Enjoy These Final Days Of Leaf Piles :: Retail Therapy Guide 10/17/2023
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16-Year-Old Wounded By Gunshot At Tompkins Avenue and Bank Street On November 10th
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According to a Press Release from the City of Beacon Police Department, a 16-year-old male was shot near the intersection of Tompkins Avenue and Bank Street. This is a neighborhood of ranch-style houses with Victorian houses. This intersection is at the entrance of Tompkins Terrace affordable housing apartment community, and the soon-to-be-completed Edgewater.
This area is known for its bucolic setting, and gun shootings, with at least one resulting in an unsolved murder a few years ago. A more recent incident happened in May 2023, which prompted a resident of the apartment complex, LaStar Gorton, to run for City Council Ward 1. Despite her efforts, LaStar was unable to get onto the ballot after she encountered a series of strange events from Dutchess County Board of Elections and the Chair of the Beacon Democrats.
The Beacon Police Department is seeking information about the shooting. Their Press Release is below:
“On November 10, 2023, at approximately 6pm, the Beacon Police Department received multiple calls for gunshots in the area of Tompkins Avenue and Bank Street near the Tompkins Terrace Apartments. Upon arrival, at the start of the investigation, officers located a crime scene and 16-year-old male victim with a superficial gunshot would to his arm. The victim was transported to a local hospital in stable condition. The department is continuing to investigate and due to the nature of the incident further details are not being released at this time. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information that would further the investigation is encouraged to contact the Beacon Police Detective Division by calling 845-831-4111.”
Who Is Responsible For Fixing Broken Traffic Lights - After The 9 Day Broken Crosswalk Signal and Light On The First Day Of School
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The traffic light and crosswalk signals that went out on the first day of school for Beacon City School District kids at the intersection of Mattaewan and Verplanck, which is where cars cross for pickup and drop-off for Middle and High School, was fixed after 9 days. During that time, the City of Beacon Police Department was at the intersection intermittently to aid traffic during pickup and drop-off.
Who is responsible for fixing the traffic lights in Beacon? Beacon’s City Administrator Chris White explained to ALBB, which included why he said the repair took so long:
“The City has a contract with an electrician who repairs traffic lights when they malfunction. When this light stopped working properly, they investigated and required a new part for the control panel, which has been ordered. Until the part comes in and the light repaired, a police officer or highway department staff will serve as a crossing guard for the intersection during the morning and afternoon peaks for school traffic.”
To read about what it was like discovering the traffic light was broken during the high pique of traffic, read this poem, "Double Red Light Broken :: A Morning Of Kid Drop-off On Repeat, Until..."
NAACP and Poughkeepsie Strike Down Law Making It Unlawful To Ride Bikes Not Registered With Police Department
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Top Photo: Barrington R. Atkins: Northern Dutchess Branch President
Bottom Photo: Members of the Northern Dutchess Branch and Members of the City of Poughkeepsie Common Council
PHoto Credit: Northern Dutchess NAACP
From the Press Release Issued By Northern Dutchess NAACP:
“On November 6th, legislation proposed by The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Northern Dutchess Branch, was unanimously sponsored and passed by the City of Poughkeepsie Common Council. The legislation struck down a 50-year-old ordinance making it unlawful to ride bicycles not registered with the police department.
“For hundreds of years, Black people have had their free movement and modes of transportation restricted - by foot, horse, coach, train, trolley, streetcar, bicycle, bus, and automobile. It is no coincidence that these ordinances went into effect in Poughkeepsie in 1973, on the heels of the enormous wins of the civil rights movement and at the advent of the war on drugs; in fact, these bicycle registration ordinances went into effect less than six weeks after the notorious Rockefeller Drug Laws were signed into law.
“In addition to the pretextual nature of such statutes, including controversial Stop & Frisk policies, laws that erect barriers to the free movement of citizens are a part of a concept known as arrested mobility. These can be traced back regionally to the Provincial NY Slave Codes of 1702. Such public policy was resurrected by the Jim Crow South after Reconstruction and was used specifically regarding bicycles by the Nazis in occupied territories, most notably the Netherlands.
“Branch President Barrington R. Atkins said, “It is our duty to dismantle all systems of inequality. Legislative changes such as this send a message to lawmakers and law enforcement that the fight for civil rights is alive and well here in the City of Poughkeepsie. This is a small step toward decriminalizing the daily lives of people of color, and there will be more to come.”
“Branch Vice President Robin Green, who also serves on the Criminal Justice Committee, believes that “While it was a proud moment for this great organization and the legislative effort led by our criminal Justice committee, let us not wait another 50 years for equity and social Justice to be realized for our most basic rights. I believe ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to Justice everywhere,’ as MLK Jr. said. We still have a lot of work to do.”
“Executive Committee member D. Jen Brown, Esq., added, “On Monday, 11/6/23, the City of Poughkeepsie Common Council spoke with one voice to remove a historically discriminatory restriction on the mobility of Poughkeepsie residents. Their vote is a step forward toward a stronger, more unified Poughkeepsie community.”
“From Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycotts of 1955-56 to riding bicycles today in the City of Poughkeepsie, the NAACP is committed to achieving equity, political rights, and social inclusion by advancing policies and practices that expand human and civil rights, eliminate discrimination, and accelerate the well-being, education, and economic security of Black people and all persons of color.
