The notification that kids could live mask-off lives outdoors during the final blazing hot school days came as jubilation to some parents and kids, and hesitation to others. As of today, June 7, 2021, New York State has issued guidance that kids do not need to wear masks outdoors while at school or camp, and that the decision is up to school districts.
Immediately following that guidance, Beacon’s School Superintendent, Dr. Landahl, issued an email to district families, stating that: “Effective immediately, the Beacon City School District will no longer require that masks be worn outdoors on our campus, for all individuals.”
The bringing down of the mask, after heavy conditioning to wear the mask during the height of the pandemic last spring (if you need a refresher on if mask-wearing is effective, read this from UCSF), has left some people anxious at first. Coupled with the fact that the guidance issued by the state has been erratic of late. Others are relieved to have the masks off outside on campus.
One thing is for sure: mask enforcement at recess is one less thing teachers need to worry about.
A May 19th New Mask Up Decision For Kids Ages 2-5, With An Immediate Reversal
Then On June 4th, NY State Seeks More Mask Down Measures
On June 4th, the New York State Department of Health wrote a letter to the CDC, requesting that mask policy for camps align with schools, so that kids had the option of not wearing a mask outdoors at school, as they are allowed to do at camps in the outdoors. The letter was written by Commissioner Howard A. Zucker, M.D., J.D. and Executive Deputy Commissioner Lisa J. Pino, M.A., J.D..
Immediately after the letter was sent, Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro issued a statement championing the letter: “I’m happy New York State has seen what counties have known for months: The science has repeatedly shown there is little to no transmission of the virus in school settings. Today’s announcement, though long overdue, is further evidence the COVID-19 emergency has receded, and Dutchess County continues to encourage residents to choose to get vaccinated and we take steps to get back to living our lives fully!”
However, part of why transmission in schools has been so minimal is because of the amount of safety measures put into place, like wearing masks, social distancing, outside classes, no singing in music classes, eating lunch in classrooms vs the cafeteria, etc. During Beacon’s school year, most of the positive cases of students came from home or if an individual had already been isolating.
Beacon’s Dr. Landahl, who has worked with BSCD staff and the community to design safe practices in the schools to keep them open, issued a more cautious statement to families on June 4, asking for their patience as New York State made their final decision: “The proposal in the letter would waive the requirement to wear masks outside and only strongly encourage adults and children to wear them inside. NYDOH would like to make this change effective Monday, June 7th.”
“The current CDC guidance for K-12 schools recommends a requirement for “consistent and correct use of well-fitting face masks with proper filtration by all students, teachers, and staff”. There is no distinction between mask wearing for indoor versus outdoor activities (except for a vague reference to sports) and it does not address vaccinated individuals.”
“On the other hand, current CDC guidance for youth camps “strongly encourages mask use indoors for people who are not fully vaccinated” while stating that outdoors, “people do not need to wear masks [irrespective of vaccination status]” although people who are not fully vaccinated are “encouraged” to wear a mask in certain higher-risk circumstances. In addition, it says “people who are fully vaccinated do not need to wear masks” both indoors and outdoors.”
The proposal then goes on the outline how New York State would like to operate, which included masks off outside, and recommended masks for inside, but not required. In the end, after hearing from the CDC, the Governor issued guidance for masks off outside, and no-change for inside.
On June 7th, Masks Down When Outside Optional For All New York School District Campuses
On Monday (June 7th) during a press conference, Governor Cuomo announced that school districts can choose to lift the requirement that their students must wear masks outdoors. Guidance on mask use indoors remains in place. “This change aligns New York State's guidance on schools with CDC guidance on summer camps, where even unvaccinated students are not currently required to wear masks outdoors,” the state’s press release page states.
Said Governor Cuomo in his 6/7/2021 announcement: “The numbers show that the risk of transmission by children is extremely low, especially in this state, which has an extremely low positivity rate. We spoke with the CDC, and since they're not going to change their guidance for several weeks in New York State, we're going to modify the CDC guidance and allow schools to choose no mask outside for children," Governor Cuomo said. "We'll leave that up to the local school district and we spoke to the CDC, which has no objection. It's very important that people understand the logic between these decisions and that they're rational and based on the science and the data. We have a disconnect right now between the school guidance and the camp guidance, and it's important to rectify it because if people don't think the rules are logical, then they're not going to want to follow the rules."
The night before the Governor’s press conference on 6/6/2021, County Executive Molinaro issued the following statement in response to the Governor’s announcement made the following day. Said Molinaro: “New York intentionally misled people causing unnecessary confusion, conflict, and chaos. The State must end the confusion and restore local authority. This decision should be put in the hands parents who know their children and circumstances best.”
Beacon City School District Follows CDC and New York State With Masks Off Outside
Once New York State issued the guidance, Dr. Landahl communicated with families immediately after with his final decision for the district: “The Governor has lifted the requirement to wear masks outdoors on school campuses, coming in line with broader state guidance regarding masks in outdoor settings…Effective immediately, the Beacon City School District will no longer require that masks be worn outdoors on our campus, for all individuals. As a reminder, as the heat levels increase, we will continue to provide students with mask breaks and encourage students to lower masks to drink water while in classrooms. Thanks for your patience through this process. We will continue to update you if anything else changes.”
One 9-year old stated: “Maybe we will get to sing in Music Class soon.”
Guess what? Tripadvisor has featured Beacon and many businesses rooted here in Tripadvisor's weekend guide! A Little Beacon Blog was featured as well. Thank you Laura Begley Bloom (who hails from Brooklyn) for interviewing us, and hearing our take on how community is one of Beacon's strongest assets and reasons why people want to move here.
THE RETAIL THERAPY GUIDE Edited and Written By Teslie Andrade and Katie Hellmuth Martin
Hike to Mount Beacon
Organized by UWC NYC - United World Colleges New York City Day: Saturday, June 5, 2021 Time: 9:45am - 4:00pm Location: Mount Beacon Trail, NY-9D & Howland Ave, Beacon, NY Information >
Wellness Shines on the Green Day: Saturday, June 5, 2021 Time: 10am - 3pm Location: Safe Harbors Green, 97 Broadway, Newburgh, NY Information >
Big Gay Hudson Valley's All-Ages PRIDE Tea Dance Day: Saturday, June 5, 2021 Time: 1pm - 5pm Location: Wilklow Orchards, 341 Pancake Hollow Rd, Highland, NY Information >
Authors in Conversation: Danielle Trussoni and Julie Metz - Outdoor Program
Day: Saturday, June 5, 2021 (Rain Date: June 12, 2021) Time: 2:30pm - 3:30pm Location: Newburgh Free Library Plaza Information >
Viorel Florescu Retrospective 1970 - 2021
at Howland Cultural Center Day: Saturday, June 5, 2021 Time: 1pm - 9pm Location: 477 Main Street, Beacon, NY
The Howland Cultural Center is pleased to present RETROSPECTIVE 1970 - 2021, an exhibition featuring powerful and evocative images by two-time Pulitzer Prize winning international photojournalist Viorel Florescu. Information >
Meadow Winds Community-Wide Yard Sale Day: Saturday, June 5, 2021, & June 6, 2021 Time: 9am - 4pm Location: 25 Wesley Ct, Newburgh, NY Information >
Pride Ride @ The Studio at Beacon Benefiting the Trevor Project
Day: Sunday, June 6, 2021 Location: 301 Main Street, Beacon NY Time: Two times available: 10am and 10:45am Tickets >
Cornwall-On-Hudson RiverFest
Day: Sunday, June 6, 2021 Time: 11am - 6pm Location: Donahue Park, 99 Shore Rd, Cornwall-On-Hudson, NY 12520 Information >
Student Concert From Piano Adventures Day: Sunday, June 6, 2021 Time: 1 pm - 5 pm Location: Piano Adventures Beacon 26 Dutchess Terrace, Beacon, NY 12508 Information >
Blood Drive From Beacon Hebrew Alliance Day: Sunday, June 6, 2021 Time: 11 am - 5 pm Location: Lewis Tompkins Hose, 13 South Ave., Beacon NY
Sign up at nybc.org or call 1-800-933-2566 Information >
ARF Supply Restock Fundraiser at Dennings Point Distillery
Day: June 1-15, 2021 Time: Dennings Point hours, or donate online any time! Location: Dennings Point Distillery, 10 North Chestnut Street, Beacon, NY 12508
Calling all animal lovers! Help @denningspointdistillery collect supplies for ARF Beacon and get 15% off any of their full size bottles. See here for their list of supplies! Information >
City of Beacon Pride Flag Raising Ceremony at City Hall
Day: Monday, June 7, 2021 Time: 6pm - 6:30pm Location: City Hall, Beacon NY Information >
EAT CHURCH
3091 U.S. 9, Cold Spring, NY
Eat Church is BACK! At Industrial Arts Brewing, out on Rte. 52 past the John Deere lot. And they're not alone. Also at the complex facing Mount Beacon is District Social - the full bar with craft beer experience that includes Axe Throwing. Yes, you read that right. Axe Throwing. And billiards and arcade games. Gluten free, juicy chicken, craft beer, scenic-loving people, we know where to find you this weekend. Website >
Eat Church is a Sponsor!, thank you!
Beacon Bread Company 193 Main St.
Fresh bread & pastry options in Beacon are a plenty, thanks in part to Beacon Bread Company 🥐 - it's hard to choose a favorite! Daily, select from Baguettes, Sourdough Loaves & Boules, Harvest Grain Loaves, Pan Aux Cereal Loaves, Brioche Loaves & Rolls, Bagels, Sticky buns, Croissants, Apple Turnovers, Muffins, Vegan Brownies, Seasonal Loaf, Banana Bread Loaf, Chocolate Whoopie Pies, Twinkies + more! Open 7 days a week from 8 am - 5 pm. Menu > Order Pick Up or Delivery > Beacon Bread Company is a Sponsor, thank you!
MEYERS OLDE DUTCH
184 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Amazing to finally see food going out to customers eating in Meyers Olde Dutch restaurant again! Indoor dining is back! With a covered patio in the back (look up at the giant ceiling fan), and Parklet. New order-from-table option is available, so you can just point your camera at the QR code at your table, and order your next cocktail or side of dirty fries. Delivery is still available. Keep an eye on MOD's gram for live music nights. Order Now > Meyers Olde Dutch is a Sponsor, thank you!
Tito Santana Taqueria 142 Main St.
NEW ALERT: Crunchwraps now available at Tito Santana Taqueria. 🌮 Fresh & delicious.So many taco options, burrito options, bowl & salad options, quesadillas, empanadas, tostadas, soups - please tag us in your food photos. PS: Tacos are only $2 on Tuesdays! Menu > Catering > Tito Santana Taqueria is a Sponsor, thank you!
