Press release, Orleans County Undersheriff Steve Smith
CARLTON – A Lockport woman remains hospitalized and in guarded condition this morning after being run over by her own car Saturday night in the Town of Carlton.
The incident occurred at about 8:15 p.m. The car was parked with the engine running in a private driveway at a residence in the 12700 block of Roosevelt Highway (State Route 18). Alexis N. Thompson, 28, had just secured her 4-year-old son into an approved child restraint seat in the rear seat area of the car. Her 10-year-old daughter was in the front seat listening to the radio. The driver’s door was open.
Thompson was standing outside the car when the floor shift lever of the 1999 Dodge sedan was somehow moved from the “park” position and the vehicle began to move. Thompson apparently attempted to reach into the car to stop it when she was knocked to the ground by the open car door and the car ran over her in the driveway. The vehicle continued out into the roadway before coming to the rest. Neither of the children was injured.
Thompson was flown to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester by Mercy Flight helicopter. Carlton firefighters and Medina Fire Department ambulance personnel also assisted.
The incident was investigated by Sergeants D.W. Covis and G.T. Gunkler. Since there were no adult witnesses to the incident, deputies are hoping to interview Thompson at some point to gain additional perspective as to what occurred.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 27 May 2014 at 12:00 am
WATERPORT – A bridge over Lake Alice has been blocked off from motorists so contractors can make repairs to the site over the next five to six months. But the barriers haven’t stopping residents from fishing and jumping from the bridge into the water.
Many people were spotted over the weekend on the bridge. Cameras have been installed and residents are warned they could be arrested if they are on the bridge before the construction project is complete, said Jennifer Vazquez, the construction inspector for Labella Associates.
“It’s for everyone’s safety,” she said this morning.
Keeler Construction of Barre will work on $1.5 million in repairs and preventive maintenance on the Waterport Road bridge over Oak Orchard Creek. The 700-foot-long bridge has been popular for fishermen and thrill-seekers.
Concrete barriers have been placed at the ends of the bridge to block motorists, but pedestrians are still getting on the bridge. Vazquez urged them to stay off until the project is done.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 May 2014 at 12:00 am
File photo by Tom Rivers – A historical marker on Ridge Road, next to the Gaines Carlton Community Church, honors pioneer settler Elizabeth Gilbert.
GAINES – The federal government last month approved naming a creek that runs from Gaines to Carlton for a pioneer settler along Ridge Road.
Al Capurso has been working on the effort to name “Gilbert Creek” for more than a year, researching the issue and lining up the needed government support. He is planning a May 24 dedication of the creek at noon at the Gaines Carlton Community Church. There will be a reception with music and comments from local historians and dignitaries.
The creek begins from feeder sources south of Route 104 near Brown Road. It then marries Proctor Brook in Carlton, and then flows into the Oak Orchard River.
Early settlers liked to build log cabins close to a source of water. Mrs. Elizabeth Gilbert and her family chose the north side of Ridge Road, building their home where there was a rise in the land.
The cabin is long gone, but a historical marker notes the pioneering efforts from Mrs. Gilbert, one of the first settlers on the Ridge between Monroe and Niagara counties. Her husband died in 1808, leaving her to raise the children, and tame the nearby wilderness.
Capurso wanted to name the creek and recognize the pioneering efforts of Mrs. Gilbert.
Capurso said it meets three standards for naming a creek: The feature is currently unnamed; The stream has an independent and distinct source of flow; and it is historically significant.
The Bureau of Geographic Names last month approved naming the waterway “Gilbert Creek.”
Capurso is working on a wooden sign that will match the one for Proctor Brook. Capurso said the Gilbert Creek sign will blend in with Cobblestone Society Museum, which includes eight historic structures near the routes 98 and 104 intersection.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 8 May 2014 at 12:00 am
File photo by Tom Rivers – Damien Darrell of Lockport was out fishing on April 19 from the bridge on Route 279 in Waterport. The bridge will be closed to traffic beginning on Monday so it can receive $1.5 million in upgrades.
WATERPORT – The Waterport Road bridge over Oak Orchard Creek will close on Monday and a detour will be posted on Hanlon, Harris and Ashwood roads.
