By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 November 2024 at 2:25 pm
Provided photo: One free preparedness class will be available per household for people completing the Citizen Preparedness Training Class on Nov. 25.
CARLTON – Orleans County Emergency Management will be offering a Citizens Preparedness Training Class on Nov. 25 that is open to county residents at no cost.
This training will help people to prepare for severe weather events, said Justin Niederhofer, the county’s emergency management director.
“The registration for the event last year was overwhelming and interest exceeded capacity so this year Carlton Fire Company has stepped up to host the event at the Carlton Rec Hall, which will allow a much greater capacity,” he said.
The class will be on Nov. 25, starting at 6 p.m. at the Carlton Rec Hall, 1853 Oak Orchard Rd.
The NY Citizen Preparedness Training Program provides an introduction to responding to a natural or human-caused disaster. Participants are advised on how to properly develop family emergency plans and stock up on emergency supplies. Each family that attends will receive one preparedness kit.
Pre-registration is required. Click here to register.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 October 2024 at 8:50 pm
Provided photo
The Point Breeze Yacht Club held its annual members’ meeting and Election of Officers at Godfreys Pond on Saturday. Boaters interested in membership may find information at PBYCNY.com.
Elected Officers in photo, from left, include: Bob Bialkowski, Commodore; Bob Turk, Vice Commodore; Madeline Bialkowski, Treasurer; Marietta Schuth, Secretary; Kevin Tiffany, Port Captain; and Emrys March, Rear Commodore.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Michelle Cryer of Clarendon is barely visible in a high lift, as she paints a giant mural on the wall of Captain’s Cove. The mural depicts Lake Ontario and the Oak Orchard Lighthouse.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 1 October 2024 at 7:11 am
George Lacey is shown on the roomy deck of his new store overlooking his slips and the Oak Orchard River at The Bridges.
WATERPORT – George Lacey has always considered Captain’s Cove a hidden gem.
And now everyone else will know it, too.
Captain’s Cove was recently chosen by the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce as a “Hidden Gem” with an influential role in promoting local tourism. Captain’s Cove will be recognized with other winners at the awards dinner Oct. 17 at White Birch Golf Course in Lyndonville.
Lacey, 62, has been in business since he was 17, said the Niagara Falls native. In 1980, he started Lacey Heavy Equipment Repair in Lockport.
In 2015, he had the opportunity to buy Captain’s Cove on the Oak Orchard River at The Bridges, and he made the decision to sell the successful business in Lockport and put all his efforts into making Captain’s Cove “what it used to be.”
“I still see potential here,” Lacey said, referring to the Point Breeze area. “People come here from all over the country. Our fishing is second to none, not even Alaska.”
He has overcome several hurdles in achieving his goal for Captain’s Cove. Three weeks after he purchased it, his wife died by suicide. In 2017 the business flooded during a year of historic high water. Lacey responded to the flood by buying new floating docks, raising the parking lot and marina five feet and putting in new utilities.
He tore the original fishing store down and moved into a rental house on the hill above. In 2019, he was flooded again.
He recently put up a new, modern building for his new store, with improved parking on the upper level. He started in 2022, and it is almost complete, Lacey said. All the wood in the new building came from the trees up on the hill. He said Mike Elam of Albion planted those trees when his family owned the property in the 1950s.
He just got his beer license for the new store, and has groceries, any fishing tackle a person would need, live bait and hunting licenses.
The property also includes a 14-unit motel and 32 slips. They rent pontoons, fishing boats, kayaks and canoes. He has refrigerators available for fisherman to store their catch.
George Lacey sits by the counter in his newly constructed building on the Oak Orchard River.
The entire west wall of the new building facing the river is getting a new look. Mural artist Michelle Cryer of Clarendon is painting the wall, showing the lake and the Oak Orchard Lighthouse.
Samantha Tillman manages the business, and Lacey said she is a top-notch business person, just like her dad Mark.
