Happening This Weekend - 10/27/2017
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Where Is Lambs Hill? In one of the new boutiques in the renovated factory building near the dummy light.
Cafe Amarcord Set To Open Brick Oven Pizza Restaurant in Beacon - Across the Street!
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Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
As I was walking down the street one day, I got to chatting with someone about #allthingsbeacon, and they asked me if I knew about the new Italian restaurant going into the former karate school space next to Mr. V's Deli. I had not yet heard about this development, but was intrigued.
"Can you believe it?" they asked, "an Italian restaurant right across the street from Amarcord? The nerve." If you didn't know already, know now: Cafe Amarcord is one of Beacon's favorite restaurants, lauded for its fresh, Mediterranean menu. (Check out this review from Hudson Valley Magazine, who really liked the pan-roasted mussels in a white wine garlic sauce, bucatini Amatriciana, pappardelle with black pepper ricotta and dried tomatoes, as well as "a skewer of rosemary-infused lamb served on creamy polenta with a sauce of lemon.") Beaconites are very protective of their local businesses, so they care about what opens where, and whether a new Italian food business would be opening across the street from a longtime business. Amarcord has been open in Beacon for eleven years, so it has quite a following.
Picture of the building housing Mr. V's Deli before exterior renovations began for Amarcord's future brick oven pizza place.
Photo Credit: Google Maps
Paper went up on the windows of the short building across the street from Amarcord, and construction began, building out a kitchen and transforming the tired space. When the decorative faux windows and new shingles went up on the roof, Rifo Murtovic, owner of Cafe Amarcord, stepped out of his usual perch in the doorway of his restaurant to stand on the sidewalk of the other side of the street, surveying the construction.
#sameteam! Pizza or Fine Italian
Our investigation began immediately, seeking confirmation from Rifo that he himself was the one opening the rumored pizza restaurant. "It will be brick oven pizza," he described. "More casual than Amarcord." The heat source of the oven? Wood. As for making changes to the facade of a building he does not own: "I just want it to look nice," he marveled, while looking at the building seeing in his mind's eye a vision of post-renovation perfection.
The owner of Royal Crepes was also outside on the sidewalk during the interview for this article, and enthusiastically interjected more detail: "The pizzas won't be like most Mediterranean around here. They will each be personal pies, and the meat for the toppings will be cut right in front of you. It's part of the experience." Personal, flat pizza pies of the freshest ingredients are the norm in Italy, and they are about to become an option in Beacon as well. Wine and beer will also be available. As of now, there are no plans for delivery.
Flavors from Tuscany? Yes, please. Congratulations to Rifo on the new addition.
This article is the first in our series covering businesses in Beacon who have opened second or more locations in Beacon. We are currently brainstorming names for this series. Got any? Submit ideas here in the Comments!
Clearwater gets Rockefeller Brothers Fund Grant for Estuary Education
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Hudson River Sloop Clearwater was awarded a $15,000 grant from Rockefeller Brothers Fund to support Clearwater’s Estuary Education Initiative (EEI). This grant makes possible the new curriculum’s aim to teach thousands of children about the links between scientific research and environmental policy.
"Clearwater is pleased to accept Rockefeller Brothers Fund’s grant on behalf of the many students we serve," said Wren Longno, Clearwater's director of development. "As grassroots educators and storytellers, we are in a unique position to tell the story of how partners, including Rockefeller Brothers Fund, have worked together to create a sustainable Hudson Valley."
Clearwater Board Chair Betsy Garthwaite said, “In 1968, Steven Rockefeller hosted one of the original gatherings to raise funds to build the Sloop Clearwater at the Rockefeller Farm Barn in Pocantico Hills. That history gives this award special meaning as we embark upon new ways of teaching the history of the Hudson River environmental movement, bringing the river to schools, and schools to the river.”
Clearwater anticipates that by August 2019, this science curriculum will reach 50 educators, 5,000 students and 500 members of the public, and will be widely shared through professional development conferences and showcased prominently on the Clearwater website and social media.
