LEFT OF CENTER

by Joshua Maloni
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, October 25, 2008

Your medicine sleeps with the fishes

Unbeknownst to me, pills shouldn't be dumped in the garbage or flushed down the toilet. Such medication will ultimately wind up as lechate and filter into the Lewiston Water Pollution Control Center, where it's not easily treated. It poses a threat to fish in the Niagara River and, let's be honest, we don't want Uncle Stan's blue pills to wind up in our drinking water.

As it turns out, I'm not the only one who didn't connect the pill-popping dots.

 "As we studied the issue of pharmaceuticals, unwanted pills and medicine, we found out that they were not appropriately removed from waste water, and ultimately were discharging into the Niagara River and the Great Lakes," said Richard P. Pope, director of the Niagara County Refuse Disposal District, over lunch this week at The Brickyard. "And as a result, since we take our drinking water in Niagara County from the Niagara River and the Great Lakes area, we felt that there was a real need, a public need, to get out in front of the issue."

He said, "The feminization of fish and amphibians, as a result of the chemicals that are being released through the waste water treatment plants into the fresh water - they attack the amphibian line of species; of fish - that is the very first line of attack to humans. Amphibians are the most susceptible indicators of environmental contamination." 

With the blessing of Niagara County Legislator John Ceretto, chairman of the refuse disposal district, Pope looked into establishing a better way to dispose of pills. He found it in thermal destruction (incineration).

On Saturday, Oct. 25, unwanted pharmaceuticals will be collected from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mount St. Mary's Hospital and Health Center, 5300 Military Road, Lewiston. Pills will be received by pharmacists, counted, categorized and sent to Covanta Niagara, where they will once again be checked and ultimately incinerated.

Lewiston police officers and Niagara County sheriffs will be on hand to watch over the collection and serve as a motorcade to Covanta.

Pope said no questions would be asked - the purpose of the event is to collect and properly dispose of medications, not make a list of who's taking what pills and why.

"It's all about taking the waste stream and properly disposing of it," he said.

Ceretto added, "Our intent is actually to clean the environment and dispose of them properly so that they don't get into the wrong hands or they are not flushed down the toilets and polluting our waterways." 

Participants can drive into the hospital's north entrance and, at no cost, anonymously drop off any and all pills. If medicine is in a bottle, personal information can be removed.

To collect the excess pills, Pope acquired a permit from the state Department of Environmental Conservation. Niagara's Refuse Disposal District is the first group in Region 9 (Erie, Niagara, Wyoming, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Allegany counties) to obtain such permission to collect medications.

Ceretto and Pope hope to offer more pharmaceutical collections in the future. Moreover, they have a commitment from state Sen. George Maziarz to sponsor a bill in Albany producing legislation to create a permanent drop-off site.

"We're working on that as our next step," Ceretto said.

Pope said another potential option is returning pills to a pharmacy.

Either way, "It's the thought process from a lot of people," Ceretto said. "The public is telling us this is what they want."

In addition to recycling pills, Niagara County is looking into recycling green waste into 100 percent organic compost mulch. That product could be sold to residents at a reduced cost.

"We're trying to lead in the initiative to keep green waste out of landfills," Pope said. 

"We're putting it back to productive use," Ceretto added.

Niagara's Refuse Disposal District recycles paint, propane tanks, refrigerators (Freon) and televisions. It also collects household hazardous waste.
 

Top chef joins Barton staff

The Barton Hill Hotel & Spa in Lewiston has added five-star chef Richard LePree to its staff. Formerly the executive chef at five-star hotels in London and destination resorts in Arizona and Colorado, the Oxford-trained LePree will showcase his skills at a winemaker's dinner on Thursday, Nov. 6.

He will team with certified sommelier John Hailey in preparing a seven-course meal at the hotel. The menu includes roast chestnut soup with Sartarelli Verdicchio Classico from Italy, warm brioche duck foie gras with Stringtown Pinot Grigio, aged tenderloin with Argentina's Ruca Malen Jacquen Malbec, and jasmine rice pudding with Sablettes Sauterne from France.

