SCHEDULE: Happenings, Street Music, A SallyeAnder Deal, And More... (7/31/2020)
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Meyers Old Dutch! Big fans of their burgers, vegan options and cocktails, we are thrilled to be able to blog about Meyers Old Duch (MOD) each weekend for you, telling you what they have in store for you. This weekend, we learned that they are behind some live street music...
Homespun! Big fans of their new $20 and Under Wine table, and this isn't just any wine table. The new owner, Joe, is a sommelier who holds Wine Camp for his staff. So you are in for some education while you pick a bottle of bubbly prosecco. You know them for their delicious food, but check the menu lately for their new additions!
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Homespun Moves Mountains (Well, Counters and Doors) To Increase Customer Safety When Ordering
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Photo Credit: Homespun
The new owner of Homespun, Joe Robitaille, took over the gem of Homespun, one of Beacon’s most well known restaurants, in November 2019, which included the cafe location down at Dia as well as the business’ thriving catering business also for Dia and other private events. A Little Beacon Blog featured them in January 2020, And then the pandemic hit and he had to shut everything down. During the shut down, he and his three small children would walk to the restaurant where his kids would scooter around the empty back patio during the cold Spring mornings, and he would resist scary visions of what might happen to Homespun if they could not open soon. Throughout, however, in the name of safety, Homespun was the first to close, and one of the last to open. And when they did open, it was with changes.
Homespun opened cautiously as others around them opened doors soon after they were allowed to. Homespun started by selling wine and specialty farm groceries. Joe is a sommelier, and introduced a deliciously curated wine selection (and their new $20 and Under wine table!).
Now with more and more outdoor parklets opening up, Homespun got in on the expanded dining experience by adding a beautiful parklet and opening their back patio. But not before making changes on the inside first. The pandemic made businesses do many things that were on the to-do list that never got done, and Homespun’s minor inside renovation was one of those.
To increase ventilation, the main counter where everyone ordered, and was often a bottleneck, has been moved to the left (see if you can see the difference in coloration on the floor). Orders would go from the register to the prep cook right behind the person taking your order. But now, that prep station has ben moved to the kitchen, with a new food window built for easier food delivery when it’s ready, as well as increased ventilation.
Diners cannot yet eat inside of Homespun, as Joe wants to keep everyone safely outside. As we reported with his neighbor Ziatun, the double outdoor dining space has helped them not rush to open the inside seating. For rain, umbrellas are at most patio tables, and full-coverage tents in the front of the parklet.
Watch our video interview with Joe as he takes us through the changes. News Channel 12 also ran a business story on the changes Homespun has been working on to stay open.
Sender Of "Love Thy Neighbor" Anti-Choice Abortion Flyer Campaign Comes Forward
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Graphic Warning: This article contains a graphic image on a flyer that we are sharing to give context to what citizens in Beacon received hand-delivered to their homes.
Back in June, 2020, a reader wrote into A Little Beacon Blog about a flyer they found to be disturbing, that had been put into their yard. The flyer contained a message of anti-choice abortion, and wasn’t the first time this reader had received a flyer. Last year around this time, the reader received a series of anti-gay fliers. This reader has a rainbow pride flag flying from their house, and says they are a queer family. Quickly, a rumor circulated that it was the KKK, which was reported by one news outlet but then retracted almost the same day.
This family wasn’t the only ones to receive the distributed flyers. Other residents with gay pride flags flying outside their homes had also received the flyers. The reader was spooked, has children, and was afraid to let their children play in the front yard. They wrote in: “I am hoping to raise awareness. There was a new wave of anti-choice abortion flyers distributed to the folks who have rainbow flags today. We got one last week and another 2 today thrown into our yard. Last year we got an anti-gay one (we are a queer family). I wanted to raise attention to it if others are receiving these too. I don’t want to be public on Facebook and open my family up further to harassment, but I wanted to draw some attention if there’s a larger trend.”
Several other households had been receiving flyers. At least two others reached out to A Little Beacon Blog to submit photos of the flyers they received and shared with the police. Said one recipient, Kit Burke-Smith, who has a pride flag flying and is part of a straight family: “We believe we have been targeted each time because of our pride flag on our house. Generally, we have found our community to be wonderfully caring and supportive. Knowing that one of our neighbors is repeatedly attempting to intimidate us and others in our community is reprehensible and disappointing,” she told A Little Beacon Blog.
The original reader pursued various channels to get the mail to stop. “Last year, I reported the letter to the police. I spoke to [then] Mayor Casale and a few attorneys, reported the harassment to the postal police, the New York Hate Crimes division and many others. I had dozens of conversations to report the harassment, and to my knowledge, nothing was done.“
Then came 2020. In the middle of the pandemic, and during Pride Month, a new batch of letters arrived. The Beaconite continued: “A few weeks ago, we found the abortion one on the car. I ignored it, honestly. Then, Saturday, we got a new batch thrown into the yard. Other folks we know got them on the porch."
Councilperson Terry Nelson of Ward 1 spoke out against the flyer campaign during his Community Report section of a City Council Meeting, saying: “Unfortunately, a first-grader of one of those families found the letter,” he said. “This has to stop. You have to stop doing this. To the coward who left those fliers, myself and a bunch of other people are allies of the LBGTQ community and just know that there are more of us than there are of you.”
Flyer recipients began suspecting that one of their neighbors was the sender. A Little Beacon Blog asked if they had considered simply approaching their neighbor to ask them to stop. Their response: “I am nervous about my children playing in the front yard.”
Style And Tone Of Letters And Flyers Begin To Match A Public Figure
Having seen the content of the letter, the style and tone resembled that of another Beaconite who has published his statements against abortion before in the Beacon Free Press an on his own blog. The style was so close, in fact, it resembled this letter to the editor published last year that sparked a large backlash to the newspaper for even publishing it. Here at A Little Beacon Blog, it inspired an article to be written about censorship. The writer, Richard (Dick) Murphy, had cried out to his newsletter list about local newspapers who had censored him. A Little Beacon Blog wrote in response the need for censorship, why it is helpful in some cases, and how it happens every single day because media outlets simply cannot publish all of the words in all of the world every single day.
Just as we were going to cross reference the styles, another Beacon resident received a postmarked letter from R. Murphy, with his return address on it. The postmark was out of Albany. The letter began by referencing his former political campaigning days: “I prefer handouts to signs, too many of them during my political campaigns I guess.” He signed the letter Dick Murphy. A Little Beacon Blog put on the list of things to do: “Email Richard Murphy to ask him if he is the same R. Murphy from the signed letter, and if he has been distributing unsigned flyers.”
When readers write in to you, spooked for their own safety and the safety of their children, a blogger will seek truth. While it seems unkind to call attention to someone who is doing something that most people would find mentally unhealthy, even if most of their intentions in other parts of their lives are good, to the receivers of the flyers and letters, they are frightened. Plus, conclusions are fabricated and made up. For instance, because this happened during the BLM protests all over the world,that the flyers were from the KKK. So to help these people find an answer and ease their fear, this article was produced.
Confirmation Pursued; Confirmation Received
On July 16, 2020, an email came into my inbox from Richard (Dick) Murphy. It happens from time to time. Richard (he prefers to go by Dick), sends emails to his list of about 125 people, most of whom never signed up for his list, wanting to know their opinions of his latest blog posts. Years ago, without my approval, and without me even knowing who he was, Richard added me to his newsletter list. When he can’t get published in a newspaper, he emails this list of email addresses to rant about it, and rails about the First Amendment protecting his right to get published in a newspaper.
Some people request to be removed from his list, and then he denies their request, citing the First Amendment. His response last year on July 19, 2019 to my request to be removed, when I referred him to the Can-Spam Act: “THE CAN-SPAM Act...gad! Never said you were required.” And then I was never removed.
This time, on July 16, 2020, he asked us what we thought of the removal General Lee’s statue. This sounds pretty random, and it is. Richard has a thought, blogs about it, and then emails us on his list. Richard didn’t specify which General Lee statue. My assumption is that he is referring to the 6-story statue in Richmond, VA. I replied to him via email by asking him questions about the flyers and the letters he sent with his signature and home address on them in the return address section of the envelope.
On July 17, 2020, Richard (Dick) emailed me back about the flyers. Hi hit Reply-All to his whole list, and sent me the below response:
“Regarding the First Amendment, it's a glorious thing. Hand delivering information to houses is done all the time especially during political campaigns and unfortunately it now seems it is always political campaign time in our country. The news is full of it, the media the newspapers etc. If a citizen thinks certain topics are not being given sufficient coverage or if local newspapers avoid printing letters of one opinion or another it is incumbent to find alternative ways to communicate. As I said, Isn't the First Amendment wonderful and isn't a healthy, reasoned and honest exchange of ideas what democracy is all about? Really, a "Love thy Neighbor" message shouldn't be all that "disturbing" or "scary." And, regarding "grotesque? Isn't 60,000,000 new lives destroyed by abortion since Roe rather grotesque? Let's keep the exchange going for the sake of democracy and the nation we love.
Sincerely, Dick
PS.Please include my remarks in your article and also invite the complaints to join in the discussion. This is hardly "targeting." It; a call for honest, reasoned dialogue and debate, It's just what the country needs.”
How The City Of Beacon Responded
In June 2020, Pride Month, Mayor Lee Kyriacou donated a pride flag to City Hall. The rainbow flag flew all month. A Little Beacon Blog reached out to the Mayor, the City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero, and to Terry Nelson who had first spoken against the flyers, asking if the City had received any letters, since it had the pride flag, as well as how they felt about this outreach. Anthony usually knows the rules around campaigning, knocking on doors, and perhaps about distributing flyers, so we sought some guidance there.
So far, we have only received a response from Terry. Questions and answers are thus follows:
ALBB: During a City Council Meeting when you first addressed the issue, did you know who was placing and sending the flyers?
“I had my suspicions, but I couldn’t 100% confirm it.”
ALBB: How do you feel about a neighbor sending his neighbors mail about his personal views? On a repeated basis?
“I hate it because it is harassment, plain and simple. I even asked this individual to stop emailing me his hate filled, bigoted blog posts only to have him accuse me of violating his first amendment rights. I never asked to be placed on his email list. This has gone on for about two years.”
Who Is Richard (Dick) Murphy?
Richard lives in Beacon and cares about it very much. He has a political history, that for clarification sake, I asked him to confirm so that we can know how he served:
“By the 1960s I was teaching High School American History putting the stress on The Bill of Rights and specifically the First Amendment as well as the amendments aiming for political and racial equality, Getting into Democratic Politics in the 1970s and appointed by Mayor Cahill to Chair the Beacon Human Relations Committee, I aimed at the integration of the Beacon Volunteer Fire Department, accomplished in 1978. A Democrat for most of my life, I ran on the Party line for a seat in the County Legislature in 1979 and was defeated. Ran again in 1981 and won and was reelected eight times retiring in 1999. I became Minority Whip in the Legislature for several years serving under an excellent Minority Leader Mrs. Kip Bleakley. I was pushed into a dissenter role by the Party when it gagged Governor Casey of PA barring him from giving a pro-life address to the delegates at the 1992 Convention.“
Zoom Presentation Call For Beacon City School's Evolving Reopening Plan Status Monday, 7pm
/Beacon City School Superintendent Matthew Landahl is hosting another presentation of the district’s reopening plan via Zoom on Monday night at 7pm. Details for the call is below. “This will be the same or a similar presentation as last week's presentations,” Dr. Landahl said in an email to parents.
Last Thursday, he delivered another similar presentation, which he says will be posted on the website soon. “We are also looking at doing a final zoom call later this week to update everyone on the state of the reopening plan.”
If you are also attending the regular Monday night City Council Meeting tonight, you could ask your child to Zoom in and report on what they learn, or have the school meeting zooming on your laptop, and the City Council meeting streaming in your earbuds from your phone (via YouTube).
Here is the zoom info for tonight:
Join Zoom Meeting https://E2CCB-GST.zoom.us/j/99041971623
Meeting ID: 990 4197 1623
One tap mobile +16468769923,,99041971623# US (New York)
+16465189805,,99041971623# US (New York)
Dial by your location +1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
+1 646 518 9805 US (New York)
Meeting ID: 990 4197 1623
Find your local number: https://E2CCB-GST.zoom.us/u/ac1v6jG6a6
Join by SIP 99041971623@zoomcrc.com
Beacon's PBA (Police Union) and City Mayor Issue Joint Statement Of Respect and Communication
/After a volley of open letters to each other (here, here and here…with a scathing letter from the Local Teamster 445, to which ALBB sought clarification for intentions here), Beacon’s Police Benevolent Association (PBA) by way of Vice President Michael Confield and Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou have issued a joint statement of support and cooperation to move forward with direct communication with each other. This also follows a “Support The Beacon PD” rally in Beacon last Sunday, which was met with voices from the Black Lives Movement.
The City of Beacon issued the following press release on Monday, July 27, 2020:
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BEACON, NY: Mayor Lee Kyriacou and Beacon PBA Vice President Michael Confield jointly announced their commitment for the City and police union to communicate regularly and productively on issues affecting police, the City and the community.
Late Friday afternoon and on Sunday, representatives of the Beacon Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association met with City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero and Mayor Lee Kyriacou for lengthy open and productive conversations – involving listening, information sharing, assurances of respect and agreement on communication going forward.
Mayor Kyriacou and PBA Vice President Confield together stated, “We’re both appreciative of the open dialogue and are committed to making sure that city and police leadership are listening and sharing viewpoints.”
Separately, Mayor Kyriacou said, “I truly appreciate and applaud the PBA for reaching out, and working together to close the communication gap. All of us agreed that we should have reached out sooner, and that going forward, the communication will be frequent and open.”
PBA Vice President Confield also added, “Our conversations were very productive. We appreciate the Mayor’s and Administrator’s willingness to hear our concerns, and look forward to ensuring that everyone is heard in the ongoing process of improving police-community relations.”
The Mayor added, “Each time I greet an officer, my first words are ‘thank you’ and more recently, ‘I appreciate the difficult situation you are in.’ That support continues unabated.”
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Beacon Police Officers Now Required To Carry Business Cards
/It might feel like the first day on the job all over again when the Beacon police officers receive their first batch of business cards with their names on them. In an effort to increase police transparency, the City of Beacon’s Acting Police Chief William (Bill) Cornett has ordered all police officers to carry and distribute business cards in most situations that do not end in arrest or summons. On the cards will be the police officer’s name and badge number. Additionally, the officer’s name, rank and photo will be published on the City of Beacon’s website, to further help the community get to know the police department.
According to the City of Beacon’s press release issued last week, July 20, 2020, “under the Chief’s new order, officers will identify themselves to individuals upon initiation of certain enforcement activities, including questioning or searches in traffic and checkpoint stops, searches and other non-custodial questioning. Identification will include officer name, rank and an explanation of the reason for the activity. At the conclusion of the activity, if it does not result in an arrest or summons, officers will offer their business card.”
Poughkeepie and Newburgh recently passed laws requiring the carrying and distribution of business cards. Newburgh began discussing it in June 2020 with a Public Hearing, and passed the law mid July 2020 by unanimous vote. At-Large Councilperson Omari Shakur, lobbied for the Newburgh law, calling it “‘a good first step’ to repair trust between the police and the people. ‘We’re trying to change the face of our police right now,’” he said during an interview with Spectrum News. Omari’s son was shot and killed by police in 2006 while being chased, as reported by the Record Online (most articles are now behind the paywall at the Record - ALBB recommends you support local journalism and sign up with them - they provide good coverage of Newburgh news). Newburgh calls it the “Right To Know” law. Middletown is now also considering adopting, according to NewsBreak.
Said Mayor Kyriacou “This is the right thing to do, and we don’t need a law to tell us that. We are simply requiring all our officers to carry and provide business cards, which will increase transparency and build trust in our community.”
Mayor Kyriacou continued in the press release: “I approved the Chief’s order. Like cameras – where the City of Beacon was an early local adopter – transparency helps everyone and builds trust. Our officers work tirelessly every day to protect Beacon and people should know who they are. If a resident has a concern, they should know who is involved and how to proceed.” The Mayor announced the decision at the 7/20/2020 City Council Meeting.
The business cards are being designed now, and A Little Beacon Blog will be sent a sample to publish.
SCHEDULE: Happenings, A ReOpening, A Menu Revamp, And More... 7/24/2020
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Updated Article: At Reader's Request From Support The Beacon PD Rally, Interviews Included From Black Lives Matter Participants
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After we shared our article on the “Support The Beacon PD” rally, a reader, Joe Gallo, commented in a series of comments on our Facebook page, that he thought it unusual that the description of the participants of the police rally were described - and described by occupation - and no one from the counter protesters representing Black Lives Matter were mentioned.
In his comments, Joe alluded to individuals who showed up for Black lives. Being that this was an article about the “Support the Beacon PD,” and focused on that (we tried to get comment from Beacon PBA and former Mayor Randy Casale to highlight what attending meant to them, but we haven’t heard back yet ... they are busy people), the article only focused on that group.
Hearing Joe’s feedback, while disagreeing with his implied position that people’s occupations did not need to be mentioned, we followed up with each person he named, to confirm they were there, and highlight their inspiration for attending.
Leaders of Nat. Governors Association (Cuomo, NY + Hogan, MD) and County Executives Call For Federal Relief
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Photo Credit: David Martin
The drumbeat is sounding for Senate to grant states fiscal relief due to the economic collapse from the ongoing pandemic. “Governors have already cut budgets and reduced our payrolls by 1.5 million people, but without Senate action, we will need to make steeper cuts and reduce payrolls even more, at precisely the time when these services are needed most,” according to a statement released today by the National Governors Association (NGA) Chair Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and NGA Vice Chair Governor Andrew Cuomo.
In his nightly COVID-19 update email, Governor Cuomo issued this update: “Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and I are calling on the federal government to pass the $500 billion state stabilization fund in the next COVID-19 relief package. As states reopen, we cannot risk our economic recovery efforts by slashing state programs that pay our teachers, firefighters, healthcare and frontline workers. We need the U.S. Senate's strong support now, so we can fight the virus together and make an economic recovery a reality.
The governors’ fight for federal assistance for the states has been constant since the beginning of the pandemic: “States are ground zero in this fight. We provide the critical services Americans depend on including public safety, education, healthcare, food assistance, local aid and transportation. We also employ more than 20 million people across the country. And yet, of the $3 trillion in aid from four relief packages, no unrestricted federal support to stabilize state budgets and account for the economic loss states face as a direct result to fight COVID-19 has ever been included.”
County Executives to Detail Need for Congressional Action on Next Stimulus Package
Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro, Albany County Executive Dan McCoy and Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan will join New York State County Executives’ Association’s (NYSAC) Stephen Acquario to discuss federal funds for counties.
According to their press release issued today: “With a sales tax revenue loss of $1.2 billion since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the financial picture for counties is extremely dire. To make matters worse, there are significant concerns about those losses compounding by another $4 billion over the next twelve months.” Beacon, Poughkeepsie and other municipalities have Dutchess County collect sales tax generated here, as A Little Beacon Blog reported here.
A public call will happen tomorrow (Thursday), July 23rd at 12pm for a digital press conference with bi-partisan representatives from the New York State County Executives’ Association as they discuss counties’ needs for federal funding as they continue leading the local response to the global pandemic.
They will be joined by NYSAC Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario, who will release the Association’s latest Coronavirus Economic Impact Report, which details the projected 2020 and 2021 losses in revenues for counties across the state.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88943248192?pwd=cERXNGZOQ3RDRGJMaXZMOUVTNGpBZz09
Meeting ID: 889 4324 8192
Passcode: 505850
Participants
Stephen Acquario, NYSAC Executive Director
Hon. Dan McCoy, Albany County Executive
Hon. Patrick Ryan, Ulster County Executive
Hon. Marcus Molinaro, Dutchess County Executive
New Sustainably Farmed And Vegan Wine Store 'Dirty Bacchus' Opens On Main Street
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Photo Credit: Dirty Bacchus
You read that right! There’s a new wine store on Main Street specializing in wines that are low-intervention, organic or biodynamic, sustainably farmed and vegan.
On Saturday, June 27, Dirty Bacchus officially opened the doors on Main Street right next to The Beacon Pantry. Yes, an artisan cheese & charcuterie shop now conveniently placed next to a sustainable wine store- talk about a one stop shop! Whether you enjoy a fancy red, a cool white or a refreshing rosé, Dirty Bacchus has it all. The shop will soon carry Sake, Cider and Mead as well. I (Teslie) had the chance to interact with owner Steve Ventura, and immediately noticed his passion for fine wines and knowledge of his products.
He was gracious enough to share his story on “The How and Why of Dirty Bacchus” below:
So… I’ve been into wine for over four decades. In the late ‘90s and ‘00s I detoured into bourbon and then scotch and finally, very specifically, into independently bottled single malt scotch, about which, for years, I maintained a blog called The Maltfreak. Soon after moving from Southeastern Massachusetts to Beacon, I was contacted by someone opening a boutique wine and liquor store who wanted me to help choose his inventory of brown liquors. Once there, I was hired to clerk in the store and to consult on buying both liquor and wine. It was then, dealing with the reps from the different importers and wine vendors, that I started getting more deeply into natural wines - they were only a casual interest before that. Soon after, another buyer was hired at the store and she had an even stronger predilection for natural wines. I learned a great deal from her and, before long, I was drinking natural wines at home almost exclusively.
Then utterly exclusively!
As a co-owner of Quinn’s, I was never able to indulge my taste for natural wines because, well, it just never made sense to stock them in a beer-and-saki-centered rock and jazz club with a very small stock room and a Japanese menu.
One day in July last year, I was talking to a friend and Beacon business owner who was in the beginning stages of opening a small wine store at 380 Main Street - the address of Dirty Bacchus. She had run into some snags and, well, life itself, and could no longer deal with all the work and money and time involved in opening a new business. Her plate was more than full. Did I want to take over the lease and open the wine store myself, she asked? Right next to an amazing cheese shop? The landlords are friends of mine, so that was good. I told her I’d let her know in 24 hours. I talked to my wife Sue about it that night and we decided that such a project was worth the risk and might even be fun. By August 22, my application had been submitted to the State Liquor Authority and, a mere ten months later (!!!), with a global plague and an economic implosion intervening, my license was approved. It took about six or eight weeks to taste with dozens of wine reps, to decide on inventory - much of which I already knew I wanted to stock - and to open the store. My first day open to the public was June 27, 2020.
Walk-ins are limited to two customers at at time and they must wear masks and use the provided hand sanitizer before touching the bottles. Beacon being Beacon, nobody, so far, has had a problem with those restrictions.
There are three main reasons I decided to focus the store exclusively on natural, organic or biodynamic, vegan, low-intervention, sustainably farmed, non-commercial wines and wine makers. The first, of course, is the wine. The variety of textures, of gustatory surprises and pleasures, of fascinating and compelling aromas and tastes, seems endless in the category of natural wines. And to me, it just tastes better, more alive, fresher, more quenching, a beverage it is easy to imagine people drinking with their meals throughout the centuries - after all, the synthetic chemical agriculture so prevalent today is only 70 to 90 years old. Before that, all wine was organic and even, to some extent, biodynamic due to the ecological diversity of most farms before monocultural farming became commonplace.
But the second reason for the store’s narrow focus is the future. The future of the planet. My moment of utter conversion to natural wines came at the intersection of a bottle of biodynamic, zero sulfur Gamay wine made in Burgundy, France by vigneron François Ecot, and the book I was reading when I uncorked it - Cultural Insurrection: A Manifesto for the Arts, Agriculture and Natural Wine by Jonathan Nossiter. Combined, those two influences stripped wine of the exclusivity, arrogance and class pretensions that so often accompany it and revealed it for what is really is, an agricultural product, a very human product intended for common conviviality, one that must, like so much else, be made in the most sustainable manner possible if humanity is going to survive much longer on this planet. Natural wine making is a compelling, in-motion, working example of the changes in habit, materials and scale that must, as soon as possible, be applied universally.
As I state on our website (www.dirtybacchus.com): “We see Dirty Bacchus as a farm stand, as a place where farmers who devote themselves to the arduous hands-on cultivation of flourishing vineyards, and where winemakers who devote themselves to the transformation of those vineyards’ robust grapes into wine, get to display and sell the products of their toil and care.”
Which brings us to the third and final reason for the store’s focus: The types of people who are making natural wine. Nearly all of them are some combination of rock star, sage, poet, scholar and the coolest parents you knew of growing up. There are so many women, so many young people, so many husbands and wives and joyous eccentrics working together in the realms of organic and biodynamic agriculture and of natural winemaking - it is just so inspiring that it fills me with hope for the future. And hope for the future is something truly precious right now.
To end, I would like to thank all the people who have helped and inspired me, but especially these three: My wife Sue, who heard every wild idea I had for the store and patiently guided me to the ideas we could actually afford and put into place, and two of the best friends any man could have - Rob Penner (www.beaconfineartprinting.com), art photographer and printer extraordinaire, and David Smolen, artist and finest of fine woodworkers. Without their skills, their tireless work, their patience and their generosity, I could never have realized the dream come true that is now Dirty Bacchus.
UPDATED: A "Support The Beacon PD" Rally Happened This Past Sunday At Pohill Park and Municipal Building
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Early moments of the Support The Beacon PD rally that happened on 7/19/2020 at Pohill Park and City Hall.
Photo Credit: Steve Jacobs
UPDATE 7/22/2020: After publishing this article which alluded to some people who attended, we shared it on Facebook, which we do with each article. One of the participants of the “Support The Beacon PD” rally commented with a strong request that participants from the Black Lives Matter counter protest be named also. You can read the full exchange here. Parts of the dialogue have been excerpted at right. The “Support The Beacon PD” participant asking for further participant identification was Joe Galbo, who at the time, went by Joseph James in Facebook. He has since updated his Facebook name to be Joseph Galbo. As Joe states, he is a former police officer, and current security guard for Beacon City Schools who was at the “Support The Beacon PD” rally. I know him as Mr. Galbo, as he works in my children’s elementary school.
Because this was an article about the “Support The Beacon PD” rally, we focused on identifying those participants, to give readers an idea of who attended that rally. Attending a rally is a public activity, so anyone who attends it does so, most likely, in pride, and is proud to be identified, in this case, with supporting police officers and agencies.
Attendees of the “Support The Beacon PD” rally.
Photo Credit: Beacon PBA
To answer Mr. Galbo’s request, we highlighted each person he named who attended the counter protest, Black Lives Matter. We spent this week following up with those people named, in order to confirm they attended, and to learn what inspired them to attend. We received responses from all. Their quotes are below. Scroll down.
The “Support The Beacon PD” Rally Origins
On Sunday morning, a “Support The Beacon PD” rally happened, and wrapped up by lunchtime. Organizers included Tom DiCastro Sr., and participants included some from the Beacon Jeep Club, former Mayor Randy Casale, some security guards from the Beacon City School District, and others. A Little Beacon Blog asked Randy why he attended and what message he wanted to get across. His response: “I attended to show our Police officers that I support the work they do in our community. As Mayor I had my difference with the PBA (police union) during negotiations, but I always backed them when they were doing their job. We also made many changes to Department while I was Mayor.”
While it looked like the rally started at City Hall by way of parking, and set up at Pohill Park, another group representing Black Lives Matter and Beacon4BlackLives who has been regularly demonstrating at Pohill Park, were also in attendance but on the opposite side of the street in front of City Hall.
For the past several weeks, the Black Lives Matter movement organized by Beacon4Black Lives has been meeting at Pohill Park as a starting place for their march down Main Street, which usually ends at Memorial Park. This past weekend, there had been no march planned. However, supporters for Black Lives Matter continued to meet at Pohill Park, and according to one of the organizers, Ciarda Hall, were surprised to see the Support The Beacon PD rally participants there. A Little Beacon Blog is reaching out for confirmation as to if Beacon4Black Lives reserves Pohill Park at that time each weekend.
According to a Facebook post made by organizer of Support Beacon PD, Tom DiCastro Sr., the rally may have been originally set to be at City Hall (aka The Municipal Building):
According to the post: “A reminder and change for the Support the Beacon PD and all police agencies on Sunday, 7/19. We will be in the Pohill Park across the street from the Municipal Building. This was a request from the City and I agreed. All attempts to maintain the 6 ft. Social distancing should be made and masks worn if it isn't possible. A patriotic mask would be great. If you can, bring a flag, police or American, supportive signs (nothing derogatory please) and be respectful of others around you. Let's show people our support and the American way.”
Beacon’s City Administrator, Anthony Ruggiero has confirmed with A Little Beacon Blog this request, with the following statement, when we asked if the City requested the location: “Yes. Pohill Park is where the City has allowed free speech events and rallies to take place. The City was contacted by the organizers, and after discussion about alternative locations, it was decided to utilize Polhill Park.”
A Little Beacon Blog asked about a reservation sheet, and if an organizational system existed for planning events at Pohill Park. Anthony’s response: “Yes, so there is no conflicts of usage. When permits are issued for demonstrations, the place, time and duration, as well as the number of people to be in attendance are needed information so that the appropriate city services can be planned for and provided.”
UPDATE 7/22/2020: A Little Beacon Blog confirmed with the counter protesters, Beacon4BlackLives, that they had not planned an in-person protest for Sunday. There was no double-booking.
When asked if there were police officers assigned to this rally, Anthony confirmed that they were: “Police officers were assigned specifically for that event to assure public order and a safe environment in which the event could take place. This has been done for all the protests.”
Feedback To City Council About The “Support The Beacon PD” Rally
According to posts in Instagram, driving through the dueling rallies was uncomfortable. One resident said that someone from the “Support Beacon PD” rally called for him to “Go Home.” He responded with: “I am home.” Parking for cars was held at the firehouse across the street from the Municipal Building, in the parking lot of the building, and on the grass there. City Council Member Air Nonken-Rhodes said agreed during their Monday City Council Meeting that the rally situation with both sides protesting at each other was uncomfortable.
Council person Terry Nelson, representing Ward 1, had this to say during this week’s 7/20/2020 City Council meeting: “Several of the public comments that were either read or emailed to the council alluded a couple of unfortunate incidents at yesterday’s Back the Blue rally. The organizers and attendees of that event were exercising their First Amendment rights... So, the Back the Blue rally isn’t the problem. Some of the things their attendees said is what I take issue with. The vitriol displayed is a symptom of an even larger problem. We are at each other’s throats and it is not getting any better. Certain members of our community have taken to social media and have written open letters accusing this council of being anti-police and defunding or disarming the police. If anyone tells you that, they’re either lying or are grossly misinformed. Either way, this kind of rhetoric only serves to divide us.
”As for yesterday’s rally, I acknowledge that there was an Antifa flag and an anti-police banner, but according to an attendee, Beacon4BlackLives were not involved with those individuals, who were not from Beacon, and the sign and flag do not reflect what the Beacon4BlackLives demonstration was trying to relay. Members of B4BL were told to “go back home” among other things. Those kids live here. This is their home and they deserve to be heard. Instead of screaming at them "to go back home,” maybe take 5-10 minutes to listen to what they have to say.”
A Little Beacon Blog has reached out to Beacon Police Benevolent Association (PBA) president, Michael Confield, for his comment on the following questions. Should we hear back, his answers will be updated in this article as well. Those questions are as follows:
ALBB: Did you attend? If so, do you have a comment as to what message you were hoping the demonstration got across?
ALBB: Being that there were counter protesters across the street, which seemed to turn into Blue Lives vs Black Lives, and some people in social media saying: “I side with Blue Lives,” do you think this an issue where people need to take sides?
ALBB: What does the term Black Lives Matter mean to you?
ALBB: What does the term Blue Lives Matter mean to you?
Who Participated In The Black Lives Matter Counter-Protest?
Many people showed up for the Black Lives Matter counter protest. Mr. Galbo named a list of people in the Facebook thread, so we followed up with who he mentioned: “city workers, a Beacon BOE (Board Of Education) member… the wife of a Beacon city police lieutenant…and former ward 4 city council person Ali Muhammad.”
Justice McCray (also goes by Justice Yellow)
Justice Yellow (McCray)
Photo Credit: Justice Yellow (McCray)
Justice is the Co-Creator and Organizer of Beacon4BlackLives and past Black Lives Matter Protests in Beacon. Justice is known for working at the Beacon Public Library, for his committee seat on the Human Relations Commission for Beacon during the days when the Beacon Police Department was being investigated by the federal government. Justice was featured this week on All Things Considered about the Black Lives Matter movement locally.
ALBB: Were you at the rally, and did you have a rally previously organized at Pohill Park? Beacon4BlackLives has been meeting there for several weekends. I thought you did not have a protest scheduled for that weekend? If you were there, what inspired you to attend, and what message did you hope to get across?
“The only thing my team organized and scheduled this past weekend was our virtual community discussion. Beacon4BlackLives did not plan any demonstration on Sunday. However, when I discovered the "back the blue" protest was happening, I was called not too long after and asked to show up and show the community that Black lives still matter. Police are killing Black bodies and that needs to change. In our community, a disproportionate amount of POC have experienced way too many horror stories of police harassment and brutality. The structure of policing is founded on white supremacy and the "back the blue" rally amplified that racist rhetoric when they shouted at me to "go back to where I came from." I'm from Beacon and I've been an active member of the community for a long time. There's a clear divide in our community and I did not feel safe on Sunday. Our community is hurting, and things need to change.”
Ali T. Muhammad
Photo Credit: Ali T. Muhammad
Ali T. Muhammad
Ali T. Muhammad grew up in Beacon and was represented Beacon’s 4th Ward as a City Council member. He currently lives in Newburgh and works within the Hudson Valley advocating for community development through civic engagement and volunteering.
ALBB: Were you at the rally? If you were there, what inspired you to attend, and what message did you hope to get across?
“I was there. The original organizer wanted to have a counter protest and he reached out to a few of us that he had grown up with. We’ve been meeting weekly, around the conversation of creating solutions to dismantle racism and discrimination within our neighborhoods. We reached out to a few allies and a lot of support showed on the sides of our Black Lives Matter movement. I showed up in solidarity with my BIPOC brothers and sisters and white allies and accomplices that put their bodies on the line. I helped lead, which wasn’t the plan. I did speak directing my side and informing the Blue Lives Matter crowd on why all lives matter when Black lives matter. It was intense at times but nothing like in Pleasant Valley the day before. I felt the highlight was our neighbors showing up to stand with us and demonstrate to our other neighbors that times are changing. Move with us or continue to get left behind.”
Bryanne Figlia
Bryanne is an artist, writer, activist and mother. She is married to Beacon’s Lieutenant Figlia, who has participated by sharing his story at an open mic during a past Black Lives Matter protest, and has attended City Council meetings to help describe to the public and council how Beacon’s police department works.
ALBB: Were you at the rally? If you were there, what inspired you to attend, and what message did you hope to get across?
“Put simply, I was there because Black lives matter. Aside from being married to a police officer (which is not an occupation!), I’m an artist, writer and activist who has been engaging in direct action for over a decade, and so I understand the need to respond and stand in solidarity when any counter-movement plans an event. I know that sincere concerns, like wanting to support good officers (and I do!) can often double as cover for bad actors who simply want to assert dominance over the group that has been protesting.
”Despite a notable banner that expressed otherwise, our gathering was not anti-police. It was just an assertion that Black lives always matter, and that we weren’t going to give cover to racism here for any reason. I observed people shouting at us to “go back where you came from,” as well as mocking and jeering at Black military veterans. This type of behavior clearly has nothing to do with supporting law enforcement.
”I know some of us also really saw it as an opportunity to face our neighbors and have those challenging conversations. A group of us from both sides of the street met at the corner and there was a productive discussion. A retired police officer expressed his sorrow about the Black lives he knows were wrongly taken by police violence, a community leader discussed where he believes can work together to combat racism and make positive change, plans to meet again were made - especially with some of the other vitriol, it was a really encouraging moment to witness.”
Reuben Simmons
Reuben Simmons
Photo Credit: Reuben Simmons
Reuben is the founder of the community organization, I Am Beacon, and works for the Highway Department. Previously, Reuben was the Highway Superindenant, but was demoted after a series of events and loopholes. A Little Beacon Blog has a podcast and article coming out about that soon.
ALBB: Were you at the rally? If you were there, what inspired you to attend, and what message did you hope to get across?
“Yes I was there.
”I support peoples right to protest. I work in public service and have worked with our city police department during the course of my job and during many community events. I personally do not see this as an us vs them when it comes to the local BLM supporters and the supporters for our local police department, but unfortunately, I am also aware of the division that has been created in this city by lack of leadership. I feel we are at a defining point in Beacon. As we move forward, Will it be war? or Will it be peace? I want peace. I saw videos on FB of what happened in Pleasant Valley the day before, it was ugly for any community, and I wanted to make sure that did not happen in Beacon. People should have the right to protest (and counter) peacefully. And we demonstrated that on Sunday.
”I think we can move forward working together with respective groups being represented from all sides finding coming ground. However, I did not see anyone there on Sunday who actually sits in a position of leadership to bridge that gap. I find it very dangerous, disturbing, and a threat to our entire community if things continue the way they are currently.”
James Case-Leal
James is on the bottom center of this photo when he was running for a member seat on Beacon’s Board of Education. Ali was also running, as was Mr. Galbo’s wife, Christine.
Photo Credit: Highlands Current
James is on Beacon’s Board of Education and serves on its Policy Committee.
ALBB: Were you at the rally? If you were there, what inspired you to attend, and what message did you hope to get across?
“I stood in front of City Hall on Sunday having lined up the street side-by-side with fellow protesters. We were looking across 9D at our neighbors similarly arranged on their side, looking back at us. We were spacing ourselves out to emphasize our numbers. So were they. I had marched with Black Lives Matter counter protesters to oppose a previously announced “Back the Blue” rally. The 9am sun was already harsh and I envied the shade they had on their side. I heard someone near me start to identify people they knew. "Hey, that guy over there is a stone mason,” I heard a protester say. “He did great work on my house...reasonably priced too" Another person pointed out a man who does their yard service and lamented having to decide whether or not they’d still hire him. A lot of us saw people we know from around town. I imagined they were doing the same to us.
”I have participated in many of the recent marches, rallies, and protests organized by Beacon For Black Lives, a local youth led group working as part of a national civil rights movement. Their events in Beacon have been inclusive, safe, and without any threat of violence. They did not organize this counter protest, but many of the same Beacon residents came out to show support for Black Lives.
”As a college educator, I am very supportive of the many ways young people are now engaging with the political process. I came to the rally to express support for young organizers and stand for the ideals of the BLM movement. I am a life long advocate for this nation's great promise of liberty and justice for all. Sadly, that promise has not been consistently fulfilled for many Americans; particularly Americans who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color, particularly for Americans who identify as LGBTQ+, and particularly for Americans who struggle with poverty, health, or disability.
”Our initial plan was to arrive in silence. As we showed up, members from “Back the Blue” began shouting profanities and hate speech, immediately signaling that respect, inclusivity, and safety were not their priorities. While I do believe some attendees had good intentions, what became apparent is that 'Backing the Blue' is also a cover to freely express homophobic slurs and racist innuendos. Individuals taunted the BLM side calling them “sissies” “f*gs” and “pu$$ies”. It was populated by individuals who were freely expressing threats of violence.
”I had seen the former mayor Randy Casale call for this protest on his Facebook page several weeks ago. Tom DiCastro followed his lead and filed the permit for Sunday’s event. I was disappointed to see Casale exploiting the opportunity to settle political grudges. He carried a sign targeting City Council member Dan Aymar-Blair for vocalizing support of BLM on the city council and questioning police practices in Beacon. “DAN AYMAR-BLAIR MUST GO” his sign read under a printed photograph of the council members face. It’s not difficult for me to imagine someone reading it as an implied threat. DiCastro has openly called for violence against protesters on his public Facebook account.
”Black Lives Matter is a movement fighting for justice. When they chanted ‘All Lives Matter,’ we chanted back ‘When Black Lives Matter.’ And this is what’s so disheartening about a rally of white conservatives waving modified U.S. flags chanting “USA!” and “Go back to your home!” to a racially diverse group of people who’s homes are a short walk away. There is nothing anti-America about questioning police spending. The call for racial justice IS patriotism.
”Three weeks ago, I stood in Memorial Park along with a couple hundred protesters spread out to socially distance. It had begun raining while we were marching from Main Street. I was soaked, but didn't notice any more than anyone else seemed to. A young man at a microphone read off names. Names of Black Americans who had been denied justice by a jury of their peers. Names of Black Americans who had been murdered by agents of their government. One by one, members from the crowd brought up bouquets of flowers and laid them in a pile in front. We stood in silence in the rain. I wept.
”There are moments in history when people speak out with a clarity that brings our collective moral condition in to focus. Right now, in Beacon, that clarity is coming from the young voices organizing around Black Lives Matter who call themselves Beacon4BlackLives. I believe in them. I am proud to stand with them. and I will continue to do so.”
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Boscobel Reimagines Its Experience; Waives $50K Rent Of Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival; Opens For Outdoor Social Distancing
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One view from Boscobel.
Photo Credit: Tyler Mell
Like many farms, camps, and museums, Boscobel was getting ready to launch its spring season into summer when the pandemic hit and mandates shut down every business. Back in March, thinking that outdoor gatherings in warmer weather would be safe, they tried to move forward with an Open Air Flex Pass ticket program for their popular tenant, the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (HVSF), so that customers could buy tickets to the upcoming Shakespeare performances.
However, out of safety precautions, HVSF was unable to hold any performances due to rehearsal and gathering restrictions. This was quite a jolt, as the theater company had performed in repertory on Boscobel’s grounds since 1988. In light of the pandemic, Boscobel waived the HVSF rent of $50,000, and moved forward with re-imagining how it can continue, according to a press release they issued this week. “In the wake of HVSF’s 2020 season cancellation and its own COVID-19 hardships, Boscobel waived the Festival’s rent,” Boscobel stated.
“Boscobel is mourning loss, navigating new health protocols, and suffering major budget impacts from COVID-19, but the outpouring of community support keeps us strong,” says Executive Director and Curator Jennifer Carlquist, who notes that maintaining the site alone costs more than $2,500 every day. “The heartfelt thanks we’ve received from pandemic visitors underscores what psychologists have long studied—that experiencing profound beauty increases people’s sense of well-being, and makes them feel more connected to their loved ones and the world around them.”
Boscobel Opened To Healthcare Workers - For One-Household At A Time Enjoyment
“As soon as we realized that it would be some time before we could open our gates as wide as we’d like, we started to think about what we could do to contribute to our community during quarantine. Focusing first on the selfless healthcare workers who risk so much for the greater good, we opened up our gardens and grounds for one-household-at-a-time, free respite visits for healthcare workers,” says Director of Visitor Engagement Ed Glisson.
Boscobel is an ideal place to take a well-earned deep breath. As respiratory therapist Margaret Degan Dorangricchia put it, “It was a beautiful and much needed escape from the confinement of our home and the daily mental and physical exhaustion of our work.”
Boscobel Now Opening Access To Their 68 Acres To The Public
Now offering a limited number of timed gardens and grounds tickets to the general public via Boscobel.org, tickets remain free to healthcare workers and Boscobel members. Guests are welcome to picnic, stroll the gardens and grounds, and hike the trail—there are 68 acres for safe, social distancing.
The location is one of the most beautiful places in the Hudson Valley, with its Great Lawn overlooking the Hudson River, and Constitution Marsh. A pollinator-friendly Herb Garden and Formal Garden with plants that were popular in the 19th century are also available to experience, as well as a mile-long Woodland Trail along the river.
The Cold Spring Farmers Market is also hosted at Boscobel. Every Saturday, Cold Spring Farmers Market and Boscobel open Boscobel’s gates to host local vendors and hundreds of market-goers seeking fresh, local food while adhering diligently to public health guidelines. In other words, Mask Up! And wait in line very far away from each other (6 feet). Then come to Beacon on Sunday for Beacon’s outdoor Farmers Market near the post office.
Distancing Learning Of Boscobel
To bring Boscobel’s historic site, Neoclassical mansion, and decorative arts collection to anyone wishing to have a personal experience of Hudson Valley design, history, and nature, Boscobel created a pilot virtual tour, accessible from Boscobel.org, which is just as illuminating from home as it is on the grounds. The museum also created virtual programs for K-12 students who had to miss their field trip visit. There is also yoga on the grounds sometimes.
Boscobel Researches Early Black Inhabitants
Boscobel’s staff has been reduced to a core focusing on building a more sustainable, inclusive museum for the future. Together with committed trustees, staff are developing a long-term Interpretive Plan, which involves researching and incorporating the histories of Boscobel’s early Black inhabitants. Earlier this year, Boscobel joined the Hudson Valley Slavery Roundtable and is mining 18th- and 19th-century papers for references to slavery and manumission. In 1810, four of Boscobel’s ten inhabitants were “free” Black people. “It is long past time to better understand how ‘free’ they really were,” poses Director Carlquist. “How did everyday New Yorkers cope with the seminal conflicts of war and slavery?” Boscobel recently received a Humanities New York grant to advance this research.
You can support Boscobel at any time here with an online donation or membership.
Pair with your visit a trip to Beacon for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Use A Little Beacon Blog’s Restaurant Guide to help you plan where to eat, and the Shopping Guide to help you know where to shop the boutiques.
UPDATE: Clarifying 2 Points In Teamsters Local 445 Letter Re Gun And Bullet Proof Vests
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Two points were introduced in the 3rd letter from the Beacon Police Union - by way of the Teamsters Local 445 letter - but verification was not provided. Being that these were large assertions, A Little Beacon Blog followed up with the Mayor’s Office for confirmation. This morning, we received clarification from City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero as to the two points from the last letter from the police union. They are as follows:
Bullet Proof Vests
In exploring what a re-imagined police department and policies look like, Beacon’s City Council has held a public community forum to hear feedback from the community, and invited police officers to 2 City Council Workshop meetings to discuss data and current policy. Everything from how data is collected and reported, to the visual impact of a bullet proof vest on emotional escalation have been mentioned.
No formal policies have been proposed in this introductory discovery phase. Governor Cuomo has also mandated that each municipality come up with their own police policy, or face a denial of federal funding. The deadline for that proposal is April 1, 2021. During this past week’s City Council Workshop Meeting 7/13/2020, Mayor Kyriacou proposed a timetable as to how this project can get done in time. The Governor signed this on June 12, 2020: “Governor Cuomo Signs Executive Order to Reinvent and Modernize Police Strategies and Programs” Beacon’s City Council started this process before it was a state mandate, as A Little Beacon Blog reported earlier.
The past 2 letters from the Beacon Police Union have mentioned the fear of having bullet proof vests removed from officers when they answer police calls. The last letter read: “For the past several weeks, Mayor Kyriacou and the Council have continued their push of anti-police rhetoric and policies, which have included the thought of disarming and de-vesting police.“
A Little Beacon Blog asked for confirmation from the city about the removal of bullet proof vests, if that is indeed what the letter and term “de-vest” referred to, and received the following answer from Anthony Ruggiero: “I know residents have brought this up at the public portion of the meetings, but to the best of my knowledge, I do not believe any Council Members have proposed this.”
The Police Chief Carrying A Gun
A second point made in the letter, which was a continuation of a verbal comment made by union representative Mike Pitt, was certification of the Acting Police Chief William (Bill) Cornett, being that he was in retirement for a number of years. During the appointment, Mayor Kyriacou stated in response that legally, the city was cleared to hire Bill. A Little Beacon Blog followed up with the city to get a response from the City’s attorney for added clarification, and received it (you can read that legalese here).
In its most recent letter, the which was not signed but was on union letterhead that includes the names Dan Maldonado, President, and Barry Russell, Secretary-Treasurer, the letter insinuated that because of the length of time in retirement, the Acting Police Chief would be limited in his capacity as a police officer. The letter stated:
“Without that certification, the appointed temporary Chief ‘lacks the power to execute arrest and search warrants, make arrests without a warrant and use physical or deadly force in making an arrest when necessary’; he ‘may not lawfully carry a firearm without a license if he is not certified as a police officer.’ 2003 N.Y. Op. (Inf.) Atty’ Gen. 1. If this Chief sees a crime being committed, he cannot make an arrest; he needs to call the police.”
A Little Beacon Blog inquired with the City to see if arresting someone or being in the line of duty was the primary responsibility of this Acting Police Chief for the 90 days he is in the position during a time of administrative transition. Anthony Ruggiero responded: “The Chief of Police position lends itself to be more administrative, very similar to other Department Head positions.”
Beacon’s Mayor Kyriacou Responds To Teamster 445 Letter Regarding Acting Police Chief Decision
/Just 24 hours after the Teamsters Local 445 issued their open letter on social media, Beacon’s Mayor Kyriacou issued the following press release on Tuesday evening. It is published in full below.
It appears that the parties involved - the Beacon PBA, Teamsters Local 445, and the Mayor and City Council have not had a meeting sitting around a table together. Perhaps as policy reforms happen, they will. Until then, the method of letters and press releases seems to be the method of communication.
Beacon’s police officers have attended 2 City Council meetings in order to answer questions and provide feedback to the City Council as the group dives in to understand how the department works before making any decisions or recommendations, including current Lieutenant Figlia who has provided helpful information and feedback.
Beacon City Mayor Lee Kyriacou expressed disappointment that the police union is resorting to intimidation and escalation – exactly the opposite behavior of what is appropriate in today’s charged environment. The Mayor pointed out that such belligerent tactics do not represent the training or behavior of the city’s police officers, and that his door remains open to calm, constructive discussion.
Late yesterday, just before a City Council meeting, some City officials became aware of a letter posted online – but not actually sent to anyone in the City – from the Teamsters Local 445 and the City of Beacon Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association. One newspaper called seeking a response before the Mayor had even seen or read a copy.
Upon review of the material today, which contain non-specific and unsupported assertions, the Mayor made the following statement:
“I have supported the honorable men and women of the Beacon Police Department from my first day in office six months ago. In hundreds of individual interactions with officers since then, my first words have always been ‘thank you’ and most recently, ‘I appreciate the difficult situation you are in.’ That support continues unabated – and is never inconsistent with either listening to the concerns of our community or asking questions to consider what change may be needed.
“I am deeply disappointed by the approach of the police union, which has resorted to intimidation and escalation in a highly charged environment – where the community-building approach should be outreach and dialogue. Neither I nor the City Administrator has received a single meeting request, call or email from the leadership of the PBA, requesting a discussion or anything else. Other than a statement from the PBA that I offered to read at a protest, I have heard nothing from them.
“Our police officers are all trained in and must practice de-escalation. The police union tactics ignore de-escalation training – at a time when our community needs to come together. I would encourage them to reach out and be constructive – my door remains open for calm, honest discussion.
“The PBA’s dissatisfaction came to light immediately upon the unanimous appointment of former Beacon Lieutenant William Cornett as Acting Police Chief, to fill in for the short-notice retirement of our chief and captain. I chose someone with a long history in the Beacon police, with a record of integrity and transparency, and with no interest in continuing in the role. That choice safeguards our community, our police department and the City, as we search for permanent leadership. If the PBA is disgruntled at not being able to hand-pick leadership, that simply reflects their failure to engage in dialogue as well as unrealistic expectations.”
“Finally, let me reiterate some of the things I have said in public. I have repeatedly discussed the department’s successful completion of a lengthy U.S. Department of Justice oversight process, as well its continuing accreditation by the NYS Law Enforcement Accreditation Program – the latter an achievement shared by only a handful of local departments. And while anyone who has observed me on City Council knows I am incredibly protective of spending taxpayer dollars, I have made no definitive statements regarding funding levels of the police department going forward.
“Again, my door remains open.”
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