A student scenic, building and painting the set. Photo Credit: The Beacon Players
Winter performances are ramping up in the Pete and Toshi Seeger Theatre in the Beacon High School. From student choral and band concerts, to performances by the Beacon Players, to more theatrical performances from outside groups. Last year in the Spring, performances were held outdoors. How will the Beacon City School District handle the performances now? Beacon’s Superintendent Dr. Matt Landahl provided an update during the 11/8/2021 Board of Education Meeting.
Performances will be inside, General Admission seating, with the auditorium at 50% capacity. The audiences will be masked up. The performers themselves have voluntarily opted to wear clear masks as they have done before, Deputy Superintendent Ann Marie Quartironi confirmed when former Poughkeepsie Journal reporter and current Board of Education member Craig Wolf asked.
The first 2 rows of seating will be blocked off to keep the performers safe. Attendees who come in families or groups will sit together, Dr. Landahl explained. "The ushures will be trained or know what to do to get everyone into the theater in a safe way.” Dr. Landahl noted that these protocols follow what other districts are doing in the area. “I commend our staff for bringing this together. Inside, and back in the theater where they belong,” he said. “A lot of these efforts are this 'return to normal,' like in the theater, or to get it as close to it as we can, and to keep kids in school more.”
These protocols will also cover when the theater is used by an outside group.
There was no mention of if vaccine status would be required.
One of Beacon’s safety measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic was to close the water fountains to prevent communicable spread. Kids were encouraged to bring in their own water bottles so that they could get drinks, and refill the water bottle. Kids who don’t bring or have a water bottle are offered little cups of water.
The cups of water has become a point of interest for some kids. Getting a cup may be a reason to go to the nurse if cups run out in a teacher’s room. Or a request to refill a cup might be denied to a middle schooler if they are in the middle of class, or if hallway schedule times aren’t great for kids of different ages mixing in the halls.
In talking to Rombout Middle School’s Principal Brian Soltish about a completely unrelated matter of how bullying in school is dealt with these days, one item that came up was refilling water cups. While Principal Soltish did indicate that Rombout Middle School designs its hallway schedule with age groups in mind - to reduce that age-old rivalry between older 8th graders with newer 6th graders - fetching refills of water cups can factor into this.
When asked if the kids can bring water bottles (knowing that kids can, as they are on the school supply lists), Principal Soltish nearly jumped through the phone with an emphatic “YES!!!!” He went on to explain that kids being kids, the water cups are dropped and spill everywhere. “We were buying bottles of water at one point, to curb the cups, but it became too expensive.”
Teachers in the elementary schools are also expressing surprise at how often the little cups of water spill, causing needs to stop teaching and clean up the water. Either at a desk, the floor, on students themselves, or in the hallway.
Water bottles are usually an easy thing to forget, be it for sporting events or now daily school. Even if a household has 17 water bottles at home. However, in addition to the big concepts the teachers are teaching, they want water bottles in backpacks.
PS: Teachers are also asking parents and caregivers to remember to help kids charge their laptops at school. There can be 16 kids in a class with only a few outlets in the classroom. Completing online work in the classroom can be difficult if devices are drained.
From Right: Beacon Board Of Education (BOE) Member Craig Wolf, and Meredith Heuer, President Photo Credit: Screenshot of 11/8/2021 BOE Meeting
UPDATE 12/2/2021: Dr. Landahl responded to ALBB’s request for current staff vaccination rates: “We are at an 84% staff vaccination rate: 86% for teachers/admins, 83% all other staff.” The title of this article originally said “Near 80%” and has been edited to say 84%.
Craig Wolf, retired journalist for the Poughkeepsie Journal, and current Board Member for Beacon’s Board of Education (BOE) for the Beacon City School District, asked Beacon’s Superintendent of Schools Dr. Landahl during his COVID Update at the end of the 11/8/2021 Board of Education meeting about staff vaccinations.
