Fires Rage In And Around The Hudson Valley During Warm Fall - Smoke In Air In Beacon

"Mommy, it smells like smoke outside. Is someone burning something in their yard?"

"No sweetie, parts of the Hudson Valley forests are burning."

On November 1st, City of Beacon Mayor Lee Kyriacou declared a State of Emergency in the City of Beacon "due to extreme drought conditions, wind, and an areawide increase of wildfires which threaten the public health, safety and welfare of our citizens and private property." At the same time, he issued an Emergency Order banning all exterior open burning until November 6th. As of November 8th, the ban was re-issued until further notice.

This burn ban was the day after Halloween in Beacon, where fire pits are lit for driveway gatherings as trick-or-treators make the rounds

On November 2nd, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar issued a Drought Watch for downstate New York, and published on the DEC.ny.gov website: "Recent unseasonably warm weather and lack of precipitation have led to dry conditions for many counties in New York, resulting in some downstate areas being put under drought watch. Local water restrictions and educating residents about how to help conserve our water resources are crucial steps to help prevent a more severe shortage until conditions improve."

On Saturday, November 9th, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced a forest fire had been going on since 3:30am in the area surrounding the North End of Indian Lake. They said that multiple Fire Departments responded to the scene, including: Putnam Valley Volunteer Fire Department, Cold Spring Fire Company No. 1, North Highlands Engine Company # 1, Kent Fire Department, Mahopac Falls Vol. Fire Department, Continental Village Vol. Fire Department, along with Buchanan, Montrose and Verplank Fire Departments from Westchester.

Also on Saturday, fire crews were battling a 2,000 acres forest fire in New Jersey in Passaic County, which then spread to Orange County, PIX11 reported. An 18 year old New York forest ranger died while fighting that fire. Dariel Vasquez was fighting the fire in Greenwood Lake when a tree fell on him MidHudson News reported.

On Sunday, November 10th, the Ulster Sheriff's Office announced that firefighters were battling a forest fire in the Whitehouse Forest: "Our agency is assisting state and local agencies including several volunteer fire departments from Ulster, Sullivan and Delaware counties in the Town of Denning with a large forest fire in the Whitehouse Forest between the Rondout and Ashokan Reservoirs. Please limit travel in the area as there are road closures."

The Times Union reported that the Town of Denning fire is approximately 422 acres, Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said, based on a flyover estimate. “Some 185 firefighters from 20 agencies from Sullivan, Ulster and Delaware Counties have been involved in fire suppression efforts. The incident is being managed through the unified command system by Ulster County Department of Emergency Services, Sullivan County Division of Public Safety, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, and the Grahamsville Fire Department,” the Times Union reported.

This area is in New York City's watershed, which "contains reservoirs that feed into New York City's water supply system," News12 reported. NYC Water issued a statement via X (formerly Twitter): "DEP & New York State Police helicopters are conducting aerial firefighting operations to assist local fire departments battling the Whitehouse forest fire ranging across 384 acres of mountainous NYC watershed between Rondout & Ashokan reservoirs in western Ulster County in the Catskills."

According to the New York Times, hundreds of forest fires have been reported in New Jersey since October 20th. Also this weekend, a brush fire in a "heavily wooded section" of Brooklyn's Prospect Park burned 2 acres, where 100 firefighters responded to contain it, the New York Times reported.

Newburgh/Beacon Bridge Railing Too Low - Easy For Jumpers - Pictures And Suicide Prevention Thoughts

Attention: This article contains information about the concept of suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of self-harm, there are ways to get help. Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) (en español 1-888-628-9454) for free, confidential crisis counseling and referrals available 24/7.

After ALBB published about the most recent loss of life from the Newburgh/Beacon Bridge last week, of the young person who was identified as male who was 21 years old, several readers commented that the railing was too low. That sparked conversation offline. Therefore, this article will take a look at that railing, and why it needs to be raised. This article will show pictures of the railing, and will explore what it feels like to walk across the bridge to get to the railing, if that is indeed where people are jumping from. Because this person was not the first, and this is a problem.

Recognizing that even seeing pictures of the access path and railing may trigger emotions in people to either see for themselves for whatever reason, or if people who knew someone who did go over the railing, I (Katie) will contribute thoughts about how to get around and through hard feelings when they come.

As a jogger, I have run across this bridge several times, often wondering why the railing was so low, and feeling terrified to run across it, simply as a runner, walker or biker, since making one un-returnable choice is so easy to do from this bridge. Those crazy fantasies happen about what if one is flung over the railing, or what if one trips and somehow flips up and over the railing, even though tripping upwards is almost impossible. But, that is what the low height of this railing can do to people of mind who do not intend to jump.

Walking To The Bridge

We do not know how these people got to the spot on the bridge from which they jumped. Did they park on the right side of the bridge (if leaving Beacon), exit their car, and simply step off? Since there is no railing on the north (right) side of the bridge when leaving Beacon? Or did they walk down the path on the south (left) side of the bridge when leaving Beacon? If they came from the Newburgh side, this article does not look at that path.

For this article, I walked the left side to get to the middle, when coming from Beacon. Normally I jog here, but for this article, I parked my car at a friend’s house and walked. In this different head-space, I almost forgot how to get to the walking path that leads to the bridge. By the time I got to the I-84 overpass, I doubted myself as to where I was, since I was so near to the exit ramp. But sure enough, that is where the path is.

Cars whiz by very quickly, and the changing gears of the 18-wheeler trucks produce a large rumbling vibration sound, which has them low-pitched wailing as they get farther away. The current of the interstate traffic is pulsating. There is one sign for cars on the exit ramp: WRONG WAY. That if one were in the end-of-life state of mind, one may hope they would notice this sign and turn around. Next, there is a green sign that says “Life Is Worth Living,” which, if I were in the end-of-life frame of mind, I would want to punch for not understanding me, and carry on. There is one more of those signs later in the walking path. They seem totally useless.

And Now, We Get To The Railings On The Newburgh/Beacon Bridge

There are 2 levels of railings on the south side of the Newburgh/Beacon Bridge, or, the left side if you are leaving Beacon for Newburgh. The first is a set of bars, like a gate, that is taller than most humans. It starts at the beginning of the bridge, and continues over the tree tops, where the earth slants down to the MTA train tracks. The railing starts low, then goes a few feet higher.

The low railing before the taller railing once the ground ends to slope down. One begins to walk above the treetops, and the railing goes up.

The railing/Gate/bars at the beginning of the bridge on the Beacon side. The bars are taller than most humans

The treetops below the bridge on the Beacon side. Blocked by the taller bars.

After one walks over the tree tops, which is a wonderfully curious sensation, like you are flying, or are a drone, the high bars that were protecting you suddenly go lower. The bar of the gate lowers down to a railing that is the same height of many humans. Or, if you’re 5’8.5”, it is shorter than you. The railing has been lowered, presumably, to open up the view to cars to see clearly the mountains and river. As a walker, you can see all of this clearly, since the space between the bars is plenty wide.

Meanwhile, the metal walking path beneath you is shaking. The bridge moves a bit with all of the cars and trucks driving across it at full speed. Walking on the right side feels pretty normal, but walking on the left side next to the railing on the return back to Beacon, feels almost slanted. I didn’t bring my leveler and don’t have a leveler app, but that half of the metal walkway feels tilted. Could just be the sensation, though!

Coupled with a large gap between the end of the railing and the walkway. One feels like their leg might slip through it, and then one’s entire body might slip through and fall off the bridge. Which is of course impossible, but these crazy sensations pull at one’s body when walking that close to the railing. I can’t imagine how it feels for a person who came there with the intention to jump. Since there is this weird pulling sensation just by being there.