HOMESPUN
232 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Not only is Homespun a place for good food & a wine store (with an online wine subscription option), but they also have a $20 & Under Table! Special bottles like these go quick. You must get it while it lasts... @monteriocellars & @patrickwine ... Piquette & Pinkette 🏴☠️ fresh fizzy light and delicious 🏴☠️ - Save the bottle(s) at the end & put some flowers in them! Be sure to use the discount codes for orders over $75 and $100 for 10% and 15% off your order respectively. (Look for the discount codes at the top of their website.) PS: Purchases of 3 or more bottles get a free Homespun tote bag! OPEN HOURS:
Thursday - Monday, 10 am - 7 pm Monthly wine subscription > Order Food > Order Wine > Homespun is a Sponsor, thank you!
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL 288 Main Street, Beacon, NY
This deliciousness is from Miz Hatties located inside of HV Food Hall! Miz Hatties is a Southern Style BBQ is famous in Dutchess County for catering, and now dining in or taking out. It is one of the easiest group-ordering home meal if you are entertaining and need comfort food. Neighbors in Beacon were lucky enough to have her fried chicken, pulled pork, mac ‘n cheese, fish ‘n chips, and more. Now, you can too! Even her Sweet Tea is original, with crunchy ice. Experience the mac ‘n cheese melt in your mouth, and savor the fried chicken and sweet yet spicy pulled pork in a bowl or a bun.
Follow HV Food Hall's foodies:
Miz Hattie's BBQ: Southern Style BBQ, from North Carolina. Order ahead via their Toast-app menu! 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! Hudson Valley Food Hall is a Sponsor, thank you!
BAJA 328 328 Main Street, Beacon, NY
It's the weekend! It's hot! & Baja 328 has the most delicious/refreshing drinks you can enjoy with their garage door open for a breeze. Pictured are: the Green Monster, the Sangria Azul, and a blueberry/raspberry margarita. People-watch from your seat on Main Street & order the plantains as a snack. Do check out the specials that are always on the menu! Check out their specialty drinks > Check out the specials >
BAJA 328 is a Sponsor, thank you!
W.T.F Beacon 195 Main St. Did you know you have access to this seafood on Main Street? Yes, it's at W.T.F Beacon waiting for you. Naked Mussels, Curry Coconut Mussels, Tuna Tar Tar, & Scallop Ceviche. Many classic cocktail & house cocktail options pair nicely with any of the seafood options! Fresh & delish. Plates, Burgers, Compliments, and more too! Right next door to Beacon Bread Company. Open on Fridays & Saturdays from 6pm - 10pm (and on Tuesdays for Open Mic Night). Menu > W.T.F Beacon is a Sponsor, thank you!
Ziatun
244 Main St.
Whoa, baby! The falafel platter from Ziatun looks amazing! This is 100% next on our list to try. Hummus, foule, baba ghanouj, falafel, turmips, salad, za'atar. All house-made from family recipes back in Palestine. Also check out their Falafel Burger (it's Vegan!) - falafel patty with pickled turnips, Persian pickles, and creamy tahini on a vegan brioche bun from beacon Bread Company! 🥙 Menu > Order Online > Ziatun is a Sponsor, thank you!
Two Way Brewing Company
18 West Main St.
Two Way has something new on tap for the weekend... *Drumroll please*...It's their Summer Session IPA! It comes in at 4.5% ABV and is bitter crisp and super refreshing to drink. Just in time for this hot weekend. Plus, we know you'll be hungry, and the kitchen is OPEN! Enjoy upscale pub food from The Flying Jib. Rumor has it, they are killing it with the wings. OPEN:
Thursday 4:00pm - 9:00pm
Friday 4:00pm - 10:00pm
Saturday 12:00pm - 9:00pm
Sunday 1:00pm - 8:00pm Two Way Brewing Company is a Sponsor, thank you!
BINNACLE BOOKS
321 Main Street, Beacon Binnacle specializes in used and new literature, poetry, literary nonfiction, political history, art, drama, philosophy, graphic novels, and children's books. If there is a particular title you're interested in, let them know. If they don't have it, they are always happy to order it for you! They are also always looking to acquire used books in excellent condition, especially in their core categories.The bookstore is a collaborative endeavor by four partners, who have collectively been writers, editors, musicians, producers, organizers, teachers, filmmakers, and booksellers. If you love books, they welcome you. If you don't, they'll do their best to convince you otherwise. Open Thursday-Monday 12 pm - 6 pm - Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.Masks are required for all customers entering the store.Their staff will be masked as well.
Binnacle Books is a Sponsor, thank you!
KAIGHT SHOP
512 Main Street, Beacon
Kaights Shop has once again done your shoe shopping for you. Just in time for summer, the artisan-made Pons are back in stock in the shop. Check them out online, but coming in at $85, this sandal is handmade in Spain, using a leather insole that molds to your foot. This is how you keep your step cool yet stylish on the hot streets. PS: Thursdays are Locals Day at Kaights! Locals get 10% on everything not on sale. Shop Online > Kaight Shop is a Sponsor, thank you!
BRETT'S HARDWARE 18 West Main Street, Beacon
Did we overhear our neighbor right? Is it going to be 90 on Sunday? Better get your water game lined up. Thankfully, with more and more people taking the vaccine, more and more outdoor activities with friends are open and available. Prepare the right way for Summer Camp with goggles and all other necessities by shopping at Brett's. He's fully stocked. So many different pairs of goggles and outdoor essentials to keep the kids entertained, safe, and happy all Summer long! Brett's Hardware is a Sponsor, thank you!
LUXE OPTIQUE
181-183 Main Street, Beacon
Woa. These new frames from Anne Et Valentin at Luxe Optique are insanely amazing. Please try them on! They probably change the light of your eyes. Imagine with an off-white summer dress or with a grey jumpsuit. They are the must-have accessory that you're missing! Treat yourself as special and unique as you are. Make an appt at Luxe today! : @anneetvalentin
Monday: 10 AM–5 PM
Tues-Sat:10 AM–6 PM
Sunday: Closed Shop Online > Luxe Optique is a Sponsor, thank you! LA MÉRE CLOTHING AND GOODS
436 Main Street, Beacon
Summer Casual from La Mere is our favorite! There is nothing better than looking good & feeling comfy. La Mere is the destination for boho fashion that features the latest trends in apparel and gifts. High quality at fantastic prices. Open 11-6 and always open online! Need a gift card? They have those too! PS: Do check out their perfumes.
Yanarella Dance Studio 312 Main St., Beacon, NY
Angela Van Vlack, owner of Yanarella, is a true Beaconite. She was born at the then Highland Hospital, raised in the Beacon City School District, built a family here, and continues to reside in Beacon to this day. Angela has had a unique opportunity to actively participate in and help shape the flourishing Beacon arts community over the past several decades with her community involvement.
Angela began dancing at the early age of four under the direction of Carol Ann Yanarella Miller. She fell in love from the very first class. Dance quickly blossomed from a passion to a lifestyle. As a child, Angela and her cousins would coordinate and choreograph dance recitals for the neighborhood. Angela was an exceptional acrobat, demonstrating tremendous skill with her ability to perform various high-level tricks including limbers, walkovers, aerials, and back handsprings. She started assisting at the age of 14, teaching at the age of 16 and now has over 40 years of experience as a dance instructor. Teaching has brought immense joy to Angela’s life and she is proud of all of the students she has taught.
Angela is celebrating her 25th year as owner and director of Yanarella School of Dance—an illustrious studio that has been in existence for over 60 years. Angela teaches all levels ranging from Mommy & Me for toddlers to adult classes with students as old as their mid-80s. She teaches all types of dance including but not limited to Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Tumbling, Contemporary, and Hip-Hop. Angela’s diverse Dance resumé is not confined solely to Yanarella. Angela studied Classical Ballet and Modern and served as choreographer for the annual Landphony Swimphony Competition at the College of New Rochelle.
Furthermore, she has studied and collaborated with a long list of dance legends including Luigi, Gus Giordano, Sheila Barker, Ginger Cox, Chio, Anthony LoCascio, Hillary-Marie, Frank Hatchett, Jason Warley, Bob Rizzo, and, one of her greatest influences, Debbi Dee mainly through her involvement with NADAA (the National Association of Dance and Affiliated Arts)—an organization for which Angela currently serves as National Vice President and New York Chapter President. Angela has also taught a preschool program for the Humpty Dumpty Nursery School, has taught throughout the Beacon City School District, and was co-coach of the award-winning Beacon High School Dance team.
Angela also had a professional career outside of the realm of dance. She earned a Baccalaureate of Science degree in Nursing from the College of New Rochelle and is licensed as a registered nurse in New York and Connecticut with a specialty in Neonatal/Pediatrics. She worked in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Danbury Hospital, was a visiting nurse and worked as a substitute nurse in the Beacon City School District before taking a leave of absence to raise her family and focus on the studio.
ANTALEK & MOORE INSURANCE AGENCY
340 Main Street, Beacon
Is Defensive Driving Worth The Investment
To say there are distractions on the road would be an understatement.
"Between texting, GPS, finding the right song on our playlist, and perhaps even a little speeding, it is no surprise there are millions of trips to the ER due to motor vehicle accidents in New York State alone. We know what you’re thinking, “I am a responsible driver and not doing any of those things”, but does that mean you know how to defend yourself from those on the road who are distracted?
As cliche as this may sound, defensive driving courses really do save lives. It doesn’t matter how cautious or responsible YOU are when driving, accidents do happen. Many of the insurance carriers that we work with offer up to a 10% discount on all vehicle liability, PIP (Personal Injury Protection), and collision premiums for up to 3 years off the principal operator. And you may be eligible to reduce up to 4 points off of your driving record.
A good defensive driving course will teach you many tools to drive safely and strategically. Yes, we did just say strategically. When looking at driving from this approach, we are able to clearly show the different defensive driving techniques that are essential to remaining safe on the road.
TIN SHINGLE
Lena Rizkallah is a friend of Tin Shingle, and a neighbor here in Beacon, NY, where Tin Shingle is based. She advises people on financial planning, and calls herself a recovering attorney. One day, Lena walked into Tin Shingle's co-work space to consider renting it for workshops and single working days. That was the last day I saw Lena before the pandemic covered us all in stay-at-home orders.
The next time I saw Lena was when she walked by me in a Free Palestine march in Newburgh, NY. I was there to cover it as a reporter for my local publication, A Little Beacon Blog. We recognized each other from behind out masks. The march ended at Rep. Sean Maloney's district office in Newburgh, and Lena walked up the stairs to deliver her speech at the planned open mic session that usually accompanies marches in Newburgh and Beacon.
She was there to talk about what Palestine looks and feels like on the other side of the occupation wall, based on her experience as a first generation Palestinian living in America.
Lena gave Tin Shingle permission to publish her speech in full. Read it here >
KATIE JAMES, INC.
Pairing great writing, content, and design for an experience that means something to people. From the reporting and design team that produces A Little Beacon Blog, a local online newspaper covering Beacon, NY, as well as the media training team that is behind Tin Shingle, an education and empowerment zone for small businesses, Katie James, Inc. is the uniquely positioned design studio that knows how to align with businesses and artists of all kinds with different needs, to get them the online tools they need to keep selling to their customers and clients. Contact us to tell us about your goals.
