Village officials say lower pay in Medina makes it difficult to keep and recruit officers

Photos by Tom Rivers: Christian Navas takes the oath of office during a swearing-in ceremony on Monday evening during the Medina Village Board meeting. Navas was promoted from sergeant to lieutenant. He is holding his daughter Layla while his other daughter Mackenzie smiles. Navas’ wife Stephanie holds the Bible during the oath.

MEDINA – The Medina Police Department has promoted two officers within the department.

Christian Navas and Jake Reeves both started with Medina in 2016. Navas has been promoted to lieutenant and Reeves to sergeant. Both were sworn to their new positions on Monday during the Village Board meeting.

Navas fills the lieutenant position that has been vacant since Todd Draper moved from that position, the department’s second-in-command, to police chief in June 2023. Navas has been a sergeant with Medina PD since 2021.

Reeves has been Medina’s K9 handler since 2020. He will continue in that role with Phoenix, a Belgian Malinois.

New Medina Police Department Sgt. Jake Reeves gets helps with his collar brass insignia from Lt. Christian Navas and Police Chief Todd Draper. Reeves’ wife Dana watches after Reeves took the oath of office for his promotion.

The two officers were praised for their long-term commitment to the Medina PD, especially during a time of frequent turnover at smaller police departments.

“Both are great people in our department and they live locally,” said Mayor Marguerite Sherman.

The board accepted the resignation of Kyle Daly, who has left to join the Ogden Police Department. Alexandra Reigle of the Albion PD also has joined the Ogden PD. They were both sworn in at Ogden on Monday. They both live in Monroe County.

Police Chief Todd Draper said of the department’s 10 officers right now, seven have less than five years of experience at Medina. He said the pay in Medina is significantly less than at many of the Monroe County departments.

Many of the new officers for Medina live out of county, Draper said. They ultimately want to work closer to where they live, he said, when asked about the turnover in Medina.

Medina Police Chief Todd Draper administers the oath of office to Jake Reeves on Monday. Reeves was promoted to sergeant. He has been with the Medina PD since 2016 and will continue as the K9 handler, which he started in 2020.

The starting pay in Medina is $50,430, while some of the Monroe County departments are offering more than $100,000 for officers with at least three years of experience.

“The pay is definitely an issue we just can’t compete with,” Draper said in responding to a question from a community member at the board meeting. “The pay is a substantial difference.”

Draper said having more local candidates for the positions would help, but he said only 11 people took the recent Civil Service test to be a police officer and only one was a local resident.

Village Trustee Jess Marciano said the Village Board faces “intense pressure” to try to keep taxes as low as possible, while facing intense pressure to offer services, including police protection.

She praised Navas and Reeves for their long-term commitment to Medina, especially when they could earn more elsewhere.

Lt. Christian Navas holds his daughter Layla while being sworn in as lieutenant for the Medina PD. He joined Medina PD in 2016 and was promoted to sergeant in 2021. His daughter holds up her hand while watching her father take the oath.

Mayor Sherman said Medina started offering a better retirement system recently to police officers, hoping that would be an incentive for officers to make it a career with the department. But Sherman said many of the younger officers would prefer to be bigger paychecks while working.

“The younger people want their money now,” she said.

She said the board continues to seek a balance on what the community can afford and what it needs to be competitive with other municipalities and businesses.

“We’re doing the best we can to pay them what we can,” Sherman said.

Rob Ortt

ALBANY – Rob Ortt again has the backing of his Republican colleagues in the State Senate to serve as the minority leader.

He was re-elected to the post on Monday. He has been the Republican leader of the State Senate since 2020.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues to make New York a more affordable, safer, and healthier state for hardworking families,” Ortt said in a statement. “I thank my colleagues – and the millions of New Yorkers they represent – for their continued trust in my leadership of this Conference.”

Democrats have a solid majority of the 63-member State Senate, but Republicans have made some in roads in recent elections, breaking the Democrats’ super-majority or two-thirds of the votes.

Ortt, a former North Tonawanda mayor, was elected to the State in 2014. His district includes all of Orleans and Niagara counties, and part of western Monroe County.

“I am incredibly honored to once again earn the support of my colleagues in the Senate Republican Conference to serve as Minority Leader,” Ortt said. “As we approach the New Year and a new legislative session, we are energized and ready to confront the challenges created by Albany’s failed one-party rule.”

