I Am Beacon has announced via press release that Beacon community members are invited to attend the Winter Coat Giveaway from the Beacon High School Student Council on Saturday, January 10, 2026, from 9:30–11:30 AM at St. Andrew/St. Luke Episcopal Church, located at 15 South Ave., Beacon, NY.
The event is the culmination of the annual Winter Coat Drive, a student-led initiative designed to ensure children and teens across Beacon have access to warm winter clothing. BSCD Superintendant Landahl told Beacon families in this week’s Superintendent Weekly Update email: “This was a great partnership with our Beacon High School students, and I Am Beacon. Thanks to the community for donating over 300 coats!”
The Winter Coat Drive is led by Beacon High School Student Council and supported by a strong network of community partners, including National Honor Society, National Junior Honor Society, Beacon City School District, I Am Beacon, and Dutchess Outreach. Together, these organizations work to ensure that every donated coat directly benefits a local resident in need.
The project unfolds in three phases: District-wide Community Collection Period, School-Based Distribution, and a Public Community Giveaway. The Public Community Giveaway phase is this weekend.
Timothy Newman, Social Studies teacher at Beacon High School and faculty advisor to the Student Council, serves as the Lead Coordinator for the Winter Coat Drive. This initiative is coordinated with the help from Kimberly Gonzalez, a 6th Grade teacher at Rombout Middle School, whose support and collaboration were instrumental in organizing both the collection efforts and organizing the community giveaway event.
“The Winter Coat Drive reflects the power of student leadership and community collaboration,” said Reuben Simmons Jr., Executive Director and Founder of I Am Beacon. “By working together, we are able to meet immediate needs while also engaging young people in meaningful service.”
Community members are encouraged to attend the January 10 giveaway. Any remaining coats after the event will be donated to Dutchess Outreach to continue supporting individuals in need.
The Washington Post published a story in the last week of December 2025 highlighting plans that ICE is targeting warehouses across the nation to house people it has rounded up, including families, before they are deported to other countries. According to the reporting which sources internal ICE documents, the federal government intends to convert warehouses into at least 7 large-scale detention centers and 16 smaller processing sites. One such center is located in Chester, NY, in a warehouse formerly occupied by a Pep Boys. A representative from Pep Boys has confirmed with A Little Beacon Blog that they do not own the property.
According to the article, ICE detained 68,000 people at the beginning of December 2025 alone, which their reporting says is the highest number on record. "Nearly half, or 48% of these people, have no criminal convictions or pending criminal charges, ICE data shows," the article said.
“The administration’s goal, he said, was to deport immigrants as efficiently as Amazon moves packages: ‘Like Prime, but with human beings.’”
— ICE Acting Director Todd M. Lyons
ICE Acting Director Todd. M. Lyons was quoted in the article as saying: “We need to get better at treating this like a business,” the Arizona Mirror first reported at a border security conference in April 2025. "The administration’s goal, he said, was to deport immigrants as efficiently as Amazon moves packages: “'Like Prime, but with human beings.'”
Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said he was "disappointed" to learn of this business decision Westchster News12 reported, and said he was not consulted. The news outlet reported that Neuhaus said "the owner of a vacant warehouse formerly used by Pep Boys in the Chester Industrial Park told the county ICE officials have been inquiring about using the warehouse as a detention center for immigrants. Neuhaus said Friday in a Zoom interview that he is disappointed since the county has been hoping the warehouse would become a film studio."
The Orange County Executive also said he did not want to "deal with" clashes between protesters and the ICE facility that would likely arise. "The federal government is hunting people down," Neuhaus said to News12 reporter Ben Nandy. "They say they're mostly bad people, but if there are families with children, that's a problem. We owe it to ourselves to come up with a better solution than to round them up as cattle in a temporary center in a warehouse."
Representative Pat Ryan expressed outrage, saying in a tweet on X: “'Like Prime, but with human beings.'” That’s how ICE is describing its new facilities, including a proposed location in Chester (which hasn't been coordinated with local leaders in any way, FYI). It’s disgusting, infuriating, & UNAMERICAN. Our community will not stand for it."
News12 reported that Neuhaus also said he "does not want the county to host a facility that might be holding good, innocent people."
According to the Washington Post article, the Department of Homeland Security had awarded one $29.9 million contract to KPB Services LLC, for help with “due diligence services and concept design” for the new facilities. KPB Services LLC is a tribal subsidiary of The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, who fired their senior management of their economic development corporation responsible for seeking and securing the contract after backlash over the contract, according to Native News Online.
Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and Prairie Band LLC issued a joint statement that said in part: “Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and Prairie Band LLC understand the concerns raised about a recently awarded Department of Homeland Security planning contract that involves feasibility studies and technical assessments,” the statement said. “As a sovereign Nation, our values guide the decisions we make, and we acknowledge that this contract does not align with those principles.”
The Washington Post reported from the contract solicitation that ICE intend to transform the warehouses "to include intake areas, housing units with showers and restrooms, a kitchen, dining areas, a medical unit, indoor and outdoor recreation areas, a law library, and administrative offices. "Some of the facilities will include special housing designed for families in custody," the article said.
In 2015 under President Obama, the Washington Post reported that "a government watchdog report found that deportation flights often leave the country with empty seats because of the logistical difficulty of bringing enough people eligible for deportation to an airplane at the same time."
