While talking to a relative from Kansas City over the Thanksgiving Break, we learned about a rise in catalytic converter theft from a suburban neighborhood out there (here’s a June 2021 example of an uptick at the Kansas City airport). The next day, a Beaconite wrote in to ALBB say that they watched 3 people in black ski masks cut the catalytic converter out from underneath their car in their driveway at 2:30am on Thanksgiving Eve. They live near a free municipal parking lot, which has noise and people walking through which can provide distraction.
UPDATE 11/28/2021: Mo Dabashi of The Beacon Car Wash across from Key Food reported in that they also experienced theft of 2 catalytic converters from their lot the night before Thanksgiving. The same night that the resident originally mentioned in this article had theirs stolen.
According to Beacon Police when ALBB called to verify, there is a rise in theft of catalytic converters in the Hudson Valley area. According to a July 2021 article in the Poughkeepsie Journal reviewing data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), the average monthly number of stolen catalytic converters was 108 stolen/month. In 2021, after rising during the economic hardship induced by the pandemic in 2020, that number spiked to 5,000 stolen/month.
What Is A Catalytic Converter?
The catalytic converter is a long cylinder under the car that is part of the exhaust system in between the engine and the muffler. According to Chapel Hill Tire: “Your catalytic converter is named as such because it converts toxins into less harmful byproducts, such as water vapor and carbon dioxide. Without this component, your vehicle will no longer be filtering and reducing harmful emissions, including hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide.”
The electronic vehicle (EV) the Tesla, for instance, does not have a catalytic converter because it does not burn fossil fuels and has no need for the exhaust system, according to Specialty Metals. For metal scrappers, a Ford would be worth more than the Tesla, according to Specialty Metals.
When a fuel-burning car has rumbling sounds underneath, one never wants it to be a bad catalytic converter, as they can be expensive to replace if one buys a new one from the car maker. Without a catalytic converter, the car would be very loud, and release different toxins. In many areas, it is illegal to drive without a catalytic converter.
One Beaconite’s Experience Of Hearing The Catalytic Converter Be Cut Out
The Beaconite who alerted ALBB described the scene: “But at around 2:30 in the morning, we were awoken by a strange sound outside...A squeaking grinding sound, almost like a loose belt on a car. My partner shot out of bed and looked out our bedroom window, which is directly above our driveway where our car was parked. He was surprised to see 3 men in all black wearing ski masks - nothing identifiable showing. One was actually under our car. He realized immediately that they were cutting out the catalytic converter on our Honda CRV.”
The Beaconites were scheduled to drive to family for Thanksgiving. But after their catalytic converter was cut out, said: “Thanksgiving morning, we called around for a rental car but could not get one, so spent Thanksgiving on our own. Talk about gratitude --- I'm grateful that my kid didn't wake up to see the commotion. I'm grateful that no one was hurt. It was just such a scary incident.”
The mechanic shop has estimated the replacement job for this Beaconite to be $2,000.
Inside of the catalytic converter are precious metals that help convert the toxic chemicals. These metals are platinum, rhodium, and palladium, according to Chapel Hill Tire and Fox4KC. As pointed out by the Poughkeepsie Journal, rhodium exceeded the price of gold per ounce.
According to Fox4KC and the Poughkeepsie Journal, a catalytic converter can sell for $150 - $300. According to Chapel Hill Tire: “The Toyota Prius is the most targeted car for catalytic converter theft. As a low-emissions vehicle, Prius converters contain larger amounts of the precious metals platinum, rhodium, and palladium. Thieves can fetch as much as $700 per converter from unscrupulous scrap yards.”
Watch This Video Of 2 Hudson Valley Men With Tow Truck Steal A Catalytic Converter
These two men in a video captured in a security camera published on the Poughkeepsie Journal shows how brazen the theft can be. Stolen in broad daylight, these two men - one in shorts showing his white skin - drove in a tow truck to a SUV parked in a parking lot behind what looks to be a small strip mall. One man looked for the catalytic converter, and the two men went for it. Once cut out, one man put it in a storage drawer in the tow truck, and they drove away.
Should you have any leads on thieves of catalytic converters, or storage places of them, or scrapping sources, contact the Beacon Police Department at 845-831-4111.
The little pharmacy in Cold Spring - Drug World - has been on the hunt to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to the area since the vaccination for adults first became available. The Highlands Current covered the behind-the-scenes in what was required to administer the vaccine in their article “Drug World Chases COVID Vaccine.” This, followed by a letter from a reader, “Thanks To Drug World” which described what owner Heidi Snyder did to secure doses and partnered with Mark Snyder and Father Steve Schunk from St. Mary’s Episcopal Church to organize a team of community volunteers to administer it, according to a letter from John and Eva Humbach, followed by several other letters of support published in the newspaper.
Soon after the child’s dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for kids ages 5-11 became available, Drug World secured doses and made scheduling available on their website. Drug World’s website is also connected to the national database of vaccination locations, called Vaccines.gov, an easy to use online tool filtered by zip code, age and vaccination brand to book a vaccination for any available age.
Locations that do not have online booking do offer a phone number to call, or directions on if walk-ins are accepted. In Beacon, for instance, the new local pharmacy Beacon Wellness Pharmacy with the black and white awning across from Rite Aid offers the flu vaccination for walk-ins, and needs an appointment made online for the COVID-19 vaccination. The kids ages 5-11 will be available soon at Beacon Wellness Pharmacy, said the owner Enrique Reynoso, RPH, M.B.A., BCMTMS (review to come of Beacon Wellness Pharmacy’s shopping selection! we totally shopped it while flu-shotting).
Benefits Of Going Local Pharmacy - Shopping!
