Is Beacon Open On The Fourth Of July? Here's A Short List

Holidays are tricky for shops and restaurants. On a holiday, most people who have salaried jobs have the day off - or a paid holiday - and take to traveling. To places like Beacon! But people who work usually part-time jobs for small businesses also want the holiday off. So it can be hard to find employees to work on the day. And if you’re the business owner like me, there isn’t such thing as a paid holiday. We just work all the time, LOL.

A reader wrote into A Little Beacon Blog today to ask about whether stores and restaurants would be open. Sometimes holiday weekends - especially Monday holidays - can be very busy in Beacon. Remember Presidents’ Day weekend a few years ago?

Meanwhile, the business owners in Beacon were asking themselves the same thing in a Facebook group. We caught a few answers, and then social media went dark as Facebook and Instagram decided to break for today and not work. Thank goodness for blogs and newsletters (ahem)!

The Short List Of Shops And Restaurants Who Will Be Open or Closed On Thursday, July Fourth

We checked in with all of our retail sponsors who advertise in A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide or Restaurant Guides:

OPEN!

THE CRAFTY HAMMER
$5 Wood Block Painting Projects
Open July 4, 11 am to 3 pm
Great for kids who like to dip paint brushes into many colors of paint - under supervision of The Crafty Hammer’s team of trained staff. Also great for adults who like coloring - The Crafty Hammer has stencils you can use, and free-form is welcome too! As is coloring outside the lines. Stop in for this Fourth of July-themed project.
BONUS! Free snacks and beverages with your $5 wood project.

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We are awaiting confirmation on Darryl’s Clothing Boutique. They are usually open on Thursdays, but we aren’t sure either with the holiday!

The movie theater will be open, if you need to cool off.

[UPDATED 7/4/2019] Also open will be Beacon Pantry, Trax, Mountain Tops, Bank Square Coffee, Blackbird Attic, Utensil, and most likely several others! Have fun out there, and please no U-turns in the middle of the street!

The public Beacon Pool is open! Anyone can go. Day passes are $5, $3 for kids. Season passes are still available to buy. You can bring your own food, but you must eat it outside of the fence. This is to help prevent bees from gathering inside the pool area.

The Declaration of Independence is being read down at City Hall. This is the big municipal building at the entrance of Main Street and Wolcott. If you’re walking up from the train, you’ll walk right by it. The reading starts at 11 am. Find details in A Little Beacon Blog’s Event Guide.

For more ideas of Things To Do This Weekend, subscribe to A Little Beacon Blog’s newsletter to be sent a list of highlights each week. And click on our Event Guide that is always being updated. The Crafty Hammer is a proud sponsor of that guide, which helps makes keeping it up to date possible. If you’re driving around and are considering moving to Beacon, click on our Real Estate Listing Guides for Featured Listings of homes, apartments and commercial spaces available.

CLOSED

These stores and restaurants are closed on Thursday, July 4, but will spring back into action on Friday, going into the weekend!

SHOPS

• Luxe Optique

• Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique

• Binnacle Books

• No. 3 Reading Room and Photo Book Works (they are on Summer Hiatus anyway, opening again in September 2019)

• Pandorica (PS: Tune in on Friday for when we try their Big Bang Burger!)

RESTAURANTS

• BAJA

• Barb’s Butchery

After Thursday, all of these folks open back up on Friday!

As for the rest of Beacon shops and restaurants, get the entire list in A Little Beacon Blog’s guides on each. There you will find addresses and phone numbers! We make it easy for you to call and find out the who’s who of being open.

Happy Independence Day!

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Dear Everyone: Please Stop Doing U-Turns On Main Street!

OMG y’all - people of Beacon and those visiting Beacon - this Monday you are up on your U-turns on Brett Street on Main Street (right by Key Food)! It’s not a good idea!

More U-turns happen at Cliff Street and Main Street, and I’m sure in more areas of town that others have seen.

Seriously - just figure out another way to turn around. Go around a block, maybe.

Oh, and passing a car who is parallel-parking is not legal if you’d have to cross a double-yellow or single-yellow line to pass. We checked with the Beacon police, and if you pass on a solid yellow line on your side, that will get you a ticket. The reason I know this is because I was jay-walking (also wrong, eeks, I know), and a car wasn’t expecting a pedestrian there while they were peeling around the parking car, so they almost flattened me.

So be careful, and patient. Let’s all do better.

Stony Kill Foundation's Annual Butterfly Festival

The fun and family-friendly annual Butterfly Festival at Stony Kill Farm is happening this year on Saturday, July 27, from 11 am to 3 pm. Master gardeners are in attendance to educate and answer questions about Stony Kill Foundation's Verplanck Memorial Garden.

What To Expect - Butterflies, Of Course

The festival will feature local vendors, a plant sale, a monarch butterfly expert and education table, storytelling, music, food, crafts, face painters, a henna artist, hula hoop demonstrations, and of course - the butterfly tents that the festival is known for!

And Horses

This year there will also be a horse show for the first time. There will be many types of activities and opportunities for the family to experience.

Tickets and VIP Perks

This event, which regularly draws over 2,000 people, is always a big hit every year. VIP fast-passes are available - they include a ride on the Butterfly Mobile, an event T-shirt, and a ticket to the “Fast Pass” Butterfly tent so that you’ll be able to avoid the regular long lines to get in and see the butterflies. It’s like the Fast Pass at Disney, but better because you’re at Stony Kill Farm in the fresh air!

