PA woman killed by lime spreader

DAMASCUS, PA — A 30-year-old Forest City woman was killed early on November 3 when a runaway lime spreader struck the front windshield of her 2000 Chevrolet Blazer.

According to Pennsylvania State Police, Michele E. Curtis was traveling along Route 371 through Damascus at around 7:45 a.m. when the spreader struck her vehicle. The farm machine had unhitched from Edward Schweighofer’s 1993 Ford F-250 pickup truck as he was driving in the opposite direction. Schweighofer, 49, is from Tyler Hill.

The Equinunk Volunteer Fire Department and Fire Police, the Damascus Ambulance Corps and Honesdale EMS responded to the accident.

The ongoing state police investigation has determined that both drivers were wearing seatbelts.

Roebling gets post-flood repairs

MINISINK FORD, NY— Pride Enterprises, Inc. of Norristown, PA will begin stabilizing a retaining wall next to the New York abutment of the National Historic Landmark Roebling Bridge this week. The wall was damaged in the April 2005 flood.

During the initial phase the contractor will widen and reconstruct the base of the path from the New York parking area to the base of the wall, repair the wall foundation, stabilize the approximately 25-foot retaining wall bank and place riprap against the collapsed portion of the retaining wall for stabilization. No traffic delays are expected, but the New York parking area for bridge visitors will be closed for about one month.

During the second phase the contractor will reconstruct the dry-laid stonewall and restore the towpath trail from the New York parking area to the bridge. Work is expected to resume in the spring of 2006.

“Our goal is sustainability,” said Upper Delaware River National Park Service Superintendent Dave Forney. “This work is to ensure that the Roebling Bridge, a part of the rich heritage of the Upper Delaware region, is protected from further damage.”

Bethel stops accepting bulk waste

WHITE LAKE, NY — The Town of Bethel stopped accepting bulk waste items at its transfer station on November 1 in order to reduce the cost of operating the town’s transfer station and save tax dollars.

The cost of dumping bulk waste at the Bethel station had increased to twice as much as the cost of dumping bulk waste at Sullivan County waste facilities. Bethel town board members said the town had been functioning like a middleman for the county, accepting the waste at a high cost to residents and then paying a private hauler to truck the waste to county facilities where the town was then charged by the ton to dump.

The town board requests that residents use the closest county facilities in Ferndale, Cochecton or Monticello to dump their large items, including mattresses, furniture, sofas, couches, chairs, televisions, computers and buckets. Regular household waste and tires will still be accepted at the Bethel station for a fee. At no charge, the town accepts recyclables and metal, including used oil and batteries. The station, located on Old White Lake Turnpike off Route 55, is open Friday through Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

For more information call 845/583-4350.