Craig asked: "How are we doing in terms of vaccinations for our staff?"
Dr. Landahl answered: "About a month ago it was about 73% of our employees were vaccinated." The district staff had not tallied the numbers as of this BOE meeting in early November, but Dr. Landahl felt comfortable estimating that it had increased to close to 80% by early November. Staff vaccinations are recorded in broad terms, and not identified by department or type of staff, Dr. Landahl explained.
"Every week we have a few more folks who get vaccinated," Dr. Landahl expanded.
ALBB has requested the percentage closer to December, but did so close to this publishing, and is awaiting response. When and if an update comes in, this article will be updated. We are binge-listening to the BOE meetings for updates as well. if you are further ahead of us and know the answer, do send a link and video minute notation.
School Employees In New York Have The Choice To Get Vaccinated
School employees have the choice to get vaccinated, or go through weekly testing, as is the mandate from the New York State level. It is not one the Beacon City School District can make unique to their district. Wearing a mask in school is also mandated at the New York State level by Governor Kathy Hochul. She did this to create a safer space for students and staff to attend school in person, and possibly, remove safety precautions and extra layers of safety during an air-born based pandemic later on if enough people are vaccinated, which could reduce the ability for the virus to mutate.
From New York State's press release: "Governor Kathy Hochul today (9/2/2021) announced that her strategy to reopen schools safely took a major leap forward on two fronts, demonstrating her administration's commitment to making the health and well-being of students, teachers, and families a top priority. Earlier today, the Public Health and Health Planning Council passed an emergency regulation and the Health Commissioner issued a determination requiring all teachers, administrators and other school employees to submit to weekly COVID-19 testing unless they show proof of vaccination, with either a CDC vaccine card or the Excelsior Pass."
How Has The Anti-Vaxx Reaction Been At Beacon’s Board Of Education Meetings?
Very civil. A handful of people have come out to speak at the Public Comment portion of the beginning of the meetings both in support and not of vaccinations for teachers, masks for kids, and required weekly testing for the unvaccinated. Beacon’s Board of Education President Meredith Heuer has thanked participants for being cordial during this time of potential discord nation-wide. Board Member Kristan Flynn has also thanked meeting attendees for their calm manner in delivering opposing viewpoints.
The local paper, the Highland Current, was the first to report one of the first voices of dissent from a staff member on the vaccine mandate. Beacon City School District staff member who identified herself as Laurie Malin (pronounced “maleen” with a hard “e”) each time she speaks against vaccines and testing (an early time was 9/13/2021). The Highlands Current - and current students - confirmed that she is a science teacher at Rombout Middle School. She is tenured, as confirmed by Rombout Middle School’s Principal, Brian Soltish. Laurie spoke publicly and strongly against getting vaccinated, as well as against getting testing tested weekly in exchange for choosing to not get vaccinated.
In another article, ALBB might transcribe Laurie Malin’s comments in order to provide further background of her future actions at public meetings and in front of students in her classroom.
Every Martin Luther King Day Celebration at the Springfield Baptist Church, a student is awarded and recognized for their Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. essay. This year, the celebration will be held at the Salem Tabernacle Church, located at 7 Dalavan Avenue. The call for submissions for this essay contest is now open. Details were shared by the Beacon City School District Dr. Matt Landahl via email to parents and caregivers in the district, and by the Southern Dutchess Coalition with the Beacon Sloop Club to their channels.
Theme For The 2022 Martin Luther King Essay
“Our theme for this year will be ‘Are we Keeping the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream Alive?’ The Southern Dutchess Coalition and the Beacon Sloop Club said, as they announced their 8th Annual MLK Essay Contest.
AGES: All students in Grades 1-12 are asked to write about our theme: “Are We Keeping the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream Alive?”
WHAT: Students should explain Rev. Dr. King’s Dream, writing about what was happening at the time for Rev. Dr. King to make his “I Have a Dream” speech. They should write about their own thoughts and lives. How are they keeping the Rev. Dr. King’s Dream Alive? What do they plan to do about this in their own lives?