He credits his employees for the Chamber’s recognition.
“All my people are the best,” he said. “They only call me when something needs to be fixed. It’s the people who work here who want it to grow and made it what it is. It’s a fun place.”
He said they try to do as much as they can to promote the county, and he praised Lynne Menz and Dawn Borchert for their efforts in promoting the area as a tourists’ destination.
Captain’s Cove opens in the spring on April 1 and this year is staying open two weeks longer than usual, until the end of November.
Photos by Tom Rivers: A fire last night destroyed this home at 1850 Sawyer Road in Carlton.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 September 2024 at 11:35 am
CARLTON – One person was killed in a fire last night in Carlton, Orleans County Sheriff Chris Bourke said.
Firefighters were dispatched to 1850 Sawyer Rd. at about 3:40 a.m. Firefighters from Carlton, Kendall and Albion arrived to a fully involved fire at a house trailer, which the blaze spread to two sheds and two vehicles.
A deceased person was found inside the trailer, Bourke said. The body was transported to the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office. Authorities are trying to get a positive identification and then work to notify next of kin.
The Orleans County Sheriff’s deputies, investigators and Chief Deputy Jeff Gifaldi are working to determine the cause of the fire with line officers from Carlton Volunteer Fire Company, Orleans County Emergency Management Office fire investigators, and the state fire investigators and K9 unit.
Anyone with information on the fire is asked to call Orleans County investigators at (585) 589-5527.
Officials are trying to determine the cause of the fire.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Community Action staff check the progress of a mural being created by artist David Burke of Bergen on the south wall of Community Action’s Main Street Gifts, Thrift and More store. From left are Debbie Schiavone, payroll administrator; David Burke; Renee Hungerford, director of Community Action of Orleans and Genesee; and Cassie Healy, head of the thrift store located on the corner of Main and Chamberlain streets in Albion.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 9 September 2024 at 10:40 am
ALBION – Having a mural painted on Community Action’s Main Street Gifts, Thrift and More Store is a dream come true for director Renee Hungerford.
“I have wanted to have a mural painted since the first day I came here,” Hungerford said recently, as she viewed the progress with artist David Burke of Bergen; Debbie Schiavone, payroll administrator at Community Action; and Cassie Healy, who runs the store.
The program was made possible with a grant from the Statewide Community Regrant Program which is administered locally by the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council.
Hungerford learned about the possibility of a grant through Schiavone, payroll administrator at Community Action, who met GO Art!’s director Gregory Hallock at Leadership Orleans. Hallock mentioned some local arts projects and programs, including murals.
Schiavone worked with GO Art! to apply for the grant, and as soon as it was approved, Burke, an acrylic painter who specializes in murals, was contracted to do the project.
“It is meant to show inclusivity,” Hungerford said. “We want to show our community focus and that everybody is welcome.”
Burke has been painting on and off for most of his life, but since he turned 60 nearly a decade ago, he has been painting like crazy, he said. He said murals are fun to paint. His first one was on the library in Bergen and he’s done several in Genesee County since then.
When he was interviewed last week, he was waiting for the humid weather to go away so he could start applying color. He said he still had to add the Community Action logo, some cornstalks and woods.
This mural being painted on the south wall of the Community Action store on South Main Street will showcase all the ways Community Action is involved in the community.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Peg Wiley gets a standing ovation on Saturday when she was honored by the Oak Orchard Lighthouse museum for her work in spearheading the building of the lighthouse. Wiley clapped for the crowd. She said many people made the projecta reality and continue to volunteer in support of the site.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 11 August 2024 at 10:21 pm
WATERPORT – The Oak Orchard Lighthouse’s annual fundraiser is called “Keep the Light On” for good reason.
“People don’t realize what it costs to keep the lighthouse going,” said Peg Wiley, who was recognized at the fundraiser Saturday night as the founding member of the Oak Orchard Lighthouse Board.
Chris Manaseri, president of the Oak Orchard Lighthouse board, shows Peg Wiley a plaque which will be hung in the lighthouse commemorating her vision in founding the original Lighthouse Board and initiating fundraising to build the lighthouse.
She explained they have ongoing expenses, including $2,500 a year for liability insurance, an electric bill and the cost of special oil paint which is ordered from Denmark and applied every few years.
The fundraiser Saturday night featured guest speaker Roy Widrig, New York Sea Grant Coastal Processes and Hazards Specialist for the Great Lakes region. In introducing him, Museum board member Dave Giacherio said Widrig had previously given a talk to the Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association, and was very well received.
Widrig provides assistance and educational outreach on issues associated with coastal erosion, shoreline erosion management and engineering and coastal flooding and mitigation. He spent some time this past week looking at the shore line of Lake Ontario in Orleans County.
“A lot of what I do involves the geologic processes which created our shoreline today,” Widrig said. “It took 10,000 to 30,000 years for glaciers to form and come down to carve out these lakes.”
He explained ice jams on several rivers resulted in sediment being deposited on shores, thus making the lake smaller than it originally was.
“This is happening in other parts of the world right now,” he said.
He showed videos of different ways to slow erosion on the shoreline, such as willow trees and strategically placed slabs of rock. He said Lake Ontario’s shore line is slowly sinking a couple of inches every year, and while it is not possible to slow the process, it is not all bad.
Following Widrig’s presentation, Chris Manaseri, president of the Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum board, introduced Larry Albanese, who was one of the original members of the lighthouse board and serves today as its vice president. He also introduced Diane Blanchard, another original board member, who currently is board treasurer.
A slide show highlighting Peg Wiley’s involvement with the Oak Orchard Lighthouse declared her the “Oak Orchard Warrior.”
“Diane is the glue that held us all together,” Albanese said. “If it wasn’t for her and several others like her, there would be no lighthouse today.”
Wiley, who Manaseri called “the mover and shaker behind the lighthouse,” took the stage next to remember board members lost, including the very first member, Marge Sage, and Cheryl Staines, Diana Jeffords, Mike Masters and Dick Anderson. Dick’s wife Donna was also very supportive of the Oak Orchard Lighthouse, as were the late Gene and Joey Haines.
“Gene and Joey gave us the use of their beautiful cottage for our fundraisers, and never charged us a thing,” Wiley said.
Roy Widrig, New York Sea Grant Coastal Processes and Hazards Specialist for the Great Lakes region, was guest speaker at the Oak Orchard Lighthouse fundraiser Saturday night at Carlton United Methodist Church on Archibald Road in Waterport.
Also part of Wiley’s tribute was a video compiled by Cheryl Giacherio, documenting Wiley’s involvement as the lighthouse took shape, from an idea to a structure.
Construction on the lighthouse began in March 2010 and was completed by early summer. Since then, thousands of visitors have signed the log book from all over the world, including New Zealand, Turkey, Germany, Alaska, Ireland, Canada and all the states in the Union.
After the first dessert buffet fundraiser last year was a sellout, another was planned this year, with addition of a new feature – an inaugural photo contest.
Winners were announced at the end of Saturday’s program, with Tom Rivers placing first for his photo of the lighthouse during the Aurora Borealis in May, Robyn Ottaviano second, and Claire Squicciarini, granddaughter of the late Dick Anderson, third.
The meeting included a gallery of entries in the inaugural lighthouse photo contest. The top three photos at left, from top to bottom, include the first, second and third place winners.
Photos by Ginny Kropf: (Left) Diane Blanchard also was an original member of the Oak Orchard Lighthouse board and its secretary. Here she stands next to a 1/6 scale replica of the lighthouse built by Gregg Squicciarini, son-in-law of original board member, the late Dick Anderson. (Right) Larry Albanese, an original member of the Oak Orchard Lighthouse board, tells about Peg Wiley’s efforts in forming the board and being the catalyst to build the lighthouse.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 August 2024 at 2:02 pm
CARLTON – A woman, age 66, who fell 100 feet down the Oak Orchard River bank last night was rescued by firefighters and only sustained minor injuries.
Carlton firefighters were dispatched at 1:30 a.m. for a call that a woman had fallen off a cliff in the area of 14339 Roosevelt Hwy. This is the area near Captain’s Cove. The woman had rolled down the embankment to the Oak Orchard River.
Upon arrival firefighters, requested the County Technical Rescue Team and were able to locate the victim at the bottom of the river bank. Carlton firefighters gained access to the victim, began patient care and began rigging the rope system while waiting for additional manpower from the Rescue Team to arrive, the Carlton Fire Company posted on its Facebook Page.
The patient was safely brought up by the Technical Rescue Team and patient care transferred over to an awaiting Monroe Ambulance Crew.
“The patient miraculously only suffered from minor injuries and was transported for treatment and evaluation by Monroe Ambulance,” Carlton fire officials stated.
The County Technical Rescue Team included members from Clarendon, Murray, Medina, Shelby and Carlton. The team recently was formed by the county and this was their first call.
The Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and the New York Stare Police also assisted at the scene.
“Excellent team work resulted in a safe and efficient rescue,” Carlton officials stated.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 25 July 2024 at 11:49 am
Event also includes photography exhibit of Oak Orchard Lighthouse, presentation from geologist on Great Lakes shorelines
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Founding president of the lighthouse at Point Breeze, Peg Wiley, points to the area where a compass wheel was supposed to go. People from every state and dozens of countries have visited the lighthouse.
POINT BREEZE – As soon as Peg Wiley learned back around 2000 there used to be a lighthouse at Point Breeze, she was obsessed with the idea of seeing it rebuilt.
Twenty-four years later, the founding president of the Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum Board has continued to support efforts to “Keep the Light On” and will be honored at a special function from 7 to 9 p.m. on Aug. 10 at the Carlton United Methodist Church.
The Keep the Light On fundraiser and dessert buffet will also feature guest speaker Roy Widrig, a New York State Sea Grant geologist and author of “Working with Nature, A Guide to Native Plants for New York’s Great Lakes Shorelines.”
Peg Wiley stands in front of the lighthouse at Point Breeze, a project which she initiated and saw to fruition in the early 2000s. On Aug. 10 a fundraiser for the lighthouse at Carlton United Methodist Church will also honor Wiley as the founding board president.
Widrig will share how Lake Ontario’s shoreline can change in an instant, but has taken more than 30,000 years to form. In his presentation, he will talk about New York’s geologic history and how it affects the lives of shoreline residents to this day.
An additional feature of the evening will be an exhibit of the winning entries in the “Capture the Light” photography contest.
Wiley’s obsession with a lighthouse at Point Breeze actually began before she and her husband Richard (known affectionally to many as “Wiley”) moved to Point Breeze from Cranberry Pond in Greece, where Wiley had a marine mechanics business.
“I already knew when we moved here in 2002 there used to be a lighthouse at Point Breeze,” Peg said. “I was interviewed before we even closed on the property that was Oak Orchard Riverside Marina.”
The Wileys had originally planned to build a house and business on Sandy Creek, when the realtor they dealt with told them he had just listed a marina with house and five acres on the Oak Orchard River.
The rest is history.
Peg joined the board of the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce, where she met Wayne Hale and Jerry Senecal, who became big supporters of the lighthouse and both worked to promote tourism in the county. Later in 2002, Peg met Dick Anderson at the Wooden Boat Festival, who had a replica set up of the original lighthouse.
The first serious steps to rebuilding the lighthouse occurred in 2003 when the Wileys, Marge Sage, Dan and Marietta Schuth and Gabriele Barone met under the bridge at the county marine park.
The Orleans County Chamber allowed the new Oak Orchard Lighthouse committee to operate under its umbrella until they could form their own not-for-profit organization, which was accomplished by Wiley and Cheryl Staines in 2004.
“Then we were on a roll,” Peg said. “Our first fundraiser was a formal dinner in the evening at the park. It was magical. Lynne Menz was standing next to me, and I looked at her and said, ‘We are going to do this.’”
Major fundraisers were chicken barbecues until Gene and Joey Haines purchased the Barbary Coast and opened their doors for more elegant fundraisers.
The Oak Orchard Lighthouse committee raised $275,000 and with an $84,000 Environmental Protection Fund grant they were able to break ground in March 2010. Other early supporters were Dick Anderson, Larry Albanese, Diane Blanchard, Jamie Kowalski, Diana Jeffords, Cheryl Staines, Mike Masters, Bill and Nancy Karcher, Bob Waters, Neil Johnson, Paula Mills, Joan Higley, Jamie Bragg, Kim Remley, Ann Mattice, Ben Jones, Lonnie Davidson and Virginia Kropf.
Construction continued throughout the summer and fall, during which time many days would find Peg wrapped in a blanket to keep warm while watching the lighthouse take shape.
A memorial walkway was completed in 2012, and bricks are still available for sale, to honor or remember a friend or loved one. Marble benches around the walkway were carved by George Graham of Oakfield. Space was allowed to build a compass rose, but that has yet to be accomplished.
Peg had stepped down as president and became vice president of the board in 2008 so she could write the Federal Environmental Protection Fund matching grant. She retired totally from the board and her job with the County Health Department in 2014 when her husband had health issues. Since then, she has fought through two bouts of cancer, but never wavered in her support of lighthouse fundraisers.
The Lighthouse board has continued to sponsor a fundraiser every year, from dinners at the Carlton Recreation Hall to basket raffles and last year’s presentation at Carlton United Methodist Church by Lake Ontario sailor Susan Peterson Gately.
Wiley said the Lighthouse board is looking for a large, affordable venue where they could have bigger fundraising events.
“These fundraisers are so important, as we have to pay for everything connected with the lighthouse, such as the insurance, upkeep and electric bills,” she said.
Wiley is excited and flattered about being honored at the Keep the Light On fundraiser.
“I am thrilled to have played a part in rebuilding this piece of history, and so happy to see the tourists it brings to our area,” she said.
Tickets for the Aug. 10 fundraiser are $20 per person (of which $10 is tax deductible) and can be purchased at Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association Concerts in the Park on Tuesday evenings, from Friday to Sunday at the lighthouse or by calling board president Chris Manseri at (585) 315-9799 or board member Larry Albanese at (585) 230-7829.
Donations to the lighthouse can also be mailed to Oak Orchard Lighthouse, P.O. Box 23, Kent, 14477.
The Carlton United Methodist Church is located at 1196 Archbald Rd., Waterport.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 June 2024 at 1:35 pm
2 earn citizenship in program at World Life Institute
Photos by Tom Rivers
WATERPORT – The World Life Institute celebrated with students who advanced their English and civics skills during a program run with the Orleans/Niagara BOCES.
The World Life Institute held a student recognition ceremony on Monday evening at the school on Stillwater Road.
There were 37 students who earned certificates. Those students work for local farms and agricultural businesses. Two long-time students at the WLI also were recognized for becoming American citizens.
These students hold up certificates for completing ESL classes in the past year. The WLI worked with students from Congo, Mexico, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Tunisia and Honduras.
The students were praised for spending about 15 to 20 hours a week learning English while juggling full-time jobs and often young families.
Harris Lieberman, one of the ESL teachers, congratulates students Hernan Sanchez for his effort and progress through an evening ESL class.
These two women both were recognized for earning their U.S. citizenship. Flor Iniguez, left, lives in Lyndonville and works in human resources for Fish Creek Orchards, where her husband Jose Iniguez is a part owner. Andrea Vargas, right, of Holley works at Kalir Farms in Brockport.
Flor Iniguez has been taking English and civics classes for several years at the WLI. She thanked her teachers for all their effort helping her over the years.
“The teachers gave me all the support I needed,” Iniguez said. “The teachers are wonderful people.”
Flor Inguez and Andrea Vargas lead the group in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance while Maria Castaneda, who is also an American citizen, holds the flag.
WLI wanted to celebrate Iniguez and Vargas on their achievement of becoming citizens. Fatima Lieberman, a Lyndonville student, played the Star Spangled Banner on her trumpet as part of the occasion.
Iniguez said she is grateful to be an American.
“I love this country,” she said. “I love the people. Many doors can open to you.”
Sue Diemert, a literacy specialist with Orleans/Niagara BOCES, said she is grateful for the partnership with WLI that goes back more than two decades. She congratulated the students on their success, and told them they are fortunate to have many “wonderful teachers.” Diemert has been part of the program since 2000.
The recognition program also included a new venture where students can earn certifications in restaurant management and hotel maintenance through the American Hotel Education Institute. Eleven from WLI have now completed that program.
WLI also is working with five students from the Iroquois Job Corps Center in Shelby on strengthening their English skills.
Deborah Wilson, center, was recognized by Linda Redfield, the program coordinator at right, for her years of service to the program. Wilson is retiring as an ESL teacher but will continue to run a pottery program for the students. She has been doing that since 2006.
“I can’t tell you how many lives she has touched and how many doors she has opened,” Redfield said.
Linda Redfield also thanked contributors to the program, including from left: Marisol Moore from the Brockport Migrant Education Program, volunteer tutor Lorienda Smith and Julia Stewart-Bittle, from the Genesee Valley Arts Council in Geneseo.
Redfield also cited the efforts of Francesca Colon from PathStone, Sandra Rivera from Oak Orchard Community Health and Stephanie Kellogg, the academic manager at Job Corps.
Ali Carter, a member of the World Life Institute, was the designer, architect and builder of the octagonal-shaped school, which opened in 1997.
He shared a quote from WLI founder, the late Dr. Asaf Durakovic. “The issues for the future of humankind have never been more serious. We need an urgent remedy for the wound.”
Dr. Durakovic made that comment about 35 years ago. He helped start the WLI as a humanitarian mission.
Carter said the school, located in a rural area amidst apple orchards, has become “a place of deep learning and a refuge.”
He said many are part of the success of the program.
“Thank you for helping to bring his vision into fruition, a vision of life and eternal hope.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 June 2024 at 5:37 pm
CARLTON – A documentary about the crisis in EMS will be shown at the Carlton Rec Hall at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
The screening is open to the public. The documentary, “Honorable but Broken: EMS in Crisis,” was produced by Bryony Gilbey, a former CBS News, 60 Minutes and ABC producer. She is also the mother of three EMS professionals.
The documentary film is narrated by Sarah Jessica Parker, a six-time Golden Globe and two-time Primetime Emmy award winning actress.
“Honorable but Broken” explores the world of EMTs and paramedics, and the collapse of the EMS system, while offering ways to save it.
The Carlton Rec Hall is located at 1853 Oak Orchard Rd.
The documentary will also be shown to village, town and county officials on Tuesday during the Orleans County Association of Municipalities meeting.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 June 2024 at 9:14 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
CARLTON – A parade of vehicles from the Town of Carlton Highway Department and Carlton Volunteer Fire Department makes its way down Route 98 on Saturday, while kids spring into action to grab candy.
The town celebrated its second annual “Old Home Days” event on Saturday with a parade and activities at the Carlton Rec Hall and town park, including concerts from two bands: Coupe de Ville and then the Stony Creek Band.
Town Supervisor Gayle Ashbery said the town wants to make “Old Home Days” an annual event, likely the first Saturday in June.
“We had a very good crowd, they stuck around most of the day,” she said. “It’s very fun. A lot of kudos to the people who work for the town. Everybody had their hand in it.”
Kids gather to get some of the candy tossed during the parade.
Ashbery said she would like to see bands and more floats in the parade next year.
“We want to make it bigger and better each year,” she said.
Carlton’s Little League team has fun in the parade.
As part of a bicentennial celebration last year, Carlton organized its first parade since the 1970s. A parade expected to become an annual event for the “Old Home Days.”
Z.A.M. Yohe Draft Horses pulls a group of local officials on a wagon in the procession down Route 98 during the parade on Saturday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 June 2024 at 4:06 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
Kim Remley, left, and her sister Anne Beaty toss candy to kids along Route 98 during a parade in Carlton today.
The two were part of a float for Oak Orchard on the Lake. They are in a truck owned by Gary Wilson. His wife, Susie Wilson, and Km’s husband, Richard Remley, were also in the float.
Carlton last year had a bicentennial parade and festival and enjoyed it so much the town is looking to make it an annual event.
These families enjoy bounce houses and a saw dust pile at the town park.
Coupe de Ville was the first band to play under a big tent behind the Carlton Rec Hall. The Stony Creek Band takes the stage at 5 p.m.
Holley also celebrated with its annual June Fest today. The events began at 9 a.m. with the return of the Jim Ferris Memorial 5K. About 100 runners take off at the start of the race. They are headed down North Main Street and would soon go over the Erie Canal. Lucas Lyons of Rochester, no. 157, was the first overall finisher in 20:57.
This bench – “I’ll Meet You On The Other Side” – was dedicated today in memory of Tyanna Lutes. There were 49 different food, craft and other vendors for the festival.
George Johnson of Holley was the lone entrant in the regatta on the Erie Canal where people needed to make a vessel from cardboard and duct tape. Johnson was able to turn boxes from the Dollar General into a boat he called “Ship Happens.” He used four rolls of duct tape to hold it together. He was able to paddle across the canal and back in just over 2 minutes. He urges more people to try next year.
“It just takes gumption,” he said.
Orleans Hub should have more photos from the festivals later tonight or tomorrow.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Z.A.M. Yohe Draft Horses pulls a group on a wagon in the procession down Route 98 during the Carlton bicentennial parade down Route 98 on June 17, 2023.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 May 2024 at 9:12 am
CARLTON – The town last year celebrated its bicentennial with the first parade in Carlton since the 1970s.
Afterward there was a party at the Town Park and Carlton Rec Center. The fun at the town park included music, bounce houses, and many other games and activities.
The event went over so well the town is looking to make it an annual tradition.
The next parade will be at noon on June 1 going down Route 98 from Park Avenue to Waterport-Carlton Road.
“We were so overwhelmed with the response during and after the event last year that we decided to try and make this an annual celebration for the Town of Carlton,” said Kurt Van Wyke, the Carlton highway superintendent.
Parade participants are urged to show up by 11:30 on Park Avenue. They can bring a classic car, tractor, boat on a trailer, decorated float, or even walk their dog on the route.
There will be activities at the park from noon to 4 p.m. with bounce houses, a saw dust pile, horse-drawn rides, fire trucks, and other events including two bands from 1 to 7 p.m. Coupe de Ville will play first followed Stoney Creek at 5 p.m. There will be a beer tent behind the Carlton Rec Hall.
Photo courtesy of Orleans County Tourism: Anglers are at the Oak Orchard River in Orleans County at a spot that will host a Learn to Fish for Women Seminar hosted by Orleans County Tourism in partnership with New York Sea Grant and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife.
Posted 13 May 2024 at 12:55 pm
Press Release, Orleans County Tourism and New York Sea Grant
WATERPORT – Orleans County Tourism will host a “Learn to Fish Seminar” for women at St. Mary’s Archers Club along the Oak Orchard River in partnership with New York Sea Grant and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on June 1 from 1 to 4 p.m. The club is located on Clark Mills Road.
The seminar will focus on stream fishing basics, fly fishing and spin fishing techniques, angling safety, and fish biology; gear will be provided for use at the event. Space is limited to 20 women so each participant can receive individual attention. Participants can bring their own angling gear and must have a valid New York State Fishing License.
Register online (click here) to reserve your place or contact New York Sea Grant Great Lakes Fisheries and Ecosystem Health Specialist Stacy Furgal at 315-234-1329 or slf85@cornell.edu for assistance.
Orleans County Tourism Director Dawn Borchert participated in a New York Sea Grant Women Learn to Fish seminar in 2023 on Oneida Lake. She provides this preview of what participants may experience at the June 1 seminar in Orleans County.
“Orleans County is home to fantastic year-round fishing opportunities on our tributary waters that include Oak Orchard River, Johnson Creek, and Sandy Creek,” Borchert said. “The angling experiences here can be both relaxing and exhilarating with the diversity and productivity of the fishery of our tributaries and Lake Ontario.”
Provided photos from Hodgins family: Oak Orchard Yacht Club commodore Bob Hodgins and his wife Mary Lu share their love of sailing with their three children. They pose here on their boat on Lake Ontario when the children were young.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 22 April 2024 at 9:05 am
POINT BREEZE – As Becky Hodgins Almeter prepares to lead the youth sailing classes at Oak Orchard Yacht Club, her father Bob Hodgins will begin his third year as commodore when the Oak Orchard Yacht Club opens for the season on May 24. With a lifelong love of sailing, he is aptly suited for the position.
“My first sailing experience was when I was about 12 years old,” said Hodgins, a resident of Alexander in Genesee County. “My family was on vacation and there was a guy renting Sunfish sailboats. We rented one and had a blast. That led to a family Sunfish, then a Lightning sailboat on Silver Lake for a few years, and it just grew from there.”
Hodgins went on to own numerous boats, including a 26-foot sailboat when he met his wife Mary Lu in 1975, and she has been “onboard” ever since, Hodgins said.
“We have had some great adventures,” he added.
They bought a 41-foot sailboat on Cape Cod and sailed it home to Oak Orchard. They have traveled through the Trent-Severn Waterway in Ontario, Canada, up through Georgian Bay, the North Channel of Lake Huron, down through Lake Huron, the Detroit River to Lake Erie and Buffalo, through the Welland Canal and back to Lake Ontario.
Bob and Mary Lu Hodgins are on their boat in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
When their children were 5, 7 and 10 years old, they sailed for a year and home-schooled their children on the boat. They went from Lake Ontario, through the Erie Canal to the Hudson River, down the East Coast to Florida, spent the winter in the Bahamas and then sailed back home in the spring.
Their ocean experience started in 2008 when they left Lake Ontario, went down to the Chesapeake Bay, then spent 11 days sailing directly to Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. After a full year cruising the Caribbean, they sailed back to South Carolina and sold that boat.
In 2010, they crossed the Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands to St. Lucia.
They bought an ocean boat in 2012 and cruised the Caribbean for seven years, then went through the Panama Canal and spent two years crossing the South Pacific. They left the boat in New Zealand and flew home when the pandemic started, then sold the boat there.
For now, Hodgins said they are content to spend their summers on Lake Ontario and winters somewhere warm, most likely on land.
He is committed to growing membership in the Yacht Club and welcomes potential new members to check them out.
Mary Lu Hodgins was asked to pin a medal on the chief of the island of Gaua, Vanautu, during their trip to the South Pacific. The chief had received the medal from the head of the country for his longevity in governing his island.
CARLTON – A documentary about the crisis in EMS will be shown at the Carlton Rec Hall at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
