Beacon's Mayor Kyriacou Robo-Calls Community With Vaccine Information

Today (Tuesday, 2/9/2021), Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou sent a health message via Beacon’s robo-call system, to tell people how to get a COVID-19 vaccination near Beacon, NY. His message is below:

This is Beacon Mayor Lee Kyriacou with an update on COVID-19 vaccines.

Eligibility: Those who are currently eligible for a vaccine are: people 65 and older, frontline workers including first responders, public safety and transit workerse, educators, front-facing grocery store workers, certain funeral workers, and those working or living in homeless shelters

Everyone who is currently eligible for a vaccine will be able to get one within three to four months.

There are several vaccine distribution locations in our area. All require an appointment. Please be patient, but persistent. I will list them starting with those in Beacon.

• Sun River Health on Main Street. Visit sunriver.org or call 845 288 0850. Available wit appointment only. No walk-ins.

• Local pharmacies are vaccinating those 65 years and older. Check RiteAid.com and BeaconWellnessPharmacy.com later this month for more information. Please do not call to schedule.

• The former JC Penney in the mall and Dover High School. Visit dutchessny.gov/covidvaccine.

• The Institute for Family Health in Hyde Park, Ellenville and New Paltz. Visit institute.org

• Westchester County Center and SUNY Albany. Visit am-i-eligibile.covid19vaccine.health.ny/gov or call 1 833 697 4829

• Castle Point, for Veterans who are either 65 or older or are essential workers, call 845 838 7668.

To sign up for these robo-calls from te City, click here to get an introduction and to get started.

Trash Tip: What To Do If You Missed Garbage Pickup After A Snow Storm Blizzard

Shoveling Tip: Carve a place out for your trash cans to sit at the end of the street.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

The past 2 snow storms have hit on a Monday. How do I know? Because trash pickup for our neighborhood is on a Tuesday, and after the first snow storm, I forgot to carve a place in the snow for Trash and Recycling cans, and needed to leave the cans at the end of the driveway. Don’t assume that garbage pickup is canceled just because of a major snowfall. Those collection trucks from Royal Carting, the trash company contracted with the City of Beacon to remove your trash and recycling weekly, usually ventures out in the worst of weather.

However, if your cans are wedged into the snow during a storm and cannot be easily lifted out, the Garbage collectors might move on. They do need the cans to be easy to access. If you carefully carved out a place in the snow for your cans, and then dragged your cans to the end of the driveway the night before, only to find them boxed in by new snow heaps from the snow plows overnight, there is a chance that your garbage won’t get picked up.

Fear not. You can call Royal Carting directly and request to be put on their “list” of a pickup, possibly the day you call if you call early enough. You’ll need to have your cans back out by the street and easy to access for when the collection truck swings by again. However, if your cans aren’t back out in time, they will keep on driving by.

Good luck!

Knee High In February...Snow Continues To Bury Beacon and Dutchess County. Closures Continue.

Snowfall accumulation in Beacon is up to 22” inches in places by Monday night, and is not over yet. The winter storm warning is in effect until Tuesday, with snow predicted to continue falling. The Beacon Highway Department was out plowing since 5:30am Monday morning, said Beacon’s new City Administrator, Chris White during the weekly City Council Meeting Monday evening. He noted that this is one of the longest runs they will do, running plows continuously throughout the day and overnight in attempts to keep up with the falling snow.

Dutchess County at large is also having trouble keeping up with clearing the snow, as Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro said on Monday afternoon via press release: “Our Public Works Highway crews have been out all day, and will continue through the night, plowing roadways. However, the rate of snowfall is making work very challenging and road conditions are poor. Please avoid traveling to let crews do their work safely. Stay home and stay safe.”

Governor Cuomo declared a State of Emergency for 44 counties, and included the Hudson Valley in that, according to a press release sent by the Dutchess County Executive. While there are no specific travel bans at this time, the Governor’s announcements notes portions of key roadways, including I-84, may face travel bans if snowfall rate reaches between 2” -3” inches per hour.”

The Beacon City School District remains closed on Tuesday, with no Remote Learning taking place, as buildings are closed (and teachers have kids too! that would be really hard for a teacher to have a full Remote Learning day with kids at home).

Public bus transpiration remains closed until at least 12pm Tuesday, as do DMV and other Dutchess County offices. On Monday, Metro-North suspended services this afternoon, with the final trains leaving Grand Central Terminal at 3pm. Dutchess County 911 Communications Center call volume has been within normal limits throughout the day, according to the press release sent by the County Executive.

City of Beacon public offices remain closed Tuesday, but some employees are working remotely. People are encouraged to call the main line for a directory.

