March 2020 Art Gallery Guide to Second Saturday in Beacon, NY - On Hold

Published Date: Saturday, March 14, 2020

Once things get back to normal, you’ll have an extra-lot of art to catch up on. Some of the shows that were set to open on Second Saturday, March 14 (clockwise from top right): Alaina Enslen at RiverWinds Gallery; Carl Craig’s soundscape at Dia Beacon; Rick Rogers at Hudson Beach Glass; Kaiju group show at Clutter Magazine Gallery; and the sixth annual CoMFY show at the Howland Public Library.

Well, it’s Second Saturday weekend, and normally we wish all Beaconites and visitors a happy one. But there’s nothing normal about this month’s edition. As you’ve surely heard by now, the spread of COVID-19 (aka coronavirus) and efforts to knock it down are leading to lots of cancellations, in the interests of public health and not overwhelming medical facilities. Dutchess County government issued guidelines Friday that prohibit gatherings of more than 20 people for at least the next five days.

With luck, hard work, and patience by all, the public health emergency will pass soon, and we can get back to the spirit-soothing effects of visiting galleries and creating community. We’re keeping our comprehensive Second Saturday Art Gallery Guide live and updated, so you can keep tabs on all the artists and galleries we love, and get right back into supporting them as soon as is safe for everyone to do so. Even if we can’t have the usual openings, with luck we’ll be able to enjoy the exhibitions at each venue.

Beacon art venues with postponed or close notices as of 3/13 (check the individual venue for specifics): 
• Dia Beacon: Closed until further notice.
• Clutter Gallery: Closed for the Kaiju Kanibal opening; online-only exhibition will happen.
• Gallery at Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries (Clarkson University): Closed until further notice.
• Howland Public Library: We Persist! CoMFY show reception is canceled, but the library remains open. 
• No. 3 Reading Room and PhotoBookWorks: Closed for now, until this passes.
• Mother Gallery: March 21 Jenny Morgan opening canceled; gallery closed until further notice.

Take care of yourselves and one another!

The (Not) Happening This Weekend Guide - 3/13/2020

Published Date: Friday, March 13, 2020

Hiya... Whatcha doin'? Yesterday (Thursday) was a big day. The past couple weeks have actually been big weeks in terms of coronavirus takeover, as industry standard across the United States has become the cancellation of trade shows (Architectural Digest's AD Show), medical device companies swamped in backorders and canceling trade shows until October, movie companies halting international premieres until Christmas, talent agencies (such as CAA) mandating that their client meetings happen remotely. So when a reader wrote in on Wednesday to ask to ask if Beacon's St. Patrick's Day Parade was going to be canceled, we pursued the question but didn't believe that it would actually happen. The answer was that the City of Beacon and the Parade Committee had been meeting about it, and would announce on Thursday morning. This is when our brain broke. What does that mean for businesses? If gathering in a large group outside is being avoided, what does that mean for art gallery openings? This is Second Saturday! Fortunately, it is also Summer Camp Planning Season, so Wednesday night distracted us back to normal as we dove into organizational upgrades to that guide, so that parents would have an easy time searching camp options by week and age range. Thursday happened. By now A Little Beacon Blog was ready. ALBB published that the parade was canceled. Managing Editor Marilyn Perez began fielding the cancellation emails for other events. Second Saturday Guide Editor Catherine Sweet began thinking about how to address the semi-self-quarantine vibe that was taking over Beacon and the Hudson Valley. Governor Cuomo gave a press conference and recommended (OK, mandated) that gatherings of 500 and more were banned in all of New York State, and gatherings of less than 500 could happen, but the venue's legal capacity of the room should be reduced by 50 percent in the name of reducing density to stop the spread of the virus, in the name of not overloading hospitals. Dutchess County held a press conference, and State Senator Sue Serino then issued an email suggesting that groups limit themselves to 20 people. One reader response was: "That's family dinner." Right. That's probably the point. The virus is so contagious, and we have seen with others, like with the New Rochelle family, that carriers can be asymptomatic. So, if you feel fine, and go out because you aren't sniffling or sneezing, you still might pass it to someone, and that someone might have a minor lung issue, or a weak heart. And those people are the most at risk. Care for serious patients exists in the hospitals, but not if there are a lot of cases at once. We have the Second Saturday Guide for you below. We have a few coronavirus articles for you as well. How you balance your social life is up to you - because seeing others is important. Laughing, dancing, supporting businesses who are open - all of these things are very important. Fortunately, we are in a use-your-best-judgment zone at the moment (unlike Italy). An Insightful Letter From CEO of Cleveland Clinic - His And Other Healthcare CEOs' Requests To President Trump Beacon City Schools Will Continue Free Breakfast/Lunch Program For All Children During 2-Week Closure Beacon's Teachers Spent Professional Learning Day Creating At Home Learning Tools For 2-Week School Closure Beacon City School District Closes Schools For 2 Weeks - Why This Is Good (Words From A Doctor In Italy) Dutchess County Resident Tests Positive For Coronavirus; Gatherings Limited To 20 Gatherings of 500+ In New York State Are Not Permitted Starting Friday 5 pm - 500 or Less Reduced By 50% - How These Businesses Are Preparing Beacon City School District Superintendent Matthew Landahl Updates Community After Governor Cuomo's Message On March 9, 2020. How To Disinfect An iPhone - A Beaconite Tech Guru Provides The Answer   SPONSORED BY:  No. 3 Reading Room & Photo Book Works WRITTEN BY: Catherine Sweet Beacon art venues with postponed or closed notices as of 3/13 (check the individual venue for specifics): Dia Beacon: Closed until further notice. Clutter Gallery: Closed for the Kaiju Kanibal opening; online-only exhibition will happen. Gallery at Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries (Clarkson University): Closed until further notice. Howland Public Library: We Persist! CoMFY show reception is canceled, but the library remains open. You could still see the art. No. 3 Reading Room and PhotoBookWorks: Closed for now, until this passes. Mother Gallery: March 21 Jenny Morgan opening canceled; gallery closed until further notice.   Special Note From Catherine Sweet, Second Saturday Guide Editor: Hey, Beaconites and any people thinking of visiting town for this month’s Second Saturday! We’re hearing about event postponements and gallery closures as they come in, and we’ll try to keep everything here updated. Please have patience with us, with gallery owners, and with one another if you’re out and about - we’re all just trying to do our best. In light of Gov. Cuomo’s statements on limiting public contact, and Dutchess County’s strong recommendations to avoid gatherings of more than 20 people (post from county legislator Nick Page on Facebook), there’s a good chance that many more Second Saturday activities will be postponed and canceled. But the art will still be there when we’re on the other side of this virus. If you do decide to go out, please be conscientious about your habits and consider the people around you. If a venue looks like it’s more than half-full, look through the window and scope it out for next time, then saunter on down to the next gallery. Remember, too, that historically, lots of art gets created when people are facing challenging conditions. GET THE ENTIRE SECOND SATURDAY GUIDE Sponsored by Antalek & Moore for car insurance. Got an event? Submit your event here for consideration.   Parade of Green - POSTPONED Information > Maple Fest at Randolph School - POSTPONED Information > Beacon Farmers Market - CLOSED THIS WEEKEND This weekend only. Check their Facebook for next weekend. Information > Howland Cultural Center - POSTPONED EVENTS This weekend and next weekend. Howland Chamber Music Circle - POSTPONED EVENTS Information > Atlas Studios - POSTPONED EVENTS Information > Mid-Hudson Children's Museum Closed For One Week - Temporary Information > Plan ahead and check out what's coming up this month in our Events Guide.   BOUTIQUES ON THE WEST END     Luxe Optique 183 Main Street www.luxeoptique.com Now is the perfect time to get your frames adjusted! Are they ready for a tighter fit? Luxe Optique can do it in-store for you! Don't you want to feel this confident in your frames?   BOUTIQUES ON THE EAST END Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique 1 East Main Street, Retail #3 www.lambshillbridalboutique.com (near the dummy light) If you are a bride on a budget, or have a short time frame, be sure to check out this weekend's sample sale at Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique! Don't forget to vote for Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique for #bestofhudsonvalley2020! Visit www.hvmag.com and vote for best Bridal shop (#7) Type in "Lambs Hill Bridal Boutique," in the town of Beacon. ⠀ Call (845) 765-2900, or book your appointment online through their website!  Be sure to check A Little Beacon Blog's Shopping Guide for all of our sponsors! You don't want to miss great discoveries like PTACEK Home and LLTO (Live Light Travel Often).   Thank you to Barb's Butchery, Eat Church, and BAJA 328 for sponsoring the Restaurant Guide!   For a full list of upcoming classes, visit A Little Beacon Blog's Adult Classes Guide. Submission Guidelines for classes you'd like us to consider adding to these guides can be found 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.   HEADLINE NEWS FROM OUR SPONSORS   Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency Buying a car online might seem like an easy way to get a new vehicle, but the truth is, it's even more complicated than buying a new TV. Consult with Antalek & Moore to find the right auto insurance for your car. Tin Shingle Beacon local Patti Devine is a Guest Expert on this Tin Shingle TuneUp, speaking about how to use the confusing world of Facebook Ads, should you want to. This TuneUp webinar is available for you to watch for free for a limited time. Simply visit the page and press play! Learn More >     Katie James, Inc. Offering couture branding for businesses, crafting of social media strategy, website designs, and newsletter plans to keep your customer base engaged. Learn More > 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!

An Insightful Letter From CEO of Cleveland Clinic - His And Other Healthcare CEOs’ Requests To President Trump

Published Date: Friday, March 13, 2020

As you may know, I am from Cleveland, Ohio. For that reason, I get kept abreast of Ohio developments both for the coronavirus, and for the weather (usually, weather in Cleveland travels to Beacon in about one day… it’s how I’m so good at predicting snow flurries or super rainy days).

Earlier this week, in my inbox, an email arrived from the CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, Tomislav Mihaljevic, M.D. The email had been sent to Cleveland Clinic board members, and was forwarded to me by a friend. In this time of “What do we do in a pandemic?” I found it comforting. The Cleveland Clinic granted A Little Beacon Blog permission to publish it for you to read too. Here it is:

---

March 11, 2020

Dear Board Members,

We will keep you updated on Cleveland Clinic’s preparations and response to COVID-19.

At Cleveland Clinic, our primary concern is to care for patients and protect our caregivers. We are ahead of other organizations in terms of our preparations. We have collaborated with community leaders and providers to ensure the safest care for all patients.

Today (March 11, 2020), I am traveling to the White House and will be joined by other healthcare CEOs and top industry representatives. Our charge is to share what we are doing and also advise the federal government on what more can be done.

As a global healthcare leader, Cleveland Clinic is using this opportunity to request three barriers be removed by the government.

• We believe access to care is critical and will ask for testing, treatment and quarantine to be guaranteed for all Americans through appropriate payment channels.

• We seek relief from regulations that limit our ability to reach patients virtually and surveys that distract hospital operations during this epidemic.

• And we request that all medical conferences and large gatherings be temporarily cancelled.

This morning, we announced the following precautions to our caregivers:

• We are restricting all international and business travel until further notice.

• We will be reviewing all Cleveland Clinic events, including Continuing Medical Education, for cancellation.

• We asked caregivers to replace in-person meetings with virtual options.

• Also, caregivers will not receive attendance infractions for shifts missed due to exposure to COVID-19, and we are finalizing guidelines to provide compensation during a leave of absence.
  In addition, we educated caregivers on how we are preparing in this video.

Because of our outstanding clinicians, I am proud to report that Cleveland Clinic will be the first to launch onsite patient testing for COVID-19, starting tomorrow, March 12. By testing onsite, we can return results within 8 hours, versus 3-4 days currently when sending to the CDC. We will begin with limited testing capacity and are working to quickly increase this in the days ahead.

We know you may get more questions about testing and will send these guidelines out to you shortly. We will continue to send frequent updates as this situation evolves. You can also visit ClevelandClinic.org or the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website for information and travel guidance for more information about COVID-19.

Thank you for your support.
Tomislav Mihaljevic, M.D.
Chief Executive Officer and President
Cleveland Clinic

Beacon City Schools Will Continue Free Breakfast/Lunch Program For All Children During 2-Week Closure

Published Date: Friday, March 13, 2020

Superintendent Matthew Landahl announced that the Beacon City School District will be offering one meal each morning at two different locations for all kids in the City of Beacon starting Monday, March 16, 2020, the same day that the two-week school closure starts, in the name of reducing density and spread of coronavirus/COVID-19. Schools in Ohio are also extending to their school children the free breakfast and lunch programs, as they too find themselves in sudden protection mode.

LOCATIONS:

10 to 10:30 am: Beacon High School
10:30 to 11 am: South Avenue Elementary

Superintendent Landahl stated: “This will be ‘grab and go’ and is available for all children in Beacon, please spread the word!” Children will be given two meals at the grab-and-go location so that kids can take home a meal to eat the next day at breakfast. The Beacon City School District Food Services Director put together this program in a matter of days.

Superintendent Landahl told A Little Beacon Blog: “Food services staff will work on putting the grab and go bags together. They will include both breakfast items and lunch items so kids can eat lunch and then eat the breakfast the next day. Karen Pagano, our food services director, put this together in about three days. Kids just will have to sign their names, but it is open to all children in Beacon, not just our students.”

South Avenue Elementary has the highest amount of low-income families in its district, and is in close proximity to housing developments for a lot of families in need. The Beacon Recreation Center, located a few blocks away, was the former location for the summer lunch program (that was discontinued last year due to eligibility shifts within the district for that program).

There is a food pantry located at the Recreation Center that is open on Saturday mornings. This food pantry is organized by the New Vision Church of Deliverance. This is in addition to the Tiny Food Pantry mini-house that is located on the grounds of the Recreation Center that anyone can leave food in at any time.

Beacon's Teachers Spent Professional Learning Day Creating At-Home Learning Tools For 2-Week School Closure

Students in the Beacon City School District were off for a scheduled Professional Learning Day for teachers. Consider it a practice day for the anticipated two-week school closure due to the Dutchess County State Of Emergency declared on March 13, 2020, in an effort to reduce the coronavirus/COVID-19 spread. For a district that had virtually no snow days (fact-checking this… can’t recall if there was one snow day, or just a delay), parents aren’t getting off that easy. Kids, however, are ecstatic. At least in this closure, there is no snow to shovel, which is what usually happens with snow days. Unless we get a blizzard too. And if that happens, well, we’ll deal with it.

Beacon’s Superintendent Matt Landahl announced that teachers had been preparing for a two-week closure, and took the Professional Learning Day to create the materials that kids can use to log into classes from home. According to the announcement, elementary school students will be given access to Chromebook laptops at home.

School principals will reach out to parents on Monday, using the school messenger by Monday afternoon. Parents and students also have access to online and app-based communication tools with teachers that they have already been using.

Superintendent Matt Landahl ended his update with a cheer: “We will keep updating you with information next week and hang in there!”

Mid-Hudson Children's Museum Temporarily Closes For At Least 1 Week Out Of Precaution

Published Date: Friday, March 13, 2020

In the interest of public health, Mid-Hudson Children's Museum (MHCM) will temporarily close to visitors for at least one week, beginning tomorrow, Saturday, March 14, at 5 pm. School visits and events scheduled to be held at the museum during this time will be cancelled and potentially rescheduled.

Over the next week, MHCM will continue to closely monitor the coronavirus/COVID-19 situation in the region, making additional adjustments and assessments on when it is time to reopen.

In a statement, the museum said, “While our immediate community of visitors is generally at low risk, we are electing to close in order to do our part in the social distancing strategy that will protect our greater community from further spread of COVID-19 infection. There is no known incidence of COVID-19 within the MHCM community.

This is the clear, responsible path that was informed by an enormous number of factors, including the deep care we all have for the children and families served, as well as our greater community.”

They invite you to stay connected for updates via the website, Facebook and Twitter.

They added: “We wish you and your family good health and look forward to reopening and sharing our spring and summer programs with you and your little ones!”

Beacon City School District Closes Schools For 2 Weeks - Why This Is Good (Words From A Doctor In Italy)

Parents and community members have been waiting for the declaration about Beacon City Schools to follow several other districts in New York State. Gov. Andrew Cuomo was reluctant to close schools, with the economic impact it has on parents to continue to go to work, or work from home. In New York City, Mayor de Blasio was concerned about the food programs that exist in the public schools statewide that get food to low-income families. Dutchess County Legislator Nick Page has indicated that both New York State and the federal government are working on aid packages.

With Dutchess County’s State of Emergency declared today, all schools in the county must close. While kids are being regarded as (thankfully) not having severe symptoms, thoughts are being revisited as to if keeping the schools open is a good idea. The podcast Unchained (normally a cryptocurrency podcast) dedicated their entire show today to data-based insights on coronavirus, and recommended that readers read this essay in Newsweek, written by a doctor in a major hospital in Western Europe. He writes from Italy (which is under quarantine and the streets are empty, just in case you hadn’t read that yet):

From Newsweek:

“I'm a doctor in a major hospital in Western Europe. Watching you Americans (and you, Brits) in these still-early days of the coronavirus pandemic is like watching a familiar horror movie, where the protagonists, yet again, split into pairs or decide to take a tour of a dark basement.

”The real-life versions of this behavior are pretending this is just a flu; keeping schools open; following through with your holiday travel plans, and going into the office daily. This is what we did in Italy. We were so complacent that even when people with coronavirus symptoms started turning up, we wrote each off as a nasty case of the flu.”

The Beacon City School District is off today anyway for a professional day, so kids have been home in a practice day off. More news is to come of what sort of preparation plans the District has for students.

Superintendent Matt Landahl’s letter to parents:

Dear Beacon Community:

Due to the Dutchess County State of Emergency, the Beacon City Schools will be closed for classroom and extracurricular activities for the next two weeks due to Coronavirus/COVID 19. This school closing lasts through March 27th. We have been preparing for this potential and we will share some of our plans with you in the coming days. I want everyone to be safe and be kind to each other. I will update the community soon.

Matt Landahl

Disney World And Disneyland Close Florida, California, and Paris Parks Through March

Published Date: Thursday, March 12, 2020

No words here really, except to add to the news roundup that Disney World/Land also have closed. At first blush, it’s all shocking. But then again, at least it’s not a silo effect. We’re all in this together, worldwide. Personally, in this blogger’s inbox, cancellation and closure notices for film/TV productions (employment) have been reported for a few weeks in the entertainment industry. This blogger’s personal brain break happened on Wednesday (yesterday). But I am in full prep mode now, and ready to roll with however this is working out.

Here is one way to look at this: It’s safe to say every industry is experiencing this financially. That part, in addition to health, of course, is scary. But, if every industry is experiencing this and shutting down, we have a lot of big players who have a lot at stake. Our small businesses on Main Street have a lot at stake. And so do Disney. The NBA. AMC (as movie houses shut and movie releases get postponed). Pretty much every trade show (Architectural Digest’s AD Design Show, postponed to June). Beacon local, and mega-worldwide design celebrity Niche Modern was going to display there, but maybe they’ll instead participate in the June event.

So we’re all pulling in, and it will probably help as medical discoveries are made about this virus. So many businesses are going to make sure we get back to Open status again.

Dutchess County Resident Tests Positive For Coronavirus; Gatherings Limited To 20

State Senator Sue Serino has sent an email stating that a local resident in Dutchess County has tested positive for coronavirus. As testing increases, this is bound to happen, and more cases will most likely appear. She stated: “In an abundance of caution, Dutchess County Health officials are asking that any event expecting 20 or more participants be postponed.”

Senator Serino urged people who are experiencing symptoms to call their doctors first, before going into the office or hospital. But do call if you are experiencing these symptoms (from the New York State Coronavirus Webpage):

“The 2019 novel coronavirus may cause mild to severe respiratory symptoms like:

• cough

• fever

• trouble breathing and

• pneumonia

“CDC believes at this time that symptoms may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 days after exposure to the virus.“

- New York State Coronavirus Webpage

What does this mean for businesses like restaurants or bars where people are in close contact? So far, use your judgment. There are positive cases that experience mild or no symptoms (asymptomatic), like with the New Rochelle family.

Hudson Valley MOCA - Postponement Of Some Events (Remains Open Regular Hours As Of Now)

Published Date: Thursday, March 12, 2020

Hudson Valley MOCA, in Peekskill, is letting the public know that the safety and well-being of their visitors is a top priority. In light of current events, Hudson Valley MOCA is taking precautionary measures and will be closed to the public through the end of March. All public events and programs during the month of March are canceled, including the opening reception for .edu: Art Faculty of the Hudson Valley.

For those who have made reservations for Portfolio Review Day on Sunday, March 22, the event will continue as planned (as of this writing, but check their website and social media before going).

Until further notice, Hudson Valley MOCA's open hours will remain the same: Thursday to Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm.

Click here to learn more about what Hudson Valley MOCA is doing to ensure the health of their visitors.

Gatherings of 500+ In New York State Are Not Permitted Starting Friday 5 pm - 500 or Less Reduced By 50% - Businesses Are Preparing

PUBLISHED: Thursday, March 12, 2020

As tweeted by Governor Cuomo during his press conference today addressing the state’s new approach to reduce density statewide in order to reduce the spread of coronavirus, so that hospitals can manage cases if and when they increase:

“We are taking new actions to reduce the density of people across the state. Starting Friday at 5 pm, gatherings with 500 people or more will not be permitted in NYS. Additionally, for facilities with an occupancy of 500 or fewer, we are reducing the legal capacity by 50%.

“For Broadway theaters in Manhattan, these rules will go into effect at 5 pm TODAY. We have already spoken to the theaters about these new measures and they agreed.”

When asked if businesses were complying, Governor Cuomo responded positively: “Everybody wants to make sure we get through this as easily as possible,” the governor said. Also stated by another official: “Businesses are eager for guidance.”

When asked about office buildings and if those were included in the density reduction strategy, an official responded: “It’s congregate places.” Governor Cuomo stressed concentrated spaces. Many businesses in New York have already instituted work-from-home policies as precautionary measures. CBS had two staffers test positive for coronavirus, and directed people to work from home, though broadcasts will still continue from other locations.

Local Businesses In Beacon

View fullsize

Photo Credit: Lauren Hand

Local businesses in Beacon have been responding to the new work-from-home life. Zoned Fitness is revving up their digitally broadcast workout program, Hybrid PT, as announced via their Instagram.

The local tech flower delivery company Lovingly is offering to loan their extra laptops to staff who may have kids at home who are doing remote learning, should that happen (not happening in Beacon as of yet). This is a sign of businesses planning and pivoting to adjust to a new normal, however long that should last.

Beacon Pilates and Society of Lash both sent emails to their client lists, letting their customers know that extra cleaning is happening in their locations, and to stay home if customers feel in any way sick. Beacon’s lady barber Lucky Longo and River Therapeutic Massage also Instagrammed to their customers to stay home if they are sick.

Photo Credit: Utensil

Should this make you freak out about leaving the house? No. Leave the house (if you’re not sick… If you’re sneezing and sniffly, just binge-watch something or read a book inside). Get fresh air. Go shopping. Utensil has shown customers how they are wiping their cash register system for you.

Say hi to your neighbors. Just stay a casual distance between people (like 6 feet) so that just in case you do have it, but show no symptoms, you are part of reducing the chance of it spreading. Maybe don’t visit your grandparents right now, and call them on FaceTime instead.

Governor Cuomo Ended With This Observation

Governor Cuomo ended his press release with this: “I went through Ebola. That was frightening. That was closer to what the mindset of the public is. Ebola was hard to cure. If you got Ebola, you were in a serious situation. That is not the case here. That’s not what the numbers say. This is about having the system in place to manage it.” He stressed that they are planning “this emergency health management system… Testing and having the hospitals ready.”

Broadway Shows In New York Postponed, and Several Live Audiences On TV Shows Not Happening

Published Date: Thursday, March 12, 2020

In entertainment news, as Governor Cuomo delivers a press conference to address large public gatherings not being permitted, in order to reduce the spread of the coronavirus, Broadway producers have agreed to halt their shows, and are considering doing so through the end of the month.

Film and TV productions abroad, and now in the United States, are beginning to slow or cease production. The Amazing Race and other CBS productions were halted.

“Jimmy Kimmel Live,” James Corden’s “Late Late Show,” and “The Talk” have suspended taping with their live audiences, as have “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “The View.”

Event Cancellations: Howland Chamber Music Circle, Jazz At Atlas, and Atlas Studios Postpone Events Through March

Published Date: Thursday, March 12, 2020

In light of the current global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the following cancellations have been announced for this weekend and the near future.

Howland Chamber Music Circle Concert Series

According to their release: “The Board of the Howland Chamber Music Circle has made the very difficult, but prudent, decision to cancel the following concerts:"

• WindSync “Classics for Kids” on Sunday, March 15, 12 noon

• WindSync concert on Sunday, March 15 at 4 pm

• Inbal Segev / Juho Pohjonen on Sunday, April 5 at 4 pm

You can no longer purchase tickets for any of these events. “Those who purchased tickets to these three concerts can receive a refund of their ticket price (minus any discounts for subscriptions),” as stated in the release.

A donation opportunity exists. “If anyone would like to donate the value of their tickets to the Board, instead of taking the refund. This will help cover some of the costs already incurred in producing these concerts. Those wishing to make such a donation should please send a quick email to info@howlandmusic.org stating such. Please include your name as it appeared on the order. As a 501(c)(3) organization your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. If you have any questions at all, please send us email, or call and leave a message (845-765-3012).”

Also cancelled at the Howland Cultural Center are the following:

• Blind Tiger Improv March Comedy Showcase, Saturday, March 14, 2020

• Faculty Concert Series with 4X4 Music Off Road, Sunday, March 22, 2020

Jazz At Atlas Concert Series

Across the river in Newburgh, the popular Jazz at Atlas concert series has been canceled until further notice.

In a statement issued by James Keepnews from Jazz at Atlas, “It is with a heavy heart that we must inform you that Atlas Studios has decided, given the pandemic we’re all facing, to cancel all scheduled events.” This includes this weekend’s performance by Fay Victor’s Barn Songs Trio.

A Little Beacon Blog reached out to Atlas Studios, and confirmed that they have canceled all events for March.

Please note that this also impacts the concert by Bobby Previte’s Music from the Dune Shacks quartet at Atlas on Saturday, April 18. There is hope to reschedule these artists for the fall. Follow Jazz At Atlas on Facebook for further updates, or visit www.atlasnewburgh.com.

Beacon's Parade Of Green Postponed To A Later Date

Published Date: Thursday, March 12, 2020

The official word has come in from the Mayor’s Office of the City Of Beacon via City Administrator Anthony J. Ruggiero:

“It is with an abundance of caution and care for our community in the midst of this health crisis, that the difficult decision to postpone the 5th Annual Beacon’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade of Green on March 14th to a date to be determined.

“The City of Beacon and the Parade Organizers take this decision seriously and the number one commitment is to the safety of both our marchers and our spectators.

“The City and Parade Organizers look forward to celebrating this great parade in the near future. This was an extremely difficult decision for the parade committee and the City, and we ask that you look forward to the future date and stay safe and well.”

A Little Beacon Blog was in contact with the City of Beacon last night (Wednesday) and a parade organizer to get official word, which we were told would come Thursday morning (today), which it did. We urge all people to wait for official word on city events, as there is a way to release information in times like this, when word spreads like a brush fire.

Says Richie from Max’s on Main, who is one of the parade organizers: “We are just going to need to worry about the weather on another weekend.”

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City has also been postponed.

It is important to remember, that people who are testing positive for COVID-19 are at times not showing symptoms. So even if you feel good, you still might be a carrier. People with respiratory issues - or heart conditions - are at the highest risk for the virus to get worse in their bodies, versus others who will recover.

The American Hospital Association has requested additional funding from Congress to increase supplies at hospitals for items like respirators and personal protective equipment, if there are a large number of people at once who need care. The MD and Editor-in-Chief at MedPage Today explains his concerns based on what is developing in Italy with regards to the preparedness of their health care system.

As for New York City’s parade, Governor Cuomo made this statement (as reported by Gothamist):

"Following those conversations [with organizers prior to making the decision], I recommended, and the parade's leadership agreed, to postpone this year's parade due to the high density and the large volume of marchers and spectators who attend. While I know the parade organizers did not make this decision lightly, public health experts agree that one of the most effective ways to contain the spread of the virus is to limit large gatherings and close contacts, and I applaud the parade's leadership for working cooperatively with us."

He added that, "While the risk to New Yorkers remains low and we want to avoid social and economic disruptions, we have an obligation to take action to contain the spread of this virus."

Parade Committee Chair Sean Lane said, "We look forward to celebrating the 259th St. Patrick's Day Parade with the entire city of New York at a later date."

Parade Of Green in Beacon on Saturday: Canceled Or Not?

UPDATE 3/12/2020: The parade has been postponed. Details here.

Regarding the Parade of Green on Saturday: A Little Beacon Blog has inquired with the City of Beacon and has received the answer from Anthony J. Ruggiero, M.P.A., City Administrator for the City of Beacon, that a decision will be made in the morning.

We are awaiting official confirmation from that office (versus social media comments) or the Parade of Green Facebook page before posting anything.