Photos by Tom Rivers – Jeremy Arnold, owner of JG Tree Service, gets ready to catch a cat that had been stranded for nearly three days on top of a telephone pole in Waterport.

WATERPORT – After nearly three days on top of a telephone pole, Nora the cat was rescued late this morning by Jeremy Arnold, owner of a JG Tree Service in Holley.

Arnold, 27, has a bucket truck with a 60-foot ladder. He was happy to help after he heard the cat had been stuck and no one seemed willing to give a rescue a try.

“Everybody says it’s just a cat or an animal, but people get attached to their pets,” Arnold said after getting Nora down and handing her to her owner, Venita Nauden.

Venita Nauden is happy to be reunited with her cat, Nora.

Venita thanked Arnold and her neighbors for working to bring down the cat. Lauren Rayner, Nauden’s friend and neighbor, reached out to National Grid, the local fire company and animal shelters, but couldn’t sway anyone to try the rescue. The telephone pole had numerous wires including a transformer.

“It’s nice to see people help, otherwise the cat would have been left to die,” Rayner said.

The neighbors suspected a nearby dog chased the cat up the telephone pole. The cat was perched up there in the cold.

The cat was a little leery to come to Arnold, perhaps spooked by the hiss of the hydraulics with the bucket truck and a flock of geese that passed overhead during the rescue.

Nora didn’t immediately jump into Arnold’s arms. She seemed spooked by the noise from the hydraulics with the bucket truck. A big flock of geese also passed during the rescue attempt.

But after about five minutes, Nora came close to Arnold and he scooped her up.

“I’m just glad it worked out,” Arnold said. “I was worried she might get scared and take off running along the wires.”

Venita’s father Thad Nauden watched the rescue. He praised Arnold and Rayner for caring about the cat.

“I’m so appreciative for the tree surgeon and for my neighbor,” Mr. Nauden said. “I’m shocked that people would go to that extent. My daughter has been very upset about it because she is a cat lover.”

Arnold gets the truck set up on East Avenue while a small crowd gathers.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Nora, the cat, trapped on top of a telephone pole is surrounded by wires and power lines.

WATERPORT – A cat that has been on top of a telephone pole for at least two days survived another cold night and should be rescued later this morning.

A private contractor will be down on East Avenue with a bucket truck to get the cat. Jeremy Arnold of Holley will attempt the rescue.

WATERPORT – A cat climbed to the top of a telephone pole in Waterport two days ago and has been stuck up there since, unable to get down.

Lauren Rayner, a friend of the cat’s owner Venita Nauden, has reached out to National Grid, the Carlton Fire Company and animal shelters, seeking help. No one has been willing to try to rescue the cat which is stuck on East Avenue.

The fire company told her it would be too dangerous to risk firefighters for that task, given the presence of power wires. National Grid also told her the company doesn’t rescue cats. The power company urged her to reach out the fire company.

Raynor is hoping someone with a cherry picker or other equipment would be willing to try to help bring down the cat. She can be reached at (585) 413-7159 or by email at llrayner@gmail.com.

Photos by Tom Rivers – Tom Hubert has turned his front yard into a festival of lights at 1894 Oak Orchard River Rd. Hubert’s display switches to different strands of lights, so the colors change and different elements are lighted up during his 17-minute show.

WATERPORT – The cars start lining up the day after Thanksgiving, when Tom Hubert’s front yard turns into a festival of lights.

For the past five years, Hubert has set up an elaborate display at 1894 Oak Orchard River Rd. He uses 13 controllers and more than 40,000 lights as part of the display. He also has an FM radio transmitter so people can tune into 87.9 to hear a 17-minute music show that is timed with the lights.

“I don’t know who likes it more, the people stopping by or me putting in together,” Hubert said. “People ask, ‘Why?’ and I say, ‘Why not?’”

Hubert welcomes to cars to line up on the side of the road. He runs the show from 5 to 9 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and 5 to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.The lights will be up until New Year’s Eve.

Hubert has been adding new elements to the display since he started it with 10,000 lights.

