First published in A Little Beacon Blog’sInstagram and Facebook, below are two responses that ALBB gave to readers who were insisting that we not publish anything on ICE from different states.
Dear Readers,
Thank you so much for your concern for me Katie during this hail storm of Comments, mainly at FB. One reader asked if an Admin could block them. I want to let you know a few things:
🎵Those of us in Instagram are reading this while listening to a clip of “There’s No Home For You Here” by the White Stripes. I don’t think it carries over into FB. To keep me calm during this deluge of comments, I’ve been cycling through OG Bonnie Raitt from her blues days, 1970s.
1. I’ve blocked in the past, but readers asked to see who their neighbors are. For their own safety, comfort, and where they want to spend their dollar.
2. Us vs Them. Tricky here, because some of the most toxic statements are from readers who will appreciate certain articles. And that’s just fine. That’s what ALBB is here for. To get everyone the information.
3. Troll Groupies. Despite unhappy people saying they are leaving, they tend to not. Some even create fake accounts for ALBB after they are blocked! Or maybe after their bosses or business partners advise them to not engage the way they do. I will be designing a special skull cap and patch for them to buy. For the rest of us, I am bringing back an ALBB skull cap and trucker hat we can all buy.
3. Debilitating. Usually these Comment storms leave me paralyzed. At first, it took 2-3 weeks to recover, and I leave with scars. Sometimes actual eczema scars. Now I view them as battle armor chinks. Pressure makes the 💎 as the say.
4. Profit. One white male commented “Don’t cry poverty in 6 months!” Of course that is the biggest fear. But I learned that if I don’t stand for anything, why am I here. What is my purpose. What are my gifts. To say that to someone causes them to break. That is the intent. But I don’t break. My clients are Bad A$$es that I have the honor of holding partnership with. My donors - the smallest $5 or $1 - I cherish.
5. Prayer. I pray 3-5 times per day. I start with: “I seek refuge with Allāh from Satan the accursed, from his suffocation, his arrogance and his poetry.” My choice is to fight back or resist and celebrate with poetry.
These things bring me comfort. Those who want to be seen - you are indeed seen.
Editorial Note: First published at Instagram and Facebook.
Grown adults who repeatedly harass and bully will be blocked from A Little Beacon Blog’s Facebook page. If we know who you are in Instagram, we will block you there too. If we discover your IP address, we will block you from our entire website.
The only ways you can get back on are:
Complete a 30 hour class in Online Bullying. Have it signed by the person/people you bullied.
Write a 3-page paper on what you learned, and how you hurt someone. Chat GPT not accepted. We can tell if you used AI. Grammatical errors are accepted, and we will not make fun of you for it. Everyone makes mistakes in typing, pronunciation, spelling, and grammar.
You could sneak onto our free newsletter that we might rebrand as being called “Unblocked,” but one Reply to that email inbox with unnecessary commentary, and you’ll be Unsubscribed.
To the adult children of these Grown Grandparent Bullies: please pull your parents home. They are embarrassing themselves, and any legacy(ies) they have named after them in town.
Alright? Alright.
Now get back to work. Tax season is here and 1099s need preparing for business owners and contractors. Books need reconciling before they get sent to the accountant.
Some of the worst offenders may be Retired. We suggest that these Retired Bullies do a crossword puzzle or something. Play Solitaire maybe? No, being with friends is best. Go out for coffee. A snow mobile ride. Climb the mountain. Take dancing lessons. Anything.
To those Grown Adults who are not retired: your job needs you. Go back to work. Stop ruining your online reputation.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
The Backstory To This Comment Policy Reaction
ALBB has been subject to online bullying for years. So much so, that it frustrates her when parents insist on offering online bullying classes for youth, because it's usually parents of all classes and ages who do it. The bullying usually happens after an article is published that someone or a group does not like, and then they all pile on.
After the ICE videos, the criticism of ICE from local police chiefs, and call for Hilton to allow franchises to deny ICE employees as customers, the MAGAs of Beacon were outraged. This was no surprise to Katie, as she knows from the years covering BLM and Trump 1.0, any time racism or white supremacy is mentioned or alluded to, some white people in Beacon lose their minds.
So after posting the videos she felt needed to be witnessed after Renee Nicole Good’s killing, she exited the comments, and let the MAGAs of Beacon swarm around her like crows, picking at her flesh until they were done. Only they didn't rest and intensified. One Grandma (ALBB has many Grandma readers - some who protest against injustice, and others who sling the worst curse words insisting on justice for ICE) asked "Can an ALBB Admin please come moderate?" She was taking on the Beacon MAGAs on her own.
So ALBB woke up, took stock of the situation, responded that readers of ALBB have consistently requested that these heinous comments remain in order to help them see who their neighbors are.
After ALBB posted this new Comment Policy on the red oven-mitt, Beacon MAGAs were outraged at the prospect of being blocked for their bullying, and insisted it was "illegal" to block them. Guess they should talk to Facebook about the legality of offering the Block button in the first place?
ALBB wrote new ground rules and observations, which you can read above. A beautiful thing happened after that. New self-appointed bouncers appeared in comments while DMs trickled in from people lending their support. New Testimonials of appreciation were written, and ALBB gained another level of understanding of the wide-ranging readership.
This article contains videos ALBB shared with readers as ICE escalated across the country, including Minnesota, Maine and Philadelphia. Beacon MAGAs were quick to call these police chiefs and sheriffs “clowns” on ALBB’s Facebook page, and went so far - but not surprisingly - as slinging racial insults at Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal, who is a Black woman.
When ALBB posted this speech from Sheriff Rochelle Bilal, several Beacon MAGA's threw racial insults at her, attempting to drag her down in her position and accomplishment.
However, several ALBB readers gave praise and appreciation for her speech: Said wearable art designer Selma Karaca: "Thankfully law enforcement is talking the talk!" Chef Jodi Cummings said: "Omg I love this woman!!!🔥🔥 FINALLY!!" Kim Ann Hamilton said: "She’s a boss!👏" @brownskingirl129 said: “👏👏👏👏👏👏👏”
This video clip is from @quadzillahikes . It features Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley speak on behalf of himself and several other police chiefs across the Twin Cities to share their concerns and experiences over racial profiling by federal ICE agents of their off duty officers, all people of color. Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt also said she saw “multiple recent incidents of ICE agents using racial profiling to stop U.S. citizens,” as reported by local station Kare11.
The news station reported that Chief Bruley sad “local law enforcement agencies are receiving endless complaints from U.S. citizens that ICE agents are using racial profiling tactics to single out people of color and demand proof of legality. Bruley said off-duty police officers have also been subjected to this treatment.“
Chief Bruley said in part: “What we’re hearing is they’re being stopped in traffic stops or on the street with no cause and being forced to demand paperwork if they’re here legally. We started hearing from our police officers the same complaints as they fell victim to this while off duty. Every person who has had this happen to them is a person of color.”
Chief Bruley went on to describe a targeting of one of his female officers of color, which he describes in this speech.
Kare11reported: “Bruley said it has been extremely difficult for him to communicate with ICE leadership about concerns. He said ICE leadership has told him to file complaints online with the names of the involved federal officers, but since ICE agents cover their faces and do not have name tags, it is impossible to know who is responsible.“
This speech was published by @quadzillahikes Jack Jones, who said in his caption: “St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henrv, ioined by local law enforcement leaders, spoke on the surge of federal agents in the Twin Cities and called for “common ground.”
“This comes as the Trump administration is preparing as many as 1,500 troops [active duty soldiers] for mobilization to Minnesota as protests continue amid immigration enforcement operations in the state.”
According to an article in CBS News: “The Pentagon has ordered about 1,500 active-duty soldiers based in Alaska who specialize in operating in arctic conditions to be ready in case of a possible deployment to Minnesota, two defense officials said Sunday. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military plans, said two infantry battalions of the Army’s 11th Airborne Division have been given prepare-to-deploy orders.
“One defense official said the troops are standing by to deploy to Minnesota should President Donald Trump invoke the Insurrection Act. The rarely used 19th-century law would allow the president to send military troops into Minnesota, where protesters have been confronting federal immigration agents for weeks. He has since backed off the threat, at least for now.“
Local Maine station ABC WMTW8 reported from the Sheriff’s press conference, from Portland, ME: “ The sheriff of Cumberland County held a news conference Thursday afternoon to address the detainment of a corrections recruit by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and criticize the agency’s tactics.
“We’re being told one story, which is totally different than what’s occurring, or what occurred last night,” he said.
Joyce said the recruit was hired in February 2025 after undergoing a rigorous hiring process. The sheriff also said the recruit’s I-9 suggested that he was able to work in the United States until April 2029.
“In this particular case, this is an individual that had permission to be working in the state of Maine. We vetted him,” Joyce said. “Every indication we found is that this was a squeaky-clean individual that really hadn’t done anything at all.”
Joyce said the recruit was in the academy in the fall of 2025 when, in November, he left the academy and went to Texas for a hearing on his immigration status.
“He took the extra step of risking his job to fly to Texas to take care of hearings and for some reason, he was picked up last night,” the sheriff added.
“They left it right on the side of the street. Folks, that’s bush league policing,” Joyce said. “In my world, you wait for a wrecker. You wait for somebody to come pick it up that the individual wants, or you get permission to drive the vehicle into a public parking spot and you lock it up and you give the person their car keys. You don’t leave their personal belongings unsecure along the streets of the city of Portland. It’s not fair to the guy that owns the car. It’s surely not fair to Portland police.”
“This opened the door for me based on the fact, I mean, this is an individual that was trying to do all the right things,” he said. “I guess if you’re not the card-carrying U.S. citizen, then you must be illegal, because that’s what they told me is ‘he’s illegal,’ and he’s definitely not a criminal. So what part of him is illegal? I don’t know.”
Unable to withstand the lies coming out of the federal administration, A Little Beacon Blog joined many other publications in sharing the assaults people are enduring at the hands of ICE across the country. Doing so helps Beacon retain context when and if such events get too close to home.
An January 6th Insurrectionist who regrets what she did, and regrets the attack on Capital Police.
This mini-article originally published at Instagram:
Editorial Note: The logo on the hat is neutral and not reflective of the message spoken in the video. This video has been viewed over 50,000 times. What a missed opportunity to not have worn the ALBB hat! It was lost, but now has been found.
Earlier this week, Here’s Why Kevin and Fox Newsreported that a Hilton franchise in Minneapolis rejected ICE agents as guests. In response, Hilton apologized to DHS and removed that franchise location from its system so that people could not reserve rooms there or use their Hilton points to redeem rooms.
Fox News reported: “Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, who said he is a Hilton shareholder, praised Hilton’s handling of the quickly unfolding controversy.
“‘Apparently, Hilton Hotels is terminating the franchise effective immediately,’” Ackman wrote. “Credit to Nick Sorter for his investigative work.’”
Fox News reported that Nick Sorter, for a pursuit of an article, tried to book a block of rooms saying it was for immigration agents and was told the hotel had a ban on that.
Fox News reported that Ackerman said: “‘Hilton is one of the best-managed companies in the world. Its CEO, Chris Nassetta, is one of the most outstanding CEOs in the world. I know that he is highly respected by President Donald Trump and the current administration.’”
Therefore. This is a call for all reward point holders of any level - especially Diamond point holders - to call Hilton corporate to demand that that franchise be reactivated in the system, and to allow other franchise owners the freedoms to reject harassers and murderers from their reservation books.
Comments varied on this post, and included these two:
Said @mstasberk via Comment: "Excellent idea! I hope that folks who hold Hilton points make there feelings known to Hilton executives."
Said @marlajbrenner via Comment: "I wish I had points I could pull with. Good Luck!!!"
🇵🇸 Free Palestine. 📣
☀️💗 By the way, I’m wearing the Market hat today because I was feeling this shade of pink on this sunny day that is finally in the 40s and the ice is melting, which helps keep away drought we experience often lately. My views are my own, and not reflective of any logos my clothing. Thank you.
The City of Beacon’s Highway Department today moved the green metal trash cans from the curb edges to be near storefronts so that the trash cans don’t get knocked down, in anticipation of the snowfall predicted for Sunday into Monday. Sometimes, shop owners or pedestrians may move them back, not realizing that the City moves them out of the way in anticipation of high amounts of snow being cleared off Main Street.
If the accumulation is high enough, the Highway Department may plow or clear up onto parts of sidewalks where they are able to get to.
The City of Beacon has since issued a No Parking order for all City streets from Sunday 7am to Monday 7pm. People are encouraged to use the free municipal parking lots, including the DMV parking lot. The City has closed the Beacon Farmer’s Market on Sunday in anticipation of this need for public parking during this blizzard.
Dutchess County issued travel restrictions for all non-essential personnel starting on Sunday at 5am. Dutchess County Transit bus service will also be suspended on Sunday and Monday, according to an announcement from the City of Beacon.
Citizens of Beacon have been speculating about what will become of the old Rite Aid. First, the rumors insisted it was going to become a Spirit Halloween. But corporate Spirit Halloween confirmed to ALBB that this was smoke. Some people wished it would become a roller rink.
Now, the rumor mill is insisting that it will become a gentleman’s club. “When I first heard that,” said one female reader of A Little Beacon Blog, “I asked ‘What gentlemen in Beacon? The single ladies have been looking! I’ve got an actual gentleman, but I keep mine at home."
One barely needs to source check this rumor (though a source has confirmed to ALBB this rumor to be false), as the interior of Rite Aid is huge. It is not clear what the gentlemen would do in there with all that space. One can imagine what the Zoning Board meetings would be like should such use be attempted.
This would be quite a new Thing To Do In Beacon! Oh, what will the People of Beacon think of next…
Mountain Stream Budo, a Member Sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog, wants the community to know that they offer a one-shot self defense seminar for small groups.
This two-hour private or semi-private workshop at Mountain Stream Budo is geared toward individuals with no prior martial arts background. It will consist of an overview of self-defense theory and concepts and will include many basic techniques, focusing primarily on releases and controls, as well as pressure points.
You will also learn how to deal with various confrontations, including escapes from wrist and lapel grabs, headlocks and holds, hair pulls, chokes, body grabs, and mugs; defense against unarmed attackers as well as those armed with knives, clubs, and guns, and rape situations will also be covered, if applicable.
In the video below, students demonstrate basic defenses against:
Wrist grab
Two hand choke
Knife mug from behind
Gun mug from the front
Please inquire by emailing or calling owner Noah Mitchell: (845) 526-BUDO (2836) info@MountainStreamBudo.com www.mountainstreambudo.com
Winters are always hard for brick and mortar businesses, as people stay inside during bad weather and daylight is shorter. This winter has been especially hard for businesses selling at Farmers Markets, as cold temperatures and snowfall have impeded the ability to stay open.
This year marks the first winter the Cornwall Farmer’s Market has attempted to stay open through the winter. While fewer vendors signed on to show up during the winter, businesses including Eggbert’s Free Range Farm and The Shake and Grind. Due to cold weather or snow, Cornwall has closed their market 5 times so far this season.
Cold Spring Farmer’s Market has closed 3 times this winter and closed early once, leaving the choice to vendors on if they want to come in or not. Last Saturday marked an especially difficult day for market vendors who did decide to come in. The Cold Spring Farmer’s Market ends at 1pm, which was in the middle of snowfall and bad roads, resulting in some vendors being stuck in traffic for hours.
Beacon Farmer’s Market has also closed 3 times, due in part to the City of Beacon requiring the use of the public parking lot at the DMV. During the first two snowfalls, the City of Beacon allowed the market to stay open, but last Sunday claimed it for parking, and is doing so again this Sunday.
This has been economically hard on farmers who harvested crop or sell fresh meat or fish, as well as on makers who have inventory stockpiled. Also impacted is the ability for SNAP recipients to cash their dollars in for Fresh Connect currency from New York State, and the Beacon Farmer’s Market’s Greens4Greens currency, which enable SNAP recipients to shop the market for fresh food.
After this weekend’s upcoming closure, the Beacon Farmer’s Market has created a page on their website that links to vendors’ websites as a way to order online. The market has been known to act as a conduit between vendors and customers during times of crisis, and did build a website during the COVID shutdown before the vendors moved outside for the winter to stay accessible to customers.
Vendors like Eggbert’s Free Range Farm built their own websites during that time, with the help of local website designers like Katie James Inc. who specialize in ecommerce websites. “I am so glad we built our web shop,” Carrie Sabins, owner of Eggbert’s told A Little Beacon Blog. “I restock the online web shop from my phone, and text my customers to place orders when they can’t get to market. We offer free delivery, so we always encourage customers to order this way. This winter has been hard for us. Our inventory is in our freezers and our butcher’s freezers as we deal with these closures.”
Protesters disrupted church service at Cities Church in Saint Paul this morning where one of the pastors, David Easterwood, who did not appear to be at church at the time of the action, is the acting director of the St. Paul Field Office for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ABC News reported that that ICE field office David is in charge of has been overseeing operations "that have involved violent tactics and illegal arrests."
ABC News also reported that Easterwood defended ICE's tactics in Minnesota, including spraying protesters with chemical irritants and use of flash-bang grenades, in a January 5th court filing.
“Agitators aren’t just targeting our officers. Now they’re targeting churches, too,” the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency stated. “They’re going from hotel to hotel, church to church, hunting for federal law enforcement who are risking their lives to protect Americans.”
According to The Independent, protester and reverend Nekima Levy Armstrong told journalist Don Lemon before entering the church: “This will not stand, they cannot pretend to be a house of God, while harboring someone who is commanding ICE agents to terrorize our communities.”
While the acting pastor of morning of the protest shouted to the protesters "Shame on you!" protesters focused their message on the hypocrisy of having a pastor preach the word of God while people were under attack in their community.
The lead protestor shouted from a megaphone: "Someone who claims to worship God; teaching people in this church about God; is out there overseeing ICE agents. Think about what we have experienced. The murder of Renee Good at the hand of ICE. A Venezuelan national shot by ICE. A 6-month old baby who almost died as a result of ICE unleashing military grade weapons on our community. How dare you claim to be a pastor of God and you are involved in evil in our community."
Protesters filling the congregation demanded: "ICE OUT."
ABC News reported that U.S. Department of Justice says it is investigating the protesters at the church. U.S. Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said her agency is investigating federal civil rights violations “by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers.” She continued in social media: “A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest! It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws!”
Nekima Levy Armstrong, a reverend, participant of the protest, and leader of the local grassroots civil rights organization Racial Justice Network, responded to the investigation by calling it a sham and distraction from the invasive actions the federal government is taking in Minnesota.
She said: “When you think about the federal government unleashing barbaric ICE agents upon our community and all the harm that they have caused, to have someone serving as a pastor who oversees these ICE agents, is almost unfathomable to me. If people are more concerned about someone coming to a church on a Sunday and disrupting business as usual than they are about the atrocities that we are experiencing in our community, then they need to check their theology and the need to check their hearts.”
ABC News reported that Black Lives Matter Minnesota co-founder Monique Cullars-Doty also weighed in, saying: “If you got a head — a leader in a church — that is leading and orchestrating ICE raids, my God, what has the world come to? We can't sit back idly and watch people go and be led astray.”
It's been quite a week in Beacon. We have all been watching Minnesota. A Little Beacon Blog has been contributing by republishing some developments to allow more of us to bear witness. But on Wednesday, a woman was attacked in Beacon on Tioronda Avenue during her morning walk, and everything stopped. Beacon is currently keeping watch for the male suspect who remains at large. We will be sending you a News Digest next with all of those details. But for now, we are pausing for Retail Therapy and Things To Do.
As always ALBB thanks our Business Member Sponsors, whose financial support allows us to keep reporting the news. ALBB also thanks our Member Contributors, who are readers who donate on a monthly basis, or randomly.
At the core, our appreciation is for you, dear reader, for reading and sending your feedback when you're feeling it. Thank you.
Single purchases of Event Promotions are available. Membership for discounted recurring events are available.
47th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday Celebration
"Keeping The Dream Alive" Day: Monday, January 19th, 2026 Time: 8:30am start time. See schedule below. Location: 8 Mattie Cooper Square, Beacon, NY 12508
Rev. Dr. Rondald O. Perry, Sr. Pastor
Celebration Timeline: 8:30am Continental Breakfast 9:30am: 11th Annual MLK Parade 10:30am: 12th Annual Southern Dutchess Coalition Essay Contest
Annual Birthday Celebration Service: 2026 Annual Preacher Rev. Barbara Williams
Lunch will be served after the service. Rain Date: President's Day, February 16, 2026
Drag Show - Every Friday Night at Hudson Valley Food Hall Day: Fridays Time: 9pm Location: 288 Main Street, Beacon, NY
People come from near and far to participate and enjoy. Bring your single dollars for the dancers! Information >
Beacon Chess Club Day: Sunday, January 18th, 2026 Time: 6:30-9:30pm Location: Meyers Olde Dutch, 184 Main Street, Beacon, NY 12508 Information >
Coffee with Comrades, from Mid Hudson Valley DSA (Democratic Socialists of America)
Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026 Time: 10am Location: 15 South Ave., Beacon, NY, St. Andrew/St. Luke Episcopal Church
From the organizers: "Looking to connect with your community in a fun and casual setting? Our Culture & Political Education Working Group is hosting a new series, starting this Saturday (1/10) in Newburgh and Poughkeepsie: Coffee with Comrades & Cocktails with Comrades. In times like these it’s important for us to solidify bonds with our neighbors and foster solidarity." Information >
Beacon’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade of Green Day: Sunday March 14th, 2026 Time: Noon Location: Main Street, beginning at
For sponsorship opportunity and participation information, email: beaconnyparadeofgreen@gmail.com
Features from our Sponsors. Is your business on the menu?
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL 288 Main Street, Beacon NY
That lettuce crunch. That special sauce. Those juicy cuts of chicken or beef in between the wrap at Tara Fusion. You may get the Rice Bowl every time. But do get Trina's wraps to seriously hit the spot. Available via Door Dash delivery.
BAGEL-ISH
226 Main Street, Beacon NY
Friday was National Bagel Day, and local Michael was here for it. Bagel-ish was giving away stickers, and hooking people up with their favorite sourdough bagels. Instagram > Bagel-ish is a Sponsor!
CARTER'S RESTAURANT Main Street, Beacon NY
Do you come for the Eggplant Stack Appetizer, and stay for the live jazz? Carter's has live music often, so sit back and enjoy. Catering and Private Parties available. Call them for details. 845-743-6527 Instagram > Carter's is a Sponsor!
Fire In The Basement Wall At Amacord; Contained Quickly; Open Tomorrow (Saturday)
At 8:20pm Friday evening, City of Beacon Fire Department arrived to Cafe Amacord to answer a call of a basement fire in the walls. Firefighters drilled into the side of the building to search for hot spots. They left after they found no hot-spots and were satisfied that the are was safe and secure.
“We are open tomorrow,” Rifo told ALBB with a smile. While the siren activity was large outside, inside of Amacord seemed calm. The focus of the staff was to get anything cleaned up for a busy Saturday the next day. What will you order? >
Eggbert’s Free Range Farm
Your reminder that Eggbert's delivers free all year round, no matter how small your order. If you need their raw pet food or a carton of eggs, they've got you. PS: Eggbert's will not be at Cold Spring Market today Saturday due to falling snow and them wanting to stay off the roads. But the Cold Spring Market itself remains open. FARMERS MARKETS: Wednesdays: Cornwall Farmer's Market: 11am-3pm Saturdays: Cold Spring Farmer's Market 9am-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
Shape those brows! Book your spot at the Brow Bar at The Blushery for a refreshing wax. Add in your chin and lip if you like. Spots available in the back for bikini wax or other parts of your body. 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.
Being that this is a new art being taught in Beaecon, anyone is allowed to stop by for a free introductory class. Watch ALBB for an upcoming video showing you the outfit preparation 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 >
Howland Chamber Music Circle's Classics for Kids presents "Silent Films with Live Accompaniment: Buster Keaton"
Date: Saturday, January 31, 2026 Time: 5:30pm (1 hour event) Price: Children Free/Adults $15 Location: 477 Main Street, Beacon, NY, Howland Cultural Center Buster Keaton’s Silent Films: Day Dreams & Electric House
with live music by Jesse Stacken, piano
Back by popular demand! Classics for Kids presents a special screening of two beloved Buster Keaton classics—Day Dreams and Electric House—presented by the Howland Chamber Music Circle and the Howland Cultural Center. Enjoy Keaton’s hilarious antics on the big screen with live piano accompaniment by Jesse Stacken, recreating the authentic movie-house experience of a century ago. Information >
"The Peekskill Riots"
Learn about the African American Civil Rights Activist Paul Robeson through the storyline of the Peekskill Riots, one of the most covered up mob attacks in our region in 1949, from the master storyteller and documentary filmmaker, Jon Scott Bennett, in our interview with him. Listen Now >
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 >
At 8:20pm Friday evening, City of Beacon Fire Department arrived to Cafe Amacord to answer a call of a basement fire in the walls. City of Beacon Police were also on the scene, as were Castle Point and EMS, according to Dutchess County Scanner. Dutchess County Scanner and Valmir Muriqi reported that the fire started as an automatic fire alarm that was upgraded to a first alarm basement fire.
Firefighters drilled into the side of the building to search for hot spots. They left after they found no hot-spots and were satisfied that the area was safe and secure. After crews left and Amacord staff was closing up inside, owner Rifo told A Little Beacon Blog that a tube had fallen out of the heating component, causing the burn.
The Beacon Professional Firefighters IAFF L-3490 report of the call reads as follows: 20:20 BFD units dispatched for a commercial AFA. 20:24 Units operating at a basement fire on Main St. 20:58 Source located, fire in the walls, continuing the PAR 21:15 Discontinue the PAR, EMS in service.
“We are open tomorrow,” Rifo told ALBB with a smile. The staff focused on get anything cleaned up for a busy Saturday the next day. Do check Amacord’s menu, and let us know what you order!
Amacord Menu Highlights Include:
BUFFALO MOZZARELLA AND PROSCIUTTO Fresh melon, baby arugula, olive oil and aged balsamic
VEAL MEATBALLS TONNATO White tuna sauce, mayo, olive oil, lemon, capers and boiled egg
EGG YOLK CARPACCIO Egg yolk topped with shrimp sautéed with olive oil, garlic, thyme, tarragon, lemon and topped with shoe string fries
Local and Woman-Owned Heating/Cooling company @shelter.air was checking the weather and says it looks like temperatures are going to stay cold over the next few days. brrrr.
Therefore, they wanted to use their ALBB Member Sponsor spot to share a quick reminder about what to do if your heat suddenly goes out during a cold snap.
❄️ Check your thermostat and breaker to rule out simple fixes.
❄️ Close doors to unused rooms to keep heat where you need it most, and use blankets, layered clothing, and sleeping bags for extra warmth.
❄️ Keep faucets dripping slightly to prevent frozen pipes.
❄️ If you use space heaters, keep them away from flammable materials and never leave them unattended. Do not keep them on overnight.
❄️ Most importantly, schedule an emergency repair visit with Shelter Air right away. Call 845-299-8804
If you have not yet had your seasonal HVAC service, please don’t hesitate to schedule now. Proactive maintenance is key to reducing the risk of heating issues in the first place.
The City of Beacon Police Department has released a third statement on 1/15/2026 asking the public for help identifying the suspect who attacked the woman on Tioronda Avenue Wednesday morning. The Police are seeking camera footage from everyone, city-wide. Could have been dark for when the suspect headed toward the scene, and light when the suspect left the scene.
Everyone from every neighborhood, including all neighborhoods close to the mountain or by the river or Main Street or back roads, are encouraged to check their footage from early morning into later in the day.
The description of the male suspect is as follows:
"As of this time we are requesting that individuals check any available cameras, in Beacon, for footage from 1/14/2026, of a:
white male
wearing a black jacket or coat (not a puff coat)
a black knit hat and blue pants or jeans
possibly being in his 30s-40s
approximately 5'11" with a medium build
having a brown, very close beard
“If anyone has any footage depicting an individual that could fit that description or most of that description, please immediately contact the City of Beacon Police Department at 845-831-4111.”
Beacon Police Chief Figlia’s Response To The Public
Beacon Chief of Police Tom Figlia went on to address the public, acknowledging their concerns, saying: "We do not take the public's concerns lightly at all. Had it been appropriate to release this information earlier, we would have."
Members of the public who specialize in sexual assault and domestic violence, and are survivors themselves, have been lending their voices to ease people's reactions by reminding them to center the victim in this traumatic situation. That victims are going through a range of emotions, including extreme fear, and need time to process.
Chief Figlia continued: "Had it been appropriate to release this information earlier, we would have. Please understand that this is a sensitive investigation and that in certain, traumatic cases, it is not even appropriate to fully take a statement from a victim until time has passed."
In Chief Figlia's 2nd press release statement, he alluded to the patience they were taking with the victim as she began her physical recovery.
"It would therefore be irresponsible for us to prematurely release information which we, objectively, could not rely on," he stated.
"We, again, must also balance the public's need to know with the needs of the victim's privacy and the potential to compromise an investigation and/or prosecution. The department is continuing to devote its full resources to this investigation and is receiving assistance from other agencies as well."
Anyone with relevant information is urged to contact the Beacon Police Department at 845-831-4111.
Tioronda Avenue, in the direction of where the woman was found in the woods after being attacked and “seriously assaulted” Wednesday morning while walking, according to Beacon Police. This is on the other side of Wolcott Avenue, near Sargent Elementary School.
The Beacon community was jolted on Wednesday when news of a violent assault of a woman, allegedly walking her dog along Tioronda Avenue early in the morning, circulated on social media and in personal texts. While few details of the attack have yet to be officially confirmed, the Beacon Police Department wrote in a press release that "the victim is in stable physical condition."
Chief of Police Thomas Figlia noted in the press release that "though we understand the public's safety concerns and desire to know more, the department must balance that with our obligation to the victim's privacy and wellbeing.” He confirmed that at this time, a suspect has not been identified.
When the Beacon Police Department issued their first press release, their wording was vague, leaving community members frustrated, as Chief Figlia referred to the event as: “a possible, past occurred assault on Tioronda Ave. in the area of Wolcott Ave." But people had seen police activity in the area just that morning, and the text already circulated.
The term “past occurred” indicated no time - 5 days ago or 5 hours ago, and “possible” indicates that the assault did not happen at all, or that doubt was placed on the person who said they experienced the assault. Phone calls and FOIL requests to the Police Department, and social media posts about the department were made by the public to attempt to push the department to release more information for public safety and tip gathering.
A second statement was issued later in the afternoon with more detail, such as confirmation of the assault and time of arrival of the police. That release also stated that she “may have been the victim of a crime,” but did not state what the crime was, before confirming that she was “seriously assaulted” in the next sentence. In the text circulating on social media, she had been allegedly been walking her dog, who allegedly connected with humans, alerting them to the woman’s whereabouts. However, detail of the dog was not in the Police Department press release.
By the time the first press release was posted to the Police Department’s Facebook, many people in the public knew alleged details, which included an elementary school lockout. But none of that was mentioned in the first statement, which angered the public, as the Police Department held tight to protecting the privacy of the victim and the integrity of the investigation.
The public was not demanding to know the identity or description of the victim - who is now a survivor who has a journey of physical and emotional healing before her - but was demanding to know location and timing so as to keep themselves and loved ones safe from a future attack. Hearing that the attacker was not found in the surrounding area was not received as a comfort, but as a concern, as the person is still at large, with so far, no description.
To say Tioronda and Wolcott by itself indicates multiple locations of violent actions occurring - usually on the side between Main Street, like this one; and the murder of Rene Vivo “Scout” that resulted from a stabbing on Main Street that remains unsolved. It was because of the circulating text that the community learned it was on the other side of Wolcott, the side of Sargent Elementary school which is very isolated and wooded with hills and rocks, with houses and the new residential apartment buildings known as the Arno at 248 Tioronda.
Also not confirmed in the press release was the woman’s dog, and the dog’s alleged involvement in alerting humans to be able to find her in the woods. Many people with and without dogs walk, jog and bike down that strip of Tioronda. First instinct of most community members was to think about which area to avoid on their outing that day, and if any stranger was lurking. Parents thought about their children walking home from school, especially if on that path, and if they wanted to pick up their children instead.
Paramount to protecting the victim, the Beacon Police felt it necessary to not include any details. The second press release urged people to have caution as they would any day when outside. But the public felt they needed more information in order to maintain that caution, as the attacker remains at large.
This, in the context of a federal blessing of immunity on violence unleashed on women and people of color, which is playing out in Minnesota and other cities in the country. One ALBB reader said of the first press release: “This is not enough information to keep people safe. They’re not saying what happened.”
The First Wave Of Information
The Dutchess County Scanner Feed group in Facebook, run by moderator Patrick O'Dell, published a notice that there was increased police presence in Beacon at 10:30am. That action alone triggered people to text their people with an alert. Hours after that, Patrick closed comments on his post, saying that people had broken his page’s rules by speculating on the situation.
By then, the text of alleged details had been sent to ALBB and published in at least one private Facebook group. ALBB emailed Chief Figlia saying we would wait to publish anything until the Police Department issued a press release. A source told ALBB that police activity was seen that morning at the Arno residential building parking lot at 248 Tioronda, where a tent had been set up in the parking lot near a construction trailer where police vehicles were parked. The tent was allegedly broken down shortly after that and police vehicles left, the source said.
Meanwhile at Dutchess County Scanner Feed, Patrick did a hard close of comments saying: “Apparently, if I forget to turn off commenting on a post a bunch of people decide to disregard/disrespect all rules of the page, others, PD & me. EVERYONE has been banned or suspended who did so. Wasted time but I decided to still do it. Thanks to all the others."
When the Beacon Police Department published their first press release, Patrick reposted it to his Dutchess County Scanner Feed, saying in part: “I do not want non factual information, or details put out to the public that could possibly interfere with their investigation. I CANNOT STOP ANYONE FROM VISITING THOSE BEACON PAGES AND READING WHAT IS ON THEM. I can only control what is posted here for the integrity of the page.”
When the Beacon PD’s first press release published, barely any detail was confirmed. Not the gender of the person, age, location or time. It was assumed that the perpetrator was still at large. Not knowing if this was an intimate partner domestic violence situation, or a random attack, or a combination of both.
Police activity parked at the Arno residential building the Wednesday morning of the assault, where a tent was set up and then broken down.
In response, community members took to other groups to get the information out. The text was shared in a group in an effort to encourage women to walk in pairs and to be alert and careful. A group participant stated that Sargent Elementary had conducted a lockout, which is located in the vicinity of the attack.
The first press release mentioned Beacon City Schools, but only that they had been alerted that a search was being conducted. ALBB sought out and received confirmation that Sargent’s principal emailed school families an email which they received at 11:02am that Sargent had conducted a lockout, which locked the doors of the school while kids continued learning inside. Other schools did not go on lockout. It is noteworthy for this and future emergency situations that caregivers were alerted during the school day close to when the incident happened, and not at the end of the day.
The second press release confirmed the lockout, stating: “Upon arrival it had been determined that there was reason to believe that the female victim had been seriously assaulted. At that time, given the proximity to the Sargent School, the Beacon City School District was notified and advised to place the school on lockout until the area could be searched.” No one was found in the search, the statement confirmed.
To provide context of when district families are robo-called about an incident at school: when a school goes on lockdown or lockout, district families are robo-called about that; if it is a practice drill or unexpected occurrence. This week, in fact, a bat was found in the Beacon High School. District families were robo-called immediately about the bat, which was contained by pest control within the day.
In this situation, Sargent families were emailed by their principal about the lockout related to the assault. Families at other schools were not alerted. ALBB sought out and received content of the email, but not yet received confirmation of the time of which the parents were emailed as of this publishing. Part of the email read: “Out of an abundance of caution, Sargent was placed in a ‘lockout’ for approximately 90 minutes while there was a police investigation on Tironda Avenue.”
Details Confirmed In The Beacon Police Department’s Second Press Release
"On 1/14/2026 at approximately 9:20am the Beacon Police Department received a call from Dutchess County 911 to assist Fire and EMS who had responded to a call regarding a female who was unconscious in the area of Tioronda Ave. and Wolcott Ave. and may have been the victim of a crime.
"Upon arrival it had been determined that there was reason to believe that the female victim had been seriously assaulted. At that time, given the proximity to Sargent School, the Beacon City School District was notified and advised to place the school on a lockout until the area could be searched. The area around the school was searched and no one was located. Therefore, BCSD was advised of the same. As of that time the department was confident that the suspect was not in the that immediate area.
"The victim is in stable, physical, condition. Given the nature of the incident, however, the department is, even now, still working with her in order to determine key details of the crime. Because of this, we are not releasing any information that is not yet fully confirmed. Additionally, though we understand the public's safety concerns and desire to know more, the department must balance that with our obligation to the victim's privacy and wellbeing as well as our obligation not to put out information that could compromise this investigation. We are urging others to also please respect this victim's privacy as much as possible.
"At this time a suspect has not been identified, nor is anyone is custody. As with any other time, people should use caution, be aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity to the police. If anyone has any information specific to this case, we again urge you to call 845-831-4111."
People who have experienced Sexual Assault or know someone who has are encouraged to contact RAINN for help, healing and resources.
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.