You’ll get all of this for a suggested donation of $17 ($65 for a family of four, and kids under 5 are free!).

The Butterfly Festival is sponsored by Antalek & Moore and Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union. A Little Beacon Blog is also a sponsor this year! Look for us on the T-shirt! This event helps keep Stony Kill Farm’s doors open, and their programs and services running. Help them stay open by purchasing your VIP tickets on Eventbrite.

Location

Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center is located on Route 9D in Wappingers Falls, NY.  This 1,000-acre farm, former homestead of the Verplanck Family, is owned by NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and operated by the Stony Kill Foundation.

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Sunday Real Estate Feature: Cape Cod Cottage Near Main Street

29 Cross Street, Beacon, NY
PRICE: $329,500 BEDS & BATHS: 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom

From Daniel Aubry Realty: “This delightful Cape Cod cottage sits on an unusually deep lot. Near the West End of Beacon's bustling Main Street, and a short walk to Beacon's Metro-North Station, which has hourly service to Grand Central. The master bedroom has a walk-in closet. The guest bedroom faces the garden. The living area is an open plan with an adorning eat-in kitchen, which merges into the the cozy living room. The 2nd floor is a loft with overhead lighting, and could function as a music studio or fabulous family room. The former garage has been converted into a studio and is fully insulated and fitted out with track lighting. This home is perfect for an artist, musician, craftsperson or health practitioner." Details and more pictures in A Little Beacon Blog's Real Estate Listings Guide.

CONTACT INFO

Contact the Daniel Aubry Realty office, and one of their dedicated agents will assist you.
E-mail: daniel1aubry@gmail.com
Phone: (917) 647-6823