Dutchess County Government offices will be on a delayed opening Tuesday. Offices are scheduled to open at noon. If Dutchess County residents had a DMV appointment for Tuesday morning, those appointments will honored on Thursday, February 4th at the same time and location.

Dutchess County Public Transit Service is expected to resume full route service Tuesday, February 2nd starting at noon. Bus passengers can check for updates at www.dutchessny.gov/publictransit, on the DCPT mobile app, or call 845-473-8424, TDD/TTY: 711.

The Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office reports only a small increase in the number of auto related accidents or disabled vehicles as motorists heed guidance to avoid travel, as reported by the press release.

Main Street In Beacon - Closed Early If Open At All

Normally Beacon’s Main Street is very resilient. Many stores usually dig out and wedge their sidewalk signs into the mounds of plowed snow. but even Beacon’s long haulers could not sustain the snowfall, and closed early to help their employees go home safely. Citizens Bank was closed on Monday, but Artisan Wine Shop dug out and was open for win re-stocks.

Digging Out - Did You Start?

Depending on when you started shoveling, you may not have even made a dent. Snow blowers powered up in the early afternoon, and stayed on into the evening, with neighbors removing snow in different shifts. Fortunately for shovelers, the snow was light and powdery. Sometimes if you wait too long, the snow begins to melt and gets heavy. People had different strategies:

Said @mdhairstylist: “🙋🏽‍♀️For the sake of cardio, we shoveled out our cars- just as an excuse to come inside and eat our snow-day snacks!😂”

@mattaewan was taking a different approach: “I plan to wait and let the snow release my car naturally, like a pressure cooker.”

@yaya_love_312 hedges her bets on tomorrow: “My strategy is to do it tomorrow 🤷🏾‍♀️”

A whole new dig-out will happen for Tuesday, despite massive efforts made by people on Monday. Will check in again then.

Digging Out Tips this round:

• Leave your gate open. The show will pile up on either side of it, making it very hard to open. Your mail person would really like for that fence to not be jammed.

• Dig a place for your trash cans, if your garbage/recycling collection is the next day after a blizzard.

Monday's Forecasted Heavy Snow & Wind Closes Dutchess County Offices, Public Transit, Meal Delivery, and Beacon Schools

With sideways snowfall starting already in Pennsylvania, Washington, DC and parts of Virginia, which is part of a storm system headed to New York, Connecticut, and all the way up the east coast, Dutchess County is staying ahead of it by announcing emergency actions on Sunday evening, prior to the predicted time of snowfall.

The Beacon City School System has called a full school closure, which means that the Remote Learning plan will not be activated. Beacon Superintendent Landahl has made it clear at Board of Education Meetings and in community correspondences, that he - and his own young children who are in the district - want “good old fashioned snow days” during this new remote learning life.

The snow in Beacon is excepted to start on Monday morning at approximately 4am and continue into Tuesday. High accumulations and wind gusts are expected (see below for Dutchess County predictions). Wind gusts typically cause power outages in the Beacon area, so have everything charged, and turn your heat on overnight. Do not use propane heaters or leave them unattended, as those are a fire-hazard.

Cars must be off the street after 2” inches of snow, so that plows can come through. When shoveling, try to shovel the snow into your yard and not the street, as the snow plows will simply plow it back onto your sidewalk. Of course, if your neighbor kindly snow blows your sidewalk for you as a favor, and blows the snow into the street, #whatareyougoingtodo.

Have cash on hand to hire locals walking by to shovel you out if you need the help, or visit A Little Beacon Blog’s Business Directory for snow plow services.

According to a press release issued Sunday evening by Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro, he has activated several steps to help keep the county safe:

Snow Warning + Weather Forecast From Dutchess County

According to the press release: “The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning effective now through Tuesday, February 2nd. Snowfall is expected to arrive very early Monday morning, continuing into Tuesday until approximately 10pm. Prediction models vary widely for this storm with heavy snow fall expected between 9”-18'“ inches, with 12”-15” inches likely, and wind gusts as high as 25mph during the day Monday, and 30mph Monday evening. Both morning and evening commutes on Monday are expected to be impacted significantly, and motorists are reminded to allow extra time and exercise caution on the roadways.”

County Executive Molinaro said, “Reports indicate this storm is going to give us significant snowfall and winds. We are monitoring the situation carefully and emergency responders are prepared. We want all residents to be safe and avoid travel if possible. If you must travel, recognize that you'll need to allocate extra time for safety purposes, as crews work to clear roadways.”

