Thirty years after Linda Price lost her young son, Rashod, her story is being used to help others. It’s part of a unique campaign to provide new parents in the Rochester area with life-saving information. Casey Bortnick reports.

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It’s a tragic story, any parent’s worst nightmare.

“She got up in the morning and left the bedroom and came back in to her husband screaming because the baby was unresponsive,” said Sue VanStrydonck, Baby Safe Sleeping Coalition.

Thirty years after Linda Price lost her young son, Rashod, her story is being used to help others. It’s part of a unique campaign to provide new parents in the Rochester area with life-saving information. This year, 11,000 educational pamphlets will be mailed out with each birth certificate issued in Monroe County.

“Most babies will if, you know, rocked or held or taken into bed with the parents may fall asleep but you’re just running such a terrible risk of the baby never waking up,” said Dr. Joanne Cordaro, Baby Safe Sleep Coalition.

Recent studies show half of all cases of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome are connected to co-sleeping. Dr. Joanne Cordaro says moving away from terms like SIDS sends an important message.

“In all the cases that would have been labeled SIDS, there’s an element of unsafe sleep that completely preventable. When we think of SIDS we always think of it as being unpreventable,” said Dr. Cordaro.

Dr. Cordaro urges parents to put babies to bed on their back in a crib or a bassinet with no blankets, bumpers, pillows or toys. These are safe sleep practices detailed in this mailer.

Beyond the facts and recommendations, there’s a more personal appeal that jumps off the page.

“She really wants to get the message across that now that we know better, we do better,” said VanStrydonck.

It’s a firsthand account of loss that’s hard to ignore.

“I think that really makes a difference and it makes the risk so much more significant and more real,” said VanStrydonck.

The printing of these pamphlets was made possible through grants and mostly private donations. It’s an idea the Baby Safe Sleep Coalition hopes will catch on all over Upstate New York.

Republican presidential candidates are going head to head Tuesday night in the Iowa Republican Caucus. It’s the first major hurdle in the 2012 race for the White House. Our Josh Robin is in Iowa and has the latest ahead of the polls closing.

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IOWA — The 2012 presidential election season begins with the Iowa Republican Caucus taking place today.

As the presidential nominating process gets underway, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney comes in as the favorite as he holds a slight lead in most polls ahead of Texas Congressman Ron Paul.

On Monday, Romney told a crowd in Iowa that he expects to win.

Rick Santorum, who has recently been surging in the polls, is in third place.

Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich, and Michele Bachmann are the other main contenders in the caucus.

The presidential hopefuls are giving their case as to why they should be in the White House.

“Real cuts and a shrinking of the size of the federal government,” said Ron Paul. “We can’t do that unless you raise the one significant question, and that’s what the role of government should be.”

“This has been a failed presidency,” said Mitt Romney. “And I remember after he was elected, he went on the Today Show and he said to the commentator, ‘Look, if I can’t get the economy turned around in three years, I’ll be looking at a one-term proposition.’ Well, I’m here to collect. We’re taking it back.”

“What America needs is a president who thinks about the children and the grandchildren of this country and the future of this country and puts that above his own petty, arrogant ambitions and instead serves the country,” said Newt Gingrich.

Back in 2008, Obama was the Iowa Democratic caucus winner with 38 percent of the vote.

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STATEWIDE — New York’s Senior senator makes a new online list but it’s not for his job representing the state in Washington.

The Stone Zone blog, run by Republican political consultant Roger Stone, names Senator Charles Schumer as one of the worst dressed of 2011.

The blogger said that Schumer quote “dresses out of the salvation army…” and cites the style of the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Moynihan was known for wearing bowties, and bold striped suits.

Bill Clinton is another political figure that made the list, but in the “Best Dressed of 2011″ category.

[[END]]

The old Borden Creamery building in the Village of Schoharie is not only a preservation of the area’s history, but it’s also come to be a kind of community center for residents. And on Saturday, it finally received the $15,000 worth of work it needed to reopen after Irene.
Our Megan Cruz has this story.

