According to a press release issued by Dutchess County today, Monday, April 26, 2021, the county will resume use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, following guidance from the CDC and FDA.
The full press release is below:
“Dutchess County Commissioner of Behavioral & Community Health, Dr. Anil Vaidian has announced Dutchess County will resume vaccinations using Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine following the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recommendation to resume use of the J&J following a thorough safety review.”
“In accordance with CDC and FDA guidance, Dutchess County will resume administration of J&J vaccine,” said Dr. Vaidian. “This one-dose vaccine is an important option in our efforts to vaccinate and protect our community against COVID-19.”
“The FDA’s review of available data shows the known and potential benefits of the J&J vaccine outweigh the rare adverse risks. The FDA and CDC expressed confidence the J&J vaccine is safe and effective in preventing COVID-19.”
Women 50 Years and Younger Should Be Aware Risk Of Thrombosis
“Women younger than 50 years old should be aware of the very rare risk of adverse event called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), which involves blood clots with low platelets occurring at a rate of about 7 per 1 million vaccinated women between 18 and 49 years old. Other COVID-19 vaccine options are available for which this risk has not been seen.”
“Anyone who received the J&J vaccine and developed severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination, should immediately contact their health care provider.”
“Dutchess County will resume use of J&J vaccine this week and will utilize J&J vaccine at various “Community Pop-Up Clinics” at locations throughout Dutchess County. More information about where J&J vaccine will be available will be posted on the County’s website as clinics are scheduled.”
On Wednesday afternoon, just before the end of the business day, City of Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou issued the following statement in response to the guilty verdict in the Derek Chauvin Trial:
“Yesterday’s verdict holds accountable a former police officer for the killing of George Floyd, a horrifying act recorded and seen across the globe. I hope the verdict will provide at least some comfort to Mr. Floyd’s family and friends. On a broader level, this verdict provides a measure of justice and is a milestone in promoting healing and change across our nation.
“I continue to believe fervently in Martin Luther King’s words, that ‘the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.’ Mr. Floyd’s death has been and will continue to be a catalyst for change in policing, and more broadly for change on how our country lives up to its ideals, to ensure true justice and equality for all, regardless of race, color, creed, ability, or who you love.”
On a summery Spring Tuesday afternoon, the verdict on Derek Chauvin arrived. This was after national morning news reports of speculation on how this decision could take weeks to deliberate.
Social media started lighting up at 4:30pm when news surfaced that the verdict would be read in court in moments. It had only been 2 days since the trial ended. Personal texts started arriving with predictions. Prep-time for after-school activities for parents and kids began as some people had the TV on live cable news channels or SiriusXM radio to hear live coverage.
Laces for cleats for soccer and flag football, as well as ballet slippers were pulled tight as the verdict was read for ex-police officer Derek Chauvin: Second-Degree Unintentional Murder (Guilty), Third-Degree Murder (Guilty) and Second-Degree Manslaughter (Guilty). The jury took 10-hours to deliberate over 2 days, according to CNN.
Quietly, the Black community has been watching this trial in revived trauma, afraid of no justice, while listening to reports of what the jurists were shown and told. Yet surprising testimonies were given by police training experts condemning the use of force, including the Police Chief Medaria Arradondo of the Minneapolis Police Department, who testified against former police officer Derek Chauvin during the trial: “To continue to apply that level of force to a person proned out, handcuffed behind their back — that in no way, shape or form is anything that is by policy,” said the chief as reported by the New York Times. “It is not part of our training. And it is certainly not part of our ethics or our values.”
Moraya Seeger DeGeare, MA, LMFT, a therapist based in emotional therapy in Beacon who until the last few years also lived in Minneapolis (she was born and raised in Beacon), tagged A Little Beacon Blog with the thought: “As we sit in anxious limbo…waiting. It’s come up a lot in therapy how although only kids at the time - remembering the Rodney King verdict, how this feels the same 30 years ago. Remember that fact, no matter the outcome of this trial. We MUST have the conversations with our kids.”
And each other. Thanks to local people and groups who organically organized over last Summer 2020, Beacon showed up and pulled up for the injustice and mistreatment that has been happening to Black people for ever. Groups like Beacon4BlackLives, which organically started with a few people including Justice McCray, Ciarda Hall, Stefon Seward, Xavier Mayo, and Cedric Parksdale, gave Beacon the opportunity to speak out, and tell stories that have otherwise gone untold or not believed.
Statements From Local Officials
A Little Beacon Blog has reached out for statements from Beacon’s Police Chief Sans Frost, the Vice President of the Beacon Police Union Michael Confield, and Mayor Lee Kayriacou. Should any of them respond, this article will be updated.
Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro has issued a statement via Instagram: “With faith in our justice system, and sincerest prayers to the Floyd family, I’m hopeful out of atrocity today’s verdict will help heal our nation. It won’t bring George Floyd, Gianna’s father back - may we always seek accountability, justice and peace.”
Those who are wishing for togetherness have an opportunity to gather in Newburgh for an evening organized by former Beacon Councilmember Ali T. Muhammad, who is a Beaconite currently living in Newburgh and running for Orange County Executive. Details are here, and the trip to Newburgh for the event would be worth it. The event will be co-hosted by Melanin Unchained and Ali at Sunset, with a potluck available for those breaking fast for Ramadan. Address is 29 Prospect Street, Newburgh, NY.
So many fun things happening around town! In-person classes resumed at beBhakti Yoga, ice-cream shops are open which means walking up & down Main St. trying different ice-creams, like, chocolate moose tracks from Ron's, or the beacon brownie sundae from the Beacon Creamery. Plus, "The Dream Is In Your Hands, Dropping Jewels On The Next Generationis hosting a 2-day virtual conference providing the youths with insight, leadership, and resources from national & international professionals. You can RSVP to that now, here!
Oh, and, you can join artist Julia Norton at Common Ground Farm for four workshops that introduce new and surprising art materials, processes, and projects. See details in ALBB's Kids Classes Guide below.
Also, if you have extra children's clothing/items, Guardian Self Storage in Poughkeepsie, Fishkill, or Beacon will have a drop-off site from April 15 - June 30.
And the Ree Play Sale Donation Drop Off is April 16 & 17 with details here (translation: clean out your attic and storage area to find new homes for those clothes and toys). The actual sale will be in May. Prices are low, and proceeds go to developing public parks in Beacon.
THE RETAIL THERAPY GUIDE Edited and Written By Teslie Andrade and Katie Hellmuth Martin
Household Hazardous Waste Dump Registration
Day: April 8 Registration Open
Registration is required to dispose of your household hazardous waste items. Information >
Saturday Studio On The Farm Day: Saturday, April 10, 2021 Time: 10:30am - 12:00pm Location: Common Ground Farm, 79 Farmstead Lane, Wappingers Falls, NY Information >
Toddlers & Preschoolers "Flower Handprint Keepsake Plate"
Day: Saturday, April 10, 2021 Time: 10:00am - 11:00am Location: Vincent's Eat-Paint-Love Studio, LLC, 331 Main St, Beacon, NY Information >
5thTurtle Solo Show Day: Saturday, April 10, 2021 Time: 5:00pm - 8:00pm Location: Clutter Magazine, 163 Main St, Beacon, NY Information >
Beauty Health Wellness Expo Day: Saturday, April 10, 2021 Time: 11:00am - 4:00pm Location: Dutchess Stadium, 1500 NY-9D, Wappingers Falls, NY Information >
Cosmic Pathway Day: Saturday, April 10, 2021 Time: 7:00pm - 9:00pm Location: Pinot's Palette, 992 Main St Suite 8, Fishkill, NY Information >
Bring the Kids! Celebrate Boscobel’s 60th! Day: Saturday, April 10, 2021 Time: 10:00am - 10:30am Location: Virtual Information >
Maple Syrup Day Day: Sunday, April 11, 2021 Time: 10:00am - 4:00pm Location: Little Stony Point, 3007 Bear Mountain-Beacon Hwy, Cold Spring, NY Information >
Rock Wall 3 year Anniversary Celebration Day: Sunday, April 11, 2021 Time: 3:00pm - 6:00pm Location: The Rock wall Pub & Grub, 55 Academy Ave #1316, Cornwall-On-Hudson, NY Information >
Family Fort Night featuring Storyteller Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi Day: Sunday, April 11, 2021 Time: 5:30pm - 7:00pm Location: Poughkeepsie Public Library District - Adriance Memorial Library, 93 Market St, Poughkeepsie, NY Information >
"Spout Out" Haikootennany Day: Sunday, April 11, 2021 Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm Location: Virtual Information >
Canciones Y Cuentos: Bilingual Storytime Day: Sunday, April 11, 2021 Time: 10:00am - 10:30am Location: Poughkeepsie Public Library District - Adriance Memorial Library, 93 Market St, Poughkeepsie, NY Information >
SAVE THE DATE: Ree Play Clothing, Gear + Toy Drop Day: Friday April 16th, Saturday April 17th, 2021 Times: See details in their Instagram.
