Published Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Did you get the call today from the City of Beacon? The one where the mayor called to tell you about some COVID-19 information?
If you did not, then you are not hooked in to the City of Beacon’s Emergency Alert System.
You need to get on this now.
If you decide to opt out later when things get back to normal, you can.
But get signed up now:
Published Date: Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Last week, the City of Beacon announced via press release that their regular Monday meeting would meet at a larger space to allow for social distancing, so that people could sit apart from one another. Similar measures have taken place in New York City for Governor Cuomo’s press conferences; after one day the governor’s meetings were the usual shoulder-to-shoulder arrangement, and then the next day there was an awkward array of seating.
The City of Beacon set up teleconferencing so that City Council members who were not comfortable or able to attend could call in and participate. Councilpeople Terry Nelson, Amber Grant, Jodi McCredo and Air Rhodes were dialed in on the line, which came in loud and clear. George Mansfield, Dan Aymar-Blair and Mayor Lee Kyriacou attended in person at the table. The City Attorney, Nick Ward-Willis, also attended in person, as did City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero. “I think you can all agree, we are certainly at appropriate distances right now,” he said.
Teleconferencing was set up in a day, as mentioned by Mayor Kyriacou. Participation for the public is also possible via teleconferencing, or the public can attend in person, provided that there is enough space between people. The mayor read the press release that was issued last week, which stated how several procedures will work for the foreseeable future. Read that press release (including a helpful fact sheet of COVID-19 symptoms) on the City of Beacon’s website, or right here.
All leaders were concerned about the coronavirus/COVID-19 and its impact on the Beacon community. Mayor Kyriacou urged people to check on their neighbors. To do so casually, or to let them know you want to check in on them. He also urged people to order out from their restaurant friends, and to continue to support those businesses.
Councilperson George Mansfield owns a bar/restaurant, Dogwood, and had this to say: “As a bar owner who was forced to be shut down by the state yesterday, I believe that it is the right and prudent thing to do. Hundreds of people have lost their jobs today... Maybe people live paycheck-to-paycheck, and now are without that paycheck.”
Councilperson Dan Aymar-Blair informed the public about Mutual Aid, a new group that has organized quickly in order to help people. There are “limits to what the state and county can do,” Dan said, “and we rely on each other.” The group is for the elderly, people with pre-existing conditions, and anyone who needs to quarantine. “This group is here for you,” said Dan. Call (845) 206-9836 or email mutualaidbeacon@gmail.com. They are on Facebook here, where you can see direct requests as they come in, and offer to help for each one.
Don’t be shy. Especially if you are a solo parent or person living without someone at home often. Call if you are not able to get out to get what you need.
Councilperson Jodi McCredo proposed to initiate a resolution to get local aid directly to Beacon. Mayor Kyriacou contributed insight he has from nearly all-day meetings: that Dutchess County was aware and working on directions. The following day (today) the mayor shared a press release about the low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). It is a low-interest federal disaster loan for working capital to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
According to that press release: “SBA acted under its own authority, as provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act that was recently signed by the President, to declare a disaster following a request received from Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont on March 15, 2020.” Actions like this from neighboring states continue, as the states work together regionally to plan and protect.
Additionally:
Evictions have been halted statewide with no end date as of yet (after the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office did agree to halt them for two weeks to start, and was open to a lengthier period). Evictions are now suspended until further notice.
Seven-day waiting period for unemployment was waived (Governor’s Executive Order)
State Aid Penalty waived for schools closing (Governor’s Executive Order)
Utilities are not to be shut off, as directed by the Governor to the Department of Public Service.
Councilpersons Jodi McCredo and Amber Grant both encouraged people to give elderly people physical space - especially in the grocery store. Councilperson Grant encouraged people to shop and help Beacon businesses and to take the 2020 U.S. Census! Letters are arriving in the mail now. Don’t miss that opportunity. Filling that out is how communities get approved for grants. Money. Federal funding for many things you see - and want to see - around you.
The press release from the City of Beacon is below:
The City of Beacon is working closely with Dutchess County and New York State to ensure public health and safety in connection with COVID-19, and wants to inform the community of the following current information and actions.