About Hudson River Sloop Clearwater
Launched in 1969 by legendary folk singer and activist Pete Seeger, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater has been at the forefront of the environmental movement as champions of the Hudson River. To date, more than half a million people have experienced their first real look at an estuary’s ecosystem aboard the sloop Clearwater. Clearwater has become the grassroots model for producing positive changes to protect our planet. For more information, visit www.clearwater.org.
Rockefeller Brothers Fund
Founded in 1940, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund advances social change that contributes to a more just, sustainable, and peaceful world. The Fund's grantmaking is organized in three thematic programs that support work in the United States and at the global level: Democratic Practice, Sustainable Development, and Peacebuilding; and in two pivotal place programs that address these themes in specific contexts: Southern China, and the Western Balkans. The Charles E. Culpeper Arts & Culture program, focused on New York, nurtures a vibrant and inclusive arts community in the Fund’s home city.
Beacon's Superintendent Speaks Out About Beacon, Resources, and Volunteerism
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Beacon's Superintendent, Matthew Landahl, in an office selfie, as requested by ALBB for this article.
Back in the summer of 2017, when Matthew Landahl was moving to the Beacon City School District from his post as deputy superintendent for the Ithaca City School District, there was also a shift at the national level as the new Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, stepped into place. Locally in Beacon, change in the district had been happening quickly, with the resignation of one superintendent, followed by an interim superintendent, then the election of new Board of Education members, and The Big Search for Beacon's next superintendent.
Matthew Landahl (who asks to be called Matt) was vetted and hired. He promptly kicked off a Community Conversation tour to connect with the people of Beacon at different locations. At that time, we reached out to him to learn more about his suggestions for ways to stay up to date on the myriad of public school issues to know about. And then I had a baby, so most articles got promptly shifted out of order. We're ready to dive back into this one, offering a new opportunity to ask him about his experience now that he is several months into the job.
ALBB: What have you observed in the district and community so far?
ML: After being here a few months, a few things have been very evident here in Beacon. The community has a creative and entrepreneurial spirit which is incredible. We have lived in several places, and Beacon is unique in that regard. The community also has a strong "roll up your sleeves" ethic in regards to volunteering and making things happen, which I really admire. In the school district, I am honored to work every day with a group of teachers, administrators, and staff who take great pride in what they do and show a great amount of care for the young people in Beacon. Speaking of those young people, they are an amazing, diverse group.
ALBB: What are you actively working on?
ML: My work is primarily centered on the Board of Education's goals. They are available on our website but my abridged version is this:
- Increase academic offerings
- Provide 21st-century learning environments
- Build trust between district and community through communication
- To seek involvement, collaboration, and participation of the community in the learning process
- Creating a culture of awareness, equality, and safety
My focus is always on all five goals, but I have put a primary emphasis on Community Building and Communication. I have hosted six Community Conversations throughout Beacon, and attended organizational meetings and church services all with the intent of being visible, approachable, and to display an honest desire to hear all community members' thoughts and concerns regarding the district. I will keep that work up all year.
We have worked hard to create more presence on social media through Facebook and Twitter. We now have a district Twitter account (@beaconcsd) along with having all sports teams tweeting from games along with our athletic department (@bcsdbulldogs). I try to document my travels through the district with my personal Twitter account (@mlandahl). I know we have a long way to go in regards to communication, but we have made some great first steps. Ultimately, the most important focus is our young people's experience in our schools. I will always be working in collaboration with staff and community to provide a more engaging, enriching, and empowering environment for everyone.
ALBB: What do you keep an eye on at the state and federal levels that you would encourage Beacon parents and community members to also follow?
ML: It is a very tumultuous time in education from a policy perspective at both the state and federal level and honestly, it has been that way for the past 15 years. The quickest thing I do to stay on top of policy issues and changes at the state and federal level is I follow several professional organizations on both Twitter and Facebook: the New York State School Boards Association (@NYSSBA), New York State Council of Superintendents (@NYSCOSS), New York State United Teachers (@NYSUT) and the School Administrators Association of New York State (@SAANYS).
All of these organizations have people who closely follow state and federal policy and funding issues who report out to their constituents and to the public on social media. I like to follow all four organizations because they all have slightly different views on the policy and funding situation in New York. Twitter is a very powerful social media tool in the education world, and I follow over a thousand educators (along with all things Chicago Cubs) from all over the country and world who also give me a sense of how policy changes are impacting their local districts, schools, and classrooms.