Dutchess County To Activate Emergency Operations Center, 7am Monday

Dutchess County Emergency Response will activate the Emergency Operations Center at 7am Monday with representatives from County Public Works, NYS DOT, New York State Police, County Sheriff, County Behavioral & Community Health, Central Hudson, NYSEG, and Red Cross for the duration of the storm.

Previously Scheduled Weekly Call With Mayors and Supervisors To Review Storm Conditions

County Executive Molinaro will host a previously scheduled weekly conference call with local Mayors and Supervisors on Monday afternoon to review storm conditions and coordinate resources as necessary.

Dutchess County Public Works highway crews have loaded trucks with materials, salt will be applied to County roadways as the storm begins, and crews will be out through the duration of the storm to clear roadways.

Dutchess County Public Transit Suspended Monday

Dutchess County Public Transit Service will be suspended Monday, February 1st. Bus passengers can check for updates at www.dutchessny.gov/publictransit, on the DCPT mobile app, or call 845-473-8424, TDD/TTY: 711.

Home Delivered Meals For Seniors Suspended Monday

Dutchess County Office for the Aging has suspended Home Delivered Meals delivery for Monday, February 1st. Recipients should utilize previously provided frozen or shelf stable meals.

Dutchess County Offices Closed Monday

Dutchess County Government offices will be closed Monday, February 1st. If Dutchess County residents had a DMV appointment for Monday, February 1st, it will be honored on Wednesday, February 3rd at the same time and location.

The City of Beacon’s offices will also be closed to the public on Monday, but the regular City Council Meeting will continue, as they have been remote since the pandemic.

Residents can stay up-to-date on the County’s storm response online at dutchessny.gov or on the County’s social media pages on Facebook or Twitter.

Childcare Grants Available For 75% Of Childcare Cost - But It's Complicated - Deadline February 16, 2021

Dutchess County has made available a Childcare Scholarship Grant to residents since 2020, and is promoting it again in 2021. There are requirements and limitations of the scholarships, which limit the application pool. According to the Beacon Recreation Director, Mark Price, who runs Beacon’s After School Program in Beacon’s 4 elementary schools, users of this scholarship have been slim. “I thought this would go like hot cakes, but it hasn’t.”

Beacon’s After School Program launched a few years ago, and has been a wild success. South Avenue Elementary has seen the most participation, and is also the school associated with the most families considered in a lower income bracket.

Last year, South Avenue’s After School Program had 25 kids. This year, it has 2. During the time of the mysterious sickness that had many people out sick in January - March 2020, before the pandemic was declared - South Avenue’s program easily had 7 of 25 kids out a day, with sick kids also in attendance. As a parent in the program, it was a rotating mess of sick kids and siblings.

This year, with school on a Hybrid schedule (2 days in school, 3 days at home), and with kids split between attending on Monday/Tuesday or Thursday/Friday combos, the number of children in one room at the After School Program is significantly lower.

Is this reduction by family safety choice? Or is it for economic reasons? This answer is unknown. The Dutchess County scholarship is designed for families in the lower income bracket. However, families in (or formerly in) a higher income may also be squeezed financially, and cannot apply.

Additionally, the scholarship requires that the parents be working, or looking for work. This seems to exclude parents who are not working by choice or circumstance, but are overcome with children at home, which can contribute to mental health declines. Dual parent families at times make the choice early on to have one parent not work, as they don’t want to spend the childcare, which can contribute to a mental health decline for the parent staying at home.

Some Trips To Applying For The Childcare Scholarship, Or Childcare In General, During A Pandemic And Economic Squeeze

There is $180,000 allocated to all of Dutchess County, not including the City of Poughkeepsie. The City of Poughkeepsie has its own $90,000 to work with, according to the Dutchess County website.

Scholarship stipulations from Dutchess County include:

• 1. Parent(s) or guardian(s) must be working, looking for work or in school to be eligible, unless there are extenuating circumstances and a demonstrated COVID related need for childcare despite not meeting this criterion.

• 2. The child cannot be receiving any other childcare subsidy or scholarship (i.e., DCFS subsidy or Dyson Scholarship. If eligible for a subsidy from the DCFS, applicants must apply for funding from that program.

• 3. The child must be currently enrolled in a regulated childcare facility within Dutchess County.

This last bullet of #3 is in bold on the Dutchess County website. When people sign up for a childcare program, it is presumably because they can pay for it. For Beacon’s After School Program, people sign up online (this was at first a milestone, and now is a hurdle for if the website works, and becomes a race for who can operate the Internet and their registration system fast enough - I have bee known to simply drive to the building when the website opens). This year, however, for example, there are 2 kids (out of 25) in the South Avenue Program. So there is no race.