MEDINA – Two families are being assisted by the Red Cross and other family members after a late-night fire on Bates Road.

Firefighters were dispatched to the scene of a house fire at 1:30 a.m. The Medina Fire Department responded with mutual aid by Ridgeway, Shelby and Albion.

Medina police officers were the first at the scene and all occupants were outside, while smokes and flames were coming from the structure, the Medina Fire Department stated in a news release.

Two cats were rescued, but one perished in the fire, which was brought under control about 30 minutes after the dispatch call.

The cause of the fire is undetermined currently and under investigation by members of the Village of Medina Fire Department Fire Investigation Unit/Medina Police Department with assistance from the Orleans County Fire Investigators, Orleans County Sheriff’s Office Investigators and Erie County Sheriff’s K9 Unit, the Medina FD stated in a press release.

Press Release, Orleans County Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners

KNOWLESVILLE –  Master Gardeners have finalized the lineup of topics for their annual “Master Your Garden” class series.

This is the fifth year of the popular series held on the first Saturday of every month. Every year, Master Gardener volunteers take feedback from participant surveys to find speakers on topics the public has indicated interest in. In addition to requested topics, Master Gardeners poll their volunteer group to see what passions or expertise their members may have.

“I think the Master Gardener series ticks the boxes for those who are looking for a new learning experience,” explained Eileen Sorochty, long-time Master Gardener volunteer and committee member for the Master Your Garden series. “We try to vary our topics from year to year and invite folks to offer suggestions of programs they’d like to see.”

Master Gardener Sue Starkweather Miller shows students the different parts of a dahlia tuber.  Sue will be teaching a class on Hydrangeas alongside another recent Master Gardener graduate Noelle Wiedemer to wrap up the end of the 2025 Master Your Garden series.

This year’s topics range from the practical to informative, with a bit of fun thrown in the mix.  This year, the classes will be taught by a mix of Master Gardener volunteers and business owners in the community.

The class titles and dates for the 2025 MYG series are:

• January 4 – Beekeeping and Honey Harvesting
• February 1 – Blueberry Growing at The Gardens of Colehill
• March 1 – Intro to Permaculture and Native Plant Communities
• April 5 – Historic Uses of Indigenous Plants
• May 3 – Organic Gardening
• June 7 – Planting for Success
• July 5 – Purposeful Pruning
• August 2 – The Fall Garden
• September 6 – The Wonderful World of Water
• October 4 – Microgreens
• November 1 – The Art of Growing Hydrangeas

Kathy Contrino, a graduate of the 2024 Master Gardener Training Course, will also be teaching two classes for the series this year – one on Permaculture and Native Plant Communities, and another on the Historic Uses of Indigenous Plants.

“We try to have programs so that anyone, no matter their expertise level, can learn something and expand their knowledge on a particular topic,” said  Janelle Flammger, Master Gardener volunteer and the chairperson of the MYG committee. “The classroom environment is informal and informative and participants are encouraged to ask questions.”

The MYG series typically runs from February through November, but this year Master Gardeners are pleased to be able to offer an additional class in January. The first class will be 10 a.m. Saturday on Jan. 4, featuring local beekeeper Jennifer Kelly from Fiddlehead Farm discussing how she got started in beekeeping, honey producing, and creating other handmade products.

In addition to the Master Your Garden series, a new monthly educational series held on the third Saturday of each month called “Seeds to Splendor” will debut on Jan. 18 in conjunction with the new Master Gardener-led Orleans Community Seed Share – more details on that program to come!

All classes are held in the “Buzz Hill” Education Center at the Orleans County CCE Office, 12690 State Rt 31, Albion, NY.  Classes are offered at an optional $5 donation and pre-registration is required by emailing klo54@cornell.edu or calling (585) 798-4265 ext. 125.

By Karen Kinter, CEO of Oak Orchard Health

You might think homelessness could never happen to you or your loved ones. But life can bring sudden changes that leave you with impossible choices. Statistics show that 70 to 80 percent of individuals facing homelessness are from the community or have lived there for a year or longer before becoming unhoused.