These pictures show the same trees and elements with different strands of lights lit up. Hubert uses controllers to alternate strands of lights. “I don’t want it to be stagnant.”

“I’ve always had a fascination with Christmas lights,” he said.

At first he decorated his house with some static light displays. Then he researched elaborate light displays on the Internet and learned how to program controllers.

He starts setting up the light display in October, but his work on the computer starts in the summer, so the lights go off in a sequence set to music. Hubert said the lights aren’t too big of a hit on his electric bill because they are off most of the time because of the controllers. He said he may pay $75 in added electricity when the display is on for about six weeks.

Hubert works for the Rochester Housing Authority. He enjoys the open spaces in the country. Christmas lights are a fun hobby, he said, and so are animals. He breeds and sells Nigerian Dwarf Goats at River View Farm.

Hubert’s lighting display is just north of the Route 279 bridge over Lake Alice. After crossing the bridge, turn left and Hubert’s is maybe 50 yards away. You can’t miss it.

Firefighters have been raising funds for equipment

Photo by Tom Rivers – Representatives from the Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association presented a $1,000 check today to the Carlton Volunteer Fire Company. OONA members are pictured in front, from left: Ed Bellnier, president; Nicole Wilson-McGurn, treasurer; Jeanne Lauta, co-communications director; and Eileen Wuethrich, secretary. Arianna McGurn, McGurn’s daughter, is behind the OONA members. Carlton firefighters include: Dale Niehaus, assistant chief; Andrew Niederhofer, chief; Justin Niederhofer, EMS captain; Chris Standish, second lieutenant; Jim Tabor, president; Kevin Hurley; Tom Yockel, treasurer; Dan Strong; Dick Brackenbury; Bruce London; John Buckland; and Dwayne Tinkous, captain.

CARLTON – The Carlton Fire Company has received $14,000 from nearly 1,000 donors in response to a fund-raising campaign.

The fire company sent out about 1,700 letters to residents, telling them the fire company needed a utility box for a rescue truck and equipment to respond to water-related emergencies and motor vehicle accidents.

The Oak Orchard Neighborhood Association is among the donors to the cause. The group presented fire company leaders with a $1,000 check tonight.

“We’re glad to help out because we need you guys,” OONA President Ed Bellnier told Carlton firefighters.

Carlton has sent out letters the past three years, seeking funds from residents to help supplement the money it gets from the town in a fire protection contract.

Fire company officials tried to boost its contract with the town from about $114,000 to $152,000 for 2014. The Town Board agreed to half of the increase.

That leaves the fire company short for equipment, gear and needed roof and parking lot repairs, said Jim Tabor, fire company president.

Carlton property owners will pay 65 cents per $1,000 of assessed property for fire protection, about half of rate in most towns. Tabor and the fire company wanted to get that rate to 75 cents, but was rebuffed by the Town Board, which agreed to 65 cents for 2014.

“Even if we were at 75 cents we’d still be the lowest in the county,” Tabor said.

Fire company officials worry about the cost of new turnout gear at about $3,000 per firefighter. The company also faces a new roof on the recreation hall on Route 98, and parking lot repairs at the two fire halls on Kent Road and Waterport-Carlton Road.

Tabor said the fire company appreciates the response from the public to the fund-raising campaign.

CARLTON – After more than a week away from its family in Carlton, a beloved dog named Rori returned to his owners this morning.

Ann Humner and her husband Asi Sveisson adopted Rori, a brindle/white mix, from the SPCA in Erie County eight years ago.

Rori snapped off his tether on Dec. 8 and hadn’t been seen since, until he returned home in Carlton today, scratching his paws against the door at about 6 a.m.

“He is very skinny and he’s been sleeping all day,” Humner said. “He’s exhausted.”

Humner doesn’t know where Rori spent the previous eight days. She thinks he found shelter somewhere, maybe inside a barn or garage.

He appeared to be dropped off at the end of Hillcrest Drive early this morning. Rori’s paw prints started at the end of Hillcrest.