The City of Beacon recognizes that the best statewide health expertise is provided by New York State, and the best local health expertise lies with the Dutchess County Health Department. Accordingly, the City will where possible promptly re-communicate relevant, accurate information provided by these sources, whether electronically on the Beacon Public Access Channel (Channel 22) , the City of Beacon website (http://www.CityofBeacon.org), links in documents, or in printed form. The primary objective of the actions being taken by public health officials is to reduce the pace of transmission of COVID-19, to “flatten the curve” as many describe, so as to avoid exceeding the capacity of our hospital services.
The City is working closely with expert state and county governmental partners, participating in multiple daily calls and meetings involving communities throughout the region. Information is passed on to all city staff, including police, fire and other departments, and the community, and the City is taking the appropriate recommended actions to properly inform to safeguard our community, including actions and recommendations to reduce the pace of transmission of COVID-19.
Today (Monday, March 16), the Governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut announced a lower crowd capacity limit of 50 people for recreational and social gatherings (e.g., theaters, sporting events; but not e.g., libraries, retail establishments), effective at 8:00 PM tonight. This follows an earlier order from last Friday (March 13) with an initial limit, which was the lesser of 500 persons or 50% of venue capacity. Today the Governors also announced that restaurants and bars will close for on-premise service (but still allow take-out and delivery service), and the temporary closing of movie theaters, gyms and casinos. Dutchess County and the City of Beacon collectively have the authority to enforce this limitation through our police, fire and building departments, and will promptly begin doing so.
All school districts in Dutchess, Orange and Ulster counties were closed for regular classes starting today (Monday, March 16). The Beacon City School District is closed for two weeks. The City’s school-based recreation programs are also closed.
Today (Monday, March 16), the Governor announced that 50% of non-essential state employees should not report to work, and if feasible may work from home, and called for local governments to do the same (we understand this will become an executive order by the end of the day). The City of Beacon will implement this directive beginning tomorrow. We have identified executive, police, fire, water and sewer departments, and code enforcement officers, as essential employees. Other employees will be working for the most part on an every-other-day schedule.
The following changes have been made regarding city facilities, board meetings and activities.
• Essential Services: Beacon Police and Fire Departments are unaffected by any mandated reduction in staffing; these departments have their own protocols with respect to staffing in emergency situations and interacting with the public. Water and Sewer Departments are unaffected, and trash collection is handled by a private contractor and is on schedule. The roles of Mayor, City Council and City Administrator are unaffected.
• City Hall: The window in the front entrance of our Municipal Building will remain open during regular hours for in-person service. Note that this window will as needed service in-person interactions with City departments located in the lower level of the building. Municipal buildings are being cleaned twice a day, and are safe for the public. Residents are encouraged to contact the City by phone or e-mail, where you will receive excellent customer service.
• Board Meetings: Meetings of the Beacon City Council, as well as other regular and ad hoc board meetings will continue to meet on schedule, with a change of location on a trial basis, from the Court Room at the Municipal Building to the much larger public meeting room across Route 9D at the Lewis Tompkins Hose Meeting Room located at 13 South Avenue. This will allow for appropriate “social distancing” in a larger venue; the City will monitor and limit public attendance as necessary. The City will continue to televise City Council and other board meetings, and has installed teleconferencing for meetings. Board members are of course free to make individual choices regarding attendance specific to their individual circumstances.
• Recreation Programs: The City has already discontinued after-school programs consistent with the school district decision. Other City-sponsored recreational activities are already seeing reduced attendance, and the City will discontinue all recreation programming.
• Transfer Station: The City’s recycling and transfer facility on Dennings Avenue will be open for some services, with details to be determined.
Below are some links to accurate and up-to- date local information on health and safety. Take care to find and rely on accurate official sources, and not unofficial, informal or uninformed ones.
• Dutchess County Coronavirus Information Hotline: 845-486-3555
• NYS DOH Website: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/
• NYS Department of Health Novel Coronavirus Hotline: 1-888-364-3065
• Dutchess County State of Emergency: https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/County-Executive/Dutchess-County-Announces-State-of-Emergency.htm
• Dutchess County Department of Health: https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/DBCH/2019-Novel-Coronavirus.htm
• Dutchess County Mental Health Services: https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/DBCH/Mental-Health-Services.htm
The City of Beacon wishes to repeat some official common-sense public health guidelines including personal hygiene, social distancing, and avoiding large public gatherings and events. These come from the Dutchess County Department of Health and the New York State Department of Health.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Please see attached COVID-19/Coronavirus Fact Sheet.
From Governor Cuomo via Twitter from his press conference today, where his messaging was consistent with that of past press conference. Governor Cuomo has been asking the federal government to have a countrywide mandate on restrictions. His fear is that shutting down New York state bars, for example, results in, “Everybody drives to New Jersey to drink,” for example. Or to the movies, or to go out to dinner. Or go to the movies.
Cuomo’s fear is that when he shuts something down in New York, people will go elsewhere to get it. He said this yesterday (Sunday) and again today (Monday). If something is shut down in New York City, people might come to Beacon to do it instead.
In backing up his strategy, he said:
“I don’t remember this happening, period.”
“This pre-empts what any mayor or any county executive anywhere said. You can’t close bars in Manhattan but leave them open in Nassau. Because now everybody drives to Nassau to drink.”
“In an emergency situation, there is a protocol that makes sense. Local governments can make rules, the state can override those rules, and the federal government can override those rules.”
“They are counter to common sense, and they are counter to public safety and public health.”
With regards to public schools, Cuomo indicated he would have a statewide policy on school closures as well.
Authorities are considering a recommendation to stop elective surgeries for now.
From Governor Cuomo’s Twitter:
“NY, CT and NJ are taking joint regional action to reduce the spread of #COVID19:”
Effective 8pm TONIGHT (Monday):
-Crowd capacity reduced to 50.
-Restaurants/bars will be takeout/delivery ONLY.
-Gyms closed.
-Movie theaters closed.
-Casinos closed.
Published Date: Monday, March 16, 2020
Update! This just in from Assemblymember Jonathan G. Jacobson’s office: The ban on evictions has been put into effect statewide, has no time limit at this time, and includes commercial evictions.
Read all about it here at TheRealDeal.com (a real estate news website).
According to the article: “The decision to halt evictions comes amid calls from officials and community organizers from all over the state to implement an immediate ban on evictions — including a letter signed by two dozen state senators, followed by a similar letter from the state Assembly.”
Keep the tips coming in!
Published Date: Sunday, March 15, 2020
The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office has suspended enforcement of evictions for two weeks. This has been announced on the Democratic Caucus of the Dutchess County Legislator page on social media.
Says Legislator Hannah Black in the announcement:
“New information has been provided in response to the COVID-19 pandemic for our County’s residents: The Dutchess County’s Sheriff’s Office will suspend evictions for 14 days beginning Monday, March 16th. This plan to suspend evictions, will be revisited after 2 weeks to determine whether or not the suspension should be extended.
”I hope this information proves helpful and provides our residents with some ease of mind knowing that they will be able to remain in their homes while they may have to be out of work for 2 weeks due to the need to close schools. Once the legislators are given a memo on this suspension, we will be able to share that information with more detail.”
To shed light on how the process works, according to the City of Beacon’s Chief of Police, Kevin Junjulas, police officers in Beacon are not directly involved with evictions when at an address within Beacon. “Evictions are a civil process and all done through the Sheriffs Office Civil Division,” he told A Little Beacon Blog.
Pressure to make these types of types of allowances seems to be increasing. Gothamist reported that “a petition circulated by Housing Justice for All garnered more than 10,000 signatures before the moratorium [in NYC] was announced.” Some larger property owners have pledged a 90-day moratorium. From the article: “Some top property owners with the Real Estate Board of New York said they would stay evictions for the next 90 days, with an exception for ‘criminal or negligent behavior that jeopardizes the life, health or safety of other residents.’ The property owners represent more than 150,000 rental units across [NYC].”
Residents have been responding to Dutchess County’s eviction news with a brief sigh of relief, accompanied by a skeptical: “That’s not enough, but OK. Haha. Rent is due in two weeks. What if I don’t have it?”
City Council Member Terry Nelson: “I hope that gets extended because two weeks is not even close to being a sufficient amount of time.” From Legislator Hannah Black’s announcement above, it sounds like there is an open door to revisiting: “This plan to suspend evictions, will be revisited after 2 weeks to determine whether or not the suspension should be extended.”
While this legislation is a good sign for tenants, it is at the enforcement level, and does not impact if a landlord can decide to break a lease with a tenant if they cannot pay their rent due to wage loss from the pandemic-related States of Emergency in New York City and Dutchess County that encourage social distancing. Logic would indicate that breaking a lease with a long-term tenant would be a bad idea, as there would most likely be other residents with lower savings accounts as well.
When asked what message he had for the landlords, Mayor Lee Kyriacou told A Little Beacon Blog: “Be kind if at all possible; work it out. For example, consider allowing tenants to split monthly rent in two, in effect deferring half for two weeks (we've done that for years for two of our four Beacon tenants); or consider using some of the deposit for current rent (again, we've done that in the past). Obviously, landlords have their own mortgages and obligations, so there needs to be kindness and understanding in both directions at times.”
Several Beacon residents commute into New York City to work in different industries, such as hospitality and film and television. Both sectors have been severely impacted by the coronavirus/COVID-19. Most film and television production in New York City, Los Angeles and other cities like Richmond, Virginia and Cleveland, Ohio have been halted for at least two weeks. You won’t be seeing any new broadcasts of late-night shows or Wendy Williams, and some news broadcasts have had to move locations because of CBS and other media outlets closing to deep clean, courtesy of staff exposure to coronavirus.
Not all film productions have indicated they will pay those gig-based employees to retain them for two weeks, but some have. A top showrunner of “Mythic Quest” has challenged studios to pay their crew while shows are shuttered, according to Deadline. In hospitality, those working for hotels have seen their shifts slashed and they are told not to come to work, but to use their paid vacation days instead. Restaurant workers who rely on hefty tips at major NYC restaurants and bars may not even have paid vacation or sick days to work with, and must file for unemployment right away.
Dutchess County Legislator Nick Page told A Little Beacon Blog via email that there is no talk yet of restricting landlords from breaking leases if a tenant cannot pay due to the pandemic, nor the reverse (a tenant breaking lease if they cannot pay).
Published Date: Saturday, March 14, 2020
In keeping with State and County directives to reduce the spread of COVID-19, the City of Beacon is canceling or postponing public-supported events involving large attendance scheduled between now and the end of April. That includes Easter at Memorial Park, Beacon Barks Parade, Easter Sunrise Service, and Good Friday Procession.
Easter at Memorial Park: Let’s be real here. This is really just a big candy fest, and a highly stressful event for parents with young kids who like to run off. So, there is a chance that parents are breathing a sigh of relief with this cancellation.
Beacon Barks Parade: We will check in with Libby and Nanci, who are (were) taking back their bigger role as parade organizers this year. They had stepped away after selling their shop, Beacon Barkery, to Donald and his son John. Donald has been recovering from an illness, and John just launched the shop’s brand new website, where you can order online! You may even get delivery of pet food from John at the Beacon Barkery, if you call the store to see if he’s available to do so. Back to the parade: We’ll circle back with an update, and ways to support adopting cats and dogs.
Religious Services: If any of your religious services are canceled during this Holy Week time, there may be creative ways of connecting. Consider going outside during the peaceful dawn hours, and perhaps your religious group has recorded a video of a service and uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo, and you can play/watch/listen to it while you take some time to honor the moment. †
Issued by the City of Beacon via press release on March 13, 2020:
The City of Beacon is working closely with Dutchess County and New York State to ensure public health and safety in connection with COVID-19, and wants to inform the community of the following current information and actions.
The City of Beacon recognizes that the best local health expertise lies with the Dutchess County Health Department, and that best overall information is provided by way of collaboration with Dutchess County and New York State. Accordingly, the City is promptly re-communicating relevant, accurate information provided by the best sources, whether electronically on the Beacon Public Access Channel (Channel 22) , the City of Beacon website (http://www.CityofBeacon.org), links in documents, or in printed form.
The City is working closely with expert state and county partners, participating in multiple daily calls and meetings involving communities throughout the region. Information is passed on to all city staff, including police, fire and other departments, and the community, and the city is taking the appropriate recommended actions to properly inform to safeguard our community, including actions and recommendations to reduce the pace of transmission of COVID-19.
As State and County directives recognize, the major risk of COVID-19 transmission involves large public events. Accordingly, the City is canceling or postponing public-supported events involving large attendance scheduled between now and the end of April – including the Parade of Green, Good Friday Procession, Easter at Memorial Park, Easter Sunrise Service and the Beacon Barks Parade.
The City is following the lead of the Beacon City School District, and discontinuing programming consistent with the school district schedule. Other City-sponsored recreational activity involving small groups in large enough venues will continue, with City staff monitoring and ensuring allowance for “social distancing.”
Meetings of the Beacon City Council, Planning and Zoning Boards, and other regular and ad hoc city board meetings – will continue to meet on schedule, with a change of location from the Court Room at the Municipal Building to the much larger public meeting room across Route 9D at the Lewis Tompkins Hose Meeting Room located at 13 South Avenue. This will allow for appropriate “social distancing” in a much larger venue; if necessary, the City will monitor and limit public attendance appropriate to venue size. The City will continue to televise City Council and other board meetings, and is working on installation of teleconferencing for meetings. Board members are or course free to make individual choices regarding attendance specific to their individual circumstances.
Our City Hall at One Municipal Plaza and all other public municipal facilities remain open. Municipal buildings are being cleaned twice a day, and are safe for the public. Residents are encouraged to contact the City by phone or e-mail, where you will receive excellent customer service.
Below are some links to accurate and up-to-date local information on health and safety. Take care to find and rely on accurate official sources, and not unofficial, informal or uninformed ones.
Dutchess County Coronavirus Information Hotline: 845-486-3555
NYS DOH Novel Coronavirus Hotline: 1-888-364-3065
Dutchess County State of Emergency: https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/County-Executive/Dutchess-County-Announces-State-of-Emergency.htm
Dutchess County Department of Health: https://www.dutchessny.gov/Departments/DBCH/2019-Novel-Coronavirus.htm
NYS DOH Website: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/
The City of Beacon wishes to repeat some official common-sense public health guidelines including personal hygiene, social distancing, and avoiding large public gatherings and events. These come from the Dutchess County Department of Health and the New York State and the New York State Department of Health.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
COVID-19 symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure.
If you believe you have contacted COVID-19, call ahead to your primary care doctor or urgent care so that they can take necessary precautions upon your arrival. Do NOT go directly to the hospital unless you are in distress.
Photo Credit: Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health Facet Sheet, as circulated by the City of Beacon.
Published Date: Saturday, March 14, 2020
The food pantry at the Beacon Recreation Center will remain open during the coronavirus voluntary self-quarantine mode, and is serving people one-by-one on Saturday mornings. The food pantry is run by the New Vision Church of Deliverance and is located at 23 West Center Street, around the corner from South Avenue Elementary and near-ish to the Beacon Housing Authority.
“Precautions are being taken. We will give out numbers and have people come in one at a time. [There will be] hand-washing, then obtaining food,” said Kenya Gadsden, who represents the church’s food pantry.
Usually, Trader Joe’s and ShopRite have donated the food to the New Vision Church of Deliverance’s food pantry at the Beacon Recreation Center. According to Kenya, that has become more difficult during the past few weeks.
Anyone wanting to donate can drop off a bag(s) at 9:30 am on Saturdays to 23 West Center Street. Or, you can drop it off at the church, New Vision Church of Deliverance, 831 Route 52, Fishkill, NY.
Also located on the property of the Recreation Center is the Tiny Food Pantry, which is a grab-and-go style food pantry that people can place food into whenever they want, and people can take whenever they want. Expired food is not accepted, and ALBB recommends that you place in it whatever you would buy for yourself or your family. If you like it, someone else who can’t buy it probably does too! Toiletries and hygiene products like are pads also accepted.
Published Date: Friday, March 13, 2020
Superintendent Matthew Landahl announced that the Beacon City School District will be offering one meal each morning at two different locations for all kids in the City of Beacon starting Monday, March 16, 2020, the same day that the two-week school closure starts, in the name of reducing density and spread of coronavirus/COVID-19. Schools in Ohio are also extending to their school children the free breakfast and lunch programs, as they too find themselves in sudden protection mode.
LOCATIONS:
10 to 10:30 am: Beacon High School
10:30 to 11 am: South Avenue Elementary
Superintendent Landahl stated: “This will be ‘grab and go’ and is available for all children in Beacon, please spread the word!” Children will be given two meals at the grab-and-go location so that kids can take home a meal to eat the next day at breakfast. The Beacon City School District Food Services Director put together this program in a matter of days.
Superintendent Landahl told A Little Beacon Blog: “Food services staff will work on putting the grab and go bags together. They will include both breakfast items and lunch items so kids can eat lunch and then eat the breakfast the next day. Karen Pagano, our food services director, put this together in about three days. Kids just will have to sign their names, but it is open to all children in Beacon, not just our students.”
South Avenue Elementary has the highest amount of low-income families in its district, and is in close proximity to housing developments for a lot of families in need. The Beacon Recreation Center, located a few blocks away, was the former location for the summer lunch program (that was discontinued last year due to eligibility shifts within the district for that program).
There is a food pantry located at the Recreation Center that is open on Saturday mornings. This food pantry is organized by the New Vision Church of Deliverance. This is in addition to the Tiny Food Pantry mini-house that is located on the grounds of the Recreation Center that anyone can leave food in at any time.
Students in the Beacon City School District were off for a scheduled Professional Learning Day for teachers. Consider it a practice day for the anticipated two-week school closure due to the Dutchess County State Of Emergency declared on March 13, 2020, in an effort to reduce the coronavirus/COVID-19 spread. For a district that had virtually no snow days (fact-checking this… can’t recall if there was one snow day, or just a delay), parents aren’t getting off that easy. Kids, however, are ecstatic. At least in this closure, there is no snow to shovel, which is what usually happens with snow days. Unless we get a blizzard too. And if that happens, well, we’ll deal with it.
Beacon’s Superintendent Matt Landahl announced that teachers had been preparing for a two-week closure, and took the Professional Learning Day to create the materials that kids can use to log into classes from home. According to the announcement, elementary school students will be given access to Chromebook laptops at home.
School principals will reach out to parents on Monday, using the school messenger by Monday afternoon. Parents and students also have access to online and app-based communication tools with teachers that they have already been using.
Superintendent Matt Landahl ended his update with a cheer: “We will keep updating you with information next week and hang in there!”
Published Date: Friday, March 13, 2020
In the interest of public health, Mid-Hudson Children's Museum (MHCM) will temporarily close to visitors for at least one week, beginning tomorrow, Saturday, March 14, at 5 pm. School visits and events scheduled to be held at the museum during this time will be cancelled and potentially rescheduled.
Over the next week, MHCM will continue to closely monitor the coronavirus/COVID-19 situation in the region, making additional adjustments and assessments on when it is time to reopen.
In a statement, the museum said, “While our immediate community of visitors is generally at low risk, we are electing to close in order to do our part in the social distancing strategy that will protect our greater community from further spread of COVID-19 infection. There is no known incidence of COVID-19 within the MHCM community.
This is the clear, responsible path that was informed by an enormous number of factors, including the deep care we all have for the children and families served, as well as our greater community.”
They invite you to stay connected for updates via the website, Facebook and Twitter.
They added: “We wish you and your family good health and look forward to reopening and sharing our spring and summer programs with you and your little ones!”
Parents and community members have been waiting for the declaration about Beacon City Schools to follow several other districts in New York State. Gov. Andrew Cuomo was reluctant to close schools, with the economic impact it has on parents to continue to go to work, or work from home. In New York City, Mayor de Blasio was concerned about the food programs that exist in the public schools statewide that get food to low-income families. Dutchess County Legislator Nick Page has indicated that both New York State and the federal government are working on aid packages.
With Dutchess County’s State of Emergency declared today, all schools in the county must close. While kids are being regarded as (thankfully) not having severe symptoms, thoughts are being revisited as to if keeping the schools open is a good idea. The podcast Unchained (normally a cryptocurrency podcast) dedicated their entire show today to data-based insights on coronavirus, and recommended that readers read this essay in Newsweek, written by a doctor in a major hospital in Western Europe. He writes from Italy (which is under quarantine and the streets are empty, just in case you hadn’t read that yet):
From Newsweek:
“I'm a doctor in a major hospital in Western Europe. Watching you Americans (and you, Brits) in these still-early days of the coronavirus pandemic is like watching a familiar horror movie, where the protagonists, yet again, split into pairs or decide to take a tour of a dark basement.
”The real-life versions of this behavior are pretending this is just a flu; keeping schools open; following through with your holiday travel plans, and going into the office daily. This is what we did in Italy. We were so complacent that even when people with coronavirus symptoms started turning up, we wrote each off as a nasty case of the flu.”
The Beacon City School District is off today anyway for a professional day, so kids have been home in a practice day off. More news is to come of what sort of preparation plans the District has for students.
Superintendent Matt Landahl’s letter to parents:
Dear Beacon Community:
Due to the Dutchess County State of Emergency, the Beacon City Schools will be closed for classroom and extracurricular activities for the next two weeks due to Coronavirus/COVID 19. This school closing lasts through March 27th. We have been preparing for this potential and we will share some of our plans with you in the coming days. I want everyone to be safe and be kind to each other. I will update the community soon.
Matt Landahl
State Senator Sue Serino has sent an email stating that a local resident in Dutchess County has tested positive for coronavirus. As testing increases, this is bound to happen, and more cases will most likely appear. She stated: “In an abundance of caution, Dutchess County Health officials are asking that any event expecting 20 or more participants be postponed.”
Senator Serino urged people who are experiencing symptoms to call their doctors first, before going into the office or hospital. But do call if you are experiencing these symptoms (from the New York State Coronavirus Webpage):
“The 2019 novel coronavirus may cause mild to severe respiratory symptoms like:
cough
fever
trouble breathing and
pneumonia
“CDC believes at this time that symptoms may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus.“
- New York State Coronavirus Webpage
What does this mean for businesses like restaurants or bars where people are in close contact? So far, use your judgment. There are positive cases that experience mild or no symptoms (asymptomatic), like with the New Rochelle family.
Published Date: Thursday, March 12, 2020
Hudson Valley MOCA, in Peekskill, is letting the public know that the safety and well-being of their visitors is a top priority. In light of current events, Hudson Valley MOCA is taking precautionary measures and will be closed to the public through the end of March. All public events and programs during the month of March are canceled, including the opening reception for .edu: Art Faculty of the Hudson Valley.
For those who have made reservations for Portfolio Review Day on Sunday, March 22, the event will continue as planned (as of this writing, but check their website and social media before going).
Until further notice, Hudson Valley MOCA's open hours will remain the same: Thursday to Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm.
Click here to learn more about what Hudson Valley MOCA is doing to ensure the health of their visitors.
PUBLISHED: Thursday, March 12, 2020
As tweeted by Governor Cuomo during his press conference today addressing the state’s new approach to reduce density statewide in order to reduce the spread of coronavirus, so that hospitals can manage cases if and when they increase:
“We are taking new actions to reduce the density of people across the state. Starting Friday at 5 pm, gatherings with 500 people or more will not be permitted in NYS. Additionally, for facilities with an occupancy of 500 or fewer, we are reducing the legal capacity by 50%.
“For Broadway theaters in Manhattan, these rules will go into effect at 5 pm TODAY. We have already spoken to the theaters about these new measures and they agreed.”
When asked if businesses were complying, Governor Cuomo responded positively: “Everybody wants to make sure we get through this as easily as possible,” the governor said. Also stated by another official: “Businesses are eager for guidance.”
When asked about office buildings and if those were included in the density reduction strategy, an official responded: “It’s congregate places.” Governor Cuomo stressed concentrated spaces. Many businesses in New York have already instituted work-from-home policies as precautionary measures. CBS had two staffers test positive for coronavirus, and directed people to work from home, though broadcasts will still continue from other locations.
Photo Credit: Lauren Hand
Local businesses in Beacon have been responding to the new work-from-home life. Zoned Fitness is revving up their digitally broadcast workout program, Hybrid PT, as announced via their Instagram.
The local tech flower delivery company Lovingly is offering to loan their extra laptops to staff who may have kids at home who are doing remote learning, should that happen (not happening in Beacon as of yet). This is a sign of businesses planning and pivoting to adjust to a new normal, however long that should last.
Beacon Pilates and Society of Lash both sent emails to their client lists, letting their customers know that extra cleaning is happening in their locations, and to stay home if customers feel in any way sick. Beacon’s lady barber Lucky Longo and River Therapeutic Massage also Instagrammed to their customers to stay home if they are sick.
Photo Credit: Utensil
Should this make you freak out about leaving the house? No. Leave the house (if you’re not sick… If you’re sneezing and sniffly, just binge-watch something or read a book inside). Get fresh air. Go shopping. Utensil has shown customers how they are wiping their cash register system for you.
Say hi to your neighbors. Just stay a casual distance between people (like 6 feet) so that just in case you do have it, but show no symptoms, you are part of reducing the chance of it spreading. Maybe don’t visit your grandparents right now, and call them on FaceTime instead.
Governor Cuomo ended his press release with this: “I went through Ebola. That was frightening. That was closer to what the mindset of the public is. Ebola was hard to cure. If you got Ebola, you were in a serious situation. That is not the case here. That’s not what the numbers say. This is about having the system in place to manage it.” He stressed that they are planning “this emergency health management system… Testing and having the hospitals ready.”
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