Saturdays And Sundays Are For Supporting Palestine: Weekend Repeat Disruption Rally Locations

Saturdays
12:30pm
Elting Library, New Paltz, NY
Women in Black. Outdoos on thin busy sidewalk. Areas to sit. Street parking metered, free on side streets (past the library parking lot). No chants, very chill! Ignore counter protestors.

Sundays
12:30pm
Woodstock, NY

Outdoors on sidewalk near Stone Park

Sundays
12:30pm
Newburgh, NY

Outdoors with chants on flat pavement by busy road. Park at Downing Park!

Sundays
1pm
Nanuet
Outdoors with chants on wide sidewalks by busy road. Park at Shake Shack.

WEEKLY MONDAY BOYCOTTS: do all you can to disrupt the machine. Nothing is too small.

ALL DAYS: Go add to the community altar on the fence at Hasbrouck Park, New Patz

FREE KN95 MASKS!

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration / Revisiting Beacon's Inspiration In 2024

SCHEDULE
8:45am: Opening remarks at Springfield Baptist Church.
9:30am: 10th Annual Parade. Mattie Cooper to N. Cedar Street to Main Street, finishing back on Mattie Cooper at the church.
11:30am: Celebration Service Inside Springfield Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. Ronald O. Perry, Sr., Pastor.
LOCATION
8 Mattie Cooper (Church Street)

This year, the Beacon Free Press’ front page news story about the Martin Luther King Day Celebration at the Springfield Baptist Church shed revived light on the original inspiration for the MLK Day in Beacon.

Say the organizers about the event: "Honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy and dream during our 10th annual MLK Parade in Beacon. The parade in Beacon was the dream of the late Pete Seeger, activist and local resident of Beacon, who wanted a parade to honor Dr. King, so he founded this wonderful ‘Singing Parade.’ Participants are encouraged to bring signs, flags and musical instruments. For more information, go to the beaconsloop.org." Pete Seeger was a co-founder of the Beacon Sloop Club.

Said the parade representative Bonnie Champion to the Beacon Free Press: “After Pete’s wife Toshi died in July 2013, he came to the Beacon Sloop Club and shared that he was worried that Martin Luther King Day was becoming a day off from school and work, and persons were forgetting this man who changed the world.” The parade began one year later, championed by Bonnie. Pete Seeger never marched in the first parade, but he knew about, it,” Bonnie told the Beacon Free Press. He passed away shortly after on January 27, 2014.

The Southern Dutchess Coalition has held a celebration for the last 46 years, and for the last 10 years, did so with the Beacon Sloop Club. The opening ceremony starts at 8:45am. The parade will step off at 9:30am in front of the Springfield Baptist Church, followed by a Celebration Service at 11:30am with Rev. Dr. Ronald O. Perry, Sr., Pastor.

The parade route will start at the Springfield Baptist Church on Mattie Cooper Street (aka Church Street) and continue on to N. Cedar Street, where it will turn down Main Street, until it hits Willow Street, then turns on Mattie Cooper Street to end at the Springfield Baptist Church.

The student essay contest is happening again this year, where Beacon students grades 1-12 were asked to write about the following quote: “Only love can overcome hatred, bitterness, and fear. I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”

The winning students will receive a $50 award sponsored by Rhinebeck Bank. All others will receive a certificate.

For more information, go to beaconsloop.org.

Justice McCray Does Not Seek Re-Election For Ward 2; Delivers Their Final Speech On City Council

I’ve got a lot more to say and it just won’t be said from this seat.
— Justice McCray

Justice McCray was elected to represent Ward 2 in Beacon, which is the southwest district of the City of Beacon. Justice sprang onto the scene in 2020 during the reawakening for the Civil Rights of People for Color in the United States. They co-formed the group Beacon4BlackLives, a social justice organization dedicated to building social and racial equity and justice within the Hudson Valley. Justice was one of the primary organizers of marches in the name of Black lives mattering more, including a protest at night outside of Mayor Lee Kyriacou’s house.

The demands of Beacon4BlackLives remained in Justice’s election platform., which included:

  • Defund the police.

  • Implement more police oversight policies.

  • Invest back in community by way of social and educational institutions, child care, housing, mental health services, and others.

  • Invest in municipal broadband.

Justice was on Council for the passage of Beacon’s Good Cause Eviction Law, which is now being challenged in court via eviction hearings of various Beaconites. They also consistently voted no or abstained from votes to increase the police budget.

Justice did not seek re-election, and the question could be asked if it was because they felt more impactful as a community organizer out in the field, not bound by municipal charters silencing them, or conforming them to a way of doing things. Justice was succeeded by Jeffrey Domanski, who is not a stranger to working with City Councils as he was part of an effort to unite municipalities to sign into an energy savings plan using clean energy for a low fixed rate, which was eventually nullified by the provider of that energy.

Longtime Councilmember George Mansfield also did not seek re-election, after serving for 14 years. Councilmember George delivered his farewell speech, followed by Justice’s. The full speech from Justice has been republished below:


“I thought I would have a lot to say in my final report as a City Councilperson - and then George spoke (laughter) - but I’ve got a lot more to say and it just won’t be said from this seat.

“When I decided to step up and run for office, I had been actively participating in Council Meetings for a long time as a social justice activist and housing justice advocate.

I’ve been a City Councilmember that neighbors in every ward have talked to about very real discrimination they’ve faced.
— Justice McCray

“I thought I understood how our local government runs, and I came in charged and ready to take on the work that the previous Council left us, and I was ready to be bold and ambitious and frankly, confrontational.

“Stepping into this seat, I learned quickly how much I didn’t know, and for better or worse, I slowed down.

“I didn’t know much I needed to know on the county level or state level, and I didn’t realize how often I would feel powerless in this position. I also didn’t realize how influential my voice had become in addressing issues locally and on a larger level.

“I’ve sat in the living rooms and dining rooms of dozens of my community members’ homes to address issues from potholes, to accessing legal assistance. I’ve been a City Councilmember that neighbors in every ward have talked to about very real discrimination they’ve faced.

“I'm so honored that I've had the opportunity to be a part of a council that fought for tenants rights, that passed trailblazing climate legislation, that’s invested heavily in recreation and community input and making sure that community voices are heard.

“I’m proud of the ways I’ve leveraged the power of this seat to push back against the contamination of the Hudson River, to advocate for tenant protections statewide, to fight Central Hudson’s proposed rate increases and so much more.

I’m so grateful for everything that I’ve learned and for everyone who has supported me. I’ve felt so much support through this position and I wouldn’t have made it without my community.
— Justice McCray

“I'm so grateful for everything that I've learned and for everyone who has supported me. I've felt so much support through this position and I wouldn't have made it without my community. I have a lot of hope for the future, and while I'm going to be finding better ways to play to my strengths, I look forward to doing everything I can to make sure that Beacon can be the best that it can be.

“Special shoutout to my neighbors on South Chestnut and Rombout. I love you very much and you've really made the neighborhood special. I have so many people to thank and I don't think I can name them all here, but for those who make this community special, for those who initiate, for those who show up in whatever ways they know how, thank you and keep showing up.”

Beacon Farmers Market Closed For Anticipated Snow Storm - January 7, 2024

In anticipation of the first snow storm of the season, which is predicted to drop 4”-8” of snow, the Beacon Farmer’s Market is closed. Said the Beacon Farmer’s Market via their Instagram: “When there is snowfall in Beacon, cars must be removed from Main Street to allow plows to come through. When this happens, parking lots like the DMV Lot must be made available for public/resident parking. We’re happy to do our part for the residents of Beacon.”

New Location And Tree Planted For Beacon's Christmas Tree Lighting 2023 - Menorah Location Unknown At This Time

The City of Beacon has chosen a new location for the Christmas tree lighting - Memorial Park. If you were wondering where the very tall evergreen tree near the parking lot appeared from, or if it had been there the whole time but you just didn’t remember, Beacon’s City Administrator, Chris White confirmed during this week’s City Council Meeting that indeed, such a large tree was recently planted to the left of the parking lot of Memorial Park. An electrical outlet was dug and positioned next to the tree so that power could reach the tree for the lights. City Administrator Chris said that Beacon’s Tree Committee was involved in the tree planting. Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou mentioned in his City Council Report that he attended the event, found it enjoyable, and that eventually, it got cold.

The tree lighting event is usually at Pohill Park, which is at Beacon’s most visible main entrance of Main Street and Wolcott Ave (aka Bank Square and Beacon Creamery). Regarding the new location, one of the organizers, Rhonda Altonen, who is also the leader of Girl Scouts Heart Of The Hudson, Inc., told the Beacon Free Press: “We knew that if the event continued to grow, we would need more space. Construction/renovations of the Lewis Tompkins House [Firehouse] also contributed, as they would need space for equipment.”

The new firehouse is one of Beacon’s largest multi-million dollar construction projects, which is currently overshadowing the Welcome Center at Pohill Park, with fencing to protect the new building and geothermal heating underneath, which has constrained parking for St. Andrews Church, and resulted in the one-way designation of South Avenue for the block off Main Street.

The Beacon Free Press reported that people could expect a few take-aways from the event, including an ornament kit, hot chocolate and a cookie. A stage was set for local performers to shine in their holiday cheer. Performances from Yanarella, Salvation Army, Ballet Arts’ Dutchess Dance Company dancers, and others (please chime in the Comments to identify your group!).

All videos of performances were sent in by ALBB Reader Paula Merlino. Thank you, Paula!

The Dutchess Dance Company dancers from Ballet Arts.

Carolers. We spy with our little eyes, the new Captain for Beacon’s Salvation Army, Captain Jesseyna Wiand on the far left of the microphones.


Short 10-ish Year Historic Path Of The Tree Lightnings In Beacon

Traditionally…and…traditions have always evolved here in Beacon…there was a time in the past 10 or so years where a holiday scene was at Pohill Park at the Main Street entrance of Beacon on the west end of town, near the train. There was a tree sculpture made of illuminated bicycle wheels. Next to it was a menorah sculpture, also made of illuminated bicycle wheels. Usually Santa would be rickshaw-ed down Main Street and visit with people. The organization who produced this was BeaconArts, in conjunction with the City of Beacon, and Ed Benavente was the artist of the tree and menorah. So far, a date for a Menorah lighting has not been announced by the City of Beacon or other group. The last time the bicycle menorah lit was in 2021.

Over time, some Beaconites wanted an evergreen tree to be the lit tree again. BeaconArts went through different reorganizations, and the tree lighting ceremony shifted to a new old group. The bicycle tree and menorah no longer lit up Beacon’s main entrance. A giant evergreen behind the Welcome Center was the new celestial greeting. The City of Beacon organized the Santa sittings, there was hot chocolate and different organizations participated to make the tree lighting a fun night for all. That has now moved to Memorial Park.

Renovations Complete At Veterans Memorial Building - ADA Compliant Now - And What Means For Accessibility For Veterans

The renovations are complete at the Veterans Memorial Building, the Commander of the VFW Post 666 Herold Delamater told the Beacon Free Press this week. Construction started in February 2023, in what was an planned project for the Veterans, but the public grew concerned and protective of the building when they saw fencing go up. Throughout the year, different upgrades have been made.

The building serves as a meeting location for many Veterans meetings and gatherings, as well as other events for the public, including FEMA needs when they happen. The Guardian Revival is also based there now, which is a non-profit with a mission to revive and preserve the mental health and well-being of veterans and first responders at no cost to them.

The Chief of Staff of the Guardian Revival, Deneen Kirsten, said this about the change the renovations have given veterans: “They [veterans] want to come in and hang out and they realize it’s a safe place. They then ask for help.’ Deneen told the newspaper that with the various programs the organizations are offering, some of the stigma is being lifted.

Tony Pulliam, a US Veteran who is the Commander of the Marine Corps League chapter in Beacon, told the Beacon Free Press that where they did not have a handicap ramp before, they have it now, by raising the front porch. They also planted new landscaping in front of the building. People may miss the pink flowering trees in the spring, but there must have been a reason to remove them.

The building is used 7 days a week, with over 200 volunteers, staff and membership accessing it. There is a new kitchen on the lower floor, which was provided by grants. The labor to install was all-volunteer, with the exception of the tile work, Pulliam told the Beacon Free Press.

“Years ago, no one even know what the building was,” Delamater told the newspaper. But now, the words VETERANS MEMORIAL BUILDING are inscribed at the top on the outside of the building.

Nearly $500,000 in improvements have been made to the building, which the veterans have organized, the Beacon Free Press reports. The Department of Veterans Services has awarded $60,000 for additional renovations. Some financing has come from the City of Beacon in years past under the City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero, but the veterans rely on fundraising to get their work and repairs complete.

Regarding Veterans Day, Herold told the Beacon Free Press: “It is a time for reflection across all branches. It is a time to support one another. We’re all one. We have to look out for one another. If someone is out there who needs something, we’re here. We don’t turn anybody away.”

The Veterans Memorial Building Team will be hosting a commemorative veterans event on November 30 from 6-8pm at the Veterans Memorial Building.

Beacon Election Results: The Significance Of The Unopposed Party, And A Few Other Races

In Beacon, the entire City Council, made up of Democrats, was running unopposed, including the Mayor. Until one person announced just days prior that he would be a write-in mayoral candidate, which garnered some discussion about the fact that there was no choice of candidates. A single party hold by the Democratic party on this community has become the norm, that one sometimes wonders why there were yard signs at all.

In this local election, here are some election results from the Dutchess County Board Of Elections:

County Clerk:
Kenya Gadsen (Democrat) lost to Bradford Kendall (Republican), who was running for re-election. It was a close race.
Kenya also ran on the Working Families line, and Bradford on the Conservative line.
Kenya was at one time on Beacon’s Board Of Education, and then moved to be elected to Fishkill’s Town Board.

Dutchess County Executive
Susan J. Serino (Republican) won against Tommy Zurhellen (Democrat).
Susan also ran on the Conservative line, and Tommy on the Working Families line.
Susan was a New York Senator representing Dutchess County for 8 years, until she lost her last re-election to Michelle Henchey (Democrat) after her territory was redistricted.

Dutchess County Legislator - District 16
Yvette Valdes Smith (Democrat, Working Families) beat Ron Davis (Republican, Conservative) by a wide margin. There were 2 write-in votes (.07%).

Dutchess County Legislator - District 18
Nick Page (Democrat) won unopposed. There were 22 write-in votes (1%).
Nick’s family’s business, Hudson Todd, owns several of the buildings on Main Street on the west end of town by Bank Square.

City Of Beacon Mayor
Lee Kyriacou won almost unopposed. There were 449 write-votes. That was 16% of the vote. Generally, the percentage of write-ins for other elected positions in this election was 1%.
Lee ran in the Democratic line and is a landlord.
Days before the vote, Reuben Simmons announced his candidacy as a write-in. Well known in Beacon, Reuben stood a very slim, but not impossible, chance of winning through his work as a City of Beacon employee and his extensive volunteer work, placing him throughout the city with people at all times.

Beacon City Council
All 7 seats of the City Council were Democrats and ran unopposed.
Five seats remain the same, and 2 are new:
Ward 1: Molly Rhodes, returns for her 2nd term. There were 10 write-in votes (1%).
Molly ran in the Democratic line.
A newcomer, LaStar Gorton, wanted to run for Ward 1, and had everything she needed to run on the Independent line. But a series of strange events happened to her that kept her off the ballot.
Ward 2: Jeffrey Domanski is newly elected. There were 9 write-in votes (1%).
Jeffrey ran in the Democratic line.
Former Councilmember Justice McCray did not seek re-election. Justice is a founding member of Beacon4Black Lives.
Jeffrey is known in Beacon politics in part for his work for shepherding Beacon, along with other municipalities, into Beacon’s signing onto a fixed energy price using clean energy via the Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program. That program auto-opted in Beacon residents, and guaranteed them a low fixed energy rate. When energy rates went up in Summer or during the beginning of the Ukraine war, the fixed energy price through the CCA remained low and the same. However, the energy contractor behind this arrangement broke their contract and walked away, thereby breaking the fixed rate. Some Beaconites were suspicious of the rate lock anyway, just by the nature of so many clean energy solar panel peddlers coming to Beaconite’s doorsteps and confusing them with different programs, and because of Central Hudson’s own confusing and sometimes misleading language. The CCA program was nothing like those programs, and did give citizens savings. Jeffrey is married to a member of the Beacon Board of Education, Kristan Flynn.
Ward 3: Wren Longo, returns for her 2nd term. There were 8 write-in votes (1%).
Wren ran in the Democratic line.
Wren is well versed in affordable housing.
Ward 4: Dan Aymar-Blair, returns for his 3rd term. There were 16 write-in votes (2%).
Dan ran in the Democratic and Working Families lines.
Dan originally ran on an anti-development theme and currently seeks strict regulation of emissions to impact the climate crisis.
Councilmembers At Large: Paloma Wake and Pam Wetherbee
Paolma ran in the Democratic and Working Families lines.
Paloma is passionate about affordable housing, the climate, and land-justice in Beacon, recognizing that we are living on Indigenous land.
Pam ran in the Democratic line.
Pam is a former City Councilmember, and is currently advocating for the residents who live near Rte. 52, where the Mayor is leading a move to re-zone that area once property opens up after Healey Brothers leave.

The Write-In Candidate: Beacon's Mayoral Race Now Has A Choice: Reuben Simmons Enters As Candidate

It was a drowsy hyper-local election season in Beacon this year, with the usual Democratic candidates running or not running unopposed for City Council and the Mayor position. All City Council positions are running unopposed in the Democratic line, with Paloma Wake and Dan Aymar-Blair also claiming the Working Families line. Mayor Lee Kyriacou, who unseated two-term Mayor Randy Casale last round, was running unopposed - until last Friday when lifelong resident Reuben Simmons decided to run at the request of those around him, he told ALBB last evening.

Before Reuben entered the race, the Beacon Free Press interviewed Mayor Kyriacou for last Wednesday’s print edition. The newspaper asked him: “What do you think it says that no one is running against you?” Mayor Kyriacou answered: “Well, I certainly can’t speak for those who might have thought about running. What I hope being unopposed says, is that Beacon residents think the city is in good steady hands, that I truly listen to and try to represent everyone in our community, and that I’ve provided strong but inclusive leadership. I guess my track record in Beacon elections - 11 races, 11 wins - may also have been a little daunting; I have knocked on every single door in our city multiple times. I would of course welcome competition - that’s democracy - which makes us stronger and more inclusive.”

A week before that print edition came out, friends of Reuben Simmons began texting friends that Reuben had entered the race as a Mayoral candidate as a write-in candidate. Reuben was born and raised in Beacon, is a 20-year employee of Beacon’s Highway Department; is a co-founder of the volunteer group I Am Beacon which is quietly or loudly behind many signature efforts in Beacon like Turkey On Every Table; at one point production of the the City’s fireworks for the centennial celebration, the This Is Beacon podcast; and other initiatives.

Who Is Reuben Simmons?

Longtime locals to Beacon know Reuben very well. Some know him as Coach Yogi, from when he coached Beacon Bears youth football, and via coaching and leadership of Beacon Hoops, which is youth basketball. Newcomers to Beacon may not know him yet. Readers can listen to this interview with him recorded on Sunday evening at his rally gathering at Max’s on Main.

Reuben Interview: Running For Mayor

Picture of the sample ballot. The write-in box is at the bottom. Print clearly and slowly. DO not write a signature. Just write the words in print.

Reuben says his recent decision to run in addition to Mayor Lee Kyriacou, is to give people a choice, he told ALBB at the rally held for him by Richie Kaplan, owner of Max’s on Main. At this stage, Reuben has not performed the traditional campaign things, like raising money, printing and distributing yard signs, going door to door, mailing postcards, etc. It’s just him and his support network of friends and family. With one day away from the election, he is relying on word of mouth in the community to get the word out that he is running.

That, and that people will need to spell his name correctly on the ballot: Reuben Simmons. (HINT: the “e” goes before the “u”).

Reuben maintained that people wanted a choice in how they were voting. He told ALBB: “People said that they want an option. How I feel about politics, I'm not really involved in the political side, I just feel people should have a choice.”

In ALBB’s interview, Reuben describes how, when he was Highway Superintendent, he put together the budget for the Highway Department, which consists of other departments under the umbrella of the Highway Department including City Mechanics Garage, Parks Department, and Transfer Station. Beacon Parks and Recreation Department Director Mark Price crafts and delivers his budget each year.

Regarding Reuben’s Experience Working Hands-On With City Government

ALBB asked Reuben about his 20 year experience working with the City of Beacon, and how that translates to a Mayoral position: “Through just what I do throughout the city through my volunteering, working and meeting and talking with people throughout the city, there was a lot of frustration that people felt like they were handcuffed to an election. They felt like there was a certain party that just has a hold on the election process and doesn't allow other people to run.”

Video Block
Double-click here to add a video by URL or embed code. Learn more

Over the years, the Democrats have represented in City Council. The Republican and Independent efforts have been almost non-existent.

For example, this year, there was a new attempt to run for City Council Ward 1 by LaStar Gorton, but she seemed to have been shut out, she told ALBB. LaStar attended Reuben’s rally, and spoke to ALBB about her experience trying to get onto the ballot as an Independent. She says she was questioned by Democrat Lisa Jessup about the ballot one hour after she filed. LaStar says that she was questioned regarding her signatures. LaStar was sent an acceptance letter after she filed, but the letter was postmarked one day before she needed to submit her acceptance. She received the mail after the deadline, and was not granted an extension for the unworkable postmark by the Dutchess County Board Of Elections.

ALBB has seen signature blocking before, the last instance being when former Beacon City Councilman Ali T. Muhammad was running for Mayor of Newburgh on the Democratic line. Many of his signatures were rejected by the Board of Elections. Ali explained to ALBB: “They started weaponizing that tactic tool against me since 2016. I’ve won a couple court cases to reverse the ruling. I’ve been disqualified in a couple races because of the rulings and no resources to fix.”

Listen to LaStar’s experience in the interview below, and read about what prompted her to want to run in the first place. Should you want to write her in for Ward 1, there would be nothing stopping you. Ward 1’s current Councilmember, Molly Rhodes, is running unopposed in the Democratic line.

LaStar Gorton Interview On Not Getting Onto The Ballot For City Council Ward 1

What Qualifies Reuben Simmons?

When ALBB asked what qualifies Reuben, he answered: “I do think I'm a candidate to consider - given my two decades of working and volunteering within the community - the connections I've made through residents, business owners, civic groups, church groups alike. The people asked me. The more and more that people asked me, I looked into it, I do have a good knowledge of how the City operates. I have been working for the Highway Department for 20 years now, straight out of high school. I started as summer intern and worked my way up to Superintendent.”

In terms of crafting budgets, Reuben has the experience: “I had to put together one of the biggest budgets in the City of Beacon that has multiple departments. By running, I'll be learning and working with great people that work with the City, I'll be able to learn and understand how budgets operate, and how the City operates as a whole.”

Before he was Highway Superintendent, Reuben served as the Union President. He served for 7 years, winning 2 terms, and negotiated 2 contracts with the City of Beacon. His second contract was voted by 100% approval rating by all the workers represented by the union the Public Works division. "I take that with pride. I listened to what the workers want. That's the same type of leadership I would bring in to local government. That's the same type of leadership I would bring in to any avenue I have. Listening to the people. This situation I'm in right now, this write-in opportunity, is by response of listening to the people.”

Reuben’s Approach To Zoning and Development In Beacon

ALBB asked Reuben how he would approach zoning in Beacon. Especially now as Rte. 52 is in the spotlight with the Healey car dealership selling their property along that strip. Reuben stated: “I would listen to the residents that live in that area, and how that is going to effect residents as a whole. I have learned a lot about development in this city and the history of it. I think to move forward, we have to understand our history. Right now, I am working with the Beacon Historical Society, The Highlands Current and the Howland Public Library, where I'm learning a lot on what happened during Urban Renewal. A lot of things that we are hearing and learning throughout that, I'm seeing a lot replicated today. I'm willing to bring that aspect of what I'm learning there, and what we can do to move forward for the rezoning on Rte. 52.”

Would Reuben Have Priorities As Mayor In Beacon?

ALBB asked if Reuben would come in with a set of priorities. He answered: “I can't speak to the priorities. This was a last minute move in response to people asking for this. This was not something I was planning. It's not something I was marketing myself for. My experience of working within the City and still being out here volunteering and working, I am confident that I'll be caught up to speed in a good amount of time.”

Overall, Reuben reflected: “It's a collective effort. I'm community-first, community-minded. When it comes to a priority list, or how I make decisions, I make decision not based on what is best for me. I base it off of what I hear in the community. A lot of that is going to be a lot of meetings, and understanding, and talking and round-table discussions. I've seen it operate that way in the past, and I think that's the best way to move forward.”

Where To Vote: Polling Stations For Beacon

The Dutchess County Board of Elections has the locations for Beacon. To find Beacon, look scroll the list for C/Beacon (aka City of Beacon), which is really confusing, as it is not in any kind of alphabetical order.

The Beacon Democrats website makes it more clear, and presents other voting issues to consider on the ballot:

  • Ward 1, ED 1 & Ward 2, ED 1 & 2: South Ave. Elementary School, 60 South Ave.

  • Ward 1, ED 2 & Ward 4, ED 1 & 2: Beacon Memorial Building, 413 Main St.

  • Ward 3, ED 1 & 2: Forrestal Elementary School, 125 Liberty St.

Rally For Reuben Simmons Write-In Candidacy For Mayor Of Beacon At Max's On Main

Reuben Simmons, a lifelong Beaconite, has just decided to run for Mayor in Beacon, as a write-in candidate, at the request of those around him, to give people a choice in an un-opposed mayoral race. Reuben told ALBB that people voiced their frustration at not having a choice in this year’s race, as Mayor Lee Kyriacou runs unopposed in what would be his second term in office as Mayor. Mayor Lee has been in Beacon politics since the 1990s as a City Council member throughout the years.

Article to come on Reuben’s candicacy next. Owner of Max’s on Main, Richie Kaplan, offered to host a rally for Reuben on Sunday evening. Reuben and Richie serve together on the Beacon Parade of Green committee, which is one of several local volunteer committees Reuben serves on. Article to come.

How Accessible Is Finding Shelter For The Night In Beacon? Alexis Rosa Explores Homeless Access In Beacon

Editor’s Note: After FEMA was in Beacon to register people for federal assistance at the Veterans Memorial Building after a hurricane caused damage to some homes, a representative with FEMA who lived out of state asked ALBB where homeless people can go in Beacon. They were approached by a person who needed homeless services, and did not know where to go. This is not the first time ALBB has been approached with this question by people in immediate need, who do not have time to research and apply for programs to maybe be approved, if they even finish or attain an application.

We asked our new writer, Alexis Rosa, a recent graduate from Beacon High School to investigate this process. Alexis set out to find out what it was like to need homeless services right now - tonight - in Beacon.

By Alexis Rosa

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. census reported that at one point in time in 2020 there were 17 homeless people per 10,000 residents. A decrease from the previous years, but any amount more than 0 is too high. In this article, I will explore where someone in Beacon can go if they are going to be homeless that night. But homelessness doesn’t happen without life situations, sometimes contributed by mental illness. Therefore, I explore both mental illness support and home shelters available, and how to access them.

How Dutchess County Handles Mental Health From An Accessibility Perspective

Dutchess County has a mental health problem. To be clear, I am not referring to the amount of people with mental health issues in Dutchess County. I am referring to how we deal with people with mental health issues.

I think that housing should be considered as infrastructure, meaning that communities should think of housing as a basic need that has to be adequately met in order to have a healthy and productive community
— Javier Gomez, Hudson River Housing

Most people agree that there is a homelessness crisis, very few people want the solution to be in their backyard.

The fact of the matter is that anyone could find themselves in an emergency situation like this. A dangerous amount of people are one paycheck away from being on the streets. When you find yourself in this situation, what do you do? How easy are these resources to access, really?

Dutchess County has a 24/7 Crisis Hotline listed as being available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year—even on holidays. They offer calling or texting at 845-485-9700 with professional crisis counselors. Knowing how useful and important having the option to text a crisis hotline can be, I was eager to try it out for myself.

Calling Dutchess County’s Hotline

Editor’s Note: We wanted to experience Dutchess County’s Crisis Hotline ourselves, not through them giving a media publication information, as that would be done in a more perfect, optimistic way. We wanted the real experience. We asked Alexis to find out.

I reached out to them through their texting service to see how they might help someone in a crisis situation. I wanted to see about the quality of assistance they offer.

It took a moment, but after the initial text I sent, I was met with the standard chatbot letting me know about messaging rates, and telling me to reply with “Yes” to consent to continued texts. Not even a minute after the bot responses, a counselor was made available to help me, and joined the session.

Counselor: Hi. How can I help you?

Me: I’m going to be homeless tonight and I’m not sure where to go. I was hoping someone might be able to point me in the right direction?

Counselor: I am sorry to hear that. Are you in Dutchess County?

Me: Yes, in Beacon

Counselor: Do you have transportation?

Me: No, I might be able to take the bus though

Counselor: Ok. Have you ever been in any housing in this county before?

Me: No

Counselor: I mean applied for housing OR been to Hudson River Housing in POK?

Counselor: Ok

Me: No, I’m on my own for the first time

Counselor: How old are you if you don’t mind?

Me: 21

Counselor: Ok, so here are some numbers. You can also go to the stabilization center at 230 North Road, Poughkeepsie. They are open 24/7. It is NOT a hospital. They have licensed social workers and mental health counselors who can help you navigate housing. I STRONGLY recommend that you go there ASAP so they have the ability to make calls and help you.

Counselor: Hudson River Housing 845-473-5166

Counselor: Rose House 845-452-2728

Counselor: Alliance House 845-452-5015

Counselor: The PODS (emergency housing) is the same as Hudson river housing.

Counselor: Porchlight Program 845-337-4407

Counselor: Are you safe in this moment?

Me: Yeah I’m safe for now. Is there something I can do if I don’t have money for the bus?

Counselor: IF you have medicaid, you can possible get medicaid transportation

Counselor: Can anyone bring you to Poughkeepsie?

Me: I’m trying to ask around to see if someone can, but I’m not certain right now. How does the medicaid transportation work? Is there a number I can call?

Counselor: Ok I am going to give you the number to stabilization so you can arrange this with them. 845-486-2849. Call them now, so you can make sure you get all the information you need.

After providing me with all the information they could offer me, based on the questions I asked and the answers I gave them, the chat was closed, but only after I gave my okay for the counselor to end the session.

In the short duration of our chat, I learned about multiple places that would offer me assistance, and an alternate form of transportation. Ultimately, I was satisfied with the level of assistance. But considering I wasn’t actually in dire need of these services, and for the sake of this article, I couldn’t just stop there. I reached out via email to multiple companies and organizations all with the same goal of helping people in need find emergency shelter and housing.

Exploring Rose House

Rose House is another organization with a similar goal of assisting those who need housing in the Hudson Valley. They have multiple short term shelters across New York that are available to those in need 24/7, all year round. What’s unique about Rose House is that they are listed as being “peer-operated”, completely run by people who have been in similar situations and wish to give back. I had some trouble finding their website initially, but once I did, I learned that their shelters are available to any one 18 years of age or older living in Dutchess, Orange, Ulster, Putnam, Warren, and Washington Counties. There is a screening process for these facilities. Once you become a registered guest at the Rose House, they offer up to a 5 day stay, and assistance with developing skills to better care for and maintain one's mental wellness. The programs they offer are voluntary, and residents can come and go as they please.

Exploring Alliance House

Alliance House is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1987. They follow a “clubhouse model” and that makes anyone who uses their services members, not clients. “To have Membership in an organization means to belong, to fit in somewhere, and to have a place where you are always welcome. For a person living with the effects of mental illness, these simple things cannot be taken for granted. In fact, the reality for most people with mental illness is that they have a constant sense of not fitting in, of isolation, and rejection,” as said by Joel Corcoran, the executive director for Clubhouse International.

Alliance House owns two properties that are exclusively for members. In order to become a member you must be over 18, have a diagnosed mental illness, and not be a safety concern. Your diagnosis has to be an Axis 1 diagnosis, and you need a referral made by a medical professional in which a mental health evaluation and treatment plan must be included. This process of becoming a member is not the easiest by any means, especially considering the waiting period for something as basic as setting up an appointment with a medical professional today. Using this as a solution requires a lot of time.

Exploring Hudson River Housing

Hudson River Housing is a company that prides itself on its life and community improving services. To take a quote from their website, they “create pathways out of homelessness through empowerment, education, and advocacy.” In the economy we are living in today, organizations that are dedicated to preserving affordable housing and ultimately helping to build, and maintain strong communities are becoming more and more of a necessity.

Grassroot organizations are popping up all over with this mission in mind, but companies like Hudson River Housing have been around for a time. What started as a task force quickly evolved. In 1982, Hudson River Housing was officially founded.

Hudson River Housing offers overnight emergency shelter all year round at 150 North Hamilton Street in Poughkeepsie. There is a curfew of 6:30 pm. Additional emergency shelters can be found at Webster House for anyone 18 years of age or older. There is a screening process, and guests are expected to meet with a “care manager” to discuss reasons for homelessness and set up a plan for permanent housing. Their website also lists emergency housing for families as well as for runaways or otherwise homeless children and teenagers.

Project Porchlight is a drop in shelter that is listed on the Hudson River Housing website. What that means is, during their hours of operation between 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, anyone is welcome. You’ll receive a place to sleep, food, basic supplies, access to showers, and assistance from care managers.

Alexis Interviews Hudson River Housing

I was able to interview Javier Gomez, the Director of Community Development at Hudson River Housing. He was able to answer a lot of questions for me that I was unable to find the answers to on the HRH website, answers to questions that I feel to be important when discussing housing and the resources we have available.

Javier is a Hudson Valley native, and has been a resident of the Hudson Valley since 2002 where he grew up in both Beacon and Wappingers.

As the Director of Community Development, Javier has a wide range of responsibilities that he oversees. Some of those responsibilities include community engagement activities, neighborhood revitalization and community programs, advocacy, partnerships, and impact measurement.

On the topic of the housing crisis being a human rights issue, Javier said that HRH does believe housing to be a human right. It is the vision of HRH for all communities to have sufficient affordable housing for its residents. Everyone should have the opportunity to live in safe, affordable housing that meets their needs regardless of income, family makeup, race or ethnicity, gender, physical or mental health, or any other defining factors.

“To go a little bit further, I think that housing should be considered as infrastructure, meaning that communities should think of housing as a basic need that has to be adequately met in order to have a healthy and productive community,” Javier added.

Javier explained to me that Hudson River Housing is the largest non-profit developer of affordable housing in Dutchess County. They primarily work out of Poughkeepsie, but they do have some reach over in other parts of the Hudson Valley. Hudson River Housing develops and operates a variety of housing and services to meet the diverse housing needs of the people that call the Hudson Valley home. These services range from the aforementioned emergency overnight services to transitional, supportive, and permanent rental housing, as well as homes for first time homebuyers.

In addition to developing and operating affordable housing, HRH also provides other services for people experiencing homelessness or any other housing needs, such as life skills-based care management, job training, homebuyer education. HRH also offers specialized services and housing for youth, elders and veterans, specialized small business support, outreach and neighborhood revitalization programs, and landlord and renter assistance.

I asked Javier what the process of working with Hudson River Housing might look like for someone seeking affordable housing. He explained that people access their housing through a variety of ways. Hudson River Housing has community partners all over the Hudson Valley that provide referrals to people seeking housing, such as the Dutchess County Department of Community and Family Services and other social service offices.

For permanent rental housing, there are applications online and in-person, and people will become notified when a unit that meets their needs becomes available. I asked Javier how long it would take to be notified, and he went on to explain that it can be up to a month before you hear anything so HRH encourages people to apply before they find themselves in an emergency situation. They work their way through the wait-list and Javier assured me that nobody gets skipped.

HRH acknowledges that there is an unmet need for affordable housing in communities throughout the Hudson Valley.
— Alexis Rosa, when interviewing Javier Gomez, Hudson River Housing

Since HRH’s establishment in 1982, they have developed over 1,400 housing units and currently co-own or manage over 1,300 affordable housing units across 8 towns and municipalities throughout the Hudson Valley. In 2022, HRH was able to provide emergency shelter and services to 995 adults and 325 youth or young adults. They’ve also offered 91 households their support in moving from emergency housing to permanent housing, and helped 40 households with home buying.

I asked Javier what difficulties HRH faces while trying to get this help to people who need it. He acknowledged that HRH’s most notable challenge is that their emergency and supportive housing is primarily located in the City and Town of Poughkeepsie.

“We’re seeing a rise of people experiencing homelessness throughout Dutchess County and the Hudson Valley, but most of our resources to address homelessness are concentrated in Poughkeepsie. We get calls from towns throughout the region to provide outreach to people who are homeless and, like many of us, these folks have ties to a community that make it difficult for them to leave the town where they live in and uproot to another place where they would need to rebuild their life. If we could create more opportunities for people to enter into housing and get services where they are already, that would go a long way to getting people the help they need to get off of the street.”

Javier noted that people come to them as a last resort whether it be emergency housing, rental assistance, foreclosure prevention counseling, or because they’re about to lose their apartment.

“I think we do a great job at getting people connected to the help they need now to address the housing issue they are going through no matter what it is, and we also strive to get people connected to resources and opportunities that will make it less likely for them to be in this situation again.”

HRH manages their own properties, but they offer property management services to property owners of affordable housing as well. HRH operates similarly to any other property management company; they communicate with tenants, collect rent, maintain properties, and manage leases. What sets them apart, aside from being a nonprofit and all the resources they offer, is that they’re familiar with a broad range of state, local, and federal affordable housing compliance regulations. This knowledge allows them to be able to ensure that properties remain in compliance with those regulations as a part of their service.

Javier had some amazing things to say about the people affected by this crisis and how communities tackle the situation too!

“Homelessness and housing insecurity is caused by a variety of individual and societal factors, and I find that people who don’t work directly in housing will sometimes approach the issue by thinking about how to prevent the circumstances and decisions that may have led to someone becoming homeless or housing insecure. I don't want to take anything away from that because addressing the cause is absolutely important, and HRH is doing that work too, but to offer another perspective preventing housing insecurity is only part of the solution and it is also really important to concern ourselves with the immediate needs of people experiencing housing insecurity, and invest in the resources that help people.”

I asked Javier if he was satisfied with the work that his organization does, and whether or not there was more that they could be doing. He expressed that he thinks HRH is doing a great job with the resources they have, but that HRH acknowledges that there is an unmet need for affordable housing in communities throughout the Hudson Valley.

HRH welcomes any opportunity to form relationships with any communities interested in creating more housing for their residents. If anyone is interested in helping HRH, they do accept donations in the form of financial contributions as well as supplies for their housing. HRH also does work with individuals, companies, and organizations to host fundraisers, as well as an Adopt-a-Night program where people can volunteer to prepare or donate a meal for their housing.

Becoming more engaged in the public approval process for housing in your towns or cities is another great way people can get involved and help. Speak with your local elected officials, talk about why affordable housing matters.

“It’s true that there is a housing crisis across the country, but the decisions about what kind of housing gets built and where takes place at the local level and it's important to be informed about what is going on here in our community and not just what can be done at the national level.”

The other organizations, Rose House and Alliance House, never reached back to me about answering any questions unfortunately, but their websites offered a fair amount of insight. In my quest to find out if the process was easy or hard, I didn’t really get my answer. But, it indicates the answer of accessibility being a long road.

Immediate Shelter Need In An Emergency Situation

For someone needing immediate shelter in an emergency situation, Hudson River housing offered the most accessible solutions. Transportation is another thing entirely. The counselor I spoke to over the hotline did detail that if you have Medicaid, you could possibly get medicaid transportation, but that doesn’t offer a solution for someone who doesn’t have Medicaid.

A bus ride up to Poughkeepsie is $1.75 one way. Poughkeepsie residents do get to ride for free when they’re under the age of 20, however, and there are discounted prices for the elderly, children, and students.

Depending on which bus driver you get, most of them will let you ride on just one payment, but on the weekends there is one bus driver who requires you pay twice if you get on at the wrong bus stop (depending on which way you’re going). $1.75 might not seem like much in the grand scheme of things, but in an emergency situation it can be a lot harder to make that money than one would think.

Alexis’ Conclusion

Beacon is a bustling tourist spot now, but what about the people with strong roots here? How are they doing? We as citizens need to be sure we’re asking the right questions to the right people.
— Alexis Rosa

It’s apparent to me that we as a community need to be more willing to have these life-saving resources more readily available. Housing is, and should be considered, a human right and the property values of our homes are not worth more than the life of a human. You can tell a great deal about whether or not a town or city is thriving based on how they treat their residents who are struggling financially or mentally. Beacon is a bustling tourist spot now, but what about the people with strong roots here? How are they doing? We as citizens need to be sure we’re asking the right questions to the right people.

For new residents who don't know, certain parts of Beacon used to be considered dangerous. Even today a lot of the apartment complexes and certain areas in Beacon still carry that stigma of being dangerous or undesirable to be in. With the cost of living in Beacon continuing to rise, we will continue to see an uptick in crime. Whether or not it will match those levels previously held is uncertain, but what we do know is that when people’s needs go unmet, crime rises.

While I may not have found the answer to the question of whether or not all of these resources are easily accessible, I did learn a lot about resources we have here in the Hudson Valley that I was not previously aware of. As we know, any knowledge is good knowledge. Knowledge is power.

More information on these organizations can be found on their websites and by calling the numbers provided in this article.

New Day/Time!! "SOON IS NOW," Lovers Of Long Dock Park Will Love This Immersive Multi-Performance Curated Around Climate And Eco On Oct. 1

SOON IS NOW, the climate and eco art & live performance festival in Scenic Hudson's Long Dock Park is happening on a new date an time, due to last week’s weather. Fitting, being that this performance is all about the climate! This year, it is on the same day as Spirit of Beacon Day, so you have quite a collection of things to do this Sunday.

Important Things You Need To Know:

IMMERSIVE PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Resistance Revival Chorus, coming to Beacon for “Soon Is Now” at Scenic Hudson’s Long Dock Park. On October 1 at 3pm.

SOON IS NOW is from 12pm-3:30pm. Multiple performances happen throughout the nature in the park, ending with the finale of the famous The Resistance Revival Chorus performing at 3pm. Tours take people through the different performances and run every half hour starting at: 12:30pm, 1pm, 1:30pm. If you miss the start of a tour, you could wander around the park and fall into a group.

Lovers of Long Dock Park will get to experience it in a way they have never experienced it before. Located along the Hudson River, this park is mainly covered in tall grasses with winding paths cut through, surrounded by dunes of other grasses, shaded by trees and rocky beach along the water.

WHAT PEOPLE WILL EXPERIENCE ON THE TOURS

Tours will start at the River Center (big Red Barn). Walk straight to the dancers on the berm ahead of the River Center. Walk through the native grasses and the aster and sunflowers currently in bloom, and continue to the shore of the Hudson River. Performances will be seen all along the rocky beach - 3 performances in total. At the edge of the beach is a performance in a bog in the wetlands. The wetlands! The group will then go to the Outdoor Classroom, which is a mini concrete amphitheater located down low in what feels like a sunken part of the tall grasses. People will experience theater in this spot. People will make their way back across the park, past the kayak shelter to go straight ahead to meet a dancer again where they dance with 5 trees.




WHO YOU WILL SEE

Come to the park to see the visual arts exhibition in the River Center (Big Red Barn) with work by Camille Seaman, Jaanika Peerna and Jean Brennan. Meet climate activists from Beacon Climate Action Now and Climate Reality, and sign up for a tour.

This event is FREE of charge and open to the public and there are so many wonderful artists (many from Beacon) participating: Edwin Torres, Andrew Brehm, Elise Knudson, Elisa Santiago, Twinkle Burke and more. Click here for more details >

3PM: THE RESISTANCE REVIVAL CHORUS

Beaconites and those located nearby are in luck, as they get to experience The Resistance Revival Chorus up from NYC to sing a closing concert at 3pm. The Number Seven Sandwich Food Truck located near the River Center in Long Dock Park will have food for sale.

PARKING & DRIVING NOTES

The 46th annual Spirit of Beacon Day is happening up the hill on Beacon’s’ Main Street. A few notes for parking and driving down to Long Dock Park:

12pm-1:30pm Wolcott Avenue will be closed from Beekman Street (Giannetta’s Salon Spa) to Beekman Street (Rose Hill Manor Day Care), as Spirit of Beacon Parade participants will be lining up there. If coming from the south (Cold Spring), take 9D all the way, or if in Beacon, take Teller Avenue down to Beekman (Rose Hill Manor Day Care) and take a left on Beekman, which will take you past the Dia and to the park.

If coming from the north (1-84) take Wolcott/9D to Beekman (Giannetta’s Salon Spa) and take a right on Beekman. Pass Two Way Brewery and Brett’s Hardware all the way around until Long Dock Park.

Free parking is at the Metro North Beacon Train Station. The Spirit of Beacon Day will have a special FREE Dutchess County Bus that is shuttling people from the train up to Main Street from 11am-4:40pm. You can take it to help you experience both events.

Main Street in Beacon will be blocked from Key Food to the Yankee Clipper Diner, so take Henry Street if you want to go around Main Street for any reason.

City Of Beacon Allows Beacon Farmers' Market and Flea Market To Be Open On Spirit Of Beacon Day Rain Date

“When I adopted the role of Chair for the Spirit of Beacon Day last year,” said Katie Hellmuth, “I and the new Committee members learned that both the Beacon Farmers’ Market and Beacon Flea Market were ordered by their contracts with the City of Beacon to be closed on the Spirit of Beacon Day. Which was an agreement set up years ago, before this administration. This was to open up parking in both the DMV parking lot and the Henry Street parking lot - which are both free municipal lots - on those days,” Katie told A Little Beacon Blog.

Beacon has a parking problem. Closing the markets should not be a bandaid solution to fixing that for one weekend of a community festival.
— Katie Hellmuth, Chair of the Spirit of Beacon Day

“From our first organizational meeting with the City of Beacon last year, which included the City Administrator Chris White, Police Chief Sans Frost, and Lt. Jason Walden, we asked for both markets to be open. Knowing that if you open the Farmers Market, you have to also open the Flea Market,” Katie said. “Opening both markets would enhance the whole day, and connect the west end of Beacon’s Main Street with the Spirit of Beacon Day blocked off section. Often what happens is that the middle of Main Street is a bottle-neck of people. We want the people to also experience both ends of Main Street. The east end near the mountain is a whole different story but we want people there too.”

Beacon has a known parking problem. The city is running out of space to absorb cars wanting to park near Main Street. A parking garage has been floated, but has not yet been accepted by the public.

“For so many reasons, the Spirit of Beacon Day Committee wanted the Beacon Farmers’ Market to be open on the big day. But, Police Chief Frost and Lt. Walden were afraid of a repeat scenario of the Cupcake Festival,” Katie told ALBB. “During that festival, so many tourists came in, and parked all over the place. In organizational meetings, Lt. Walden was adamant that we keep the DMV and Henry Street parking lots closed but open to the public,” Katie said.

According to Katie, Chief Frost was willing to consider opening the parking lots for the following year, but he wasn’t comfortable for 2023. A huge fan of the Spirit of Beacon Day, Chief Frost anticipated a lot of people, and he wanted to accommodate them.

Beacon has a parking problem. Closing the markets should not be a bandaid solution to fixing that for one weekend of a community festival.
— Katie Hellmuth

However, the DMV parking lot is consistently under-used. On regular weekends, tourists don’t to know to park there. Despite new signage designed by the Main Street Access Committee. On their 2022 de-briefing, sources say that Katie asked Lt. Walden if the DMV lot was full on Spirit of Beacon 2022. According to sources, he confirmed that it was not.

This year, when the Spirit of Beacon Day went to rain date, which was possibly the 2nd time in its 46 year history, it forced a reconsideration of the rain date. “Once the tropical storm was strengthening, we didn’t know what direction the storm was going to go in. We feared the kids being out in that weather. We had done our homework and knew which of our service vendors and performers were still available the following weekend. So we quickly postponed the Spirit of Beacon Day and alerted all of our vendors so that they could prepare for the following weekend instead,” Katie said.

As for the Farmers’ Market, the procedure for the rain date maybe be unprecidented between the City of Beacon and the Farmers’ Market and Flea Market. “We knew this postponement would impact the Farmers Market. That they would still be closed on our original date because of the short notice. In my own heart of hearts, I knew that there was no way the Farmer’s Market was not going to be open on the rain date. I was texted by my farmer friends, asking what was going to happen for the rain date. I told them I didn’t know. I didn’t know if this was spelled out in their contract,” Katie said. “This is not an agreement between the Spirit of Beacon Day and the Farmers’ Market. It is between the City of Beacon and the two markets. Closing the markets is not the Spirit of Beacon’s preference.”

“What I didn’t tell them,” she continued “was that I was planning a full court press to get them open on the Spirit of Beacon Day rain date. And hopefully every year after this.” The City of Beacon and Dutchess County are discussing developing the DMV lot, which if built, would result in construction in that parking lot as well as a smaller parking lot for the Farmers’ Market. The City Council and City Planner have been discussing it in their last few meetings.

“Beacon has a parking problem,” Katie continued. “Closing the markets should not be a bandaid solution to fixing that for one weekend of a community festival.”

The rain date situation challenged the contract between the City of Beacon and the Farmers’ Market and the Flea Markets. “The panic that this rain date caused the Farmers’ Market participants was unprecedented. The market vendors depend on the Beacon Farmers Market (and Cold Spring, and other markets) to make payroll for themselves and their staff.”

It is unknown to ALBB at this time what the contract says about the event of a rain date. “The Farmers Market managers were inquiring with the Spirit of Beacon Committee as to how they could be open on the big day in any way. Before the postpone date happened. We didn’t know. Since the police gave their answer, and the City Administrator advised us and them to simply absorb the 50+ market vendors into the Spirit of Beacon’s 80+ vendors, without extending the closing of Main Street to accommodate that. We didn’t know what to do,” Katie told ALBB.

After the postponement to rain date, the Market managers, Hampton Fluker and Amy Bandolik, did their own full court press to get representation at the Spirit of Beacon Day. The Spirit of Beacon Committee set to their map-making of fitting in the 50+ vendors from the Farmers Market. Which was in addition to the 80+ vendors the Spirit of Beacon was responsible for. Katie agreed to take a meeting with Hampton and Amy to figure out how to make it work at 5pm on Monday.

“We tried every lot. I emailed landowner Joe Donovan for permission to use every grass space he has on the west end of Main Street,” Katie told ALBB. “Jeana Pearl Fletcher, the Spirit of Beacon Secretary and landscape architect, used her best skills to fit in all of the tables on our new map. Board Member Junior Dabashi was hopeful that maybe we could squeeze the tables close to each other. I mean, we were trying, because the City of Beacon was denying the markets use of the parking lots for the two years I asked the City to allow them to be open. But I couldn’t see how all of these tables could fit,” Katie said.

“When I inquired with farmer vendors, Farmer Carrie of Eggbert’s Free Range Farm told me that she preferred to stay at the DMV because she has a double-wide tent and needs her refrigerated van to re-supply her inventory. The Farmers Market managers confirmed to me that there were about 7 other vendors like that. This seemed crazy to fit them in a confined space, where no regular customer-base would know where to find them,” Katie concluded.

In the end, the Beacon Farmers Market managers collected many testimonials from vendors on how detrimental the financial impact was on them, and sent them to the City of Beacon, requesting that the Farmers’ Market be included in any Spirit meeting with City Officials. In addition, customers of the market wanted the Farmers’ Market open on the big day of the Spirit of Beacon. “How can they not be a part of the day?” expressed Spirit of Beacon board member Jeana.

By Monday at 3:30pm, the City Administrator Chris emailed Katie to inform her that both markets would be open, but stressed, “This does not mean it is going to be allowed next year.” Via email to Katie, he added: “While this might cause some issues with parking, it is not fair to them to lose two weekends in a row.” This meant that the Farmers Market and Spirit of Beacon did not need to have their own planning meeting at 5pm to get this desired result, and Katie did not need to have a 3rd meeting with the City to advocate for this again across the table.

The Farmers’ Market made their announcement via Instagram: “We are delighted to announce that we have emerged victorious in our endeavor to operate the @beaconfarmersmarket on (and in conjunction with) @spiritofbeaconday ❤️🥬🎉 We are deeply grateful to each and every one of you (Beaconites & beyond) for your unwavering dedication and heartfelt testimonials, which have played a pivotal role in making this possible. As the market team, we are privileged to have the opportunity to serve our small business vendors, farmers & makers and to provide fresh food (and more) to our community.”

It is the position of the Spirit of Beacon Day that both markets be allowed to be open on the Spirit of Beacon Day forever. From the Spirit of Beacon Day’s statement: “The Spirit of Beacon Day fully recommends that this forced closure be removed from both contracts of the Beacon Farmers Market and Beacon Flea Market. We need them. We need both markets to help people move throughout the city. And the markets need regularity to prosper and survive.”

Spirit of Beacon Day 2023 To Shine On Sunday September 24 - Keeping the Spirit In Weather

What would be a Spirit of Beacon Day without a weather debate? Beaconites are a durable bunch. We are usually threatened by something, and we usually overcome through much perseverance. This time, there is rain on the horizon, but it’s possible that A. it may pour and pass before Sunday and B. avoid Beacon if we are protected just right between the mountain and the river, perhaps getting some drizzle.

We haven’t checked with the Historical Society, but we are told by past Spirit committee members that the Spirit of Beacon Day has never gone to a rain date. Said the current Chair of the Spirit of Beacon Day and publisher of this blog and article, Katie Hellmuth: “It has even been asked if it should have a rain date at all, so as to avoid this agonizing debate of to go or not to go to a rain date.”

Spirit of Beacon Day will hold the line and stay at September 24, 2024.

Inside The Decision Making Of Marching On

“We have contracts with vendors, but unfortunately, we do not have a contract with The Weather,” said Katie. “If it rains the following weekend, as well as this weekend, then we will have lost all of this momentum. The Spirit of Beacon Day is not just a day you can snap your fingers at to move to the next weekend. Yes, there are logistics that can be rebooked. But for every 1 person we sent an email to about Parade and Tables, they are connected to 10-50 other people in the community. The community has been pushing themselves so hard, with much excitement, to do this. And the day is here. It has arrived. We as a committee are embracing it. To be Beacon means to go with it and make it work. We didn’t want to risk bad weather the following weekend.”

If you want to see inside of the mind of one of the people making this decision, you could watch the video below.

Super Last Chance To Register For Spirit Of Beacon Day Parade 2023

The Spirit of Beacon Day Committee has announced that this is your very last chance to register to march or perform in the parade on Sunday, September 24, 2023. Even if you have rolled in this parade for the past X number of years, you still need to register.

They need to get your email into their spreadsheet to send you updates.

Register Here - Right Now!