Things To Do! 5/24/2025
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Shelter Air, The Woman-Owned HVAC Company, Joins ALBB's Business Directory As Sponsor
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Welcome new Member Sponsor, Shelter Air! ALBB first met owner Kimberly Sevilla over in Tin Shingle land (our sister media empowerment company) when Kimberly was working for a large HVAC company in the region, gaining more knowledge to eventually go out on her own.
It is with beams of pride 🌈 that we introduce to you her HVAC company, Shelter Air, specializing in Heating, Cooling and Home Performance. “We’re BPI- and NATE-certified, and a proud NYSERDA-approved contractor,” Kimberly says. “That means we don’t just install systems—we design healthy, high-performance homes from the ground up.”
Kimberly has a wide background in chemistry, engineering, fashion design, floral health, entrepreneurship, and then, indoor air quality solutions. Read all about how she came to found Shelter Air here, but during the pandemic, she discovered the absolute necessity for indoor air quality solutions in homes. “With my chemistry background and a keen interest in thermodynamics and building science, I didn’t merely dip my toe, I plunged head-first into creating the best systems for my clients I could find. As an INTJ, my analytical mind thrived, and I mastered, load calculations, system design, and ductwork design. I identified significant gaps in the industry and envisioned more efficient, holistic, customer-centric approaches. Fueled by my passion for improvement, I forged my own path, ultimately establishing Shelter Air.”
Kimberly is an LGBTQ + ally and is passionate about supporting underrepresented individuals in trades. She owned a floral shop in Brooklyn, Rose Red & Lavender, where she invested in her community and thriving in fostering the spirit of togetherness. A resident of Cold Spring, her eyes dance in Beacon, where she wants to improve as many homes as possible.
Says Nancy Karp, a customer of Shelter Air: “Kimberly has been great to work with. She explains all options in a clear and understandable way. We are looking to replace a 40 yr old boiler with something more efficient and environmentally responsible. I strongly recommend Shelter Air as your guidance in this often confusing area.”
Shelter Air is a sponsor of ALBB’s Business Directory Level 3. To join our program, click here.
Mr. V's Sells - But Not Before Abandoning First Buyer And Canceling That Sale Transaction
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The first time Mr. V’s was for sale or to close was May 2023. Owner and daughter of Mr. V, Maggie, was tired. She needed a break from working the stove, keeping the books and running to the store to keep ingredients and inventory in stock.
In 2023, A Little Beacon Blog was sent an anonymous tip that Maggie’s lease was coming up, and it wasn’t looking good. In this epidemic of rent hikes in Beacon, ALBB went in to interview Maggie for the story. She was asking $199,000 for the sale of the business and hoped the prospective new owner would keep the name. She also said she wanted to work for the new owner: “Oh yes, I would put in a couple days a week working. Just to give me something to do. I want to walk in as an employee, and walk out the door for the day.”
After the interview, ALBB wrote about the prospect of Mr. V’s closing if they didn’t find a buyer. Once that article published, a flurry of activity happened, and some suitors emerged.
When ALBB went to check on Maggie a few weeks later, she seemed pleased with the situation. The new lease was manageable and went month-to-month, yet she scoffed a little (with a smile) that people had the impression that Mr. V’s was closing. Despite Maggie’s quotes in the article saying that it was for sale and she wasn’t sure if she would keep it open if the lease couldn’t be worked out or a new buyer found. A year and a half later, she’d kept it open.
Fellow Main Street Business Emerges To Buy Mr. V’s
One and a half years later, a prospective and serious buyer of Mr. V’s emerged: Cristhia Acevedo, owner and creator of Dulce Cielo MX, the Mexican food stall in Hudson Valley Food Hall. Like several other vendors who start out in Hudson Valley Food Hall, Cristhia needed to grow into a bigger space. Her eye was on a new space in a building being built now, but that was at least over a year off or more, depending on how construction went.
She needed to keep cooking, and Mr. V’s seemed like the perfect fit. Along her buying journey, Cristhia kept ALBB in the loop, sharing her joy and challenges along the way of the buying process. She retained an attorney, and worked with a local bank to secure a commercial loan. She got the bank’s approved to pay Mr. V’s $125,000, and she paid the downpayment to secure the sale until March 1, 2025.
Cristhia met the landlord of the building, who needed to feel comfortable with Cristhia as a new tenant. The building owner approved as well. The building owner talked to Cristhia about putting in new floors, and how Cristhia would work around that while keeping the place open.
At the time, Cristhia was ecstatic but cautious. She kept quiet and focused while the bank did their research on her, and she provided the bank with more and more homework. Cristhia only called ALBB (usually exploding with excitement through the phone) when affirmative approvals came in, or dates to move the process forward. “I did it alone! This was my hard work! Just with my clients and my food! I don’t have partners. Every dollar I have tracked and earned to be approved for this.” Sometimes, Cristhia still cleans houses if she wasn’t cooking at the food hall.