Another great place to learn about policy and funding issues is the Beacon City School District Board of Education meetings. They are published on Youtube on the BCSDBOE channel. These meetings consistently have discussions about policy and funding at the state level and how it impacts our district.
Into the Wee Woods - Expansion Begins on the Wee Play Tot Park at Memorial Park
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Ground is breaking on the latest expansion project for the children's playground located at Memorial Park, officially known as the Wee Play Tot Park. The park is undergoing an imaginatively ambitious project rooted in, literally, trees. The plan involves 50 new trees that would be planted on the lower end of the existing locust forest to the immediate left of the swing sets at the base of the Memorial Park hill, and fundraising efforts have begun alongside construction endeavors.
Concept Design for Woodland Playground at Memorial Park, by One Nature. Drawing part of proposed plan.
An image of what the arched willow trees could look like, if properly trained after the young willow shoots are planted.
The new poplar trees, specifically Eastern Cottonwoods, will be known as the Wee Forest. In the center of the grove will be a shaded sandbox, surrounded by a path of willow trees that will be trained to grow in an arch over the bordering path, making for a natural tunnel.
The fundraising campaign to purchase and plant the poplar trees has started (donations can be made here), with a goal of acquiring and planting 50 trees for $100 a tree. Sponsors can have their name, or that of children, friends or a business, on the Forest Map that will be in the middle of the Wee Forest. Click here to donate your first tree. (Donations in smaller amounts toward the project are also gratefully accepted.)
The Wee Play Community Project has allocated funds raised through their annual Ree Play Sale to pay for the labor of the project, and the City of Beacon, through the Parks and Recreation budget, has agreed to fund material and mulch, details of which can be read in the coversheet proposal here.
The Easter Bunny at the 2017 Easter Egg Hunt at Memorial Park.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
When presenting the project to the City Council, Parks and Recreation Director Mark Price described the desire to incorporate the large swath of mystical forest that exists above the park, as a way for older kids to experience the park. The idea occurred to him after the 2017 Easter Egg hunt, which was held in the trees of the locust forest instead of the great lawn. He and several others realized that the wooded area has been underutilized, even though it is just steps away from the park. By adding the 50 new trees, "it informs people that this is a play area. Some folks need a little more coaxing to [go up and play,]" explained Mark to the City Council during a Workshop on September 25, 2017.
The Big Picture
Volunteer organizers have big plans for the park, and envision structures being added around the existing playground. In her proposal letter to the City Council, Wee Play Community Project Board Member Lori Merhige discussed the findings of a survey that the group sent out to the community, which set the stage for who wanted the new approach to the playground and why:
Our survey yielded many opinions on what are the most treasured as well as the least favorite aspects of the playground. One piece of feedback we heard
repeatedly is that people were tired of all the plastic - the riding toys and the play structures. When asked what parents would like to see at the park, the majority of replies included having more natural play elements, areas for climbing, and free, unstructured nature play.
As we know, the popular metal and plastic playground play structures of today can cost tens of thousands of dollars each, they don't always hold kids' attention for
very long, and older children often don't find them engaging. The beauty of designing a natural playground is that it utilizes many available resources that we already have, as well as fostering imaginative play in children of all ages.
Natural playgrounds are surprisingly simple, safe, and affordable, and research shows that there are many benefits to kids playing creatively in nature.
A nature-based playground could involve a simple ropes course, wooden balance beams/bridges, boulders for jumping (carefully!), additional swings, and other ideas that are built as living things, or with living things, much like the nearby Hudson Highlands Nature Museum. Acting as project architect with a donation of time and ideas is Bryan Quinn from One Nature, who has designed and built nature-based playgrounds before, with a most recent one opening at Safe Harbors in Newburgh. The trees serve as strategically planted connection points for such structures to be built, or for kids to easily run through.
Sand Not Playing Nice In The Sandbox
A catalyst for this big change was the sand in the sandbox in the corner of the existing Tot Park. While people have mixed feelings about outdoor sandboxes - that they can turn into giant kitty litter boxes or encourage bugs - many families love them. However, the "rogue sand" coming from the sandbox was damaging the surface of the playground, Mark said, making it irreparable until the sandbox was gone. In the new plan, the sandbox will be in the middle of the Wee Forest, surrounded by mulch and other natural elements, hurting nothing when sand spills over, and not being a large issue if the sandbox needs to be replaced by something else.
About the Wee Play Tot Park
The public park is enjoyed by all people for free (even those who venture in from beyond Beacon) and maintained by volunteers of the Wee Play Community Project, in partnership with the Parks and Recreation Department and the City of Beacon. If you've been following A Little Beacon Blog's coverage of the park's expansion, you'll know that something is always going on over there, from community cleanups to new projects.
Kids searching for candy in the locust forest of Memorial park's Hill during the 2017 Easter Egg Hunt.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
5th Annual "Pink Kiss" Breast Cancer Awareness Fashion Show Moves to Atlas Studios
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You've seen the magazine cover–inspired flyer around town and on Instagram. Now you can attend "Pink Kiss," the fashion-forward event from Beacon-based Lorraine Tyne Bridal & Sparkle My Head Scarves. The fashion show promotes Breast Cancer Awareness while highlighting cancer survivors on Saturday, October 21, 2017 at 6 pm at Atlas Studios, 11 Spring St., Newburgh.
During years past, the show has been hosted in Beacon. This year it will be in the Atlas building, an old factory that has been refurbished as a home for artist studios and event spaces. Other Beaconites have moved to the building as well, including the hair dresser Joshua Boos, formerly of The Green Room.
To celebrate its fifth year, the group is hosting a Benefit Fashion Show and honoring local area cancer survivors - at any stage of treatment - with recognition and gifts. Local hospitals have nominated cancer survivors from St. Luke's Hospital, Mid Hudson Regional, and NY Presbyterian Hudson Valley Hospital, as well as patients from the Hudson Valley community.
Beacon's Draught Industries is donating the prosecco, and models from Couture Modeling of Wappingers Falls will be showing gowns. A portion of the night's proceeds will be donated to local nonprofit Sparrow's Nest, who delivers home-cooked meals to families and caregivers of cancer patients.
Tickets can be purchased via EventBrite here at this link. Tickets are $10, or you can buy a ticket and not go, and simply make a donation. Day-of tickets at the door are $15.
Big Movie with Emily Blunt and John Krasinski to Film at Beacon Natural Market
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Get your grocery shopping done now, folks, Paramount Pictures is coming to town, specifically to the aisles of Beacon Natural Market, on Monday through Wednesday. The market will be closed to the public while the filmmakers work their magic inside (and maybe outside! Who knows, but it may be dramatically blacked out, like when The Vault hosted a TV production company, which A Little Beacon Blog covered here in an interview with the co-producer). Beacon Natural Market announced the news via Instagram this week.
The movie is "A Quiet Place," starring real-life married couple Emily Blunt and John Krasinski. You might know John, who's also directing "A Quiet Place," from his role as Jim on TV's "The Office," and Emily from dozens of film roles, including the assistant Emily in "The Devil Wears Prada." The real-life couple were both in the movie "The Muppets," though they did not appear on screen together. In this movie, however, they will act together.
According to The Internet, the plot is being kept hush-hush, but a simple Google search indicates that it's a horror movie. Blunt is no stranger to gory scenes, with her incredible work in the science fiction movie, "The Edge of Tomorrow" with Tom Cruise, in which she plays the best and most feared warrior against aliens that have invaded Earth. That role was in stark contrast to her mega-assistant role in The "Devil Wears Prada" starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. Currently, Blunt is wrapping production on "Mary Poppins" (in which Blunt plays the title role), set to release at the end of December 2018. Streep is also in that movie, playing Topsy. Gosh, should make for a good season of holiday movies next year!
Movies Being Made in the Hudson Valley
This movie, "A Quiet Place," has been scouting all over the Hudson Valley, setting major locations in New Paltz (you can see pictures of movie people scouting a small grocery store here). This most recent location comes on the heels of a film forum, The Hudson Valley Film Industry Conference in Newburgh at SUNY Orange Kaplan Hall, sponsored by Orange County, Stockade Works (Mary Stuart Masterson's production company in Kingston), the Orange County Film Office, the Orange County Arts Council, and The Accelerator.