“But Katie, People Make The Decision To Die. That’s It. You Know That.”

I don’t know that. And this is not why New York State or Beacon or Newburgh of any of these Hudson Valley municipalities should be OK with this bridge being so accessbile by people who are making a decision that may be momentary, or accurate for a few months, or that they may regret. Unlike a drinking or an ice cream binge, that seems like the right idea at the time, there is no turning back from this. Unlike having sex with that first person seems like the right idea at the time, there is no turning back from smacking down onto the water that becomes like cement from that height if one wants to do that. They can’t undo smacking down on the Hudson River Water cement.

“But Katie, people make the decision to die. That’s it. You know that.” This was said to me by a good-intentioned person who wishes no one to die. This is where I want to talk about deciding to end one’s life. And how that is their decision. And those of us left in the living have to tell ourselves things in order to cope with the loss of them here. I’ve read the phrase “Don’t go, you will be missed,” and I understand that sentiment, but sometimes, if someone is in that state of mind, it’s not about other people. It’s about that person, and what that person feels like they can or can no longer contribute or tolerate in this lifetime.

Decisions Are Moments In Time

A friend once told me, when I was feeling down about what I thought was losing an emotion forever, they told me: “These are feelings for now. Things return.” I decided to believe my friend, even though I was convinced otherwise. Turns out, my friend was right. Years and years later, my friend remains right.

That friend has become my Day Of The Week Friend. We are very different people. We see straight on 95% of things. The other 5% is very, very different. But we appreciate each other as our Safe Space. Where we can tell each other deep emotions without fear of that friend reporting us, judging us, and if they do judge us, we know it is with good intent, and we know we can push back if we feel we need to.

Days of the week are important, because each day can mean different things. Making it through each day can be very hard. My friend started as my Saturday Friend. In my 20s (I am now 47 with 3 young children), I decided not to answer the phone from anyone in my family before 12noon. Too emotionally dangerous/slippery. But this friend, I can answer their call at any time in the morning. Except 5am. I am journaling then, and need the quiet. Unless they are in an emergency.

That friend expanded to Wednesday Friend. For no reason, really. I think they just wanted to check in again. Tuesdays became another day for us. Slurpy Tuesdays. Because Tuesdays can be very emotional, as they tend to have less structure than the Go Go Go energy of a Monday (as a small business owner, I love Monday’s, because I am the only one making it happen, so I got to make the money and be jazzed about it starting on Monday).

I say this because each day and moment are different. What may feel real and permanent in one moment, will not be real and permanent in another. Some things will. Like true love you feel. Or certain ideas you have. But other truths are set in different ways. The Past You may know some truths, and the Future You may know those truths differently, after reality is revealed along the way.

A Quick Guide To Days Of The Week

Not sure about you, but this is how I view the days of the week. Everyone is different in their life experience. I work for myself, so my work hours vary. I don’t commute to a job. My job as a writer and website producer is in my computer, which travels with me everywhere. I also produce client’s social media, so much of my job is in my iPhone.

Monday: Yay!! Monday is here again and I get to start this week again to make money. Money is a huge trigger for me. If I don’t have it - if I can’t buy the groceries my kids need, if I can’t take them to Olive Garden like they ask me, if I can’t pay for the Volleyball registration, I get very, very low. I know this is momentary, and I know what I need to do to get more money. Even though that usually involves emerging from a very scary place.

Tuesday: Slurpy Tuesday. Catch up from Monday, but dangerous because there is less structure here. I try not to answer any phone calls from family on Tuesdays. Especially at holiday time in November/December. This can send me into an emotional tailspin.

Wednesday: Ok, how you doing, Wednesday? This used to be a day that I taught a class. I’ve since abandoned that class, but need to bring it back. Great day for laundry catchup at night to stay ahead.

Thursday: Could be a high or a low day. Usually a high, as people begin opening up to get ready for the weekend. But if no structure, this day can slide to slurpy quickly.

Friday: Wow. It’s Friday. Did I complete everything? No I didn’t. Oh no. Usually am behind on Friday with deadlines. Clients tend to call on this day with website or creative emergencies. Usually my plans go out the window on Fridays. It’s also payday on Friday. If I don’t have the money to make payroll, this is obviously a very depressing day. Usually by Friday Night, I have moved through the Dimming of the Day, which is a peaceful time, but a longing time. I’m usually in a missing mood, and hope that I make it to Saturday.

Saturday: Saturday! Disconnected. Most people are not working or sending business emails. This day is reserved for creative things, bills catchup or bookkeeping. Or Kids Sports of those are in season. If it’s Kids Sports season, then this day is very choppy, difficult and usually exhausting. If a bath with Epson salt didn’t happen Friday night, then it should definitely happen Saturday night.

Sunday: Ugh. Sundays are for Main Street errands, the Farmer’s Market, and purging trash and house clutter. Kids Sports Things if those are in season. Preparing for Monday.

Visual Tricks To Get You Through Hard Moments

I have been going through a divorce for 2 years, and pondering it for years prior. I don’t know what it feels like to “come out” for one’s sexuality, but telling my friends and family that I was pursuing divorce was very difficult for me. I was hiding for a long time, and in my marriage, felt I had disappeared.

Low moments can often happen if one doesn’t feel heard or seen. This can often happen from people who are the most close to us blood-wise, family-wise. This is why people speak of their “chosen family.” Sometimes one must separate from their blood family in order to process and understand their own needs, and then lift themselves from restrictions being placed upon them in various ways. These restrictions can cause one to feel hopeless.

To get through these moments, to protect against the hopeless feeling, I do 2 things:

1. Remember that nothing lasts for ever. Good things or bad. I like to believe that the good things morph into the next version of that good thing. The bad or low moments will pass. Even though in that moment, they feel like forever, which is terrifying.

2. Turn myself into different characters or objects. Here’s what I mean:

Maleficent’s Wings: When I thought that “nesting” was a good idea at the end of my marriage (aka still living together in the same house for financial reasons but are divorced), to be temporary until I bought a different house, my ex-spouse was home more than expected. To survive this, I imagined that Maleficent’s large, black, thick, luscious wings were attached to my back and wrapped around me, shrouding me and protecting me from anything coming my way.

Alice Down A Rabbit Hole: When I’m pursuing an article like this one, I often feel like Alice in Wonderland, gathering pictures and information from places I never expected to be. Meeting new people and learning about their lives.

Cranking A Lawn Mower: During this divorce period, my usual mojo has been off. I can’t get into the groove to produce for my job the way I need to, or know that I can. I often feel like I am pulling on the lawn mower crank thing, and the motor is just not catching. I know it can start, but why. WHY. When it does start, I am very thankful, and I mow the whole lawn without turning it off.

Han Solo Flying The Millennium Falcon: When my motor starts again, I become like a jittery broken ship and a pilot at the same time. According to StarWars.com: “Millennium Falcon is a legend in smuggler circles and is coveted by many for being the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy.” When I’m getting back on track, I feel like Han Solo in the pilot seat, working all of the levers and pressing all of the buttons, while some things are springing leaks. He fixes it as he goes, and knows he will be alright, but it’s a scary, yet exciting ride.

Batman and Robin: I don’t have a business partner, but I do, or did, have an employee here at A Little Beacon Blog. During the new time of blogging about Palestine, and how difficult that has been for this publication, thanks to people who are in denial, and to at least 1 stalker who has been walking into businesses demanding that they cut financial ties with my blog, and 1 stalker who takes the time to send a 6 pages letter to over 20 businesses, demanding the same, I had to go rogue. While my employee wanted to stay, I told her that I seem to be driving the plane into the ground, and for her own safety, I must eject her. Oddly, the day before I wrote her this text that I did not send, my body sent me to the hospital with an unexpected attack of Diverticulitis, that I realize know, has been brewing for at last one year. But with the stress of my divorce, these stalkers, and the denial of much of the world who are in power of the murders in Palestine, which bleeds into other genocides and hiding of police brutality and other things, my body couldn’t absorb any more. I may not have wanted to jump off a bridge, but my body sent me to the ER.

Butterfly/Person In Ocean: I have several ocean scenes I embody. On a productive, fast-moving day, I envision myself to be under the water, zipping around the ocean floor, collecting things in my arms. My body travels as fast as a bullet, and can twirl around horizontally while shooting forward. It’s like being a person and a butterfly at the same time.

Sinking To Bottom Of Ocean: I never felt this, but I imagined someone else feeling this way. I let go of them, and they fell slowly into the dark depths of the ocean. They could still breath and see me, but they were gone from me. They were on their own. It was a painful vision for me to have, but necessary for that person to make for themselves.

Treading Water In The Rough Ocean Waves: During my divorce, sometimes I felt like I was bobbing in the cold ocean water in the pitch black night, in angry and busy waves, but staying above water. I was next to a tall ship, where people close to me were in it and watching me, assuming I was fine. “Look how strong she is!” they said. But she/I was treading water as best I could, while cold salt water splashed into my mouth, choking me. The waves kept crashing over my head. I looked up at the people in the ship, and wondered why they thought I was OK and didn’t need help, or a life ring, or a life boat..

I have many more examples of characters or objects you can become. But you get the idea.

And don’t worry, Stalkers. I am exposing you in a few articles to come. You are so proud of your work, so you won’t mind the feature article.

Point Is:

The point is: don’t jump off the bridge. These are moments in time.

Even if someone thinks that jumping off the bridge is a good idea, New York State shouldn’t make it so easy to do. New York State removed the toll booths on the Newburgh/Beacon Bridge and cut those jobs in a few months time. They can raise the railing just as quickly.

We are always in traffic on that bridge. So I know we won’t mind the new construction.

Write To Our Elected Officials

Please write to your elected officials to get this railing raised.
Dutchess County Executive: Sue Serino CountyExec@DutchessNY.gov
Assembly Member Jonathan G. Jacobson: jacobsonj@nyassembly.gov

Hudson Valley Activists Drop Banners Demanding U.S. and NYS Divestment From Israel’s War Crimes

Early Wednesday morning (5/29/2024), a group of local Hudson Valley activists hung banners on four I-87 overpasses visible to northbound traffic. The banners call for the end of U.S. and NYS funding of Israel war crimes in Gaza, and bring attention to the slaughter of displaced civilians currently ongoing in Rafah by the U.S. funded Israeli military.

The banner that hung south of Newburgh read: “Permanent Ceasefire.” For Kingston, the banner read: “Divest From Genocide.” For Saugerties, the banner read: “Let Gaza Live.” For Leeds, the banner read: “Free Palestine.”

Over the last several days, the Israeli military invaded Rafah, a designated “safe zone”, and carried out massacres by bombing displaced families in tents, killing dozens of people, according to AlJazeera and other news outlets. The death toll is still rising.

American citizens have been pleading with their elected officials to stop voting for more military aid to Israel for over 8 months, and to support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Yet, elected officials have continuously refused to listen to their constituents. “We call upon every decent human being to demand an end to U.S. military and financial support that has enabled the total dehumanization and genocide of the Palestinian people. As Jews, we are horrified by Israel’s brutality and total disregard for human life. We say 'Never Again is Now! Enough!' said two activists who are senior citizens of Beacon, NY.

"The massacre of civilians across Gaza, and now in Rafah, is a direct result of the Biden administration and Congress’ continued political and military support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza," say the activists. "Now is time for the U.S. to stop funding Israel’s genocidal campaign and to place an arms embargo against Israel in accordance with U.S. and international law, to end U.S. complicity with war crimes."

The activists pledge to continue demonstrating in different ways. "Hudson Valley residents will keep organizing to demand a permanent ceasefire, an end to the immediate horrors devastating Gaza, funded by U.S. taxpayers, and to end the occupation. We urge every person of conscience to join our demands to stop the genocide in Gaza and free Palestine.

Newburgh-Beacon Bridge Shutdown During National A15 Economic Blockade For A Free Palestine

The Newburgh/Beacon Bridge was shut down today, April 15, 2024, at 8am in coordination with at least 65 other cities across the United States who designated April 15th Tax Day to be A15 Economic Blockade to Free Palestine. Organized by a15actions, the mission states: “75 years and 182 days into this US backed genocide we must take collective risk beyond symbolic acts of solidarity. On April 15th, we will block logistical hubs to stop the flow of capital worldwide. This is just the beginning. We will not cooperate with the police. If a blockade in one city faces repression, we will respond in solidarity in other cities. Join us in organizing towards our collective liberation.” See the shutdown in Oakland, CA, Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Texts from a reader showing Local radio station K104 was Reporting on Sheriff messages about terrorism, and not about the cause of the shutdown, which was A15 Economic Blockade for a Free Palestine.

@HV4FreePalestine was the first to cover the true nature of this blockade. The radio station K104 focused on parroting messages from Sheriff Offices like Putnam County, to perpetuate fear via the terrorist narrative that this country has accepted as normal with anything related to “the Middle East.”

Reported HV4FreePalestine:

“This morning at 8am, over a dozen Palestinians, Jews and allies blockaded the westbound Hamilton Fish Newburgh-Beacon bridge for over an hour, stopping traffic on I-84 for miles at the peak of rush hour. The action, part of the April 15 Economic Blockade for Palestine taking place in 65 cities across the globe, ended at 9am with 15 arrests.

“Organizer Abdallah Qotate states: ‘As a Palestinian, I wake up everyday worrying whether my best friend in Gaza will live to see another day. I’m forced to be in the street because our elected government refuses to listen to us. How many Palestinians have to die before our government will stop sending our tax dollars to Israel to fund this genocide?’

“As a Palestinian, I wake up everyday worrying whether my best friend in Gaza will live to see another day. I’m forced to be in the street because our elected government refuses to listen to us. How many Palestinians have to die before our government will stop sending our tax dollars to Israel to fund this genocide?”

— Abdalla Qotate

In a non-violent act of civil disobedience, protestors highlighted the federal government and US economy’s role in Israel's genocidal siege against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Activists blocked all westbound lanes of traffic on the bridge for nearly one hour, amidst the busiest time on the bridge, over which 65,000 commuters and 6012 transport trucks travel daily.

During the protest, New York State Police assaulted, pushed and threatened peaceful demonstrators with a baton. In a tweet removed later, the New York Department of Transport for the Hudson Valley reported that as of 8:44am, one lane remained closed during police intervention.

Shutting down a key artery of commerce and commuter transport during one of the busiest hours of morning traffic, demonstrators were part of a global movement shutting down commerce to end the genocide.

“During the protest, New York State Police assaulted, pushed and threatened peaceful demonstrators with a baton.”

— @HV4FreePalestine

Grace Collins, one of the participants, concludes “Months of pleading to my representatives has not slowed the genocide in Palestine. Disrupting traffic to get our message across is a natural next step. If the constituents wont be heard through government channels then we will get our message across in nonviolent ways however we can.”

“From the Hudson Valley organizers: ‘Tax Day is a reminder that the Biden administration has made over 100 transfers of taxpayer dollars in military assistance to Israel since the beginning of the genocide in Gaza. We refuse to allow business as usual to continue while Palestinians are murdered by Israel using American weaponry and tax dollars. Those committed to Palestinian freedom in the Hudson Valley have tried many tactics—we’ve demonstrated, we’ve lobbied our representatives, Pat Ryan and Marc Molinaro, for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, we’ve visited their offices, we’ve educated the public. Those on the highway today are done waiting on congressional representatives. We are committed to keeping up the pressure until the genocide ends and Palestine is free.”

Citizen Reporter @bryanne_af reported that she was happy to learn she had been stuck in traffic for a cause during her Kid School Drop-off morning, telling her Instagram friends: “Hudson Valley shut down the westbound Newburgh Beacon bridge for Palestine today!!! 😭🇵🇸😭 I had no idea what was going on and had to drive over an hour to get home from dropping my kids off to school - so happy and proud to discover it was comrades doing worthy and noble work! So very thankful for their bravery and that I got to bear witness to the incredible impact they had on the Hudson Valley this morning - the blockade here went for six miles beyond the bridge, toward Fishkill [down 9D passing Stonykill Farm and the Heritage Financial Stadium] - if this inconvenienced you, just IMAGINE how Gaza suffers from what our tax dollars are doing in blocking their food, their medicine, their freedom to live! From the river to the sea!!! 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

Another reader, Citizen Reporter Cowboy, responded to the news of the shutdown by telling ALBB: “I gotta go check Whacker Wire to see if my Mom was arrested today.” Their mom has been arrested 4 times during this extermination of Palestine, including once at Grand Central Station.

Infrastructure Program Grant For Youth Programming Updates Opens For Applications, Funded By Dutchess County

The Dutchess County Department of Planning and Development has opened the application process for the 2024 Agency Partner Grant (APG): Infrastructure Program. A total of $200,000 was allocated in the 2024 Dutchess County Budget for the APG: Infrastructure Program. Funding is available through a competitive grant process to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that provide a venue for youth programming in Dutchess County. In order to be eligible to apply, applicants must own or have a long-term lease (25+ years) for the facility that provides the space for the youth activity.

This year’s grant program focuses on capital infrastructure initiatives only. Projects should help maintain or improve an organization’s asset, such as the renovation, replacement or expansion of an existing facility. Examples of eligible expenses include, roof, windows and/or doors replacement; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) improvements or replacement; as well as plumbing, electrical, and/or security upgrades; and furniture, fixtures and/or equipment that will be used by youth for a specific activity. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements to promote accessibility and communication to ensure that individuals with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in a specific activity are also eligible. 

County Executive Serino said, “Our children deserve every opportunity to learn and grow in safe and appropriate facilities. Our APG: Infrastructure Program will help our community partner agencies that serve young people make capital infrastructure improvements and enhancements to venues that house youth programming. We thank the County Legislature for its continued support of this program, and we encourage eligible organizations to take advantage of this funding opportunity.”

The County’s Community Development Advisory Committee and the Department of Planning and Development’s staff review all APG: Infrastructure grant applications and send their recommendations to the County Executive for final approval.

Additional information, application instructions and guidance about the 2024 APG: Infrastructure Program is available online. Applications will be accepted via an online portal through May 10th at 3 p.m., and awards will be announced in summer 2024.

Public City Council Meeting Tonight March 4 - Wee Tots Playground, Fire Department, And Call For Immediate And Permanent Ceasefire

Happening tonight, March 4, 2024, at 7pm!

Peek at the agenda below…

1. Authorizing the City Administrator to Execute an Agreement with WBE Fence Company, Inc. for the Wee Play Tots Playground Fencing Project

2. Approving the City of Beacon Fire Department Volunteer Members who Qualify for Length of Service Award Program Contribution for 2023

3. Calling for an Immediate and Permanent Ceasefire and Uniting for Peace

More details here >

See you there?!

Pro-Palestine March Down Main Street In Beacon | Saturday, Feb 3, 12pm, Pohill Park

Beacon's Demonstration For A Free Palestine! Ceasefire Now!
End the Genocide! End the Occupation! End the Apartheid! Free Palestine!
Day: Saturday, February 3, 2024
Time: 12pm start
Location: Pohill Park (Main Street and Wolcott near Bank Square Coffee)
From the organizers at Next Up Hudson Valley: "We need to wage peace the way they wage war. Join us this Saturday as we continue to disrupt the normalcy in Beacon, New York. #FreePalestine 🍉✊🏾"
Information >

Dutchess County Announces Nearly $2 Million in Agency Partner Grant Awards

Grants totaling $1.98 million have been awarded for 32 programs through Dutchess County’s 2024 Agency Partner Grant (APG) Program, which provides funding opportunities for local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations on a biennial basis through a competitive grant process based on an organization’s ability to demonstrate they fulfill an unmet community need. In addition to $1.5 million in grants awarded under the traditional APG program, an additional $484,880 in funds from the Department of Community and Family Services and the Department of Behavioral and Community Health were awarded through the APG competitive grant process to ensure critical services and programs are administered. Entering its 12th year, the APG Program provides vital support to strengthen local communities by funding youth development, homeless prevention, workforce development, mental health and wellness, and literacy programs, among other critical needs.

County Executive William F.X. O’Neil said, “Our Agency Partner Grant Program continues to serve as an important collaboration between local nonprofit organizations and Dutchess County Government to address critical needs in our communities. We thank the Dutchess County Legislature for its ongoing support of the APG program and the agencies that strive every day to improve the lives of our residents.”

Projects funded through the 2024 Agency Partner Grant Program include:

Anderson Center for Autism** - $22,810 to support the Tik Talk program, which teaches social and friendship skills to middle and high school students with special needs to help navigate social situations and develop meaningful relationships at school and in community and work settings.

Boys & Girls Club of Newburgh, Inc.*** - $110,864 to continue implementation of a comprehensive afterschool program, Project Learn, formerly known as The Afterschool Project, which targets the academic, social and behavioral development of youth in the City of Poughkeepsie.

Catholic Charities Community Services of Dutchess County - $37,310 to provide a Homeless Prevention Case Management Program, which offers emergency rental assistance, financial literacy education, crisis intervention and comprehensive case management services to promote long-term housing stability for low-income families in Dutchess County.

Catholic Charities Community Services of Dutchess County - $33,928 to maintain its Senior Medical Transportation program, which promotes access to non-emergency medical care for seniors, who lack other means of transportation.

Community Based Services, Inc.** - $36,138 to support Transition Planning for Students with Disabilities, which educates parents and caregivers on available programs and resources for transitional-age students with disabilities who are aging out of school-based programs, as well as collaborating with schools to reach individuals who may benefit from participation in programs offered by local special needs agencies.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County - $75,715 to continue supporting 4-H Youth Development: Literacy Assistance for All, which prepares youth of all abilities with financial literacy, writing comprehension, public speaking and leadership skills to succeed as they transition into adulthood.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County - $116,485 to continue supporting Green Teen and No Child Left Inside: Developing Youth Potential Through Work-Based Learning, which broadens youth exposure to environmental science, provides outdoor workforce development opportunities, and promotes health outcomes.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County - $53,300 to continue supporting the evidence-based Parenting and Support Education (PASE) program, which enhances parenting skills by utilizing a hands-on learning approach suitable for all literacy levels.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County - $38,500 to support the Relatives As Parents Program (RAPP), which encourages, educates and supports grandparents and other relatives who have taken on the responsibility of surrogate parenting for parents who are unable or unavailable to care for their children.

CultureConnect - $31,309 to support CommunityConnect, an afterschool enrichment program for English as a New Language (ENL) elementary school students in Red Hook and Rhinebeck.

DAY ONE Early Learning Community, Inc.*** - $165,720 to support the Teacher Apprenticeship Program (TAP), which provides adults with hands-on workforce development training in early childhood education to produce workforce-ready educators upon program graduation.  

Dutchess County Pride Center - $25,211 to continue the Teen Drop-In program to provide services year-round, giving LGBTQ+ teens access to affirming adults and safe spaces to increase self-esteem, lower anxiety, improve school performance and create greater community engagement.

Dutchess Outreach - $59,000 for food procurement to meet the increasing food access needs for individuals and families served through the organization’s food pantry and The Lunch Box community meal program.

Exodus Transitional Community* - $69,290 to support an evidence-based Reentry Work Readiness program that includes evidence-based, cognitive-behavioral change and social skills development curriculum, case management and job readiness skills training to post-incarcerated, safety net-eligible individuals to promote a successful transition to the community and reduce recidivism rates. 

Family Services, Inc. - $47,970 for an afterschool Teen Resource Activity Center that provides mentoring, academic support, healthy living workshops and recreational activities for City of Poughkeepsie youth in a safe environment.

Hudson River Housing, Inc.*** - $118,477 to continue providing a Housing Navigator program to County residents with housing navigation and transition services, referrals and emergency rental assistance to prevent homelessness.

Hudson River Housing, Inc.*** - $68,819 to support the work of an outreach care manager through the Street Outreach Program, which will provide necessities and engage unhoused individuals throughout Dutchess County, especially in the City of Poughkeepsie, with a special focus on those suffering from behavioral health and/or substance use conditions, to enroll them in a suitable, supportive housing program.

Land to Learn - $53,300 to support SproutEd, a nutrition assistance program that engages elementary school students in the City of Beacon in nutrition, health, environmental stewardship and social-emotional, math, science and literacy skills, through hands-on experiential learning.

Literacy Connections - $42,859 to continue the Adult & Family Literacy program which promotes basic literacy skills for adults and children. Adult learners receive student-centered, one-on-one or small group tutoring lessons, while children are assigned a one-on-one book buddy, to promote basic reading and comprehension skills.

Mediation Center of Dutchess County, Inc. - $116,907 to fund an evidence-based Restorative Justice Initiative that works with schools in Dutchess County to address conflict and behavioral matters, while promoting pro-social outcomes in a diplomatic and non-punitive way.

NAMI Mid-Hudson, Inc. - $86,376 to provide mental wellness and mental health literacy to individuals affected by mental illness through the Family-to-Family program, as well as an informational seminar, both providing participants with information on the biology of brain disorders, an understanding of diagnoses, treatment options, crisis intervention techniques and available community support and referral options.

North East Community Center - $48,075 to continue the Community Partnership with Schools and Business program, a paid job skills training program for youths and young adults, where they acquire transferable work readiness skills and training to promote their successful transition to adulthood.

North East Community Center - $43,427 to implement a year-round Comprehensive Out of School Time program to provide afterschool and summer enrichment activities that will preserve socio-emotional and academic gains and mitigate summer learning loss for Webutuck Central School District students.

North East Community Center - $37,320 to provide a variety of nutritional Food Access Programs, including the Fresh Food Access Hub, two community gardens, a Summer Food Service Program and youth food access internship opportunities. 

Nubian Directions II, Inc. - $45,309 to support the YouthBuild Innovation Lab, which provides hands-on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) workshops and career education to City of Poughkeepsie youth to encourage critical thinking through creativity, risk-taking and innovation. 

Poughkeepsie Farm Project - $38,429 to support Farm Fresh Home Chefs, a food access and healthy eating program for low-income Poughkeepsie families, which teaches families how to prepare balanced healthy meals.

Poughkeepsie United Methodist Church - $30,914 to support the Harriet Tubman Academic Skills Center, which provides academic and social support to promote educational and behavioral outcomes of underserved children in the City of Poughkeepsie.

Ramapo for Children** - $36,309 to expand the Staff Assistant Experience program to include day, evening and residential program services designed to assist youth with learning differences, attention difficulties and developmental disabilities in gaining social, vocational and independent living skills.

Reading & Math, Inc. - $68,700 to support its Early Learning Corps program, which provides supplemental literacy and numeracy whole-class, small group and one-on-one tailored tutoring services to prepare preschool-age children in the City of Poughkeepsie for success in kindergarten and beyond.

Red Hook Community Center, Inc. - $15,103 for a School Year Youth Employment program for youth and young adults in northern Dutchess County, providing opportunities for pre-employment and soft job skills training, including résumé writing, mock interviewing and financial literacy, as well as paid employment at a business within the local community.

Taconic Resources for Independence, Inc.**** - $44,200 to support Special Education Advocacy services for parents of children with special needs. The advocate will help parents navigate the special education system to ensure students have access to the support and accommodations necessary for them to achieve their fullest potential.

The Art Effect - $166,806 to support the afterschool and summer Youth Workforce Development in Arts & Media program that prepares City of Poughkeepsie youth for higher education and employment opportunities by providing arts-based curriculum, training and hands-on experience in media production and the visual arts.

*Awarded through APG, administered by the Department of Community and Family Services (DCFS).

**Awarded through APG, administered by the Department of Behavioral and Community Health (DBCH).

***Awarded through APG, funded and administered by DCFS.

****Awarded through APG, funded in part and administered by DBCH. 

24 Local Programs Awarded $249K In Youth Services Grants From Dutchess County

The Dutchess County Department of Community and Family Services’ Division of Youth Services has awarded $294,034 to local municipalities and nonprofit community-based organizations to fund 24 programs that enhance the lives and safety of young people throughout Dutchess County through the New York State Youth Development Program (YDP) and Youth Sports and Education Funding (YSEF) Program.

Funded programs support the County’s “Path to Promise” initiative by addressing one of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services’ six life areas, which are: Economic Security, Physical and Emotional Health, Education, Citizenship/Civic Engagement and Family and Community. The County has used the “Path to Promise” framework to compare the needs of its young people to current activities in the community, enabling it to better understand the domains and/or age groups with the most resources, as well as which areas require additional investment. Grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 were awarded to programs that provide free, direct services designed to improve youth and community outcomes.

2023-24 Youth Development Programming: ($237,315 total allocated)

• Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corps., $16,781
  Junior Corps Member Program — Comprehensive training and mentorship programs to equip members, ages 15 to 17, with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in the field of emergency medical services and the goal of developing members into confident and capable leaders. Junior Corps members learn about emergency medical procedures, patient care and communication skills. Leadership development opportunities, such as team-building exercises and leadership workshops, are available to help members build strong leadership skills that can be applied in all areas of their lives. 

• Beekman Library, $7,000
  Youth Empowerment through Service (Y.E.S.) — Thirty-five high school-age teens will contribute to their community and gain leadership skills by acting as library volunteers. Teens may apply to serve as volunteer shelvers or academic mentors to younger children. Volunteer shelvers will learn library classification systems; academic mentors will serve as “Reading Buddies” or “Homework Helpers” to children in kindergarten through 6th Grade.

• Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse, $18,000
  Personal Safety Program — Provides free, classroom-based safety workshops to students, faculty and staff about abuse and bullying prevention. The program serves grades Pre-K to 8th Grade, providing students with tools and resources for identifying and reporting physical, emotional, sexual abuse and neglect, bullying and “digital dangers,” while also providing faculty and staff with resources and protocol for identifying and reporting all types of abuse.

• Chamber Foundation, Inc., $14,547
  Next Gen Summer Academy — A 3-week STEAM-focused career readiness program for 14–18-year-olds to learn about 21st century skills and computer literacy, utilizing virtual/augmented reality, robotics, Artificial intelligence, game design/development and coding – integrating these immersive technologies into an educational and work readiness setting and prepare youth to enter current high-demand STEAM careers.

• Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County, $20,000
  Green Teen Workforce Development Community Gardening – The Green Teen program prepares youth, ages 10 to 20, for college and careers through employment set in the context of community gardening, teaching the skills and behaviors employers seek. Education in areas such as communication, financial literacy, resume writing, nutrition and social justice is provided.

• Dutchess Community College Foundation, $10,000
  DCC Cares-Surviving to Thriving – Program will provide postsecondary education dropout prevention and increase the retention and graduation rates of Dutchess County students between 17 and 21 years who are housing insecure, lack material basics and struggle with mental health issues. A Student Resource Navigator will assist 40 students with direct support such as emergency housing, transportation, technology access and access to basic materials; and a mental health counselor will provide monthly workshops on basic life skills, coping and work readiness support, as well as individual follow-up.

• Dutchess County Pride Center, $8,000
  Intergenerational Get Togethers — Monthly intergenerational get-togethers between LGBTQ+ youth and their families and other LGBTQ+ adults, including monthly dinners, and quarterly family field trips to local museums and historic sites around Dutchess County. Events also include a lecture series on topics relating to the LGBTQ+ community and the various intersections of other marginalized communities, such as dealing with racism, classism, ableism and more; lecture series will also include education on LGBTQ+ issues and how to be supportive to the community.

• Family Services, $8,000
  Teen Resource Activity Center (TRAC) — Offers a supervised place for youth to come after school at the Family Partnership Center at no cost to participants. Serving youth ages 11 to 18, TRAC operates four days a week, and offers sports, performing arts, academic support, pro-social/emotional workshops, nutritious dinner and relaxation with friends, as well as exposure to positive adult role models.

• Foundation for Beacon Schools, Inc., $8,000
  2024 Beacon City School District Student Film Festival—Annual event open to all district children from kindergarten to 12th Grade , as well as non-district children who partner with a BCSD student to make a short film project. The Foundation partners with community organizations and local professional filmmakers to offer a variety of free filmmaking workshops across the community in the months leading up to the festival submission deadline. Participants receive a resource kit to help them get started on their short film project using a smartphone.

• Friends of Peach Hill, Ltd., $10,000
  The Peach Hill Young Engineers Empowerment Program — Program will train youth to design, build and monitor a stormwater management rain garden on the downslope Peach Hill Park’s new education pavilion, “Outreach at the Peach.” Students, ages 14 to 18, will become young engineers as they work with an Environmental Engineer and a retired state-certified science teacher. Students will design and build their own original rain garden and create educational displays about their work on site and hold a community event to showcase their project.

• Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum, $10,000
  Traveling Science — A series of portable workshops geared to early elementary grades, Traveling Science entails six weekly sessions at a camp or after-school program, serving up to 100 children each visit. Traveling Science serves children throughout the County and is targeted at schools or community groups that lack resources for field trips and are not able to come to the museum site. 

• Northeast Community Council, Inc., $20,000
  Community Partnership with Schools and Businesses (CPSB Teen Jobs) — Free workforce development program for high school youth, ages 14 to 20, who become paid interns at 20 local businesses, where they are trained and mentored by adult employees. NECC’s Teen Food Futures, Food Access and Summer Food Service Program also provide internship opportunities to youth interested in food justice, culinary arts and food access. Interns benefit from workshops such as general job skills, resume writing, job interview skills and college planning.

• Poughkeepsie Farm Project, $20,000
  Green Jobs for Youth —Poughkeepsie Farm Project prepares youth, ages 16 to 20, for careers in farming, gardening and food education; increases local economic and food security; and supports youth in job searches and placement by connecting them with potential employers. Program serves 17 youth who learn to grow, harvest, prepare and distribute food within their community.

• Poughkeepsie United Methodist Church, $10,000
  Harriet Tubman Academic Skills Center (HTASC) — After-school program and a summer program to at-risk children who live in or near the Tubman Apartment Complex in the City of Poughkeepsie. Program’s mission to facilitate academic success, develop strong character and create independent thinkers with a love of learning. Program accommodates 30 children in kindergarten through 5thGrade, emphasizing the successful completion of homework assignment and taking part in engaging, age-appropriate activities focusing on STEM, literacy and character development.

• R.E.A.L. Skills Network, $15,000
  Peer Mentors — Program offers low-income teens in the City of Poughkeepsie a safe after-school program to learn life skills through positive interactions with adult mentors and subsequently mentor younger children. Program works with community partners to offer six activity blocks during the school year: Anti-Violence, Mediation Skills, Babysitting, CPR, Health Topics and Job and Academic Skills.

• Red Hook Community Center, Inc., $7,500
  RHCC Teen Group — Provide teen programming to 32 youth, ages 11 to 17, in northern Dutchess County, as a teen-designed, teen-led and teen-staffed program guided and facilitated by RHCC staff to promote creative and pro-social group participation. Group activities to focus on emotional and mental wellness using art, food, service projects and recreation to connect participants with peers and staff in safe and meaningful ways.

• The Art Effect, $19,500
  Spark Studios — Workforce development program offers a safe and engaging learning environment where underserved local youth, ages 14-19, gain valuable skills in film editing, sound, lighting and video production while receiving immediate economic support. 

• Town of East Fishkill, $8,987
  Too Good for Drugs — Elementary school-based drug prevention program designed to reduce students’ intention to use alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs, while promoting pro-social attitudes, skills, and behaviors. Program builds self-confidence of students, so they are better prepared to make healthy choices and achieve success, reaching more than 250 students.

• Town of Pleasant Valley, $6,000
  Children’s Garden Camp — Program will be held two days a week for six weeks in summer 2024, as children learn how to create a community garden, plant seeds and care for seedlings, building vegetable and flower beds, learning how to construct a garden, the insects that pollinate it and pests. Children will learn to use the food for different cultural dishes, as well as reusing and recycling to help the planet.

  NYS OCFS Youth Sports and Education Funding: ($56,719 total allocated)

• City of Beacon, $5,000
  Beacon Swim Academy — Program runs for eight weeks as four 2-week sessions, each serving 24 children, ages 6 months to 12 years, with a total goal of 96 youth served.

• Mid-Hudson Aquatics, $17,719
  Dutchess County Swimpact — Provide 60 children, ages 3-13, six 45-minute free learn to swim classes, as well as 20 outreach swim team candidates, ages 5-18, a free swim team membership consisting of seven months (up to four days a week) training with Mid-Hudson Heatwaves USA Competitive Swim Team, swim meets and USA Swimming membership.  

• Ramapo for Children, $12,000
  SEL-Based Experiential Programming for Youth — Will offer four half-day retreats for 80-160 students and staff from Dutchess County public schools, utilizing active, hands-on experiences to strengthen youth's social and emotional learning (SEL) skills and encourage physical activity.

• Town of Hyde Park, $7,000
  Learn to Swim Program — Provide youth the opportunity to achieve life-long skills through the instruction of certified American Red Cross Swimming Lesson staff. The program will provide them the opportunity to learn to swim and exercise in a fun, safe and positive environment.

• Town of Red Hook, $15,000
  Town of Red Hook Recreation — Town of Red Hook Recreation offers more than 16 different recreational programs to over 500 youth (ages 0 to 21) who live within the boundaries of the Red Hook Central School District.  

Grants are awarded annually. The application period generally opens in March.

The Division of Youth Services will host two grant workshops for the 2024-2025 grant cycle for nonprofit agencies and municipalities to review the application process. Workshops are tentatively scheduled for:

• Tuesday, March 5, 2024

• Thursday, March 7, 2024

Additional information is available here >

YDP funding targets services that promote safety, supportive relationships and other positive assets by engaging and empowering youth. YSEF funding targets services that support youth development through sports programs for underserved children and youth. The County’s Division of Youth Services administers YDP and YSEF funds for the New York State Office of Children and Family Services and promotes the County’s Path to Promise Initiative. Additional information about the Division and the Dutchess County’s “Path to Promise” is available on the County’s Youth Services webpage here >

$1 Million In Infrastructure Improvements Awarded To 6 Agency Partner Grants From Dutchess County

Grants totaling $1 million have been awarded for six projects through the Dutchess County Agency Partner Grant (APG): Infrastructure Program. The special funding was allocated by the Dutchess County Legislature in the 2023 Dutchess County Budget to provide support to agencies currently funded through the traditional APG program to implement capital infrastructure initiatives. The APG: Infrastructure Program awards have been given to local 501(c)(3) non-profit agencies to implement capital and/or operating infrastructure initiatives, providing resources that allow them to address service gaps and needs throughout Dutchess County.

When asked by A Little Beacon Blog when the notice of applications was, Sean McMann of Dutchess County Executive’s office responded: “The application was released on March 15, 2023; the deadline to submit applications was May 3, 2023. This year’s program was only open to 501(c)(3) non-profit agencies funded under the 2023 traditional APG program, and the Department of Planning and Development sent an announcement to those specific agencies only. The County will not be accepting applications for APG: Infrastructure funds for the remainder of 2023.”

The special funding was allocated by the Dutchess County Legislature in the 2023 Dutchess County Budget to provide support to agencies currently funded through the traditional capital infrastructure initiatives.

Dutchess County Executive William F.X. O’Neil said, “These grants will support these community partner agencies to make critical infrastructure improvements.  We are grateful to the County Legislature for allocating this one-time funding to help these agencies make investments that can have a positive impact on those directly served through their programming.”

Projects awarded Agency Partner Grant: Infrastructure funding include: 

• Community Based Services, Inc. – $130,000 to renovate the main barn at Cultivating Dreams Farm, a 10-acre satellite facility located in the Town of Beekman; the project will include full weatherization and installation of heating and cooling systems in the barn, which will allow for year-round indoor programming for individuals with special needs.

• Dutchess Outreach, Inc. – $28,000 for equipment purchases, including a “grab-and-go” cooler, shed and hoop house-style greenhouse to expand access to local produce and healthy food options for low-income, food-insecure individuals and families throughout Dutchess County. 

• Exodus Transitional Community, Inc. – $44,100 to replace the roof and gutters on the organization’s two-family house, which is used to provide community-based, re-entry services and transitional housing for individuals affected by the justice system.

• Family Services, Inc. – $523,621 for the continuation of safety and accessibility improvements at the Family Partnership Center in the City of Poughkeepsie, including renovations to the sidewalks and driveway, replacement of doors and windows, improvements to signage and wayfinding, and requisite finish upgrades to common area corridors. Rehabilitation and enhancements to the facility will provide long-term stability to numerous local human service organizations that regularly use the building for programming and events. 

• Poughkeepsie Farm Project, Inc. – $24,279 to support accessibility and inclusivity upgrades throughout the farm, including the creation and installation of bilingual directional and educational signage, as well as an outdoor mural-style welcome sign.

• The Art Effect – $250,000 for the continued construction build-out of The Trolley Barn, which hosts youth-led exhibitions and performances showcasing students’ artwork, including renovations to several areas of the building to be used for studio space, galleries, administrative offices, and event support. Renovations to the building will allow the organization to fulfill its mission of empowering young people to develop their creative voice to shape their futures and bring about positive social change. 

The APG: Infrastructure Program provided funding opportunities for Dutchess County non-profit organizations with a 501(c)(3) designation. Funding was awarded to organizations on a competitive basis, based on the ability to demonstrate a capital and/or operating infrastructure project need which will provide organizations with the resources needed to fulfill community needs.

SOON IS NOW - A Festival Of Climate And Eco Art, Performance And Activism - Here In Beacon - September 23, 2023

SOON IS NOW is an afternoon of art and live performance about climate change and the ecological in Scenic Hudson’s Long Dock Park, a former industrial site and brownfield transformed by Reed Hilderbrand Landscape Architects, the Scenic Hudson Land Trust, and others, into a sustainable park on the Hudson River in Beacon, NY. This site is on the unceded land of the Wappinger, in a region with a vital history of environmentalism rooted in Scenic Hudson’s fight to save Storm King Mountain from industry and Pete Seeger’s fight for an unpolluted Hudson River.

Twinkle Burke, What We Give Back, by Madeline Sayet, photo by Lucas Millard 

Audience walking to the next performance, photo by Flynn Larsen

Part reverence for the River, part cry for what is lost to climate chaos, part response to the pollution and rejuvenation of the park's ecosystem, SOON IS NOW places art in conversation with the landscape and brings audiences into an immersive experience with original works. 

Actors, dancers, musicians, performance and visual artists are curated throughout the park (many of them Beacon-based): Edwin Torres, Alex Waterman, Raven Chacon, Bob Bellerue, Koyoltzintli, Elise Knudson, Elisa Santiago, Randy Burd, Cecilia Fontanesi, Tom King, Jim Fletcher, Jaanika Peerna, Twinkle Burke, Jojo Gonzalez, Camille Seaman, Andrew Brehm and Jean Brennan.

Edwin Torres, Water’s Way: A Poet’s Choir for the Hudson River with E.J. McDonald, LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs, Tamalyn Miller, Kristin Prevallet, Urayoán Noel, Jayden Featherstone. photo by Flynn Larsen  

The Resistance Revival Chorus will be performing a special concert at 5pm including a new song about climate change. 

The Resistance Revival Chorus, photo by Ginny Suss

On SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23rd at 2pm the day starts at the River Center (the red barn) in Scenic Hudson's Long Dock Park with a visual arts exhibition. Meet activists including Beacon Climate Action Now, Climate Reality Hudson Valley & Catskills and Fareground, and learn what you can do. Sign up for an 80 minute tour of performances throughout the park that start at 2:30, 3pm and 3:30pm, first come, first served. Even if you don't get on a tour you will be able to experience performance, visual art in the River Center and the concert by The Resistance Revival Chorus at 5pm. Poppy's Farm 2 Trailer food truck will be at the event selling tacos. Parking at Long Dock Park is limited. Park at the Metro North Beacon Train Station where all parking spots are free on the weekends, a short walk to the event. Free and open to the public. Co-sponsored by Climate Reality Hudson Valley & Catskills and HV Climate Solutions Week. Part of Climate Change Theatre Action's 2023 season. Funded by Arts Mid-Hudson, the Clara Lou Gould Fund for the Arts administered by Beacon Arts, and many local businesses and individuals. 

Tom King, photo by Lucas Millard

Jaanika Peerna, Glacier Elegy, photo by Flynn Larsen

Liz Zito, Eric Magnus, Andrew Brehm, The Oysters, by Miranda Rose Hall, photo by Lucas Millard

Elise Knudson, Sentinels, photo by Flynn Larsen

For more information: soonisnow.org or contact evemorgenstern@gmail.com.

About Eve Morgenstern:

Eve Morgenstern, Director/Founder/Producer is a photographer and filmmaker. She has been awarded artist residencies at The Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Workspace and MacDowell, and grants for her work from The New York State Council on the Arts, Chicken and Egg Pictures, The George Gund Foundation, The Park Foundation and Arts Mid-Hudson. Her environmental film Cheshire, Ohio has screened in festivals in the US, Canada and Asia and is distributed by Bullfrog Films and ovid.tv . Her photographic project Facades of Crises had its solo Museum premiere at Bildmuseet in Umeå, Sweden. Eve is also co-chair of her Climate Reality Hudson Valley & Catskills chapter. She lives in Beacon, NY with her daughter Chloe and her beloved mutt Amber. “This started as an experiment to produce plays from Climate Change Theatre Action, a project that uses storytelling and live performance to foster dialogue about our global climate crisis. The project grew to include visual art and original live performance created in dialogue with the site. The idea to curate works throughout Scenic Hudson's Long Dock Park as a tour for audiences is intentional and meaningful as this site was once a brownfield, remediated and revisioned into a beautiful climate resilient public park on the Hudson River.”

CREDITS SOON IS NOW:

Eve Morgenstern, Founder, Director

Connie Hall, Producer

Brian Mendes, Producer

ALBB is a Media Sponsor of this event, and is proud to partner to help get the word out.

Household Hazardous Waste Disposal & Electronics Recycling Event to be Held September 30, 2023

The Dutchess County Division of Solid Waste Management will hold its next Household Hazardous Waste Disposal & Electronics Recycling Event on Saturday, Sept. 30th from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Dutchess County of Public Works Facility, located at 626 Dutchess Turnpike in the Town of Poughkeepsie; residents can access the event by taking Route 44 East to Burnett Boulevard. The collection is open to Dutchess County residents only.

This popular event is first-come, first-served, and residents should expect to experience wait times when they arrive at the location on Sept. 30th. Registration is limited to the first 400 households; pre-registration is required for this event, and there is a $10 registration fee; registration often reaches capacity quickly, so residents are encouraged to register promptly. Beginning on Wednesday, Aug. 30th, residents can register online or by calling (845) 463-6020. The registration fee can be paid online using a credit card or paid by check. Checks should be made payable to “Dutchess County Commissioner of Finance” and mailed to or dropped off to the Dutchess County Division of Solid Waste Management at 96 Sand Dock Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601. 

This will be the final of Dutchess County’s three 2023 Household Hazardous Waste Disposal & Electronics Recycling Events, which provide residents with a safe and responsible way to discard a diverse range of household items that cannot be disposed of through regular recycling or garbage bins. Acceptable items include television sets, computer monitors, telephones, pesticides, pool chemicals, and more. A complete list of acceptable items to bring to this disposal day is included below. Hazardous waste in containers larger than 10 gallons will not be accepted.

More information about the Dutchess County Division of Solid Waste Management’s Household Hazardous Waste Disposal & Electronics Recycling Events is available online.

Acceptable Items:

 Product Containers Marked: “Warning,” “Hazardous,” “Flammable,” “Poisonous,” “Corrosive” 

 Lead based paints (NO latex or oil based!), photo chemicals, non-latex driveway sealer, pool chemicals, creosote, kerosene, flammable liquids, metal polish, turpentine, strippers, thinners, gasoline/oil mixture, brake fluid, antifreeze, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers, adhesives, resins, solvents, fluorescent tubes (tape together or put in box to prevent breakage), propane tanks, mercury containing devices,  computer monitors, CPU’s, fax machines, printers, TV’s, stereos, telephones, lithium & sealed lead acid batteries (no automotive!).

Do Not Bring:

latex or oil based paints, stains, varnishes, ammunition or explosives, asbestos products, latex driveway sealer &, building or construction debris, tires, furniture, medical waste, pharmaceuticals, air conditioners, radioactive materials, scrap metal, metal drums or empty containers, motor oil, car batteries, alkaline or rechargeable batteries.

Where Did The Emergency Housing Facility PODS Come From At Dutchess County Jail? A Refresher...

Providing clarity to the announcement that an Emergency Housing Shelter will be constructed at Dutchess County Jail - which remains open - the PODS originated in 2015 and were spotlit again in 2020 during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the announcement this week from Dutchess County:

“Temporary housing units (PODS) were installed at the current jail site in May 2015 as a provisional solution to the costly practice of housing out inmates to other counties, due to overcrowding at the jail. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the PODS, which were no longer being utilized for inmate housing due to bail reform, were converted temporary emergency housing facility to provide safe haven for the homeless. The PODS have continued to be utilized as the number of homeless individuals has grown significantly since prior to the pandemic. However, the PODS have reached the end of their useful life, and ongoing wear and tear have required increasing maintenance and repairs. Additionally, the PODS must be removed for the completion of the Dutchess County Justice and Transition Center (DCJTC), necessitating an interim facility for the shelter.”

Read more about the recently announced 2023 plans here.

Read more about the 2020 conversion here: “Molinaro Orders PODs at Dutchess County Jail to be Repurposed as Emergency Shelters: Ongoing State of Emergency Declaration in response to rising cases of Coronavirus in Dutchess County”

Planning Announced For Temporary Location For Emergency Housing Shelter

Dutchess County announced the beginning of the planning for the usage of the Emergency Homeless Shelter to be built in the Dutchess County Jail once it is vacated. According to the press release, this build would be temporary until another location is identified. However, investment in infrastructure and employment opportunities is being made.

The portion of the press release outlining these plans has been republished below:

“Temporary housing units (PODS) were installed at the current jail site in May 2015 as a provisional solution to the costly practice of housing out inmates to other counties, due to overcrowding at the jail. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the PODS, which were no longer being utilized for inmate housing due to bail reform, were converted temporary emergency housing facility to provide safe haven for the homeless.

“The PODS have continued to be utilized as the number of homeless individuals has grown significantly since prior to the pandemic. However, the PODS have reached the end of their useful life, and ongoing wear and tear have required increasing maintenance and repairs. Additionally, the PODS must be removed for the completion of the Dutchess County Justice and Transition Center (DCJTC), necessitating an interim facility for the shelter.

“With the 1995 section of current jail set to be decommissioned when the DCJTC opens later this year, that section of the jail facility will serve as temporary location for the Emergency Housing Facility. County Legislators had the opportunity to tour the 1995 section earlier this year and concurred that the facility is a significant improvement over the current PODS and authorized construction design funding. Design is set begin late this summer.

“Until a permanent shelter location is solidified and ready to welcome guests, the former jail facility will enable the County to safely house individuals and most importantly, begin the critical programming that is not possible to conduct in the current PODS location.”

Description Of Uses Of The Jail For Homeless Shelter Location With Programming

“The first floor of the jail facility will serve as office and programming space to begin providing critical wrap-around services, including mental health, substance use, housing case management and vocational assistance. This can begin as soon the jail facility is vacated this fall.

“The second floor will be the living area, including sleeping quarters, and will be the focus of the majority of the construction work.

“Once a permanent shelter location is identified and opened, the 1995 section of the jail will be repurposed for other uses including housing needs.”

Upcoming: Seeking RFEI for Emergency Housing Shelter Operator Organization

In their press release announcing a set of steps to be taken to set up the Emergency Shelter, Dutchess County announced it will be soon issuing a Request for Expression of Interest (RFEI) “seeking a highly regarded organization, experienced in shelter operations, that understands and appreciates the County's needs regarding the Emergency Housing Facility and the desire to implement a new, innovative model with qualified and established program management staff.”

The Operator will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the emergency housing facility including, among others:

• Development of facility operational and security plans, and policies and procedures, in accordance with Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) regulations, and in partnership with and approval by the County’s Department of Community and Family Services.

• Responsibility for intakes and discharges.

• 24-hour on-site security, including screening with a metal detector and x-ray machine.

• Offering a variety of activities that are available at the facility to help engage with guests and provide meaningful activities throughout the day.

• Preliminary health screenings of guests.

• Provision of three meals per day, prepared in a facility approved by the County’s health department.

According to the press release: “The RFEI is expected to be publicly posted in the coming weeks, and all eligible community providers are invited to express their interest. The RFEI incorporated comments and feedback from a public meeting convened by the administration in December 2022 to discuss the emergency shelter project with community members and local stakeholders. The RFEI also includes feedback from the Community Stakeholder Committee formed by the Dutchess County Legislature. The Committee’s recommendations were sent to the County Executive, in keeping with the resolution regarding the shelter project passed by the Legislature in 2022.”