN Inc. dba Gardens Buffalo Niagara – $2,500 for Administrative Infrastructure
• Leon Historical Society – $2,500 for Leon’s Penny-Royal Race Track – From Horses to Stock Cars to NASCAR
• Lucille Ball Little Theatre of Jamestown – $2,500 for Little Theatre of Jamestown Operating Support Micro Grant
• Polish Arts Club of Buffalo – $2,500 for Polish Arts Club of Buffalo Eightieth Anniversary
• Polish Genealogical Society of New York State – $2,500 for Dziennik dla Wszystkich Newspaper Digitization
• Red Blazer Men’s Chorus – $2,500 for Building for the next 75 years in Western New York
• Rock Autism – $2,500 for Rock Autism Multimedia Vocational Internships
• Starry Night Theatre, Inc. – $2,500 for Restoring our Lobby to create a comfortable gathering place for all
• Tonawandas’ Council on the Arts/Carnegie Art Center – $2,500 for Live on the Lawn Concert Series
• Ukrainian Congress Committee of America – Buffalo, NY Branch – $2,500 for Ukrainian Saturday School Art, Theatre, Dance and Cultural Outreach
• Virtuous Diamonds Foundation Inc – $2,500 for Mentoring, Movement, and Motivation
• Vocalis Chamber Choir – $2,500 for Choral Connections and Community Sing Weekend
• WAHI Studio, Inc. – $2,500 for General Operating Expenses
• YITC Foundation Inc. – $2,500 for YITC Short Film

The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Arts & Culture Initiative was established at the Community Foundation to support arts and culture in the eight counties of Western New York, plus Monroe County, in recognition of the key role arts and culture organizations play in a thriving economy, the Foundation said.

Part of that announcement includes $500,000 in annual funding to be awarded primarily to support small to mid-sized arts and culture organizations in the nine counties.

ALBION – A woman who was incarcerated at the Albion Correctional Facility was sentenced to more time in state prison today for allegedly assaulting a corrections officer.

Caitlyn Jacobs, 34, was charged with second-degree assault, which was reduced to attempted assault in the second degree as part of a plea agreement.

She was sentenced this morning to another 1 ½ to 3 years in state prison by Orleans County Court Judge Sanford Church.

Jacobs has been moved to the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility where she is finishing a 5-year sentence for criminal possession of a controlled substance in the second degree, and criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. She was convicted of those charges in Cayuga County in October 2022.

In another case today, Judge Church sentenced Erika Poole, 44, of Medina to time already served and a conditional discharge to stay away from controlled substances for a year.

Poole pleaded guilty to criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree.

Poole admitted to having cocaine on Nov. 10, 2022. She has a credit of 92 days in jail and won’t need to do additional time. She also was ordered to pay $250 in court charges.

LYNDONVILLE – There is one position up for election on the Village Board. The election will be on March 18 with voting from noon to 9 p.m. at the Village Hall, 2 South Main St.

Potential candidates can pick up petitions from the village office. Those petitions need at least 27 signatures from registered voters in the village and must be turned in by Feb. 11.

The position up for election is a two-year term. Terry Stinson was in the spot until she stepped down as village trustee in August.

Photos courtesy of Jenna Amering

BROCKPORT – The historic Morgan-Manning House on Main Street in Brockport has suffered extensive damage from a fire that has engulfed the building.

The Morgan-Manning house was built as a Victorian-era mansion in 1854. The Western Monroe Historical Society has owned the site since 1965 and made it available for the community.

Firefighters were dispatched just before 7 p.m. to 151 Main St. Smoke and flames have poured out from windows and the top of the building.

Clarendon and Murray firefighters from Orleans County have joined many departments from Monroe County in trying to bring the fire under control tonight.

There has been a partial collapse on the south side of the brick building.

Governor’s agenda gets praise and criticism

Photo by Darren McGee/ Office of Governor Kathy Hochul: Gov. Kathy Hochul delivers 2025 State of the State Address in the Kitty Carlisle Theatre in Albany.

Gov. Kathy Hochul today unveiled numerous proposals that she said would make the state more affordable and safer.

She wants to cut taxes for more than 8.3 million middle class residents, send inflation rebate checks and expand the child tax credit.

“Families shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not they can afford to put food on the table because of the rising cost of groceries,” Hochul said. “Making New York more affordable has been one of my top priorities and to continue this commitment, I am proposing a substantial tax cut for middle class New Yorkers to lighten the burdens of inflation.”

The child tax credit would increase to $1,000 for kids ages 0-3, and $500 for children ages 4-16.

She launched “unplug and play” to help young people off their phones and be more active.

She said she would tackle the housing crisis by taking on corporate forces that raise home prices and rents.

To build the workforce of tomorrow, Hochul called for the state to offer free SUNY and CUNY community college for adult students pursuing in-demand careers.

The 126-page “State of the State” book is available by clicking here. It details many of Hochul’s proposals.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley of Batavia issued this statement:

“New York leads the nation in outmigration, yet today we heard more false promises from Gov. Hochul. She cannot tell our residents she cares about fixing the affordability crisis while raising taxes even higher with additional government handouts. Our great state remains unsafe with pro-criminal policies, yet she supports bail reform and fails to admit it is the treacherous policy that led us to this public safety disaster we are facing daily. It’s time she walks the walk and acts on what she promises.”

State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt posted this response on social media to Hochul’s State of the State: “If we could fix the affordability crisis by spending MORE, New York would be the most affordable state in America.”

Greater Rochester Chamber President & CEO Bob Duffy issued the following statement in response to Governor Hochul’s 2025 State of the State address:

“Governor Hochul’s State of the State today outlined her vision to enhance the quality of life for hard working New Yorkers — and on issues Greater Rochester Chamber is supportive of. Investments in economic development, childcare, public safety, mitigating the benefits cliff, and tax cuts are deeply important to our members across the Finger Lakes Region.”

“Greater Rochester Chamber looks forward to working with Governor Hochul and our partners in the Legislature to reduce barriers to economic growth in our communities. We will advocate tirelessly over the coming months to ensure that our region has a seat at the table in crucial conversations on the issues that matter to our members.”

New York State Association of Counties Executive Director Stephen Acquario issued this response:

“Counties commend Governor Hochul for her clear focus on tackling New York’s affordability crisis. The Governor’s proposals to provide tax relief, support New York’s community colleges, invest in childcare, and ensure no public-school student goes hungry are positive steps at the state level, but fully addressing this crisis will also require action to improve affordability at the local level by reducing state-mandated costs that drive up local taxes, protecting the county Medicaid cap, and making local infrastructure investments that will empower communities to increase housing opportunities.”

NYS United Teachers President Melinda Person issued this statement:

“Gov. Hochul’s address today was a welcome declaration that she is focused on making New York more affordable for working families. NYSUT shares her vision to strengthen our schools and communities through transformative policies like distraction-free learning environments, new pathways connecting kids to high-demand careers and free school meals for every student in the state.

“As part of her address, the governor made several proposals that align with NYSUT’s legislative goals for 2025. These include: funding for universal school meals, a commitment to distraction-free learning environments, expanding media literacy to combat misinformation, tuition-free pathways for students to enter high-demand occupations, expanded mental health resources in schools, funding our world-class facilities at SUNY and CUNY, and supporting our students through early childhood and family tax credits.”

MEDINA – Last year was a transition year for the cruise-in events in Medina, with a shift from the Canal Basin to the Senior Center parking lot.

Rollin Hellner, who helped coordinate the events and covered the insurance cost, has a schedule prepared for 2025 that continues the cruise-ins at the Senior Center, and adds live music at two of the events at the Senior Center.

Rollin Hellner, coordinator of the car show cruise-ins in Medina, goes over the schedule and his plans for the event in 2025. He is speaking with the Medina Village Board on Monday evening. The schedule would be most Friday evenings from May 30 to Aug. 22.

Hellner went over the schedule during Monday’s Village Board meeting. He needs the board’s permission to allow use of the parking lot. The board said it will vote on the issue during the Jan. 27 business meeting for the board.

Mayor Marguerite Sherman thanked Hellner for his efforts in leading the events.

“It went well last year,” Sherman said. “We’re excited for everything you’re putting into it.”

Hellner presented a schedule for car shows this year, going most Friday evenings from May 30 to Aug. 22. The Super Cruise on Main Street would be on Wednesday, Aug. 27, and again will feature Elvis impersonator Terry Buchwald.

The car events aren’t all on Fridays. The July 4 show will be the following day on Saturday, July 5.

The show at the Orleans County 4-H Fair is usually on a  Friday but this year will be on a Saturday, July 26.

There are different themes for each cruise-in, including trucks, Corvettes, Mustangs, Hot Rods, “Bike Night,” British and Foreign Night, Camaros, Mopars, vans, ’50s, ’60s and ’70s, with the car show culminating with the Super Cruise on Aug. 27.

The car shows averaged about 50 per event last year at the Senior Center with about 250 for the Super Cruise. The shows will be from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

“It was a good response and we’re looking forward to doing it again,” Heller told the Village Board.

He owns The Walsh across from the Senior Center. He is planning for deejays and live music in 2025, and is working out the best spot for a stage for the musicians. That performance stage will either be at the parking lot or at The Walsh.

Highway 31 will perform June 6, with Ken Ryan and the Professionals on July 5 when the car show is at the Senior Center parking lot. A band will be at the fair on July 26 and Elvis will conclude the cruise-ins on Aug. 27.

The University at Buffalo has named 4,330 students to the fall 2024 Dean’s List including several from Orleans County.

To qualify for the Dean’s List, full-time undergraduate students must demonstrate academic excellence by earning a grade point average of at least 3.600 while completing a minimum of 15 or more UB credit hours, of which 12 are graded (A-F) credits.

The following from Orleans County are on the fall Dean’s List:

• Amaya Cancino of Holley
• Allison Lyndaker of Holley
• Jylees Bermudez of Albion
• S’koi Sanders of Albion
• Brookelyn Nawotka of Medina
• Jaxon Phillips of Medina
• Hilda Santiago Bautista of Medina
• Daniel Barry of Lyndonville
• Nathan Dillenbeck of Lyndonville, New York.
• Jaklin Mofardin of Lyndonville, New York.

Nazareth University in Rochester also announced Orleans County students on the Dean’s List with a GPA or at least 3.5.

The following from Orleans County made the list:

• Joseph Nettles of Holley
• Hailey Crawford of Albion
• Tyana Burroughs of Kendall
• Raine Baker of Lyndonville

Jacksonville State University in Alabama announced that Seagan Majchrzak of Medina made the Dean’s List for the fall with a GPA between 3.5-3.99.

Press Release, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today announced the launch of the 2025 Congressional Art Competition. The Congressional Art Competition is open to high school students who reside in New York’s 24th Congressional District, which includes Orleans and about a dozen other counties.

Since 1982, the Congressional Art Competition has been held each spring to celebrate the talents of young artists across the country. Rep. Tenney welcomes students from the 24th Congressional District to take part in this tradition. Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of experts from NY-24, and the winning artwork will be displayed in the United States Capitol for one year.

In 2024, Tenney’s office received over 30 submissions from high schoolers across New York’s 24th Congressional District.

Acceptable mediums include:

• Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
• Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal
• Collages (must be two dimensional)
• Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints
• Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor
• Computer-generated art
• Photographs

All submissions must be delivered to one of Tenney’s district offices from April 14 to April 18. All necessary paperwork must be attached to the students’ artwork.

Please set up a time to drop off artwork at one of the following locations:

Lockport District Office

169 Niagara Street

Lockport, NY 14094

Phone: (716) 514-5130

Canandaigua District Office

2375 Rochester Road

Suite 250

Canandaigua, NY 14424

Phone: (585) 869-2060

Oswego District Office

46 E Bridge Street

Suite 102

Oswego, NY 13126

Phone: (315) 236-7088

For more information, visit Tenney’s website.