Barbara VanDerSluys of Hewitt won the 27th annual Warwick Valley Telephone Communications directory cover competition. She was awarded first place for her oil painting “View from DeKay Bridge” (in Vernon). The painting will grace the cover of the 2006-2007 telephone book. Barbara has been painting since she was seven years old, and her painting “The Raynor Farm” was on the cover of WVT’s 2000-2001 book. Second place went to Susan Baresel of Greenwood Lake for her watercolor “Baird’s Tavern.” Susan’s “Waiting for the Train” was on the cover of the 2003-2004 book, and her watercolor “Winter Hike on the Appalachian Trail” took second place for the 2001-2002 cover competition. Third place went to Arnold Hansen of Warwick for his photograph “The Brady Farm” This is the first time the cover competition was open to photographs as well as fine art. “There were so many wonderful entries this year that it was very difficult to choose. We decided to add one more award for honorable mention,” said Warwick Valley Telephone directory manager Virginia Quackenbush. Honorable mention went to Johnston Williams of Vernon for his watercolor ”Serenity.” Paintings from past phone book covers may be downloaded as computer desktop backgrounds from the company’s web site, www.wvtc.com/covers. The four works are on display at the phone company until December 9.