The detour and construction are expected to last throughout the summer. Keeler Construction of Barre has been hired to do $1.5 million in repairs and preventive maintenance on the bridge.
The 700-foot-long bridge is the longest county-owned span in Orleans. The federal government is paying 80 percent of the costs, with the state 15 percent and the county the remaining 5 percent.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 May 2014 at 12:00 am
Paula Nesbitt starts The Vintage Apple Garden at former Bertsch’s site
Photos by Tom Rivers – Paula Nesbitt is pictured with her daughter-in-law Jillian and granddaughter Isabel at The Vintage Apple Garden, which opened today at the former Bertch’s Good Earth Market on Route 98.
CARLTON – The change in long-established businesses continues in Carlton with a new owner at the former Bertsch’s Good Earth Market.
Paula Nesbitt today opened The Vintage Apple Garden at 1582 Oak Orchard Rd. She is running the business with her daughters-in-law Jillian and Tiffany, and Paula’s daughter Nicole.
The site will continue to sell flowers and gardening supplies. The Nesbitt women are adding a gift shop and antiques. They will have produce – peaches, pears, apples and vegetables, as well as cider – when they are in season.
“I appreciate beauty and I want to share that with people,” Nesbitt said today. “I love to create.”
Nesbitt also wants to make the site available for small parties. She expects a fairy house will be ready on Thursday, and she said that should prove popular with little girls. She also wants to have tea parties at the location.
Paula Nesbitt is pictured inside one of the greenhouses at the business.
Dave and Sharon Bertsch and their daughter Heather Tabor and her husband Jim opened Bertsch’s 14 years ago. Dave Bertsch will continue to have a part-time presence at Vintage Apple.
Nesbitt said she grew up with a love for gardening instilled in her by her father. Now that her five children are grown, she said she can pursue her gardening and business passion.
“It’s time to take a new journey,” she said about the business.
She is working alongside her daughters-in-law Jillian, who is married to Nick Nesbitt, and Tiffany, who is married to the younger Steve Nesbitt. Paula’s daughter Nicole, a sophomore at Colorado State University, will also be a leader in the operation. She is studying agriculture business and greenhouse management.
The change in ownership at Bertsch’s is the latest in the Point Breeze area. The Cardone family sold the Harbor Pointe Country Club to Lynn-Ette and Sons in March and most of that site has been turned into farmland.
Gatlen Ernst in March also acquired the Lake Breeze Marina, which had been owned by Doug and Janice Bennett.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 April 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
WATERPORT – Damien Darrell of Lockport was out fishing Saturday evening from the bridge on Route 279 in Waterport.
Fishermen are often casting lines from the bridge. The 700-foot-long bridge is the longest county-owned span in Orleans. It is expected to close next month so repairs can be made. The bridge could be closed for about five months so contractors can complete nearly $2 million in upgrades.
The bridge stretches across Lake Alice. Many of the concrete box beams that support the bridge are badly deteriorated and will need to be replaced. The bridge will get a new surface with concrete, rubber membrane and blacktop.
The federal government is paying 80 percent of the project with the state paying 15 percent the county covering the remaining 5 percent.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 April 2014 at 12:00 am
WATERPORT – The longest county-owned bridge will shut down next month so it can be repaired, a project that could take five months, County Highway Superintendent Jerry Gray said.
The bridge on Route 279 stretches 700 feet across Lake Alice and the Oak Orchard Creek. Many of the concrete box beams that support the bridge are badly deteriorated and will need to be replaced. Gray also said the bridge will get a new surface with concrete, rubber membrane and blacktop.
The entire project is estimated to cost about $1.7 million. The county will open bids from contractors later this month and the work should start in May.
The federal government is paying 80 percent of the project with the state paying 15 percent the county covering the remaining 5 percent.
A detour will be posted as soon as construction gets started, Gray said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 April 2014 at 12:00 am
ALBION – Law enforcement arrested 16 people today following a six-month investigation into the sale and distribution of crack cocaine, heroin, prescription narcotics and marijuana in the village of Albion, the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force reported.The Task Force, Albion Police Department, Orleans County Sheriff’s Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement executed six search warrants in the village of Albion and one in the town of Carlton.