HIRING: Gold Star Family Member For Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney Details >
HIRING: Part-Time Production Assistant At SallyeAnder Details >
HIRING: Administrative Assistant At Daniel Aubry Realty Details >
HIRING: Teacher Assistant At Care 4 Me, Inc. Details>
HIRING: Office Assistant At Gilded Audio Details >
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.
Meyers Olde Dutch Owner/Chef Brian Arfnoff, standing in front of his newly renovated restaurant. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
Meyers Olde Dutch, your favorite burger shop for beef and vegan burgers, has been seemingly closed during much of the pandemic (spoiler alert: it was open the whole time). Some saw the boarded up windows and assumed the worst - fire. Others saw the boards and assumed the whole place was closed. Not so! Die-hard fans read the sign out front and knew that MOD set up shop at their sister restaurant down the street, Kitchen Sink, never skipping a beat flipping those burgers and dirtying those fries.
Was the renovation planned? Was the pandemic the perfect time to break ground? Yes and yes, as we discovered in our interview with Owner/Chef Brian Arnoff, who bought the little building in 2017 from the prior burger joint owner, Paul Yeaple of Poppy’s.
As did all restaurants in Beacon and the nation, Brian worked hard to figure out new ways to keep serving customers using an order-by-table app so customers can dial in their food/drink order straight to the kitchen/bar, keep his staff employed, keep live music every now and then, and keep the air healthy for when the doors could open again to the public.
We love hearing stories from the people themselves, so read how Brian tells it below:
ALBB: After you bought the building in 2017, had you always considered renovating it?
The new HVAC unit to improve air quality when the doors and windows are closed, lifted in before the big opening. Photo Credit: Meyers Olde Dutch
Yes. There were a number of issues with the building that always needed to be addressed, like a leaky roof and very outdated/undersized HVAC system among other problems.
ALBB: Did the pandemic shutdown push you over the edge to take the time to dig into the renovation?
“Basically yes. We had been working on the plans, which went though several iterations for a while. As you know, going through the Planning Board process takes time especially when you’re in the Historic District and need variances. After the initial shock of COVID-19 passed, it started to become clear this was basically an ideal time to try and complete this renovation.”
The new covered patio and fan at Meyers Olde Dutch, a COVID-friendly improvement made during the pandemic. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
ALBB: What improvements did you make to make it COVID-friendlier?
“We updated our HVAC system with Merv-13 filtration. The system turns the air over more often and filters significantly more of the particles COVID-19 is known to float on. Additionally, we added some windows that can be opened for more fresh air, and covered our patio to give guests the option to sit outside all the time.”
ALBB: Were you able to retain some of your staff team?
“I’m very lucky to say yes! We have many staff who have been with Meyer’s Olde Dutch for a long time, including our kitchen manager Adam and bar manager Jesse, both of whom started at Kitchen Sink before MOD even existed, as well as Emily our lead bartender who has been with us at MOD since basically the first month we were open back in 2017, among many other staff.”
ALBB: What did you grow appreciative of during the pandemic shutdown?
“My time. I started working for myself in November of 2010 when I opened a food truck in DC and haven’t had a lot of down time since. The pandemic definitely gave me a different perspective on that and how I want to ‘protect’ my time and use it wisely.”
ALBB: Did any new offering emerge from the pandemic shutdown when you were in survival mode?
“Delivery for one. But also an increased focus on making new specials at MOD because we wanted to keep the menu fresh for our local customers who were so supportive during COVID.”
ALBB: What has been a huge struggle during the shutdown?
“Obviously there were many struggles, and those changed over time, but the energy at times enforcing masking last summer was really tough. No hospitality-minded person wants to constantly tell their customers to do things, and then occasionally have to fight with them about it. That was hard on our staff.”
ALBB: We are hearing from other restaurants that there have been struggles with 3rd party apps and delivery. What do you want people know about delivery? As convenient as it is, there are a lot of people involved from the ordering of the food, to the delivery, and the problems are aren’t always coming from the restaurant. What struggles have you faced there?
“So many things! Every restaurant has a different story and perspective on this, as we all used and did different things. Overall, I would just say, if you can avoid ordering through a third party app and instead order direct through the restaurant’s website, that is the most helpful/supportive thing the general public can do. Also, get vaccinated and just go sit at restaurants because more than anything, hospitality people want to have your real life presence back in the restaurant.”
ALBB: There was recently a report on Marketplace that one of the ways restaurants streamlined to survive was to introduce ordering-by-table, where a unique QR code is placed on the table, and a person can scan it with their camera app, and the menu pops up - for their table only. The customer can order a cocktail, beer or burger without telling a server, but the server brings it out and makes sure it’s OK. I see you have unique QR codes on your tables - how has this been going?
“Good! It cuts down on the wait time for the customer a lot. I was bar-tending the other night, and people who were outside were able to order drinks without me having to leave the bar to check on them. People are basically opening tabs for themselves. If they are in a group at one table, each person can open their own tab, and pay down when they are done.”
ALBB: Genius! This solves the problem of splitting the check 10 different ways!
“Yes (Brian laughs sheepishly). It’s all so new, we as staff aren’t used to guiding people to use it. But it is going well!”
Editorial Note: Meyers Olde Dutch is an advertising client of ALBB, and a branding client of Katie James Inc. This article was produced independently of that partnership.
The flyer for assistance with rental relief distributed by Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County in English.
June 1, 2021 was the first day that the Emergency Rental Assistance Program opened in New York State. Money is on the table to help those who meet income thresholds, and within the order of priorities. Getting that money can be confusing, as you wade your way through applications. Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County, with an office on Main Street in Beacon, says they are here to help. Their Beacon office is on 10 Eliza Street, which is in the Rite Aid parking lot behind Antalek and Moore Insurance.
To help you apply: call Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County at 845-452-5104 or email info@dutchesscap.org. You can also visit www.dutchesscap.org and click “Apply for Services.”
How Community Action Helps With The Application:
The flyer for assistance with rental relief distributed by Community Action Partnership For Dutchess County in Spanish.
We asked Samantha Riley, Director of Family Resources for Community Action, to walk us through how Community Action helps with the applicaation process, and what kind of issues people have come up against. Here’s what she told us:
“We are available to help screen for eligibility and to assist with families with applying for the program. This looks different for every person depending on their ability. The application must be completed online by both the tenant and landlord. Some families just need to be talked through the process and can apply on their own, and others can’t do it on their own for various reasons.”
Samantha continued: “Our first priority for assisting families with applying is to assist those who do not have internet access at home. For those families, if they just need access to a computer we have a computer at each of our locations for the public to use. If families need help filling out the application, we can assist them 1:1 either in person or over the phone; preferably by appointment.
“The required Documents need to be uploaded to the online application. We mostly right now are getting calls about families needing help with that process, which we can help with.”
To help you apply: call Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County at 845-452-5104 or email info@dutchesscap.org. You can also visit www.dutchesscap.org and click “Apply for Services.”
About New York State Emergency Renal Assistance Program (ERAP)
The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) will provide significant economic relief to help low and moderate-income households at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing rental arrears, temporary rental assistance, and utility arrears assistance.
Eligibility
New York residents are eligible for ERAP if they meet all of the following criteria:
Household gross income is at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). These income limits differ by county and household size. A household may qualify based on current income or calendar year 2020 income that is at or below 80 percent AMI.
On or after March 13, 2020, a member of the household received unemployment benefits or experienced a reduction in income, incurred significant costs, or experienced financial hardship, directly or indirectly, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The applicant is obligated to pay rent at their primary residence and has rental arrears (rent overdue) at their current residence for rent owed on or after March 13, 2020.
The household must be at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability, which can be demonstrated by having rental arrears owed on or after March 13, 2020.
Benefits
Households approved for ERAP may receive:
Up to 12 months of rental arrears payments for rents accrued on or after March 13, 2020.
Up to 3 months of additional rental assistance if the household is expected to spend 30 percent or more of their gross monthly income to pay for rent.
Up to 12 months of electric or gas utility arrears payments for arrears that have accrued on or after March 13, 2020.
Apply
Program open as of June 1, 2021. Applications are now being accepted. Apply here >
To help you apply: call Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County at 845-452-5104 or email info@dutchesscap.org. You can also visit www.dutchesscap.org and click “Apply for Services.”
El dinero está aquí para ayudar a aquellos que están económicamente aplastados por la pandemia, pero solicitarlo puede ser un trabajo de tiempo completo, además de ser difícil de entender. ¡La Asociación de Acción Comunitaria del Condado de Dutchess tiene un programa para eso! Samantha Riley de Community Action se ha acercado al Blog de A Little Beacon con la esperanza de hacer correr la voz de que están aquí para ayudar. Así es como funciona: El Programa de asistencia de emergencia para el alquiler del estado de Nueva York (ERAP) proporcionará un alivio económico significativo para ayudar a los hogares de ingresos bajos y moderados en riesgo de quedarse sin hogar o inestabilidad de la vivienda al proporcionar asistencia para el alquiler atrasado, asistencia temporal para el alquiler y asistencia para el pago de servicios públicos.
Elegibilidad
Los residentes de Nueva York son elegibles para ERAP si cumplen con todos los siguientes criterios:
El ingreso bruto del hogar es igual o inferior al 80 por ciento del ingreso medio del área (AMI). Estos límites de ingresos difieren según el condado y el tamaño del hogar. Un hogar puede calificar según los ingresos actuales o los ingresos del año calendario 2020 que sean iguales o inferiores al 80 por ciento del AMI.
A partir del 13 de marzo de 2020, un miembro del hogar recibió beneficios por desempleo o experimentó una reducción en sus ingresos, incurrió en costos significativos o experimentó dificultades financieras, directa o indirectamente, debido a la pandemia de COVID-19.
El solicitante está obligado a pagar el alquiler en su residencia principal y tiene atrasos en el alquiler (alquiler vencido) en su residencia actual por el alquiler adeudado a partir del 13 de marzo de 2020.
El hogar debe estar en riesgo de experimentar falta de vivienda o inestabilidad de la vivienda, lo que puede demostrarse si se adeudan pagos de alquiler a partir del 13 de marzo de 2020.
Beneficios
Los hogares aprobados para ERAP pueden recibir:
Hasta 12 meses de pagos atrasados de alquiler para alquileres acumulados a partir del 13 de marzo de 2020.
Hasta 3 meses de asistencia adicional para el alquiler si se espera que el hogar gaste el 30 por ciento o más de sus ingresos brutos mensuales para pagar el alquiler.
Hasta 12 meses de pagos atrasados de servicios públicos de electricidad o gas por atrasos que se hayan acumulado a partir del 13 de marzo de 2020.
