New York state briefs

Fuel costs hit C-PP budget

PAINTED POST - The Corning-Painted Post school district isn't immune to gas pains.

The cost of fuel is the driving factor in a projected $484,000 increase in the district's transportation budget, revealed at Wednesday's meeting.

Larry Eccleston, director of transportation, said the cost of fuel purchased by the district and by bus companies under contract will jump from $321,000 to $651,000.

Eccleston projected the district will exceed the money it budgeted for fuel for the 2007-08 school year by as much as $170,000. Paul Webster, district business official, said the money will drawn from other areas in the budget.

The effects of the current contingency budget are also being felt in the proposed 2008-09 budget. The district could see a $22,000 increase due to the purchase of lawn care equipment that could not be purchased under the rules governing contingency budgets.

The district was forced to adopt a contingency budget when voters twice rejected the 2007-08 budget approved by the school board.

District officials will continue budget presentations through the winter. The school board should vote on its final budget in spring.

Unfazed by Walgreens

FAIRPORT - Paula Lewyckyj and Chet Thapa have have opened Fairport Pharmacy on Main Street, saying they are not worried about the possibility of a Walgreens opening just up the street. Thapa said they were told about it when they made initial inquiries.

"I said, 'So what?That has nothing to do with me'" he said. "Our business model is so different from chain pharmacies, it will totally distance us from them."

Thapa and Lewyckyj are offering a full-service pharmacy with a focus on individual attention and a specialization in senior care. The store has a full line of medical supplies, the ability to order what it doesn't have on hand, 24-hour medication consulting, regular and specialized prescriptions, diabetic supplies and the usual pharmacy items such as over-the-counter drugs, toiletries and first-aid products.

They also offer free delivery, a full line of nutritional supplements and herbals, and are available to talk to groups about a variety of medical topics, such as the Medicaid Part D program for prescription drug coverage.

"We want to be very personal, and we want to know the customers by their names," Thapa said.

Guard unit headed for Afghanistan

GREECE - Lt. Geoffrey Milligan, commanding officer of the 427th Brigade Support Battalion of the Army National Guard, may have captured the spirit in the auditorium of Greece's First Bible Baptist Church last week.

"These soldiers are willing to make this sacrifice for their country," Milligan told the family members, friends and other loved ones who'd gathered there to see some of his soldiers off. "I'm damn proud to be going into combat with them."

Family members, friends, government officials and other well-wishers gathered on Jan. 16 to take leave of the 427th's 224 soldiers. The battalion, which draws its ranks from Rochester, Syracuse, Buffalo, Utica and New York City, prepared to depart to Fort Bragg, N.C. last week to undergo final training. Once it has completed that training, the battalion is scheduled to head for Afghanistan to provide logistical support and training for the Afghan army and police force.

Though only 25-years-old, Sgt. Eric Swartzenberg of Company A has already served in Iraq. Since returning, he's tried to show less-experienced soldiers some of what he learned.

"I just basically give them the ropes on types of things you might expect while you're there," he said.

'Mason is our miracle'

WEBSTER - While most expectant parents worry if they'll be good parents and what color to paint the nursery. Despina and Scott Mitchell were hoping their baby would be born alive.

Despite the odds, their son, Mason, survived.

On Dec. 20, 2006, the Mitchells went to an ultrasound to find out if they were having a boy or girl. The news they received was nothing they ever anticipated.

Mason was diagnosed with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia, which means his diaphragm, or muscle that separates the chest from abdominal organs, did not form completely, leaving a hole. The hole allows the organs such as the intestines, stomach, liver, spleen and kidneys to go up into the chest cavity, which inhibits the lungs from developing completely.

Dr. Timothy Stevens at Golisano Children's Hospital, says it's not a common defect. Typically one out of every 4,000 babies will be born with the defect, and Strong only sees a few cases each year.

"We had a hard time deciding if we were going to have a baby shower or paint his room," said Despina Mitchell. "I think we were just trying to protect ourselves because we knew the reality of what could happen."

After two days of labor, Mason Mitchell was born May 9, 2007. It was touch and go so many times, at one point Mason's body was refusing the ventilators and not breathing on his own. Doctors had to bag him and manually pump air into his body. Each time he bounced back.

Mason was just a few weeks old when he had to undergo major surgery to put all his organs back where they belong. Doctors were able to do this without any complications.

After 56 days in the neonatal intensive care unit on July 3, 2007 Mason Mitchell was able to go home.

Doctors told the Mitchells that their son may never be a track star or a great runner but besides that he should be all right, but you never know.

"I say he will be a track star," said his mother. "Because he has beaten the odds each time and he has strength."

Fire department secures funding for new fire truck

OSWEGO - One day after the Oswego Fire Truck Committee met with city officials to discuss the implementation of a fire apparatus replacement plan, Sen. Chuck Schumer announced that the Port City's fire department will receive $726,750 for vehicle acquisition.

The money comes from the 2007 Assistance to Firefighters Grant and will be used toward the purchase of a new quint apparatus for the fire department. A quint has five functions including on average 150 feet of ground ladders, a 100-foot aerial ladder with a rescue platform, a pump that can dispense 2,000 gallons of water per minute and carries 300-500 gallons of water on board as well as aminimum of 1,000 feet of supply hose. The average price of a quint is $850,000.

The fire department's current fleet consists of four in-use vehicles which were manufactured between 1988 and 1999. They also have a reserve vehicle, manufactured in 1974.

The Fire Truck Committee proposed a $1.65 million lease-purchase replacement plan that would include a quint and two stock engines.

The proposal will come before the committee meetings in two weeks for further discussion by members of the common council.