NAACP and Poughkeepsie Strike Down Law Making It Unlawful To Ride Bikes Not Registered With Police Department

Top Photo: Barrington R. Atkins: Northern Dutchess Branch President
Bottom Photo: Members of the Northern Dutchess Branch and Members of the City of Poughkeepsie Common Council
PHoto Credit: Northern Dutchess NAACP

From the Press Release Issued By Northern Dutchess NAACP:

“On November 6th, legislation proposed by The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Northern Dutchess Branch, was unanimously sponsored and passed by the City of Poughkeepsie Common Council. The legislation struck down a 50-year-old ordinance making it unlawful to ride bicycles not registered with the police department.

“For hundreds of years, Black people have had their free movement and modes of transportation restricted - by foot, horse, coach, train, trolley, streetcar, bicycle, bus, and automobile. It is no coincidence that these ordinances went into effect in Poughkeepsie in 1973, on the heels of the enormous wins of the civil rights movement and at the advent of the war on drugs; in fact, these bicycle registration ordinances went into effect less than six weeks after the notorious Rockefeller Drug Laws were signed into law.

“In addition to the pretextual nature of such statutes, including controversial Stop & Frisk policies, laws that erect barriers to the free movement of citizens are a part of a concept known as arrested mobility. These can be traced back regionally to the Provincial NY Slave Codes of 1702. Such public policy was resurrected by the Jim Crow South after Reconstruction and was used specifically regarding bicycles by the Nazis in occupied territories, most notably the Netherlands.

“Branch President Barrington R. Atkins said, “It is our duty to dismantle all systems of inequality. Legislative changes such as this send a message to lawmakers and law enforcement that the fight for civil rights is alive and well here in the City of Poughkeepsie. This is a small step toward decriminalizing the daily lives of people of color, and there will be more to come.”

“Branch Vice President Robin Green, who also serves on the Criminal Justice Committee, believes that “While it was a proud moment for this great organization and the legislative effort led by our criminal Justice committee, let us not wait another 50 years for equity and social Justice to be realized for our most basic rights. I believe ‘Injustice anywhere is a threat to Justice everywhere,’ as MLK Jr. said. We still have a lot of work to do.”

“Executive Committee member D. Jen Brown, Esq., added, “On Monday, 11/6/23, the City of Poughkeepsie Common Council spoke with one voice to remove a historically discriminatory restriction on the mobility of Poughkeepsie residents. Their vote is a step forward toward a stronger, more unified Poughkeepsie community.”

“From Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycotts of 1955-56 to riding bicycles today in the City of Poughkeepsie, the NAACP is committed to achieving equity, political rights, and social inclusion by advancing policies and practices that expand human and civil rights, eliminate discrimination, and accelerate the well-being, education, and economic security of Black people and all persons of color.

“The Northern Dutchess NAACP is committed to a world without racism where Black people enjoy equitable opportunities in thriving communities. Our work is rooted in racial equity, civic engagement, and supportive policies and institutions for all marginalized people. For more information, please contact the branch by email at info@ndnaacp.org, by telephone at (845) 546- 1067, or on Facebook at fb.me/ndnaacp.”

Over 150 Jewish, Palestinian and Allies Protested Outside Congressman Pat Ryan's Office in Poughkeepsie On Oct 25th Demanding Ceasefire

A group of Jewish, Palestinian and Allies protested outside of Congressman pat Ryan’s office in Poughkeepsie demanding a ceasefire, near the Vassar Campus. Despite the large “Space For Rent” sign, Pat Ryan’s office is apparently inside.

“This is not justice. Justice doesn’t mean vengeance, it means dignity and freedom for all, including Palestinians. MHVDSA condemns violence against civilians, whether by Hamas or Israeli forces, and we also firmly believe that Israel cannot bomb its way to peace.”

— Andrew Hiller, with MHVDSA

On Wednesday, October 25, 2023, more than 150 Hudson Valley residents rallied outside Congressman Pat Ryan’s Poughkeepsie office, “calling on him to support Rep. Cori Bush’s CEASEFIRE NOW resolution, pressure Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, and end U.S. funding of Israel’s war crimes,” according to a press release by the organizers. Led by Beacon resident and Beacon Hebrew Alliance member Dara Silverman, a delegation of Hudson Valley-based Jewish and Palestinian leaders met with Ryan’s staff and delivered a petition that had 523 signatures as of October 25th.

”We are filled with both sadness and anger. Sadness and anger that our beautiful country has come down on the side of genocide. Anger that our government pretends it is being done in the name of the Jewish people,” said Felice Gelman of Jewish Voice for Peace-Hudson Valley.

The group organized to reach Congressman Pat Ryan (representing New York’s 18th District) by marching to protest outside of his office, resulting in a meeting inside with Jewish and Palestinian representatives.

Congressman Ryan made his opinion known weeks prior, on X, formerly Twitter, when he reacted to the October 8th pro-Palestinian protest held in New York City the day after Hamas broke out of Gaza and attacked and killed 1,400 Israelis citizens, and took over 200 hostage. Congressman Ryan Tweeted on October 8: “Let’s be clear what happened yesterday: Hamas terrorists massacred hundreds of Israeli civilians, including women and children. They took dozens more hostage, including Holocaust survivors and American citizens. Jewish families around the world are still awaiting answers, wondering if their loved ones are alive. To know all this, and choose to hold a protest in New York City, home to the largest Jewish population in the United States, is blatant antisemitism.”

While for many in the world, this may have been an unexpected attack, there have been escalations on both sides occurring for decades, one most recent in May 2021 with the attempted eviction of Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah. While murder of anyone is not justified, context is necessary in the occupation by Israel of Palestinians.

When the DailyFreeman reported that a Kingston family’s relatives were killed with children kidnapped in the October 7 Hamas attack, Congressman Pat Ryan Tweeted: “We are grieving alongside the entire Ulster County community for the Shnaider family. This is a devastating reminder that the atrocities committed by Hamas are being felt by communities not just in Israel, but across the United States. I’m receiving regular updates from the Defense Department on ongoing hostage recovery operations, and will not rest until all Americans get home safely.”

It has been 29 days since the 200+ Israeli hostages were taken by Hamas. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not secured their release. Instead, he, with the support of the United States, has bombed Palestinian civilian buildings, hospitals, ambulances, mosques, a church and other locations in search of Hamas. The Washington Post reports that as of November 2, at least 3,700 Palestinian children have been killed by Israeli air strikes, in the newspaper’s article titled: “Gaza becomes ‘a graveyard for children’ as Israel intensifies airstrikes” Today, some Israeli citizens protested at Netanyahu’s home, calling him a “murderer” and expressed frustration at not knowing where the Israeli hostages were or what condition they were in, as Gaza is being reduced to rubble.

Pro-Palestinian Supporters outside of Congressman Pat Ryan’s office in Poughkeepsie near Vasser College Campus.

Back to the local protest in Poughkeepsie at Congressman Pat Ryan’s office on October 25th, the organizers stated in a press release: “1,400 Israelis and 5,000 Palestinians are estimated to have been killed since October 7th—how many more is enough?,” said Andrew Hiller, whose grandparents survived the Holocaust, and who spoke on behalf of Mid-Hudson Valley DSA. “Of those killed in Gaza, 40% were children. This is not justice. Justice doesn’t mean vengeance, it means dignity and freedom for all, including Palestinians. MHVDSA condemns violence against civilians, whether by Hamas or Israeli forces, and we also firmly believe that Israel cannot bomb its way to peace. An unfathomable number of lives have already been lost—we need an immediate ceasefire, and ultimately an end to Israeli apartheid.”

In this video, hear the words of Palestinian leader Sereen Jamal, who has spoken at other pro-Palestinian rallies, like this one in Newburgh in 2021 that marched to then Rep. Sean Maloney’s office.

The organizer of the October 25th Hudson Valley protest continued: “Veterans For Peace is an international organization composed of veterans from every war and peacetime back to the second world war. We know the horror of war,” said Tarak Kauff, former national board member of Veterans for Peace. “We have sent delegations to the West Bank to see with our own eyes Israel’s occupation and apartheid. We condemn the genocide now happening on the innocent people in Gaza on children on women and families. There is no excuse for it. Absolutely no excuse.” Read what Tarak has written about Israel as an occupier, and its military the IDF

“The Zionist State of Israel has betrayed the very essence of everything good and decent about being Jewish. Instead of being kind, compassionate and empathetic to the oppressed and dedicated to truth, Israel has become a most vicious oppressor. I saw Palestine children brutalized. They are killed on almost a daily basis. Children! Many are languishing in Israel prisons for throwing rocks at occupying soldiers or for just being suspected of that. Israeli soldiers often break into Palestinian houses in the dead of night, terrorize the family and arrest children. And there is no such thing as a fair trial. If you are arrested, you are guilty. Palestinians are considered vermin.”

— Tarak Kauff, Jewish, and Former National Board Member of Veterans For Peace

“It is absurd that we need to call for something as basic as a ceasefire. This isn't about who's right and who's wrong, this is about protecting innocents from further death and injury,” said Talal Jabari, Palestinian journalist and documentary filmmaker. “We are asking our representative to sign onto the Ceasefire Now resolution and be on the right side of history.”

“The call for a ceasefire is not a fringe stance held by a loud minority. In fact, recent polling shows that across party lines, the majority of Americans support a ceasefire and a de-escalation of violence in Gaza; a view shared by an overwhelming majority of the United Nations Security Council. This widespread popularity is evident by the large turnout at today’s rally, by Palestinian and Jewish community members and others who stand for peace. Speakers of all backgrounds told personal stories, read poetry, and chanted “Ceasefire Now!”. When the group of representatives who met with Rep. Ryan’s staff finished the meeting, they shared that his office agreed to continue the conversation with the group. His office made no other commitments to ending this violence.”

As for other political leaders in the area, former Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro and current Congressman for the 19th District is staunchly supporting Israel and has made little acknowledgement for the loss of Palestinian lives, which as of today has passed 9,000 and consists of thousands of children. So far in his Instagrams, he refers only to Hamas, which is a dehumanizing tactic for Palestinians or Arabs and is Islamaphobic.

Assemblywoman Sarahana Shrestha called ‘to end Israeli occupation’ on Monday, while other Mid-Hudson Valley politicians stand behind Israel, as reported by the Daily Freeman.

In this video, Veekas Ashoka addresses the participants to update them on the meeting going on inside of Pat Ryan’s office with Jewish and Palestinian leaders.

In this video, Palestinian leader Raz Sadiq-Keyes (we are getting the confirmation of her name spelling) and Jewish leader Dara Silverman.

"Hometown Heroes" Banner Campaign Honors A Woman For First Time In Poughkeepsie - Helen Murphy

As first reported by the Beacon Free Press, the “Hometown Heroes” banner campaign in Poughkeepsie has honored the first woman to be featured in the series: Helen Murphy. As reported by Kristine Coulter, Helen joined the Women’s Army Corp (WAC) in the U.S. Army in 1942 when she was 20 years old. According to one of Helen’s five daughters, Patricia Maio, Helen “worked for the NY State Army Ordinance Division with an office at IBM. In 1942, she joined the Women’s Army Corps in the US Army. She was an Air WAC.”

“I was aware of the Town of Poughkeepsie’s Hometown Hero banners and noticed that all of the banners hung in the Arlington were of men.”

— Anne Shershin

As another first, while at Boot Camp, Helen was the first woman to be selected to be in the first contingent of WAC’s to go out west. While stationed in California at the Santa Ana Air Force Base, she was then selected to model the uniforms in Hollywood. According to her daughter, Helen was in a recruiting film starring Eleanor Parker, Faye Emerson, and Nina Foch. She also made recruiting appearances on the radio show “Queen for a Day,” and was on stage with Frank Sinatra.

More of Helen’s story is published in the Beacon Free Press, which you can pick up now. She was honorably discharged at the rank of Staff Sargent in 1945 and worked for the U.S. Veterans Administration in Poughkeepsie until 1947. She married Lt. Warren Murphy, who was from Fishkill, and began life traveling and moving her family every 2 years, which her daughter said was hard on her, yet she loved the service and being a service wife, her daughter Patricia said.

Patricia noted that Helen loved working at the American Legion Post. She eventually ran for Commander of the Arlington American Legion Post 1302, and was the first Female Commander of that Post. “She was very proud of that,” Patricia told the Beacon Free Press. Helen was involved in the Legion until her 90s. Helen died in 2016.

How The Honor Came To Be

Second page of the article on Helen Murphy, the veteran and first woman to be honored in the “Hometown Heroes” banner campaign in Poughkeepsie. Anne Shershin initiated the vision and effort to get Helen honored.

Another woman with the Post, Anne Shershin, had the idea to honor Helen in the “Hometown Heroes” banner campaign. “I was aware of the Town of Poughkeepsie’s Hometown Hero banners and noticed that all of the banners hung in the Arlington were of men. I knew Helen Murphy from the American Legion Auxiliary Post 1302,” Anne told the paper.

“I thought it would be lovely for Helen to be remembered with a hometown hero banner. My Auxiliary unit agreed to sponsor the banner. I contacted Helen’s daughter, Patricia Maio, and the Dutchess County Veterans Affairs, and they helped to get Helen’s discharge papers. The American Legion supplied the picture of Helen. We put everything together and submitted the application to the Town of Poughkeepsie. It took a whole community to make the banner happen.”

Read the full story in the November 9th issue of the Beacon Free Press, which dedicated most of its coverage to Veterans on Veterans Day.

Mini-Soccer Fields (aka Pitches) Honoring USMNT Star Tyler Adams Unveiled In Poughkeepsie

Photo Credit: Dutchess County

Ahead of this year’s FIFA Men’s World Cup, 2 new mini-pitches were unveiled at Pulaski Park in the City of Poughkeepsie on October 12th at 3:30 p.m. The mini-pitches honor USMNT star soccer player Tyler Adams and were made possible thanks to his personal contribution and contributions from the U.S. Soccer Foundation, Target, the City of Poughkeepsie, and Dutchess County. 

Representatives from Tyler’s family, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, the City of Poughkeepsie, and Dutchess County hosted the ribbon cutting ceremony with a video message from Tyler Adams, followed by scrimmages on the pitches with youth from the Poughkeepsie City School District’s soccer teams. 

“Building two new mini-pitches in Pulaski Park is such a unique way to give back to the game and to the community where I first started,” said Tyler Adams. “Through these pitches, more children in Poughkeepsie can learn values that they will take with them well beyond their playing careers – the same values that I learned through my support system. Thanks to my family’s support and to all partners involved in this amazing process and creating an environment where kids can blossom.”

According to Dutchess County, this project builds on more than 100 mini-pitches the U.S. Soccer Foundation and Target have installed together since 2018 and marks the latest development in the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s It’s Everyone’s Game national movement to ensure children in underserved communities can enjoy the health and youth development benefits of the game. To date, the U.S. Soccer Foundation has installed more than 500 mini-pitches nationwide. The goal is to install 1,000 by 2026. 

City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison said, “We are pleased to see the opening of the mini-pitches, a collaborative project that went from concept to completion within a matter of months. We thank our partners the U.S. Soccer Foundation and Dutchess County for their financial and staff support to help see this project to fruition. The mini-pitches are part of a much broader, multimillion dollar initiative by the city to make upgrades to the park system, and it’s fulfilling to see these projects getting completed for our residents to enjoy.”

About The U.S. Soccer Foundation

The U.S. Soccer Foundation’s programs are the national model for sports-based youth development in underserved communities. Since its founding in 1994, the Foundation has established programs proven to help children embrace an active and healthy lifestyle while nurturing their personal growth beyond sports. Its cost-effective, high-impact initiatives offer safe environments where kids and communities thrive. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Soccer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, visit ussoccerfoundation.org or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Read the full press release at Dutchess County’s website for more details.

Applications Open For Funding For Youth Program Proposals From Dutchess County

This press release just in from Department of Community and Family Services Division of Youth Services:

County Seeks Proposals for Youth Program Funding
Grant workshops set for September 13th and 14th

Poughkeepsie… The Dutchess County Department of Community and Family Services’ Division of Youth Services is requesting proposals for youth development services from municipalities and non-profit, community-based organizations for calendar year January 1st to December 31st, 2023.  Program funding will be awarded in the following categories:

• Youth Development Programs (YDP)

• Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA)

Grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 will be awarded to programs that provide free, direct services designed to improve youth and community outcomes, as outlined in the 2023 Dutchess County Youth Board and Coordinating Council Funding Priorities document.  Programs must address one of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services’ six life areas, which are: Economic Security, Physical and Emotional Health, Education, Citizenship/Civic Engagement, Family and Community.

Programs will be expected to demonstrate knowledge/trained staff in Positive Youth Development and show how the program addresses one of Dutchess County’s “Path to Promise” domains/value areas. Programs must serve Dutchess County residents up to 21 years of age for calendar year 2023. Eligible applicants should be either a county municipality or a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, community-based organization with a federal identification number and charity registration number, operating in Dutchess County with the ability to meet the County’s insurance requirements and have reliable access to email.

The Division of Youth Services has scheduled two grant workshops for non-profit agencies and municipalities – attendance at one of the grant workshops is required – at the Dutchess County Emergency Response Center, 392 Creek Road, Poughkeepsie; each workshops takes place from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.:

Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022 Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022

Please contact Juliana Corbett at 845-486-3354 or Juliana.Corbett@dfa.state.ny.us to register for a workshop.  At each workshop, DCFS staff will review the step-by-step process of applying online through the Dutchess County Grant Portal and address any concerns or questions.

All grants are due to the Division of Youth Services on or before Wednesday, Oct. 5th by 5 p.m. 

Funding is made available through the New York State Office of Children and Family Services.  In 2022, 20 programs were awarded a total of $266,691 in funding. The amount of funding will be subject to the availability of annual state appropriations, which have not yet been made.

Listening To Imani Perry Speak of Juneteenth At Bardavon in Poughkeepsie

Imani Perry has published many books, earned many degrees, traveled to many states within these United States, all to translate and tell the story of the characteristics and developments that happened here and before "here" was here as we know it today. As she says in her book, South to America: A Journey Below The Mason-Dixon To Understand The Soul Of A Nation in reference to the birth of America: "There are so many birth dates: 1492, 1520, 1619, 1776, 1804, 1865, 1954, 1964, 1965."

On Juneteenth 2022, Imani was standing alone on the Bardavon Presents stage in a long black dress with a capped shoulder sleeve, her curly bangs spilling out of her bun and her nails painted a light glossy pink, serving as a focal point as she rubbed her hands together before letting her fingers fly open when she told the audience her story of Juneteenth and what it has meant in her life as a Black woman living in America.

The theater was about a third full with a mixture of older Black women and men, and many more older White women and men who came as a couple or separate. She thanked Poughkeepsie for having her, and let us know she had been here many times to visit friends and family.

Editor’s Note: Grammatically for this first time in this blog, the “W” is capitalized in White because Imani has declared in her book she is doing it, even though it’s not been formally adopted by style guides yet. ALBB has also wanted to capitalize it, and will follow her style.

Imani was at Bardavon to promote her books with a book signing at the end, but she spoke with dedication about Juneteenth, aka Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Black Independence Day. The date of this author talk was June 19, 2022, which also happened to fall on Father’s Day this year. Immediately, Imani connected the two holidays by sharing how her father, an social justice mover, would not let her family celebrate the Independence Day of July 4th. His reasoning, Imani said, was that Independence Day on July 4th established in 1776 was not inclusive of African Americans at that time, as they remained enslaved. As a compromise, her child self asked her father if she could celebrate July 4th in the form of a protest.

Imani went on to share thoughts on how fathers might have felt when they learned about the Emancipation Proclamation. Imani imagined how a the African descended father might feel when he learned he was free, as his thoughts traveled to his children and how they were free. But his children most likely had been taken from him and sold at auction, so he did not know where they were.

Imani also wondered how the father might feel about having the ability to name his own child. She took that moment to expand on the roll of the grandmother in enslaved families; how the grandmother was often at the center of the remaining family because so many different family members were taken out of the group at any given time to be sold.

Imani insisted that Juneteenth was a day of jubilation. That it is celebrated with red food, like red velvet cake and watermelon (also a resistance food for Palestinians). In Beacon, the group Beacon4Black Lives organized a BBQ of jubilation for all community members to attend, making a point to say that it was not a protest this time, but a day of joy. Beacon4Black Lives organized a majority of protest marches down Main Street followed by speaking opportunities at open mikes in 2020.

Back in the Bardavon, Imani, in her cheer for the day of jubilee, did quietly say that Juneteenth was also “a day of rage.” Perhaps she was feeling the words in her book, South To America, where she writes in her Introduction: “A flock of black skimmers might have flown over the slave pens that night. Or rested there, callow jailbirds. How could they know their presence taunted, that the people inside wished they could fly? Or that the nights they were up, bodies rubbed with beef tallow, hair painted to gleaming black, faces scrubbed, had the most terrible foreboding? Sale tomorrow.”

After reading images like these, recalls of history, the sentances helps give meaning to regularly listened to songs, like “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free” when sung by Nina Simone, written by Billy Taylor and released in 1967. Particularly this passage that Nina Simone sings resonates with Imani’s detail about wishing to fly:

Well, I wish I could be like a bird in the sky
How sweet it would be if I found I could fly
Oh, I'd soar to the sun and look down at the sea
And then I'd sing 'cause I'd know, yeah
Then I'd sing 'cause I'd know, yeah
Then I'd sing 'cause I'd know
I'd know how it feels
I'd know how it feels to be free, yeah, yeah

Imani suggested why deep belly laughs in the community were so important - to release stress in order to go to sleep and wake up to face another day. Each day had hope. She encouraged us to read the Emancipation Proclamation - it’s very short - to see how it was worded. Abraham Lincoln’s executive order specifies certain states, leaves out others, and recommends African Americans to continue laboring but for “reasonable wages” this time, create no violence “except in self-defense,” while making it very clear that they will be received into the military should they want to pick up arms and serve in several parts of the military. The involvement of Black soldiers helped the Union win the war, as well as battles and wars before and after the Civil War.

Imani concluded her talk, and opened the one-way dialogue up to a Q+A session with the audience. Several hands flew up, and she took questions graciously asked from vulnerable places and provided her responses from her perspective in a non-judgement zone.

About Imani Perry

Imani is the Hughes-Rogers Professor of African American Studies at Princeton University and a faculty associate with the Programs in Law and Public Affairs, Gender and Sexuality Studies and Jazz Studies.

She is a scholar of law, literary and cultural studies, and an author of creative nonfiction. She earned her Ph.D. in American Studies from Harvard University, a J.D. from Harvard Law School, an LLM from Georgetown University Law Center and a BA from Yale College in Literature and American Studies.

Her writing and scholarship primarily focuses on the history of Black thought, art, and imagination crafted in response to, and resistance against, the social, political and legal realities of domination in the West. She seeks to understand the processes of retrenchment after moments of social progress, and how freedom dreams are nevertheless sustained.

Her book: Vexy Thing: On Gender and Liberation (Duke University Press 2018) is a work of critical theory that contends with the formation of modern patriarchy at the dawn of capitalism, the transatlantic slave trade, and the age of conquest, and traces it through to the contemporary hypermedia neoliberal age. Her book More Beautiful and More Terrible: The Embrace and Transcendence of Racial Inequality in the United States (NYU Press, 2011) is an examination of contemporary practices of racial inequality that are sustained and extended through a broad matrix of cultural habits despite formal declarations of racial equality.

Quraan Smith Remembered In Poughkeepsie :: 16 Year Old "Gave A Beautiful Energy"

Quraan Smith, holding a basketball at Arlington High School.
Photo Credit: Screenshot of his family’s Go Fund Me Page created by a friend after his death.

My kids and I were at a Beacon Bears flag football game on Saturday, September 18, 2021 in the boiling hot 4pm sun at Memorial Park in Beacon. A press release from the Dutchess County Executive’s Office popped into my inbox, titled “Dutchess County Trauma Team Assisting Arlington Community Following Student Death.”

I didn’t know what they were talking about. I hadn’t read the Poughkeepsie Journal yet about how 16 year old Quraan Smith had been stabbed at around 9pm during a big fight after a big-kid football game on Friday, September 17, 2021, at Arlington High School the night before. As I Googled to find out what was going on, parents around me were talking about it as our boys threw the football, fighting for a successful pass.

Parents were shocked and so sad. “They have made an arrest,” someone said. “How do they know who it was?” another asked. “There were several eye-witnesses. People saw it. They watched it happen.”

And the articles came. Explaining what has been made public so far. Quraan had moved with his family from Poughkeepsie to attend Arlington High School. He wanted to go to the Arlington High School football game that night against Scarsdale High School. Her and Quraan’s mother, Na'tara Smith, re-arranged her schedule so that she could make that happen, according to his family’s Go Fund Me page created by a friend in response to the loss. At some point on Friday evening, a fight broke out, and at 9pm, Quraan was fatally stabbed.

Arlington High School on a map. Poughkeepsie is west, and Beacon is south west.
Photo Credit: Google Maps

An 18 year old named Nestor A. Ortiz-Ocampo of the City of Poughkeepsie has been charged with stabbing Quraan in the chest, according to the felony complaint as reported by the Poughkeepsie Journal. Nestor has so far been charged with first-degree manslaughter, a felony. He was arrested on Saturday and held on $400,000 bail. His court date is October 5, 2021 in LaGrange Town Court.

Nestor was a former student of Arlington High School, according to Arlington Superintendent David Moyer, but did not graduate, and has not been a student this year, according to reporting by the Poughkeepsie Journal. The Superintendent could not confirm why Nestor left the district.

Also according to the newspaper’s reporting, the police said that the two boys knew each other, and that it was an isolated incident. Events for Saturday and Sunday were canceled, said Arlington’s Superintendent.

In a statement, the Superintendent said "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family and friends." Later, he is quoted to have said: "For the people that are associated with the family, the family and the people on the scene and all of that — it was very, very, very traumatic, difficult and painful," Moyer said. 'It is the type of thing that will never go away. It will be here forever. Nobody that was in any way associated with it will every forget it. It is just a tragedy."

Quraan Remembered In Vigil In Poughkeepsie At Waryas Park

Quraan Smith’s Grandmother, during his vigil in Poughkeepsie in Waryas Park.
Photo Credit: Seth Harrison. Screenshot of Poughkeepsie Journal.

Mi-Rose Smith, the 7 year old sister of Quaaran, was one of hundreds of people who attended the vigil held on Poughkeepsie’s waterfront at Waryas Park later that week on September 26, 2021. His mother, Na’tara Smith cried into the microphone while speaking during the vigil, while being supported physically and emotionally by friends.

Said Na’tara as reported in the Poughkeepsie Journal: "The youth, the children, the young adulthood ... you all have given me the strength each and every day," she said to crowd. "I've been feeling good despite what happened to my son. These young children are reaching out on their own ... these children have done an awesome job with supporting me and my family ... I tell you, they give me strength."

Quraan was not only remembered for being an athlete, but for his many traits. According to the education reporter for the Poughkeepsie Journal, Katelyn Cordero, Quraan was known by his friends as Ronny James, a comedian who loved to dance and play sports. He was working on a clothing line after conversations with his father who discussed business with him during the Remote Learning season last year during school. His father found videos and the beginnings of the clothing line after his son’s death.

According to his father, Everton Smith, in the Poughkeepsie Journal: "Coming from an urban community and a poverty-stricken community, he was a legend. He was one year away, he almost made it." Everton said, noting that his son had dreams to play Division I basketball or football on a full scholarship.

Everton continued: “I truly can't believe how many people from the community came. It wasn't even just his athleticism, it was just the person that he was. He was kind, respectful, sentimental. It was the energy that he reflected, when he walked in the room, he gave a beautiful energy."

Everton hoped that the kids would get the emotional support they needed, by saying: "This impacted the children's lives, it's not just that one person that's affected, it impacted the hundreds of children that are going to that school," he said. "Unfortunately, it doesn't just end with a burial. After that, the kids are going to need mental health (support). It's two victims, but all those kids, it's a pain you can't imagine."

Read more reflections from Quraan’s family and friends here.

Nursing Home Workers Stage Picket Calling For Owners To Be Transparent in Staff Treatment and Quality Care - In Poughkeepsie Thursday

Since the pandemic, the employees and residents of Nursing Homes have been in the national spotlight, out of concern for their physical and emotional safety. The pandemic has brought what may be systematic problems within the nursing home industry to light. Said Milly Silva, Executive Vice President of the Nursing Home Division: “Our members have been battling COVID-19 for the last year, but issues like low wages and a lack of adequate time to devote to individual patient care existed pre-COVID. Our goal is to enact real reforms to raise standards within the industry, and ensure that meaningful investment is made in residents and workers once and for all,”

In a prepared statement to the Legislature during hearings, which is published on NYSenate.gov, Milly stated: “The nursing home industry is not going to be the same after this pandemic. Resident census is lower, and it is unclear how quickly it will recover. Returning to the status quo pre-pandemic is impossible. More than that, it is not morally acceptable. New York ranked 31st in the nation for nursing home quality according to CMS surveys, and in the bottom 10 nationally for persistent pressure ulcers. Residents are only getting 2.38 hours of hands-on care per day, earning our state a ‘D”’on a national scorecard. Nursing home caregivers are forced to work multiple jobs to make ends meet, leading to staff turnover and burnout. We can, and must, do much, much better.”

Picket In Poughkeepsie By Nursing Home Employees

Today, Thursday, February 18, 2021, nursing home staff represented by the United Healthcare Workers East (1199SEIU) are hosting a picket and holding vigils in Poughkeepsie, calling for nursing home reform, transparency and investment in quality care.

According to the press release announcing the picket, “1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America,” it says. “We represent over 450,000 nurses and caregivers throughout New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Florida. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.”

What follows below is the press release sent by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East 2/16/2021:

1199SEIU Nursing Home Workers Stage Statewide Pickets and Vigils, Call for Nursing Home Reform, Transparency and Investment in Quality Care

Hundreds of workers in the nation’s largest healthcare union will hold vigils and demonstrations outside nursing home facilities to demand investment in people over profits.

New York ranks 45th in the nation in an important quality metric due to the large number of nursing homes with below-average hours of care per resident 

When:      Thursday, February 18 | 2:30p.m.- 4p.m.

Where:      The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at River Valley | 140 Main St, Poughkeepsie

1199SEIU nursing home workers in Poughkeepsie are among the hundreds of members of 1199SEIU Healthcare Workers East, the nation’s largest healthcare union, who will be holding demonstrations and vigils at more than 20 nursing homes across New York State, calling for greater transparency and investment in quality resident care. 

Actions will also be held at nursing homes in Schenectady, Erie, Jefferson, Monroe, Nassau, Niagara, Onondaga, Oneida, and Suffolk counties and New York City.  Many of these facilities have low average hours of care per resident, use a high number of related parties to hide profits, or otherwise rank poorly in care quality. 

“For far too long, nursing homes around New York State have made investment in resident care an afterthought,” said Milly Silva, Executive Vice President of the Nursing Home Division.

“We are calling on these for-profit nursing homes to prioritize and invest in people – the residents and the workers who care for them day in and day out.  Our members have been battling COVID-19 for the last year, but issues like low wages and a lack of adequate time to devote to individual patient care existed pre-COVID. Our goal is to enact real reforms to raise standards within the industry, and ensure that meaningful investment is made in residents and workers once and for all,” Silva continued.

The demonstrations are the latest actions led by the union to call attention to the need for systemic reform of the nursing home industry. Last week, 1199SEIU launched a multi-million dollar ad campaign, Invest in Quality Care, to press the legislature to ensure nursing homes focus on quality care to protect residents and the dedicated workers who care for them, rather than maximizing profits. On Valentine’s Day, members across New York engaged in a virtual “sticker” campaign, using social media to urge their State Assemblymembers and Senators to enact key reforms and ensure the most vulnerable in the state get the investment and care they need. 

Lourdes Torres is an LPN at The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at River Valley.

Forty residents. Two aides. And me. How is it possible for me to meet the needs of my residents? Today, I tried to spend time with a very scared man who recently almost died from COVID and still has a lot of anxiety. He has no family other than those of us who take care of him at River Valley. But there were 39 other people who needed my attention, and I had to walk away. He was upset. And I was upset. So many co-workers have left or are planning to leave. That’s terrible for continuity of care. It’s terrible for those of us left. But I understand. It feels unbearable so often. The state needs to make changes in how nursing homes owners do business.”

1199SEIU’s Invest in Quality Care campaign points out that Instead of investing in enough staff to ensure quality care for residents, many nursing home owners are hiding their profits by sub-contracting services to companies they own, often at inflated prices.

1199SEIU and its members are calling on Governor Cuomo and the State Legislature to pass systemic reform for the nursing home industry to improve transparency, hold operators accountable for misconduct, and ensure they prioritize resident care over maximized profits.

As New York Attorney General Letitia James found in a shocking new report on the impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes, “the current state reimbursement model for nursing homes gives a financial incentive to owners of for-profit nursing homes to transfer funds to related parties (ultimately increasing their own profit) instead of investing in higher levels of staffing and PPE.”

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East is the largest and fastest-growing healthcare union in America. We representover 450,000 nurses and caregivers throughout New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington, D.C. andFlorida. Our mission is to achieve quality care and good jobs for all.

$25 Million Promised For New Youth Center (Formerly YMCA) In Poughkeepsie From Dutchess County

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro and City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison are moving forward on the development of a Youth Opportunity Center at the site of the former YMCA on Montgomery Street in Poughkeepsie. The two leaders have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a formal partnership to redevelop the property, with Dutchess County pledging commitment for up to $25 million for the design and construction of a new Youth Opportunity Center at the site, according to a press release issued by Dutchess County today.

This property is not for sale, but partners are being sought in the development is what is available there. Says Colleen Pillus, Communication Director of Dutchess County: “The intent is take the building down and create an open space while design plans are worked on for the construction of the project and community partners are sought. The 35 Montgomery Street Coalition includes partners that could potentially play a role.

Each step of the project – demo, design, construction – will have to bid out.

Where Is The Former YMCA On Montgomery Street?

According to the City of Poughkeepsie’s development page: “This is a high-profile location, situated just south of Downtown Poughkeepsie, easily accessed from Routes 44/55 and 9. The site is adjacent to well used Eastman and Lincoln Parks, Garfield Place Historic District, and is across the street from Soldier’s Fountain, a National Historic Landmark. The site is less than 600 feet from the Adriance Memorial Library on Market Street and is 0.6 miles from Vassar Brothers Medical Center.”

About The Former Dutchess YMCA

The former Dutchess YMCA closed in 2009, but had offered community rooms, a fitness center, gymnasium, indoor track, and a large 25 yard swimming pool among other amenities. It was enjoyed by city and county residents - kids and adults - for decades, according to the development website. Afterschool programs offering academic assistance and physical fitness supported generations of Poughkeepsie youth. Since shutting its doors, the building has been vacant ever since. A a requirement was made on the deed in 1966 by then Common Council requiring educational use for the property, which was promoted when calling for submissions to develop the property. Poughkeepsie’s Common Council had the power to modify or remove the deed.

The Intent For The New Youth Opportunity Center

The MOU outlines the intent and process to build the Youth Opportunity Center, including agreement that the County will have joint ownership of the property with the City of Poughkeepsie. The City took ownership of the YMCA property as part of its anti-blight initiative last year with the goal of using the property to yield significant community benefit.) The County of Dutchess must have an ownership interest in the property in order to finance any construction through a bond under local finance law.

Next steps will include drafting and formalizing an intermunicipal agreement between the City and the County, which Mayor Rolison will submit to the City Council for approval at a future meeting. Following City Council adoption of the agreement, the Dutchess County Legislature will then vote to authorize the agreement. Once the intermunicipal agreement has been authorized by both bodies, County Executive Molinaro will forward a resolution to the County Legislature to finance the demolition of the building and creation of temporary green space, and future construction of the youth center.

Demolition and Green Space At First

With support from the City Council and the Dutchess County Legislature, the process will begin with the demolition of the existing structure due to deterioration and environmental concerns. The site will be transformed into community green space while plans continue for a youth center and other community benefit services on the more than 3-acre site.

County Executive Molinaro said, “The County is eager and determined to move forward with the development of the YMCA site to create a center where the youth of our county can have the support and resources they need from birth through adulthood. The center will serve as a compass for them on the Path to Promise. Though the past six months have tested us like never before, our resolve remains fervent, and we are making the deliberate, thoughtful decision to make this long-term investment in a countywide youth center. It is clear that as we look around us, both nationally and locally, that our society needs such a facility to help youth successfully navigate their path to adulthood and we are excited to take these next steps to bring this much-needed resource to fruition.”

“This is a significant step in our overall vision,” said City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison. “We will bring activities to this site that affirm our commitment to create a community and recreation resource for the public. Taking the building down and creating open space in the interim is a sound, practical move that will benefit the community. We greatly appreciate our partnership with Dutchess County to get this project moving and look forward to future steps that will greatly strengthen our community.”

The City and County will engage with 35 Montgomery Community Coalition, whose vision presentation for the site, which can be viewed at cityofpoughkeepsie.com/35montgomerystreet, involves a multi-use facility that would provide services connected to their respective missions in the community. The coalition, which includes Dutchess County as well as education and health care leaders, has been working together to determine the most appropriate organizational structure to advance the project. The City, County and the coalition will work to secure funding sources in addition to the County’s $25 million commitment.

Chairman of the County Legislature Gregg Pulver voiced his support for the plan saying, “A youth center has been part of our discussions for several years now and it is encouraging to have this clear path laid out. Once the City Council approves the agreement, I look forward this project being adopted in the County’s next Capital Plan.” Chairman Pulver noted he expects the proposal to have overwhelming support in the Legislature as part of the County’s Path to Promise initiative. He also noted Democratic lawmakers on both the Common Council and County Legislature just last week publicly stated support for the County investment, which should allow the process to begin soon.

Dutchess County’s Path to Promise initiative strives to ensure that all young people in Dutchess County – from birth through age 19 – have the assets they need to achieve their full potential as they grow into young adults. The Youth Opportunity Center will be home to many of the activities, programs, and organizations supported by Path to Promise. “It will be the first destination on a path to building a healthy, happy, and fulfilling life for young people. The Center is an investment in our young people, and therefore, an investment in our future,” concluded Molinaro.

Does Beacon Have A Youth Center?

No. Beacon used to, but it closed. It is referred to often in A Little Beacon Blog’s sister podcast, “Wait, What Is That?” Co-host Brandon Lillard grew up in Beacon and used to use the service often. Beacon does have a Recreation Center building at 25 Center Street, but that is mainly small offices with one small playroom that has programming in it sometimes.

Beacon’s Mayor Lee Kyriacou expressed interested in using the “shared service” model with Fishkill’s Recreation Center during our podcast with him, which is currently used by many Beaconites who can drive there. But many youth in Beacon do not have cars, or access to be driven to a youth center, making a youth center out of the community hard to access. Public transportation does exist from Beacon to Poughkeepsie. Former City Council Member for Beacon, Ali T. Muhammad, who grew up in Beacon has expressed his vision and priority for a recreation center in Beacon in this podcast.

Juneteenth Events in Beacon, Poughkeepsie, Newburgh And More Including Marches, Cookouts

Winners of ALBB’s 2020 Juneteenth art contest, Cameron and Zora of Millennial_Matriarch and Blue Green Lawns.

Juneteenth is a critical time in Black History as it commemorates the emancipation of the last remaining enslaved African Americans in the Confederacy in 1865 - two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was formally issued. Juneteenth has been celebrated by Black people since the 1800s when it was referred to as “Jubilee Day” but the name changed to Juneteenth in 1890. Juneteenth is also known as Black Independence Day, Emancipation Day, Freedom Day, Juneteenth Independence Day or Juneteenth National Freedom Day.

In his daily press conference Wednesday, Governor Cuomo announced he's proposing to make Juneteenth a paid NY State holiday beginning 2021. There are currently 46 states that recognize Juneteenth as a holiday including Texas, the first state to pass this into law in 1979. At the June 15th City Council Meeting in Beacon, Mayor Lee Karyiacou declared Juneteenth official in Beacon.

Happening This Friday & Saturday

This weekend there will be several events to join your community and learn about the history of this date that is not often discussed in school. 

See the fliers below, all designed by Beacon resident Justice McCray, from the group Beacon 4 BlackLives (@beacon4blacklives on Instagram). Here are the following events taking place in the lower and mid-Hudson Valley this weekend:

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Beacon, NY

Juneteenth Celebration March/Protest
Day: Friday, June 19, 2020
Time: 6:30pm
Location: Meet at Pohill Park, Beacon, NY
An opportunity for community. March from Pohill Park to Memorial Park in Beacon.

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Croton-on-Hudson, NY

Croton Black Lives Matter Protest
Day: Friday, June 19, 2020
Time: 3pm
Location: Vasallo Park, Croton-on-Hudson, NY
Organized by The Black Student Activists of Croton.

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Newburgh, NY

March For Justice
Day: Friday, June 19, 2020
Time: 5-7pm
Location: Downing Park, Newburgh, NY (North side South St & 9W)
The members of the Youth Arts Group of Rural & Migrant Ministry, Inc. will lead a marchin support of the Black Lives Matter Movement.  The march will start at Downing Park and it will at City Hall at 7pm. 

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Poughkeepsie, NY

Juneteenth Cookout Celebrating Freedom
Day: Friday, June 19, 2020
Time: 5:30pm
Location: Tubman Park, Poughkeepsie, NY
An opportunity to learn more about African American History. Any and all donations welcome - from food, silverware, plates, drinks, DJs, etc.

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White Plains, NY

March For Justice & Change
Day: Saturday, June 20, 2020
Time: 6pm
Location: Greenburgh Town Hall, 177 Hillside Ave, White Plains, NY
Coming together for a peaceful protest. Wear masks, bring signs, bring water, social distance.

A Protest, Happening This Weekend, And The Retail Therapy Guide - 6/5/2020

That's right folks...An old phrase has been added to our subject line: "Happening" Because things are Happening! This week was a big week. And it's not over yet. Last Saturday: A gentle protest was held in Beacon by Southern Dutchess Resist. Details > Monday: A large peaceful protest was organized by these young people: Xavier Mayo, Ciarda Hall, and Stefon Seward was held in Beacon. Police provided an escort by way of moving street closure for protection, and two of Beacon's highest ranking police officers were granted permission to join. A Little Beacon Blog was there and covered it. See this article to get a feel for the experience, watch 2 videos of chanting in the beginning, and 1 video of the entire march, from inside the march. This article includes responses from the Chief of Police Kevin Junjulas and Mayor Kyriacou to A Little Beacon Blog's questions. Get The Story > Tuesday: Tuesday turned into Blackout Tuesday. With many white people learning and unlearning themselves, and black people asking white people to speak, there was a lot of words and social media flying around. This became a day of silence and reflection. A Little Beacon Blog was honored to get a call by Terry Nelson, Beacon's City Councilmember for Ward 1. He was at the march, and we reached out to fact check his daughter's name for an article. We came away with an incredible interview with Terry's experience when a member of the NYPD  putting a gun to his face when he was 17, and how he lives as a black man in America today. Details > Wednesday: Wednesday turned into a day of heaviness. When the reflection started, and vital sharing continued, many black and brown friends released their personal experiences of growing up black in America, and they were very sad and tired. Tired because they have been living with this for all of their years as a normal part of their lives, and now, some white people, were finally beginning to hear and see it. You may have received business emails from black owned businesses who don't normally talk about race in their marketing material, but on this day, they did. Also on this day, Beacon's Patrolmans Benevolent Association issued a letter in response to George Floyd's killing. Signed by Officer Michael Confield, they referred to the death as an "unconscionable death." Thursday: By now, peaceful protests had happened in Newburgh and Poughkeepsie, where both police chiefs (Newburgh's has an Officer In Charge as they are in transition after their chief resigned last month after a riot was sparked after an armed black man was fatally shot by police) kneeled with protestors. Friday: That's today! See below for what's in store... PS: Yes, we have started a comprehensive list of black owned businesses in the Hudson Valley and we wanted to release it to you today, but it's still being formatted and linked up. Absentee Ballots Arrive - Vote Ballot box locations have been posted by the Beacon City School District. You only have until Tuesday, June 9pm at 5pm to get these in, and at their scheduled times. Learn where the ballot boxes are. Details Here > Beacon City School District Virtual Art Show Day: Happening Now Location: Beacon Public Library's website The show must go on! It's time for the Howland Library's annual Beacon City School District Art Show. Every year, students, teachers, and library staff look forward to seeing the colorful and vibrant art of our community's young artist. Starting June 1st, we'll be having a Virtual Exhibit celebrating these talented young people and their hardworking teachers! While we may not be able to see the work in person, we hope you will be able to experience the energy of their creativity through this virtual exhibit.  Information > Postcards From A Pandemic Day: Friday, June 5, 2020 Time: 7pm Location: Instagram Live Garrison Art Center is pleased to announce an ongoing worldwide exhibition of postcard art entitled Postcards From A Pandemic. This exhibition invites artists from near and far to mail a postcard to the Art Center that reflects their thoughts and creative expressions during this troubled time of social distancing and gallery closures due to COVID-19. Information > Black Lives Matter Protest - Pohill Park to Pete + Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park Day: Saturday, June 6, 2020 Time: 2:45pm Location: Pohill Park, Beacon, NY This protest is organized by Ciarda Hall, Stefon Seward and Xavier Mayo (Monday's protest), and is backed by the Southern Dutchess Resist, (organized Saturday's), I Am Beacon, and several other groups in Dutchess County. The Mayor of Beacon as well as other local government officials will be speaking. Story Screen Virtual Night Day: Saturday, June 6, 2020 Time: 7:30-10pm Location: ZOOM Story Screen Trivia returns for yet another series of movie related questions and categories, with your favorite brainy movie nerds: Bernadette Gorman-White and Mike Burdge. And now they're using satellites to ask questions! Information > Virtual Hudson Valley Pride Festival Day: Sunday, June 7, 2020 Time: 4-6pm Location: Facebook Live - https://www.facebook.com/hvlgbtqcenter/ Join the Hudson Valley LGBTQ Center on Facebook Live on Hudson Valley Pride Sunday for amazing performances by local performers Denise Parent, Nia & Ness, Ryan Cassata, and Salem Corwin! Information > The Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF) Virtual 5K Run & Walk Days: Now through June 17, 2020 Time: At Your Own Pace Location: Favorite trail, your neighborhood, the park, your treadmill! Complete a 5 Kilometer run and/or walk (5K kilometers = 3.1 miles) in the comfort of your own neighborhood or on a treadmill between May 17th  and June 17th, 2020. You choose the date, the time and location. Registration ends June 10th!  Information > Beacon's Police Chief Will Attend Monday Night City Council Meeting For Conversation (Meeting via Zoom/YouTube) On Monday night, June 8th, the City of Beacon Police Chief, Kevin Junjulas, will join the City Council for a conversation on best practices and training for the Beacon Police Department. If you wish to listen in on conversation, an invitation to the virtual meeting is below. Also please see this link to a video from June 1st of City Councilmembers commenting on the protests https://vimeo.com/425223009 YouTube: You can watch the meeting live on the City's YouTube channel. Zoom: You are invited to a Zoom webinar. When: Jun 8, 2020 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Topic: City Council Workshop Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82201559958?pwd=eHdHNjlNTXM1S0xueWRZYWRESmJyQT09 Password: 027050 Check our Calendar and Events Guide regularly for upcoming events throughout the week!   Visit A Little Beacon Blog's Restaurant Guide for updates on who is open, delivering, or has paused for now. INDUSTRIAL ARTS BREWING As we begin Pride Month 2020, this year’s design from Industrial Arts Brewing has added a brown stripe to show their solidarity with POC everywhere. These are now available in their web store and would make a nice addition to your beer order, but no other purchase is necessary. 100% of proceeds from the sale of these shirts will go to @rocklandcountypridecenter and @dutchesspride.  Information > EAT CHURCH This weekend special is going to hit the spot: It's the “Mission Style Burrito:” Black beans, yellow rice, queso, avocado, salsa, crema, hots. Old school vegetarian. $10. For those of you who have picky eaters, you will love the Bang Bang Spring Rolls. The easiest eatery to social distance in, as it is surrounded by parking lot, with a straight-on view of Mount Beacon. Order Now > Eat Church is a ALBB Sponsor! BAJA 328 ¡Salud! Baja 328 has made it to the final round of Hudson Valley Magazine's "Best Margarita"! There is still time to get your votes in! Visit this voting page to support your local canteen! Cast Your Vote! > Baja 328 is a ALBB Sponsor!   I AM BEACON To shop local has never been more important as it is today. The beauty of the Beacon community has many wonderful qualities - our small businesses being one of them! It is often said, charity begins at home- the pride of Beacon lies in our dedication and support of one another.  Pick up your I Am Beacon Strong T-shirt at Key Food to be entered in to win a $100 gift card to a local shop! Add this to your collection of other I Am Beacon t-shirts. Information > BINNACLE BOOKS Looking for literature related to Black History and educate yourself further on the issue of civil rights in this county? Binnacle Books has many titles to choose from such as:  - Jabari Asim, “We Can’t Breathe: On Black Lives, White Lies, and the Art of Survival” - Ibrahim X. Kendi, “How To Be An Antiracist” - “Chronicles of Black Protest” ed. Bradford Chambers If those concepts are new to you - or you've seen them before but didn't want to engage - engage now. Binnacle Books is a ALBB Sponsor, thank you! LUXE OPTIQUE It's getting too hot outside to wear your glasses and exercise at the same time. For those of you who are daily glasses wearers, you may need to open a new box of contacts! Luxe Optique is shipping contacts, and working on a new online ordering system. Deals: Get $25 off all year supplies of contacts + free shipping Get $10 off 6 month supplies + FREE SHIPPING FREE SHIPPING FOR ALL DIRECT SHIP CONTACT LENS ORDERS Your order might also be eligible for a manufactures rebate of up to $150!  Order: Text 845-838-2020 or email at info@luxeoptique.com Luxe Optique is a Sponsor, thank you! PTACEK HOME Your indoor plant collection has been growing, we get it, it's happening in our Managing Editor Marilyn's home as we speak! Look at these beautiful Sustain Planters with heart pine from PTACEK Home. Beautiful. OMG. Shop Now > PTACEK Home is a Sponsor, thank you! COLD FIT CRYOTHERAPY Cold Fit Cryotherapy is thrilled to announce that they will re-open on Wednesday, June 10th! "All NYS requirements for sanitation will be strictly followed!" they say. They look forward to “freezing” with you soon!    View more upcoming classes for in the Adult Classes Guide and Kids Classes Guide. ANTALEK & MOORE Scheduling a Zoom call with Antalek & Moore is a convenient, safe and easy way to talk to any of their agents. Contact your insurance representative or email them at info@antalek-moore.com to schedule your call today. They miss you! And did you see Terry's bike for National Bike Day? Antalek & Moore is a Sponsor, thank you! TIN SHINGLE Tin Shingle is a resource and empowerment platform for business owners, artists and makers to get the word out about their business. This is done through webinars (called "TuneUps") to be watched on replay any time; an online safe-space forum to ask questions and get answers and support; and in-person opportunities to bounce ideas off experts in a live video format. Learn More > KATIE JAMES, INC. Couture branding boutique, Katie James, Inc. designed the website for Beacon-based Knot Too Shabby in Shopify last year. Designed with the shop owner in mind, this website features various types of products, including paint, stencils, furniture, and classes. Katie James, Inc. can design your website too, or consult with you as you build it. We got a suggestion in from a reader, who wanted to know how to send A Little Beacon Blog financial support to help us continue to produce. Even just $5. First of all: THANK YOU to that reader for wanting to do this! Support Here > People Who Have Given Reading your comments of what ALBB means to your life has been humbling and keeps us going. Thank you. See Who Supported >

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SNAP Food Assistance Benefit Accepted At Poughkeepsie Farmers Market (Mondays)

Photo Credit: Poughkeepsie Farmers Market

To address the extreme food need during the pandemic, the Poughkeepsie Farmers Market opened one month early to serve customers and bring their vendors access to selling their wares. The market opens on Mondays and serves people using SNAP benefits. All details about accessing the market can be found here.

The Poughkeepsie Farmers Market, known as the Poughkeepsie Waterfront Market, is normally a vibrant marketing destination, and remains so in spirit, though with COVID-19 social distance guidelines in place, like set-back lines at vendor stations and employees to help enforce social distancing and cue people waiting in line. According to the new expectations listed on their website, there is a one-way movement through the market, and pre-packaged produced and food selections for vendors to give to shoppers.

People will be able to find seasonal foods, which at this time are “early greens, eggs, poultry, apples, cider, baked good, vegetable plant starts, and more!” according to their website.

The Poughkeepsie Waterfront Market is supported by the Dutchess Relief Fund (organized by Dutchess County and The Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley), the City of Poughkeepsie, the Dyson Foundation and the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum’s Annual Fund.

You can make a charitable contribution to it by clicking here.

R.E.A.L. Founder and Youth Mentor, Theo "Tree" Arrington Passes

Photo Credit: Poughkeepsie Journal

Theo “Tree” Arrington, the founder of R.E.A.L. (Relationship Empowerment Affirmation Leadership), a program hosted by Family Services’ Family Partnership Center, has passed. He did not know how to read until he was 30, and earned his GED in prison. He went on to become an educator and earned his Masters. He was a dean of Poughkeepsie High School, and served on the board of Family Services. He conceived of the idea of R.E.A.L. in 2007 while on dialysis, because he “needed something to keep my concentration,” he told the Poughkeepsie Journal.

According to the Poughkeepsie Journal, “Mayor Rob Rolison confirmed Arrington's death in a statement Monday afternoon. It was not clear when he died or the circumstances. Brian Doyle, CEO of Family Services, said Arrington had been ill, but his passing was unexpected.”

R.E.A.L. offers after-school and summer programs designed to help students navigate through social, educational and judicial systems to obtain mainstream skill competency and social values. It is rooted in empowering youth to engage in their communities, school or job.

The Mayor of Poughkeepsie, Rob Rolison, said in a statement: “Tree was larger than life. His heart was as big as he was. You simply can’t replace people like Tree. Tree understood that some youth need extra care to navigate through the various societal systems, to develop better skills and social values. Tree had a way of connecting with youth, and he led by example."

The Founder and CEO of Community Matters 2, L’Quette Taylor, said: “Theo "Tree" Arrington raised and helped a lot of generations.”

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said in a statement: “He leaves a legacy of mentorship, leadership and inspiration for so many in the City of Poughkeepsie. Theo lived up to his nickname, "‘Tree,’ laying down strong roots in the city and helping so many youths blossom into strong, responsible young men and women, each reaching their potential and giving back to their community in his memory. Theo will live on through the R.E.A.L. Skills program he founded more than a decade ago and the countless city residents who have and will continue to benefit from his altruism.

Dutchess County Legislator Barbara Jeter-Jackson Has Passed And Is Remembered

Dutchess County Legislator Barbara Jeter-Jackson has passed, Dutchess County announced this (Sunday) morning. Barbara represented District 10 as a Democrat, representing the people of the City of Poughkeepsie.

Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro told the county via press release: “Today we are filled with great sorrow as we mourn the loss of Dutchess County Legislator Barbara Jeter-Jackson. She embodied the very spirit of resilience, dignity and grace. She was unflinching advocate, partner and friend. With a servant’s heart, she led, guided and cared. A mother to many, she made an immeasurable difference in the life of our county, the city she loved and lives she touched. She was a friend, partner in service and in many important ways, mentor. While she is at peace and, as she believed fervently, at home with her God. Corinne and I are heartbroken. We are heartbroken.”

According to an article in the Poughkeepsie Journal, Jeter-Jackson, who was 82, had been sick, and her family had kept the legislature updated on her status, according to Gregg Pulver, the Dutchess County Legislature chairman and a Republican representing District 19. Also reported in the article, Pulver was unaware of the exact cause of death.

Dutchess County Legislator Barbara Jeter-Jackson served on the legislature for 16 years. Prior to that, she served on the City of Poughkeepsie School Board. She served 4 terms on Poughkeepsie’s Common Council. She was a member of:

• Budget, Finance, and Personnel Committee

• Government Services and Administration Committee

• Budget, Finance, and Personnel Sub-Committee to Interview Candidates for Appointments

• Criminal Justice Council

• Justice and Transition Center Advisory Committee

• Local Early Intervention Coordinating Council

• Youth Board & Coordinating Council - Liaison

The Poughkeepsie Journal reported that she did not let politics get in the way of a good idea. “If she liked an idea,” Pulver told the newspaper, “it didn’t matter who put it forward. And if she didn’t like an idea, it didn’t matter who put it forward.”

Local Vendors Wanted For Poughkeepsie Waterfront Market 2019 Season

The Poughkeepsie Waterfront Market is seeking vendors for its 2019 Farmers Market, which will kick off on Monday, June 3, at 3 pm in the Pavilion at the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum at 75 North Water Street in Poughkeepsie. The market will run weekly on Monday afternoons from 3 to 6:30 pm, from June through Labor Day in a fully-covered open-air pavilion that is just steps away from the Hudson River, with a stunning view of the Walkway Over The Hudson bridge.

Vendors Wanted - Deadline April 15 for Early Bird Discount

Vendor applications are now being accepted for the sale of fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, eggs, poultry, and baked goods from local Hudson Valley farms, as well as locally produced soaps and body products, wool products, bee products and other agriculturally related items. This year, the Poughkeepsie Waterfront Market seeks to expand its product lines to include Hudson Valley-produced beer, wine, cider and spirits, as well as hand-crafted kitchenware items created by local artisans.

Interested vendors are encouraged to apply by Monday, April 15, to receive an early bird discount.

For vendor guidelines, as well as application instructions, please visit mhcm.org/visit/poughkeepsie-waterfront-market/call-for-vendors.

The market is a lively, weekly, public celebration of the Hudson Valley. It also features entertainment provided by a variety of local musicians each week. In addition, “Kid’s Kitchen,” a healthy eating program for children will be held weekly at the market, free of charge.

Certified SNAP & WIC Payments Market

The Poughkeepsie Waterfront Market is a certified SNAP market. It accepts both SNAP and WIC payments, ensuring the affordability of fresh produce and farm products for low-income individuals and families. With support from MVP Healthcare, the market implemented an Electronic Transfer (EBT) system, enabling income-eligible market patrons to use their SNAP benefits from a government-issued debit card.

Small Museum Taking On Big Issues

The Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum (MHCM) is the first children’s museum in the country to open and operate a public farmers market. The market opened in 2017 to connect city residents and families with fresh, affordable and locally produced food as a strategy for fighting urban food insecurity and advancing community health. As a small museum taking on big issues, the MHCM is planning an expansion, which includes enclosing the open-air pavilion, enabling the market to be held year-round, filling a need for fresh food in Poughkeepsie.

The Poughkeepsie Waterfront Market is steps away from both the Poughkeepsie Train Station and the Walkway Over the Hudson elevator, making the market accessible to city residents, families visiting the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum, tourists and commuters alike. The pavilion that hosts the market is fully covered, and offers public restrooms and free onsite parking at the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum during market hours.

For vendor guidelines, as well as application instructions, please visit mhcm.org/visit/poughkeepsie-waterfront-market/call-for-vendors.