Toy Guns and "No Big Deal" Guns Sold in Kid Stores - Impact on Gun Culture

Blended screenshots of sales pages at Walmart's website, where this pink BB gun could have been sold to any prospective buyer, regardless of age (the age limit tool was broken). Walmart has since reversed its online sales policy, and now prohibits purchases of airsoft guns and toys.
Photo Credit: A Little Beacon Blog

Growing up, you probably played Cowboys and Indians, Cops and Robbers, or countless other kid games with guns. Your finger probably became a gun. Pew-pew! Your sister's magic wand probably became a gun. Heck, maybe a magic wand counts as a gun, when it hits someone with glitter.

Guns in our culture are as commonplace as staplers, or pens. You could even buy a bullet pen! I did for my dad last Christmas. I grew up making shotgun shells with him in our basement. He had the neatest shotgun shell-making thingy that clamped to the edge of the table. Toy guns for kids are sold in toy stores, in drug stores, and on any toy store website. How could you not want a Luke Skywalker laser gun? Or a Nerf gun blaster? And with YouTube videos featuring dads and their sons in all-out Nerf gun wars around the house, shooting people becomes very normal. 

Toy Guns In Beacon

Echo Beacon, open for more than 10 years and one of Beacon's most popular toy stores, doesn't carry toy guns. Owner Karen Donohue is a mother of a daughter, and made the decision years ago not to sell toy guns in her toy store. "I chose not to sell toy guns, as it just made me uncomfortable. I've been told by mothers of boys that they [the boys] will find any sort of stick or anything, and turn it into a gun despite Mom's efforts to say 'No,'" Karen recalls.

Echo is known for carrying educational toys, and Karen is big on nurturing the imagination. "I still feel this is a better use of the imagination than something that truly resembles a gun. I have, on occasion over the years, sold miniature squirt pistols, but nothing that could ever be remotely mistaken for a gun. In recent years I've been tempted to order them again, but they still give me pause."

Fatal Mistakes

Back in 2014, a 12 year old boy named Tamir Rice was shot and killed by a rookie police officer while he was playing near a gazebo at a recreation center in Cleveland, OH. The boy was holding a pellet gun and a person called 911 to report that a person who was "probably" a child was holding a gun that was "probably fake," according to this Washington Post article. The officer was not told about the "probably" parts, and approached the child, and shot. The child died in the snow. The officer was not fired at the time, but in May of 2017, was fired for not including details about past employment when he was first hired months before the shooting, according to that Washing Post article.

Walmart Pulls Airsoft BB Guns From Website

Gun culture makes getting guns easy and a normalized part of life. When I published this article after the Parkland, Florida tragedy, I included a screenshot of Walmart's website to show how easy it was to purchase a rifle online. A reader commented that the rifle shown in the example was a BB gun, and not, I suppose, an assault weapon. The implication, it seemed, was that buying a BB gun was no big deal. Not wanting to exacerbate the debate, I removed the picture to keep the focus on finding a solution. In that time, however, Walmart announced that it was pulling rifles like BB guns from their website (see the NPR report "Walmart Joins Dick's Sporting Goods In Tighter Limits On Gun Sales"). And in an instant, the page I had just visited to buy the pink rifle BB gun had vanished.

From the NPR Article:
Walmart is also removing items from its website "resembling assault-style rifles, including nonlethal airsoft guns and toys" — like the air gun Tamir Rice was playing with when he was shot by a Cleveland police officer who thought the 12-year-old was armed.

Companies aren't wanting to be associated with gun accidents or planned tragedies. So they are backing away and minimizing their liability. Any connection with tragedies is bad for business; the gun shop owner who sold the Parkland shooter one of his weapons felt compelled to hire a PR company to help issue statements. The issue of gun control has taken on a new dimension as companies get involved by limiting - or even ending altogether - their involvement.

The Mindset of Guns as Toys, Tools, and the Norm

A page from the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, where a swim meet starts with a pistol blast, scaring the Wimpy Kid.

With guns being so prevalent in everyday lives, is it time to look at them differently? Would fresh perspective curb the ease with which they are used as a solution to a social problem? To a troubled, heartbroken, misunderstood teenager?

The picture above is taken from a page in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules. In the book, the Wimpy Kid is forced to join a swim team. The first thing that scares him is the pistol shot to start the meet. He thinks it is a real gun, and hides under the water.

Why is a pistol used to start a swim meet? Could a whistle be used?

Why are toy pistols sold in a toy store? When a toy pistol is placed at 5-year-olds' eye level, where it hangs right next to something neutral like a slime-making kit or glow-in-the-dark bouncy ball, it conditions young minds that guns are toys.

The Not Discussed, Uncomfortable Notion of Gun Safety and Preparedness

If we consider CPR courses, Defensive Driving courses, and Fire Safety workshops to be normal and accepted practice, could Gun Safety training courses also become normal? To train prospective users that guns are really not toys, should be taken seriously, and how to use a gun in dangerous or threatening situations?

I asked Beacon's City Administrator, Anthony Ruggiero, if there had been any Active Shooter Training Workshops in Beacon. He responded that there have been in the past, when Beacon sponsored the County Citizens Preparedness Training courses, but he added that the sessions were not very well attended. He says another will be hosted in April.

Perhaps the mindset will shift, to one away from being a sitting duck, and one toward mental defense (think Bourne Identity...where are the exits? how to fight back? what everyday objects can become lifesaving tools?), planning, and rooting out the mindset of guns as toys.

Beacon City Schools to Perform Security Audits with Altaris Consulting Group

Beacon's School Superintendent Matthew Landahl announced Sunday via the school blog that all school buildings will undergo security audits by the company Altaris Consulting Group in order to receive recommendations for improvement. Altaris Consulting Group will also provide specialized training for Beacon City School District staff throughout the next year.

"They [Altaris Consulting Group] work with many districts in the area and we are very excited to start this work," said Dr. Landahl in his blog article.

See A Little Beacon Blog's earlier article on how the school district has been responding to the current gun violence crises.

City of Beacon to Vote on Joining National Day of Action on April 20 to Protect Students Against Gun Violence

UPDATE [3/6/2018]: The City Council voted Yes, and Beacon's School Superintendent attended the meeting and thanked the Beacon Police Department for their recent help.

During the March 5, 2018 City Council Meeting, the Beacon City Council will vote on a resolution to join the National Day of Action on April 20 to Protect Students Against Gun Violence, which is a movement spearheaded by the Network for Public Education after the shooting in Parkland, Florida. The Network for Public Education was founded in 2013 as an advocacy group whose mission is to preserve, promote, improve and strengthen public schools for both current and future generations of students.

As Stated by the Network for Public Education:
"Inspired by the courageous young people in Parkland, Florida, the Network for Public Education is joining with national organizations, schools and communities on April 20, 2018, the anniversary of the Columbine Massacre, to say 'No more.'

"Not one more child murdered in school. Not one more parent sending a child to school who never comes home. Not one more teacher, coach, principal, librarian or any school staff standing between students and a gunman. No. More.
 
"We call on every school community in America to join us to demand that our leaders take real action to end gun violence."

According to proposed legislation documents for Beacon, the Beacon City Council intends to join a National Day of Action on April 20, 2018, and "calls upon the state and federal governments to enact stricter controls governing the sale, possession and distribution of firearms and other dangerous weapons."

Several legislative suggestions are proposed on the National Day of Action's website, addressing gun control, mental health, and bullying prevention. At the local level here in Beacon, the City Council has written the following items to be sent to New York State Senator Sue Serino and Assemblyman Frank Skartados, and United States Representative Sean Patrick Maloney and United States Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles Schumer:

Beacon City Council's Suggested Legislation for New York State

• Legislation to raise the age to purchase a firearm to 21.
• Legislation to ban bump stocks.
• Legislation to prohibit the sale, production and importation of assault weapons and large capacity magazines.
• Legislation to prevent certain individuals with mental health conditions from buying firearms, in conjunction with legislation, regulations or public policies that encourage mental health evaluations, including ongoing mental and behavioral health support for students identified as being of imminent threat to themselves or others, and enhanced student access to mental health supports in schools and communities.

