Beacon Elks Lodge donated $200 of their Gratitude Grant to the Beacon Police Department’s Summer Youth Academy.
The Beacon Youth Police Academy is a free, week-long program for students entering grades 9-12 and provides an introduction to careers in law enforcement.
The goal of the academy is to help participating youth understand the role police officers play in the community, the duties required to be performed on the job, and requirements of becoming a police officer. In addition, the program fosters relationships between the officers and the youth participants. This is accomplished with mock situations and lectures, field trips, physical fitness exercises, and games.
The Gratitude Grant is one of three grants the Beacon Elks Lodge has obtained for the 2023-24 Elk Year.
“These grants allow the Beacon Elks Lodge to be an active and integral part of the community,” said Jennifer Velez, Exalted Ruler, Beacon Elks Lodge. “Additionally, the grant allows the Elks to support local law enforcement missions and initiatives and provides local youth with an opportunity to learn about the possibilities of a career in law enforcement.”
“Our Youth Activities team helps assist local youth organizations, local youth initiatives, and local first-responder organizations with the development of young men and women in the community,” added Velez.
For more information on the Beacon Youth Police Academy, contact the Beacon Police Dept. at (845) 831-4111.
For more information on the Beacon Elks Youth Activities Committee or community service and outreach, contact Robert K. Lanier, Public Relations Chair.
Oh wow, this is a big weekend. Juneteenth is this weekend! It's Beacon's first festival celebrating it at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park, but not the first one that happened. We have the history and details for you here. Enjoy music, food and vendors down by the river.
Many of you have asked about a Pride march in Beacon, and you now have one. Scroll down to learn the times!
Read on, Friends, and have great and safe weekends.
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Edited and Written By Teslie Andrade Daley and Katie Hellmuth.
S&DC Town Hall Meeting Day: Friday, June 16, 2023 Time: 6:30pm Location: Teamster’s Hall, 15 Stone Castle Rd, Rock Tavern, NY 12575
Get information on what this proposed change will do to your Postal customer services, local post office changes, future of your town Post Office, & safety town concerns. Speakers from APWU, NALC, Rural Carries. Light refreshments provided. Towns affected: September 2023- Newburgh, New Windsor, Cornwall, Cornwall on Hudson, Clintondale, Maybrook, Salisbury ills, Rock Tavern, Wallkill, Beacon. February 2024- Walden, Modena, Montgomery, Fishkiill. On Hold no date - Wappingers Falls, new Paltz, Pine Bush.
Love + Liberation Days, Times & Location:
Friday, June 16, 2023
Queer Liberation March
6:30pm
Beacon Streets Saturday, June 17, 2023
Family Pride
1:00pm-5:00pm
TheYard Beacon
Dance Party
6:30pm-10:00pm
Industrial Arts Brewing, Beacon, NY
Free Community Event!
Beacon LitFest At Howland Cultural Center Days: Saturday, June 17, 2023 & Sunday, June 18, 2023 Location: Howland Cultural Center, Beacon, NY
Celebrate the literary arts through Poetry, Playwriting, Non-Fiction, and Fiction. Information >
Beacon’s First Annual Juneteenth Riverfront Festival
Day: Monday, June 19, 2023 Time: 11am-5pm Location: Pete & Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park, Beacon, NY
Beacon4BlackLives is teaming up with Bosco and the Storm to put on a Juneteenth Riverfront Festival. Poets, singers, vendors, dancers, food trucks, artists & live music! Information >
SAVE THE DATE: BeaconArts Presents: Bus Shelter Art Project Fundraiser: A Benefit Concert Day: Wednesday, June 21, 2023 Time: 7-10pm Location: Dogwood Bar, located at 47 E Main Street, Beacon, NY
The event will include a night of music, raffle prizes, and drink specials. Tickets are limited and should be purchased in advance Information >
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL 288 Main Street, Beacon, NY Website >
Every Thursday night is Oysters With Dad night at HV Food Hall! Swing by! Follow HV Food Hall's foodies:
Miz Hattie's BBQ: Southern Style BBQ, from North Carolina. Order ahead via their Toast-app menu! El Nica: Nicaraguan Food Roosevelt Bar: Cocktail Bar Shmuck's Sweet Stuff: Local Ice Cream, Hot Waffles, and Other Sweet Stuff Hudson Shawarma: Falafels, shawarma, baklava, and platters Ciao Chow - Hand made pasta and fried rice Dulce Cielo Mexico: Authentic Mexican street food with vegetarian and vegan options. Elixxr Wellness: Wellness cafe offering drinks with adaptogens Tara Fusion Cuisine: Fusion cuisine of Bangladeshi, Indian, Sri Lankan and Middle Eastern food Hudson Valley Food Hall is a Sponsor, thank you!
BAJA 328 328 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Stop into Baja & try their Amazing Dragon Fruit Margarita! Enjoy it outside (or half inside/half outside) while eating delicious foods that are made with fresh ingredients. Starters/bowls, Tacos (3 for $15!!!), Quesadillas, Main Plates, Sides, not to mention, a Kids Menu! Oh & specials. Baja is always rotating their specials! Stop in & check out the chalkboard for those. PS: Happy Hour Tues-Fri 4-6pm PPS: Check out Baja's specials! > Check out their specialty drinks > BAJA 328 is a Sponsor, thank you!
HUDSON VALLEY GOLDSMITH
226 Main St Retail 2
(845) 255-5872
Whole bunch of new watches just in time for fathers day! Watch this video to get a sneak peak of them all > No better time than now to snag one of these for dad, grandpa, uncle, stepdad, friend, or even yourself! Count on Hudson Valley Goldsmith to have the most beautiful pieces that are carefully chosen and ethically sourced. See here for CUSTOM details >
OPEN:
Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11-5
Sunday 10-4 Shop Jewelry > Hudson Valley Goldsmith is a Sponsor, thank you!
LUXE OPTIQUE 181-183 Main Street, Beacon
The kickoff to Summer happened and it's officially almost here! You need new sunnies and/or new glasses! New season = refresh! Not just for your closet. Luxe Optique carries brands (including their line) that is minimal, sexy, fashionable, classy and unique. Something for everyone. Stop in store and shop or Shop Online >. New styles are always arriving!
Optometrist on site! PS: Appointments required for exams. Make an appt here! > BEACON HOURS
Monday from 10AM–5PM
Tuesday-Saturday from 10AM–6PM
Sunday CLOSED Luxe Optique is a Sponsor, thank you!
Beacon has a growing number of beauty salons and professional pampering to take advantage of - you can even book a transforming appointment at a lash bar! Be it a totally new hair style, or a facial, you have options in Beacon. Plus, one of the most enjoyable gifts you can give to someone is a gift certificate. So we have included links to where you can buy a gift certificate from any of these fine services that offers one. Check out ALBB's Beauty Guide here >
Special Message For Businesses: If you want to advertise in this Guide with a picture, logo and promotions, please click here.
BEACON DENTAL
1020 Wolcott Avenue, Beacon, NY
(845) 838-3666
At Beacon Dental, they are dedicated to providing you and your family with quality dental care tailored to your individual needs. They welcome patients aged 4 and older and provide a full range of dental services to help you achieve and maintain excellent oral health throughout your life. When you visit their dentists and team, you can be certain that your health, comfort and smile are always their highest priorities. Explore all services > Beacon Dental is a Sponsor. Thank you!
KATIE JAMES, INC.
Everyone wanted the menues to be online in one place at the Hudson Valley Food Hall, so that is exactly what we designed for them. Each food vendor has their own sexy page on the website that allows them to glow in their ow Learn more about how we can help you and your biz! Katie James Inc. is a sponsor. Thank you!