However, in signing up, the online message is very clear in the online sales process, that one must pay the tuition in full. For a family even in a higher income bracket during a pandemic, paying over $1,000 up front for 2 kids for one semester is difficult. It takes a personal phone call to ask the people at the Beacon Rec Center if a payment plan can be worked out. And the answer is: “Of course! We just want your kids in the program!”

People who are afraid or embarrassed to ask for a payment plan or payment deferral may not make this phone call. And thus not register for the program, and not apply. And then maybe not apply for this scholarship from Dutchess County. Dutchess County requires that kids are already enrolled in a daycare program. If the family can’t pay initially, they won’t be enrolled in the childcare program.

As for requirement #1: this seems to exclude families or single parent families where the main caregiver is not working. Unknown how this works for a single parent family who would then need to prove that the other parent is looking for work. At times, communication breakdowns can happen between parents, making this a daunting task.

Dutchess County is aggressive on creating mental health initiatives. Primary caregivers who are not working and not eligible for this program may be suffering at home, under the weight of their children suddenly at home all day with very little outside stimulation provided by programs such as childcare facilities who are required to follow strict safety guidelines, which parents trust.

How Dutchess County’s Scholarship Works

Beacon’s After School Program is promoting the scholarships. Their email to previously enrolled families was:

“Scholarships are being awarded for the balance of the academic calendar year by a random selection process to low and moderate-income families. The funds will cover 75% of the tuition for each child, paid directly to the childcare facility. Families will be responsible for 25% of the tuition. Low- and moderate-income Dutchess County families with children enrolled in a regulated childcare program are eligible to apply.”

Some of Dutchess County’s language on the application is as follows:

“Dutchess County and the City of Poughkeepsie received funding through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. These CDBG COVID (CV) funds are to be used to prevent, prepare for, or respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

“With schools not opening in their traditional formats, families have been challenged with the unprecedented need for childcare for their school aged children to allow parents and guardians the ability to work, look for work or attend school. The intent of this scholarship fund is to fill the gap between the number of days students will be in school and those days where students are not in school. Families are encouraged to consider their natural resources and supports and to request the minimal number of days needed so this funding can be maximized”

Income requirements are listed here on the Dutchess County application. If you do not meet these requirements, consider reaching out with questions on if an amendment can be made.

Latest Active Case COVID-19 Numbers 1/18/2021 For Beacon, Fishkill, Wappingers, and Poughkeepsie

Dutchess County has been busy with their website of dashboards, to keep people informed about the different numbers available from New York State, Dutchess County, and drilling down into our own communities/municipalities. There are currently several types of dashboards identified on the Dutchess County Department Of Community and Behavioral Health web page dedicated for all things coronavirus (COVID-19).

This weekend, locals on the street were exchanging numbers: “Did you know there are 100 active cases in Beacon?” one man said to another. So we thought we’d take a look. Here at A Little Beacon Blog, we don’t refresh the numbers every day. That said, the numbers have taken quite a jump over time. Surrounding communities have been posted below.

Today (Sunday), the Beacon City School District robo-called called district families with 2 new cases in the district that do require the impacted school buildings to go Remote tomorrow (Tuesday) after today’s MLK Day holiday. South Avenue Elementary School and Rombout Middle School have a new case each, and this time, will require a switch to Remote. A move which has been rare among the 6 district school buildings, as most new cases at different school buildings have included a student or staff member who had already been isolating at home, or were in the 100% Remote program already.

COVID-19 Active Case Numbers By Neighboring Communities

The Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health web page for COVID-19 has evolved, and now has more items organized, like Executive Orders, Vaccine Information, etc. The Dashboard of current cases by community is currently (1/18/2021) at the bottom of their webs page.

Active COVID-19 Cases around our region as of 1/18/2021 are as follows:
To give perspective, in April 28 2020, these were numbers were this. Beacon was at least 100 active cases then, and continued even until May. In the summer, Beacon’s numbers lowered into the two digits, hitting 47 or into the 20s.

Now we are back up into the 100s. Could be that more people are getting themselves tested. Whatever the reason, people’s personal stories exist, of the near-play-date encounter of a family who all of a sudden got it, and a grandparent died. Or of COVID Long Haulers. For those looking at numbers, the numbers we also consider at ALBB are the hospital bed numbers across the country, as we work to keep local hospital numbers down. Poor L.A. County in CA. Heartbreaking over there.