Watch their Instagram for any drops and details. Information >
SAVE THE DATE: Guardian Self Storage Drop-Off Day: April 15 - June 30
If you have extra children's clothing/items, Guardian Self Storage in Poughkeepsie, Fishkill, or Beacon will have a drop-off site from April 15 - June 30. Donated items are benefiting Children's Home of Poughkeepsie. Items needed include pajamas, art & craft supplies, short-sleeved t-shirts, twin bedding & pillows, hairbrushes, slippers, board games & books, towels & handcloths, laundry hampers & detergent, lotions & perfumes, toothbrushes & toothpaste, deodorant, and shampoo & conditioner.
EAT CHURCH
3091 U.S. 9, Cold Spring, NY
New Menu is up! Eat Church is popping up once again at Marbled Meat Shop in Coldspring, NY for a Live All Nood Revue! Fri/Sat from 4-8 pm. Last week they SOLD OUT! 🏻🏻🏻 don't miss out! Order now > Eat Church is an ALBB Sponsor!
MEYERS OLDE DUTCH
184 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Who needs a crispy chicken sandwich tonight??! Hand-breaded, pimento cheese, coleslaw, and bread and butter pickles all stacked up for crunchy, creamy, tangy perfection. Open every day for take-out and delivery 11:30-9 pm. Order Now > Meyers Olde Dutch is an ALBB Sponsor!
HOMESPUN
232 Main Street, Beacon, NY
and the Cafe at the Dia : Beacon
Warning: this photo will make you drool... Banana Cake w Chocolate Chips & Peanut Butter is perfection. The backyard is open and the weather is warmer! Stop by
Use the DISCOUNTS below for online wine orders: Orders over $75 can use the code ‘OVER75’ for 10% off.
Orders over $100 can use ‘OVER100’ to get 15% off their online wine store order.
New wines from Roagna, Pattes Loup, Calabretta, and more... Order Food > Order Wine > Homespun is an ALBB Sponsor!
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL 288 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Fear not, fearless readers! HV Food Hall's Instagram account glitched out a bit and is on hiatus at moment, but they are working to smooth it out. Meanwhile, be sure to follow their foodies directly: Miz Hattie's BBQ: Southern Style BBQ, from North Carolina Momo Valley: Himalayan Spiced Hand-Crafted MoMo & More Barb's Fry Works: Gourmet, small-batch loaded fries. And salads. Roosevelt Bar: Cocktail Bar in a well-ventilated space with Outdoor Patio!
Pictured: Mizz Hattie's BBQ Pulled Pork and Mac n Cheese bowl. Top it off with a sweet tea and a slice of pecan pie. Hudson Valley Food Hall is an ALBB Sponsor!
BAJA 328 328 Main Street, Beacon, NY
The weather is getting warmer & we can't wait to be outside at Baja! Especially now that they are back to their normal hours: Tuesday-Saturday 11 am-10 pm Sunday 12-8 pm! They are continuing to serve you safely and with courtesy! Check out their specialty drinks >
BRETT'S HARDWARE 18 West Main Street, Beacon
Brett's Hardware is the place for your outdoor essentials! Gardening has begun/is about to begin and we're excited. Pretty flowers, green grass, vegetables, herbs... Stop by & get what you need! Brett's Hardware is a Sponsor, thank you!
LUXE OPTIQUE
181-183 Main Street, Beacon
Pictured: Lewen frame from @oliverpeoples (sold at Luxe Optique) is giving us all the vintage feelings and we're not the least bit upset about that! Catch us wearing these this summer! So good. Shop Online > Luxe Optique is a Sponsor, thank you!
BINNACLE BOOKS 321 Main Street, Beacon
Special Message From Binnacle Books:
Chang-rae Lee, “My Year Abroad”
“Rich with commentary on Western attitudes, Eastern stereotypes, capitalism, global trade, mental health, parenthood, mentorship, and more, My Year Abroad is also an exploration of the surprising effects of cultural immersion—on a young American in Asia, on a Chinese man in America, and on an unlikely couple hiding out in the suburbs. Tinged at once with humor and darkness, electric with its accumulating surprises and suspense, My Year Abroad is a novel that only Chang-rae Lee could have written, and one that will be read and discussed for years to come.”
Reach out to Binnacle Books on their Instagram if you have any questions. Binnacle Books is a ALBB Sponsor, thank you!
LA MÉRE CLOTHING AND GOODS
436 Main Street, Beacon
A pair of jeans and a tee! Perfect for the spring when you can't decide if you're warm or a little chilly. Shop spring favorites online now with La Mére Clothing & Goods! & download their app! Shop Online > La Mere is a ALBB Sponsor, thank you!
And Guess What?
Hudson Beach Glass is re-opening April 10th. The gallery upstairs will be open with new work that didn't get to be shown in 2020. The staff is fully vaccinated, and safety measures will remain in place. Social distancing, masks, and a limit of how many people can be inside. Information >
A Little Beacon Blog's Summer Camp Guide is Open For Sponsorships!
All camps that are providing a safe, socially distanced summer experienced are encouraged to reserve their spot now in ALBB's very popular Summer Camp Guide. Also, caregivers & parents! This is for you... We made some updates to our Summer Camp Guide, which you can start browsing here! We have updated camps with age ranges, dates, and a link for more info so you can be prepared to register when it is the time! We also created this handy dandy schedule list for you to stay organized! Advertisers are still welcome to participate.
Homeschool On The Farm
Join artist Julia Norton at Common Ground Farm for 4 workshops that introduce new and surprising art materials, processes, and projects. Ages: 6–12 and will be on Days: Mondays, April 12, 19, 26, and May 3 at 1pm Information >
HINT: You get to promote your social distance strategy! And show pictures. And tell parents & caregivers why they should choose your camp! Details >
HIRING: Office Assistant At Gilded Audio Details >
HIRING: Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County Details >
Focus On Massage Therapy brings an indulgent experience to the atmosphere you love most. The energy of your home is complemented by the therapeutic expertise you need and the care you deserve. Find comfort and relief in your home today. Relaxation is a text away. $120 per hour for either a Swedish or deep tissue massage. Call (631)-456-3659 to make an appt today!
Want to join the Business Directory but don't see a category/sub-category that fits your biz? Not a problem! We can add it just for you!
ANTALEK & MOORE INSURANCE AGENCY
340 Main Street, Beacon
Antalek & Moore's offices are fully open during their regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. However, they do prefer scheduling a time to meet with your insurance representative to allow for social distancing precautions. Their staff continues to be available by phone, email, or Zoom video call. They encourage setting up a time to meet with them to review your current coverages. Antalek & Moore is grateful to be able to continue to provide the customer service you expect, and they appreciate your understanding. Give them a call today: 845-831-4300 and visit their website. Antalek & Moore is a Sponsor, thank you!
TIN SHINGLE
Tin Shingle teaches businesses how to get the word out using social and news media. Want free press in the local media? This can happen! But if you ask for it, you'll get a negatory answer. Tin Shingle teaches you how to pitch the media in the right way, which hooks the media to entice them into needing to write about you. Learn More >
The “new normal” of this pandemic is to constantly shift. The Beacon City School District has been prepping the community with how they intend to expand their reopening from 2 days/week in-person to 4 days/week in-person for each school, including a full Remote option for those who wish to stay at home, and 1 day (usually Wednesday) of Remote Learning to accommodate Remote Learners and special programming, according to the Reopening Presentation by Beacon’s Superintendent, Dr. Landahl on March 5, 2021.
Remote free breakfast/lunch service delivered by bus will remain available to students studying at home in the Remote plan as well. Elementary Schools and the Middle School opened for 4 days on April 6, 2021. The High School will open 4 days on April 19th, 2021.
Reaction to the reopening has been mixed, as Dr. Landahl acknowledged that change creates anxiety, stating in an email to parents on February 26, 2021: “I understand that this has been a difficult year for everyone and that the idea of potential change brings anxiety and lots of questions. I will do my best to be thorough in our explanations of plans next week and as transparent as possible.”
While many parents want their children in school for socialization and learning styles, a routine has been established. One district parent explained to ALBB: “We are in a routine now with 2 days, and upgrading now feels like the first day of school, since my child has not been with the other half of the class in person all year.” UPDATE: We checked in with this parent at the end of the first 4 day back to school, and this parent was very happy to have their child in school, stating: “I haven’t been able to get anything done in ages! I’ve changed my tune!”
