Beacon City Council Members Share Their Personal Connections To At Least 10 COVID-Positive Friends And 1 Death

During last night’s public City Council Meeting, where City Council Members go around the table (or the Zoom screen at this point) to share their Ward reports, 3 City Council members shared that their friends had contracted COVID-19, and implored for people to continue to act safely. While the number of COVID-19 positive cases in Beacon today hovers in the 30s (it is 38 today, according to the Dashboard), which is relatively low to the higher end it reached in the spring of 127ish, numbers become relative when those numbers become a face, and in this case, families.

Terry Nelson, representing Ward 1, told the public that a friend of his was recently infected with COVID-19, along with his entire family. Terry encouraged people to continue wearing masks and social distancing, and insisted that this pandemic was not a hoax.

Air Nonken Rhodes, representing Ward 2, shared that one of their neighbors tested positive with COVID-19, and did pass away. “I found out that a neighbor of mine just around the corner passed away from COVID this past week. It’s such a sad reminder. I’m so grateful that my family is ok, but just around the corner, another family is not ok.” Air stressed that people continue to wear masks, but not just wear masks, and to stay home. Air encouraged alternate forms of shopping and ordering takeout from restaurants.

Jodi McCredo, representing Ward 3, disclosed that she knew 7 people who were diagnosed in the past week. “The numbers are on the rise. It seems to be everywhere at the moment.”

Anthony Ruggiero, the City Manager who is leaving Beacon for the Dutchess County Department of Behavioral and Community Health to serve as Assistant Commissioner for Administration, which happens in January 2021, stressed that “people really need to take this seriously, with the guidance and the masks…The numbers are increasing; the hospitalization rates are increasing.” He mentioned this as he announced that the Highway Department had possible exposure to the coronavirus and have quarantined.

Local Ohio News

As for local news in Ohio (which is where this blogger is from), patrons went to a popular and very cozy (aka un-ventilated) bar in a small town east of Cleveland during the Thanksgiving weekend. As would happen during any classic Thanksgiving weekend in most small towns across America. Ohio has had a stubborn resistance to containing the virus with rebellions to restaurant closures and social distancing.

According to a person standing in line at a CVS picking up medication, 30 of the patrons came away testing positive with COVID. A few days later, the town endured a large snowfall, being in a snow-belt, causing a loss of power. Many people merged households in order to stay with relatives who had power. Several of those people are now awaiting test results and the elderly without power who went to their children’s homes (or vice versa) are fearful of experiencing symptoms.

Back in Beacon, restaurants and patrons are respecting social distancing and putting out heaters for outside dining.

Staten Island Pub Defiance Ends In Serious Injury For Deputy Sheriff

In Staten Island, the pub owner, Daniel Presti, 34, who is a leader in the “Autonomous Zone” movement, which rejects the closure of restaurants and has lost his liqueur license as a result but serves patrons anyway, allegedly hit a Deputy Sherriff with his car early Sunday morning, according to the Sheriff’s Office, as reported by Gothamist.

After Presti allegedly hit the Deputy Sheriff, "the deputy clung to the hood of the car while Presti kept driving off for 100 yards before the other authorities forced him to stop...The deputy sheriff was injured and taken to Staten Island University Hospital with multiple bone fractures,” according to Gothamist.

According to the report, Presti “faced 10 charges for the incident—including a felony charge of second degree assault causing physical injury to an officer. He was also charged with menacing, reckless driving and endangerment, obstructing governmental administration, fleeing an officer, and resisting arrest, according to court records.”

According to the article, Presti was released without bail, according to the report, and his next court date is January 11th.

If Presti had been Black, it is fair to say, based on numerous online videos of Black men being shot for maybe having a knife near them or not, or maybe having a fake $20 bill on them or not, Presti’s chances of being shot in the back or in the car while driving would be probable. And no bail set might also not be the case.

(5/1/2020) COVID-19 Numbers for Beacon (on the rise), Fishkill, Wappingers, Newburgh, Philipstown

Today was a beautiful day, and tomorrow may be as well. It’s hard to remember about the virus when the weather is so nice. Mask and face coverings by people on Main Street in Beacon has been mixed but good. Social distancing practices encouraged by most eateries and essential businesses has also been good. It should also be noted that we are past the 2 week mark since the Easter and Passover holidays, which is when people may have broken “sphere lock” and joined with family members not normally quarantining together in their homes for a family gathering. Family and friend gatherings, or gatherings in groups like on a bar patio, have been known to be a time period of virus spread.

Active cases in Beacon are on the rise, with today’s Active Case count being 134. When A Little Beacon Blog first started tracking this in our Excel spreadsheet back on 4/25/2020, the Active Case count was 110 just a week ago. The Active Case count is a fluctuating number that can go up or down, and is presumed that the Active Cases are people who continue to test positive and are fighting the virus.

[UPDATE: Edit made to this article based on population of Town of Wappingers].

The number of people testing positive per day has remained in the high 40s for each of Beacon, Fishkill and Wappingers. As for Orange County, who is testing more people than Dutchess County, they continue to see an increase in the number of people testing positive (101 people yesterday, 159 people today), while the Active Case Count remains at 587 in Orange County.

Sources:
New York State Tracker: Updated daily.
Dutchess County Tracker: Updated daily, but there could be lags, according to their Source notes.
Orange County Tracker: Updated daily, with the exception of municipality information which is updated every 2-3 days, according to their Source notes.
Putnam County Tracker: Updated daily.
Google via Wikipedia
Testing is limited, which implies that people testing positive for COVID-19 is not total, as many people are not tested.

DUTCHESS COUNTY 5/01/2020

How Many People Tested In Dutchess County:
15,558 (yesterday 15,085 via New York State Tracker)
How Many People Tested POSITIVE As Of This Day:
3,049 (yesterday, 3,002, via New York State Tracker)
How Many People Tested This Day:
473 (previous day 443, via New York State Tracker)
How Many People Tested POSITIVE This Day:
47 (previous day 48, via New York State Tracker)
Number Of People Hospitalized For COVID-19 As Of This Day:
69 (yesterday 69, via Dutchess County Tracker)
How Many COVID-19 Related Deaths As Of This Day:
38 (yesterday 37, via Dutchess County Tracker, but Google shows 73 (previous 70))

BEACON
Active COVID-19 Cases In Beacon On This Day:
134 (yesterday 129, via Dutchess County Tracker)

FISHKILL
Active COVID-19 Cases In Fishkill On This Day:
175 (yesterday 171, via Dutchess County Tracker)
Active COVID-19 Cases In East Fishkill On This Day:
151 (yesterday 146, via Dutchess County Tracker)

WAPPINGERS
Active COVID-19 Cases In Town of Wappingers On This Day:
163 (yesterday 162, via Dutchess County Tracker)
Active COVID-19 Cases In Wappingers Falls Village On This Day:
45 (yesterday 44, via Dutchess County Tracker)

ORANGE COUNTY 5/01/2020

How Many People Tested In Orange County:
28,848 (yesterday 28,009, via New York State Tracker)
How Many People Tested POSITIVE In Total:
8,910 (yesterday 8,751, via New York State Tracker)
How Many People Tested On This Day:
839 (previously 787, via New York State Tracker)
How Many People Tested POSITIVE On This Day:
159 (previously 101, via New York State Tracker)
Number Of People Hospitalized For COVID-19 As Of This Day:
147 (yesterday 147) (via Orange County Tracker)
How Many COVID-19 Related Deaths As Of This Day:
329 (yesterday 329, via Orange County Tracker)

NEWBURGH
Active COVID-19 Cases In Newburgh On This Day:
587 (587, via Orange County Tracker)
Active COVID-19 Cases In City of Newburgh On This Day:
1,165 (1,165, via Orange County Tracker)

PUTNAM COUNTY 5/01/2020

How Many People Tested In Putnam County:
4,429 (yesterday 4,170, via New York State Tracker)
How Many People Tested POSITIVE As Of This Day:
1,003 (yesterday 990, via New York State Tracker)
How Many People Tested On This Day:
115 (previously 144, via New York State Tracker)
How Many People Tested POSITIVE On This Day:
13 (previously 20, via New York State Tracker)
Number Of People Hospitalized For COVID-19 As Of This Day:
20 (via Orange County Tracker)
How Many COVID-19 Related Deaths As Of This Day:
45 (yesterday 45, via Putnam County Tracker)

PHILIPSTOWN
Confirmed COVID-19 Cases In Total In Philipstown As Of This Day:
102 (yesterday 98, via Putnam County Tracker)
Putnam doesn’t seem to publish an “Active Cases” per city/town/village number like Dutchess and Orange do. “Active Cases” can fluctuate up or down. “Confirmed Cases” only go up, as they are cumulative.

Nursing Homes In Dutchess County Get COVID-19 Testing Focus - Pilot Program Launching In Beacon's Wingate As Testing Reveals Concern In Ulster

During a time when the press corps covering the daily pandemic briefings from Governor Cuomo pursues the governor with unrelenting questions on the COVID-19 status of nursing home residents and PPE supplies, the death toll of elderly residents mounts in New York City and surrounding counties. Dutchess County announced this week (4/28/2020) a new testing program to test residents living in the 13 nursing homes within Dutchess County.

Citing an uptick in reported COVID-19 cases as a result of recent testing in Ulster County, Dutchess County will begin testing every nursing home resident, beginning with Wingate in Beacon. According to the county’s press release, testing in Ulster County “has heightened concerns about potential spread of coronavirus, as 96 out of 330 residents at two Ulster County nursing homes tested positive for COVID-19 – with many of these cases exhibiting no symptoms (asymptomatic) and the individuals had only been in contact with healthy residents and staff members.”

The number of reported deaths in nursing homes in Dutchess County is 13 people as of yesterday (4/29/2020), as reported by New York State on this daily nursing home tracker. The number of deaths of people in nursing homes or adult care facilities in Orange County is 92 people, and in Putnam County it is 12 people. In Nassau County, it is 424 people, and in Kings County it is 447 people, and in Bronx County it is 570.

Dutchess County will begin releasing testing data from the nursing homes, said Communications Director Colleen Pillus. According to state data, there have been six deaths at the Ferncliff Nursing Home. Any home that has fewer than five deaths is not published at this time by New York State, citing privacy concerns.

The State Of Nursing Homes During The Pandemic

Publications like ProPublica have been covering the story for some time, and recently published this story of a daughter who removed her father from Queens Adult Care Center after he showed symptoms and was being neglected by fearful staff members, according to the article. Reporters at Governor Cuomo’s briefings have been asking for weeks for COVID-19 statistics at nursing homes, which New York State only recently starting releasing. Each day that the statistics had not been made public, Governor Cuomo cited delays from the nursing homes who were overwhelmed with caring for their residents. The total number of deceased people from nursing homes in New York State is 3,688, as of 4/29/2020.

To illustrate how quickly COVID-19 can spread through a nursing home, which Governor Cuomo has likened to a fire spreading through dry grass, Deadline.com has been publishing updates about elderly residents living in The Actor’s Fund Home in Englewood, N.J., a home for retired entertainers, from actors of stage and screen to screenwriters, dancers, producers and directors. The home has been forthcoming to its families with email updates, and to the media. The facilities administrator told NJ Advance Media that as of 4/14/2020, the facility had 12 residents test positive. As of 4/21/2020, 10 residents had died from COVID-19, as reported by Deadline.com, although the first reported death from COVID-19 was recorded on 4/10/2020, according to Deadline.com. About 35 to 40 staff had tested positive, though there have been no reported deaths of employees.

Dutchess County Testing and PPE

County Executive Marcus Molinaro has petitioned Governor Cuomo for 2,000 test kits for Dutchess County’s newly formed Nursing Homes Task Force, according to the county’s press release. “As the initial pilot gets underway,” the press release said, “and as tests are made available from New York State, Dutchess County’s Nursing Home Task Force will collaborate with each of the nursing home facilities’ infection control specialist to plan for each facilities’ specific needs, including providing adequate PPE supplies for staff to ensure there is no cross contamination during testing.”

Testing staff members at the nursing homes will not be included in this targeted testing, “as testing kits are limited,” confirmed Communications Director Colleen Pillus to A Little Beacon Blog when asked for clarification. Reports from outbreaks happening in nursing homes across the state, like this one in Hornell, include a focus on staff members who test positive, as reported by the New York Post.

Currently in Dutchess County, nursing home residents are only being tested when they present symptoms, said Dutchess County’s Communication Director Colleen. Moving forward in this new pilot program, elderly residents will be tested once as opposed to an ongoing way, as testing results take time to come back, said Colleen. Of the 13 nursing homes, one nursing home - Wingate in Beacon - will be the pilot location for this new program.

Who Oversees Nursing Homes?

As explained by Governor Cuomo repeatedly during briefings, nursing homes are generally private institutions that need to follow licensing requirements from New York State. According to The Leader, New York State will open an investigation into nursing homes, led by Attorney General Letitia James, “which will focus on whether nursing homes and adult-care facilities appropriately followed state law and regulation as the coronavirus went on its torrid spread in New York,” stated the article.

According to Dutchess County’s press release on its new testing program program: “Although nursing homes are under the authority and oversight of the New York State Department of Health, County Executive Molinaro established Dutchess County’s Nursing Home Task Force, under the direction of Dutchess Behavioral and Community Health (DBCH), to be in regular contact with nursing home leadership. The Task Force keeps open lines of communications, offers guidance where appropriate, and helps facilities address concerns and emerging issues, convening weekly conference calls with nursing homes.”

The announcement went on to address PPE needs: “Among the pressing needs has been the provision of PPE supplies to meet heightened New York State Department of Health mandates for nursing homes. Dutchess County has worked closely with the nursing homes, providing isolation suits and gowns, eye protection, N95 respirators, surgical masks, as well as hand sanitizer.”

Mental Health Assistance Provided For Nursing Home Staff, By Dutchess County

County Executive Molinaro has a strong track record on mental health for this region. Mental health assistance has been created for employees working in nursing homes. According to the press release: “Staffing has also been a concern for nursing homes. Stress levels and fear for all essential employees remain high and there is always a concern about lack of staff availability should there be large numbers of staff who need to be quarantined. News of deaths in nursing homes in other areas of the state and nation creates anxiety for staff, patients, as well as their families.

”To help combat the extreme amount of stress this pandemic has placed upon nursing home and residential facility staff, County Executive Molinaro and Deputy Commissioner of DBCH Dr. Jacqueline M. Johnson have mobilized the Dutchess County Trauma Team to provide mental health support. This collaborative team of mental health and substance abuse professionals respond to unpredictable and extreme events in Dutchess County. Led by Dr. Ellen Marx, the team will provide an in-service to nursing home staff to discuss the range of emotions the pandemic causes in general, work-related frustration and anxiety, dealing with grief, the importance of self-care, and much more. Individuals are helped to review their situation, encouraged to express the wide range of emotions traumatic events bring up, and identify strengths and ways to cope.”

Nursing Homes in Dutchess County 

This list has been provided by Dutchess County:

ArchCare at Ferncliff (formerly Ferncliff Nursing Home)
21 Ferncliff Road, Rhinebeck, NY 12572  (845) 876-2011    

The Baptist Home
46 Brookmeade Drive, Rhinebeck, NY 12572 (845) 876-2071    

Sapphire Wappingers Falls
37 S. Mesier Ave., Wappingers Falls, NY 12590 (800) 501-3936    

The Eleanor Nursing Care Center
419 North Quaker Lane, Hyde Park, NY 12538 (845) 229-9177    

Fishkill Center for Rehabilitation & Nursing
22 Robert R. Kasin Way, Beacon, NY 12508-1199 (800) 501-3936 

The Grand Nursing and Rehabilitation at Pawling
9 Reservoir Road, Pawling, NY 12564  (845) 855-5700  

The Grand Nursing and Rehabilitation at River Valley
140 Main St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 (845) 454-7600    

Lutheran Care Center at Concord Village
965 Dutchess Turnpike, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 (845) 486-9494 x215    

Northern Dutchess Residential Healthcare Facility - The Thompson House
6525 Springbrook Ave., Rhinebeck, NY 12572  (845) 871-3760     

Renaissance Rehabilitation and Nursing Center
4975 Albany Post Road, Staatsburg, NY 12580 (845) 889-4500      

The Pines at Poughkeepsie
100 Franklin St., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601  (845) 454-4100

Wingate at Beacon
10 Hastings Drive, Beacon, NY 12508  (845) 440-1600    

Wingate at Dutchess
3 Summit Court, Fishkill, NY 12524  (845) 896-1500

UPDATE: 7 Of The 20 People Who Died At Home In Dutchess County Since March 12, 2020 Tested Positive For COVID-19 After Death

In a followup to yesterday’s article on home deaths being tracked in Dutchess County’s Tracker, A Little Beacon Blog has acquired some data on people in Dutchess County who have died at home, and were tested for COVID-19 by the medical examiner’s office after they passed away.

According to Dutchess County, since the week of March 12, 2020, approximately 20 people have died at home, and were subsequently tested for COVID-19 by the Dutchess County medical examiner’s office. Of the 20 people who died at their homes since March 12, 2020, seven of them tested positive for COVID-19, said Colleen Pillus, Communications Director for Dutchess County, who received the number from the medical examiner’s office.

This week on April 27, 2020, the Washington Post reported on a Yale analysis done for that publication that there was a spike in non-COVID-19 tested deaths at home for the period of March 2020 as compared to 2019. The article and analysis do not provide conclusions as to why this spike in deaths has occurred, but does provide insight into different states, including New York, New Jersey and Michigan.

When asked by A Little Beacon Blog if this trend was reflected in Dutchess County, the county’s Communications Director responded that she does not at this time have the comparative data on those who died at home during the same period the previous year. “That would take some significant time to pull, and I am not sure when someone at the ME’s (medical examiner’s) office will have the opportunity to do so,” Colleen said.

It should be noted that Dutchess County has been pulling a significant amount of data during this short period of time, and is making what they can available to the public. They have been responsive to our questions, which has been helpful for reporting.

Are COVID-19 Home Deaths Recorded In Dutchess County Tracker? Yes - Plus The Increase In Deaths Across The U.S. Since March

With new questions and answers evolving around COVID-19 coming out of the medical community almost daily, questions arise about the cause of death of people who died at home, and if they were COVID-19-related. If COVID-19 related, were they tested and included in the Dutchess County death counts?

According to Dutchess County’s Communication Director Colleen Pillus, the answer is yes. “Any positive results received by the medical examiner are included in the Dutchess County Data Dashboard,” she told A Little Beacon Blog by email.

According to Medical Examiner Dr. Dennis Chute, those who die at home and test positive for COVID-19 are being counted. Dr. Chute explained the process to A Little Beacon Blog by way of Colleen: “If an individual dies at home, the death is called into our office and a medicolegal death investigator takes the call, usually from the police dispatcher. If the decedent was on hospice, then our office releases the case, does not respond to the scene, and the death certificate is done by hospice.”

“If the individual is not on hospice care,” he continued, “then the medical examiner responds to the death scene, and either the medical examiner or the private medical doctor must sign the death certificate. In these cases, the medical examiner will decide whether to bring the decedent to the medical examiner's office depending on the circumstances and medical history. In non-hospice cases, if the history is consistent or suspicious for COVID-19, but if there has not been a premortem test done, we will take a specimen for COVID-19 testing.”

Since the week of March 12, 2020, there has been approximately 20 cases tested at the medical examiner’s office. [UPDATE 4/30/2020]: Of the 20 people who died at their homes since March 12, 2020, seven of them tested positive for COVID-19, said Colleen, who received the number from the medical examiner’s office.

We are also awaiting an answer about whether the number of deaths at home is higher than the period compared to the previous year. [UPDATE 4/30/2020]: Colleen has responded that she does not at this time have the comparative data on those who died at home during the same period the previous year. “That would take some significant time to pull, and I am not sure when someone at the ME’s (medical examiner’s) office will have the opportunity to do so.”

Heart Attacks and COVID-19

Recently heart attacks and strokes are being studied as doctors are understanding more about how the disease attacks the body. An article at Kaiser Health News has pulled together two sources, Politico and ABC News, following the question of heart attacks as it pertains to New York and patients here.

Politico published on 4/25/2020 that the first recorded death of COVID-19 was of a woman from San Francisco, CA, who died of a massive heart attack, according to the autopsy conducted by the county medical examiner on February 7, 2020, but not signed until April 23, 2020. According to the article, she “had no coronary heart disease or clotting that would have caused a heart attack.” She was “mildly obese and had a mildly enlarged heart.” She had evidence of the coronavirus infection in her heart, trachea, lungs and intestines, and originally complained of flu-like symptoms in the days before her death.

The Kaiser article also reported on an ABC news report looking at how New York City became the epicenter of the coronavirus on March 20, “but city records analyzed by ABC News suggest a crisis swelling far earlier, signaled by a sudden uptick in cardiac arrest cases that experts now say were likely linked to the virus. Emergency calls for cardiac arrest began to climb in mid-February, in close-knit neighborhoods of Brooklyn and Queens, some of the same local areas that would soon form the "epicenter of the epicenter" of America's coronavirus pandemic. (Pezenik, Katersky, David and Dastmalchi, 4/27)”

Uptick In Home Deaths In U.S. Since March 2020

The Yale School of Public Health conducted an analysis of federal data for the Washington Post, which revealed a spike in deaths during March through April 4, 2020. The Washington Post published those results on 4/27/2020 and included a variety of graphs showing the data for different states, including New York, New Jersey and Michigan.

According to the article: “The analysis also suggests that the death toll from the pandemic is significantly higher than has been reported,” said Daniel Weinberger, a Yale professor of epidemiology and the leader of the research team. “It’s really important to get the right numbers to inform policymakers so they can understand how the epidemic is evolving and how severe it is in different places,” Weinberger said.

The article goes on to suggest that the “national tally also shapes the public’s perception of how serious the disease is, and therefore how necessary it is to continue social distancing despite economic disruption.”

However, it was also noted by the Washington Post: “The excess deaths are not necessarily attributable directly to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. They could include people who died because of the epidemic but not from the disease, such as those who were afraid to seek medical treatment for unrelated illnesses, as well as some number of deaths that are part of the ordinary variation in the death rate.”

As more data comes out, clearer answers to questions like these will come.

Candles Made And Sold In Beacon That Will Change Your Mood And Light Up Friday Nights

OK, everyone, we are doing this! A Little Beacon Blog is lighting a candle for those who have passed from COVID-19 and other illnesses (perhaps because of coordination issues with this pandemic) on Friday nights at 8 pm. Earlier, at 7 pm, we are giving a round of applause to essential workers and health care workers for all they have done and continue to do into the weekend.

We’ve put together a roundup of candles made in Beacon, or sold in Beacon, for your retail therapy pleasure.

Then, for every other day, you get to burn a fresh candle while working from or quarantining at home! Fresh smells, warm feels, good vibes…

Check out some of the amazing local Beacon businesses below and order your favorite scent right now!

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BEACON D’LITE INC
327 Main St.
Beacon, NY 12508

Beacon D’Lite is one of the first candle companies to be based on Beacon’s Main Street. Well-known by many, you will find a variety of scents here. Their store smells so good in real life when they open back up.
Order Candles Online HERE

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BEACON MERCANTILE
493 Main St.
Beacon, NY 12508

Beacon Mercantile makes the candles in the back of the store, and comes out with carefully crafted fragrances often. We love La Lune and a few others.
Order Candles Online HERE

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LA MÈRE CLOTHING + GOODS

436 Main St.
Beacon, NY 12508

Newly in stock, La Mère has the candles you need. A favorite right now is the crystal candle, but check out those with the cute container.

Order Candles Online HERE

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LEWIS AND PINE
133 Main St.
Beacon, NY 12508

Known for their hand-crafted jewelry, Lewis and Pine also stocks candles with a sophisticated scent.
Order Candles Online HERE

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SOLSTAD HOUSE
17 E. Main St.
Beacon, NY 12508

Solstad House has their candles made by a company they love. They put their two scents (get it…scents/cents…) into a candle collection, and you get to enjoy.
Order Candles Online HERE

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ZAKKA JOY
177 Main St.
Beacon, NY 12508

Zakka Joy has a gigantic variety of everything, including candles. You can’t go wrong when shopping here.
Order Candles Online HERE

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RAVEN ROSE
474 Main St.
Beacon, NY 12508

Raven Rose carries a careful collection of candles (and oils, which make a room smell heavenly without needing to burn a flame). One also can’t go wrong with these aromas.
Order Candles Online HERE

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KAIGHT
512 Main St.
Beacon, NY 12508

The fresh scents in Kaight’s collection will have you craving a trip outside on a rainy day. This curated collection of candles will warm any chilly spring day.
Order Candles Online HERE

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BLACKBIRD ATTIC
442 Main St.
Beacon, NY 12508

Blackbird Attic carries various Paddywax brand soy candles that look and smell delightful.
Order Candles Online HERE

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THE BLUSHERY
528 Main St.
Beacon, NY 12508

The Blushery carries the Capri Blue Volcano candle, also known as the popular Anthropologie candle. They come in different sizes and designs of reusable glass and tin jars.
Orders can be emailed to stephanie@theblushery.com for free delivery and curbside pick up!

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Friday Night Cheer & Candlelight Celebrating Essential Workers; Hope To Businesses; Honoring Those Who Passed

A reader wrote into A Little Beacon Blog, suggesting that the community of Beacon show some cheer and appreciation for essential workers by clapping at a unified time. The medical workers, grocery store workers, mail delivery workers, funeral home workers, dialysis workers, and many more.

The Dedication

We thought about it, and if you’re not already doing something, we are suggesting a Friday Night Cheer Clap Candlelight Night. On Friday nights, as we slide into the weekend, we step out onto the front porch or open your apartment window:

• Applaud essential workers who have been working for us and are about to start a busier Saturday/Sunday.

• Clap for people running closed businesses, who are hoping beyond hope that they can restart.

• Light a candle lit for people who have passed.

The Schedule

7 pm: Clap/cheer (still light, still energetic)
8 pm: Light a candle, give a moment of silence (it will be dark then, and calmer)

If you’re into it, send us pictures or tag @alittlebeacon in Instagram when you do it and we’ll publish. We’ll also publish a candle gift guide roundup for where you can buy beautiful candles in Beacon, many of which have been made in Beacon and smell really good.

They will be shipped to you, or delivered!

This would start this Friday.

We’re going to do it from our porches (Katie in Beacon, Marilyn in Fishkill, and Teslie in Newburgh). Don’t leave us hanging!

Unnamed Prisoner Graves and New Release Of Inmates Meeting A Certain Set Of Criteria

Two yesterdays ago, on April 16, 2020, Beacon Prison Action sent a press release regarding multiple new unmarked graves being dug at the Fishkill Correctional Facility. Beacon Prison Action consists of c​ommunity members in the Beacon/Fishkill/Newburgh area, and is most active through the Beacon Prison Rides Project and the Beacon Prison Books Project (run closely with Binnacle Books).

The graveyard that sits near the Fishkill Correctional Facility is located through the woods beyond the Willow Loop, and behind Beacon High School.

Beacon Prison Action submitted photos of “multiple” fresh graves taken Wednesday morning (April 15, 2020). According to the press release: “Four gravestones are without identifying markers, leaving these recent casualties unnamed. A new grave, between two more markers, has yet to be filled.”

A Little Beacon Blog is pursuing information about the protocol for how it is determined for a prisoner to be buried there. If you have information, please see below.

The Prison Population By Numbers And COVID-19 Positive

According to Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS): “The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, guided by the Departmental Mission, is responsible for the confinement and rehabilitation with under 42,000 individuals under custody held at 52 state facilities and supervision of over 35,000 parolees throughout seven regional offices statewide.”

According to the USA Today Network’s Democrat and Chronicle, “New York has approximately 43,000 incarcerated individuals and 29,000 employees at its 52 state-level facilities, according to the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.”

According to the DOCCS COVID-19 Confirmed page, the following COVID-19 statuses have been reported:

DOCCS COVID-10 Confirmed Cases
Staff Incarcerated Population Parolees
753 204* 29
*Of these confirmed cases, 49 are now recovered and out of isolation.

DOCCS COVID-19 Confirmed Deaths
Staff Incarcerated Population Parolees
1 5 4

New Release Of Inmates Over Age Of 55, Who Are Eligible For Release In 90 Days, No Violent Felonies, No Sexual Assault

Beacon Prison Action, as well as other groups including the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) on March 20, 2020, have made requests of how inmates could avoid infection.

Since then, Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) has approved the release of inmates meeting different sets of requirements, which was confirmed by Melissa DeRosa, Secretary to Governor Cuomo during today’s (4/18/2020) briefing when asked about it by a reporter (see minute 31).

DeRosa confirmed that inmates who are over the age of 55, who are eligible for release within 90 days, who have not committed violent felonies or sexual assault offense, and who do not pose a threat to society can be released. DeRosa estimated the number of inmates that fit this specific criteria to be around 200 people, and confirmed it would be a “rolling release” throughout this “current emergency.”

Additional Types Of Inmates Who Have Been Approved For Release

This is not the first set of requirements that have been created so that some inmates can be offered early release due to COVID-19. According to PrisonPolicy.org:

• A judge in the Bronx approved the release of 51 people jailed for alleged parole violations on Rikers Island in New York City. (April 13)

• 65 people have been released early from the Westchester County Jail in Valhalla, New York, following discussions between the District Attorney and the Legal Aid Society of Westchester. (April 13)

• District attorneys in Brooklyn, New York, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have taken steps to reduce jail admissions by releasing people charged with nonviolent offenses and not actively prosecuting low-level, non-violent offenses. (March 17 and March 18)

• In New York state, all in-person parole visits have been suspended and replaced with telephone call, text message, and video call check-ins. (March 20). Details from TimesUnion: “As new cases and deaths from COVID-19 increased, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo on Friday ordered non-essential construction projects to stop, and a state agency told parole officers that 1,100 parole violators who are being held in jails and prisons across New York will be released.

• New York City has released 200 people from Rikers Island in the past week, and expects to release another 175 people before the weekend. (March 26)

• In New York, Gov. Cuomo announced that up to 1,100 people who are being held in jails and prisons across the state may be released with community supervision. (March 27)

Early prison release is being addressed at the national level. You can read about Attorney General William Barr’s directive here at The New York Times. A clip: “Attorney General William P. Barr ordered the Bureau of Prisons on Friday (April 3, 2020) to expand the group of federal inmates eligible for early release and to prioritize those at three facilities where known coronavirus cases have grown precipitously, as the virus threatens to overwhelm prison medical facilities and nearby hospitals.”

Inmates With Dementia and Alzheimer’s

Beacon Prison Action also highlighted inmates who have dementia and Alzheimer’s. From their press release: “Fishkill prison itself has a special Long-Term Care unit for people with serious health conditions, as well as a Unit for the Cognitively Impaired, largely serving elderly prisoners suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. In their last report on this prison, the Correctional Association of New York concluded, “[Our visit to this unit] reinforced the costly, cruel, and nonsensical policy of continued incarceration of people who are so physically and/or cognitively impaired that they pose no safety risk to the community and for whom there no longer remains any justifiable reason to keep them in prison.” (​Fishkill Correctional Facility 2012​ ​by the Correctional Association of New York).

Graves With No Names At Fishkill Correctional Facility

Back to the graves in Beacon, and why some markers have no names. According to Beacon’s most referenced book, “Beacon Revisited” by Robert J. Murphy and Denise Doring VanBuren, the graveyard is known as the Cemetery of Convicts, 1985. From the book: “At the edge of a stand of tall evergreens not far from Beacon’s new high school lies the state-owned cemetery wherein hundreds of unknown men and women are buried. Between the opening of the Matteawan State Hospital (then the Asylum for the Criminally Insane) in 1892, its closing in 1977, and its transformation into Fishkill Correctional Facility, about 1,800 inmates and patients were buried in the remote corner of the prison’s grounds. Today, only numbered stones mark the graves of these unfortunates.”

A Little Beacon Blog has questions and is in pursuit of the bigger picture. If you know the answer and you are an official, please comment below or email us at editorial@alittlebeaconblog.com. We are looking for answers to the following questions:

• Do all of the graves state no names?

• When a prisoner dies while incarcerated, what is the protocol? Are they buried there? Or are they sent to their family? Or if they have no next of kin, buried there? The DOCCS Handbook for Families and Friends is here, but doesn’t seem to mention it.

• Why would new burials have no name on the marker? The prison system knows the name of the individual, but why would a name not be placed on a grave?

• Are prisoners from all over New York state sent here to be buried, or just those in Fishkill Correctional Facility?
  
  

Dutchess County Executive's Father Passes From COVID-19; "I Already Miss" Him, Molinaro Says

After a two-week battle with COVID-19, Anthony Molinaro, father of Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, passed away after being on a ventilator at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, according to the Poughkeepsie Journal. According to the article, he was 67 and had no known underlying health conditions.

Marc Molinaro tweeted: “Anthony Molinaro quietly left us this afternoon. I already miss my father but confidently know of his love for my sisters, their mom, my brother and me. And, we are grateful for the moments and memories we shared.”

Marc further elaborated in that tweet:

"All our lives have been touched in some way by the coronavirus and we know we will never be the same. This afternoon, my father died and while it's natural to dwell on the final moments, I know it is the value of all the moments that make up our lives together that matters most.

"I entered public life inspired by the desire to bring people together, so it's with immense sadness that at this most difficult of times we were apart.

”Yet, he did not leave this world alone. He was expertly and passionately cared for by an amazing team of doctors, nurses and caregivers; he had his memories of better times and those he loved; he felt the love and prayers of family, friends and even strangers who wouldn't give up..."

A Little Beacon Blog reached out to Beacon’s Mayor’s Office for comment, and Mayor Lee Kyriacou responded: “We mourn another lost soul, this one the father of my colleague and friend, Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro. He and family are in our thoughts and prayers. Stay well, all.”

Governor Cuomo Directs Flags To Fly At Half Mast - Beacon Honors The Directive - 14 Died In Dutchess County So Far - 23 Die In One Day In Orange County

Photo Credit: Anthony Ruggiero, City Administrator for the City of Beacon

On April 8, 2020, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo directed that flags be flown at half-mast “in honor of those we have lost to to COVID-19,” according to his press release. In the Governor’s nightly briefing email, he said: “We continue to mourn the New Yorkers we have lost to this vicious virus. I will issue an Executive Order to bring additional funeral directors to New York to help with the high number of deaths due to COVID-19. There are no words that can express our grief and heartbreak at the lives we have lost. It is a loss to the very fabric of New York.”

Beacon lowered the flags to half mast, as announced by Mayor Lee Kyriacou in a COVID-19 briefing call to residents: “Beacon’s flags are flying at half-staff, as we mourn fellow New Yorkers who have succumbed to COVID-19, which tragically now exceeds 7,000 deaths statewide and 14 here in Dutchess County. We will continue to fly at half-staff during the NYS PAUSE.”

The Dutchess County Impact Dashboard lists the number of deaths as 10 as of today, but the numbers on that dashboard are a bit lower than the New York State tracker. We will take the mayor’s number on this. Home deaths that are likely connected to COVID-19 are also not counted in New York’s reporting system at this time, as first reported by Gothamist. Where the average was 25 people dying at home per day in New York City, the number grew to 280 people who had died in their home by the time the fire department was able to respond, according to NPR.

The mayor also reported that there are 79 “active cases” in Beacon. Today in Dutchess County, 98 new people tested positive for COVID-19, according to the New York State Department of Health Tracker.

In Orange County on Monday, County Executive Steve Neuhaus announced in his daily COVID-19 briefing that that 23 county residents had been lost to COVID-19 in just the last 24 hours.

The Record Online reported this week that cases are expected to grow in this region, saying: “The coronavirus outbreak is taking a more serious toll as it pushes northward in the Hudson Valley, with COVID-19 fatalities in Orange County nearly doubling since Friday and Ulster County warning it could run out of hospital beds this week.”

4 Die In Dutchess County Thursday; 44 Total Cases In Beacon; Dr. Fauci Says U.S. Is "Actively Considering" Mask Use To Block Own Breath

This evening, Dutchess County sent out its notification that four people had passed today, Thursday 4/2/2020, due to coronavirus complications. Their announcement in full is below. Also this evening, Beacon Mayor Lee Kyriacou and Councilperson George Mansfield robocalled with several COVID-19-related announcements, including that Beacon currently has 44 cases of the novel coronavirus. You can track the numbers here at Dutchess County’s Dashboard. Announcements by Dutchess County such as this one may be ahead of the dashboard.

Of today’s deaths, three of the four people who passed were men, and one man was young - 28 years old. All had underlying conditions.

It should also be noted that a letter was issued to the White House today by Dr. Harvey Fineberg, chairman of a committee with the National Academy of Sciences, who stressed that coronavirus can be passed by breathing, or in conversation. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the physician and immunologist who has served as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and advises the White House, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and the U.S. via television appearances, did not disagree, and agreed that the U.S. was considering use of masks for people doing their errands, especially if they don’t know that they have the coronavirus.

The reason for the masks would be to help prevent the virus from leaving your own mouth via droplets to float in the air or onto someone else. If a person is asymptomatic, and doesn’t know that they have it, they might be talking to someone and spread it. Dr. Fauci stresses that the best deterrent is for people to stay 6 feet apart (social distancing). He and the other White House medical advisor, Dr. Deborah Birx, warned today that the use of masks could cause the wearer of a mask to become lax in their social distancing. They may think they are protected/harmless, and will walk near people, and continue to touch their eyes, ears and nose. All points of entries for the virus, despite wearing a mask. This issue is being evaluated currently for an official recommendation of mask-wearing, Dr. Birx said today during the White House briefing, and Dr. Fauci said later on CNN on Anderson Cooper’s show.

In Putnam County, the Putnam County Commissioner of Health has issued a “stay-at-home” order, aka Standing Isolation Order, to people testing positive for coronavirus, according to the Putnam Daily Voice. People face fines of $2,000 for not obeying the order. There are many details to this order, especially concerning whether a person was ill, or is asymptomatic, which you can read about here.

The Dutchess County death briefing is below:

The Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) has confirmed four additional Dutchess County resident deaths relating to COVID-19 as reported by local hospitals and the Dutchess County Medical Examiners Office. All patients had underlying conditions that were risk factors; none were under DBCH monitoring.

Age and gender of the deceased are as follows:

83-year-old female
79-year-old male
82-year-old male
28-year-old male

County Executive Marc Molinaro said, “Today brings more heartbreaking loss for Dutchess County and we extend our prayers and condolences to the families and friends of these four neighbors. We have a long battle ahead of us and we must all do our part to end this pandemic. Dutchess County Government, healthcare professionals, first responders and other essential workers are fighting on the front line to support those who need health during this crisis. We need the support of every citizen to keep doing their part – stay home; stay healthy; stop the spread.”

Behavioral and Community Health Commissioner Dr. Anil Vaidian said, “Testing is more widely available in our community. If you believe you have symptoms, especially if you have other health risk factors, please contact your primary-care physician to be tested and ensure follow-up monitoring. Just as importantly, for all those who are healthy – stay home to stay healthy and keep others healthy. It is possible to have COVID-19 and not be experiencing symptoms, which is why staying home is critical – so you don’t pass it along to someone with a weaker immune system. Stay home and save lives."

There are now more than 590 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Dutchess County. There have been a total of nine deaths to date as well as nearly 40 people confirmed as recovered (individuals who have resolved symptoms and are no longer being monitored by DBCH).

5th Dutchess County Resident Dies; Newburgh's VP Of The School Board Dies; 2 Die Within 24 hours In Putnam

Pretty soon the death notices sent by Dutchess County for very precious lives will be coming in even more quickly. We are publishing them here to serve as a reminder to all of us to stay home. It is so hard to do. It is so hard for this blogger to do. But on your toughest day, or a tough day, when you just want to go out there and hug the world, remember these lives that were lost so quickly. Prayers to those cases and passings we hear about via text from friends who are grieving or worried. Keep the faith, stay strong, stay safe, stay home.

Many people of all ages do have underlying conditions, which is what the virus is seizing: cancer, diabetes, heart conditions, asthma. For those who do not have these underlying conditions, the virus still hurts. Governor Andrew Cuomo’s brother, Chris, has the virus and is speaking openly about his symptoms. His daily high fever. His shakes. His hallucinations. Watch his show on CNN from 9 to 10 pm, as he has broadcast from his basement for two nights in a row, and has dedicated the show to the inside and front lines of the virus. And then of course, shut off the TV, the devices, and do things that make you happy. Retail therapy. Reading. Movie. Petting your furry friend. Weeding outside.

The main messaging has been to protect the elderly, but it also needs to get louder that younger people as well are at risk for not having an easy go with the novel coronavirus AKA COVID-19. On Wednesday, Gov. Cuomo closed the state’s public playgrounds because young people were gathering too much. In Beacon, some young people continue to gather for driveway hangouts. Otherwise, Beacon locals have been pretty good about social distancing. Very respectful of each other.

Yesterday, the Record Online published that the VP of the Newburgh School Board, Sue Prokosch, passed away at age 72 due to coronavirus complications. In Putnam County, lohud reported that two people died within the last 24 hours, with 19 people in the hospital with coronavirus, out of a total of 213 cases in Putnam.

In Dutchess County, as of Wednesday (4/1/2020), there are 466 cases.

Here is the message from Dutchess County regarding its fifth confirmed death:

“We implore residents who think they have symptoms of COVID-19 to call their primary-care physician and remain in constant contact to ensure follow-up monitoring can continue. ”

— Behavioral and Community Health Commissioner Dr. Anil Vaidian

The Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) has confirmed the death of a fifth Dutchess County resident related to COVID-19. DBCH confirmed a 68-year-old female died at home today, April 1, 2020. The patient, who had a history of underlying conditions, presented at Vassar Brothers Medical Center's Emergency Room late last week after not feeling well. She returned home and was later informed of a positive COVID-19 result after a test during her hospital visit. The individual had not yet been transferred to DBCH monitoring. Further specific information cannot be provided for privacy reasons.

County Executive Marc Molinaro said, “We extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends of our Dutchess County neighbor, and we as a community mourn the loss of another resident to this global pandemic. As we released yesterday both countywide coronavirus statistics and information about every local municipality, we remind residents no community has been spared from this virus, reinforcing the message we have spread for weeks: Stay home; stay healthy; stop the spread. As a county, we remain dedicated to fighting the spread of this virus, employing every resource available, and we thank all those — healthcare professionals, first responders, county personnel and others — who have worked tirelessly to protect our residents."

Behavioral and Community Health Commissioner Dr. Anil Vaidian said, “We implore residents who think they have symptoms of COVID-19 to call their primary-care physician and remain in constant contact to ensure follow-up monitoring can continue. As this pandemic continues to affect hundreds in our community, and will impact even more in the coming days and weeks, we must all take an active part in keeping ourselves healthy and saving lives."

As testing in the county expanded last week, there are now more than 460 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Dutchess County, and the numbers are expected to continue to increase. Staying home remains critical to stopping the spread of COVID-19 and flattening the curve so as not to overwhelm the local healthcare system and ensure everyone can get the care they need.

4th Coronavirus Death Confirmed In Dutchess County - A 52 Year Old Man

From Dutchess County, via their listserv, Dutchess Delivery:

Fourth COVID-19-Related Death Confirmed in Dutchess County

3/31/2020: The Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) has confirmed the death of a fourth Dutchess County resident relating to COVID-19. DBCH confirmed a 52-year-old male died today, March 31, 2020 at Vassar Brothers Medical Center in Poughkeepsie. The person was admitted to the hospital the previous week with shortness of breath. He was tested for COVID-19 which was confirmed positive. The individual had not been known to DBCH until his hospitalization. Further specific information cannot be provided for privacy reasons.

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said, “To the family and friends, we are heartbroken for your loss. To the rest of the residents of Dutchess County, please take this to heart. Stay home. We all have a responsibility to stay healthy in order to protect the most vulnerable among us. As the death toll rises, remember that our smallest actions can be lifesaving, or life-threatening. The death of a fourth neighbor here in Dutchess serves as a harsh reminder that there is nowhere in our County untouched by coronavirus."

County Executive Molinaro continues to ask residents to stay at home to limit community transmission of the virus. When it is absolutely necessary to go out, do so with caution and follow proper social distancing protocol from others by staying at least six feet away and washing hands thoroughly with soap and water.

Behavioral and Community Health Commissioner Dr. Anil Vaidian said, “We have an incredible team of public health professionals who are working around the clock. We’re coordinating with hospitals, doctor’s offices, testing facilities, schools, local officials to coordinate our efforts. Our department is using every resource available, but we need residents to do their part to assist us in our efforts. To help us protect the safety of every resident, please stay home."

There are now more than 390 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Dutchess County, over 2,300 tests have been administered, and four deaths related to COVID-19, while many others are beginning to be considered as recovered. All of these numbers are expected to continue to increase, which is why remaining at home is critical to stopping the spread of COVID-19 and flattening the curve, so as not to overwhelm the local healthcare system. Let’s help ensure that everyone can get the care they need.

Dutchess County To Include COVID-19 Positive Cases Per City/Town + Testing Numbers On Its Website | 3rd Dutchess County Resident Has Passed

County Executive Marcus Molinaro sent a video message to the Dutchess County listserv (aka Dutchess Delivery), announcing that Dutchess County plans to add more data to its coronavirus website, in order to list COVID-19 related numbers per municipality (city, town, etc.). Earlier today, A Little Beacon Blog reported that this information was not included on a website, but that they were considering reorganizing data.

His message, which you can also listen to on the video below:

“Over the last several weeks, we have been telling you a very simple message:

“Stay home. Stay safe. Stop the spread. We know it's hard. But we all must do our part to stop this pandemic.

”Large-scale testing began last week in Dutchess County, with more than 2,000 tests administered so far. As the results of those tests come in, we are seeing, as expected, the number of positive confirmed cases rise, with more than 320 current cases.

”We've also tragically seen our third death from this virus. A stark reminder that we must all remain vigilant in protecting ourselves, and each other.

”While we continue to remind you that the safest approach is to always assume that everyone has coronavirus, you can expect to see a new dashboard on our website soon with more information about the number of confirmed cases in each municipality, countywide testing numbers, and other important information.”

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