Beacon: 105
East Fishkill: 313
Fishkill: 200
Fishkill Village: 24
LaGrange: 121
Pleasant Valley: 64
Poughkeepsie: 400
Poughkeepsie City: 329
Rhinebeck: 97
Rhinebeck Village: 27
Wappingers: 232
Wappingers Falls Village: 57

Mayor Kyriacou on 1/11/2021 at the beginning of a Workshop meeting, said this about Beacon’s confirmed cases: “Cases are up of COVID. I know it’s getting hard for everyone because the numbers are up. Our New York numbers are up bove where they were in March in terms of confirmed cases. The silver lining in that is that we have learned a lot. The hospitalizations and death rates are significantly lower given those numbers. And that’s exaactly what I think the Governor and the CDC and others were hoping for. That we could whether this without totally shutting down our economy. By getting enough prevention for those that are most at risk. I think we’ve managed that. I know the numbers are scary. I will point out that the Beacon numbers are consistently better than the County. I think that means that you all in the community are doing our part, and we need to keep doing that. We are exposed more than than other parts of the County for those who need to commute to the city (NYC).”

MLK Day In Beacon: The Webinar Version From Springfield Baptist Church & Beacon Sloop Club: "Keep The Flame Alive"

The light is not out for the annual MLK Day Parade in Beacon presented by the Springfield Baptist Church and the Beacon Sloop Club (via Pete Seeger before his passing)!

In lieu of the parade, you can participate from home for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Virtual Zoom Celebration on Monday, January 18, 2021 from 11am - 1pm. The theme is "Keep The Flame Alive" and all are welcome.

From the presenters: "Join us for a fun-filled morning of Civil Rights, Gospel & Inspirational Music, Quotes from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and a message from Rev. Dr. Ronald O. Perry, Sr., Pastor of Springfield Baptist Church. All attendees are welcome!"

MLK Day Of Service
Springfield Baptist Church & Beacon Sloop Club Present: "Keep The Flame Alive"
Dates: Monday, January 18, 2021
Time: 11am-1pm
How To Log On: The Webinar ID, Passcode and Phone Number are in the flyer above.

A Virtual Town Hall for Hudson Valley on the New York Health Act Will Be Held January 28th

Guaranteed Comprehensive Healthcare for All New Yorkers is Closer Than You Think is a free, virtual event, open to the public, organized by Hudson Valley Demands New York Health, and hosted by the Newburgh Free Library and the Desmond-Fish Public Library, on Thursday, January 28th, 7pm. Attendees will learn about the bill, its legislative trajectory and why it is important for New Yorkers to demand its passage in 2021. The panel discussion will focus on how the bill would affect various aspects of the healthcare system, including patients and healthcare providers, as well as the cost to municipalities. The keynote speaker will be NYS Assembly Member Jessica González-Rojas, followed by a panel discussion including Dr. Reena Agarwal (MD, MPH, FACP), Darius Shahinfar (Albany City Treasurer), and Lynn Esteban (patient/healthcare activist), and moderated by Jess Robie (RN). The event will be facilitated by Jeff Mikkelson (Co-Founder, HVDNYH). Registration for the event is required to attend: bit.ly/NYHealthActJan28.

Affordable, accessible, healthcare is an important issue for many Americans. Although most New Yorkers have health insurance, many people have long struggled to afford premiums, co-pays, deductibles, and the high cost of prescription drugs. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed the dysfunction and inadequacy, as well as the racial and class inequality, of our current healthcare system.

If passed, the New York Health Act would guarantee comprehensive health coverage to every New Yorker while eliminating premiums, deductibles, and co-pays, and would help address the structural inequalities of our current system. It would also save money for individuals, local governments and New York State.

This public education event is organized by Hudson Valley Demands New York Health (HVDNYH), a coalition of grassroots groups and individuals working to guarantee comprehensive healthcare for all New Yorkers by passing the New York Health Act (NYHA).

WHAT: Guaranteed Comprehensive Healthcare for All New Yorkers is Closer Than You Think: A Virtual Town Hall on the New York Health Act
WHERE: Virtual Event, Register Here: bit.ly/NYHealthActJan28
WHEN: Thursday, January 28, 2021 7:00pm - 8:30pm

Speaker Bios

Jessica Gonźalez-Rojas, NYS Assembly Member
Jessica Gonźalez-Rojas was elected to the New York State Assembly in 2020 to represent the 34th Assembly district, which encompasses several diverse communities in Queens. She has been an unapologetic leader for social justice on the national and local level for over two decades. For 13 years Jessica served in the leadership at the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. She has fought for immigrant rights, racial justice, and gender equity. Prior to running for the Assembly, Jessica served as a community liaison for Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez. As a long time leader in community and electoral politics, Jessica has received numerous proclamations for her advocacy work.

Reena Agarwal, MD, MPH, FACP
Dr. Agarwal is a primary care physician trained in Internal Medicine. She completed her residency in Social Internal Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center and a residency in Public Health/Preventive Medicine at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. She also has an extensive background in quality improvement. She has spent her career working in New York Hospitals and Community Health Centers where her focus has been on providing care for the underserved as well as teaching resident physicians.

Darius Shahinfar, Albany City Treasurer
Darius Shahinfar is the elected Treasurer and Chief Fiscal Officer of the City of Albany.

His work as City Treasurer led him to research the effect of health care financing on municipal budgets and local property taxes. He has testified on this subject to the NYS Legislature and has spoken on these issues to numerous organizations. He believes strongly, not only in the moral imperative of universal health care coverage, but also that single payer will result in dramatic tax and cost savings. He is a graduate of Bates College, and Albany Law School, where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Albany Law Review.

Lynn Esteban, Patient/healthcare activist
Lynn Esteban is an artist and activist who lives in Poughkeepsie with her family. A bout of Mono (Epstein Barr virus) in 2011 triggered a chronic illness, the severity of which has left her unable to work. She has had a protracted and challenging battle with the healthcare system to reach a correct diagnosis and effective treatment. Lynn is a disability activist and volunteer with MEAction, an international advocacy organization that educates physicians and the public about managing post-viral conditions.

Beacon's Highway Department and Transfer Station Closed For COVID Exposure Until January 19, 2021

Beacon’s Highway Department’s Garage. If you lose something in the fields, the Highway Department combs the fields to clean them, and the item may end up inside of this building.

The City of Beacon issued a robo-call to announce that the Highway Department is in quarantine and the Transfer Station (aka “The Dump”) is closed until January 19, 2021. This is the second known quarantine for the Highway Department, and limits their ability to conduct otherwise day to day activities, like picking up Christmas trees.

City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero said during this week’s City Council Workshop that the Highway Department employees are dubbed Essential Workers, and should a snow storm or related event happen, that they could come out to work. He also indicated that the department is reviewing protocol to improve its chances of exposure.

There was no indication on where any individual was exposed to COVID, if it was on the job or during personal life.

Wishing everyone health as the virus passes through.

Warm Up To Winter: An Energy Showcase - Free Online Event January 14

The New Paltz Climate Action Coalition is hosting their free online event, Warm Up To Winter: An Energy Showcase, on Thursday, January 14th, 6-7:30pm, on ways to efficiently heat your home this winter. The event is open to all homeowners and renters in the mid-Hudson region. It will include speakers from New Paltz Climate Action Coalition, Interfaith Earth Action, and Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess & Sullivan Counties.

This session will provide valuable resources to save money on your heating and utility bills this winter as well as the environment. Topics will include:

• free energy audits to help you find ways to save $ on heating bills & electricity

• grant programs/funding for renters, low & moderate income households

• low-interest financing & tax incentives for households looking to switch to renewable energy, do energy upgrades, & more

• renewable energy- community solar (great for renters), home solar power installations, heat pumps, geothermal & more!

• DIY weatherization, winterization & energy efficiency techniques, programs, and companies

Renters and landlords are especially encouraged to join us- there are specific programs we'd love to link you to that are vetted and will help you save both money on your bills AND will help the environment!

To receive the Zoom for the showcase, click here to register and join on Thursday, January 14, 2020 6-7:30pm!

Beacon Awarded $25K From CARES Act Funding via Dutchess County Through Block Grant (CDBG) For Food Purchasing - Spending It Is Next Step

Federal money was made available through the CARES Act for communities to apply for and be awarded money to spend on food security and/or ensuring safety for seniors at local senior centers. Dutchess County manages this money, and in a press release sent 12/22/2020, announced that all of the municipalities who applied for the money were awarded money, which was “based on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) income guidelines, for efforts to promote food security and safety at local senior centers to enable them to be open for seniors.”

Beacon applied for and was awarded $25,000 “for assistance to a local food bank to purchase food for distribution to low- and moderate-income households,” according to the press release. Beacon’s Director for Parks and Recreation, Mark Price, is the point person for the spending of this money, and says that spending the grant money is not so simple.

Because the money is federal, they require an “income survey” in order to prove the need a municipality says they have in their population. Says Mark: “The County was willing to fund a food purchase only, for moderate to low income families in Beacon. We have to give assurance to them that they are giving us money and we're using it for the population we say we are. Because we are using Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money, there is usually a map that identifies the low to moderate areas (Editor’s Note: like with the small business Microenterprise Stabilization Grants currently available). When you use Block Grant monies, you are to use those to those areas. That map is slowly shrinking in Beacon. However, COVID funding doesn't use a map.”

How Does A Municipality Find The People To Prove The Need?

For this article, we asked Mark how he is going to find the people for the survey that identifies low to moderate income households. “We are hopeful that our Wednesday 9am free food distribution at Memorial Park, which serves 150-200 cars per week, in addition to our Wednesday 9:30am Beacon Recreation Center distribution to 75 families, will be a one-shot way to survey the need.”

The number of organizations who are offering food security services to people in need in Beacon has increased since the pandemic started in March 2020. “Of the groups in Beacon who work in food security, everyone would need to give assurance. They would each need to do an income survey. At this point, we are thinking that this one distribution location could be the most efficient way of getting a good sampling for the income survey. Some independent food security groups may need to do sampling for a month to get a good sampling.”

How Other Municipalities Proposed To Spend Money

Other municipalities made proposals for federal CARES Act funding based on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money guidlines, and were awarded. Ideas differed, and are included below:

City of Beacon: $25,000 for assistance to a local food bank to purchase food for distribution to low- and moderate-income households.

Town of Beekman: $20,000 for touchless bathroom fixtures for the Town’s senior program

Town of Dover: $17,200 award for substantive meals and home-keeping necessities for homebound seniors.

Town of East Fishkill: $20,000 award for HEPA sterilization units and UV air purifiers at the senior center.

Town of Hyde Park: $29,500 award for plexiglass partitions, air purifiers and UV-C lights, Wi-Fi network upgrades and 7 laptops at the senior center, as well as tent for outdoor programming.

Town of Poughkeepsie: $15,950 award for plexi-glass barriers, hand sanitizing stations, wall-mounted thermometers, HEPA filter, air purifiers, gloves/wipes/masks for the senior center.

Town of Pine Plains: $26,542 award for support to Willow Roots food pantry to purchase food for distribution to low- and moderate-income families.

The Beacon Democrat's Executive Committee "Condemns President Trump And The Insurrection He Incited On 1-6-2021"

The Executive Committee of the Beacon Democratic Committee issued a statement to the media, announcing their position on Wednesday’s insurrection and attempted blocking of the electoral college certification. As a group, they have not had the opportunity yet to meet to get the vote of all of their committee members on this statement.

The Beacon Democrats are representatives of the Democratic party in Dutchess County. Their local Beacon meetings are open to the public on the second Saturday of the month at 9:30 a.m., previously at Beahive and now via Zoom.

Their statement is below:

The Executive Committee of the Beacon Democratic Committee condemns President Trump and the insurrection he incited on January 6, 2021. Mob violence has no place in our democracy. We support the Constitution and the rule of law.

We also condemn the unequal, unfair, and un-American practices of law enforcement agencies, who allowed acts of violence and destruction to unfold in our nation's capital. This was white supremacy taken to its logical conclusion and was particularly shameful in light of the extreme tactics regularly used against protesters in support of Black lives.

We call on elected officials of all parties to also condemn the President and his accomplices, and we urge all appointed officials to uphold the rule of law and defend against any attempt to subvert peaceful self-governance.

Beacon Democrat’s Executive Committee:
Chair: Lisa Jessup
First Vice Chair: Pam Wetherbee
Second Vice Chair: Peggy Ross
Treasurer: James Cotter
Corresponding Secretary: Amber Grant (current City Councilmember At Large)
Recording Secretary: Adam McKible

Beacon City School District Superintendent Landahl Responds With Support To Student Community Regarding Imagery At The U.S. Capitol After The Insurrection

During the Remote Learning life of the pandemic, many kids of all ages are at home with parents or a caregiver, and were home during Wednesday’s storming of the U.S. Capitol Building, and watched the events happen in real time. Videos from inside of the Capitol from people participating in the swarming were also circulated.

Parents needed to speak with their children about events and meanings of symbols as they happened. Beacon City School’s Superintendent Matt Landahl sent an email to the community the following day, offering encouragement to parents and caregivers that the district community was there to give support.

His email statement is below:

Dear Beacon Community:

The events yesterday in our nation’s capital were disturbing, to say the least. We are open and ready today for students in-person and online. Knowing that many of our youngest students may not even be aware of the events that took place, we will emphasize safety and community today and always. Thanks again to our educators and staff for doing this every day.

Images have been widely circulated on social media and television of the confederate flag and clothing celebrating the Holocaust being brandished in our Capitol building yesterday. It has always been our practice to not allow these images in school and it was put officially into our Code of Conduct by the Board of Education last year. We want to reassure a sense of safety on that level as well because of how disturbing these images were to us all.

If you have any specific concerns for your child, please contact your child’s teacher, principal or guidance counselor. We are prepared to offer support to everyone who needs it.

I wish I could be more eloquent in times like this and words often fail me. I know our school community will continue to offer strong support for our students during what has been an incredibly challenging year. As I often say, I am inspired on a daily basis by the resilience and strength of our staff, families, and students this year. Thanks as always for your support.

Sincerely,

Matt Landahl

Pro-Tip For Filling Food Pantries With Delicious Food On A Budget

Pro-Tip For Filling Food Pantries

When you see a 2 for 1 sale on your favorite item, buy it, and then give the free one to a food pantry! The best food is food you yourself love, and want others to have also (Ok, Entenmann’s Raspberry Danish Twist Coffee Cake may not be the healthiest choice, but it’s a spot-hitter and a crave-worthy option).

Word on the street is that Key Food, located in Beacon, gets new sales in on items on Fridays. This is where you might see those incredible 3 for 1 sales on Thomas English muffins (our fave).

Now you can also donate fruits and veggies thanks to the Tiny Food Pantry Community Fridge made possible by Binnacle Books and Beacon 4 Black Lives. Read all about it HERE.

Double Pro Tip

If those sale items are off at the cash register, keep calm. There are a lot of sales and a lot of codes that go into a computer and signage. If something rings up wrong, consider yourself helping your fellow shoppers by asking about it without raising your voice, waving your arms, and making a stink. We see you, Big Guy, when you do that and we are standing behind you in line. It’s best if you remove that aggression by doing cardio outside and getting fresh air to get your perspective and compassion back 😊

Plus, Key Food stores are franchises (like Subway is), owned by real life families in your neighborhood. Key Food Beacon is owned by a Yemini family, who owns stores in other communities as well. Their employees are like family.

Find a list of Food Pantries to give to right now at A Little Beacon Blog’s Food Pantry Guide. The Tiny Food Pantries are ones you can literally place food into any day, any time. Other Food Pantries have designated times that are indicated in that Guide, or Gift Card Wish Lists like with Beacon Community Kitchen or the Castle Point Veterans.

PS: Of course for your own budget needs, use the sales for yourself and your family.

Dutchess County Amends Quarantine to 10 Days From 14 Days, Following NY State Guidance

Sent via press release this morning, Dutchess County has reduced its quarantine time for exposed individuals from 14 days to 10 days. While strictly isolating at home is extremely difficult, both emotionally and logistically, please note the concern that remains while in the quarantine to if you have symptoms:

From Dutchess County Press Release 12/30/2020:

“Though the quarantine period is now shorter, individuals exposed to COVID-19 should remain vigilant. Anyone who develops symptoms while under quarantine OR through day 14 from the last date of exposure, should assume they are infectious and immediately isolate themselves and seek a diagnostic test.”

— Dr. Anil Vaidian, DBCH Commissioner

Following a guidance change for COVID quarantine requirements from the New York State Department of Health, the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) has amended the quarantine time period for individuals exposed to COVID-19 from 14 days to 10 days following the last exposure if no symptoms are reported during the quarantine. This change is effective immediately.

Quarantine for individuals exposed to COVID-19 ends after 10 days, without a test required, IF there are no symptoms reported during the quarantine period. Additionally, exposed individuals must:

• Continue daily symptom monitoring through Day 14

• Continue to strict adherence to prevention measures – use of face coverings, hand washing and physical distancing.

• If any symptoms develop, IMMEDIATELY self-isolate and should seek testing. A list of testing sites in Dutchess County is available at www.dutchessny.gov/coronavirustesting

An “exposed” individual, or “close contact” are individuals who were within six feet of a person who tested positive for COVID -19 for 10 minutes or more total in a 24-hour period when the person was contagious. Contagious is defined as 2 days before symptoms began (or 2 days before positive test if there are no symptoms).

“This is an important change that aligns New York State guidance with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidance and will help end confusion on quarantine timelines,” said Dr. Anil Vaidian, DBCH Commissioner.

“Though the quarantine period is now shorter, individuals exposed to COVID-19 should remain vigilant. Anyone who develops symptoms while under quarantine OR through day 14 from the last date of exposure, should assume they are infectious and immediately isolate themselves and seek a diagnostic test,” said Dr. Vaidian noted.

The New York State DOH’s updated guidance can be found here: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2020/12/covid19-health-advisory-updated-quarantine-guidance-12.26.20.pdf)

Quarantine documents and other information on the Dutchess County Government website will be updated this week. New York State and local contact tracers are also being advised of the guidance change