As a result, police arrested 16 people on multiple sale and possession charges and seized powder cocaine, crack cocaine, prescription narcotics and marijuana.
The following were arrested:
Hardy
J.W. Hardy Jr., 56, of 262 East Bank St., Albion, who was charged with three counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance (CSCS) in the third degree, four counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance (CPCS) in the third degree, one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, three counts of criminal nuisance in the first degree, and four counts of unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree.
Hardy was arraigned in Albion Town Court by Justice Gary Moore. He remanded Hardy to county jail on no bail to his previous criminal history.
Julie A. Hardy, 46, of 262 East Bank St., Albion, who was charged with one count of CPCS in the third degree, one count of CPCS in the fifth degree, and four counts of unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree.
Hardy was arraigned in Albion Town Court by Justice Moore, and committed to the county jail on $10,000 cash or bond. She is to appear in Town Court on April 4 at 10 a.m.
James
Joseph B. James, 33, of 2 Garden Park Apts., Apt. No. 2. in Albion, who was charged with four counts of CSCS in the third degree, four of CPCS in the third degree, one count of criminal nuisance in the first degree, one count of unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree, and one count of unlawful possession of marijuana.
James was arraigned in the Town of Gaines Justice Court by Judge Bruce Schmidt, who sent James to the Orleans County Jail on $25,000 cash bail or $50,000 bond. He is due back in court at 10 a.m. on April 7.
Warren
Melissa A. Warren, 28, of 2 Garden Park Apartments., Apt. No. 2, Albion, who was charged with 3 counts of CSCS in the third degree, four counts of CPCS in the third degree, six counts of criminal nuisance in the first degree, and one count of unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree.
Warren was also arraigned by Judge Schmidt and remanded to county jail on $10,000 cash or bond. She is due back in court on April 7 at 10 a.m.
Ingram
Charles G. Ingram, 58, 175 North Main St., Room No. 20, Albion, who was charged with three counts of CSCS in the third degree, three counts of CPCS in the third degree, four counts of criminal nuisance in the first degree, and one count of CPCS in the seventh degree.
Ingram was arraigned in Albion Town Court by Justice Moore. He remanded Ingram to county jail on no bail to his previous criminal history.
Miles
Stephen W. Miles, 51, of 175 North Main St., Room No. 12, Albion, who was charged with one count of CSCS in the third degree, one count of CPCS in the third degree, one count of CSCS in the fourth degree, one count of CSCS in the fifth degree, two counts of CPCS in the fifth degree, two counts of criminal nuisance in the first degree, one count of CPCS in the seventh degree.
Miles was arraigned in Albion Town Court by Justice Moore. He remanded Miles to county jail on no bail to his previous criminal history.
Read
Dawn M. Read, 42, of 35 North Main St., Room No. 10, Albion, who was charged with one count of CSCS in the fifth degree, one count of CPCS
in the fifth degree, and one count of criminal diversion of prescription medication in the fourth degree.
Read was arraigned in Albion Town Court by Justice Moore. He remanded Read to county jail on no bail to her previous criminal history.
Taylor
Freddie Taylor, 45, of 510 Mt. Read Blvd., Rochester, who was charged with one count of CSCS in the third degree, one count of CPCS in the third degree, one count of CSCS in the fourth degree, one count of CPCS in the fifth degree.
Taylor was arraigned in Albion Town Court by Justice Moore, who sent Taylor to county jail on no bail to his previous criminal history.
Poole
Cheryl A. Poole, 51, of 13475 Gaines Rd., Carlton, who was charged with two counts of CSCS in the fifth degree, and two counts of CPCS in the fifth degree.
Poole was arraigned in the Town of Carlton Justice Court by Justice Patricia Russell.
Poole was committed to the county jail with no bail due to her previous criminal history. Poole is to return back to Carlton court on Friday at 3 p.m.