Plus, this woman to woman transaction filled Cristhia with pride. She told ALBB she felt honored to have this long running Beacon business trusted in her hands. She planned to keep all of the staff and Maggie, to learn from Maggie on how Maggie cooked her special bacon egg sandwiches.
Cristhia and her staff at Dulce Cielo MX are seasoned chefs of Mexican food, but the menu of Mr. V’s was going to stay the same, as was the name. Cristhia was preparing herself to wake up as early as Maggie and the staff to open for the city employees and commuters who come early.
The Pivot On The Sale
With the deposit in, March 1st was the date in the contract when it all needed to be signed. The attorneys and the bank were working together to finalize the commercial loan. With money moving forward and a closing date approaching, Cristhia gave her notice at the Food Hall, that she was moving to a new location. She couldn’t lose any time with sales.
Word spread around with the regulars at the Food Hall that she was purchasing Mr. V’s, and the vibe turned celebrational. She held her last Taco Tuesday, and floods of congratulatory comments and sales came in.
But then things got quiet. Cristhia received a update from her attorney that the seller canceled the transaction of the sale. The week prior, her attorney had asked the sellers to hold off canceling, and requested to extend the closing date to allow the loan to process. Yet, the downpayment check was returned. Everyone’s work was done. The deal was dead.
The note taped to Mr. V’s window this week, announcing the sale to the 2nd buyer.
Today, a new note was taped to Mr. V’s window, telling about the final sale to the new owner. ALBB reached out to Cristhia to see how she was doing. “This hurts me a lot,” Cristhia told ALBB. “And I did it alone,” she said again today, but in a different tone. Somber. “Just with my clients and my food. Because you know I don’t have partners. Is hard for me. I’ve been on a roller coaster of emotions.”
After learning that the new owner entered into this about 3 months ago, Cristhia said: “At the same time she was negotiating with me; that’s not having professional ethics. Because they wouldn’t have wasted my time, that’s all, and my money because I paid my lawyer. And it was something serious.”
After reading this story, a reader of ALBB who lives in Beacon and is a cannabis farmer (ALBB has painted his face at our face painting table), commented at IG: “@ININewYorkCity__ That’s pretty funny, Maggie the owner of Mr. V’s did the same thing to me. I went to the bank. Did everything. She kept insisting that I get approved by the landlord first which was weird. After I did all the step on my behalf. She ended up backing out and wasn’t able to give me the last 3 years tax returns.”
ALBB reached out to Cristhia for confirmation on if she saw the tax returns. She responded: “They gave them to me because the owner approved me. That was one of the conditions that if she approved me she would give me the taxes.” Verification of the tax returns were required by the bank for the commercial loan.
At this stage, Cristhia finds comfort in reflecting on her employees who support her behind the counter, her customers. She continues to be open for now in the Food Hall. So go eat that birria.
Dulce Cielo MX will be open in the Hudson Valley Food Hall until Cristhia finds another location, which she is searching for now, but another tenant is slated for her stall. “Business is business,” she told ALBB. “It’s water under the bridge. I’m moving forward, but it was a bad experience for me.”
New Ownership
Last week, word on the street started spreading that Mr. V’s had sold. This week, with the note on the window going up, thanking the customers over the years, saying that Jean and Maggie sold the deli on May 15th, 2025, chatter is starting again.
ALBB popped down to Mr. V’s today to ask Maggie about the first buyer, and what happened. But the new owner Pat was there, standing outside on the sidewalk looking at the storefront, imaging how he was going to clean up the sign (several birds nests have been left behind it). He said he’d been talking to a marketer about maybe a new logo.
Maggie, he said, was out of the deli for a few days and would be back soon. A well-deserved vacation, perhaps? Maybe, he answered. When did he begin his interest? About 3 months ago, he answered. Did he know of another buyer that was involved? He did not, so could not speak to it, he said.
A resident of Beacon with kids in the district, he says that this deli is his new full time job. He was looking forward to a change in careers. Pat confirms that Maggie and the staff will be staying on. So everything should remain the same for customers. So go get that bacon egg and cheese on white.
Editorial Note: Documents supporting the details of the first potential sale have been seen at ALBB’s request for this article.
Newburgh/Beacon Ferry Remains Unrepaired: Beacon City Administrator Chris White May Be Harbour Master
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The Newburgh/Beacon Ferry remains out of commission due to “extensive damage to the landing in Beacon,” the NY Waterway announced on March 10, 2025. Viewers of the above ground portion of the landing cannot see damage. ALBB has not viewed the landing under water. The docks to either side of it for the Bannerman Ferry and Sloop Clearwater are fully operational and not damaged.
ALBB is told that City Administrator Chris White is the Harbour Master for the landing for the Newburgh/Beacon Ferry. The service is managed by the MTA. When City Administrator Chris gives infrastructure updates during City Council Meetings, there has been no update regarding the Newburgh/Beacon Ferry as of yet.
The ferry is the fastest, cheapest and most climate-friendly way to get to Newburgh and back. It is not clear why the repair is taking so long, when Beacon is known for investing heavily in infrastructure upgrades, especially climate-friendly ones.
Tht MTA has confirmed its status: “The Newburgh/Beacon Ferry is not in operation. This service is managed by the MTA, and when it resumes, updates will be posted on both our website and the MTA’s platform. In the interim, a shuttle service is currently in place. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to our service alerts here.”
What Does A Harbour Master Do?
If City Administrator Chris is indeed the Harbour Master for the ferry landing, what are the responsibilities? According to Wikipedia: “A harbourmaster is an official responsible for enforcing the regulations of a particular harbour or port, in order to ensure the safety of navigation, the security of the harbour and the correct operation of the port facilities. Harbourmasters are normally responsible for issuing local safety information sometimes known as notice to mariners. They may also oversee the maintenance and provision of navigational aids within the port, co-ordinate responses to emergencies, inspect vessels and oversee pilotage services.” The International Harbour Masters Association also has information.
The Newburgh/Beacon Ferry used to be privately owned, according to the Hudson River Maritime Museum. “From 1804 until 1835, the Newburgh Ferry changed hands many times. In May, 1835, Thomas Powell bought the system for $80,000 and remained the sole owner until 1850. At that time he deeded the property to his daughter, Mrs Frances E.L. Ramsdell. It remained in the Ramsdell family for 100 years. In 1956 the State of New York purchased the Newburgh-Beacon Ferry from Homer Ramsdell and his sister, Mrs. Herbert R. Odell, and the New York Bridge Authority has been operating it until the completion of the bridge which now spans the river.”
Since the ferry landing is so neglected, perhaps it should be petitioned to be privately owned again.
Beacon School Budget Vote: Q: “What If We Didn’t Vote For The Increase?” A: “It Would Have A Devastating Effect.”
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While it is voting day of the annual budget of the Beacon City School District, it is also Tax Assessment season, where property owners have been mailed the annual tax re-assessment letter of their properties (listen to Beacon’s Tax Assessor explain how it is calculated here). Property values have steadily increased over the years with sales, property flips, and new construction. Beacon’s Superintendent Landahl has made 8 presentations this year to educate about the budget, what’s in it, and how it works. You can access those here.
“If we were to leave the tax levy the same as last year, we would have to cut $2.4 million from the budget. The budget increases each year are a result of contractual salary increases, rising costs in health insurance, utilities, pensions and other purchases.”
The way the tax is calculated is complicated. To clarify, ALBB asked Ann Marie Quartironi, CPA, the Deputy Superintendent of the Beacon City School District the following question: “With our property assessments continuously going up, what would happen if there was no tax increase, and the district used the money it is already collecting through property taxes that go up with assessments?”
Ms. Quartironi answered promptly: “We calculate our tax levy each year based on the tax cap calculator developed by New York State. This levy amount gets spread over all the taxpayers in our District. We don’t get additional tax revenue from the new homes and businesses that are put on the tax rolls each year. We spread that same levy amount over more homes and businesses to lessen the tax burden to the existing taxpayers.”
“If we had to reduce the budget by $2.4 million, it would have a devastating effect. ”
She continued: “If we were to leave the tax levy the same as last year, we would have to cut $2.4 million from the budget. The budget increases each year are a result of contractual salary increases, rising costs in health insurance, utilities, pensions and other purchases. If we had to reduce the budget by $2.4 million it would have a devastating effect. We would have to cut staff, raise class sizes and eliminate classes and programs for students.”
Where To Vote
Voters who reside within the city limits of the City of Beacon vote at Beacon High School.
Voters who reside outside the city limits of the City of Beacon, and within the boundaries of the Town of Fishkill, or the Town of Wappinger, (that are part of the Beacon City School District), vote at Glenham Elementary School. These boundaries may not match the voter's mailing address. For questions regarding voting location, please call the District Clerk at 845-838-6900 ext. 2010.
Multiple Hudson Valley Community Organizations Unite Through Middletown Commemorating Nakba, Demanding End Of Genocide In Gaza
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###Press Release Reprinted in full from Rally Middletown ###
Community Organizations Unite Across the Hudson Valley to March Through Middletown, Commemorate the Nakba, and Demand an End to the Genocide in Gaza.
All photos are by Alexa B. Wilkinson
MIDDLETOWN, NY – May 18, 2025 — Today, a powerful coalition of community organizations from across the Hudson Valley and beyond gathered in Middletown, NY to mark the 77th anniversary of the Nakba and demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, along with a complete halt to U.S. arms transfers to Israel. Hundreds of marchers filled the streets to protest Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza and the U.S. government’s central role in enabling it.
The event began at Thrall Park, with about 100 people marching through downtown Middletown, including a pass by City Hall, where organizers spoke out against the mayor and city council’s refusal to issue a resolution demanding a ceasefire. Participants carried Palestinian flags, banners, and signs calling for an end to the mass killing in Gaza and justice for Palestinians everywhere.
Organizers included Rally Middletown, A Little Beacon Blog, HeartBeads4Palestine, Hudson Valley for Free Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace Hudson Valley, Mid-Hudson Valley DSA, New Paltz Women in Black, SUNY BDS, Protect Orange County, Vets About Face, Wednesday Walk for Black Lives, CPUSA: Hudson Valley Club, Upper Delaware Actions, Framed Unrest, Party for Socialism and Liberation: Hudson Valley, and Middle East Crisis Response.
Groups representing a wide spectrum of faiths, races, and political backgrounds. The event was also co-sponsored by Palestinian-owned restaurant, Ziatün - located in Beacon, NY.
Rally Middletown, a local grassroots group committed to racial, economic, and global justice, helped lead the organizing effort. “If we are Americans, we are supposed to support the inalienable rights for all,” said April, one of the Rally Middletown march organizers. “We include not only Americans, but the people of Gaza and Palestine, and all oppressed and vulnerable populations.”
Since October 2023, Israel has carried out a campaign of mass killing and ethnic cleansing in Gaza, with tens of thousands killed, entire neighborhoods razed, and basic necessities like food, water, and medicine deliberately blocked. Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to send weapons and provide political cover, shielding Israel from international accountability.
The Nakba—Arabic for “catastrophe”—refers to the 1948 forced expulsion of over 700,000 Palestinians, and murder of about 15,000 more, by Zionist militias that would later become the Israeli army. But as today’s organizers emphasized, the Nakba is not just a historical event—it is ongoing.
What makes this moment urgent, they said, is not only the increased human rights violations and inhumane violence and starvation in Gaza, but also the rising threat of fascism in the U.S. as well. Under the newly installed Trump administration, dissent is being criminalized and immigrant, Muslim, Black, and Brown communities are under direct attack. These diverse Hudson Valley organizations recognize they are facing a common threat—and a shared struggle.
Amel, one of the locals who joined the march, holding a sign that said “Free Palestine, Save Gaza,” said “I’m here today for the freedom of Palestine, to allow food and water into Gaza, and stop this horrendous war on innocent people.”
“I want the mass extermination of babies and children to end,” said May, one of the attendees. “Stop killing innocent children. It’s not complicated.”
Another protestor said, “[We need] freedom of speech, freedom to boycott, and freedom to peaceably assemble—all rights that we used to have, until we started speaking up for Palestine and against genocide.”
A Brief History of Rally Middletown’s Push In Middletown
ALBB Editorial Note: Rally Middletown has been fighting for Middletown to pass a ceasefire resolution for months. They have been met with cruelness from their Common Council. Their Common Council called them names - even Jewish activists for Palestine. In fact, the reason for the squirrel t-shirt up above is because the Aldermen Paul Johnson of their Common Council said this about them: “The Gaza Gang are the squirrels. They are the nuisance. And I think they graduated to be classified as thugs.”
The following is an additional section to this press release from Rally Middletown:
Halfway through the action, the crowd returned to the steps of Middletown City Hall — the very place where residents first demanded the Common Council pass a ceasefire resolution. For ten consecutive meetings, community members delivered moving testimonies and exposed the devastating reality unfolding in Gaza, urging city leaders to take a moral stance and send a message to state and federal officials: we do not support U.S.-funded genocide.
In response, local advocates were met with insults, slander, dismissal, and even threats. Instead of standing with their constituents, the Middletown Common Council and Mayor Joe DeStefano repeatedly shut down their appeals. Though fully informed on the issue, they insisted it wasn’t their place to act — only to later restructure council meetings in a clear attempt to suppress public input.
“Imagine that! An entire democratic council mirroring the Trump administration by trying to silence us. We will never be silenced!” declared Amanda Krump in a powerful address on the City Hall steps.
As the crowd rallied outside, their voices echoed through the streets with chants like:
“Mayor DeStefano, you can’t hide- we’re fighting back against your lies.”
“Silence is complicity. This will be your legacy.”
“You’ll go down in history- for suppressing free speech!”
While local leaders refused to act, the message from the people was undeniable. Residents, business owners, and bystanders showed strong support — clapping, honking, and stepping out of their storefronts to cheer as the marchers passed by.
Things To Do! 5/17/2025
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Beacon City School District Career Fair 2025 Highlight Reel
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Today marked the 2025 edition of the Beacon High School Career Fair! A few new faces, like the Society of Women Engineers (Mid-Hudson) and ONSEMI. The IBEW LU 363 Electrical Union attended, pointing out that the man in their banner was a human (not AI) and that he was working on an electrical vault inside a cannabis farm that powers the growing lights and water for the plants. 235 LiUNA! New York State Laborers Union was another union attending, and the Sheet Metal | Air | Rail | Transportation Workers Union who has union workers to fill local jobs during this uptick in buyouts of local plumbing companies.
Association of Heat and Frost Insulation was there. The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center (LOEB), as well as EMPIRE Training Center of the Arts with their giant soundboard. As always, the City of Beacon Police and City of Beacon Fire Department participated with some interactivity. @syritaszn tries on the heavy fire fighting jacket and pants. Many other state and county agencies, as well as area businesses participated.
If interested in getting on the invite list, email BHS Guidance Counselor Michele Santiago at Santiago.mi@beackn12.org
Photo Credits:
🎥📸 Katie Hellmuth, Katie James Inc.
All Eyes On Defense Of Kingston Rent Stabilization; 15% Rent Reduction; Refund Appeal
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###Republished in full from Housing Justice For All###
HOUSING MOVEMENT RESPONDS TO COURT OF APPEALS ORAL ARGUMENTS OVER KINGSTON RENT STABILIZATION
Rent stabilization was properly adopted by the City of Kingston and the 15% rent reduction was warranted following rapid price-gouging in the Hudson Valley city
NEW YORK – On Thursday, the New York State Court of Appeals heard oral arguments on the implementation of rent stabilization in Kingston, in the Matter of Hudson Valley Property Owners Association Inc. v City of Kingston. The case was brought by landlord representatives following the City of Kingston’s declaration of a housing emergency and implementation of rent stabilization, and a decision by the Kingston Rent Guidelines Board in 2022 to approve a negative rent adjustment of 15% to help tenants cope with an unsustainably expensive rental market.
Kingston was the first upstate city to adopt rent stabilization after the State Legislature passed the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act (HSTPA) in 2019, enabling localities outside of New York City to opt into the state’s rent stabilization system. A vacancy study conducted by the City of Kingston in 2022 determined that there was a vacancy rate of 1.57% in covered properties, under the 5% threshold required by the Emergency Tenant Protection Act of 1974 which governs the state’s rent stabilization system. The City Council declared a housing emergency, adopted rent stabilization, and appointed a Rent Guidelines Board to conduct public hearings and set the annual rent adjustment rate.
“The Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act we fought for in 2019 was intended to give municipalities like Kingston the tools to slow price-gouging and protect their communities – and the City of Kingston followed all the rules to do just that. Today’s oral arguments made clear that rent stabilization in Kingston is both valid and necessary – and we expect the Court’s ruling to uphold that view,” said Cea Weaver, director of Housing Justice for All, the statewide coalition which led the 2019 fight to reform and expand rent stabilization.
Following a pandemic-fueled spike in local housing costs that nearly doubled rental prices, the Kingston Rent Guidelines Board voted in 2022 for a negative rent adjustment of 15% from the base rent, and a fair market rent guideline allowing tenants whose rent increased by more than 16 percent between January 2019 and July 2022 to appeal for a refund. Kingston’s declaration of a housing emergency was upheld by the Supreme Court and the Appellate Division, Third Department, and the Appellate Division also upheld the negative rent adjustment and fair market rent guideline.
Community organizations For the Many and Citizen Action of New York, both members of Housing Justice for All, intervened in the lawsuit on behalf of tenants, and were represented by Marcie Kobak from Legal Services of the Hudson Valley.
“During today’s oral arguments, landlords once again made it abundantly clear that this case is a bad faith attempt to circumvent the democratic process for the sake of profit,” said Brahvan Ranga, Political Director at For the Many. “We believe the Court of Appeals will agree and uphold lower court rulings in favor of Kingston’s rent stabilization measure and historic rent reduction. But no matter the outcome of this case, we will continue to fight for rent stabilization upstate and the passage of the REST Act, which would prevent other cities and towns from being dragged into frivolous lawsuits like this one, simply for trying to protect tenants.”
New legislation proposed in Albany, the Rent Emergency Stabilization for Tenants (REST) Act (S04659 Kavanagh / A04877 Shrestha), would empower municipalities like Kingston to declare a housing emergency and adopt rent stabilization based on a variety of publicly available data and testimony. Rather than require a costly and arbitrary vacancy study as the only metric for a housing emergency, the REST Act would enable municipalities to consider data such as overall housing supply, availability of affordable and habitable housing, share of renters who are cost-burdened, and local or regional homeless rate.
“Kingston rents nearly doubled between 2017-2022. This price gouging is why tenants fought so hard for rent stabilization and won a 15% rent reduction. In the three years since that victory, rents in regulated apartments have been frozen but not reduced, and investor landlords have done everything in their power to push tenants out through abuse and neglect. By upholding Kingston’s vacancy study and rent reduction, the Court of Appeals has the opportunity to affirm the state law’s intent to stabilize the market and provide relief to tenants,” said June Nemon, co-chair of Mid-Hudson Valley Democratic Socialists of America, another member organization of Housing Justice for All organizing locally around tenants rights.
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Housing Justice for All is a statewide coalition of more than 80 organizations representing tenants and homeless New Yorkers, united in our fight for housing as a human right
Nakba To Be Commemorated In Middletown As Community Organizations March Through Town Sunday May 18th
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Organized by Rally Middletown, who has been demonstrating consistently every Sunday in Middletown after appealing to Middletown's Town Council unsuccessfully to pass a ceasefire resolution as several neighboring municipalities did, this march will remember Palestinian victims of Israel's mass murder and ethnic cleansing.
Local community organizations will march through Middletown on Sunday, May 18th, 2025 to commemorate the 78th anniversary of the Nakba, and call for an end to the genocide in Gaza. In 1948, Zionist militias killed 15,000 Palestinians and ethnically cleansed 700,000 Palestinians from what is now Israel. Palestinians refer to this event as the Nakba, or catastrophe. Israel refers to this time as their Declaration of Independence.
Community organizations such as Rally Middletown, A Little Beacon Blog, HeartBeads4Palestine, Hudson Valley for Free Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace Hudson Valley, Mid-Hudson Valley DSA, New Paltz Women in Black, PSL Hudson Valley, SUNY BDS, Protect Orange County, Vets About Face, and Wednesday Walk for Black Lives are organizing this march to remember the victims of the Nakba. Local restaurant Ziatun from Beacon, NY is also sponsoring this march.
March Details
The march will take place on Sunday, May 18th, at 1:00 PM.
The march will begin and end at Thrall Park in Middletown, NY.
The event will begin with several speakers from local communities and community organizations. People will march through downtown Middletown and past Middletown City Hall, carrying banners, flags, and signs.
More About Palestine
The ethnic cleansing of Palestine continues to this day. Israel has prohibited Palestinians from returning to their homes for the past 77 years in violation of international law. Since October 2023, Israel has been waging a genocide against Gaza, at times cutting off food and water completely and planning the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from Gaza. We call on our government to enact an arms embargo on Israel until it ends its occupation and genocide of Gaza and allows Palestinian refugees to return to their homes as stipulated in UN Resolution 194.
About Rally Middletown
Rally Middletown is a grassroots coalition in Middletown, NY, organizing for Palestinian liberation and collective justice through direct action, political education, and mutual aid. We oppose all forms of oppression — local and global — and are committed to building people-power rooted in solidarity, care, and sustained community action.
Based in Middletown, NY, Rally Middletown is a grassroots collective that holds weekly rallies in solidarity with Palestine and is committed to building people-power through direct action, political education, and resistance to all forms of oppression.
Ziatun Closed For Nakba Day (Thursday). Here's A Refresher On What Nakba Is. Plus A Podcast
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🖤♥️🤍💚 Please take note, Ziatun is closed this Thursday, May 15, 2025, to mark Nakba Day. “Nakba Day (aka ‘Memory of the Catastrophe’) is the day of commemoration for the Nakba, also known as the Palestinian Catastrophe, which comprised the destruction of Palestinian society and homeland in 1948, and the permanent displacement of a majority of the Palestinian people. It is generally commemorated on 15 May, the day after the Gregorian calendar date of the Israeli Declaration of Independence on 14 May 1948. For Palestinians, it is an annual day of commemoration of the displacement that preceded and followed Israel’s establishment,” as described in Wikipedia.
Ziatun will be open again on Friday for their regular daily open availability. 🖤♥️🤍💚
Meanwhile...Slime Factory To Open In Little White House At 300 Main Street While The Proposal Moves Through Planning Board
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Before the submission of the redevelopment of 300 Main Street, Tina Lentini quietly announced to the business mom circuit that she was opening a slime factory for experiential birthday parties for kids and adults called Up In The Clouds Slime & Doh Co., It’s a hands-on experience to mix color, scent, texture, and charm into your own custom slime in 35-minute sessions, with pre-made kits and private party bookings available.
ALBB is no stranger to slime selling. Longtime readers will remember that we hosted a popup slime shop in our former office called A Little Beacon Space on Main Street when we were in the Telephone Building.
Tina is no stranger to Beacon. She is the Attendance Secretary at Sargent Elementary and has kids in the district with her husband Mike Lentini, who is the Beacon Girls Varsity Soccer Coach at Beacon High School. He also coaches a younger travel soccer program for the Wolves,
For 300 Main Street, Tina signed a 2 year lease and has first dibs on which storefront she wants in the new location when that time comes, she told A Little Beacon Blog. “I want to make something fun and inviting for kids and adults. I want people to feel like they have a place to go on Main Street where they can have a fun experience with their children. Something hands-on, using their imaginations & creating memories. I’ve lived in Beacon forever. We wanted to do something fun and new. Two years from now hopefully I have created a loving and fun business on Main Street. Fingers crossed we will be willing and able to keep it growing with a new beautiful space (when the time comes).”
The Little White Building At 300 Main Street Sells - Plans Are To Replace It With A Little Village - And Roses!
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The building that is the little white house at 300 Main Street with the decaying yet mysterious storage garage behind it, was not on the market for long before it sold. According to a Douglas Elliman listing, the property, which includes both buildings and the entire paved lot, was listed for $900,000. The buyer, who also served as the listing agent, is the real estate agent Anthony Hardisty of Sam’s Realty. He told A Little Beacon Blog that the purchase price was $700,000.
People who knew this spot knew it for the now former owner Junko, the tiny but mighty woman who arranged and delivered flowers. She was also the go-to source for helium and air filled balloons so that you didn’t need to drive or bus up to Party City in Poughkeepsie. According to Anthony, she sold the building for “personal reasons” and will be continuing her flower delivery business, Flowers ‘N Gifts. However, upon calling Junko to confirm, Junko told A Little Beacon Blog: “300 Main Street sold. Closed. I am no longer delivering flowers.”
Proposed Replacement and Redevelopment Of 300 Main STreet
The proposed plans for 300 Main Street debuts at tonight’s Planning Board Meeting, represented by Taylor M. Palmer at the law firm Cuddy + Feder, who represent a majority of projects put before the Planning Board.
The plans do not ask for any special permissions to carry out the vision, as stated by Attorney Taylor in the letter of submission: “Please note that the instant Application has been designed to be fully zoning compliant. Accordingly, the Applicant understands that the Project does not require review by the Zoning Board of Appeals or the City Council.”
This is notable, as Beacon’s City Council has been known to put into place triggers where the project must come before City Council for approval, even if the Planning Board approves it. Making requests not already allowed in a property puts the project at risk if some of the loudest members of the public object to it, even if a majority of the public wants it.
An example would be if the project wanted a 4th floor in a zoning district that does not allow it as of right, like on Main Street in the CMS district. This intent would require permission from the City Council and a “give-back” to the community, like public green space. This example happened with the Alchamy building at 418 Main Street (also home to Kitchen and Coffee). A public green space was required to be there if they were to build a 4th floor, which they did (serves as the Penthouse). This project at 300 Main Street is proposing the natural maximum of 3 floors, so intends to stay within the Planning Board approvals.
According to the letter of submission, the architect is Aryeh Siegel, who is also the architect for a majority of commercial and residential projects in Beacon. The Applicant, Anthony Hardisty, proposes to construct a new 3-story building that will include both commercial space on the bottom, and residential above. Proposed are 8 residential apartments for the second and third floors (2 one-bedroom units and 2 two-bedroom units on each of the second and third floors), and 5 separate retail/commercial spaces of various sizes on the ground floor.
The intersection by 300 Main Street, showing its neighbors on all sides: Kumon, Happy Valley Arcade Bar, Glazed Over DOnuts, etc.
Photo Credit: Site Plan Approval Application for the project.
The property is quite long, which you can see in the images of the surrounding area. Making full use of it, the building, according to the architectural renderings and the application letter, has a flow built in to it they are calling a "retail arcade." The Happy Valley Arcade Bar is next door. While the building will front on Main Street, there would be a walkway along the east side of the building. "This walkway will provide pedestrian access to all 5 separate retail/commercial spaces." A second access point would be designed, as well as a ground-floor lobby for the residential apartments.
Visions for the walkway include 2 retail window displays, "several planters, and a trellis wall supporting climbing roses along the eastern lot line of the Premises," the letter details.
To be determined how people of Beacon will respond to this, as they aren’t used to fancy things. Some of them moved hard to block a nicely designed Dunkin’ Donuts, using the mechanism of banning all drive-thrus to carry out that move. In that case, special permission was not needed, as drive-thrus were already allowed. Killing the project, City Council, with the help of bike-lane advocates, banned all drive-thrus city-wide. Even though that location can entertain both bike-lanes and a drive-thru.
While this does sound like a fancy build at 300 Main Street, what’s coming next is quite messy. From a longtime Beacon citizen, Tina Lentini is opening Up In The Clouds Slime in the current white house, while this projects moves through the Planning Board process. Read all about it here.
What's On Deck For May's 2025 Planning Board Meeting: Telephone Building; 45 Beekman Street; Prophecy Theater, The Little White House With Decaying Garage on Main Street That Just Sold Etc.
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Main Link To Entire Agenda
Len Warner
Karen Quiana
Kevin Byrne
Donna Francis
J. Randall Williams
David Jensen
Chair John Gunn
May 13, 2025
7:00 PM
Planning Board Agenda
The Planning Board will meet in the Municipal Center Courtroom at 7:00 p.m. A work session will take place at 7:00 p.m. for a training workshop, discussion of agenda items and/or topics of interest to the Planning Board. The regular meeting will begin immediately thereafter, but no later than 7:30p.m.
Approval of April 8, 2025, minutes
Regular Meeting
Continue public hearing and continue review of application for Site Plan Approval, Mixed-Use Commercial and Residential, 291 Main Street, submitted by Telephone Building Beacon, LLC.
ALBB Editorial Note: This is for the proposal to build 2 buildings on either side of the Telephone Building at 291 Main Street. This building was designated historic. There are several issues with this project:
- The design does not match the style of the historic building.
- The proposed building in front almost touches the Telephone Building.
- The proposed beach house in the back blocks the light from the basement and first floor of the building. In the past, this has been an issue with the historically designated Howland Cultural Center.
- Measurements have been off with different aspects of this project, including the parking spaces under the beacon house that are delineated by columns. It is unclear how an architect could propose such a concept that does not work.
- Each member of the Planning Board does not like the details of this project. It is not clear why they have not said no to this project, as it continues on into new months.2. Public hearing for Subdivision Approval and continue public hearing for SEQRA and Site Plan Approval, and continue review of applications for Site Plan and Subdivision Approval, Mixed-Use Commercial and Residential, 45 Beekman Street, High Street, and High Street, submitted by Beekman Arts Center LLC and Bay Ridge Studios LLC.
- ALBB Editorial Note: The public has issues with the visual design of this project, so close to a historic district of Victorian houses.4. Continue review of applications for for Amended Special Use Permit and Amended Site Plan, hotel and restaurant, 1113 Wolcott Avenue, submitted by Prophecy Theater, LLC.
- This project would be in the old Dutchess Reformed Church and had to re-invent itself after Beacon’s City Council, with pushes from some neighbors, restricted its open hours.7. Review of application for Site Plan Approval, Mixed-Use Commercial and Residential, 300 Main Street, submitted by 300 Main LLC.
- ALBB Editorial Note: This is the white house that was the little flower shop with the decaying storage garage behind it. It recently sold, and this is the proposal for the building that would replace it.
Architectural Review
Miscellaneous Business
On Tap For Tonight's City Council Workshop: Cannabis & Loitering; Drought Emergency Plan; Highway Department; CSEA
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The City of Beacon has posted their Agenda items for tonight’s City Council Workshop Meeting. This meeting is open for the public to view/attend, but the public cannot speak. It is an opportunity for the lawmakers to meeting with the City Attorney to debate what laws they are about to enact, or money they are about to spend.
The meeting can be watched live on Zoom or at their YouTube channel.
1. Proposed Local Law Concerning the Drought Emergency Plan
Recent years have seen increases in drought conditions in the State of New York, Dutchess County and the City of Beacon (the “City”), with 2024 being a particularly dry year. In 2024, the City saw the enactment of several burn bans and a drought emergency declaration. The City acquires its potable water from three (3) reservoirs and three (3) water wells, which except for one (1) well, are all owned and operated by the City. Hence, to safeguard the general welfare, health, and safety of residents and businesses, Chapter 24 of the Beacon City Code, entitled “Drought Emergency Plan,” sets forth three (3) stages of drought emergencies for when the City’s reservoirs and/or water wells reach critical thresholds and accordingly provides restrictions on water usage which escalate with the drought’s severity.
2. Proposed Local Law Concerning Loitering
The State of New York legalized the possession and recreational sale and use of cannabis for adults over the age of 21 and also determined that adults may use cannabis in most public places where it is also legal to use tobacco products. As such, the possession and use of cannabis is largely preempted under New York State Law, meaning municipalities may not adopt more stringent laws concerning the lawful sale, use, and possession of cannabis than what is set forth under State law.
Section 145-3(C) currently provides “a person is guilty of loitering when he or she loiters or remains in a public place for the purpose of possessing or using marijuana or a controlled substance.” Therefore, the proposed local law amends Chapter 145 of the City Code to bring the City’s loitering law in conformance with State law concerning the consumption of cannabis in public places.
3. Proposed Amendments to the 2025 Budget
Amend the 2025 General Fund Highway Budget for the accumulated and unused time payout or one employee retirement Amend the 2025 General, Water and Sewer Fund Budgets for the cost-of-living increases in the CSEA Collective Bargaining Agreement (and Administration staff), which was not approved until after the 2025 Budget presentation. Amounts were accounted for in the contingency lines and will be transferred accordingly. Below is the proposed budget amendment. Proposed are transfers to the Salary and Payroll tax lines from the Contingency Fund.
Announcement of Next Meeting: May 19, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