Solicitar
Programa abierto a partir del 1 de junio de 2021. Ahora se aceptan solicitudes. Aplicar aquí>
Dutchess Community Action Partnership is open Monday - Friday from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. Contact them by phone: 844-NY1RENT (844-691-7368) For the hearing impaired, TTY phone number: 1-833-843-8829.
Starting Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 8am, the Beacon Chamber of Commerce with Chamber President, Ron Iarossi (owner of Beacon Creamery) will host a Zoom call-in with Beacon’s City Administrator, Chris White. Said the Chamber in an email to members: “This will be the first of an ongoing monthly series. The meetings will be designed to update you on what’s happening in Beacon.” According to the Chamber, the first meeting will cover such items as parklets and upcoming TV and film projects. The Chamber encourages businesses to voice their opinions during the call.
City Administrator Chris announced the call during the May 24, 2021 City Council Meeting, where he mentioned the call as an opportunity to speak directly to businesses to get their feedback on future decisions made by the Council, such as allowing different events to come to town.
The City Administrator also mentioned wanting feedback on the growing number of film productions being filmed in Beacon. “Some of the businesses,” Chris recalled, “the last time we filmed, they loved it and made some money. Others weren't so happy.“
The City Administrator alluded to the Cupcake Festival as an example of an event he knew not to have. While some businesses like an art gallery were not happy for the large crowd, restaurants and some retail businesses did very well when the Cupcake Festival came to town, produced by Pamal Broadcasting, the home of K104.7. Beacon Bath and Bubble was one of the biggest critics of the event, but the day after it left town, the owner reversed her opinion after her sales yielded “Christmas numbers,” which means she sold a lot and was happy. Here is ALBB’s economic study of the festival on businesses.
Parking was a problem, and regular tourists and residents were not able to walk down a large section of Main Street as it was closed for the festival. Said K104.7 the year they did not return to Beacon and instead moved to Stormville: “We were hoping to come back to Beacon this year, but given the growing attendance and space/parking constraints, we had to look elsewhere. We’re looking forward to keeping it in the county and growing the festival in new and exciting ways.” One Beacon boutique, La Mere, followed the cupcakes to Stormville in her La Mere Mini trailor boutique on wheels, and had a good sales day.
The City Administrator Chris said during the 5/24/2021 City Council Meeting that he hopes to “activate” the parks, declaring his desire to start “activating the parks and have something cool going on,” as if the parks are underutilized and underenjoyed by locals, which they are not. They are treasured by locals. The City Administrator Chris continued: “The money is not the reason to do it. The reason is to bring people and businesses to Beacon. People think ‘Wow, I want to bring my business here.’”
The first event of the season post-pandemic in one of Beacon’s parks was a Makers Market hosted by Hops on Hudson. The event occupied part of the Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park, and required tickets to get in. While the City Administrator saying that Pete & Toshii Seeger Riverfront park was open to the public despite the large event, police were down by the entrance near the lily pads blocking the opening, under instruction when hired to provide event-duty. People wanting to enter the park needed to speak to the police officer to request permission to go beyond their blockade or state their intent. Police were directing traffic to parking areas from as far away as Beekman Street near the MTA Police barracks.
How To Join The Business Call
The business meeting will be on Zoom, and attendees can join by following this link:
Meeting ID: 882 4189 0659 Passcode: 031504 One tap mobile +19292056099,,88241890659#,,,,*031504# US (New York) +13126266799,,88241890659#,,,,*031504# US (Chicago)
Sounding of Taps, by Dani Masterson Day: Sunday - Monday, May 30, 31, 2021 Time: Start time is 3pm for 24 hours Location: Mesier Park in the Village of Wappingers Falls
As reported in the Beacon Free Press, Dani Masterson, National bugler for the Spirit of 45 and New York State Director of Bugles Across America, will lead the sounding of Taps in a 24-hour tribute for Veterans on May 30 through May 31, Memorial Day. Beginning at 3pm on May 30, Dani will sound the 24 notes to Taps every hour and continue for the following 24 hours.
Normally she is in Washington, DC to commemorate, but wanted to do something different this year. "I learned how precious it is to have a bugler come to the grave site and honor the loved one with the sounding of live Taps. It is a ceremony where family and friends can all join together to say 'goodbye, well done and thank you!' to heir Veteran family member. It is a time to honor, and a time to mourn the ultimate sacrifice of their Veteran family member," Dani told the Beacon Free Press. www.AmericanTapsGirl.org
Memorial Day Ceremonies in Beacon:
Small Wreath Ceremony Day: Monday, May 31, 2021 Time: 9am Location: Bridge on East Main Street Near Roundhouse Small Wreath Ceremony Day: Monday, May 31, 2021 Time: 11am Location: Veteran Memorial Building, 413 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Memorial Day Eve Flag-Changing Ceremony at Walkway Over The Hudson: Day: Sunday, May 30, 2021 Time: 8pm Location: Walkway Over the Hudson, 61 Parker Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY
On Sunday, May 30th at 8pm, the Walkway Over the Hudson will host a sunset Memorial Day Eve flag-changing ceremony to honor local servicemembers who lost their lives defending their country. Dani Masterson will also be sounding Taps at that ceremony.
Memorial Day Convoy Through Dutchess County & Ceremony: Day: Monday, May 31, 2021 Time: See below. Wave or salute as they drive by. Location: The Beacon route will go down Verplanck to Rte. 52
Dutchess County Veterans’ Services will host its annual ceremony at the Dutchess County War Memorial in Poughkeepsie at 11am. In addition, a convoy of law enforcement and military vehicles will travel throughout Dutchess County communities; the convoy will travel in both an inner and outer loop throughout the county, beginning at 9am and 11:30am, respectively. A map of the convoy’s routes is available online. Map >
Kayak and Bannerman Castle Private Tour Day: Saturday, May 29, 2021 Time: 10 am - 1 pm Location: Storm King Adventure Tours, 4 Duncan Ave., Cornwall-on-Hudson, NY 12520 Information >
Modern Fossils at Woodstock-New Paltz Art & Craft Fair Day: Saturday, May 29, 2021 Time: 10 am - 5:30 pm Location: Field of Dreams Park, 241 Libertyville Rd, New Paltz, New York 12561 Information >
Art Exhibition: Answer Tell Pray Answer Look Tell Answer Answer Tell Day: Saturday, May 29, 2021 Time: 1 pm - 5 pm Location: Ann Street Gallery, 104 Ann St, Newburgh, NY Information >
Bardavon presents Virtual Cinema – Hermitage The Power of Art Day: Saturday, May 29, 2021 Time: 1 pm Location: Bardavon 1869 Opera House, 35 Market St., Poughkeepsie, NY Information >
The Lost Cowboys Day: Saturday, May 29, 2021 Time: 3:30 pm - 6:30 pm Location: The Barn at Gardiner Brewing Company, 699 State Route 208, Gardiner, NY 12525 Information >
Fairy House Hunt Day: Saturday, May 29, 2021 Time: 10:30 am - 5 pm Location: Locust Grove Estate, 2683 South Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 Information >
Farm Yoga Day: Saturday, May 29, 2021 Time: 9 am - 10 am Location: Fishkill Farms, 9 Fishkill Farm Rd, Hopewell Junction, NY Information >
Celebrate Summer @ Colorant
Days: Saturday, May 29 from 11-6 pm ORGANIC MICROGREENS SALE
Heather Mcardle from Fort Green Farms will be offering a wildly colorful and nutritious assortment of fresh Microgreens. Concentrated in nutrients & packed with flavors, Microgreens are delicious and healthy additions to juices, smoothies, and salads. Choose from her selection of spicy blend, medicine mix, and radish mix, to name a few.
Sunday, May 30th from 11-6 pm: SAMOSA SHACK
Using natural & local farm fresh ingredients, Samosa shack puts a global artisanal twist on the ever-popular Indian street treat. With a rotating plant-based menu, Samosa Shack will be offering their traditional favorites along with some in-season dishes that you won't want to miss!
Mount Gulian Historic Site Tour Day: Sunday, May 30, 2021 Time: 12 pm Location: Mount Gulian Historic Site, 145 Sterling Street, Beacon, NY 12508 Information >
F+S Mini MRKTs
Day: Sunday, May 30, 2021 Time: 10 am - 4 pm Location: Uptown Shopping District, Kingston, NY *Enter at the corner of Crown & John Street
F+S Mini MRKTs convene artisans and designers from the Hudson Valley and beyond for a weekly market offering a curated selection of handmade and carefully crafted products. An extension of Field + Supply, a biannual maker fair held in Kingston, NY, and a shoppable website, F+S Mini MRKTs are free and open to the public. Learn more at fieldandsupply.com.
EAT CHURCH
3091 U.S. 9, Cold Spring, NY
Let out a big sigh of relief, life as we knew it has resumed (with a lot of extra!). Eat Church is back at Industrial Arts Brewing in Beacon! The truck will be there:
Thu + Fri: 3 - 8pm
Sat: 12 - 8pm
Sun: 12 - 7pm
Go see them at 511 Fishkill Ave, Beacon, NY - order online or in-person!
The next dates at Marbled Meat Shop is TBD! Website >
Eat Church is a Sponsor!, thank you!
Beacon Bread Company 193 Main St. Insider Tip: The coffee at Beacon Bread is serious. Brewed by a woman-owned roaster in Cold Spring, the coffee menu in this bread shop needs to be mulled over by you. Check out their coffee & espresso bar for hot drip, iced, hot chocolate, espresso, macchiatos, cortados, lattes, americanos, matches, affogatos, and golden milk lattes! Grab a cheese danish to go, or stay awhile and enjoy the waffle house special or the focaccia caprese. Many more options, including vegan options for both breakfast & lunch. Open 7 days a week from 8 am - 5 pm. Menu > Order Pick Up or Delivery > Beacon Bread Company is a Sponsor, thank you!
MEYERS OLDE DUTCH
184 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Meyers Olde Dutch is OPEN! Looking as beautiful as ever! Make sure to follow @meyersoldedutchbeacon on Instagram for updates and stop in to get your fresh-made burgers, twice-cooked fries, and Beacons best cocktails! Says Owner/Chef Brian: "We are so excited to be back in this space! Dine out, order online for pick up, or delivery!" NEW HOURS:
Sunday - Thursday: Kitchen 11:30am-9pm, Bar 'till 10
Friday and Saturday: Kitchen 11:30am-11pm, Bar 'till 12am. POP-UP LIVE MUSIC: Friday night, catch former bartender Matthew Pop for 90's Night: 9pm-11pm Order Now > Meyers Olde Dutch is a Sponsor, thank you!
Tito Santana Taqueria 142 Main St.
In queso you were wondering, Tito Santana Taqueria uses only seasonal ingredients to make each bite a bite that you will never forget! Everything from chicken tacos, pork tacos, shrimp tacos, and tofu tacos! Oh, and burritos, bowls, salads empanadas, quesadillas, tostadas, and soups! Began & gluten-free options too. PS: Tacos are only $2 on Tuesdays! Menu > Catering > Tito Santana Taqueria is a Sponsor, thank you!
HOMESPUN
232 Main Street, Beacon, NY
New Rosé in-store and it is SO GOOD. Buy it easily online in Homespun's Wine Store! Be sure to use the discount codes for orders over $75 and $100 for 10% and 15% off your order respectively! (You can see the discount codes at the top of their website. We are REALLY excited about these! Syrah Rosato from the one and only @amerighistefano in Cortona, Tuscany... Saint-Pourçain made by Sylvain Miniot for @marytaylorwine ... @garaliswinery and their Muscat of Alexandria/Limnio blend from the Greek isle of Lemnos, and finally a new one from @rosenthalwinemerchant & Domaine Les Mesclances, which is certified organic and grown just 3km from the Mediterranean Sea. OPEN HOURS:
Thursday - Monday, 10am-7pm Monthly wine subscription > Order Food > Order Wine > Homespun is a Sponsor, thank you!
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL 288 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Hudson Valley Food Hall is always hopping every weekend! From music to pop-ups, you will always find something different going on. So many different options to satisfy everyone's needs!
Follow their foodies directly: Miz Hattie's BBQ: Southern Style BBQ, from North Carolina. Order ahead via their Toast-app menu! 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! Hudson Valley Food Hall is a Sponsor, thank you!
BAJA 328 328 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Tacos from Baja 328! Yum! There is something so different about a taco that is made with the freshest ingredients! Baja does it every time. Stop in & grab a few. Your belly will thank you. Don't forget to check out the specials that are always on the menu! Enjoy the best view from Main St. while sitting by the garage doors! Check out their specialty drinks > Check out the specials >
BAJA 328 is a Sponsor, thank you!
W.T.F Beacon 195 Main St. The views from inside of W.T.F Beacon are dramatic. What an ambiance. You must try their burgers (all burger eateries in Beacon are friends!) No better way to enjoy delicious burgers, seafood, cocktails, and more! Our suggestion for this weekend? Hmm... this is hard (because we would choose all if we could) but we choose the 'Spice Up Your Life' house cocktail with the poutine to start, and the chicken cutlet Milanese for dinner. OPEN HOURS: Fridays & Saturdays: 6pm - 10pm Tuesdays: A limited pop-up menu from Extra Sauce Brooklyn via Chef Lee Knoppel (Chopped, Food Network guy) with a guest bartender and open mic in the back patio Menu > W.T.F Beacon is a Sponsor, thank you!
Ziatun
244 Main St.
Ziatun is where you need to go to satisfy your craving for Middle Eastern cuisine & has Vegan-Friendly options! Pictured here is the Rice Bowl. Place an order from the train if you're commuting back from the City! Ziatun will have your food ready to go when you get to Beacon. 🥙 Open Sunday-Thursday 12-8 pm. Do Menu > Order Online > Ziatun is a Sponsor, thank you!
Two Way Brewing Company
18 West Main St. WELCOME! Two Way Brewing is a new sponsor with ALBB! We are so excited & grateful to have them. BREAKING NEWS! Two Way Brewing is opening their new kitchen! Two Way Brewing has been without a full kitchen for some time and they finally found new partners to make it all happen. This is the week they're up and running, including Memorial Day! The food is from The Flying Jib, serving upscale pub fare.
Go on in & check them out! OPEN:
Thursday 4:00pm - 9:00pm
Friday 4:00pm - 10:00pm
Saturday 12:00pm - 9:00pm
Sunday 1:00pm - 8:00pm Two Way Brewing Company is a Sponsor, thank you!
BINNACLE BOOKS
321 Main Street, Beacon Edward Said, “Out of Place” - “From one of the most important intellectuals of our time comes to an extraordinary story of exile and a celebration of an irrecoverable past. A fatal medical diagnosis in 1991 convinced Edward Said that he should leave a record of where he was born and spent his childhood, and so with this memoir, he rediscovers the lost Arab world of his early years in Palestine, Lebanon, and Egypt.
Said writes with great passion and wit about his family and his friends from his birthplace in Jerusalem, schools in Cairo, and summers in the mountains above Beirut, to boarding school and college in the United States, revealing an unimaginable world of rich, colorful characters and exotic eastern landscapes. Underscoring all is the confusion of identity the young Said experienced as he came to terms with the dissonance of being an American citizen, a Christian and a Palestinian, and, ultimately, an outsider. Richly detailed, moving, often profound, ‘Out of Place’ depicts a young man’s coming of age and the genesis of a great modern thinker.”
This & many more good reads from Binnacle! Stop in & pick up the book you won't want to put down.
Binnacle Books is a Sponsor, thank you!
KAIGHT SHOP
512 Main Street, Beacon
Happy Anniversary to Kaight Shop! This weekend marks 5 years for this curated boutique on Beacon's East End! Says owner Kate: "We are so grateful to be part of this diverse and ever evolving community. To show our appreciation to both our customer community and our fellow small business community, we are doing a raffle! Shop with us this week (no minimum purchase required) and be entered in our raffle. Prizes include $50 gift cards to each of the following local businesses: Beacon Mercantile, Shop Berte, Utensil Shop, Wonderbar Beacon, Kitchen Coffee Beacon, and a $250 gift card to KAIGHT!" DEADLINE: Raffle Ends Monday, May 31. Winners chosen and announced Wednesday, June 2!
"Thank you for your support;" says Kate. "We are so grateful to continue to be here to serve our community." PS: Thursdays are Locals Day at Kaights! Locals get 10% on everything not on sale. Shop Online > Kaight Shop is a Sponsor, thank you!
BRETT'S HARDWARE 18 West Main Street, Beacon
You never know when the weather is going to dip, which is why...Patio heaters from Brett's Hardware! Perfect for enjoying the outdoors even on chilly nights. Keeps you warm & creates a fun look for your outdoor patio. Brett's does have patio umbrellas to complete your look. For when it drizzles and you still want to be outside. Being outside is our favorite (if you couldn't tell) Brett's Hardware is a Sponsor, thank you!
LUXE OPTIQUE
181-183 Main Street, Beacon
You must check out Luxe Optique's Spring Collection. We're loving what we're seeing from Emmanuelle Khanh’s Spring 21 collection specifically. C'mon, you know your eyewear needs an upgrade & what's a better way to do that than with a pair like these?! Classy, fashionable, chic, minimal - should we keep going? PS - these stunning oversize acetate frames are handmade in France.
Monday: 10 AM–5 PM
Tues-Sat:10 AM–6 PM
Sunday: Closed Shop Online > Luxe Optique is a Sponsor, thank you!
LA MÉRE CLOTHING AND GOODS
436 Main Street, Beacon
The Acrylic Ring from La Mere is so dreamy! The Floating Floral Ring takes accessorizing to the next level. Stop in & take a look at the NEW Spring arrivals along with the accessories to match. Open 11-6 and always open online!
Yanarella Dance Studio 312 Main St., Beacon, NY
If you haven't been to Yanarella's baby-wearing infant class, there are still some classes left! so don't worry. They have added:
ANTALEK & MOORE INSURANCE AGENCY
340 Main Street, Beacon
Antalek & Moore is taking part in The Great Hudson Valley Scavenger Hunt with @dcrcoc Earn at least 21 points or more by visiting Chamber member locations, such as @antalekmoore, during the contest period and by scanning a QR code poster prominently placed at these locations. Sign your team up for a chance to win a $2,021 cash Grand Prize, additional cash awards, and other amazing prizes! It's FREE to play with NO STRINGS attached. The contest runs from today, May 24 – June 6 and you can enter at any time before or during the event. Stay up to date with their latest announcements > Give Antalek & Moore a call today: 845-831-4300 and visit their website. Antalek & Moore is a Sponsor, thank you!
TIN SHINGLE
Tin Shingle's Office Hours is a Private, Small-Group Session for Media Members of Tin Shingle. We are able to connect together in person via video conference calls. Both Thanksgiving and Christmas happen during the next Pitch Whisperer session, so the 4 session dates are set to accommodate those vacation days. If you want to join in on these Office Hours, activate your membership so that you can access the secret link: www.tinshingle.com/membership
Bring your ideas.
Bring your questions.
Bring your confusions.
Bring your doubts.
Bring your joy.
Because we are doing this.
Getting the word out there about your business!
KATIE JAMES, INC.
Your website is your most solid footprint for people to know what you do and how to buy from you. Social media accounts offer an emotional connection to your brand, and your website needs to reflect that energy. The designers and lead producer, Katie Hellmuth Martin, can guide you through this process and design you a website that both looks stunning, and works well to help people do what you need them to at your website.
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.
PLEASE NOTE: this article series is discussing 2 different incidents of a man who has been in Beacon for some time, harassing people, which has escalated after he was Tasered on Main Street by MTA Police on May 19, 2021. Later, he was Tasered again on May 25, 2021 by a New York State Trooper. This response from the City of Beacon Police deals with the May 25th incident. It does not address the May 19th incident because the City of Beacon Police Department was not involved.
During the research for the story on the man who was Tasered by MTA Police on Main Street on May 19, 2021, in response to an alleged complaint of threats, ALBB learned that a new incident occurred on Main Street on May 25, 2021 that involved City of Beacon Police and New York State Police. On that day, we reached out to the City of Beacon Police for confirmation and any detail they could provide.
Today, Lt. Figlia from the City of Beacon Police responded to ALBB with detail from the City of Beacon Police. The detail is provided in full below:
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The following message has been written by Lt. Figlia of the Beacon Police:
We believe that the nature of this incident is, at least to some extent, related to the mental health of an individual. In order to protect that individual’s privacy, we will not be releasing any identifying information about the individual, nor will we comment on any incidents that did not involve City of Beacon Police Department members. However, the matter you are inquiring about is of considerable public concern, so we want to provide the public with as much information as we can responsibly share.
On 5/25/21 at approximately 10:48 AM the Beacon Police Department received a call for male, who was identified by name, inside of a business on Main St. screaming, “fuck you bitch” at a female employee and refusing to leave. When officers were dispatched to the call, MTA PD advised BPD over the radio that they had an active warrant for individual. BPD officers then located him on Main St. and took him into custody without incident. He was then transported directly to MTA PD’s Beacon HQ where he was turned over to them. Any questions about the nature of the warrant should be directed to the MTA PD.
At approximately 1:25 PM the same day the Beacon Police Department received three separate calls about the same individual on Main St. yelling at people and being involved in an altercation. BPD officers responded and approached the individual, who was now in need of psychiatric evaluation at a hospital under New York State Mental Hygiene Law, as it had become apparent from his actions that he was presenting a danger to himself and others. As officers approached, the individual fled on foot before they could speak to him. BPD officers pursued him with the intent of taking him into custody for transport to MidHudson Regional Hospital. During that time a passing New York State Trooper observed this and self-initiated joining the pursuit. The trooper utilized a taser on the individual. BPD officers then took the individual into custody without further incident and transported him to MidHudson Regional Hospital for psychiatric treatment. As of approximately 12:30 PM on 5/26/21 the individual was observed to be out of MidHudson Regional and back in Beacon. Any questions about the use of force and the taser should be directed to the New York State Police.