PRIZE: All students participating will receive a certificate at the MLK Celebration. Six winners will receive $50 awards from Rhinebeck Bank.
“We are very interested in what the youth are thinking and what they have to say,” said the organizers.
The number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases after Thanksgiving was a question on many parents’ mind, safe to say, in any state in the nation. If kids cases were increasing right before the holiday break, what would it be upon returning to school?
The Beacon City School District’s (BCSD) Superintendent Landahl was quick to provide an answer, as is consistent with any confirmed case in the district on a daily basis. In an email to parents and caregivers sent today (11/30/2021), he said:
“Over Thanksgiving break, we learned of 9 total cases of COVID-19 in the BCSD. Two individuals at Rombout Middle School and seven individuals at Beacon High School. Due to the length of time these individuals have been out of school, there is no quarantining with these cases. This is an aggregate number of cases we learned about over the five days of break.”
UPDATE 12/2/2021: The confirmed cases that are announced by Dr. Landahl are those of any person in the district schools. A person could be a teacher, a student, etc.
The BCSD has layered safety measures in place inside of each school, such as more space in cafeterias, outdoor learning areas, reduced populations in the hallways during class changes, and other measures to encourage social distancing.
Ventilation Upgrades In Aging Beacon City Schools
During the last Capital Project for the district, Rombout Middle School did receive ventilation-based upgrades. This was a fortunate coincidence in preparation for the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Landahl explained during his 2021 presentation of this next Capital Project that did get passed by City of Beacon voters. Ventilation upgrades are planned for each of Beacon’s six public schools.
For additional clinic opportunities, Dr. Landahl has been encouraging access to pediatric clinics from the holistic pharmacist Dr. Neal Smoller, who conducted the vaccination clinic at the Beacon High School in early November 2021. Because of the need for volunteers, Dr. Landahl said during a recent school board meeting that Beacon will most likely not hold additional vaccination clinics, or at least not very many, as it was difficult to get volunteers.
In an email to district parents and caregivers dated 11/30/2021, Dr. Landahl stated: “There are a number of opportunities to get the Pediatric Pfizer vaccine. Dr. Neal Smoller, the pharmacist we are partnered with, has a number of community clinics coming up that you can join. Visit drneal.co/kids to see the full schedule”
Appointments at stores and pharmacies are also available. You can visit Vaccines.gov for an easy zip-code based database that connects you with websites for online scheduling, or phone numbers for appointments made over the phone. These include Drug Mart in Cold Spring, Walmart in Fishkill, and other familiar locations.
Hi!!! Happy Hanukkah!
Who know we'd be talking about catalytic converters at Thanksgiving? One ALBB reader had theirs stolen from underneath their car (it's part of the exhaust system, like what the muffler is a part of) the night before Thanksgiving and wrote in to ALBB with a request to spread awareness.
After reading the article, another Beaconite wrote in about 2 catalytic converters stolen from cars in their parking lot. Meanwhile, a relative from Kansas City at the ALBB dinner table had just been talking about it trending in their neighborhood. This is a $2,000-$3,000 repair job if it happens to you, and it's a type of theft that is spiking during the pandemic because of 3 valuable metals located inside of the car part. Read all about it here.
PS: This pesky pandemic just won't kick! You've probably heard of the new variant, Omicron. COVID-19 cases in kids in Beacon was trending up before the Thanksgiving break, along with the rest of the country. This article contains links on how to easily find and book COVID-19 vaccination appointments, Boosters, and new shots for kids ages 5-11. Read it here.
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.
Holiday Kickoff on the Walkway
Day: Sunday, November 28, 2021 Time: 11am
Location: 87 Haviland Road
Santa will arrive at the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park at the Ulster Welcome Center on Sunday, November 28 from 11 AM to 2 PM. Bring your kids, your dogs—the whole family—for this fun photo opportunity with Santa. Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf from Frozen will also be on hand for fun holiday photos from 11 AM to 3 PM.