Taylor
Katherine O. Taylor, 22, of 13475 Gaines Rd. in Carlton, who was charged with three counts of CSCS in the third degree and three counts of CPCS in the third degree.
Taylor was arraigned in Albion Town Court by Justice Moore, and committed to the county jail on $10,000 cash or bond. She is to appear in Town Court on April 4 at 10 a.m.
Forrester
Christine A. Forrester, 43, of 14 Erie St., Albion, who was charged with four counts of CSCS in the fifth degree and four counts of CPCS in the fifth degree.
Forrester was arraigned in Albion Town Court by Justice Moore, and sent to the county jail on $10,000 cash or bond. She is to appear in Town Court on April 4 at 10 a.m.
Saddler
Christopher A. Saddler, 30, of 304 West State St., Albion, who was charged with one count of CSCS in the fifth degree, four counts of CSCS in the fifth degree, five counts of CPCS in the fifth degree, one count of criminal sale of marijuana in the fourth degree, one count of criminal possession of marijuana in the third degree, one count of unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree, five counts of criminal nuisance in the first degree, and one count of criminal diversion of prescription medication in the fourth degree.
Saddler was arraigned in Albion Town Court by Justice Moore, who sent sent him to the county jail on $10,000 cash or bond. He is to appear in Town Court on April 4 at 10 a.m.
Saddler
Jessica K. Saddler, 22, of 304 West State St., Albion, who was charged with one count of CSCS in the fifth degree, one count of CPCS in the fifth degree, four counts of criminal nuisance in the second degree, one count of criminal sale of marijuana in the fourth degree, one count of criminal possession of marijuana in the third degree, and one count of unlawfully dealing with a child in the first degree.
Saddler was arraigned in Albion Town Court by Justice Moore, who sent sent her to the county jail on $10,000 cash or bond. She is to appear in Town Court on April 4 at 10 a.m.
Thompson
Tony Thompson, 47, of 29 Dale St., Rochester, who was charged with CSCS in the fifth degree and CPCS in the fifth degree.
He was arraigned in Albion court by Justice Moore and remanded to county jail on $10,000 cash or bond. He is to return to court at 10 a.m. on April 4.
Gaddis
Felicia A. Gaddis, 45, of 13475 Gaines Rd. in Carlton, who was charged with one count of CPCS in the seventh degree.
Gaddis was issued an appearance ticket for Carlton Town Court on April 24.
Muscarella
Wade M. Muscarella, 59, of 13475 Gaines Rd. in Carlton, who was charged with one count of CPCS in the third degree.
Muscarella was issued an appearance ticket for Carlton Town Court on April 24.
Law enforcement officers were assisted in the search warrant executions by K-9 units from the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, Medina Police Department and the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department.
This investigation is still ongoing and further charges and arrests are pending, Task Force Supervising Officer Joe Sacco said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 March 2014 at 12:00 am
Gatlen Ernst is no stranger to the business
Photos by Tom Rivers – Gatlen Ernst and his fiancée Danielle Daniels are pictured on a dock in front of Ernst’s Lake Breeze marina. Ernst closed on the property last Thursday, acquiring the business from Doug and Janice Bennett.
POINT BREEZE – The Lake Breeze Marina has a new owner, and he is well-known to customers and the Point Breeze community.
Gatlen Ernst, 30, closed on the sale last Thursday, acquiring the business from Doug and Janice Bennett. Ernst worked for them for 10 years.
“He’s been a good employee and he had the desire,” Mr. Bennett said. “Everybody likes Gatlen and everybody knows him. It should be a smooth takeover for him.”
The marina has 44 dock slips, nine storage barns for boats, and a main service building with gas, diesel, propane and boating supplies, parts and accessories.
“This has been a dream of mine since I started working here,” Ernst said at the marina today. “I love being outside and working with the customers.”
When he was hired 10 years ago, Ernst mowed the lawns and did other odd jobs at the marina. Ernst was 20 at the time, working during the summer while he was a college student. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Nazareth College with a concentration in entrepreneurship and marketing.
He praised the Bennetts for investing in the business and steadily upgrading it. They added six storage buildings and expanded the main service building and shop.
“We improved it, and Gatlen was part of it,” Bennett said.