The term "eligible for deportation" is a questionable term at this time, since it is not something one aspires to reach, and at times the people deported are taken while at mandatory court hearings during their legal immigration process. The term "eligible" has arguably lost credibility in this case.
Ventured down to the vintage shop Another Door in search of a light switch cover (Another Door is the first stop in Beacon before searching Anthropology’s website if the delicacy is not there) and while we did search each corner of the room for the mysteries beholden in this shop, we did not find a light switch cover - this time.
1. But what WAS there was more than one snow suit! Like this red one from North Face. And so begins our Shopping Drop for this Saturday evening.
2. Sorel boots in a high chunky heal - size 8. And they weren’t the only size 8s. Ladies are lucky right now at Another Door in that size range.
3. These Victorian style heels! Also size 8. Damn, ALBB is a size 9. So close.
4. However, there is a clearance rack for Lucky $13!
5. This 50% off sale shelf for delicate tea trinkets was where a light switch might have been. Alas. Maybe one will show up another time.
6. Journals!!! And a gold embossed one at that. This journal will be ALBB’s next purchase when the golden journal mentioned earlier is filled up. It’s been 3 in a row with that one, so is time for a floral print to return.
7. Holiday! Fuchsia sequence.
8. A box collection and gloves.
9. Purse collection, locked behind the antique cabinet. Ask for assistance.
10. Black Leather Jacket collection. They get their own rack!
New York Times article reporting that at least 40 civilians and some military officials were killed in Venezuela by the U.S. air strike conducted to kidnap President Maduro and first lady Cilia. Pictured is Wilman Gonzalez, who carries furniture from his home. His aunt, Rosa Gonzalez, 80, lived with him, was killed in the attack, Photo Credit: New York TImes;
Early Saturday morning, as residents and visitors of Beacon checked their socials for news and uplifting content after coasting through Friday’s extension of the entrance to the New Year, they learned that the 47th president of the United States ordered the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Adela Flores de Maduro, who is a Venezuelan lawyer and politician.
The U.S. air strike to seize the couple resulted in the killing of 40 people in Venezuela, including military officials and civilians, the New York Times reported who sourced Venezuelan officials, Here’s Why With Kevin reported. Also highlighted was that an 80 year old woman named Rosa Gonzalez was killed by the air strike, one which “ripped through her apartment.” It was reported that she lived in a 3-story apartment building in Catia La Mar near the Caracas airport among other elderly residential neighbors, who were also badly injured.
The Venezuelan President and First Lady were flown to Stewart Air National Guard Base on Saturday evening, which has an office for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) component, according to DHS’ website.
Why Stewart?
The unexpected association of Stewart Airport and Newburgh with the Venezuelan kidnapping has prompted many Hudson Valley locals to ask: “Why Stewart?”
The airport started as Stewart Airfield, located in the Town of Newburgh, NY, and opened in 1934 under the direction of Douglas MacArthur, General and former Chief of Staff of the United States Army, on land donated by “a 19th-century Scottish-born sea captain, Lachlan Stewart, and his son.” It was built out for the then original Department of War during WWII.
In 1948, the Stewart air force base became a base for the then newly formed United States Air Force and was called the Stewart Air Force Base. The year of 1948 is also the year of the Nakba in Palestine (aka النَّكْبَة, “the catastrophe”) which was the beginning of the forced displacement and ethnic cleansing of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to set up the occupation for what is now labeled as Israel. Stewart Air Force Base continued training missions with West Point.
The base was deactivated in 1970 and was taken over by New York State to become a civilian airport, known more widely as Stewart International Airport (which only had one international airline, which just left) and locally for cheap flights for Florida and Iceland (but not anymore), as well as inconsistent arrangements with commercial air carriers who pull out of servicing the airport amid multi-million dollar improvement grants for Stewart International Airport.
In 1980, the base was opened in an agreement with New York State and the New York Air National Guard (ANG), and is now also known as Stewart Air National Guard Base, according to Wikipedia. The following year, American hostages freed from Iran were flown to the base.
Questions About The International-ness of Stewart International Airport
But wait - is Stewart International Airport even commercially International anymore? Aside from flying in kidnapped dictators or presidents from outside the country?
The Chronogram asked in July 2025 when news broke that international airline Play pulled out: “For Hudson Valley-area residents with a taste for travel, Play’s parting is most unwelcome news, and questions abound as to why airlines keep failing there, and about what comes next for the beleaguered airport.”
The Chronogram also pointed out in their article: “The airline’s departure is expected to cut into already lagging airport traffic. Following a peak of over 900,000 passengers in 2007 and $220 million in investments since then, the airport received just 277,000 passengers last year, according to data from the airport’s operator, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.”
Who is getting all of the infrastructure investments?
The Charges To Try To Justify Kidnapping Circle Back To Tren de Aragua
In addition to Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, the indictment also charges Maduro’s son, Nicolas Ernesto Maduoro Guerra, Diosado Cabello Rondon, Ramon Rodriguez Chachin, and Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores (aka Niño Guerrero, the supposed leader of Tren de Aragua, the group alluded to often when ICE is kidnapping someone in the United States for deportation).
The charges, as reported by CNBC, include a narco-terrorism conspiracy charge; cocaine importation conspiracy; possession of machine guns and destructive devices; and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. The charges can be read here.
Before being flown to New York City for detainment of Maduro and Cilia, the plane was met by protesters organized in part by Mid Hudson Valley Democratic Socialists. “We got word earlier in the afternoon that they were flying Maduro in,” a source told A Little Beacon Blog. “So we went and protested the whole day.”
Protest posters read: “No War For Venezuelan Oil” and “Kidnapped President Inside” and “Hands Off Venezuela” and “No Illegal War,” among others.
“No War On Venezuela,” Mid Hudson Valley Democratic Socialists declared on their Instagram. “We won’t stand for the Trump administration’s unilateral attack on Venezuela. A U.S. Military plane brought President Maduro to Stewart Airport today, while our members held the line outside to make it clear: this war will hurt working people across the globe. We stand in solidarity with the sovereign people of Venezuela and call on Congress to pass a War Powers Resolution to block Trump’s military aggression.”
Photojournalist Alexa B. Wilkinson was on the scene and filmed this video, giving ALBB permission to publish.
Alexa reported what they witnessed at the scene: “On Jan 3 at 21:30 UTC, Nicolas Maduro’s transport flight landed at Stewart Air [National Guard] Base in Newburgh, NY. OTG (On The Ground) press wasn’t able to get anywhere close to the part of the base where he was disembarking, however press choppers were circling above providing footage now widely seen of DEA & FBI agents boarding the plane and preparing him for his NYPD chopper ride down to NYC. Locals came out to film and watch the base from afar, causing traffic jams on NY-17K and a spectacle at the restaurant across the street. From a distance, you could see transport vehicles circling a plane moving into different positions, but it’s unknown which agency they belonged to.”
Complex reported on New York’s Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s statement expressing concern about the taking of the Venezuelan President: “The blatant pursuit of regime change doesn’t just affect those abroad. It directly impacts New Yorkers, including tens of thousands of Venezuelans who call this city home. My focus is their safety and the safety of every New Yorker, and my administration will continue to monitor the situation and issue relevant guidance.”
Some people in the Comments who said they were from Venezuela told the new mayor to “sit this one out,” and supported Maduro being taken out of power. Meanwhile, the United States President is suspected of pedophilia and convicted of 34 felony accounts of falsified business records for hush money for a sex scandal. He was successfully sued for sexual assault for $88.3 million in awarded damages, while other lawsuits may begin after release of the Epstein Files. Yet, no one has violently taken him out of power for these crimes.
Regarding the local landing, the Town of Newburgh’s Mayor Torrance Harvey stated on his Facebook page: “The United States President has Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in custody!!! They first arrived at the Newburgh Stewart Airbase!! They are in transit to a Brooklyn Detention Center!! This is developing right now!!”
On Friday, Neuhaus did express disappointment that ICE allegedly wants to convert a warehouse into a detention center. News12 reported that “the owner of a vacant warehouse formerly used by Pep Boys in the Chester Industrial Park told the county ICE officials have been inquiring about using the warehouse as a detention center for immigrants.”
News12 reported that Neuhaus said he is “disappointed since the county has been hoping the warehouse would become a film studio.” Further, “County Executive Steve Neuhaus said he does not want to deal with clashes between ICE agents and protesters and that he does not want the county to host a facility that might be holding good, innocent people.”
Meanwhile, more leaders with actual arrest warrants have gone uncaptured by United States law enforcement while recently spending New Year’s Eve partying with the U.S. President in Mar-a-Lago in Florida. “International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for two senior Israeli officials, Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, and Yoav Gallant, the former Minister of Defense of Israel, alleging responsibility for the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare and the crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts during the Gaza war,” reads Wikipedia. Netanyahu and his wife were left unbothered at Trump’s Florida residence.
Colombia’s President Petro issued a statement against the kidnapping, while the U.S. president told Colombia’s President to “watch his a**.” President Petro said: “A clan of pedofiles wants to destroy democracy in Colombia." He went onto to talk about the politics of Venezuelan leadership, then said: "Nor would I trick the people of Venezuela into a trap of an invasion that is only about their oil, driven by greed and violence, to turn this beautiful corner of South America into another Syria, another Iraq, another Libya full of slaves, slave trading and new forms of slavery.”
In Shopping News - The Gray Nike Track Suit
Meanwhile, Maduro’s grey Nike track suit he was wearing while captive in transport to New York City is trending. Marca reports that the Nike track suit sold out hours after the kidnapping, but may still be available in stores. Check A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide for where you can find and buy Nike gear and other name brands in one of the several vintage shops located here on Main Street.
Marca.com calls Stewart airport simply: “a military airport.” Perhaps they know best, and those of us in the Hudson Valley region will never get the true international airport we deserve.
This photo was taken with Instagram publishing in mind - a quick and honorary time stamp of the changing of the year, as first published at our sister couture branding agency Katie James, Inc.
ALBB has been in a winter break pause, finishing with travel and accomplishing things on our own Things To Do lists. May your new year be filled with the fresh air you need right now. Journaling is highly recommended ✍🏼 in any form: including rage journaling, sexy journaling, normal journaling.
This photo is dedicated to ALBB reader Carman Johnson, who also loves pens and is particular about her ball point or jell.
Sometimes ALBB does head up to Barnes and Noble on Route 9 to their journal section (but Stanza has many of the same styles), and most recently to Staples, who has a particular golden journal for $11.99 from the Martha Stewart stationery line. After writing through piles of journals with different prints on them, the pause of the single golden cover on repeat has been pleasant.
ALBB prefers buying office supplies such as HP LaserJet toner from an IRL location, and Staples is such a spot. You should see their office pen selection. Some of which can also be found in Key Food Beacon new Gift Wrapping and Stationery section.
This is a Friday with a swooping SIX!!! May 2026 bring the freshness that your life needs right now, paired with a breath of crisp air that is January as we cocoon inside to color our walls while winter keeps us in our bunkers.
Speaking of coloring walls, ALBB is currently painting inside, and took a trip down to Brett's Hardware for a gallon re-stock of Black Penguin (or similar) for several surfaces, and Onyx in Semi-Gloss for some trim. See what else we found (if you're canning, you'll like these).
Hot Tip: If you'd like to promote your event in A Little Beacon Blog's "All The Things" Event Calendar, see our submission guidelines. Member Sponsors of ALBB enjoy weekly or bi-weekly event and product promotion as part of their membership.
NEW Podcast Episode
ALBB's sister podcast production, Wait, What Is That? returns with a new, in-depth episode interviewing the documentary filmmaker, Jon Scott Bennett after the release of his 2nd in his 5-part docu-series, "The Peekskill Riots." He had just held a screening at the Beacon Public Library and came over to record our own Q+A session to learn about the crossovers between African American Civil Rights activist Paul Robeson, the KKK and white supremacy in the nation at the time (1949), the 2 violent riots in Peekskill at Paul Robeson's concert, and antisemitism toward the Jewish summer-goers who would enjoy settlement camps in the summer in this region. Listen Now >
Features from our Sponsors. Is your business on the menu?
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL 288 Main Street, Beacon NY
Jamie, owner of Nami Yum Yum, celebrated her first year of operating her food stall inside of the Hudson Valley Food Hall. She said to her fans: "Y’all I made it one year!!! Look what a year can do to a person. Thank you to everyone for your support!! Good things coming this year! I wish everyone the best! Thank you!!!!"
BAGEL-ISH
226 Main Street, Beacon NY
The bakers at Bagel-ish were playing with ASMR sounds, and the Everything Bagel made the perfect sounds. The seeds. The crackle of the crust. You couldn't hear the steam as the bagel ripped apart, but you could almost feel it. Instagram > Bagel-ish is a Sponsor!
CARTER'S RESTAURANT Main Street, Beacon NY
The cocktails at Carter's are becoming works of art. This one is called the "Cosmo + Wanda" Carter's describes it as "show-stopping," and they are not wrong. This is drink is gorgeous. "Sweet, tart, and a little mischievous — just like the duo it’s named after," they say.
Made with:
🍸 Vodka
🍊 Triple Sec
🍒 Cranberry-Rosemary Syrup
🍊 A splash of Appeal
🍈 Fresh Lime
Come try the magic. ✨ Catering and Private Parties available. Call them for details. 845-743-6527 🍁 Instagram > Carter's is a Sponsor!
Eggbert’s Free Range Farm
Eggbert’s will miss Saturday’s Cold Spring Farmer’s Market due to a death in the family. They will be at the Beacon Farmer’s Market on Sunday, and then returning to Cold Spring’s the following Saturday. They will continue delivering free, so please do place your orders online. "Thank you for supporting us during these cold winter months!" they said.
FARMERS MARKETS: Wednesdays: Cornwall Farmer's Market: 11am-3pm Saturdays: Cold Spring Farmer's Market 10am-1pm Sundays:Beacon Farmer's Market 10am - 2pm SHOP ONLINE:Online ordering is available 24/7. DELIVERY: 🚚 Delivering to Cold Spring, Cornwall, New Windsor, Newburgh, Beacon, Fishkill, and Wappingers Falls. Website > Instagram > Eggbert's Free Range Farm is a Sponsor!
The Blushery 528 Main Street, Beacon NY
Speaking of ASMR, may we present The Replenishing Face Serum from Malin+Goetz available now at The Blushery. This is a lightweight, hydrating serum infused with sodium hyaluronate, amino acids, and botanical extracts to help improve the skin’s ability to maintain hydration while relieving dehydration, and boosting luminosity. Buy now in the shop. Book Online >
Mountain Stream Budo 340 Main Street, Beacon NY
(door is on Eliza Street, near Citizens Bank)
Classes are available in Japanese swordsmanship and Okinawan weaponry, in addition to traditional karate and Japanese jujitsu.
Please call or email to schedule a free introductory class. Watch ALBB for an upcoming video showing you a basic technique for the Japanese swordsmanship class!
Call or email today to learn more.