While the back-to-school jitters are in full swing in April, other parents expressed relief at starting the in-person schedule, shifting the weighted responsibility of learning and stimulation back to the teachers, instead of worrying all day that not enough stimulation was happening. Some parents stated that they may: “Take a nap. Take a shower. Take a meeting. Go to work. Take a walk. Clean my kids rooms. Buy my child’s teacher a really great Teacher Appreciation Gift Card this year, or any day, maybe once per week.”
For parents who are teachers, the shift back to the classroom may have made their work day easier with familiarity, as splitting for remote has involved a learning curve of new skills and tasks.
How The 4 Day In Person Will Work For Beacon’s 4 Elementary Schools
Start time remains at 9:30am. Parents who wish to change from in-person to Remote or vice versa can do so. Dr. Landahl stressed the thought process behind opening now, and addressed safety guidelines as well as mental health: “We have not seen spread of the virus in our in-person schooling the entire year. We have seen an increase of mental health concerns among our students. Families are struggling under the current model.”
At the end of this first day, 4 new cases of COVID-19 had been found in 4 students, but the students had been studying at home, so the schools could remain open. Generally, this has been the pattern to COVID-19 cases in the district. This may change with increased in-person days, but safety measures have been put into place.
All Remote kids will stay with their current teacher, and an additional full-time teacher has been hired at each of the 4 elementary schools to help with Remote learners. Some kids who are returning may be with a different teacher in order to accommodate class sizes. Said Dr. Landahl: “All-remote students will have a morning session with their teacher every day, and then 2-3 additional instructional sessions with either their homeroom teacher or the remote support teacher. Some instructional sessions will be direct [screen] instruction and some will be live-streamed. We are not expecting students to be in front of a screen all day.”
Safety Measures Being Taken
The Beacon City School District says it is taking direction from American Association of Pediatrics, Dutchess County Health, as well as medical experts quoted in the media. Areas of focus include air quality, ventilation, outdoor learning, voluntary surveillance (ie voluntary rapid testing available at school), social distancing and use of barriers.
Ventilation Measures
Dr. Landahl said that MERV-13 filters were installed in unit ventilators in September 2020 and are replaced on schedule. He also said that portable HEPA filters will be added to each elementary classroom and ultimately every classroom. The elementary school buildings are quite old, so open windows are encouraged, as well as universal masking and outdoor tents and spaces. Some parents are in favor of children to experience learning in an outdoor environment anyway, pandemic or not.
Plastic Barriers At Desks
Classrooms that cannot achieve social distancing will have plastic barriers installed between students where they are learning, according to Dr. Landahl’s presentation. Some tables will be replaced with desks, and class size will range from 11-17 students. Plans for each classroom are made once the districts knows how many children will be in classrooms.
Services For Special Education
Since the pandemic, students with special needs have been studying at school in person 4 days per week, and have small class sizes in their own rooms. Students with special needs who attend school remotely do sign in with their school-issued Chromebook at designated times to in order to meet with their teacher and to receive the work that is posted. Students with Disabilities who attend school Remote Only receive related services remotely, and are accommodated in-person to the extent possible, according to documentation posted at the Beacon City School District’s website.
English Language Learners (ELL)
According to the Beacon City School District’s Equity Report Card, the number of children in the Hispanic/Latino community who attend Beacon schools has been steadily growing, and is second largest to the white community.
According to Dr. Landahl: “The Beacon City School District is committed to comprehensive high-quality, and culturally responsive instruction for ENL students. We will provide the required instructional Units of Study to all ELL’s based on their most recently measured English Language Proficiency Level during in-person or virtual instruction. We will complete the ELL identification process within 30 school days of the start of the school year for all students that enrolled during the COVID-19 school closure period as well as all students that enroll during the summer of 2020 and during the first 20 days of the 2020 -2021 school year.
“After the 20-day flexibility period, identification of ELL’s will resume for all students within the required 10 school days of initial enrollment as required by Commissioner’s Regulation Part 154. Our ENL Teachers will be responsible for providing services to our ENL students. Schedules will be set and students that are enrolled in the Remote Learning schedule will receive their services on-line according to the required minutes of instruction.”
We made it to April! That was an extremely long returning. Hope you are ready for some unabashed optimism in the following paragraphs.
Saturday, April 24th is BUSY
Independent Bookstore Day - April 24, 2021
Split Rock’s newsletter brings good news: “This year's independent bookstore day is extra special because it's the first Saturday we'll be open for walk-ins! We will also have exclusive indie-only items, a raffle for kids and adults, and more!” They also have a number of great book clubs in effect - “Fiction History Book Clubs” every other month; “Reading with Writers” twice monthly and a “Graphic Novel Book Club” each month.
Binnacle Books in Beacon is open for limited hours for walk-ins and by appointment. I am in love with the radical activist vibe in there. I got some great kids’ books out of their $1 bin the other day, including “The First Strawberries: A Cherokee Story” which had been distributed by Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Dolly! Free books and vaccines - we don’t deserve you!
One Poem A Day Won’t Kill You is a clever initiative to get you to listen to one recorded poem every day. It’s a joint initiative of the Highland Current and the Desmond Fish Public Library in Garrison.
Howland Library Board elections are on April 29th! Voters will get to pick three candidates from the five on the ballot and the two who get the most votes will get the 5-year terms and the person who gets the third most will get the two-year term. Yours truly happens to be running, as is the wonderful Sam Anderson, a local famous writer, and previously funny person.
Other News
I heard the next Artichoke storytelling slam is May 8 – but their website can’t confirm. If you want to go see some of the best storytellers in the HV (Hudson Valley), keep an eye out and get tickets early, it always sells out.
Beacon’s own poet and teacher extraordinaire Ruth Danon is looking fierce on page 16 of the Highlands Current!
Published by Beacon’s own Elizabeth Murphy, Grid's imprint, Off the Grid Press, sponsors an annual poetry contest for poets over sixty. Submissions open May 1 and this year's judge is Jimmy Santiago Baca! His older poem Immigrants in Our Own Land is very worth reading.
So what do you think? Feel the stirrings of hope within? Go brush off the cobwebs and listen to the poem the peepers are reading us, greet the birds with a sonnet about daffodils tomorrow morning. Some lovely things survived the winter.
In year’s past, the Beacon High School Career Fair is an opportunity for students to roam the high school gym to connect with professionals in a variety of fields, including illustration, publishing, media, legal, cosmetology, engineering, technology, insurance, service (police, state or county attorney, etc.). For professionals, it is a chance to meet students.
A Little Beacon Blog and Tin Shingle have gone each hear. Sometimes students are shy and ask questions almost in secret: “I draw. But I don’t know where to draw. I don’t like to draw at home. Do you know of any groups?” Sometimes a student will drag their friend to the table: “She blogs. She has a fashion blog but doesn’t talk about it. Friend, tell her about your blog!” It’s almost a day of giving permission to tap into your dreams.
The pandemic hit last March, and the Career Fair was canceled in person that May. Now that the second May is rolling around, Beacon’s Guidance Counselor Michele R. Polhamus is stepping up to the video editing plate as so many of her colleagues have done to stitch together a video experience for the youth, but needs the help of business owners, artists and employees in the field who want to make a video to send to her, to share career insights with the students.
In an email appealing to past year’s participants, Michele said: “The goal of our Virtual Career Fair is simple: to expose our high school students to a wide variety of careers. I am hoping to create a solid event for our students, but need videos in order to do this.”
Michele made the directions to make a video simple and direct.
1. Fill out this Google Form (Click here to access the form) confirming your interest in the virtual “event” including a link to a recorded video which can be posted at Google Drive. Guidance on what to answer in the video is below.
2. Record (horizontally if using your phone or record on your computer) a 5-10 minute video answering
the following questions:
Introduction:
State your name, position and company.
Briefly describe what led you to your current job (include details like if you always knew you would do this, unsuccessful work experiences or promotions that led you to your current job, etc.)
What schooling and/or experience did you have to go through for your current job?
Job Info:
Explain your role and what skills are required for your position.
What does an ‘average’ day look like for you?
What is the best part of your job?
What is the hardest part of your job?
Extra info to share:
What are your long term career goals?
What advice would you give to students in finding a career they love?
What advice would you give to students for an interview?
And Happy Easter and end of Passover to those who celebrate, and Happy prep-time for upcoming Ramadan.
We're getting closer and closer to enjoying the outdoors. And pretty soon, we will all be gardening, picnicking, eating our way through the restaurants on Main Street, and much more!
Although this is the time of year where you don't know whether to dress warm or dress light, La Mere Clothing + Goods has your back! Spring favorites are available on their online store & in their app now! Our recommendation? Choose the skirt and the cardigan. It's a win-win!
Also, caregivers & parents! This is for you... We made some updates to our Summer Camp Guide, which you can start browsing here! We have updated camps with age ranges, dates, and a link for more info so you can be prepared to register when it is the time! We also created this handy dandy schedule list for you to stay organized! Advertisers are still welcome to participate.
HINT: You get to promote your social distance strategy! And show pictures. And tell parents & caregivers why they should choose your camp!
PS Parents/Caregivers: Don't miss Yanarella's Open House this Saturday for dance classes. Details below!
THE RETAIL THERAPY GUIDE Edited and Written By Teslie Andrade and Katie Hellmuth Martin
Easter Drive-Thru Day: Saturday, April 3, 2021 Time: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM Location: Highland Primary School, 16 Lockhart Lane, Highland NY 12528 Information >
Spring Pop-Up Shop
Day: Saturday, April 3, 2021 Time: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM Location: Cottage Square in Eastdale Village, 949 Dutchess Turnpike, Poughkeepsie, NY Information >
Dining with Incidental Music Day: Saturday, April 3, 2021 Time: 7:30 PM Location: Towne Crier Cafe, 379 Main St., Beacon NY 12508 Information >
Live Music with Michael Dell Day: Saturday, April 3, 2021 Time: 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM Location: LeChambord at Curry Estate, 2737 NY-52, Hopewell Junction, NY Information >
Pathway Through History; Historical Characters of the Hudson Valley Day: Saturday, April 3, 2021 Time: 12:00 PM Location: Virtual Information >
Rosé Brunch Day: Saturday, April 3, 2021 Time: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Location: 305 Main Street, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Information >
Sportscard and Memorabilia Show Day: Saturday, April 3, 2021 Time: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM Location: 5 Elm St, Fishkill, NY 12524 Information >
Cleaning Up The Loop! Days: Sunday, April 4, 2021 (new date from last week due to rain) Time: 10am Location: Loopers Plaza
Terrence Wright Organization is holding a "Clean The Loop" event on Sunday in a continued effort to keep the basketball courts clean, and to bring awareness to the space and improvements it needs in order for Beacon's youth and neighboring community friends to continue using it. Organized by John Galloway Jr. of The Label Foundation, as well as an appointed Beacon Board Of Education Board Member, who will collecting signatures for his petition to remain on the Board in elections coming up in May.
Information >
Easter Brunch at Smoke on the Water
Day: Sunday, April 4, 2021 Time: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM Location: The Roundhouse, Beacon NY 12508 Information >
Easter Sunday Brunch
Day: Sunday, April 4, 2021 Time: 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM Location: Shadows on the Hudson, 176 Rinaldi Blvd, Poughkeepsie, NY Information >
Reverse Egg Hunt
Day: Sunday, April 4, 2021 Time: 12:00 PM -4:00 PM Location: 55 Wilbur Blvd, Poughkeepsie, NY Information >
EAT CHURCH
3091 U.S. 9, Cold Spring, NY
New Menu is up! Eat Church is popping up once again at Marbled Meat Shop in Coldspring, NY for a Live All Nood Revue! Goodies like JapChae Glass (Korean sweet potato noodles with stir-fried mixed vegetables and sesame. Vegan yes!) is available now! Hurry up. Sells out fast. You know what that means... (it's like, extra good) Order now > Eat Church is an ALBB Sponsor!
MEYERS OLDE DUTCH
184 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Have you tried the roasted Brussels sprout salad at Meyers Olde Dutch yet?? Honestly one of the best salads we’ve had with roasted Brussels, feta, golden raisins, pumpkin seeds, and pickled red onions. This one won’t be around much longer. Order online for take-out or delivery. Limited sidewalk seating available. Open every day 11:30-9pm. Order Now > Meyers Olde Dutch is an ALBB Sponsor!
HOMESPUN
232 Main Street, Beacon, NY
and the Cafe at the Dia : Beacon
ONLINE WINE STORE — new wines added this morning with wine notes by @hbarr18 and @josephonograph.
DISCOUNT for online orders: Orders over $75 can use the code ‘OVER75’ for 10% off.
Orders over $100 can use ‘OVER100’ to get 15% off their online wine store order.
New wines from Roagna, Pattes Loup, Calabretta, and more... Order Food > Order Wine > Homespun is an ALBB Sponsor!
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL 288 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Fear not, fearless readers! HV Food Hall's Instagram account glitched out a bit and is on hiatus at moment, but they are working to smooth it out. Meanwhile, be sure to follow their foodies directly: Miz Hattie's BBQ: Southern Style BBQ, from North Carolina Moma Valley: Himalayan Spiced Hand-Crafted MoMo & More Barb's Fry Works: Gourmet, small-batch loaded fries. And salads. Roosevelt Bar: Cocktail Bar in a well-ventilated space with Outdoor Patio! Hudson Valley Food Hall is an ALBB Sponsor!
BAJA 328 328 Main Street, Beacon, NY
The weather is getting warmer & we can't wait to be outside drinking some refreshing margaritas from Baja 328! Baja has the largest selection of high-end tequilas. They also have the best plantains! And we swear the margarita-plantain combo is a hit! You will be speaking with a lot of !!! after visiting here. Check out their specialty drinks >
BAJA 328 is an ALBB Sponsor!
BRETT'S HARDWARE 18 West Main Street, Beacon
We don't know about you, but we love a good bonfire! With a side of smores of course. Brett's Hardware always carries a variety of firepits. From gas to wood, in many different shapes & sizes! Get your outdoor patio ready! Brett's Hardware is a Sponsor, thank you!
LUXE OPTIQUE
181-183 Main Street, Beacon
Oliver Peoples' Art Director, Ruben Hughes' interpretation of a classic is something "that everyone can understand and appreciate." We're loving this classic frame Martineaux x Oliver Peoples. Stop in at Luxe Optique to take a peek at all of their Oliver Peoples frames. #OPClassics : @tibods // 🕶️: @oliverpeoples Shop Online > Luxe Optique is a Sponsor, thank you!
BINNACLE BOOKS 321 Main Street, Beacon
Special Message From Binnacle Books: Dear community! As you no doubt are aware, we’ve been looking after this community fridge and tiny food pantry over the past year, alongside @fareground and @beacon4blacklives. We are moved by the level of collaboration and the continued community support. While it’s best to help stock the fridge and pantry directly if you can, we’ve also been maintaining a Venmo account and using those funds to shop for the shelves every week, as well as covering the electric bill for the fridge. THAT FUND NEEDS REPLENISHING, so if you’ve got the means, zap a few dollars to (at) binnaclefoodjustice on Venmo and we’ll keep this good thing going, together.
Reach out to Binnacle Books on their Instagram if you have any questions. Binnacle Books is a ALBB Sponsor, thank you!
LA MÉRE CLOTHING AND GOODS
436 Main Street, Beacon
Spring brings new opportunities for growth, weeds out the bad & makes room for something beautiful 🥰 AND all of the cute spring outfits Shop spring favorites online now with La Mére Clothing & Goods!
Can't make it in person? Shop Online > La Mere is a ALBB Sponsor, thank you!
A Little Beacon Blog's Summer Camp Guide is Open For Sponsorships!
All camps that are providing a safe, socially distanced summer experienced are encouraged to reserve their spot now in ALBB's very popular Summer Camp Guide. Details >
Yanarella School Of Dance Open House!
Day: Saturday, April 3, 2021 Time: 10am-12pm Location: 312 Main Street Beacon
Join Yanarella School of Dance for an Open House to do all kinds of fun things, including:
Meet The Teachers (including the new teacher from Broadway!)
Experience A Kids Demo Class
Raffle Prizes & Giveaways
Easter Bunny Photo Opp
Register for the Spring 2021 Season
Yanarella is celebrating over 60 years of being in business in Beacon. Their philosophy is that everyone can dance, regardless of talent or ability. Learn More >
HIRING: Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County Details >
ALBB's Business Directory is a Deep Dive List of services you need right now in Beacon and the Hudson Valley. There is a lot of talent here in the 12508 and beyond and we want to highlight all of them. Check out the Business Directory HERE.
Rizzi performs thorough Pre-purchase buyer home Inspections, pre-listing seller home inspections, annual home maintenance inspections, multi-family / investment property inspections. Find out more HERE.
Samantha Cuello Consulting is a full-service marketing and communications firm with 10 years of experience in the high-end home space—working with interior designers, D2C retail brands, B2B trade brands, and media companies. Find out more HERE.
“Hi! I’m Jennifer Polk (she/her) and I’m a Labor & Delivery RN, Certified Lactation Consultant, and Evidence-Based Birth® Instructor. An Evidence-Based Birth® Instructor is a birth professional specially trained in how to help families get evidence-based care." Find out more HERE.