Gatlen Ernst is keeping the two mechanics at the marina and also added a new mechanic. The group includes, from left: Gary Simmons, Ernst, Doug Farewell and Ben Diltz.
Ernst is renaming the business to Ernst’s Lake Breeze Marina. He is keeping two full-time mechanics, Doug Farewell and Gary Simmons, and also has added another mechanic. Ben Diltz of Kent joins the marina after graduating from the Marine Mechanics Institute in Florida.
Ernst has another new face at the business: his fiancée Danielle Daniels. She knows about the commitment to make a small business succeed. Her father, Mike Pilon, co-owned Dale’s Supermarket in Albion for many years.
Ernst is the sole owner of the marina business. He purchased the real estate in a partnership with Rod Farrow, a Lake Breeze customer. Farrow is an apple farmer who lives on the other side of the Oak Orchard River.
Ernst will be handling the day-to-day operations. He sees a lot of potential in Point Breeze, which was named the “Ultimate Fishing Town” last year by the World Fishing Network.
“I’m optimistic that there’s room for growth,” he said. “The river is beautiful. It’s great for fishing.”
Ernst and his crew are ready to start the boating season. It generally runs from April 1 to Oct. 31.
“We’ll be launching boats this week,” he said. “People are anxious.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 March 2014 at 12:00 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
CARLTON – Lynn-Ette and Sons has been busy the past month transforming the former Harbor Pointe Country Club from a golf course into farmland.
I drove by on Route 98 today and was stunned by the transformation. Many trees have been taken down in the past month at the site.
Lynn-Ette bought the golf course earlier this month from the Cardone family, which owned it for 33 years. A drop in golf play and a rise in corn prices in recent years prompted a change in use for the site.
The golf course opened 50 years ago on Route 98 in Carlton. The course opened in 1964 as the Oak Orchard Country Club.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 March 2014 at 12:00 am
CARLTON – The town has hired an Amherst firm to collect data on 2,400 properties as part of an effort to update the assessments.
GAR Associates Inc. will be paid $68,000 to visit every property in town. GAR won’t be going inside the houses and buildings, but the firm will be making note of swimming pools, additions, sheds, garages and property improvements, Town Supervisor Gayle Ashbery said today.
The town is working to update its assessment records so accurate and fair values can be designated for the properties. A year ago Carlton was engulfed in controversy when new values for properties were assigned. Residents packed the Town Hall to complain about some of the big increases.
Residents also complained some properties were under-assessed. The town’s records didn’t show all the structures and improvements at some properties with low assessments, town officials said.
The Town Board chose not to re-appoint its assessor and worked out an arrangement with Kendall to share its assessor, Gene Massey.
The board also voted to freeze the assessments at 2012 levels, rather than allow the big increases to take effect. The board voted again to keep the 2014 data at the 2012 numbers, unless there has been an building project at a property.
The Town Board will meet with GAR on April 4, and the firm will present its action plan for the coming months. Besides going door to door, the firm is planning two or three public meetings with residents, Ashbery said.
The updated property data plus the experience of Massey should ensure accurate assessments in the future, Ashbery said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 11 March 2014 at 12:00 am
File photo by Tom Rivers – A boat passes through the Oak orchard Harbor last summer. Sediment buildup in the channel has made it difficult for larger boats to use the harbor.
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced today that Oak Orchard Harbor will receive a large maintenance dredge this year, valued at $420,000 and funded through the Sandy Supplemental Appropriations bill.
Schumer met with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Buffalo District Director LTC Beaudoin who confirmed the USACE’s plans and estimated the dredge is scheduled to be completed by around June 15. Schumer has long fought for Oak Orchard Harbor to be dredged, especially since Superstorm Sandy caused sediment damage to the harbor, and has specifically pushed for Sandy Supplemental funds to be used for dredging.
Schumer said this new dredge will allow recreational traffic to move more efficiently and support the charter fishing industry in the area, which generates approximately $269,000 in annual income.