The homeless population in Genesee, Orleans, and Wyoming counties (GOW) is growing. The Homeless Alliance of Western NY states that in 2023, 710 people in GOW counties lost their housing, a 12.9% increase from the previous year. This included an 8% rise in youth homelessness and a 17.9% increase in clients 62 years and over.

When people talk about homelessness, there are many misconceptions and myths about how someone might have become homeless or what homelessness looks like.

Here are some common myths—and the facts that clear up these misperceptions.

Myth 1: “They did this to themselves.”

Fact: Homelessness is more often due to sudden illness or an accident, job loss, or financial problems that lead to eviction. The NYU Silver School of Social Work Professor Deborah K. Padgett and the Coalition for the Homeless says that some are fleeing domestic violence or are living in overcrowded, substandard housing.

Myth 2: “They’re lazy and don’t want to work.”

Fact: The primary cause of homelessness is the lack of affordable housing, according to the Coalition for the Homeless. The National Alliance to End Homelessness estimates that 53% of those who are unhoused are employed full-time or part-time and sometimes working two to three jobs.  A job does not guarantee stability because they are not earning life-sustaining wages to afford to pay rent or other bills. Those looking for employment face additional barriers when applying for jobs, including no permanent address or transportation, internet access to apply for jobs, or access to showers or appropriate clothes for interviews.

Myth 3: “They’re all addicts or mentally ill.”

Fact: Substance use disorders are rarely the sole cause of homelessness and, more often, are a response to it. Living on the street or in overcrowded housing puts the person in frequent contact with those who are in active addiction and facing the same issues, according to the Homeless Alliance of Western New York (HAWNY). However, the trauma of becoming homeless can certainly lead to depression or other mental health disorders and make it harder for people to find help because of the stigma of being homeless.

Myth #4: “They’re dangerous criminals.” 

Fact: The reality is that most people without housing spend their time and resources trying to survive, improve their situation, or find a job. Others are teens with no place to turn or older adults on fixed incomes who can’t make ends meet. Unhoused individuals are more likely to be victims of a violent crime than to commit one, according to the Coalition for the Homeless. The risks of being victims of a crime were higher for older adults, women, or those who were homeless for more than two years.

Oak Orchard Health and its Community Partners are here to help with warming centers.

Winter in Western New York is especially brutal for those individuals facing homelessness.  In 2023, Oak Orchard Health and its community partners opened the Orleans County Warming Center at Christ Church.  It provides a warm and safe environment when the temperature hits 32 degrees or below, called Code Blue. Code Blue is activated when temperatures or the wind chill are at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit for at least two consecutive hours.

The Orleans County Warming Center at Christ Church served 60+ people in the 2023 winter season. People come here not only to get out of the cold but also to get a hot cup of soup, snacks, toiletries, and rest. Working with community partners, they can also get referrals to the county and local non-profits for ongoing support.

If someone you know is in a housing crisis, call 211.

This is a central human services hotline for the Western New York region that can direct the appropriate community resources for help with housing, emergency services, food, utilities, healthcare, and employment.

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.

John D. “JD” Smith Jr.

ALBION – The Albion Police Department has charged an Albion man for first-degree rape after allegedly having anal sexual contact with a person under 11 years old.

John D. “JD” Smith, 30, was arrested on Dec. 12. He also was charged with endangering the welfare of a child. He was remanded to Orleans County Jail on $5,000 cash bail or a $10,000 bond.

Smith’s arrest was reported in the police blotter of the Orleans Hub on Sunday. The Albion Police Department put out a news release today about Smith.

“The Albion Police Department felt it was important to get the suspect’s identity and information out to the public due to concerns that there may be additional unidentified victims in the surrounding area,” said Police chief David Mogle. “If your child came into contact with John D. Smith Jr., please contact your local authorities.”

Photo by Tom Rivers

EAST SHELBY – The Lyndonville Area Foundation has approved a $9,700 grant to the East Shelby Volunteer Fire Company for EMS training equipment. East Shelby trains many of the EMTs in Orleans and nearby counties.

Lyndonville Foundation representatives met at the East Shelby fire hall on Monday evening to see some of the new equipment.

Pictured from left include Mike Fuller, an EMT and certified instructor coordinator; Norm Behrend, CIC; Russ Martino, treasurer of Lyndonville Area Foundation; Harold Sure, EMT and foundation board member; Sue Behrend, EMS coordinator at East Shelby and CIC; and Gary Lamar, a Shelby firefighter in the EMS continuing medical education recertification program.

