CARLTON – About 700 residents in Carlton were without public water today after a pipe burst this morning, forcing a shutdown in the water lines so an emergency repair could be made.

The water should be back on around 9:30 p.m. and Carlton residents are being advised to boil their water the next two days, said David Krull, the town highway and water superintendent.

A hole in the main 16-inch transmission line emerged around 9:30 this morning in a spot between Brown’s Berry Patch and the Route 18 bridge. The transmission line is owned by the Village of Albion, which provides water for the town customers.

Village of Albion and Town of Carlton crews worked about 12 hours to fix the problem. Krull said the transmission line is a concrete pipe with a steel liner. Some of the concrete had chipped away, and a hole burst in the steel liner.

The town and village had to shut off water so it could weld a patch on the transmission line. Krull said crews were back filling the spot around 9 tonight and he expected the water to be back on soon after that.

The boil water advisory was issued by the Orleans County Health Department and Krull said it will likely be in effect until about 9 p.m. on Thursday.

Four C’s was sold in August to Ernst’s Lake Breeze Marina

Photo by Tom Rivers – Gene Christopher and his son David Cristofaro are pictured on Wednesday evening when they treated about 130 friends and customers to dinner at The Village Inn.

CHILDS – For 30 years the Christopher family made charter boat captains and other customers feel at home along the Oak Orchard River.

Gene and Judy Christopher and their sons David and Darrick operated Four C’s Marina. They did it with class, said Sharon Narburgh, owner of Narby’s Superette and Tackle for nearly 50 years.

“They did a service and the people don’t forget that,” Narburgh said.

She attended a dinner on Wednesday at the Village Inn, when the Christophers treated 130 friends and customers to an appreciation dinner. The Christophers sold their marina last month to Ernst’s Lake Breeze Marina and Rod Farrow.

Bud and Peggy Fischer of Spencerport were long-time customers at Four C’s. The Christophers won the admiration of the Point Breeze community, the Fischers said.

“They were always concerned about our welfare,” Mr. Fischer said. “Gene and his wife are very special people. They’re very accommodating.”

Mrs. Fischer said the Christophers were always “above the table” in dealing with the public.

“He always told you like it was,” she said.

Besides the marina, the Christophers expanded the operation to lodging and a next-door café. The marina was the first job for the boys, Darrick and David.

Judy Christopher was a strong presence at the marina for its first 29 years. She died from cancer at age 70 last Aug. 3. Gene credited his wife for doing so much for Four C’s, especially when he was juggling his full-time job before he retired about 15 years ago.

Robin Boyle worked as a cook and waitress at the café, and also helped detail boats and work in the office. She said the Christophers treated people with respect and class.

“They were always honest and they were very good role models,” Boyle said. “Their customers kept coming back. They developed a very good rapport with everybody.”

Gene and David worked the room on Wednesday at the Village Inn, exchanging hand shakes and hugs with many of the attendees.

“This is just a thank you from us to them,” Gene said.

Press release, Orleans County Undersheriff Steve Smith

CARLTON – A Webster motorcyclist is dead following a collision late this afternoon between his motorcycle and a pick-up truck.

The incident occurred at about 5:50 p.m. on Roosevelt Highway (Route 18) at intersection with Harris Road in the Town of Carlton.

Daniel H. Thering, 26, was driving a 2014 Kawasaki west on Route 18 when he rounded a curve and struck the passenger side of a 2013 Toyota Tacoma truck that was turning left onto Harris Road from eastbound Route 18. The truck was well into the turn when the collision occurred.

Thering was pronounced dead at the scene by Orleans County Coroner Charles Smith, and transported to the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office in Rochester.

The operator (sole occupant) of the truck is identified as Debra K. Shaw, 58, of Lockport. Shaw was treated at the scene by personnel from Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance and released.

Preliminarily, it appears that the motorcycle was being operated at an excessive rate of speed. The on-scene investigation was conducted by Sergeant D.W. Covis, assisted by Deputy D.S. Klips, Deputy T.C. Marano, Lieutenant C.M. Bourke and Chief Deputy T.L. Drennan. Carlton firefighters also assisted at the scene and Lyndonville FD assisted with traffic control.

Photos by Tom Rivers

WATERPORT – Alima, 10, is from Ingushetia, a Russian Republic. She is one of five war orphans spending the summer in Waterport through the Project Life program run by the World Life Institute. She is pictured with Grace Denniston from the Carlton United Methodist Church.

For several years the church has bought double-sided blankets for the children in Project Life. The church has also donated money and bikes to the program, and offered hay rides to the children.

“We’re very mission minded,” Denniston said. “We care about people.”

Mohammed, 12, from Afghanistan ties together a double-layered blanket on Wednesday with Penny Wilcox from the Carlton United Church Methodist. Several church members brought the blankets and helped students in Project Life tie the blankets together. The children will take the blankets home with them to Afghanistan or Ingushetia.

Mohammed has a rare blood disorder where his body doesn’t produce enough red blood cells. He needs transfusions every two weeks.

Liuba, a university student with a linguistics major in Russia, is volunteering for two months with Project Life. She is pictured with another university student Khava, left, and Dorothy Follman of the Carlton United Methodist Church.

Khava’s cousin was in the program in 2010. She volunteered this summer to give back to the program. Khava, 17, is an economics and finance major in Russia.

Liuba, 20, was in the crowd when representatives from Project Life visited her university, talking about the program about two years ago on its 15th anniversary.

“They showed pictures of the kids and it was really touching,” Liuba said.

She and Khava have helped Project Life volunteers by attending art and English classes, going on field trips together (including Washington, D.C. and Baltimore), and providing social support.

Liuba said the program gives the children an advantage when they return home by knowing English and seeing the world.

Liuba said the experience has opened her eyes about Americans.

“I had a stereotype that American people can be rude but I haven’t experienced that,” she said. Liuba also spent two days in New York City, “which was a dream of mine.”

Nasratullah, 12, of Afghanistan works on his blanket. He was in the program in 2013 and is the first returning child since it started in 1997. He came back mainly for ongoing eye treatments. He has retained much of his English and seems more confident this year, said Linda Redfield, Project Life coordinator.

Roza, 9, of Ingushetia works on a blanket with Jackie Fleckenstein. Roza and the other children in the program have all lost parents due to wars and conflicts in their countries.

Project Life students are pictured with their blankets after working on them with volunteers from the Carlton United Methodist Church.

Other churches and community groups also contribute to the Project Life program, which is designed to give the war orphans respite and peace in the countryside.

About two weeks ago Project Life children spent the day with the TGIF youth group at the First Presbyterian Church in Albion. The children tried on costumes, went canoeing and kayaking, and enjoyed a picnic along the Oak Orchard River.

“This is relationship building and nurturing care,” said Redfield, the program coordinator. “The children are exposed to many people coming to them with kindness and that’s never forgotten.”

Photos by Tom Rivers

CARLTON – New signs were recently added to three Carlton Town Signs – one of Route 98 and two on Route 18 – that declare the community is an “Ultimate Fishing Town.” The photo above shows the sign on Route 98.

The Point Breeze community won the on-line contest in 2013 through the World Fishing Network. The prize included $25,000 to promote the fishery.

A committee has been looking for ways to spend the $25,000. The messages on the welcome signs is just one way. The committee used funds to take Vietnam veterans on a charter boat fishing trip and has other projects in the works, including restoring a giant fiberglass salmon that has been in the front lawn of the former Bait Barn and Tackle Shop on Route 279 in Gaines. That fish will be refurbished and displayed at many community events.

The sign at the corner of routes 18 and 98 that welcomes people to Point Breeze also now includes an “Ultimate Fishing Town” designation.

Photo by Tom Rivers – A boater approaches the break wall at Oak Orchard Harbor in this photo taken last month.

CARLTON – The wait will soon be over, and boaters can expect a smoother ride through the Oak Orchard Harbor.

The Army Corps of Engineers is expected to be at the harbor later this week to begin dredging the mouth of the Oak Orchard River. That last happened in 2004.

Since then the harbor has a buildup of silt and sediment. Some boats sometimes are grounded in shallow parts of the channel.

The Army Corps will work on the Oak Orchard once it’s done with Irondequoit Bay, said Mike Waterhouse, Orleans County’s sportsfishing coordinator. He received notification from the Army Corps that the work should start in the Oak Orchard later this week.

The harbor is critical to the county’s $12 million annual fishing industry, as well as for other recreational purposes.

The Oak Orchard Harbor was last dredged in 2004 when 10,700 cubic yards of material was removed. This harbor should be dredged every three to five years, according to county officials. In order to maintain adequate channel depth, 18,000 cubic yards of dredging will be required. The total sediment backlog is estimated at approximately 35,000 cubic yards, according to information from Congressman Chris Collins’ office.

Photos by Sue Cook – Chuck Lind, left, calls out to anyone listening and adjusts the equipment while Joe Gangi writes down the information. Behind them, member Doyle Wadhams watches.

By Sue Cook, staff reporter

POINT BREEZE – The Orleans County Amateur Radio Club OCARC was out at the lake on Saturday connecting to lighthouses and ham radio operators around the world. They set up their base of operation next to the Oak Orchard Lighthouse in Point Breeze.

By noon the first day, the club had connected with over 100 other ham operators.

In the United States they had made contact all the way to the west coast. They were also able to reach countries like Russia, Germany, Canada and Denmark.

“When we’re talking to people, I don’t think about other countries as enemies or anything like that,” said Joe Gangi, this year’s club member in charge of the event.

“Ham radio operators are different. We’re cut from a different cloth. Everybody looks at each other as equals and we have a lot of fun with this.”

The operators are within feet of the Oak Orchard Lighthouse.

The group is expecting to beat their count last year of 360 connections made.

Atmospheric conditions can affect the reach of the signal, but so far the club is doing very well and has another day ahead of them on Sunday.

Doyle Wadhams was recording for the radio operator in the afternoon. On paper, he was taking down the information of anyone they spoke with over the radio so they could verify online later.

“I try to get the call sign to verify the contact through Logbook of the World,” Wadhams said. “You also have to record the frequency you’re on and the time of the contact. All that matches up to what they input into the database and that’s how you get credit for the contact.”

The event encourages amateur radio clubs to connect with local lighthouses during the third weekend of August. Registered operators participating in the event are asked to be within 1,000 feet of a lighthouse, though they can make contact with anyone across the country in any other location.

“We do this for two reasons,” Gangi explained. “One is to promote lighthouses and their need to be kept and restored. Even though they’re not a necessity anymore, there’s still such a history behind them. This is also to promote the hobby of amateur radio.”

Gangi and the ham radio operators want to make it an annual event.

“This is a lot of fun,” he said. “This is to draw people here and let them see what we’re doing. We’ve had many people come up and just ask questions and want to know more about ham radio and its operation, and we also promote the lighthouse, too, while we’re here. It’s all a partnership of good will.”

This year’s custom QSL card for the weekend event.

To help promote the Oak Orchard Lighthouse further, OCARC has special postcards called QSL cards made with the lighthouse’s information on it alongside their own club information.

As operators across the country connected, the call signs can be used to obtain mailing information. OCARC then sends out cards to the addresses of other operators and receive QSL cards in return.

OCARC will also be at the lighthouse on Sunday from 8 a.m. until late afternoon or evening. The public is welcome to stop by.

Christophers ran site for three decades

Photo by Tom Rivers – Gatlen Ernst and his fiancée Danielle Daniels, right, are pictured with the Christophers, from left: Darrick, Gene and David. Ernst acquired Four C’s Marina on Thursday. In March he bought the neighboring Lake Breeze Marina. He will combine the two sites into one marina, Ernst’s Lake Breeze Marina.

POINT BREEZE – For three decades Gene Christopher and his family have been mainstays on the Oak Orchard River, running Four C’s Marina. They expanded the business over the years adding a café, lodging and storage for boats.

On Thursday, the business was sold to Gatlen Ernst. In March he acquired the neighboring the Lake Breeze Marina. He will combine the two marinas into Ernst’s Lake Breeze Marina.

“He’s a great guy,” Christopher said about Ernst.

Ernst started working at Lake Breeze Marina 10 years ago as a summer job when he was in college. He mowed the lawns and did other odd jobs at the marina. After earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Nazareth College, he decided to stay on the Oak Orchard. He enjoys the boaters and the people on the river.

With Four C’s, he will gain some efficiencies with staff and equipment.

“It makes sense to have one marina,” he said.

One of his first moves as owner of the two sites was removing a row of telephone poles that were laid down as a barrier between the two properties. They are gone and Ernst and his employees can now freely move boats and equipment on the two properties.

Christopher started Four C’s with his wife Judy and their two sons, Darrick Christopher and David Cristofaro. The marina was the boys’ first job.

After working most of his adult life at Four C’s, David this spring took a full-time job as service manager for Shumway Marine in Irondequoit, the largest marina on the south shore of Lake Ontario. He spent weekends helping his father at Four C’s.

Judy Christopher was a strong presence at the marina for its first 29 years. She died from cancer at age 70 last Aug. 3. Gene credited his wife for doing so much for Four C’s, especially when he was juggling his full-time job before he retired about 15 years ago.

Gene said he values the many relationships he and his family made through the marina.

“I will personally miss all of the friends,” he said. “It’s a bittersweet thing.”

Photo by Tom Rivers – The Oak Orchard Lighthouse will be part of International Lighthouse-Lightship Weekend, where ham radio operators communicate with each other at lighthouses throughout the world.

POINT BREEZE – Ham radio operators will be communicating with each other at lighthouses throughout the world this weekend, including at the Oak Orchard Lighthouse at Point Breeze.

The lighthouse and Orleans County Amateur Radio Club are partnering in the International Lighthouse-Lightship Weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Ham radio operators will be there from 8 a.m. to at least 5 p.m. on both days.

The event is open to the public and connects ham radio operators from around the globe. This will be the fourth time the local groups have joined for the event.

Last year, local amateur radio club made 350 international and domestic contacts during the lighthouse weekend.

The Oak Orchard Lighthouse was built in 2010 as a replica of a lighthouse from 1871. That structure was abandoned by the federal government in the early 1900s. The original lighthouse toppled in a 1916 winter storm.

The lighthouse has about 2,500 visitors sign its guest book each year when the building is open.

Press release

WATERPORT – Project Life is thrilled to welcome three orphans from war-torn regions of Afghanistan, arriving in Buffalo today to take part in Western New York’s War Orphan’s Rehabilitation Program.

Iqbal Satar, Mohammad Meer and Nasratullah Lal have all overcome great challenges – including recent massive technical problems with the U.S. visa system – to join orphans from around the world for the two-month program.

“We are pleased that we were able to get the Afghan orphans here, despite the enormous difficulties,” said Linda Redfield, Program Director for Project Life. “They live in a country that has been torn apart by war for decades now, so their physical and social needs are very high.”

Project Life is an all-volunteer, locally based program that brings small groups of orphans to the countryside of Western New York every summer from international war zones. The children are hosted by caring local families and benefit from daily English instruction, art therapy, physical recreation, and lots of field trips in the area.

They also receive free medical and dental care donated by local health professionals and medical facilities. At the end of the program the orphans return to their extended families in their home countries.

“Two months of rest and relaxation, with good nutrition and medical care, can literally save the lives of these children,” Redfield said. “They go home healthier, happier and much more hopeful, knowing they have friends here who care deeply about them.”

Project Life is funded by donations from private citizens and benefits from the generous support of local faith organizations, service clubs and small businesses.

Senator Chuck Schumer and Congressman Chris Collins – along with the great staff of the American embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan – have helped Project Life hugely in making it possible for Afghan war orphans to travel to the United States for this life-saving program.

Photos by Sue Cook – Acoustically Sound members Tom Zangerle (left), Tim McPherson (center) and Jack Cardone rock out.

By Sue Cook, staff reporter

POINT BREEZE – The Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association welcomed about 250 people to the Orleans County Marine Park on Route 98 on Tuesday night. This is the fifth year the organization has held concerts featuring local bands.

The crowd looks on during “My Best Friend’s Girl” by The Cars.

The Marine Park overlooks the Oak Orchard River. Boat docks are filled for the season.

Acoustically Sound performed tonight. The band features the trio of Tom Zangerle, Tim McPherson and Jack Cardone.

The group plays acoustic rock along with a mix of other music. The members of the band are veteran musicians, but the band is only a little over a year old. This is their first time as an OONA concert performer.

“We play some Beatles, old Tom Petty and old Crosby, Stills, Nash &Young. Our twist is we play “Fly Me to the Moon” and some jazz tunes thrown in there with the classic ’60s rock,” said McPherson of their variety style.

Tim McPherson sings Darius Rucker’s “Wagon Wheel.”

The series was off to a rocky start last week when inclement weather caused the first concert cancellation the organization has ever had to authorize. The Who Dats have been rescheduled for the final Tuesday of August, along with the vendors.

“We couldn’t do it without our sponsors,” said Lynne Menz, concert coordinator. “We want to extend a big thank you to all of them, as well as the Clarendon Lions Club, the Black North Inn and Barbara Ann Concessions for serving food during the concerts.”

Concerts take place every Tuesday at 6 p.m. Admission is $2 per person or $5 per family. Admission is free for OONA members and Marine Park seasonal dock renters.

Below is the updated schedule of concerts.

July 22: Julie Dunlap & High Maintenance
July 29: The Dave Viterna Group
Aug. 5: Blind Leading the Blind
Aug. 12: Jive Street Five
Aug. 19: The Sophisticats
Aug. 26: The Who Dats

Press release, Orleans County Sheriff Scott Hess

CARLTON – A Rochester couple escaped serious injury early this morning after their car crashed into a tree in the Town of Carlton.

The incident occurred at approximately 5 a.m. in the 13200 block of Lakeshore Rd., at intersection with Lakeside Road.

Elizabeth A. Marcano, 46, was operating a 2014 Nissan Suburban travelling east on Lakeshore Road, when she failed to stop for the stop sign at the T-intersection with Lakeside Road.

The vehicle continued east across Lakeside Road, and left the roadway before striking a metal gate that controls access to New York State Park Lands. The vehicle continued on for several feet into a wooded area before striking and coming to rest against a tree.

Marcano’s husband Joseph Marcano, 48, was a front seat passenger in the vehicle. Both were transported by Medina Fire Department ambulance to Medina Memorial Hospital, where they were treated and released. Carlton firefighters also assisted at the scene.

Elizabeth Marcano was cited for Unsafe Speed, Moving from Traffic Lane Unsafely, and Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign. She will appear in Town of Carlton Court later this month.

The incident was investigated by Deputy M.C. Mele, assisted by Investigator D.E. Foeller Jr.