The Cayuga County/City of Auburn Homeless Task Force will meet 10 a.m. July 11 in the training room on the third floor of city hall to discuss the coming year's continuum of care programs.

The group received a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to fund upcoming programs. Toni Daley, spokeswoman for the Homeless Task Force, said the group would be discussing a timeline and goals. She said the 3-year-old coalition, made up of human service agencies, government officials and concerned citizens, discusses problems and solutions to homeless in the area and determines ways to gain funding. The meeting is also open to those not on the task force but who are interested in the issue.

Locke driver comes in second in contest

David Kuscher, of Locke, took second place in the straight truck class at the Nebraska Truck Driving Championships held in June in Grand Island, Neb.

Kuscher was one of 117 drivers who took a written exam, completed a timed pre-trip vehicle inspection, was interviewed by Nebraska State Patrol Carrier Enforcement officers and drove through a six-problem obstacle course that mimicked everyday driving challenges.

Kuscher took first place in 1996 in the twin class, third place in 1998 and second place in 2003. He also took second place in the straight class in 2004.

Kuscher has driven for 25 years without an accident. He is a professional truck driver for Crete Carrier Corp., headquartered in Lincoln, Neb.

NYSEG to conduct routine inspections

New York State Electric & Gas Corp. will conduct routine inspections of its high-voltage power lines via helicopter July 14 and 15. The helicopter will fly over parts of Cayuga, Onondaga, Tompkins, Seneca, Wayne, Yates and Ontario counties. NYSEG is using the helicopters to spot potential problems.

The rain dates for inspections are July 18 and 19.

Orthopedist joins Auburn hospital

Dr. Norman Krause, an orthopedist, has joined the staff of Auburn Memorial Hospital.

Krause has been assigned to the surgical department. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. Krause will join Auburn Orthopaedic Specialists and will be taking appointments beginning July 18. Krause earned his medical degree at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He completed an orthopedic residency at New York Orthopedic Hospital of Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. He has completed residencies at several New York City area hospitals. Before joining Auburn, he was most recently assistant director of orthopedic surgery at United Medical Associates, P.C. in Binghamton.

Ranger School to offer surveying

The Ranger School, part of the State University of New York's College of Environmental Sciences and Forestry, will offer an associate's degree program in land surveying for the first time this year. Ranger School officials are expecting an enrollment level of 12 to 15 students this August. Students must first complete 30 credit hours of course work prior to attending the Ranger School, located in Wanakena.

Students can then enroll in the surveying technology program for intensive course work in advanced surveying measurements and computations, construction and topographic surveying, survey law and boundary surveying.

For more information on the new course, call 848-2566 or visit the school's Web site at http://www.esf.edu/rangerschool/.

-From staff reports