East Shelby just had 20 EMTs students take their practical skills exam. Behrend leads the four-month training program that starts in August. Classes are twice a week, and sometimes additionally on Saturday.

The new equipment includes two mannequins to train on opening airways and properly do suctions. The mannequins will be used to practice inserting an oropharyngeal airway (OPA), which is is a medical device in airway management to maintain or open a patient’s airway. The students also will insert a nasopharyngeal airway (NPA), which is a thin, clear, flexible tube into a nostril.

There is also a new childbirth mannequin at left to practice birthing scenarios, from breached birth, normal child births and the umbilical cord around the baby’s neck.

The grant from the Foundation also paid for a hemorrhage control kit to practice “Stop the Bleed” from gunshot wounds, punctures or other cases with big open wounds. The EMS class often used a Nerf ball to simulate “Stop the Bleed.”

The EMS program also now has two emergency traction splints, and padded wood splints to assist the class in training to move people with broken legs and other injuries.

Harold Suhr, an EMT for 25 years, also is on the Foundation board of directors. He said East Shelby is training and recertifying many of the EMTs in the county, as well as eastern Niagara and Genesee. That includes an EMT in Lyndonville, and many who respond to calls in Lyndonville.

“This really saves lives,” Suhr said about enhancing the training for EMTs.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer continued his streak of going to all 62 counties in the state in the past year. Schumer has been to all of the state’s counties annually for the past 26 years.

He was in Orleans County on Nov. 27 when he was in Holley at the Eastern Orleans Community Center. He was there to highlight his effort to have Medicare cover telehealth services, which he said is particularly important in rural areas which there is less access to healthcare and specialists.

Schumer completed the all-county tour on Monday when he was in Greene County to announce the Army Corps will step up to help save the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse.

“Today, you can flip one of my favorite numbers – 62, for every county in New York – and get another very important number for me today: 26,” Schumer said on Monday. “I am proud today that for the 26th year in a row, I completed my annual tour of all 62 counties in New York State.”

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer holds a photo of a finished factory for Edwards Vacuum during a celebration on Aug. 6 in front of the company’s manufacturing facility that has been under construction since April. He visited the site in Genesee County at STAMP in the Town of Alabama.

Schumer was elected to the Senate in 1998. He pledged then to go to every county in the state every year. He said the past year was very impactful, the culmination of decades of work and legislation he championed delivering billions of dollars in federal investment to create good-paying jobs, rebuild infrastructure and lay the foundation for the next generation.

 “I have no plans on slowing down,” he said. “God gave me a lot of energy, and I look forward to continuing this tradition again next year and continuing to fight and deliver for New York. Because no matter what’s happening in Washington, my favorite two titles will always be New York’s senator and a New Yorker, and I’m keeping my foot on the pedal so we can keep driving federal resources home to communities across the state.”

File photo: Adam Kirby holds the trophy for winning the 2019 corn yield contest in New York.

ALBION – A local corn grower is the state winner for highest corn yield in conventional irrigated class.

Adam Kirby of Albion won the title with a yield of 290.548 bushels per acre. He grew the crop with a Pioneer hybrid seed – PO859AM*. He used a John Deere planter and a Case IH to harvest in the corn.

Kirby’s top yield was announced by the National Corn Growers Association in its 60^th annual yield contest. Kirby won one of the state categories from 2019 to 2021.

He will be honored at Commodity Classic in Denver, Colorado, from March 2-4 with 27 national and 535 state winners from around the country.

David Hula of Charles City, Virginia had the top yield in United States at 490.6276 bushels per acre in the strip-till irrigated division.

For more information on the corn yield contest, click here.

Press Release, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation today issued an update on drought conditions across the state.

The State’s Drought Management Task Force updated the drought status from “Drought Warning” to “Drought Watch” for New York City and 10 additional counties because of recent rainfall and higher levels of ground and surface water.

All of New York’s 62 counties are now in “Drought Watch” status. Despite encouraging hydrological conditions, New Yorkers are urged to continue reducing unnecessary water waste, fixing leaks, and choosing efficient water fixtures.