“I don’t know what happened but we’re very happy he’s home,” she said.

Orleans Hub featured Rori yesterday. We’re happy the dog found his way home.

Provided photos – Rori, left, has been missing since last Sunday. Lacey also got away but returned home on Wednesday.

CARLTON – Eight years ago Ann Humner and her husband Asi Sveisson adopted Rori, a brindle/white mix from the SPCA in Erie County.

Rori has been a beloved member of the family because she’s so “sweet and gentle,” Humner said today.

The family has been looking for the dog the past week since she broke off her tether last Sunday afternoon. Both Rori and Lacey, a husky mix, got away a week ago. Lacey returned home on Wednesday.

Humner and Sveisson live on Hillcrest Drive in Carlton. They owned a cottage there for about six years before moving in permanently last January. The location on Lake Alice is “gorgeous” and they wanted to stay there year-round in their retirement, Humner said.

Lacey helped track Rori for about 3 miles before losing the scent on Thursday. Humner asked that snowmobilers and others keep a look out for Rori. She said the dog, which weighs about 50 pounds, is very friendly.

For more information, contact Humner at 716-906-1585.

Rori, left, and Lacey are friends that like to stick together.

Photo by Tom Rivers – The U.S. Postal Service is reducing the hours at the Post Office in Kent, effective Jan. 11. The building is located at 1788 Kent Rd.

KENT – The U.S. Postal Service, in an effort to rein in its costs, is reducing the office hours at the site in Kent at 1788 Kent Rd.

The Post Office will be open 30 minutes less on weekdays andwill keep the same retail hours on Saturdays. The new hours are effective Jan. 11.

The Post Office lobby is currently open from Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and then from 1:15 p.m. to 5 p.m.. The lobby is open on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon.

With the new hours the site will be open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and then from 2 to 5 p.m.

“Current Saturday window service hours will not be reduced and access to delivery receptacles will not change as a result of the realignment of weekday window service hours,” said Karen Mazurkiewicz, WNY District Communications Coordinator for the U.S. Postal Service.

Customers will have access to their mail receptacles from 8:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. from Monday through Friday and from 7:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Saturday. The Post Office Box mail will be available daily for pick-up by 10:00 a.m. on weekdays and on Saturday, she said.

The Postal Service in 2011 announced it was going to close under-utilized Post Offices, about 3,500 nationwide, Mazurkiewicz said.

“The Postal Service began conducting community meetings and the Number One response was customers would rather see a reduction in hours than to have their Post Office closed,” she said. “Taking that feedback, USPS decided to modify its original plan and instead proposed an option where communities could keep their Post Office, but with reduced hours.”

CARLTON – There were 49 absentee ballots counted this morning to determine the winner of the race for highway superintendent in Carlton.

Krull lost the Republican primary to Snook, 215-155. Krull, the incumbent, still had the Independence Party line and would be in the Nov. 5 ballot. But it would be a long shot for a minor-party candidate to win against a Republican backed candidate.

Krull refused to give up. He acknowledged he didn’t campaign much in the primary. When he wasn’t working, he was racing to get a roof project done on his home.

The past seven weeks he was out door to door. Many residents also stepped out for him, taking out ads and rallying support.

He won 434-421, widening his lead with the absentee ballots.

Krull said he has tackled many road projects the past four years. He thinks it will take four more years to get caught up on the road infrastructure.

“I’ve worked awfully hard for the people of Carlton,” Krull said after the final results were announced today. “I feel I stand up for the little guy.”

Snook is one of four motor equipment operators in Carlton. Krull said there has been division in the highway department during the campaign. Now that the election is over, he hopes the group rallies to work together for the good of the town.

“Hopefully this can all be put behind us,” Krull said.

Press release, New York State DOT

CARLTON – The New York State Department of Transportation will close a 2-mile portion of the Lake Ontario State Parkway between Lakeside Beach State Park and Route 98 in the town of Carlton for the winter months effective Nov. 12.

The highway will be re-opened upon conclusion of the winter weather next spring. The same section was closed last winter.