Happening This Weekend - 6/28/2019

We know that Beacon’s fireworks are June 29, but what we didn’t realize is that Saturday, June 29, is actually here - as in tomorrow. Maybe that’s because of the time-speed issue our publisher talks about in her column at our friends the Highlands Current. Start looking for them - summer is high time for shop openings in Beacon, like the Crafty Hammer’s Grand Opening this weekend on South Chestnut Street, across from Rite Aid! Everything you see in the shop, they have built. And their DIY Workshops are going to get you handy too! Plus there will be power drill-shaped cookies. Their flair for DIY is no joke, and their love for you readers is strong, as they are a main sponsor of our Classes and Events Guides! See you there! Parking Guide Sponsored by Antalek & Moore for Car Insurance. Events Guide Sponsored By The Crafty Hammer   Fresh Til Death: Facials, Sips & Saves Day: Friday, June 28, 2019 Time: 6 to 9 pm Location: Wares the Shop, 2 Tioronda Ave., Beacon, NY (just off Main Street near the Howland Cultural Center, near the silos) Information > Repertory Dance Company of the Hudson Valley presents A-Y/Dancers Days: Friday & Saturday, June 28-29, 2019 Time: 8 pm Location: The Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Grand Opening - The Crafty Hammer Days: Saturday and Sunday, June 29-30, 2019 Time: Saturday, noon to 5 pm; Sunday, 11 am to 3 pm Location: The Crafty Hammer, 4 S. Chestnut St., Beacon, NY Information > Cello Choir Beacon Chamber Ensemble Day: Saturday, June 29, 2019 Time: 2 pm Location: St. Andrew Episcopal Church, 15 South Ave., Beacon, NY Information > Beacon Fireworks for the 4th Of July Day: Saturday, June 29, 2019 Time: 5 to 10 pm Location: Memorial Park, Beacon, NY Information > Spring Street Reading Series: Press Fair Day: Saturday, June 29, 2019 Time: 5 to 8:30 pm Location: Atlas Studios, 11 Spring St., Newburgh, NY Information > Serious Comedy Theatre Improv Show Day: Saturday, June 29, 2019 Time: 8 to 10 pm Location: Story Screen, 445 Main St., Theatre #3, Beacon, NY Information > The Beacon Pool Scheduled To Open Day: Saturday, June 29, 2019 Time: Noon to 7 pm Location: The Settlement Camp, 724 Wolcott Ave., Beacon, NY The Recreation Department announced that the pool was scheduled to open on Saturday, June 29. Always check with the Pool's Facebook page for daily schedule changes. Things always change. Day passes are available, and Season Passes are on sale here. Declaration of Independence Reading Day: Thursday, July 4, 2019 Time: 11 am Location: City Hall (at the base of Wolcott Avenue and Main Street) A Little Beacon Blog has written about this in years past. Learn more about it. Plan ahead and check out what's coming up this month in our Events Guide.       BOUTIQUES ON THE WEST END Darryl's Women's Clothing Boutique 155 Main Street www.darrylsny.com Twice this week, when people have bought clothing at Darryl's Women's Clothing Boutique and are showing it off to friends out on the sidewalk, they have been stopped on the street by passers-by to ask where they got that item. We know! It happened to us after we bought the bathing suit coverup featured in our InstaStory last week. This outfit is a sure crowd-pleaser, and it needs to be in your wardrobe collection.   Luxe Optique 183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com All non-prescription sunglasses at Luxe Optique are 15% off at Luxe Optique from Monday, July 1, to Wednesday, July 31! Sunnies! Perfect for all of that summer beach reading and extra time you are spending outside. The frames pictured here are from Leisure Society and feature a cat-eye that people are sure to purr over. And don't forget, the eye doctor is in at Luxe Optique! Schedule your appointment, but walk in anytime to shop frames.   BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique 1 East Main Street, Retail #3 www.lambshillbridalboutique.com (near the historic dummy light) Take a look at this beautiful #LambsHillBride in a Justin Alexander lace A-line, walking through the beautiful gardens at the Inn at Perry Cabin. Call Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique today to book your appointment to find your dream dress: (845) 765-2900. Thank you to the following shops for sponsoring our Shopping Guide! Luxe Optique, Binnacle Books, Darryl's Boutique, and Lambs Hill.     The Crafty Hammer 4 S. Chestnut Street, Beacon, NY (845) 834-9665 (WOOD) @thecraftyhammerllc Looking for something sweet? The Crafty Hammer’s Grand Opening and Ribbon 🎀 Cutting with Beacon’s Chamber of Commerce is this Saturday. There will be power drill-shaped cookies! Look for blocks of wood you can stencil and paint, as well as other crafty hammer challenges. Check out the new paint job at the storefront. The new look was painted by Sophia Acquisto, a sophomore at SUNY New Paltz. Saturday, June 29: 12 pm to 5 pm Sunday, June 30: 11 am to 3 pm   Firefly Yoga & Juicebar 992 Main Street, Fishkill, NY SAVE THE DATE! Sip & Stretch Day: Sunday, July 7, 2019 Time: Noon to 1 pm Price: $20 Location: Brooklyn Cider House at Twin Star Orchards, 155 N. Ohioville Road, New Paltz, NY Join Firefly Yoga outside in the same apple orchards that give us Brooklyn Cider! Friday is the first day of summer, so the practice will be dedicated to summer solstice. It is also International Yoga Day! Information > Intro to English Paper Piecing Day: Saturday, June 29, 2019 Time: 10 am to 1 pm & 2 to 5 pm Location: Beetle & Fred, 171 Main St., Beacon, NY View the Adult Classes Guide for more classes from Beetle & Fred this weekend! DONNA MINKOWITZ - One-day memoir intensive Days: Sunday, June 28, 2019 Time: 2 to 5 pm Email: Minkowitz46@gmail.com for location   Thank you to The Crafty Hammer for sponsoring the Adult Classes Guide! For a full list of upcoming classes, classes during the week, and workshops of all kinds, visit our Adult Classes Guide.   Thank you to Barb's Butchery and BAJA 328 for sponsoring the Restaurant Guide! Visit A Little Beacon Blog's Restaurant Guide for all of the restaurants in Beacon, and see our Brunch Guide for your morning dining needs!   .     For a full list of upcoming classes, visit A Little Beacon Blog's Kids Classes Guide Submission Guidelines for classes you'd like us to consider adding to these guides can be found here. Did you hear that Abscission Barber Shop moved? We've got the scoop in pictures so that you can see where they are now. Amy's Braids also moved. You can find her in Main Street Beauty Salon, with Mr. Bell.   Time to freshen up your hair style - or beard! Find a salon in Beacon in A Little Beacon Blog's Beauty Guide REAL ESTATE LISTINGS 29 Cross Street, Beacon, NY 12508 2 Bedrooms, 1 Bathroom From Daniel Aubry Realty: “This delightful Cape Cod cottage sits on an unusually deep lot. The house is a stone's throw from the West End of Beacon's bustling Main Street, and a short walk to Beacon's Metro-North Station, which has hourly service to Grand Central. BEDROOMS: The master bedroom has a walk-in closet. The guest bedroom faces the garden. The living area is an open plan with an adorning eat-in kitchen, which merges into the the cozy living room. 2nd FLOOR: The 2nd floor is a loft with overhead lighting, and could function as a music studio or fabulous family room. STUDIO/GARAGE: The former garage has been converted into a studio and is fully insulated and fitted out with track lighting. This home is perfect for an artist, musician, crafts-person or health practitioner. Conveniently fenced in, you will be able to feel safe containing small children and pets. Off-street parking, including a carport, is available for up to four cars. The house comes with a washer and dryer, as well as a furnace that is gas with high-efficiency output.” Price: $329,500 Real Estate Agent: Daniel Aubry Realty, (917) 647-6823 Details + Pictures > VIEW THIS LISTING VIEW ALL LISTINGS HEADLINE NEWS FROM OUR SPONSORS         A Little Beacon Space :: Event Venue Host your pop-up, business meeting, client presentation, workshop, and more. Now offering a special rate for teachers and music recitals, so that creative can happen more easily. Details >   Antalek & Moore :: Event Insurance There is nothing like the hard work and dedication of a small business owner. Antalek & Moore understands the ongoing challenges that business owners face. Whether you are thinking about starting a business, are outlining an expansion to your business, or have been in business for as long as you can remember, they're here to answer any of your questions. The office is right here on Main Street, so stop on in and see them anytime.         Katie James, Inc. :: Couture Branding Got a Squarespace website or a MailChimp newsletter that you're stumped with, or just plumb worn out on? Book yourself a Do It Together session with Katie at Katie James, Inc. Come into the office at 291 Main Street, and get under the hood together to cook up fresh ideas and implement them immediately with your website or newsletter. Learn More >   BeaconArts Member Show The exhibition runs Second Saturday, July 13, to Sunday, August 4, and is curated by Theresa Gooby and Karlyn Benson. Tin Shingle  Do you want to get featured on a local TV morning show? You can totally do this. This Tin Shingle TuneUp features an interview with an Arizona-based producer turned PR professional. She'll give you tips and tricks from inside a producer's head. This TuneUp is open and free right now for you to listen to this weekend. Watch Now > Beacon Chamber of Commerce Business Directory Is your business new in town? Have you hosted a ribbon-cutting? Not yet? Well, what are you waiting for? Do it! With the Beacon Chamber of Commerce. Learn More > NEW PRICING FOR JOB LISTINGS Recently a reader wrote in: "Do you have more job listings? I'd love to look on your website rather than on Indeed or LinkedIn." We now have a Simple Listing for $60. Send us your job info, and we'll get it up on A Little Beacon Blog to help someone find a job, and help you find someone amazing. Get details here. JOB LISTINGS ON ALBB Luxe Optique Are Currently Seeking A Licensed Optician An Optometrist Details > List your job > MASTHEAD Producers of this newsletter include: Katie Hellmuth Martin, Publisher, Writer, Designer, Photographer Marilyn Perez, Managing Editor Catherine Sweet, Editor of the Second Saturday Guide Advertise With A Little Beacon Blog The support from every advertiser of A Little Beacon Blog helps make local news get produced. You can be part of making it happen, and get your business in front of the community in a meaningful way. Learn More > NEWSLETTER SIGNUP Until next week!

