VIDEO: Field Trip To Mountain Stream Budo To Kick The Bag

A few weeks ago, Katie went into Mountain Stream Budo for an intro to swordsmanship. After that session, she really wanted to kick the bag. Indeed!

Noah shows Katie how to roundhouse kick the bag for the first time, in what was a satisfying session consisting of many attempts to get the right form. As with any movement art, positioning of the hips is key but tricky to get! Consistent practice will result in a solid kick soon.

Enroll today in Mountain Stream Budo’s karate program or in any of the other arts offered at the school! Choose from karate, kobudo (weapons art), jujitsu, and iaido (swordsmanship).

Contact them today for more information:
(845) 526-BUDO
info@MountainStreamBudo.com

Located next to the newly opened Oui Oui HV and across the street from Beacon Mercantile Coffee.! For dual movement, they are right next to Reform Pilates.

Mountain Stream Budo is a Member of A Little Beacon Blog’s Business Blog Squad 🥋

VIDEO: Shelter Air Is Keeping Slippers Warm Through Radiator and Boiler Maitenance (Member)

Spring is coming, promise. But in the meantime, heaters are on as we hunker in. Shelter Air services all types of heating systems. From old boilers still kicking in the basement, to oil-based heat constantly getting filled back up, to newer systems with smart-elements to them. Shelter Air’s priority is your comfort and stability. Call them today for HVAC (heating/cooling) service needs.

Shelter Air is an independent, locally and woman-owned HVAC services company.

Shelter Air is a Member of A Little Beacon Blog’s Business Blog Squad 🐙

Tito's Refiles Lawsuit Against Landlord, Lindley Todd LLC, For "Negligence," "Breach Of Lease Agreement" and "Unjust Enrichment"

In July, 2025, Tito's Santana, formerly located at 145 Main Street, filed a lawsuit in Supreme Court of the State of New York against their landlord, Lindley Todd, LLC, alleging that the landlord was in Breach of Lease Agreement, engaged in Negligence and Unjust Enrichment, as reported by A Little Beacon Blog at the time. In January 2026, Judge Christi Acker dismissed the case based on a technicality, ruling that the Summons and Compliant were not served to a member of the LLC. The lawsuit was served to Sean Noble, a property manager for the company, but not a member of the LLC. Joseph Donovan and his wife are the principles of Lindley Todd, Joseph told ALBB last June.

The new building at 2 Cross Street is also owned by Joseph Donovan under Hudson Todd, LLC. The focus of Tito Santana’s lawsuit from 145 Main Street is with Joseph’s other firm,, Lindley Todd, LLC.

"The lawsuit was dismissed due to technicality, but not substance," Tito's owner Milan Nigam told ALBB on February 12, 2026. "We are in the process of refiling the case." The lawsuit demands a judgment of $400,000 plus statutory interests, costs, disbursements, expenses and attorney's fees.

Another one of Joseph’s entities is also developing the new building up the street at 2 Cross Street and Main Street, which will offer commercial and residential units, under Hudson Todd, LLC.

What Is Tito’s Alleging?

The lawsuit covers three Cause of Actions against Lindley Todd, LLC, according to the Summons and Complaint:

Breach of Lease Agreement:
Tito's is challenging Lindley Todd, LLC's invoking of a Fire/Damage Clause in the lease, naming the severe structural damage found in the basement during the City of Beacon’s inspection that resulted in Tito’s being ordered to cease operations until the severe structural damage in the basement due to wood-boring insects was repaired.

Upon receiving the Order to Remedy, Lindley Todd, LLC terminated the lease with Tito’s, giving them 10 days to vacate, citing a Fire Damage clause from their lease as grounds for termination. Joseph Donovan told ALBB: “A collection of events led to a detailed inspection of the store and cellar (by the [Dutchess County] Health Department, and [City of Beacon] Building Inspector, and ourselves) and the realization that extensive repairs were needed … the scope not feasible with continued occupancy of the retail/restaurant space.”

Loopnet listing of 146 Main Street of at least $4,000/month after terminating lease with Tito’s on a clause in their lease. tito’s alleges in their lawsuit this was an 80% increase.

Two weeks later, Lindley Todd, LLC listed the property for at least $4,000, which was 80% more than what Tito's was currently paying in rent, Tito’s alleges in the Summons and Compliant. Tito’s argues that this was a "wrongful termination of the lease" causing a "loss of inventory, relocation costs, and loss of goodwill."

Negligence:
Tito's alleges in the Summons and Compliant that pursuant to their lease agreement, Lindley Todd, LLC "…had a duty to maintain the property in good repair. The Landlord failed to do so resulting in floor joists decay, wood-boring insects and water damage."

According the documentation that ALBB has seen, Tito’s had emailed Lindley Todd, LLC notices about disrepair and basement flooding before the City of Beacon’s inspection that resulted in an Order to Remedy.

Unjust Enrichment:
Tito's alleges that Lindley Todd, LLC "charged and collected rent from [Tito's] knowing that the Leased Premises suffered from violations and serious structural defects. [Lindley Todd, LLC] collected additional rent pursuant to negotiated potential new Lease. [Tito's] demanded refund of the overcharged rent," but was never reimbursed.

After the lawsuit was first filed in July 2025, the Highlands Current reported that Lindley Todd, LLC asked the judge that the lawsuit be dismissed, stating in an article: "The company said that six of the seven violations cited by the city were due to [Milan] Nigam’s 'actions or inactions in violation of the lease.'” However, ALBB reported last July, five of those violations were fixed by Tito’s owner Milan, with the sixth on hold until the severe structural damage in the basement from wood-boring insects was repaired by the landlord, as per the City of Beacon’s Order to Remedy.

According to Lindley Todd’s property manager, Sean Noble, instead of the landlord repairing, the lease would be terminated. Sean’s email to Tito’s reads: “In this case, Joe has determined that the premises are not usable in their current condition and has chosen to exercise his option to terminate the lease rather than proceed with repairs. Attached to this email, you will find the official Notice of Termination. I know this is disappointing news, especially given your willingness to move forward with resolving the violations.”

Tito’s lease was terminated on May 21, 2025 with a demand that Tito's move out 10 days later by May 31, 2025, or face "judicial action or proceeding," according to the lease termination notice that ALBB has seen.

What Were The Violations?

All violations have been listed by ALBB in the previous article. The main violation from the City of Beacon which was used to terminate the lease early was severe structural damage to the floor joist in the basement, showing "evidence of severe deterioration due to wood-boring insects," according to the Order to Remedy - Cease Operations filed by the City of Beacon's Deputy Building Inspector Cory Wirthmann.

Six other violations were listed in that order, five of which Tito's had fixed when their lease was terminated, ALBB reported previously. The sixth violation that Tito’s agreed to repair was dependent upon Lindley Todd, LLC fixing the basement that was the seventh violation.

Did the City of Beacon Demand Tito’s Lease Be Terminated?

No. After the inspection, the City of Beacon said that due to the "Unsafe Conditions," Tito's could not operate until the floor joists were repaired. Regarding whose responsibility it was to repair the floor joists, Tito’s owner Milan told ALBB: "Structural repair is the landlord's responsibility in 99% of the commercial leases, and so it was in our lease.”

Weeks after Lindley Todd, LLC stated they would rather “terminate the lease rather than proceed with repairs,” for Tito’s, Lindley Todd, LLC raised the rent and entertained different prospects for the space.

Tlahco Taqueria announced in September 2025 that they were filling the space. Renovations continue, with Tlahco Taqueria’s last update on construction for the retail space above the basement on January 8, 2026.

ALBB Goes Into Hyper Focus Mode To Fine-Tune Branding; From Baby Blocks to Chickens to Fonts

The time has come to tweak the logo again at A Little Beacon Blog. As ALBB publishes harder news stories and communicates with Communication Directors and Crisis Manager PR firms hired by companies we may write articles about, ALBB needed to make sure the logo is locked in to handle the responses from readers, companies and municipalities.

While maintaining the friendly, fresh air feel ALBB is known for. Might debate the word “friendly,” since people who don’t like certain articles will turn around that word to demand ALBB be more “nice.” Since ALBB has picked up the nickname La Diabla Blanca after this article, we’ll stick with “breath of fresh air.”

Plus, people request ALBB’s Media Kit. Which is a respectable and professional thing to do. We’ve just always had advertising pricing on the Media Kit web page. But people want it in a PDF. Like a book. Therefore. This has resulted in a pause in writing in order for visual thinking to take over and get this done.

Hyper Focus Mode Activated

Some who know me (Katie) behind the scenes know that I have been working on this Media Kit for years and years. There is a weird mental block to finishing it. “Hyper Focus Mode” means that everything else pauses. All article writing stops (except for emergencies, like snow plowing or water main breaks). Blaze Gomez over at News 12 has it covered in the ICE facility in Chester, NY, so we will run a catch-up article on the nonsense in Chester, NY (Orange County) that has been transpiring there.

It is very frustrating to not write the articles, because you want The Beacon News. And so do we. Additionally, ALBB clients want their ideas for advertising messages delivered to you in a way that you love and value. Bouncing around creative corners of my mind is my specialty. It is a trait I have embraced as a gift. To pour into everyone. Other people’s success does bring me such joy.

But the time has come to fill my own cup. To secure my own self financially. And that begins in branding.

Therefore…To Instagram! “Readers: What Do You Think!?”

I took it to Instagram. Uploading a video of WIP (Work In Progress) is instantaneous at Instagram. First thoughts go there sometimes.

First step was to address the cursive in the logo. I love cursive. I write in cursive. Cursive is a dying script in this country, leaving it unreadable to many. I find this a benefit. If I write in cursive, it can be my secret language.

The logo currently uses the font called Very Berry. Which is very “cutesy". While A Little Beacon Blog’s logo originated in extreme cutesy, it graduated to be primarily black, via use of a chalkboard black, to sync with chalkboard signs out on the sidewalks that businesses use. More of a sophisticated look.

In the present time, I am keeping this base of black. And the name. But I took to change the font. Which generated some reader response (scroll down):

One longtime reader, after seeing the above video at Instagram, wrote in moments later to cling to the original font. “There will be chaos!!” they said. “Why fix what ain’t broke?”

Point taken. But is it working? Are the logo and fonts working? Now that we are swimming with more sharks? Now that a newspaper (Times Union) actually refused to publish (and deleted!) the article about how some anonymous letter writer targeted 20+ businesses in Beacon, demanding they protest A Little Beacon Blog after we started covering Palestine?

(If you didn’t know about this, no worries…I didn’t publish it…I was too afraid of too many things to publish it…but this article will be published soon…)

The main takeaway from the reader’s warning of the font change was…Wow. The readers do care, and do feel that A Little Beacon Blog’s brand identity is part of their own. This is a heart-moving moment.

A Little Beacon Blog’s Original Logo Circa 2011 - Baby Blocks and Chickens

To ease the fear of the transition, I realized it is time to remind current readers of A Little Beacon Blog’s original logo. Only my mother may remember this logo, and when I wanted to change it, believe me, she lamented the change. This is back when A Little Beacon Blog was based in Blogger, which was Google’s free blog platform. When I changed the logo, I also changed the platform to Squarespace. We ported the content from Blogger to Squarespace and continued on.

The original logo was inspired by the blocks of art down by the Beacon train station that welcomed people leaving the train station. I was mildly obsessed with the letter blocks at the time.

A Little Beacon Blog took inspiration from those art blocks, to create baby blocks (pictured below). I had just had my first baby. Baby Brain was in full swing, and I was surrounded by gorgeously illustrated baby books.

The letter blocks sat on undeveloped property owned by a friend of then Councilperson George Mansfield. Through that arrangement, an art installation of the blocks was created. But when the developer was ready to build what is now the townhouse apartments on that land, the art blocks were removed.

As you can see from the video below of the original logo, the font was quite sophisticated. A sharp serif for the letters in the blocks, and a grown-up script that you might find on a fancy menu for the letters outside of the blocks.

I reassured the reader that I was not changing the name, but was tweaking the font.

“The font must be legible.”

True. True. However. People have taken A Little Beacon Blog to be their own. They have abbreviated it. Some called it “Little Beacon Blog” or “LBB.” This is an acronym I never imagined. People for years have been calling it “The Beacon Blog.” Which is an amazing honor, because how can we be The One!

One reader said, when the tipping point just began several years ago: “I guess you won’t be so little anymore.” I took that to heart, because while A Little Beacon Blog might and does grow, my fascination with little details that lead into big things remains.

Therefore, a question: does the word “little” have significance here? Would people miss it if the word “little” was omitted? I mean. I go back and forth on this. I love the word “little” in here. But. It does undermine the blog. I invites people to beat it up. On the other hand, that can serve advantageous as people underestimate it.

Therefore. The name will not change.

However, part of the name may hide in the cursive font for those of us who know what it says.

Another longtime ALBB reader responded to this video and wrote in: “I don’t remember this logo.” The reader is a formerly quoted reader who’s blog name is Citizen Cowboy. “Were there always chickens?”

Yes. There were always chickens in ALBB’s logo. There were always chickens because upon first moving here, when looking at houses, roosters could be heard in the distance. “People have backyard chickens,” the realtor said upon entering one of the houses for sale as a rooster crowed in the distance.

Backyard chickens seemed neat. I currently still get farm fresh eggs from someone who became a website and advertising client years after I first met her. So the chickens stay in the logo.

“The letter blocks look like your house,” Citizen Cowboy continued.

“It’s true,” I replied. “I painted my first baby’s room the robins egg blue with the brown scallops. I was putting scallops on everything.”

So that’s it. That’s the Origin Story of A Little Beacon Blog’s logo evolution.

What is super new in this logo is the addition of the green highway sign that is a nod to the Old Exit 11. Still pondering if that fits or not.

Onward to the tweaking of other elements of it.

Cornwall Winter Farmers' Market Cancels Season

The Cornwall Farmers’ Market has thrown in the snow shovel on their first attempt of offering a Winter market for the 2025/2026 season. After canceling numerous Wednesday markets due to snow, ice or cold temperatures, they have told their vendors that they have canceled their Winter Farmers’ Market for the season. Speaking what is on the mind of most people who would like to cancel Winter right now, the Cornwall Farmers’ Market will return in the spring, with an opening date of May 6, 2026.

Several vendors at this market also participate at the Cold Spring Farmers’ Market on Saturdays, and the Beacon Farmers’ Market on Sundays. Vendors have been encouraging their customers to order from their websites during times of closure between in-person pickups.

Vendors like Eggbert’s Free Range Farm say they will continue to deliver for free to customers in Cornwall and nearby areas, to continue making it easy to buy farm fresh food and support local farmers.

Zora Dora's Popsicles Has Left The Building - Closes After 20 Years - Makes Lewd Mara Lago Comment

Zora Dora’s, the micro-batch popsicle company located at 201 Main Street, the last of the affordable storefronts formerly owned by the Piccone’s (Mr. Bell’s Unisex Salon, John’s Shoe Repair) before they sold to new owners who gradually raised the rent on each tenant and displaced residential tenants in the back apartments (Miss Vickie and a veteran), has closed.

Katie from A Little Beacon Blog posing for Zora Dora’s photo shoot for Hudson Valley Magazine in May 2016.

Creator and owner Steven Astorino confirmed to A Little Beacon Blog that he moved out of his shop completely: “Twenty years, and I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve and get to make great fans and friends 🧡.” ALBB’s publisher Katie sat for a feature of Zora Dora’s when Hudson Valley Magazine profiled him in May 2016, when they needed a happy customer sit in the photo.

Steven told 101.5 WPDH that “he was never interested in the business aspect of the store, but rather the joy of having a creative outlet for something that he was good at and truly enjoyed.” He continued: “Once the cost of doing business became less joyful, he knew it was time to move on. The business owner cites monetary issues and personal time as reasons for closing Zora Dora's at the end of the summer [2025].”

During the winter, Zora Dora’s was known to sub-lease the space to other makers who transformed it into pop-up shops. One such shop was Cherry Bomb a decade ago, which brought together many makers who forged relationships for years onward.

Steven fashions his popsicles after the Mexican style called “Paletas,” which are made from fresh fruit or creamy bases. A graduate of the Culinary Institute, he served in “major hotels in NYC and Miami, FL,” according to his website.

While ALBB was covering the protests in Beacon during the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, while community members were protesting against police brutality nation-wide after George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis, MN, Steven commented on an article, asking readers: “What do you want the police to do? Give the criminals lollypops?”

Dana Barrett, the Fulton County the Fulton County Commissioner, vowing to stop the raid of the 2020 elections by the federal government. Zora Dora commented on this post: Shut up and comply” followed by “Kinda like mara lago”

Last month, while the federal government raided an election center in Fulton County in Union City, GA, Dana Barrett, the Fulton County Commissioner representing District 3, which includes all of Buckhead and parts of both Sandy Springs and Midtown, published on her Instagram, calling it “political theater at its best,” as she pointed out that the federal government was distracting the nation from illegal and brutal ICE raids. She vowed to do everything in their power to “put a stop to this.”

Zora Dora’s Instagram account commented on her post twice, saying:

“Shut up and comply” followed by: “Kinda like mara lago.” ALBB verified that this @zora_dora account was the same as the Beacon Zora Dora account run by Stephen.

A reader of ALBB sent in a screenshot of the comment to alert us to it, and said: “I thought his statement was crazy. I like the popsicles there, but I’m not going back. It’s so sad.”

Snowstorm Inside The Beacon Bubble: Grocery Shelves Stocked; Travel Ban; School Closed Monday; Police Say Cars Will Be Towed

Snow fell as anticipated on Sunday morning. By now, all 3 local farmers markets had been closed; Governor Hochul declared a State of Emergency with cold temperatures and 12”-18” snow predicted for the Hudson Valley; Dutchess County issued a ban on non-essential vehicular traffic from 5am January 25, to 5pm January 26, 2026; the Beacon City School District closed school for Monday due to the travel ban; and the Beacon Police insisted that people not park in the street or they will be towed.

For walking customers, Key Food Beacon was open with shelves stocked, the world-famous HÅKAN Chocolatier was open with shovel ready, Tara Fusion in the Hudson Valley Food Hall was open for people to visit if they got stir-crazy and needed lunch in between snow blowing or sidewalk shoveling.

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ALBB Calls For Hilton Diamond Point Holders To Demand That Franchises Be Allowed To Reject ICE

This mini-article originally published at Instagram:

Editorial Note: The logo on the hat is neutral and not reflective of the message spoken in the video. This video has been viewed over 50,000 times. What a missed opportunity to not have worn the ALBB hat! It was lost, but now has been found.

Earlier this week, Here’s Why Kevin and Fox News reported that a Hilton franchise in Minneapolis rejected ICE agents as guests. In response, Hilton apologized to DHS and removed that franchise location from its system so that people could not reserve rooms there or use their Hilton points to redeem rooms.

Fox News reported: “Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, who said he is a Hilton shareholder, praised Hilton’s handling of the quickly unfolding controversy.

“‘Apparently, Hilton Hotels is terminating the franchise effective immediately,’” Ackman wrote. “Credit to Nick Sorter for his investigative work.’”

Fox News reported that Nick Sorter, for a pursuit of an article, tried to book a block of rooms saying it was for immigration agents and was told the hotel had a ban on that.

Fox News reported that Ackerman said: “‘Hilton is one of the best-managed companies in the world. Its CEO, Chris Nassetta, is one of the most outstanding CEOs in the world. I know that he is highly respected by President Donald Trump and the current administration.’”

Therefore. This is a call for all reward point holders of any level - especially Diamond point holders - to call Hilton corporate to demand that that franchise be reactivated in the system, and to allow other franchise owners the freedoms to reject harassers and murderers from their reservation books.

Comments varied on this post, and included these two:

Said @mstasberk via Comment: "Excellent idea! I hope that folks who hold Hilton points make there feelings known to Hilton executives."

Said @marlajbrenner via Comment: "I wish I had points I could pull with. Good Luck!!!"

🇵🇸 Free Palestine. 📣

☀️💗 By the way, I’m wearing the Market hat today because I was feeling this shade of pink on this sunny day that is finally in the 40s and the ice is melting, which helps keep away drought we experience often lately. My views are my own, and not reflective of any logos my clothing. Thank you.

Rite Aid Rumor Check: A Gentleman's Club? One Reader Says: "What Gentlemen In Beacon?"

Citizens of Beacon have been speculating about what will become of the old Rite Aid. First, the rumors insisted it was going to become a Spirit Halloween. But corporate Spirit Halloween confirmed to ALBB that this was smoke. Some people wished it would become a roller rink.

Now, the rumor mill is insisting that it will become a gentleman’s club. “When I first heard that,” said one female reader of A Little Beacon Blog, “I asked ‘What gentlemen in Beacon? The single ladies have been looking! I’ve got an actual gentleman, but I keep mine at home."

One barely needs to source check this rumor (though a source has confirmed to ALBB this rumor to be false), as the interior of Rite Aid is huge. It is not clear what the gentlemen would do in there with all that space. One can imagine what the Zoning Board meetings would be like should such use be attempted.

This would be quite a new Thing To Do In Beacon! Oh, what will the People of Beacon think of next…

3 Farmer's Markets Close For Cold Weather And Forecasted Snowfall - Farmer Businesses Struggle

Winters are always hard for brick and mortar businesses, as people stay inside during bad weather and daylight is shorter. This winter has been especially hard for businesses selling at Farmers Markets, as cold temperatures and snowfall have impeded the ability to stay open.

This year marks the first winter the Cornwall Farmer’s Market has attempted to stay open through the winter. While fewer vendors signed on to show up during the winter, businesses including Eggbert’s Free Range Farm and The Shake and Grind. Due to cold weather or snow, Cornwall has closed their market 5 times so far this season.

Cold Spring Farmer’s Market has closed 3 times this winter and closed early once, leaving the choice to vendors on if they want to come in or not. Last Saturday marked an especially difficult day for market vendors who did decide to come in. The Cold Spring Farmer’s Market ends at 1pm, which was in the middle of snowfall and bad roads, resulting in some vendors being stuck in traffic for hours.

Beacon Farmer’s Market has also closed 3 times, due in part to the City of Beacon requiring the use of the public parking lot at the DMV. During the first two snowfalls, the City of Beacon allowed the market to stay open, but last Sunday claimed it for parking, and is doing so again this Sunday.

This has been economically hard on farmers who harvested crop or sell fresh meat or fish, as well as on makers who have inventory stockpiled. Also impacted is the ability for SNAP recipients to cash their dollars in for Fresh Connect currency from New York State, and the Beacon Farmer’s Market’s Greens4Greens currency, which enable SNAP recipients to shop the market for fresh food.

After this weekend’s upcoming closure, the Beacon Farmer’s Market has created a page on their website that links to vendors’ websites as a way to order online. The market has been known to act as a conduit between vendors and customers during times of crisis, and did build a website during the COVID shutdown before the vendors moved outside for the winter to stay accessible to customers.

Vendors like Eggbert’s Free Range Farm built their own websites during that time, with the help of local website designers like Katie James Inc. who specialize in ecommerce websites. “I am so glad we built our web shop,” Carrie Sabins, owner of Eggbert’s told A Little Beacon Blog. “I restock the online web shop from my phone, and text my customers to place orders when they can’t get to market. We offer free delivery, so we always encourage customers to order this way. This winter has been hard for us. Our inventory is in our freezers and our butcher’s freezers as we deal with these closures.”

The community is encouraged to order online from all market vendors, which includes staples like Edgwick Farm (goats), Chaseholm Farm (cheese), The Challah Pixie (bread), Upstate Granola, Eggbert’s Free Range Farm (meat, eggs, chicken), and others.

VIDEO: Interview With New Martial Arts Studio Owner, Noah Mitchell Of Moutain Stream Budo

ALBB has had the pleasure of getting to know Noah Mitchell, owner of the new Martial Arts school in Beacon: Mountain Stream Budo. After months of passing by his studio, imagining what it was like inside and who the owner might be, actually getting to meet Noah has been a completely different experience. Nothing like how he was imagined to be!

Full of supportive energy, Noah has devoted his life to full-time martial arts instruction; however, before that, he built a career in film production for 16 years after having graduated from film school at NYU.

As a hobby, Noah is an avid book collector. He has been collecting modern first and limited edition books since he was a teenager. Featured in the Washington Post, Noah has a community of followers in the book collecting world. He was recently featured in a YouTube interview for his Stephen King collection.

In this interview, we learn about Noah’s background as well as his martial arts school, which offers classes for kids and adults, that has recently opened in Beacon on Eliza Street just off Main Street. After establishing himself in Putnam Valley for 20 years, he uprooted his business in order to be closer to his home in Fishkill.

Noah walks us through MSB’s offerings of traditional Okinawan karate and kobudo (a martial art consisting of Okinawan weapons), Japanese jujitsu and iaido (an art that consists of drawing and cutting with the Japanese Samurai sword). Students can choose to train in any one of these arts or in any combination of them.

Noah takes us to the kobudo area to see the weapons, and then we go back to the bag to envision kicks and falling on landing pads.

No experience is necessary to start these classes; Noah is ready to train with you or those you care for regardless of age or fitness level. Beginners and experienced practitioners are welcome!

More class details and age breakdowns are available here: www.MountainStreamBudo.com

HVAC Company Shelter Air Launches Guerilla-Style André the Giant Sticker Art

Example of an Andre the Giant themed sticker art campaign in Beacon, on poles and pipes around town. Now there is another one - with an octopus from HVAC company Shelter Air.

Shelter Air, the HVAC heating and cooling company from Garrison with their headquarters in Beacon above the Beacon Creamery at 134 Main Street, servicing Dutchess, Orange and Westchester Counties, has launched an André the Giant themed sticker art campaign. You’ve seen similar art in Beacon on pipes and poles (ideally not on City-owned or citizen-owned property). Now there is a new local bootlegged edition.

A long-time vision for founder Kimberly Sevilla, owner of the woman and independently owned HVAC company, the stickers are of the Shelter Air mascot and logo, the octopus. “I chose an octopus that shows people we are different,” Kimberly told Shelter Air’s newsletter subscribers. “Partly because I love how they look, but also as a nod to the old octopus furnaces that heated homes for decades. Eight arms reaching out to every room.” Kimberly’s husband, Enrique, a graphic designer, brought the logo to life with his design work.

A Little Beacon Blog sat down with Kimberly at Estilo Y Vino in Beacon to learn more about this inky design, which can now be seen on the I-84 exit ramp, a right of passage for businesses and expressionists.

What inspired you to use André the Giant as inspiration?

"I was deeply influenced by the early fanzine art of the 90s and watching Shepard Fairey's evolution in New York - seeing his work appear on walls and watching his artistic progression in real-time. In today's AI and computer-dominated age, I believe art with a human touch matters more than ever. There's something powerful about hand-made, tactile work that connects with people differently. I'm actually working toward creating a roller print for next year's steam roller event - it's a personal goal that embodies this commitment to physical, hands-on artmaking."

Why are signs important to you?

"Signs are visual anchors in our daily lives. They're woven into the fabric of a town - they shape what we see, how we navigate, and ultimately become part of our collective visual memory. I'm obsessed with the hand-painted signage of New York - there's an authenticity and craftsmanship in those signs that speaks to a different era of commerce and community. I'm actually putting this belief into practice by commissioning a hand-painted sign for our Shelter Air building on Main Street. In an age of vinyl wraps and digital printing, these hand-painted signs aren't just functional; they're cultural artifacts that tell the story of a place and the people who care about it."

Why is guerrilla marketing important to you?

The octopus sticker on the I-84 ramp.

"Guerrilla marketing requires heart and soul - it's something VC-backed companies struggle to replicate authentically. You can't just throw money at it; it demands creativity, personal investment, and genuine connection to your community. The cost is relatively low, but the challenge is high - it's far more engaging than simply paying for print ads. Plus, it's fun. There's an energy and immediacy to it that traditional marketing can't match."

Why is Beacon important to you?

"Beacon has an energy that reminds me of the East Village and Soho in their heyday, or early Williamsburg before gentrification took hold. It also reminds me of smaller cities where I've lived, like Frederick, Maryland, before urban sprawl took over. There's still space here for people to create and experiment - small independent shops, restaurants, artists' studios.

Octopus sticker on a computer inside the office of Shelter Air, above the Beacon Creamery.

“I love how fiercely Beacon protects small business - there are no malls or shopping centers here. It's a real city with real history - there's a rhythm and heartbeat to this place. I love how diverse Beacon is, both racially and economically. It's important for us to get to know people with views other than our own and share common ground - literally.

Spirit of Beacon and the festivals by the river are incredible ways to connect with the community, and the Friday dinners that Fairground is hosting bring people together in meaningful ways. I volunteer at Beacon's Backyard and I'm a member of the Sloop Club. I'm also a member of the DAR - Daughters of the American Revolution - and we hold our meetings at Madam Brett House, which is the oldest house in Dutchess County.

“There are deep, deep roots here. There's something deeply meaningful about volunteering for and showing up for people you see on the street every day. It creates a web of connection that's far more valuable than any midnight run to the city. There's some really cool stuff happening here - it's a place where community isn't just a buzzword, it's lived experience."

How many employees do you have, and what's their background?

"We have five employees on staff and we're growing rapidly. What's interesting is that all of them previously worked for private equity-owned firms where they experienced impersonal management styles that left them feeling disconnected. They've found something different here at Shelter Air - a more human approach to both the work and the workplace culture."

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Shelter Air is a Member Sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog. Learn more about Shelter Air at their website and in A Little Beacon Blog’s Business Directory.

In Response To SNAP Cut, Carter's To Give Away 20 Free Thanksgiving Meals - Details, Menu & Signup With ALBB

Chef Jon Lombardi, owner and creator of Carter’s Restaurant at 424 Main Street, is one of the longest running financial supporters of A Little Beacon Blog. Jon and Katie go back, way back to when he was managing the original Vault, and she had her office and community space in the Telephone Building in 2017.

Together, they cooked up ideas on how to give people great experiences with great food. They’ve been through a lot together through those years. They have parted ways; they have come back together; they have endured the current crazy political climate.

To preserve his sanity, Jon makes one thing clear: “No politics.” This is their understanding. But. He enjoys having his headline news at ALBB delivered to him in person or over the phone from Katie (as many advertisers do…check-ins down Main Street is common for Katie to do any day of the week).

One rainy Thursday morning before Halloween, while Katie was jogging outside and Jon was shopping for food to cook that day at his restaurant, he asked: “I don’t think I remember things being so political. Why are people so political these days?”

Katie answered: “I think it’s because things keep impacting people’s every day lives. Parts of how they live their lives are being taken away or threatened, and because of that, they have to speak out. Like, my friend is going to lose SNAP, and that upsets me. So I am going to speak out.”

Not everyone is familiar with the SNAP acronym. “SNAP?” Jon asked. “What’s that?”

“Food Stamps,” Katie answered. “They are turning off in November because of the government shutdown.”

“Sh*t,” Jon said.

“Yeah,” Katie said. “I qualified for them over the summer, and I experienced the feeling of going through the cashier line, and having to decide what to buy because not everything is eligible on that SNAP money card. Mayor Lee of the City of Beacon just announced they are going to issue grocery gift cards to SNAP recipients, and the Beacon Farmer’s Market always accepts SNAP dollars and doubles them, and they are figuring out what to do when the money doesn’t drop down into the card.”

Jon took a moment. “Well they are going to need Thanksgiving dinner.”

Katie responded, “Yes they are.”

Jon’s wheels started turning. His mind is very creative, especially when it comes to feeding people. Food is Jon’s love language. Finally, he started speaking again. “Tell them we are going to donate 20 turkeys. Is that enough? I’m at the store now. Let me price it out. They will be frozen, is that OK?”

Stopping in her tracks, Katie said: “Yeah!”

“Ok, Jon said. I’m getting prices. I’ll call you back.”

Jon did call back, and we started developing the plan of how to take signups. Then Katie said: “Jon - what if, maybe, what if maybe the people could also have some famous Carter’s mashed potatoes to warm up in the oven with the turkey. Just so that they can have some starch.”

Jon thought a minute, and then said: “Nah…because then I’d have to throw in apple pie.”

The menu developed from there. Jon’s catering brain fully engaged, and he thought out the entire menu that those in need can sign up for an pick up to cook at home.

Carter’s Restaurant will provide 20 meals to SNAP recipients or those in need. People can sign up for this meal using the form below. It is preferred if you have a SNAP card, but if you don’t, and you are in the middle of hard times, please reach out. Pickup will be the Tuesday before Thanksgiving at Carter’s at 424 Main Street.

Carter’s Thanksgiving Meal For Those In Need:

• Turkey (thawed - you cook in your oven)

• Carter’s Homemade Mashed Potatoes (made fresh, ready for you to warm in your oven)

• Apple Pie (frozen, you warm it up in your oven)

• Mixed Vegetables (canned veggies - you season as you like)

• Cranberry (a can of that sweet cranberry mold)

• 8 Dinner Rolls (hopefully you have leftovers for sandwiches!)

How To Sign Up

To sign up, please fill out your information below. We are prioritizing SNAP recipients, but if you are in need, please sign up. At this time, the distribution amount is 20 households. As Carter’s customers and ALBB’s readers are from all over the Hudson Valley, this is open to the region. Thank you.

Please email Katie of ALBB with questions: katie@alittlebeaconblog.com

SignUps Closed

We are SO glad we reached so many of you. The Turkey Meal Signup is closed, and we are coordinating delivery and pickup. If you filled out the signup form and have not heard from us, please check your email everywhere.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone.

Yes, Beacon Bikes Is Still Open! On Fishkill Ave. - E-Bikes and Service of Non E-Bikes

After the news that Bikeway is leaving its Beacon location on Main Street, people lamented it, expressed anger about the rent hike, and were quick to remind the community that Beacon Bikes is still open on Fishkill Avenue before it becomes Rte. 52. However, some people questioned if Beacon Bikes was still open, since the name changed from Pedego to Beacon Bikes, and U-Haul trucks are parked in their parking lot (an entrepreneur needs to hustle!).

A Little Beacon Blog went to owner Kyle Perrucci for confirmation, in addition to researching their website’s About Us page that also confirms their rebrand since expanding from Pedego to carry a wider selection of e-bikes at different price points. You may remember Kyle and Co. riding their Pedego bikes in the Spirit of Beacon Day Parade a few years ago. Kyle has also been newly hired as a Police Officer by the City of Beacon. Busy guy!

Here’s what Kyle told us after congratulating him on the hire, and asking about the rebrand: “Hi Katie! Thank you so much — I really appreciate it! Yes, I’m still the owner of Beacon Bikes. We rebranded from Pedego Beacon since we’re now carrying a wider range of brands — including some with a more affordable price point — and we’ll soon be adding non-electric options as well. I’ve brought on a sales manager, additional staff, and more techs so we can better serve the community. We work on all types of bikes — electric and non-electric — including tune-ups, flat fixes, and tire fills. We’re definitely sad to hear the other shop is closing — they were always a great resource and part of the local cycling community.”

So there you have it!

More from Kyle in his own words about Beacon Bikes, and the auto shop that used to be there:

Photo Credit: Beacon Bikes

“For over 60 years, our family has called this corner of Beacon home. What began as Cervone’s Auto Sales—a trusted hub for car sales and repairs started by my grandfather—has grown alongside our community and the changing times.

“As our passion shifted from engines to pedals, we transitioned from auto sales to Cervone’s E-Bike Rentals, giving locals and visitors a new way to explore the Hudson Valley. That journey led us to partner with Pedego as a franchise, where we introduced high-quality electric bikes to even more riders.

“Now, we’re proud to continue that legacy under our own name: Beacon Bikes. It’s our way of staying true to our roots while building something fresh and forward-thinking. Our mission is simple—make cycling more accessible, more affordable, and more fun for everyone.

“Beacon is our home. Bikes are our passion. Let’s ride.”

Bikeway Bicycle Closing Beacon store - A History of Leases - And Closer Look At 426 Main Street’s Landlord And Manager

Bikeway Bicycles & Mobility at 430 Main Street is closing its Beacon location, but remaining open in their 4 other busy and established locations in Wappingers Falls, Middletown, Montgomery, and Mahopac.

While this is a simple story of a bike shop not being able to carry the weight of what Beacon’s market claims to be able to bear, it is a larger story of the end of an era for a location that has been a bike shop for over 10 years. It is also the story of a property of which is part of neighboring storefronts and apartments that are suffering under a landlord and manager in order to keep their leases without experiencing threats of eviction, indecencies, and at least one family of raccoons that have also taken up occupancy. Under this rock, there are a lot of potato bugs.

Several residential tenants are connected to 426 Main Street who live in SRO apartments above, as well as commercial tenants on the ground floor, and a hotel room and rental business in some renovated apartments above that goes by The Beacon Hotel, which rents short and long term. One of it’s taglines is: “Not the usual hotel...Because its not really a hotel. Find out for yourself.”

The building owner, Beacon Main Real Estate Group LLC of Greg Trautman is currently being sued by at least one of the tenants living in an SRO apartment for not providing heat for a number of years, and has complaints from other tenants who also have not had heat.

There are reportedly raccoons nesting in one of the commercial spaces, ALBB has been told by multiple sources. It is unknown at this time if more raccoons or other animals are nesting in the residential apartments above 426 Main Street.

The 2017 Building Renovation Of The Beacon Hotel

Developers came in to renovate the left half of the building with the two towers, which opened in January 2017, and A Little Beacon Blog covered here. They kept the SRO units on the right side in the white part of the building. One of the original owners of that renovation was Greg Trautman, who had moved to Beacon from Brooklyn during this renovation process.

They opened a restaurant at the time, where famed and remembered Matt Hutchins, who has since passed, was touted as head chef. Since the shifting of property owners in the original investment group, the restaurant that is there now, Carter’s owned by chef Jon Lombardi, is different and not associated in any way with the building owner or property manager, aside from paying them rent of $9,400/month, as confirmed to ALBB by Carter’s owner, and goes up at least 4% in February, as it does every year as per their lease.

Of the original group of investors, Greg remains one of the original owners, and has since moved out of Beacon but remains hands on. The property is managed John Yarborough, who may also go by John Williams, who is a registered sexual offender on New York’s Sex Offender Registry under the name John Yarborough, and is listed as also living at 426 Main Street. Former female residents have told ALBB that Manager John Yarborough (Williams) has allegedly gone into their apartment rooms uninvited, and have alerted the Beacon Police to some instances, but police action is not taken, the former residents say.

Screenshot of the removed listing of 426 Main Street, The Beacon Hotel. The property includes the towers on the left, and the white apartments on the right.

The building was listed for sale this year in 2025 for around $4 million, but was removed according to LoopNet. According to the realtor Daniel Aubry who was aligned during the 2017 renovation, owner Greg is open to a sale, which Daniel thinks can go for $5 million because Manager John has been successfully collecting a high rent from the hotel rentals above.

Starting With The First Bike Shop In This Spot:
People’s Bicycle

Before that renovation, the original bike shop in this spot was set up by Jonathan Miles. There are several Johns on this block, so we will try to identify them as best we can so as not mix them up.

According to Realtor Daniel, Jonathan Miles built out the bike shop space from nothing to make People’s Bicycle in exchange for a $1/month rent with the owner at that time (prior to Greg). For people who like Beacon Trivia, Jonathan Miles was with a wave of people who were renovating old or empty shops on Main Street, and was involved in climate issues in the community.

This put him in the time of School of Jellyfish (of the sustainable architect Lily Zand, which had a hot chocolate studio in the building now owned by Luxe Optique), Zero2Go by Sara Womer (the original food composting company in Beacon which changed hands and was absorbed into Community Compost, which currently services the City of Beacon’s free compost program) Bikeable Beacon by Mark Roland (one of the early prolific bloggers in Beacon), and others. On the other end of town, another bike shop was open, run by Tom Cerchiara, who also owned the land surveying company, TEC.

Jonathan Miles then sold People’s Bicycle to Tim, who paid Jonathan rent for the space, while Jonathan held onto the original lease.

When Bikeway Took Over People’s Bicycle

While People’s Bicycle had a loyal following, Tim had a hard time earning enough income to survive on it. Winters were deadly dead. It could not survive on bike rentals alone, despite offering bike repairs with a selection of high end bikes to purchase. Jonathan wanted to keep it a bike shop, so they approached Doug at Bikeway to take it over, which he did. Tim went on to work for Doug in another Bikeway location. Doug continued paying Jonathan Miles the rent of $3,000/month until the end of their lease.

Once their lease finished, the building owner Greg approached Doug to propose that Doug pre-pay him a one year lump sum for a discounted rate. Doug agreed, he told ALBB, and paid Greg less than $3,000/month for the past year.

This Year, Bikeway Moves Out - Another Tenant May Move In

In the lease negotiation for a potential renewal, Manager John Yarborough of the current owner Greg Trautman approached Bikeway’s Doug to ask what rent amount Doug would like to pay Greg’s company Beacon Main Real Estate Group LLC. As a bike shop approaching winter, Doug could not go much higher than what he had just paid, so Manager John Yarborough moved on and did not renew the lease.

The Bike Market In Beacon

View fullsize

Doug and Tracy would like to find another location in Beacon. They have two thriving locations 15 minutes away from Beacon, where they employ multiple mechanics to service at least 4 bikes at a time, and have more bike inventory on the floor for people to buy that day.

ALBB asked Doug why he thought the bike shop on Main Street didn’t thrive in Beacon. He responded: “Beacon has a good bike culture, but it is still small. Tourism is not good for bike shops. People have their bikes already and get them serviced where they live. For locals, people in Beacon tend to keep their bikes and have older bikes. For new bike purchases, if someone came into our shop in Beacon, we would have to call one of our other stores for the color bike they wanted to buy.”

The shop in Beacon is small, did not require much upkeep from the building owners that Doug could not fix himself. This enabled Doug and Tracy to keep to themselves within the family of commercial spaces within the property. “We have our own entrance, our own key, our own security. No one can come in but Tracy and myself.”

Doug can see how another business would see the space, find it charming, and give their business a go. “We wish whoever comes in next the best.”

While their farewell letter states that their last day will be the end of the year, the building management has informed them that this Friday will be their last day. Says Bikeway’s Beacon farewell letter: “We love this town and the community, and the cycling culture that continues to flourish. Thanks to all of you who are making that happen - it’s awesome!”

In addition to their 4 other stores, Bikeway offers a Mobile Option. “The Big Yellow Van will be in Beacon 3 times a week for pickup and drop-off, saving you a trip and getting your bike back in 2-3 days. Call Wappingers at 845-463-7433 or email info@bikeway.com to schedule.”

Nothing could beat biking down to Bikeway for a quick and professional air re-fill of the tires when a home bike pump or air compressor just couldn’t do it. There is Beacon Bikes on Fishkill Avenue/Rte 52, but with the City of Beacon’s current reluctance to have a Bike Study to improve bike safety city-wide, biking down to Beacon’s other bike shop is a little further down on a busy road.