Beacon City Schools Coordinate Bus Delivery For Free Lunch Meals For Remote Learners - Sign Up Required

When in a pandemic, and when the USDA is funding your local lunches and breakfasts for kids who need it, sometimes getting access to that food can be hard. The Beacon City School District has gone to great lengths to prepare food that can be warmed up at home for kids meals, in addition to produce and packaged snacks. While the meals area available in 5 different locations on a Wednesday between a certain daytime time slot, getting to that food can be difficult for parents and caregivers who are working or unavailable during that time window. Therefore, the district has organized a bus delivery system to bring the food to the people.

Piloted in the spring when this pandemic first started, the district has had some practice at this delivery method. When the federal government funded all meals to public school districts including Beacon, lots of kids are now eligible for the free food, which can include pizza slices, chicken nuggets, and even a cucumber/tomato/feta salad. Not to mention: Scooby Snacks.

Delivery begins October 21, 2020, but signup is required by October 9, 2020. Don’t delay, sign up now. It’s easy and involves a Google Form. Delivery is every Wednesday starting at 10am, and someone must be home to receive it.

Pickups for meals is also on Wednesday at different locations, like South Avenue or Rombout. The receiver simply needs to select which location they want to pickup. Or, if they are opting for delivery, the form that needs to be filled out will take them off the pickup list.

At this time, opting into getting a free meal is easy. One should not not do it because they are saving a place for someone else. There is plenty of food. If you are in need, or if your kids miss school pizza, opt-in.

Details on the free meals program for all kids through December 31, 2020 are here.

Uptick In COVID-19 Cases In Beacon Connected To Assisted Living Facility In Beacon, City Says

On Monday evening, during the weekly City Council Meeting for 9/21/2020, City Manager Anthony Ruggiero provided detail for the recent uptick in COVID-19 cases in Beacon during his regular report session (see hour/minute 1:06:00). He explained that the positive cases were connected an assisted living facility located in Beacon. “We had received a number of emails after a News12 report,” Anthony remarked.

That facility, as reported by News12, is Hedgewood Assisted Living Program, located at 355 Fishkill Avenue. Anthony stated that this increase right now is isolated in the one facility, and that State and County Health Departments have been monitoring, and both have been to the facility, where the staff and residents are tested weekly.

According to News12’s report: “A spokesman with the assisted living facility tells News 12, ‘Each of our nearly 200 residents is observed carefully. This facility - subject to 24-hour a day, seven-day a week unannounced inspections, strictly adheres to all NYS Department of Health guidelines.’ The person did not go into detail on the breakdown of cases among residents and employees, or even the severity of symptoms.”

Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro confirmed to News12 that there is likely to be an increase in case number based on this cluster, telling the news outlet: “It is likely going to result in more cases, with severity because of the age of the individuals and sadly, we’ve already seen 1 individual succumb to the disease. We have to engage in that social distancing. We are encouraging people, ya know, we cannot have theses large gatherings. And continue to wear a mask please.”

At the time of this announcement on Monday, there were 27 cases on the Dashboard, "with about 13 that are related to this facility, with sadly, 1 death,” said Anthony. Always a man of dates and schedules, Anthony reflected on the speed of the spread, when he remarked: “This was fast moving. There were 0 cases about 2 weeks ago. Week of September 14th, there was a severe spike of 8 or 9, and then the last week, 13.” Anthony stated he was in regular contact with the Commissioner, and that Beacon’s first responders had been made aware of the situation.

Wednesday night, after another increase to 45 active cases in Beacon, Mayor Lee Kyriacou made an announcement via robo call, which is also texted and emailed to those who opted in. “To be clear, the large increase is from a single residential facility – not from Main Street businesses, or not from children returning to schools.”

Mayor Kyriacou went on to encourage citizens to practice personal safety: “Beacon is doing exceptionally well. We have carefully opened up much of our city activity, while keeping our COVID numbers way down – that is remarkable. Our job as individual members of this community remains unchanged: Each of us must continue to do our part – social distancing and face coverings in public, quarantining if required, being respectful to all. Everyone’s vigilance is essential to keeping us all safe.”

Click here to visit Dutchess County’s Dashboard, which lists Beacon’s active case numbers. To see how many new cases were recorded in Dutchess County for the day, click here for New York State’s Dashboard, and click on the text link for Dutchess County, and then the highlighted shape of the county.

Dutchess County Makes $430,000 In Microenterprise Grants Available To Businesses Negatively Affected By COVID-19

From the press release sent by the Office Of the Dutchess County Executive on September 9, 2020:

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro announced today (9/9/2020) Dutchess County has made $430,000 in grants available to assist microenterprise businesses negatively affected by COVID-19, through a program administered by Community Capital New York (CCNY). A microenterprise is defined as a business with 5 or fewer employees, including the owner. The program provides grants of up to $10,000 to stabilize microenterprises and preserve low- and moderate-income jobs. Eligible businesses can apply online here.

County Executive Molinaro said, “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and this pandemic has forced many to close, with many more struggling to remain open. These grants will help these businesses stay afloat – keeping our neighbors employed and communities vibrant.”

The funding for the program comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant COVID/CARES Act (CDBG-CV) which was provided to the County’s Urban County CDBG Consortium. Eligible businesses must be in a municipality which is a member of the Consortium. The Consortium includes all Dutchess County municipalities, except the City of Poughkeepsie, which received its own CDBG-CV funds; the city is expected to announce a similar program using its CDBG-CV funds by in the near future.

City of Beacon is also committing $150,000 towards this program (which became available in December 2020), specifically for business located in the City of Beacon. Funding for this program is from the City’s Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG) funds; its applications will be accepted via the same application and follow the same guidelines, and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Eligible businesses must meet the following standards, established by the federal government:

• Five or fewer employees, including the owner

• Located in the Dutchess County Urban County CDBG Consortium

• Retain, rehire or create at least one low- and moderate-income job for six months

• For-profit business (non-profits are ineligible)

• Operate outside of a residential property

• In operation prior to March 15, 2017

• Not be one of the following business types: adult book, video and entertainment facilities, check cashing facilities, gambling facilities, gun shops, liquor stores, non-therapeutic massage parlors, medical marijuana production /distribution, pawn shops, tanning salons or tattoo parlors

• Must document that funds are not duplicating other financial assistance provided via the CARES Act.

The low and moderate job standard can be met several ways:

• Retain, rehire, or create at least one full-time position for a person whose full-time annual salary is below $54,950 . For retention, the position must be at imminent risk of job loss without the funding; or

• he business is located within a Low- and Moderate-Income Area (LMA) and primarily serves local residents; or

The following are the federal established low- and moderate-income limits:

Household Size Income Limit

1 $54,950

2 $62,800

3 $70,650

4 $78,500

5 $84,800

6 $91,100

7 $97,350

8 $103,650

Eligible uses of funds include:

• Rent

• Working capital

• Technical training

• Machinery and equipment, including personal protective equipment for employees

• Certain other costs associated with stabilizing a small business

Ineligible Uses:

• Relocation of business operations

• Renovations

• Paying off existing debt

• Reimbursement for costs incurred before aid

• Applications are available here and will be accepted until all the funds are expended. CCNY will also provide technical assistance to potentially eligible businesses.

The Dutchess County Urban County CDBG Consortium includes 20 towns​, 8 villages and the City of Beacon. For the purpose of ​administering this program, the villages ​will be considered in conjunction with their respective town. For the first four weeks of the application process, CCNY will award grants based on an equitable distribution among the 20 towns and the City of Beacon. After October 7, 2020, applications will be approved on a first-come, first-serve​d basis.

5 New Job Positions In Public Health Available From Dutchess County

Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) has job openings for 5 Public Health Advisors, including a senior supervisory position, for up to 18 months. The positions are being funded by a grant of $917,000 awarded to Dutchess County from the New York State Department of Health to further build capacity for COVD-19 case investigation and contact tracing coordination. The grant funding will enable DBCH to hire Recruitment is now open and interested applicants can review job description and apply online at the County’s website at www.dutchessny.gov/jobs.

As the jobs are temporary, they do not require a Civil Service exam from the county. Additionally, there is not box to check for a criminal background check, as Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro participated in a “Ban The Box” movement years ago to remove that box from county job applications. This is often a hurdle for people with records - even for minor issues - to be considered for jobs.

Marc Molinaro said, “This grant enables us to bolster our public health team and ensure we can continue to deal with case investigation and contact tracing quickly to prevent spread. This is critically important as the reopening process continues, - particularly school reopenings - and greater interaction leads to case increases, we need to have the capacity to respond rapidly.”

About The Grant From New York State Department Of Health

The grant is intended to increase local health department staffing to conduct rapid and complete case investigations, including ensuing that once contacts are identified, they are reached within 48 hours and have access to testing. The additional staffing will also be available for daily monitoring of cases and contacts and ensure any social supports needs are being met and for effective isolation/quarantine.

DBCH Responsibilities Have Increased With Reopening Monitoring

The grant funding comes at a critical time as local health departments must take on an ever-increasing workload and the annual flu season approaches. Local health departments have seen their role greatly expanded beyond their normal areas of jurisdiction, particularly as the reopening process has continued.

For example, health departments were tasked with conducting gym inspections by the state as a requirement of reopening of gyms and fitness studios, though these businesses are not under the authority of local health departments. Locally, DBCH has been providing support and assistance to nursing homes, assisted living centers and developmentally disabled group homes, all of which normally work directly with NYS DOH.

Additionally, DBCH has been coordinating closely with colleges and school districts for their reopening planning. All of this goes beyond the normal workload of DBCH, which still continues and includes other disease and virus surveillance, such as Lyme disease and other tick-borne illness, as well as annual flu monitoring.

“Our public health team has been working non-stop for more than six months responding to the coronavirus pandemic, and I am exceptionally grateful to all of the extraordinary members of our team whose professionalism and dedication has been inspiring,” said DBCH Commissioner Dr. Anil Vaidian. “These additional Public Health Advisors will be welcome additions to our team and enable us to continue our fight against COVID-19, while ensuring we are also addressing other critical health concerns in our community including overdose prevention, tick-borne disease awareness, and much more.”

Rolls Of The New Public Health Advisors

The grant-funded Public Health Advisors will be responsible for performing investigations and advising on all phases of coronavirus pandemic control efforts. These individuals will be part of DBCH’s Rapid Response Team and take part in case investigation activities including index case and contacts interviews, provide education and public information, assist with data collection and creation of reports and analysis; and stay abreast of new techniques and information that can be locally adapted in the fight against COVID-19.

Interested candidates should have strong knowledge of public health communicable disease investigation as well as current trends relating to emerging techniques and treatment and must have strong interview and communications skills, with positive interpersonal skills to successfully inform and educate individuals and the public at large. Candidates should have the ability to prepare complete and concise reports. Candidates should have education and/or experience in nursing, social work, health education or a health-related field.

For full job descriptions and application information, visit www.dutchessny.gov/jobs. Application deadline is September 11th

Anti-Pandemic New Yorkers Bring Back To Life Old A99 Bill - Which Started In 2015 And Goes Nowhere Each Year - Fueled By FB Video

In the beginning…there were the texts. “My friend (cousin, aunt’s best friend) works at the Pentagon and he told me that the government is going to shut everything down in 2 days.” Perhaps you received texts like this too. Insider information. Scoop. It most likely drove you to drive very fast to the grocery store and buy $800 worth of groceries in a blizzard-prep mentality - each week - thus wiping out your savings before the actual pandemic was acknowledged, with the actual business shutdown requiring the $600/week Pandemic Insurance and a slippery PPP business loan. The physical lock down in one’s home never came, with soldiers patrolling the streets, but the business train wreck did.

Now with set to open, and botched roll-outs happening in other states, new quarantine fears are percolating: Quarantine Part 2. The new text thread includes a Facebook video of a woman at her home in New York, showing you how New York State, and the Governor specifically, wants to take your children, using the excuse of they might be infected with COVID-19, a disease which she says doesn’t exist. To prove it, she proceeds to show a video of her laptop screen reading the details of this bill - A99 - about how the Health Commissioner can and his or her opinion, remove you from your home and put you in detention until you are no longer contagious. For basically any amount of time.

The bill is a pretty freaky read, and at immediate first glance, was started in January 2019. But if you scroll down and dig in, it was really started in 2015 (which is just after an 2014 Ebola outbreak occurred in the United States) by Assembly Member Nick Perry, and has never seen the light of day. Nick’s Assembly District is 58, which is in Brooklyn. His office is at 903 Utica Avenue. You can read the 2015 version here.

A Change.org petition to fight the 2019 version of this bill started at least 4 months ago in April 2020 by Buffalonians Against Excessive Quarantine (716), to petition the NYS Assembly. So far, this bill is introduced every year, and it sits in a status called “In Committee,” is marked as “Active,” then seems to die.

The fear that the language of this bill has tapped into is not unfounded. It certainly describes what happens to illegal immigrants when they are caught coming into the United States seeking asylum. They are detained for legal amounts of time that get renewed, and their children are taken from them. Most recently, actions granted by the Trump administration, as reported on in a joint article from the Texas Tribune and ProPublica, and reported on by other news outlets like NBC.

Those who are concerned about quarantine law, could read an analysis of existing laws here. If you are a doubter of the pandemic, and don’t trust any data or science presented to you, one option is to look at the hospitals to see if they are full, and the funeral homes to see if they are wall to wall, and sometimes to the ceiling, with caskets. Like here in this New Yorker article, or here in Popular Mechanics. As is what happened in New York during the early months of this COVID-19 pandemic. Similar pictures exist for the 1917 flu pandemic.

Free Lunch Program Continues - New Signups For Those Unemployed Encouraged Now

When the announcement of the free $420 food credit to be used at stores was announced by Governor Cuomo, ALBB blogged about it, and then reached out to Beacon City School’s Director of Food and Nutrition, Karen Pagano, to ask how this works with the school’s Free Lunch Program, which she was encouraging people to sign up for back in the spring of the pandemic. People did, who were unexpectedly unemployed due to the pandemic. As of today, 650 people are enrolled in the Free Lunch Program.

As the ReOpening has been happening, some people have returned to work, but not everyone. Can people still apply for the 2020/2021 Free Lunch Program? “Yes,” says Karen. Because government services can be a little complicated, we are going to let Karen explain how it works in her words:

Each District submitted to SNAP or NYS a list of Students enrolled as of March 15, 2020, that qualified for free meals in our district either with:

• Income application

• Homeless status

• Directly certified through SNAP or Financial need based Medicaid.

We submitted this file back in May or June 2020. This was the list used for eligibility for the P-EBT funding you wrote about here.

We do not get notified if families have received the P-EBT cards, so if a family has questions about the card, they need to follow up with the numbers listed in your other article: NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance at 1-833-452-0096 or by email at otda.sm.eisp.PEBT@otda.ny.gov

Meal eligibility for Income applicants from the previous 2019-2020 School year will continue until a new application is submitted, or until mid October 2020 with no new application submitted.

Meal applications for the 2020-2021 School year are available on our District website for parents to download and print a copy - fill out manually and send back to the Food Service Office either electronically or in hard copy. We will also be sending copies home with students on the first day of school if they are attending building classes. We are looking to do a mass mailing for those that are not attending in school classes to get the applications out.

We are in the works for setting up online applications through a program called myschoolapps (students and parents use this now to fill breakfast/lunch money on for their kids to use at school - it’s the digital form of “lunch money”) but we will not be able to have this up and running until likely the first week of September as the company supporting this function is at the moment overwhelmed.

Families should still apply for free meals even if they are not attending in-building classes as we will be preparing grab and go meals with distribution for those enrolled families through a drive-by-pick-up on Wednesdays at BHS and RMS starting on September 16th. Parents will need to sign up for this service through a new addition to MySchoolBucks platform and that sign up should be available by the end of August.

We will be preparing these grab and go complete Nutritious Breakfasts and Lunches for the 3-day Remote Learning coverage as well as 5-day for all remote learning eligible students all with Wednesday distribution, times TBD.

We have certified about 650 students for Free meals who qualify for SNAP for the 2020-2021 year and have sent emails or if no email is on file, hard copy notification to those families about their continuation of free meals in the School year.

We will continue to update this download from NYS SNAP recipients on a monthly basis to capture newly added students receiving SNAP and therefore automatically eligible for free meals.

How Will The Non-Free, Paying School Lunch Program Work?

Currently, the Beacon City School District uses MySchoolBucks.com to handle money on kid’s meal cards. Parents log in and make deposits onto the cards whenever they want to. But how will this work on the Hybrid or All Remote Learning plan for parents who do not qualify for the Free Lunch Program? Karen answers:

“You would pre-order each week - all or nothing. You get 3 or 5 breakfast and 3 or 5 lunches (this will depend on if your child is in school 2 days a week or all remote). If your child is in school 2 days a week, they can also get breakfast as a grab-and-go bring into classroom, and lunch which will be pre-ordered in the morning with choices for meals that will be delivered into the classrooms. Both are optional - both are free for free qualifying students and payment necessary again on account with www.myschoolbucks.com for paying students who do not qualify for the Free Lunch Program. No money at school please.”

New Food Benefit of $420 In Groceries To Kids Who Lost Food Benefits - The P-EPT Card Or Deposit

September is a breath away and most of us are either trying to ignore the “back-to-school” air August carries, or desperately trying to prepare for the upcoming school year. In Governor Cuomo’s daily coronavirus update email sent out on August 10th, 2020, he included an update regarding the pandemic and the reopening of schools, as well as an opportunity for kids who lost food benefits due to COVID-19 school closures can access meals through the Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) program.

P-EBT is an important update that requires attention prior to the end of August. P-EBT (Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer) is a newly implemented program regarding the food benefits for families during the COVID-19 school closures. Children who lost free or reduced-price school meals will now be able to buy food at participating stores under the P-EBT benefits, for $420, according to Governor Cuomo’s update. If your child is eligible, but your household has not received a P-EBD card and/or benefit by mid-August, call NYSOTDA at 1-833-452-0096. More details here. Benefits will be issued automatically. There is no application. However, you should call the number with any questions if you don’t have a card.

While there is not application, it may be necessary for you to be enrolled in the Free Lunch Program, which had been made available over the spring for the upcoming year, which starts in September 2020. ALBB blogged about this in April 2020, to bring awareness to the program for those who are unemployed. If you are still unemployed, you are encouraged to apply now. It is unsure at this time if the $420 deposit will be made to you if you are signing up for this program now. So it seems like signing up for the program would be beneficial.

The information you need is on this website, however we have broken it down for you below.

Who Is Eligible?

• Children who have received free or reduced-price meals

• Children who attend schools that offer free meals to all

How Much Are P-EBT Benefits?

Each eligible child will receive $420

When and How Will I Receive P-EBT?

There is different criteria for different types of situations:

• Families that receive SNAP or Public Assistance (PA): benefits will be available on your current EBT card. Expect two payments: $193 in early June, $227 in late June.

• Families who use Medicaid (but not SNAP) do not need to complete an application to get free school meals. Benefits will be available on your (or your oldest child’s) Medicaid card. Expect one payment: $420 between June and late August.

• All Other Eligible Children: benefits will be available on a new EBT card (one for each eligible child) mailed to your house. Expect one payment: $420 between July and late August.

I Have Not Received Payment…

If you have not received a P-EBT card and/or benefit by mid-August, call NYSOTDA at 1-833-452-0096.

Other Important Information:

• Immigration status does not matter:

• Using P-EBT does not affect your or your child’s immigration status. The public charge rule does not apply to P-EBT.

• P-EBT is not SNAP.

• You can use other nutrition programs, like summer meals, SNAP, and WIC, while using P-EBT.

• You can still get “grab and go” or delivered meals served by your school.

• You cannot give your card to another person or household to use. If you wish to donate your benefit, you can buy food and donate it to a food pantry.

I Still Have Questions…

Contact NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance at 1-833-452-0096 or by email at otda.sm.eisp.PEBT@otda.ny.gov

For more information, visit: HungerSolutionsNY.org/PEBT

Announcing New Podcast From A Little Beacon Blog: "Wait, What Is That?"

Hello!

The inspiration for A Little Beacon Blog came from not knowing about things in Beacon. Could  be the timing of a Spring Egg Hunt, or it could be why the Spirit of Beacon Day started (answer: after youth inspired racial riots decades ago!).

As the City of Beacon began growing with development of apartment buildings, a reader lamented one day: "A Little Beacon Blog isn't going to be so little anymore." And here's the truth: A Little Beacon Blog has the word "little" in it for 2 reasons:

1. The assumption was that there would be a lot of blogs about Beacon. Turns out, that manifested in the form of Instagram accounts, which are awesome.

2. ALBB always focuses on the little details. Could be a rose, could be a tree, could be an honoree, could be a bench, could a wrench.

In The Beginning...

At the beginning of the pandemic, people starting recording more videos. Disconnect people from each other, and we break out of comfort zones into new mediums in order to connect. This happened at A Little Beacon Blog too, in the form of a podcast. We set up a studio in Katie's shed, which is ventilated with 2 doors, a fan and an air conditioner, and we wear masks during interviews. Plexiglass is next.
 

About The Co-Hosts...

Brandon Lillard is the co-host of this podcast, and the recording producer. Raised in the City of Beacon, some of you may remember him from that time he attended Beacon High School and created a character for himself: Mr. Beacon High. This was his way of working with many different people. Brandon went on to become a community organizer, youth mentor and podcast producer with Youth Podcast Program, and is a board member for I Am Beacon. Brandon had nudged ALBB's publisher Katie for a while (ok, 5 years) to start a podcast. When in a pandemic, she said yes.

We are so excited to announce to you today the start of the podcast extension of A Little Beacon Blog, called "Wait, What Is That?" It's a podcast dedicated to finding out the answers behind simple and hard questions. Sometimes during our interviews, we discover more questions, and pursue new topics to dig deeper. This could be about donuts made in Connecticut but named after Brooklyn, or the Federal Investigation of the Beacon Police Department many years ago.

We have 5 episodes to start you out with. Do carve the time out of your day during your commute to nowhere, or your gardening time, or your outdoor fitness time.

Many of these episodes will serve you well in your homework for issues going on right now in Beacon.

EPISODE 1: The Beginning
Brandon and Katie record their first podcast. Not sure what they were going to talk about. And then Brandon brought the Brooklyn Baking Company Donuts. Which are from Connecticut. And go…

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EPISODE 2: Let's Do This
Because sometimes you just need a cup of coffee and a Popsicle. In discovering their voices, Brandon and Katie take a deep dive into that house on the corner of Cross Street that is a storefront window. Brandon remembers when it was a deli and he went there daily on his way to and from the old Beacon High School.

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EPISODE 3: Former Mayor Randy Casale
Well HELLO. Our first interview is with the former Mayor of Beacon for 2 terms: Randy Casale. A born and bread Beaconite who knows everything about everything Beacon. Everything.

We interviewed Randy when he was fresh out of his political silence, during the debate about his stepson's bench and if it should be removed or moved. The original interview was 3 hours.

At the recommendation of his attorney, the podcast was edited down to 39 minutes. The bench issue has been settled for now, so he did not want to reignite.

We talk to him about his experience with the Beacon Police Department, his insistence on and fight for body cameras, and the Federal Investigation of the Beacon PD years ago.

He also discusses with us about the demotion of a Highway Superintendent, Reuben Simmons, who was demoted back down to a worker position, how a mysterious letter dis-crediting Reuben was hand-delivered to a council person's porch, how Civil Service rules worked to legally let it all happen, and if the City of Beacon had an opportunity to keep Reuben in his job, but did not take that route. Even though Randy voted for the appointment of the current Highway Superintendent, Randy said Reuben having the position be taken from him was one of his biggest regrets.

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EPISODE 4: Mayor Lee Kyriacou
BAM. Our next interview was with current Mayor Lee Kyriacou. During Randy’s interview, and during the 1st biggest BLM protest in Beacon, we learned that Lee spearheaded the look-see into Beacon’s Police Department in the early 2000s, which resulted in a Federal Investigation. We wanted to learn more about that.

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EPISODE 5: Reuben Simmons
Following up on what we learned earlier, we interviewed Reuben about how and why he no longer has the position of Highway Superintendent, after 1 year of serving in it. Katie worked with Reuben when he created the Rock Out For Mental Health music event last year. Many service agencies came together at one community event, which impacted a lot of people.

When Katie wrote the article about Reuben's inspiration for the event, she went to confirm his job title, which had been Highway Superintendent. Reuben worked for the Highway Department since 2002, and she was proud of his promotion. But LinkedIn showed a job descension: where he once was the Highway Superintendent, he was now Maintenance Worker. What happened?

Reuben couldn't answer at the time, as he was filing a complaint about the experience. One year later, at the first BLM sound stage, Reuben spoke out about it. Reuben walks us through the chess match of Civil Service rules which determine how a city can hire, fire, demote, and discipline employees.

Reuben says he did not know about the mystery letter until much later. A Little Beacon Blog has a copy of it, and published it with this podcast so that you can read it. Additionally, we have published the City Council Meeting from February 2019 where each City Council Member voted to appoint Reuben's co-worker to the job under a technicality. During that meeting, many from the Highway Department were in the audience (except for the 3 Black workers in the Highway Department, including Reuben, who say they were not told about the date of the appointment). The staff from the Highway Department can be heard hooting and hollering during the vote. Many on the Council laughed with them.

Reuben continues his work every day for the City, but has this to say on why he speaks out now: "I have experienced unfair treatment, harassment, and retaliation in the Highway Department that has continued after my efforts to bring a number of issues to the attention of city management and leadership. I share my story as a response to the many narratives and rumors spread by childish individuals and because I don’t want it happening to anyone else."

The letter, the public City Council meeting with the laughter, and a timeline of events have been published with this podcast. A Little Beacon Blog reached out to the City Administrator for confirmation of the timeline, and was responded to with an invitation to talk to the City's labor lawyer. While we don't need a conversation, we are awaiting an email response to our questions.

If you're following Police news with any hiring of positions, you'll want to listen to this podcast to get familiar with Civil Service chess. If you want to learn about how someone gets safely removed from a job without legal ramifications, you'll want to listen to this podcast.

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EPISODE 6: Ali T. Muhammad
Ali T. Muhammad was born and raised in Beacon, NY, walking every day down a literal pathway between prison and public school, as his home was on the grounds. He walked the “school to prison pipeline” (and tells us about what that means on this podcast). His father was incarcerated for 12 years, and upon getting released, became the Chaplin for Fishkill Correctional Facility. Ali’s mother was a teacher at Rombout Middle School (and was Brandon’s teacher!).

Ali lived the life of a Black youth in Beacon, and continues to as a Black man in America. As a way to keep himself occupied and on a straight path, he began getting involved with local politics, getting elected as a Council Member for Ward 4 at an early age.

Ali served on Beacon's City Council years ago, and after a period bucking his own Democratic party, wasn't elected back. He was known to stay focused on issues of inequality for Black and poor communities, but was often dismissed. His concerns are coming back to make sense now to more people during this racial revolution. Katie and Brandon talk to Ali about those issues, including how to build a WeePlay Tot Park at Davies Terrace and other low income housing projects that are owned by private, large, wealthy real estate companies. Lots of times kids in the low income housing projects don't have access to transportation to get to city parks, and depend on taxis to get to the Beacon Pool - if they can afford the ride. We discuss this and more.

Next Up: We interview Katie's son, Cole, who wanted to talk about his feelings upon hearing that Paw Patrol might be canceled, and then fact checking the White House who in late July said it was canceled, but was in fact not. Cole tells us what he values about Paw Patrol.

Then: We'll meet our sometimes 3rd co-host, Blake Daniel Leslie, a musician, artist, actor and podcaster. And Brandon's best friend. You might recognize Blake from his days with the cover-band Skin and Bones who used to play around town.

And a few more: We have a few more interviews on deck. We interview on Wednesdays, and will release as they are produced.

All About The Prison Books Project That Opperates Out Of Binnacle Books

Photo Credit: Binnacle Books

The Prison Books Project is an initiative from Binnacle Books, here on Main Street in Beacon. Launched in early 2020 with a bunch of postcards blasting into prisons in New York State prison facilities, Binnacle Books has been getting requests in and sending the books back out. Who buys the books for the prisons? You do! Anyone can be a sponsor. It’s a great way to give in a specific way.

The Prison Books Project is an outgrowth of the Beacon Prison Rides Project, which is a free way for people to be driven to visit their loved ones in jail from the Beacon train station stop. A Little Beacon Blog interviewed Mark Trecka of Binnacle Books to see inside of the project a bit more. Mark was published in the Rivernewsroom describing the intricate requirements of visiting a prisoner, and how much can go wrong to prevent a visit (like your own wardrobe violation).

ALBB: How do the imprisoned people make requests?

The basic principle is that we distribute postcards into New York State prison facilities, and then incarcerated people use them (or send letters or emails) to request books. We then acquire the books via one of several channels, whether it's Binnacle's distributor or Binnacle's shelves or we put a query out on Instagram. If the books were not donated, we post them on the Binnacle Instagram and then Binnacle's customers / followers sponsor them, title by title. The books are then mailed directly to the person who made the request.

ALBB: What are they thinking about? What kinds of requests come in? Do they know what books they want? Or do they want a subject, like “I want to learn accounting” or “I want a biography of someone”?

“There are approximately 1,700 people incarcerated at Fishkill Correctional, which is in the City of Beacon. Between 200 and 250 of those people are in solitary confinement at any given time. Incidentally, people in solitary confinement can and do request books from us.”

— Mark Trecka, Binnacle Books

Folks have requested all kinds of books. Sometimes the request is very specific, by title, or they might request anything by a particular author. Fiction, poetry, non-fiction, comic books, academic books. We also certainly get requests for subjects, yes like accounting or finance, abnormal psychology. Sometimes we'll get a request for a book that we can't source and then we send other books that we think they might like, always encouraging the person to pass the books along. Some examples of requests: "a biography of someone who made it out of prison," "a book on how to speak Creole," Shook One by Charlamagne Tha God, Black's Law Dictionary, Haiti: A Slave Revolution, "a book of love poems."

ALBB: Has there been an increase in requests since visitation has been banned due to the pandemic?

There has been an increase in requests lately, but actually it's a bit hard to say if it's directly related to visitation suspension or if the project has just been gathering steam. Regardless, we feel that it is deeply important to acknowledge and support the nearly 6,000 people who are incarcerated within an approximately 30-minute drive from Beacon's Main Street––not to mention the more than 50,000 people incarcerated in this state.

There are approximately 1,700 people incarcerated at Fishkill Correctional, which is in the City of Beacon. Between 200 and 250 of those people are in solitary confinement at any given time. Incidentally, people in solitary confinement can and do request books from us. According to one person who is currently in solitary, reading is one of the only things he can do to keep himself occupied. We sent him a bunch of books.

So, all that is to say that Fishkill Correctional Facility accounts for more than 8% of the population of Beacon. Those people are our neighbors. Fishkill Correctional also has the highest number of COVID-19 related deaths of any facility in New York State. So folks there are feeling it hard. Although getting a free book in the mail cannot solve these systemic problems, we feel that this work is valuable, both as an expression of humanity and also as important material support.

Books can do a lot.

Beacon's Howland Public Library Opens To (Limited) Public Visits Inside

Photo Credit: Beacon’s Howland Public Library

Beacon’s Howland Public Library is opening for limited in-person checkout, limited computer time, and limited Childrens Room browsing. They are pretty excited about it, and have made changes inside of the library, including no public tables at this time.

The letter from the library’s director, Kristen Salierno, has all of the details is below:

Dear Patrons,

I am once again thrilled to announce that the Howland Public Library has moved to its next Service Tier. Starting Thursday, August 6th, the library's doors will finally be open again. Patrons will be able to enter the building in a limited capacity and collect materials for themselves or use the public computers without an appointment. We are so looking forward to seeing you all in person again. Here is what you need to know about Service Tier "D":

Masks are required to enter the library building and must be worn properly (mouth and nose covered) at all times while in the building. Anyone not complying will be asked to leave.

Contactless Pickup Ends
We are unable to continue contactless pickup while our doors are open. Please be assured that we have all the safety precautions in place for when you enter the building.

Senior Hours Begin
We are setting aside Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 9:30-10:30am for seniors and those who are high risk community members. Please allow our seniors this time to be able to gather their materials and pickups.

Capacity Limits
The library will be operating at half capacity so you may be asked to wait outside if we reach the maximum. There will also be a SIX person limit to the Children's Room. Please keep your visit brief to allow for more families to be able to access the space.

Computer Use
Public computers will be available on a first come first serve basis and will have a strict two hour limit. A single laptop station is available for those who want to bring their laptop. That station is by appointment ONLY and also has a two hour limit.

Public Tables
There are no public tables or seating available at this time.

What stays the same?

Photo Credit: Beacon’s Howland Public Library

We will continue to have limited hours of operation:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:30am-4:30pm
Tuesday, Thursday 9:30am-6:30pm
Saturday & Sunday Closed

Patrons should also continue to put ALL returns into the outside book drop, and not bring any items into the building. The bookdrop will be locked when the library is closed.

The library may look a little different but the staff is here to help you in any way we safely can. Please be sure to follow all the designated signs for safety while you are in the building to keep everyone safe! For more information about our Service Tier Plan click here.

We look forward to seeing all of you soon.

Warmly,
Kristen Salierno, Director

RiverWinds Gallery Is Closing, Citing Pandemic. Was Beacon's Longest-Running Gallery Featuring 40 Artists

In what is a most depressing article to write, RiverWinds Gallery, Beacon’s longest-running art gallery that featured 40 artists in several mediums, including painting, jewelry design, pottery, and more, will be over on August 31, 2020. RiverWinds is a fixture in Beacon, with their storefront window brightly lit with white lights every holiday season. The mural on the side of their building, which is a richly colored painting of a Native American looking over the Hudson River and the earth around it, is also a fixture.

Prior to the gallery taking the space, it had been a farm supply store, the office of Dentist Sam Kahn, Julia’s Beauty Parlor and other entities. The original artists who opened RiverWinds Gallery were Mary Ann Glass, a photographer; Kelly Newkirk, a fiber artist; Linda Hubbard, a photographer; Virginia Donovan, a painter; and Paola Bari, a porcelain painter. The 5 artists formed a partnership and opened the gallery. At the time, a woman named Mary Madden owned the 172 Main Street building and had hired Ron Sauer to renovate it. Ron Sauer and his wife Ronnie Sauer are credited with Beacon's original revival after Urban Renewal, a time period during which many properties were bulldozed and the Black community colonized in the Bank Square area were paid sometimes $27,000 to relocate elsewhere in Beacon (source: Katie’s neighbor).

In their founding words published on their website, RiverWinds believes this about artists: “The Winds represent constant change, the force that propels us, uplifts us, commands us to create art. They feed the artists souls with the need to connect, comfort and sometimes challenge. These winds blow warm and cool, hot and cold, from all directions, and sometimes not at all. Through these changes, the artists’ work evolves, and grows. The River and the Winds give the courage, inspiration and vision to open RiverWinds Gallery and to celebrate all the artisans have been called to create.

RiverWinds Gallery announced their closure on their Facebook page, encouraging everyone to shop one last time to help their artists:

After 17 years, RiverWinds Gallery at 172 Main Street, Beacon, NY is closing as of August 31, 2020. “It’s been a painful decision to close” says Karl LaLonde, one of the co-owners. “We will miss our artists, our customers both local people and folks from out of town. And we will miss being part of Beacon’s vibrant artistic community.”

There will be a Going Out of Business Sale from August 1 – 31, 2020 with discounts from 25%-50% on most pieces of artwork: paintings, photography, pottery, jewelry, glasswork and fiber art.

“The pandemic has done us in!” says Mary Ann Glass. “We are the longest-running gallery in Beacon. We opened in July 2003, shortly after Dia:Beacon opened its doors. At that time, the west end of Main Street was a bit grim! But we just had a feeling that it was on the edge of change. And we were right. RiverWinds has been an integral part of Beacon’s renaissance. For 17 years we have promoted and sold work by some of the finest Hudson Valley artists.”

“It’s been a long, wonderful ride” says Glass who is one of the original co-owners. “ Our goal when we opened was to provide a place for Hudson Valley artists to sell work to customers who would appreciate such unique and beautiful items. We feel we’ve done that.”

Voted twice Best Gallery in the Hudson Valley, RiverWinds Gallery is a multi-faceted art space featuring over 40 of the finest Hudson Valley artists; fine art including paintings, sculpture and photography, and contemporary crafts, including jewelry, glasswork, cards, and pottery. RiverWinds Gallery, LLC, is a member of the Beacon Arts Community Association (BeaconArts) www.beaconarts.org.

Most merchandise is 25%-50% discounted. The gallery is open every day. They are also selling their display cases - everything must go by the end of the month! So stop on in and see what's available. And help support their local artists one last time.

Open every day 12-4 until August 31, 2020

Location: RiverWinds Gallery, 172 Main Street, Beacon, NY 12508, 845-838-2880.

Homespun Moves Mountains (Well, Counters and Doors) To Increase Customer Safety When Ordering

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.

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

Leaders of Nat. Governors Association (Cuomo, NY + Hogan, MD) and County Executives Call For Federal Relief

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

One-Time Rent Subsidy Available To Low-Income Dutchess County Residents

The following press release has been issued by Dutchess County Executive, Marcus Molinaro. The state-wide directive has been issued by Governor Cuomo here:

Watch New York State’s video about it here:

Rent Relief Available to Low-Income
Residents Affected by COVID-19 Pandemic

Poughkeepsie, NY … Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro announced a one-time rent subsidy is available for low-income County residents who were previously “rent-burdened” prior to March 1, 2020 and have experienced an additional decrease in income as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic through New York State’s COVID Rent Relief Navigator. There is a very short application period, and eligible residents are encouraged to submit applications quickly.

The New York State Department of Homes and Community Renewal has made $100 million available to help low-income households experiencing an increased rent burden due to loss of income during the COVID-19 crisis. Detailed information about the program and its requirements are available on the State’s Rental Relief Program website (click here). Applications will be accepted via an electronic portal for a two-week period, beginning July 16th.

County Executive Molinaro said, “Residents throughout the nation, state and indeed Dutchess County have experienced immeasurable economic hardships as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with countless residents losing their jobs, making it much more difficult to pay their monthly rent. For months, we have been advocating for local residents at the state and federal level, and we appreciate Albany’s response, providing this funding to help ensure residents in Dutchess County, and statewide, can remain in their homes. This is a positive first step to assist those negatively impacted by the pandemic, and we will fight for additional state and federal aid to mitigate the economic impact on counties.”

To qualify for rental assistance, residents must meet all the following eligibility criteria:

• Be a renter with a primary residence in New York;

• Lost income due to COVID-19 crisis during the period April 1, 2020 to July 31, 2020;

• Household does not current receive a housing subsidy that covering housing costs that exceed 30 percent of their income;

• Before March 1, 2020 and at the time of application, household income must be below 80 percent area median income (see table below); families with extremely low income will be prioritized; and

• Before March 1, 2020 and at the time of application, household must be “rent burdened,” or pay more than 30 percent of their gross monthly income for rent.

Households with at least one household member with U.S. Citizenship or eligible immigration status qualify for the subsidy.

The following are the income and rent limits for Dutchess County residents:

Residents may apply for one month or up to four months of assistance during this period; the one-time subsidy is paid directly to the applicant’s landlord. To be eligible, applicants must verify income, including wages, any cash assistance, child support, Social Security payments, rental payments, unemployment benefits and the like.

Homeowners are not eligible for this program, and the following types of rental properties are available for rent relief assistance through the program:

• Apartment rental;

• Rent for a single-family home;

• Manufactured home rental; and

• Manufactured home lot rental.

Eligible applicants must apply through the NYS COVID Rent Relief website, beginning on July 16th. New York State will establish a call center to answer residents’ questions.

Dutchess County and the City of Poughkeepsie have partnered with two local agencies, Hudson River Housing and Catholic Charities Community Services of Dutchess County, to provide additional support during the application process to vulnerable households including:

• Extremely low-income households;

• Those with limited English proficiency;

• Those with limited technology skills and access; and

• Those most at risk of homelessness.

Assistance may be request by calling one of the below numbers:

• Hudson River Housing, 845-337-4407, ext. 105

• Catholic Charities, 845-451-4251

Dutchess County’s Community Development Block Grant CARES ACT (CDBG-CV) funds, secured via the federal CARES Stimulus Act, are being used to support this partnership.

Click here to apply.