Healthcare Workers Protest By Banging Pots and Pans, Marching A Funeral March In NYC, and Rallying In Albany

/

Related Articles:

Thousands of healthcare workers across New York to walk out and rally during their breaks to protest Gov. Hochul’s budget on April 5, 2023. A month before that, they protested in the nation’s capital, and engaged in an act of non-violent civil disobedience in New York City in the form of a funeral march. Some were arrested. Those photos are below.

Healthcare workers in cities and towns across New York banged on pots and pans in front of their institutions and hold rallies to raise the alarm that Governor Hochul’s proposed budget that neglects NY’s healthcare needs.

WHEN:
Wednesday, April 5

WHERE & WHEN:
Hudson Valley/Capital Region:
Noon: WMC/Good Samaritan Hospital, 257 Lafayette Ave, Suffern

11 a.m. The Grand at Guilderland, 428 NY-146, Altamont

11 a.m. Schenectady Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing, 526 Altamont Ave, Schenectady

WHAT:
Healthcare workers will rally during their lunch break outside their institutions, banging on pots and pans to raise the alarm of New York’s healthcare crisis and the need to Close the Medicaid Coverage Gap in the FY2024 state budget.

WHY:
Three years ago, as the pandemic was turning our world upside down, New Yorkers banged on pots and pans each night to cheer healthcare heroes. Now, healthcare workers will be making the noise: raising the alarm that Governor Hochul has proposed a budget that completely fails to grasp the gravity of the crisis facing NY’s healthcare system.

Today, patients and healthcare workers continue to face the pandemic’s aftershocks. Safety-net hospitals are on the brink of closure, emergency rooms are overflowing, nursing home residents face interminably long wait times for bedside care, and homecare services are becoming ever harder to come by.

Rather than making the necessary investments to stabilize healthcare services, Governor Hochul’s budget would make the situation worse. Her proposed 5% Medicaid rate increase is entirely offset by the elimination of savings from the 340b drug pricing program and the cut to the Indigent Care Pool.

The budget includes cuts of $700 million from safety net hospitals, reverses course on a major victory last year raising the pay of homecare workers to $3 above the minimum wage, reduces wages for consumer-directed home health aides by $4.09/hr., and fails to provide adequate funding increases to nursing homes as they struggle to recruit and retain staff to comply with nursing home reform laws.

With stagnating Medicaid funding and a depleted and burnt-out workforce, an austere healthcare budget would be devastating to New Yorkers, especially seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families.

1199SEIU is calling on NY’s elected leaders to invest $2.5 billion in healthcare in the FY2024 budget, including the following:

  • (The one-house budget proposals recently released by Speaker Carl Heastie and Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins make many of these commitments, and they must be fulfilled in the final budget.)

  • Increase Medicaid reimbursement rates by 10% for hospitals and 20% for nursing homes, with no offsets.

  • Restore the $700 million in safety-net funding, and increase it by an additional $600 million.

  • Address the disparity in reimbursement rates in upstate New York, which are approximately 20% lower than downstate.

  • Preserve the investment made last year in Fair Pay for Home Care to stabilize the homecare workforce and undo the drastic proposed cuts to wages for workers employed through the consumer-directed program.

  • Raise the minimum wage to $21.25 by 2027, followed by indexing.

ADDITIONAL CONTEXT AND PROTESTS:

Wednesday’s event comes two weeks after some 15,000 members of 1199SEIU held the largest rally in decades at the Capitol on 3/21, calling attention to the severe impact that Gov. Hochul’s proposed budget would have on access to healthcare in New York’s most vulnerable communities. Photos of the rally can be found here.

On 3/29, hundreds of 1199SEIU members and supporters held a “funeral march” through the streets of New York City to the door of the Governor’s office to raise awareness of the deadly impact of healthcare cuts. Over two dozen participants, including 1199SEIU President George Gresham and hospital and nursing home workers, engaged in an act of non-violent civil disobedience and were arrested. Photos and video of the 3/29 march and civil disobedience action can be found here.

ACTIONS ACROSS THE STATE:
New York City:
Bronx:
12PM: St. Barnabas Hospital, 4422 3rd Ave., Bronx
2PM: Pinnacle Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation, 801 Co-Op City, Bronx

Brooklyn:
12PM: Brookdale Hospital, One Brookdale Plaza, Brooklyn

Manhattan:
12PM: NY Presbyterian Hospital, 177 Fort Washington Ave, New York, NY
2PM: The New Jewish Home, 120 W 106th Street, New York, NY

Queens:
12PM: Jamaica Hospital, 8900 Van Wyck Expressway, Jamaica
2PM: The Pavilion at Queens for Rehabilitation & Nursing, 36-17 Parson Blvd, Flushing

Staten Island:
2PM: Clove Lakes Nursing Home, 25 Fanning Street, Staten Island

Long Island:
12PM: Long Island Jewish Valley Stream, 900 Franklin Ave, Valley Stream
2PM: Hempstead Park Nursing Home, 800 Front Street, Hempstead
2PM: Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care & Rehabilitation, 271-11 76th Avenue, New Hyde Park

Healthcare Workers and Providers Rallied Outside Of ERs and Nursing Homes With State Legislators Re Gov. Hochul's Healthcare Budget and Medicaid

/

Related Articles:

From a Press Release from United Healthcare Workers East 1199SEIU,

##

Dem. lawmakers say “not so fast” on Gov. Hochul’s “conceptual budget” for healthcare

“State legislators joined healthcare workers and providers outside of ERs and nursing homes Friday afternoon (April 28, 2023) to say that more needs to be done on Medicaid before a final budget is signed.

“On Thursday evening, Gov. Hochul announced a tentative budget deal that caregivers, advocates, and legislators say doesn’t go nearly far enough to protect New Yorkers who rely on Medicaid. Although the Governor claims she’s increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates by 7.5%, the actual amount equates to an anemic 2.5% when considering that she reduced hospital funding by $525 million just weeks ago on April 1, in the implementation of a managed care “pharmacy carve-out.” At a time that healthcare costs are sky-rocketing and NY’s healthcare needs have never been greater, the Governor’s budget is a step backwards, not forwards.

“Video remarks from outside Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx include satatements from:

  • Senate Health Chair Gustavo Rivera

  • Senator Nathalia Fernandez

  • Senator Luis Sepulveda

  • Assemblymember George Alvarez

  • Assemblymember Amanda Septimo

  • Assemblymember Jeffrey Dinowitz

###

The United Healthcare Union Works East Union Wins Contract Negotiation With Resistant Nuvance Health

/

Related Articles:

The United Healthcare Union Works East union 1199SEIU has been working aggressively to get improvements in their employment contract. This April 2023, 1199SEIU Members In NY’s Hudson Valley have ratified a contract after more than a year of tense negotiations with Nuvance Health, which is based in Connecticut.

Key contract highlights include: Annual raises of 3.5% in 2023, 2024, 2025; Increases minimum rates up to 10%; Juneteenth as an additional premium holiday, according to the union’s press release.

From the United Healthcare Union Works East Press Release:

##

More than 1,500 members of 1199SEIU, the nation’s largest healthcare union, have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a contract that will improve the lives of the workers, their families and patients, and will also help to recruit and retain staff

The 3-day ratification vote, which took place on April 19, 20 and 21, was the culmination of more than a year of contentious negotiations. With constant stalling on behalf of the employer and little progress being made, the healthcare workers were forced to hold several informational pickets, joined with concerned elected officials and patients at press conferences, held a car caravan to inform the public and contact Board members, and demanded dozens of meetings with management (away from the negotiating table.)

The Bargaining Units:

First Union Contract:

  • Technical Workers at Northern Dutchess

  • BioMed Engineers at Vassar/Putnam

  • Radiation Therapists at Vassar Putnam

Extending Contract:

  • Vassar Brothers Medical Center

  • Putnam Hospital

Contract Highlights:

  • Annual raises of 3.5% in 2023, 2024, 2025

  • Increases minimum rates up to 10%

  • Juneteenth as an additional premium holiday

  • Long-time members continue their no-cost, comprehensive health benefits through the 1199 National Benefit Fund

  • New members to be covered by the 1199 National Benefit Fund effective 12/1/24

Background: New York’s healthcare system is facing an unprecedented crisis. Three years since the first COVID case was confirmed in New York, patients and workers continue to face pandemic’s aftershocks. Emergency rooms are overflowing, patients wait interminably for lab results, and healthcare workers are fed up and leaving the industry. This contract aims to recruit and retain workers and bring back the type of care that Hudson Valley residents have enjoyed in decades past.

Said Michael Dick, Biomedical Engineer, Vassar:

"As a lifetime member of this community, this is much more significant than a win for the ‘people who work here.’ This is a victory for the entire community. This organization is meant to serve ALL of us. With the support of 1199 and the entirety of its membership, we look forward to bringing back the Vassar we know.”

Said Daniel Duffy, Radiation Therapist, Putnam:

“After three years of being persistent and at the same time being patient, we have our contract. I think, I hope, Nuvance may now see us as a valuable asset to their organization.”

Said Greg Speller, 1199 Executive Vice President:

“We are very happy that our members prevailed and won important collective bargaining agreements that will benefit healthcare workers and patients. Special praise goes to the workers who fought hard for their first contracts; technical workers at Northern Dutchess Hospital, and staff in the biomedical and radiation therapy departments at Vassar and Putnam.”

It must be noted that this was markedly different from other negotiations with other hospital systems.

Sadly, Nuvance treated their healthcare workers poorly in this process. Instead of coming to the table and agreeing to good terms (that the 1199 healthcare workers eventually forced upon them), management fought, stalled and disrespected their workers—during the same time they were getting all of us through a global pandemic. This out-of-state hospital operator must treat their workers much more respectfully, given what the workers have done for their communities and continue to do for their communities.”

##

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. We represent over 450,000 nurses and caregivers throughout Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Florida. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.

Local Woman Stabbed In Her Home On Wolcott; Neighbors Say Domestic

/

During the news coverage of the arson fire on Wolcott Avenue, and the man found dead in the stream along Teller Avenue near Wolcott (he lived in an apartment house across the street from house that was set on fire on Wolcott), a stabbing injury of a woman in her home also in that area occurred on January 27, 2023. Neighbors familiar with the situation said it was by a man who was known to her, who was possibly emotionally out of balance. The Beacon Police have not confirmed this.

The woman was saved by the Beacon Police and EMS personnel who arrived to treat her. She was taken to a hospital for further treatment and released.

Three days later on January 30, 2023, the Beacon Police Department issued a Press Release stating the condition of the woman, identifying the man, and listing his charges. Sometimes these Press Releases are signed by the publishing officer. This one was not.

The Press Release reads as follows:

“On January 27, 2023, the Beacon Police Department received a call from a female who reported that she had been stabbed in her home on Wolcott Avenue. Officers quickly responded to the scene and located the suspect still inside the home with blood on his clothes. They immediately took him into custody and proceeded inside where they located the victim upstairs.

“She was conscious and alert but bleeding heavily from multiple wouds to her neck area. Officers began rendering aid and called for EMS to respond to the scene. The victim was transported to the hospital by EMS where she was treated and later released in stable condition.

“The suspect was … charged with:

  • Assault in the First Degree (Class B Felony),

  • Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree,

  • Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree,

  • Menacing in the Second Degree and

  • Criminal Obstruction of Creating (All Class A Misdemeanors).

“Max was arraigned in Beacon City Court and remanded to the Dutchess County Jail.”

While some have asked if crime is up in Beacon, it is important to notice that these stories that are published seem to be connected to each other in terms of timing and location. There is a Police Blotter that has had numerous indications of crime and discomfort, but not all of those items get reported on by local media. Also, not all of the items that go reported in the Police Blotter are released to media outlets who publish them, as A Little Beacon Blog discovered last year while researching the murder of Rene Vivo aka Scout.

In transparency, for the man found dead in the stream, neither A Little Beacon Blog, the Beacon Free Press nor the Highlands Current reported on that until after the raging house fire that happened two days later, when the community waged an outcry for details of his death - which has so far been deemed unrelated to the fire.

Végétalien Closes. Plant-Based Foodies Are Sad. Remains To Be Seen If Food Stays In That Location

/

Vegan options are very popular in Beacon. Most eateries from pizza to burgers to tacos are incorporating both gluten-free and vegan options into their menus. Nevertheless, running a restaurant is hard. Végétalien, the plant-based eatery on the east end of town near the mountain, announced two weeks ago that they are closing.

As explained in their Instagram post: “It is with mixed emotions that we write to post to notify you that Végétalien will be closing its doors permanently. Our last day of business was January 29th, 2023. We have various store equipment, shelving and fixtures that will be available for purchase as well. If you are interested in any of these items, pease email us at vegetalienbeacon@gmail.com. Lastly, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported our small business throughout the years. We know that there are many stores in the area to choose from and we are honored that you chose Végétalien above the others. We appreciate all of our loyal customers who have helped our store thrive for the past years! Until we meet again!”

Végétalien was started by restaurateur, Kamel Jamal (currently Beacon Bread, Ziatun, formerly Angelino’s in Cold Spring and Titos in Beacon) whose daughter named it after the french name for vegetarian. Végétalien’s current owner Moises purchased the eatery from Kamel and Lena in 2018.

Over time, the famed Beacon-based vegan ice-cream company, Lick The Vegan Stuff, was also based out of Végétalien. Lick The Vegan Stuff left that location in November 2022.

Prior to Végétalien being in that location, the eatery called Raddish with memorable salads was there. It remains to be seen if a food-based business will remain in that location.

New York State Lawmakers Revive & Pass Equal Rights Amendment To Protect Right To Abortion In State Constitution, Advancing To Next Step

/

The New York State Senate and Assembly advanced the first passage of an amendment, S.51002, to codify the right to an abortion and the right to contraception in the New York State Constitution. After this first step of passing this resolution, it “must be passed by two successive legislatures, and supported by a majority of voters in a public referendum,” said Senator Anna Kaplan, a co-sponsor, with the earliest for a referendum coming to a vote being November 2023.

The Resolution that passed on July 1, 2022 would codify the right to an abortion and the right to contraception, in addition to protecting New Yorkers from various forms of discrimination, as well as protecting from future action by the Supreme Court dismantling rights for LGBTQ+ people, according to a press release by Senator Kaplan. "The resolution expands equal protection under the law to several new identity classes, including on the basis of ethnicity, national origin, age, disability and sex,” she said. “Sex includes sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, reproductive healthcare and autonomy."

The lead sponsor is Andrea Stewart-Cousins.

Is Modifying The State Constitution To Protect Abortion Rights, Women, Girls, And All Birthing People New?

According to the New York Times, 15 states including California are seeking to amend their state constitutions to protect the right to save the life of the woman, girl or birthing person for any reason, including financial, wrong time in life, wrong potential partner, and mental and physical health. New York State had tried this before, but failed. During the creation of that effort back then, the lead sponsor, Senator Liz Krueger, said they learned many things while drafting it.

Back in February 2022, The Times Union reported on that earlier proposal that the "inclusive Equal Rights Amendment" is different than the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) at the federal level. Said Senator Krueger then, it was very different than the 45-year-old federal effort, because the state-level amendment "would expand on the federal ERA language to include protections for race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and pregnancy."

According to reporting in Politico, the earlier version of the proposal stalled because over disagreements of recognition based on religion. Politico pointed out that this version was “modified to address critics’ concerns over potential effects on religious freedom.”

The Assembly passed broad state Equal Rights Amendment with 98-43 vote Friday evening, and the Senate “hours earlier swiftly approved the resolution on a 49-14 vote after just minutes of floor discussion,” reported Politico. “The amendment would add explicit protections for New Yorkers to access abortion care,” as well as the right to contraception.

Why Now?

New York Governor Kathy Hochul called for a special session after the Supreme Court struck down New York's open-carry gun law. The Supreme Court then struck down Roe V. Wade, and New York's Equal Rights amendment was added to the agenda for the special session shortly thereafter.

As reported by Politico, the lead sponsor of this version of the bill, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins “told reporters that the Supreme Court’s ruling last week ratcheted up lawmakers’ urgency to finally move the proposal after years of debate in Albany. She noted that Friday’s vote came on the anniversary when New York’s abortion law took effect more than 50 years ago.”

After the extraordinary session on Friday called by New York Governor Kathy Hochul to address New York’s gun laws and abortion, she told reporters: “It’s part of our fighting back to protect women’s reproductive freedoms here in the state of New York. That [amendment] is going to protect reproductive health in the state of New York for generations to come.”

In defense of both votes, Governor Hochul said: “We're not going backwards. They may think that they can change our lives with the stroke of a pen. But we have pens, too," as reported by The Poughkeepsie Journal.

Abortion Rights Protection At The Federal Level In The Constitution

The Times Union interviewed Wilfred Codrington, an assistant professor at Brooklyn Law School and a fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice, to discover more about the federal effort to add an equal rights amendment for women to the U.S. Constitution. According to him, it has been in the works since the 1920s.

Codrington said "the Constitution doesn't require women be treated equally." He explained that "if there’s nothing permanent and enshrined in the Constitution protecting those values, a number of statutes we’re seeing being contested in the courts and eviscerated or struck down that also were meant to be enduring."

Senator Krueger was starting with New York state by attempting a broader reach than just women, which "would make New York state, I believe, the first in the nation to recognize that all of our populations should have nondiscrimination protections within our Constitution ... (for) a broader universe of categories of humans and for a broader range of issues than gender," she said as reported by The Times Union.

With Senator Krueger’s bill “There's all kinds of precedent that we need to make sure we have the language correctly on, that we are not impeding one right by protecting another right. So I have found that attempting a complex change in a Constitution is a much more difficult assignment than I had originally hoped for," Krueger said.

That was then. This is now.

Union For Healthcare Workers 1199SEIU Demands Abortion Rights Be Restored With Federal Law

/

On June 24, 2022, the United Healthcare Workers East 1199SEIU, the largest union of healthcare workers in the United States, sent a statement to the press in response to the overturning of Roe vs Wade, which fundamentally changed the control people who give birth have over their bodies and future lives.

“Large majorities of Americans support abortion rights. Yet the Supreme Court, stacked with extremist voices totally out of step with our nation’s values, has radically undermined the right of every person who can get pregnant to control their own bodies.”
— George Gresham, President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East

Their statement from George Gresham, President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East reads as follows:

“As a union of healthcare workers, we recognize that the right to an abortion is fundamental to reproductive health, overall health, and bodily bodily autonomy. 1199SEIU is appalled that the US Supreme Court has erased half a century of legal precedent allowing people to make the most basic decisions about their bodies, lives, and families. While much of the world is moving forward to secure greater reproductive rights, we have taken a tremendous step backward.

“Large majorities of Americans support abortion rights. Yet the Supreme Court, stacked with extremist voices totally out of step with our nation’s values, has radically undermined the right of every person who can get pregnant to control their own bodies.

Hello, World!

“Those who can afford it will travel out of state or out of country for abortion procedures; those with the least financial means will have nowhere to go. The same politicians who herald the end of reproductive freedom will not raise a finger to improve pre- and post-natal care and ensure that health services are universally available.”
— George Gresham, President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East

“The ramifications of overturning Roe vs. Wade are as gut-wrenching as they are predictable: there will be an immediate wave of abortion bans in states around the country as trigger laws go into effect. People will seek out alternative and dangerous ways of ending their pregnancies. Rape victims, including children, will be forced to carry to term. Those who can afford it will travel out of state or out of country for abortion procedures; those with the least financial means will have nowhere to go. The same politicians who herald the end of reproductive freedom will not raise a finger to improve pre- and post-natal care and ensure that health services are universally available.

“This decision must be a glaring wake-up call to the dysfunction of our nation’s political life and the grave threat of authoritarianism to our democracy, our laws, and institutions.

“1199SEIU stands firmly behind the right to choose and we will continue to fight tooth and nail to preserve this most basic freedom. We call on Congress to codify abortion rights into federal law immediately.

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. They represent over 450,000 nurses and caregivers throughout Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Florida. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.

Beacon Stages Rally In Response To Supreme Court Draft Opinion; 3 Videos Of Abortion Rights Protests In Beacon

/

On May 3, 2022, in the evening after POLITICO reported on the leaked Supreme Court initial draft opinion which would vote to strike down Roe v. Wade, written by Justice Samuel Alito, the country erupted in protests. In Beacon, a rally was quickly organized and staged at Pohill Park, the common meeting place for such expressions at the intersection of Main Street and Wolcott Avenue / 9D. The video for that is in this article below.

This article also contains coverage of another abortion-rights protest that took place in October 2021 in Memorial Park as a local extension to the Women’s March on October 2, 2021 in response to Texas’ ban on abortion after 6 weeks, which kicked off with a speech from this blogger, followed by a march down Fishkill Avenue. Scroll down and you’ll see and read it.

And finally, there is a never-before-published video protest march in the summer of 2021 against a known letter writer and longtime Beaconite and past Dutchess County legislator, Richard (Dick) Murphy, who targets homes with rainbow flags on them with hand-written or typed anti-LGBTQ messages, as well as anti-abortion letters, which sometimes contain graphic images. Children often live at the homes to which he mails or drops off these letters to.

October 2021 Speech On The Right To Abortion

On October 2, 2021, I said words out loud for the first time about abortion. A reader of A Little Beacon Blog, Karen Finnegan, asked me to speak at a rally she had organized the night before in response to the national Women’s March for Abortion Justice, and I said yes. I spent the next day writing and writing notes. Pages of sentences. Too long. In last ditch efforts to edit, a friend pulled me back from several emotional ledges. I thank them for that.

Below is the 2 minute speech that I condensed 20 minutes before the delivering it while sitting and hiding behind a pillar of the Memorial Park Pavilion near the porta-potty. After delivering the speech, I switched back into reporter mode to cover the protest march in video for A Little Beacon Blog. That video is below.

 

I want to thank Karen aka the Beacon Hood Chicken aka Chickens With Attitude for organizing this opportunity for us in the Beacon and Hudson Valley regions to participate nation-wide in defending the right to our bodies and to access safe and effective abortions.

I would like to give space an acknowledgement to those marching, rolling, watching and listening who made the choice to have an abortion, and to honor you during these times.

To give you context, I am a mother of three children who I had through my own pregnancies.

Abortion is one of the biggest boundaries a person can put up for themselves to protect their lives.

We sacrifice pieces of our bodies with each pregnancy.

We sacrifice pieces of our lives with each child born.

Yes, there are rewards from having children, but it is not all cotton candy and glitter.

Every single egg in our bodies does not need to be fertilized.

And if it is unintentionally, the world does not get to come down on us to force us to garden.

To explain the WHY of why the choice is ours of when we get to fulfill responsibility for a child born is demoralizing.

A condom breaks.

Someone takes a condom off.

Ovulation cycles get forgotten about. "Oh - I missed the signs this month."

Missing the ovulation signs this month does not mean that our lives need to change. It means now is not the time if that is what we know to be true for our lives now.

A woman skips a pill. Her life can change.

A man takes a pill, he can change the life of a woman forever while he walks away.

Yes there are laws to bring responsibility.

Financial Foundation is not there. Don't be fooled.

The Child Tax Credit is already being discussed being taken away for higher income earners.

The Child Tax Credit advance is not free money. It is an advance. That freelance workers are going to need to be aware of and possibly pay back, because it is used to offset how much we owe at tax time. Usually the Child Tax Credit is offset against a freelance or gig worker's 1099 work that did not have taxes taken out.

Right now, the Child Tax Credit is an illusion of help.

There is no one helping us financially to have children.

People who have abortions need to know we support them. Their mental health is key, and their physical health during and after a procedure is paramount.

Thank goodness our cycles give us some birth control, in that we can't get pregnant every day of the week. There are the number of hours a month that we can get pregnant.

Thank goodness these people trying to make this into something that can be taken from us - at least they can't take our eggs for the half life that each offers. But we control them in the garden.

Keep educating ourselves and our children with sex education, so that we at least know how everything works, what is inside of our bodies, and what is best for our bodies and our lives.

Thank you for showing up today, and thank you for listening.

 

After the rally, three women arrived from different parts of the Hudson Valley. They were protestors during the original battle for Roe v Wade, and were summoning their strength from that time to fight this time. Take a listen to what they had to say.

Last spring of 2021, the anti-LGBTQ and anti-abortion letter writer, Richard (Dick) Murphy, pinned a 3-foot doll into the yard of Donna Minkowitz. She threw the doll away after the Beacon Police said they had no use for it when she reported Dick to them as a complaint. His letter-writing campaign had gone too far. Enough neighbors were upset about it, that Donna organized a silent protest march through their neighborhood, ending up at his house. He did come out onto the front porch to get his mail, and seemed tickled that the protest was occurring, as he is a forever fan of free speech.

NY State Lifts Mask Mandate For Schools; Beacon City Schools Agree; Dutchess County Agrees

/

The robo-call came in on Sunday afternoon, while Beaconites were out doing things like going to Bounce! or grocery shopping, from Beacon’s Superintendent Landahl letting district families know that New York’s Governor Hochul had made her decision on the mask mandate. “After consulting with health and education experts, as well as parents, teachers and school administrators,” Governor Hochul explained that she was comfortable lifting the mask mandate for school children due to more New Yorkers getting vaccinated and a steady decline over the past several weeks in cases and hospitalizations from Omicron, on March 2nd.

Dr. Landahl robo-called to say that he agreed, and supported anyone’s decision to continue to wear a mask stating: “We also fully support staff or students who want to continue to wear masks. It has been a long 2 years for all of us and I want to take a moment to thank all of our staff for their tireless efforts over this difficult time. I want to thank our families for their incredible levels of patience and flexibility. Finally, I want to thank our students for their perseverance and leadership during this time.”

Some middle school students who prefer masks, voiced skepticism at the announcement. One student worried about their non-vaccinated friends. Another student made predictions about who would be taking their mask down right away, presumably based on what their parents wanted them to do, the student said. Both students expressed relief at being able to remove the mask when they wanted to, especially during gym class.

The Metrics Behind The Mandate Lift

Governor Hochul said that her decision “follows recent changes in metrics used by the CDC to determine risk and transmission levels in communities. Other mitigation measures should remain in place.”

“Among large states, New York has the highest rate of adults fully vaccinated for COVID-19,” Governor Hochul explained. “The highest rate of teenagers fully vaccinated for COVID-19, and the 2nd-highest rate of children ages 5-11 fully vaccinated. New York State has experienced a 98% decline in COVID-19 cases since the Omicron peak, and a continuous downward trend in cases for 51 consecutive days.”

Vaccination clinics continue to be hosted, and New York State established 261 vaccination sites for kids so far. Attention will need to continue to be paid to vaccination requirements as efficacy rates are measured over time. Long haul COVID-19 remains a factor, with unknown symptoms potentially lingering.

"With more New Yorkers getting vaccinated, and the steady decline over the past several weeks in cases and hospitalizations from Omicron, we are now entering a new phase of the pandemic. Because New Yorkers have stepped up, we can confidently remove the statewide mask requirement in our schools," Governor Hochul said. "This is a huge step forward for our kids and communities and I am grateful to the students, educators and parents for their dedication to keeping us all safe—we've reached this milestone because of your hard work."

Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro issued a statement on Sunday in response to the mask mandate lift, saying: “We welcome the end to mask requirements for our children later this week – and will take no action to require them locally.”

Healthcare Workers Demand Fair Contract With WMC/HealthAlliance; Hold Candlelight Vigil Thursday Evening

/

What: Candlelight Vigil and Press Conference
When: Thursday, February 17, 2022 6p.m. – 8p.m.
Where: Health Alliance Hospital, Broadway Campus 396 Broadway, Kingston
Who: 1199SEIU Healthcare Workers, State and Local Elected Officials, Community Supporters
Special Guest Speaker: Pat Ryan, Ulster County Executive

A candlelight vigil will be held tonight Thursday, February 17, 2022, “to shine light on the risks to quality care caused by short staffing at HealthAlliance Hospital, as well as a lack of mental health beds in Ulster County,” according to a press release sent by Mindy Berman, a representative of the 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East union, a fast-growing healthcare union.

“Healthcare workers, members of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, elected officials and concerned citizens say that Westchester Medical Center must step up and provide the care and services that the residents of Kingston and surrounding communities need,” the press release said. Ultster County Executive Pat Ryan will be speaking at the vigil.

“Healthcare workers who are members of the 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East union have been trying to negotiate a fair first contract with WMC/HealthAlliance for more than a year, without success,” said Mindy. Union members have been holding different demonstrations throughout the year to raise awareness of their needs. “In the meantime,” the press release says, “the challenges and drama of the COVID pandemic persist, and dedicated healthcare workers are leaving their jobs under great stress.”

Says Lindsey Bradford, a Cardiac Care Monitor: “I work in health care and I can’t even afford health care. I’ve been working at this hospital for ten years and I work without a lunch break or bathroom breaks due to shortages on staff. We can’t get new people in the door because they can work for more money elsewhere. I work 12-hr. nights/four nights a week and I still can’t afford health care or braces for my kids. The hospital needs to stop stalling on this contract. Now.”

The purpose of the vigil is to call attention to several critical issues, as outlined in the press release:

  • Contract Proposals: “First, the members’ contract proposals are more than reasonable—fair market wages and affordable benefits will attract and retain healthcare workers, thereby helping address severe short staffing issues. A fair contract must also give workers the resources to take care of their own families, so they can devote 100% to caring for others.”

  • Invested in the Community: “1199SEIU members at HealthAlliance don’t only work at the hospital—they are also part of the Ulster/ Dutchess community. With their own families living, working, and going to school in the area, their commitment to providing quality care at the hospital is personal.”

  • Mental Health Beds: “The members are also urging WMC to bring back to Kingston much-needed mental health beds.”

Says Gabriel "Gabe" Valles, a Clinical Tech, Psychiatric Emergency: “We’re holding this vigil because we can’t afford to visit the hospital we work at; our pay doesn’t allow us to work just one job or focus on our patients. Our staffing situation is a direct result of our pay. It’s reasonable to be able to care for our families and continue to care for our patients. We don’t want to make money – we want to make people healthy.“

About 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. They represent over 450,000 nurses and caregivers throughout Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Florida. Their mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.

Dutchess County Announces New Shipment Of Tests and Masks To Be Sent To Communities

/

Dutchess County announced today (Wednesday, January 5, 2022) that it has received another shipment of rapid tests and KN95 masks. The distribution amount each municipality (community) gets is based on their population. According to Beacon’s City Administrator Chris White quoted in the Highlands Current, Beacon received 250 test kits for the first shipment that was announced as available on 12/21/2021, and was gone within 3 hours.

The only way Beaconites knew about that shipment arrival was through a post the Beacon Police Department made on Facebook, which was deleted days later. A Little Beacon Blog wrote about here when the post was live. Otherwise, the Beacon community did not receive an official notice from the Mayor’s Office, as Mayor Kyriacou promised when he announced the expected shipment in advance during a City Council Meeting. That first shipment was also not put on the city’s website, despite other updates being made to the website about Christmas tree collection, and an inauguration ceremony being closed to the public due to COVID-19 safety reasons.

A Little Beacon Blog has been asking Dutchess County for details on the upcoming shipment from New York State, who has been boasting of over a billion dollars being spent on different initiatives, yet test kits for a deadly pandemic remain in short supply, even at private stores and urgent cares. Dutchess County responded to ALBB on 1/3/2021 that they did not have a specific date at that time.

Concerned that Beacon would miss the announcement for the next shipment, since the Mayor made no such announcement as promised, A Little Beacon Blog emailed Dutchess County again this morning 1/5/2021 asking if a press release would go out to all municipalities, to put the media on alert as to look for shipment notices from their municipalities to make sure they were made available to the public, instead of selectively handed out.

Looks like mail came!

As for when exactly this shipment is available to Beacon, residents will need to refresh their Facebook pages at the Beacon Police Department’s page, hoping that the social media manager was kind enough to make an update. Unless an announcement comes from the Mayor’s Office itself this time via robo-call/text/email.

The press release from Dutchess County has been republished in its entirety below. Several helpful tips are provided below, especially this one: if you test negative but still have symptoms, test again within 24-48 hours. Each test kit comes with 2 tests. If you have symptoms, consider keeping both tests for yourself, instead of sharing in the household if no one else has symptoms. Also - be sure to swab up high in your nose, and get lots of boogers and snot on it. Lots of snot is needed for good results!

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro announced today the County has received another limited supply of at-home COVID-19 test kits from New York State which have been distributed to each municipality based on population size as well as to select community organizations that serve underserved populations.   Municipalities will be distributing test kits to residents over the next few days and residents should check their municipality’s website or call for specific information about when and where test kits will be available for pick up.

County Executive Molinaro said, “Testing facilities across the county have seen exponential growth in the number of residents seeking a COVID-19 test. These at-home test kits are a critical step towards increasing access to testing within our community as we continue to combat the surge in COVID-19 cases following the busy holiday season. We thank both our local and state partners for their cooperation in assisting Dutchess in distributing this valuable resource.”

To obtain a test kit, residents must supply their municipality with proof of residency.  Residents may only get the free test kits from the municipality in which they reside (you cannot go to a different town to get a kit).   As supply continues to be limited, each household can receive one test kit, which includes two individual tests. Kits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and residents who previously received a free kit are asked to allow others who were unable to get a kit to get one.  While supplies are limited, distribution from New York State is expected to be recurring and the County will continue to work with local municipalities to distribute test kits as they are received.

Residents who receive a positive result from an at-home COVID-19 test must:

  • Immediately self-isolate, even if they are vaccinated; adhere to current quarantine guidance; and

  • take a picture of the positive at-home test result within 24 hours and report the positive case to the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health (DBCH) at www.dutchessny.gov/COVIDpositive

With high active case volume, contract tracers may not be able to contact people in a timely manner, so residents are advised to follow isolation protocols for their quarantine period.  If a resident’s symptoms worsen or they have trouble breathing following a positive result from an at-home test, they should consult their physician or dial 9-1-1.    Individuals who work in healthcare or other congregate care setting may have different requirements, they should contact their employer and refer to NYS DOH return-to-work guidance for healthcare personnel.   

While at-home tests approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are reliable, it is possible to receive a false negative. If residents experience symptoms and test negative, they’re urged to take another test within 24-48 hours. 

Negative test results from at-home tests may not be sufficient to return to work or school. DBCH will not accept negative results from at-home tests for early release from quarantine. Negative results do not need to be reported to DBCH.

The distribution of at-home test kits is part of Dutchess County’s comprehensive efforts in the fight against COVID-19.  The County, in cooperation with all municipalities and school districts as well as nonprofit organizations and small businesses, also already distributed nearly 50,000 test kits and over 100,000 KN95 masks. Multiple providers across Dutchess County have been offering rapid and PCR testing and Dutchess County has also been offering no-cost testing at the former JCPenney and has increased hours and testing staff at the site to accommodate increased demand.

Dr. Livia Santiago-Rosado, Department of Behavioral & Community Health Commissioner, reminds residents to use multi-layered prevention efforts to protect themselves and to prevent the spread of COVID including:

  • Get vaccinated

  • Get a booster shot if already vaccinated,

  • Wear a mask in indoor public settings,

  • Physical distance when possible,

  • Wash hands and avoid touching face including nose and eyes,

  • STAY HOME WHEN SICK OR HAVE SYMPTOMS to prevent spread of viruses, including COVID and flu,

  • Adhere to protocols if you test positive.

For comprehensive information about COVID-19, including testing, vaccinations, prevention and more, visit www.DutchessNY.gov/Coronavirus or call the COVID information line at 845-486-3555.

Active Cases Of COVID-19 High At Holiday Time - 1,487 (almost double the summer high of 800s)

/

In case you hadn’t checked he Dutchess County COVID-19 Dashboard lately, the number of Active Cases of the virus has almost doubled since the summer, when alarm bells were sounding and mask recommendations were coming back. The number of Active Cases in Dutchess County as of today is 1,487 with a percentage of 6.02%, which is comparatively a higher percentage than officials have been comfortable with.

There are currently 68 hospitalizations, which is a relatively high number for Dutchess County. As for Active Cases in Beacon, there are 65. Again, a high number historically for Beacon. In East Fishkill, there are 213.

A Beaconite’s Experience Testing Positive

A family of 4 who got COVID-19 a few weeks ago (two vaccinated adults who were not boosted yet and two children under age 11 who had not received vaccination yet) took a home test to confirm results. They called Dutchess County to report in the numbers, and were told by Dutchess County that the county would not be counting them in the Dashboard. The reasoning, the Beaconite says the county representative gave them, was because the diagnosis may limit what kind of medical attention they could seek, aside from the ER. Unclear why that recommendation was made, since telehealth appointments are available when one has COVID-19, and prescriptions can be delivered by local pharmacies like Vogel or Beacon Wellness. Unless Dutchess County is referring to unrelated medical appointments, in which case that would indicate that the county may be OK with people testing positive visiting medical centers in an active state of COVID-19.

That means this family of 4 would not be in Beacon’s count.

State Of Active Cases In Beacon City Schools

Active cases of students and staff in the Beacon City School District continues daily, with about 6-8 cases reported to district families each day. Beacon has not shut down schools, but does contact trace people connected to those who test positive. According to one family of a student who was in the contact tracing lineage twice in the same week by two different exposures, and who is vaccinated and was not showing symptoms, the district advised them not to get tested. The Beacon City School District does offer the Test To Stay Program, which provides free rapid testing to those needing to quarantine, to let them return to school sooner. The free testing kit program is federally funded and administered through Dutchess County.

A few weeks before Governor Hochul declared her indoor mask mandate for all spaces that do not require proof of vaccination, Board of Education Member Anthony White asked to have a consideration about reducing the mask mandate in schools during a recent Board of Education Meeting. The current mask mandate in schools remains, and is a New York State requirement, as Beacon’s Superintendent commonly reminds parents and teachers who are against the mask mandate and present their opinions during Board of Education meetings.

How Is Dutchess County Responding To The Governor’s Renewed Mask Mandate?

Dutchess County is not enforcing Governor Hoschul’s mask mandate, as reported by the Highlands Current. Nor is Putnam County (Cold Spring). Both County Executives are Republican. According to the article, Molinaro said on Facebook that the “requirement is ‘unenforceable’ and ‘will become confrontational.’ The county will not ‘escalate tension or conflict or further burden our local small businesses.’” Dutchess County continues to promote vaccine and booster clinics, in addition to testing locations. Follow their Facebook page for notices.

According to the Highlands Current: “New York reported 18,000 new cases on Wednesday (Dec. 15), nearly 9x the 2,143 from Aug. 1. Although upstate counties are seeing the most infections, cases have also increased significantly in Dutchess, Putnam and other Mid-Hudson counties as the cold weather drives people indoors. Dutchess County’s 231 cases on Wednesday was its highest one-day total since Jan. 11, and Putnam County’s 84 cases on Dec. 10 its highest tally since Jan. 23.”

COVID-19 In Sports

The NFL is having an outbreak, despite it’s apparent 95% vaccination rate. Unknown if that statistic includes any recent boosters that need administered. According to a Washington Post article, a majority of players testing positive are asymptomatic.

Booster Cycles

The Beacon City School District has offered a second vaccination clinic, which offers pediatric vaccinations and boosters for those on cycle.

To learn where to get a booster for yourself, visit vaccines.gov and type in your zip code for an easy and local location. Beacon Wellness and Drug World in Cold Spring are locally owned vaccination locations. Sun River Health on Henry Street is also offering, as is Walmart and other big stores.

Volunteers Needed For Vaccination Clinic From Beacon City Schools Thursday 12/16/2021

/

The Beacon City School District is hosting another COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic on Thursday, December 16th, 2021 from 4-6pm in the Beacon High School. The district has once again partnered with the team from Village Apothecary.

The pediatric vaccine and all other doses and boosters (including the booster for 16+) for students and adults will be available. Parents are instructed to bring proof of age paperwork for their child.

Attendees can sign up here: https://hipaa.jotform.com/213463662501147

Volunteers Needed

During a Board of Education Meeting in November 2021, Superintendent Landahl said that the district would like to offer more vaccination clinics, but getting volunteers was difficult.

Volunteers would help people with the paperwork and help keep things moving, he stated in an email to the district. Volunteers need to come to the Beacon High School by 3:45 if possible.

If you are interested in volunteering, email Vickie Jackson at jackson.v@beaconk12.org and she will confirm back to you via email. If you cannot make this one, email her to be added to an interest list for future vaccination clinics.

Person Jumps In Front Of Train At Beacon Station Early Tuesday Afternoon 12/7/2021

/

Picture of the train tracks along the Hudson River, formerly named the Muhheakunnuk by the Lenape.
Photo Credit: Twinkle

A Beaconite who needed to take the train to New York City for an audition was waiting at the bus stop for the free LOOP Bus at the Dummy Light on Beacon’s east end, which circles Beacon and a surrounding area from the train station, but the bus was late. She called the dispatcher to inquire and was told that the bus was being detained by the police at the Beacon train station. “There was a train partially in the station and a lot of police activity on the platform. Someone had jumped in front of the train,” the Beaconite told her Instagram family.

Texts began bubbling up as word spread about a person whose life ended on Tuesday early afternoon. Unconfirmed local sources who said they were standing near the person who jumped shared their experiences with each other in a local Facebook group. One train traveler who was waiting on the platform nearby to the person who jumped said that they saw the person, who they said looked like a young man with tattoo markings on his face, put something that looked like a passport onto the platform before jumping in front of the oncoming train. This detail is not confirmed.

UPDATE 11:25am 12/9/2021: MTA Media Relations has released the person’s name to A Little Beacon Blog as Douglas Drucker, age 36, from Ossining, NY.

The Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corp. (BVAC) confirmed on their Facebook page that they had responded to an emergency at the train station, saying: “Earlier today The Beacon Volunteer Ambulance was dispatched to a train vs pedestrian. Mental illness is a very serious disease. We just want you to know if you are feeling alone, you are not alone.”

A media spokesperson for the MTA Police confirmed the fatality of the individual, stating to ALBB: “At 1pm, the 12:40pm [train] from Poughkeepsie fatally struck an unauthorized male at the Beacon station.” The train was delayed for approximately 1 hour, and passengers transferred to the other platform to catch the next train, the spokesperson said.

The Beacon Volunteer Ambulance Corp. (BVAC) wanted people to try to remember: “If you’re having a psychiatric emergency we urge you to please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Reach out to a friend or family member to assist you in seeking help. Call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255 or contact the Dutchess County Department of Mental Health & Hygiene. These are all 24 hours a day 365 days a year of help. Please, save and share this information. ** Your safety is important to us and we do care. But please know that this page is not consistently monitored. If you need immediate help, please call 911 or contact the numbers listed above. **”

Blessings to the individual and their family. And blessings to you if you are feeling extra troubled at this time. Go easy on yourself, and reach out to the hotlines and/or to someone you trust.

Kids COVID Infections Continued: 9 Confirmed Cases In BCSD Over Thanksgiving Break

/

The number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases after Thanksgiving was a question on many parents’ mind, safe to say, in any state in the nation. If kids cases were increasing right before the holiday break, what would it be upon returning to school?

The Beacon City School District’s (BCSD) Superintendent Landahl was quick to provide an answer, as is consistent with any confirmed case in the district on a daily basis. In an email to parents and caregivers sent today (11/30/2021), he said:

“Over Thanksgiving break, we learned of 9 total cases of COVID-19 in the BCSD. Two individuals at Rombout Middle School and seven individuals at Beacon High School. Due to the length of time these individuals have been out of school, there is no quarantining with these cases. This is an aggregate number of cases we learned about over the five days of break.”

UPDATE 12/2/2021: The confirmed cases that are announced by Dr. Landahl are those of any person in the district schools. A person could be a teacher, a student, etc.

The BCSD has layered safety measures in place inside of each school, such as more space in cafeterias, outdoor learning areas, reduced populations in the hallways during class changes, and other measures to encourage social distancing.

Ventilation Upgrades In Aging Beacon City Schools

During the last Capital Project for the district, Rombout Middle School did receive ventilation-based upgrades. This was a fortunate coincidence in preparation for the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Landahl explained during his 2021 presentation of this next Capital Project that did get passed by City of Beacon voters. Ventilation upgrades are planned for each of Beacon’s six public schools.

You can learn more of Dr. Landahl’s thinking during his presentation at a Board of Education Meeting here.

Vaccinations and Kids

For additional clinic opportunities, Dr. Landahl has been encouraging access to pediatric clinics from the holistic pharmacist Dr. Neal Smoller, who conducted the vaccination clinic at the Beacon High School in early November 2021. Because of the need for volunteers, Dr. Landahl said during a recent school board meeting that Beacon will most likely not hold additional vaccination clinics, or at least not very many, as it was difficult to get volunteers.

In an email to district parents and caregivers dated 11/30/2021, Dr. Landahl stated: “There are a number of opportunities to get the Pediatric Pfizer vaccine. Dr. Neal Smoller, the pharmacist we are partnered with, has a number of community clinics coming up that you can join. Visit drneal.co/kids to see the full schedule”

Appointments at stores and pharmacies are also available. You can visit Vaccines.gov for an easy zip-code based database that connects you with websites for online scheduling, or phone numbers for appointments made over the phone. These include Drug Mart in Cold Spring, Walmart in Fishkill, and other familiar locations.