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SCHOHARIE, N.Y. — We lost three feet of our walls, our kitchen, the floors were covered with mud,” said Joan Marciniak, a board member of the Schoharie Colonial Heritage Association.

Also on the board is Ruth Anne Wilkinson. She said, “I had to walk away from it. There were just so many other things that needed attention.”

For over four months, the old Borden Creamery sat untouched after flood waters from Irene destroyed its first floor.

But on Saturday, people were busy sawing, taping, and drilling away.

“I was thinking I wasn’t doing the right thing by not helping a family but now, I’m helping an entire community,” said James Amsler, the Vice President of BC Construction.

Ambler said he’d planned to rehab a home in Schoharie County, but once he received a letter from the Schoharie Colonial Heritage Association, the not-for-profit that manages the Creamery, he said he’d gladly take on the $15,000 project for free.

“I reached out to all my employees and here they are,” said Ambler.

“They do hard labor the whole week and now they come here to do this on their weekend,” said Marciniak. “It’s just a blessing.”

And as for the supplies, Ambler says he reached out to companies he usually works with – all of whom were glad to help. Like Bellevue Builders in Schenectady who donated all the kitchen counters and cabinets.

“It’s fantastic to be able to do our part and help a community out that’s been devastated by the effects of Irene,” said Bellevue Builders Sales Manager Jason Lafountain.

Marciniak is grateful for the help.

“We never could have done it in this time frame,” she said. “It probably would have been the end of summer. When maybe we would have enlisted a bunch of teachers that’d be off but this is amazing. We’ll be up and running in a month.”

Which is great news for the hundreds of residents who use the Creamery.

“The girl scouts, the Depot Lane singers, the kids’ theater group,” Marciniak listed.

People here hope help keeps coming to Schoharie County.

“I’m hoping we’re the catalyst to get more companies down here,” said Amsler.

The post season begins Sunday for the New York Giants. Our Kevin Garrity gives us a preview of the matchup with the Atlanta Falcons.

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — If you take the second half of the giants season as a whole, they looked like anything but a playoff team losing five of their last eight games, but the final two weeks is all they are concerned with; solid wins over the jets and the cowboys that gave the NFC east title and a playoff berth, and it’s always a good thing going into the post season on a high note.

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said, “We’re getting there, the last two games have helped us, given us confidence and hopefully we’ll be able to improve.”

Antrel Rolle, Giants defensive back, said, “At the beginning of the year no one gave us a chance, but as long as we believe in each other and everybody buys into the system, we’ll show that anything is possible.”

The Giants defense has gotten healthier the past few weeks and they are starting to perform at a high level and then there’s Eli Manning. He already has one Super Bowl ring but he doesn’t buy the concept that he can put this team on his shoulders but his head coach thinks, ‘why not’?

“Without a doubt he’s up to that challenge or any challenge for that matter,” said Coughlin.

Eli Manning, Giants quarterback, said, “Ya know quarterbacks, players, everybody, their confidence level is always high. You always go into a game feeling good about what’s going to happen and a lot of that is having confidence in the players around you. “

The giants get to play at home Sunday, if they win they will most likely be on the road for the rest of the playoffs. In 2007, big blue won every playoff game on the road on their way to the Super Bowl. Although there are not many players left from that team.

“It’s a new year. We have different players, it’s a new team and we can’t start looking too ahead. We have Atlanta this week and we need to get ready for this game,” said Manning.

The post season begins Sunday for the New York Giants. Our Kevin Garrity gives us a preview of the matchup with the Atlanta Falcons.

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — If you take the second half of the giants season as a whole, they looked like anything but a playoff team losing five of their last eight games, but the final two weeks is all they are concerned with; solid wins over the jets and the cowboys that gave the NFC east title and a playoff berth, and it’s always a good thing going into the post season on a high note.

Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said, “We’re getting there, the last two games have helped us, given us confidence and hopefully we’ll be able to improve.”