“When it comes to dredging our ports, there is no time to waste, which is why I’ve kept the pressure on the Army Corps to accomplish this Oak Orchard dredging, especially since Superstorm Sandy,” Schumer said. “The timeline to finish dredging by mid-June is great news and it means we will soon get Oak Orchard Harbor moving full steam ahead – which will be an enormous boost this summer to the regional economy, family boaters and fishing charters.”
Oak Orchard Harbor is located on the southern shore of Lake Ontario at the mouth of Oak Orchard Creek. It supports 33 fishing charters and is in need of dredging.
Since Superstorm Sandy left sediment damage, the need for a maintenance dredge has increased. Schumer explained that using money from the Sandy Supplemental Fund will help alleviate the problems posed by the current shallowness of the harbor and return Oak Orchard Harbor to a better-functioning depth.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 March 2014 at 12:00 am
Most of land likely will be converted to farmland
Provided photos – Lynn-Ette and Sons on Friday closed on a deal to buy Harbor Pointe Country Club on Route 98 in Carlton.
Some of the trees are being cleared.
WATERPORT – A golf course that opened 50 years ago on Route 98 in Carlton has been purchased by a local farm, which will discontinue the site as a golf venue.
Lynn-Ette and Sons closed on a deal Friday to acquire Harbor Pointe Country Club from the Cardone family. The Cardones owned and operated the course since June 1, 1981. The course opened in 1964 as the Oak Orchard Country Club.
The course had several owners before the Cardones bought it in 1981.
“It was a wonderful business to operate,” said Joe Cardone. “My mother and father made a lot of close friends. We appreciate their business and friendships.”
The golf business has struggled in the region in recent years, due to the economy and increased competition with many golf courses, Cardone said.
“There has been a drop off in golf play,” he said. “It’s also an indication of the economic times in Orleans County.”
As part of the deal, Lynn-Ette purchased 93 acres on the east side of Route 98 that have been farmed. The local farm also bought the 100-plus acres that is the golf course.
The land won’t be orchards. The farm is cleaning up the property and clearing some trees. It will need to do soil tests to determine a good crop match for the ground.
The farm’s owners weren’t available to comment today, but an employee said Lynn-Ette will likely keep the existing buildings. The farm is still evaluating how it wants to use the site.
Cardone said he was happy to have a local buyer – Lynn Roberts and his family – pursue the property.
“We were thankful we were able to work something out with the Roberts family,” Cardone said. “They’re a wonderful family and they’re working hard down there.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 18 February 2014 at 12:00 am
World Life Institute is working with students from China, Brazil, Mexico, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Indonesia
Photos by Tom Rivers – Lifeng Lei, a student from China, addresses an ESL class on Monday, her final day with the group. She is headed back to China after a year in Orleans County, working at Intergrow Greenhouses in Albion and taking classes through the World Life Institute.
The class of ESL students poses for a picture with their teachers on Monday night. Students from six countries as well as Puerto Rico are enrolled in the program. Many of the students work at Intergrow Greenhouses.
WATERPORT – For a decade teachers at the World Life Institute partnered with the Orleans-Niagara BOCES to teach English to Mexican farmworkers.
The program has won state awards, and teacher Linda Redfield has been named the state’s top ESL teacher.
The program has become more diverse in the past year with students from Brazil, China, Ukraine, Bulgaria and Indonesia joining Mexican farmworkers in the classroom.
Many of those students are spending a year in Orleans County, interning at Intergrow Greenhouses. Those students have degrees in agriculture from universities in their home countries.
Students work in the computer lab using the Rosetta Stone program to learn English.
At Intergrow, they learn how to grow hydroponic tomatoes. They learn about irrigation, pest control and plant health, among many issues.
“It has been nice to meet so many new people,” said Oksana Kazakutsa, 26, of the Ukraine.
She will complete her year stay in the U.S. in two weeks. She wants to work in international business, perhaps in food and agriculture.
She praised the teachers at the World Life Institute, and also Dirk Biemans, owner of Intergrow, who welcomes the interns from around the world. Intergrow has 63 acres of greenhouses on Route 98 in Gaines. The company embraces students who want to learn about sustainable agricultural practices.
Oleksii Nepomniashchyi, 27, also is a student from the Ukraine. Like the other students, he works during at the day at Intergrow, and then takes English classes three evenings a week through the WLI, meeting at the Waterport school on Stillwater Road. The students also meet at Hoag Library for classes once a week.
The students have staggered internships at Intergrow so some students have been in the WLI program for several months when newcomers are enrolled.
“They all help each other,” said Linda Redfield, one of the teachers and the program director.
Tiangi Wang, 24, of China shares a slide show about his home country on Monday with other students in the ESL class.
The students share about their culture, sometimes bringing in prepared dishes of favorite foods in their countries. Redfield marveled at how multi-cultural the program has become.
There are 15 students in the program who are interning at Intergrow. Those students all live in Albion. The WLI continues to work with Mexican farmworkers, teaching ESL and helping some prepare for their citizenship test.
Octaviano Gomez, 41, of Medina has worked at local farms for many years. He passed the citizenship test on Jan. 9 and will soon be sworn in as a U.S. citizen.
“The teachers have helped me a lot,” he said on Monday at the school.
He wants to keep improving his skills, especially his English. That’s why he is back at the school.
“I want to learn more,” he said.
Cheryl Lieberman, a volunteer teacher with the WLI, works with a student who is preparing for his citizenship test.
Monica Beck is one of the teachers in the program. She said the students are highly motivated, which makes her job much easier.
“The students want to be here and the teachers want to be here,” she said. “It’s not like regular school where the students would rather be home playing video games.”
One of the students, Tiangi Wang of China, addressed the class on Monday. It was the last class for the 24-year-old. He thanked the group for their friendship and for helping him improve his English. He praised the staff at the school.
‘The teachers put their whole heart into it,” he said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 31 December 2013 at 12:00 am
However, both say they won’t put personnel in danger
Photo by Tom Rivers – Nora the cat was perched on top of a telephone pole with numerous wires and a transformer for about three days before being rescued on Saturday morning in Waterport.
WATERPORT – If a cat is stuck in a tree in Carlton, residents are welcome to call the Carlton Volunteer Fire Company.
Firefighters will try to get the cat as long as the firefighters aren’t in a dangerous situation, Carlton Fire Company President Jim Tabor said.
“In most situations would be more than happy to rescue the cat,” he said. “But when there are live power lines involved we just can’t put our people in jeopardy.”
Some community were upset when Nora, a cat owned by Venita Nauden, was stuck on top of telephone pole in the freezing cold for nearly three days. Carlton firefighters declined to try the rescue. The pole had numerous wires and a transformer attached to it.
“We are not equipped to deal with live power lines regardless of the situation,” Tabor said. “If someone has a motor vehicle accident and there are live power lines involved, we would still need the power company to cut the power before we can perform any life-saving measures.”
Tabor has volunteered in the fire service for 25 years. He doesn’t recall Carlton firefighters rescuing cats, but he said the group would happily try as long as there aren’t power lines in the way.
Jeremy Arnold, owner of JG Tree Service in Holley, uses a bucket truck with a 60-foot-ladder to get to that cat.
National Grid also was contacted by one of Nauden’s neighbors to help get the cat, but the company allegedly declined. Company spokesman Steve Brady said he wasn’t aware of the situation on East Avenue in Waterport.
“I’m not sure what happened in this case, but we have rescued an assortment of animals from our facilities (including, recently, someone’s pet lizard),” Brady wrote in an email. “I can’t say we will rescue every animal or respond to every call – a lot will depend on crew availability, of course – be we have responded to such requests.”
Brady believes time is often the best course for getting an animal to come down.
“We often find that when an animal gets hungry enough, they will find their way back down the pole,” he said. “I know that’s of little solace to the pet owner but it would be quite unusual for animal to be able to climb up and not be able to climb down.”
One of Nauden’s neighbors used a ladder on Friday and nearly got to the top of the pole to get the cat, but Nora wouldn’t get close enough to jump into a basket.
Jeremy Arnold, owner of a tree service in Holley, arrived Saturday with a bucket truck with a 60-foot-ladder. He was able to scoop up the cat and reunite it with its owner.