“The Northern Dutchess NAACP is committed to a world without racism where Black people enjoy equitable opportunities in thriving communities. Our work is rooted in racial equity, civic engagement, and supportive policies and institutions for all marginalized people. For more information, please contact the branch by email at info@ndnaacp.org, by telephone at (845) 546- 1067, or on Facebook at fb.me/ndnaacp.”
Interfaith Candlelight Vigil In Solidarity With 240 Hostages Held In Gaza - Thursday In Poughkeepsie 11/16/2023
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What: Interfaith Candlelight Vigil In Solidarity With 240 Hostages Held In Gaza
When: Thursday, November 16, 2023
Time: 5:45 Gather, 6pm Program Begins
Where: Christ Episcopal Church, 20 Carroll Street, Poughkeepsie, NY
From the Organizers: This event is an interfaith vigil calling for the release of the hostages currently held by Hamas takes place this coming Thursday in Poughkeepsie. The vigil is jointly sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Dutchess County, the Dutchess County African American Clergy Association, and a variety of other religious institutions, including Beacon Hebrew Alliance.
Beacon Performing Arts Center Presents Finding Nemo Kids November 16-19
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Beacon Performing Arts Center Presents Finding Nemo Kids
Days: Thursday, November 16, 2023 - Sunday, November 19, 2023
Times: November 16 at 7:30, November 17 at 7:00
November 18 at 10:00am, 12:30pm, 3:00pm, and 5:30pm
November 19 at 10:00am, 12:30pm, 3:00pm, and 5:30pm
Location: Beacon High School Theatre. 101 Matteawan Rd, Beacon, NY
Featuring hand-crafted puppets by Beacon local Adam Izen, Beacon Performing Arts Center brings a vibrant underwater world to life on stage in this story full of family, friendship, and adventure! This magical production will have audiences of all ages captivated by their favorite characters: Nemo, Dory, Marlin, Bruce, Crush the Turtle, and more! The performance runs approximately 45 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are available on the day of the production at the door or in advance at www.beaconperformingartscenter.com/box-office . Adults $10, Students under 18 $5, Seniors $7, Children under 2 are free.
Information >
How LaStar Gorton Followed The Process And Was Still Denied The Ballot For Ward 1 In 2023
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When The Write-In Candidate happened for Beacon's 2023 Mayoral race, it exposed the question of why it can be so hard for some people to get onto the ballot. LaStar Gorton is one such Beaconite who was denied getting onto the ballot by Dutchess County Board of Elections, despite getting all of her homework in on time to run as an Independent. She was also questioned in an uncomfortable way, she says, by the Beacon Democrats Chair, Lisa Jessop, an hour after she submitted her paperwork to the Dutchess County Board of Elections.
LaStar was born and raised in Beacon, and currently lives in Tompkins Terrace with her children. Very important to her is being able to stay in Beacon to raise her children in Beacon. While her income is not nothing, it qualifies her to live in Tompkins Terrace, but makes it difficult to buy a home that fits her family. As Beacon considers the size of new apartments, single and double apartment units, and property in general, it clear in their planning of as many small units as possible it is not thinking of families who are growing out of their tiny apartments.
When Tompkins Terrace was going through the "temporary" re-housing of residents to renovate most of the apartments after the City of Beacon granted it a 40 year tax break to the luxury community managers of the low-income community in Beacon, LaStar joined residents there in being vocal at community meetings about the re-housing, to ensure that residents could return without qualification challenges by Tompkins Terrace management.
When another shooting happened at Tompkins Terrace in May of 2023, LaStar decided to turn it up a notch and run for City Council for Ward 1 as an Independent. She said that she missed the deadline to run as a Democrat, but could run as an Independent. After doing all of her work and hitting all of her deadlines, LaStar was denied by the Dutchess County Board of Elections. She was also questioned in what she felt was an uncomfortable approach by the Chair of the Beacon Democrats, Lisa Jessop, as to why she didn't come to the Beacon Democrats first to ask to be considered by them.
This situation is not the first that A Little Beacon Blog has heard of this happening. The details in this particular situation are the most simple to relay, however. ALBB tried reporting last election on when former Beacon City Councilmember Ali T. Muhammed, a Muslim Black man, was trying to run for Mayor in Newburgh against Torrence Harvey, a Black man. Ali acquired the signatures he needed, but was challenged.
Ali told ALBB: "Someone has to challenge your petitions, then Board of Elections rules on the signatures...This is a tactic to keep candidates off the ballot. If not voter suppression, it's lack of democracy. My signatures were challenged from the Democrat line. They started weaponizing that tactic/tool against me since 2016. I’ve won a couple court cases to reverse the ruling. I’ve been disqualified in a couple races because of the rulings, with no resources to fix."
LaStar's story is part of why Reuben Simmons threw his hat into the ring for Mayor in the final hours before election day. Before ALBB’s interview with LaStar, Reuben shared his light-bulb moment of when he started questioning the process of getting onto the ballot. Reuben’s reaction happened after Coucilperson Justice McCray proposed increasing the small salary the councilmembers currently get, in the name of increasing accessibility to people who want to serve, but may need more money. This is not a new proposal. Paying Beacon City Councilmembers is suggested every now and then within different administrations.
Said Reuben to ALBB: “When you want to serve, public service, it is a service, not to supplement your income, when you have workers who can't afford to live here...Maybe this increase in Council dollars will entice people to run. It just made me think, LaStar wanted to run for her ward. She seeked out the signatures and she went through the process. I witnessed her party actively work against her and become a barrier. So it made me question the hypocrisy of 'what is the raises really for?' Star is here and she can share the process she went through. When she initially was running...we share similar support groups so to speak. I was aware and kept my ear in to what was going on; just given my little education on it. If people who want to run can't even get on because a certain party has us in handcuffs so to speak, and has a lock on the election process, I'm not exactly sure the contradiction of these stories.”
As for the Republican party in Beacon, and why there were no contenders in Beacon, ALBB cannot speak to why there were no candidates put forward. The Republican party in Beacon was quite stained after Trump, making wins for Democrats easier. If a member of the Republican party wants to speak to ALBB about their issues, they can do so.
ALBB asked LaStar to tell us the entire process for her to do try to get onto the ballot. This is what she said, which you can also here in this interview, and has been transcribed in full below:
"I originally did not know what the entire process was. I live down in Tompkins Terrace, and a shooting had happened [in May 2023]. I went to our rehab meeting because they are about to redo the entire complex. I went to speak on it. Our Councilwoman Molly [Rhodes] was sitting in the back not really saying anything. All of my friends were like 'Instead of you just going to a City Council meeting and voicing your opinion, why don't you go run for this election.' I'm like 'Ok, cool!' I went onto the Board of Elections website, and found out I was too late to run as a Democrat, but I was still in time to run for the Independent. So I came up with a whole party name for myself; I wrote up my ballots; I sent them to the County as well as our city Board of Elections to ensure that my ballots were correct before I got them signed. My petitions: I got the signatures that I needed. I handed them in on the last day, the 30th of May. I went there, and I handed them in.
"About an hour after I handed in my petitions, I got a text or email from Lisa Jessup, the head of our Beacon Democrats here, saying that she would like to speak to me. We had a very long phone call. She asked me why I didn't run as a Democrat. I said at the time I did not know, and this issue just came up, and I was passionate about trying to save my part of the city, and make it batter for the people that live there.
"There were a couple of odd things said, like 'We could back you off the ballot if we wanted to...I'm not sure your petitions are all correct.' I said I know that every signature is not correct, but I have more than enough to be put on the ballot. But none the lease, in order to accept it, I received a letter in the mail on June 3, that said I needed to accept the position by June 2. But the letter was not mailed until June 1 [letter was postmarked June 1].
"But Lisa received this phone call on May 30 when my ballots were handed in stating that I handed in my ballots. I did call the County Board of Education and went there myself personally and spoke with the Dutchess County head there, and she told me that Lisa had FOILed for my petitions in order to see them.
"I said 'well how did she know to FOIL for them if I just handed them in? Who informed her that I handed in my petitions on the very last day at 12pm in the afternoon? Someone had to let her know that they were there in order to FOIL them. For her to get them so quickly, and be able to call me so quickly within the hour and to ask for a phone conversation. But you mail me out my letter on June 1 so that I don't received it until June 3, and I had to accept it by June 2.'
"I went there [to the Board of Elections] in person on June 5 to ask if there was any way I could accept it. She said 'well hold on, let me ask the Republican side. We have to be in agreeance in order for you to be able to accept.' She went away for 2 seconds, came back and said that they said no. So that was it.
"I did email the Enforcement Agency in Albany but I have not received an email back regarding it because I believe it was done on purpose and maliciously [it is November 5th as of this interview, and LaStar emailed the Enforcement Agency in May].
"Lisa and Molly both still reach out to me wanting to talk. They had a very long conversation asking me my ideas. Afterwards, I was like 'Oh, you dummy, you just gave them all of your ideas that they probably didn't know of the issues actually going on in Ward 1.'
"Molly actually knocked on my door Friday. Saying 'I just want to make sure you knew we are voting, since this is closed down. I still want to meet up with you and talk to discuss this whole Council process.'
LaStar's response: "I'll see you in 2 years. And I'll be starting from the top."
ALBB emailed Lisa Jessop on November 9th for comment on these events, and did not receive a response. On that same day, ALBB shared an election results article, “Beacon Election Results: The Significance Of The Unopposed Party, And A Few Other Races,” which pointed out that the Write-In Candidate for Mayor won 16% of the vote, when other Write-In results for other seats were 1%. A representative from the Beacon Democrats’ Instagram commented in that thread: “This post is misleading. Anyone can run for office, but NY state and Dutchess County have filing requirements. If you go to elections.dutchessny.gov, you’ll find all the requirements spelled out in great detail—gathering of signatures (which are sometimes challenged), financial statements, etc. It’s not like someone wakes up on Nov 6 and says, ‘I think I’ll tun for City Council, vote for me tomorrow’. Is it a perfect system? No. Could it be better? Yes. Anyone who wants to get involved with how elections are tun should contact the Board of Elections—they’re slways looking gor more help.”
The Beacon Democrats IG representative than posted a correction Comment: “Apologies for misspelled words in last paragraph—it posted before final edits. It should say: Anyone who wants to get involved with how elections are run should contact the board of elections – they’re always looking for more help.”
Sunday Screening: Lakota Nation vs United States @ The Yard, 4 Hanna Lane
/Beacon City Council Member Paloma Wake has a personal passion for land justice, and is using her platform to promote the screening of Lakota Nation vs The United States. The screening is at The Yard, 4 Hanna Lane. It is co-presented by Paloma Wake and Story Screen. The Yard is providing the space. All proceeds go to First People’s Fund. First Peoples Fund is a Native-led non-profit that provides direct funding, resources, and professional development to Native American, Native Hawaiian, and Alaska Native artists, culture bearers, and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI).
Paloma submitted an explication for the screening which ALBB has published below:
“I am writing as a Councilmember and Beacon citizen. This Sunday at 5pm, I am co-hosting a screening of a documentary - Lakota Nation vs. United States - in collaboration with Story Screen and the Yard. Below is my reasoning on why this consideration of Mount Rushmore is relevant to the Highlands regionally.
“This month is Native American Heritage Month. As a federal designation, it encourages us to observe an Indigenous past, but rarely does that understanding extend to the present moment and acknowledge the ongoing lives, communities, and foundational sovereignty of Indigenous people and tribes.
“Lakota Nation vs. the United States, screening at 5pm on Nov 12, with StoryScreen, at The Yard, is the contemporary story of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota people and their struggle to reclaim the Black Hills of South Dakota, or what is commonly known as the location of ‘Mount Rushmore,’ contextualizing the violent formation of this so-called American monument. My experience of seeing this film for the first time was one of both profound sorrow and a profound opening toward collective liberation through a structural understanding of the present.
“In our small city, formed in 1913 and experiencing our own waves of change and displacement through gentrification, it is easy to feel starkly removed from a time when our river [the Hudson River] was known as Mahicannituck, the river that flows both ways. Hopefully this screening will support an ongoing community conversation about Indigeneity with the necessary context around the apparatus of settler colonialism, connecting an Indigenous past to our local Indigenous present and the possibilities the present holds for a beautiful future.”
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nts Arnaud Sussman, violin and Micheal Stephen Brown, piano
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Renovations Complete At Veterans Memorial Building - ADA Compliant Now - And What Means For Accessibility For Veterans
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The renovations are complete at the Veterans Memorial Building, the Commander of the VFW Post 666 Harold Delamater told the Beacon Free Press for this week’s print edition. Construction started in February 2023, in what was an planned project for the Veterans, but the public grew concerned and protective of the building when they saw fencing go up. Throughout the year, different upgrades have been made.
The building serves as a meeting location for many Veterans meetings and gatherings, as well as other events for the public, including FEMA needs when they happen. The Guardian Revival is also based there now, which is a non-profit with a mission to revive and preserve the mental health and well-being of veterans and first responders at no cost to them. “Our guardians” hence the name.
The Chief of Staff of the Guardian Revival, Deneen Kirsten, said this about the change the renovations have given veterans: “They [veterans[ want to come in and hang out and they realize it’s a safe place. They then ask for help.’ Deneen told the newspaper that with the various programs the organizations are offering, some of the stigma is being relieved.
Tony Pulliam, a US Veteran who is the Comander of the Marin Corps League chapter in Beacon, told the Beacon Free Press that where they did not have a handicap ramp before, they have it now, by raising the front porch. They also planted new landscaping in front of the building and landscaping. People may miss the pink flowering trees in the spring, but there must have been a reason to remove them.
The building is used 7 days a week, with over 200 volunteers, staff and membership accessing it. There is a new kitchen on the lower floor, which was provided by grants. The labor to install was all-volunteer, with the exception of the tile work, Pulliam told the Beacon Free Press.
“Years ago, no one even know what the building was,” Delamater told the newspaper. But now, the words VETERANS MEMORIAL BUILDING are inscribed at the top on the outside of the building.
Nearly $500,000 in improvements have been made to the building, which the veterans have organized, the Beacon Free Press Reports. The Department of Beterans SErvices has awarded $60,000 for additional renovations. Some financing has come from the City of Beacon in years past under the City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero, but the veterans rely on fundraising to get their work and repairs done.
Regarding Veterans Day, Herold told the Beacon Free Press: “It is a time for reflection across all branches. It is a time to support one another. We’re all one. We have to look out for one another. If someone is out there who needs something, we’re here. We don’t turn anybody away.”
The Veterans Memorial Building Team will be hosting a commemorative veterans event on November 30 from 6-8pm at the Veterans Memorial Building.
Beacon Election Results: The Significance Of The Unopposed Party, And A Few Other Races
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In Beacon, the entire City Council, made up of Democrats, was running unopposed, including the Mayor. Until one person announced just days prior that he would be a write-in mayoral candidate, which garnered some discussion about the fact that there was no choice of candidates. A single party hold by the Democratic party on this community has become the norm, that one sometimes wonders why there were yard signs at all.
In this local election, here are some election results from the Dutchess County Board Of Elections:
County Clerk:
Kenya Gadsen (Democrat) lost to Bradford Kendall (Republican), who was running for re-election. It was a close race.
Kenya also ran on the Working Families line, and Bradford on the Conservative line.
Kenya was at one time on Beacon’s Board Of Education, and then moved to be elected to Fishkill’s Town Board.
Dutchess County Executive
Susan J. Serino (Republican) won against Tommy Zurhellen (Democrat).
Susan also ran on the Conservative line, and Tommy on the Working Families line.
Susan was a New York Senator representing Dutchess County for 8 years, until she lost her last re-election to Michelle Henchey (Democrat) after her territory was redistricted.
Dutchess County Legislator - District 16
Yvette Valdes Smith (Democrat, Working Families) beat Ron Davis (Republican, Conservative) by a wide margin. There were 2 write-in votes (.07%).
Dutchess County Legislator - District 18
Nick Page (Democrat) won unopposed. There were 22 write-in votes (1%).
Nick’s family’s business, Hudson Todd, owns several of the buildings on Main Street on the west end of town by Bank Square.
City Of Beacon Mayor
Lee Kyriacou won almost unopposed. There were 449 write-votes. That was 16% of the vote. Generally, the percentage of write-ins for other elected positions in this election was 1%.
Lee ran in the Democratic line and is a landlord.
Days before the vote, Reuben Simmons announced his candidacy as a write-in. Well known in Beacon, Reuben stood a very slim, but not impossible, chance of winning through his work as a City of Beacon employee and his extensive volunteer work, placing him throughout the city with people at all times.
Beacon City Council
All 7 seats of the City Council were Democrats and ran unopposed.
Five seats remain the same, and 2 are new:
Ward 1: Molly Rhodes, returns for her 2nd term. There were 10 write-in votes (1%).
Molly ran in the Democratic line.
A newcomer, LaStar Gorton, wanted to run for Ward 1, and had everything she needed to run on the Independent line. But a series of strange events happened to her that kept her off the ballot.
Ward 2: Jeffrey Domanski is newly elected. There were 9 write-in votes (1%).
Jeffrey ran in the Democratic line.
Former Councilmember Justice McCray did not seek re-election. Justice is a founding member of Beacon4Black Lives.
Jeffrey is known in Beacon politics in part for his work for shepherding Beacon, along with other municipalities, into Beacon’s signing onto a fixed energy price using clean energy via the Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program. That program auto-opted in Beacon residents, and guaranteed them a low fixed energy rate. When energy rates went up in Summer or during the beginning of the Ukraine war, the fixed energy price through the CCA remained low and the same. However, the energy contractor behind this arrangement broke their contract and walked away, thereby breaking the fixed rate. Some Beaconites were suspicious of the rate lock anyway, just by the nature of so many clean energy solar panel peddlers coming to Beaconite’s doorsteps and confusing them with different programs, and because of Central Hudson’s own confusing and sometimes misleading language. The CCA program was nothing like those programs, and did give citizens savings. Jeffrey is married to a member of the Beacon Board of Education, Kristan Flynn.
Ward 3: Wren Longo, returns for her 2nd term. There were 8 write-in votes (1%).
Wren ran in the Democratic line.
Wren is well versed in affordable housing.
Ward 4: Dan Aymar-Blair, returns for his 3rd term. There were 16 write-in votes (2%).
Dan ran in the Democratic and Working Families lines.
Dan originally ran on an anti-development theme and currently seeks strict regulation of emissions to impact the climate crisis.
Councilmembers At Large: Paloma Wake and Pam Wetherbee
Paolma ran in the Democratic and Working Families lines.
Paloma is passionate about affordable housing, the climate, and land-justice in Beacon, recognizing that we are living on Indigenous land.
Pam ran in the Democratic line.
Pam is a former City Councilmember, and is currently advocating for the residents who live near Rte. 52, where the Mayor is leading a move to re-zone that area once property opens up after Healey Brothers leave.
Protest Planned: "March Against Genocide!" In Newburgh 11/7/2023
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Who: Organized by New York Palestinian-Americans, Muslims of the Mid-Hudson Islamic Association Masjid’s Al-Ikhlas and Al-Noor, and citizens of Congressional Districts 17, 18, & 19.
What: Protest demanding a ceasefire in Palestine. From the organizers: “We DEMAND more than a ceasefire. The American government needs to prioritize ending the blockade and support humanitarian efforts in Gaza, NOW. Let’s FLOOD Newburgh for a Free Palestine.
When: Tuesday, November 7, 2023
3:30pm: Meet and organize
4:00pm: Step off
4:30pm: Speeches, chants, demand, moment of silence
5:45pm March back
Where: March from 401 Washington Street to 605 Broadway
The Write-In Candidate: Beacon's Mayoral Race Now Has A Choice: Reuben Simmons Enters As Candidate
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It was a drowsy hyper-local election season in Beacon this year, with the usual Democratic candidates running or not running unopposed for City Council and the Mayor position. All City Council positions are running unopposed in the Democratic line, with Paloma Wake and Dan Aymar-Blair also claiming the Working Families line. Mayor Lee Kyriacou, who unseated two-term Mayor Randy Casale last round, was running unopposed - until last Friday when lifelong resident Reuben Simmons decided to run at the request of those around him, he told ALBB last evening.
Before Reuben entered the race, the Beacon Free Press interviewed Mayor Kyriacou for last Wednesday’s print edition. The newspaper asked him: “What do you think it says that no one is running against you?” Mayor Kyriacou answered: “Well, I certainly can’t speak for those who might have thought about running. What I hope being unopposed says, is that Beacon residents think the city is in good steady hands, that I truly listen to and try to represent everyone in our community, and that I’ve provided strong but inclusive leadership. I guess my track record in Beacon elections - 11 races, 11 wins - may also have been a little daunting; I have knocked on every single door in our city multiple times. I would of course welcome competition - that’s democracy - which makes us stronger and more inclusive.”
A week before that print edition came out, friends of Reuben Simmons began texting friends that Reuben had entered the race as a Mayoral candidate as a write-in candidate. Reuben was born and raised in Beacon, is a 20-year employee of Beacon’s Highway Department; is a co-founder of the volunteer group I Am Beacon which is quietly or loudly behind many signature efforts in Beacon like Turkey On Every Table; at one point production of the the City’s fireworks for the centennial celebration, the This Is Beacon podcast; and other initiatives.
Who Is Reuben Simmons?
Longtime locals to Beacon know Reuben very well. Some know him as Coach Yogi, from when he coached Beacon Bears youth football, and via coaching and leadership of Beacon Hoops, which is youth basketball. Newcomers to Beacon may not know him yet. Readers can listen to this interview with him recorded on Sunday evening at his rally gathering at Max’s on Main.
Picture of the sample ballot. The write-in box is at the bottom. Print clearly and slowly. DO not write a signature. Just write the words in print.
Reuben says his recent decision to run in addition to Mayor Lee Kyriacou, is to give people a choice, he told ALBB at the rally held for him by Richie Kaplan, owner of Max’s on Main. At this stage, Reuben has not performed the traditional campaign things, like raising money, printing and distributing yard signs, going door to door, mailing postcards, etc. It’s just him and his support network of friends and family. With one day away from the election, he is relying on word of mouth in the community to get the word out that he is running.
That, and that people will need to spell his name correctly on the ballot: Reuben Simmons. (HINT: the “e” goes before the “u”).
Reuben maintained that people wanted a choice in how they were voting. He told ALBB: “People said that they want an option. How I feel about politics, I'm not really involved in the political side, I just feel people should have a choice.”
In ALBB’s interview, Reuben describes how, when he was Highway Superintendent, he put together the budget for the Highway Department, which consists of other departments under the umbrella of the Highway Department including City Mechanics Garage, Parks Department, and Transfer Station. Beacon Parks and Recreation Department Director Mark Price crafts and delivers his budget each year.
Regarding Reuben’s Experience Working Hands-On With City Government
ALBB asked Reuben about his 20 year experience working with the City of Beacon, and how that translates to a Mayoral position: “Through just what I do throughout the city through my volunteering, working and meeting and talking with people throughout the city, there was a lot of frustration that people felt like they were handcuffed to an election. They felt like there was a certain party that just has a hold on the election process and doesn't allow other people to run.”
Over the years, the Democrats have represented in City Council. The Republican and Independent efforts have been almost non-existent.
For example, this year, there was a new attempt to run for City Council Ward 1 by LaStar Gorton, but she seemed to have been shut out, she told ALBB. LaStar attended Reuben’s rally, and spoke to ALBB about her experience trying to get onto the ballot as an Independent. She says she was questioned by Democrat Lisa Jessup about the ballot one hour after she filed. LaStar says that she was questioned regarding her signatures. LaStar was sent an acceptance letter after she filed, but the letter was postmarked one day before she needed to submit her acceptance. She received the mail after the deadline, and was not granted an extension for the unworkable postmark by the Dutchess County Board Of Elections.
ALBB has seen signature blocking before, the last instance being when former Beacon City Councilman Ali T. Muhammad was running for Mayor of Newburgh on the Democratic line. Many of his signatures were rejected by the Board of Elections. Ali explained to ALBB: “They started weaponizing that tactic tool against me since 2016. I’ve won a couple court cases to reverse the ruling. I’ve been disqualified in a couple races because of the rulings and no resources to fix.”
Listen to LaStar’s experience in the interview below, and read about what prompted her to want to run in the first place. Should you want to write her in for Ward 1, there would be nothing stopping you. Ward 1’s current Councilmember, Molly Rhodes, is running unopposed in the Democratic line.
What Qualifies Reuben Simmons?
When ALBB asked what qualifies Reuben, he answered: “I do think I'm a candidate to consider - given my two decades of working and volunteering within the community - the connections I've made through residents, business owners, civic groups, church groups alike. The people asked me. The more and more that people asked me, I looked into it, I do have a good knowledge of how the City operates. I have been working for the Highway Department for 20 years now, straight out of high school. I started as summer intern and worked my way up to Superintendent.”
In terms of crafting budgets, Reuben has the experience: “I had to put together one of the biggest budgets in the City of Beacon that has multiple departments. By running, I'll be learning and working with great people that work with the City, I'll be able to learn and understand how budgets operate, and how the City operates as a whole.”
Before he was Highway Superintendent, Reuben served as the Union President. He served for 7 years, winning 2 terms, and negotiated 2 contracts with the City of Beacon. His second contract was voted by 100% approval rating by all the workers represented by the union the Public Works division. "I take that with pride. I listened to what the workers want. That's the same type of leadership I would bring in to local government. That's the same type of leadership I would bring in to any avenue I have. Listening to the people. This situation I'm in right now, this write-in opportunity, is by response of listening to the people.”
Reuben’s Approach To Zoning and Development In Beacon
ALBB asked Reuben how he would approach zoning in Beacon. Especially now as Rte. 52 is in the spotlight with the Healey car dealership selling their property along that strip. Reuben stated: “I would listen to the residents that live in that area, and how that is going to effect residents as a whole. I have learned a lot about development in this city and the history of it. I think to move forward, we have to understand our history. Right now, I am working with the Beacon Historical Society, The Highlands Current and the Howland Public Library, where I'm learning a lot on what happened during Urban Renewal. A lot of things that we are hearing and learning throughout that, I'm seeing a lot replicated today. I'm willing to bring that aspect of what I'm learning there, and what we can do to move forward for the rezoning on Rte. 52.”
Would Reuben Have Priorities As Mayor In Beacon?
ALBB asked if Reuben would come in with a set of priorities. He answered: “I can't speak to the priorities. This was a last minute move in response to people asking for this. This was not something I was planning. It's not something I was marketing myself for. My experience of working within the City and still being out here volunteering and working, I am confident that I'll be caught up to speed in a good amount of time.”
Overall, Reuben reflected: “It's a collective effort. I'm community-first, community-minded. When it comes to a priority list, or how I make decisions, I make decision not based on what is best for me. I base it off of what I hear in the community. A lot of that is going to be a lot of meetings, and understanding, and talking and round-table discussions. I've seen it operate that way in the past, and I think that's the best way to move forward.”
Where To Vote: Polling Stations For Beacon
The Dutchess County Board of Elections has the locations for Beacon. To find Beacon, look scroll the list for C/Beacon (aka City of Beacon), which is really confusing, as it is not in any kind of alphabetical order.
The Beacon Democrats website makes it more clear, and presents other voting issues to consider on the ballot:
Ward 1, ED 1 & Ward 2, ED 1 & 2: South Ave. Elementary School, 60 South Ave.
Ward 1, ED 2 & Ward 4, ED 1 & 2: Beacon Memorial Building, 413 Main St.
Ward 3, ED 1 & 2: Forrestal Elementary School, 125 Liberty St.
Rally For Reuben Simmons Write-In Candidacy For Mayor Of Beacon At Max's On Main
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Reuben Simmons, a lifelong Beaconite, has just decided to run for Mayor in Beacon, as a write-in candidate, at the request of those around him, to give people a choice in an un-opposed mayoral race. Reuben told ALBB that people voiced their frustration at not having a choice in this year’s race, as Mayor Lee Kyriacou runs unopposed in what would be his second term in office as Mayor. Mayor Lee has been in Beacon politics since the 1990s as a City Council member throughout the years.
Article to come on Reuben’s candicacy next. Owner of Max’s on Main, Richie Kaplan, offered to host a rally for Reuben on Sunday evening. Reuben and Richie serve together on the Beacon Parade of Green committee, which is one of several local volunteer committees Reuben serves on. Article to come.
Over 150 Jewish, Palestinian and Allies Protested Outside Congressman Pat Ryan's Office in Poughkeepsie On Oct 25th Demanding Ceasefire
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A group of Jewish, Palestinian and Allies protested outside of Congressman pat Ryan’s office in Poughkeepsie demanding a ceasefire, near the Vassar Campus. Despite the large “Space For Rent” sign, Pat Ryan’s office is apparently inside.
“This is not justice. Justice doesn’t mean vengeance, it means dignity and freedom for all, including Palestinians. MHVDSA condemns violence against civilians, whether by Hamas or Israeli forces, and we also firmly believe that Israel cannot bomb its way to peace.”
On Wednesday, October 25, 2023, more than 150 Hudson Valley residents rallied outside Congressman Pat Ryan’s Poughkeepsie office, “calling on him to support Rep. Cori Bush’s CEASEFIRE NOW resolution, pressure Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, and end U.S. funding of Israel’s war crimes,” according to a press release by the organizers. Led by Beacon resident and Beacon Hebrew Alliance member Dara Silverman, a delegation of Hudson Valley-based Jewish and Palestinian leaders met with Ryan’s staff and delivered a petition that had 523 signatures as of October 25th.
”We are filled with both sadness and anger. Sadness and anger that our beautiful country has come down on the side of genocide. Anger that our government pretends it is being done in the name of the Jewish people,” said Felice Gelman of Jewish Voice for Peace-Hudson Valley.
The group organized to reach Congressman Pat Ryan (representing New York’s 18th District) by marching to protest outside of his office, resulting in a meeting inside with Jewish and Palestinian representatives.
Congressman Ryan made his opinion known weeks prior, on X, formerly Twitter, when he reacted to the October 8th pro-Palestinian protest held in New York City the day after Hamas broke out of Gaza and attacked and killed 1,400 Israelis citizens, and took over 200 hostage. Congressman Ryan Tweeted on October 8: “Let’s be clear what happened yesterday: Hamas terrorists massacred hundreds of Israeli civilians, including women and children. They took dozens more hostage, including Holocaust survivors and American citizens. Jewish families around the world are still awaiting answers, wondering if their loved ones are alive. To know all this, and choose to hold a protest in New York City, home to the largest Jewish population in the United States, is blatant antisemitism.”
While for many in the world, this may have been an unexpected attack, there have been escalations on both sides occurring for decades, one most recent in May 2021 with the attempted eviction of Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah. While murder of anyone is not justified, context is necessary in the occupation by Israel of Palestinians.
When the DailyFreeman reported that a Kingston family’s relatives were killed with children kidnapped in the October 7 Hamas attack, Congressman Pat Ryan Tweeted: “We are grieving alongside the entire Ulster County community for the Shnaider family. This is a devastating reminder that the atrocities committed by Hamas are being felt by communities not just in Israel, but across the United States. I’m receiving regular updates from the Defense Department on ongoing hostage recovery operations, and will not rest until all Americans get home safely.”
It has been 29 days since the 200+ Israeli hostages were taken by Hamas. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not secured their release. Instead, he, with the support of the United States, has bombed Palestinian civilian buildings, hospitals, ambulances, mosques, a church and other locations in search of Hamas. The Washington Post reports that as of November 2, at least 3,700 Palestinian children have been killed by Israeli air strikes, in the newspaper’s article titled: “Gaza becomes ‘a graveyard for children’ as Israel intensifies airstrikes” Today, some Israeli citizens protested at Netanyahu’s home, calling him a “murderer” and expressed frustration at not knowing where the Israeli hostages were or what condition they were in, as Gaza is being reduced to rubble.
Pro-Palestinian Supporters outside of Congressman Pat Ryan’s office in Poughkeepsie near Vasser College Campus.
Back to the local protest in Poughkeepsie at Congressman Pat Ryan’s office on October 25th, the organizers stated in a press release: “1,400 Israelis and 5,000 Palestinians are estimated to have been killed since October 7th—how many more is enough?,” said Andrew Hiller, whose grandparents survived the Holocaust, and who spoke on behalf of Mid-Hudson Valley DSA. “Of those killed in Gaza, 40% were children. This is not justice. Justice doesn’t mean vengeance, it means dignity and freedom for all, including Palestinians. MHVDSA condemns violence against civilians, whether by Hamas or Israeli forces, and we also firmly believe that Israel cannot bomb its way to peace. An unfathomable number of lives have already been lost—we need an immediate ceasefire, and ultimately an end to Israeli apartheid.”
In this video, hear the words of Palestinian leader Sereen Jamal, who has spoken at other pro-Palestinian rallies, like this one in Newburgh in 2021 that marched to then Rep. Sean Maloney’s office.
The organizer of the October 25th Hudson Valley protest continued: “Veterans For Peace is an international organization composed of veterans from every war and peacetime back to the second world war. We know the horror of war,” said Tarak Kauff, former national board member of Veterans for Peace. “We have sent delegations to the West Bank to see with our own eyes Israel’s occupation and apartheid. We condemn the genocide now happening on the innocent people in Gaza on children on women and families. There is no excuse for it. Absolutely no excuse.” Read what Tarak has written about Israel as an occupier, and its military the IDF
“The Zionist State of Israel has betrayed the very essence of everything good and decent about being Jewish. Instead of being kind, compassionate and empathetic to the oppressed and dedicated to truth, Israel has become a most vicious oppressor. I saw Palestine children brutalized. They are killed on almost a daily basis. Children! Many are languishing in Israel prisons for throwing rocks at occupying soldiers or for just being suspected of that. Israeli soldiers often break into Palestinian houses in the dead of night, terrorize the family and arrest children. And there is no such thing as a fair trial. If you are arrested, you are guilty. Palestinians are considered vermin.”
“It is absurd that we need to call for something as basic as a ceasefire. This isn't about who's right and who's wrong, this is about protecting innocents from further death and injury,” said Talal Jabari, Palestinian journalist and documentary filmmaker. “We are asking our representative to sign onto the Ceasefire Now resolution and be on the right side of history.”
“The call for a ceasefire is not a fringe stance held by a loud minority. In fact, recent polling shows that across party lines, the majority of Americans support a ceasefire and a de-escalation of violence in Gaza; a view shared by an overwhelming majority of the United Nations Security Council. This widespread popularity is evident by the large turnout at today’s rally, by Palestinian and Jewish community members and others who stand for peace. Speakers of all backgrounds told personal stories, read poetry, and chanted “Ceasefire Now!”. When the group of representatives who met with Rep. Ryan’s staff finished the meeting, they shared that his office agreed to continue the conversation with the group. His office made no other commitments to ending this violence.”
As for other political leaders in the area, former Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro and current Congressman for the 19th District is staunchly supporting Israel and has made little acknowledgement for the loss of Palestinian lives, which as of today has passed 9,000 and consists of thousands of children. So far in his Instagrams, he refers only to Hamas, which is a dehumanizing tactic for Palestinians or Arabs and is Islamaphobic.
Assemblywoman Sarahana Shrestha called ‘to end Israeli occupation’ on Monday, while other Mid-Hudson Valley politicians stand behind Israel, as reported by the Daily Freeman.
In this video, Veekas Ashoka addresses the participants to update them on the meeting going on inside of Pat Ryan’s office with Jewish and Palestinian leaders.
In this video, Palestinian leader Raz Sadiq-Keyes (we are getting the confirmation of her name spelling) and Jewish leader Dara Silverman.
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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.
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