Antrel Rolle, Giants defensive back, said, “At the beginning of the year no one gave us a chance, but as long as we believe in each other and everybody buys into the system, we’ll show that anything is possible.”

The Giants defense has gotten healthier the past few weeks and they are starting to perform at a high level and then there’s Eli Manning. He already has one Super Bowl ring but he doesn’t buy the concept that he can put this team on his shoulders but his head coach thinks, ‘why not’?

“Without a doubt he’s up to that challenge or any challenge for that matter,” said Coughlin.

Eli Manning, Giants quarterback, said, “Ya know quarterbacks, players, everybody, their confidence level is always high. You always go into a game feeling good about what’s going to happen and a lot of that is having confidence in the players around you. “

The giants get to play at home Sunday, if they win they will most likely be on the road for the rest of the playoffs. In 2007, big blue won every playoff game on the road on their way to the Super Bowl. Although there are not many players left from that team.

“It’s a new year. We have different players, it’s a new team and we can’t start looking too ahead. We have Atlanta this week and we need to get ready for this game,” said Manning.

Think of it as opening day of spring training or midnight madness for college basketball. Thousands of students around the world received a box of parts and a rule book Saturday as the FIRST Robotics Competition held its official kickoff. Tara Lynn Wagner was in New Hampshire and has that story.

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MANCHESTER, N.H. — If you’re not hardwired into the world of competitive robotics, you might not realize the significance of the annual FIRST kickoff in New Hampshire. But for the 58 thousand students who participate in what organizers call the Super Bowl of Smarts, this is the moment they’ve been waiting for.

Kegan Lebberman of Bedford said, “It’s like Christmas all over again for us no one can sleep the night before. We’re just anxious to see what it is.”

Students gathered at some 70 locations in the US and beyond to watch a taped unveiling that included MVPs from all walks of life. But only those here in the auditorium of Southern New Hampshire University had the benefit of knowing an actual field was just behind these doors. With no peeking allowed, the morning was full of speculation.

“We were kind of thinking it had something to do with tennis balls,” said a girl.

Russel Plaumer from Team 1058 PVC Pirates said, “They might think it’s a football game.”

Mentor Tom Curanovic from team 334 Brooklyn Tech said, “I don’t know but I hope it’s not water.”

Good guesses but none were a slam dunk. The answer: this years game is based on basketball! FIRST officials say they wanted something that would be instantly recognizable.

FIRST Founder Dean Kamen said, “We don’t want to be just for geeks. We want to be for everybody so we said this year let’s make the game so visually symbiotically like sports that everyone gets excited about it.”

Since technology is always changing its only logical the challenges should keep up. This year, for the first time ever, students will be “kinect-ed” to their bots in a whole new way.

In addition to a box with more than 600 parts, each team is receiving a Microsoft Kinekt to incorporate into their robot design.

Director of FIRST robotics Bill Miller said, “You will be amazed. Probably by championship you will see full court baskets and amazing shots and offense and defense.”

This is the 21st season for FIRST, or For Inspiration of Science and Technology, which now includes 2,300 teams from 49 states and 12 countries. And while the goal of the game may be to score baskets and rack up points, founder Dean Kamen’s hoop dreams are a little bigger, to change the culture of the country and inspire a whole generation of engineers and innovators.

“You get these kids psyched about doing this kind of thing and the sky’s the limit. They will solve the problems for the 21st century,” said Kamen.

The national championship will be held in April in St. Louis.

Hundreds of people are fanning out to find a missing East Greenbush teenager. Our Lori Chung has more on why family members say this is no ordinary runaway case.

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EAST GREENBUSH, N.Y. — “It’s like every parent’s worst nightmare and everyday gets worse,” said Stephen Smith.

For Smith and his wife Loriann, the not knowing is the hardest since their daughter Hannah went missing New Year’s Day.

“She just doesn’t even know” said Loriann. “So many people’s hearts are broken.”

Their anguish is tempered by community support. Hundreds of friends and family gathered at Community Gospel Church to prepare to blanket the region with flyers to bring the 16 year-old home.

