Ice This Time :: Retail Therapy Guide 2/5/2022
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HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL
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Ice Storm Pelts Dutchess County - Covers Beacon In Sheet Of Ice
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Those who have school-age children and enjoy making predictions on when there will be a snow day closure may have taken particular satisfaction in this Friday Snow Day (two weeks ago Thursday was a snow day as well). Yesterday (Thursday) was predicted to rain all day, with temperatures dropping overnight, leading to pelting freezing rain for the entire Friday. The Beacon City School District (BCSD) called the snow day Thursday evening, with a reminder Friday morning.
Horrors! Ice froze trash cans shut. Parked cars were sealed in a shell of ice.
Beacon was covered in ice. No school bus would be out in it. Dutchess County public transportation was running, and Beacon’s Post Office workers were once again out in their snow gear delivering the mail by hand. All Sport in Fishkill announced a delayed opening, and then an early closure. The Family Justice Center in Newburgh announced a delayed opening for 11am, and then gave up and told employees to work remote.
Anyone who didn’t get their piles of snow from the street or corners saw it frozen back into place as the sleet covered it in freeze mode. Central Hudson kept customers informed by email, Twitter and Instagram, showing footage of iced-over trees completely falling over under the weight of the ice, snapping power lines as they went.
Central Hudson posted photos of fallen trees. Here is a video of trees falling.
Photo Credit: Central Hudson
According to Central Hudson: “Locally, as of 8:30 a.m. on Friday, approximately 31,000 Central Hudson customers were without power with the majority of outages located in Ulster County. With sleet, freezing rain and wintry weather are expected to continue into the afternoon, additional outages are expected to occur during the day. Restoration activities are expected to extend into Saturday and possibly Sunday.”
This number rose to 50,550 homes without power by the afternoon. ALBB’s own Program Manager, Teslie Andrade, was without power in Newburgh until 4:30pm. Mutual aid was requested from Indiana, northern Pennsylvania and upstate New York to arrive to assist, with more possibly on the way. In total, Central Hudson expects to have a field force of more than 400 line and tree professionals.
With freezing conditions, pipes in homes are bound to freeze and then could burst, causing a big, expensive mess. People are encouraged to drip their faucets if they lose power, run out of oil to heat their homes, or generally risk an area being too cold to insulate the pipes.
Central Hudson tweeted tips today on how to prevent freezing pipes.
3 New Black Owned Businesses Added To ALBB's Business Directory During Black History Month
/Because it’s Black History Month every day, A Little Beacon Blog has added 3 new Black Owned Businesses to our Business Directory! Max’s Beacon Fade and Shave across from Key Food; the hyper to detail auto detailing service Speechless New York; and the paint event destination Zhane’s Palette currently mobile and in the Poughkeepsie Underwear Factory.
For a good dose of entrepreneurial history, read out the building featured in our Black Owned Businesses logo Perry Cross for Hyacinth Marketing Group . Enjoy!
Beacon Fade & Shave Barbershop
Owned by Max, this barbershop across from Keyfood is friendly for walk-ins for a fade or haircut for kids and adults. You may see Max’s young family in there with him as locals line the chairs, waiting their turn. Notice the art on the walls, as is part of Max’s collection. If you play the guitar, you may feel inclined to strum one in the corner.
Zhane’s Palette
“Join us as we continue to Celebrate everything with PAINT virtually and on location. We happily host Birthday Parties for (All Ages), Date Night, Girls Night, Company Events, Social Organizations, Sorority Events, Fundraisers or a private session just for YOU. At Zhane's Palette, its always your ART, your PARTY & your FUN!”
Speechless New York
“Speechless New York is a locally owned and operated business located in Dutchess County, NY. Like most entrepreneurs, they offer many things! Mainly, they are know the most for their impecable car detailing. With over 20 years in the business, working directly with the largest names in the auto industry. Our work is well known to many of the locals. We offer Auto Detailing & Restoration packages to fit ALL budgets.”
Public Input Wanted For Federally Funded Transportation Investments By Dutchess County Transportation Council
/Press Release From the Dutchess County Transportation Council
ALBB Editor’s Note: Formatting has been added for ease of reading.
Mr. Mark Debald
Transportation Program Administrator
845.486.3600
The Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC) is pleased to announce it has opened a 30-day public comment period for its Draft Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP): the DCTC’s annual work plan that identifies the federally funded planning activities it will undertake for the upcoming State Fiscal Year.
The Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) includes:
descriptions of planning tasks and resulting products
a schedule for completing tasks
the cost of the work
funding sources and the organizations working on each task.
For the new program, the Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC) will start several new studies to include a vulnerability (resiliency) assessment of the transportation system and local pedestrian planning studies in Dover, Poughkeepsie and Rhinebeck.
The Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC) will also work on a new capital program (Transportation Improvement Program-TIP) to allocate federal highway and transit funding for state, county and local projects throughout the county. The majority of funding for these tasks will come from federal sources.
How To Comment And Participate
Comments are welcome through February 28, 2022 and can be submitted by email to dctc@dutchessny.gov, by phone at (845) 486-3600 or by mail to DCTC, 85 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 107, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601. Please visit the DCTC website for more information: www.dutchessny.gov/dctc.
About The DCTC
Established in 1982, the DCTC serves as the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Dutchess County. Federal regulations require that Urbanized Areas (U.S. Census defined metropolitan areas with over 50,000 people) be represented by a MPO, which is responsible for ensuring that Federal highway and transit funds are committed through a locally driven, comprehensive planning process. The DCTC includes representatives from local municipalities, the New York State Department of Transportation, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
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HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL
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The Bannerman Island Gallery Fine Art Holiday Exhibition
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL
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Newburgh All City-Wide Basketball League Holds First Championship
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The basketball program, All City-Wide Basketball League (ACWBL) has grown in popularity since renaming this past year. Their championship is January 23, 2022, and new registration opens for the next season.
Photo Credit: All City-Wide Basketball League
From the desk of Ali T. Muhammad, who has been co-running basketball and other youth programming at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center, and Executive Director Nancy Proyect, the following press release shares details of an upcoming youth basketball championship and new season registration opportunity:
The Newburgh Armory Unity Center will hold its All City-Wide Basketball League (ACWBL) championship on Sunday, January 23rd, beginning at 11 AM.
Photo Credit: All City-Wide Basektball League
The ACWBL is co-ed and includes two divisions – one for youth aged 9-11 and for children aged 11-13. The League is part of the Newburgh Armory Unity Center’s athletic and academic programming and is free of all costs to families.
In 2021, Mr. Harold Rayford, a lifelong resident of Newburgh and a well-respected basketball coach, leads the new basketball league. His volunteer coaches brought their talents and longstanding basketball knowledge, experience, and insight to the Newburgh Armory Unity Center.
Since this program’s inception, the Newburgh Armory Unity Center’s Saturday Morning Enrichment Program has seen an uptick in enrollment and increased diversity within all programming. “We decided to name the new League ‘All City-Wide’ so people from throughout Newburgh would recognize they are all welcome at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center, no matter who they are and on what side of Newburgh they live,” said Coach Rayford. “I’m thrilled to say it’s worked. We have people from all over the area and from different ethnicities in the League.”
Mr. William Kaplan, Newburgh Armory Unity Center Founder and Chairman of the Board, said he is thrilled to join the new league a full line up of athletic and academic programming. “Having a seasoned coach and living legend like Coach Rayford at the Newburgh Armory Unity Center provides our youth with a dedicated team that can uniquely assist in improving the skills and lives of young athletes in Newburgh.” Mr. Kaplan added that the new basketball league feeds directly into the Newburgh Armory Unity Center’s goal of serving as a community center. “When I opened the Unity Center eleven years ago, my vision was to create a safe place for the youth of Newburgh to play basketball. Since inception, we’ve grown into a premier educational enrichment center, and it’s wonderful to be able to fulfill this original mission.”
New Winter Registration Opportunity
Following this weekend’s championship, Coach Rayford will hold registration and tryouts for the Newburgh Armory Unity Center’s ACWBL Winter Basketball League for 9-13-year-old youth beginning in mid-February. For dates and times, please visit the Newburgh Armory Unity Center’s website at www.newburgharmory.org or the Newburgh Armory Unity Center’s Facebook page and Instagram account, or call 845-245-4035 or email Program Registration contact Diana Bernal at DBernal@newburgharmory.org
About The Newburgh Armory
The Newburgh Armory Unity Center (NAUC) has been changing young lives since 2010. Using the concept of learning through play, the NAUC provides free educational programming from literacy classes to career path exploration, all aimed at ending poverty and eliminating the need for educational remediation. During the Unity Center’s signature Saturday Morning Enrichment Program, children in pre-k through sixth grade participate in reading, writing, math, engineering, natural science, computer science, and the arts to develop the scholastic ability, life skills, and emotional intelligence. After-school programs offer additional opportunities for educational enrichment. The NAUC also offers sports programming to provide skills and increase development, as well as to introduce leadership skills and team building. NAUC operates 52 weeks per year to ensure that children and their families always have a place to learn, enjoy themselves, and be a part of a community.
Beacon's First HR Director Resigns After 1.5 Years In Position: Instrumental In Bringing Firearm, Diversity, Etc. Policies
/Beacon’s first HR Director, Gina Basile, has resigned after one and a half years in the position. The position which started in July 2020 was originally shared between Fishkill and Beacon. Previously, she spent a number of years with the New York State Bridge Authority.
“I have heard employee concerns about discrimination, inequality, and growing tensions,” Gina stated in her printed presentation. “We need to address these issues head-on, and policies and procedures are only the beginning. We need a long-term plan on how to address these issues.””
Then City Councilmembers including Terry Nelson expressed relief at hiring an HR Director to help with employment issues. Some issues include the ongoing employment issue the City is pursuing with Reuben Simmons in the Highway Department, which began with City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero, who has since resigned to work for Dutchess County. Anthony was replaced by current City Administrator Chris White.
During her first public presentation to the City Council on December 14, 2020, Gina mentioned “many discussions with our employees about how they feel about working for the City,” ALBB reported at the time. At that time, she also met with the community group Beacon4Black Lives.
After holding a Meet and Greet with all department heads individually, she scheduled a Meet and Greet with the Fire Department, which needed to be rescheduled due to COVID-19-related issues. Gina held a Meet and Greet with the Highway Department, which is where she began her focus to discover overall themes employees experience when working for the City.
According to Gina’s presentation, several themes emerged, including:
“Concerns surrounding diversity and equality.”
“Concerns regarding our Hiring Practices.”
“Growing Tensions in the Workplace.”
“Lack of clarity in intra-departmental policies and inconsistency.”
Gina confirmed: “I have heard employee concerns about discrimination, inequality, and growing tensions,” Gina stated in her printed presentation. “We need to address these issues head-on, and policies and procedures are only the beginning. We need a long-term plan on how to address these issues.”
A few of Gina’s next public steps were to introduce new policies that the City of Beacon had not had before, including a Firearms Policy, Domestic Violence Policy and Diversity and Inclusion Policy. While some City Councilmembers expressed surprise that anyone would bring a firearm to work, they assumed it occurred in the police department. However, there has been an unreported instance of an employee casually bringing a firearm to work in another department, during a time of increased employment tension.
Gina has accepted the position of Talent Acquisition Manager at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. Gina had also served on the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Town of Hyde Park, according to her LinkedIn.
During Employment Shortage, City Of Beacon Puts Highway Department On Unpaid Admin Leave
/In 2021, the City of Beacon put a willing and able Highway Department employee on unpaid administrative leave while the City Administrator Chris White spent taxpayer dollars in attorney fees to try to terminate him. Reuben Simmons earned a salary of around $50,452, and was put on two unpaid admin leaves, and two paid admin leaves that year.
This is as per union rules as Reuben understands them, when an employee is presented with a discipline, the City can give up to 30 days suspension without pay, after which the employee is placed back on payroll while the arbitration process continues. Reuben has been served with 2 disciplines totaling 60 days over a course of at least 8 hearings with the City and their attorneys, for a total of possibly over $110,000 for “Employee Discipline" that was reallocated in the budget over the course of two City Council Meetings.
Reuben has worked for the City of Beacon in the Highway Department since 2002, where he started in the Summer Help position. He worked his way up to Laborer, then Maintenance Worker. During that time, he was appointed Union President for the City of Beacon CSEA Local 814 Unit 6662.
In 2017, Reuben was appointed Highway Superintendent, the lead position in that department, by then Mayor Randy Casale, with the support of then City Administrator, Anthony Ruggiero. In 2018, Dutchess County reached out to the City of Beacon to let the City know that the job title was incorrect, and that Superintendent of Streets was the proper title, but required a different Civil Service exam to qualify for the position. Fellow employee Michael “Micki” Manzi qualified for the test, and replaced Reuben as Superintendent of Streets. All of the people mentioned here except Reuben are white. To this day, the job title is stated on the City of Beacon’s website as Highway Superintendent.
During this transition under the management of then City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero, Reuben was not given the opportunity to take the required Civil Service exam in order to accept or maintain his job position of Highway Superintendent. Extending this opportunity to someone in an existing role is not unheard of in the City of Beacon. Listen to Reuben tell it in his own words on the “Wait, What Is That?” podcast.
For example: at the 5/17/2021 City Council Meeting, current City Administrator Chris White announced that longtime Water Department employee Ed Balicki, who is white, would become Superintendent of Water and Sewers. “We are moving Ed to the proper title,” explained City Administrator White to the City Council at that meeting. “Ed will have to take a Civil Service Exam…We don't think there will be any issue.” Ed passed the exam, and was re-titled.
In Reuben’s case, he was stripped of his title, and demoted back down to Maintenance Worker, then promoted to Working Supervisor, and demoted to Maintenance Worker within a 2 year period. During the first week of January 2021, he was placed on his first round of unpaid leave, and the order of City Administrator Chris, accompanied by a stack of charges against him signed by City Administrator Chris, which ALBB did see documentation of. These charges amounted to lists of generalities of what intersections Reuben was accused of not doing work, returning late from lunch, and an auto accident that Reuben reported to his supervisor Michael Manzi by way of announcing it on the Highway Department radio, and again in a later discussion, according to Reuben.
Auto accidents are not uncommon in the Highway Department, or other departments within the City of Beacon where vehicles are driving by city employees. What is not disclosed by the City of Beacon is when these auto accidents happen, and if they are reported. For example, the public is not informed of when the new Highway Garage gets a dent in a garage door,, for instance, or if an employee did get into a fender bender, and if that incident got reported or not. Additionally, the public is not regularly informed when an employee resigns or is fired, but the public is informed of each new hire when that employee is presented to the City Council the night of a vote to hire them.
Recently, two employees of the administration resigned, which were announced during City Council Meetings: Beacon’s first HR Director, Gina Basile, who left after a year and seven months on the job, according to her LinkedIn, and the Mayor’s Assistant, Collin Milone.
Gina was tasked with reviewing the Highway Department’s work atmosphere, and found it to be troubled: “Beacon’s New HR Director Hears From City Employees About Discrimination, Inequality, Growing Tensions; Suggests Solutions; Begins With Highway Department.”
Shortly thereafter, a Diversity and Inclusions Statement was presented and passed in the City of Beacon, when then City Councilmember Air Nonken Rhodes stated: “This isn’t lip service.”
The City of Beacon has hosted at least 8 hearings against Reuben in 2021, which involve the city’s labor attorney and an arbitrator. During the 8th meeting, the City of Beacon actively closed the meeting to the media, by requesting that ALBB leave the call (ALBB was sent an invite to the hearing via Zoom by the arbitrator at Reuben’s request). The city attorney stated that the meeting was closed, and that Reuben had wanted it closed. Reuben denied that, stating that he wanted the hearings open to the public from the beginning, and then stated it again in an article on ALBB.
During this time, In 2021 alone, the City of Beacon under the direction of City Administrator Chris has made two transfers to cover unplanned costs from unrelated areas of the budget to another area of the budget called “Employee Discipline,” bringing that unbudgeted total to over $110,000.
Reuben was put on unpaid leave in January 2021 for a 30 day period, followed by a second 30 day unpaid leave period for disciplinary reasons. The City of Beacon has not made public what those disciplinary reasons are (though ALBB has seen the first stack of the vague charges), or why they have spent so much money for a willing and able Highway Department employee to not work for over a year, during a national labor shortage. During the summer of 2021, the City of Beacon could not completely fill the 6 Summer Jobs it seasonally fills to fill its department.
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HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL
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MLK Movie Marathon Recommendations - Plus Podcasts & Instagrams To Follow
/It’s going to be cold out there, Beaconites. It might even be snowing! A few years ago, pre-pandemic, it was sleeting. The luck of Winter weather and disease has not been with the South Dutchess Coalition for their annual MLK Birthday Celebration and Parade, now in its 44th year. The parade and celebration that is usually inside of the Springfield Baptist Church is canceled this year, but your Dr. Martin Luther King education and inspiration continues!
A Little Beacon Blog reached out to Brandon Lillard, a founding member of I Am Beacon and my (Katie’s) co-host at ALBB’s sister podcast, “Wait, What Is That?” While Brandon is eagerly awaiting the birth of their 2nd child, he sent over his movie recommendations for your movie marathon long weekend.
Do read this article at the History Channel that covers the oppression of African American people’s right to vote, and the battle to throw that burden and gaslighting off via the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Voting Rights Act of 1965. According to the article: “After the Civil War, the 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, prohibited states from denying a male citizen the right to vote based on “race, color or previous condition of servitude.” Nevertheless, in the ensuing decades, various discriminatory practices were used to prevent African Americans, particularly those in the South, from exercising their right to vote.”
This suppression included presenting a Black voter with a literacy test, or requirement to recite parts of legislation.
Here are Brandon’s recommendations:
Selma (2014)
From Parade Magazine’s recommendation of this movie: “Ava Duvernay’s Selma was a huge success and won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture, amongst many others. The historical drama centers on King Jr. as a key figure, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the fight for suffrage, the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. But most prominently, Selma chronicles the history-altering march that was led by King.”
Photo Credit: HBO
King In The Wilderness (2018)
From HBO: “King in the Wilderness chronicles the final chapters of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life, revealing a conflicted leader who faced an onslaught of criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. While the Black Power movement saw his nonviolence as weakness, and President Lyndon B. Johnson saw his anti-Vietnam War speeches as irresponsible, Dr. King’s unyielding belief in peaceful protest became a testing point for a nation on the brink of chaos.
“Dr. King’s leadership during the bus boycotts, the sit-ins and the historic Selma to Montgomery marches is now legendary, but much of what happened afterward – during the last three years of his life – is rarely discussed. It’s a time when Dr. King said his dream “turned into a nightmare.” From the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 to his assassination in 1968, King remained unshakably committed to nonviolence in the face of an increasingly unstable country.
“The documentary debuted at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and is directed by Peter Kunhardt (HBO’s Emmy-winning Jim: The James Foley Story). Drawing on conversations with those who knew Dr. King well, including many fellow members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), King in the Wilderness reveals stirring new perspectives on Dr. King’s character, his radical doctrine of nonviolence and his internal philosophical struggles prior to his assassination in 1968. The documentary also features archival footage, behind-the-scenes video of Dr. King’s private moments, intimate archival photographs and phone conversations recorded by President Johnson, who was both ally and adversary in King’s fight for civil rights.”
The Boy King (1986)
From Parade Magazine’s recommendation of this movie: “Directed by Billy J. Parrot, The Boy King highlights a part of King’s life that is rarely showcased: his childhood. This drama shares some of the early forms of discrimination that King encountered and how it shaped him for his future. It shows how the loving and nurturing home environment that he was cultivated in shaped his ideologies.”
Not sure how to watch this one at moment. Will inquire with library.
Katie is curious about:
Photo Credit: Lifetime
Betty and Coretta (2013)
From Parade Magazine’s recommendation of this movie: “While we often see the men of the Civil Rights era highlighted, under the direction of Yves Simoneau, Betty and Coretta provides a depiction of the friendship between Coretta Scott King and Dr. Betty Shabazz (married to Malcom X) that developed after their husbands were assassinated. Starring Angela Bassett and Mary J. Blige as Scott King and Shabazz, respectively, this television movie showcases the inner strength and dignity of the women who were right there alongside their husbands in their fight for equality and civil rights in the Civil rights era. This movie is a tribute to these two beautiful and intelligent women, and how they continued to raise their families and fight for activism after their husband’s deaths.”
Podcasts
MINORITY KORNER
So good! A must-listen to stay up to date on many cultural corners from different perspectives. Description of the show, by the show: “Are you easily confused by terms like cultural appropriation, cisgender, toxic masculinity, twunk, queer, black girl magic, and woke? Or maybe you’re tired of explaining terms like these and you need a community that gets you! Welcome to Minority Korner, where we take an introspective look at the world. through an intersectional lens. Join James: a queer, political, comedian, self proclaimed, sexy blerd (that’s Black Nerd) and each week he’s joined in the Korner by another fabulous minority tackling pop culture, the news, media, and history all with a little self care, and self love sprinkled throughout! It’s time to Learn, Laugh, and Play, right here at Minority Korner- because together: we’re the majority!”
Listen Now >
Photo Credit: Black Girl Nerds
BLACK GIRL NERDS
From movies to comics to authors to finance, Black Girl Nerds is a refreshing and energetic listen that you need in your week. From the show: “Black Girl Nerds is an online publication and multimedia space that is the intersection of geek culture and Black feminism. I named this site Black Girl Nerds because the concept of Black women as geeky-dorky beings is somewhat of an anomaly. It’s against the order of things in the “Black Girl” world. We represent a wide array of diverse women who embrace all cultures and refuse to conform to the status quo.
“This community does not have an exclusionary purpose. The term “Black Girl Nerd” is not intended to be derogatory nor is it racially biased. It is a term of endearment to all women like me who have been attached to a stigma that is not an accurate representation of my personality or my idiosyncratic behaviors. This is a website for every nerdy girl that can finally come out of the closet and tell the world that they are PROUD to be who they are—no matter what anyone says, does, or think.”
Local Instagram Accounts To Follow And Read
Plenty of enriching Instagram accounts are at your fingertips to tap and read. Start with a few of these:
@YellowSwagger: Justice McCray, founding member of Beacon4Black Lives, Desmond-Fish Library employee, past Beacon Library Employee, and current Beacon City Council Member. “Fight for justice, even when it doesn’t serve you. Believe in love that is out of anyone’s control. And then risk everything for it.”
@AliTawfiqMuhammad: Ali Tawfiq Muhammad, past Beacon City Council Member, current resident of Newburgh. Organizer of several initiatives involving politics and youth. Co-Organizer of the march to Free Palestine in Newburgh. “Advocating for community development (CHANGE) through civic engagement since 2003 - I am a champion for human rights, serving differently on purpose.
@BLMHudsonValley: Posting news and quotes to motivate, change and grow minds.
@Beacon4BlackLives: A major change-making group that started in Beacon during the Black lives movement that started in 2020. Organizers of several marches down Main Street and open-mic story sharing sessions, which resulted in several stories being shared by Black neighbors who emerged as leaders, and even a white Beacon police officer. “B4BL is a grassroots organization dedicated to fighting violence & systemic racism against Black people in our community.”
@ToMyOldRacistEarth: Moraya Seeger DeGeare, a certified couples therapist utilizing Emotionally Focused Therapy. Moraya is a grandaughter of Pete and Toshi Seeger. Pete partnered with the Southern Dutchess Coalition to begin the MLK Parade in Beacon. “It’s time we TALK about systemic issues with our kids & create ART as we do.”
Southern Dutchess Coaltion's MLK Birthday Celebration Canceled - Desmond-Fish Library Hosts Online Options
/The Southern Dutchess Coalition has announced their cancellation of their 44th Annual MLK Birthday Celebration in Beacon, as well as the Dr. King Parade, scheduled for January 17th. The Southern Dutchess Coalition said in a statement that new dates for both events will be announced.
The winners of the Annual Student MLK Essay Contest have been chosen, and will be announced soon, the Southern Dutchess Coalition said in their event statement. They encourage everyone to stay safe and to broaden knowledge about Dr. King through social media, movies and books.
Online MLK Events To Attend From Desmond-Fish Library
In neighboring Garrison and Cold Spring, there are online options to attend produced in partnership with the Desmond-Fish Library:
Mediation in Our Divided Society
GARRISON
DAY: Sunday January 16, 2022
TIME: 4 p.m. Via Crowdcast
LINK: bit.ly/mlkjan16
In honor of Martin Luther King Jr., Tajaé Gaynor, author of On Mediation: Creating Bonds of Tranquility in a World That Often Thrives on Calamity, will discuss mediation as a path to peaceful resolutions and civil rights. The event is being hosted by the Desmond-Fish Public Library, and trustee Erik Brown will lead the discussion. Register online.
Documentary Discussion
COLD SPRING
DAY: Monday, January 17, 2022
TIME: 7 p.m. Via Zoom
LINK: butterfieldlibrary.org/calendar
This discussion will center on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: A Historical Perspective, which can be streamed free at kanopy.com by entering your Butterfield or Desmond-Fish library card number. Register onlin
Family Concert
GARRISON
DAY: Monday, January 17, 2022
TIME: 7 p.m. Via Crowdcast
LINK: bit.ly/mlkconcertJan17
Goldee Greene and Tom McCoy will perform songs of harmony, strife and spirit by Stevie Wonder, Bessie Smith, Eubie Blake, George Frederick Handel and others in this celebration of Dr. Kinghosted by the Desmond-Fish Public Library. Register online.
Two Incidents Of Beacon Deaths Not Included In Beacon Police Blotter Submitted To Media
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At least two incidents that happened in Beacon in December 2021 involving violent death and several witnesses were not included the Police Blotter submitted by the Beacon Police Department to the Highlands Current, a weekly newspaper that covers Philipstown (Cold Spring) and Beacon.
Those incidents were: the stabbing of local “Scout” Rene Vivo on Christmas Day 12/25/2021 who later died, and the traffic accident on Teller Avenue and Main Street where a Jeep was turning left onto Teller Avenue from Main Street and struck a spritely grandmother and local, Carla Giuffrida, who later died. The blotter for the month of December reportedly included 535 calls, a few of which newspapers like the Highlands Current reprint.
The City of Beacon’s Daily Police Blotter that has not been updated since 11/7/2021. Last checked: 1/10/2022.
The Beacon Free Press used to publish in print select items from Beacon’s Police Blotter, but has not recently. The Highlands Current does publish the blotter digitally on their website, which you can find by doing a search for “blotter” on their website. The City of Beacon claims to publish a Daily Police Blotter, but it has not been updated since November 7, 2021.
To introduce their second article on the killing in the paper’s member newsletter, Editor Chip Rowe mentioned new news about the incident: “This week we have news of a homicide on Main Street in Beacon on Christmas Day (and the difficulty we've had getting any information about it from the police).”
When A Little Beacon Blog inquired to Chip about the new news, which involved a report of a previously unofficial assault (yet highly rumored incident) on 12/15/2021 revealed in the December 2021 Police Blotter submitted to the newspaper, he said that he had opened the Police Blotter emailed to him by the Police Department shortly after the Friday 1/7/2022 issue went to press. The 12/15/2021 assault was not included in the print edition of the newspaper, but was added to the digital version.
The blotter item for 12/15/2021 read: “Rene Vivo, 65, of Beacon, was charged with second-degree assault after an incident on Main Street.”
The description did not include if the assault was in response to any action, such as an act of defense, or if Rene was being followed and acted in self defense after being attacked, or any details about who the assault was done to.
The Highlands Current article included a memorial piece for a victim, “Scout” Rene Vivo, which included a list of dates covering information that was released by the Beacon Police Department regarding that stabbing days after the incident occurred. The Beacon Police Department made a public announcement about Scout’s stabbing on 12/30/2021, one day after ALBB published an article about the incident on 12/29/2021.
After noting that two major events were missing from the blotter of 535 calls, the curated blotter article published by the Highlands Current was edited to read: “Editor’s note: The information here is provided to The Current by the Beacon Police Department. It may not be complete; although state law treats police blotter records as public records, with some narrow exceptions, the department removed information about at least two serious incidents from the December blotter at its discretion. It may have removed items from past blotters, as well.” The editor then noted that the omitted incidents they are aware of had been added to the list, using brackets to set them apart.
A Little Beacon Blog has emailed Beacon Police Chief Sands Frost, City Administrator Chris White and Lieutenant Tom Figlia seeking a response from any of them as to why an item would be omitted from the police blotter submitted to a media outlet. As of this publishing, no response was given.
Said Kristin O’Neill, Assistant Director of the New York State Committee on Open Government, when asked by ALBB about police blotter legislation: "The Freedom of Information Law governs access to all government records and does not specifically address the availability of specific types of records. There is no law of which I am aware that requires that police blotter information be proactively disclosed. You may need to submit FOIL requests on a regular basis in order to receive all reports."
The Highlands Current submitted a FOIL request for a police report on the stabbing, and reported: “On Wednesday (Jan. 5), the department denied a Freedom of Information Law request for the police report on the [12/25/2021 “Scout” Rene Vivo] incident from The Current 29 minutes after it was submitted.
It is unknown if these incidents resulted in an open investigation, then perhaps they would not be included in the blotter. However, Mayor Kyriacou confirmed the stabbing incident to Mid Hudson News days after the event. The newspaper later deleted the article and his confirmation. Witnesses were at the scene of the traffic accident on Main Street and Teller Avenue earlier in the month. The police report for that incident has taken at least one month to be made available, according to people familiar with the investigation.
It is unknown how many open investigations there are total, and if those incidents were included in any blotter submitted to the media.
As of 12/23/2021, when ALBB inquired about the traffic accident involving the 11 year girl who was hit by a car while on her bike coming home from school crossing Verplanck and Matteawan that happened on 12/20/2021 (and was included in the December 2021 blotter), ALBB received this response from Lieutenant Figlia: “Sorry for delay in getting back to you. Going forward, please make any requests for information through the City Administrator’s Office.” ALBB has not received a response from the City Administrator’s Office since forwarding the emailed questions to City Administrator Chris White. Months ago, the City Administrator has also directed Beacon’s Parks and Recreation Director to not answer questions from ALBB. The City Administrator has not answered dozens of questions from ALBB since he was hired.
The two items added to the published blotter at the Highlands Current are as follows:
[A pedestrian was struck by a car at Main Street and Teller Avenue and later died.] This was the pedestrian, Carla Giuffrida, 75 who was struck by a Jeep turning left from Main Street onto Teller Avenue on Wednesday, December 1, 2021.
[A Beacon man was stabbed during an assault and later died at the hospital. He was later identified as Rene Vivo, 65]. This was “Scout” Rene Vivo, 65, who was stabbed on Saturday, December 25, 2021 and later died.
For the traffic accident involving Carla Giuffrida, the police report remained open and was not released to the public at least by the end of December. The Highlands Current had submitted a FOIL for it by mid-December and was denied. Sources familiar with the investigation confirmed that the police report had not been made public by the fourth week of December.
A car vs pedestrian accident involving an 11 year old girl being hit by a car on her bike while crossing Verplanck at Matteawan on Monday, December 20, 2021 was in the original police blotter submitted to the newspaper. According to sources familiar with the investigation, that police report had not been made public by January 5, 2021.
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HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL
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Rene "Scout" Vivo Celebration Of Life/Funeral Details Shared By His Family For Beaconites
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“Scout” Rene Vivo (left) pictured with his sister Iris Colon. This wolf flyer designed by his niece Selaine Garcia.
CELEBRATION OF LIFE / FUNERAL
FOR “SCOUT” RENE VIVO
Where: Libby’s Funeral Home, 55 Teller Avenue
When: Sunday, January 9, 2022
Time: 1-4pm and 6-8pm
I never expected to hold part of Rene’s passing of life in my hands. I did not know his family name, nor his neighborhood name until after he died. He was a resolute walker around Beacon - his trail-making keeping time with Beacon as I know it. Without him, without seeing him walking on a regular basis, Beacon would not be what it is.
If he were to disappear - to not be here - a number of things could have happened. Maybe he didn’t live here. Maybe he found a better life somewhere else. Maybe he moved. Maybe he got adopted by some government services somewhere.
But none of those things happened. Instead, the man most people knew as a vision met his end on the streets of Beacon, at the hands of another, in broad daylight on Christmas Day, when not very many people were out. Rumors started. I received a text from a friend days later, asking if I knew anything about a stabbing incident, and that the person may have been Native American. I had not heard, I texted the friend, and went about my unboxing of Xmas gifts. The next day, readers of A Little Beacon Blog wrote in to ask the same question.
I’m not really on Facebook. So any chatter, I had not seen. Sensing something was wrong, I put my coat on and started pounding the pavement. If this happened, I needed to speak to people who may have been familiar with who I thought this may have happened to, if what people were saying was true.
There was no update on the Beacon Police Department Facebook page at the time of ALBB’s original article’s publishing on 12/29/2021. They are newly unresponsive to emails from ALBB anyway, as they were told to direct all questions now to the City Administrator, Chris White, who is also unresponsive - upon his declaration to filter his media responses months ago. On 12/30/2021, the Beacon Police have since put an update on their Facebook saying they are investigating a stabbing on Christmas Day, and to send information to them. Meanwhile, they do have access to video footage from city-owned cameras on Main Street to help in their search.
Upon my inquires, I learned that those who saw Rene on a daily basis had not seen him for days. There were stories of a bottle. Of a knife. Of something happening during the day. And at night. While I was out, another person reached out with information for someone who knew the people who called 911 when they saw Rene laying on the ground in front of their house on South Brett Street.
That would be the last time neighbors saw Rene alive.
Rene had been stabbed, by what the Beacon Police were originally calling a homicide, Mayor Lee Kyriacou confirmed to the Mid Hudson News. But that article has since been deleted, and another one published on a different page that scrubs the Mayor’s name from confirming the situation. However, the article still resides as a shadow in Google search results (pictured below), and the Highlands Current refers to it in their original article.
The Highlands Current reached out to the Mayor for comment when they were writing their article, and reported that they didn’t receive a reply from him. That newspaper usually does receive replies from the Mayor’s Office.
So far, none of the bad news stories that happened in December 2021 are indexing in the search results on the Mid Hudson News website when one does a search for “Beacon.” This would be the train jumper, the bridge jumper, the missing young adult female, the spritely grandmother pedestrian killed by car turning left from Main Street to Teller Avenue, and Rene. Maybe their website is just wonky. It happens. However, the Mid Hudson News is also calling a recent suicide by train as a “trespasser,” when several Beaconites were standing next to him when he jumped. Three suicides that we know about happened in Beacon in December. And one murder.
Who Is “Scout” Rene Vivo”?
Upon publishing my first article of his passing, many people in the community were shook. Some who knew him deeply but did not know his name responded in disbelief. Sadness continued to spread. People who did have a relationship with him began sharing their stories on our social shares and article Comments. Some of those comments have been republished at the bottom of this article.
“Scout” Rene Vivo the man and the soul began emerging. He lived in the apartment complex of Forrestal Heights. He was a Marine. He was a Vietnam Veteran. His family reached out to ALBB. First his niece, Selaine Garcia of Beacon, and then his sister (Selaine’s mother) Iris Colon of Florida. Iris wrote in to say:
“My name is Iris. Rene was my brother. He has 3 sisters that live in the State of Florida! Rene also has nieces and nephews that live right in Beacon. My brother was a person that would help anyone in need, at any time. Rene was a caring, loving person . We are deeply saddened of has happened to him. My family and I are making arrangements which we will share possibly later today. We also will post a picture of my wonderful brother Rene! Thank you! The Vivo family🙏🙏🙏”
Selaine started a GoFundMe page to raise money for Rene’s funeral costs. The family closed the fundraiser after $10,708 was raised. Selaine wrote a note to all of the supporters:
“Good Morning. Today is January 1, 2022. I have been working sleeplessly towards the arrangements for Tio "Scout" Rene. Iris, Ginette (these are my uncles sisters) and I have been working closely with Joe the Funeral Director of Libby Funeral and Cremation Services. Joe has been extremely patient with each one of us in during our time of great pain. We would like to thank each and every one of you. All of you have generously contributed in making this happen. This has not been easy. We had no idea how expensive something like this could be. When making the page, we thought $5,000 would be enough. We quickly found out how wrong we were. We have met the required amount we need to execute the wishes of my uncle, so we are closing the donation part of the GoFundMe page. But, please continue to share your thoughts with me. As I type this to all of you I am crying. I haven't had a chance to grieve the loss of my uncle yet because of how busy I have been concerning these matters. But, Your messages have been a great source of comfort as I read of his walking and nodding. So much being said without even a word. You are allowing me to see my uncle's presence through each of your eyes. Please know that I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You”
Selaine identified Scout’s presence. Why he was important to so many. So respectful. So deep. You just knew it. If you take anything from this, it is how much people can effect people without even a word. Saying “hi” at the very least to everyone is very meaningful.
You’re Invited: The Celebration Of Life Ceremony For “Scout” Rene Vivo
The family of “Scout” Rene Vivo has shared the details of their brother and uncle to be Sunday, January 9, from 1-4pm and again from 6-8pm at Libby’s Funeral Home at 55 Teller Avenue (near Beacon Daily). His sister, Iris Colon, and her daughter (Rene’s niece) Selaine Garcia have connected with A Little Beacon Blog to help share the news.
Said Selaine in their GoFundMe page: “My Uncle was killed on Dec 25th 2021 in Beacon, New York. He was a Marine Veteran who was beloved in the Beacon Community and embraced our Taino culture. We would like to learn more from you how he touched you and your life. He was a quite gentle man. My family and I loved him dearly. We are devastated at the thought of how he may have spent his final moments. As we prepare for my uncles funeral arrangements we would like to invite all of you Beaconites to come and join us in celebrating his life and the love he shared with all of you.
Many people shared about their experiences with Rene on ALBB. One man, Raymond Clary (ZETUCKALA WASHASHA), shared the singing he used to do with Rene. His comment has been republished here as is, with his own punctuation to show emotion: “I also know Scout from powwows and living in Beacon. Just wanted you to know that i sing sometimes with Red Storm Drum and dance Troupe AT POWWOWS IN THE AREA. I have requested that a veterans song and honer song be songs for him. Also prayer and smoke on the wind for his journey. AHO KOLA (((( SORRY NO WORDS FOR GOOD BY )))))) SO GO EASY MY FRIEND”
ALBB connected Ray with the family, and Ray will be saying or singing a prayer at Rene’s Celebration of Life with no drum. He asks that no pictures be taken, as “they are sung as a thank you to the creator,” Ray said.
UPDATE 1/8/2022: The Highlands Current has since published a 2nd article, written by Jeff Simms that is both parts breakdown of what that newspaper has been able to learn, as well as reflection from Jeff’s sources. Said the newspaper’s editor, Chip Rowe, on Friday to newsletter subscribers: “This week we have news of a homicide on Main Street in Beacon on Christmas Day (and the difficulty we've had getting any information about it from the police).”
According to the article, the Highlands Current submitted a FOIL request and was denied: “On Wednesday (Jan. 5), the department denied a Freedom of Information Law request for the police report on the Dec. 25 assault from The Current 29 minutes after it was submitted.”
The article points out that when the Beacon Police did make a statement 5 days after the stabbing, they did not include the victim’s name or that the stabbing was fatal. It was not until after Rene’s obituary was published by Libby Funeral Home that they confirmed to the Highlands Current on January 5 that Rene was the victim they were referring to.
The article goes on to provide a quote they were able to get from Beacon’s Police Chief Sands Frost acknowledging that little information has been provided. According to the article, no arrests have been “announced” as of Thursday 1/6/2022.
The article highlights reflections from Brenda Sims, co-owner of BJs with her mother, who employed Rene and valued him highly as a person and employee; and David Eberle, a Veteran and quiet philanthropist in the area.
Comments By Community Members About Rene
We are republishing some comments made at ALBB’s article, Instagram and Facebook, so they can be read quietly in one place. Do continue to make your comments wherever you would like.
Michelle Rivas·
Dear Iris, I am so sorry for your family’s loss. As you can see from the outpouring from the community, your brother was cared for here. We all knew him as a kind and gentle person. Rene was a regular visitor at the library and we will miss him.
Leah
Iris, I am terribly sorry to learn of Scout’s untimely passing. He was an amazing presence in Beacon. He would often come to my shop to buy sage, and I always through in extra. A gentle giant with an amazing caring soul. May you and your family know he was much loved by many. He was a peaceful soul and whenever you talking with him, you too, would be more at peace. May his kindness and loving soul be always in everyone’s hearts.
Leah,
Heart and Soul Apothecary
Mike Andrews
I can't imagine anyone stabbing a more gentle soul than Scout. Many years ago in really crappy weather, I offered him a ride. He refused. "Nah, man, I like to keep my feet on the ground. Have a great day!" From that moment on I never failed to beep and wave. I've met him many times in the decades since, and he always shook my hand and asked, "How's it going?" So very, very sad.
Lance formerly of Mail n Ship plus Beacon N.Y.
Rene was a good friend and like a brother to me he was always there anytime when you needed him , loved to help anyone in need he talked about one day saving up enough money to buy some land in the Midwest and turn it into a ranch. He loved his community, helped with mayor elections and watchdog groups. Our scout will truly be missed.
Rhonda
Rhonda (formerly Mail N Ship Plus) I met Rene 'Scout' Vivo a little over 20yrs ago. When he came into my family's business Mail N Ship Plus which was located on Main Street in Beacon. He was helping a friend who was running for the local election under the Green Party. From that point we formed a friendship that turned into him being like a brother. There is nothing that he wouldn't do for a person. He was the kindest person. He was a proud Vet & and very proud of his heritage. Always talked about how he wanted to live the ranch life. Our last indepth conversation over the summer he mention plans that involved him getting closer to that dream. He wanted to make sure he had the right phone numbers for me and my brother. I last saw him briefly a few days before the tragic incident and wished him Happy Holidays. If only I knew that would be the last time I would see him. I extend my deepest sympathy to his Family.
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