The two day festival, a collaboration of the Beacon LitFest Committee and Howland Cultural Center, will feature a stellar line up of award-winning writers, poets, and playwrights, workshops, and cameo appearances by NYT and NPR Puzzlemaster Will Shortz and accomplished actor and producer Emily Mortimer.
The Beacon LitFest Committee and the Howland Cultural Center (HCC) in Beacon, NY, announce the inaugural Beacon LitFest scheduled for the weekend of June 17 and 18. Saturday will feature an all-day program of exceptional writers, poets, and playwrights and include provocative literary conversation, staged performances, and guest appearances by NYT and NPR Puzzlemaster Will Shortz and accomplished actor and producer Emily Mortimer.
A book-signing, first edition book gifts, and cocktail hour will follow. On Sunday, the Beacon LitFest@HCC will offer writing workshops with master instructors.
On Saturday June 17th, the main program begins at 11am and will end at 5pm, with a midday lunch break. It will feature special guest New York Times and NPR puzzler Will Shortz in conversation with bestselling author Danielle Trussoni. They’ll discuss her hotly anticipated thriller, The Puzzle Master, which has already garnered the 2023 Prix Bete Noire des Libraires and American Booksellers Association Indie Next awards, which Booklist calls “a sure-fire hit.”
Novelist Laura Sims will introduce her new, razor-sharp suspense novel How Can I Help You and discuss the development of her critically acclaimed novel, Looker, for television with her guest, the award-winning actor, screenwriter, and producer Emily Mortimer.
Poet and editor Martine Bellen will read from her new release An Anatomy of Curiosity and cultural activist, educator and anthologist Patricia Spears Jones will share work from A Lucent -Fire, Pain Killer and others.
Indran Amirthanayagam poet and translator will read from his latest Ten Thousand Steps Against the Tyrant. Nonfiction writers, Donna Minkowitz (Growing Up Golem, Ferocious Romance), Ginger Strand (The Brothers Vonnegut, Flight) and Jamie Price, PhD (The Call) will share sometimes subversive research methods when writing about major social and political topics.
Unique to the Beacon LitFest is the inclusion of playwriting as a literary art. Award-winning UK and US Playwrights Nigel Gearing and Charlotte Meehan will discuss the form and function of language in dramatic works.
A book signing will include a free first edition copy of Trussoni’s The Puzzle Master with any book purchase, and a cocktail reception will follow Saturday’s activities to allow writers and audience members to mingle.
June 18th Program for Beacon LitFest
On Sunday June 18, at 10am, 12pm, and 2pm, Beacon Litfest@HCC will offer three consecutive live writing and storytelling intensives, limited to 10 participants each. The workshops, led by notable Hudson Valley writers, include: Live Writing-A Poetry Project with poet and curator Ruth Danon, PhD; Is It Memoir? Is It Fiction? with journalist and memoirist Ken Foster; and From Stage to Page: Adding Drama to Narrative with Dramaturg, writer and producer, Shane Bly Killoran. “Our plan with this festival is to highlight Beacon’s growing literary community and expose audiences to fresh and thought-provoking work, says Dr Hannah Brooks, LitFest co-producer and Howland board member.
Lead-in LitFest programs have included sold out presentations of “The Vagina Monologues” staged in collaboration with Hit House Creative and “Hudson Valley Poets Present” produced with Live-Writing: A Project for Poetry.
Howland Cultural Center and BLF support diverse voices in panelists and audiences and are committed to inclusivity and access to cultural participation. American Sign Language translation is being provided for the main program and a percentage of tickets and workshop seats to community members of limited means. “Our goal,” says Howland President Theresa Kraft, “is building true community--the arts help us get there.”
The Howland Cultural Center, the city’s former library and known today as the ‘Jewel of Beacon,’ is located at 477 Main St in Beacon, NY. Tickets for the Saturday and Sunday events are available to the public at howlandculturalcenter.org or at the door.
Mergers in Beacon. Coming together. That is what Beacon’s community is all about. Lots of ideas. Lots of intentions. Sometimes done before. Sometimes done again. Since the racial reawakening of 2020, there have been 3 Juneteenth celebrations in Beacon organized by Beacon 4 Black Lives. But this year’s is being billed as Beacon’s First Annual Juneteenth. That is because a merger happened between groups who each had the desire and drive to produce the event: Beacon 4 Black Lives and Bosco and the Storm and his niece, Lastar.
For the past 3 years, Beacon 4 Black Lives held Juneteenth events. “The first year was a celebration in the form of a protest,” founding member Justice McCray told A Little Beacon Blog. “The next two years were at a private venue. We were thinking…how can we support somebody’s else’s vision? Something better, something new and something fresh. Something that invites more people in.”
At the end of Spirit of Beacon Day 2022, Michael Faison aka “Bosco” of Bosco and the Storm, who was a Musical Spirit Coordinator and performer for that event, told ALBB of his desire to produce a Juneteenth celebration the following year. Brooke Simmons and Rueben “Yogi” Simmons, the brother/sister duo and co-founders of I Am Beacon assisted Lastar with getting in touch with Justice to help them with permits and organizing, who after leading racial justice protests in the city with Beacon 4 Black Lives, ran and earned a position on Beacon’s City Council.
This year, Bosco told the Highlands Current how the idea came to him to produce a Juneteenth event: “I was actually at home and it just hit me that we need to do a Juneteenth festival. I called my niece, who is good at organizing. It’s going to feature my band and other local bands with Black artists, but it’s not just limited to Black artists, because my band is interracial. We’ll have Black entertainers, comedians, singers, dancers, poets — people doing whatever they do to be a part of the festival. Beacon 4 Black Lives also stepped in to help get the permits and that stuff.
“I never thought we would see this [Juneteenth celebrated as a national holiday] in my lifetime, but I’m glad we can start it here, and then the younger generations can keep it rolling. A lot of the Black folks who were born and raised here moved away, so we tried to reach out to them to come home for a day. And it’s not just for Black folks; it’s for anyone who wants to come have a good time.”
While this is called “Beacon’s Juneteenth,” it’s a city-wide event. “The City of Beacon has been supporting us, but it’s a city-wide event, but not produced by the City of Beacon, but the City gave their support,” said Justice.
Juneteenth Musical Lineup
Bosco and The Storm (Band)
Cynthia Moore and daughter Maya (Singing Opening Ceremony of the Negro Nation Anthem)
Jaeden Drysdale (Poet)
Ice The God (Hip Hop & R&B Artist)
Jayda Woodall (Poet)
The Moonlight Initiative (Band)
Melody Africa (Performers/Dance)
Common Ground Farm (Vendor)
Faithful Praise (Performers/Gospel Singers)
Born Genius (Hip Hop Artist)
Juneteenth Food Lineup
We Got The Juice
A&I Concessions
Cookies Creations
Pat’s Kitchen
Common Ground Farm
Incredible Creations
Cafe Con Amor Jibaro
Essie Mae Water Ice
Luv Y’all Food
Juneteenth Vendor Lineup
We Got The Juice (Vendor)
Broadway Art Gallery (Vendor)
AbuBashir Oils (Vendor)
Howland Public Library (Vendor)
A&I Concessions (Vendor)
Behind The Chair Ministries (Vendor)
Cookies Creations (Vendor)
Beacon High Step Team (Vendor)
Pat's Kitchen (Vendor)
Backies All Natural (Vendor)
The Little Me Boutique (Vendor)
Joce Cova (Vendor)
Community Voices Heard (Vendor)
City on a Hill Clothing Company (Vendor)
5Heart Products (Vendor)
Incredible Creations (Vendor)
Cafe Con Amor Jibaro (Vendor)
Soaps By Tina (Vendor)
Four Winds Jewelry (Vendor)
Newburgh Rowing Club and Beacon Sloop Club will collaborating to offer free Kayaking and boating from 11-2pm
Compass Arts will be offering free activities and a blank canvas for the festival attendees to create a shared artwork.
Juneteenth Parking
Justice wanted to get the word out about parking: “Parking not listed as MTA’s Free Parking Day, so unfortunately, it is paid parking at the station - as far as we know.” There is a small parking lot by the park, but the organizers are prioritizing that for the elderly. People are recommended to have a parking drop off spot. Beacon’s building, 1 Municipal Plaza, does have free parking on Monday because the building will be closed.
Parking in the MTA lot is $3.50 at the train. You can also park on side streets and walk a bit down to the river.
After deep diving into the Post Office issue that percolated in April 2023, when people thought that the Beacon Post Office was closing, it has become clear that the USPS Mail Carriers and Clerks are working in a system that is designed to fail. The new USPS 10 Year Plan designed by Trump appointed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has presented several decisions that contradict each other. One such decision is diverting all of Beacon’s mail carriers to not go to the Beacon Post Office to sort mail at their home base, but to pick up Beacon’s mail from the Newburgh facility out by the Stewart Aiport, involving a twice daily commute. A Little Beacon Blog drove the commute and took pictures for you to imagine what the new extra drive would look and feel like for the carriers. See pictures below.
Beacon’s Post Office is just one of 7,000 across the country that is slated to lose their mail carriers. Steve Hutkins, founder of SaveThePostOffice.com who follows Post Office news like a hawk, told A Little Beacon Blog: “The number of post office closings that could happen is still unknown, but the 7,000 refers to how many post offices may lose their carriers, not close. The number comes from comments made by the Postmaster General at a forum sponsored by AEI on July 27. He says the Postal Service ‘will be aggregating much of our carrier base into larger properly equipped and strategically located sort and delivery centers,’ and (at about 50 minutes in) he says that 19,000 carrier units (post offices) would be reduced to 12,000 or 13,000 by consolidating them into bigger facilities. In other words, 6,000 or 7,000 post offices could lose their carriers.”
The 10-12 mail carriers who report to the Beacon Post office now would be driving this commute, if the changes goes through in September, 2023. Diana Cline, the president of the clerk’s union American Postal Workers Union, has begun organizing gatherings to inform the public. The first one is a Town Hall Meeting in Rock Castle Rd Rock Tavern on Friday, June 16th at 6:30pm.
Pictured here is the beginning of the route that a carrier would drive across the Newburgh/Beacon bridge to retrieve Beacon’s mail. While Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has designated some of the billions of dollars that the USPS received in pandemic money to new electric trucks for the mail carriers, those have not arrived yet in Beacon.
Diana is concerned about how the mail carriers will service their trucks if they break down on the highway or other roads outside of Beacon. Usually, she told ALBB, local service garages help the local mail carriers. “You can't just have your local service guy doing it on his truck. If you break down, there is only one company that can be on the thruway. You're going to get that one company. Beacon will have a local service guy service the car if it breaks down. That's not going to be able to go through on the highway. These vehicles are not meant to go on highways.”
Once mail carriers leave the bridge, they drive toward the Stewart Airport.
And they keep driving.
And driving. Until they hit the turn down an enterprise area of other facilities.
It will be a while before they see other loading facilities.
Oh look! There’s FedEx…
Ah ha. The USPS Newburgh sorting facility driveway is at the end of the winding road.
Watch for deer though…very important.
The USPS entrance. It’s a narrow driveway. With a sign that says “No Left Turn.” It’s not clear where you would turn left. Because turning left would put you directly into the woods.
The Newburgh sorting facility. Other facilities across the country are getting created into grand, very tall, well-lit with natural light, facilities. Newburgh may not be slated for this treatment. These new facilities are called Sorting & Delivery Centers (S&DC). You can read all about them here.
Diana sees a problem with this. Other than the fact it is not in the community of where the mail is being delivered, she sees a money and accountability problem that is benefiting the Postmaster General Lous DeJoy. “In the Stewart Post Office, there are 2 entrances. The PO Boxes front, and back for carriers. In the back is where the S&DC ‘facility’ is going to be. Take an imaginary line, where workers on this side do this, and workers on that side to that.”
Diana wants to see a report from Postmaster General DeJoy about how he is saving money with these organizational changes that include increased transportation costs and a decrease in the number of clerks. Which she sees resulting in the sale of the Beacon Post Office building, because only 1.5 people will be working in it.
“This is what we need the Congresspeople in the country to see,” Diana told ALBB. “No one is making him do a report to say ‘here's how I'm going to save the money.’”
As for a financial report or analysis, Diana explained why the technicality of the type of building may excuse Postmaster DeJoy from doing a such a report: “PS408 requires that they do ‘amp’ studies. But the Newburgh location is a plant. Carriers are going to a plant, calling it Stewart Post Office. That’s a function 4 because then DeJoy doesn't have to do the report.”
Diana continued: “When you go through that 10 year plan, he's going to have to close them [Post Offices] to save money. Maybe it won't be Beacon, but I can assure you he's not going to keep that big building for 1 person. When you're saying this is going to save money.”
DeJoy said in his own words that he sees no high value for Post Offices during his panel discussion, where he also said he saw no reason to put electrical chargers in the parking lots of Post Offices because the buildings are so old. He demands that electric chargers be put in his new S&DC facilities he’s building.
Beacon has car chargers in the DMV parking lot, and that building is not brand new.
Once Beacon’s mail carriers pick up the mail from the Newburgh sorting facility, they head back to Beacon to deliver it. If there is a package that is undeliverable, or needs a signature, it will sit for longer, Diana says.
Upcoming Town Hall Meeting
S&DC Town Hall Meeting When: Friday June 16th, 2023 Time: 6:30 PM Where: Teamster’s Hall 15 Rock Castle Rd Rock Tavern, NY 12575
Towns affected when USPS changes take place: September 2023: Newburgh, Cornwall, Cornwall on Hudson, Clintondale, Maybrook, Salisbury Mills, Rock Tavern, Wallkill, Beacon
February 2024: Walden, Modena, Montgomery, Fishkill
On Hold no date: Wappingers Falls, New Paltz, Pine Bush
According to the flyer: “Get Information on what this proposed change will do to your Postal customer services, local post office changes, future of your town Post Office, and town safety concerns.”
Speakers from APWU, NALC, Rural Carriers will be there. Light refreshments will be served.
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in April 2023, during the time of the social uproar at the possibility of the Beacon Post Office closing. While the social panic subsided, the crisis continues for postal carriers and clerks. There is a Town Hall meeting in Rock Tavern, NY on Friday. Beacon’s post office can employ at least 5 clerks. But as part of the Post Master General Louis DeJoy’s plan, is downsizing Beacon’s post office to just 1.5 clerks. Despite a former Beacon Postmaster reassuring Beacon’s City Administrator that Beacon’s Post Office was one of the busiest in the area. So why downsize from 5 clerks to 1.5 clerks if it’s so busy?
The clerks who work behind the front desk at the post office were given notice in late March 2023 that they needed to find new job locations within the USPS, as confirmed by Diana Cline, the president of the clerk’s union American Postal Workers Union. If the clerks did not want to leave Beacon, they could be “pulled” and another job will be chosen for them. At least one clerk is leaving at the end of April. The former Postmaster for Beacon, Colleen Johnson, reportedly recently took another job in Hopewell Junction, and the reportedly temporary Postmaster for Beacon, Jimmy, was on vacation for comment.
When one clerk is working the desk at the Beacon Post Office, and one other clerk is working the back to retrieve packages that are there for pickup, the customer line is very long. Despite the good job the clerks do with each customer.
If at least 200 post offices in the United States and 16 in New York are downsizing to be “spoke” post offices (which means there will be no carriers, but some services will in theory operate out of that building by clerks), as ALBB reported earlier this week, it is unclear how many positions will be available to the Beacon employees looking for new jobs at other post offices. Since the USPS seems to be downsizing nationally, which you can read about in the USPS 10 Year Plan designed by Trump appointed Post Master General Louis DeJoy, who admitted during this panel that he sees very little value in mail or post offices. He sees money in packages and building giant fulfillment centers with billions of dollars given to the USPS from Congress during the pandemic, which you can read about here and here.
By September 2023, according to to the clerk, there will be 1.5 clerks working at the Beacon location: a full-time clerk, and a part-time clerk.
Why Doesn’t Beacon Offer Passport Service Anymore?
When asked why the Beacon Post Office does not offer the passport service anymore, the clerk explained that the woman who specialized in it had retired.
If the USPS’ plan is to downsize the Beacon Post Office (and other Post Offices), then it does not seem likely that the passport service will be available to Beaconites. The next nearest location is Wappingers.
In a letter dated February 28, 2023, the USPS mailed the APWU (the clerks’ union) to let them know that the Beacon Post Office would be changing in order to cut costs while improving services to residents. It did not state which services would be improving, how how the services would improve with fewer clerks employed. The passport service is not slated to return.
Said James Lloyd, Labor Relations, Policies and Programs for the USPS: “As discussed in our July 29 correspondence the purpose of creating S&DCs is to reduce transportation and mail handling costs, as well as provide Postal customers with additional services. S&DCs will allow for easier standardization and management of operations while improving building and operating conditions for employees.”
The local President from the other union, the NALC for the letter carriers, has confirmed to ALBB that they have not received such letter from the USPS.
What Is An S&DC? And How Does It Impact Beacon’s Post Office And Letter Carriers?
2 Different Unions Representing Carriers and Clerks
The employees are at the heart of this matter, as well as the location of where people will get services (package pickup, passport service, long lines, etc.). There are at least 2 groups of employees being disrupted - Clerks and Carriers. The Clerks are represented by the American Postal Workers Union (APWU) and the Carriers are represented by the National Association Of Letter Carriers (NALC).
According to letters to the carrier’s union APWU from the USPS, and implicated by new TV commercials, employment of clerks and carriers is going to shift dramatically with the loss and relocation of jobs. Based on the planned relocating or loss of jobs of all but 1.5 clerk employees in the Beacon Post Office, the planned skeletal staff doesn’t seem to service anyone very well. It is a stress on the clerks, and a source of impatience for the customer.
Of the 10-12 letter carriers that are stationed at the Beacon Post Office, it is possible that all would be relocated to the S&DC in Newburgh, or other centers. As indicated by this letter from the USPS to the APWU, which was obtained and published by SaveThePostOffice.com, Beacon is on the list of post offices scheduled to not have carrier service anymore, but to have carriers retrieve sorted mail it from an S&DC. However, according to the President of carrier’s local union, National Association Of Letter Carriers (NALC), no official notice has been given to the carrier’s union from the USPS concerning this, or how it would work.
The local NALC President said that a threat of this relocating has happened in the past, a little under 2 years ago, which is when the Trump appointed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy was, and remains, in power and at the helm of these changes. The union president stated that Utica’s transition had started already. SaveThePostOffice.com has been tracking other transformations that have begun, and the loss of jobs that have started.
That, with this new employment information from the clerk, as well as the TV commercials, indicates the new life at the S&DC in Newburgh will become a reality.
Despite what the USPS sources told the City of Beacon’s City Administrator Chris White, the planned skeletal staff of clerks at Beacon’s Post Office does not sound like services will be remaining the same for resdients, but will be declining. If suffocated enough, then there won’t be a purpose to keep open the beautiful building, except to hold Post Office Boxes. Which will have to be stuffed by a clerk. But the clerk is also servicing the front counter. With the proposed one full time clerk and one part time clerk, it is unclear how PO Boxes will be stuffed in a timely manner while the clerk is serving on the front desk.
The local petition to stop the removal of mail carriers from the Beacon Post Office.
The Employment Petition At The Beacon Post Office
A petition to stop the removal of mail carriers from the Beacon Post Office is on the front counter of the Beacon Post Office, right under the plexiglass windows that separate the clerk from the customers.
BeaconArts is excited to announce the Bus Shelter Art Project Fundraiser: A Benefit Concert on Wednesday, June 21, 7-10pm, at Dogwood Bar, located at 47 E Main Street, Beacon, NY. The event will include a night of music, raffle prizes, and drink specials.
The Bus Shelter Art Project was initiated in 2017 in partnership with the city of Beacon to install and maintain artwork at five Beacon bus shelters. This effort coincided with the new branding of the Beacon Free Loop bus in 2018. Since the pandemic, the artwork, which was meant to be changed regularly, is in great need of renewal and repair. BeaconArts is asking for sponsors and donors to help with the cost of installing five new artworks for the shelters. The goal is to raise $5,000. This will enable BeaconArts to change the artwork every two years. Artwork will be chosen by committee, and all active artist members of BeaconArts will be eligible to submit their art.
Dogwood Bar, a longstanding community hub in Beacon, has generously offered to host the fundraiser. Ticket holders can expect discounted drinks at the bar, the opportunity to win raffle prizes donated by local businesses, and a line up of amazing musicians including: Creative Strings Improvisers Ensemble, a fiscally sponsored project of BeaconArts; Tony DePaolo, featuring Gwen Laster, Peter O’Brien, and Damon Banks; Paul Byrne & The Bleeders; Mimi Sun Longo; Marsh King’s Daughter, featuring Emily Hague, Jon Slackman, Rafi, and Sekaya; and other special guests.
Tickets are limited and should be purchased in advance at https://gofund.me/8c63126c. Ticket prices start at $25, with additional sponsorship levels of up to $1000. All proceeds will go directly to the Bus Shelter Art Project. BeaconArts is grateful for any and all support of this project.
Celebrate summer solstice with BeaconArts! A fun night of good music and friends, for a great community cause!
The City of Beacon has decided to make one block of South Avenue between Main Street and Beacon Street be one way southbound (toward the mountain) until October 2024, in order to accommodate the massive renovation of the Lewis Tompkins Hose Firehouse located on South Avenue. The City Council voted this in during the City Council Meeting on 6/12/2023, after discussing it during a public Workshop meeting on 5/15/2023. The City robo-called constitutions who opted into the SWIFT911 call network about the decision on 6/14/2023. According to a statement by City Administrator Chris White during this week’s City Council Meeting, the one-way status would go into effect on Friday.
The green building on the right is St. Andrews Church. The City of Beacon intends to use its parking lot to stage equipment during the major renovation of the Lewis TOmpkins Hose Firehouse.
According to City Administrator Chris, the City intends to add parking spots to South Avenue within this block to help ease the loss of parking for St. Andrews Church, which relies on its parking lot for funerals, food pantry pickups and drop offs, etc. During the meeting on 5/15/2023, he stated that St. Andrews was not pleased about losing their parking lot to the City. It is not known at this time if the City intends to compensate St. Andrews for the partial or full takeover of their parking lot.
Originally, 54 parking spaces were projected for South Avenue, but during the 6/12/2023 City Council Meeting, City Administrator Chris stated that they “substantially reduced that.” Striping of the “parking stalls” as they were referred to will happen soon. As will signage about the one-way status of the block.
Potential Benefits Of One Way Status
While this temporarily adds to the number of partial one-way streets in Beacon, making driving a choppy experience, there are some benefits.
There is a No Left Turn status at that intersection. When turning right onto Main Street from South Avenue, there is a crosswalk. It is one of the most dangerous crosswalks in Beacon, because pedestrians have to:
watch for fast traffic coming off 9D/Wolcott onto Main Street
watch for Main Street traffic headed toward 9D/Wolcott
watch for cars coming down South Avenue to turn right
As for the second benefit: drivers who do turn right, run the risk of hitting cars parked in the parallel parking spot located in front of Bank Square Coffee. An ambulance of the City’s newly contracted private ambulance company, Ambulnz (now called DocGo), did hit a parked vehicle there last year. Quite easy to do if you’re not familiar with the area or watching for it.
###From the Press Release of Dutchess County’s Mark Debald, Transportation Program Administrator###
Public Input Sought at June 21st Meeting, Online Survey
Poughkeepsie—On June 12, 2023, the Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC) announced the launch of Resilient Ways Forward, an assessment of climate change and its impact on transportation in Dutchess County.
Resilient Ways Forward will identify where Dutchess County’s transportation system is most vulnerable to weather impacts, such as flooding, extreme temperatures, snow and ice, and wind. The assessment will also recommend ways to adapt to or reduce the adverse impacts of these events on the transportation system – which includes roads and bridges, buses and trains, sidewalks, rail trails, and other strategic transportation assets. These impacts extend to state, regional, county, and local agencies alike.
Resilient Ways Forward begins with an analysis of climate data to better understand how the climate is changing in Dutchess County, following three steps:
Data collection
Gathering climate and transportation data
Assessing future climate scenarios
Analysis
Understanding the risks of climate hazards for transportation assets at the system level
Identifying priority locations for adaption investments at the asset level
Recommendations
Developing a toolbox of adaption options, including design guidelines
Recommending policy-based actions
Implementing and monitoring the recommendations
The DCTC encourages the public to visit the website at www.ResilientWaysForward.com to learn more and provide input through the on-line interactive Map Survey about where extreme weather events have affected their ability to get around Dutchess County.
A virtual public meeting will take place on Wednesday, June 21st at noon. This meeting is an opportunity for the public to learn about Resilient Ways Forward and provide feedback about where the transportation system is vulnerable to extreme weather events. Registration is required: https://bit.ly/RWFVirtualMtg. Feedback gathered from the public meeting will help inform the project team as they develop a toolbox of prioritized adaptation strategies to reduce the transportation system’s climate vulnerability.
Resilient Ways Forward is one of several planning initiatives underway by Dutchess County to better understand and address current and future environmental issues in the county. Though focused on the impacts of extreme weather on the transportation system, the data and analysis done for Resilient Ways Forward will also support the development of the County’s Natural Resource Inventory, as well as Hazard Mitigation Plan, which are also underway.
DCTC Transportation Program Administrator Mark Debald said, “Our goal is to create a more resilient transportation system that minimizes disruptions and better prepares us to meet the uncertainties of a changing climate. Resilient Ways Forward will provide decision-makers and agencies with the needed information to help prioritize how and where we can build resiliency – both countywide and pinpointed more locally, depending on specific need.”
About The Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC)
The Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC) serves as the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Dutchess County. Federal statutes require that urbanized areas with over 50,000 people be represented by an MPO. The main duty of an MPO is to ensure that federal transportation funds are committed through a locally driven, comprehensive planning process. Since 1982, the DCTC have provided a forum for state and local government to solve transportation issues and reach consensus on federally supported transportation plans and projects in Dutchess County and across the Mid-Hudson Valley.
ALBB uses this metal ice bucket to collect daily food waste. It is dumped daily (sometimes 2x daily) into a plastic bucket, which is dumped 1x/week. The pink toaster in the background is a bonus and not related to food composting.
Even though the orange haze has lifted over Beacon and we have the sun and blue skies again - as well as gray clouds and shadows - the wildfires are still burning in Canada. The Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, blames the climate crisis for the out of control burning. The official who ran the Parks Canada for 23 years, Mark Heathcott, says that Canada needs a better controlled burns of forest system.
Here in Beacon, one way to contribute to helping the climate crisis is by reducing your production of methane gases caused by food waste, by food composting. Which means to put your food waste in a designated bucket, which gets taken by a service or dropped off by you to a food composting collection area available in Beacon.
The food waste is then turned into a nutrient rich soil, called “black gold,” that you would want to spread over your favorite garden growths or flowers.
This article explores both ways.
But First - Why Compost? The Yogurt Smoothie Example
You’ve heard of the methane gases. That the methane gases formed from decomposing food contribute to the climate crisis. The City of Beacon says that methane gases are formed when food waste is burned. According to the City’s website: “Composting is a great way to reduce the waste burned at the county incinerator, which can contribute to unsafe air conditions because ‘waste incineration creates and/or releases harmful chemicals and pollutants’ (NRDC.org, Burned: Why Waste Incineration Is Harmful).
Here is an example so that you can see and experience it: one day, ALBB found an old banana strawberry smoothie in the car. It was in a sealed container. It was days old. Maybe even weeks old. Once taken inside, the top was unscrewed to clean it, where BAM - the top flew off from the pressure inside of the very old strawberry banana smoothie. The top flew clear across the kitchen and hit a water filter jug and cracked it.
Easy Ways To Compost In Beacon
Keep in mind, there are some municipalities who charge for how much trash you throw away. Beacon is not there yet. Hopefully they won’t get there, because we don’t need more fees. But if you removed food from your trash, you are removing a lot of poundage of trash. You could put yourself ahead of the curve, and cut out a lot of harmful product.
There are two ways to compost in Beacon. The free way - using Beacon’s compost drop-off bins, and the paid way via Community Compost. ALBB uses the paid way via Community Compost because we have been with them since Zero2Go launched via KickStarter and eventually was sold twice, the last to Community Compost. If you work in an office, consider organizing a compost collection system where one or some of you rotate dumping the food waste into Beacon’s collection bins. Or pay Community Compost to take it away for you.
Beacon’s Free Compost Collection Bins
Step 1: You collect your food waste at your house or apartment. ALBB uses a metal ice bucket that lives next to the sink, and dumps it daily into a bucket with a lid on the front porch.
Step 2. Once a week, or whenever you want, take your collection of waste to one of 3 different Compost Drop Off Bins. Those are:
Memorial Park, near the Dog Park, at the base of the hill.
Parking lot of Hudson Valley Brewery, all the way in the left corner. This is the Churchill Street parking lot, which is a free municipal parking lot right behind Main Street, near the Fishkill Creek.
The Beacon Recreation Center, at 23 West Center Street.
The rules for what to dump into Beacon’s compost bins are pretty good. You don’t have to be as discerning as you do in other programs.
YES, Dump It Any food waste can be composted in Beacon’s compost collection bins. You can even use BPI-certified compostable bags for your food scraps. This includes:
Fruits & Vegetables
Meat, bones
Dairy, Eggs
Coffee grounds
Food soiled paper (coffee filters, tea bags, parchment paper, uncoated paper plates, etc.)
Paper towels and napkins
Toilet paper rolls
House plants and cut flowers
Pizza boxes: ripped in half + no wax paper
NO, Don’t Dump It! Not compostable in Beacon’s compost collection bins:
Plastics
Glass
Plastic and wax coated paper products
Produce stickers
Doggy poo
Pet litter
Pet waste
Metal
Plastic bags
Styrofoam
Where will you put all of this fabulous food? The City of Beacon has gotten discounts on 3 different bins for you. Some of you may do backyard composting. This article does not explore that, but there is a bin for that offered by the city. Click here to see the options. You can order through the City of Beacon’s Recreation Department website, and/or you can walk in to see them at 23 West Center Street to buy your bin that way. Sometimes going to the Beacon Rec Center is easier. But click here to shop online.
Food composting has been discussed for several years in Beacon. Former Councilperson Amber Grant was a recent leader in bringing the City’s attention to this under Mayor Lee Kyriacou’s administration, with management and education done by Climate Smart Beacon, a committee of the City. Learn more about it in this video below.
The Beacon City School District said that we could go outside, and it's the weekend you've been waiting for...Beacon's City Wide Yard Sale, the Sloop Club's Strawberry Festival, and a new event from the Rombout Middle School (RMS) PTO - a flea market in the RMS parking lot! A Little Beacon Blog will be there with our big rent tent to do face painting. See you out and about maybe!
THE EVENTS + RETAIL THERAPY GUIDE Book an Event Promotion Advertising spot here.
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, click here for more info >
Edited and Written By Teslie Andrade Daley and Katie Hellmuth.
Beacon's City Wide Yard Sale Day: Saturday, June 10, 2023 Time: 9am-3pm Location: All over the yards of Beacon.
Once again, the big City Wide Yard Sale is happening in Beacon. Those yards who officially registered will be on a map with the city. But you don't need to register to host a yard sale! Just put stuff out. Walking and driving the yard sale is also free. Bring plenty of cash. Digital Map >
Rombout Middle School (RMS) PTO Flea Market Day: Saturday, June 10, 2023 Time: 9am-3pm Location: The Basketball Courts at Rombout Middle School
88 Matteawan Rd, Beacon, NY 12508
For the first time ever, the RMS PTO is holding a Flea Market and Craft Fair. Vendors rented space as part of the fundraiser, and are able to keep all of their earnings. It's a win win for everyone. A Little Beacon Blog will be there offering face painting, where a portion of each face painted will be donated to the PTO. Come to this event to make it a success so that they hold it again. Information >
Elks Lounge Dance Night
Day: Saturday, June 10, 2023 Time: 7pm-10:30pm Location: Beacon Elks Lodge, 900 Wolcott Avenue · Beacon, NY
A vibrant mix of R&B, Latin, Soul, Funk, Reggae, Rock, Disco, Hip-Hop & more is played by DJ Rhoda. New songs are added for each monthly dance, always aiming for the music to be moving, exciting and beautiful. Your song requests welcome. Information >
The Beacon Sloop Club Annual Strawberry Festival
Day: Sunday, June 11, 2023 Time: 12pm-5pm Location: Pete And Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park, 1 Flynn Drive, Beacon, NY 12508
It’s strawberry time in the Hudson Valley! Come on down to the Beacon Sloop Club’s beloved and much-anticipated annual Strawberry Festival for a fun, family-friendly event on the shores of the majestic Hudson River. All are welcome! Free admission! Information >
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL 288 Main Street, Beacon, NY Website >
Chicken samosas from Tara Fusion Cuisine! You've been waiting for them! Stop in the HV Food Hall for this goodness. And check out the other foodies! Follow HV Food Hall's foodies:
Miz Hattie's BBQ: Southern Style BBQ, from North Carolina. Order ahead via their Toast-app menu! El Nica: Nicaraguan Food Roosevelt Bar: Cocktail Bar Shmuck's Sweet Stuff: Local Ice Cream, Hot Waffles, and Other Sweet Stuff Hudson Shawarma: Falafels, shawarma, baklava, and platters Ciao Chow - Hand made pasta and fried rice Dulce Cielo Mexico: Authentic Mexican street food with vegetarian and vegan options. Elixxr Wellness: Wellness cafe offering drinks with adaptogens Tara Fusion Cuisine: Fusion cuisine of Bangladeshi, Indian, Sri Lankan and Middle Eastern food Hudson Valley Food Hall is a Sponsor, thank you!
BAJA 328 328 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Not only can you sit outside (or half inside/half outside) at Baja, but you can enjoy Baja's delicious food that are made with fresh ingredients. Starters/bowls, Tacos (3 for $15!!!), Quesadillas, Main Plates, Sides, not to mention, a Kids Menu! Oh & specials. Baja is always rotating their specials! Stop in & check out the chalkboard for those. Don't forget to ask about the special cocktails/mocktails. PS: Happy Hour Tues-Fri 4-6pm PPS: Check out Baja's specials! > Check out their specialty drinks > BAJA 328 is a Sponsor, thank you!
HUDSON VALLEY GOLDSMITH
226 Main St Retail 2
(845) 255-5872
Stacked with sparkle!!! Loving the beautiful combination of multiple diamond stacking rings! Add or upgrade for each relationship milestone. Each one tells its own story, adding a touch of elegance and brilliance to your look. Need something more personal? Count on Hudson Valley Goldsmith for your custom design needs and wants! See here for CUSTOM details >
OPEN:
Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11-5
Sunday 10-4 Shop Jewelry > Hudson Valley Goldsmith is a Sponsor, thank you!
LUXE OPTIQUE 181-183 Main Street, Beacon
The kickoff to Summer happened and it's officially almost here! You need new sunnies! And we love all of the brands that Luxe Optique carries. Minimal, sexy, fashionable, classy and unique. Something for everyone. Luxe Optique is THE go-to spot for all of your eyewear needs! Prescription or not. Stop in store and shop or Shop Online >. New styles are always arriving!
Optometrist on site! PS: Appointments required for exams. Make an appt here! > BEACON HOURS
Monday from 10AM–5PM
Tuesday-Saturday from 10AM–6PM
Sunday CLOSED Luxe Optique is a Sponsor, thank you!
Get Outdoors & Get Together Day Day: Saturday, June 10, 2023 Time: 9am-2pm Location: Stony Kill Farm, 79 Farmstead Lane, Wappingers Falls, NY
Celebrate New York's spectacular outdoor spaces in this inclusive one-day event. Events at Stony Kill include a beginner bird walk, seed planting, barn tours and lawn games. For more information and schedule click here >
Beacon has a growing number of beauty salons and professional pampering to take advantage of - you can even book a transforming appointment at a lash bar! Be it a totally new hair style, or a facial, you have options in Beacon. Plus, one of the most enjoyable gifts you can give to someone is a gift certificate. So we have included links to where you can buy a gift certificate from any of these fine services that offers one. Check out ALBB's Beauty Guide here >
Special Message For Businesses: If you want to advertise in this Guide with a picture, logo and promotions, please click here.
BEACON DENTAL
1020 Wolcott Avenue, Beacon, NY
(845) 838-3666
At Beacon Dental, they are dedicated to providing you and your family with quality dental care tailored to your individual needs. They welcome patients aged 4 and older and provide a full range of dental services to help you achieve and maintain excellent oral health throughout your life. When you visit their dentists and team, you can be certain that your health, comfort and smile are always their highest priorities. Explore all services > Beacon Dental is a Sponsor. Thank you!
KATIE JAMES, INC.
Everyone wanted the menues to be online in one place at the Hudson Valley Food Hall, so that is exactly what we designed for them. Each food vendor has their own sexy page on the website that allows them to glow in their ow Learn more about how we can help you and your biz! Katie James Inc. is a sponsor. Thank you!
The fires still rage in Canada, which means that the smoke is still in Beacon. For a second day, the Beacon City School District canceled evening events and activities. Children are being encouraged in school to stay indoors. In one elementary school, air ventilation vents went on, which ended up blowing smoke inside from the outside. According to one child, the suggestion was to open the window. And then they all remembered that opening the window would cause the same problem.
Flashbacks of the COVID shutdown are starting, as events are canceling. In New York City, where the orange sky and smoke smothered the city, making it unrecognizable, Broadway and Off Broadway shows canceled, including “Hamilton,” “Camelot” and Shakespeare in the Park. The Writers Strike that is keeping late night shows on repeat as writers fight for more streaming money from big distributors like Netflix canceled their scheduled pickets of film productions, both according to Deadline.
Meanwhile in Beacon, residents could smell the smoke on Wednesday, where the light remained stubbornly orange. Residents in California were probably thinking: “Yes, this is what it looks like. Now you know how we feel.”
The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, the educational platform and advocacy icon founded by legendary folk singer Pete Seeger and his wife Toshi Seeger was in New York City on Wednesday, where the Air Quality Index (AQI) was 342. In Toronto Canada, it was 160. Sloop Clearwater documented this view and experience on Wednesday, and shared with A Little Beacon Blog. Photo Credits attributed to the Clearwater crew: Chloe Smith on the photo of the boat’s mast, and Guevara-Prip on the picture of the boat in full. The other two photos are screenshots of an AQI measurement tool and EarthCam.
“Clearwater and her crew are currently in New York City, where the air quality has plunged today to the worst of major cities worldwide. Climate change IS the defining issue of our time and due to hundreds of uncontrolled wildfires across Canada, more than 800miles away, we’re all at risk. Our education programs were cancelled today from NYC all the way up to Beacon, restricting access to the river and waterfront parks for our most vulnerable students. It’s time for our leaders to take action on the leading causes of climate change. Thank you @nycparks and @hudsonsailing for helping our crew shelter in place during this dangerous time. Gift goggles, KN95 masks, gloves and other protective gear to the crew from the Captains wishlist at the link in our bio. Stay safe Hudson Valley!”
Chris Sanders provided this side-by-side comparison of the Hudson River at different times:
Comparative view of the Hudson River during the smoke. Photo Credit: Chris Sanders
THursday morning started off worse than Wednesday morning same time. The afternoon continues to be 167 AQI, an “Unhealthy” designation.
The fires are still burning. President Biden sent 600 American firefighters to Canada to help. The Mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, called for all to wake up to the need for climate protection in his news briefing to discuss the unhealthy air quality coming from Canada: “Climate change has accelerated these conditions and we must continue to draw down emissions, improve air quality, and build resiliency.”
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also blamed the fires on the climate. However, reports from Canada are indicating that Canada did not have an effective strategy for creating controlled burns of forest which is done to clear flammable tinder like young trees, dry shrubs and grass in a controlled setting. According to the Daily Mail UK: “Parks Canada had only scheduled 23 controlled burns this year. By comparison, there were 150,000 in America in 2019.”
Also reported by the Daily Mail UK: “In 2016, Mark Heathcott, who ran the Parks Canada burns division for 23 years, said Canada was 'way behind American counterparts' when it came to controlled fires. 'A lot of lip service is paid to it but very few agencies do it. People don’t understand the benefit of fire,' he said.”
While we just experienced the Strawberry Moon with last week’s full moon, this orange sun in Beacon, the Hudson Valley and New York City is a result of the wildfires burning in an “out of control” state in the Canadian province of Québec, according to many news reports including NPR. Other neighboring states are also effected, including Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont, as well as southern states including North Carolina.
Locally, the Beacon City School District canceled any outdoor activities for Tuesday, including daytime recess for children. Field Days, the anticipated water sport and Bouncy House days scheduled for the end of the year each year, are being rescheduled, according to correspondence from Superintendent, Dr. Landahl. Some sports leagues, including Travel Soccer, who play on school property, made the voluntary decision to cancel practices.
According to NPR, the Canadian wildfire season has been particularly bad. In the report, according to Minister of Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair, 2,214 wildfires have burned across Canada this year alone, charring 8 million acres. The country is currently battling 413 wildfires, 249 of which are categorized as out of control, and an estimated 26,000 people remain evacuated from their homes.
Across Québec, more than 150 fires are raging, many of which are burning out of control, according to the province's forest protection service. Patch reports that 110 of them are out of control. Québec City is 450 miles from Beacon.
Why The Air Quality Alert?
While some say that it looks like dusk or apocalyptic all day, with the sunlight tainting orange through the hazy clouds, there are physical reasons for the quality of the air being compromised from the Canadian smoke.
According to Patch: “Air quality alerts are triggered by a number of factors, including the detection of fine-particle pollution — known as “PM 2.5” — which can irritate the lungs.” The media outlet quoted Dr. David Hill, a pulmonologist in Waterbury, Connecticut, and a member of the American Lung Association's National Board of Directors: “We have defenses in our upper airway to trap larger particles and prevent them from getting down into the lungs. These are sort of the right size to get past those defenses,” he said. “When those particles get down into the respiratory space, they cause the body to have an inflammatory reaction to them.”
The smell of smoke has been more noticeable in Beacon on Wednesday than prior days, and the wind is blowing. As reported by Patch, “the atmospheric conditions in the upper Midwest creating dry, warm weather made it possible for small particulates to travel hundreds of miles from the Canadian wildfires and linger for days,” according to Trent Ford, the state climatologist in Illinois.
“It’s a good example of how complex the climate system is but also how connected it is,” Trent said.
Safety Recommendations During This Wildfire-Based Air Quality Alert
Wear a mask if you are doing yard-work. Consider not sweeping the driveway.
Skip the leaf blowing and weed whacking part of lawn-care, as the particles will add to the other particles from the fires.
Wear an N95 mask if you’re more comfortable.
Ask your doctor if now is a good time to take your inhaler, and renew your prescription.
Watch for signs to nebulize your children, if they are having mystery coughs. Ask your pediatrician if nebulizing them is a good idea for any possible asthma cough.
Stay inside in air conditioning that is recirculating if possible.
Now is a good time to re-consider getting an HVAC system if you haven’t yet.
Live in a pro-active way to protect and respect the environment to reduce the reasons we are having extreme swings in heat. Start composting!
Encourage other countries to send personnel and technology to put out the fires.
Big news out of Beacon this week is that Mr. V's may close at the end of June when their lease ends, if a good match of a buyer isn't found. A Little Beacon Blog interviewed Maggie, the owner and daughter of the actual Mr. V, and she is adamant that she is tired and ready to retire. Running a business like that is exhausting, which she talks about in this interview.
THE EVENTS + RETAIL THERAPY GUIDE Book an Event Promotion Advertising spot here.
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, click here for more info >
Edited and Written By Teslie Andrade Daley and Katie Hellmuth.
Dutchess County Governmentt Diversity And Inclusion Committee Presents: Caribbean American Heritage Month Celebration Day: Thursday, June 1, 2023 Time: 9am-4pm Location: Dutchess Community College, Dutchess Hall, 53 Pendell Road, Poughkeepsie, NY Information >
Pride Kickoff Karaoke
Day: Friday, June 2, 2023 Time: 9pm - Late Location: Roosevelt Bar, inside of the Hudson Valley Food Hall
288 Main Street Beacon, NY 12508
The first Pride Month event starts tonight at the Roosevelt Bar, located inside of the Hudson Valley Food Hall. "Sing your hard out with Manriah," the bar encourages. A Little Beacon Blog has seen Manriah perform, and she is truly uplifting! Information >
New Art Show: Parisa Karima
Hanging in Hudson Valley Food Hall
Day: June , 2023 Time: All times Location: 288 Main Street Beacon, NY 12508
When you go in for any of the food vendors available inside of the HV Food Hall, take notice of the new art hanging on the walls from the artist, Parisa Karima, which has been inspired by scenes from movies. Parisa lives in Beacon and is thrilled to have the work hanging and for sale. Information > Thanks to the membership sponsorship of Hudson Valley Food Hall's, ALBB can bring you new art events like this each week. Consider starting your sponsor membership today for more features like this on your business.
Eat Drink Beacon Food Crawl
Day: Saturday, June 3, 2023 Time: 3-7pm Location: Main Street Beacon, NY 12508
Featuring 20+ restaurants, eateries, shops and businesses who will offer a sampling of small bites, drinks & more. This is a great event to sample new dining offerings, get to know the latest food trends in town and explore what's new on Main Street. Information >
Your Storage Needs Answered At Guardian Self Storage In Beacon
Are you drowning in stuff, but need to keep it easily accessible? Visit Guardian Storage on Rte. 52 just past Auto Zone to see how easy and simple it is to slip in and out of your own storage unit of a variety of sizes. A Little Beacon Blog interviewed Beacon's General Manager, Vicki (who is also a graduate of Yanarella Dance School) to learn more and get a personal tour. Read All About It > When your business books a "Branded Content" article with ALBB, you support a local writer, local photographer, and local blog to produce this local media. Inquire today.
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL 288 Main Street, Beacon, NY Website >
Get your hands (and mouth) on delicious Sweeties Pies pop-tarts every Sunday, at Elixxr! Be sure to grab a wellness beverage to have with it. Filled with organic adaptogens. Follow HV Food Hall's foodies:
Miz Hattie's BBQ: Southern Style BBQ, from North Carolina. Order ahead via their Toast-app menu! El Nica: Nicaraguan Food Roosevelt Bar: Cocktail Bar Shmuck's Sweet Stuff: Local Ice Cream, Hot Waffles, and Other Sweet Stuff Hudson Shawarma: Falafels, shawarma, baklava, and platters Ciao Chow - Hand made pasta and fried rice Dulce Cielo Mexico: Authentic Mexican street food with vegetarian and vegan options. Elixxr Wellness: Wellness cafe offering drinks with adaptogens Tara Fusion Cuisine: Fusion cuisine of Bangladeshi, Indian, Sri Lankan and Middle Eastern food Hudson Valley Food Hall is a Sponsor, thank you!
BAJA 328 328 Main Street, Beacon, NY
Warm weather and sun = Baja all summer long! Baja's menu is filled with delicious options that are made with fresh ingredients. Starters/bowls, Tacos (3 for $15!!!), Quesadillas, Main Plates, Sides, not to mention, a Kids Menu! Oh & specials. Baja is always rotating their specials! Stop in & check out the chalkboard for those. Don't forget to ask about the special cocktails/mocktails. PS: Happy Hour Tues-Fri 4-6pm PPS: Check out Baja's specials! > Check out their specialty drinks > BAJA 328 is a Sponsor, thank you!
HUDSON VALLEY GOLDSMITH
226 Main St Retail 2
(845) 255-5872
Choosing a diamond ring is such a personal journey, filled with emotions and significance. It's not just about the carat or the cut; it's about finding the one that resonates with your heart and tells your unique story. From the moment you lay eyes on it, you know it's the perfect symbol of love and commitment. Count on Hudson Valley Goldsmith to help you choose the BEST ring! PS - this combo is so dreamy! See here for CUSTOM details >
OPEN:
Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11-5
Sunday 10-4 Shop Jewelry > Hudson Valley Goldsmith is a Sponsor, thank you!
LUXE OPTIQUE 181-183 Main Street, Beacon
We love all of the brands that Luxe Optique carries but we hold a special place in our hearts for Leisure Society. Minimal, sexy, fashionable, classy and unique. Leisure Society checks all boxes! Luxe Optique is THE go-to spot for all of your eyewear needs! Stop in store and shop Leisure Society or Shop Online >. New styles are always arriving!
Optometrist on site! PS: Appointments required for exams. Make an appt here! > BEACON HOURS
Monday from 10AM–5PM
Tuesday-Saturday from 10AM–6PM
Sunday CLOSED Luxe Optique is a Sponsor, thank you!
Get Outdoors & Get Together Day Day: Saturday, June 10, 2023 Time: 9am-2pm Location: Stony Kill Farm, 79 Farmstead Lane, Wappingers Falls, NY
Celebrate New York's spectacular outdoor spaces in this inclusive one-day event. Events at Stony Kill include a beginner bird walk, seed planting, barn tours and lawn games. For more information and schedule click here >
Beacon has a growing number of beauty salons and professional pampering to take advantage of - you can even book a transforming appointment at a lash bar! Be it a totally new hair style, or a facial, you have options in Beacon. Plus, one of the most enjoyable gifts you can give to someone is a gift certificate. So we have included links to where you can buy a gift certificate from any of these fine services that offers one. Check out ALBB's Beauty Guide here >
Special Message For Businesses: If you want to advertise in this Guide with a picture, logo and promotions, please click here.
BEACON DENTAL
1020 Wolcott Avenue, Beacon, NY
(845) 838-3666
At Beacon Dental, they are dedicated to providing you and your family with quality dental care tailored to your individual needs. They welcome patients aged 4 and older and provide a full range of dental services to help you achieve and maintain excellent oral health throughout your life. When you visit their dentists and team, you can be certain that your health, comfort and smile are always their highest priorities. Explore all services > Beacon Dental is a Sponsor. Thank you!
KATIE JAMES, INC.
Everyone wanted the menues to be online in one place at the Hudson Valley Food Hall, so that is exactly what we designed for them. Each food vendor has their own sexy page on the website that allows them to glow in their ow Learn more about how we can help you and your biz! Katie James Inc. is a sponsor. Thank you!
“I paint to help me to remember and help me to forget.”
— Parisa Karami
Beaconite Parisa Karami is the newest artist hanging in the Hudson Valley Food Hall. This show “Cinema Scenes: Paintings 2012-2022” features paintings of scenes from films. Parisa’s exhibit is on view until mid-late July, and the paintings are for sale. Meanwhile, A Little Beacon Blog interviewed Parisa to learn more about where she is coming from with her art:
ALBB: Why scenes from film? "I had originally studied film in undergraduate - so it was natural for me to paint scenes from films by my favorite filmmakers when I was trying to figure out my painting style. I think storyboarding and mise en scene in film are very similar to painting in many ways. Some of the filmmakers who created these scenes originally are Tarkovsky, Fassbinder, Fellini, Antonioni. The paintings are are mixed media, approximately 9x12.
“I believe, as Louise Bourgeois stated, ‘art is the guarantee of sanity.’ In order for individuals to maintain their psychic well being in these accelerated times, it is urgent to get to the root of their personal stories.”
— Parisa Karami
ALBB: What inspires you? "Through a process of gleaning and foraging, I paint to help me to remember and help me to forget. I paint in a naive outsider style. I work in watercolor, acrylics and oil paints. My background in film lends to the storyboarding style. I believe, as Louise Bourgeois stated, 'art is the guarantee of sanity.' In order for individuals to maintain their psychic well being in these accelerated times, it is urgent to get to the root of their personal stories. In conjunction with the personal and collective psyche, I am interested in exploring issues of exile, abandoned areas and timeless spaces."
Parisa Karami was born in 1976 in Tehran and emigrated to a Mojave Desert mining town to flee the Iranian Revolution. By the mid 1980’s the desert town was abandoned (due to the toxic environment created by the mining) she was then relocated to the San Joaquin Valley. These early events continue to influence her work. Parisa moved to New York City in 2002. She holds undergraduate degrees in Film and Anthropology and received a Master’s Degree from the New School for Social Research. She worked at AIGA for three years and the United Nations for five years before becoming a full time painter and craftsperson. Selected works can be purchased on Saatchi Art and Etsy. More recent works can be seen on media outlets such as Mc Sweeney’s, Northwest Review, Pleiades, Florida Review’s Aquifer, The Belladonna, New Orleans Review, Drunk Monkeys, The Indianapolis Review, Michigan Quarterly Review’s Mixtape and elsewhere. Parisa lives in The Hudson Valley with her family.
Hudson Valley Food Hall is located at 288 Main Street, Beacon NY 12508.
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HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL
t Diversity And Inclusion Committee Presents: Caribbean American Heritage Month Celebration
HUDSON VALLEY FOOD HALL