On 5/26/21 someone came into BPD HQ to file charges against the same individual for allegedly threatening to kill them. This year, from 2/28/21 to 5/26/21 the Beacon Police Department has had 42 contacts with the individual in question. Of these contacts, 36 have been due to calls from the public. They have primarily been for threatening or harassing behavior, walking in front of vehicles and very aggressive panhandling. The individual in question has been approached by our co-housed Mental Health America of Dutchess County Behavioral Health Specialist on numerous occasions and has continuously refused many attempts at assistance and services.
PLEASE NOTE: this article series is discussing 2 different incidents of a man who has been in Beacon for some time, harassing people, which has escalated after he was Tasered on Main Street by MTA Police on May 19, 2021. Later, he was Tasered again on May 25, 2021 by a New York State Trooper. This response from the City of Beacon Police deals with the May 25th incident. It does not address the May 19th incident because the City of Beacon Police Department was not involved.
To ALBB’s knowledge, City of Beacon Police Officers did not participate in those Marches (please write in to correct us if you were an officer who participated - even if anonymous!), with the exception of Lieutenant Figlia, who is still active with the City of Beacon Police, and contributed his story after one of the marches at an open mic session. During that experience, he shared his story of domestic abuse by his father towards himself and his mother, and how it inspired him to become a police officer to serve and protect others.
Otherwise, the then Chief Kevin Junjulas did not participate, was terse during City Council Meetings when asked questions about process by the Council, and retired shortly into the racial reckoning awakening in June 2020.
This week, a protest was held by Beacon4Black Lives after a young man known locally for mental instability and aggression was tasered by MTA Police on Main Street on the sidewalk. Details of the incident are here. This use of force act prompted some in the community to gather together to march to the MTA Police District 7 barracks, a sleepy little house-like structure on Beekman Street that normally nobody pays any mind to.
Over the past year, the people of Beacon have been successfully working with the City of Beacon’s Police and City Council to build relationships at the leadership level and community level for form a state mandated Police Reform plan. This incident from the MTA Police was out of character with what has been discussed within the community, which included a heavy focus on mental health and policing. Therefore, the tasering action of a mentally unstable, albeit unpleasant person on the surface, shocked many people into focus on MTA Police and learn more about them.
When the community members marched from Chase Bank on Main Street, to the MTA Police barracks on Beekman Street, they were met by 7 MTA Police Officers standing in front of the barracks at 8:45pm on the evening of Tuesday, May 25, 2021. One officer standing in front of the barracks wore a white shirt, and the rest of the officers were in dark uniforms. The officer in the center had his hand near his shirt collar, while others stood by, arms folded, and eventually leaned on the building columns and relaxed their postures.
Two other officers in white shirts approached up the hill to the south of the barracks near the police parking lot. Community members in this protest were escorted by City of Beacon Police, who had maintained a moving blockade down Main Street, and closed Beekman Street at the District 7 barracks to divert cars while the community members stood in the middle of the road, asking the MTA Police Officers questions.
This was the first time in a year that police officers had come out to meet community members demanding their attention. While the moment was awkward - as the officers and the community members did not know what to say to each other during this unexpected turnout - it was refreshing. Questions were asked of the officers, to learn more about them. All officers remained silent. Questions included:
Do you communicate with the City of Beacon Police on people known to this area? On the platform and on Main Street, as the people go back and forth. How does the communication work?
Do you come to this District 7 each time? Are you are other Districts? Or are you familiar with Beacon? Or are you in Long Island and other areas and sometimes here? PARTIAL ANSWER: We have since learned from the community that MTA Police Captain Pisanelli at District 7 in Beacon is a generational Beaconite - Hello!
How are you feeling right now?
When you tase someone, does it also affect your body? Does the electricity also go into your body? We wanted to hear from you on the experience, rather than read about it in newspapers.
When the officers did not respond, one community member stated: “We’re the people they are supposed to protect and serve, and they don’t want to talk to us.”
When the police did not respond, one of the group leaders, who is Black and whose dad is a corrections officer, spoke to the officers via his megaphone:
“We’re sad of seeing Black and Brown lives being hurt.”
A woman from the community broke in to say: “You’re doing your job, and we respect that.”
The march organizer continued: “And we want things to change. We want answers. We want solutions. We want things to change. We want things to get better. I don’t want to drive down the street and be afraid of being pulled over. I could be killed. And that’s the fact of the matter. My dad’s a Corrections Officer, and he still tells me to do a certain thing and act a certain way in front of police, because if they don’t know me, they can kill me at any point. And it really saddens us. It makes us so sad, that we have to do this. The reality is, even when we do this, and we come down here, and try to have an actual conversation with y’all as people, as people of your comunity, and you still won’t have enough respect for us to talk to us. And that’s terrible. You know what I mean?”
With questions asked and statements made, the protest ended. One of the organizers used a curse word to express his feelings, and the other organizer gently shepherded everyone home.
PLEASE NOTE: this article series is discussing 2 different incidents of a man who has been in Beacon for some time, harassing people, which has escalated after he was Tasered on Main Street by MTA Police on May 19, 2021. Later, he was Tasered again on May 25, 2021 by a New York State Trooper. This response from the City of Beacon Police deals with the May 25th incident. It does not address the May 19th incident because the City of Beacon Police Department was not involved.
UPDATE 5/25/2021: We have since learned that MTA Police jurisdiction covers the Hudson line, and that they can go into the communities along the train. One reader wrote in to say that she received a ticket for expired registration on her car on the road while passing Boscobel, which is on 9D. We have also learned that the man was not chased from the platform to Main Street. According to MTA Media Relations, a complaint was made about him by “a pair of women” after he verbally harassed them and then he walked away from them. After the man walked away from them, the women made the complaint. The MTA Police Officer put the complaint over the wires, and about 20 minutes later, according to MTA Media Relations, two other MTA Police Officers detained him on Main Street just a few storefront shops in from Wolcott Avenue.
The organization Beacon4Black Lives has organized a March and gathering to speak against the actions taken by the MTA Police tonight (Tuesday) at 7:45pm. Beacon4Black Lives state: “Meet at Chase Bank at 7:45pm. We are going to March to the MTA Police Station (on Beekman Street, across Wolcott) for a peaceful gathering. Bring signs, megaphones, and flashlights! Share this and invite friends, family and anyone or everyone in the area who is willing to stand up and say this can’t go any further. They can’t hurt a Black life in our town or anywhere. I hope as many people who came out last year when Black Lives Matter was trending and said they support us come and help us get justice. We cannot allow the police to hurt us anymore.”
View of the train platform at Beacon’s MTA train station, from the MTA Police Station. According to MTA Media Relations, the man was apprehended and tasered 20 minutes later on Main Street in Beacon outside of storefronts. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
EDITORIAL NOTE 5/25/2021: The MTA Media Relations has responded with detail since this publishing, and this article has been updated to reflect what they say happened.
According to a bystander at the scene of the tasering, when the MTA Police apprehended the man and pushed him up against storefront glass windows on Main Street, where one bystander said they thought the window would break. After getting him to the ground, according to a bystander, the MTA Police Officers told the man they were going to taser him, and then did taser him at least 3 times, according to the bystander.
The reaction to this story in Beacon has been similar across the board:
“I didn’t know that the MTA Police were real. I thought they were like mall security guards.”
“I hope it’s not that guy who I think it is. He’s a Black man not too tall and clearly has some mental health issues. I see him walk between the train and town all the time.”
One bystander described to ALBB how the MTA Police Officer answered when asked why the man was being tasered: “He held and rubbed his jaw a bunch of times saying that the taser shook him up (referring to himself the officer as being shaken from taser) and that the man was threatening people on the street and he keeps getting worse. They have been dealing with him for years,” the bystander said they heard the MTA Police Officer say.
Upon listening to the video, some readers are recognizing the man’s voice. If it is the same man, one female reader said: “I am making red mad faces for the way the MTA Police detained him. I’ve seen him be calm and kind and I’ve seen him be irritable and aggressive. He approached me on Main Street not long ago asking for money. He had his mask down so I asked him to put it up and he did. I told him I didn’t have anything to give him (I didn’t) and he moved along. I see him walk from the train talking to himself sometimes. Over the winter, he would walk up with a blanket wrapped around himself. I have no idea where he lives or if he is houseless.”
Where Does The City Of Beacon Police Fit Into This?
Questions were emailed to Beacon Police Chief Sands Frost, Mayor Lee Kyriacou (technically in charge of the Police in Beacon), City Administrator Chris White (works closely with every department), Colin Milone (assistant to the Mayor), Dan Aymar-Blair (Councilmember who co-authored Beacon’s Police Reform Resolution and has questioned Beacon’s inventory of tasers, even though this was MTA Police action), Air Nonken Rhodes (Councilmember who co-authored Beacon’s Police Reform Resolution), and Terry Nelson (Councilmember representing Ward 1, which is where this incident happened).
So far ALBB has not received a response from the City of Beacon, but if one comes in, this article will be updated. MTA’s Media Relations team did respond to us within 24 hours after questions were submitted. The questions emailed to the above mentioned City of Beacon group are as follows:
How does jurisdiction work between MTA Police and Beacon Police?
If a person is accused of doing something at the train station, and then runs up the hill and into Beacon via Main Street or other street, are the MTA Police allowed to pursue and apprehend that person?
Do the MTA Police call Beacon Police when entering Beacon?
Readers are beginning to comment that they are familiar with the man who was electrocuted. That he is known to walk between the train station and Main Street often, who is known to have mental health issues. One of the MTA Police Officers also said the man is known to have mental health issues, and is “getting worse.” Is electrocuting him the recommended way to help him?
With the new Mental Health professional, Lashaveous Dicker, working for Beacon alongside Beacon Police, would this be something he would be called for?
Does the MTA Police know that Lashaveous Dicker is working in Beacon?
Do the MTA Police and Beacon Police communicate as to how to handle people that they both encounter on a regular basis?
The pictures below show one of the paths up from the train station to Main Street. The walk involves the long and winding road of Beekman Street, which is where the MTA Police Station is, past the Beacon Police Station which is built into a hill, and then across Wolcott Avenue, where Main Street starts.
A Little Beacon Blog reached out to the MTA to confirm or clarify details of the Tasering of a mentally ill man on Main Street on Wednesday, May 19, 2021. ALBB sought the details of how the MTA Police were alerted to the initial issue to cause them to pursue the main in question.
A reader submitted partial video of the incident, along with testimony of what that person recording video said they saw. Other people who were on the street that day, and other days, have chimed in with additional details. These details are being included here if they cross referenced each other.
According to the MTA, the man in question was harassing people on the train platform at the Beacon station, shouting obscenities, and threatening. Prior to this, an MTA Police Officer who was just walking on patrol at the Beacon station saw this man behaving erratically, saying curse words.
The man in question then left. After the man left, a pair of women reported to the MTA Police Officer that he had been threatening them, saying “I am going to kill you,” and cursing. Once those threats were made clear to the officer, the officer informed - aka “put it over the wire.” ALBB has not pursued video footage of the platform to confirm the activity. ALBB is awaiting answer from the MTA on if its officers wear body cameras.
Roughly 20 minutes later, a pair of other MTA Police Officers responded by finding the man in question, who at that point was at the beginning of Main Street. That is where they sought to detain the man. That is when he resisted arrest, and the Taser came out and was used on the man on Main Street outside of storefront shops.
According to a witness, the MTA Police Officers pressed the man in question up against storefront windows in order to apprehend him. The witness on Main Street told A Little Beacon Blog: “The officer said he was resisting arrest, but they had him in a hold, so the other cop said: 'I’m going to taser you’ like 3 times. And they did. Several times, and he screamed.”
A witness on Main Street said: “They told me the man they apprehended has a long history of arrests and is mentally ill, but they Tasered him a lot…There were caps all over the place. The cop cleaned up some after.”
As seen in the video, after being Tasered, the officer delivering the electric charge tells the man to “stand up.” The man is held by the second officer from behind, and the man states: “Help me get up.” According to the MTA, after the officers placed the man in the car after he was Tasered, and they took him to a hospital, where he was checked to make sure he was fit enough for discharge after being Tasered. He was processed at the MTA District 7 Headquarters (aka “barracks”) on Beekman Street. He was given an appearance ticket for court, and released. He was charged with 3 charges:
Aggravated harassment
Menacing in the 3rd Degree
Resisting arrest
According to the City of Beacon Officer Reynolds on Beacon's information desk, the Beacon Police were not called for this incident.
The man in question is in his early 20s, and may have an address in Poughkeepsie. He has been arrested 22 times by the MTA Police, with several arrests happening in Beacon. Within this month - Mental Health Awareness Month - the man in question had another incident in the middle of Main Street with officers. There was a warrant out for his arrest on a trespassing case, where he had not shown up to court. It is not known if he is houseless, or if he is functional enough to open the mail, or write down a court appearance date in his calendar. It is not known at this time if he carries a calendar.
Beacon Police were dealing with him on Main Street recently. The man has been attempted to be Tasered before in a separate incident by New York State Police, but the taser didn't “stick.”
ALBB has not pursued the number of arrests, if any, made by the Beacon Police or New York State Police. New York State Police also have jurisdiction in Beacon and throughout the state. Here is New York State’s Arrest Without A Warrant criminal procedure that explains where an officer can go throughout the state to make an arrest.
How Does A Taser Work?
According to this New York Times article, a Taser has 2 prongs that are discharged from the Taser to the person. According to the article, for each charge (or discharge), 50,000 volts of electricity are pulsed into the person’s muscles for up to 5 seconds. The goal is to render the muscles frozen. According to the New York Times article, “the shock can cause pain that has been described as excruciating.”
According to this DIY Taser Maker web page, “this gadget generates substantial voltage pulses which can disrupt muscle tissues and neurological system, forcing any individual who touches it into a condition of mental bewilderment.” You can also read about the effects on a person’s body here at ABC News.
Are Tasers Recommended For People With Mental Health Conditions?
According to the New York Times article, “The devices can bring an abrupt halt to a confrontation and disable an uncooperative person, but if they are discharged and don’t work — or even when they do — sometimes the effect can be to make things worse.”
“If a person is angry, under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or has a mental illness, the use of a Taser can exacerbate those conditions and inflame a situation, said Joel Feinman, the chief public defender in Pima County in Arizona.”
The man in question in Beacon is known to MTA Officers. The situation that involved this particular Tasering happened after the man allegedly cursed and made threats to the people on the train platform, and had left. It was on Main Street that he was apprehended, resisted, and was Tasered.
This man is one of several mentally delicate people who walk up and down Main Street on a daily basis. He does mumble to himself, curse to himself, and approach people for money. People like himself have been known to walk into storefronts and places of business - or to parking lots - to encounter people with an ask or demand. The experience of when he does that can be jarring and frightening.
Dutchess County prides itself on providing several Mental Health services. During Beacon’s City Council Meetings, several Mental Health presentations have been made this year alone, including information about why hiring a Mental Health professional from Mental Health America of Dutchess County was a good idea. According to the Mid Hudson News: “The addition of a mental health intensive case manager was highlighted as one of the initiatives called for the City of Beacon’s newly adopted police reform plan.
It is not known at this time if that professional thinks it a good end game to continue Tasering this man in question in order to bring peace to his life, and to residents, visitors and businesses owners in Beacon. It is also not clear if Beacon’s new Mental Health professional was consulted by MTA Police on their tactic for dealing with a known mentally unstable person who regularly behaves the same way.
Perhaps they think that electric therapy delivered on the sidewalk is the best treatment. Perhaps Tasers are just protocol, and perhaps MTA Police Officers aren’t encouraged or trained in other ways of dealing with a regular person in the community after in non-violent situation 20 minutes after an alleged incident.
Tasers Mentioned In Beacon’s Police Reform Report
After the murder of George Floyd and the reckoning that awakened after that across the nation, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 203 that all municipalities must deliver their visions of how to police in their communities. At this time, it is not clear if that Executive Order 203 includes MTA Police, other train police, and New York State Police.
The MTA Police, which the MTA says has roughly 30 officers working from the barracks just below the City Of Beacon Police Station who can patrol up and down the region of the Hudson line all the way into Long Island, were not factored into public discussions on Police Reform, but do drive regularly through Beacon, and are authorized to do police work in Beacon.
According to the Highlands Current, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department (MTAPD) was formed in 1998 when the Long Island Rail Road and the Metro-North Railroad Police Departments merged. "After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the department expanded and dramatically expanded its counter-terrorism capabilities," the article reports. In 2005, the department expanded when the Staten Island Railway Police Department also became part of MTAPD.
The Beacon Police Department has a recent history of progressive training. All patrol officers are trained in a 40-hour Crisis Intervention Training(“CIT”) course, which helps to train officers to help persons with mental disorders and addictions to access medical treatment rather than place them in the criminal justice system.
This evidence-based strategy has been found effective in reducing the risk of injury or death during emergency interactions between police and persons with mental illness. In addition to the CIT Training, the Department conducts regular in-service training on topics including Workplace Violence, Sexual Harassment, Use of Force Policy and Law, De-escalation Techniques, Administration of Narcan (to address opioid overdoses), CPR/AED, Defensive Tactics, Active Shooter Response, Blood-borne Pathogens, and Taser and OC spray (pepper spray) use.
The Department is adding eight hours of Procedural Justice training and eight hours of Implicit Bias training for all officers for 2021. Procedural Justice training focuses on how the police interact with the public. Procedural justice is based on four central principles: "treating people with dignity and respect, giving citizens 'voice' during encounters, being neutral in decision making, and conveying trustworthy motives." Research demonstrates that these principles contribute to relationships between authorities and the community in which 1) the community has trust and confidence in the police as honest, unbiased, benevolent, and lawful; 2) the community feels obligated to follow the law and the dictates of legal authorities, and 3) the community feels that it shares a common set of interests and values with the police.
Last week, Governor Cuomo mandated that all kids ages 2-5 wear face masks while at childcare, day camp and overnight camp. Some childcare advocates responded. On My Way Childcare Owner Peggy Fuentes responded: “We were incredibly disappointed and shocked when we got the guidelines last Wednesday that our children, after 14 months of being unmasked, are required now to be masked,” as reported by Spectrum News.
Initial guidelines can be seen here as reported on by Gothamist, which included: “The new policy applies to staffers and attendees at childcare programs, day camps and overnight camps. Under the rules, the unvaccinated should only remove their face coverings while eating, drinking, showering, swimming or sleeping. The guidance adds that ‘children/campers may also remove face coverings outdoors when they are unable to tolerate a face covering for the physical activity.’”
The Governor’s office stated the following regarding its almost immediate reversal of the guidelines: “Both agencies understand how difficult it is to require the youngest children to wear masks, and have jointly agreed to revise guidance allowing child care providers to continue the practices and protocols that have been in place since the start of the pandemic by encouraging, not requiring, children aged 2-5 to wear masks, effective immediately.”
It is not known if the people running these two agencies are currently raising children between the ages of 2-5.
Dutchess County’s Executive Marcus Molinaro issued the following statement on Monday evening: “Like too many decisions coming from the executive’s offices, forcing young children to wear masks never made any scientific sense. Dutchess was among the first local governments to call on New York State to correct this inconsistency and made clear we would not enforce it. I am heartened to see the State has listened to reason. We trust this will extend to all children in these safe settings. Clearly we are passed time NY end the declared state of emergency and allow local public health official do their jobs without heavy handed State interference.”
UPDATE 5/25/2021: A gathering and march is being held on Tuesday, May 25, 2021 to march against the actions of the MTA Police. Details here.
According to a witness, a man was tasered several times on Main Street in Beacon by MTA Police Officers on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, after he allegedly harassed a woman or women on the train platform down at Beacon’s MTA train station. The MTA Police Officers are separate from the City of Beacon’s Police Department.
During the scene, a MTA Police Officer told a person who witnessed the incident that the man they apprehended has a long history of arrests and is mentally ill. According to Officer Reynolds with the the Beacon Police on May 24, 2021, their department was not called about the man the MTA Police pursued and arrested.
Recently, the City of Beacon hired a Police Officer who specializes in mental health, Lashaveous Dicker, a full-time mental health intensive care manager, who is also an employee with Mental Health America of Dutchess County. He assists Beacon officers on calls relating to mental health issues and substance addiction, and has been introduced to the public during City Council Meetings.
UPDATE 5/25/2021: MTA Media Relations has confirmed to A Little Beacon Blog that the incident first started on the platform at the train, and that a MTA Police Officer patrolling the platform saw a Black man described to be in his 20s behaving erratically and was shouting curse words. The young man then left. After the man left, a pair of women reported to the MTA Police Officer that the man had been threatening them and cursing. Once those threats were made clear to the officer, the officer informed his department by putting it over the wire. Roughly 20 minutes later, a pair of other officers responded to the incident. It is at that time, according to MTA Media Relations, that is where the officers sought to detain the man on Main Street, that is when he resisted arrest, and the taser came out.
The witness on Main Street during the tasering incident said that the officers pressed the man up against a storefront “window so hard, I thought they were going to break it,” the witness told A Little Beacon Blog. “The officer said the man was resisting arrest, but they had him in a hold. The other cop told the man: ‘I’m going to taser you’ like 3 times. And they did. Several times, and he screamed. They continued to taser him after they had him down. I yelled at them to stop. There were caps all over the place. A cop cleaned up some after. I didn’t know what he was doing. They sent someone back later to collect all the caps.”
The person who reached out to A Little Beacon Blog with this information elaborated: “It was quite a scene. Main Street was frozen; stand still for at least 5-10 minutes. At least 3 others were filming with 2 on the street 1 person in a car.”
A Little Beacon Blog reached out to the MTA Police to confirm the incident, and were referred to the MTA’s Press Office, which handles all of the media relations for any question from any MTA location. Police Officers work for the MTA Police in Beacon are not listed on the MTA Police website, including the name of their Police Captain. When A Little Beacon Blog called the MTA Media Relations to inquire, they said they would seek information to confirm details, and needed to confirm how jurisdiction works (ie train station vs Main Street, and if there even are boundaries of jurisdiction), and asked for time to do some digging to find the answers. They have since responded within one day!
UPDATE 5/25/2021: MTA Media Relations has responded with several answers to questions, which have been updated to this article.
At A Little Beacon Blog’s request, Detective Stewart with the MTA Police who answered the phone at the Beacon MTA Police Headquarters, provided the MTA Police Captain’s name as Captain Charles Pisinelli. Detective Stewart said that all questions seeking confirmation needed to go through the MTA Media Relations Office. When asked for the phone number, Detective Stewart stated that only Captain Pisinelli could give it, who was unavailable, but Detective Stewart called back to provide the number to MTA Media Relations. Which is appreciated, since the Media Relations office is quite large, so any point of entry to pursue confirmation is helpful, even though they do have a website.
After the witness saw the taser incident, the witness called Beacon’s Councilmember Terry Nelson, who represents Ward 1, where the apprehension took place. The witness also called Beacon’s Human Rights Commission. What happened after the call to the Human Rights Commission? “It was just a voice mailbox No one has called me back.”
UPDATE 5/25/2021: The Human Rights Commission has since called the Beacon bystander back, saying they have had problems with the phone. These details seem mundane, but it is common in Beacon for inquiries to go unanswered from time to time.
A Little Beacon Blog has reached out to MTA Media Relations representative. Should we hear back, we will update this article. UPDATE 5/25/2021: We have heard back from MTA Media Relations! And this article updated where necessary.
Do the MTA Police have jurisdiction to pursue someone from the train station up from the train into Beacon? To pursue a person from the platform, the person would need to run down the platform, down the stairs from the platform, then up the stairs to the parking lot, then up through the parking lot and up the long steep and curving hill from the train station, cross the busy street of Wolcott Avenue, run past the Beacon Police station, and then run up to Main Street storefronts, where the man was apprehended. ANSWER: Yes. According to MTA Media Relations, the MTA Police have jurisdiction over the region, which includes Long Island, Hamptons, Westchester, and more. In this case, an officer patrolling the platform informed his department, and two other officers in a car apprehended the young man by the time he was on Main Street.
Was the man apprehended charged with anything? ANSWER: Yes. According to MTA Media Relations, the man was charged with: - Aggravated harassment - Menacing in the 3rd Degree - Resisting arrest.
How many times was he tasered?
Where did the man go after being brought to wherever he was brought to? ANSWER: According to MTA Media Relations, the man was brought to the hospital after being tasered, to see if he was fit enough for discharge. He was processed at the MTA Police District 7 on Beekman Street, and given an appearance ticket to court, and was released.
Where do people go when apprehended by the MTA Police? ANSWER: According to MTA Media Relations, they go to the MTA Police District 7 on Beekman Street in Beacon.
How many MTA Police are there, and what are their job titles? Like, a Police Chief, Officer, Detective? ANSWER: According to MTA Media Relations, there are about 30 officers at District 7. They patrol a large area up and down the Hudson River line, not just in Beacon. Beacon happens to be the town in which the barracks are based.
Can you tell me the names of the officers who pursued him, and who made the arrest?
Can you confirm how the MTA Police were alerted to the issue? ANSWER: According to MTA Media Relations, an officer patrolling the platform first saw activity, and then was complained to by a pair of women, and then notified his department. Two other officers went out to find the man.
Tonight, Beacon’s City Council will meet for a Workshop meeting to discuss the following Agenda topics. As a “Workshop” meeting, this means that the public cannot call in, and the Council does not make legal decisions. A list to the full agenda with links and future video of the meeting is here in ALBB’s Local Government section.
Discussion of 2021 Public Events with City Administrator Chris White and Recreation Director Mark Price
After Beacon’s first shopping event happened at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park this past weekend, it looks like Beacon is considering the pre-pandemic lineup of events, according to this list posted with the Agenda. Several police officers were on duty this weekend to direct traffic down past the train to where parking was available. The market this past weekend was ticketed, but many events and parades on this list are free.
Food Security Update
There is no detail posted with the Agenda packet on this Food Security Update. Perhaps they are updating the public with whether or not the $25,000 granted from the CARES ACT in December 2020, administered through Dutchess County, was spent yet. The granted was earmarked for free groceries. Recreation Director Mark Price told A Little Beacon Blog on April 13, 2021: “We have completed income survey and submitted to Dutchess County CDBG. We have an open purchase order with a local food distributor and are currently selecting items for a weekly delivery to begin in the next couple of weeks. To be distributed alongside the weekly Hudson Valley Food Bank distribution on Wednesdays.”
Affordable Housing Presentation with Cea Weaver of Housing Justice for All
After a presentation last Workshop with Dutchess County, Councilperson Dan Aymar-Blair wanted more perspectives that sounded less restrictive of solving the problem of rising rental and home purchase prices.
Proposed Abandonment of City Paper Streets: Morse Street, Be Vier Avenue, and Ryans Avenue
This is a funny topic about streets that were put on paper, but never paved. They are gumming up homeowner surveys when they go to sell their homes. The proposal is to dissolve them and was discussed at a meeting prior. Got an eraser?
6. Proposed Appointment of Eleanor Peck to the Conservation Advisory Committee
7. Proposed Appointment of Pastor Daniel Blackburn to the Commission on Human Rights
In mid May in response to the Palestinian neighborhood, Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem, protesting to save their homes from being taken over by Israeli forces, the world started paying attention to the centuries long conflict between Palestine and Israel, which are essentially in the same place.
Local Beaconite and former Councilperson Ali T. Muhammad helped to organize a march with Next Step Hudson Valley and people in the Palestinian and Arab communities living in the Hudson Valley. Several people attended, marching down Broadway and side streets, ending at Rep. Sean Maloney’s district office.
Speeches were made on the steps of his office. Several are posted below for you to view and to hear. Beacon locals Lena Rizkalla and Kamel Jamal were some of the speakers. Kamel later recorded a podcast with ALBB’s sister podcast, “What, What Is That?” which you can listen to here.
The first of many speeches, on the steps of Rep. Sean Maloney’s Newburgh office. This video includes a speech given by Beacon business owner, Kamel Jamal, who is a Palestinian refugee (see minute 9, but don’t miss the other speakers). Kamel spoke with ALBB’s sister podcast, “Wait, What Is That?” for an hour long episode on his experience and thoughts on Palestinian liberation.
Local Beaconite, Lena Rizkalla, a first generation Palestinian, speaks about her Palestinian experience and connection.
This speaker noted how Palestinians helped fight the Nazis in World War II.
Local Beaconite, former Beacon Councilperson, and current Newburgh resident, Ali T. Muhammad, speaks about supporting each other.
Little friends encouraging each other to speak about human rights in Palestine.
A little boy makes simple demands on the steps of Rep. Sean Maloney’s Newburgh office.
A speaker encourages people to continue spreading the word about Palestine.
Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, launched in 1969 by legendary folk singer and activist Pete Seeger, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater has been at the forefront of the environmental movement as a champion of the Hudson River. Clearwater has been one of the leading organizations advocating for and monitoring the closing of Indian Point, which is entering into the decommissioning phase.
Regarding the sale, Governor Andrew Cuomo stated: "As Governor and previously as Attorney General, I have been deeply concerned with the safety of the Indian Point nuclear power facility given its proximity to some of the most densely populated areas in the nation. This is a win for the health and safety of New Yorkers, and the protection of our environment."
The sale of Indian Point to Holtec comes with a number of requirements, some of which are reported on at lohud. New York State’s Department of Public Service stated that an Indian Point Nuclear Decommissioning Oversight Board would be formed as part of the deal. According to reporting, Holtec, which is based in New Jersey, “wants to build an interim underground repository in the New Mexico desert for the 83,000 metric tons of nuclear waste stored at power plants across the U.S.”
To keep the pressure on the Decommissioning Board, Clearwater issued the following press release on Friday, May 21, 2021:
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The recent announcement that the New York State Public Service Commission (PSC) approved the transfer of Indian Point’s licenses to Holtec International makes it urgent that the Commission convene a Decommissioning Oversight Board (DOB) immediately to review the company’s decommissioning plans.
The DOB should be comprised of all State agencies with jurisdiction over various aspects of decommissioning, together with independent scientists and experts in relevant fields, and a diverse group of representatives of affected communities, including environmental justice communities, environmental and citizens’ groups, business, labor, and first responders.
It’s important for the DOB to meet now, with its first order of business being to review Holtec's proposed Post-Shutdown Activities Report – their actual plan for:
Decommissioning
Site remediation
Radioactive waste management.
The plan is deficient in many respects and the DOB will need to get ahead of the many thorny problems that Holtec’s approach raises. Board members must have adequate time to study these issues thoroughly, and the DOB must submit its recommendations before PSC takes any action on it.
The PSC approved the license transfer subject to an agreement jointly negotiated by the state of New York, environmental organizations, Entergy (the former license holder) and Holtec.
Clearwater opposed the license transfer given Holtec’s problematic track record and lack of qualifications. While the joint agreement improves the prospects for a financially and environmentally responsible decommissioning process, it fails to adequately address many of our questions and concerns about Holtec’s plans. These include
Removal of spent fuel from the fuel pools less than 3 years before it has cooled sufficiently to move (especially high burn-up fuel, which requires 7 or more years of cooling)
The lack of rigorous onsite and offsite radiation monitoring needed to protect workers and the surrounding community
Superficial remediation of soils contaminated with radioactivity
No remediation of radioactivity leaking into the groundwater and the Hudson
Serious quality assurance, performance and safety problems with Holtec’s dry storage system for spent fuel
Holtec’s intention to ship high-level radioactive waste (which may include highly irradiated spent fuel) by barge down the Hudson, past New York City, to its consolidated interim storage facilities in New Mexico.
These and other issues related to Indian Point decommissioning raise serious safety concerns calling for diligent examination by the DOB. At the federal level, Nuclear Regulatory Commission oversight has been extremely lax, granting exemptions on request and effectively rubber stamping whatever Holtec proposed whether or not it violated existing regulation, or in some cases, existing law. These important issues need review by the DOB before Holtec resolves them on its own terms. We call on the PSC to empanel the DOB now and convene its first meeting quickly.
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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.
Sounding of Taps, by Dani Masterson
Memorial Day Ceremonies in Beacon:
