TRR photo by Tom Kane A contestant uses a diamond circular saw to cut bluestone at the Bluestone Festival held in Hancock on July 28 and 29.

Bluestone Festival attracts musclemen

By TOM KANE

HANCOCK, NY—It was a test of power, timing and endurance.

After qualifying for the finals of the Bluestone Festival contest on July 28 and 29, contestants showed off their muscle and skill at five contests at the Hancock Firemen’s Park.

The contests included veneer cutting of a bluestone slab, fieldstone stacking on a pallet, rock facing by the employees of Stone Dock Company, cutting and trimming of a bluestone square and a skid steer competition, in which experienced skid operators performed several fork-lift tasks.

Contestants were either current or former workers in the local bluestone quarries that surround Hancock.

Prizes for winning contestants were state-of-the-art diamond bluestone circular saws.

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Cell service coming to river valley?

By TOM KANE

RIVER VALLEY—They can’t hear you now, nor could they ever flip a cell phone open and make a call from most locations near the Upper Delaware River.

Wireless service from Long Eddy to Barryville, NY has never existed, though residents of the river valley have been expecting it to come for the last four years. Several companies have come to a number of towns with plans to set up towers and find carriers who would provide the actual service, but little if anything has happened.

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Toronto access road offered for Bethel’s adoption

By CHARLIE BUTERBAUGH

BETHEL, NY—Two men who remained at odds for three years shook hands at the July 28 Bethel Town Board meeting.

Following a presentation by Woodstone Companies, Bob Barrett stood up, walked over to Steve Dubrovsky and extended his hand. Dubrovsky grasped it, bringing a dispute that called forth opinions from the town board to state conservation officials and a ruling by the federal government to an apparent end.

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Other stories in this issue:

• Sports memorabilia raffle to benefit Lumberland’s Circle Park
• Air plants and street fairs
• Congress approves funding for scenic byway center
• Meetings and money at Sullivan West
• Pike commissioners to assist disabilities group
• Sherwood delivers $3 million for environmental projects in Pike
• Dry conditions impede fight with fire
• Gavin DeGraw rocks in Sullivan County

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S