At any pharmacy, you are going to find a shopping selection. If you know A Little Beacon Blog, you know we love a good drug store and hardware store. Drug World did not disappoint Their Hanukkah selection is front and center at the front doors, while inside, there is a well curated selection of designer band-aids, coveted poppet stress toys (they are the new fidget-spinner and are all the rage on Tik Tok - kids collect them), and even picture frames! Not sure if you know, but picture frames are hard to find.
New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul is recommending for people to use Vaccines.gov, which has an easy-to-use vaccination finder for all age groups and brands of COVID-19 vaccination.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, and winter starts sending people indoors more, the predicted increase in cases has happened, including in children. According to a report released by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the number of children infected by COVID-19 used to average 16.9% of total cumulated cases. For the week ending November 18, that percentage rose to 25.1%
As of November 18, almost 6.8 million children have tested positive for COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic. This week nearly 142,000 child cases were added, an increase of about 32% from two weeks ago. Child cases have declined since a peak of 252,000 the week of September 2nd, but COVID cases among children remain extremely high. For the 15th week in a row child COVID-19 cases are above 100,000. Since the first week of September, there have been over 1.7 million additional child cases.
The age distribution of reported COVID-19 cases was provided on the health department websites of 49 states, New York City, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Since the pandemic began, children represented 16.9% of total cumulated cases. For the week ending November 18, children were 25.1% of reported weekly COVID-19 cases (children, under age 18, make up 22.2% of the US population).
In Beacon, that increase seemed to correlate. As with other schools in other districts and states, parents receive emails from the districts stating if there are new confirmed cases in which schools. The Beacon City School District (BCSD) Matt Landahl emailed parents each day - sometimes twice a day - that new cases were confirmed to be within the district. In each email, he specified the number of confirmed cases within each school, and that individuals have been or will be notified to quarantine. Beacon has 4 elementary schools, 1 middle and 1 high school.
In mid-November, the number of confirmed cases in the BCSD increased. The list of dates and confirmed cases has been posted in this article to the right, which are based on confirmed case notification emails from Dr. Landahl. These show that on November 16, numbers of confirmed cases were doubling.
UPDATE 12/2/2021: A sentence in the above paragraph has been edited to just say “confirmed cases.” Dr. Landahl sends the number of confirmed cases, which could be children or adult staff working in the school buildings.
On Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving (November 22nd and 23rd, 2021) the there was a district-wide early dismissal for parent/teacher conferences. Thanksgiving break began on Wednesday, November 24th. Everyone will return on Monday November 29th, 2021.
Vaccination Clinic Hosted By BCSD A Success
Days after the vaccination for kids ages 5-11 was approved, the BCSD organized a vaccination clinic in order to provide easy access to parents and children in a familiar environment: the Beacon High School. Organized by Deputy Superintendent Ann Marie Quartironi in partnership with Village Apothecary who administered the shots (see the Village Apothecary’s list of upcoming vaccination clinics).
In terms of shots administered at those clinics, Dr. Landahl shared data with ALBB that over the course of both clinics (November 9th and 10th): 278 pediatric doses were given, and 106 boosters were given.
Another BCSD hosted vaccination clinic is not scheduled yet, but several other regular locations are available to people, including Walmart in Fishkill, Drug World in Cold Spring, and others. Visit Vaccines.gov to find locations by zip code and schedule an appointment. Insurance is not needed, but may be asked for, but is not required.
CONFIRMED CASES IN THE BEACON CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT (BCSD) IN OCTOBER & NOVEMBER 2021 October 1 1 confirmed case
October 4 2 confirmed cases
October 5 1 confirmed case
October 6 2 confirmed cases
October 7 2 confirmed cases
October 12 2 confirmed cases
October 15 2 confirmed cases
October 16 3 confirmed cases
October 19 1 case
October 23 1 confirmed case
November 12 2 confirmed cases
November 12 1 confirmed case
November 16 2 confirmed cases
November 16 6 confirmed cases
November 17 3 confirmed cases
November 19 7 confirmed cases
November 19 7 confirmed cases
November 22 7 confirmed cases
Easy Vaccination Appointment-Finder
New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul is recommending for people to use Vaccines.gov, which has an easy-to-use vaccination finder for all age groups and brands of COVID-19 vaccination.
If people would like schools and businesses to stay open, then those people should get vaccinated, and boosted. Expect to get boosted on the regular.
The Beacon City School District has guidelines in place to keep kids and staff safe while in school together, and sends notifications quickly when vaccination clinics are available nearby, in addition to what can be found at Vaccines.gov.
So far for the 2021/2022 school year, the district has not closed any schools in the name of mass quarantining, and instead works diligently to contact trace individuals who may have been in contact with those who tested positive for COVID-19. Those people go into their own quarantine schedule.
Governor Hochul said: "The vaccine remains one of our greatest weapons in fighting the pandemic, and I encourage every New Yorker to get vaccinated, and get the booster if you're fully vaccinated."
The Tiny Food Pantry at the Beacon Recreaction Center has moved “around back”! The Recreation Center is located at 23 West Center Street, close to South Avenue Elementary and in the heart of where several neighborhoods intersect, including the new-ish South Avenue Park playground, Loopers Court (basketball court), and in the winter, a sledding hill.
This is the self-serve food pantry that anyone can put food into, and anyone can take what they need. This pantry takes non-perishables, refrigerated unopened food, and produce. You can contribute to it at any time, any hour. Pick your favorite foods that you would love, kids would love, and seniors would love (as their dietary needs change with age). Consider contributing toiletries like tampons, pads, and Depends. Those are pricey.
This self-serve food pantry very accessible to many neighborhoods and kids. Started and managed by Fareground, this food pantry now includes a community refrigerator. See several of Beacon’s food pantries and soup kitchens in ALBB’s Food Pantry and Soup Kitchens Guides. Includes directions on how to contribute and how to access when in need.