Additional Gun Awareness Events

Attendees at the February 20, 2018, City Council meeting thanked Mayor Randy Casale for holding a moment of silence for the victims of the Parkland, Florida, shooting. They then promoted nationwide events that are going on to address the issue, namely the school walkout on March 14, and nationwide demonstrations on March 24, 2018.

This week via the school blog, Beacon Schools' Superintendent Matthew Landahl announced a collaboration with the Beacon Police Department: "Working with the Beacon PD, we will have one police officer working between both Beacon High School and Rombout Middle School during the school day for the upcoming week. The presence of the police officer is simply to help us feel safe and secure next week. Thanks to the BPD for helping us out!"

The superintendent will be releasing more information on how Beacon City Schools will be participating in the National School Walkout on March 14, 2018.

Happening This Weekend - 3/2/2018

❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ ❄️ Hope you had a safe and cozy snow day! At least the frozen flakes have Beacon's reservoirs filling up - the drought level has been lifted thanks to this season's rain and snowfall. Kick your cabin fever to the curb during these last days of winter by getting out there to take your favorite class (or the intriguing class you've never taken), get some retail therapy, and sit in on a cultural experience. Your highlights for the weekend and week ahead are below. Highlighted below are the events, classes, workshops and shopping that you need to factor into your weekend plans, as well as your out-and-abouts next week! Sponsored by Antalek & Moore for car insurance. CANCELED Reel Life Film Club presents “First Position” Day: Friday, March 2, 2018 Time: 6 pm Location: Howland Public Library, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Due to the weather, the library is closed. Check back to see if this event will be rescheduled. Information > Dutchess Country St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Wappingers Falls Day: Saturday, March 3, 2018 Time: 1 pm Location: Village of Wappingers Falls, NY Information > Celebrating Women’s History Month - Opening Reception Day: Saturday, March 3, 2018 Time: 3 to 5 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Howland Chamber Music Circle presents Inon Barnatan, Piano Day: Sunday, March 4, 2018 Time: 4 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Plan ahead and check out what's coming up this month in our Events Guide.     The Artist's Way: A Creative Cluster Day: Sunday, March 4, 2018 (the beginning of a 12-week series) Time: 1:30 pm Location: A Little Beacon Blog's Space, 291 Main St., First Floor, First Door, Beacon, NY An Artist's Way group is being held at A Little Beacon Space on Sundays for the 12-week journey that Julia Cameron writes about and teaches via her classic book. This meeting time and space will be a gentle group, where people who are reading the book and going through their journey can share their thoughts and connect with others. The group serves as a connection point and hopes to foster creativity in all and nurture community. Drop-ins welcome if you can't make the entire series. Information > Thank you to Beacon Pilates for sponsoring the Classes for Adults Guide! For a full list of upcoming classes and workshops of all kinds, visit our Adult Classes Guide. Updates have started flying in for A Little Beacon Blog's Summer Camp Guide. Get the latest dates from All Sport, Beacon Art Studios Fashion Camp, Camp Robbins, Camp @ the Camp from Beacon Parks and Recreation, Beacon Performing Arts Center, and Common Ground Farm Day Camp. But that's just the beginning... More updates are coming, so check back often! For a full list of upcoming classes, visit our Kids Classes Guide.   Thank you to BAJA for sponsoring the Restaurant Guide!                              Flea Boutique Sale at CreateSpace Day: Saturday, March 3, 2018 Time: 9 am to 6 pm Location: CreateSpace, 145 Main St., Beacon, NY Blowout Sale! 50% off! PS: This is where this copy of The Artist's Way was found.     BOUTIQUES ON THE WEST END   Luxe Optique 183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com (across Cliff Street from Beacon Bread Company) Have you seen these crystal-clear frames by Dita yet? They have gold-tone hardware on the sides. Go ahead - take a closer look at Luxe Optique. These specs will look even cooler on your face.   BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END PARKING HINT: Park behind 1 East Main by the Hudson Valley Brewery and use the back walkway entrance! Style Storehouse 484 Main Street www.stylestorehouse.com (near Utensil) Dress up your spring style with sweet lace bralettes by free people and jewels by Five and Two, Yunis K and Wolf Circus. Are you following Style Storehouse's Instagram yet? You should, it's good... Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique 1 East Main, Retail #3 www.lambshillbridalboutique.com (near the dummy light) Lambs Hill has changed up their window for spring! The storefront windows of bridal stores are famous - forever leaving fanciful impressions in the minds of the young dreamers who pass them. Thank you to the following shops for sponsoring our Shopping Guide - Luxe Optique, Lambs Hill, and Style Storehouse! Where can you get your hair done in Beacon? Or a beard trim? Find out in A Little Beacon Blog's Beauty Guide! TIP: Up the hill from Lambs Hill Bridal is The Blushery, a makeup counter and laser hair removal boutique, all in one, serving men and women. SPOTLIGHT SPONSOR HIGHLIGHTS Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency Do you need to find your own health insurance? The agents at Antalek & Moore can help you navigate the journey, as there are a variety of moving parts associated with health insurance coverage. Call them at (845) 831-4300 to start your search. BeaconArts The Lip Sync Battle is a joint fundraiser, featuring an all-star cast of Beacon community leaders and other luminaries. They'll battle it out in support of BeaconArts and the Center for Creative Education. Hosted by the fabulous Pissi Myles. Date: Thursday, March 15, 2018 Tickets > InHouse Design Media The photographers and designers of InHouse Design Media can help you take amazing pictures for your business's Instagram. This four-week private workshop is like an amazing fitness class, but for your photos. Get fit! Details > Tin Shingle Do you ever see this sign hanging from the office door of Tin Shingle in Beacon's historic Telephone Building? If you've ever wanted to watch the webinar that is being produced, while Tin Shingle teaches easy techniques in PR, social media, SEO and more, you can see it right now, in the Replay section of Tin Shingle. Browse the Collection > Beacon Chamber of Commerce Meet and mingle with other businesses in Beacon and beyond at the Southern Duchess Country Club on Tuesday, March 6, as the Beacon Chamber of Commerce's membership expands to include other communities who want to work together. You don't have to be a member to attend this meeting, and you can bring a guest! Details > A Little Beacon Space The time is right to host your workshop, now you just need a venue. A Little Beacon's Space, conveniently located in the heart of Beacon, is a perfect spot for your audience. NEWSLETTER SIGNUP Advertise in A Little Beacon Blog Pictures shown above are from our advertising partners in the Things To Do In Beacon Guides. We can include your most exciting news here too! Sponsors make the local media go 'round. Reach our readers and support our publication at the same time. Advertising with A Little Beacon Blog is effective because we design ways to make it work for you. See our Media Kit for ideas! Click here to learn about ways to advertise on A Little Beacon Blog. Until next week!

Beacon Increases School Searches and Safety Measures

Back when the Beacon City School District was going through a leadership crisis, with a high rate of superintendent turnover, the Board of Education encouraged the community to participate in surveys so the board could hear what the community wanted in a superintendent. One of the strongest desires that became clear from that process was the need for Communication. Thus, Dr. Matt Landahl was found and hired, and he moved his family to Beacon. Right out of the gate, he has been a robust letter writer, an avid tweeter, and a super blogger for the school. To be real, this is his first year on the job in Beacon, so it is still a trial period. But since Week 1 of the school year, he has been in parents' ears and inboxes, testing the school district's upgraded robo-call system to make sure it works.

This Just In Via Robo-Call - 19 K-9 Teams Sweep All Beacon Schools

Over the past week, parents in the Beacon City School District have received several robo-calls: Someone from the school records a message that gets sent to phones, turned into emails, and is miniaturized into texts. Parents and other caregivers can get informed about something in at least three different ways. And yes, this is a different system from robo-call systems of years past; robo-call systems don't all work this way.

On Thursday, February 22, 2018, the Beacon School District Community was informed - via robo-call - of a threat made to Rombout Middle School.

Partial Message from February 22, 2018 Alert from Dr. Landahl:
We want to make you aware of a situation reported to us that involves Rombout Middle School. The Beacon City Police Department received a report yesterday evening of a concern about a potential school violence threat for Rombout Middle School. The School District and the Police Department investigated the matter yesterday evening and concluded that there was no credible threat made against the school.

We will continue to work closely with the Beacon City Police Department in all matters of threats of violence and potential harm reported to either the school district or the police department to ensure that we are working together to safeguard our students, staff, and community.

On Wednesday, February 28, another alert was issued, this time for the Beacon High School. This was also the same day that students in Parkland, Florida, returned to Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. According to Time.com, 95 percent of students returned to school that day. Closer to home, around the Hudson Valley, school closures and arrests were happening after threats were made to schools, and weapons caches were found (see our article about that here).

Message from February 28, 2018 Alert from Dr. Landahl:
I recently received information that there was writing found at Beacon High School that can be perceived as a threat, with the wording March 1st.  Our High School administration has been investigating the incident and we are also working closely with the Beacon Police Department.

This evening, the Beacon Police Department will be doing a sweep of all our buildings and there will be a police officer in our high school all day on March 1st. 

Please be advised that all after-school activities will be canceled this evening at Beacon High School. All other buildings in the district will close at 6:00 pm. I will send out a follow-up robo-call once we have an all-clear confirmation from the police department. 

We take the safety of our students and staff very seriously and I [will] be in touch soon with an update.

That night, parents had to pick up their children early from after-school activities because something was going to happen in the buildings conducted by the District at 6 pm. We didn't know what specifically was going on, so parents and program leaders just smiled and nodded calmly to each other at Kid Pickup.

The next robo-call came that evening at about 9 pm, informing us that all of the Beacon City Schools had been searched by police officers and 19 K-9 dog units.

Message from February 28, 2018 Alert from Dr. Landahl:
This is Matt Landahl with an update regarding school safety. This evening, the Beacon City Police Department, coordinating with our staff, deployed 19 K-9 teams to do an intensive sweep of all six of our school buildings. After each school was swept this evening, the building was secured. After this review, the Beacon Police Department has given us an all clear for the schools. We will be open tomorrow. 

We will have one police officer stationed at the high school for the entire school day tomorrow and another police officer stationed between the high school and middle school for additional security.

We take the safety of our students, staff, and school buildings very seriously. We do not find this threat to be credible but we wanted to be extremely cautious in our approach this evening and tomorrow. The Beacon Police Department has done a tremendous job working with us.

I got the robo-call with my elementary-age kids around me, as we were in bedtime mode. They heard my involuntary reaction, and asked what happened. My husband and I have been discussing how we want to tell the kids about what is happening. (And by "discussing," I mean in basically three-minute spurts between news broadcasts or moments tucked into other conversations.)

I told the kids that a threat had been made, and that police dogs searched for bad things and found everything to be safe. The kids asked what a "threat" was, and we had a conversation defining that, with examples, until they understood.

I could see dots getting connected in their minds as to what has been going on around them. "Oh, that's why there was a police officer at my school yesterday!" Ok... didn't know there was a police officer at your school yesterday, but good to know.

How Are The Kids?

Conversations are starting to percolate now among parents. Word on the street (real and virtual) is that kids are handling the increased tensions well, as different stressors pop up all the time in school, and uncomfortable incidents - whether we like it or not - have become par for the course. And it's true. Programs get initiated that we don't always know about (or we missed the memo teachers sent home in kids' folders), so the kids come home telling us about a puppet show that taught them how to tell an adult about sexual abuse. Or how they learned about fire safety from the Fire Chief who came to visit. Or that they ate cabbage for the first time from their school garden. Or that they talked about bullying and what that means or what is or isn't the best way to say something to another person. Or that they had a lock-down drill. Usually parents are informed about lock-down drills (aka active-shooter training) in advance. Recently, parents received a robo-call from the school principal with a report on how the kids did in a lock-down drill.

In my sphere, mentions of homeschooling are coming up, as parents instinctively want to keep their kids home in an environment we all perceive as safe and controlled. But tragic events seem random - remember the sniper in DC all of those years ago, who had the teenager with him? Despite tragic events, we are all going to have to leave our houses. Being part of a community makes us stronger. Locally, there is talk at the school district level of including the homeschooling community in district sports, at the homeschooling community's request.

In Parkland, the high school students are being led in part by their principal, who is sending encouraging messages, some of which come via Twitter. One of the more surprising ways he's cheerleading for his students: He is bringing furry friends onboard, even increasing the number of therapy dogs on campus.

Photo Credit: Screenshot from Principal Thompson's Twitter.

Photo Credit: Screenshot from Principal Thompson's Twitter.

Photo Credit: Screenshot from Principal Thompson's Twitter.

The School Shooting Issue Comes To Hudson Valley

Photo Credit: Graphic based on an image by Nina Schutzman

Today, and yesterday, and days before that, social media has been ablaze with parents and community members talking with each other about school shootings. It's the underlying current in any grocery store encounter, any client meeting, and school pickup or drop off. And Beacon's not alone. So many communities around the country are gripped with fear, dealing with fresh threats to schools by what seem to be vengeful kids. More conversations grow out of each threatening event.

At first, this article was planned to inform about actions taking place within the Beacon City School District, based on questionable threats that came in this week. However, other schools in the area closed yesterday, with Poughkeepsie shuttered for a second day today because of a threat. As one parent put it: "A snow day will be a welcome relief," as a nor'easter approaches the area today.

Schools all over the country are facing similar threats. But listening to the radio for local news upon the morning car commute, and a subsequent catch-up on articles from local newspapers, processing this all became very dizzying.

So What's Happening Around The Hudson Valley?

In brief, and this isn't all of the coverage around what is happening, according to WALL Radio based on an article at MidHudson News and the Albany Times-Union, a father and son in Saugerties were arrested after a cache of illegal guns and homemade weapons were found. On February 21, a student alerted authorities after reading the social media posts of her classmate - an 18-year-old senior - as he was praising the teens behind a 1999 shooting in Columbine, CO. When police interviewed him and his father, they both denied having the weapons at their home. Later, according to the article, the father "went home and removed five guns from his home, including a fully automatic 9mm Uzi and an AR-15 rifle." More weapons were found after a search, and a new warrant is pending. Both men were arraigned; the father was released on his own recognizance, while his son was sent to jail, later released after posting $10,000 bail.

Dutchess Deputy SRO Connected to Pivotal Diversion in Vermont

You may have heard about this NPR report covering the text messages back and forth between a girl and her guy friend at Fair Haven Union High School in Vermont after the Parkland shooting. This incident that followed has prompted the governor of Vermont to reconsider looking at gun control measures. According to the NPR report, the governor is a lifelong gun owner and gun rights supporter, but has amended his position after learning more about the almost-shooting that happened in a high school there.

A high school-aged girl texted a friend of hers letting him know about the Parkland shooting, and he replied with, "That's fantastic, 100% support it." She told him he couldn't say that, and he replied with something about "natural selection." The girl reported it to her school guidance counselor, and events unfolded leading to the friend being arrested and held without bail. Included in that discovery leading up to his arrest was a journal he kept called Diary of an Active Shooter, a list of intended human targets, and a recently purchased shotgun.

Dutchess Deputy Evan Traudt is a School Resource Officer (SRO) at Arlington High School. According to a Poughkeepsie Journal article, he went to Fair Haven Union High School in Vermont. He said that he heard about the report from a social worker at Arlington High School. He immediately called Vermont and got in touch with the agency that handles that school district, and passed along information he had.

The Beacon City School District has been considering having an SRO in its schools (see this statement from Beacon's Superintendent in September 2017). According to the Poughkeepsie Journal article, "though not the standard daily duty of a school resource officer, the events underscore key ideas of having a school resource officer - students or staff can reach out to the officer, someone they know and see every day. Ideally, the officer can step in before tragedy occurs."

Back in Vermont, the governor has said: "I'm open to anything. Everything's on the table." According to the NPR report, the governor's table spread includes:

• Supporting a measure that would allow police to temporarily remove a firearm in a case of domestic violence, without a court order.
• Giving police the right to seize guns from people deemed dangerous.
• Raising the age for someone to purchase a gun to 21.
• Considering universal background checks, magazine capacity limits and other changes.

Meanwhile In Poughkeepsie...

At the Poughkeepsie Journal, school beat reporter Nina Schutzman has been covering the unfolding events, and summed it up in one Facebook screenshot:

Photo Credit: Nina Schutzman

In one instance, according to this Poughkeepsie Journal article, a threat was made to the BOCES Tech Center in Hyde Park through the social media platform Snapchat, which shows a short video for 24 hours, then the video disappears. A message sent from a person on that platform threatened to "shoot up the school." The Dutchess County Sheriff's Office responded, and charged a teenage girl from Pawling with "making a terroristic threat, a felony, and falsely reporting an incident, a misdemeanor," according to the article. After investigating, according to the Poughkeepsie Journal article, "the threat was found to be non-credible, according to police, and there was no indication that staff or students were in danger at any point." The girl has since been arraigned, during which time she was ordered to take a mental health evaluation, and will report to probation and be electronically monitored.

Shaking Off - Or Breaking Through - The Discomfort Zone

This is all extremely uncomfortable and difficult to talk about because so many issues are colliding at one time:

• Freedom to bear arms.
• The right to protect oneself.
• Unhappy children and teens.
• What happens next to teens who are arrested after making threats? School expulsion and isolation didn't prevent the Parkland shooting. Clearly, some students who are emotionally upset and depressed begin to think of guns as a solution.
• Feelings of unpreparedness in active-shooter situations; simply saying the words "active-shooter situations" makes the stomach turn with a variety of uncomfortable feelings.

So we're exploring these issues, and will be delivering a few more articles on the topic in order to break through the discomfort zone to help our community feel and stay safe. Updated articles will be posted below as they get published:

• Beacon Increases School Searches & Safety Measures

Beacon Removed From Drought Levels of Water Thanks To recent Snow and Rain

Photo Credit: Heidi Harrison

Last weekend in Beacon, you may have been thinking, "Oh no, rain again?" Which is almost exactly what Beacon's Water and Sewer Superintendent was thinking, but with a little more enthusiasm - "Oh yes, rain again!!"

Thanks to the recent rain and snow showers, Beacon has been removed from drought status after the February 14, 2018 read of Beacon's three reservoirs, according to Beacon's City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero at the 2/20/2018 City Council Meeting. (Anthony's comments start about 51 minutes into the video.)

"The City’s reservoirs continue to replenish. With the recent snow storms and rain showers, all three reservoirs are now above the drought limits," reported Anthony at the meeting.

"Mount Beacon continues to recharge at a steady rate and should be full within the next few weeks. Cargill, being the largest of the three reservoirs, will still need more precipitation, but has recovered 12 feet of capacity in the past month." According to the report, the Cargill reservoir is down 10 feet, while Mount Beacon is down 6 feet and Melzingah (the smallest) is full, which was predicted at the water reading prior to this one.

Next Water Report & Moratorium update

On March 14, the City of Beacon will be brought up to date on the Comprehensive Water Report authorized last year by the City Council as part of the six-month moratorium barring new development in Beacon. The moratorium, whose end date is coming up quickly, was first entertained at a July 10, 2017 City Council meeting because Beacon's population is growing faster than previous water projections would support, yet new water sources have not been identified.

That meeting is open to the public, and starts at 7 pm on Wednesday, March 14. It will be held at the Municipal Building, down the hill from Bank Square, toward the train station.

Tin Shingle's February Member Meeting (Sponsored)

Tin Shingle is an empowerment center for businesses, artists, makers and nonprofits who are working on ways to get the word out about what they do. Tin Shingle's platform trains creators like yourself in ways to get PR, use social media, understand SEO (aka getting found in Google), sending newsletters, and more. Putting yourself out there can be a scary concept, but Tin Shingle guides you to face this fear head-on, to help you break through to your audience. Once you open for business and hang your shingle, you can't sit back and wait for the people! You must go out there and reach them to help them come in (both figuratively and literally)!

During this month of love, Tin Shingle wants to help you dig in and give back to your business. Although Tin Shingle's membership is nationwide, its headquarters is in Beacon (sharing an office with A Little Beacon Blog!) and offers an opportunity for its members at the Community Level of Membership to connect in person on the last Monday of each month at noon. But this month, the meeting will be open to all.

Connecting business owners, artists and makers is so important to Tin Shingle, because when people come together, fresh ideas fly. You begin to think bigger, and come away with new visions and strategies to help your business grow.

Tin Shingle's Kick A** Member Meeting

Yes, it's called the Kick Ass Member Meeting because that is how you will feel after leaving with a plan. This hourlong meeting will have several parts. Indulge in this session of talking shop with other like-minded business owners who probably share several of your challenges and triumphs.

• Workshop: Bring the magazines you want your business to be featured in. We will all be doing our homework by clipping ideas, and identifying writers and editors to follow up with for a fresh PR pitch.
• Brain Picking: If there's an expert in the room, you can pick their brains! Tin Shingle's owner Katie will be there, which means you can ask your questions about SEO, Social Media, Business Strategies, and PR. Katie also runs A Little Beacon Blog.
• Idea-ating: Through all of this, you're bound to come up with new ideas to tackle this week or month. We're looking forward to hearing them!

Where: 291 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508, First Floor, First Door
When: Today - Monday, February 26, at noon

COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIP LEVEL - $45/month
The Community Membership with Tin Shingle is our entry-level membership and includes:

• FEEDBACK: Inclusion in our Private Facebook Community to ask your questions and get quick answers about PR, Marketing, Social Media, Websites, and more.
• BOARDS: Submit your Press Releases and Media Pitches to our group, and receive feedback and suggestions to make them better.
• PROFILE: Get listed on Tin Shingle's website and Business Directory, which is searched by the media and potential customers and clients.

This has been a message from our sponsor, Tin Shingle. Thank you for supporting businesses who support us! To reach our readers with an article and newsletter like this, see our Media Kit.

Happening This Weekend - 2/23/2018 (plus a Main Street Challenge!)

You've got lots to brighten your day out here on the streets of Beacon and in the surrounding Hudson Valley. If you've not been to Beacon's Main Street and surrounding side streets lately - and that includes you Beacon locals! - then accept this challenge: Drive or walk down Main Street and pull over to walk into one store you've never been to before. Then tell us about it here in the comments! Highlighted below are the events, classes, workshops and shopping events that you need to factor into your weekend plans, as well as your to-do's next week! Sponsored by Antalek & Moore for car insurance. Movies That Matter Film Screening: "I Am Not Your Negro" Day: Friday, February 23, 2018 Time: 7 to 10 pm Location: First Presbyterian Church, 50 Liberty St., Beacon, NY This documentary journeys into black history and connects the past of the Civil Rights movement to the present of Black Lives Matter. The film, based on the writings of James Baldwin, questions black representation in Hollywood and beyond. And, ultimately, by confronting the deeper connections between the lives and assassination of three leaders, Raoul Peck has directed a work that challenges the very definition of what America stands for. Information > Garrison Art Center's School Invitational Theme Exhibition; Inside the Outsiders and Mentor Program Show Day: Saturday, February 24, 2018 Time: Opening reception 3 to 5 pm Location: 23 Garrison’s Landing, Garrison, NY This exhibition includes work by students from Beacon High School as well as artists residing in Beacon, serving as mentors. Information > Soup4Greens Fundraiser Day: Sunday, February 25, 2018 Time: 10 am to 2 pm Location: Beacon Farmers' Market, 413 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Beacon SURJ and Story Time Film Screening: "Whose Streets?" Day: Tuesday, February 27, 2018 Time: 7 pm Location: Beacon Hebrew Alliance, 331 Verplanck Ave., Beacon, NY The film takes a close-up look at the civil unrest that erupted after a shocking act of violence in Ferguson, Missouri - and the decades of simmering tension leading up to it. Discussion to follow screening. Information > NEW WEEKLY EVENT: Swing Dancing at the Elks Club Day: Every Thursday Time: 7pm Location: Elks Lodge, 900 Wolcott Ave., Beacon, NY Events like this are tracked in A Little Beacon Blog's Repeating Event Guide. NEW MONTHLY EVENT: Southern Dutchess NAACP Member Meeting Day: Every third Thursday of the month Time: 7 to 10 pm Location: Springfield Baptist Church, 8 Maddie Cooper Square, Beacon, NY Events like this are tracked in A Little Beacon Blog's Repeating Event Guide. Plan ahead and check out what's coming up this month in our Events Guide. Easy Peazy Pajama Pants with Katy Hope Level: Confident Beginner Day: Sunday, February 25, 2018 Time: 1 to 5 pm Location: Beetle & Fred, 171 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Learn To Love Your Machine with Hilary Oak Level: Absolute Beginners Day: Saturday, February 24, or Monday, February 26, 2018 Time: 6 to 9 pm Location: Beetle & Fred, 171 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Essential Oils 101 Day: Sunday, February 25, 2018 Time: 1 to 2:30 pm Location: BeBhakti Yoga Center, 89 Dewindt St., Beacon, NY Hair & Makeup Techniques for Film Day: Monday, February 26, 2018 Time: 6 to 8:30 pm Location: The CineHub LLC, 20 W. Main St., Suite 4, Beacon, NY Information > Thank you to Beacon Pilates for sponsoring the Classes for Adults Guide! For a full list of upcoming classes and workshops of all kinds, visit our Adult Classes Guide. Harlem Wizards vs. Beacon City School Staff All Stars (Public School Fundraiser) Day: Friday, February 23, 2018 Time: Doors open at 6 pm, game starts at 7 pm Location: Beacon High School, 101 Matteawan Road, Beacon, NY The Wizards are coming! The trick team will play/perform on Friday, February 23, at 7 pm at the Beacon High School gym. Watch teachers and community members play against the Harlem Wizards! At a Wizards game, fans will witness amazing basketball talent combined with hilarious comedy. It's two hours of family time where parents, grandparents, and kids can all laugh together. This fundraising event is hosted by the Rombout Middle School PTO, Beacon High School PTSO, and the National Honor Society. Buy tickets here > Information > Events like this are tracked in A Little Beacon Blog's Public School Fundraising Guide. Anime & Manga Club Day: Friday, February 23, 2018 Time: 3 to 5 pm Location:How land Public Library, 313 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > How to Make Cake Balls Ages: Tweens, Teens, Cake Hobbyist Day: Saturday, February 24, 2018 Time: 2 to 4 pm Location: The Cupcakery, 1004 Main St., Fishkill, NY Information > 2018 Bulldog Baseball Winter Camp Day: Saturday, February 24, 2018 Time: 10 am to noon Location: Beacon High School, 101 Matteawan Road, Beacon, NY Information > Kids &smp; Canvas: “Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss” Day: Sunday, February 25, 2018 Time: 11 am Location: Eat Paint Love, 331 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > For a full list of upcoming classes, visit our Kids Classes Guide. Thank you to BAJA for sponsoring the Restaurant Guide! BOUTIQUES ON THE WEST END Luxe Optique 183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com (across Cliff Street from Beacon Bread Company) Go ahead... try these on. There are lots more styles like these beauties by Anne & Valentin in Luxe Optique now. Not sure about your prescription? No problem. The doctor is in! Get an eye exam for $45, or $25 if you buy glasses within seven days of the exam. BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END PARKING HINT: Park behind 1 East Main, by the Hudson Valley Brewery, and use the back walkway entrance to come up to Main Street! Style Storehouse 484 Main Street www.stylestorehouse.com (near Utensil) BOOT SALE!! That's right, ladies. Don't let that one day of 70 degree temps trick you. You still have plenty of time to wear boots this season, and have a great pair for next year. Don't miss this sale! Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique 1 East Main, Retail #3 www.lambshillbridalboutique.com (near the dummy light) Did you know that capes are a huge trend this year? Even (especially?) if the cape is transparent with fabric flowers falling from it? See new samples and accessories in the Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique, like this tulle cape from the Justin Alexander Signature line. Thank you to the following shops for sponsoring our Shopping Guide! Luxe Optique, Lambs Hill, and Style Storehouse. Where can you have your hair done in Beacon? Or get a beard trim? Find out in A Little Beacon Blog's Beauty Guide! SPOTLIGHT SPONSOR HIGHLIGHTS Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency Do you know if your jewelry is covered under your homeowners insurance policy? What about your laptop? What if a tree falls on your house, what is covered then? The agents at Antalek and Moore can answer all of these questions for you. Call them at (845) 831-4300. Rhinebeck Bank If you haven't already taken your mid-winter break, now is the time to escape to Emerson Resort & Spa in Ulster County. Michelle from Rhinebeck Bank visits the resort to learn about their recent multimillion dollar renovation, which included work to the spa. Learn more about it here in this episode of Wake Up With Rhinebeck Bank! InHouse Design Media The photographers and designers at InHouse Design Media can help you take amazing pictures to perk up your Instagram presence. Katie Hellmuth Martin and Leigh Baumann from A Little Beacon Blog are also designers at InHouse Design Media. They can train you, too! This four-week private workshop is like an amazing fitness class, but to get your photo skills in shape. Available to businesses and artists within a 10-mile radius of Beacon. Learn more here > Tin Shingle - Open House FREE MEETING FOR BUSINESSES, ARTISTS, NONPROFITS (This month only!) This Monday! Join Tin Shingle for the monthly member meeting. Bring your PR Homework, which consists of stacks of magazines and newspaper sections you want PR in. We will brainstorm how you are going to make that happen. Normally this meeting is for Tin Shingle's Community Level Members only, but for the month of Love (February), it's open to all. Day: Monday, February 26, 2018 Time: Noon to 1 pm Location: 291 Main St., Beacon, NY, First Floor, First Door Beacon Chamber of Commerce Vendor applications are now being accepted for the Cupcake Festival. Get the application here > BeaconArts BeaconArts has announced a new slate of leaders to kick off 2018 and usher in a new era of service and art sponsorship. The new president of BeaconArts is artist Rick Rogers, whose gallery across from The Roundhouse overlooks Fishkill Creek. The Vice President is Theresa Goodman; Aaron Verdile continues as Treasurer; and the Secretary is Linda Pratt Kimmel. Board Members-at-Large are Hanny Ahern, Karlyn Benson, Christina Jensen, Meghan Goria, and Terry Nelson. A Little Beacon Space The time is right to host your workshop, now you just need a venue. A Little Beacon's Space, convienently located in the heart of Beacon, is the perfect spot to host your audience. NEWSLETTER SIGNUP Advertise in A Little Beacon Blog Pictures shown above are from our advertising partners in the Things To Do In Beacon Guides. We can include your most exciting news here too! Sponsors make the local media go round. Reach our readers and support our publication at the same time. Advertising with A Little Beacon Blog is effective because we design ways to make it work for you. See our Media Kit for ideas! Click here to learn about ways to advertise on A Little Beacon Blog. Until next week!

New Event: The Artist's Way Creative Cluster Group at A Little Beacon Space

WHEN: Sundays, 1:30 pm, from March 4 to May 20, 2018
WHERE: A Little Beacon Space, 291 Main St., First Floor, First Door, Beacon, NY
PRICE: Open to all (free)
RSVP: Click here to use the RSVP form on the Event page

An Artist's Way Creative Cluster group is being held at A Little Beacon Space on Sundays for the 12-week journey that Julia Cameron writes about and teaches via her classic book. This meeting time and space will be a gentle group, where people who are reading the book and going through their journey can share their thoughts and connect with others. The group will serve as a connection point, with a goal of fostering creativity in all and nurturing community. It will be lightly led by Katie Hellmuth Martin, or another person in the group over the 12 weeks.

The only requirements are these:

• Book in hand: You have gotten your copy of The Artist's Way out of storage, and into your hands. You could go to Binnacle Books and have them order you a copy if you need to. The book in this picture was purchased at the pop-up flea at Create Space.
• Pages: You have a new journal or stack of paper for which to write your Morning Pages. You can find journals at Play, Dreams in Plastic, and Echo, or maybe Raven Rose and Lauren and Riley. All right here on Main Street, Beacon. The journals in this picture were found at Play. Check A Little Beacon Blog's Shopping Guide for other ideas.
• Non-artists welcome: In the words of Julia Cameron in the book:
  Julia: "I teach people to let themselves be creative."
  Person on the Street: "Oh. You mean we're all creative?"
  Julia: "Yes."
  So don't be shy. Come on by.
• Life happens: The book walks us through a 12-week journey. This creative cluster will meet at 1:30 pm every Sunday from March 4 to May 20. If you can't come to every meeting, that's OK. If you just heard about this, or decided midway through that you want to come to a meeting, that's OK.
• Not a professional workshop of The Artist's Way: You may have taken workshops based on this before. This is the first time we are doing it, so it's free-form and will follow the Tasks and Check-Ins offered in the book. And that's about all we know!

Beacon Superintendent Responds to School Safety After Parkland, FL Shooting

Beacon's Superintendent, Matthew Landahl, issued a statement the day after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Dear Beacon City School District Community:

The tragic school shooting in Parkland, Florida, on Wednesday of this week weighs heavily on us all. The morning after the shooting, I had the opportunity to walk my son to school for a special field trip that was leaving before the regular school day began. The 40-odd students and their parents gathered excitedly with teachers and staff to wait for the bus. Standing there watching over my son and talking with other parents, I would guess that not one of the students knew what happened the day before. I also felt that I knew what was in the back of each parent and staff member’s mind. As we stood there and waved goodbye to the bus, I reflected for a few moments on the beauty of being both an educator and a parent in times like this.  The beauty lies in the fact that no matter what is happening in the world, our young people wake up ready for what’s next, expecting not only our best in terms of learning experiences but also that we do our best to keep them safe.

While I strongly believe that the Beacon City School District collectively takes safety seriously, I also believe that we should always strive to do better with this and everything we do. Yesterday, our building principals already began making some revisions to their Emergency Response Plans in light of what we are learning from Parkland. Our District Emergency Response Team, comprised of Beacon administrators and local law enforcement, is meeting on Wednesday, February 21, to review our plans and drill procedures, especially in light of what can be learned from the most recent events. Our entire district administrative team will meet on Thursday, February 22, to discuss any changes in our plans so we are all consistent in our implementation. While these building plans are not public documents, I will keep the community updated throughout the remainder of this year on our efforts to keep us all safe. As always, thanks for your support.

Sincerely,
Matt Landahl
Superintendent

See all updates from the Superintendent here.

Happening This Weekend - 2/16/2018

Happy long weekend! Some of you regular readers are away from Beacon, and some of you are away from your home to visit Beacon! Welcome :) Maybe you came here because you read about Beacon in Vogue, who recently featured The Inn and Spa at Beacon during a Hudson Valley highlight article, or on Expedia, who named Beacon as one of their Most Artistic Towns. Also it turns out, people on layovers from Stewart Airport are coming over for lunch or dinner, according to the owner of Liberty Bistro in Newburgh, in the Rhinebeck Bank video below. Highlighted below are the events, classes, workshops and shopping deals that you need to factor into your weekend plans, as well as your week next week! Sponsored by Antalek & Moore for car insurance. “Share The Love” Fitness Event Day: Saturday & Sunday, February 17-18, 2018 Time: All day Location: Zoned Fitness, 490 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Live Concert: Kofi & Sankofa Day: POSTPONED DUE TO SNOW Time: 7:30 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Plan ahead and check out what's coming up this month in our Events Guide.     Beacon Pilates 18 West Main Street, Suite 3 www.beaconpilates.com (near the train station) Have you been inside the new space yet? The best way to start at Beacon Pilates is with their Intro Offer of two private lessons and one Trio class. Pretty soon, you'll be like the owner Juliette's daughter, climbing and hanging from the equipment. Don't you want to do this? Cooking & Pairing Class Day: Monday, February 19, 2018 Time: 6 to 8 pm Location: Olive U, 896 Main St., Fishkill, NY Information > For a full list of upcoming classes, visit our Adult Classes Guide.   Art & Zine Club Meetup - Button Making Day: Friday, February 16, 2018 Time: 3:30 to 5 pm Location: Howland Public Library, 313 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Try Ice Skating Free Day: Sunday, February 18, 2018 Time: 10:45 to 11:45 am Location: Ice Time Sports, 21 Lakeside Road, Newburgh, NY Information > Holiday Vacation Camp Ages: 5 to 12 Day: Monday, February 19, 2018 Time: 8 am to 5 pm Location: All Sport Health & Fitness, 17 Old Main St., Fishkill, NY Information > For a full list of upcoming classes, visit our Kids Classes Guide.     Thank you to BAJA for sponsoring the Restaurant Guide!     BOUTIQUES ON THE WEST END   Luxe Optique 183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com (across Cliff Street from Beacon Bread Company) Cutie patootie little cases, aren't they? That's right! These are glasses cases for one of the lines in the store, the frames of which are outrageous. Head into Luxe Optique and ask which frames come with these little cases, and take a set home.   BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END PARKING HINT: Park behind 1 East Main, by the Hudson Valley Brewery, and use the back walkway entrance to come up to Main Street! Style Storehouse 484 Main Street www.stylestorehouse.com (near Utensil) SALE ALERT! Joggers, sweats, loungewear - these comfy pieces go by many names and come in many shapes. In stock at Style Storehouse, they are all super soft and super cozy and 50% off right now! Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique 1 East Main, Retail #3 www.lambshillbridalboutique.com (near the dummy light) New samples from Justin Alexander are in store now! Walk in to see them during Lambs Hill's regular hours, and make an appointment to try them on. Email lambshillbridalboutique@gmail.com, or call (845) 765-2900. Thank you to the following shops for sponsoring our Shopping Guide! Luxe Optique, Lambs Hill, and Style Storehouse. Where can you get your hair done in Beacon? Or a beard trim? Find out in A Little Beacon Blog's Beauty Guide! SPOTLIGHT SPONSOR HIGHLIGHTS Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency Yeah, yeah, we know how easy it is to not invest in renters insurance. You're just renting, right? But your belongings are valuable. "Renters insurance is a comprehensive way to protect all of your belongings in the event of theft or damage, and often protects these belongings both inside and outside the home," says Antalek & Moore. Call them at (845) 831-1400 to learn more. Rhinebeck Bank Michelle from Rhinebeck Bank visits Newburgh, NY, to check out Liberty Street Bistro with owner and chef Michael Kelly. Learn how this restaurant, located in Newburgh's recently designated Creative Neighborhood, came to be and what types of cuisine they offer. Watch the video to find out how Rhinebeck Bank has impacted this restaurant and helped their business develop! Also learn about Kelly's upcoming projects, including a bakery opening late this year in the Creative Neighborhood! PS: Rhinebeck Bank has a Creative Neighborhood Loan Fund! Learn more about it here. InHouse Design Media The photographers and designers at Beacon-based InHouse Design Media can help you take amazing pictures for your Instagram. How do we know how great they are? Because they are the same people behind A Little Beacon Blog - Katie Hellmuth Martin and Leigh Baumann! We can train you. It's like an amazing fitness class, but for your photos. Let us have an intervention with your Instagram feed in this four-session class. Tin Shingle - Open House FREE MEETING FOR BUSINESSES, ARTISTS, NONPROFIT GROUPS (this month only!) Do you hate marketing? Does social media overwhelm you? Do you see other businesses or projects in the newspaper, and think: "Dang - I wish that were my business/project featured there!" Then this meeting is for you. Tin Shingle is an empowerment center for businesses, artists, makers and nonprofits who are trying to get the word out about their work. Tin Shingle is run by Katie, who also runs A Little Beacon Blog. It's a nationwide, member-based resource center that has just opened up the ability to have in-person member meetings in the Hudson Valley at 291 Main Street in Beacon's Telephone Building. We're calling it The Kick A** Member Meeting, because it's there to help you kick butt in your business. Normally it's a meeting for Tin Shingle's Community Level Members only, but this month, it's open to all. Day: Monday, February 26, 2018 Time: Noon to 1 pm Location: 291 Main Street, First Floor, First Door, Beacon, NY Beacon Chamber of Commerce Psst...The Cupcake Festival is coming back to Beacon! Day: Saturday, May 5, 2018 (rain date the next day) Time: 1 to 5 pm Location: Beacon's East End Details >   BeaconArts : Beacon Open Studios This citywide art happening, Beacon Open Studios, is in motion! BeaconArts is the event's fiscal sponsor, so all signups and sponsorships go through them. Here's what you need to know: Sponsorships Available Now: Your business can place an ad in the brochure that is seen by pretty much everyone, as it includes a map of where to find each of the artists. Details > Volunteer Positions: Hurry to sign up for special volunteer jobs! Spots are filling up fast. Details > Artist Registration: Get on the map! Sign up now to be included in the official brochure and opening exhibition! Details > Opening Night: Party! Details > Open Studios Weekend: Walk or drive to visit artists on your list. Collect new art along the way! Details > A Little Beacon Space The time is right to host your workshop, now you just need a venue. A Little Beacon's Space, conveniently located right in the heart of Beacon, is a perfect spot to fit your audience. NEWSLETTER SIGNUP Advertise in A Little Beacon Blog Pictures shown above are from our advertising partners in the Things To Do In Beacon Guides. We can include your most exciting news here too! Sponsors make the local media go round. Reach our readers and support our publication at the same time. Advertising with A Little Beacon Blog is effective because we design ways to make it work for you. See our Media Kit for ideas! Click here to learn about ways to advertise on A Little Beacon Blog. Until next week!

School Shootings - Where Do We Go From Here?

So today's a regular Thursday, after a regular Wednesday that was otherwise regular other than the fact that it was Valentine's Day, and in the blur of headline notifications that blip on my phone - and everyone else's phone - was the school shooting headline, arriving from a few different news outlets. Again. Another death headline. Too gruesome to think about, the day went on. Back home, my husband walked through the door, asked me if I saw the headline. Yes I did, and he announced that he wouldn't watch the news last night because our kids were up and around us. So. No details.

On this Thursday, I was in newsletter mode (we call it the NL), and I was bound to finish it today so that our team would be all clear tomorrow and not needing to slide through another Friday afternoon putting on finishing touches. But as I ate breakfast after taking my kids to school, and before going to the office, I found myself in one of those moments of silence when thoughts that you're keeping away refuse to stay away, and rush in. Suddenly I was mad. Had I just experienced numbness from children dying? I did! There have been too many shootings - of any kind - in our lives.

Legislation can clog systems. It can unnecessarily complicate something. But what continues to stupefy me is why it is harder to get a driver's license than it is to buy and use a gun over the years. Why is it more regulated to drive a car (no cell phones, no texting while driving, DUIs, etc.) than it is to buy and use a gun over the years? Why can a random person off the street (or a vengeful spouse or partner) call CPS to report a child issue, and CPS can come into your home and check your refrigerator and interview your children, yet it's easier to buy and use a gun over the years?

I'm pro-gun. Own a gun! Clean it! Hopefully you won't accidentally shoot yourself in the face, like my husband's grandfather - a war veteran - did! Hopefully you won't shoot yourself in despair, like my great-grandfather did! Hopefully you won't shoot yourself out of love-sickness or loneliness like my other great-grandfather - a hunter - did after his wife died! Hopefully you'll have fun with it - go hunting , shoot clay pigeons - heck, maybe you'll even make a potato gun. But why such little protection around it? Why is it harder to build a garage in our backyards because of local zoning laws that protect your neighbor's sightline or run-off or something, than it is to buy and use a gun over the years?

But heck. I was on deadline, so I needed to shake off the mood to get back into a happy place to keep doing my job. So I went jogging. I put on peppy music so that I could get back into NL writing mode - which requires excitement and a good mood. But then I got an email from a small-business friend, Jackie Berlowski in Parkland, FL, who decided to email her business newsletter for GreatHerGood about the situation. This is what she said, and this is when I cried at my desk:

---

"We are beyond shocked and saddened over the Parkland school shooting yesterday. We live in Parkland (about a block away from the school) and lot of our good friends live in Parkland as well. We know several teachers, coaches, and kids in the area especially our friend's kids that go to that school. With each hour that goes by we learn about someone else we know who has been affected.

"We heard helicopters and ambulances all afternoon into the night from my office. Luckily, our son Tyler goes to a different school down the street. However, other parents were not as lucky. I scrambled to pick up my kid along with every other parent. As I tried to get back into my development with Tyler safely in the car, I looked over and saw a couple sobbing by the side of the road, people looking frantically for their child, I saw people leaving their cars right where they were stopped, I saw the SWAT team flood the streets as the local police redirected the traffic, and I saw triage tents set up right on our corner. As my 6 year old son noticed the intensity of the situation, he got teary eyed and asked what happened. As a Mom and a human being, how do we keep explaining this to our kids?!

"I remembered this quote. It's an oldie but a goodie from Mr. Rogers... and it seemed to help. "Look for the helpers." Fred Rogers often told this story about when he was a boy and would see scary things on the news: “My mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers.' It seemed to diminish the doom and gloom of a scary situation.

"I know people say this is not the time to discuss guns. Bullshit. Enough is enough! This is the exact time to discuss guns. How many people need to die to force our politicians to ignore the temptation of accepting gun lobbyist money and finally take action, create change and implement common sense and new gun control policies. Yesterday's tragedy hits WAY too close to home and it wasn't just that one day. It's this morning, it's tomorrow morning, it's in the weeks to come as families try to move forward. As helicopters were still hovering overhead for the 11pm news last night and continue to this morning (right outside our window), my husband and I struggle with how a young, troubled person can obtain a gun let alone an assault rifle.  

"This is the 18th school shooting this year alone. It's only February. Are we getting numb to this?! These are real families just like yours that are impacted for the rest of their lives. This is where my son will go to middle and high school.

"To say I grabbed my son a little tighter yesterday and this morning is a massive understatement.

"Today my longtime friend from sleep-away camp is grieving because her fellow teacher, Scott, was shot protecting the kids in his class. Our good friend's daughter was in one of the classrooms as all of this occurred and is in shock today. It's just the beginning, we will hear more each hour with every text, every phone call and every update.

"We need to change this culture in America and I encourage everyone to spread the word that change is NEEDED and there is a better America out there for our children!"

- Jackie Berlowski

---

If you're a parent now, your kids go to Lock Down Drills. In those, students get trained to hide from a gunman. Do you remember doing tornado drills? Me too. That was the extent of our threats. Now, as parents, we get to think about how our kids are being trained - is it smart that they are being trained to hide in a closet? Should they be trained to go out a window? Is it disturbing that 5-year-olds and teachers are being trained to learn how to distract a gunman, or to throw things in his face in order to buy one more second of time?

It's too much burden to put on a teacher, to not only teach and help shape our kids, but to save their lives by sheltering them with their bodies. It's too much. God bless teachers. These heroes. All of the small people and big people angels in these events.

Police across the Hudson Valley are hosting learning sessions. Sergeant Phillip Roloson, of the Town of Lloyd (Ulster County) Police Department, held a workshop in October 2017 on what to do when an active shooter is in the building. His teachings contradicted some strategies in the public school. So who is right? Why do we need to think about this? Why do we need to live with this? Of course, it's always good to learn self defense. 

A determined yet delusional person is always going to get their hands on what they want, but why make it so easy?

[EDIT 2/15/2018: When this article first published, an illustration was included showing how easy it was to buy a rifle online at Walmart. The rifle pictured with this article was a BB gun, so to not confuse the argument, the illustration has been removed.]

[EDIT 3/5/2018: Walmart pulled that rifle BB gun that a person in the Comments at Facebook questioned and brushed off as irrelevant after a company announcement was made on February 28, 2018 "Walmart Joins Dick's Sporting Goods In Tighter Limits On Gun Sales." Now that Walmart and Dick's Sporting Goods thing it relevant, this online rifle purchase has been placed back into this article.]

Here is how easy it is (was) to purchase this pink rifle online at Walmart:

Look closely at the picture, and you'll see that the Walmart website is (was) asking for Y age. That's a typo. It didn't matter what was typed in. Age didn't matter. Insurance could also conventiently be purchased for one low price.

When a person uses their car to plow through people, at least we know that they didn't just buy the car from Walmart so easily. If a person gets into a stolen truck or bus, at least we know that people need licenses to drive the truck. Not that it would have prevented them from driving the truck, but at least we all know that it's not OK for untrained people to drive huge vehicles. There is at least that basic comfort. And like I said, the troubled person will still do what they do. But in many places, there's no such requirement for any would-be gun buyers.

Before typing this, I texted to Marilyn, who edits the Things To Do In Beacon Guides, letting her know that I was hugely distracted and trying to get in the mood. She suggested we write about being thankful for the close-knit community to connect with. And she's right. The major part of this problem is people's unhappiness. As parents, we need to listen to our kids, help them feel heard and respected and supported. Give them alone-time, but stay aware of what they are doing. Make sure they are tapped into what they are showing passions for. As a community, we need to be curious about people we don't know. We need to learn about their cultures and habits because they are different from ours. To stay healthy, we need each other, to support each other, so that the delusions of wanting to be a gunman don't surface.

Peace.

Happy Valentine’s Day 2018

Celebrate this day of love. Pass it forward to anyone you see today. Anything can be a valentine - a hug, a piece of paper with a little note on it, something special you found, or just anything thoughtful.

Happy Valentine’s Day! 

PS: This valentine was made at the revived Create Space popup venue (also home to Beacon Healing Massage), during their valentine card-making workshop last weekend. Find it in A Little Beacon Blog's Shopping Guide, and they often have pop-up shops or workshops in the Classes for Kids Guide or Classes for Adults Guide. Be sure you’re receiving our newsletter to learn of special events like that, and check our Things To Do In Beacon Guides to mark your calendar in advance!

Early Morning Fire on Rombout Avenue Destroys Home, Hurts Family and Pets

Firefighters after the fire, removing insulation from the roof and looking for "hot spots," according to Beacon Fire Chief Gary Van Voorhis.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Fire trucks and first responders were dispatched at 4:45 am Friday after three people called to report a fire at 98 Rombout Ave., the section of Rombout that is near South Avenue Elementary School. A person inside the burning home called it in, as did their neighbor, and another source. Five fire departments were needed to battle the blaze: the City of Beacon Fire Department, Fishkill Fire Department, Glenham Fire Department, Castle Point Fire Department, and Rombout Fire Department in Hughsonville, according to Beacon Fire Chief Gary Van Voorhis. Dutchess County Fire Investigators and Beacon Detective Tony Rios also came to the scene.

The people inside of the house were on the second floor when the fire started. One person jumped out of a second-floor window into the back yard, and three adults came down the stairs through the fire - which had engulfed the stairs - and exited the front door. They received burns on 60 percent of their lower bodies, according to Chief Van Voorhis. One of the residents' dogs perished, though luckily first responders were able to rescue the other dog. The Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps and Mobile Life took the victims to the hospital.

"I have never seen a fire that big in real life," said neighbor Katy Hope. "One of our windows looks up Rombout. The [emergency vehicles'] lights woke me up while it was still dark outside in the morning. The firefighters were not running sirens, which I found very thoughtful and I'm sure they want to keep the panic down. I could see the flames, although I wasn't quite sure which house it was. Really scary, especially as I've been thinking a lot about flammable old houses."

While the exact start and stop times of the fire have not been made public, Chief Van Voorhis noted that putting out the fire took some time. "There was a lot of debris inside," said the chief, after the fire was out. Much of the debris, including burnt metal doors and empty propane containers, had been removed from the home and placed in the front yard. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
 

More than 30 volunteer and career firefighters rotated through the home, battling not just flames, but cold, icy conditions, according to Chief Van Voorhis. Nature's elements added to the challenge. During the fire, a live power line came off the house, which is common in fires, Chief Van Voorhis said. That created a hurdle for firefighters to get to where they needed to in the street. The wire was on the street for 45 minutes before Central Hudson was able to come take care of it.

Ice continues to cover Beacon, as the temperatures have stayed in the high 20s since Wednesday's snow and ice storm. That part of Rombout Avenue had re-frozen since the day before, and the sidewalks remain crunchy frozen. One firefighter slipped on the ice and fell onto his back, but sprang back into action. Firefighters spread their own salt on the street as they fought the fire.

Streets remained closed later Friday morning even after the fire was out, as parents who were dropping their kids off at South Avenue Elementary were redirected from their usual drop-off route. Fire trucks and other fire and investigation vehicles lined the street hours later.

While the fire was live in the pre-dawn hours, however, one vehicle who did not have its headlights on drove around firefighters who were diverting traffic from a large yellow hose that was in use to put out the fire, said Chief Van Voorhis. Flares were set around the hose, and the car hit the flare, which hit and ripped the hose. The car also drove over the hose. The fire department is looking for details about that vehicle, who continued driving away after the incident.

Pictured here is the yellow water hose that a vehicle drove over when it was full of water and in the street. The driver went around firemen, who had been blocking the street for safety.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Three Different Fires in 31 hours

This was one of three different fires that were blazing within just over a day in Beacon, according to the Beacon Professional Firefighters - IAFF Local 3490. On Wednesday evening at 9:40 pm, "units arrived in less than 3 minutes to find an active, gas-fueled fire in a commercial occupancy. Members quickly shut the gas off and extinguished the fire," according to the Beacon Professional Firefighters.

Additionally, an old boiler in the basement of a home also caught fire. Units were dispatched at 11:42 am Thursday for a reported chimney fire. "Units arrived in less than one minute to find an active fire in the boiler room in the basement of a residence. The fire was contained to the area of origin and quickly extinguished," according to their report on their Facebook page.

At 1:30 pm Friday, fire trucks, firefighters and investigators were still at the Rombout scene. Many of them had been there since 4:45 am.

Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Volunteer Fire Fighters Wanted + Donations to Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corp.

Beacon's volunteer set of first responders have been working for decades. Mayor Randy Casale has announced during several City Council meetings that there is a need for more volunteer firefighters. During the City Council meeting on February 5, several firefighters were recognized for their years of membership - some for 50 years, some 25 years, and some relatively new firefighters who were entering their fifth year of membership.

Usually, the best way to donate to the Volunteer Beacon Ambulance Corp. or to the Beacon Fire Department is by answering the paper snail mail that is delivered to your home mailbox, or by sending in checks when you think of it.