Grand Opening! The Crafty Hammer Opens Saturday, June 29, With Wood Projects and Designer Cookies

Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Looking for a sweet? The Crafty Hammer’s Grand Opening and Ribbon 🎀 Cutting with Beacon’s Chamber of Commerce is this Saturday, June 29, 2019, and there will be power-drill shaped cookies!! Those will make great fuel for the two days of DIY woodworking workshops for you to enjoy.

Look for blocks of wood you can stencil and paint, as well as other crafty hammer challenges. The Crafty Hammer is located at 4 South Chestnut Street, across from Rite Aid, in the former purple yoga studio spot. What was once purple is now brown - for wood!

The Crafty Hammer is a proud sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog’s Classes and Events Guides, and it is with their support that we are able to publish events you love!

Beacon Fine Jewelers Moves Next Door

Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

When a store is no longer in the spot you’ve seen it in for years, your first thought might be that it is simply gone. Looking right next door is actually not a thought that occurs to some people. Like when Beacon Barkery moved next door a couple of years ago. Such is the case with Beacon Fine Jewelers, who for years occupied a corner spot on Main Street, where they could hang a store shingle, as well as have another sign on the side of the building. That side sign has been replaced by their new neighbor, Edward Jones.

Run by a father/son team from Newburgh, Beacon Fine Jewelers can do most anything you need with your jewelry. They have their workshop in the back, and fire up and pound out many designs, including these little cutie copper critters we featured last Christmas. More of those critters are showing up in the storefront window, so do drop in to see more of them, and the other projects Beacon Fine Jewelers are working on.

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Pink Optical Closes Beacon Location

Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

The pink bench outside of Pink Optical that matched its geraniums has cheered its last tush. It was carted off down the street last week to its new home, as Pink Optical closed its Beacon location. It was known as “The Eye Candy Store” for designer frames from Betsey Johnson, Prada, Versace, Tom Ford, and other clothing designers who expanded to include eyewear lines.

Pink Optical came into town shortly after Luxe Optique opened up shop about five blocks west on Main Street. The big difference between the two is the lines of eyewear carried by each shop. Different brands were carried in each - Luxe Optique carries handmade frames from designers who specialize in only designing eyewear. Pink Optical may have had stronger competition from deep-discount online glasses stores.

If memory serves, Pink Optical replaced Get Frosted Cupcakery. Before they closed shop, A Little Beacon Blog interviewed Get Frosted’s owner Karen, which is a good read if you’re interested in why businesses start up and what factors into closing their doors.

Wishing Pink Optical the best as they are off to new pastures! Not sure where those pastures are, but chime in if you know!

Beacon Opts Not To Kill The Geese; But Larchmont Does Kill The Geese On Wednesday, Granting Access To Private Residents Of Larchmont Gardens

Photo Credit: Stacey Yonkus for The Loop

It sounded a little unusual when the USDA Wildlife Services came to Beacon to propose to the City Council to round up, kill, and serve as food at shelters between 50 and 63 geese from Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park - in the name of protecting flights at Stewart Airport. The City Council heard the proposal, mostly responded that they were not comfortable with it, and passed on the pitch, effectively a polite but firm, “No thank you.”

Today, the Larchmont Loop, an online newspaper covering Larchmont in Westchester, reported that Canada geese were systematically killed at Larchmont Gardens early Wednesday morning. “The Town of Mamaroneck confirms the USDA euthanized a number of Canada geese on and around the Duck Pond in Larchmont Gardens early Wednesday morning.” Larchmont is a village located within the Town of Mamaroneck in Westchester County, New York, approximately 18 miles northeast of Midtown Manhattan, according to Wikipedia.

In Larchmont, the USDA Wildlife Services came out in kayaks, rounded up the birds into a truck, drove them away, and processed them into food to serve at local food shelters. That method was the same proposal Beacon heard on Monday.

According to the article: “Private residents of the Larchmont Gardens neighborhood contracted with the USDA to remove the geese,” said a spokesperson for the Town. “It is a private contract, the Town just allowed them on Town property.”

Apparently Systematic Killing Of A Species In The Name Of Something Is A Thing

While the killing, otherwise known as “culling,” wasn’t something the City Council normally hears proposals on, contracting with the USDA APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) to do this has been happening. One reason it is happening right now this week is because the geese are in a “molt” stage, which means that their flight feathers have fallen out and they are sitting ducks for three weeks, unable to take flight.

For more information on Canada geese, their living habits, and on this program, see the earlier article A Little Beacon Blog wrote about it here.

Protection Of Geese - Until They Are Too Much And Killed

The Department of Environmental Conservation states that Canada geese are protected, but:

“All Canada geese, including resident flocks, are protected by Federal and State laws and regulations. In New York, management responsibility for Canada geese is shared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). It is illegal to hunt, kill, sell, purchase, or possess migratory birds or their parts (feathers, nests, eggs, etc.) except as permitted by regulations adopted by USFWS and DEC.'“

The DEC also does not allow the relocation of Canada geese at any point in the year, with or without a permit. At the Beacon presentation, the reasoning provided was that Canada geese prefer to come back to where they were hatched, and grow their families there.

One round of taking and killing the geese would not seem to do the trick, and in theory, would need to be repeated every year, for at least three years because when the females turn three years old, they are known to return to the place that they hatched, and lay their own eggs.

Once a pond or river is clear of geese, say, if they have been removed and killed each year for three years, would new geese settle there? During Beacon’s presentation, the USDA APHIS Services said that there are 250,000 Canada geese in New York, and their target number is 85,000.

That is a lot of exterminating.

PERSONAL NOTE: Just like with mice prevention in a house, I would probably get a cat, and vacuum and mop my floors. In the case of geese, if I elected to live near a pond or river where geese like to settle, I would probably get a dog, build a fence (to keep the dog in), and let the dog have geese play time.

Canada Geese Identified For Extermination At Beacon's Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park

The City of Beacon has been contacted by the Air National Guard out of Stewart Air Force Base, requesting to remove an estimated 63 Canada geese from Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park in Beacon, just north of the Metro-North train station. (50 geese were mentioned during the Workshop Meeting to the City Council on 6/24/2019). The possible removal plan would exterminate them, then serve them as food at food banks. “Goose removal is part of their airport safety to prevent another US Airways Flight 1549 event,” according to a memorandum/proposal submitted by Beacon’s City Administrator, Anthony Ruggiero, MPA.

That flight event happened in 2009 in New York City, when pilots Chesley Sullenberger and Jeffrey Skiles glided a plane into the Hudson River after a flock of geese flew into the engines. Geese are large flocking birds. “That’s why they present such a hazard to the flying aircraft,” said one of the presenters of the program during the Beacon meeting. It is estimated that there are 230,000 Canada geese now in New York state, and the New York State DEC has set 85,000 Canada geese as the preferred number.

Presenting this program were Kenneth E. Eggleston, Biological Science Technician with the USDA APHIS Wildlife Services; Ken Cruiser, Eastern District Supervisor with USDA Wildlife Services; and Lieutenant Colonel Cooper, Chief of Safety at Stewart International Guard Base and Instructional Pilot C17.

Councilperson Terry Nelson asked if this program was in response to a specific incident at Stewart. Lieutenant Colonel Cooper answered: “At Stewart, just with the military aircraft, we only fly about six times a week. We average a bird strike every month. Total cost to the Air Force since ’94 or ’95 has been about $580,000.”

Is Exterminating The Geese The Only Way To Remove Them?

Other methods to reduce the number of geese include rubbing the eggs with oil, which prevents air exchange to the embryo, thus ending the embryo’s life cycle.

According to the presenters, geese live an average of 26 years. Mating age for females is 3 years old. At that age, the female geese tend to return to the place they where they hatched, and lay their own eggs. A female Canada goose can birth 100 baby geese (goslings) in her lifetime.

Other methods in use include habitat management, like putting grid systems over the ponds at Stewart. Relocation of herded geese wasn’t recommended as an option, as the geese prefer to stay where they are, and are known to return to where they were born or had resided.

Councilperson Amber Grant asked for data as to the effectiveness of this deterrent. Non-lethal methods such as harassment by dogs, lasers, and pyrotechnical approaches pushes birds out three miles, which the presenters did not think would be enough. Councilperson Grant also asked about safety of consuming the birds, wild animals who have not had any kind of disease prevention. Presenter Ken answered that wild animals are known to be eaten by hunters and “others.”

Has Goose Removal Happened Elsewhere?

In a response to a question asked by Councilperson George Mansfield, other municipalities have exercised this removal method, but the presenters at the meeting would not disclose which municipalities, citing privacy.

Regarding Long Dock Park (just to the south of Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park), owned by Scenic Hudson, the presenters have reached out to Scenic Hudson and left messages, but Scenic Hudson has not returned their calls, according to the presenters.

Why Now To Take The Geese?

According to the presenters, now is the preferred time to round up the geese, as they are going through a “molting” phase, where they lose their primary flight feathers, essentially grounding them from flight for three weeks around the summer solstice. While the birds cannot fly, they are herded into a penned area, placed into poultry crates, and brought to facilities to exterminate and process them into food. Goose meat is then brought to food shelters in the region for people to eat as part of hot meals.

Prevention Of Geese, And The Outcome

Ongoing prevention of Canada geese at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park was not discussed. There is a known problem of excessive amounts of goose poop at that park. Dogs on leashes are banned at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park. Which is contrary to the allowance of dogs at other public parks in New York State and in New York City, where people are accustomed to bringing dogs on leashes. Dogs are allowed on leashes at Long Dock Park. While geese can pose problems to dogs when they are threatened, perhaps the consideration of leashed dogs can be entertained, at the very least, to curb some goose poop.

While most members of the City Council were not comfortable with the extermination, the decision would not need a resolution in order to move forward. (Translation: Councilpeople would not be voting on this; it would only need a signature on a form.) According to the City Manager, this program has not occurred in Beacon in years past, “to the best of my knowledge,” he responded by email to A Little Beacon Blog’s inquiry. But “the City Council was not in favor,” he responded by email.

UPDATE 6/25/2019: A Little Beacon Blog received confirmation the day after this proposal at the 6/24/2019 City Council Meeting that the proposal to exterminate the geese “will not move forward” according to City Manager Anthony Ruggiero. The City Manager has also confirmed that the geese are not pegged to be relocated. Such a relocation would need city approval, he said.

EDIT 6/25/19: In the first version of this article, this goose was referred to as “Canadian.” A reader wrote in to let us know that the bird is called the Canada goose. That word has been edited.

RELATED GEESE NEWS, 6/26/2019: Larchmont, down in Westchester, did participate in killing the geese near a pond, as reported by the Larchmont Loop. The business was contracted by private citizens and the municipality approved access to public property to carry out the taking of the geese.

There's Still Time To Sign Up For Summer Camp!

Our Summer Camp Guide continues to get updated as more camps and 2019 dates come in. Many of these camps still have enrollment open as deadline dates are not until July, but offer discount rates for earlier enrollment. There is a camp for arts & crafts, sports, nature, and more.

Beacon Recreation will have several camps, including multi-sports camp, Tennis Clinic, Beacon Bulldogs Baseball Camp, Camp @ Camp and much more.

Visit our Summer Camp Guide for a full listing of Summer Camp options and dates today!

Happening This Weekend - 6/21/2019

Happy First Day Of Summer! Despite the cloud of rain we have lived in this week! We have the perfect place for you to spend the solstice - with Firefly Yoga this early evening for a "Sip and Stretch" at Brooklyn Cider House at Twin Star Orchards. (Don't worry, it's not actually in Brooklyn, just over in New Paltz.) And now... for the weekend! Parking Guide Sponsored by Antalek & Moore for Car Insurance. Events Guide Sponsored By The Crafty Hammer   Moon, Serpent & Bone - Oddities and Curiosities Night Market Day: Friday, June 21, 2019 Time: 6 pm to midnight Location: University Settlement Camp, 724 Wolcott Ave., Beacon, NY Information > Howland Public Library presents “Community Conversations” Day: Saturday, June 22, 2019 Time: 3 pm Location: University Settlement Camp, 724 Wolcott Ave., Beacon, NY Information > Live Concert: Tani Tabbal Trio Day: Saturday, June 22, 2019 Time: 8 pm Location: The Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Rhinebeck Crafts Festival Days: Saturday and Sunday, June 22 & 23, 2019 Time: Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm; Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm Location: Dutchess County Fairgrounds, 6636 Spring Brook Ave. (Route 9), Rhinebeck, NY Information > Roger's Folly | Dancing Under The Stars with The Bernstein Bard Quartet Day: Sunday, June 23, 2019 Time: 6:30 to 10:30 pm Location: The Inn & Spa at Beacon, 155 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >   Plan ahead and check out what's coming up this month in our Events Guide.       BOUTIQUES ON THE WEST END Darryl's Women's Clothing Boutique 155 Main Street www.darrylsny.com No doubt you've walked or driven by this fresh window display lately. Now it's time to go inside Darryl's, to check out the styles for yourself. We found a bathing suit cover-up that will work perfectly at the Beacon Pool. (It's technically a dress... but does that really matter?) From flouncy to fringe, you'll find it in Darryl's. Located across the street from Hudson Beach Glass.   Luxe Optique 183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com These Anne & Valentin frames just came in, and have already been favorites with many. As you can see from the photo, the frames are simply stunning. Delicate, yet will stay solidly on your face. You must try them on, to see what we mean about the effect they will have around your eyes. And don't forget, the eye doctor is in at Luxe Optique! Schedule your appointment, but walk in any time to shop frames.   BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique 1 East Main Street, Retail #3 www.lambshillbridalboutique.com (near the historic dummy light) Ladies in waiting - that's what you'll find at Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique, when a bride is searching for a dress. While she's trying on gowns, a plush sitting room accomodates excited guests, whether an entourage or just one or two friends or family members. Call them today to book your appointment: (845) 765-2900. Thank you to the following shops for sponsoring our Shopping Guide! Luxe Optique, Binnacle Books, Darryl's Boutique, and Lambs Hill.   For you Hungry Hippos - There's a new Breakfast Egg Sandwich in town! And it's smothered between slices of house-made English muffin. Are you as obsessed with English muffins as we are? We reviewed this breakfast egg sandwich from The Beacon Daily, and included a Hot Tip on where to find a Double BOGO sale on English muffins (three boxes for the price of one). Get the scoop here! Thank you to Barb's Butchery and BAJA 328 for sponsoring the Restaurant Guide! Visit A Little Beacon Blog's Restaurant Guide for all of the restaurants in Beacon, and see our Brunch Guide for your morning dining needs!       Firefly Yoga & Juicebar Location: 992 Main St., Fishkill, NY Sip & Stretch Day: Friday, June 21, 2019 Time: 6 to 7 pm Price: $20 Location: Brooklyn Cider House at Twin Star Orchards, 155 N. Ohioville Road, New Paltz, NY Join Firefly Yoga outside in the same apple orchards that give us Brooklyn Cider! Friday is the first day of summer, so the practice will be dedicated to the summer solstice. It is also International Yoga Day! Information > The Crafty Hammer Location: 4 S. Chestnut St., Beacon, NY SAVE THE DATE! Opening June 29, 2019! GRAND OPENING PARTY Get ready to join The Crafty Hammer for their grand opening party on Saturday, June 29! There will be plenty of crafts for everyone. Projects include Mini Block Signs with Words on Wood (see examples here in ALBB's Classes Guide). Projects will be pre-stained with a stencil, ready to go. This is a great project to dig into (both big and little - kids too!), to get a sense of all that The Crafty Hammer will be offering you in their creative space! Saturday, June 29: 12 pm to 5 pm Sunday, June 30: 11 am to 3 pm Upcycled Crochet Market Bag Day: Saturday, June 22, 2019 Time: 10 am to 3 pm Location: Colorant, 146 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Button Necklace Design with Carole Penner Day: Sunday, June 23, 2019 Time: 12 to 2 pm Location: CreateSpace Beacon, 145 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Thank you to Firefly Yoga and The Crafty Hammer for sponsoring the Adult Classes Guide! For a full list of upcoming classes, classes during the week, and workshops of all kinds, visit our Adult Classes Guide.   Sponsor A Little Beacon Blog's Summer Camp Guide. Details here.     For a full list of upcoming classes, visit A Little Beacon Blog's Kids Classes Guide. Submission Guidelines for classes you'd like us to consider adding to these guides can be found here. Did you hear that Abscission Barber Shop moved? We've got the scoop in pictures so that you can see where they are now. Amy's Braids also moved. You can find her in Main Street Beauty Salon with Mr. Bell.   Time to freshen up your hair style - or beard! Find a salon in Beacon in A Little Beacon Blog's Beauty Guide. REAL ESTATE LISTINGS 777 Wheeler Hill Road, Beacon, NY 12508 4 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom Six acres of privacy and beauty!  From Gate House Realty: "This French Country Manor home is located in one of the Hudson Valley's most sought-after areas: Wheeler Hill.” Price: $635,000 Real Estate Agent: Gate House Realty, (845) 831-9550 Details + Pictures > VIEW THIS LISTING VIEW ALL LISTINGS HEADLINE NEWS FROM OUR SPONSORS   Antalek & Moore :: Event Insurance If you’re planning a special event, we’re sure we don’t have to tell you how much time goes into all of the details. One of the details you don’t want to forget: event insurance. As perfect as your vision may be, sometimes things just don't go as planned, and you want to be sure you’re covered! Talking to an Antalek & Moore agent about your event can make all the difference when it comes to peace of mind for your big day!         A Little Beacon Space :: Event Venue Host your pop-up, business meeting, client presentation, workshop, and more. Now offering a special rate for teachers and music recitals so that creative can happen more easily. Details >         Katie James, Inc. :: Couture Branding Got a Squarespace website or a MailChimp newsletter that you're stumped with, or just plumb worn out on? Book yourself a Do It Together session with Katie at Katie James, Inc. Come into the office at 291 Main Street and get under the hood together, to cook up fresh ideas and implement them immediately with your website or newsletter. Learn More >   BeaconArts Member Show The exhibition runs Second Saturday, July 13 to Sunday, August 4, and is curated by Theresa Gooby and Karlyn Benson.  Tin Shingle  Yes, you can get featured by the media. Do you want your business featured on the radio? Do you want to read about your business in a magazine or blog? It's possible - it can take time - but is in your hands to make happen. Tin Shingle teaches you how, and encourages empowerment, and preaches patience as you make this magic happen. Get Info > Beacon Chamber of Commerce Business Directory Is your business in the Business Directory of the Beacon Chamber of Commerce yet? It should be. Join up today. Learn More > NEW PRICING FOR JOB LISTINGS Recently a reader wrote in: "Do you have more Job Listings? I'd love to look on your website rather than on Indeed or LinkedIn." We can try! We now have a Simple Listing for $60. Send us your job info, and we'll get it up on A Little Beacon Blog to help someone find a job, and help you find someone amazing. Get details here. JOB LISTINGS ON ALBB Luxe Optique Is Currently Seeking A Licensed Optician An Optometrist Details > List your job > MASTHEAD Producers of this newsletter include: Katie Hellmuth Martin, Publisher, Writer, Designer, Photographer Marilyn Perez, Managing Editor Catherine Sweet, Editor of the Second Saturday Guide Advertise With A Little Beacon Blog The support from every advertiser of A Little Beacon Blog helps make local news get produced. You can be part of making it happen, and get your business in front of the community in a meaningful way. Learn More > NEWSLETTER SIGNUP Until next week!

Amy's Braids Relocates To Mr. Bell's Main Street Beauty Salon

Amy’s Braids has been on Main Street for a number of years, albeit in different locations. When we first knew her, she was near Sexy Nails. Then she skipped on down the sidewalk and set up shop near the car wash. Now, she has found a new home inside the warm and welcoming space of Main Street Beauty Salon, run by Mr. Bell.

The best way to book an appointment with Amy is to walk into the shop and speak with her or her stylists. Main Street Beauty Salon is located at 209 Main Street, near BJ’s Soul Food and Hudson Valley Marshmallow Co.

Alvin Bell Sr. Turns 85 - Awarded "Unofficial Mayor Of The City Of Beacon" For Service To Beaconites

Alvin and Shirley Bell opened their salon after Mr. Bell’s job as a pressman disappeared when the Nabisco factory closed. That factory is now the Dia: Beacon.

If you need a dose of inspiration to continue, and to follow your own path, here is the story of Alvin and Shirley Bell to inspire you. We have written about Alvin before, but here’s a recap to remind you: Mr. Bell moved to Beacon from Virginia in search of a job, and found one at Beacon Piece Dye, and then moved on to be a pressman at the Nabisco factory (now the Dia: Beacon art museum). According to his interview in the Highlands Current: “I don’t want to brag, but I worked my way up to become the top pressman. I made $15 an hour and later with overtime as much as $40,000 a year. When Nabisco closed, I opened my barber shop.”

When that Nabisco job was downsized, Mr. Bell was 54. His wife Shirley was doing hair, and he himself actually wanted to open a salon. As a youngster in Virginia, Alvin cut the hair of his friends and family, as he revealed in the Highlands Current article, when he wasn’t tending the tobacco fields with his family. “It was like a miracle; cutting hair just came back to me.” Mr. Bell opened Main Street Beauty Salon on Main Street, and has been operating his unisex barbershop for 30 years, with different barbers and stylists operating from it with him.

Love Your Work; Work Your Love

Loving your work makes a difference. As he stated in the article: “Tobacco was backbreaking but there’s nothing hard about being a barber. People are good. It’s one of the best trades in the whole world… I have as many white customers as I do black customers. Men and women. People know my work; I’m good. I even do traditional hot towel, straight razor shaves. My hands are still smooth.

“I’m also a very spiritual person; I’m a deacon at Springfield Baptist Church. A lot of brothers and sisters come here and we get right into Scriptures and the Bible. And we talk politics and baseball. I’m a Mets fan.”

Mr. Bell Honored By Beacon’s Mayor Randy Casale

Upon turning 85, Mr. Bell was honored by Beacon’s Mayor, Randy Casale, with a Certificate of Recognition as the Unofficial Mayor of The City of Beacon. Said the Mayor in a letter:

“I would like to wish you a very happy 85th birthday! For 85 years you have been the unofficial Mayor of the City of Beacon. Your barber shop has served Beacon residents in an exemplary fashion for nearly three decades. This community is grateful to have such a friendly and helpful role model. As a good friend of Pete Seeger, I know you have a good heart. Your children and those around you are blessed to learn from you every day. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for the City of Beacon.”

One of Mr. Bell’s clients opened his own shop in Beacon as well. To read more about Mr. Bell, see our article here.

Abscission Barber Shop Moves Across The Creek - Near Dogwood

The new storefront of Abscission Barber Shop, at 25 East Main Street.
Photo Credit: Chris Fontakis

Scoops come from everywhere. One evening in March 2019, while at an Open House for an elementary school, a parent approached me with a hot tip: “Hey - I got some scoop for you! Abscission has moved!” This indeed was a hot tip because Abscission, located on Beacon’s east end near the mountain, has been a trusted barbershop in Beacon for a long time.

Justin sits in Alvin Bell’s chair on Main Street in Beacon. Justin has since opened his own shop, Abscission, which just relocated to the mountain side of town.
Photo: Beacon Free Press, Don Worthy

A young man named Justin opened up shop on the east end of town. He used to get his own hair cut by Mr. Bell, whose barber shop is an anchor point on the other end of town near BJ’s Soul Food. In fact, Mr. Bell and Justin were featured in the Beacon Free Press in 2001 for a story on Mr. Bell’s endurance when he created a new career as a barber. Now Justin has his own shop, and endurance of both barbers in Beacon is strong.

Abscission was on a corner lot on Main Street, and is now across the street from Mr. Mozz, that storefront near Dogwood that you might always wonder about (we’re going to do an article on it!). Abscission is now located in the strip of shops that is down the block from Dogwood and next to the laundromat and Artifact Beacon.

What’s in the name, Abscission? Says owner Justin: “I opened up the dictionary looking for shop names and it was the first thing I came across and thought it was meant to be.”

Justin hard at work, clipping hair in his new digs.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin