Island Dispatch, 2005-02-04

              Island DISPATCH 60 Years As the Voice of Grand Island Award Winning Newspapers Founded 1944 • Complete Community Coverage 'SeussicaP Sets Stories to Music Page 8 Gearing Up for Super Appetites Page 12 www.wnypapers.Si •J&..HU l"gl V"-* Phone: (716) 773-7676 * i a\: <7U» 773-7190 • K-.Mail: M PVxW'clmaiUom The Official Newspaper of the Town of Grand Island and the Grand Island School District Vol. 60 • No. 46 l'i'hruan 4, 2005 » * SI.OO 24 Pages Modern's H2Gro -- a success story in Lewiston Photos and story by Terry Duffy You're in one of those favorite areas of the local supermarket ~ the fresh produce section. It's the middle of winter. You're scurrying about, and amidst the various delectable offerings you catch a glimpse over at some plump, bright red, vine-ripened tomatoes. You check out a few to purchase as you plan for tonight's dinner salad. Fresh, nice firm tomatoes. Hmm, you muse. But it's Buffalo — dead of winter. Ever wonder where they come from? . Good question. In earlier times, and not too long ago, these products would have likely come from an out-of-state grower, shipped in from green houses or farms way down south or out west. Locally Grown No longer. Thanks to the everdeveloping technology of hydroponics, which brings the qualities of green house farming to winter climate areas on a year-round basis, Western New Yorkers are increasingly enjoying the benefits ~ a locally grown, tasty product at a competitive price. And one of the fastest growing businesses of this type -pardon the pun ~ is really taking hold big time in Niagara County. Modern Corporation, based in Lewiston - certainly a familiar name to Buffalo-Niagara area households for its long-established refuse pick-up and recycling operations, among other services, continuescontinues to branch out -- if you will - into the ever-growing hydroponics tomato industry. Its Lewiston greenhouse operations represent, by far, one of the biggest private ventures the community has ever seen. "I think with this facility you'll be putting Lewiston on the map for tomatoes," commented Lewiston Town Council member John Ceretto. He's not far from being right. Actually, Modern has been involved in this industry for a few years now. H2Gro Greenhouses, a Modern affiliate which started out in 2002-03 as an experimental hydroponics venture out on Pletcher Road, adjacent to Modern's land filling operations and utilizing waste-generated methane as its energy source, has seen increased interest among local grocers and consumers throughout WNY on its tomato products. $9 Million Project So much so that over the past year Modern embarked on a $9 An inside look at the massive green house facility which when operating at full capacity will produce~3.s million pounds of tomatoes per year. Modern's newest H2Gro hydroponics tomato growing facility on Fletcher Road, a 300,000 square-foot complex encompassing seven acres. Island team returns to Haiti for a second medical mission Photos and story by Rustie Dimitriadis "Loving God...Loving People" is more than just a catch phrase to the congregation at Whitehaven Road Baptist Church; it is a way of life. This past Wednesday, the Grand Island church sent a team of 13 to the Republic of Haiti for a second annual medical mission trip. The team of doctors, nurses and helpers left Buffalo on Wednesday morning for Fort Lauderdale. From there, they flew in to Port-au-Prince for a week of ministering to the medical needs of hundreds of Haiti's poorest families. Each of the missionaries brought two large suitcases full of medical supplies, personal care items and children's toys. Personal belongings were restricted to only one backpack apiece in order to make room for the much-needed medical supplies and hygiene items. In preparation for the trip, team members and their families gathered at the church last Thursday to sort and pack the supplies. Volunteers put together Ziploc bags of toiletry items such as washcloths, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant and soap. The Volunteers at Whitehaven Road Baptist Church help to sort items for underprivileged children in preparation for the church's medical mission trip to Haiti this week. Helping out (left to right) are Dr. Keith Felstead, a member of the ministry team; Benjamin Cliff, Brian Felstead, Emily Glose and Abby Cliff, continued on page 9i continued on page 8i p|||| Classified Ads Get Resfffts^fcMgw I ~ Our Classified! Beetlon  S3SOO & under ads mEE «2EE3^ Check out our website ww\\:wrtypapers.com  I At a Glance 1 Tonight and tomorrow I I "Seussicai" I The Musical I Tonight at 6:30 p.m., I tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. I • Grand Island High School j 1100 Ransom Road I Saturday § 18th Annual Grand Island j J ' Rotary Club Chili Sale 1 1 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. j Grand Island High School j 1 1100 Ransom Road { I ' Three kinds; eat-in or take-out j 1 For a complete listing of area I events, visit NFP's Web site at j www.wnypapers.com j It This Week'sI™*® w^ MM B ■■■Vr ■■ WII Celebrating Hometown Lift*