Crowning glory

Dentist gives town big smile post Irene Warwick — Dr. Philip Laskin, a dentist and resident in the Town of Warwick since 1978, is all smiles now that the town has repaired Barrett Road. Laskin lives at the edge of town on Wawayanda Court near the border between New York and New Jersey. After tropical storm Irene washed out most of Barrett Road, the dentist had to take a 15-mile detour through New Jersey to get to his office at 40 West St. where he has practiced for nearly 23 years. “My commute went from 10 minutes to about 25 minutes,” he said after the connection between Barrett Road and Route 94 was lost. The detour went through Highland Lakes, into Wawayanda State Park and back down the mountain into Warwick. Other than a little inconvenience, a few hours without power and late patients, Laskin experienced no serious effects from the storm. Not all of his patients were as lucky. “One of my patient’s mother and father lost their home,” he said. “Nobody could get from Vernon to Warwick and people were wandering around for hours looking for a way,” he said. Laskin reported he saw town DPW workers with heavy machinery in the creek on the Friday before Labor Day working on repairing the vital artery. The dentist gives credit to town Supervisor Michael Sweeton and the state for rebuilding the bridge that connects Barrett Road to Route 94 so quickly. His only wish is that the town replaces the sign that warned Route 94 drivers that Barrett is a one-lane road. “By the end of Labor Day weekend, (Route) 94 was open in Warwick because of the amazing work they did,” said Laskin, who also credits the state for putting back together Route 94, which Irene damaged in multiple places. “We complain so easy but every once in a while, people should get credit.”