Heads Up Learning is a tutoring service run by Laura Head, a former public school teacher in NYC for Grads 3rd and 4th, who recently moved to Beacon to open a virtual tutoring service. Laura knows the public school curricula and how units tie together. She specializes in courses in French literacy, English literacy, and offers academic support for Grades 1-9. Says Laura: “Students learn best when given the opportunity to make discoveries, find patterns, and think critically about new ideas, which is why their curriculum is built on student-centered pedagogies, and themes of citizenship, activism, and environmentalism.” Find out how Laura can help your child in reading, math, and more HERE.
Want to join but don't see a category/sub-category that fits your biz? Not a problem! We can add it just for you!
ANTALEK & MOORE INSURANCE AGENCY
340 Main Street, Beacon
Antalek & Moore would like to remind everyone that while identity theft is not a new topic, it has been recently brought to our attention that it is hitting close to home involving the insurance industry. If something doesn't look right, it probably isn't. Please contact your insurance agent directly to verify if these documents or requests are valid. Stay alert and stay safe! Antalek & Moore takes care of you. Give them a call today: 845-831-4300 and visit their website. Antalek & Moore is a Sponsor, thank you!
TIN SHINGLE
Tin Shingle teaches businesses how to get the word out using social and news media. Want free press in the local media? This can happen! But if you ask for it, you'll get a negatory answer. Tin Shingle teaches you how to pitch the media in the right way, which hooks the media to entice them into needing to write about you. Learn More >
During Monday night’s City Council Meeting, which was a combo Workshop/Regular Meeting, a person called in during the Public Comment session to speak his mind about how the City of Beacon should handle kids in school with progressing transgender acceptance in bathrooms and school sports. The caller, Stosh Yankowski, wanted the City of Beacon to be a Sanctuary City for females, thereby making transgender people invisible. Stosh stated: “I have nothing against transgender people. I don't think it's fair for a biological male to compete. I don't know if Beacon can make a Sancutary City for females. If it can be done or not, I wanted to propose that.” In 2017, Beacon became a “Welcoming City” for people moving here from other countries. The City was seeking to become a Sanctuary City for but wanted to avoid financial threats from the federal level during the 45th administration.
Normally during this period, the public can speak for up to 3 minutes each, and the Councilmembers don’t respond, they just listen. However, Stosh’s comments were so harmful, hateful and rude, they won’t be repeated in this article. Councilmember Amber Grant stepped out of the silence to interrupt Stosh and stop him from causing further verbal harm. “Where is the boundary on this?…This is wildly innapropriate.” Unlike during a Zoom call, when text appears on the screen that is a racial insult or harmful, moderators shut the intruder down. This is commonly referred to as “Zoom Bombing.” In terms of free speech, it is the equivelent to fake-calling “Fire!” in a crowd. There has not been a precedent set yet for live City Council calls.
During Councilperson Grant’s verbal objection, Mayor Kayriacou interrupted Councilmember Grant in favor of allowing Stosh to continue, which Stosh did, and addressed Councilmember Grant to encourage her to continue debating him. Normally, the procedure during a meeting like this is that the public can speak on anything they want, and the Councilmembers sit silent. Later in the meeting, the Councilmembers have a designated time called “Reports” where they can speak on anything they want. Usually this time is used to report on issues from their Wards (aka areas of the city they represent) or to give a PSA, and they usually do not respond to callers. This year, however, they have started to.
At the beginning of the Reports section, Mayor Kyriacou apologized for “cutting off any members,” stating the situation was “difficult.” He then decided which order of Councilmembers to start with to give their Reports (he often plays alphabet games to decide which order to go in). He selected Councilperson Terry Nelson to go first, who responded: “I would like to defer my time to Amber Grant.” To which Mayor Kyriacou responded: “I should have started at the other end.”
Air Nonken Rhodes was next, who passed on their time, stating: “I am going to pass this call. I have too much to say. Thanks.” The rest of the Councilmembers reported on previously planned items, such as a business update from Councilperson George Mansfield to encourage businesses on Main Street to apply for (free) parklets, and Dan Amar-Blair who alluded to wanting more discussion on Order 203 (the Police Reform order for municipalities) as well as voicing his support for fellow Councilmember Nelson’s call for opting into the Emergency Tenants Protection Act (ETPA), a form of rent regulation available in New York State.
The caller, Stosh Yankowski, is a regular Public Commenter, calling in almost every every other week during the Public Comment portion of the meeting, usually to protest and educate about 5G technology. He delights in delivering comical, sarcastic speeches. At times, he calls to apologize for previous statements he has made. It is unknown on if he has been reprimanded by the City for previous offensive remarks.
When Councilperson Grant responded during her Report, she stressed the danger in rhetoric like that being heard. She stated: “Obviously I reacted very strongly to that public comment. I think it's important that poeple take the time to understand situations, and the speaker doesn't undersrand that gender is a social construct…I don't need to be protected in a sports arena. Trans people are simply poeple just like the rest of us. If there is something you find scary, then you should look at resources... I think that comments like that are very dangerous, where we are seeing people being violently attacked and hurt, and I don't want to see that.”
Mayor Kyriacou made note to comment that this issue resides with the Beacon City School District, stating: “I have a lot of faith in our school districts. It's not a City issue, and I have faith in our school district.” Last June, during Pride Month, the Mayor designated June to be Pride Month, alongside the national designation, and personally bought a pride flag and had it fly from City Hall’s flag pole during the month.
As a female writer, bathroom user, and former basketball player, I will agree with Councilperson Grant, about not needing protection in sports or in bathrooms. I welcome playing with any person on the court, even in a scholastic competition. The best game is when you play with people who are really into it, and make you shine. My best year of high school basketball was when I spent the summer playing in camp with all boys. Inhibition was lost, and the aggression was fabulous. I won Best Defense that year.
People looking to think about men and women, or males and females, or all people playing sports together, could consider two things in their explorations:
That bodies are made differently. If you were born with brothers, and you watch those brothers grow up - one brother may be built very differently than the other. One might be a Hulk, and one might be a Spiderman. Has nothing to do with gender or body parts. I have just described my two sons. Girls I played sports with were all designed differently than me. Some with naturally stronger muscles than mine. We all had spirit, and drive, and smarts, and a love for the game and the team.
ALBB's Business Directory is a Deep Dive List of services you need right now in Beacon and the Hudson Valley. There is a lot of talent here in the 12508 and beyond and we want to highlight all of them. Check out the Business Directory HERE.
Rizzi performs thorough Pre-purchase buyer home Inspections, pre-listing seller home inspections, annual home maintenance inspections, multi-family / investment property inspections. Find out more HERE.
Samantha Cuello Consulting is a full-service marketing and communications firm with 10 years of experience in the high-end home space—working with interior designers, D2C retail brands, B2B trade brands, and media companies. Find out more HERE.
“Hi! I’m Jennifer Polk (she/her) and I’m a Labor & Delivery RN, Certified Lactation Consultant, and Evidence-Based Birth® Instructor. An Evidence-Based Birth® Instructor is a birth professional specially trained in how to help families get evidence-based care." Find out more HERE.
Heads Up Learning is a tutoring service run by Laura Head, a former public school teacher in NYC for Grads 3rd and 4th, who recently moved to Beacon to open a virtual tutoring service. Laura knows the public school curricula and how units tie together. She specializes in courses in French literacy, English literacy, and offers academic support for Grades 1-9. Says Laura: “Students learn best when given the opportunity to make discoveries, find patterns, and think critically about new ideas, which is why their curriculum is built on student-centered pedagogies, and themes of citizenship, activism, and environmentalism.” Find out how Laura can help your child in reading, math and more HERE.
Want to join but don't see a category/sub-category that fits your biz? Not a problem! We can add it just for you!
It's looking like the weather is turning in the right direction - the direction of warm breezes and sunshiny days. Seems like it's safe to put away the snow boots and gloves this weekend as you start Spring Cleaning.
Your outfits may be confused, as you start to acclimate to the warmer air. Not to worry - you can get a wardrobe refresh out in the many boutiques on Main Street. See A Little Beacon Blog's Shopping Guide for ideas, like Last Outpost for the rugged look and hand-designed silver jewelry, Lucky Thirty One Clothing near BJ's Soul Food for the ultimate sexy casual-wear, and for some heavily designed bling you haven't seen in a long time, Marie Pierre Collection on the far end of Main Street near the mountain.
Meanwhile, parents and caregivers are getting on their games for Summer Camps! Yes, it's that time, and more than a few camps have opened registrations already. A Little Beacon Blog has started our Summer Camp Guide, which you can start browsing here! Advertisers are still welcome to participate. HINT: You get to promote your social distance strategy! And show pictures.
PS: There are a lot of Job Opportunities this week! See ALBB's Job Listing section at the bottom.
THE RETAIL THERAPY GUIDE Edited and Written By: Marilyn Perez and Katie Hellmuth Martin
Full Moon Owl Prowl
Day: Friday, March 26, 2021 Time: 7:30pm Location: Sierra Trail at Stony Kill Farm, 79 Farmstead Lane, Wappingers Falls, NY Information >
Sap Happy Maple Weekend
Days: Fri-Mon, March 26-29, 2021 Time: see schedule below Location: Bowdoin Park, 85 Sheafe Road, Poughkeepsie, NY Information >
Save The Date: Feel The Music Concert & Conference
Days: March 26 & 27, 2021 Time: 5pm (3/26 Concert), 10am (Conference) Location: TBA Online Information >
Cleaning Up The Loop!
Days: March 28, 2021 Time: 10am Location: Loopers Plaza
Terrence Wright Organization is holding a "Clean The Loop" event on Sunday in a continued effort to keep the basketball courts clean, and to bring awareness to the space and improvements it needs in order for Beacon's youth and neighboring community friends to continue using it. Organized by John Galloway Jr. of The Label Foundation, as well as an appointed Beacon Board Of Education Board Member, who will collecting signatures for his petition to remain on the Board in elections coming up in May. Information >
Sloop Clearwater presents She Sailor Sea Stories Webinar
Days: Mondays, March 29, 2021 Time: 7pm Location: Online via Zoom
The National Women’s Sailing Association and WomenWhoSail are excited to host a Women’s History Month Special Edition of She Sailor Sea Stories, celebrating Clearwater's legacy of creating a community aboard for women to lead and to belong. Find out what happens when six former Captains found themselves at the helm of the fine and splendid Sloop Clearwater, from 1980 to present, during two episodes of storytelling on March 22nd and March 29th, 7:00PM EST. Information >
EAT CHURCH
3091 U.S. 9, Cold Spring, NY
Straight from the Chef's mouth: "By now you should know that when we temporarily go MIA, that means Chef Mark is busy in the Test Kitchen. Here is a little tease of what is to come!....." Be sure to watch their short video in Instagram to keep your brain trained to drive to their truck when they put pins down in Cold Spring! Watch Now >⠀ Eat Church is an ALBB Sponsor!
MEYERS OLDE DUTCH
184 Main Street, Beacon, NY
New sandwich special! MOD is dubbing this one the "Roman Vacation" It has a Berkshire pork patty, topped with aged provolone, spicy coppa salami, artichoke spread and black olives. Goodness gracious - please try this and let us know how you loved it! Order Now > Meyers Olde Dutch is an ALBB Sponsor!
HOMESPUN
232 Main Street, Beacon, NY
and the Cafe at the Dia : Beacon
You know what is a beautiful thing? Business Friendships on Main Street. Homespun Food + Wine supports its foodie neighbors, and hosts competitors in its garden. Dirty Bacchus is a wonderful wine store on Main Street near Beacon Pantry, and often hangs with Homespun to sample wines together. From Homespun's owner Joe: "So nice to have @dirtybacchus in the backyard again with Homespun Foods for dinner, check out @dirtybacchus for great natural wine on Main Street in Beacon. With Spring in bloom, there is no excuse not to." Warm Fuzzies! Order Food > Order Wine > Homespun is an ALBB Sponsor!
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL 288 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Fear not, fearless readers! HV Food Hall's Instagram account glitched out a bit, and is on hiatus at moment, but they are working to smooth it out. Meanwhile, be sure to follow their foodies directly: Miz Hattie's BBQ: Southern Style BBQ, from North Carolina Moma Valley: Himalayan Spiced Hand-Crafted MoMo & More Barb's Fry Works: Gourmet, small batch loaded fries. And salads. Roosevelt Bar: Cocktail Bar in a well ventilated space with Outdoor Patio! Hudson Valley Food Hall is an ALBB Sponsor!
BAJA 328 328 Main Street, Beacon, NY
On a recent visit to @baja328 and had the most delicious fajitas! They Warm weather, and delicious, refreshing drinks from @baja328! Call ahead for pick up or order delivery! 845-838-2252⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Pictured: Watermelon Mint, mojito, classic margarita, blood orange, and spicy margarita... They have “To-Go” PITCHERS too!!!! (Must be 21 and over)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ BAJA 328 is an ALBB Sponsor!
BRETT'S HARDWARE
18 West Main Street, Beacon
Ooni Koda available at @Brett's Hardware! Have you ever heard/used one of these babies?! Once you do, you'll never do your pizza differently! It's amazing! Hurry on over! They might already be sold out...... Brett's Hardware is a Sponsor, thank you!
LUXE OPTIQUE
181-183 Main Street, Beacon
Effortless style meets one-of-a-kind craftmanship
Come into the store to see these frames in person, and try them on for yourself. Leather jacket not required, but does look good. @marcofantini_mf // 🕶 Vasarely in 18k Champagne by @leisuresociety_
Walk-ins welcome. Shop Online > Luxe Optique is a Sponsor, thank you!
BINNACLE BOOKS 321 Main Street, Beacon
The hidden treasures you will find within a book at @Binnacle Books, like this old postcard in a copy of Sartre’s “Saint Genet,” and it all somehow provides a sweet reminder that even the mundane can seem remarkable and romantic
Visit their Instagram for more details.
Binnacle Books is a ALBB Sponsor, thank you!
LA MÉRE CLOTHING AND GOODS
436 Main Street, Beacon
Interrupting this marketing spot to send owner April's family Big Love: Her mother has been in ICU on a ventilator with COVID, and recently graduated off the ventilator onto another breathing machine, where she can be finally be awake. Please send big warm prayers to April and her mom and family.
***
We are so excited about all of @lamereclothingandgoods new items that just arrived! Like this top Head over to their app to see all of the new new Get it while it lasts!
Can't make it in person? Shop Online > La Mere is a ALBB Sponsor, thank you!
A Little Beacon Blog's Summer Camp Guide is Open For Sponsorships!
All camps who are providing a safe, socially distanced summer experienced are encouraged to reserve their spot now in ALBB's very popular Summer Camp Guide. Details >
Online Book Reading: Julián Is a Mermaid and Julián at the Wedding
Day: Saturday, March 27, 2021 Time: 10am EDI at Haldane presents children's author Jessica Love will be reading her two books: Julián Is a Mermaid and Julián at the Wedding. And she will be doing a Q&A afterwards as well. This event is free open to everyone. Ages for these books are 4-8.
To attend people need to register ahead of time. They will NOT be able to attend at the last minute. Click here to register: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/dvney94x
Yanarella School Of Dance Open House!
Day: Saturday, April 3, 2021 Time: 10am-12pm Location: 312 Main Street Beacon
Join Yanarella School of Dance for an Open House to do all kinds of fun things, including:
Meet The Teachers (including the new teacher from Broadway!)
Experience A Kids Demo Class
Raffle Prizes & Giveaways
Easter Bunny Photo Opp
Register for the Spring 2021 Season
Yanarella is celebrating over 60 years of being in business in Beacon. Their philosophy is that everyone can dance, regardless of talent or ability. Learn More >
HIRING: Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County Details >
BUSINESS FEATURE - BRANDING + MARKETING Samantha Cuello Consulting is a full-service marketing and communications firm with 10 years of experience in the high-end home space—working with interior designers, D2C retail brands, B2B trade brands and media companies. We specialize in campaigns in email, direct mail, media planning and buying, digital marketing including organic SEO and paid advertising, social media, event planning, public relations and more. Born and raised in Beacon, NY—owner Samantha Cuello’s expertise of the area can help your small business flourish. Learn More >
ANTALEK & MOORE INSURANCE AGENCY
340 Main Street, Beacon
Antalek & Moore is excited to announce the launch of their Spring Home Series. They've partnered with some of the best in the Hudson Valley to bring their expertise to you- the home buyer, the home seller or the home renovator!
These videos will run over the next several weeks and will be posted on their social media platforms like Instagram so be sure to stay tuned!
Antalek & Moore takes care of you. Give them a call today: 845-831-4300 and visit their website. Antalek & Moore is a Sponsor, thank you!
TIN SHINGLE
Tin Shingle teaches businesses how to get the word out using social and news media. Want free press in the local media? This can happen! But if you ask for it, you'll get a negatory answer. Tin Shingle teaches you how to pitch the media in the right way, that hooks the media to entice them into needing to write about you. Learn More >
KATIE JAMES, INC.
Sneak Peek! Meyers Olde Dutch is "refreshing" their Main Street Location (that's an understatement...we've seen pictures of the concrete being poured) and connected with Katie James, Inc. to give their print and website branding a refresh too. We are so thrilled, because in between eating their fried chicken sandwiches, we get to test new designs on them. Like this one for their future "Cocktails" menu! How Can We Help You? >
Heidi Harrison, a creative visionary best known for her work as a Youth Aid Job Coach for Dutchess County BOCES, Assistant in Beacon’s Park and Recreation Department, and Volunteer with Mutual Aid Beacon, has added another specialized skill to her resume: Vaccination Appointment Maker/Whisperer. Word on the street is that she “cracked the code” with finding people appointments, and has been clicking and booking for eligible people ever since. Since Dutchess County’s official location site, and other private sites, are not located in the New York State vaccination appointment site, volunteers like Heidi have been vital to booking people who really need the help, as well as getting the word out about opportunities.
ALBB reached out to Heidi to see if she would consider sharing her secrets, and she agreed! To help you book your vaccination appointment easier and possibly closer to your home, Heidi has divulged in great detail how she does it.
See below for her recipe, and then see double below for a list of links.
ALBB: Heidi: how are you this super sleuther?
I love research! Once a topic is of interest to me, I can’t get enough information about it. This issue happened to be one that peoples’ lives depended on, so once I realized I might be able to help, I started really digging in. I was very happy to finally be able to help others, while still self-isolating myself.
ALBB: Can we all become Super Sleuthing Vaccine Bookers like you? If so, what is your recipe?
I do believe that a lot of people could also become Super Sleuthing Vaccine Bookers, if they wanted to do so. The recipe is basically a desire to help others, a lot of patience, even more persistence, and a dash of OCD helps immensely. The people that would not be able to do this, unfortunately, are the ones that probably need it the most right now.
So many people in our senior population, are going into this battle without the proper training. My Dad for example, is 85 years old, has a flip phone, and has never touched a computer in his life. Even if I bought him a smartphone and computer today, he would not be able to navigate this system, to book himself an appointment. There are so many others like him, including entire groups of people that are disadvantaged, and don’t have access to computers and internet, that likely don’t even know that vaccines are available to them. Who is going to tell them and who is going to help them get appointments? People that are tech savvy and very familiar with computers and smartphones are having great difficulty booking themselves and their family members appointments.
ALBB: Heidi, can you tell us your secrets?
I’d be happy to share my secrets! Basically, I started by doing some research. I typed into Google “tips, tricks, and hints for booking a covid vaccine when they are all booked”
This search resulted in lots and lots of articles. One article was particularly helpful. It was a Wall Street Journal article titled, “Tips To Help Score a Covid 19 Vaccine Appointment At CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, and More” That was literally all that I needed for booking on those sites. The more you use them, the more you get to know the best times to find new appointments, and what their quirks might be.
An information form used by VAAT, which is not an official booking service of the County, but is used by many and run by volunteers.
These groups are filled with people looking to help others, and share information that will make this process less stressful and less frustrating. The volunteers in the group also secure appointments for those needing help. I have specific methods and processes for each individual website, which I learned either by trial and error, or by other people posting to the groups, sharing what worked well for them. Someone even went as far as to make 3 short how-to videos, showing how she books appointments for people on the New York State Site.
This was by far the most helpful post that I was lucky enough to find. It showed step by step, the madness that one must undertake, to book an appointment on that site. It really comes down to using the refresh button and clicking approximately 1 click per second for around 15 minutes. This has been successful each time I have used it. If you type into a search “Am I Eligible” you will find the New York State Site.
You answer a few easy questions, and if you qualify, it takes you to the locate providers section. You can then choose which location you want to try to book an appointment at. They are listed by closest proximity to the zip code you entered earlier. This is where it will usually say No Appointments Available.
Most people would stop there. I learned not to give up that easy. You click the refresh on the browser several times in a row, usually 2-3 minutes until it takes you to another page that will ask you to choose a time. Then you will receive a message saying: “No Time Slots Available.”
Heidi Cracks The Code
ALBB: Wouldn’t you stop there? This is like a riddle in Zelda!
It’s game on, baby! Why would you go any further? Who in their right mind would click the same button that denied them already? I never would have without watching the video I mentioned earlier. The trick here is, clicking the purple button that says NEXT until a time magically appears. It does not happen quickly. My average wait is 15 minutes at one click per second.
When the time slot appears, you have to be quick, because someone might be quicker! I’ve lost a few this way, and I literally wanted to cry. But that’s when you just press on, and keep clicking, clicking, clicking, until another one becomes available. I joked with my doctor at an appointment last week, that there might be a surge of people with carpal tunnel syndrome in the months ahead, from the repetitive clicks.
ALBB: How do you work with the Dutchess County run locations, like JC Penney?
The JC Penny is strictly a County site, which is on a lottery type system. People have to have signed up for it and hope for a call. You cannot self book that site.
I have personally signed up for notifications through the Dutchess County Website, and have not received any, yet I have booked around 26 appointments at various sites. I only found out about the alternate sites by doing my own internet searches.
ALBB: Do you think there should be 1 central booking website for all of the inventory of doses out there?
I agree 100%! There is no central system whatsoever! It’s a patchwork quilt, that was never sewn together...just random squares of fabric, all relating to each other in a big, important, life or death way, but just scattered around on the floor.
ALBB: What about the non-County and non-State locations, like pharmacies and grocery stores? Do you refresh those? If so, how?
The site that has to be refreshed like crazy is the New York State site, the “Am I Eligible” link.
I have been in touch with all of the local pharmacies:
Rite Aid said that they don't have anything in stock as of now, but should have more in the next couple of weeks. I always call.
Beacon Wellness (new pharmacy on Main Street near Rite Aid) is also in that same time frame.
Sun River (formerly HRH Care on Henry Street) has a form that people can fill out online and wait/hope for a call back.
Caremount has sent emails to people who are eligible. I received one for my mom since I have access to her patient portal. It was an email with a link and a self booking system. It stated specifically that the link was not to be shared and would not work for anyone but the recipient.
I checked Drug World in Cold Spring, as I do along with other area pharmacies, CVS, Rite Aid, & Walgreens, every morning, and to my utter shock, I found available appointments! I was able to book 3 people without any sort of insanity. It felt really weird, and I rushed through the registration, even though I probably didn't need to...but my gut reaction to this process is stuck on HURRY UP OR YOU'LL LOST THE SPOT!
For the Pop-Up PODS that happen in Dutchess County and Orange County, like the ones that sometimes happen in Beacon and Newburgh, you need to register with Dutchess County, and then they call you when an appointment comes up. Register for Dutchess County here, and Orange County here.
ALBB: What have been your thoughts during this experience?
It shouldn’t be this hard. I understand the need to get this vaccine out as quickly as possible. I would never expect for it to be flawless or without some glitches. But sitting at my computer booking an appointment, feels like playing a slot machine, more than trying to secure a life saving vaccine. 900 clicks and you finally get an appointment feels like hitting the jackpot.
But most people aren’t winning at all. They are feeling hopeless and defeated. With each appointment I make, I am happy for that particular person, and I am grateful for being a part of what is to be the new beginning.
Dutchess County entered 2021 by opening 3 county-run vaccination centers dubbed as PODs, which is in addition to any privately run locations at pharmacies or grocery stores. The locations are at the former JC Penney at the Poughkeepsie Galleria Mall, the former CVS, 3081 Route 22, Dover, and at Dutchess County Behavioral and Community Health - Mental Health Campus.
Why JC Penney? The retailer had filed for bankruptcy at the end of 2020 due in part to the pandemic shutdown, and has since emerged with new owners, possibly saving 60,000 jobs of the 85,000 jobs lost. The space inside of the mall with plenty of parking and public transportation drop-offs was available.
The only way to know about these locations in order to make an appointment at them is to follow Dutchess County announcements and local news. Why? Because the Dutchess County locations are not included in New York State’s Vaccine Hotline or Website to book an appointment. Only sites that Governor Cuomo designates as “Partner” sites are included in that very popular, state-wide website.
Beaconites like Joe Robitaille, owner of Homespun was eligible in late February for his vaccination, and used New York State’s website to book the only appointment he could. “The staff and I were sitting here looking at the website, clicking Refresh and appointments were just going, going, going right before our eyes. Finally we just clicked on anything, and I got Plattsburgh, NY.” That location is in the northern most part of New York State, near Vermont and Canada.
In early March, a location in Binghamton opened, and he switched appointments. “I'm off to Binghamton today to get my first vaccine shot! Got my appointment switched. So excited,” he told ALBB. Joe used the New York State website, and said he wasn’t aware of JC Penney location operated by Dutchess County.
