Early Voting A Success For Beaconites Via Fishkill Voting Center in 2019

Early voting became a thing in New York this year. I voted on Friday, the day after Halloween (so tempted to have gone in costume on Halloween, but alas, no time).

Beacon’s early voting location was in Fishkill at the Town Hall. Getting there was super easy: You just zoom down Rt. 52 - stop into Industrial Arts Brewery on your way down and grab a bite at the Eat Church food truck if it’s on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Voting was even easier. Tablets were on hand to instantly pull up your record. A ballot was printed for you on demand, and you carried it into the voting booth.

According to the people volunteering their time at the polls, the Beacon turnout was strong. “Come on in, we don’t bite!” was the first comment I got after arriving at the location and quietly standing behind a gentleman who was there, apparently done voting but hanging out.

Everyone was super friendly, and anyone who asked how poll workers’ day was going, got this answer: “Ask me at 5 pm!” which is when their day ended. On Tuesday, November 5, however, they have a different answer after a 16-hour day and many more people coming through the door. Early voters at the Fishkill location got different stickers than what is given out with the Tuesday election. These stickers celebrated women winning the right to vote.

By Monday, the early voting was closed so that everyone could prepare for Tuesday. On Tuesday, votes took place at their regular locations. People used to voting on the Tuesday were planning their trips down to the polls. Later, anyone could refresh the voting results on the Dutchess Elections website as the counts rolled in.

As for the results… Oof! There are some close races. It’s a nail-biter. Talk to you tomorrow when the results have posted and we move forward!

Meet Via Hero, A Tech Startup In Beacon, on Thursday. You’re Invited!

Guess who moved into the office at the Carriage House building after the Valley Table magazine moved out - ViaHero, a travel-based tech startup that relies on locals to curate great travel experiences.

They relocated to Beacon, and want to meet you and other businesses. They are hosting a networking party on Thursday night and you’re invited. See their sponsored event listing in A Little Beacon Blog’s Events Guide. Thank you for supporting businesses who support us!

The entire guide is made possible by a sponsorship from The Crafty Hammer, a crafty event destination in Beacon. Thank you to businesses who support us!

News Flash! New Price On The New Hamburg House. Let's Talk About New Hamburg

Housing inventory is coming and going in Beacon. Finding the right match between house and price is proving delicate. Some Beaconites who are moving from their homes, or are currently renting and want to buy their first-time home, have been spreading out to neighboring towns like Wappingers Falls and New Hamburg, if they aren’t finding just the perfect fit in Beacon.

New Hamburg is a “hamlet” that is a river-town near Beacon, just south of Bowdoin Park, a popular summer playground for Beaconites. New Hamburg is near Beacon (a 10-15 minute drive), with its own New Hamburg Metro-North train station, making it ideal for commuters. Being in a hamlet can be nice because it offers additional peace and quiet nestled between two communities: Wappingers and Beacon. You get the best of several worlds.

This house, featured in A Little Beacon Blog’s Real Estate Guide by Jon Car Realty, is one of our first from New Hamburg. And it just had a shift in price. The listing as of November 1, 2019 is $359,900. The house is near the New Hamburg train station, which according to the realtor, is a two-minute walk from this home. Beacon is the next stop if you’re headed to NYC.

Schooling for this house is in Wappingers Falls. Wappingers has two high schools, and a growing community of new purchases of charming older homes as people want to stretch out from Beacon.

New Hamburg also has marina life: If you are a boater, you may enjoy the New Hamburg Yacht Club and White’s Hudson River Marina.

Look at more pictures and details of this listing while it’s on the blog.

Best 2019 Halloween Costume In Beacon, NY

It was a dark and stormy night. Wind gusts were predicted for up to 50mph, and those who obsessively track the weather a week in advance were convinced that the night would be soaked from an all-day downpour. Some communities canceled their Halloween trick-or-treating nights. Since Beacon’s Halloween night is organized by no one in particular - except us trick-or-treaters! - there was nothing to cancel. You were either going to go out, or you weren’t.

So people went out. And the night was nice and spooky. The evening started early, with little treaters coming out at about 4:30 pm. The wind was gusting, and the temperature perfect. Not too cold, not warm, which meant you didn’t need to wear a winter coat over your costume, which always ruins the effect.

The notorious “Willows,” which are the two streets of houses on East Willow and West Willow, connected by a loop at the prisoners’ cemetery where a witch is rumored to look for trespassers, had visitors, but not the usual amount. Missing this year was the homemade haunted house. Perhaps because it did lightly drizzle all day (almost a mist), dampening the spirits.

The best costume, in this blogger’s opinion, came around at about 8:30 pm. Usually I’m locked inside my house by that point, lights out, lying on the floor biting my nails, afraid of every door knock after 8 pm. Because my kids have gotten older, this year I was still in the game and had company over, so was feeling safe enough to answer the door. Not only was this trick-or-treater not dressed in an all-black track suit, but the costume was so clever! And homemade: an ice cream machine that lit up. Apologies for the blurry picture above - all of the photos from the night were blurry as everyone moved so fast.

I grew up with the homemade costume mentality. As an adult with kids, however, I have very little time to make the costume, nor the skill set to quickly stitch anything up. My sewing machine is surrounded by slime-making materials. My kids are used to going to Party City or Spirit of Halloween to buy a costume in the bag.

This year, the elementary school tried something new by asking our kids to wear a costume as a Very Important Person during their Fall Parade held on Halloween. My daughter immediately expected to buy a new costume. No, no! I immediately costumed one together from the laundry and fabric scraps in the basement. She wasn’t used to this concept, so declined, and opted to wear her Halloween night costume instead (as did several other kids).

Therefore, an award goes to this Ice Cream Machine, which included favorites like ice cream sandwiches and popsicles. Well done!

Happening This Weekend - 11/1/2019

Hudson Valley Restaurant Week begins Monday! Election Day is Tuesday if you have not taken advantage of early voting in Beacon. Daylight Savings Time is ending Sunday! Before darkness begins to fall early, see what you can do this weekend, and into next week... Sponsored by Antalek & Moore for car insurance. Events Guide sponsored by The Crafty Hammer   Concert: Hayden Wayne Is…Alive & Well In New York Day: Friday, November 1, 2019 Time: 8 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Special Autumn Leaf Tour on Bannerman Island! Day: Saturday, November 2, 2019 Time: 11 am & 12:30 pm Location: Departing from Beacon Institute dock across from the Beacon Metro-North Station, Beacon, NY Information > Lattimore Studio & Student Exhibition Opening Reception Day: Saturday, November 2, 2019 Time: 2:30 to 4:30 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Live Concert: Rolston String Quartet Day: Sunday, November 3, 2019 Time: 4 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > COMING THIS WEEK!  Meet ViaHero: Beacon Party (Sponsored) Day: Thursday, November 7, 2019 Time: 6:30 to 8:30 pm Location: 380 Main St., Beacon, NY ViaHero is a tech/people-based tourism company who just moved to Beacon. We wrote about them a bit ago here. Their new office is above the Beacon Pantry in the Carriage Building. They want to meet other Beacon businesses and are hosting a networking party. You're invited. Thank you ViaHero for sponsoring this listing! 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 According to Darryl's Boutique, mustard is the color of the season, and Glamour magazine agrees. If you ask Stylecaster, they'll call it by a different name - marigold - and it's fitting in beautifully for fall. If you only want a spot of the pronounced color, however, you could wear it in this blouse's block pattern. On the racks of Darryl's now. Open seven days!     Luxe Optique 183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com These frames at Luxe Optique would look incredible with frosty silver or blue eyeliner, or no makeup at all - on anyone - male, female, and anyone in-between. Sabine Be frames are always quirky and happy. Go into the shop to try them on, and see how they fit your face.   BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique 1 East Main St., Retail #3 www.lambshillbridalboutique.com (near the dummy light) VaVaVOOM! We are obsessed with these @signaturebyja detachable sleeves! One set per dress please! ❣️ Don't miss out on the Justin Alexander Signature trunk show coming up Friday, November 8, to Sunday, November 11. Call (845) 765-2900 to book your trunk show appointment or reserve a spot online through https://www.lambshillbridalboutique.com.       Eat Church Food Truck 511 Fishkill Avenue at Industrial Arts Brewing (past Auto Zone and the Barking Frog) The perfect fall weather is here for eating food truck food outside. And not just any food truck food - the creative kind. The very fresh food kind. The kind where you can cozy up to someone warm and eat a Bang Bang Pan Banh Xeo Crepe with Shrimp. The kind of food that Eat Church makes. Even the forks in this picture are so happy, they are spooning! Open Thursday to Saturday until 10 pm, Sundays until 7 pm! Photo Credit: An ALBB reader sent this in - @call_me_ella_mar. Send us your pics and they may appear on the blog!         The Crafty Hammer 4 South Chestnut Street, Beacon, NY (845) 834-9665 (WOOD) Looking for a place to book your birthday party? Does your business need a retreat activity? Book your private event with The Crafty Hammer right on Beacon's Main Street. They provide all of the materials and step-by-step instructions from the "Creatologists" to create beautiful, one-of-a-kind décor pieces for your home, or to gift.  Bend & Brew Yoga Day: Sunday, November 3, 2019 Time: 12:30 to 1:30 pm Location: Sloop Brewery @ The Factory, 755 East Drive #106, East Fishkill, NY $20 for yoga and a flight of beer! Information > For a full list of upcoming classes, visit A Little Beacon Blog's Adult Classes Guide.       Sights and Sounds of Beacon Ages: 12:+ Day: Saturday, November 2, 2019 Time: 10:30 am to 2:30 pm Location:: Howland Public Library, 313 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > Election Day Arts Holiday Ages: 4-10 Day: Tuesday, November 5, 2019 Time: 9 am to 12 pm Location: Compass Arts, 395 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >   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.   REAL ESTATE LISTINGS 35 Ackerman Street, Beacon, NY 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathroom From Gate House Realty: "This charming classic has been completely restored to its former glory with modern upgrades." Price: $619,000 Real Estate Agent: Gate House Realty, (845) 831-9550 Details + Pictures > VIEW THIS LISTING VIEW ALL LISTINGS HIRING Front Of House (Truck) Cashier at Eat Church Details > Chef/Kitchen Help at Eat Church Details > Membership and Engagement Manager at Highlands Current Details > Senior Editor at Highlands Current Details > Optometrist at Luxe Optique Details > HEADLINE NEWS FROM OUR SPONSORS   Antalek & Moore Hear from Susan Antalek Pagones, of Antalek & Moore, at the 2019 Dutchess-Ulster Go Red for Women Luncheon, where she will be speaking about her personal loss from heart disease - losing her mother at a young age. The age Susan is now. The keynote speaker is Maria Schiavocampo, Special Correspondent for The Dr. Oz Show and an author. You can buy tickets to the event here. Tin Shingle Offices :: Webinar Recording You can now book this Webinar Bar for your own webinar recording! If you are hosting broadcasted interviews with people, or need an interesting setting for a webinar series you are making, book this Webinar Bar in the heart of beacon! TRY ME! Try out the Webinar Bar and save 10% off your first time! Enter coupon code TRYME at checkout. Get Info >         A Little Beacon Space :: Host A Pop-Up Shop Are you a creative type who has delightful things to sell and you're looking to create a short but thrilling experience for your customers? Pop up in A Little Beacon Space! We're located in the heart of Beacon's Main Street in the historic Telephone Building. We even help you with the promotion. Details >   BeaconArts Three done, three to go! Beacon Arts has been busy installing bus shelter artwork, including this piece by high school student Melanie Perez. Look for the others throughout Beacon, including a new one by the train station. PS: Notice BA's new logo! Beacon Chamber of Commerce :: Business Directory Is your business in the Business Directory of the Beacon Chamber of Commerce yet? It should be. Join here today. Learn More > 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!

Newburgh Vintage Emporium Expanding with Second Location

Neighboring Beacon, right across the Hudson River just off the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge and 9W, is the Newburgh Vintage Emporium, located at 5006 Route 9W, Newburgh. Established in 2013, the Newburgh Vintage Emporium quickly became one of the Hudson Valley’s ideal locations to shop for vintage finds, antiquing, crate-diving for vinyl records, and even discovering local handmade goods. As first reported by the blog Newburgh Restoration, Newburgh Vintage Emporium is expanding due to its growing popularity!

Newburgh Vintage Emporium “Ware-House”

Artist rendition of second location.

That’s right, 11,000 square feet with 50 vendors just isn’t enough to keep all the goods in! The organizers have announced that a second location will be opening at 10 Route 17K, in Newburgh - the Newburgh Vintage Emporium “Ware-House”! The Ware-House, as they call it, will add 30,000 square feet of treasure-hunting, with 80 more vendors. The new space will house even more vintage furniture and clothing, antiques, curiosities, repurposed and locally made goods.

Room For Growth

Sound Shack Beacon moved their record collection from Main Street (Beacon) to the Newburgh Vintage Emporium five years ago (and even hosted a pop-up shop at A Little Beacon Space!) and says it’s been a fabulous transition for them. They will also be expanding into the new space. Sandy from Sound Shack tells us: “We are excited about this venture! We will be having a spot that we will call Sound Shack Annex!”

This is an exciting time for Newburgh as new businesses continue to come into the city. As noted on the Newburgh Restoration blog, “the Vintage Emporium, located at the northern end of the city, just off the I-84 ramp, attracts many customers from near and far. Now the city will have a revamped shopping destination in the west end of the city. The owners have given their first location a fresh perspective. It will be exciting to see what they do on 17K!”

If you are interested in selling with Newburgh Vintage Emporium, you can call them at (845) 562-5200 or click here.

Price Changes On A Couple Curious Homes For Sale In Beacon

We recently sent our highlights for A Little Beacon Blog’s Real Estate Guide to our newsletter subscribers, where, from time to time, we spotlight a tiny corner of the market. We wanted you to get our latest recap, too. (Just in case you’re not a subscriber - what are you waiting for? Subscribe!) If you're curious about the market, selling or buying your home, or just want to see what kind of houses or commercial spaces are going for what, A Little Beacon Blog's Real Estate Guide is a good guide to watch.

A few notable properties not in this Real Estate Guide have had price changes. They’re notable simply for having an unusual story behind them, not necessarily because they’re benchmarks for the entire market.

If you were keeping an eye on a few homes just to see what happened, you’ll be interested that 51 Orchard Place, the house that catapulted last year's Airbnb legislation debate (the house was apparently purchased to solely be an Airbnb, and neighbors took the issue to City Hall) as well as the tree-cutting permit legislation, recently sold for $430K, according to Zillow. The original asking price was $699K for a five-bedroom, although the bedrooms were small, some were connected, and one seemed like an office (according to our walk-through during an open house). The price had been inching down since it was listed in May of last year.

The most charming little blue house across the street from it sold like hot cakes for $430K in July 2019, according to Zillow. According to its agent, the little blue house had 10 offers and a slight bidding war. Asking price was $415K and it sold for $430K.

36 North Cedar Street, a former City Highway Garage, has been fully renovated into a spacious residential home. It was listed for just over $1.48M in February of this year, and has been inching down. As of August, the price is listed at $995K.

The Highlands Current newspaper has been running a monthly comparative look-back at real estate stats (source: hgar.com) in the newspaper for Beacon and Phillipstown, the results of which have been interesting to watch.

There do seem to be sweet spots for home sales. One realtor recently told A Little Beacon Blog: "The homes in Beacon sell themselves." For the right matched price, they seem to be, especially for renovated older homes, and the cool architecture in the new buildings.

Beacon's 2019 Kids Hocus Pocus Halloween Parade Canceled Due To Forecasted Rain

Photo Credit: Unknown… from the A Very Beacon Halloween Facebook page.

Saturday in Beacon has been a sunny stunner, but Sunday’s forecast of rain and high winds has triggered the cancellation of the Hocus Pocus Kids Halloween Parade, as announced on their Facebook page. The Beacon Farmers Market, which is still outside at this time of the year, has also canceled due to the predicted high winds.

Main Street Trick-or-Treating is still on, because it was a simple shopping-like event - just walk up and down the sidewalk visiting your friends in the shops from 1 to 3 pm. Shops are usually open when it rains and even snows.

Happening This Weekend - 10/25/2019

We're coming up on a rain or shine weekend... What will the weather be? Who knows, but we do know this: Halloween celebrations in Beacon have started, and Sunday is the Hocus Pocus Kids Halloween Parade (if it doesn't rain). This year has a new schedule, and we have the full scoop on how it all works this year. Sponsored by Antalek & Moore for car insurance. Events Guide sponsored by The Crafty Hammer   Pumpkins in the Park Jack-o'-Lantern Lighting Event Day: Friday, October 25, 2019 Time: 6 to 8 pm Location: Long Dock Park, Beacon, NY Information > Moon, Serpent and Bone Oddities and Curiosities Night Market Day: Friday, October 25, 2019 Time: 6 pm to midnight Location: HYATT House Fishkill, 100 Westage Business Center Drive, Fishkill, NY Information > International Film Night - The Widow of Saint Pierre Day: Friday, October 25, 2019 Time: 7 to 9 pm Location: Howland Public Library, 313 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > The Beacon Historical Society Hosts 3rd Annual Ghost Tour Days: Friday & Saturday, October 25 & 26, 2019 Time: 6 pm Location: Veterans Memorial Hall Building, 413 Main St. (Teller Avenue lawn), Beacon, NY Information > Blame It On The Bossa Nova Day: Saturday, October 26, 2019 Time: 8 pm Location: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St., Beacon, NY Information > The Hocus Pocus Kids Halloween Parade Day: Sunday, October 27, 2019 Trick-or-Treating: 1 to 3 pm Line-up Time: 3:30 pm at the Visitors Center Parade Marching Time: 4 pm Locations: From the organizers: "Costumed kids start lining up at Polhill Park (South Avenue/9D and Main Street) for a parade all the way down Main Street. This year Trick-or-Treating will be from 1 pm to 3 pm ONLY. Line up for the parade will be at 3:30 pm at the Visitors Center. Parade will begin at 4 pm. There is NO CANDY given during the parade." Get A Little Beacon Blog's Article On How It Works > Meet Two Former NY Giants Players at Elks Lodge Day: Sunday, October 27, 2019 Time: 1 pm Location: Elks Lodge, 900 Wolcott Ave., Beacon, NY Information > Stop Gun Violence Concert! Day: Sunday, October 27, 2019 Time: 5 to 8 pm Location: Towne Crier Cafe, 379 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 Darryl's has been stocking their store with equal parts sleek and stylish, as well as slouchy-sexy. This sweater is soft in color and soft to the touch. The wool blend pullover is made in Barcelona by AMS / Aldo Martins. Find it in the Hudson Valley exclusively at Darryl's. Try it on anytime... The shop is open seven days!     Luxe Optique 183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com Normally, we show the bold and the beautiful frames in Luxe Optique's featured newsletter spot. This week, we are showcasing the barely-there line. It's so hard to photograph, because the frames are so thin and light. The line is called 10 eyevan, and is made up of 10 special parts using precious materials, including titanium, silver 925 and 18K gold.   BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique 1 East Main Street, Retail #3 www.lambshillbridalboutique.com (near the Dummy Light) Check out Lambs Hill's #dressoftheweek video on their Instagram, featuring this gorgeous gown! The ivory sugar rose caviar ball gown, from @blushbyhayleypaige, is called "Nahla." Book your appointment with Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique today or call them at (845) 761-2900!       Eat Church Food Truck 511 Fishkill Avenue at Industrial Arts Brewing (past Auto Zone and the Barking Frog) Have you experienced a Sunday Service at Eat Church yet? Their Pig Roast goes from noon to 7 pm (rotisserie chicken and veggie options will be available). You must try this dish: the Roast Pork with Coconut Rice, Red Thai Curry, and Som Tam Papaya Salad. Open Thursday to Saturday until 10 pm, closing up at 7 on Sundays!         The Crafty Hammer 4 South Chestnut St., Beacon, NY (845) 834-9665 (WOOD) Exciting news! You can now visit the brand-new Crafty Hammer website to purchase workshops, and see their upcoming schedule!  You must try their Family Fun Workshop this Sunday, October 27. Join them for the most popular DIY workshops and create your very own wood home decor piece. They provide all of the materials and step-by-step instructions from the "Creatologists" to create beautiful, one-of-a-kind decor pieces for your home, or to gift.  Small Business Night with The Ladies Auxiliary of St. Rocco's Society Day: Friday, October 25, 2019 Time: 6 to 9 pm Location: 26 S. Chestnut St., Beacon, NY Items will be for sale, and there will also be a 50/50 raffle. Information > For a full list of upcoming classes, visit A Little Beacon Blog's Adult Classes Guide.       Game Night at Howland Library Day: Friday, October 25, 2019 Time: 6:30 to 8 pm Location: Howland Public Library, 313 Main St., Beacon, NY Information >   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.   REAL ESTATE LISTINGS 7 Main Street, New Hamburg, NY (10 to 15 minutes from Beacon) 3 Bedrooms, 2 Bathroom New Hamburg has many benefits for those looking to move to Beacon, but who want more options. It has marina life, where you can dock a boat, and is surrounded by beautiful nature. Bowdoin Park is nearby, which is a popular destination for many Beaconites. The Hannaford grocery store is nearby. Beacon is only 10 to 15 minutes away, and the school district for this house is Wappingers Falls. From JonCar Realty: "The house boasts a stunning front porch with views of the Hudson River. Inside, the living room is comfortable, with hardwood floors, and a dining room accented by french doors." Price: $399,900 Real Estate Agent: JonCar Realty, (845) 831-3331 Details + Pictures > VIEW THIS LISTING VIEW ALL LISTINGS HIRING Front Of House (Truck) Cashier at Eat Church Details > Chef/Kitchen Help at Eat Church Details > Engagement Editor at Highlands Current Details > Senior Editor at Highlands Current Details > Optometrist at Luxe Optique Details > HEADLINE NEWS FROM OUR SPONSORS   Antalek & Moore Susan Pagones Antalek of Antalek & Moore has been working hard as a participant in the #HVBetterU Challenge, an initiative from the American Heart Association. We have an interview with her coming up. She will be speaking at the 2019 Dutchess-Ulster Go Red for Women Luncheon, where the keynote speaker is Maria Schiavocampo, special correspondent for The Dr. Oz Show and an author.         A Little Beacon Space :: Host A Pop-Up Shop Are you a creative type who has delightful things to sell, and you're looking to create a short but thrilling experience for your customers? Pop-Up in A Little Beacon Space! Located in the heart of Beacon's Main Street in the historic Telephone Building. We even help you with the promotion. Details >   BeaconArts Three done, three to go! Bus shelter artwork has been getting installed for Beacon Arts. This piece of artwork is by high school student Melanie Perez. Look for the others throughout Beacon, including a new one by the train station. They will all be installed by Friday, November 1. PS: Notice BA's new logo! Tin Shingle Offices :: Webinar Recording Coming soon... like, any minute! Tin Shingle's weekly webinar recording location is coming to you for rent. Record your webinar in front of this magical gray wall that seems to make everyone look great. Or, turn the camera around to host an interview at our long table with flowers behind. Get Info via A Little Beacon Space > Beacon Chamber of Commerce Business Directory Is your business in the Business Directory of the Beacon Chamber of Commerce yet? It should be. Join here today. Learn More > 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!

New Schedule For Sunday Hocus Pocus Kids Halloween Parade For 2019

Two trick-or-treaters from last year’s Hocus Pocus Halloween Parade.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

UPDATE [10/26/2019]: The parade has been canceled due to forecasted rain. Details here.

When organizing big events, there is the intended way something is supposed to go, and there is the actual way something happens. And when kids are involved, you can count on something not going as planned.

This year, the organizers of the Hocus Pocus Parade, aka Beacon’s Kids Halloween Parade, are pulling hard for a safer environment for the little trick-or-treaters, who often dart out of the parade unplanned to trick or treat from Main Street shops during the parade. Not this year, said the organizers. After years of moderating a moving street closure (meaning, Main Street is not officially closed, so by the end of the parade, cars and kids are often both in the middle of the street - yup, we see you, angry man in the red pickup truck!), there is a new schedule, and a new official street closure by the City of Beacon:

• Trick-or-Treating on Main Street, 1 to 3 pm: People can go up and down the sidewalks to visit the shops if they have treat hand-outs. This will be like a regular day out on Main Street, where the street is not closed. You’re just mingling with your community out on the sidewalk, making your way up or down the street. Have lunch, collect candy, that kind of thing.

• Parade, 4 pm (line up at 3:30 pm): People should make their way down to the Visitors Center at Polhill Park (at Main Street and Wolcott Avenue, near Bank Square Coffee and Beacon Creamery) at 3:30 pm for the lineup. At 4 pm, the official Kids Halloween Parade begins. Main Street will be closed until the Dummy Light (at East Main Street) while the kids walk. There’s no trick-or-treating during the parade; kids are displaying their costume only. Parade participants can relax on the patio of The Roundhouse, where they’re offering what has become an annual (virgin) cider sip outside on the patio.

With the new street closure came new costs, which almost broke the Hocus Pocus Parade’s bank. The community heard about it, and a local business, A + W Scrap Metal, donated the $380 to pay for the police street closure, according to this week’s Beacon Free Press.

Event Organizers and Updates

The Hocus Pocus Parade is organized by A Very Beacon Halloween, which is Sheryl Glickman of Notions-N-Potions, Ron Iarossi of Beacon Creamery, and Carmen Johnson, everyone’s favorite crossing guard at South Avenue and Main Street, and a Volunteer Extraordinaire. Visit their Facebook page for updates, and/or the Event page specifically.

Treating Tips

Start at the far end of Main Street, near the mountain. Hit up the shops on that end, like the Chocolate Studio, the new Hyperbole, SallyeAnder (in the 1 East Main renovated factory building). We have not confirmed that they are handing out anything, but simply naming them as location examples. Head west, toward the river, to line up for the parade, then march back to the East End..

Shops that are offering treats will have witches hats displayed outside of their shops. If you are a local business who wants to hand out treats and don’t have your hat yet, you can pick one up from Notions-N-Potions at 173 Main Street, or the Beacon Creamery at 134 Main Street.

Lunching Tips

If you buddy up with friends you meet along the way, there are plenty of restaurants in town that seat large parties. Think of The Vault, Brother’s Trattoria, Towne Crier, and others. See A Little Beacon Blog’s Restaurant Guide to get more ideas at your fingertips while you’re out.

Rain Date

There is no rain date for the parade portion, but trick-or-treating is encouraged during the 1 to 3 pm time slot, rain or shine. The money raised from the community will be used for the following year’s street closure permit.

Early Voting Starts Saturday, October 26 - And Includes Weekends - And Halloween!

The most surprising change to the election process this year takes effect this Saturday, October 26: early voting for New Yorkers. That’s right - the heavily anticipated Tuesday, November 5, Election Day just got a little lighter as New York passed a law letting registered voters cast their ballot early. Starting this year, registered New York voters have nine additional days - including two weekends - to cast their ballots.

Voters can still vote by absentee ballot or at their regular polling place (find those here) on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, but can now also vote instead at one of their home county’s designated early voting sites from Saturday, October 26 to Sunday, November 3.

Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson (D-Newburgh) co-sponsored the bill implementing early voting in New York State, and is a member of the Assembly’s Election Law Committee and Chair of the Sub-Committee on Election Day Operations. “Voting should be simple and easy,” Jacobson said in a press release. “Early voting will increase turnout and allow more voters to participate in our democratic process.”

How Does Voting Early Work?

Special locations are assigned for each county. Early voting locations vary by county, and you must cast your vote in the county where you live. You must be a registered voter, but you don’t need to sign up for anything special to be able to vote early. Anyone can do it. You just walk up to the designated area and vote.

We asked Julie Shiroishi, chief of staff for Assemblymember Jacobson, to provide a few more “how-to” details of this new voting process: “You just show up at any early voting site in Dutchess and they'll look up your name in an electronic poll book. These are new and will allow the poll worker to print on-demand a ballot (also new) for your specific election district. At the end of every day, the info will be uploaded to the County Board of Elections so voters can't vote more than once.”

So on Tuesday, November 5, you could just sit back and enjoy the day… Saturdays and Sundays are even included in the early voting schedule. And even Halloween! What does it mean for employers who give their employees paid leave to vote on Tuesday? According to Julie: “Employees can take three hours off to vote on Election Day only - not Early Voting days. Technically, employees are supposed to give their employers two days notice prior to Election Day that they are going to vote, and employers are supposed to post the policy notifying them of their right to vote on Election Day 10 days before Election Day.”

Early Voting Locations For Dutchess County

Residents of the City of Beacon can vote at any of Dutchess County’s five early polling sites:

• Fishkill Town Hall, 807 Route 52, Fishkill

• Dutchess County Board of Elections, 47 Cannon St., Poughkeepsie

• Rhinebeck Town Hall, 80 East Market St., Rhinebeck

• Millbrook Fire House, 20 Front St., Millbrook

• Unionvale Town Hall, 249 Duncan Road, Lagrangeville

If you have kids and plan on bringing them to vote, you could check out the Fishkill Rec Center’s activity schedule to drop in for an activity session. A Little Beacon Blog does include the Fishkill Recreation Center activities in our Kids Classes Guide.

Beacon Votes In 2nd Moratorium, Citing Water Supply Planning For Increased Residential Usage

In 2017, citing concern for water usage with big increases is new residential building, Beacon voted in a temporary six-month moratorium on residential development to pause new proposals as it reviewed current water supply plans. This year, the City Council has been discussing a second temporary moratorium to reflect upon current water usage and sources, which it voted unanimously to approve on September 3, 2019.

Beacon gets its water from three reservoirs, two wells, and purchased gallons from Fishkill. In February 2019, Well #2 was taken offline due to “high turbidity from silting.” WSP (Formerly LBG Hydrogeologic & Engineering Services) examined the well and determined that the “excessive silting was entering the well from a fracture about 240 feet down,” according to the notes in the city’s Resolution for the proposed second moratorium.

When reviewing whether Beacon had enough water supply during the current building of new apartments, WSP did indicate that there was enough water. From the Resolution: “WSP performed a Water Supply Adequacy review with Well #2 out of service, incorporating and assessing the water needs of existing developments, and projects in the process of being built, recently approved and pending before the Planning Board. WSP’s review concluded that there is an adequate supply of water and an approximate surplus of 170,000 gpd (gallons per day).”

However, members of the City Council felt the desire to be cautious. The Council has been spending the summer and beyond reviewing zoning laws to consider tightening and refining for future development projects. Noted in the Resolution was this intent from the Council: “In addition, the intent and purpose of this Local Law is to allow the City a measured amount of time to review and revise targeted zoning laws, specifically focusing on amending the City’s use and dimensional tables and establishing new regulations for the Linkage Zoning District. The City Planner is in the process of amending the City’s Schedule of Dimensional Regulations, in its entirety, and Schedule of Use Regulations, in its entirety, for all residential and non-residential zoning districts in the City of Beacon. The proposed amendments will greatly impact the type and scale of development permitted in each Zoning District. The moratorium will allow the City to complete and adopt these new comprehensive regulations to promote efficient and sustainable long-term growth in the City of Beacon.”

Overall, City Council cited imprudence as the justification for the moratorium: “The City is concerned that approving new development proposals while repairs are being made to Well #2 would be imprudent and it would not be fair to applicants to entertain new applications during this time of uncertainty because the success of the repairs to Well #2 will be unknown until the work is completed in three (3) months.”

The Moratorium is back-dated to start on June 11, 2019, which is when it was first proposed by Mayor Randy Casale, and expire in six months. There are exceptions to the moratorium, which you can read about in the Resolution language here.

Beacon is currently in a Stage 1 Drought, issued on October 7, 2019.

Cute Store Sign: “BELEAF” For A Flower Shop

Very nice, Flora Good Times: “BELEAF”

Cute!

Shopping is so good on Beacon’s Main Street. Think you know all the shops here? Make sure you do, by keeping up on A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide. And check the Restaurant Guide too! Before you blink away, thinking you already know everything about town, check out a few things we’ve noticed recently:

1. People who have lived here their whole lives still see Beacon’s Main Street as boarded-up and a place to avoid. What silliness! We dare you to take a walk right now. Or try the free bus.

2. People who have lived here for 10+ years quickly insist they know everything and every restaurant. Guarantee that you don’t! Want to know how we know that? Because shops and restaurants change a lot! The good news is, more shops are finding their stride and succeeding longer. Sometimes a move is necessary and they hop down the street to a new location!

3. People who live here and just don’t venture out. Sparkle your life in sunshine!

Come on. Come out!

Beacon In Stage 1 Drought As Reservoir Levels Are Low

First announced at the October 7, 2019, City Council meeting by City Manager Anthony Ruggiero, the City of Beacon is in a Stage 1 Drought. While you may expect drought conditions in the summer, Beacon did have plenty of rainfall this season. Droughts have been declared in past fall and winter months, including October 23, 2017 and December 9, 2016.

Beaconites use between 2.4 and 2.6 million gallons of water per day. The water comes from two wells, and three reservoirs that depend on rainfall to fill up: Cargill, Melzingah, and Mount Beacon. Beacon also buys water from Fishkill. Currently, Well #2 has been taken offline due to a fracture 240 feet down, which was causing “high turbidity from silting.” Repairs to Well #2 are expected to take three months.

As of October 7, the three reservoirs were below the designated safe levels by the following amounts: Cargill (6 feet), Melzingah (15 feet-plus), and Mount Beacon (8 feet) according to Edward Balicki, director of operations for the Beacon Water Department. “These levels place the total capacity at about 60 percent, which is the main parameter for the Stage 1 Alert,” said Edward in a letter to the City of Beacon.

Beacon is currently in a building moratorium, with water supply concerns cited as the justification for the six-month pause in approving new building applications (get moratorium details here). During a water study, it was determined that there is enough water, and even a projected surplus. But the City Council is proceeding with caution.

Hasn’t It Been Raining? Will The Reservoirs Fill Up?

Despite the rain during the past two weeks, the reservoirs have not filled up. But, they have held steady. “There has been no significant change to the reservoir levels since the Drought notice [on October 7, 2019], which is a good thing,” said Anthony via email to A Little Beacon Blog. “The recent rainfall has helped hold the reservoirs to the same levels from two weeks ago. There is more rain forecasted for tomorrow [Tuesday] and possibly several days next week.”

Recommended Water Conservation Methods

There are several actions you can take to conserve water, which are recommended by the city, including:

• Limit car washing to commercial vehicle-washing facilities (i.e. car washes).

• Limit the washing of sidewalks, driveways or outdoor areas.

• Limit the use of water for ornamental purposes, including waterfalls, pools and ponds.

• Limit the filling of pools (pretty easy this time of year!).

• Only water lawns between the hours of 7 am and 8 am and 10 pm and 11 pm.

• Repair any leaking pipes or faulty plumbing. (This should be done anyway to limit wasted water and reduce the consumer’s water bill, according to the city.)

• Refrain from opening any hydrant without permission from the Water Department.

Cryotherapy Comes To Beacon: Cold Fit Cryotherapy Grand Opening With Artist Reception

GRAND OPENING
Cold Fit Cryotherapy
Day: Saturday, October 19, 2019
Time: 11 am to 2 pm
Location: Cold Fit Cryotherapy, 473 Main St., Suite 4, Beacon, NY

Karen Burghart is one of Beacon's newest business owners on Main Street, bringing Cold Fit Cryotherapy to the former Watkins Press building that now has an architecture firm in the storefront.

Karen is a dancer, and cryotherapy is her remedy of choice for healing aches and pains. Cryotherapy is popular out west in California, and is a method where super-dry cold vapor is applied to the entire body in a chamber for up to three minutes, or in localized treatments with a wand.

Cryotherapy can be used to destroy fat cells, or heal aches and pains, according to Cold Fit’s website. The type of cold is important, as it is dry vapor, versus a wet cold. Think dry Arizona heat or a sauna, versus humid Hudson Valley heat (and cold).

You can see for yourself during a special Open House on Saturday, October 19, 2019, during Cold Fit’s Grand Opening celebration. The day includes an opening exhibit of works by local artist Ellen Shea.

Light refreshments will be served. RSVP is recommended to (845) 842-8085, but walk-ins are welcome. Cold Fit Cryotherapy is a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog’s Beauty Guide, and we thank them for their support!