A Little Beacon Blog is celebrating its 2nd Annual Juneteenth Art Showcase! On June 19th, we put a call out for art produced by people identifying with the Black community. We also put a call out for sponsors to contribute any amount, and 100% of the contributions would go to the artists featured here. We also put a call out for logo designers, and accepted and commissioned 2 logos (shown above)! One from Vintage Messiah (left) and Dom (Dominisha) Garth (right). Thank you to everyone who participated!
Being that Juneteenth can run from June 19th until July 4th, as both are independence days, we are announcing the artists selected for ALBB’s Juneteenth Art Showcase on July 4th weekend!
Thank you to our two sponsors for this: an anonymous reader, and Moraya Seeger DeGeare, founder of the To My Old Racist Earth movement. Thanks to your contributions, we were able to award two artists this year: Rachel Lewis for poetry and Vintage Messiah for Illustration. Their expressions are below!
In the submissions, we asked the artists two questions:
ALBB: What would you like to tell the United States and the rest of the world?
Rachel: “I would like to tell the United States, and the rest of the world, that we see through the performative activism veil and are requiring more than what we’ve been given in the past.
ALBB: What would you like to tell the community where you live?
Rachel: “I would also like to tell Newburgh, NY (which is located in the beautiful and diverse Hudson Valley) that your neighbors, coworkers, friends, and even strangers that you pass on the street, are tired of suffering so that others can remain in their comfort. Last year was an incredible time for human rights across the board. Let’s keep that energy flowing. Every piece of poetry I’ve selected represents the pain I’ve experienced because of racial inequality and recent enlightenment.”
Rachel’s poems submitted for 2021 Juneteenth are below:
Breonna Taylor
To date a black woman Is to date her magnificence, her beauty. To date a black woman is to look at her, to truly see. You see her marching For aunts, uncles, and cousins she doesn’t know; Because their culture was ripped from them, centuries ago. So when you want to date a black woman, Be mindful of your prudence. Only then will you gain access to her beauty, To her magnificence.
In The Beginning
I believe that we all started from, All sprouted from The “Eve Gene;” Carried by nothing less than magnificent beings. Strong enough to carry the weight of the entire human race, Us carriers are resilient And consistently great. Without us, life was not created. Without us, the world’s driving force is emaciated. And yet we still hunger for the respect that we deserve. We could be demanding so much more Instead of what others are so freely given. But here we are, Still fighting for respect and acknowledgement And especially from our own men. But do I believe we will regain ours? Yes, because as much as history Has tried to deny us our rights, We are still magnificent beings. We flourish And we grow And reap the greatness Our ancestors have sown.
Creation
I was not born. I was created. I was created to stir, poke, and prod. I was created to speak for those who cannot. I am here to learn. And I am here to teach. I am here for those who are still asleep. The lies and stories woven will no longer serve as our reality. We demand justice. We demand peace; And furthermore, we demand equality.
This is America
The walls shook But the foundation bore the weight. In the center stood Resiliency, Righteousness, And a call to reclaim power. We are done fulfilling your need With our humility. We are firmly planted and united And will continue to be. Do not underestimate Our strength Because of our compassion. We are not asking. We are demanding Our right to Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; And anything and everything Y’all have been trying to deny us.
Vintage Messiah - Illustration
Vintage Messiah is the type of determined person who amazes you with what they create on old phones, some of which can’t even make a call, or can barely get online. Vintage is multi-talented, as he is not only an illustrator, but he is a recording artists and producer of beats using various instruments and sounds.
As an illustrator, Vintage works with paper and digital as he passes his projects through various stages. Follow him at @vintagemessiah and @vintagemessiahart
ALBB: What would you like to tell the United States and the rest of the world?
Vintage Messiah: "I want the United States to put down the guns of tyranny and stop fighting against ourselves. We breathe , eat and bleed the same why , so why can't we all fight for what's right at the big dinner table of change, sharing a meal and sharing hearts as one, rather than clawing through separation. We don't need a holiday to accept our differences and move on"
ALBB: What would you like to tell the community where you live?
Vintage Messiah: "Putnam County should acknowledge and accept the fact that we all came up here to enjoy the scenery, tropical weather, and peaceful times just as much as they do. We don't want to offend you by being ourselves, and you should feel the same. When my family bought a home in the outskirts of towns, the neighbors were open and welcoming. My one wish to unite the same way they did, with loving arms and a burning curiosity on how we can learn more about each other and be friends"
ALBB: How did you make the logo and these submitted works of art?
Vintage: I made it on paper, scanned it into my computer , then colored over it with digital software. Mixed Media for me is combining multiple different art forms and creating a piece out of it. I've made animated music videos before, which in itself requires video editing, audio engineering, vocal recording and drawing on paper and scanning it in, frame by frame (or with computer automated animation), and mixing it together for the final project. This has always been my process , as I create so much stuff, I couldn't stick to one label, so I made my own and explain it like I did here. For this drawing , it was just a sketch, scan and color!!! I could also animate it as well.
Artist: Vintage Messiah. Contact him to commission your own piece.
Artist: Vintage Messiah. Contact him to commission your own piece.
This TuneUp webinar from ALBB’s sister media education and empowerment company, Tin Shingle, is about what to pitch to the media right now in July. No matter what you do, some power is in your hands to compel the media to write about what you hope they will cover.
This TuneUp episode is chock-full of ideas on what to do. Including how to pitch 4th of July Independence Day in a different way - as in - introduce some more forefathers and foremothers ancestors to the usual lineup. This is how to connect Juneteenth with July 4th - both Independence Days. It’s an educational opportunity on many levels.
For this weekend only, Tin Shingle has opened up this TuneUp for Hudson Valley friends to stream free. Normally all TuneUps are free for members of Tin Shingle or are sold separately. www.TinShingle.com/tuneup.
The dock to the NY Waterway Ferry for the Newburg/Beacon ferry. As of July 2021, it has been closed since April 2020.
Several readers have reached out to see if the Newburg/Beacon Ferry is running. This week on Thursday 6/30/2021, ALBB confirmed with the NY Waterway, by way of the Marketing Manager Bernice Ramos, that the ferry is not running. We asked for more details as to why it is not running, and have not heard back yet. This article will be updated if a response comes in.
At the height of the pandemic, while subways in New York City were shut down and people were not commuting into work due to the shutdown, the Newburgh/Beacon Ferry suspended service on April 13, 2020, according to Mid Hudson News. The Haverstraw-Ossining Ferry was also suspended. Both were replaced with bus service.
However, bus service was also discontinued, as reported on May 25, 2020 by Mid Hudson News, citing low ridership. Dutchess County has been promoting its bus service, using it as a free resource for people getting COVID-19 tests, and are considering increasing service for those who need public transportation and don’t have cars.
A marketing message on the NY Waterway website, encouraging people to use the ferry. However, the ferry has been closed for over a year. No signage is posted down at the dock, or on the website.
No Signage or Website Message To Indicate Ferry Is Not Running
Currently, heavy construction is being done to the Newburgh/Beacon bridge, creating the usual traffic to cross over and through the toll lines. The ferry service continues to the most pleasant, and arguably most COVID-friendly way to cross the river, as it is in open air.
The only marketing message stand at the NY Waterway Ferry. The schedule for the ferry is from 2020.
There is no signage at the dock that the ferry is not running. People who wander down to the dock looking to take he ferry ask others who are waiting for the Bannerman Island Boat Tour ferry, which is running, if anyone knows anything about the Newburgh/Beacon Ferry. There is also no message on the NY Waterway website, except that there is no schedule posted. Which to be honest, is par for the course, and not a strong enough indication that the service has stopped.
Heavy Interest In Reviving The Newburgh/Beacon Ferry In 2019 With Pilot Weekend Service Initiative
Prior to the pandemic, investment was made into the Newburgh/Beacon Ferry, with great fanfare around the increased service - to run on the weekend. Since 1963, when the Newburgh/Beacon bridge was built, the weekend service was cut. The announcement of the weekend service trial was made in September 2019, with both Beacon and Newburgh working with Dutchess County and Orange County to make this happen. At that time, the weekend service wasn’t even using the NY Waterway Ferry vessel. It was using a boat from the Hudson River Maritime Museum. It is unknown at this time why the weekend service wouldn’t use the NY Waterway boat.
The NY Waterway Ferry Launched Free Service To IKEA In Brooklyn In Partnership With IKEA
As reported by NBC New York on 7/1/2021, NY Waterway partnered with IKEA in Red Hook (Brooklyn) to launch a new free weekend service to help people get to the Brooklyn store. The service had been offered before, but was halted during the pandemic.
According to the article, beginning on July 3, 2021, service “will run on weekends for the rest of the summer. Customers can board the ferry from Pier 79/Midtown Ferry Terminal, Brookfield Place/Battery Park City or at Pier 11/Wall Street. Those from New Jersey looking fto take advantage can connect from cross-Hudson ferries by transferring at any terminal in Manhattan.” The ferries run power up from 11am- 7pm. On July 4,, service will go from 9:25am to 4pm.
Social distancing will be encouraged, and masks are still required inside ferry terminals, and inside the cabins and shuttles. However, masks are not required on the open-air top decks, the NY Waterway said.
Why the Newburgh/Beacon Ferry has remained anchored at port-side (or out of the water) is unknown at this time. If you have information, please reach out to ALBB.
Once bitten, twice shy. The new construction building 344 Main that triggered the running and election of several board members and the current mayor is in the news again.
During a City Council meeting, the board members were presented with the parking dilemma that resulted in the revoking of a parking lease years ago, a delayed COI (Certificate of Occupancy, needed for renting to commercial businesses), the big drama between two developers, and now possible new litigation. The process of how this building came to be is why Mayor Lee Kyriacou pushed through so many zoning changes, and with more planned, like the designation of several buildings as a way, in part, to act as pawns in the chess game of what is allowed in the city planning of a city and the new construction and expansion of buildings now.
This is a huge deep dive. Be sure to pick up the Beacon Free Press for Mark Roland’s weekly column, Beaconomics (of the blog Wigwam Economy), and Jeff Simm’s @jeff_simms coverage in the @highlandscurrent. ALBB has several deep-dive articles on other topics ahead of this (including HDLO) and will be transcribing City Administrator Chris White’s summary last night of what happened years ago to bring us to our point today, and his subsequent parking proposal. Currently, residents of 344 Main have no official place to park and park in free municipal lots (do what you need to do!). Chris’s proposal is to monetize the parking by charging the current developer/building owner for spaces in the free municipal parking lot ($50/space). The developer may or may not pass that on to tenants. Parking is a problem in Beacon, and Chris’s plan is to earmark the money for parking development. But the council was burned so badly by these developers years ago, they are hesitant to set a new precedent. Tenants are caught in the middle.
More to come. Pick up your newspapers, and support local media everywhere.
Several readers have contacted A Little Beacon Blog to ask if there are fireworks in Beacon, and we got a tip froma citizen reporter who reached out to the Mayor’s Assistant, Collin Milone, that there will be no fireworks this year in Beacon at Memorial Park, as there have been in years past.
Last year during the high cases of COVID-19 during the pandemic when New York was under a State of Emergency, the fireworks were “postponed,” then City Administrator Anthony Ruggiaro said. The hope was to light them later in the summer or for the Spirit of Beacon Day. Both of which did not happen.
The City of Beacon does not fund or organize the city’s fireworks, but they do need to approve the use of Memorial Park. Traditionally, the firework show was undertaken by volunteers with Kiwanis Club of Beacon, who disbanded in 2018, and some organizing from I Am Beacon. When the Kiwanis Club disbanded, there was no formal passing down of the organizing of the fireworks. When this was realized, the people of Beacon began to chatter, and LT Sherpa, owner of Beacon Natural, stepped up to fill the shoes.
LT put the word out seeking funding, and businesses in Beacon stepped up to pitch in. You can read all about it here. This year, according to his wife, Kitty Sherpa, LT had reached out to ask the City of Beacon for permission to hold the event again. LT waited for an answer, and eventually “got a hard no from the City, who said that they were not going to hold the fireworks,” Kitty said. LT was prepared to do the fundraising again for 2021, but is not for this year.
Other Events The City Wants To Greenlight
The first event that the City of Beacon approved was called the Modern Makers Market from Hops on the Hudson down at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park in May 2021. That event encountered some resistance from City Council, as people were still wary of coming out for a public event. While the event promised masks would be worn by vendors and ticketed guests, several were not, as seen in the Highlands Current. Masks were still mandated at the time.
The park was also stated by Beacon’s City Administrator Chris White at the 5/24/2021 to be open to the public, or “not fully closed” and open to people who people who want to walk along to go fishing, but there was a police barricade at the park entrance, and public access was not easy, if it was possible. The markers market was a ticketed event, as mandated by state requirements at the time.
At its 5/24/2021 Workshop Meeting, the City of Beacon’s City Council discussed potential upcoming events that were to be considered, including a Brew Fest, the Beacon Sloop Club Strawberry Festival (but the organizers stated they did not want to have it), Taco Festival, Family Fun Day at Springfield Baptist Church, Beacon Sloop Club Corn Festival, Spirit of Beacon Day, Bike Safety Day on Catherine Street, and other events.
The 4th of July Fireworks at Memorial Park were not on that list.
Annual Reading of Declaration of Independence To Be Read On July 4th
Dennis Pavlov, host and organizer of the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence for the past 11 years in Beacon, announced during a Community Segment at the 6/21/2021 City Council Meeting that the reading would take place at the usual time of 11am at 1 Municipal Plaza.
Said Dennis: “I started it in Steve Gold's administration. Why did I start it? There is more to these patriotic holidays than parades, fireworks, cookouts and BBQs. Our forefathers, I don't believe, should be left out. That's the reason I started doing it. Regardless of what is said and how it is said, the forefathers are some of my heroes. July 4th looked different last year, maybe we will have more people this year because of different circumstances.”
This year, Dennis stated, there is no longer a committee, refreshments or copies of Declaration of Independence handed out. Former Mayor Clara Lou Gould had also served on the committee.
When we got the email from Homespun to sunset the wine subscription and disable the wine store of their website, our hearts sank. A Little Beacon Blog wears many hats, one of which is designing and maintaining websites for private clients.
Homespun knew that the selling of wine bottles would be temporary and was to help them increase sales during the pandemic, but no restaurant anticipated the 24hr notice they received this week when Governor Cuomo ended the State of Emergency status, which scrubbed other relief rules that the state legislature hadn't decided on yet.
There is a lot more to this story, as 38 other states in the country have approved extending the alcohol to-go business model for restaurants, while 11 states have made it permanent. Yet New York, whose governor prides itself on being ahead of the curve, gave a big 🤷🏼♀️ "Oh well" as the state legislature went on recess until January 2022, thereby stalling any changes.
Beacon Pride Pop-Up Dance Party
Day: Saturday, June 26, 2021 Location: Roosevelt Bar at the Hudson Valley Food Hall, Beacon
(includes patio to the side) Time: 5pm-close. Dance / Drag Party from 8pm on.
Must be 21+. Event is Free.
Rhinebeck Crafts Festival
Days: Saturday, June 26, 2021, & Sunday, June 27, 2021 Time: 10am-6pm (Sat), 10am-5pm (Sun) Location: Dutchess County Fairgrounds, 6636 Spring Brook Avenue (Route 9), Rhinebeck, NY
This thoughtfully curated shopping event located in the heart of the trendy Hudson Valley features contemporary fine craft and art from over 200 American makers. Find original fashions, accessories, and jewelry; functional and sculptural works in ceramics, glass, metal, fiber, wood, and mixed media; and fine art painting, printmaking, drawing, and photography. Enjoy gourmet foods, specialties, concessions, and tastings from local distilleries and wineries and bring the kids for interactive puppet theater, face painting, and stilt walkers, and more. Plus, watch and participate in hands-on craft demonstrations! After you shop until you drop stay to dine at award-winning farm-to-table Hudson Valley restaurants; visit famous historic estates; and take in spectacular views on the Walkway Over the Hudson or a nature hike. Information >
The Beacon Record & CD Fest
Day: Saturday, June 26, 2021 Time: 10am - 5pm Location: 413 Main Street, Beacon, NY
15 great vendors from the Tri-State area and beyond - 30 tables of vinyl LPs, 45s, CDs, DVDs, cassettes, concert posters, music magazines, and books!! Vendors bringing the best of psych, punk, hardcore, metal, power pop, prog, garage, funk, soul, jazz, reggae, world, blues, folk, country, bluegrass, rockabilly, hot rod, surf, lounge, electronic, industrial, goth and new wave!!! Records from the 50's to the present!!!! Check out the vendor list!! AND...DJ's spinning the best of 60's & 70's soul, mod, punk, power pop, rock 'n' roll, garage, weird, ambient stuff!!!! COME ON OUT AND DIG IN THE CRATES!!!! Information >
THE SNOOKI SHOP VIP EVENT hosted by owner Nicole “Snooki”
Day: Saturday, June 26, 2021 Time: 1:00pm - 6:30pm Location: 508 Main Street, Beacon, NY 12508 Information >
Hudson Valley Food Truck Festival
Day: Saturday, June 26, 2021 Time: 11am - 5pm Location: Barton Orchards, Poughquag, NY Information >
Field Day Hosted By Bronze Girl LLC Day: Saturday, June 26, 2021 Time: 12pm - 5pm Location: Memorial Park, Beacon NY, 12508
Free Community Event. End of the school year Field Day for the kids!
Food, games, music, face painting, prizes, and tons of good old fashion FUN 🥳 Information >
Improv at Sprout Brook Park
Day: Saturday, June 26, 2021 Time: 7pm - 9pm Location: 130 Sprout Brook Road, Cortlandt Manor, NY 10567 Information >
Artist Talk: Athena LaTocha
Day: Sunday,June 27, 2021 Time: 3pm Location: 475 Main Street Beacon, NY 12508
Athena LaTocha will discuss how her work responds to her environment, as well as her process and use of materials. Her works on paper explore the tenuous relationship between the human-made and natural worlds. The works on view in Land Escape were created during a residency at the Joan Mitchell Center, New Orleans, LA, and contain elements such as Mississippi River mud and Spanish moss. La Tocha will be in conversation with Fridman Gallery Director Karlyn Benson, and there will be an opportunity for the audience to ask questions. Masks required for entry into space. Information >
Hillbilly Parade
Day: Sunday, June 27, 201 Time: 3:30pm - 6:30 pm Location: The Barn at Gardiner Brewing Company, 699 State Route 208, Gardiner, NY 12525 Information >
Two Way Brewing Company
18 West Main St.
It's a great weekend to chill with family & friends and get some games in. Pool, foosball, darts, and plenty of board games. Seven beers and one cider on tap, plus food from @theflyingjibbeacon over at Two Way! Stop in. PS Stay tuned for live music starting in July! OPEN:
Thursday 4:00pm - 9:00pm
Friday 4:00pm - 10:00pm
Saturday 12:00pm - 9:00pm
Sunday 1:00pm - 8:00pm
Two Way Brewing Company is a Sponsor, thank you!
EAT CHURCH
3091 U.S. 9, Cold Spring, NY
Treat yourself with Eat Church food! And catch the coolest food truck ever around town! Eat Church pops up at Marbled Meat Shop on Thursdays & Fridays frequently so follow them on Instagram to keep an eye out! Catch them at Beacon Farmers Market on Sundays, and Thursday-Sunday at Industrial Arts Brewing! So many opportunities to get your hands on delicious foods Website >
Eat Church is a Sponsor!, thank you!
Beacon Bread Company 193 Main St.
Start your weekend off right at Beacon Bread with unbeatable pancakes, 🥞 fresh-squeezed juice, and gourmet coffee. OR, start your day off right every day because Beacon Bread Company is Open 7 days a week from 8am - 5pm! Menu > Order Pick Up or Delivery > Beacon Bread Company is a Sponsor, thank you!
MEYERS OLDE DUTCH
184 Main Street, Beacon, NY
When a delicious strawberry shortcake from Field and Larder is at Meyers, you RUN, you don't walk!! Lemon-lime pound cake, vanilla syrup, fresh strawberries, and whipped mascarpone. Mouth-watering & perfect after a burger & some fries!Stop in & try them out! Delivery is still available. Keep an eye on MOD's gram for live music nights. Order Now > Meyers Olde Dutch is a Sponsor, thank you!
Tito Santana Taqueria 142 Main St.
Add a little SPICE to your weekend! Trust us ... Tito Santana Taqueria has all your favorite condiments... 🌶️ Tacos, Burritos, Bowls & Salads, Empanadas, Quesadillas, Tostadas, Soups, and Sides! PS: Dinner takeout special available Monday-Friday from 4pm - 9pm: 4 tacos, + 2 street corn, + 1 chip & salsa, + 1 rice & beans for only $22! PPS: Tacos are only $2 on Tuesdays! Menu > Catering > Tito Santana Taqueria is a Sponsor, thank you!
HOMESPUN
232 Main Street, Beacon, NY The Hummus Sandwich with herb-roasted tomato, pickled cucumber, crispy chickpeas, and pea shoots on wholegrain is delish! Plus, Baguettes are now available to go at Homespun 🥖 OH, and flowers from @floragoodtimes in the back! Good vibes all around at Homespun Foods. OPEN HOURS:
Thursday - Monday, 10am - 7pm Order Food > Homespun is a Sponsor, thank you!
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL 288 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Just when you thought Barbs Fry Works (inside of HVFH) only made fries! NOPE! Isiah also makes fresh pasta for the (not so secret) pasta menu. Handmade & mouth-watering. Swing by and ask him what's on for today!
Follow HV Food Hall's foodies:
Miz Hattie's BBQ: Southern Style BBQ, from North Carolina. Order ahead via their Toast-app menu! Momo Valley: Himalayan Spiced Hand-Crafted MoMo & More Barb's Fry Works: Gourmet, small-batch-loaded fries. And salads. El Nica: Nicaraguan Food Roosevelt Bar: Cocktail Bar in a well-ventilated space with Outdoor Patio! Schmuck's Sweet Stuff: Local Ice Cream, Hot Waffles, and Other Sweet Stuff Hudson Valley Food Hall is a Sponsor, thank you!
BAJA 328 328 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Outdoor seating at Baja 328 has the best view of Main Street by the garage doors! Not to mention the many options of foods they have! Stop in & enjoy the many options of starters, bowls, tacos, quesadillas, and delish main plates (like tequila scampi or the cowboy burger)! Do check out the specials that are always on the menu! Check out their specialty drinks > Check out the specials >
BAJA 328 is a Sponsor, thank you!
W.T.F Beacon 195 Main St.
Start the weekend with WTF Beacon because WTF not? Delicious entrees, unique cocktails, and a great atmosphere. Featured menu item: The Garrison Burger, topped with fire-roasted peppers, sautéed mushrooms, and melted Gorgonzola cheese on our house brioche! Don't miss out ... Open Friday & Saturday from 6-10 pm 🍽️ ⠀ PS: OPEN MIC is back on the patio every Tuesday! Menu > W.T.F Beacon is a Sponsor, thank you!
Ziatun
244 Main St.
Vegans rejoice! There are plenty of delicious and authentic middle eastern dishes at Ziatun! 🥙 The eggplant pitas from Ziatun are delicious, light, and VEGAN! A refreshing re-fuel if you've been out and about in the sun! Plus, if you're into meat, they have that too. Everything is made with delicious and authentic Palestinian spices. Order it to-go today so you can enjoy eating outdoors in Beacon! 🥙 Check our Ziatun's parklet too! Menu > Order Online > Ziatun is a Sponsor, thank you!
DIRTY BACCHUS
380 Main Street, Beacon
Welcoming Dirty Bacchus to ALBB! We are so excited. Roughly a year ago, we introduced Dirty Bacchus in our blog (who opened a year ago amidst the pandemic!) to be specific, Dirty Bacchus opened on June 27, 2020 conveniently located next to an artisan cheese & charcuterie shop (The Beacon Pantry). So, to celebrate, there will be a storewide sale (four or five days) plus daily specials! You definitely don't want to miss out. We just tried the Marilena Barbera’s SOTTOSOPRA Pét Nat and we're dying over how delicious & bubbly it is! Only 2 cases available, and then its gone. Stop in for these limited wines. HOURS:
Mon-Wed: 12-6
Thur- Sat: 11-7
Sun: 12-5 Dirty Bacchus is a Sponsor, thank you!
BINNACLE BOOKS
321 Main Street, Beacon Torrey Peters, “Detransition, Baby”
“This provocative debut is about what happens at the emotional, messy, vulnerable corners of womanhood that platitudes and good intentions can’t reach. Torrey Peters brilliantly and fearlessly navigates the most dangerous taboos around gender, sex, and relationships, gifting us a thrillingly original, witty, and deeply moving novel.”
This & many more good reads at Binnacle! Stop in & find the book that you won't put down this summer!
Binnacle Books is a Sponsor, thank you!
BRETT'S HARDWARE 18 West Main Street, Beacon
Bretts Hardware has it all to keep you entertained at home with family & friends this summer! Charcoal grills, round fire pit, portable fire pit, original kettle, everything! Stop in & check them out. The employees are always willing to help & answer any questions you may have also. Brett's Hardware is a Sponsor, thank you!
LUXE OPTIQUE
181-183 Main Street, Beacon
These soft-colored frames shine brightly from Luxe Optique! Minimal, sleek & sexy! Stop in today to check out their newest frame selection from Anne et Valentin! Make an appt with an expert optician for a personalized experience from contact lenses to expert progressive lens fitting.
: @anneetvalentin
Monday: 10 AM–5 PM
Tues-Sat:10 AM–6 PM
Sunday: Closed Shop Online > Luxe Optique is a Sponsor, thank you! LA MÉRE CLOTHING AND GOODS
470 Main Street, Beacon
The ’90s called & they think you look fabulous. La Mere has your wardrobe covered for this summer! The best finds that work for any occasionNew arrivals always happening and going quick so stop by!
Yanarella Dance Studio 312 Main St., Beacon, NY
This is where you want to plug your kids in for the summer! Active classes, and totally inclusive. Tumble Bunnies class is happening & the kids are loving it! Did you register yet?
Don't forget to check out classes for you. Adult Jazz-HipHop!
Tin Shingle is designed for all brands to benefit from, including artists, authors, makers, experts, service providers, communications and marketing directors, and PR agencies. We provide the PR resources you want at your fingertips - Media Contacts, Editorial Calendars, and Hashtag Cheat Sheets - as well as the education to know what to do with it all. Training at Tin Shingle is rooted in your brand presenting consistently in a full view, big picture way. Our online classes give you fresh ideas and updates in all of the ways people will connect with your brand - Social Media, Google (aka SEO), your Website, Newsletter Design + Content, as well as PR. More Information >
KATIE JAMES, INC.
Katie James, Inc. is A Couture Branding Shop. Pairing great writing, content, and design for an experience that means something to people. From the reporting and design team that produces A Little Beacon Blog, a local online newspaper covering Beacon, NY, as well as the media training team that is behind Tin Shingle, an education and empowerment zone for small businesses, Katie James, Inc. is the uniquely positioned design studio that knows how to align with businesses and artists of all kinds with different needs, to get them the online tools they need to keep selling to their customers and clients. Contact us to tell us about your goals.
HIRING: Sous-Chef Position At Homespun Foods Details >
HIRING: Gold Star Family Member For Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney Details >
HIRING: Part-Time Production Assistant At SallyeAnder Details >
HIRING: Administrative Assistant At Daniel Aubry Realty Details >
HIRING: Teacher Assistant At Care 4 Me, Inc. Details>
HIRING: Office Assistant At Gilded Audio Details >
HIRING: Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County Details >
ALBB's Business Directory is a Deep Dive List of services you need right now in Beacon and the Hudson Valley. There is a lot of talent here in the 12508 and beyond and we want to highlight all of them. Check out the Business Directory HERE.
New York’s cocktails-to-go rule, which included bottles of wine being sold from restaurants, and freshly packaged cocktails being sold from bars and restaurants, disappeared with 24 hours notice once Governor Cuomo decided that New York’s State of Emergency was over, which sunset many remaining rules that hadn’t been protected beforehand, such as the alcohol-to-go rule.
This formerly unthinkable privilege helped many restaurants survive the economic shutdown, and customers loved it. New York state is already known for several restrictions on wine sales, and opening up this one was a shock to the restaurant industry, but a welcome one. So much so, that 78% of New Yorkers surveyed by the New York State Restaurant Association said they support making the move permanent.
Restaurant businesses like Homespun in Beacon, owned by Joe Robitaille, a sommelier, had bought months before the pandemic was declared and restaurant operations were mandated in a stop-and-go fashion. “We put together our wine shop knowing that the state would end this privilege at some point, but did not expect to have 24 hours notice that we couldn’t sell bottles of wine to bring home anymore. I am sitting on cases of inventory of very hard-to-find wine that I cannot sell.”
Bottles of wine accounted for about 12% of Homespun’s sales, including the pickup, patio, parklet, catering, and eventual indoor dining. Restaurants in New York City are also reeling, as they and others spent the past 15 months accumulating inventory. Judy’s, a restaurant in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, has $15,000 worth of inventory that cannot be sold, as reported by Eater.
Joe is going to sell his wine by the glass as best he can. It will be the most amazing by-the-glass wine you have ever been offered by a small cafe.
Did The 24-hour Cut-Off Need To Be? The Flash Sale Of The Century Of Restaurant’s Wine Bottles?
Did it need to be this way? Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro, who ran for governor against Governor Cuomo, says no. And he thinks that the State Liquor Authority is outdated as well. He told A Little Beacon Blog: “Counties across the state learned about the end of the State of Emergency by a tweet from the Governor. There was no coordination.” Molinaro continued: “Certainly we wanted to see an end to the emergency powers, but with a transition, for this very reason, we would have advocated for businesses. For economic relief for the for relief orders that stood. Plus, some people are not comfortable coming out yet, and prefer to eat and drink from their favorite restaurants at home.”
Molinaro feels that more local control should be given to counties. “For instance,” he explained, “in Dutchess County, I don't have the ability to override a State Order. But I can, through an Emergency Order, waive local law. Like with outdoor dining. Just this week, I talked with city managers across all municipalities about extending outdoor dining (via parklets) until Labor Day, to help the restaurants.”
Does the County Executive want to see the to-go alcohol extended for bottles of wine and freshly made cocktails? “I’d like to see how our businesses feel. I personally have no objection. I'm 100% supportive of extending it. I don't object to permanent, but I think there ought to be a process.”
In New York City, Mayor De Blasio was surprised by his own opinion: “It actually worked pretty well—I don't blame anyone who thought it might be a little dicey, but it actually worked pretty well," he told Gothamist. "I am concerned about all the restaurants and bars that we want to survive as part of the life of this city," he added. "So I think that should be looked at, to see if there's some way to appropriately continue it at least for the foreseeable future while we're trying to bring back hospitality industry."
The National Trend In Legalizing To-Go Cocktails and Bottles Of Wine Sold From Restaurants
Back at Homespun, as Joe taped his Cuomo-inspired 15% off sign to his sidewalk board, hoping to sell as many bottles as he could in 24 hours, he mused: “Massachusetts just last week announced that they would extend these measures through March 2022 to give restaurants and bars a chance to recover.”
Indeed, Massachusetts did extend, but this was after vocal opposition from trade groups representing liquor stores. As reported by CNBC, “Robert Mellion, executive director and general counsel of the Massachusetts Package Store Association, wrote in a Boston Herald column that altering alcohol laws would impact public safety and hurt brick-and-mortar retailers. On Wednesday (May 26, 2021), the Massachusetts Senate rejected extending the cocktails to-go program, which [was] set to expire on June 15.”
Just a week and a half later, on June 8, Massachusetts reversed course and extended alcohol-to-go until March 2022. And they aren’t alone: 38 states in the nation have extended their alcohol-to-go privileges, according to Food and Wine. So far, 11 states have made their pandemic-inspired privileges permanent, with Texas and Florida being the latest to sign permanent legislation, according to the Distilled Spirits Council as reported by Food and Wine. Other states offering permanent alcohol-to-go sales include Iowa, Ohio, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Montana, Arkansas, West Virginia, Georgia, and Oklahoma, as well as the District of Columbia.
Extending The Law Was Tried In New York, But No Answer
In March 2021, an attempt to prolong alcohol-to-go was made by Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy, who sponsored Bill A3116 to lengthen alcohol-to-go services for 2 years. According to News10, restaurants supported the extension, but Fahy said there had been pushback from liquor stores and distributors. According to The New York Times, blame was put on the Legislature: “The Legislature failed to codify the ability of restaurants to offer alcohol to-go,” New York State’s Liquor Authority said in an emailed statement to The New York Times, referring to legislation to extend the takeout alcohol that state lawmakers did not act on before their session ended this month (June). Lawmakers return in January 2022.
Who Is To Blame, Anyway? How Does The Law Change?
Said Joe of Homespun, as he added the words “Cinderella Sale On Wine! Ends At Midnight!” to an Instagram post: “The Governor and Legislature did not seem to consult with any meaningful group of independent restaurants on their decision, because if they had, there would have been chatter and anxiety about this in the weeks leading up. But it was like turning off a light. Sudden.”
The state legislature would have needed to make the change with a bill, which was proposed and died. Governor Cuomo had been extending the alcohol-to-go privilege every 14 days. Could he have made the alcohol-to-go rule permanent? Was the blame entirely with the legislature? Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro does not think so. He explained to A Little Beacon Blog: “What the New York State Liquor Authority is saying in that New York Times quote is: If the governor advised the Legislature that the order was going to be rescinded, and wanted the state Legislature to do that, he would have done that. This is as much the fault of the Administration as it is the Legislature. If they both wanted it to happen, it would have happened. The Governor would have told them: ‘You’ll want to consider this local law, because ultimately, I'm going to rescind.’ There has been so much delay on the lifting of the State of Emergency, the Legislature may have gone on recess because they didn't think a sunset would happen yesterday. But they are in the same building. This email statement from the New York State’s Liquor Authority implies they are on different planets. But in fact, they are in the same building.”
Melissa Fleischut, president of the New York State Restaurant Association, shares the sentiment, about how legislation supported by 78% of New Yorkers - that Bill A3116 from Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy - failed to pass. Melissa told Eater: “Only in New York would elected officials ignore an overwhelming majority of the public.” Eater observed: “…legislation has reportedly been tied up by lobbyists, who claim wine and liquor businesses — coming off one of their best years in recent history — are losing money to restaurants and bars offering booze to-go.”
Would Wine Bottles Sold In Restaurants Impact Neighboring Wine and Liquor Stores?
With the several of the same beer brands sold in neighboring gas stations in Beacon and other towns, and a growing selection of craft beers at that, it is hard to say how increased competition would fare. Oftentimes, wines sold in restaurants are carefully picked, almost obsessively chosen and researched brands, as they are in boutique wine stores. Owners have to pine for each case they buy, because quantities are limited. The same can happen with craft beers that are produced in small batches.
In Beacon, the wine store and restaurant owners are pals. Steve Ventura, owner of Dirty Bacchus, Beacon’s newest highly niche wine store with bottles from far corners of Etruscan regions, still buys wine from Joe’s collection at Homespun.
“I support Joe for many reasons,” Steve told A Little Beacon Blog. “Not least because of all the hurdles that have been raised in front of his project since the beginning. From all the construction around him to COVID-19. So my feelings about this are specific to Homespun and not general statements. Joe is also a big supporter of other businesses in the community, so it is important for the community to support him. We, Beacon, need him to succeed, even if it pulls a little business from my bottom line for awhile.”
Proof In The Profit Of Cocktails-To-Go: POOF, Bye Bye
“Hard liquor is the most profitable thing in a restaurant,” said Brianne McDowell, a Beaconite and career manager of a boutique hotel servicing many celebrities in New York City, until she was laid off during the pandemic, losing her benefits and health insurance for her family that includes an elementary school student. During her career, she has been part of opening and training teams for new restaurants in many cities, including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York City, and Miami. Now she takes gigs filling in as a General Manager as favors for friends who can’t find anyone to hire during the current hiring climate, where people are demanding better pay and benefits from the hospitality industry. With her own career in transition, she is stepping into a consulting role to give her more flexibility than her previous hotel and restaurant life.
“One or two drinks can pay for an entire bottle for the most part,” estimates Brianne. “For the entire bottle, a bartender can pour 16 drinks from it. Depending on the practices of each establishment, it’s typically 1.5 ounces of liquor for a mixed drink and about 3 ounces for martinis. So you have a bottle of vodka that cost the business owner about $12. They turn around and charge $12 for a drink (definitely Beacon prices). The bottle is pure profit from there. You’re paying for rent, labor, supplies, etc. when you buy a drink. To-go drinks were helping 100%.”
Brian Arnoff, owner of Meyers Olde Dutch and Kitchen Sink across the street, who has become known for specialty cocktails, is disappointed by the decision. “I am definitely disappointed that they are not continuing this policy. It will have some impact on our business. Personally I think it only proved that we should have much less restrictive policies around selling alcohol, businesses should be able to try new and creative approaches to serving their customers, business owners should be left to decided what works for them (obviously as long as they’re meeting basic standards like not selling to minors/paying taxes etc). One caveat, which again proves the point, is most licenses holders can continue and always could sell beer to-go, which again makes no sense. Why beer and not wine? That being said, I am not surprised, hopefully the legislature will take another look at this and consider making adjustments to these rules.
Restaurants Left With Inventory, And Consultants Needing To Pivot Again
Hudson Valley Food Hall spun like a top through the economic shutdown. Having signed on new food vendors right when the pandemic hit, owner Marko Guzijan did everything he could every day to stay afloat. After the 24-hour notice, he hit a fresh wall, telling A Little Beacon Blog: “I have about 200 canned cocktails that I can no longer sell to-go. So I paid to create, can and label cocktails that I will now get bartenders to open at the bar, and pour into a glass.”
The canned cocktail company was a pandemic baby. “The guy who created the canned cocktail company was a wine rep who lost his job during the pandemic and created this company to try and pivot to support himself. He’s now completely screwed.”
POS (Point of Sale) systems took off during the pandemic, to make ordering food easier and contact-less. Marko made such an investment. “The Food Hall recently signed up for a POS system where customers can order from all vendors at once (paying one bill) and pick up or get Door-Dash to deliver. This was a shared cost that was mostly supported by the bar (The Roosevelt Bar is the bar in the back of the food hall). What is the point of the bar picking up the tab of this new system if they can’t sell to-go drinks?”
Marko isn’t stopping there. He’s been reaching out to lawmakers. “I want politicians held accountable for this. I want anyone who doesn’t support the extension of the to-go drinks out of office. I spoke with Senator Serino and she said she supports the extension, but they are out of session and the Democrats didn’t want to pass the bill. I spoke with Jacobson’s office and they said they would get back to me (and they did but I missed the call, I’ll call them back). I called the Governor’s office but didn’t get through (I’m planning to email). I want to contact the Assemblyman in Fishkill to find out where he stands. I want names of the politicians who failed (once again) the restaurant/bar industry and I want them held accountable.”
Thrillist’s day-after cocktail-to-go death announcement.
New Yorkers Don’t Have To Live Like This
While most headlines lamented the death of the cocktail-to-go, most moved on, thinking it normal that the 24-hour rule got switched off. But people in 38 other states in this country are still enjoying it, and will be for some time.
Liquor and wine stores in New York, however, never saw a forced close or had any sales limits put on them, as they were deemed essential businesses. New York has a history of very restrictive legislation placed on wine sales, moreso than in other sates. Examples include:
Restricted close times.Until recently (see ALBB’s article covering it), wine stores needed to close at 7pm, while beer stores and bars could be open far later. Dutchess County Legislators from Beacon tried to change the law to 9pm at the encouragement of Artisan Wine Shop in Beacon as well as others, but resistance from wine stores further upstate was fierce. In open letters, the wine and liquor stores stated that they did not want to pay employees to be open for longer hours, and feared for their safety. Some in the public made the argument of extended hours would encourage alcoholics, despite the fact that people with a problem will hoard up on bottles no matter what time a store is open. With a big push, the law was finally changed, and local stores in Beacon are able to stay open longer.
No wine sales in grocery stores. People who move to New York from out of state are shocked to find that there aren’t any wine aisles at the grocery stores. From as far back as 1960, legislators in New York have tried pushing a bill through to allow it. According to Food and Wine, Governor Mario Cuomo proposed it in 1984: “Grocery stores have long pressed for the right to sell wine. The proposal first surfaced in the 1960s, and was last seriously debated after Gov. Mario Cuomo proposed it in 1984. But liquor store owners, most of whom sell far more wine than spirits, have fought it tooth and nail.” During a 2008 push under Governor David Paterson, who was trying to collect more taxes during that recession, also did not succeed, yet with a little less resistence then: “Wholesalers have also opposed it, but appear to be staying neutral this time.”
The proposed “at rest” rule. This proposed legislation introduced in 2013 by state Sen. Jeffrey Klein, which failed, “would have required all alcoholic beverages sold by New York wholesalers to remain ‘at rest’ in a warehouse in New York for at least 24 hours prior to delivery to a retailer or restaurant.” The stated goal of the bill, SB3849, is to create new jobs in New York and "level the current playing field" for the state's wine and spirits wholesalers,” according to Wine Spectator. Most of the New York wine wholesalers used storage in New Jersey, and saw the required 1 million square feet of space in New York as nonexistent. According to the article, New York's two largest wholesalers, Southern Wine and Spirits and Empire Merchants (a subsidiary of the Charmer Sunbelt Group), did not publicly state their position on the bill, but had donated thousands of dollars to New York politicians, according to Wine and Spirits.
“Consignment.” According to Joe from Homespun, the concept of selling wine on consignment was attempted to be made illegal. This is when a collector gives wine to a restaurant to sell, and the collector gets paid only after the wine is sold. It happens all the time in the retail industry with clothing and jewelry from designers, and eases the burden of investing in inventory. Joe theorizes: “They, in a board meeting I’m sure, perhaps blamed this minuscule tiny tiny tiny fraction of wine sales in restaurants as the reason whatever “brand” (note the lack of the word “winery”) wasn’t selling.”
Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro wants the rules revisited. “We would like to see all of the economic relief measures remain in place through the summer months. We have even discussed why we should ever restore some of them. Some of these rules just don't make sense.”
Further, Molinaro sees the need for big changes in the State Liquor Authority: “I have long advocated the State Liquor Authority to go local. It has outlived its usefulness and is beholden to wholesalers. Many rules are to benefit the supplier. That's a position one can take. We think it should be treated as local zoning. I've advocated for this since I was in State Assembly.”
The lead-up to New York’s State of Emergency was a steep escalation, as people began to understand the severity of COVID-19 as people around them were getting so sick with what most people thought was the flu. Governor Cuomo took control of New York State, making several Executive Orders to ease the shock of closing down businesses, and cutting people off from other people in social distancing mandates. Effective June 24th, 2021, Governor Cuomo tweeted and stated in a press conference that New York’s State of Emergency is over. “Fighting COVID & vaccinating New Yorkers are still top priorities, but the emergency chapter of this fight is over. All thanks to New Yorkers who were #NewYorkTough.”
Senator Sue Serino sent an email to constituents, grateful for the move to lift the State Emergency power from Governor Cuomo, something that Republicans and Democrats have been pushing for. She ended her note with the following sentiment: “To every New York family that lost a loved one during this tough time, please know our hearts are with you always. As we rebuild, we will do so in their honor.”
Moments before her email arrived in inboxes, Hudson Valley Primary Care sent an urgent message to patients, encouraging adults and children age 12+ to get vaccinated, especially as the Delta variant is spreading in the United States. Said Hudson Valley Primary Care:
“The vaccines are safe and effective, and they prevent COVID-19 illness. They will help protect you and your family and keep your community safe. We strongly encourage everyone age 12 and older who are eligible to receive the vaccine under Emergency Use Authorization to get vaccinated, as the benefits of vaccination far outweigh any harm. Especially with the troubling Delta variant increasingly circulating, and more readily impacting younger people, the risks of being unvaccinated are far greater than any rare side effects from the vaccines. If you get COVID-19, you could get severely ill and be hospitalized or even die. Even if your infection is mild, you or your child could face long-term symptoms following COVID-19 infection such as neurological problems or diminished lung function.”
The lifting of the State Emergency triggers some local rules to go back to pre-pandemic statuses, which did not leave room for discussion on how those roll-backs would be implemented, or felt at the local level. According to local leader County Executive Marcus Molinaro, who is also the Second Vice President for the New York State Association of Counties (NYSAC): “Counties across the state learned about the end of the State of Emergency by a tweet from the governor,” the County Executive told A Little Beacon Blog. “There was no coordination.”
Marcus Molinaro as well as Senator Serino have been pushing for Governor Cuomo to release power he holds through the State of Emergency, which have resulted in immediate changes, some for good, some for negative impact. Said Molinaro to A Little Beacon Blog: “Certainly we wanted to see an end to the emergency powers, but a transition was needed in order to negotiate the changes, and advocate for businesses as they recover. Regarding some rules that were waved to make it easier for businesses to do business responsibly, we have discussed why we should restore them ever. Some of these rules just don't make sense.”
The New York State Legislature could make a difference in overturning some of these rules, but they have gone on recess until January 2022. “They may have gone on recess because they didn't think a sunset of the State of Emergency would happen so soon,” Molinaro told A Little Beacon Blog. He hopes that when they return, some of these rules will be taken up for discussion and votes.
Principal Laura Cahill delivering her 5th Grade Moving Up speech to the class of 2021. Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin
The day before the last day of school for the Beacon City School District, Superintendent Landahl sent an email to district families that two principals had accepted jobs in other districts, saying: “Last night, Elisa Soto, principal of BHS, was appointed to be an Assistant Superintendent in the Newburgh Enlarged City School District. Also last night, Laura Cahill, principal of South Avenue Elementary, was appointed to be an Elementary Principal by the Hyde Park Central School District. Elisa and Laura are both strong principals in our district and I want to thank them for their years of service to the students and families of the BCSD. I also want to wish them well in their new endeavors.”
Both principals had led the students and staff through the hardest school year, one which involved creating new systems for Remote and In Person learning. The districts receiving them are getting strong assets for their student body community.
According to Dr. Landahl’s announcement, both vacancies are being posted externally and internally. After reviewing application pools for both positions, stakeholder committee interviews will be held. “We will work with PTOs and employee groups to identify members of the interview panels,” Dr. Landahl stated. “Our goal is to interview candidates in mid-July and work toward an appointment by the end of July. We are committed to finding the best leaders for our schools and will work diligently toward that goal this summer.”
Interested businesses are urged to submit applications as soon as possible, due to limited funding. This is not a “first come, first serve” program. Instead, applications will be evaluated based on business attributes set by the legislature, and priority will be given to socially and economically disadvantaged business owners including, but not limited to, minority and women-owned business enterprises, service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, and veteran-owned businesses, or businesses located in communities that were economically distressed prior to March 1, 2020.
Grant awards will be calculated based on a business's annual gross receipts for 2019:
Annual gross receipts = $25,000-$49,999: $5,000/business; Annual gross receipts = $50,000-$99,999: $10,000/business; and Annual gross receipts = $100,000-$500,000: 10% of gross receipts (max grant is $50,000).
About the Small Business Recovery Grant Program + Webinar
The NYS COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program was created to provide flexible grant assistance to currently viable small businesses, micro-businesses and for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations who have experienced economic hardship due the COVID-19 pandemic.
What will be covered in the webinar:
What is the grant program?
Who is eligible to apply?
How do you apply?
What amounts will be awarded if eligible?
What is the required documentation?
Use of funds?
How can you get assistance if you need help with the application?
The application portal for the $800 million New York State COVID-19 Pandemic Small Business Recovery Grant Program is now open and accepting applications. More information and the application process can be found HERE.
This aid could be used to help employers finance operating expenses incurred during the pandemic between March 1, 2020 and April 1, 2021 and can be used to cover:
Payroll costs,
Commercial rent or mortgage payments for NYS-based property,
Payment of local property or school taxes,
Insurance costs,
Utility costs,
Costs of personal protection equipment (PPE) necessary to protect worker and consumer health and safety,
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) costs,
Other machinery or equipment costs, and
Supplies and materials necessary for compliance with COVID-19 health and safety protocols
Eligible small businesses are defined as:
Those with 100 or fewer employees,
Organized under the laws of New York State,
Is independently owned and operated, and not dominant in its field.
Eligible “for-profit independent arts and cultural organizations” are independently operated live-performance venues, promoters, production companies, or performance-related businesses located in New York State with 100 or fewer employees, excluding seasonal employees.
Eligibility requirements include:
Entities must have begun operation on or before March 1, 2019 and continue to be in operation as of the date of application (maybe shuttered due to COVID restrictions),
Have to show a reduction in gross receipts of at least 25% from 2019 to 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic or compliance with COVID-19 health and safety protocols which resulted in business modifications, interruptions, or closures.
Show gross receipts between $25,000 and $500,000 for 2019 and 2020, and
A positive net profit for 2019.
They must not have qualified for assistance programs under the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 or other available federal COVID-19 economic recovery or business assistance grant programs above certain thresholds (received more than $100,000 of a PPP grant or loan).
Grant amounts range from $5,000 to $50,000 based on the entity’s annual gross receipts.
This week, Beacon’s City Council will discuss the following at their weekly meeting.
The full agenda has been published here at ALBB, and the accompanying video of the meeting will be available there as well. The City usually publishes that video one day after a meeting.
1. Proclamation in Honor of Juneteenth Local Laws and Resolutions
Mayor Lee Kyriacou has been adopting a national holiday at the local level for the City of Beacon. As with mirroring proclamations such as these, he will speak on his feelings about the holiday.
Local Laws and Resolutions
1. Resolution Approving the Appointment of Kyle Sackett to Heavy Motor Equipment Operator 2. Resolution Approving the Appointment of Steven Brescia as a Motor Equipment Operator
Current employees will be given the indicated job title designation.
3. Resolution Adopting Proposed Salary Increases for City of Beacon Management
Employees who work at the management level of the City of Beacon but not covered by collective bargaining agreements with the CSEA union (which represents other City employees in departments like Highway and Water) are proposed to get a 2% raise (Building Inspector II, Adm Assistant to City Admin, Superintendent of Streets, Secretary to City Mayor, Recreation Director, Assistant Recreation Director, City Clerk, Director of Finance, and Fire Chief). New employees hired within the past year would not receive the raise, “also consistent with past practice,” according to the resolution.
4. Resolution Setting a Public Hearing on July 6, 2021 to Receive Public Comments on a Proposed Local Law to Amend Chapter 211, Article II, Section 10, Subsection B of the Code of the City of Beacon Regarding Vehicles and Traffic
This authorizes new Stop signs to be placed in specified intersections of side streets with Main Street, as recommended by the Main Street Access Committee from their strategic work months ago, and approved by the Traffic Committee. The list of Stop signs can be seen here.
For the second year in a row (see our first year!), A Little Beacon Blog is holding a Juneteenth art contest. The aim is to reserve space for the African American community to show their voices and visions during Juneteenth.
WHAT IS JUNETEENTH?
Juneteenth is a holiday of independence celebrated on June 19th by the Black community commemorating the liberation of the enslavement of Africans taken from their homes in other countries, separated from their families, and brought to America so that white Americans could have their own Independence Day from Great Britain on July 4th. Some Native American tribes in Oklahoma kept African slaves as well, as was a recent focus during the Tulsa Race Massacre in Greenwood.
Juneteenth has been celebrated for over 150 years by African Americans, but not all knew about it, as it wasn’t taught regularly in schools. Last year, during the social reckoning of 2020, Juneteenth got elevated, paid attention to, and respected by the white community and other races. On June 17th, 2021, President Joe Biden signed Juneteenth into law as a national holiday, where the government workforce and schools will observe the holiday. Several businesses have pledged the paid day off as well. The Beacon City School District is pretty excited about it.
HOW THIS WORKS
Submit your work for consideration to be published on A Little Beacon Blog.
Any age is welcome.
People from the African American community, of any mix or origen.
African Americans living in the Hudson Valley of New York.
Any medium is welcome. If you recorded a song, send it via Spotify or something we can embed. Actually, we can embed an mp3 on our own website! Artwork that is painted, pixelized, collaged, quilted, etc.
Please answer these 2 questions with your submission:
What do you want to tell the United States about what you want changed?
What do you want to tell _______ your town in the Hudson Valley about what you want changed? Any wish. What is your greatest wish?
A Description of your artwork.
Selected submissions will be published on A Little Beacon Blog, along with your answers. You can elect to skip giving an answer.
Selected submissions will win grant money if we get sponsors. Of the sponsorship dollars, 100% will be divided among the artists.
Email art file to katie@alittlebeaconblog.com
Deadline: June 23rd. Publish Date: June 26th
100% Of SPONSORSHIP GOES TO PRIZES/GRANTS
We can offer prizes if we have sponsorships. Depending on how many submissions we get, we could award grant money to several people. Therefore, 100% of sponsor dollars will go towards these grants.
In the Comments, please indicate if this is to sponsor this initiative, and we will set it aside. Please also indicate if you want your name or business name listed with the final publishing of all artwork.
Once all sponsorships are in, the dollar amount will be divided evenly among the selected submissions.
Thank You!
THE RETAIL THERAPY GUIDE Edited and Written By Teslie Andrade and Katie Hellmuth Martin
The Great Hudson River Revival (The Clearwater Festival)
Day: June 19, 2021 Time: 11 am - 11 pm Location: Virtual
The country’s oldest and largest music and environmental festival, this year’s event will celebrate the 100th birthday of its founder Pete Seeger, as well as the 50th anniversary of the sloop Clearwater, the iconic ship Seeger built to advocate cleaning up the Hudson River. This year’s Great Hudson River Revival will be live-streamed from 11 am - 11 pm EST on June 19th on Clearwaterfestival.org as well as Clearwater’s Youtube and Facebook pages. While The Great Hudson River Revival is free to attend, Clearwater encourages viewers to donate if they are able. All performances will be accompanied by ASL interpreters. Information >
Annual Fish Fry @ Springfield Baptist Church Day: June 19, 2021 Time: 11 am - 3 pm Location: Springfield Baptist Church, 8 W Church St., Beacon, NY
Juneteenth At The Sanctuary Day: June 19, 2021 Time: 10 am - 1 pm Location: Crystal Lake, 61 Temple Ave., Newburgh, NY Information >
“They tried to bury us, they didn’t know we were seeds.” Ground into the Earth with this JUNETEENTH at the Sanctuary. With so many happenings, let this be the experience that sets the mood for the rest of your day: meditative, joyful, in nature! There will be sowing poems, and prayer, and dance, and LOVE for Our people into the morning. Thank you for rocking with us - see you there!
Juneteenth Celebration Day: June 19, 2021 Time: 7:30 pm Location: The Yard, 4 Hanna Lane, Beacon NY Information >
Home at Last at The Brewery at Orange County Hops Day: June 19, 2021 Time: 6 pm - 8 pm Location: The Brewery at Orange County Hops 771 NY 52, Walden, NY 12586 Information >
Juneteenth Panel Day: June 19, 2021 Time: 6 pm - 7:30 pm
Register for @newburghlgbtqcenter's Juneteenth panel, and block out your Saturday night! There is a fun evening of black liberation celebration planned, so turn on @beacon4blacklives post notifications and stay tuned!
Register at bit.ly/JuneteenthPanel
Safe Harbors VIRTUAL 5K
Day: June 20, 2021 Time: Virtual Location: Virtual Information >
Bannerman Island's First Tours of 2021
Day: June 20, 2021 Time: 11 am - 5 pm Location: Pollepel Island, Fishkill, NY
Here's your chance to visit Bannerman Island on the Hudson River! Cruises for the Island will be departing from the waterfronts in Beacon and Newburgh, New York, on the Estuary Steward. Tours will likely sell out in advance and follow all COVID protocols Information >
F+S Mini MRKTs
Day: June 20, 2021 Time: 10 am - 4 pm Location: Uptown Shopping District, Kingston, NY *Enter at the corner of Crown & John Street
F+S Mini MRKTs convene artisans and designers from the Hudson Valley and beyond for a weekly market offering a curated selection of handmade and carefully crafted products. An extension of Field + Supply, a biannual maker fair held in Kingston, NY, and shoppable website, F+S Mini MRKTs are free and open to the public. Learn more at fieldandsupply.com.
Newburgh Mall Carnival
Day: June 20, 2021 Time: 1 pm - 11 pm Location: Newburgh Mall,1401 NY-300, Newburgh, NY Information >
Daisy Jopling’s- TRANSCENDENCE Day: June 20, 2021 Time: 7:30 pm Location: Paramount Hudson Valley Peekskill, NY Information >
EAT CHURCH
3091 U.S. 9, Cold Spring, NY
Eat Church pop-ups happen on Thursdays & Fridays! You should follow @eatchurch on Instagram to stay in the loop! You can order ahead and pick it up. Pictured: Crispy Fried Chicken “Ga Bun Salad” - A Vietnamese-style herb salad with rice vermicelli noodles, pickled vegetables, peanuts, and Nuoc Cham sauce. Also available with SHRIMP! Don't worry if you missed out this week! Eat Church will also be at the Beacon Farmers Market on Sunday! Every Sunday! And at Industrial Arts Brewing. With the axe throwing. Website >
Eat Church is a Sponsor, thank you!
BEACON BREAD COMPANY 193 Main St.
You must stop into Beacon Bread Company while strolling Main St. because you never know what they might have! Like this Vegan matcha soft serve! Delicious, creamy (without the cream), and cooling! No better way to enjoy a hot day in Beacon! Open 7 days a week from 8 am - 5 pm. Menu > Order Pick Up or Delivery > Beacon Bread Company is a Sponsor, thank you!
MEYERS OLDE DUTCH
184 Main Street, Beacon, NY
The P&B BBQ burger from Meyers is nothing but mouth-waring & delicious! Berkshire pork and chopped bacon hand-formed into a patty, topped with cheddar, grilled onions, and their house-made chipotle BBQ sauce. This guy does not disappoint! Plus a side of fries that are fresh cut & cooked twice for the perfect balance of fluffy interior and crispy exterior?! Get on in there! Open 7 days a week! Sunday-Thursday 11:30am-9pm for food and 10pm for bar, Friday and Saturday till 11pm for food and 12am, for the bar. Indoor and outdoor dining, take out and delivery all available. Order Now > Meyers Olde Dutch is a Sponsor, thank you!
TITO SANTANA TAQUERIA 142 Main St. Warning #FOODPORN alert! This crunch wrap supreme may not be suitable for people who don't love deliciousness packed into a crunchy taco! If this photo doesn't have your mouth watering, then we don't know! PS: Tacos are only $2 on Tuesdays! Menu > Catering > Tito Santana Taqueria is a Sponsor, thank you!
HOMESPUN
232 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Find Cavallotto | Barolo ‘Bricco Boschis—Vigna San Giuseppe’ 2001 in Magnum at Homespun! After being open for over 48 hours now, the fruit was singing, tannins still very present! This is twenty years old and could go double that long in magnum. Really delicious. Bravo @cavallottobriccoboschis !!! PS: Check out Homespuns Wine Store online & become a subscriber! OPEN HOURS:
Thursday - Monday, 10am - 7pm Monthly wine subscription > Order Food > Order Wine > Homespun is a Sponsor, thank you!
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL 288 Main Street, Beacon, NY
What happens when you get some local Beacon shmucks together to start a business? You get some sweet stuff! Right at Hudson Valley Food Hall! Local Ice Cream, Hot Waffles, and Other Sweet Stuff PS! Stay tuned for the date of @shmuckssweetstuff official grand opening - There will be music, good vibes, and of course, sweet stuff!
Follow HV Food Hall's foodies:
Miz Hattie's BBQ: Southern Style BBQ, from North Carolina. Order ahead via their Toast-app menu! Momo Valley: Himalayan Spiced Hand-Crafted MoMo & More Barb's Fry Works: Gourmet, small-batch-loaded fries. And salads. El Nica: Nicaraguan Food Roosevelt Bar: Cocktail Bar in a well-ventilated space with Outdoor Patio! Schmuck's Sweet Stuff: Local Ice Cream, Hot Waffles, and Other Sweet Stuff Hudson Valley Food Hall is a Sponsor, thank you!
BAJA 328 328 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Even though you love the tacos from Baja so much and they're hard to resist, you need to try their Buffalo Chicken Chimichangas!!! They are DEEELICIOUS! Plus, Happy Hour is from 4-6 PM! Do check out the specials that are always on the menu too! Check out their specialty drinks > Check out the specials >
BAJA 328 is a Sponsor, thank you!
W.T.F BEACON 195 Main St.
The backyard patio at WTF Beacon is one of the most chill spots to enjoy a delicious cocktail and some great grub. 🍽️ Catch them on Tuesdays for and music makers and spend the weekend with them because WTF not?! Check out the menu online! Many good options.
Fridays & Saturdays from 6pm - 10pm Menu > W.T.F Beacon is a Sponsor, thank you!
ZIATUN
244 Main St.
The falafel burger from Ziatun! 🥙 Handmade falafel cooked fresh daily with authentic Palestinian spices. Don't forget to add the za'atar fries! YUM! Ziatun specializes in many other Middle Eastern food options and delicious Arabic coffee. Vegan options as well! Menu > Order Online > Ziatun is a Sponsor, thank you!
Two Way Brewing Company
18 West Main St.
Confusion and Devils Head Red is back in stock over at Two Way! You need to try them out! Refreshing & delicious. All of Two Way Brewing beers are brewed at their in-house brewery located right next to the taproom. Drop by for a pint, a flight, or some beer to go!
PS! Don't forget Trivia on Thursdays at 7 p.m. OPEN:
Thursday 4:00pm - 9:00pm
Friday 4:00pm - 10:00pm
Saturday 12:00pm - 9:00pm
Sunday 1:00pm - 8:00pm Two Way Brewing Company is a Sponsor, thank you!
BINNACLE BOOKS
321 Main Street, Beacon Yuri Herrera, “A Silent Fury: The El Bordo Mine Fire” - “The alert was first raised at six in the morning: a fire was tearing through the El Bordo mine. After a brief evacuation, the mouths of the shafts were sealed. Company representatives hastened to assert that ‘no more than ten’ men remained inside the mineshafts, and that all ten were most certainly dead. Yet when the mine was opened six days later, the death toll was not ten, but eighty-seven. And there were seven survivors.
A century later, acclaimed novelist Yuri Herrera has reconstructed a workers’ tragedy at once globally resonant and deeply personal: Pachuca is his hometown. His work is an act of restitution for the victims and their families, bringing his full force of evocation to bear on the injustices that suffocated this horrific event into silence.”
Binnacle Books is a Sponsor, thank you!
BRETT'S HARDWARE 18 West Main Street, Beacon
Comfy & colorful Adirondack chairs from Bretts Hardware! Talk about perfect timing for Summer (1st day is this Sunday!) & June 19th BBQs and the 4th of July! Stop in & check out the chairs and other summer essentials! Bretts has what you need and has the best customer service to help if you have any questions at all! Brett's Hardware is a Sponsor, thank you!
LUXE OPTIQUE
181-183 Main Street, Beacon
@theoeyewear collection showcase from @luxeoptique is insanely unique and colors outside the lines. It's made for those looking for something they can't find anywhere else! The Theo Eyewear collection and many other unique & gorgeous collections from @luxeoptique! Follow them & stay up to date so you don't miss out.
Monday: 10 AM–5 PM
Tues-Sat:10 AM–6 PM
Sunday: Closed Shop Online > Luxe Optique is a Sponsor, thank you! LA MÉRE CLOTHING AND GOODS
470 Main Street, Beacon
Ride the wave with the **New** Tie Dye drawstring pant from La Mere! Perfect for dressing up, dressing casually, and even wearing over your bathing suit at the beach! Get them quick! Available online and in-store now.
Yanarella Dance Studio 312 Main St., Beacon, NY
It looks like so much fun at Yanarella! Look at those smiles. Sign up today to keep your 4-6 year old active over the summer!
Tumble Bunnies started June 17 and will be on Thursdays from 5:30pm - 6:10pm
The 6-week course for Adult Jazz/HipHop also started on June 17 and will be on Thursdays from 6:15pm - 7pm
ANTALEK & MOORE INSURANCE AGENCY
340 Main Street, Beacon
Antalek & Moore has made insurance and risk management their passion since 1853. They have gone through a number of transitions over the years. They've merged with other New York-based agencies to expand their business and most importantly, become better equipped to handle the needs of a growing customer base.
Currently headed by Susan Pagones and Vincent Lemma, the staff at Antalek & Moore remains committed to being a dependable resource for the Hudson Valley, New York, and national communities.
Tin Shingle trains and empowers business owners, makers, artists, and staff members in how to get the word out about their business. Be it a non-profit, special project, or even a major call to action, Tin Shingle’s training and community support gets people doing just that - on their own.
Flexibility is key for a small business, and we created this plan for it. You can send us your Honey-do List Of Things To Do, and we’ll get started on it. Based on what we find on your website, we will send you suggestions and recommendations. Pick the hours you need, in the discount bracket you like, and let’s get started!
ALBB's Business Directory is a Deep Dive List of services you need right now in Beacon and the Hudson Valley. There is a lot of talent here in the 12508 and beyond and we want to highlight all of them. Check out the Business Directory HERE.
For the second year in a row (see our first year!), A Little Beacon Blog is holding a Juneteenth art contest. The aim is to reserve space for the African American community to show their voices and visions during Juneteenth.
WHAT IS JUNETEENTH?
Juneteenth is a holiday of independence celebrated on June 19th by the Black community commemorating the liberation of the enslavement of Africans taken from their homes in other countries, separated from their families, and brought to North America so that white Americans could have their own Independence Day from Great Britain on July 4th. Some Native American tribes in Oklahoma kept African slaves as well, as was a recent focus during the Tulsa Race Massacre in Greenwood.
Juneteenth has been celebrated for over 150 years by African Americans, but not all knew about it, as it wasn’t taught regularly in schools. Last year, during the social reckoning of 2020, Juneteenth got elevated, paid attention to, and respected by the white community and other races. On June 17th, 2021, President Joe Biden signed Juneteenth into law as a national holiday, where the government workforce and schools will observe the holiday.
HOW THIS WORKS
Submit your work for consideration to be published on A Little Beacon Blog.
Any age is welcome.
People from the African American community, of any mix or origen.
African Americans living in the Hudson Valley of New York.
Any medium is welcome. If you recorded a song, send it via Spotify or something we can embed. Actually, we can embed an mp3 on our own website! Artwork that is painted, pixelized, collaged, quilted, etc.
Please answer these 2 questions with your submission:
What do you want to tell the United States about what you want changed?
What do you want to tell _______ your town in the Hudson Valley about what you want changed? Any wish. What is your greatest wish?
A Description of your artwork.
Selected submissions will be published on A Little Beacon Blog, along with your answers. You can elect to skip giving an answer.
Selected submissions will win grant money if we get sponsors. Of the sponsorship dollars, 100% will be divided among the artists.
Email art file to katie@alittlebeaconblog.com
Deadline: June 23rd. Publish Date: June 26th
100% Of SPONSORSHIP GOES TO PRIZES/GRANTS
We can offer prizes if we have sponsorships. Depending on how many submissions we get, we could award grant money to several people. Therefore, 100% of sponsor dollars will go towards these grants.
In the Comments, please indicate if this is to sponsor this initiative, and we will set it aside. Please also indicate if you want your name or business name listed with the final publishing of all artwork.
Once all sponsorships are in, the dollar amount will be divided evenly among the selected submissions.
HELPING A LITTLE BEACON BLOG CONTINUE
If you want to help A Little Beacon Blog at large continue to run these kinds of initiatives - consider sponsoring ALBB in a sustaining way. Visit our Media Kit for options or contact us. Or, you can send a contribution at any time. A Little Beacon Blog is a business, and we do pay salaries to feed our families, add to our savings accounts, pay student loans, and produce news you love.
PS: Love this logo design? It was designed by Dom (@upstate.creative) for a A Little Beacon Blog.
These 2 cuties were the winners of A Little Beacon Blog’s 1st Juneteenth Art Contest last year. They have since left the district and are enjoying homeschool with their mama, Millenial Matriarch, creator of Village Homeschool.
One day before President Biden signed Juneteenth as a federal holiday - a holiday marking independence and liberation from slavery that has been celebrated by the African American community for over 150 years but generally not taught in public or private schools for the white community to know about or be encouraged to celebrate - Beacon City School District Superintendent Dr. Matthew Landahl sent an email to district families wishing everyone a Happy Juneteenth.
“Next year we are very excited that Juneteenth will be an official BCSD school holiday on our calendar,” he stated. The Beacon City School District has been working on equity and diversity work over the year, despite the shutdown, and he let families know that the work continues this summer.
“The Beacon City School District is partnering with Dutchess BOCES to have our entire administrative team participate in Undoing Racism workshops this summer. Some of our teachers will be participants in professional development workshops on developing a more equitable curriculum in our district. There are other professional development programs that we are putting together as well.”
Dr. Landahl is known to be a communicative leader, as he ended the note with an indication that the district would be kept updated as to developments to that professional work for teachers and administration.
In true educator fashion, Dr. Landahl included resources for people to learn more about Juneteenth, which are included below:
The Great Hudson River Revival (The Clearwater Festival) Day: Saturday, June 19, 2021 Time: 11am - 11pm Location: Virtual The country’s oldest and largest music and environmental festival, this year’s event will celebrate the 100th birthday of its founder Pete Seeger, as well as the 50th anniversary of the sloop Clearwater, the iconic ship Seeger built to advocate cleaning up the Hudson River. The Clearwater has become a symbol of environmental advocacy and of Seeger’s efforts to inspire, educate, and activate millions of people around environmental issues.
Previously announced artists include Mavis Staples, Ani DiFranco, The Wailers, Railroad Earth, The Lone Bellow, The Mammals, Immortal Technique, and many more.
New additions to the line-up include Del McCoury Band, Chapin McCombs Chapin, Alan McClintock, Arif Choudhury, Betty & the Baby Boomers, Chief Perry, Children at the Well, Dennis Yerry, Dirty Stay Out Skifflers, Edukated Fleas, Ernie Sites, Evan Pritchard, Evy Mayer, Geoff Kaufman, Greenheart, Jacob & David Bernz, Jamie Brickhouse, Jan Christensen, Jonathan Kruk, Late Show's Gospel Choir, Laurie & Ira McIntosh, Leeny Del Seamonds, Lonnie Harrington, Luis Ramos, Magpie, Marita Solberg, Mel & Vinnie, Mercedes Garcia, Niemo, Norah Dooley, Peter Siegel, Ramapo Spirit of the Mountain Drummers, Reggie Harris, Reggie Seasar, Rik Palieri, Sheila Arnold, Spirit of Thunderheart, The Rix, The Storycrafters, Walkabout Clearwater Chorus, and William Ruiz.
The Great Hudson River Revival (aka Clearwater Festival) will return virtually this year on Saturday, June 19th. The online fundraising event will continue the organization’s decades-long tradition and community gathering normally held annually at Croton Point Park, NY.
This year’s Great Hudson River Revival will be live-streamed from 11 am - 11 pm EST on June 19th on Clearwaterfestival.org as well as Clearwater’s Youtube and Facebook pages. While The Great Hudson River Revival is free to attend, Clearwater encourages viewers to donate if they are able. All performances will be accompanied by ASL interpreters.
Revival is the country’s oldest and largest music and environmental festival, bringing together major musical acts and Clearwater’s own brand of green activism for a unique weekend every June. Clearwater Festival takes place on the banks of the Hudson River at beautiful Croton Point Park, Croton-On-Hudson, NY. Information >
Support for this publication comes in part from these businesses. We have highlighted what makes them special on their own dedicated pages. Want your business listed here? See the "Sponsor Spotlight" or "Event Promotion" option in our Advertising Page.
A podcast from A Little Beacon Blog. Your hosts: Katie Hellmuth martin & Brandon Lillard.
The City of Beacon entered into a contract with Legal Services of the Hudson Valley to provide increased access to Beacon tenants facing eviction. They may also be able to help with sources of rent arrears assistance. Call the paralegal, Steven Mihalik at 845-253-6953 to inquire.
Dutchess County Helpline. Open 24/7 to take your calls, listen, and give you resources.
Beacon Pride Pop-Up Dance Party
