Photo courtesy of Captain’s Cove Motel and Marina and Maverick Sportfishing: From left, Brett Lopresti, Amy Lopresti and Captain Chris Lopresti hold the derby-winning king salmon.
WATERPORT – Amy Lopresti of Rochester landed a 33-pound king salmon on the final day of the 2025 Fall LOC Derby, securing the lead for the $20,000 grand prize.
Lopresti caught the fish Monday while aboard the Maverick on Lake Ontario in Orleans County. She was using a Hawk’s Custom Spoon. The salmon was weighed in at Captain’s Cove in Waterport, officially tipping the scales at 33 pounds, 3 ounces.
“This is exactly the kind of world-class fishing Lake Ontario and Orleans County are known for,” said Ron Bierstine, Orleans County Sportfishing Coordinator. “To see a fish of this caliber caught on the final day of the derby adds to the excitement and shows why anglers from all over come here to fish and compete. Get ready for those same open Lake trophies in the tributaries this fall, winter and spring! ”
The LOC Derby, held each spring, summer and fall, attracts anglers from across the region competing for cash prizes and recognition for some of the lake’s biggest salmon and trout.
More leaderboard results for Orleans County salmon and trout entries for the Fall LOC can be viewed by clicking here.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 27 August 2025 at 3:49 pm
Museum embraces light show that mimics Northern Lights
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Professor Michael Richmond showed this photo of an aurora borealis during his talk on auroras at the Oak Orchard Lighthouse’s annual fundraiser at Carlton United Methodist Church.
Chris Manaseri, president of the Oak Orchard Lighthouse board, welcomes guests to a dessert buffet and special program at the Carlton United Methodist Church to benefit the lighthouse.
CARLTON – The Oak Orchard Lighthouse held its annual fundraiser Saturday night at the Carlton United Methodist Church on Archbald Road.
The event featured the usual dessert buffet, as well as guest speaker, Michael Richmond, professor of physics and astronomy at RIT, who also runs the RIT observatory.
Richmond, who has taught at RIT since 1997, earned his bachelor’s degree in astrophysical sciences at Princeton and a Ph.D in astronomy at the University of California at Berkeley. His program was chosen because of the recent installation of aurora-like lights on the lighthouse.
Richmond said most of the continental United States doesn’t see auroras as clearly or often as Point Breeze does. He explained it takes gas, solar wind and a strong magnetic field to create an aurora. He also said earth is not the only planet to have auroras.
He passed out special glasses for the audience to wear to determine the color of gases in an aurora, which then determines the kind of gas it contains.
Lighthouse board president Chris Manaseri welcomed guests and introduced Dave Giacherio, who with his wife Cheryl was instrumental in acquiring a grant for the aurora-like light show recently installed at the lighthouse.
“The aurora over the lighthouse was accomplished by the cooperation of the entire community,” Giacherio said. “Chris negotiated with New York State and helped dig the holes in the stone around the lighthouse.”
He also acknowledged Peg Wiley, who was in attendance, and the late Dick Anderson for their initial efforts to build a lighthouse and for maintaining their support.
Wiley said she was particularly interested in the evening’s program, as her father-in-law Robert S. Wiley once built a spectrograph for Bausch and Lomb, where he worked for 55 years. One of the telescopes he worked on has the largest eschelle ever built up to that time and is in a stellar observatory in the Atacama Desert of Chile.
Michael Richmond, professor of physics and astronomy at RIT, shows the audience a device which helps determine the type of gas in an aurora.
Manaseri shared the importance of this fundraising event.
“We still have to pay insurance and upkeep on the property,” he said.
The Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum is run by a 10-member board with the help of half a dozen docents, Manseri said. The museum is open from 6 to 8 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and from noon to 3 p.m. Sundays from May to October.
The evening’s dessert buffet prepared by board member Larry Grimes featured ambrosia, chocolate cake, carrot cake, pineapple upside down cake, peach cobbler and blueberry cobbler.
The evening concluded with drawings for centerpieces and a 50/50 drawing.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 19 August 2025 at 11:48 am
Volunteer finds buried memorial brick for Florida woman, one of 400 around the country
Photos by Tom Rivers
POINT BREEZE – This brick is one of about 400 that are placed at lighthouses around the country in honor of Emelee Arbuckle of Melbourne Beach, Fla., who died at age 23 on Dec. 29, 2013 from complications following a motorcycle accident.
Arbuckle was the top coxswain on her high school rowing team. She was also an artist who wanted to teach art to disabled children.
Arbuckle’s family placed the bricks at lighthouses, putting them near iconic buildings that stand close to the water. They are inscribed with her name and nickname, “Bean.”
At the Oak Orchard Lighthouse, the brick was buried near the southwest corner of the 32-foot structure, where the light is shown in this photo.
On Aug. 7, a group of volunteers were digging four holes in rock hard dirt at the lighthouse. Drought conditions made for difficult digging.
The volunteers dumped some water on the dirt, to try to ease the shoveling. They needed to dig the holes for four cannisters that would be part of a new light show display at the museum.
Cheryl Giacherio was digging at the southwest corner when she found the brick with Arbuckle’s name. Museum volunteer Kim Charron cleaned the stone and did some research online about Arbuckle. One article said about four or five of the bricks have been discovered at lighthouses, including one in the water at New Bedford, Mass.
The Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum intends to keep the brick on display inside the museum where there are brochures and merchandise available about the Oak Orchard Lighthouse.
The lighthouse now has a nightly 30-minute light show that starts a half hour at sunset. In addition to the four cannisters on the ground at the corners, the top of the lighthouse has 192 lights for the show.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 August 2025 at 7:47 am
A new light now shines on an iconic site at Point Breeze
Photos by Tom Rivers
POINT BREEZE – The lights changed colors and direction, creating a Northern Lights feeling last night on the Oak Orchard Lighthouse.
Thursday was the debut of a new light show that is expected to be a nightly event well into the future.
About 100 people came out to see the first light show. It started at 8:45 p.m., a half hour after sunset. The light show is set to go every day a half hour after sunset. The show will be for 30 minutes. The 32-foot-high lighthouse, built in 2010, will then be illumined at night with low intensity white light.
“It’s very calming,” said Wendy Young of Kendall. “I think it will be a great draw for the area.”
Marlene Seielstad and her husband Erik were among the crowd gathered to see the light show. The Seielstads brought their own lawn chairs.
“It’s very cool,” Mrs. Seielstad said. “It’s definitely brighter than I thought.”
She said it will be interesting to come back as the weather changes to see how the light reflects off the trees, ground and lighthouse in different conditions.
The Oak Orchard Lighthouse museum received a $5,000 grant through the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council for the project. Museum officials led by volunteer Cheryl Giacherio wanted to create a Northern Lights effect on the lighthouse.
They saw photos of the lighthouse from May 10, 2024 when there was a dazzling display of the Northern Lights. The spectacle in the sky has inspired the lighthouse’s board of directors to pursue a light show on the structure.
The museum touts the new light as “Aurora Over The Lighthouse.” The museum contracted with IlluminFx Lighting Systems in Rochester for the display. That company has created lighting shows for the Alamo, a battleship in Wilmington, NC and the nearby Churchville dam in Monroe County.
Larry Albanese, museum vice president, is very pleased with the result. He expects many lighthouse lovers and other curiosity seekers will make the trek to Point Breeze to see the light show.
“This is the only lighthouse lit up like this,” he said.
There will also be about a dozen other special displays on holidays, including the upcoming Labor Day.
David Giacherio, another museum volunteer, helped dig the holes for the four corner lights. There are also 192 smaller lights on the top part of the lighthouse.
“This will be a benefit to the community,” Giacherio said.
It brings more attention to the lighthouse, shining a new light on an iconic building. He hopes the local businesses see more customers because of the light show.
He credited his wife Cheryl for bringing the energy to bring an idea from about a year ago to reality. Mrs. Giacherio had the idea to light up the lighthouse in multiple moving colors, and she found the company to do it. The museum board rallied behind the project, securing the funding through GO Art!
“The whole thing has been a lot of fun,” Mr. Giacherio said about the year-long effort. “It all came together. I think it’s kind of cool.”
Many people wanted to be part of history and get photos of the debut lights show.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 August 2025 at 8:33 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Oak Orchard Lighthouse is shown on May 10, 2024 during a dazzling display of the Northern Lights. The spectacle in the sky has inspired the lighthouse’s board of directors to pursue a light show on the structure.
POINT BREEZE – The Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum will debut a light show tonight that will mimic the Northern Lights.
The “Aurora Over The Lighthouse” show is expected to be dedicated at 8:30 p.m. with the half-hour show to follow.
The museum was awarded a $5,000 grant from the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council to install lighting equipment for the show.
The lighthouse museum hired IlluminFx Lighting Systems in Rochester for the display. That company has created lighting shows for the Alamo, a battleship in Wilmington, NC and the nearby Churchville dam in Monroe County.
A.J. Hetzke, owner and general manager of IlluminFx Lighting Systems, programmed a show that will create the swirling green, purple and blue lights of the Aurora Borealis. He also programmed about a dozen other displays for holidays, including a orange-themed one for Halloween, green for St. Patrick’s Day, pink for Valentine’s and several others.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 August 2025 at 5:58 pm
Lights and equipment installed to create a Northern Lights effect on lighthouse
Photos by Tom Rivers: Chris Manaseri, president of the Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum, holds one of the four larger light fixtures that will be installed in the ground at each corner of the lighthouse, with each capable of illumining two sides of the building. There will be 192 smaller lights up top on the lighthouse on the parapet around the light.
POINT BREEZE – A team of volunteers have spent the day installing lights and computer equipment at the Oak Orchard Lighthouse so the iconic site at Point Breeze can display a light show resembling the Northern Lights.
The first half-hour show is expected to go on after the sunset this evening around 9 p.m. The Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum wants the first one to be tonight on National Lighthouse Day.
The OOL Museum received a $5,000 grant through the Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council to hire IlluminFx Lighting Systems in Rochester for the display. That company has created lighting displays for the Alamo, a battleship in Wilmington, NC and the nearby Churchville dam in Monroe County.
A.J. Hetzke, owner and general manager of IlluminFx Lighting Systems, programmed a show that will create the swirling green, purple and blue lights of the Aurora Borealis. He also programmed about a dozen other displays for holidays, including a orange-themed one for Halloween, green for St. Patrick’s Day, pink for Valentine’s and several others.
Hetzke said the lighting projects add “immeasurable value” to sites that are already much loved by their communities.
A.J. Hetzke (left), owner and general manager of IlluminFx Lighting Systems, hands off a string of 48 lights to go on the west parapet near the top of the 32-foot-high lighthouse. Museum volunteer John Vandemortel, right, installed the lights along strips of metal that were placed on the parapet on Wednesday. They are up in the top of the lighthouse which was built in 2010.
John Vandemortel, left, and Board VP Larry Albanese work on getting the lights secure at the top of the lighthouse.
Albanese said the light show should bring more attention to the lighthouse as well as Point Breeze.
“It’s an opportunity to bring people up here who haven’t been here before,” Albanese said.
David Giacherio, left, and Chris Manaseri dig one of the four holes for the corner lights. It was tough digging with a hard ground.
The lighthouse was built in 2010 as a replica of one from 1876. That original lighthouse toppled from a windstorm in 1914.
Manaseri said he is eager to see the light show.
“It will be vibrant and changeable,” he said. “It should mimic the effect of the auroras.”
The museum board plans to have the half hours shows nightly through the end of October. The board will consider feedback from the community. After the half-hour light shows, the building will be illumined all night with a low-level white light.
A.J. Hetzke of IlluminFx Lighting Systems meets with museum volunteers this afternoon in the main room of the lighthouse. They discussed their plan for installing lights and digital equipment. Clockwise from right of Hetzke include Larry Albanese, Gregg Squicciarini, John Vandemortel and Chris Manaseri.
David and Cheryl Giacherio work on getting another hole dug. Cheryl Giacherio pushed to get the lighthouse illumined after seeing photos of the lighthouse during a breath-taking Northern Lights display from May 10, 2024.
Cheryl Giacherio said the new light show will allow more people to feel the wonder of the Northern Lights, even if it’s recreated through the light show.
“Seeing the photos of the Northern Lights at the lighthouse was our inspiration,” she said. “We thought wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone could see and experience it.”
The Oak Orchard Lighthouse is shown on May 10, 2024 during a dazzling display of the Northern Lights. The spectacle in the sky has inspired the lighthouse’s board of directors to pursue a light show on the structure.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 24 July 2025 at 3:50 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers: A fisherman tries to catch big fish in the Oak Orchard River in October 20, 2023.
CARLTON – The county has extended an agreement for public fishing access along the Oak Orchard River.
The County Legislature on Tuesday reached an agreement of Roy and Scott Salmon of Park Avenue in Carlton. They will give public access to 15.8 acres of property and will be paid $79,000 over the five years, or $15,800 annually beginning August 22, 2025 and ending August 21, 2030.
The agreement gives the public access along about 4,000 feet of the Oak Orchard River, including at some of the most desirable fishing spots.
The $79,000 over five years is an increase from the $69,000 in the current five-year agreement from 2020 to 2025.
The county first entered into an agreement with the Salmons in August 2007. That first agreement was $7,500 annually over three years. The county in 2007 pushed to reach a deal with the Salmons for public access after the family put about 50 posted signs along their property.
Fishing is the county’s top tourism attraction, generating about $28 million in economic activity in Orleans, according to a report from the state DEC based on 2017 data.
The Oak Orchard is a popular draw, especially in the fall during the annual salmon and trout runs with many anglers coming from around the state and country to fish in the river.
In addition to public fishing access, the agreement allows the Salmon property to keep its vegetative cover to protect water quality and riparian habitat, and to also be available for fishery and habitat management, research and educational programs.
The county has signs on the Salmon property, urging anglers to respect the land, by taking out trash and fish carcasses.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 July 2025 at 8:21 pm
CARLTON – Route 279 will be closed to traffic beginning on Monday for the replacement of a bridge over Beardsley Creek.
Traffic will be closed in Carlton on Route 279 between Park Avenue Extension and Route 104.
The closure is expected to last through September, the Orleans County Emergency Management office said today.
There will be detours posted for alternate routes.
The Orleans County Legislature in February accepted the $1,188,874 bid from CATCO in Alden to replace the bridge on Route 279. The project is 95 percent reimbursable by the state through the Bridge NY program with the local share at 5 percent.
The Legislature also approved an agreement with Bergmann Architectural Associates in Buffalo to be paid $189,692 for construction inspection and support for the Beardsley Creek bridge project. That is also 95 percent funded by Bridge NY.
This school building served the Waterport community beginning in the fall 1887. The graduation classes were small with the biggest class at 11 grads in 1936.
By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian
“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 5, No. 25
WATERPORT – Those who travel through Waterport are no doubt familiar with the distinctive building pictured above. At this point some people may not even realize that it was originally built as a school and served as such for 67 years.
The Waterport Union School (upper image) was established by the State Legislature in 1887. The Orleans Republican on August 31, 1887 noted that “The full term of the Waterport Union School will commence on Monday, September 7, with Prof. Filer as principal. The outlook for the school is very flattering.”
It appears that it served primarily as an elementary school. Graduation figures were low. There was one graduate in 1902, three in 1903 and none in the years 1904-6, 1908-9, 1915, 1917, 1918 and 1919. The largest graduating class, that of 1936, numbered 11 students.
In 1922, only 35 years after it had been built, a contract of $38,000 was awarded for the construction of a new school in Waterport, on a site south of the location of the original frame school. The site cost $1,500.
This building became a grades K-12 school in 1922. It was later only an elementary school before being closed in 1989. The building is now used for apartments.
The new building would be of cement with a stucco finish. Originally referred to as the Waterport High and Grammar School, it had a capacity for 150 students, kg. to high school.
One particular student, Geraldine Hill, distinguished herself as a proficient speller from 1937-1940. She was Orleans County champion and also a Western New York finalist.
In 1944, the high school was discontinued. High school students were bused to Albion. The Waterport Grammar School then concentrated on being a “town center elementary school.”
In 1954, improvements to the Waterport school building were approved. Several rooms were added, a cafeteria kitchen was installed, the stairway was revamped, heating and lighting systems were upgraded, all at a cost of $160,000.
In 1989, citing space constraints, asbestos issues, roof problems and the cost of repairs, the Albion School Board voted to close the Waterport School and bus the remaining 158 students to Albion. This was not a popular decision.
Waterport residents strongly objected but to no avail. The building was sold to Lissow Development in 1989 for $95,000 and was subsequently converted to apartments. It currently operates as Lake Country Gardens.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 July 2025 at 2:23 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
POINT BREEZE – Dean Marine & Excavating Inc. from Michigan has big pieces of equipment in the Oak Orchard Harbor today. Dean has been scooping sediment from the harbor to make the channel more passable for boaters.
The Army Corps of Engineers awarded a $2 million contract to Dean Marine & Excavating to perform the dredging work at the oak Orchard and soon to follow, Great Sodus Bay.
A total of approximately 15,000 cubic yards of material from Oak Orchard is contracted to be dredged and placed in designated open lake sites. The harbor was last dredged in 2021. That followed a seven-year stretch when it was dredged in 2014.
Dredging of these harbors ensures accessible depths for vessels traveling the Great Lakes and enables recreational boating which supports more than $24 million in business revenue and labor income to the transportation sector combined, the Army Corps stated in a news release.
Oak Orchard Harbor is a shallow-draft harbor. Recreational boating facilitated by the harbor supports $6.8 million in business revenue, 94 direct, indirect, and induced jobs, and $6 million in labor income to the nation, the Army Corps said.
Great Sodus Bay also is a shallow-draft harbor on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. Recreational boating facilitated by the harbor supports $9.3 million in business revenue, 142 direct, indirect, and induced jobs, and $8.7 million in labor income to the nation
Orleans County Legislator John Fitzak said the dredging at Oak Orchard took a lot work and collaboration. Fitzak said the cooperation with our federal delegation, in particular Congressman Morelle, was key. Morelle’s district briefly included approximately the northern half of Orleans, but another redistricting has since put Orleans totally in Claudia Tenney’s district.
“When redistricting brought Congressman Morelle to Orleans County, we were eager to take him on a tour of community assets and he was very interested in learning about our federal priorities,” Fitzak said. “Among several issues, we focused on the importance of Oak Orchard Harbor to our local tourism and recreational economy and the need to ensure safe passage of boats through it. He was well aware of the dredging issue and wanted to help.”
Fitzak was also part of the local delegation that travels to Washington, DC each year to further lobby for community priorities.
“These trips allowed us to keep our top issues front and center, with federal leaders and paid off when funds were provided for dredging,” Fitzak said. “Our federal delegation delivered for us and we are very appreciative.”
This photo is from a boat launch looking north to the lake.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 June 2025 at 9:46 am
File photo by Tom Rivers: Dean Marine & Excavating Inc. from Michigan is shown dredging the Oak Orchard Harbor on Aug. 26, 2021. While sediment was scooped from the harbor, there was an area for boaters to come and go.
POINT BREEZE – Dredging of the harbor at Oak Orchard is expected to start next week, Orleans County officials announced today.
The dredging should continue through the July 4th weekend, said Lynne Johnson, the County legislature chairwoman.
“Oak Orchard Harbor is an important part of our local tourism and recreation economy, so ensuring the safe passage of boats in and out of the harbor has always been a top priority of ours,” Johnson said. “That means dredging is required to maintain navigability and we thank the Army Corps for their efforts. We are excited this project will soon be completed.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, awarded a $2 million contract to Michigan-based Dean Marine & Excavating to conduct dredging of Oak Orchard Harbor as well as Great Sodus Bay.
A total of approximately 15,000 cubic yards of material from Oak Orchard is contracted to be dredged and placed in designated open lake sites. The harbor was last dredged in 2021. That followed a seven-year stretch when it was dredged in 2014.
Dredging of these harbors ensures accessible depths for vessels traveling the Great Lakes and enables recreational boating which supports more than $24 million in business revenue and labor income to the transportation sector combined, the Army Corps stated in a news release.
“Great Sodus Bay and Oak Orchard Harbor are critical components of the Great Lakes Navigation System, supporting economic growth in the local economy and ensuring safe refuge for boats on Lake Ontario,” said Lt. Col. Robert Burnham, USACE Buffalo District commander. “We look forward to delivering these projects on time and within budget, ensuring their waterfronts continue serving the local community and the country.”
Dredging will focus on the mouth of Oak Orchard Harbor first, followed by the inside of Great Sodus Bay past its piers.
Oak Orchard Harbor is a shallow-draft harbor. Recreational boating facilitated by the harbor supports $6.8 million in business revenue, 94 direct, indirect, and induced jobs, and $6 million in labor income to the nation, the Army Corps said.
Great Sodus Bay also is a shallow-draft harbor on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. Recreational boating facilitated by the harbor supports $9.3 million in business revenue, 142 direct, indirect, and induced jobs, and $8.7 million in labor income to the nation.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 June 2025 at 9:47 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
POINT BREEZE – A new season of summer concerts has begun at the Orleans County Marine Park.
The band, Stone Age Romeos, performed on a hot Tuesday evening at the pavilion of the park on Route 98. The band plays classic ’70s vinyl and more.
Gene Romano of Stone Age Romeos sings “The One I Love” by REM.
The concerts are from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays at the park, 1110 Point Breeze Rd. in Kent.
The lineup for the other concerts includes:
July 1 – The Who Dats
July 8 – Feedback
July 15 – Dave Viterna Group
July 22 – No concert due to Orleans County 4-H Fair
July 29 – Highway 31
August 5 – Yacht Club
Aug. 12 and Aug. 19 – rain dates
Frank Panczyszyn a member of the events committee for the Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association, calls out the winning 50/50 numbers. OONA and the Friends of the Orleans County Marine Park organize the concerts.
Jason Pilon works the grill for the Clarendon Lions Club. He was helping the club cook and serve food. His father-in-law, Tom Persia, is a member. Club member Kevin Johnson is at right. The Lions Club and several other food vendors will be at the concerts.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 June 2025 at 10:02 pm
Sharon Narburgh
POINT BREEZE – Sharon Narburgh, one of Point Breeze’s staunchest and most dedicated promoters, has passed away at age 83 on June 14, about two years after she closed Narby’s Superette & Tackle.
Narburgh ran the business for 58 years. She and her late husband Bill were the first business to sell fishing licenses in the state. Before, only municipalities sold the licenses. The Narburghs became active in promoting the local fishing industry, attending many sportsfishing trade shows on behalf of Orleans County, urging people to come to Orleans County and fish Lake Ontario and the tributaries.
Mr. Narburgh died unexpectedly in 1992. His wife would run the business another 31 years.
“She was definitely an icon around here,” said Ron Beirstone, the county’s sportfishing promotion coordinator and owner of Oak Orchard Tackle & Lodge. “She was one of the earliest proponents and supporters of the fishery.”
Narburgh volunteered her time and attended many sports shows for the county, promoting the local fishery and amenities.
For 30 years she also compiled a daily fishing report. Narburgh listened to the fishing stories from her customers and local charter boat captains, and managed to compile their observations in a fishing report that became a go-to for local and out-of-town anglers. She stepped back from that duty in 2010, and received a citation from the County Legislature for doing that report for three decades.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Sharon Narburgh, owner of Narby’s Superette and Tackle, is shown in October 2020 for a news article about how local fishing-related businesses adapted during the Covid pandemic. Narburgh said Narby’s was busy during Covid. “We’re getting more people who were stuck at home and haven’t fished for years,” she said then. “They want to be out of the house.”
She was a big cheerleader for the area, and helped rally the community to land the “The Ultimate Fishing Town” designation for Point Breeze in 2013 from the World Fishing Network. Point Breeze topped 700 other fishing communities for the title and a $25,000 prize.
“I love this area,” Narburgh told county legislators in 2010 when she was honored by the group. “The potential for this area is just astronomical.”
The Albion Rotary Club in 2016 honored Sharon Narburgh as a Paul Harris Fellow, the club’s highest award. She is shown with Dick Pilon, left, and Bill Downey of the Rotary Club. Narburgh was recognized by the Albion Rotary Club for her long-time commitment to the club’s fishing derby. Narburgh sold more than half of the tickets for the fishing derby, which was last held in 2019.
Bierstine marveled how Narburgh ran a convenience store and gas station that also catered to tributary and lake fishermen. She kept up with a demanding business for more than 50 years.
“She did it all,” Bierstine said. “Narby’s was front and center for lake and tributary fishing. She was part of the earliest scene down here and she endured through all those years.”
Narburgh announced the closing of Narby’s in March 2023. In a Facebook post, she thanked her customers for their kindness, loyalty and friendship.
“Your loyalty and support have meant the world to me and I am truly humbled by the relationships we have built over the years,” Narburgh stated. “Although Narby’s Superette & Tackle may be closed, the memories and friendships forged within its walls will always remain cherished.”
The Albion Rotary Club in 2016 presented Narburgh with a Paul Harris Fellow, the club’s top award, for her many years helping with the annual fishing derby. Narby’s was a weigh station and Sharon regularly was the top ticket seller for the derby.
Calling hours will be held at Christopher Mitchell Funeral Home at 21 West Ave. in Albion from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 25. A memorial Mass will immediately follow at the same location.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 June 2025 at 1:30 pm
Photos courtesy of Ron Bierstine
CARLTON – A familiar monster fish was featured in the Carlton parade on Saturday, but this time the fish had a name, “Charlie the Chinook.”
The 13-foot-long salmon also had new eyes and was cleaned after being covered in dust from being in storage.
The fish has been around for about 40 years. It was created in the early 1980s to promote the Rotary fishing derby. It was made by Jack Elam and Bob McGaffick, said Ron Bierstine, sportsfishing coordinator for Orleans County.
For about 25 years it was on a trailer on Route 279 in Gaines next to the Bait Barn run by the late Al Capurso. Students in the Medina FFA about a decade ago worked to bring the fish back to its original luster.
Students painted the fish a shiny silver, refurbished the fiberglass and put in a new mount. The county’s sportsfishing promotion department has taken the fish to many events since then.
Bierstine said the cleaned up fish with a name is intended to “catch” people’s attention. A banner on a trailer carrying the fish declares that Charlie is “King of Orleans County.”
Photos by Natalie Baron: Boys from Carlton Clippers team enthusiastically posed for the camera during today’s parade down Route 98.
By Natalie Baron, Orleans Hub intern
CARLTON – The Town of Carlton today hosted its third annual Home Town Days. A parade at noon worked its way down Route 98, from Park Avenue to the Carlton Fire Co. Recreation Hall.
Festival events after the parade included a children’s saw dust treasure hunt, a free wagon ride, and performances by the bands Stony Creek and Coupe De’ Villes. One vendor sold pictures formed from sea glass shells and stones from Lake Ontario. Other vendors sold wooden flowers, shiny rocks and frisbees.
Coupe De’ Villes jammed out to an audience that indulged in the many food offerings at the festival.
Community members, including Garrett and Tanner Rinas, collected tossed candy.
A colorful float promoted the tiki-themed restaurant Gilligan’s Galley, which is located at Point Breeze.
The Carlton Fire Company Inc. brought out fire trucks for the parade.
Children played at the saw dust treasure hunt.
Residents were happy to be part of the parade down Route 98.
WATERPORT – Those who travel through Waterport are no doubt familiar with the distinctive building pictured above. At this point some people may not even realize that it was originally built as a school and served as such for 67 years.