There are four levels of State drought advisories: watch, warning, emergency, and disaster. There are no mandatory restrictions under a Drought Watch.

“While recent precipitation has alleviated dry conditions for many counties, New Yorkers should still be vigilant about water use and conservation,” said DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar.

The following counties are returning to Drought Watch designations: Bronx, Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Kings, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.

New York State encourages ongoing water conservation to ensure adequate supply for all emergency uses. To protect water resources, homeowners are encouraged to voluntarily reduce water use and follow these tips:

• Reuse water collected in rain barrels, dehumidifiers or air conditioners to water plants.
• Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks.
• Fix leaking pipes, fixtures, toilets, hoses and faucets.
• Wash only full loads of dishes and laundry.
• Take shorter showers or fill the bathtub partly.
• Install water saving plumbing fixtures.
• Don’t run the tap to make water hot or cold.
• Wash cars less frequently.

Private Water Wells

For water wells that may be affected by drought, see the information below. Contact a registered water well contractor to discuss appropriate options for your individual situation.

• Check that the well is dry due to drought and no other issues. Sometimes the solution is quite simple, like a broken valve or electrical issue. The only way to definitively tell if a well is dry is to measure the water level in the well.
• Conserve water year-round to help prevent the effects of drought on water wells.
• Consider adding a water storage tank to help get through dry periods.
• Clean or redevelop existing wells.
• Deepen existing wells or drill a new well. If drilling a new well, properly decommission the old well to protect groundwater quality.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – David Thom carries a wreath to be set at a grave for a veteran on Saturday during a Wreaths Across America ceremony. Mount Albion was included in Wreaths Across America for the first time.

Thom’s daughter, Jennifer Thom, coordinated the effort at Mount Albion. She is also the leader of Operation Honor, which purchased 100 of the wreaths. Other people purchased them for $17 each.

Wreaths has grown to 4,000 communities across the country, including in medina, Lyndonville and Holley.

In the photo with David Thom, he is carrying a wreath in honor of uniformed service members in U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps.

Other wreaths in the opening ceremony were set for the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, U.S. Space Force, Coast Guard and Merchant Marines.

Many of the wreaths were set in the veterans’ section on the western side of the cemetery.

Richard Cox sets wreaths on veterans’ graves on a chilly Saturday. Cox also paid for 10 of the wreaths. He said he is a veteran and wanted to show appreciation for others who served in the military.

Jennifer Thom, leader of Operation Honor and coordinator of Wreaths Across America at Mount Albion, places a wreath at a veteran’s grave on Saturday. She urged the volunteers to say the veteran’s name when setting the wreath.

State Sen. Robert Ortt carries a wreath during the ceremony on Saturday. Ortt also was in Lyndonville earlier in the day for Wreaths Across America.

Mike Donahue is the bugler while Taps was played as part of the Honor Guard on Saturday during a ceremony for Wreaths Across America.

A wreath was also set at the Alms House Cemetery for Daniel Walterhouse, a Civil War veteran. Students in the Albion Middle School History Club placed that wreath at the cemetery on County House Road.

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – Volunteers with the Royal Body Shop Outreach Ministries get chicken barbecue dinners ready in take-out containers on Saturday at the Masonic Lodge on Platt Street.

The church prepared 2,000 of the dinners. People started lining up at 11 a.m., about an hour before the meals were advertised to be available. By 3:30, all the dinners had been served, with volunteers delivering many to shut-ins in the community.

This the third straight year the Royal Body Shop served the 2,000 dinners for free, after a debut in 2021 with 1,000 chicken barbecues.

Pastor Al Wilson of the Royal Body Shop cooks potatoes and string beans with smoked turkey in the kitchen at the Masonic Lodge. He said a dedicated group of at least 20 worked on the big dinner.

“It’s a blessing when you have all this help,” Wilson said. “We just want to share the love of Jesus.”

Nora Bell-Owens keeps up a brisk pace in the kitchen.

Pam Parker and Anthony Artis were among the volunteers getting the food ready.

The Royal Body Shop also does an Easter egg hunt in Albion. There were 12,000 Easter eggs filled with candy during the March 30 egg hunt on the courthouse lawn.

Provided photo: Students from the Iroquois Job Corps helped cook the chickens and get the meals ready.