Beacon Shoppers Pop Up With Joyful Noise After Election Results Are Declared

Saturday started a stunner of a weekend, with the sunshine and warm weather. The stunner of a surprise happened mid-day Saturday, when the 2020 election results were declared and just over one half of America began celebrating. Locals and visitors were already out and about to enjoy shopping on Beacon’s Main Street, which grew enhanced with joyful honking of passing cars.

As cars passed, some people walking on the sidewalk clapped and cheered. Twins Barber Shop had a DJ spinning beats, and Joy, the owner of the Subway franchise, stepped outside to film what was developing on Beacon’s mile long Main Street. She wasn’t alone. Several shop owners and staff also stepped outside to look at the cheers, take pictures, and step back inside for the hustle and bustle that is Saturday in Beacon.

While not organized, this demonstration of horn honking was impromptu and was done by drivers as they drove from Point A to Point B of their Saturday errands. Patrons outside of several eateries like Homespun, Zaitun, Max’s On Main, Amacord, Towne Crier Cafe, and others, lifted their arms when someone banged a drumb, clanged a pot, shook a tambourine, or sounded a horn. A few cars drove around several times, like one vehicle who was playing the National Anthem.There was very little if any police vehicle presence, as this was not a demonstration, but people reacting while going about their days.

Strangers gave socially distant high fives, people listening to different music in their ear buds joined rhythm and danced together while passing each other. The reaction was not isolated to one area of Main Street, or to one time of the day. This lasted the entire length of Main Street, from the mountain to the train, into the evening. There did not seem to be many fireworks that were ignited.

Later in the evening, at 8:30pm when Kamala Harris and Joe Biden addressed the nation and the world, horns were honking in their TV audience as well, as trucks had been orchestrated to pull up to their drive-in speech that was held outside, to honk in support.

Shopping was in full force this weekend. Below are a few pictures of the shops we stopped into. As for volume of sales, some owners are reporting healthy buying from the uptick in Beacon’s visitors. Brenda from Beacon Bath and Bubble observed that the sales are close to what they are at around Christmas time. She observed this back when the Cupcake Festival was hosted in Beacon, which became one of her best sales days of the year.

Anne from the Chocolate Studio was happy with the amount of people making it around the bend to her end of Main Street, she confided to us as we ate a delicious vegan strawberry ice cream that is quickly becoming a famous flavor for dairy lovers as well.

And of course we had to stop into the Snooki Shop! Snooki, who’s name is Nicole, opened the shop in Beacon, returning to her roots of the Hudson Valley to expand her business. We learned that she also has a line of makeup, and other goodies you’ll find inside the shop.

For those who are fans of the annual Hop and Shop, event, a date has been set! Reserve December 3 (Thursday) and December 4 (Friday) for extra long nights of shopping.

Below are videos of different areas of Main Street and the joyful noise sounded.

The Chocolate Studio, on Beacon’s East End of Main Street, near the mountain. Try their vegan strawberry, a favorite with dairy lovers.

LLTO is back! Once in the tiny shop near Mountain Tops, this decor shop has opened mid-way down Main Street. Very selective inventory that from around the world, you’ll want to stop in.

Bath salts, bubble bath, bath bombs, all you need to brighten your bathroom are in Beacon Bath and Bubble, along with childhood favorites candy and soda.

New journals and towels are in at Beacon Mercantile, a perfume store in Beacon, where the scents are made in the shop.

Makeup from Snooki in the Snooki Shop, which includes a glitter pallet. You’ll even find stick-on eyelashes!

Velour is in this season, and you’ll find it at La Mere right now, with this velour halter. Wear it under a tank. And don’t miss the stackable rings to bling up your fingers.

Beacon Superintendent Landahl remains Committed To Curriculum and Training For Undoing Racism - Prepares For Budget Cuts

During last week’s Board of Education meeting, Beacon’s Superintendent Matt Landahl presented updates on the district’s strategic plan, which he said is a work in progress, but was slowed after February 2020 when the pandemic began to hit. Every day, he said, the district works on the challenges for coordinating the Reopening, but was making moves to implement and retain actions that move toward the district’s overall goals, especially on Equity.

In mid-October 2020, the Superintendent released the district’s Equity Report Card. The mission of following equity, according to the District, is to “celebrate diversity and provide an equitable education for all students by working to eliminate race, ethnicity, class, gender identity, sexuality, and disability as predictors of student success.”

In his reporting, Dr. Landahl stated: “As part of our work, we have created an Equity Report Card for the school district. We use data regularly as part of our work as educators including this report card. Due to the hard work of our teachers, our Beacon High School graduation rate has seen significant positive progress in the past two years.”

The graduation rate is 83%. Student enrollment had been decreasing since 2014, the first year on the Equity Report Card, at 3,060 total students. In 2018, the enrollment population started to increase, and is currently at 2,947. The number of Hispanic/Latinos students have been increasing percentage-wise within that overall decrease (839 in 2014, and 904 in 2019), while the number of Black/African American students has been decreasing year almost every year except for 2018 (595 in 2014, and 477 in 2019). The number of white students has also been decreasing year over year, with a slight bump in 2019 (1,421 in 2014, and 1,283 in 2019).

“Last year we made progress,” Dr. Landahl told the Board. “This year we are trying to figure out ways to do it in a different health and school model.” Equity Action Steps were presented, which include:

• Further implementation of Restorative Practices through Talking Circles. Kids can talk about what is on their minds.

• Work with Dr. Hunter (a professor at Buffalo State) to create Culturally Responsive Curriculum in Middle and High School ELA and Social Studies Departments to further social justice learning. That work began one month ago, Dr. Landahl stated. Dr. Hunter is working with other districts in Dutchess County as well.

• Work with Dutchess BOCES to provide Undoing Racism Workshops across several districts and to plan for long term implementation. Trying to find ways to bring Anti-Racism training to Dutchess County. Dr. Landahl explained that this has been happening in Rockland County, and he wants to bring it to Beacon. Sharing services by partnering with other districts brings the costs down, he said, but if partnering is not available, the Beacon City School District will still go forward with the model.

• Use of the Equity Report Card Data to guide future actions will continue.

Dr. Landahl next presented on the “Culture of Care” that frames a lot of programming. Planned steps include:

• Continuation of Responsive Classroom Training at the Elementary Level. The district is partnering with with 2 other districts in Dutchess County, which gives Beacon state aid to make it more affordable. Three groups of elementary teachers have participated in training.

• Continuation of Restorative Practice model at secondary level.

• Create Student Bill of Rights to include Code of Conduct in all classrooms. “The rights of students are tucked into laws and codes of conducts all over all of the materials we use,” Dr. Landahl said. “We want to make something our students are involved in, and can use. For students at all levels within the district.” Dr. Landahl credited the Diversity Committee on having worked on this a few weeks ago, and they hope to have it done by February.

• Trauma Informed Support Training for administrators and mental health professionals. “Training has started,” Dr. Landahl confirmed, “and that is looking to be expanded, especially for everything students are going through right now.”

Beacon City School District Budget - Preparing For “Beyond Drastic Cut"

As for the budget, Dr. Landahl pressed on the need to prepare now for a drastic budget cut if there is no federal stimulus aid to New York State, which would prompt the state to cut funding. “We are possibly looking at beyond drastic cut from the state. When Governor Cuomo talks about the state cut in aid, that's about $4 million for Beacon. The money's not there, or so he says. We do have a good amount of funds in our Unrestricted Funds balance, but that is not enough to carry us over the next several years. We for sure will be preparing for a budget that is tough next year. If there is federal stimulus that comes to help New York State and other states, that would really help our process as well, but we should really prepare for all contingencies with that. It will be a year where communication, transparency and involvement of people is even more important.”

Fiscal Action Steps Include:

• Implement Audit Committee on a bi-monthly basis, which is an increase from years before.

• Use surveys and Town Halls to gather input on budget. Increase ways to work directly with students to hear feedback from them. Currently, the administration is debating on if the surveys will be self-created, or if an outside firm will be used.

• Develop process and timeline for 2021 Capital Project. Can do a Capital Project for $15 million that will not impact taxes.

Beacon Board Of Education Appoints John Galloway Jr. To 2nd Vacant Seat

John Galloway Jr. is appointed to Beacon’s Board of Education to the 2nd vacant seat.
Photo Credit: Meredith Heuer published in the Highlands Current

John Galloway Jr., a recent graduate of the Beacon High School in 2015 who is Black and ran for a vacant seat on the Board of Education on a platform of his youth and connections to young people in the community, especially the Black community, was appointed onto Beacon’s Board of Education by a 7-1 vote at the regular public Board of Education meeting on 10-26-2020. Kristen Flynn moved to make the nomination to appoint him, and Elissa Betterbid and Craig Wolf seconded the motion.

John was an early applicant for the seat when the first Board Member, Michael Rutkoski, resigned in July 2020. Later in September, a second Board Member resigned, James Case-Leal, citing his preference for the 2 open seats to go to People of Color: Jasmine Johnson and John Galloway Jr.

After a dramatic appointment hearing in which many in the Black community showed up to voice support for both Jasmine and John, only one candidate was appointed at that meeting - Jasmine Johnson - who is a mother, has worked with children in different school settings, and has passion for compassionate education.

After hearing from the community, the Board opted to follow a process to open the seat up to more applicants, and rolling over current candidates. The other two candidates, Barbara Fisher and Travis Fisher, withdrew, John stayed on, and a new applicant, Joseph Puliafito, applied.

After the Board voted to appoint John to the second seat using his rolled over application, Board President Meredith Heuer welcomed John onto the board with this statement: "I want to thank John for applying and sticking with this process. I know it was longer than some people were happy with, but I think it a good process."

Anthony White, who gave the dissenting vote, told the Highlands Current: “He thought the seat should have remained open until the next district election, which is scheduled for May 18, 2021. ‘With the work that the Board has to do during these uncertain times, changing its makeup will impede us,’ White said. ‘Trying to teach board responsibilities to new members and catching them up on past information so they can make informed decisions will make the work the board has to do more difficult and will slow it down.’”

The Highlands Current reported that White noted that he respects the majority opinion and will work with the board to “do everything in its power to make sure students’ needs are being met.”

Currently in at least one of the elementary schools in Beacon, kids are being asked if they think they should have the right to vote, and if so, why or why not. While voting can be a daunting task with a lot of responsibility and need to research one’s decision, one young student observed that it is the fresh perspective of not knowing everything that can lend itself to new ideas and ways of moving forward.

Self-Proclaimed "Silent Majority" Truck Train Yell "N-Word" and "White Power" At Beaconites

Vehicles in the 2nd truck train passing through Beacon last Sunday. Vehicles also included an unmarked privately owned fire truck, truck hauling a dumpster, jeeps, and others.

At first blush, seeing Trump flags in a scrap metal dumpster being pulled by a large truck seemed like an artist statement for “Dump Trump.” Large, empty truck cabs with Trump flags pulling no rig seemed symbolic for carrying nothing - or lost cargo.

However, this truck train is a show of support for the 45th president, by people choosing to remain in their cars, windows up, largely unrecognizable, sometimes with license plates covered. The history of White Supremacy includes masked people making threats and using grand gestures to get their point across, like fire, fireworks, burning crosses, bonfires, and other loud events.

However the big truck caravan concept that is driving nationwide through small towns (including the one that attempted to corral a Biden campaign bus off the road, and the #MAGADrag event in NYC that resulted in reports of police pushing and arresting Black Lives Matter protesters, a truck running into a counter-protester, and halted traffic on the White Stone Bridge which moved up to the Mario Cuomo Bridge to stall traffic) rolled through Beacon two weekends in a row, past Fishkill, and up to Poughkeepsie, and drove within 20 feet of the early voting location at Fishkill Town Hall, as people waited in line along side the road on Rte. 52. This was days before the Town of Fishkill or the Board of Elections decided to move people away from the gravel in the road to in front of the Police Department.

A Little Backdrop Background To Day 1 Early Voting

While getting ready for Day 1 of Early Voting, this article came across the wires about a rally fiercely defending the 2nd Amendment that was originally scheduled and approved by its village’s board to be near an early voting location.

Prior to the first slow-motion truck drive-by the first weekend of early voting, a rally scheduled in Montgomery, NY that encouraged guns in its Eventbrite invitation (the online invitation was later taken down) was to be held quite close to Montgomery’s early voting location. Their Mayor Steve Bracia, who is running for Congress, didn’t see a problem with it, but after pushback, agreed to their Town Supervisor Brian Maher’s offer to have the rally at another location. Pictures from the event included the same kind of trucks that have been driving all around Beacon, Fishkill, and Poughkeepsie.

Instant Traffic Stop By Vehicle Demonstrations Vs Marching On Foot

The truck that caused a 1 hour disruption to Beacon’s Main Street last Sunday.

These truck trains can instantly cause backup or close a road or bridge. A march on foot would need a lot of permitting in order to achieve this effect. In Beacon, there were 27 protests over the summer that the Beacon Police Department accompanied, as stated by Acting Chief Frost in a recent City Council 10/26/2020 Workshop meeting explaining the Police Budget and overtime that is incurred from parades and demonstrations.

Turns out, Beacon has a number of parades requiring overtime by police to make moving street closures and barricading side streets. The usual community parades were canceled due to the pandemic. However, the protests accounted for the overtime estimated instead of the parades for the 2020 Police budget.

Most, if all of these protests in Beacon, were on foot, and moved relatively quickly, despite larger turnouts than others. While both demonstrations were loud and involved shouting, the vehicle version involved car honking throughout the drive-by, as well as sirens by retired unmarked fire trucks and possibly retired unmarked ambulances, as some locals have reported. The City of Beacon needed to answer to the public that a fire truck spotted was privately owned, and not representing a municipality. This display of an emergency vehicle caused confusion with the public. In business, this can be likened to trademark infringement.

It is not clear if any vehicle participants were volunteer fire fighters from other communities who used their sirens for audio effect. One Beacon resident observed that when Marchers marching for Black live mattering more past her house, she could turn up the TV if she did not want to hear the chanting. However, she stated that she could not drown out the sound when the truck train slowly drove by.

During the 2nd truck train last Sunday on the last early voting weekend, a truck broke down on Beacon’s Main Street for 1 hour, causing a part of Main Street to be closed while police and the truck operator waited for a tow truck company who could tow a truck that large, according to Beacon Detective Sargent Jason Johnson, who helped on the scene with several other police officers who safely diverted traffic.

While several large vehicles successfully drove around the truck, one van did collide with the truck while attempting to pass, but no one was injured, according to the Detective.

Fishkill Police Hold Up Traffic On I-84 For Truck Train And Allegedly Yell At A White Beaconite Needing To Get Home

A Fishkill Police Officer at 1-84 and Route 52 while traffic was held on the ramp during the first week of early voting while a truck caravan drove past the Fishkill Town Hall.

A Beaconite who was driving with his family after an an outing at an apple orchard shared his tale of being held on I-84 for over 20 minutes:

“We were coming back from Fishkill Farms and took the Route 52 exit on 84. Our timing put us right in the thick of the caravan. Doubtful they had a parade permit (right?) — but Fishkill PD were obviously in the loop.

Editor’s Note: Fishkill Police did confirm that they knew of the truck caravan in advance, but did not know that Town Hall was an early voting location.

The officer in the intersection kept waving the trucks through with no break for offramp traffic, even though it got hugely backed up, and there were multiple opportunities to pause the caravan and let folks through.

“When we tried to engage the officer, he barked ‘You go when *I* say so!’ Definitely a hostile vibe — except between the cop and the people passing in those trucks. He seemed pretty chummy with them.

“It felt like voter intimidation to me, coming as close as it did to the early voting site. And the whole police part of this felt pretty chilling. The caravan definitely drove for longer than 20 minutes. Felt like an eternity. I did shout “Impeached!” out the window a couple of times, which felt good (even if it’s not the most dignified lesson for my children).

“I think we may look into filing a complaint with the Mayor’s Office in Fishkill. Not sure where else. Anyway, icky vibes on a Sunday, but I managed not to get arrested, and we had a productive conversation with the kiddos, so I guess all’s well.”

Motorcyclists Frighten Black Mother And Kids; Fishkill Police Officer Allegedly Laughs

A mother who is Black was driving her children to early voting, and wrote into ALBB to share her story of being frightened by motorcyclists who drove past her car and yelled into it, scaring her children. Her name is Melanie Smalls and her story is below:

“Sunday morning I decided to get me and my two sons up and go vote early down at Fishkill Town Hall around 1:30pm-2:00pm. On my way, I got caught in the Trump/Pence motorcade on 52. Driving passed the old bowling spot which is now a storage unit and little passed the houses, the motorcade slowed down entirely! And I mean like a stand still.

“I realized that the Town Hall was just ahead and they was intimidating the voters there. Three old white men with long beards must of been way back; I looked in my rear view mirror of my SUV and saw them. Mind you, I was behind a Fishkill Police SUV. When it started moving, the 3 motorcycles from behind me, they rode by my SUV and started screaming and shouting in my car with my kids in the back ‘Trump 2020.’

“My kids started crying. I started to get scared because they are crazy. I honked my car for the police, but I could see the officer laughing in his left side mirror as he waved them to get in front of him to get with the rest.

“I’m a strong Black woman. Very tough. My parents ain’t raise no suckers and I damn sure was not about to let them intimidate me into not voting. I was not going to show my boys that. These people are very scary. Their scare tactics are horrible, atrocious. The Fishkill Police should be entirely ashamed of themselves. They stopped traffic for that.”

Truck Train Up In Poughkeepsie

A mother who is Black and lives in Poughkeepsie reported seeing the caravan there during the first weekend of early voting. She said:

“We saw them by Poughkeepsie Galleria (not sure of the time, but definitely the morning). My thoughts are that they are deep. I wasn’t up here during the 2016 election, but on Staten Island they weren’t as visible then. Felt like a sneak attack when the numbers revealed itself. I remember staying up all night well into 3am because it wasn’t very clear who actually, really won. Remember that? The announcement came at like 4am officially. My 3rd grader predicts Trump will be re-elected. He’s developed some strong political opinions since introducing him to Civics.”

Beacon’s Experience With The Truck Train

During the first weekend of early voting, the truck train came through, horns blazing. One person who is regularly out on the street reported in that eggs were thrown from a car to people on the sidewalk.

During the second week on Sunday November 1, 2020, more people wrote in to ALBB with their experiences. @janxchris said: “I witnessed A group of people in a truck, in that parade yelling the “n word” at people of color. That’s not a difference of opinion, that’s an act of racism. And no, that’s never okay, anywhere. You can have opinions, but the days of accepting racism as “opinions”are over.

Another person sent us video of motorcyclists yelling “White Power!” in front of Beacon’s Post Office. You can watch the video here and below.

As the caravan rolled down Main Street, many locals came out to watch it. Many of them said nothing, but had hair raised, cameras up. Some people shouted “Racists!” from the apartment windows above. Some people gave a thumbs down, as you can see in the video above as a caravan participant yells “white power.” According to @cezaleo__, some onlookers displayed their middle finger. One person, according to @cezaleo__, showed their breasts - or chest. It is unknown at this time why the person removed their shirt.

When people marched down the middle of Main Street for Black lives mattering more, the feeling was intense, but many visitors and locals showed signs of support. For the truck train, the feeling was more apprehension.

How Does Beacon’s Local Government Feel About The Caravan?

ALBB did reach out to every single City Council member as well as Mayor Lee Kyriacou and the City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero with different questions regarding this truck train. Council members were asked if they wanted to submit a comment of any kind regarding this caravan. It is unknown if they knew the details of the 2 caravans, which so far, have only floated in social media, unless it was seen in person.

Mayor Kyriacou was asked several questions, which included how he felt local Beaconites should respond to caravans like this, to receiving racial insults, and how calling Black people the “n-word” would be tolerated in a place of business. Mayor Kyriacou did not respond to ALBB’s questions, but he did speak generally to these tumultuous times during this week’s City Council meeting, which you can listen to here.

Terry Nelson, who is Black, was the only City Council member who responded to ALBB’s questions. He is also the only Black person who is a City Council member at moment, and was appointed by Mayor Kyriacou to lead the Police Reform Committee. Terry’s full quote in response to ALBB’s questions is below.

During that same City Council meeting in which the Mayor alluded to the issue, Terry made direct reference, and was so far the only City Council member who made mention of the truck train during his Report (all City Council members can give a “Report” on whatever they like during public City Council meetings). During his Report, Terry recalled the first time he was called the “n-word” when he was a child, and how it stung him.

Terry’s response to ALBB regarding this truck train was this:

“​The participants in yesterday's caravan were exercising their freedom of speech, but those rights end when their words are used to instigate a negative reaction. Could you please ask any members of that caravan what does screaming the ‘n word’ at a mother and her children have to do with supporting the occupant of the White House? That display was not about supporting the president. It was about taking advantage of an opportunity to spew hate. I would love to hear some Trump supporters condemn that behavior, I won't hold my breath. They are complicit.”

Video of some of the truck caravan is below.

Fire Truck That Was In Sunday's 2nd Truck Caravan Was Privately Owned - Says Beacon's City Administrator

Word spread quickly on A Little Beacon Blog’s Instagram as we published photo and video of truck caravan developments - about how everything went down. It was a telephone game of who saw what and when. Several dots connected, so we were able to follow up on several leads.

One such lead was a fire truck that drove with the caravan, that made several onlookers uncomfortable, as they thought it belonged to a municipality. Said @harperlangston, who saw it and asked: “How is it legal for a fire engine to be in a pro-any-candidate parade?” Some even wondered if it was a Beacon fire truck.

A Little Beacon Blog reached out to the Mayor, City Administrator, Fire Chief and Chief of Police this morning with a series of questions regarding the caravan at large, one of which was the identification detail of the fire truck.

This afternoon, City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero sent out a notice to several media outlets to put the questions to rest:

“We have received a number of inquiries regarding the Fire Truck in the Truck Caravan on Sunday. The Fire Truck that was in Sunday’s Truck Caravan was not a City Fire Truck. The City fire department did not participate in the caravan. The truck was a privately owned Fire Truck. It was an E-ONE brand pumper, which the City does not and has not owned. There were no lettering and no red lights on the apparatus, as well as license plates. City Fire Trucks do not by law have licenses plates.”

A Little Beacon Blog followed up to ask how they know for sure that the truck is privately owned, and not operated by another municipality. Anthony answered: “We know definitively that it is not ours. But, the Fire Chief knows it is privately owned for all the reasons stated [above].”

You may have noticed yards along 9D or other locations, where vehicle collectors have school buses, fire trucks, and other interesting collectibles that sometimes are on display during car shows.

Village Of Wappingers Mayor Resigns; Town Of Wappingers Faces Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Of Highway Department

On Monday, October 26, 2020, the Village of Wappingers Falls Mayor, Matt Alexander, announced to residents via letter that he was resigning, effective December 2020. He has been the Mayor of the Village of Wappingers Falls for almost 14 years. In his letter, he stated: “Over this extraordinary past year, in enforced solitude and decreased mobility, I reflected on my own needs. With great sadness, I am announcing that I will be stepping down as mayor in December to pursue other opportunities.” His full letter is published below.

The announcement broke into the news cycle on Tuesday morning, followed by a press release from County Executive Marcus Molinaro wishing him well, and concluding with a discovery that the Mayor had accepted a job of Comptroller in Peekskill. He is a graduate of Notre Dame and is a certified public accountant.

The Mayor told MidHudson News of his new job: “I’m really looking forward to a community like Wappingers Falls urban and diverse and full of opportunity,” he said. “They just got the Downtown Revitalization initiative – a very prestigious award in New York State – and I am very excited about working on that with them.”

The soon to be former Mayor had run for New York’s 19th Congressional Seat in 2012 against Nan Hayworth, and owned a 19th Century building that was destroyed in a large fire in 2017, which prompted the #WappingersRises movement. Matt owned the shop, Stone Bridge Antiques, which he re-opened in a nearby location, according to Hudson Valley Magazine.

Village Of Wappingers Falls And Mandated Police Reform

All municipalities in New York State are under obligation from a Governor’s Order to supply a police reform plan that works with their unique communities. Mayor Alexander is no stranger to police reform. In 2018, the Village of Wappingers Falls had voted twice to dissolve their Police Department, preferring to use Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office instead, according to a Poughkeepsie Journal article. On August 30, 2018 the Board voted to disband the police force to begin on Jan. 1, 2019.

A judge ruled that the votes were unauthorized, and required a public vote. The judged ruled that the Village of Wappingers Falls did not conduct an environmental review, as required under the State Environmental Quality Review Act, according to the article.

The public vote, after the Village’s 2 rounds of voting to disband were denied, was spearheaded by 2 lawsuits, according to Deming Headlight, resulting in the people of the Village Wappingers Falls voting to keep their Police Department. After that vote to keep the Police Department, Mayor Alexander proposed creating a Citizens Board. ALBB has not reached out to confirm if such a Board was created.

The Police Commissioner of the Village of Wappingers Falls, Carl Calabrese, resigned after 11 years of service, on April 8th, 2020. The Mayor and the Village Board of Trustees honored the Commissioner’s service in the Resolution accepting his resignation. Police Commissioner Walter Burke is currently in the position.

Some legal cases are listed in connection with former Police Commissioner, Carl Calabrese, including NOVICK v. VILLAGE OF WAPPINGERS FALLS, NEW YORK, which revolved around the Police Benevolent Association (PBA), retaliation against the Police Union rules or advocacy of rules, bladder cancer of Officer Novick, reporting correctly or incorrectly into the job for health issues, “Disciplinary” actions, a demotion of Officer Novick, and other details.

Another lawsuit in 2011, PISTOLESI v. CALABRESE, centered around the removal of a towing company used by the Village of Wappingers, as directed by then Police Commissioner Calabrese. The lawsuit named Officer Novick and Commissioner Calabrese, among others, including a then Board Trustee, for harassment. Years later, Officer Novick filed a lawsuit against Commissioner Calabrese and the Village of Wappingers in the lawsuit named above. The newspaper clippings below can be clicked to be enlarged.

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Meanwhile, In The Town Of Wappingers…

A racial discrimination lawsuit was brought against the Town of Wappingers (different from the Village with different departments, and the Mayor does not preside here, as it is managed by the Town Supervisor, Richard L. Thurston) in 2019 by Troy Swain, who was 4 months into the job of Highway Superintendent when he was fired by a unanimous vote by the Town Council of the Town of Wappingers, due to allegations that he did personal tasks while on the job.

Troy was the first and only African American to serve as Highway Superintendent. Troy now works for the City of Beacon as a Heavy Equipment Operator, where he is 1 of 3 Black people working in that department in Beacon. Another worker, Reuben Simmons, had also served as Highway Superintendent for the City of Beacon, before also being unanimously voted out by Beacon’s City Council when they deemed that the job title did not exist in Beacon, and required a Civil Service exam he was not entitled to take (see ALBB’s article and podcast about this).

According to an article in the Poughkeepsie Journal, The Town of Wappingers also thought that the job title did not exist when Troy Swain held it. “Some members of the town board disputed the existence of the position and said Swain was ‘erroneously’ promoted. The union believed the position should've gone to someone with seniority, according to the documents.”

The same logic was used in Beacon in Reuben’s case in an unsigned mystery letter delivered to a Councilmember’s front porch, even though Reuben had been working for the City of Beacon for as long as his replacement, Michael Manzi.

In the Town of Wappingers, according to Swain’s attorney, Masai Lord of Lord & Schewel, he believes Troy’s termination was retaliation for filing an earlier racial harassment complaint. “Swain claims while on the job he was addressed with racial slurs. He said he had spoken about the harassment to his supervisor and a union representative, but wasn't provided a remedy,” he told the Poughkeepsie Journal.

In a lawsuit against the Town, Troy alleges he was discriminated against and denied due process before being fired, among other claims. He's seeking punitive damages. The trial is set for March 2021, due to a delay with COVID.

The goal of the trial, Masai told A Little Beacon Blog, is that “Mr. Swain needs to be compensated for what he went through. Not just the years of racial harassment, gratuitous use of the N-word, and wrongful termination and retaliation, but violation of collective bargaining agreement, and denied his constitutional due process rights.”

The Town of Wappingers voted unanimously via Resolution to terminate Troy on June 13, 2016. He received his termination notice on June 14, 2016. The lawsuit was filed in 2019, and named individual Board Members instead of the Town as a whole. The Board members tried to reverse by filing an appeal for qualified immunity in May 2020, according to the Poughkeepsie Journal article. That appeal of dismissal was denied in the U.S. Court of Appeals Second Circuit in mid-June 2020.

“The Southern District Court of New York also denied the Town's motion for summary judgement on the claims of discrimination, retaliation and retaliation based on the town's opposition to Swain getting unemployment compensation, meaning those claims will be moving forward to trial,” the article stated.

The Letter From The Mayor Of The Village Of Wappingers Falls Reads As Follows:

For ease of reading, Mayor Matt Alexander’s letter of resignation has been republished here:

Dear fellow residents,

It has been the privilege and honor of my life to enjoy the reward and fulfillment of service to my neighbors as mayor. However, all things must come to an end and my service to you has come to that point.

For over eighteen years, I served the people of the Village of Wappingers Faslls, with almost fourteen, as mayor. Over this extraordinary past year, in enforced solitude and decreased mobility, I reflected on my own needs. With great sadness, I am announcing that I will be stepping down as mayor in December to pursue other opportunities.

Our time together has been full of success and failure, joy and grief as well as growth and decline. But from the past fourteen years, I hop you see mostly good. I will do just that. I see how we have made great changes in our community over time. Though, I have some regrets, my belief is that, together, we have left the Village in a much better place than it was.

The best of our Village is its people and I have gotten to know o many of you in a special way that has made me better for it. I will miss this job more than any other. It was a very difficult decision, but I am confident that wonderful things lie ahead for all of us.

Godspeed and be well my fair Village. I will see you next as a fellow private citizen and hope to enjoy the future with you here for many years.

Patriot Rally Where Guns Were Encouraged On First Day Of Early Voting In Montgomery, NY Judged Too Close To Polling Site - Mayor Steve Brescia Didn't See A Problem

The rally in Montgomery, NY in Orange County from the The American Patriot Council billed as a “freedom march” in support of gun rights for hunters, despite any push for gun rights being taken away from hunters, was held in the small town of Montgomery yesterday that was originally supposed to happen within 100 feet of an early voting location - a senior center.

Originally, the location was approved by the Village Board earlier this month. Last minute, after pushback from residents, it was moved to a location further away. A parents group from Valley Central School District issued a press release on Friday to urge Mayor Steve Brescia to cancel or move the rally, saying no public events should be allowed near that poll site during the early-voting period.

The American Patriot Council is known for its "armed protest against coronavirus restrictions inside the Michigan state capitol and were accused of having ties to the foiled plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, but have disavowed any connection,” according to the article.

Montgomery's Mayor Steve Brescia, a Republican who is running for state Senate, and police Chief William Herlihy told the Times Herald-Record on Friday that "the rally's proximity to a polling station at the start of voting was purely coincidental, and that the organizers originally proposed a march at another location until it was suggested they gather at the park instead," the article stated.

The original invitation to the rally included encouragement to bring guns. The invitation was removed from Eventbrite. Chief Herlihy said village police couldn't prevent any rally participants from carrying handguns if licensed to do so, and. Steve told the newspaper: "We'll be talking to the organizers, and it will definitely be discouraged." The American Patriot Council is promoting rallies to take place at the same time on Saturday to “demand emancipation from the bondage of tyranny.”

Mayor Steve Brecia, who is also the Orange County Legislature chairman, said that 2 Black Lives Matter marches took place in Montgomery earlier this year, and that the village had no reason to refuse a rally billed as a celebration of patriotism. He did not see why voters would feel intimidated, with that many people decorated in flags standing so close by, giving speeches. "Why should there be any voter suppression here?" he is quoted as saying in the article.

According to the article, Montgomery Town Supervisor Brian Maher said he offered the town's Benedict Memorial Park, which is about two miles down Route 17K from the village, as an alternate site. He said village Mayor Steve Brescia accepted the offer and alerted participants of the change.

According to the article, concerns were raised about the prospect of voter intimidation, as well as the practical matter rally attendees taking parking spots from potential voters.

Initially, the the event for Saturday's rally in Montgomery, which was posted in Eventbrite but was taken down, had encouraged participants to carry guns. According to the article, “none were visible during the 30-minute rally. It also invoked the upcoming election, but made no mention of the voting taking place locally.”

New Candidate Applies For Beacon's BOE Member Seat, Stating "All lives matter, Black and white"

During the next Board of Education meeting following September’s meeting, where the Board was faced with confronting the process of creating a process to appoint 2 people to 2 vacated Board seats (see previous article, “What Shook The Room At Beacon’s BOE Meeting; 2 Open Seats But 1 Was Filled”), the Board heard from one new candidate, Joseph Puliafito. The candidate has been a resident of Beacon since the 1950s, owns 9 parcels in Beacon, and has teaching experience in educational technology and special education. A second candidate had applied in addition to Joseph, but withdrew before this meeting where the Board could interview candidates in a public format.

Of the 4 original candidates who applied previously, Jasmine Johnson was appointed to the Board, and John Galloway Jr. opted to have his application roll over for reconsideration to this second appointment process. Both Jasmine and John are Black. The other two candidates - Barb Fisher and Travis Fisher - a married couple who are white - withdrew their applications (read their letters of withdraw here) shortly after that meeting, both stating that the Board seemed to have a candidate who would fit the Board’s needs (this was prior to Joseph applying).

Interview With Candidate Joseph Puliafito

In their public interview with Joseph, where he stated that John Galloway Jr. “seems to be a great, nice guy” with a lot of people supporting him, Joseph asked the Board how they felt they were doing with their goals, stating: “It's a very trying time, in terms of economics and racial unrest. I do hope we see change as soon as possible and that everybody would be on the same page because all lives matter, Black and white.”

Joseph’s experience includes orphanages and public schools, stating: “I have a lot of experience since I was a teenager, in orphanages, for many different types of social problems in the family. I've worked since 1970 in colleges, with public school teachers in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. And I've seen the problems there. It's not easy as you said to solve problems. And it's slow in some cases.”

Joseph continued to express how he roots success in happiness and selflessness: “Everyone has to be on the same page, and not think about themselves, but each other. And their lives. And to make everybody else's life better. Economically, socially. People should be happy. People are not happy now. Everyone has to be served.”

When Board president Meredith Heuer asked if he had considered applying to the Board in the past, Joseph exclaimed: “I've always paid my taxes, and they have been exorbitant. I have 9 parcels in Beacon. I did want to see where the money was going. I started to think: ‘Well maybe I should be part of it.’"

Interview With Candidate John Galloway Jr.

With most of his appeals made during the first meeting on 9/14/2020, where John focused on his young age and current connection with youth in Beacon, which would help him be a bridge between the Board and the students, John focused this speaking opportunity on how his supporters were behaving. Most of the supporters calling in to the voice support for the meeting were adults who felt passionately about voicing their opinions about what was said at the prior meeting. Some of those vocal supporters stated professional experiences with Boards of Education in general, run a business, or run a local organization. A handful of vocal supporters were current students.

John addressed that by saying: “Thank you for the opportunity again for allowing my application to roll over. I want to make a point to everybody who is calling in and doing a lot of things on social media. I appreciate the support, it is really outstanding, it is really appreciated. But also to remember to do your best to respect the Board and respect the process of the Board. This is an appointment process, this isn't an election. Some stuff that's going on is a bit, I would say it's ...supportive but also unnecessary. It is an appointment process, we just have to stick to the process, and hopefully that will be the result. We just have to hope for the best. Just respect the Board if possible. Because it is still not getting anything done, raising what I would call havoc - coming at board members - and making daily posts about it. Just try your best to support me, and if you would like to call in, that's fine, but there is no need to come at the board. If you want me on it so bad, I would just think that counter-productive.”

The Board will finish their appointment process during their October 26, 2020 meeting. You can watch recorded Board of Education meetings here at YouTube. The Zoom link to the live meeting is usually posted at the District’s website.

Sister Women's March Rally/March-In-Place Scheduled For October 17 In Beacon At Pohill Park

A reader wrote in to alert us to a rally happening in Beacon that they wanted to attend, and were surprised to learn was happening. The reader stated: “I will be a new resident of Beacon in October, and I've been following your blog to get to know the community. Thank you for providing such a fantastic resource! I don't know if you promote events like this but I wanted to call it to your attention. I went to sign up for the Women's March on Oct 17 to protest the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett for SCOTUS & was planning to march in Manhattan. But, I was pleasantly surprised to find that out of the 2 marches planned in the state of NY, the other happens to be planned for Beacon, NY.”

According to Forbes.com, additional marches supporting the main Women’s March in Washington, D.C., include over 100 satellite marches happening in 39 states, with more than 70,000 people who have pledged to participate.

The march-in-place event in Beacon is hosted by Southern Dutchess Resist, a group who organizes many rallies, including the first Black Lives Matter that happened on the sidewalk in Beacon, which was followed by the next, and larger march down Main Street by a group of young people who united to become by Beacon4Black Lives. The two organizations have since worked together to plan education and protest events, along with other organizations in the region, including 854Unity, Label Foundation, Next Step Hudson Valley, and others, to bring awareness to different issues.

How The March-In-Place Rally Will Work

Location: Pohill Park, on the corner of 9D (Wolcott) and Main Street.
Day: Saturday, October 17, 2020,
Time: 2-4pm
No walking. A rally. Marching-in-place.

This rally is in support of, and in defense of, Women’s Rights. Participants can bring signs that express different messages. Parking is available in free municipal lots, which include City Hall, but not the fire station. Regarding behavior, the organizers say: “This is a peaceful rally in community. Profanity and the like is not condoned - verbally nor written.”

Social distancing will be encouraged, with masks. Bring your hand sanitizer.

Please do not ask shops to use their bathrooms. You can go shopping, however! So bring your wallet as well. Need a face mask from a boutique in Beacon? Visit A Little Beacon Blog’s Shopping Guide, where we indicate which shops sell face masks.

Details about Beacon’s rally can be found here.

"John Lewis: Good Trouble" Playing On Wednesday At 4 Hanna Lane In Beacon

From the people who brought you many of the protest Marches down Main Street in Beacon this summer, Beacon4Black Lives, is staying committed to educating about Black lives by starting new projects, like by establishing a free WIFI hub in Memorial Park, and outdoor movie viewing experiences.

On Wednesday evening, in partnership with Miz Hattie’s Southern BBQ, LNJ Tech, Beahive, and Storyscreen Beacon, you can watch this movie for $7, the proceeds of which go to Beacon4Black Lives to help them continue their work, stating via Instagram: “As we continue to work with our community to create a better tomorrow, we collaborate to educate and fund new and necessary projects for our community.”

For tickets, visit www.beaconfilmsociety.org

As the weather looks stormy, you should keep tabs on a rain or shine status by visiting @beacon4blacklives on Instagram.

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Editorial Transparency Note: Miz Hattie’s an advertiser with A Little Beacon Blog. This did not influence the reporting, or the how or why this article was produced.

Board Of Education Opens Application Process For 1 Board Seat Appointment - And Do The Qualifications Need A Refresh?

Two Board member seats on Beacon’s Board of Education were open as of last week. One seat was filled with the appointment of Jasmine Johnson, and the second seat is open for applications, the deadline for which is October 9, 2020. Click here to apply to it.

The creation of that process was made during the evening of the September 29, 2020 meeting, at which Board President, Meredith Heuer confirmed via email: “We decided to restart the appointment process for the newly open seat. Applications for that will be due 10/9. Applications that we already received will be automatically rolled over if the applicant wants. Applicants will be invited to make a public statement at the 10/13 meeting and we will finish the process at the 10/26 meeting.”

At the September 29th meeting, Board member Elissa Betterbid added that she thought that the applicant who was appointed that evening “should be part of the decision to appoint for the second seat.” You can watch live and past Board meetings here.

As of the September 29th meeting, there were 4 applicants: Jasmine Johnson (a mother who is Black and went through the Beacon school system), John Galloway Jr. (a young adult who is Black without children who went through the Beacon School system) and Barb Fisher and Travis Fisher (a young couple who are married to each other with children in the Beacon school system).

Regarding The 3 Remaining Candidates

Jasmine has since been sworn onto the Board, and John confirmed via email to ALBB that his application is still active. He said he intends to be a candidate for the appointment again, and would run in a public election if necessary, stating to ALBB via email: “I plan to make any kind of impact I can within the community regardless of if I get a seat or not! I love doing community work and giving children someone to look up to. I clearly have a better chance if I go the election route which is very strange to me but that’s just the circumstances to the situation right now. With a seat on a school board, I can possibly make real changes surrounding youth development. Our city hasn’t focused on it in almost 15 years as far as I’m concerned and it’s time to make it a priority.”

Travis withdrew his candidacy the day after the meeting, stating to the Board via email to them, which he shared with ALBB via email: “It seems clear you will have at least one energetic candidate who brings diversity and much-needed community connections. If I would stay in the running it would be mostly to make sure again you have a choice of candidates with different strengths. But at this point I think it is clear that the strengths I offer are not what the Board most needs in the current moment.”

Barb also withdrew her candidacy the Saturday after the meeting, stating to the Board via email to them, which she shared with ALBB via email: “With regards to the new vacancy, I believe there are other people who are well qualified and willing to serve. So, I respectfully request that my application be removed from consideration.”

During the first appointment meeting on September 29, 2020, members of the Board alluded to another person who intended to apply, and that they wanted to give them a chance. ALBB does not know the name of that person, or if they have since applied.

How To Apply

Links to the application have been posted to the Beacon City School District’s website.

Basic qualifications of a member of the Board of Education are listed in the packet and include:

• must be able to read and write;

• must be a qualified voter of the district; that is, a citizen of the United States, at least 18 years of age or older, and not adjudged to be an incompetent; (Note: a convicted felon is barred from running for a seat on a board of education if his or her maximum prison sentence has not expired or if he or she has not been pardoned or discharged from parole)

• must be and have been a resident of the school district for at least one year prior to election;

• may not have been removed from any school district office within the preceding year;

• may not reside with another member of the same school board as a member of the same family;

• may not be a current employee of the school district; and

• may not simultaneously hold another incompatible public office, including, but not limited to Superintendent, clerk, tax collector, treasurer or librarian, or an employee of the Board. Board members may not hold any city office other than that of police officer or firefighter.

A few readers have asked about the relevance of people who are married and living in the same house running for Board seats at the same time. People asked this prior to the reading this list of qualifications. So, we reached out to the Board Presdient, Meredith Heuer, for clarification. She answered: “We would not have been able to appoint both Barbara and Travis but it is not illegal for them to both apply.”

As for the rest of the applicant requirements, the first one regarding reading and writing is surprising that it is still here. Language requirements were part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that John Lewis (of “good trouble”) fought to remove, as a barrier to voting. It is also not clear if a Beacon parent were to apply who is fluent in Spanish, but not English. Is there an English literacy test they would take? And if so, would a person who is fluent in English even pass it? Or for parents who are deaf, is there an interpreter provided?

According to Wikipedia:

“The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting.[7][8] It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the civil rights movement on August 6, 1965, and Congress later amended the act five times to expand its protections.[7] Designed to enforce the voting rights guaranteed by the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, the act secured the right to vote for racial minorities throughout the country, especially in the South. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the act is considered to be the most effective piece of federal civil rights legislation ever enacted in the country.[9]

”The act contains numerous provisions that regulate elections. The act's "general provisions" provide nationwide protections for voting rights. Section 2 is a general provision that prohibits every state and local government from imposing any voting law that results in discrimination against racial or language minorities. Other general provisions specifically outlaw literacy tests and similar devices that were historically used to disenfranchise racial minorities.”

It is also noteworthy that no person serving in a government position can also serve on the Board of Education, except for police officer or fire fighter.

Is it time for a refresh of these qualifications?

Click here to find the application links.

Click here to find the Board of Education videos at YouTube, where you can subscribe to watch them live, and watch past meetings.

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Editorial Transparency Note: Barb Fisher is the owner of Barb’s Butchery, which has been an advertiser with A Little Beacon Blog in the past. The business is a website design client of our parent company, Katie James, Inc. This did not influence the reporting, or the how or why this article was produced.

Second Beacon Board Of Education Member Resigns - James Case-Leal - Citing Desire For Persons Of Color To Fill The 2 Seats

On September 22, 2020, Beacon Board of Education Member James Case-Leal resigned from the Board of Education, stating that he wished to contribute his seat to give an opportunity to a person of color to fill it.

James was the most outspoken board member in favor of the Black Lives Matter movement, with his participation in the Marches that happened down Main Street over the summer, culminating in story-hour sessions in which many people participated. Read A Little Beacon Blog’s interview with him here after the Back the Beacon PD rally.

In his letter of resignation, which is republished in full below, James stated: “It is with great optimism that I am resigning my seat on the Beacon Board of Education in order to open an additional space for John Galloway Jr. and Jasmine Johnson, two well-qualified candidates of color, to both be appointed.” He went on to say: “In this moment we must strongly acknowledge that the voices missing in our leadership are voices from the communities most affected by these inequities.”

This makes 2 seats open on the Board of Education, who will decide how they want to proceed with filling the seats, said Board President, Meredith Heur. “Our board started the process for the appointment of one board member, so we will have to regroup and come to a consensus on how we want to move forward. Our choices for this remain the same:

• Leave the seat open until the next election,

• Go through an appointment process to fill the seat,

• Hold a special election to fill the seat

• Ask the BOCES superintendent to appoint for us.”

Meredith stated that the BOCES Superintendent option is almost never used but is by law an option, and that holding a special election does involve a cost. She also said that the board was not given advance notice of James’ resignation.

James Case-Leal’s Letter of Resignation

Dear Beacon City School District community stakeholders,

It is with great optimism that I am resigning my seat on the Beacon Board of Education in order to open an additional space for John Galloway Jr. and Jasmine Johnson, two well-qualified candidates of color, to both be appointed.

I make this decision with the best interests of Beacon schools at heart. I carry the hope that this will alleviate a difficult decision for the board and help our district heal from a history of lost trust in order to move forward with broader representation from the diverse communities within the City of Beacon.

It is a reality that the Covid19 crisis has exacerbated existing fissures of inequity, creating compound crises around racial justice, economic justice, and disability rights. I have deep admiration for our faculty on the front line as well as our administrators who I have witnessed laboring tirelessly to reinvent a new model of education.

During my time on the BoE, the Beacon School District has made bold steps to correct historical inequities that plague so many districts in our country. We spent countless hours modernizing our Code of Conduct, instituting restorative practices, and reviewing nearly every district policy through an equity framework. We have pioneered a robust program of equity training for our faculty. We are engaging in an overhaul of our curriculum and developing programs to elevate the cultural diversity in our student body. And we’ve maintained a culture of care, removing gender and racial bias from our dress code as well as strengthening the prohibition of hate speech and symbols of hate in our schools.

Though we celebrate these accomplishments, we recognize that there is still so much work to do, work that can not be completed without all communities owning seats at the table.

While we have made great progress in recent years, our most recently published assessment reveals that non- white students are five times as likely to be suspended, half as likely to be enrolled in honors or advanced courses, and 20% less likely to graduate compared to our students who identify as white. In this moment we must strongly acknowledge that the voices missing in our leadership are voices from the communities most affected by these inequities.

After meeting the candidates, it is obvious that we must take this opportunity to diversify the perspectives represented on the Board of Education. John and Jasmine are both excellent candidates, with roots in Beacon schools, and are deeply connected to different aspects of Beacon’s diverse community.

It has been an honor to serve our district to help support our educators provide the greatest possible education for all our students. I believe at this moment the best way to lead is to step aside.

I want thank our school community, PTOs, the voters who elected me, the members of the Board of Education who have taught me so much in our time together, and I want to thank the young local leaders who have shown us all how to live with faith and optimism that we can come together to create the world we want to see.

With love and optimism,

James Case-Leal

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Interview With James Case-Leal

James has been an organizer in Beacon for some time for various issues, including gun violence. He has worked closely with the most frequent organizers of the Marches, Beacon4Black Lives (B4BL), in various forms, including their Defund Campaign by providing research from ImagineSafety.com. James was the organizer of the sign making project called “100 Signs of Solidarity” that was highlighted in last B4BL rally on Labor Day at Memorial Park called 'Art in the Park'. Some of those signs have been placed throughout Beacon. He also worked closely with the group on the design of their new website.

ALBB: How did you feel about the Board of Education’s letter statement at the beginning of this racial revolution a few months ago?
I wrote it and personally believe every word of it.

ALBB: Have they done anything since issuing that letter? If so, what?
The schools have been consumed with the transition to hybrid and remote schooling due to the Covid19 crisis. The only progress in regards to equity during that period that I can recall is that the BoE banned the confederate flag.
[Editor’s Note: In an interview with A Little Beacon Blog, Beacon Superintendent Dr. Landahl identified moves the district had taken with regard to directives he issued. Read them here.]

ALBB: Were you asked directly to resign by any people outside of the BOE?
Not at all.

ALBB: Were you thinking of resigning prior to this?
The thought did cross my mind when I first realized there were two candidates who could diversify the board, but it was a decision that culminated after hearing many people in the community rally around wanting to diversify the board when talking to them in person (when installing signs), when we received numerous emails sent to the board (emails matter!), and most recently in heated social media discussions. I've heard some peole advocating for John, some for Jasmine, some for both. The members of the board have often talked about wanting more diverse input and recognizing the barriers to running and serving. Once I made the decision, it seemed like the obvious right choice.

ALBB: You have been very active with the racial revolution here in Beacon. Why do you think that the removal of your voice and vote at the table will keep the place of your views?
I'm trying to focus on the opportunity to bring new voices. Lots of people have great ideas! The advantage of having such a large 9 person board is that there is an abundance of expertise in various areas. I believe the experience of both John and Jasmine are the kinds of experience no one on the board currently has including myself.

ALBB: Can you tell us more about Jasmine Johnson? We are familiar with John Galloway Jr. when he spoke at two open mic events after Marches (to be published on A Little Beacon Blog). Who is Jasmine, and why do you feel she is a fit?
I encourage you to watch the last board meeting where John and Jasmine both spoke about their candidacy. I haven’t had the chance to speak to Jasmine outside of that meeting, but I have spoken to people who know her who I respect who have relayed that she is intelligent, thoughtful, and very invested in making our schools better for all of our children. I believe her experiences in our schools will be a valuable resource.

Her child attends a predominantly Black learning community called New Covenant School. I am always interested in having a better understanding why parents choose local private schools. In her case, I heard her speak about having negative experiences in our schools. I want to be careful about making assumptions, but when I connect the stories of discrimination that I have heard from many of our students of color, I could understand why a parent would choose a school that feels safer.

ALBB: Why do you feel John Galloway Jr. is a fit?
I only met John recently, but have been very impressed with his passion, clarity of vision, and commitment to serving in his community. He brings an experience that does not exist on the board, he has spent time attending Beacon Schools, and he has deep roots in communities unrepresented on the BoE. He has a drive that I admire. I think he would a valuable contribution to the discussions happening in our schools.

About The Other Candidates For The Board Of Education

Two other candidates were being considered for one seat before James resigned: Barbara Fisher and Travis Fisher, who are married. School board beat reporter Jeff Simms reported on the candidates for the Highlands Current, and you should read his write-up here for more details on all candidates.

Barbara Fisher: Barb is the owner of Barb’s Butchery in Beacon, and a former math teacher. “I’ve watched this community pull together since March in ways that I would bet people wouldn’t have considered possible,” Barb told the Highlands Current. After she spent years building a solid staff for her butchery, she said: ”I found myself drawn to the school board as a way to interject myself.”

With a solid staff of employees at the butchery, Fischer said, “I actually have time to sit back and ask myself, ‘What else can I participate in?’ and this got me excited.”

Travis Fisher: Travis builds mathematical models for Barclays Bank and has been following the BOE since 2015. He told the Highlands Current that he thinks that the district has improved, but “there’s still some things flashing a bit of a warning sign, particularly that Black students are not getting the same level of progress as white students. I worry that there is something the district should still be doing to improve that.”

John Galloway Jr.: John is a 2015 Beacon High School graduate, and founder of the Label Foundation, a youth development nonprofit. He told the Highlands Current that he would “bring community involvement…You have to connect with the community. You have to connect with parents. You can’t go making decisions for the entire district without consulting the community,” he said. “I see myself being that bridge.” John feels that students need to see more of themselves on the board: “There’s people like me who want to get involved but they don’t have the confidence, because they think you guys do not care.”

Jasmine Johnson: Jasmine graduated from Beacon High School in 2006 and worked last year as a teacher’s assistant at Hudson Hills Academy, a private Montessori school located in Beacon. Connecting private schools and public schools to work togeter and be less isolated from each other is one of her main goals. Additionally, she is committed to “fighting cyberbullying and promoting health and wellness, as well as trying to better connect the private and public schools in the city, ‘so they all can know each other and operate on the same level,’” as reported by the Highlands Current. Jasmine was impacted by a personal experience in school, where she said she was “‘nudged’ by a teacher from Advanced Placement into a lower level math course while at Beacon High School, which has led her to seek ‘compassion-led teaching’ for her daughter,” the Highlands Current reported.

Big Brand Digital Producer Opens In Beacon - Lauren Johnson Of The Hyacinth Group Highlighted From ALBB's Black Owned Business Directory

Lauren Johnson, who lives in Beacon, is a big deal in the digital space, where she has produced social media and branding campaigns for major fashion brands including Victoria’s Secret and Steve Madden, as well as other big name companies. She first came onto A Little Beacon Blog’s radar when we were developing our Black Owned Businesses category for our Business Directory, and needed to commission a logo designer for it.

We wanted to work with a designer of color, as they would know the entrepreneurial world intimately for Black and Brown people and people of color. Lauren was the first to answer the call, and matched the assignment with her Creative Director, Perry G. Crosson.

“ As of March 2020, African American women make up just 3% of computing-related jobs. Tired of trying to make it in the 3%, I choose to start my own digital company.”

— Lauren Johnson, Founder Of The Hyacinth Group

Right around this time, Lauren was hosting a launch party for her breakout digital agency, The Hyacinth Group, which is her own digital agency, after she hung her own shingle after working in the corporate world.

The Hyacinth Group celebrates its 1-year anniversary this month on September 27, 2020, and we are celebrating that with Lauren by also highlighting her on National American Business Woman Day.

Lauren Johnson, Founder of The Hyacinth Group
Photo Credit: The Hyacinth Group

Interview With Lauren Johnson, Founder Of The Hyacinth Group

In this interview, we get to know Lauren, what makes her tick, and what a few of her favorite projects are.

ALBB: Lauren: Thank you for giving us your time today. When we started the Black Owned Business category of our Business Directory, right away, we learned that Black is a label in America and can refer to many different types of people from different countries and family combinations. So before we dive in, how do you identify yourself?

I would identify myself as either Caribbean American or Jamaican American.

Our name, The Hyacinth Group, pays homage to my Jamaican roots. Born in New York City to Jamaican parents, I was named Lauren Rose-Marie Hyacinth Johnson. The name ‘Hyacinth’ comes from my Jamaican grandmother who also shares the name.

I am a first-generation American, as both my parents were born in Jamaica. I am living the American dream!

ALBB: What does it mean to you to launch your business not only during a pandemic, but during the Black Lives Matter movement?

They say life is all about timing. Although we are dealing with serious issues like a worldwide pandemic and BLM, in many ways it has been a blessing in disguise for The Hyacinth Group.

I get to create digital solutions for consumers as billions of digital buyers shop online. As COVID-19 continues to sweep the globe, most people have been forced to shop online due to store closures. There were more than 1.92 billion digital buyers in 2019 alone.

That number has only increased since the pandemic. We essentially turned into a digital, paperless society overnight. I have a digital agency that helps companies increase online sales and conversion. That puts me in a really great position.

Our digital team can quickly create a responsive website to engage customers. We can also improve your existing website to keep up with the rapid demand of your client’s needs through optimization. In addition we provide digital marketing services such as SEO (search engine optimization) copywriting, graphic design, social media and email marketing. The Hyacinth Group can take your sales to the next level.

In light of the Black Lives Matter movement, companies are giving back to the Black community. More opportunities are available to me now than there were just a few weeks ago. I feel blessed to be a Black female tech entrepreneur at this time. It feels like the sky's the limit!

ALBB: As a Black woman, how do you feel about the protests in Beacon that happened over the summer? And about the continuing protests nationwide?

I fully support the national protests, as well as local protests in Beacon.

Although I was not in the streets protesting, I know that by building The Hyacinth Group as a Black female tech entrepreneur, owning a digital agency is a protest in itself. As of March 2020, African American women make up just 3% of computing-related jobs. Tired of trying to make it in the 3%, I choose to start my own digital company. Protests of any kind are a key component in creating impactful change.

So, I strongly support the protest and BLM movement, but my main way of fighting back against a broken system is being determined to succeed as a Black woman in business, and continuing my Jamaican family’s legacy despite the obstacles.

ALBB: What did you do before launching this business?

I started my digital career as an Assistant Internet Merchant at Victoria’s Secret. Wanting to take my career to the next level and gain more senior experience, I went on to receive my MBA from LIM College with a major in Entrepreneurship. Upon graduation, I got recruited to work as an Internet Manager at Steve Madden. Focusing on customer retention and website engagement, I launched the company's social media integration program.

Soon after, I began consulting for major B2C brands like SK-II and Aerosoles, where I brought innovation to their digital programs by creating responsive sites and 360 marketing campaigns. Most recently, I began using my digital expertise to help small businesses engage online consumers. Last year, I started The Hyacinth Group, which creates digital solutions that work for both the client and consumer. This is both my passion and current full-time job.

ALBB: What makes your combination of people on your team special and different from other design agencies who also work with these talented people? Clients may see work produced by artists like Perry, Meghan, Josh, through other agencies as well. What kind of magic happens when they come together at The Hyacinth Group?

Diversity drives innovation, and that's a big part of our team’s success at The Hyacinth Group. When we come together, it creates a different kind of magic fueled by passion. Above all, we keep your unique ROI (return on investment) goals in mind, focusing on revenue-producing opportunities across the digital landscape.

The Hyacinth Group converts browsers into buyers by helping brands connect to their customers’ buying motivations and enhancing the online experience with a combination of creativity and data analytics.

Our team specializes in conversion rate optimization and online engagement. The key to providing excellent CRO (conversion rate optimization) is inspiring customers to focus, make a choice, and rejoice.

ALBB: What is your favorite type of branding project? If you have one. I know lots of components of digital branding can be favorites.

In particular, I love working with high-end companies in beauty and fashion, as well as food brands such as Karibu365 and Farm2ChefsTable. It’s easier to target an audience when you are in that audience yourself!

After I officially formed my company The Hyacinth Group, my boyfriend Nicholas Leiss was my first client. I created his blog Farm2ChefsTable, which is a favorite project, because it allows both of us to shine!
[Editor’s Note: OMG please don’t miss this recipe for “Chanterelles on Toast with Corn Pudding & Goat Cheese”]

Nicholas is my biggest supporter and I am his. But not only that, the blog's layout beautifully showcases Meghan Spiro's photography and Nick's amazing food!

A favorite client project, for the website design and food photography for Farm2ChefTable.
Photo Credit: The Hyacinth Group

Beauty Brand, Karibu365

Karibu365 , is one of my favorite projects because of my passion for beauty. Back in my corporate days, I worked for a luxury skincare company SK-II and was able to transform their digital program increasing sales by 41%. I brought my knowledge and expertise from that experience to assist a family friend take her organic skincare brand to the next level digitally. As a Black female entrepreneur who also shares the same heritage, I am glad that I was a part of her leveling up!

Here is what the founder of Karibu365, Sandra Mullings, said about working with us: at The Hyacinth Group: “It was a pleasure and a joy to work with Lauren at The Hyacinth Group. She drew on her previous experience with website development for luxury skincare brands to guide me through the process. I relied on her eCommerce expertise heavily since I had a concept of what I wanted my brand’s online presence to look like, but wasn’t sure how to achieve it. She made graphic design and copywriting resources available for me to use on demand, which came in very handy when I needed my logo colors changed to match the branding on my website. Her attention to detail is unsurpassed, and she will be my go-to for my next project (in the works). I would HIGHLY recommend Lauren and the team at The Hyacinth Group for all your eCommerce needs.”

Photo Credit: The Hyacinth Group

Yellow Bananas Part 2

Yellow Bananas is a grocery app I designed for my class at The Product School this summer. But what makes this app so special, is that this is the second version. The first, I designed 3 years ago in my User Experience Design class at General Assembly. It shows my progression in User Experience Design and my passion for not only the perfect "yellow bananas" but creating an in-store experience online.

Photo Credit: The Hyacinth Group

Thank you, Lauren, for sharing your digital branding experience with us! So lucky to have you in Beacon, NY. Contact Lauren any time right here: https://www.thehyacinthgroup.com/contact

Interview With Nicky Allen, Mother Of Juneteenth Art Creators - What Inspired Them To Participate?

Way back during the week of Juneteenth (June 19, 2020), when most white people including me were learning about Juneteenth and its significance (we wrote about it here), we needed artwork to represent it in an article. So we held a fast and furious contest of sorts, and got response from different creators. The “winner” got to be featured here at A Little Beacon Blog, as well as a $50 cash prize.

Nickeya (Nicky) Allen, a writer for Medium, and a return student at the School of Business at Mount Saint Mary College, submitted the artwork of her two children. We wanted to know more, and interviewed Nicky for the backstory of the art production.

ALBB: Was this your first time celebrating Juneteenth?

Yes, this was our first time celebrating Juneteenth.

ALBB: What inspired you to celebrate?

We were pretty active in our community on Staten Island. We're always looking for opportunities to connect and uplift Black voices. During the same year Eric Gardner was killed by police in plain-clothes in broad daylight, we came together to celebrate the 5th Annual Black Heritage Family Day Festival.

Visualize walking into a spacious park, Black families spread out on the lawn; some were just there relaxing and reading; some were reciting poetry; some were dancing; and some were there growing their brands. Articles later reported there had been more than 60 black owned vendors/businesses and nearly 2,500 people in attendance. Every year it grows. We wrote the book on unity, it's what we do to remind ourselves and others of our power. This energy is only heightened under stressful times. So, I didn't feel inspired per se, I felt obligated this year.

This year was the first year for [my family], but it's important to me to share that it is in no way a new celebration for Black races and our communities. I had always known of Juneteenth festivals happening in Irvington, NJ, Brownsville and Flatbush Brooklyn. Juneteenth is more about our desire to unite, show love and support for one another despite some of the hard realities we endure as a whole during our time spent on earth. It's spiritual and faith-filled, the belief in our ability to rise stems from our power together as one. It's least celebrated with discussions on slavery.

ALBB: How did you speak about it to your kids, and what made you all start this art project?

My babies are 7 and 4, I showed them photos of the many Umoja-type events we attended when they were younger. Umoja is a term I learned one year while celebrating Kwanzaa. It means unity, to strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race. I talked to them about honoring our ancestors in this way and by doing so, they'd make them proud.

We're still early risers although school is out [at the time of this writing in June 2020], we usually start our mornings off with some kind of art or reading. Friday, June 19, 2020 we took the Twister game place mat, cut it in half to make the banner. We paint a lot, we were low on supplies. My 4 year old and I came up with the color scheme: Everest green, red, blue glitter, white and brown. My son researched Juneteenth on his school provided Chromebook and discovered the flag you see in the top left side of the banner.

We were all happy to learn we had been featured on your platform. The cash payment was significant. They feel supported and that's a beautiful experience in itself. I love the work ya’ll are doing, keep it up.

Reuben Simmons Speech In Reaction To Behavior At Support The Beacon PD Rally In July

During the 8th March to support Black lives mattering more, many speakers spoke at a soundstage down at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park on July 25, 2020. This protest was organized by Next Step Hudson Valley and Ali T. Muhammad, a former council member in Beacon for Ward 2, and a local community organizer that has been working to bring the sister-cities of Dutchess and Orange Counties together for this movement and improved way of life.

Both of their speeches are below. Transcription by Yvonne DeMoss.

INTRODUCTION: Ali T. Muhammad’s Introduction for Reuben Simmons

Ali T. Muhammad
Photo Credit: Ali T. Muhammad

“You're hearing it. You're hearing it from our people, from around the county, from the area that are involved, that are involved in so many different facets that are needed.

”Something that Matty and his family and Club Draw were working on, based off of a lot of discussions that we've had. Based off of experience. Experiences in these communities. Things that we got to think about with, why Black lives matter.

”American music is Black music. Privilege is thinking something is not a problem when it's not a problem to you, personally. Systemic racism is real. Teach your child early what you learned late. Racism is a public health crisis. Racial justice is a feminist issue. Black trans lives matter. Decolonize education. Decolonize health care.

”I heard “Decolonize wellness.” That was fire. I never heard that before. That's a good one. Uproot systemic racism. Uproot white supremacy from your personal life. Uproot white supremacy from your personal life.

”Systemic oppression is not broke, a broken system. You cannot fix a system that works exactly as it was intended. We need to rebuild our systems to serve the people. Standing up for your fellow Americans is the act of a true patriot.

”Amplify Black voices. Racism is so American that when you protest it, people think you are protesting America. “Radical means grasping at the root.” Angela Davis. “Walls turned sideways are bridges.” Angela Davis. “I can't believe what you say because I see what you do.” James Baldwin, Newburgh native. Freedom is not a state. It is an act.” John Lewis.

”I say this to say we need to create opportunities like this so that way we could educate more. I mean with memes and social media, there's ways to reach more people. These are these ideas are not solely to one person like Anusha said. “Decolonize wellness.” There's so many areas that we need to work in and again that's why we're here.

”The next person that I'm going to call up is Reuben Simmons, Someone I've been working with and I've been close with for years. He works for the City of Beacon and he has a story to share, but most importantly solutions for what's next. Reuben.

”Again, we have water straight ahead. We've got some snacks if somebody needs food or needs something, please reach out. We can get you something delivered or ordered because I don't know if everybody likes pizza or not. But if you do need something, really come over, okay. Reuben Simmons.”

SPEECH: Reuben Simmons

Reuben Simmons
Photo Credit: Reuben Simmons

“Good afternoon, like Ali said, my name is Reuben Simmons but I'm also known in this community as Coach Yogi. I work in the city. I work in the city of Beacon Highway Department. I was born and raised in the city [of Beacon]. I was born in the hospital before it closed in ’84, Highland Hospital off of Delavan Avenue. I lived in the city my whole time.

”Anybody from Beacon here? Make some noise if you're from Beacon, if you live in Beacon, if you do anything in Beacon, if you came to support Beacon, you came from out of town, you make some noise! I'm gonna touch on the importance of both of those reasons, I will be remiss if I don't thank the organizers of Beacon 4 Black Lives.

”I want to publicly thank Ciarda Hall, Stefon Stewart, Xavier Mayo, Cedric Parksdale, and Justice McCray. If it wasn't for the momentum that they built with the Black lives movement and the protests that they've been doing in the city, I'll tell you right now. I wouldn't be standing here, today.

”People call me a community leader. My response? Leader? I'm no leader. ‘I do what I have to do and sometimes people follow.’ Edgar Friendly. Those young adults motivated me and I seen something in em’ that I seen when I was younger and people identified me as a leader so I thank them.

”This is the 8th protest in this city. No looting, no rioting, and nothing negative. All peaceful. Give them a round of applause. Anybody there last Sunday and Beacon up on 9D? Well, we're going to talk about that because we're going to talk about why it's so important.

”Last Sunday, there was a Support the Police campaign rally. We're seeing all over the nation all over the country that these rallies are dividing communities. We brought our stance to their rally. They haven't hijacked or counter protested any of our protests. The goal wasn't to counter protest them. The goal was to let them know we got issues here and we want to make sure that we come to the table and you hear our issues. Word spread out.

”There's people from Beacon and support just like you guys here from out of town so automatically we cannot, we cannot control the social media. (train whistle blows) That's one reason Beacon’s so popular, the train to the city, we cannot control the narratives that are going to be written all over Facebook. But what I saw on Saturday, last Saturday in Pleasant Valley. Did you guys see that? That is ugly for any community. That will not help move things forward.

”Sunday, I participated in a demonstration that showed you can support the police. You can counter protest and support Black Lives Matter and the demonstration can be done peacefully because that is your constitutional right to stand for what you believe in and we demonstrated it last Sunday here in the city of Beacon. For some people may not know some good things came out of that.

”I'm gonna tell you right now, people, that I've seen that seen me grow up in the city as a child, some white people they're uncomfortable right now. They're upset, they're confused, they're saying "Yogi we know you. What were you doing on the other side?" My reply is there is no other side. This is one Beacon and subconsciously you don't understand what we said, what we mean when we say Black lives matter and you need to know and if we have to go to war, know where I'll be if you try to divide this community.”

“I’m gonna tell you right now, people, that I’ve seen that seen me grow up in the city as a child, some white people they’re uncomfortable right now. They’re upset, they’re confused, they’re saying “Yogi we know you. What were you doing on the other side?” My reply is there is no other side. This is one Beacon.”

— Reuben Simmons

[Editor’s Note: For reference, back during the moving of the bench controversy, former Mayor Randy Casale spoke out for the first time since his term as mayor. He was emotional during discussions of moving the bench that was a dedication to his stepson. In voicing his disagreement, he used language like “I will divide this city if they move the bench,” in his social media, and in the original 3hr recording of a podcast on “Wait, What Is That?”]

”There's going to be another shout out I want to give. We went from one end of the city all the way to the river side of the city. You've seen all the police officers out there. The police department's union has told me, has confirmed with me that they want to sit at the table with us to address the issues moving forward. So I want to applaud them for helping us protest peacefully and I want to applaud them for being the big people to understand that they want to sit with us and hear what we have to say, and that is done by Justice McCray.

”Pleasant Valley is-was very ugly. It was very dangerous. What I didn't know last Sunday, where some people went to Pleasant Valley Saturday, those same people came to support us in Beacon on Sunday and I want to apologize to them, because yes I do move militant like Malcolm. My goal is to, to increase peace like Martin, so sometimes I come off with no compassion. So if there's anybody that felt disrespected by me on Sunday, I apologize.

”But at no time did I ever felt you were in danger in my city cause I'm gonna tell you right now: My mother was out there. My sisters were out there. My uncle was out there standing on the other side of the street. He came over across the street for conversation. So if my family's out there, I wanna make sure nothing happens to them. So please believe nothing's gonna happen to you.

”The police were out there. You seen the way the police respect what we're doing here. That's what we need in every community. Pleasant Valley, I don't even know if they have a police department. They're patrolled by state troopers. They're patrolled by county sheriffs. And yes, you could give a boo to the county sheriffs. That's a big reason why I believe we need to start in cities, because cities have their own police department.

”The City of Newburgh has a police department. The City of Poughkeepsie has a police department, and we see them at our community events. When you guys are out there, the people at the counter protest last Saturday, last Sunday in Beacon. The police that you see, I see them all the time. When you guys are in your community, you guys see these people all the time. Let's make sure we're having that conversation and we're bridging the gap. That was a goal of ours last Sunday when we went up for the counter protest.

”Yes I know, that's what it looks like on the optics. I'm not trying to control optics, I'm trying to move this city forward and if we could create a blueprint I would be happy. I would be honored to stand with you guys in your community and see how we could address things forward because you need your local elected leadership which right now, did you see any of them here? I want to give a shout out to them, that's why I want to make sure.

”You need your local elected officials, you need police representation and if they're in a union you need that union representation and you need the Black community. You need to support the police community, and that's a table that we're currently building right now in the city of Beacon. And I'm proud of everyone who's doing the work and I just want to applaud them and I just want to let you guys know, thank you for the support and I think what we're doing here, we could do in many other communities, but it's going to take you as the individual.

”I'm going to wrap it up because I know we're going to move into breakout sessions. Aliyah that has asked me to stand in for, uh, on, on employment. I work in the city of Beacon. I work in the Highway Department. I work my way up. I share the story with anybody who wants to come to the area I'll be at, I'll probably be over here, um, we'll talk about Civil Service Law. We'll talk about application processes. We're talking about how people get hired, how people don't get hired. School districts. Public, um, police departments, things like, things of that nature.

”Once again I just want to thank everybody. I think we're doing good work to move things forward and I want to thank you guys for allowing me to speak. Once again, my name is Ruben Simmons, they call me Coach Yogi.”

Watch The Speech In The Video

This speech has been transcribed from the video below. Hear it in Ali’s and Reuben’s words by pressing Play.