Along with the fun photos and meet & greet – there will be hot cocoa bar and a group of classic yuletide carolers and fresh cookies provided by Chestnut Market. Photos taken with Santa and Frozen characters will be available for purchase, for a suggested donation of $10, or visitors may take their own photos. Information >
Family Day at Majid Ar-Rashid Islamic Teaching Center Day: Sunday, November 28, 2021 Time: 1pm Location: 352 Main Street
This Family Day is open to all, as Imam Abdullah Wajid gets the word out that in Islam, neighbors are very important. Read this interview with him in the Highlands Current, as excerpted from a podcast episode with him on Beaconites! The mosque has been in Beacon for over 30 years. Information >
Hudson Valley Performing Arts Laboratory presents -Shakespeare Unplugged: TWELFTH NIGHT Day: Tuesday, November 30, 2021 Time: 6:30pm - 9:30pm Location: 489 Main St, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
The Hudson Valley Performing arts Laboratory presents: live in-person performances of excerpts from Scotty Arnold’s musical adaptation of TWELFTH NIGHT at followed by discussions and interactive exercises to highlight the Lab’s process of developing new work. All are welcome to this live, in-person event generously hosted by The Art Effect at the POK Trolley Barn. All audience members will be masked during the entirety of the performance. Information >
Illumin8: Lighting the Beacon Bicycle Menorah Day: Sunday, November 28, 2021 - Sunday, December 5, 2021 Time: 6pm - 6:30pm for 8 nights (Note: on Friday, December 3, 2021 the time is - 4-4:30pm) Location: Polhill Park, Main St & South Ave, Beacon & BHA Facebook Live
The story of Beacon is the story of a town coming through hard times with hope and dedication. Join us on Facebook Live or at Polhill Park as where we will celebrate Illumin8tion and light up our community with our one-of-a-kind Beacon Bicycle Menorah. Information >
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.
Beacon's Holiday Wreaths Went Up!
As ALBB spotted this year's Holiday Wreaths being hung by Beacon's Highway Department (always an exciting event completed before Thanksgiving), we learned 2 new pieces of Beacon Trivia you will find out about in this article. One involves the design of the new parking signs, and the other involves a small business. Read This >
Shake away the Monday blues! We created a list of restaurants in Beacon that are open on Mondays. See it here >
The Tiny Self-Serve Food Pantry At The Beacon Rec Center Moved Around Back - Here's A Video To Find It
23 West Center Street
Tiny Food Pantries in Beacon started popping up a few years ago from Fareground. They are the self-serve stations located in accessible walking points in different places in Beacon. This one, at the Beacon Recreation Center, has moved "around back." We couldn't find it at first (khaki blends with khaki) so we made a video for you to find it! Fill it with food if you need, and take what you need if you need it. Read and Watch This >
TWO WAY BREWING COMPANY
18 West Main St.
After a long day of shopping, you might want to stop into Two Way for a refreshing drink! Pop by for a 4-pack, or stay for pints, flights, and food! 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.
The coziest duo of the season is BACK at BBC! Classic grilled cheese on their sourdough bread with tomato soup special is here!! Even such a simple dish is so dang good when it’s all made from scratch. Open until 5 pm all weekend for all your seasonal comfort food specials, pastries, coffees, and MORE. Stop in while you $hop! Menu > Order Pick Up or Delivery > Beacon Bread Company is a Sponsor, thank you!
MEYERS OLDE DUTCH
184 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Whose ready for some burgers today?! We know you're shopping all weekend! Don't forget to stop into MOD for some deliciousness. 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.
Did you hear?! Tito's just got a whole lot better! STARTING NOW, they are offering their W-F dinner special ALL WEEK (M-F)! That means you can enjoy four tacos, 2 street corns, chips & salsa, and rice with beans for only $24 from 4-9 PM! Stop in this weekend while you're shopping for some tacos, nachos, and more! Vegan options available. PS: Catering available! PPS: $3 tacos every Tuesday! #tacotuesday Menu > Catering > Tito Santana Taqueria is a Sponsor, thank you!
HOMESPUN
232 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Some 20 months later, Homespun is finally going back to real service and a full menu at Dia Beacon Café! WOO! The team worked incredibly hard for the past few weeks to get ready for, and the new food is tasting great. New menu is posted online on Homespun's website here >
Homespun is also really excited to feature local farmers & artisans Laurel and Ash Farm, Wild Arc Farm, Barbs Butchery, Catskills Provisions, and more! The menu will be available at Dia Beacon, Friday-Monday. OPEN HOURS:
Thursday - Monday, 10am - 7pm Order Food > Homespun is a Sponsor, thank you!
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL 288 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Miz Hatties BBQ (located inside the HV Food Hall) made delicious home made pickle vegetables for a wedding and they can cater for you too! Miz Hatties can provide the delicious soul food you are craving for your guests. Menus can be customized to our tastes and numbers of people. Your meal will be delivered and is ready to be served.
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 Piggy Back sandwich! 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.
HAND ROLLED GRAPE LEAVES! A slow and very delicate process of individually wrapping a unique, flavorful vegetable & rice mixture, packed with traditional Middle Eastern spices into each leaf and slow cooking to perfection. Made in-house every day! Ziatun is open for lunch all weekend. PS: It's Soup Season & Ziatun has you covered with delicious soups! Warm up! Menu > Order Online > Ziatun is a Sponsor, thank you!
Shopping & Vaccinating at Drug World In Cold Spring!
55 Chestnut St, Cold Spring, NY 10516
Drug World, the small but mighty pharmacy in Cold Spring was one of the first to secure and offer COVID-19 vaccinations for seniors and adults when it first came out. Now they have shots in stock for kids ages 5-11. The ALBB kids got vaccinated here, and we did a shopping guide while we were inside. Get The Scoop >
DIRTY BACCHUS
380 Main Street, Beacon
You might be surprised at the quality and often the rarity of the bottles Dirty Bacchus puts on this 25% off shelf. The reality is, they’re a tiny store and they need to make room for the new and exciting wines arriving here every week. And the advantage of that redounds to you with forever sales like these! Stop in & stock up! 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 Dear friends, this bears repeating! It really might be time to start thinking about your holiday shopping. Get into it. Binnacle Books would like to advise you to get ahead of the inevitably even-more-crazy-than-normal crazy supply chain issues and warehouse worker shortages and ORDER EARLY. Believe them, they have your best interests in mind and they’d really like for this all to go smoothly so please consider ORDERING EARLY. Always but especially now! Binnacle is *Open daily!
Binnacle Books is a Sponsor, thank you!
BRETT'S HARDWARE 18 West Main Street, Beacon
You’ve been removing so much yard debri these past weekends - we see you! And we see the Highway Department trucks picking up your leaf bags left on the sidewalk - several of which are the True Value brand which is Bretts Hardware! Thank you! If filling up those floppy bags was hard, now you can invest in a Leaf and Lawn Chute to hold the bag upright for you. You’re welcome. 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
Jennifer Garner in her Jacque Marie Mage Dealan Sunglass! Guess what?! New Jacque Marie Mage just landed in Luxe Optique!
Stop in & Check it out. Gift for you or gift for someone. Maybe both? 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
It's officially gift season! La Mere has great gifts under $50! We must warn you... new arrivals are constantly popping in the shop but the new arrivals GO quick. Start your holiday shopping early and never ever forget to treat yourself. I think we all could use this bag! #shoplocal
*New Arrivals Weekly / Free Shipping
Download their free app in the iTunes Store PS: Everything is under $100!! PPS: MENS clothing now available!