Another local Beaconite was helping her dad, age 70, book his appointment back in February. “He called the New York State hotline. He didn’t use internet—at 70, I think the phone was less stressful than Internet. He got the appointment for April in Binghamton.” But the family wasn’t satisfied. They wanted an appointment sooner, and possibly closer. “We decided he should just call every day,” the resident continued to ALBB. “One day he called and they said they couldn’t really tell him details but they’d heard that Tops in New Paltz had appointments, and he called them, and got an appointment for 3 days later! He gets his second shot this Friday!”
When ALBB asked if her dad knew about the JC Penney location, the resident answered: “I don’t think it was an option he was given.”
Dutchess County’s Vaccination Plea To New York State To Add As A State Location
The entrance to the JC Penney COVID-19 Vaccination Site, run by Dutchess County. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
On February 19, 2021, Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro wrote to Governor Cuomo, the letter of which was shared with media, which requested that the JC Penney vaccination POD site be added as an official New York State Partner vaccination site.
County Executive Molinaro stated in the letter: “I respectfully request New York State partner with Dutchess County Government to create a joint vaccination site at this current Poughkeepsie location. Due to the lack of supply given to our county, local residents must travel more than an hour to the nearest State-operated mass vaccination site, located at the Westchester County Center or SUNY Albany, and most cannot obtain an appointment in the next several months at either of those sites.”
Individuals can still get vaccinations at the JC Penney location - and any county-run location - but the option to book an appointment are not listed in the New York State website, which is what Governor Cuomo refers to daily when encouraging people to sign up for their vaccinations. Other locations are available in this region, including at pharmacies, but those are not included in the NY State appointment website.
New York State’s Incomplete Vaccination Appointment Website
Should all vaccination sites be located in a central website for New York State? Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro and the CDC believe that they should. Says Colleen Pillus, Communication Director for the County Executive Office told ALBB: “The County Executive has been openly advocating for a clear picture of where all vaccine is allocated and a centralized place to schedule appointments at any vaccine provider.”
With Governor Cuomo’s consistent display of data aggregation across multiple web pages in New York State’s COVID section of the website, as he tracks patterns of the virus to display to the public, it is not clear why the vaccine locations across the state are not included in that portal. From a website build standpoint, that build-out is not difficult using Google Map tool at the very least. Local design firms nation-wide have already built some for their communities (including my own website design firm for a company producing an antibody test to display various locations in CVS drug stores).
Additionally, when the COVID-19 tests rolled out across multiple private locations, Dutchess County was not designated as an official testing center by New York State. The omission of Dutchess County from New York State’s test center location finder website added time and confusion to the testing process.
When a person called the New York State testing hotline, as Governor Cuomo told people to do daily when he was marketing how easy it was to get tested, the closest location Dutchess County residents was the parking lot at the Bear Mountain Bridge. Despite multiple Dutchess County run testing centers in operation, like the one at Dutchess Stadium just up the road for Beaconites. ALBB reported on the confusion of testing locations and insurance early on.
“Vaccination Czar,” Impeachment Issue, and County Access To Doses
This location-with-benefits logic is now repeating itself for vaccination locations. And is part of why County Executives were so shaken up when New York State’s “Vaccination Czar,” Larry Schwartz, called County Executives across the state asking them for the support of Governor Cuomo during his current impeachment consideration, which is based in part on megalomaniac tendencies and political bullying.
Dutchess County Marcus Molinaro, who is president of the New York State County Executives Association, told NPR in a report on the multiple phonecalls: “[Molinaro] says in the eyes of these local officials, Schwartz's calls were troubling and that after receiving the calls, 3 to 4 executives contacted him or his staff to express their concern and disgust. Here is Molinaro. ’That these calls would be made at all was troubling. That they were made by the individual responsible for, really, with a great deal of discretion, distribution of vaccines was extremely disturbing to them.’”
Dutchess County Executive’s Response To Omission Of Dutchess County Vaccination Locations In NY State Website
The empty parking lot at JC Penney, the location of a Dutchess County run vaccination site that New York State continues to not grant partnership benefits to. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
Despite Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro’s repeated request to have the JC Penney POD be a “Partner” location by New York State, Governor Cuomo has not granted this designation. Though he has been adding partner locations regularly, and announced 2 in the Hudson Valley recently: one in Ulster County and in New Palz, which Governor Cuomo says, are not ready for the public yet. Dutchess County’s however, is already open and operational.
Despite New York State officials visiting Dutchess County’s JC Penney vaccination location prior to it opening and declaring it ready for scale, Governor Cuomo won’t make the partnership. "County Executive Molinaro has been advocating for the JCPenney location to be a mass vaccination site for several months,” said Colleen to ALBB. “In fact,” she continued, “as noted in his letter [to Governor Cuomo on 2/19/2021], officials from the Governor’s Office were on site at JCPenney when we first opened in January and noted how the capacity was certainly there to be expanded."
County Executive Molinaro pointed out in his 2/19/2021 letter to Governor Cuomo: “Though Dutchess County’s current 185,000-square-foot site in Poughkeepsie, inside the former JCPenney store at the Poughkeepsie Galleria, currently vaccinates fewer than 1,000 essential workers and seniors each week, due the limited number of doses we receive from New York State, our DBCH staff has the capability and space at the site to inoculate five times that number.”
Governor Cuomo Relevance To Dutchess County Executive Molinaro
Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro ran against Governor Cuomo in the last election for governor, and was defeated. Actress Cynthia Nixon from Sex and the City was also running. Governor Cuomo refers to County Executive Molinaro as “some county executive who ran against me” in a press conference delivered on February 19, 2021, the same day the letter was sent, after Governor Cuomo encouraged people to check with their counties for individual sign-up locations, emphasizing that New York State was opening state-run sites in “socially vulnerable communities.”
Governor Cuomo has been pressured by Republicans and a growing number of New York State politicians about the nursing home issue, which questions how the Governor designated nursing home deaths (if the person died at the hospital, but was a resident in a nursing home, then it did not count as a nursing home death in figures released by New York State). That questioning has erupted into a broader discussion of how Governor Cuomo works with - or doesn’t - other politicians running different parts or departments of the state, including his staff. The question of bullying and megalomaniac power tenancies have been questioned.
Governor Cuomo’s dismissive statement was made while the Governor was being questioned by the media about the nursing home issue, as he attempted to discredit critical voices. You can read the full transcript of the February 19th, 2021 press conference here. The Governor has since denied taking questions from the media during a later press conference, as the investigation into him begins, and impeachment is discussed.
“Socially Vulnerable" Communities In Poughkeepsie, Beacon and the Hudson Valley
In terms of “socially vulnerable” communities being the reason for the lack of New York State partnership with Dutchess County, there are plenty of people in Dutchess County who have lost jobs, were already in a lower income bracket, or don’t have a car.
Said County Executive Molinaro in his letter to Governor Cuomo: “[The people who book an appointment] are the lucky ones – residents who have personal transportation and can travel at a moment’s notice, should a much-coveted appointment open up for them. Residents in our underserved communities, who rely on public transportation to take them to appointments to receive this life-saving vaccination, cannot readily travel an hour or more to the State’s sites; they can, however, travel to our Poughkeepsie site, which is easily accessible by Dutchess County Public Transit.”
Public transportation from Beacon regularly circulates to the Poughkeepsie Galleria Mall, including the G-Line, which is the pretty blue bus line introduced as a partnership with Beacon, Poughkeepsie and Dutchess County last year.
How To Add Yourself To Dutchess County’s More Convenient Vaccination Location List
As for the number of allocation doses since the County Executive’s letter, Communication Director for Dutchess County Colleen Pillus confirmed to ALBB on 3/17/2021: “Vaccine doses have increased statewide (and decreased) over the past several weeks as more vaccine become available from the federal level. Overall, vaccine allotment is up from what we been receiving in Jan/Feb, but last week’s allocation was lower than the previous week’s allocation.”
Volunteers who are pursuing and booking vaccination appoints on behalf of those who are too challenged in technology or physical condition to do it themselves have been making a big difference to connect people with doses. Read ALBB’s interview with a Vaccination Appointment Whisperer, Heidi Harrison, to learn her tips and tricks.
Bretts Hardware is looking for cashiers/stock employees in all three locations (Beacon, New Windsor, Newburgh). The New Windsor location is also looking for an Assistant Manager.
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A podcast from A Little Beacon Blog. Your hosts: Katie Hellmuth martin & Brandon Lillard.
The City of Beacon entered into a contract with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley to provide increased access to Beacon tenants facing eviction. They may also be able to help with sources of rent arrears assistance. Call the paralegal, Steven Mihalik at 845-253-6953 to inquire.
Dutchess County Helpline. Open 24/7 to take your calls, listen, and give you resources.