(845) 526-BUDO
info@MountainStreamBudo.com Class Schedule & Signup >
Mountain Stream Budo 340 Main Street, Beacon NY
Two of the Li’l Dragon karate students spar with foam boppers and shields on one leg to work balance. This is a fun drill they practice every Thursday in class! Mountain Stream Budo doesn't believe in binding contracts for their martial arts programs, as other centers do. With membership, your child can attend as many classes as they want. Come in and try a class any time! Speak with owner Noah about how it works. Class Schedule & Signup >
Tin Shingle's Content Planning Template
Coming Soon: Tin Shingle's 2026 Editorial Calendar Template will be available for free to Tin Shingle Members, or for purchase or fresh download for those who already have lifetime access. This template is a spreadsheet of the 12 months of the year with national themes included. Perfect for coordinating planned publish dates with your team. Learn More >
Free Breakfast Program Day: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays Time: 6:30am-8:30am Location: 12 Hanna Lane, Beacon, NY 12508
They have a Wish List of food items! If you're in the mood to donate, find the list here. Information >
FRIDAYS: Fareground's Free Community Dinner Day/Time: Fridays, 5:30pm-7:30pm Location: First Presbyterian, 50 Liberty Street, Beacon, NY 12508 Information > Volunteer > Donate >
It’s been a while since our last Brett’s HardwareALBB Shopping Guide drop, so let’s indulge while waiting for a quart of semi-gloss Black Onyx trim paint to shake.
1. If you’re the jam canning type, these jar labels are cute, with mason jars beneath.
2. Food storage air tight bags for if you’re breaking up your fruits or meat and need to store in the freezer.
3. Shelf Wallpaper!! Of course. With scraper to scrape off left-over adhesive from carpet tile squares from the stairs before painting black and white (had placed the squares years ago for first child aging dog who was struggling to climb).
4-5. Curtain rods and hangers.
6. Black-out curtains.
7. Gloss samples. Not the Onyx Black that is coming home, but samples of the wide range of colors.
8-11. O.M.G. What a Christmas sale blow-out!! Lights, bows, wreaths, the whole tree, on 70% off sale. This is serious.
Brett’s Hardware is located at 18 West Main Street, near @twowaybrewing @sallyeander @jokerink_ny @beaconpilates toward the train station.
Touched by the dogs in the window of Beacon Barkery, one of Beacon’s dog and cat food stores with leashes and other gear, A Little Beacon Blog wishes you a fresh and happy New Year for 2026.
Check out Beacon Barkery’s new Instagram name, @jonbarksatthemoon190, run by the owner, Jon McNeezy.
Flu season came in strongly in Beacon, bringing with it multiple strains of the flu that cause different symptoms that can be are similar to Norovirus. While nirovirus tends to thrive in the spring, says Nurse Paulina Taylor of CareFull MD when ALBB asked her about symptoms and self-care tips for this article, some people in the community experienced Norovirus this winter season, which took them out of work and daily life for several days before they sought relief from an urgent care or doctor.
Nurse Paulina Taylor answers questions from a patient at CareFull MD’s location at 252 Main Street, Beacon NY. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth
"It's important to come and get checked first,” Nurse Paulina urged. "For example, if a patient has cold symptoms like sore throat, nasal congestion, cough, it's best to rule out other infections like the flu at the time of their visit." Norovirus can cause vomiting and diarrhea within 12-48 hours of exposure, as well as stomach pain or cramps, low-grade fever, muscle pain, and generally feeling ill, according to Mayo Clinic.
While the infection generally clears on its own, complications can arise from becoming dehydrated from loss of bodily fluid, as well as water used from fighting the infection in general. Norovirus is highly contagious, even spreading to others days after symptoms subside. Some people who are infected may show no symptoms at all, and still be contagious. This could be common in a household of infected children presenting symptoms, and a parent showing no symptoms, for instance.
"The official diagnosis of Norovirus is made from a stool sample," Nurse Paulina told ALBB, "but usually clinicians can tell when it's a Norovirus or similar 'stomach bug' and would usually treat based on symptoms."
Medications that can be recommended are over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medication and medication to reduce nausea, "depending on the patient's history, there are some prescription medications that can be given, but it is all dependent on if they take other medicines or have other medical conditions," Nurse Paulina said.
General treatment starts with re-hydrating or maintaining hydration with a drink with electrolytes (sodium and potassium) and light sugar in it, like Gatorade or Pedialyte. Symptoms of dehydration include dizziness, fatigue, dry mouth and throat, listlessness, and decreased urine output.
Next, food can be brought back slowly. Mayo Clinic recommends bland, easy-to-digest foods like crackers, toast, bananas, applesauce, rice and chicken.
If you are experiencing any symptoms and are struggling or want to put your mind at ease to rule out what infection you may be fighting, take yourself or have someone take you to Beacon's CareFull MD urgent care at 252 Main Street next to Key Food. Handicap parking is available, and no appointment is needed. Multiple insurances are accepted, including Medicare and Medicaid.
Branded Content: This article was produced in partnership with CareFull MD, who is a Member Sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog. To reach ALBB’s readers with your message, see our Branded Content opportunity.
Stony Brook Alumna Ella Engel-Snow Charges School with Stonewalling, Demands Compliance with NYS Law
On November 12th, 2025, Stony Brook alumna Ella Engel-Snow (graduated May 2025), served the university with an Article 78 petition after the university administration failed to respond to multiple Freedom of Information Law (“FOIL”) requests.
Article from The Statesman covering the arrest of Stony Brook students arrested while protesting for Palestine from their encampment in May 2024.
The FOIL requests are part of a larger effort by SUNY BDS (not affiliated with SUNY or NYS), a group of students, staff, faculty, and alumni calling on New York State to divest from Israeli apartheid. Initially, Ms Engel-Snow filed a FOIL requesting for Stony Brook’s investments, but the Stony Brook Records Access Officer was not forthcoming with any documents, according to a press release submitted by SUNY BDS.
“I was grateful to be part of Stony Brook Graduate Students for Palestine and to work alongside students committed to social justice. Throughout that time, I was appalled by the administration’s suppression of student activism. We have a right to this information. ”
— Ella Engel-Snow, Member of SUNY BDS
Engel-Snow was one of 29 people, including students, faculty, and alumni, arrested on the Stony Brook campus in May 2024 as reported by The Statesman during a student encampment in which participants set up sleeping bags on campus grounds and refused to leave, demanding an end to university complicity in the genocide in Palestine. The campus was stormed with approximately 150 police officers and state troopers. The Statesman reported that “Stony Brook University police, state troopers, Suffolk police and a mobile field unit arrested 29 people including students, faculty members and community members participating in a Gaza solidarity encampment protest organized by Sb4Palestine.”
While Ms. Engel-Snow was detained, she says her phone was illegally seized by the police and kept for approximately 10 days as “evidence,” along with at least 15 other phones, all of which were held without warrants, according to the press release.
Ms. Engel-Snow submitted the FOIL request in January 2025 seeking legal and business correspondence to and from Stony Brook University Police Command Staff containing specific key words. Those legal requests having gone ignored, SUNY BDS says. The resulting lawsuit seeks legal and business correspondence between the university and police regarding their actions in response to student protests, among other information.
According to Engel-Snow, “I submitted the FOIL request because I wanted to know how the administration came to the conclusion to send 150 armed police and state troopers to chase down peacefully protesting students. Who made that decision? And what are they so afraid of?” she said in the press release.
“During my two years as a graduate student,” Ms. Engel-Snow reflected, “I was grateful to be part of Stony Brook Graduate Students for Palestine and to work alongside students committed to social justice. Throughout that time, I was appalled by the administration’s suppression of student activism. We have a right to this information. The New York Freedom of Information Law (“FOIL”) requires that Stony Brook release these records. What kind of example is university leadership setting when they threaten students and at the same time disregard the law?”
According to reporting at The Statesman, “According to SUNY BDS, many SUNY campuses have repeatedly delayed releasing records, and SUNY Campus Foundations, which manage university funds for those campuses, have argued that they are exempt from FOIL because they operate as private nonprofit organizations.” Stony Brook University told The Statesman that it does not “comment on pending legal matters.”
After being stonewalled repeatedly, she submitted an appeal, SUNY BDS said in the press release. “Stony Brook’s further failure to respond has forced Ms. Engel-Snow to serve them with the Article 78 petition, which allows individuals or groups to seek a court’s review of a decision of a public body,” the group said.
For more information, contact SUNY BDS at sunybds1@gmail.com.
This article was submitted as a press release from Rally Middletown, and published in full below.
On Sunday, December 21, 2025, members of Rally Middletown, a growing local Palestine-liberation action group, and the Party for Socialism and Liberation – Hudson Valley successfully conducted a peaceful protest action at the Galleria at Crystal Run. The demonstration decried Israel’s violation of the ceasefire in Gaza while linking commercialism at home with imperialism abroad. The protest, which lasted approximately 10 minutes, was planned and staged with the safety of activists, shoppers, and staff in mind.
Photo Credit: Rally MIddletown
The demonstration began with the activists unfurling a banner reading, “All I want for Christmas is a liberated Palestine” from the mall’s iconic center staircase. They then sang an adaptation of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” titled “We Wish for the Liberation of the Palestinian Nation,” as shoppers gathered and recorded on their phones.
“Is there still a genocide in Gaza?” one activist asked the growing crowd.
“Yes!” the other activists responded. “Will good people ever turn their back on the innocent and their suffering?” he continued, before being answered with a resounding “No!”
The group then performed a series of pro-Palestinian chants, which they continued during their procession out of the building, with some onlookers lending their voices. Shouts of “While you’re shopping, Gaza’s starving!” reverberated through one of Orange County’s largest commerce centers.
“The Gaza genocide is the worst humanitarian crisis of our time, and history is watching our society’s response,” said Rally Middletown co-founder Jason Nietzschmann. “All year, not just during the holidays, we should consider how our spending impacts the vulnerable. Support for corporate America fuels the imperialist war machine, funding the killing of families abroad while families at home struggle to survive.”
Photo Credit: Rally MIddletown
Rally Middletown has demonstrated weekly since June 2024 and organized a May 2025 march in the City of Middletown’s Business Improvement District to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the Nakba. Sunday’s protest, however, marks the group’s foray into pop-up actions and speaks to its growing membership and expanding organizing capabilities.
The nonviolent protest concluded with the activists (who were already exiting the Galleria) promptly complying with Security’s request to leave. No incidents arose from the display of Palestinian solidarity.
ABOUT RALLY MIDDLETOWN
Rally Middletown, founded June 2024 in response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza, is a grassroots action organization run by members from across the greater Middletown, NY area. The group hosts a weekly rally for Palestinian liberation every Sunday from 12-1:30p.m. at the intersection of Rt 211 and Dunning Rd in Town of Wallkill, NY. Follow Rally Middletown on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads for more information or to get involved.
ABOUT THE PARTY FOR SOCIALISM AND LIBERATION
The Party for Socialism and Liberation exists to carry out the struggle for socialism, a system where poor and working people have power and the wealth of society is used in a planned and sustainable way to meet people’s needs and the planet’s needs.
ALBB has had the pleasure of getting to know Noah Mitchell, owner of the new Martial Arts school in Beacon: Mountain Stream Budo. After months of passing by his studio, imagining what it was like inside and who the owner might be, actually getting to meet Noah has been a completely different experience. Nothing like how he was imagined to be!
Full of supportive energy, Noah has devoted his life to full-time martial arts instruction; however, before that, he built a career in film production for 16 years after having graduated from film school at NYU.
As a hobby, Noah is an avid book collector. He has been collecting modern first and limited edition books since he was a teenager. Featured in the Washington Post, Noah has a community of followers in the book collecting world. He was recently featured in a YouTube interview for his Stephen King collection.
In this interview, we learn about Noah’s background as well as his martial arts school, which offers classes for kids and adults, that has recently opened in Beacon on Eliza Street just off Main Street. After establishing himself in Putnam Valley for 20 years, he uprooted his business in order to be closer to his home in Fishkill.
Noah walks us through MSB’s offerings of traditional Okinawan karate and kobudo (a martial art consisting of Okinawan weapons), Japanese jujitsu and iaido (an art that consists of drawing and cutting with the Japanese Samurai sword). Students can choose to train in any one of these arts or in any combination of them.
Noah takes us to the kobudo area to see the weapons, and then we go back to the bag to envision kicks and falling on landing pads.
No experience is necessary to start these classes; Noah is ready to train with you or those you care for regardless of age or fitness level. Beginners and experienced practitioners are welcome!
The Beacon Farmer’s Market announced that they will be open on Sunday, December 28th. Proving that they could do it during the first winter storm if the DMV parking lot was plowed by the City of Beacon, they are eager to remain open for the last weekend in December so that the remaining 2025 Emergency FreshConnect Coupons issued by New York State can be distributed to anyone in need.
Each week since the SNAP crisis, people in need can get free $20 in these coupons to be used within the market, plus $30 in Greens4Greens dollars from the Market’s own fundraising. A Little Beacon Blog reported on how these currencies work in a video interview with Market Manager, Amy Bandolik. Here is what you can buy with FreshConnect dollars.
Expressed in their Instagram announcement today: “One important reason we’re staying open: this Sunday is the final day to use the 2025 Emergency FreshConnect coupons/benefits. Especially during the holidays and in the cold, we want to stay true to our mission of supporting access to fresh, local food for our community ❤️”
With rain predicted for Sunday evening, the Market encouraged people to come out before. “As long as the plows work their magic in the DMV lot (we’ll be checking in on Saturday afternoon), we plan to be open,” they said in their announcement.
This means that public parking in the DMV lot during snowfall is prohibited. Residents are encouraged to use other public parking lots if they need to move their cars off the street for plowing.
The free toiletries and hygiene collection available to anyone in need at Beacon’s Howland Public Library. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth
According to Michelle Rivas, Adult Services & Community Engagement Librarian for the library, who spoke to A Little Beacon Blog about the program, the Howland Public Library had been in talks with Fareground for a possible partnership to offer a 3rd refrigerator to the community before the first two were removed. The library already has a Tiny Food Pantry inside, as well as an Essentials collection, which offers free toiletries, socks, underwear and other needs to any person in need.
When some people in the Beacon community reacted with outrage over the removal of both community refrigerators, Beacon’s City Administrator Chris White had Heidi Harrison, the Assistant Recreation Director for the City of Beacon’s Parks and Recreation Department, deliver what could be viewed as a humiliating critique of the Parks and Recreation’s view of Fareground’s management of the refrigerator.
To justify his eviction of the community refrigerator during the October 15, 2025 City Council Meeting, City Administrator Chris had Heidi present pictures of the fridge at different points over its lifetime, as Chris sat behind her in the jury box of the City courtroom, insisting on code enforcement of the community refrigerator at levels that restaurants need to reach and maintain. Chris also made unfounded criticisms of the type of food offered from the fridge by anonymous donors, saying his own mother wouldn’t take food from it. He then played the religion card, saying food that respects ethnic and religious diets was not offered. Some community members called his guided presentation “unhinged,” and KK Devina, former member of the now disbanded Commission on Human Relations, called for his resignation. Meanwhile, many adults, kids and teenagers took snacks and other food from the refrigerator on a regular basis, and vocalized missing the resource.
“We are so grateful to Howland Public Library and the Friends of Howland Public Library for their commitment to food access in Beacon. Libraries are vital resources and community gathering spaces. Adding a community fridge makes our local library even more welcoming.”
New Refrigerator Partnership Between Howland Public Library and Fareground
Purchase of this new refrigerator was sponsored by the Friends of the Library, Michelle told ALBB. The Friends of the Library is a fundraising extension of the Howland Public Library that has its HQ next to the library - The Beacon Reads Bookstore - which sells used books, staffed by volunteers.
“We are so grateful to Howland Public Library and the Friends of Howland Public Library for their commitment to food access in Beacon. Libraries are vital resources and community gathering spaces. Adding a community fridge makes our local library even more welcoming,” said Jamie Levato, Executive Director of Fareground. “Our Fridge/Pantry Care team is still seeking host sites for additional Beacon Community Fridges. Please reach out if you would like to host a fridge or pantry or if you would like to join the care team.”
Opening day was Tuesday, December 23rd, before the library was closed Wednesday - Friday for the holiday. The library was open until 8pm that evening. Fareground mentioned that a ribbon cutting is being scheduled for January 2026, which is when donations from the general public will begin being accepted. Guidelines will be released of what can and cannot be accepted into the Community Fridge also at that time.
The new refrigerator has a glass door. “It was important to us to select a fridge with a glass door so it was easier for community members to easily see what was available,” Michelle told ALBB. “The glass door also makes it easier and for the library outreach team and Fareground volunteers to monitor the fridge and keep it clean and safe,” she concluded.
Example of an Andre the Giant themed sticker art campaign in Beacon, on poles and pipes around town. Now there is another one - with an octopus from HVAC company Shelter Air.
Shelter Air, the HVAC heating and cooling company from Garrison with their headquarters in Beacon above the Beacon Creamery at 134 Main Street, servicing Dutchess, Orange and Westchester Counties, has launched an André the Giant themed sticker art campaign. You’ve seen similar art in Beacon on pipes and poles (ideally not on City-owned or citizen-owned property). Now there is a new local bootlegged edition.
A long-time vision for founder Kimberly Sevilla, owner of the woman and independently owned HVAC company, the stickers are of the Shelter Air mascot and logo, the octopus. “I chose an octopus that shows people we are different,” Kimberly told Shelter Air’s newsletter subscribers. “Partly because I love how they look, but also as a nod to the old octopus furnaces that heated homes for decades. Eight arms reaching out to every room.” Kimberly’s husband, Enrique, a graphic designer, brought the logo to life with his design work.
A Little Beacon Blog sat down with Kimberly at Estilo Y Vino in Beacon to learn more about this inky design, which can now be seen on the I-84 exit ramp, a right of passage for businesses and expressionists.
What inspired you to use André the Giant as inspiration?
"I was deeply influenced by the early fanzine art of the 90s and watching Shepard Fairey's evolution in New York - seeing his work appear on walls and watching his artistic progression in real-time. In today's AI and computer-dominated age, I believe art with a human touch matters more than ever. There's something powerful about hand-made, tactile work that connects with people differently. I'm actually working toward creating a roller print for next year's steam roller event - it's a personal goal that embodies this commitment to physical, hands-on artmaking."
Why are signs important to you?
"Signs are visual anchors in our daily lives. They're woven into the fabric of a town - they shape what we see, how we navigate, and ultimately become part of our collective visual memory. I'm obsessed with the hand-painted signage of New York - there's an authenticity and craftsmanship in those signs that speaks to a different era of commerce and community. I'm actually putting this belief into practice by commissioning a hand-painted sign for our Shelter Air building on Main Street. In an age of vinyl wraps and digital printing, these hand-painted signs aren't just functional; they're cultural artifacts that tell the story of a place and the people who care about it."
Why is guerrilla marketing important to you?
The octopus sticker on the I-84 ramp.
"Guerrilla marketing requires heart and soul - it's something VC-backed companies struggle to replicate authentically. You can't just throw money at it; it demands creativity, personal investment, and genuine connection to your community. The cost is relatively low, but the challenge is high - it's far more engaging than simply paying for print ads. Plus, it's fun. There's an energy and immediacy to it that traditional marketing can't match."
Why is Beacon important to you?
"Beacon has an energy that reminds me of the East Village and Soho in their heyday, or early Williamsburg before gentrification took hold. It also reminds me of smaller cities where I've lived, like Frederick, Maryland, before urban sprawl took over. There's still space here for people to create and experiment - small independent shops, restaurants, artists' studios.
Octopus sticker on a computer inside the office of Shelter Air, above the Beacon Creamery.
“I love how fiercely Beacon protects small business - there are no malls or shopping centers here. It's a real city with real history - there's a rhythm and heartbeat to this place. I love how diverse Beacon is, both racially and economically. It's important for us to get to know people with views other than our own and share common ground - literally.
“There are deep, deep roots here. There's something deeply meaningful about volunteering for and showing up for people you see on the street every day. It creates a web of connection that's far more valuable than any midnight run to the city. There's some really cool stuff happening here - it's a place where community isn't just a buzzword, it's lived experience."
How many employees do you have, and what's their background?
"We have five employees on staff and we're growing rapidly. What's interesting is that all of them previously worked for private equity-owned firms where they experienced impersonal management styles that left them feeling disconnected. They've found something different here at Shelter Air - a more human approach to both the work and the workplace culture."
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A podcast from A Little Beacon Blog. Your hosts: Katie Hellmuth martin & Brandon Lillard.
The City of Beacon entered into a contract with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley to provide increased access to Beacon tenants facing eviction. They may also be able to help with sources of rent arrears assistance. Call the paralegal, Steven Mihalik at 845-253-6953 to inquire.
Dutchess County Helpline. Open 24/7 to take your calls, listen, and give you resources.