In a somewhat unexpected move, the Barton Hill Hotel is now serving breakfast and lunch every day, and dinners each Sunday through Thursday.

When the Finkbeiners opened the Barton Hill Hotel last year, Diane Finkbeiner said her establishment would not compete with local eateries. Guests would have the ability to order food, and the inn would host events like Sunday brunch and high tea. But she said there were no plans for an in-house restaurant.

True to her word, she stayed out of that culinary contest - she even went so far as to make sure several restaurants were on the itinerary of The Discerning Traveler. When the highly rated East Coast travel magazine visited Lewiston earlier this year, Diane Finkbeiner sent the writing team to locations including Tommy George's Villa Coffee House, Hibbard's Custard, The Clarkson House, Carmelo's and Water Street Landing.

So what gives?

"As it turned out, we were required under the laws of the New York State Liquor Authority to offer breakfast, lunch and dinner as a condition of a license," Diane Finkbeiner wrote in an e-mail. "Given this requirement, and the need to provide for all the scheduled special events, it was imperative that we create a food component to our property. In doing so, we have developed a menu and concept that adds to the wonderful cuisine choices in Lewiston. We intend to compliment, not compete, with area restaurants."

She continued, "A vibrant community that attracts The Discerning Traveler is a collection of experiences and opportunities. We are all in this together. Even with our food component, our guests want to explore the shops and restaurant to experience the charm of the village."

And there you go.

Those interested in attending the wine dinner should call 754-9070 to make a reservation.

The Barton is now also offering a spa day retreat, which is described as combining a luxury hotel experience with classic spa therapies. Services include hot stone, deep tissue and Swedish therapies.
 

Soully Created offers skin-friendly clothes

Barbara Tremblay poses with some hemp outfits sold at Soully Created.

Contrary to some opinions, Barbara Tremblay is not making clothing out of marijuana.

When she opened Soully Created six years ago, a store that features outfits made from hemp, "People didn't understand," she said of some Lewiston shoppers. "They thought I was 'The marijuana woman.' "

Though she is, admittedly, "a little off-the-wall," Tremblay said there's no smoking, toking or reefer peddling in her Center Street boutique. No one is getting high by lighting sleeves or inhaling necklaces.

The Soully Created clothing line is made from clay die organic hemp. Tremblay said the material is better than cotton or synthetics in that it lasts longer, is relatively low maintenance, and allows the skin to breathe. She said the sturdy fabric is pesticide-free and recommends it for customers with allergies.

In addition to her eco-friendly clothing, Tremblay sells "fashion statement" purses, hematite jewelry and meditation mats she designed. By appointment, Soully Created also offers natural therapies using therapeutic touch.

Unique to the store is its ear candling services. Tremblay uses hollow, hemp and beeswax candles as a means to remove excess earwax, bacteria and fluids.

Soully Created is located at 744 Center St., Lewiston. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. For more information, call 754-1333.
 

'Gardens at Oxbow' featured at conference

For years, the minds behind "The Gardens at Oxbow" neighborhood have been touting the benefits of "new urbanism." By definition, the concept's goal "is to reform many aspects of real estate development and urban planning, from urban retrofits to suburban infill. New urbanist neighborhoods are designed to contain a diverse range of housing ... and to be walkable."

Such was the intention in building "The Gardens at Oxbow," a 23-home, custom-built development on Mohawk Street.

Earlier this month, "Gardens" partner George R. Grasser was invited to share the tenets of "new urbanism" in Rochester with participants in the annual conference of the Upstate New York Chapters of the American Planning Association. In his presentation, Grasser said "the features that distinguish 'The Gardens at Oxbow' from conventional subdivision and patio home developments (include) large front porches; extra-wide sidewalks; narrow streets; garages located behind the homes so they are not visible from the street; utility lines located behind rather than in front of the homes; multiple lot sizes to allow for a for a variety of homes to accommodate singles, empty nesters and families with children; and the option to have an independent accessory apartment attached to a home for in-laws, parents, children or rental purposes."

For more information on "The Gardens at Oxbow," contact Grasser at 480-4970 or 883-5070.