“We’re just hoping that the more flyers that we get out, somebody will see her and recognize her.”

Family members said Hanna has been struggling with anxiety and depression because of a brain injury suffered two years ago when she was nearly killed by a drunk driver, impairing her ability to make rational decisions.

“She’s gone, she doesn’t have her medication, she’s a very vulnerable person” said Loriann. “This is not a typical runaway case. This is a child who has already been the victim of one crime.”

With all the community support, thousands of flyers will go up to find Hanna Smith as those who love her worry about where she is and who she’s with.

“I think someone’s got to be assisting her,” said Loriann.

Her father Stephen added, “She’s a 16 year old girl, who needs to be home and if somebody’s helping her, [then] they need to do the right thing and send her home.”

Until then, many at the church offer a shoulder to the family, like Mary Lyle, herself a mother of a missing daughter.

“I can’t even begin to tell you all the emotions that we have,” said Lyle. “You always want your child right beside you.”

Her parents are now holding on to faith that they’ll have Hanna close again real soon.

“Just come home Hanna,” said Loriann.

“We need her home and she needs to be home,” said Stephen.

Hanna Smith is described as 5 feet, 5 inches tall and 115 pounds, with brown hair and green eyes. Anyone with information is asked to call East Greenbush Police.

Months after a New York City soldier’s death, the army admits to the soldier’s family that he may have been mistreated, and even abused, before he apparently took his own life. Rebecca Spitz has more.

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NEW YORK CITY — There may never be closure for Private Danny Chen’s family but for now, at least there’s some validation.

Wednesday, advocates for the 19-year-old found dead in Afghanistan met with the U.S. Army which conceded Chen was subjected to repeated mistreatment and abuse to the point he took his own life.

Elizabeth OuYang, President of the Organization of Chinese Americans said, “Almost immediately after he arrived, Danny was required to do exercises which quickly within a few days crossed over to abuse.”

The Army spent four hours with the Chen family and admitted he was forced to crawl with sandbags on his back and duck rocks thrown at him to resemble artillery fire. He withstood racial slurs because he was Chinese American. And it didn’t stop there.

OuYang said, “On September 27th, Danny was assaulted, a sergeant dragged him out of his bed over 50 meters of gravel to the shower trailer and told you broke the hot water pump. He had bruises and cuts on his back.”

And the Army admits Chen’s Platoon Sergeant and Platoon leader knew about that attack but did not report it.

The interpreter for Su Zhen Chen, Danny’s mother, said, “The mother says that you think after all these months the pain would subside.”

With all the information they gave, the Army did not release Chen’s autopsy report or the journal he kept.

We spoke with the attorney representing the Chen family; he said the amount of time the Army spent at their meeting suggests it is taking Private Chen’s death and the circumstances surrounding it very seriously.

Attorney Richard Meadow said, “My partner who was with me, was a fifteen year JAG officer and senior prosecutor in Abu Ghraib said he’s never been at an Army presentation where a three star general attended.”

The Chens said they still have many questions. Mostly, they are interested in where the eight men arrested in connection with Chen’s death will be tried.

The interpreter for Yan Tao Chen, Danny’s Father, said, “He would definitely prefer the trial to be held in the United States.”

The Chens fear if it were in Afghanistan, they wouldn’t be able to watch justice being served in the way they, and their son, would like.

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Over on the girl’s side the Watervliet Cannoneers are off to a perfect 8-0 start to the season they played host to Lansingburgh in a Colonial Council matchup.

First quarter Cannoneers up by 8. Alysa Chartrand steps in and hits the jumper to make it a 10 point Watervliet lead.

Later on Vliet adding to that lead. Ailayia Demand drives, but can’t get it to go and LaShana Tolliver is there for the putback. 16-3 Watervliet.

More from the Cannoneers. Off the miss, ball gets tipped around, finally ends up with Mikayla Deguire who puts it up and in. Deguire led the way with 16 points and Watervliet rolls over Lansingburgh 54-34.