YAY FINALLY! Yanarella's dance Recital is happening! And the theme? The theme is “Back to Broadway” Featuring popular music from Broadway shows new and old, Including a Wizard of Oz themed ballet performance.
The recital will be Saturday December 11 at 5 pm and Sunday December 12 at 1 pm at Beacon High School.
Tickets will be available soon!
ANTALEK & MOORE INSURANCE AGENCY
340 Main Street, Beacon
As you prepare your car for the impending winter weather, be sure to check the manufactured date on your tires as they have a 6-year expiration. Even brand new tires could have already started aging while just sitting on the shelf. Here's how to read your tire's manufactured date and stay on top of your car's safety! Give Antalek & Moore a call today: 845-831-4300 and visit their website. Latest Announcements > Antalek & Moore is a Sponsor. Thank you!
TIN SHINGLE
Tin Shingle a training platform and community for businesses, artists and makers who are getting the word out about their business. Tin Shingle teaches PR, social media and content marketing tactics to regular people to help make their pitching and brand story telling smarter, engaging and more appropriate for the media to consider for article features. Tin Shingle produces weekly webinars called Training TuneUps, which offer free access to niche classes, as well as one-on-one training opportunities. Find out more > Tin Shingle is a Sponsor. Thank you!
KATIE JAMES, INC.
It's almost the new year (hate to say it... but it'll be here before you know it!) Give your website an upgrade, a fresh start! 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 >
He recalls how the center has been in Beacon for more than 30 years. “The composition of the mosque was mostly African American, with a couple of Egyptian and maybe one Pakistani family. Today there’s a wide range of people who come. The number of families is anywhere from 150 to 200. You won’t see them at one time unless it’s a celebration like what we call Eid — we have two every year — or Ramadan.”
He encourages people to come to the mosque, and learn about their events, like this one last month on Women’s Health. He said during the interview: “We have made a very strong effort to let the people know that our mosque is approachable. You can come in; there are no rules that say you have to be a Muslim. We want to let the people know that we are supportive of the community. We try to demonstrate the best of character and try to be sensitive, especially to our neighbors. In Islam, neighbors are very important.”
Over time, some people wanted a traditional holiday lighting with a tree, and the Beacon Bicycle Tree went into retirement. The mood was sad, as people missed the tradition. Then the 2020 pandemic hit, and all events stopped.
Come 2021, with most Beaconties and most people in the Hudson Valley doing their best to act safely during this pandemic by getting vaccinated, the Beacon Bicycle Menorah is BACK! Lit up by the Beacon Hebrew Alliance on the first night of Hanukkah on November 28, 2021 from 6-6:30pm at Pohill Park (at the base of Wolcott Avenue aka 9D and South Avenue and Main Street).
From the Beacon Hebrew Alliance: “The story of Beacon is the story of a town coming through hard times with hope and dedication. Join us on Facebook Live or at Polhill Park as we celebrate Illumin8tion and light up our community with our one-of-a-kind Beacon Bicycle Menorah.
“Hanukkah tells us that we can hope against all reason and sometimes, we will prevail. Sometimes, the mighty will fall before the weak, and sometimes, just a little bit of fuel will get us through the darkest night - or even eight of them, if need be.
“Each night we will be honoring a group of people with a prayer or reading and song, as our representative honoree places the bicycle tire on the menorah!”
Menorah Dedication Schedule:
From 6-6:30pm for 8 nights of Hanukkah, the Beacon Hebrew Alliance will honor the following groups of people (on Friday, December 3rd, the time will be 4-4:30pm):
Sunday we honor Elders. Monday we honor Teachers. Tuesday we honor First Responders. Wednesday we honor Artists & Musicians. Thursday we honor Public Service (fire, police, medical, etc.). Friday we honor Children. Saturday we honor and remember our Founding Members for the BHA Centennial. Sunday we honor All those who serve our community.
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.
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.
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL
