With only a few days to go before Christmas and in the wake of last weekend's Nor'easter, some local shoppers may be scrambling for that last minute gift or two. For those who like to keep their dollars local, here are a couple of ideas:

BOOK 'EM

Two local books have come out in the last year that are worth giving for those who are either Auburnofiles or interested in law enforcement. Sgt. Joseph E. DiVietro Jr.'s first book is “Images of America: Auburn Police.” The 128 page book is chock full of black and white photos chronicling the history of Auburn's finest, from its earliest chiefs to many of the rank and file of today. For car enthusiasts, the sergeant looks to have taken special care in making sure the makes and models from over a century are filtered throughout the book. This is the latest in a series of photo books that started with “Around Auburn” from Arcadia Publications.

Sgt. Divietro has also co-authored, with detective R. Thomas Burger, “Auburn Murder Stories,” covering some of the most well known, if not notorious, murders in Auburn's history, from 1846 to 1969 (sorry, they don't get as far as the brutal murder of Julie Monson in the 1980s).

Each oversized paperback can be purchased for less than $20 at the Cayuga Museum and Silbert Optical. Auburn Memorial Hospital's gift shop also has copies of the photo book, with a portion of the proceeds going to charity.

Also noteworthy, for military buffs, is former Auburn High School history teacher Anthony Gero's history of Cayuga County's military role. His short, concise overview, titled “Cayugans in the Field” covers the military history of the county, starting in Auburn in 1793 and ending in 2003. One of the major treats of the book is the great illustrations and drawings that are featured. It sells for $13.99 at the Cayuga Museum.

ZEN IT

For those who would rather give gifts that deal with the sense of hearing than seeing, there is local artist Bob Piorun's new CD, “Picks on Christmas Carols.” The dozen songs on the album will have a calming effect on those who have had it up to their snow banks with the holiday season.

A part of the local music scene for more than two decades, he features a Gibson electric classical and Rainsong acoustic guitars, as well as flutes and harmonica. You can pick up the CD for under $15 at the Schweinfurth Art Center and Speno Music in Auburn and Burritt's Cafe in Weedsport.

Happy shopping.

Cosentino is a former mayor of Auburn and can be contacted at cozguytho@aol.com