Get ready, film industry people who live in Beacon and the surrounding areas...more is coming!
Happening This Weekend - 10/20/2017
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Enviromental Citizen Soapbox Happening - Looking For Speakers in Bursts
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If you have a thought to share about the environment, you can do it from a soapbox on Monday, October 23, from 7 to 9 pm at the First Presbyterian Church of Beacon, 50 Liberty St. Hosted by the Green Beacon Coalition, anyone is invited to attend and/or speak about their views, concerns, and visions in order to "work toward creating a more environmentally conscious city," according to Green Beacon Coalition's event page.
This isn't the first such "soapbox"-inspired event at the First Presbyterian Church of Beacon. Past events have included the Springtime Citizen Soapbox, which was an open forum to hear people's hopes for the future of the Beacon community.
Anyone can sign up to speak at the soapbox, and speaking opportunities run for a maximum of "a couple of minutes." Interested speakers and attendees can sign up here at the Green Beacon Coalition website.
"Beacon Speaks Out" Meets Wednesday To Discuss Police and Community Relations
/In January of 2015, Beacon Mayor Randy Casale invited government and civic leaders to discuss growing tensions between police and communities around the country and to help Beacon's various groups set a course of improvement with one another. Following the meeting, "Beacon Speaks Out" (or BSO) was formed by Brooke Simmons of I Am Beacon and Rabbi Brent Spodek of Beacon Hebrew Alliance and moderator of Better Together, The Beacon Interfaith Clergy Group. The first meeting was held in May of that year. Participants developed eight initiatives that the Beacon Police Department intended to work on. The BSO would set follow-up meetings to discuss progress; the next one was planned for February 2016.
"Beacon Speaks Out" returns tonight, Wednesday, October 18, 2017, at The Telephone Building from 7 to 8 pm for a third meeting that is open to the public. Participants will include citizens, Mayor Randy Casale, City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero, and city Police Chief Douglas Solomon. The meeting will cover two of the eight initiatives conceived at the first meeting (specifically the fourth and seventh). All initiatives are posted below.
Initiative 4
"We’d like for the police to be better equipped to deal with Beacon’s diverse populations."
Initiative 7
"We’d like data on crimes, arrests, and convictions to be publicized, as well as police policies and procedures."
In the years since the original meeting, improvements have been made that have resulted in satisfaction on both sides - the Police Department and the community. Thanks to a grant, body cameras were given to police officers to be used with the cameras already on police vehicles, which according to an article in the Highlands Current, helped police prove how situations unfolded when challenged. Training for crisis intervention and mediation was increased, as well as hiring to strengthen and diversify the police force. Though for hiring, Chief Solomon encourages those who are students now to get interested in pursuing civil service careers, as he reports a challenge in finding recruits from minority populations.
Agenda
The agenda is as follows:
Setting Expectations
Performance Tracking
Training Effectiveness
Publicizing Police Procedures & Policies
Community Engagement
Quality of Life Issues (Defined)
• Ignoring rules of the road
• Driving around police and other caution barriers
• Driving the wrong way down one-way streets
• Speeding down side streets
• Illegal parking
• Skateboarding on streets and sidewalks
• Bicycling on sidewalks
• Ignoring pedestrians in crosswalks
• Pedestrians who aggressively cross into traffic
• Panhandling
• Loud Noise
• Loitering
• Littering
• Trespassing
• Vandalism to public and private property
• Graffiti
• Spitting
• Urination
• Defecation
• Prostitution
• Drug dealing
• Drug using
The Eight Initiatives of "Beacon Speaks Out"
1. We’d like the police/community relationship to move from a place of intimidation, suspicion, and superiority to a place of kindness, calm, and respect.
2. We’d like for the police to develop positive relations with the youth of Beacon.
3. We’d like for the police to have more face-to-face contact with the community.
Adopt Best Practices to Improve Community Safety
4. We’d like for the police to be better equipped to deal with Beacon’s diverse populations.
5. We’d like a more diverse police force.
6. We’d like for the police to work together with the community to develop a progressive strategy for dealing with Beacon’s drug problem, especially heroin.
Strengthen and Expand Community Communication
7. We’d like data on crimes, arrests, and convictions to be publicized, as well as police policies and procedures.
8. We’d like the Human Relations Committee to be publicized and strengthened.
Highlands Current Launches Opioid Drug Crisis Special Report for Hudson Valley
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Photo Credit: The Highlands Current
Editor's Note: This article was pushed to the front of our editorial calendar the day that Rep. Tom Marino, R-Pa., withdrew his name from consideration as drug czar for the Trump administration. A report by The Washington Post and "60 Minutes" found that Marino was part of sponsoring legislation passed in 2016 that made it difficult for the Drug Enforcement Association (DEA) to go after drug companies who failed to report suspicious behavior - which included making large orders - of narcotics. According to the report, the DEA had been trying to block this proposed legislation for years, but in 2016 lost. Learn more about that in this NPR article.
You may have heard the chatter - "There's an opioid drug crisis in the Philipstown area." Two things may have happened after that - you might not have known what an opioid was, so the problem wasn't visible or urgent. Then, Philipstown isn't Beacon, so another removal from the situation occurs. When you read stories, however, of high school students who got addicted to opioids at age 14 after taking prescription painkillers for an ACL injury, or a sunburned foot, and then dying in a motel room in Newburgh, or almost dying after a long and frightening struggle with addiction from how the chemicals in the drug hook into the brain, "opioid" takes on a different meaning.
About a decade ago, a campaign was created called "Faces of Meth" that showed people's deteriorated faces - teeth, skin, hair. You can see faces of meth examples here. "Faces of opioids," however, is obituaries. It's an emotional route, versus the physical one. You can see faces of opioid examples here.
A recent New York Times article featured a medical examiner who is quitting his job after analyzing so many opioid-overdosed bodies, where he first sees white foam seep out of the lungs when he cuts them open, but has to analyze the entire body in order to give an official overdose verdict. The medical examiner wants to reach people before they get to his autopsy table - while they are living. He wants to be a minister. His church? Hiking trails. He wants to serve as a chaplain for the Boy Scouts of America, and wants to join the Appalachian Trail Chaplaincy of the United Methodist Church so he can minister on the the hiking trails that cross New Hampshire and its White Mountains.
Opioid Deaths and Help in the Hudson Valley
After publishing more than a few drug overdose obituaries, The Highlands Current, the newspaper based in Cold Spring that covers Phillipstown and Beacon, dedicated a lot of ink (aka space in the newspaper) to the epidemic, called Special Report: Fighting Back the Opioid Crisis. What compelled The Highlands Current to dedicate its staff and printing to such a cause? In the words of Christine Bockelmann, Chair of the Board of The Highlands Current:
“The opioid crisis is one of the most urgent of national issues, but where it is felt most acutely is on the local level — when a neighbor goes into treatment, a family member gets addicted, a teenager dies. The Highlands Current decided it was important to look at how this national crisis is playing out in our communities because that is where those receiving care and those giving care cope on a day-to-day basis. We wanted to understand the treatments supported by our care centers, our law enforcement officials, our courts, and we wanted to know their thoughts as well as those of addicts in recovery and of parents in mourning on the best approaches to "fighting back" in this crisis. In the middle of all the words devoted to this critical issue there may be information to help someone pull through, an idea for a more effective treatment, or just hope that educating more on this crisis will help bring it to an end."
The Four Components of the Special Report
The report is broken down into four easy-to-follow sections.
Part 1: Stories
Max
Max is the son of Teri Barr, owner of Hudson Valley Outfitters on Main Street in Cold Spring. One summer when he was 14, he got a bad sunburn on the tops of his feet while boating. The doctor prescribed an opioid painkiller. When the prescription ran out, they got another prescription. The rest of Max's story is in The Highlands Current's Special Report, and it involves a private boarding school rife with drugs, addiction, withdrawals, relapses, incarcerations, court appearances, a mother's constant battle to protect her son from himself, and what happened next.
Read Max's story
Sasha
Alexander “Sasha” Matero, of Garrison, developed an opioid addiction while he was 14 years old as a student at Haldane High School in 2007. He injured his ACL, a knee ligament, in an accident and had it surgically repaired. He was prescribed opioid painkillers by his doctor during recovery from surgery. According to the article, the pills “flipped the switch,” his mother said. “The painkillers worked. They made the pain go away.” Sasha struggled with addiction to the painkillers for years after that. Despite open communication with his parents about his addiction, and with Sasha actively seeking help, he died in a hotel room in Newburgh on his 25th birthday in 2014.
Read Sasha's story
Part 2: Role of Law Enforcement and the Courts in Battling the Epidemic
Two Highlands Current reporters were assigned to cover the courts and police officers. Michael Turton looked at the work of the Putnam County Drug Court, while Jeff Simms (a Beacon resident) spent time with Beacon and Dutchess County police officers who battle the opioid crisis daily.
From his "A Day in Drug Court" piece, Michael recalls a conversation he heard, as the judge delivered opening remarks.
After the 30 or so defendants file into the courtroom, [Judge James] Reitz asks anyone to stand who knows a woman named Samantha who had appeared in court the previous week.
A few stand. “She was doing well,” Reitz says. “She told me, ‘How can life not be great? I’m clean and sober and working. I’m getting my degree. I’m doing great.’ ” Her most recent court-ordered drug test, three days earlier, had come up negative.
That same afternoon, she was found dead of an overdose.
Click here for the full article: A Day in Drug Court.
Part 3: Treatment Options
The Special Report explores different treatment and education options available, and new facilities that are being built. The Hudson Valley has hundreds of thousands of dollars available for building facilities that prevent death and try to get a person away from an addicted state. The following are explored in the articles:
- Dutchess County Stabilization
- Arms Acres
- CoveCare
- St. Christopher’s Inn
- What Does It Cost?
Part 4: Voices and Shared Thoughts to Fight Problem
The Highlands Current explores "thoughts of specialists, counselors, doctors and those struggling with addiction about what they feel should take priority in addressing the problem."
Click here to read the Special Report, and explore what is going on if you haven't yet.
Real Quick - What Are Opioids?
Before you dive into the Highlands Current's local spotlight on opioids, you'll want to know what they are. In the words of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, here is what they are:
Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, morphine, and many others. These drugs are chemically related and interact with opioid receptors on nerve cells in the body and brain. Opioid pain relievers are generally safe when taken for a short time and as prescribed by a doctor, but because they produce euphoria in addition to pain relief, they can be misused (taken in a different way or in a larger quantity than prescribed, or taken without a doctor’s prescription). Regular use — even as prescribed by a doctor — can lead to dependence and, when misused, opioid pain relievers can lead to overdose incidents and deaths.
— National Institute on Drug Abuse
OPEN! LuLaRoe Fall 2017 Pop-Up Shop at A Little Beacon Blog's Space
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Erin and Leigh are back at A Little Beacon Space! They have taken over our office for a pop-up shop event this weekend only, and they have brought their entire inventory with them. To see inventory that's normally only available during certain times in their private Facebook group, anyone can come into A Little Beacon Blog's Space to shop Erin and Leigh's collection of leggings, dresses, denim(!), tops, and more on Friday from 3 to 7 pm, Saturday from 10 am to 8 pm, and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. A Little Beacon Blog's Space is at 291 Main St., across from Key Food, and down the block from the library.
Photo Credit: LuLaRoe
LuLaRoe is a brand of clothing known for its soft fabrics and unique prints and color combinations, founded by a woman who wanted to build a business that worked around her family's needs and schedule. LuLaRoe has grown into a nationwide brand, with associates like Erin and Leigh stationed in everyone's neighborhood. Beacon has several associates, some of whom you may have seen at school fundraising events, or maybe you've shopped at their homes (see who else is in Beacon). As the company is family-based and always eager to support the community, give a LuLaRoe pal a try if you haven't yet.
The Erin in Erin and Leigh.
Photo Credit: LuLaRoe with Erin and Leigh
In the meantime... Stop into the pop-up shop to experience it all as you attend the plethora of activities available to you this weekend (we have your full schedule here if you need dates and times).
A mini-LuLaRoe associate in training.
Photo Credit: LuLaRoe with Erin and Leigh.
Accessories - Where to Find Jewelry to Go With These Outfits
Oh yes, you'll need accessories, and you'll find them at several shops along Main Street. Good places to start include (on the West End of town, near the train) reMADE for uniquely made artisan jewelry, Bellus on Main for a finely curated collection of jewelry, Nella's Bellas for insta-bling at a friendly price-point, and Hudson Beach Glass for more artisan jewelry. On the East End of town, stop into Style Storehouse (also having a solo jam session on Saturday with Sasha Dobson, who is in a band with Norah Jones), echo boutique, Waddle n Swaddle for nursing-friendly jewelry, Vintage Beacon, Lauren and Riley, Shop Reservoir, Kaight, King + Curated, and others.
Find all of these shops with addresses and pictures in A Little Beacon Blog's easy-access Shopping Guide by clicking here.
Photo Credit: LuLaRoe
Photo Credit: LuLaRoe
City of Beacon Dedicates the East Main Bridge to Ron and Ronnie Sauers
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Photo Credit: "Celebrating Our Centennial, Beacon at 100" published by the Beacon Historical Society.
On Saturday, October 14, 2017 at 12 pm, the City of Beacon will dedicate the East Main Bridge, near the Dummy Light, in between The Roundhouse and the newest row of boutiques at 1 East Main, to Ron and Ronnie Sauers. The couple has been dubbed "early pioneers" - really early - of Beacon's renaissance during the 1980s, by just about every Beaconite who knows about the visionary pair.
To set the scene for why they were so relevant, take a read of this passage from "Celebrating Our Centennial, Beacon at 100," published by the Beacon Historical Society:
"Since its incorporation, the city of Beacon relied on its factories and on trade from the Hudson River for its well-being. But as the river's commercial viability failed, and the factories gradually closed, the city began a slow, inexorable slide to decline. And nowhere was the decay more apparent than on the East End of Main Street.
Enter Ron and Ronnie Sauers. Long-time residents of New York City, the Sauers made their living in television - she as a video editor, and he as a designer and builder of video and sound studios. By the mid-1980s, they turned their vision north, and set about finding an upstate community in need of revitalization. After briefly considering several options, they chose Beacon, and set their creative sights on three burned-out buildings on the city's East End. Buoyed by the enthusiastic support of the city government, they purchased the charred shells, and designed storefronts and high-end apartments that combined historically accurate facades with elegant modern interiors. The finished buildings marked the beginning of Beacon's rebirth.
A reception is to follow at Dogwood, featuring a slide show of the buildings they worked on from the 1980s. Says council member and organizer of the event, George Mansfield, during a City Council meeting on October 2, 2017: "The slide show gives us all a good sense of reference as to where we were, and where we are." Also involved are Polich Tallix foundry, who donated the bronze plaque (side note: they are now casting the Oscar statues!), and Rabe & Co., who donated the graphic design.
Second Saturday Art Gallery Guide for October 2017
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Happy Second Saturday, people of Beacon! Dive into autumn this weekend, via spooky celebration or life-affirming art. We've got it all covered for you!
Some highlights: In addition to the slate of Beacon's art gallery openings (a harvest for which we are ever-thankful), a handful of literary/art collaborations are happening today: A photobook pop-up on East Main, a painting-poetry jam in Beacon's newest storefront, and an author/illustrator reading at good ol' Binnacle. Also, a fundraiser for Mid Hudson Animal Aid at the Howland Public Library features art from Beaconites. Community Free Day at Dia:Beacon means extra tours and programs, not least of which is end-of-day beer from the fine folks at 2 Way Brewing. In case you haven't seen it yet, swim quickly to Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries for the waning days of their historic photo exhibit.
Get the scoop on all the Second Saturday happenings around town in our Guide to Second Saturday Art Gallery Showings!
A giant thank you to BeaconArts for promoting this day in our city for years, and thanks to the sponsors of A Little Beacon Blog, who make it possible for us to share the goings-on around town. Please support the businesses who support us!
Happening This Weekend in Beacon, NY - 10/13/2017
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The City of Beacon entered into a contract with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley to provide increased access to Beacon tenants facing eviction. They may also be able to help with sources of rent arrears assistance. Call the paralegal, Steven Mihalik at 845-253-6953 to inquire.
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