The New York State Office Of Emergency Management offers a free opt-in service to sign up for emergency alerts for your county. Text 333111 with your county name in the message field to be subscribed. For Beacon, type “Dutchess County” and you should be subscribed.
Photo Credit: A Little Beacon Blog
A fallen tree at Hammond Plaza in Beacon, NY
Photo Credit: A Little Beacon Blog
The shifting weather from extreme heat of this week to heavy rainfall beginning Wednesday night is extending to Thursday and into Friday, said NY Governor Kathy Hochul on Wednesday in a press release. Trees began falling over in Beacon and Newburgh by early Wednesday evening.
Governor Hochul has directed State agencies to prepare for heavy rain and the potential for localized flooding as parts of the state are forecast to be impacted by periods of heavy rain, which includes the Mid-Hudson region (Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester.)
These regions could see over 3 inches of rain again beginning Thursday and is expected to be a "slow moving weather event with the most severe impacts occurring where the storm ultimately sets up,” the release said. Cooler temperatures and lower levels of humidity are expected, however.
A tree down that landed in a building in Newburgh. Avoid all exposed power lines.
Photo Credit: Councilmember Giselle Martinez
Branches down in Newburgh, hitting houses and landing in the street.
Photo Credit: Councilmember Giselle Martinez
“State agencies are on standby for heavy downpours and localized flooding and will be monitoring the situation in real-time to ensure the safety of all New Yorkers in the path of the storm," said Governor Hochul.
Residents are encouraged to get weather alerts for their county by texting 333111 and typing in their county name. Weather alerts can be found at alerts.weather.gov.
Stay charged out there. Your devices. Not your sewer line. Wishing you clear passage in your sewer line and adjacent storm lines. For Plumbing insight, see here.
For Home Repair services, see ALBB’s Business Directory.
At Mayor of Beacon Lee Kyriacou’s order, flags will be flown at half-staff for Amalio Lombardi, age 61 of Goshen, who was fatally killed in an accident during excavation of Rte. 52 in Beacon in between Lanks Auto and Hedgewood Home For Adults as part of the Fishkill/Teller Avenues infrastructure projects, as reported by ALBB earlier today. ALBB has learned that Amalio worked for 12 years alongside his co-workers, and was union, according to a source who spoke to ALBB.
In a press release written and published by Beacon Police Chief Tom Figila to the Beacon PD’s Facebook page, and shared on the City of Beacon’s Facebook page, Chief Figlia said as part of his update: “the City's administration extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Lombardi. Mayor Kyriacou ordered that the flags be lowered to half staff for the remainder of the week in honor and memory of Mr. Lombardi.”
When the robo-alert went out to the people of Beacon, the announcement only contained information about the road being opened back up again, and thanked everyone for their patience. In neither robo-call was the fact that someone had succumbed to their injuries in a tragic work-related accident.
After the first robo-call, people of Beacon immediately wondered if an employee of any of Beacon’s departments was injured, and what kind of injury it was (ie: hit by a car on that busy road, fell off the cliff, etc.). Confirmation as to the detail of the accident needed to be reported on.
When Mid-Hudson News announced the fatality, ALBB followed with the detail, and the Beacon Police Department'’s Press Release came after that.
“I was on the other side of the road closure, and had to drive back several miles to get to where I was picking up my child,” one reader told ALBB. “I only learned the gravity of the situation from your article.”
Patrick Moore told ALBB readers: “I drove by maybe 30 seconds after it happened. The worst thing I have ever, ever seen. I worked for 9 years as a firefighter outside of Austin, TX. I have never seen anything like this. So sad and thoughts for family and the workers there yesterday.”
“I was there when they were turning cars around,” another reader told ALBB. “I asked what happened and they told me there had been a death. This must have been what happened.”
This has been an emotionally charged topic for co-workers of the deceased, friends and family. Some in the Beacon community expressed surprise that the work continued after the accidental incident. Said Andrè S Omally at ALBB’s Facebook: “Drove by saw these guys out there working 20mins later; Beacon PD/FD and EMS rushing towards there. smh very sad RIP.”
After Mid-Hudson’s News’ article published, ALBB headed down to get photos of what would be a very basic article documenting the incident. “I was surprised to see an active job site, where the crew was back to work as if nothing happened,” said Katie Hellmuth, writer of the article. “When a neighbor and I saw employees walking by, we were all stunned."
Comments at Facebook about this incident have been wild and unexpected. It seems unimaginable that the driver of the excavator was still driving after this accident, as he must have been very upset and scared. ALBB has not confirmed if it was him, or if someone replaced him. Hopefully he was allowed to stop driving so that he and other employees could seek emotional support about what had just happened.
UPDATE 7/29/2025: A comment has been left below on this article based on the above statement. That comment is republished here for confirmation:
As the spouse of someone on that crew, I'd like to set several records straight!
1) They did NOT continue working "as if nothing happened" - they were absolutely devastated and to make the road usable for the general public again took EVERYTHING in them to do.
2) No....the driver of the machine was NOT expected to keep driving. Someone did, in fact, come from a different job to take his place. The person who took his place was ALSO very upset by this news, and took everything in himself to do what needed to be done.
By the end of the day, the road was filled back in. The excavator had been digging a long hole in the middle of the road. The Beacon community mourns for all of the employees there as well as the deceased. Condolences to their families and friends.
After this article published, the City of Beacon’s Facebook account commented, without confirming the writer’s identity: “The reason the crews stayed and worked after the incident was due to the fact that there was a large hole in the middle of the road that couldn't be left open. Rather than raise questions about the crews working after the incident, you could have interviewed one of them and highlighted the absolute resolve and courage it took them to get back in their machines and close the road responsibly when all of them were traumatized by this.”
The City of Beacon should know that this writer was not about to step into an active construction site with an excavator moving. “One employee spoke and gave their statement,” said Katie. “I was not about to chase him for more.” The name of the excavation company has not been released, so we cannot call to follow up.
Said Jessica Hansen, Traffic Control Supervisor at Local 234 on Facebook: “Don’t you know the public thinks all the work done magically fixes itself and doesn't need crews to fix anything. We are just in their way and an inconvenience.”
So far, ALBB is leaving comments on, and advises people to restrain themselves to sending condolences and prayers. Over the years, our readers have asked that comments be left on so that they can see the true nature of people.
Condolences to the family, co-workers and friends.
A construction worker who was part of the crew digging up the road on Rte 52 in Beacon at Conklin Street near Lanks Auto was fatally injured late this morning. According to someone familiar with the situation, the construction worker may have passed out, fallen, and then was crushed by the machine. “We lost a co-worker of 12 years today,” said one person.
The City of Beacon sent out an alert at 12:02 saying: “Fishkill Avenue will be closed from approximately Dallis Place (near Hedgewood Home For Adults And Assisted Living) to Conklin Street due to a workplace accident. Please avoid travel until further notice.”
Mid-Hudson News was the first to report the confirmed fatality at 2:12pm, and said that the accident happened “just after 11am,” and that Beacon Police were investigating. It is unknown at this time if OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) was called to or came to the scene to investigate.
According to a neighbor who spoke with ALBB, crime scene tape was wrapped around the street. Residents were blocked from driving into their driveways. Some had to park around the corner and walk to their homes.
As of 3:59pm, the crime scene tape was gone, and the machine was actively digging out the street again, with several workers surrounding it. At least one City of Beacon Police vehicle was blocking and re-routing each end of traffic. The City of Beacon’s Highway Superintendent Michael Manzi was at the scene.
At 5:26pm, the City of Beacon issued an alert saying: “The section of Fishkill Avenue from Dallis Place to Conklin Street has been reopened from the earlier closure. Thank you for your patience.” There was no mention of the death of the construction worker.
Also at 5:25pm, the Chief Figlia of Beacon Police Department issued the following press release published on the Beacon Police Facebook page:
“Fatal Construction Accident on Fishkill Ave”
“On July 28, 2025 the Beacon Police Department, as well as EMS and Beacon Fire Department, responded to a report of an accident at a construction site on Fishkill Ave. between Conlin St. and Dallas Pl. Upon arrival, it was determined that Amalio Lombardi, 61 of Goshen, had been stuck by an excavator and passed away at the scene. An investigation of the incident is ongoing. The work being done was part of an infrastructure improvement project for Beacon, and the City's administration extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Lombardi. Mayor Kyriacou ordered that the flags be lowered to half staff for the remainder of the week in honor and memory of Mr. Lombardi.”
Related Article: “Flags Flown At Half-Staff For The Week In Honor Of Amalio Lombardi, Excavation Worker”
Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. As details emerge, they are updated here in the sequence of how they were released.
On Monday evening at approximately 9pm at the home of 86 Rombout Avenue, a 911 caller believed to be Edison “Eddie” Irizarry, who is a 52 year-old a retired City of Beacon Police Officer who was a new roommate to Casey Cuddy, age 58 (aka Wilbur Cuddy), “had threatened him with a shotgun, and Irizarry claimed to have fired three rounds at Cuddy,” according to reporting from MidHudson News. Casey Cuddy did not survive.
According to the City of Beacon Police Department’s Press Release the following Tuesday morning, “the City of Beacon Police Department received a call from an individual reporting that he had shot his roommate on Rombout Ave. Upon arrival it was determined that one of the individuals involved was a retired Beacon Police Officer. That individual was immediately detained and, in order to maintain the highest integrity, the entire investigation was turned over to the New York State Police.” The Press Release was published to Facebook, and Comments turned off.
From the Beacon Police Press Release, it was not clear where Eddie was initially detained to. A witness of the detainment confirmed to ALBB that Eddie was handcuffed and “gently put into” a Beacon Police vehicle without incident on Monday night. New York State Police arrived to the scene shortly after, ALBB was told by a witness of the detainment.
MidHudson News reported that Eddie was arrested the following Tuesday morning. “He was arraigned before Beacon City Court Judge Rebecca Mensch and remanded to the Dutchess County Jail,” MidHudson News reported. Times Union reported that Eddie was booked on Tuesday, as confirmed by booking records, and held without bail.
Beacon Police Chief Tom Figlia continued: “In order to maintain the highest integrity, the entire investigation was turned over to the New York State Police. The City of Beacon Police Department is cooperating and will continue to cooperate, fully and completely with the State Police Investigation. Since it is a State Police Investigation, the City of Beacon Police Department cannot release any further details and all additional requests for information should be made to New York State Police.”
As of Tuesday evening, New York State Police confirmed that the caller was Eddie: “On July 21, 2025, at approximately 9:02 p.m., the City of Beacon Police Department responded to a private residence on Rombout Avenue following a 911 call placed by Edison Irizarry, 52, of Beacon, NY, who stated he had shot his roommate. Upon arrival, officers located 58-year-old Casey Cuddy also of Beacon, NY, deceased inside the residence from an apparent gunshot wound.”
According to community members, Casey and Eddie were roommates in the house beginning April 2025. ALBB has received confirmation from multiple local sources that this house was divided into 2 apartments, where Casey lived in one unit, and another group of people lived in the other unit. It was only recently that Eddie moved in as roommate to Casey, who also goes by “Cuddy” to neighbors.
By Tuesday evening, Casey’s white passenger van, which has a poster perched in the passenger seat that reads “Boycott,” remained parked in the driveway with yellow caution tape around the perimeter of the house. Parked next to the van that Tuesday evening was a New York State trooper car with an officer inside.
An investigator looks at the sign in the van of Casey Cuddy, who was killed by his roommate, Eddie Irizarry. The poster read: “Boycott Everything.”
Sean Breault, who witnessed the arrest of Eddie, told ALBB: “The poster in Cuddy’s van read ‘Boycott Everything.’ He was active in protests. I watched the detective go through his van and I have an image of the sign. Cuddy was into boating and biking here in Beacon and was never anything but kind. Deescalation did not seem to be a tactic this retired officer was willing to use.”
That Tuesday evening at dusk, people in the community drove and walked slowly past the house, which is located in a residential area around the corner from South Avenue Elementary School. Community members say that Casey could often be seen outside in his yard and was a communicative person with his neighbors.
By Tuesday evening, the Beacon Police issued another statement when sharing an update made by New York State Police. The Beacon Police Department wrote: “We share this as part of our obligation to keep the public informed but we also take seriously our obligation not to release any information which may hinder their [New York State Police’s] investigation. As such, we will continue to direct all requests for information to the State Police. We also thank them for their hard work in this investigation and would like the thank the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance last night as well. Importantly, we extend our deepest condolences to those impacted by this incident.”
New York State Police confirmed on Tuesday evening the charges against Eddie:
Murder in the Second Degree (Class A -1 Felony)
Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Class C felony)
Criminal Possession of a Firearm (Class E Felony)
New York State Police confirmed that a preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 25, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.
The Highlands Current reported that Eddie retired from the Beacon Police Force in July 2021, and was recognized in a photo by the Beacon Police Benevolent Association (PBA) union. The PBA said at that time: “The PBA would like to congratulate Officer Edison Irizarry on his recent retirement from the Beacon Police Department. Officer Irizarry served the City of Beacon for 17 years, and prior to that served his country as a United States Marine. Officer Irizarry held many roles during his time with the Beacon Police, including a Field Training Officer and Detective. Best of luck in retirement and your future endeavors.”
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