NINEVEH – The first birth of the twenty-first century at Chenango Memorial Hospital took place at 5:55 a.m. nearly ten years ago. Dubbed Chenango County’s “Millennium Baby 2000,” Mario Ruttkiewicz Jr. will turn a decade old this coming Friday.

“I can remember being so worried about all the hype surrounding the whole Y2K thing,” said Donna Ruttkiewicz, Mario’s mother. “Obviously we were relieved when midnight came and went without any problems.”

As the “millennium baby,” Mario and his parents were given a gift basket celebrating the occasion, collected by the Chenango Memorial Hospital.

“There were some gift certificates and savings bonds included,” said Ruttkiewicz. “There was also a cell phone, as they were gaining in popularity at that time.”