Motorists will be directed to use Route 18 as a parallel detour route. Electronic message boards were placed this week to inform motorists of the upcoming closure.

CARLTON – An article on Monday about the races for town offices in Orleans County neglected to mention the write-in effort by Lea Olles for Carlton town clerk.

Olles lost a Republican primary to incumbent Pam Rush.

To see the article from Monday, which has been updated, click here.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Brown’s Berry Patch and the Albion Rotary Club raised $2,566 for Hospice of Orleans with a 5-kilometer walk and run on Oct. 12. Margy Brown, center, presents a check to Hospice today. She is pictured with Rotary Club President Cindy Perry, left, and Marsha Rivers, director development and community relations for Hospice.

CARLTON – For 17 years the Brown family has organized a 5-kilometer run and walk through their orchards as a benefit for Hospice of Orleans County.

The race has now raised $31,190 for the agency, with the Oct. 12 race netting $2,566.

Margy Brown presented a check to Hospice Director of Development and Community Relations Marsha Rivers today during the Albion Rotary Club meeting. The Rotary Club provides some manpower during the race.

The Oct. 12 race was dedicated in memory of Judy Christopher, a Rotarian and volunteer at many of the Brown’s races.

“She was always a mentor,” Brown told the Rotary Club today. “I had a great deal of respect for her.”

The race T-shirt included an image of a phoenix as a tribute to Christopher, who owned Phoenix Fitness for about two decades in Albion.

Photos by Brad London – Ramsey Constructors of Lakeville removes the deck of a bridge today in Carlton.

CARLTON – The smallest of the three bridges over the Oak Orchard River in Point Breeze was removed today by Ramsey Constructors of Lakeville.

The bridge has been closed since December 2011 after an inspection found several deficiencies with the structure.

The bridge over the Oak Orchard River Road is part of an area known as “The Bridges.” Two other bigger bridges that are close by on Route 98 and Route 18 remain open. However, several Point Breeze business owners want a replacement for the smaller bridge to improve traffic flow for the area and provide an alternative in case one of the bigger state bridges is closed.

The state’s current funding formula, which prioritizes bridges with high traffic, makes it unlikely a new bridge will be constructed at the site anytime soon, county officials said.

“We do not feel that the bridge is eligible for any available funding programs at this time,” said Chuck Nesbitt, the county chief administrative officer. “Plans are not currently in place to build a new bridge at the site.”

CARLTON – There aren’t too many left these days: unpaved public roads. But there are some in Orleans County.

Clark Mills Road in Carlton has shunned asphalt. The winding road is on the west side of the Oak Orchard River, which happens to be one the Orleans County’s top tourist attractions.

Many places in their tourism epicenter would likely dress up such a road, insisting on fresh pavement and all kinds of amenities. But I hope Clark Mills stays unpaved. It adds to the rural charm.

I’d like to find more unpaved public roads in the county. If you know of any, please send me a note at tom@orleanshub.com.

Press release, Orleans County Undersheriff Steve Smith

CARLTON – An Albion man was injured with a partially severed ear while he was a passenger during a mud bog event today.

The incident occurred at approximately 4:40 p.m. at Lake Alice Motor Sports, located at 1766 Waterport Rd.

Eric C. List, 49, of Bergen was operating a 1995 Jeep in the Lake Alice Mud Bogging Event. (Mud Bogging is a form of off-road motorsport in which the goal is to operate a four-wheel drive vehicle through a mud pit, which may be flat or hilly.)

Joel Barczak-Garcia, 23, of Albion was a rear-seat passenger in the Jeep. At some point, the vehicle travelled over a mud jump and down an embankment. Barczak-Garcia was not wearing a seat belt. His head struck a metal protrusion inside the vehicle resulting in the injury.  He was transported to Medina Memorial Hospital by Central Orleans Volunteer Ambulance.

Two other passengers in the Jeep, Michelle Gallo, 39, and Jennifer Haines, 26, were not injured, nor was List.

The incident was investigated by Deputy J.J. Cole.