For the last few days, Beacon’s Highway Department has been out hanging the wreaths. Piled in the highway trucks, when not hauling leaf bags and tree debris from people’s homes left out on sidewalks, the crew has scheduled the days before Thanksgiving to hang the wreaths, just in time for the big opening day of shopping: the day after Thanksgiving.
Notice the new Municipal Parking sign pictured here (there are others now throughout the city), one of the recommendations of the Main Street Access Advisory Committee, and desire by many in the community for years. A new design was implemented as well.
🛍 Shopping and eating ideas are in A Little Beacon Blog’s Guides! Shops and Restaurants who want to promote specific events or products, consider starting your subscription advertising campaign with us this season! We love promoting you, readers love reading about you, and your support helps make it happen. 💕
Safe travels and/or happy cooking! Get boosted. Stay safe.
Beacon Trivia! The Highway Department employee pictured here, Edward McNair, is also a small business owner. With his wife Erika McNair, he co-owns InsideOut Infusion (concierge IV hydration and vitamins), OurtClothing.com, and The Virtue Brand clothing line.
Beacon Trivia! The new parking signs were designed by Beacon local Theresa Kraft, who is a designer with a background in product design and way finding signage. Theresa is an original member of the Main Street Access Advisory Committee since its inception in 2020
Left to Right: NY State Vice Regent, Pamela Barrack; Melzingah Regent Joan Miskell; President General, NSDAR Denise VanBuren, Melzingah Vice Regent Ethel Fyffe. Photo Credit: Melzingah Chapter of DAR
VFW Post 666 Commander Harold Delamater and Marine Corps League Det 861 Adjutant Tony Pulliam were invited to participate in the ceremony.
The marker was received from the New York State DAR organization in honor of Denise VanBuren, President General and Melzingah Daughter. The marker is in recognition of the 100th Anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; and is for all who visit the garden to express patriotism, with the noble purpose of remembering all whose lives were courageously given in service to the United States of America, both at home and abroad.
A permanent marker will be placed in the Spring of 2022.
Way back in warmer times in Beacon (June 2021), we sat down with Kamel Jamal to talk about Palestine on ALBB’s sister podcast station, “Wait, What Is That?”
Even though I have known about Kamel for 10 years, I had not made moments to speak with him. Really speak with him. I knew his politics. I knew he fought back in social media. I knew he answered back to outlandish reviews. I knew he didn’t like the empanada guy at the Beacon Farmers Market. I knew he was a Palestinian refugee. I knew his wife Lena was lovely and quietly fierce, and that his sister Kate (who now goes by her Palestinian name, Khitam) was raw fierce and lovely.
And that’s it.
However. When 2020 happened, I started to come out of my shell. On all of my platforms. In different ways (different platforms have different audiences in different moods). I started reporting on Black Lives Matter protests in Beacon. I started researching questionable employment and disciplinary actions by the City of Beacon that might not be able to prove discrimination on paper, but continuously result in decisions that don’t add up. And who knew that writing about COVID safety and vaccination recommendations during a world-wide pandemic would be so gutsy.
Kamel and I started circling each other. Then residents in a neighborhood in Palestine called Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem protested the scheduled take-over or demolishing of their homes by Israeli forces in May 2021, resulting in a lop-sided exchange of bombs that resulted in dozens of Palestinians being killed (including children), as well as some Israeli citizens. Anyone dead is too many. Especially when defending their home. This, after decades of recently lived histories of horrific murders and attacks on both sides of the Israeli checkpoints, resulting in friends and family members lost from the entire region.
Right around that time, Kamel reached out to me, as he wanted to be a sponsor of A Little Beacon Blog for 3 of his restaurants: Beacon Bread Company, Ziatun, and Tito Santana’s (WTF is the alter-ego of Beacon Bread, and serves as the cool friend next door who you sometimes see when they’re in the mood). This part was a coincidence, but did create the first time for Kamel and I to really talk over coffee. We were very honest with each other, which was as refreshing as the mint he uses in his watermelon salad.
Take a listen of this podcast episode. There was a moment where he was overcome with emotion, but you’ll probably not be able to find it. Both Brandon and I were very grateful to be sitting with Kamel, with him so accepting of our questions, as he earned to speak about his Palestine.
Many people in Beacon double as something else. The owner of Beacon Bread Company, Kamel Jamal, happens to be an extremely creative person, both visually and with phrases. He not only doubles the number of restaurants he creates, but enables others to share their talent as well.
It was no surprise when he commissioned one of his Beacon Bread staff, Shannon J. Ramos, to cover the side of the building he leases with an inviting and celebratory “Greetings From Beacon!” mural. Shannon is a muralist and tattoo artist from Poughkeepsie, who developed this design with her boyfriend and fellow artist, Sean who is from Wappingers Falls.
“We met through art,” said Sean. “She’d go to my art shows, and I’d go to her art shows. I love her art. I was in a grumpy mood this morning, but this changed me today. Being able to paint with her is so much fun.”
After 2 months of working for Beacon Bread as a server, Shannon and Sean began researching the design, and after looking at tons of postcards, went with this rainbow connection that “brings happiness,” Shannon said. Painting on the brick wasn’t so much of a challenge, she felt. Shannon used house paint for the hand/detail work, and Sean’s medium is spray painting.
“Murals are a lot of work” Shannon explained. “So it’s fun to have someone to balance off and bring different aspects of art to it. He’s good at spray paint. I’m good at hand-paint. It’s fun to play off each other.” Sean points out that they enjoy the interactive process of having passer-byers walk past to watch them paint. The flowers were left un-colored so that BEACON could stand out. The entire mural took about one day to complete.
Shannon is a full time restaurant server and artist. She has remained at Beacon Bread after starting there in the Spring of 2021, and was surprised to experience the creatively supportive vibe she got from the management. “I got the job, and then…you know…you want to be as available as possible for hours, but then I could only work certain days, and they were totally cool with that and wanted to make it work. It’s cool about them, as they are cool about flexible schedules, and having me do this mural and highlighting what I like to do.”
And just like that, we're less than a week away from Thanksgiving! During a blip of this week's City Council Meeting, Mayor Lee Kyriacou mentioned that there is a tree lighting ceremony on Saturday, November 27th at Pohill Park from 4-6pm. We don't know any more details than that, as there don't seem to be any postings about it anywhere online yet.
How we miss the grand and creative bicycle tree and bicycle menorah lighting from Beacon Arts! But alas.
NEWSFLASH! After we sent this blog post as a newsletter to our subscribers, a reader wrote in to let us know that the bicycle menorah lighting is ON! The Beacon Hebrew Alliance is hosting the once annual Illumin8: Lighting The Beacon Bicycle Menorah
What is back for its 4th year is Hop & Shop! Organized by retail elves in shops on Main Street, Hop & Shop was created to encourage people to travel the entire length of the mile-long Main Street to shop from as many stores as possible. And are there a lot of stores! From pottery making to hand-crafted rings to fast fashion for men and women. From stickers to poppets to kitchen-wear, to everything. See our latest article on Hop & Shop for this year. ALBB's Shopping Editor Teslie Andrade put together a few features for you to check out.
And do take the free bus! Beacon's Loop Bus, organized in part by Kelly Ellenwood for Beacon Arts, Dutchess County, and Mayor Casale's administration, the bus can pick you up from designated points on Main Street and other points on its route between the Mount Beacon and the MTA train station.
THE EVENTS + RETAIL THERAPY GUIDE
Edited and Written By Teslie Andrade and Katie Hellmuth Martin
You can sponsor this Event Guide with your event, for extra promotion of it! If you'd like to guarantee to see your entertainment event listed here, book an Event Promotion Advertising spot here.
Intro to Natural Dyeing Workshop
Day: Saturday, November 20, 2021 & Sunday, November 21, 2021 Time: Saturday 9am - 2pm & Sunday 9am - 11am Location: Stony Kill Foundation, Inc., 79 Farmstead Lane, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590
The Great Give Back Stichin' for the Kitchen
Days: October 1 - December 1, 2021 *EXTENDED!
Get out your hooks and needles. Stichin' for the Kitchen is back! As part of the Great Give Back, the Howland Public Library is collecting handmade hats and scarves to donate to Fareground and Beacon Community Kitchen. Crafters can donate a set or individual items. Donations should be placed in individual plastic-zip bags and dropped off in the Big Red Bin at the library. Drop off between October 1st and November 15th. For more information, contact Michelle at community@beaconlibrary.org.
The Bannerman Island Gallery Fine Art Holiday Exhibition
Day: Saturday, November 13, 2021 - Sunday, January 30, 2022 Time: 4pm - 6pm Location: Bannerman Island Gallery, 150 Main St., Beacon, NY 12508
Paintings, watercolors, prints, photographs, and hanging mixed media works will decorate the walls - while ceramics, sculpture and other artistic gift items will fill out the gallery. Many of the works will be Hudson River Valley themed. Visitors to the gallery can expect to see representational landscapes, florals, interiors and still-life works - as well as other works from the imagination. Functional and whimsical ceramics and other gift items will also be featured. All works will be for sale and all proceeds from sales will benefit on-going restoration work on historic Bannerman’s Island. Gallery hours are Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 noon – 5:00pm and most weekday afternoons and early evenings by chance or appointment by calling 845-416-8342.
The Beacon Farmers Market won approval from City Council and the City Administrator to remain open outside all year. They will continue to operate from the DMV parking lot, which has proved an open and accessible place for people to pass through and congregate in during the pandemic where people continue to avoid being indoors if possible. It has allowed the market to accept more vendors, and keep a spacious shopping experience. Read This >
Shake away the Monday blues! We created a list of restaurants in Beacon that are open on Mondays. See it here >
TWO WAY BREWING COMPANY
18 West Main St.
Cheers to the weekend! Stop into Two Way for a refreshing pint, a flight, or some beer to go at their full service taproom! All of their beers are brewed at their in-house brewery located right next to the taproom. PS Really good fall beers from Two Way! And a food menu with goods from The Flying Jib! See beers on tap here > OPEN:
Thursday 4:00pm - 10:00pm
Friday 4:00pm - 11:00pm
Saturday 12:00pm - 11:00pm
Sunday 1:00pm - 8:00pm
Two Way Brewing Company is a Sponsor, thank you!
EAT CHURCH
3091 U.S. 9, Cold Spring, NY
Get your Eat Church noodle fix at Marbled Meat Shop's (in Coldspring) grab-n-go fridge! Phat Thai + Sesame Noodles pre-packaged, ready to go, just for YOU! Eat Church is a favorite with gluten-free options!
Find Eat Church at more places:
Thursday-Sunday at industrial Arts Brewing
DAILY GrabnGo at Marbled Meat Shop
Sunday at Beacon Farmers Market
So many opportunities to get your hands on this deliciousness! PS Fall Menu is here for the season! Website >
Eat Church is a Sponsor, thank you!
BEACON BREAD COMPANY 193 Main St.
A true NY staple from BBC (obviously - just look at it!) Two fried eggs with cheddar & bacon (can’t forget the avocado) with SPK alllllll on a homemade seeded brioche bun. Open 8-5 this weekend for the brunchy, boozy, and caffeinated treats! Breakfast served all day! PS All Thanksgiving orders must be placed by Sunday, November 21! Give them a call, order in person, or via email. Menu > Order Pick Up or Delivery > Beacon Bread Company is a Sponsor, thank you!
MEYERS OLDE DUTCH
184 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Is your mouth watering? Because our mouths are watering... MOD only uses the finest ingredients including local food purveyors such as beef from the Hudson Valley, cheese from NY state and produce from local farmers. Their full-service bar features a large selection of NY craft beer, locally produced wine and house-crafted cocktails. In addition to beef burgers, the menu offers chicken, hot dogs and vegan options with multiple toppings and house-made signature sauces, plus hand-cut fries, salads and daily specials. Go on in & take a bite of Beacon! Open Sunday thru Thursday for Food 11:30am - 9pm; Bar until 10pm Friday and Saturday Food 11:30am - 11:00pm; Bar until midnight. Order Now > Meyers Olde Dutch is a Sponsor, thank you!
TITO SANTANA TAQUERIA 142 Main St.
It's the weekend! You know what that means... NACHOS! With pickled onions, pickled radish, cream, black beans, pico, jalapeños, nacho cheese, and the option to add chicken, pork, chorizo, smoked brisket, or chipotle chicken! PS: Dinner takeout special available Monday-Friday from 4pm - 9pm: 4 tacos, + 2 street corn, + 1 chip & salsa, + 1 rice & beans for only $24! PPS: Catering available! PPPS: $3 tacos every Tuesday! #tacotuesday Menu > Catering > Tito Santana Taqueria is a Sponsor, thank you!
HOMESPUN
232 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Homespun's online beer store! So many options including pale ale, IPA, gose, hard seltzer, stout, lager, and many more! You can even explore the Hudson Valley through beer with Homespun's monthly subscription craft beer service. Each month, subscribers get beer from a brewery located within the Hudson Valley. Homespun is highlighting each brewery in a blog post so that you can learn who are they, when they started, how they are helping their local community, and how their beer highlights the terroir (terrain) of the region. See more here > OPEN HOURS:
Thursday - Monday, 10am - 7pm Order Food > Homespun is a Sponsor, thank you!
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL 288 Main Street, Beacon, NY
What're you having for lunch this weekend? Why not a Chocolate brownie sundae from Shmuck's Sweet Stuff (located inside the HV Food Hall)?! We're not judging...
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 El Nica: Nicaraguan Food Roosevelt Bar: Cocktail Bar in a well-ventilated space with Outdoor Patio! Shmuck'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
Baja's specials menu is constantly changing and you don't want to miss out because you might just miss a really good special like this Roasted Poblano & Potato Soup! PS: Baja wings are a must try. Choice of chipotle-honey glaze, korean bbq, spicy baja sauce, or bleu cheese! PPS: Happy Hour Tues-Fri 4-6pm Check out their specialty drinks > Check out the specials >
BAJA 328 is a Sponsor, thank you!
ZIATUN
244 Main St.
Not sure what to bring this year for Thanksgiving? Surprise your friends and family with a HABIBI PLATTER from Ziatun! Get your orders in now for everyone’s favorite party plate, with their hummus, falafel, Palestinian olives and more all for $49.95. Pick up will be at their sister restaurant, Beacon Bread Company, on Thanksgiving Day! PS: It's Soup Season & Ziatun has you covered with delicious soups! Warm up! Menu > Order Online > Ziatun is a Sponsor, thank you!
BEACON FLEA MARKET OPEN THROUGH DECEMBER - HOPES FOR ALL YEAR
The Beacon Flea Market is a fair weather market with some of the most resilient vendors around. Collectors have returned to market to offer a wide variety of treasures. Owner Emma Dewing is asking the City of Beacon to approve her request to go through the Winter on Henry Street, just like the Farmers Market has at the DMV lot. Watch This Video Shopping Tour! >
DIRTY BACCHUS
380 Main Street, Beacon
Baia Abuladze, Gia Jamberidze, Marina Kuranidze, Mariam Guniava, Nino Chitoshvili
Enek Peterson -10 excellent wines made by 6 amazing women pushing traditions forward and breaking rules in Georgia, and these bottles are just a fraction of Dirty Bacchus' Georgian wine selection! Stop in, get some bottles for the holidays, or as gifts, or for you! Wine works in all ways! Follow @dirtybacchus for all wine reviews! HOURS:
Mon-Wed: 12-6pm
Thur- Sat: 11am-7pm
Sun: 12-5pm Dirty Bacchus is a Sponsor, thank you!
BINNACLE BOOKS
321 Main Street, Beacon Questlove, “Music is History” available at Binnacle!
“Focusing on the years 1971 to the present, Questlove finds the hidden connections in the American tapes- try, whether investigating how the blaxploitation era reshaped Black identity or considering the way disco took an assembly-line approach to Black genius. And these critical inquiries are complemented by his own memories as a music fan, and the way his appetite for pop culture taught him about America. A history of the last half-century and an intimate conversation with one of music’s most influential and original voices, ‘Music Is History’ is a singular look at contemporary America.” Binnacle is *Open daily!
Binnacle Books is a Sponsor, thank you!
BRETT'S HARDWARE 18 West Main Street, Beacon
Getting your cleaning on for the Holidays? So is Brett’s Hardware. Maybe this is the year for the heavy duty mop pail for your home. More importantly is the reusable wooden handle mop at Brett’s, which has a removable mop head you can wash in the laundry! We’ve tried the Miracle Mop and various other brands. This one has a turn style removal method that makes getting the mop had on and off easier. PS: Get your winter mats & supplies! It's time!
Stop in & check it all out. OPEN
Monday-Friday 7:30am - 7pm
Saturday 8am - 6pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm Brett's Hardware is a Sponsor, thank you!
LUXE OPTIQUE
181-183 Main Street, Beacon
Head on into Luxe Optique and find your pawfect frame! Luxe knows the importance of good eye health and has professional doctors of optometry on staff and works out of network with all insurance companies. Luxe Optique is also a DMV approved location for a convenient motor vehicle eye exam. PS: New arrivals are always arriving at Luxe! Stop in or make an appt! PPS *NEW HOURS
Monday 10 AM - 5 PM
Tuesday - Saturday 10 AM - 6 PM
Closed on Sundays! They've gone shopping! Shop Online > Luxe Optique is a Sponsor, thank you!
LA MÉRE CLOTHING AND GOODS
470 Main Street, Beacon
Now this looks like the cozy gift that almost anyone would want! Even you! Stop into La Mere and check out the new arrivals that pop in weekly! We must warn you... the new arrivals GO quick because, well, obviously! Start your holiday shopping early and never ever forget to treat yourself. #shoplocal
*New Arrivals Weekly / Free Shipping
Download their free app in the iTunes Store PS: Everything is under $100!! PPS: MENS clothing now available!
Yanarella Dance Studio 312 Main St., Beacon, NY
Unlike many other studios, Yanarella's year begins in December and runs all year until their recital in November. They offer classes in all levels and styles (guaranteed to find something you or your kid(s) like!). They offer full year classes as well as Fall Introductory Courses, Winter Camps and Summer Camps. For each additional class there is a multi class/Family discount.
** The 2022 season registration day is this Tuesday 11/23 from 1:00-7:30 pm at the studio. New classes will begin the week of 1/3/22. Anyone can drop in and register. Registration will also be available online! **
Yanarella's facility has three dance rooms, all adjacent to waiting rooms with half walls for observers, instead of observation windows. All rooms are equipped with state of the art sound systems, mounted and standing ballet barres, and full length mirrors. They also have a sprung wooden floor made specifically for dancers.
ANTALEK & MOORE INSURANCE AGENCY
340 Main Street, Beacon
Happy Anniversary Teresa Greenough! Congrats to you on 29 years of service and for all you do for Antalek & Moore Insurance Agency as the current Business Insurance Team Lead. Go on in to Antalek & Moore and say hi + find out more about their services. Give Antalek & Moore a call today: 845-831-4300 and visit their website. Latest Announcements > Antalek & Moore is a Sponsor. Thank you!
KATIE JAMES, INC.
A specialty of Katie James, Inc. is to design solutions that work the way you need to work. Some people operate better by texting their big ideas, and letting us run with them. See the latest Website Projects from Katie James: Homespun Foods > Barb’s Butchery > Stanley Lindwasser > Find out more > Katie James Inc. is a sponsor. Thank you!
HIRING: Homespun Foods Is Looking For A Lead Server To Join Their Growing Team Details >
HIRING: Maintenance & Packaging Manager At Industrial Arts Brewing Details >
HIRING: Beacon City School District Food Service Department Is Looking For Substitute Food Service Helpers Details >
Featured here: Happy Belly, at the Beacon Farmers Market.
The Beacon Farmers Market was one of the first to pivot hard when the business shutdown happened when COVID-19 was first discovered and declared a global pandemic. They quickly built a extremely robust but temporary well-serving website to connect devoted customers to vendors, and opened outside, withstanding the deep snowfall Beacon experienced last year.
This year, vendors agreed that they prefer to stick it out outside in the DMV parking lot, where there is more space, possibly better internet, and that small-scale live music that helps keep the market moving.
The Shred Foundation, a skateboarding organization serving under-served youth which is Black founded, at the Beacon Farmers Market.
Diana Mae Flowers, a Beacon Farmers Market staple for creative bouquets.
Cooperstown Cheese Company at the Beacon Farmers Market.
Trax, a Beacon local coffee roasters with 3 locations in Beacon, also likes to serve it up at the Beacon Farmers Market.
Eggberts Free Range Farm, another Beacon Farmers Market staple and wonderful source for eggs, beef, lamb and pork.
Advocates for free New York Health Insurance, which would in theory be funded by a payroll tax on New Yorkers. Anna Brady Nuse started a Change.org petition for the cause, and has been pursuing Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou to show support for free New York Health Insurance by putting it on Beacon’s City Council Agenda, where the council can create and vote on a Resolution supporting it. So far the Mayor has not put it on the agenda.
Back for its 4th year of community supported shopping, Hop & Shop is thriving this year in its efforts to support businesses on Main Street during this holiday season. Produced by retail elves on Main Street who do this in addition to running their brick and mortars, Hop & Shop is two nights (Thursday and Friday, 12/2-3) of longer shopping hours in Beacon (recommended closing time is 9pm, which is late for Beacon), plus fun deals or specials to go along with it.
Businesses can sign up here, and shoppers can learn about specials after November 29th, when the holiday shopping season officially kicks into high gear. This will be a great activity after Thanksgiving in that Black Friday slide. For those interested in how this works, see their FAQ page.
Hop & Shop has been doing a fabulous job promoting participating shops on their Instagram, so you should follow along with them here. We have highlighted a few shops below that are either super-new, hard to find, or ones that you just must walk into. To see all of Beacon’s shops, visit ALBB’s Shopping and Restaurant Guides. Follow along with Hop & Shop for more, and see you out and about!
BERTE 500 Main St. Berte is a curated home decor and lifestyle shop in Beacon, NY with a focus on emerging designers and makers who embody their playful, yet calming modern aesthetic. Passionate about “the hunt,” founder Aimée deSimone finds new pieces and brands wherever they emerge – whether that’s abroad or closer to home in New York’s Hudson Valley. She takes great pride in their collaborative relationship with makers (mostly female and BIPOC), who share our commitment to sustainability, equity, and design. TIP: Look for their “wall necklaces” if they still have them.
INGLEWOOD MARKETPLACE 17 E Main St. Established in 2015, Inglenook Marketplace is a home goods, general goods, and candle making brand. They are purveyors of local, fine & sustainable products. They specialize in eco-friendly options, including their very own refillery inside of our Beacon location. You can fill up on Laundry Soap, Body Wash, Shampoo, Dryer Balls, and you can even refill your used Inglenook Marketplace candle! TIP: We tried the grapefruit dish soap, and love it!
WANDERLUX 473 Main St. Suite 2 Wanderlux style provides an exclusive, accessible, and sustainable short term rental (or option of purchase) experience of luxury fashion, shoes, and accessories for both men and women. Luxury items without the hefty price tag, closet space, dry cleaning costs, and waste. TIP: Located where Cold Fit Cryotheraphy used to be, behind the architects storefront office near Wonderbar.
SILICA STUDIO 428 Main St. Silica Studio is a very new and very interactive type of business in Beacon. Take a Pottery Class and learn to make your own piece on the wheel or hand build it yourself with instruction by a skilled potter. Great for date nights or family/friend bonding! Also discover some beautifully unique works of art by local artisans in the front of house mini gallery! Silica Studio is a place to access creativity and fun for all!! TIP: Can’t wait to try this.
HUNCA MUNCAS 145 Main St. For lovers of nature, craft, magic and play. Handmade, sustainable & ethically manufactured gifts for children and the home. TIP: If you were looking for cloth rabbit dolls and looks of a very sweet nature, this is your spot.
This photo was taken 1 week after the graffiti was covered up with paper by a person who wanted to remain anonymous, but wanted to make the vandalism less glaring.
One of the new apartment buildings in Beacon - 249 Main Street - was tagged last weekend. The words “Go Home” were spray painted in white over the building and windows. A person who wished to remain anonymous covered up the graffiti with white paper one day after the incident happened. A Little Beacon Blog has reached out to the Beacon Police and to the realtor who represents the property, The Gate House Team at Compass (formerly Gate House Realty), to inquire if the incident had been reported to the police, and if so, if security cameras on Main Street or neighboring businesses had been used to find who did the spray painting. Neither have responded. Baxter built the property.
This is not the first time buildings have been tagged in Beacon by menacing individuals. Last year in January 2020, a handful of businesses were tagged. In that case, 3 New Windsor men and 1 man from Newburgh were taken into custody and charged in relation to vandalism, as reported by the Poughkeepsie Journal, who identified the men after the City of Beacon Police Department shared the information.
Some of the art you see around Beacon on the sides of buildings is a result of covering up unwanted graffiti. Removing the paint is very difficult.
The intent of the message is not clear. Beacon’s real estate has been hot for a while, and is currently pricing out many locals who live here who need to stay in rental units, or want to move from rental units into property they purchase. Some Beaconites are selling directly to each other, and not listing their homes, in order to avoid bidding wars and do their friends a favor to keep their friends in Beacon. One the other hand, some Beaconites are setting the prices very high on their homes, hoping to get cash offers.
Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou has been resisting the City Council’s push to sign into law the Good Cause Eviction Law, as neighboring towns have, including Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, and Kingston. During the first meeting the City Council had to discuss Good Cause Eviction Law, Beacon’s attorney Nick Ward-Willis of Keane and Beane rushed to silence the discussion and move it to Executive Session, which is when the City Council, Mayor and City Administrator can discuss things in private from the public.
Since then, Councilperson Dan Aymar-Blair has presented a proposal to accept Good Cause Eviction Law, which has the support of many in the public who continuously show up to City Council meetings to voice their support. Mayor Kyriacou, who is a landlord, continues to not support it, saying he defers to the city’s attorney, who is not recommending the law, stating that New York State guidance is needed. However, New York State’s Attorney General Letitia James just stated she supports the law.
Said Letitia in a filmed speech shared with City Limits: “I step before you as someone who was once in poverty…who was once evicted. And so paying the rent — yeah rent is too damn high. So we’ve gotta talk about rent and housing and all the issues that we care about. Yes, we need to pass Good Cause Eviction.”
Airbnb is also a factor in Beacon’s real estate economy. While it is good for some house owners and apartment renters who offer it, it is taking long term rental units and houses off the market. While Beaconites who rent out on Airbnb were deathly afraid of Beacon’s then Building Inspector, Tim Dexter, enforcing code requirements on them and shutting them down under then Mayor Randy Casale’s administration, Beaconites have nothing to fear now. Tim Dexter has since retired, replaced by his then assistant, David Buckley. Under Mayor Kyriacou’s administration, the current Building Inspector took a very different approach to code interpretation, and removed the road-block of fire-safety egress windows or ceiling sprinklers in his interpretation to make offering Airbnb more affordable for homeowners who did not want to invest in such safety features.
Further, Beacon’s City Administrator Chris White says that he spoke with David Buckley, and the two discussed how the Airbnb regulation Beacon passed years ago is unenforceable. There seems to be little desire at the administration level to begin enforcement.
If any such enforcement has happened that you would like to share with ALBB, please do so by contacting us.
One week later, the white paper covering the graffiti is still up on the apartment building, albeit ripped and blowing in the wind. Sadly, the graffiti was done at the building’s “promotional” window, that encourages a passer-byer to “tag” the realtor with a selfie photo.
Boosted! Regarding arm soreness and vaccinations: do you hear people complaining this much after they get back from the gym or pilates about their sore legs after their trainer kicked their booties? No…! They go there to get sore on purpose. It’s working!
Pro Tip from the nurse who gave this booster: relax your arm muscles. A tight muscle will be more sore when needle hits it. Deep breaths, and relax.
PS: Coincidence maybe, but my seasonal asthma is feeling better hours after getting this booster. Couldn’t sit inside today masked for scratchy asthma cough. Will report back tomorrow if asthma is still better. But this did happen with the spring asthma. Cleared up after first shot.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has decided to close the Downstate Correctional Facility at 121 Red Schoolhouse Road, along with five other prisons, citing low capacity and the desire to re-imagine helping incarcerated people with mental health and drug treatments services. While this maximum security prison is located in the Town of Fishkill, it is not the Fishkill Correctional Facility that is near Beacon’s high school and middle school that has been in the news lately.
The Times Union reported that Governor Hochul had indicated her desire to close more prisons two or so weeks ago during one of her COVID-19 briefings, stating: “I want to get creative with this,” Hochul said at the end of October. “I don't know if something can be used as a substance abuse treatment center. We don't need as many prisons. The number of people incarcerated has gone down dramatically in our state.”
According to the New York Times, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo “shut 18 prisons during his nearly 11 years in office amid a series of criminal justice reforms that reduced New York’s prison population to its lowest level since 1984.” Although employees apparently found out this week, the Times Union reported that the president of the New York State Correctional Officer Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA), Michael Powers, said in a statement that the news “shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone,” who opposes the closing, reported the New York Times.
The closure will take place in March 2022, and moves to transfer employees to other employment positions begin now. The Downstate Correctional Facility is a major employer in the region, employing 644 people, according to the Times Union. The facility has the capacity to imprison 1,221 incarcerated people, and currently imprisons slightly over half of that, at 688 incarcerated people.
According to reporting in the Times Union, who cited a press release from DOCCS, DOCCS does not anticipate layoffs due to the closure, and will focus on “providing staff with opportunities for priority placement via voluntary transfers, as well as priority employment at other facilities or other state agencies,” and will be working with bargaining units to stay within union rules.
Said Chris Moreau, Vice President of the Mid-Hudson Region for New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA) to the Times Union: “They will have to put their name in a hat and hope they can be transferred to adjacent facilities in the region. There’s no guarantee that officers who live and work and set up their families around the Downstate area aren’t going to be shipped up north, out west, hours away from their family right before the holiday season.”
Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro issued a statement via press release on November 8th, the day of the announced closure: “Today’s announcement about the closure of the Downstate Correctional Facility has taken Dutchess County by surprise. There has been no coordination between the Governor’s Office and Dutchess County on the closure of this large facility, nor a coordinated plan for the future use of the parcel and the hundreds of workers who will be affected. Make no mistake: Inmates at Downstate are not being released; they will simply be transferred to remaining State prisons or to county jails throughout New York. Today's announcement only leaves Dutchess County with more questions than answers.”
According to the Times Union, DOCCS has been evaluating this, and debating about which facilities to choose. As reported in the article: “DOCCS reviewed the operations at its 50 facilities and looked at physical infrastructure, program offerings, facility security level, medical and mental health services, proximity to other facilities, and potential re-use options.”
Governor Hochul’s office has indicated new uses for the buildings that that help this population, and has been quoted as to saying she is open to new ways of benefiting people. Perhaps this re-imagining will include job training for new positions to work with incarcerated people, or people who are not sent into jail, but are heavily guided into programs.
According to a press release from DOCCS, the total number of incarcerated people in New York State is 31,469. The DOCCS press release states that this is over 50% less than what it was in 1999.
Beacon’s Main Street has been getting attention from Mayor Lee Kyriacou’s administration. From real estate zoning overhauls to street signage, some changes have been made. Most recently, the sidewalk “bump-outs” which are the circular extensions into the street that the City Administrator Chris White argues, during recent City Council meetings, will reduce traffic speeds, and act as a benefit to emergency vehicles who can now drive over them when turning a tight corner. Additionally, he said, a car may not be parked so close to the street corner, now that the bump-outs are there, making turning easier, with one less parked vehicle in the way.
Once the cement set on all of the bump-outs, new signage went in. Namely, yellow crosswalk signs. Hurrah! But no new painted cross-walk lines were done, as paving of Main Street was scheduled for October, but was canceled in November.
According to a press release on the City of Beacon’s website: “The City has also been investing in pedestrian and cyclist safety throughout the City. Immediately upon taking office in 2020, Mayor Kyriacou formed a Main Street Access Advisory Committee made up of residents. The Committee was instrumental in the upcoming installation of stop signs and way finding signage along the Main Street corridor.”
It is unknown at this time what project or budget line item the crosswalks were part of, as the Main Street Access Advisory Committee leader Stowe Boyd indicated that these particular crosswalk signs were not part of their first phase of new signage that aims to make finding one’s way around Beacon easier. Their focus was on adding street signs to intersections were no street signs exist, stop signs along Main Street intersections, and better free parking signs for municipal lots.
Colleen Pillus, Communication Director for the Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro confirmed that the bump-outs were federally funded, and could not confirm source of funding for the crosswalk signs. Sometimes sidewalk or street sign projects come from different grant funds from federal or county budgets, and in our reporting, we like to indicate which ones.
Beacon’s City Administrator Chris White did not respond to ALBB’s questions seeking funding or design confirmation on the bump-outs. Perhaps you can find out?
Questions that were sent to City Administrator Chris last week:
1. When and if did Beacon apply for federal funds for the bump-outs?
2. What were the start and end dates of the project?
3. Can you send the final design for the bump-outs that were approved by the City of Beacon and were submitted to the people creating the bump-outs?
4. What if any accessibility expert was used as a resource for designing the bump-outs?
5. Who paved the bump-outs? What company and were any city employees involved in any aspect? If so, which ones?
6. The yellow cross-walk signs that were recently installed: where did that funding come from? What company installed them or were they installed by city employees?
If you have positive or negative experience with crossing Main Street with the new bump-outs and/or yellow crosswalk signs, let us know in the comments below.
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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.
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL
