Annual Bicycle Tree Lighting Not Happening For 2019 (For Now)

Beacon has had a bicycle tree representing its welcome into the holidays for the last nine years. For the last eight of those years, this tree was the only ceremonial tree that was lit up at Beacon’s welcome intersection at the corner of Main Street and Wolcott, which is also the location of Beacon’s Welcome Center.

A large evergreen tree stands rooted in the ground next to the Welcome Center, and it has had lights on it, but it wasn’t being used for the city’s official tree lighting. The tree of wheels was. This year, the City of Beacon will have a tree lighting - of the earth-rooted tree - but the Beacon Bicycle Tree will not emerge.

Why? Why did Beacon have a tree of bicycle wheels for its annual lighting in the first place? Some people wondered this silently, while enjoying the annual tradition, and others wondered it aloud, in criticizing manner, a manner of complaining that this was a tradition imposed upon them.

Exploring The Bicycle Tree, And Why It Was Created

The real reason the Bicycle Tree was created, according to Ed Benavente, the artist behind the interactive sculpture, is that there simply was no ceremonial tree lighting prior to his sculpture version. Nothing was lit up in a ceremony of any kind at Beacon’s front door. If no tradition existed at all, then the experience was a blank canvas that Ed was tempted to fill - with the help of some of his friends.

For the past several years, the City of Beacon has not been an investor in public events. The public events that people enjoy, like the Spirit of Beacon Day, the kids Halloween parade, and other such events, are the result of groups of people feeling so strongly about an event that they get together and organize it. The Bicycle Tree became one such project; Ed gained support from BeaconArts to produce and promote the work. Eventually, the City of Beacon also got behind it financially, and became a partner in the tree lighting.

At the time of the tree’s inception, Beacon’s art scene was thick with artists filling in the voids where festivities were not happening. BeaconArts as an entity started as a way to help promote artists, but adopted a lot of business promotion since that was lacking as well.

Ed explained to A Little Beacon Blog his inspiration to start the Bicycle Tree:

“I started this project along with the Beacon Arts Community Association at a time when public Christmas celebrations seemed to be waning and lacking a central event. I wanted to see if we could create a related art project that was different and meaningful in spite of having no funding. By incorporating the themes of recycling and transportation, I cobbled together the first Bicycle Tree. A half-dozen or so people then gathered around it to sing Christmas carols led by Kelly Ellenwood (an opera singer) and Stephen Clair (founder of Beacon Music Factory). The spirit of the season was invoked and a tradition was born. My intention was to do this once or twice, but the enthusiasm grew, more volunteers stepped up, more bicycle parts were donated and Beacon Arts eventually partnered with the city Park and Recreation Department to establish an annual event drawing an estimated 500 people one year for the lighting ceremony.”

The Bicycle Tree Artist’s Statement On Why It Is Not Getting Built This Year

As Ed shared his scoop with A Little Beacon Blog, he was removing his well-known hammer sculpture that resided in front of Brett’s Hardware on West Main Street, set up as part of the outdoor public art exhibition, Beacon3d. That event has just ended, as it always does at this time of year.
PS: You can always buy any of these Beacon 3D sculptures… They become part of our lives as we walk past them daily or weekly, but really they are just on display. Contact the artist to find out how. Usually artists are not salespeople and they might forget to mention that.

Ed shared the news with a bit of an Eeyore tone. Not entirely happy about it, yet solid in his decision. He tried describing the current status of the Bicycle Tree, that it was pushed aside, under his summer lawn equipment, that was going to take a long winter’s nap until the artist shed got cleaned out come spring.

“Each year brings new challenges,” reflected Ed. “Each year, I wonder if it can be done. Each year I have been encouraged and supported by a team of volunteers and the community at large. This year, I have to concede that my own time and energy is lacking and it's time to take a break.”

According to Ed, his grand visions of the Bicycle Tree were never fully realized. Each year, he did add new interactive elements to it. Kids could turn gears and make wheels move over here or over there. New lights were brought in and strung up.

To dig into the mind of Ed, to discover more about why he designed this design, one would check out his Artist Statement. That’s where artists state what drives them. According to this statement at the Austin Art Projects, Ed was the perfect fit for an interactive project like this, that involved religion and meaning and the human experience:

The work of Ed Benavente is largely focused on the illustrative portrayal of the human condition. Whimsical yet often with a footnote of serious thought and contemplation.

We may never know what his engineering vision was. “Although the Bicycle Tree will be absent this year,” says Ed, “the Bicycle Menorah may still make an appearance, as well as the Bicycle New Year's Ball drop at Fountain Square (Dogwood). The Bicycle Reindeer might also make an appearance here and there.”

Is There A Tree Lighting In Beacon?! Yes.

“Christmas tree fans should not despair,” encouraged Ed. “There will be a traditional, real, live Christmas tree lighting event on Saturday, November 30 at Polhill Park, complete with music, snacks and Santa!” Details about that lighting are here.

Just so you know, Ed used to pedal Santa down Main Street in his mysterious Bicycle Reindeer bike. At this point, the bike is not scheduled to be anywhere. So the only chance you have to see it is … keep your eyes peeled for its red glow and musical sounds as it makes its way through Beacon - maybe.

Report back if you hear or see it.

PPS: If you want to send Ed your thoughts and memories of the tree, you can email him at ed@beaconarts.org

He has received one such comment, via ALBB’s Instagram, from @emilymac8: “Ed Benavente, if you're seeing this please know your work was a magical part of Beacon childhoods, especially my daughter who was born in 2009. Thank you for filling what was a void, and filling it in a quirky fun interactive way.”

The New Christmas Tree Lighting In Beacon Continues For 2019

Last year marked the first year that a group of organizers orchestrated a Christmas tree lighting around an actual live tree, versus the Bicycle Tree that had been built in years prior. The new tradition, with the nature-based tree, will continue for 2019. The Bicycle Tree, however, will not be built for 2019. You can read all about why here.

Details for the tree lighting for Beacon are below:

City of Beacon Tree Lighting
Day: Saturday, November 30, 2019
Time: 4 to 6 pm (lighting to happen at dusk, ETA 5:50 pm)
Location: Welcome Center - Main Street and Route 9D, Beacon, NY
Make an ornament, enjoy hot drinks and cookies, enjoy carols sung by Scouts and welcome Santa Claus. The tree will be lit at dusk.
Information >

The Wreaths Are Going Up! Holidays Are Here 2019

Perhaps this is the year you have accepted that Thanksgiving has been swallowed by Christmas, and that is OK. For those who view it as a gathering of friends and family for some very heavy food, why not treat it as a holiday about that?

Decorators of houses may have traditionally waited until after Thanksgiving to put their yard art out, but this year, the lights have started blinking from front porches and apartment windows.

Some of you have already brought home your Christmas trees on the roofs of your cars. You know who you are.

So it’s time to go all in on the winter holiday season. Therefore, thank you City of Beacon for putting up the wreaths this Monday morning!

Beacon Votes In New Mayor; Current Mayor Randy Casale Receives Standing Ovation

In an urban climate currently defined by building growth in Beacon, Mayor Randy Casale, Beacon’s two-term mayor for the last eight years, was out-seated by current City Council Member, Lee Kyriacou. Mayor Casale served in public service in Beacon for a total of 40 years, most notably (besides his mayor gig) as the Highway Superintendent, and possibly most memorably as a City Council member until he ran for election and won two terms in a row.

Lee ran on a platform of cautious development and rezoning of Beacon’s rules and regulations that allow buildings to be designed in a certain way, and for a certain use. Over the years, several building projects made their way through Zoning Board, Planning Board, and City Council meetings. Several that were granted approval after required modifications are being built right now, including three four-story buildings on Main Street, which has become a hot topic for many residents of Beacon. Zoning restriction such as this was one of Lee’s main campaign points.

Mayoral Homework

Mayor Casale’s institutional memory goes deep. His involvement in many decisions rolls through several City Council administrations, such as the years-long discussed Tioronda Bridge rebuild (controversial for how close to its original state it can get, versus functionality) to the equally lengthy debate across several years and studies about the three firehouses in Beacon, and if they should be consolidated into two or one.

After covering City Council meetings for articles such as this, it has become clear that issues spread over years of council administration turnovers, require additional funding for new studies to be made for new councilperson requests, and new angles to be considered for the same project. Mayor Casale kept up with all of it.

Running a Meeting

Mayors guide decisions and vote on resolutions, but they also run a meeting. Mayor Casale ran an efficient meeting, giving people a chance to speak, signaling that he acknowledged a complaint, but firing back if speaking got too aggressive. Mayor Casale’s reputation for where he stood on every issue preceded him. Several city leaders in neighboring towns have said: “Well, you always know where Randy stands,” which could be in reference to his sometimes stern yet always outspoken manner.

Standing Ovation

During this year’s Beacon Historical Society Friendraiser held at The Roundhouse, which jointly honored its former longtime president and voice, Robert Murphy, as well as the Tioronda Garden Club, Mayor Casale was on-hand to present. Mayor Casale is an honorary member of the Tioronda Garden Club, and is best-known for his daily watering of the pink petunia baskets on Main Street every spring and summer. During a low-budget period of Beacon’s history, the watering of the Main Street flower baskets was removed from the budget. Mayor Casale replaced the responsibility by watering them himself with the watering truck

As he reached the podium, the room moved to a standing ovation. He deflected the appreciation back to the people of the City of Beacon, stating it is their will, volunteerism, and spirit that has kept Beacon on its path, to the point that other cities are trying to emulate it. Mayor Casale also revealed that he knew he wouldn’t always be the mayor, and made sure to put back the watering of the flowers back into the budget. He ended his speech by wishing the new administration well and support.

Next Steps For Mayor Casale

What are the next steps for Mayor Casale? A Little Beacon Blog reached out for comment: “Right now I am going to look at whatever options come my way and decide what the next chapter will be. I will be available if someone wants to ask questions or if I can assist.”

Will he run for mayor again? “Option’s always open,” he replied.

Thank you, Mayor Casale, for your leadership.

Parking Fee Hikes At Beacon Metro-North Train Station Almost Happened, But Vote Postponed

Apparently parking rate hikes at Beacon and Poughkeepsie’s Metro-North (MTA) train stations were to be voted in today, according to a press release issued by Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson (D-104). According to the release, Jacobson and 11 of his legislative colleagues learned about the proposal to increase the daily and yearly parking rate, and to add a new charge for otherwise free parking on Saturdays, via regular local media when it was reported on this past Saturday, November 9, “in the middle of a long holiday weekend,” according to Jacobson’s press release. The proposal was to be voted upon today.

What Parking Prices Were Going To Increase?

The MTA’s proposal would increase daily, monthly, and annual parking rates as well as implement charges on Saturdays, when parking is currently free.

The proposed fee hike would increase the daily parking rate in Poughkeepsie from $3.75 to $4.50 and the annual rate from $358 to $394. In Beacon, the daily rate would increase from $3.50 to $4.25 and the annual rate from $298 to $328 for residents and from $358 to $394 for nonresidents.

“Charging parking fees on Saturday will also hurt riverfront tourism and depress attendance at many of Beacon and Poughkeepsie’s riverfront festivals, since most attendees park in MTA lots,” noted Jacobson.

Had There Been Talk Of A Parking Increase Before?

On November 1, Jacobson attended a meeting between Metro-North leadership and members of the Assembly, but the proposed increases were never mentioned by Metro-North.

After learning about the rate increase via local news, Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson (D-104) issued a joint statement with 11 of his legislative colleagues opposing the MTA’s proposed parking fee hikes at dozens of train stations, including Beacon and Poughkeepsie.

“The new charges are penny wise and pound foolish,” said Jacobson. “Instead of encouraging more people to use the trains, this proposal encourages people to drive to Manhattan, especially on Saturdays.”

The Vote To Increase The Parking Rate Hike Was Delayed

“I am happy to report that due to the outrage expressed by me and my colleagues, any decision on these parking fee increases has been delayed to December at the earliest,” said Jacobson.

Beacon Mayoral and City Council Election Results So Far (Unofficial)

The votes were rolling in and updating until about 11:30 pm the night of Tuesday’s election. As of 6:57 am Wednesday, some results have not changed, and the Dutchess County Board of Elections website still marks the results as Unofficial.

So far, here is how it is looking:

BEACON MAYOR
Lee Kyriacou (DEM, WOR, GRE) 2,161 57.02%
Randy J Casale (REP, IND) 1,474 38.89%
Lee has served on Beacon City Council for a number of years, impacting zoning law to tighten regulations on what can be built. Historic preservation is also important to him. He ran his platform on this.

BEACON CITY COUNCILMEMBER WARD 1
Terry Nelson (DEM, WOR, GRE) 735 99.19%
Terry ran unopposed. Rent control is one of his key areas on his agenda.

BEACON CITY COUNCILMEMBER WARD 2
Air Rhodes (DEM, WOR, GRE) 684 99.42%
Air is on the Conservation Committee for the City of Beacon, and ran unopposed. Air is the Development Director & Assistant Executive Director at Hudson Valley Seed and cites social justice values and the environment as core to the platform. Air replaces John Rembert, who did not seek re-election. John’s platform issues were serving youth and seniors, affordable housing and overdevelopment. You’ll still see John around, as he is a military veteran who is active with the American Legion, and is an Ordained Minister of the Star Bethlehem Baptist Church.

BEACON CITY COUNCILMEMBER WARD 3
Jodi McCredo (DEM, WOR) 592 68.12%
Andrew E Gauzza IV (REP, CON, IND) 276 31.76%
Jodi is currently the Councilperson for Ward 3. Several issues are key to her platform, including overdevelopment and parking.

BEACON CITY COUNCILMEMBER WARD 4
Dan Aymar-Blair (DEM, WOR, GRE) 651 67.39%
Kelly A Ellenwood (IND) 314 32.51%
Dan has been a large presence in resisting overdevelopment and organizing others through information about Planning and Zoning issues. Kelly has served as a founding volunteer for many community programs around town, and was with BeaconArts for a number of years. One of her latest projects included getting the free Beacon Bus Loop - the G Line - off the ground and happening.

BEACON CITY COUNCILMEMBERS AT LARGE
George Mansfield (DEM, WOR) 2,689 42.62%
Amber Grant (DEM, WOR) 2,769 43.89%
Estefano Rendon (REP) 812 12.87%
George and Amber return to City Council for additional terms. George is a longtime councilmember, local business owner of Dogwood, and is in the construction industry. Key to Amber’s platform are the environment and Beacon’s new Municipal ID program.

COUNTY LEGISLATOR DISTRICT 16
Frits Zernike (DEM, WOR) 1,676 54.15%
Theoni S Salotto (REP, CON, IND) 1,418 45.82%
Frits is the current County Legislator for District 16 and represents Beacon. One of his projects has included extending the open hours for wine and liquor stores to be open past 7 pm until 9 pm. This was an issue that had been defeated for years.

COUNTY LEGISLATOR DISTRICT 18
Nick Page (DEM, WOR, GRE) 1,950 72.12%
Michael B Justice (REP, CON) 657 24.30%
Nick is the current County Legislator for District 18 and represents Beacon. One of his issues is uncovering more about Beacon’s sales tax, which is collected by Dutchess County and distributed out to Beacon by the County in a flat rate. The actual amount of sales tax generated in Beacon has yet to be disclosed. Article from A Little Beacon Blog to come on that.

COUNTY EXECUTIVE
Marcus J Molinaro (REP, CON, IND) 39,871 58.53%
Joseph Ruggiero (DEM, WOR) 28,235 41.45%
Marcus is the current County Executive.

COUNTY CLERK
Bradford Kendall (REP, CON, IND) 36,260 54.77%
Kenya Gadsden (DEM, WOR) 29,936 45.22%
Kenya has served on Beacon’s Board of Education for a number of years, seeing it through one of its dark periods when Beacon’s Superintendent position turned over nearly every year for nine years. She was on the Board when the search was conducted for Beacon’s current superintendent, Matthew Landahl, who has been a good fit with the district and community.

CITY OF NEWBURGH MAYOR
Torrance R. Harvey (DEM, WOR, LIB) 1,569 74.54%
Ali T. Muhammad (IND) 529 25.13%
Beacon’s neighboring city across the Hudson River. Torrance is the current Mayor of Newburgh, who initially came in to replace Mayor Judy Kennedy at her request in April 2018. Torrance is a history teacher. Ali grew up in Beacon and had served as a Councilperson in Beacon. (source)

CITY OF POUGHKEEPSIE MAYOR
Rob Rolison (REP, CON, IND) 2,835 52.87%
Joash Ward (DEM, WOR) 2,523 47.05%
Rob is the current Mayor of Poughkeepsie. Beacon is tied to Poughkeepsie in a lot of ways, with shared municipal services.

Early Voting A Success For Beaconites Via Fishkill Voting Center in 2019

Early voting became a thing in New York this year. I voted on Friday, the day after Halloween (so tempted to have gone in costume on Halloween, but alas, no time).

Beacon’s early voting location was in Fishkill at the Town Hall. Getting there was super easy: You just zoom down Rt. 52 - stop into Industrial Arts Brewery on your way down and grab a bite at the Eat Church food truck if it’s on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Voting was even easier. Tablets were on hand to instantly pull up your record. A ballot was printed for you on demand, and you carried it into the voting booth.

According to the people volunteering their time at the polls, the Beacon turnout was strong. “Come on in, we don’t bite!” was the first comment I got after arriving at the location and quietly standing behind a gentleman who was there, apparently done voting but hanging out.

Everyone was super friendly, and anyone who asked how poll workers’ day was going, got this answer: “Ask me at 5 pm!” which is when their day ended. On Tuesday, November 5, however, they have a different answer after a 16-hour day and many more people coming through the door. Early voters at the Fishkill location got different stickers than what is given out with the Tuesday election. These stickers celebrated women winning the right to vote.

By Monday, the early voting was closed so that everyone could prepare for Tuesday. On Tuesday, votes took place at their regular locations. People used to voting on the Tuesday were planning their trips down to the polls. Later, anyone could refresh the voting results on the Dutchess Elections website as the counts rolled in.

As for the results… Oof! There are some close races. It’s a nail-biter. Talk to you tomorrow when the results have posted and we move forward!

Best 2019 Halloween Costume In Beacon, NY

It was a dark and stormy night. Wind gusts were predicted for up to 50mph, and those who obsessively track the weather a week in advance were convinced that the night would be soaked from an all-day downpour. Some communities canceled their Halloween trick-or-treating nights. Since Beacon’s Halloween night is organized by no one in particular - except us trick-or-treaters! - there was nothing to cancel. You were either going to go out, or you weren’t.

So people went out. And the night was nice and spooky. The evening started early, with little treaters coming out at about 4:30 pm. The wind was gusting, and the temperature perfect. Not too cold, not warm, which meant you didn’t need to wear a winter coat over your costume, which always ruins the effect.

The notorious “Willows,” which are the two streets of houses on East Willow and West Willow, connected by a loop at the prisoners’ cemetery where a witch is rumored to look for trespassers, had visitors, but not the usual amount. Missing this year was the homemade haunted house. Perhaps because it did lightly drizzle all day (almost a mist), dampening the spirits.

The best costume, in this blogger’s opinion, came around at about 8:30 pm. Usually I’m locked inside my house by that point, lights out, lying on the floor biting my nails, afraid of every door knock after 8 pm. Because my kids have gotten older, this year I was still in the game and had company over, so was feeling safe enough to answer the door. Not only was this trick-or-treater not dressed in an all-black track suit, but the costume was so clever! And homemade: an ice cream machine that lit up. Apologies for the blurry picture above - all of the photos from the night were blurry as everyone moved so fast.

I grew up with the homemade costume mentality. As an adult with kids, however, I have very little time to make the costume, nor the skill set to quickly stitch anything up. My sewing machine is surrounded by slime-making materials. My kids are used to going to Party City or Spirit of Halloween to buy a costume in the bag.

This year, the elementary school tried something new by asking our kids to wear a costume as a Very Important Person during their Fall Parade held on Halloween. My daughter immediately expected to buy a new costume. No, no! I immediately costumed one together from the laundry and fabric scraps in the basement. She wasn’t used to this concept, so declined, and opted to wear her Halloween night costume instead (as did several other kids).

Therefore, an award goes to this Ice Cream Machine, which included favorites like ice cream sandwiches and popsicles. Well done!

Beacon's 2019 Kids Hocus Pocus Halloween Parade Canceled Due To Forecasted Rain

Photo Credit: Unknown… from the A Very Beacon Halloween Facebook page.

Saturday in Beacon has been a sunny stunner, but Sunday’s forecast of rain and high winds has triggered the cancellation of the Hocus Pocus Kids Halloween Parade, as announced on their Facebook page. The Beacon Farmers Market, which is still outside at this time of the year, has also canceled due to the predicted high winds.

Main Street Trick-or-Treating is still on, because it was a simple shopping-like event - just walk up and down the sidewalk visiting your friends in the shops from 1 to 3 pm. Shops are usually open when it rains and even snows.

New Schedule For Sunday Hocus Pocus Kids Halloween Parade For 2019

Two trick-or-treaters from last year’s Hocus Pocus Halloween Parade.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

UPDATE [10/26/2019]: The parade has been canceled due to forecasted rain. Details here.

When organizing big events, there is the intended way something is supposed to go, and there is the actual way something happens. And when kids are involved, you can count on something not going as planned.

This year, the organizers of the Hocus Pocus Parade, aka Beacon’s Kids Halloween Parade, are pulling hard for a safer environment for the little trick-or-treaters, who often dart out of the parade unplanned to trick or treat from Main Street shops during the parade. Not this year, said the organizers. After years of moderating a moving street closure (meaning, Main Street is not officially closed, so by the end of the parade, cars and kids are often both in the middle of the street - yup, we see you, angry man in the red pickup truck!), there is a new schedule, and a new official street closure by the City of Beacon:

• Trick-or-Treating on Main Street, 1 to 3 pm: People can go up and down the sidewalks to visit the shops if they have treat hand-outs. This will be like a regular day out on Main Street, where the street is not closed. You’re just mingling with your community out on the sidewalk, making your way up or down the street. Have lunch, collect candy, that kind of thing.

• Parade, 4 pm (line up at 3:30 pm): People should make their way down to the Visitors Center at Polhill Park (at Main Street and Wolcott Avenue, near Bank Square Coffee and Beacon Creamery) at 3:30 pm for the lineup. At 4 pm, the official Kids Halloween Parade begins. Main Street will be closed until the Dummy Light (at East Main Street) while the kids walk. There’s no trick-or-treating during the parade; kids are displaying their costume only. Parade participants can relax on the patio of The Roundhouse, where they’re offering what has become an annual (virgin) cider sip outside on the patio.

With the new street closure came new costs, which almost broke the Hocus Pocus Parade’s bank. The community heard about it, and a local business, A + W Scrap Metal, donated the $380 to pay for the police street closure, according to this week’s Beacon Free Press.

Event Organizers and Updates

The Hocus Pocus Parade is organized by A Very Beacon Halloween, which is Sheryl Glickman of Notions-N-Potions, Ron Iarossi of Beacon Creamery, and Carmen Johnson, everyone’s favorite crossing guard at South Avenue and Main Street, and a Volunteer Extraordinaire. Visit their Facebook page for updates, and/or the Event page specifically.

Treating Tips

Start at the far end of Main Street, near the mountain. Hit up the shops on that end, like the Chocolate Studio, the new Hyperbole, SallyeAnder (in the 1 East Main renovated factory building). We have not confirmed that they are handing out anything, but simply naming them as location examples. Head west, toward the river, to line up for the parade, then march back to the East End..

Shops that are offering treats will have witches hats displayed outside of their shops. If you are a local business who wants to hand out treats and don’t have your hat yet, you can pick one up from Notions-N-Potions at 173 Main Street, or the Beacon Creamery at 134 Main Street.

Lunching Tips

If you buddy up with friends you meet along the way, there are plenty of restaurants in town that seat large parties. Think of The Vault, Brother’s Trattoria, Towne Crier, and others. See A Little Beacon Blog’s Restaurant Guide to get more ideas at your fingertips while you’re out.

Rain Date

There is no rain date for the parade portion, but trick-or-treating is encouraged during the 1 to 3 pm time slot, rain or shine. The money raised from the community will be used for the following year’s street closure permit.

Early Voting Starts Saturday, October 26 - And Includes Weekends - And Halloween!

The most surprising change to the election process this year takes effect this Saturday, October 26: early voting for New Yorkers. That’s right - the heavily anticipated Tuesday, November 5, Election Day just got a little lighter as New York passed a law letting registered voters cast their ballot early. Starting this year, registered New York voters have nine additional days - including two weekends - to cast their ballots.

Voters can still vote by absentee ballot or at their regular polling place (find those here) on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, but can now also vote instead at one of their home county’s designated early voting sites from Saturday, October 26 to Sunday, November 3.

Assemblymember Jonathan Jacobson (D-Newburgh) co-sponsored the bill implementing early voting in New York State, and is a member of the Assembly’s Election Law Committee and Chair of the Sub-Committee on Election Day Operations. “Voting should be simple and easy,” Jacobson said in a press release. “Early voting will increase turnout and allow more voters to participate in our democratic process.”

How Does Voting Early Work?

Special locations are assigned for each county. Early voting locations vary by county, and you must cast your vote in the county where you live. You must be a registered voter, but you don’t need to sign up for anything special to be able to vote early. Anyone can do it. You just walk up to the designated area and vote.

We asked Julie Shiroishi, chief of staff for Assemblymember Jacobson, to provide a few more “how-to” details of this new voting process: “You just show up at any early voting site in Dutchess and they'll look up your name in an electronic poll book. These are new and will allow the poll worker to print on-demand a ballot (also new) for your specific election district. At the end of every day, the info will be uploaded to the County Board of Elections so voters can't vote more than once.”

So on Tuesday, November 5, you could just sit back and enjoy the day… Saturdays and Sundays are even included in the early voting schedule. And even Halloween! What does it mean for employers who give their employees paid leave to vote on Tuesday? According to Julie: “Employees can take three hours off to vote on Election Day only - not Early Voting days. Technically, employees are supposed to give their employers two days notice prior to Election Day that they are going to vote, and employers are supposed to post the policy notifying them of their right to vote on Election Day 10 days before Election Day.”

Early Voting Locations For Dutchess County

Residents of the City of Beacon can vote at any of Dutchess County’s five early polling sites:

• Fishkill Town Hall, 807 Route 52, Fishkill

• Dutchess County Board of Elections, 47 Cannon St., Poughkeepsie

• Rhinebeck Town Hall, 80 East Market St., Rhinebeck

• Millbrook Fire House, 20 Front St., Millbrook

• Unionvale Town Hall, 249 Duncan Road, Lagrangeville

If you have kids and plan on bringing them to vote, you could check out the Fishkill Rec Center’s activity schedule to drop in for an activity session. A Little Beacon Blog does include the Fishkill Recreation Center activities in our Kids Classes Guide.

Beacon In Stage 1 Drought As Reservoir Levels Are Low

First announced at the October 7, 2019, City Council meeting by City Manager Anthony Ruggiero, the City of Beacon is in a Stage 1 Drought. While you may expect drought conditions in the summer, Beacon did have plenty of rainfall this season. Droughts have been declared in past fall and winter months, including October 23, 2017 and December 9, 2016.

Beaconites use between 2.4 and 2.6 million gallons of water per day. The water comes from two wells, and three reservoirs that depend on rainfall to fill up: Cargill, Melzingah, and Mount Beacon. Beacon also buys water from Fishkill. Currently, Well #2 has been taken offline due to a fracture 240 feet down, which was causing “high turbidity from silting.” Repairs to Well #2 are expected to take three months.

As of October 7, the three reservoirs were below the designated safe levels by the following amounts: Cargill (6 feet), Melzingah (15 feet-plus), and Mount Beacon (8 feet) according to Edward Balicki, director of operations for the Beacon Water Department. “These levels place the total capacity at about 60 percent, which is the main parameter for the Stage 1 Alert,” said Edward in a letter to the City of Beacon.

Beacon is currently in a building moratorium, with water supply concerns cited as the justification for the six-month pause in approving new building applications (get moratorium details here). During a water study, it was determined that there is enough water, and even a projected surplus. But the City Council is proceeding with caution.

Hasn’t It Been Raining? Will The Reservoirs Fill Up?

Despite the rain during the past two weeks, the reservoirs have not filled up. But, they have held steady. “There has been no significant change to the reservoir levels since the Drought notice [on October 7, 2019], which is a good thing,” said Anthony via email to A Little Beacon Blog. “The recent rainfall has helped hold the reservoirs to the same levels from two weeks ago. There is more rain forecasted for tomorrow [Tuesday] and possibly several days next week.”

Recommended Water Conservation Methods

There are several actions you can take to conserve water, which are recommended by the city, including:

• Limit car washing to commercial vehicle-washing facilities (i.e. car washes).

• Limit the washing of sidewalks, driveways or outdoor areas.

• Limit the use of water for ornamental purposes, including waterfalls, pools and ponds.

• Limit the filling of pools (pretty easy this time of year!).

• Only water lawns between the hours of 7 am and 8 am and 10 pm and 11 pm.

• Repair any leaking pipes or faulty plumbing. (This should be done anyway to limit wasted water and reduce the consumer’s water bill, according to the city.)

• Refrain from opening any hydrant without permission from the Water Department.

Gas Leak Closes Block Of Main Street During Second Saturday

If you were wondering what the hours-long street closure was all about last Saturday on a block of Main Street that houses retail destinations like The Pandorica, Play, Beetle and Fred, Kitchen Sink and others, you can know that despite what the yellow tape said (Crime Scene Do Not Cross), it was really a gas leak.

Central Hudson was on the scene to repair the leak. Residents reported that they could smell the gas. One rumor included a rupture, but people in the area did not hear anything, and Beacon’s City Manager Anthony Ruggiero confirms that there was no rupture.

Anthony also stated via an email interview with A Little Beacon Blog that he does not believe future work is needed to the site, and a new street closure is not anticipated.

This happened on a busy day for Beacon businesses and art galleries, as it was a combined weekend of Second Saturday and Columbus Day/Indigenous People’s Day, which for many is a three-day holiday weekend. Beacon sidewalks were quite busy with people enjoying the early Autumn weather. Some retail destinations were closed for hours as Central Hudson made repairs.

Beacon Offers Special Late Hours For Municipal ID Applications - Monday Oct. 7th and Saturday Oct. 12th

While a person can currently apply for a Municipal ID during the city registrar’s regular open hours (8:30 am to 3 pm), the City of Beacon is trying to make it easier to reach people who are home later, by offering one evening and one weekend day to see if that works for people.

On Monday, October 7, the City Clerk’s office will be accepting Municipal ID applications and taking photos from 5 pm to 7 pm.

On Saturday, October 12, applications and photos will be taken from 12 pm to 3 pm.

Learn all about Beacon’s Municipal ID Program here, what is needed for the application, and who can apply. The program was created to help people who cannot get a drivers license to get another form of official ID that is recognized during important situations, including picking up a child from school, picking up prescriptions, notarizing a will, and more.

What Is Beacon's Municipal ID Program, And How To Get A City-Issued Photo ID

Beginning in June of 2019, the City of Beacon began accepting applications to grant Municipal IDs to residents of the City of Beacon. Having a Municipal ID is voluntary, and was deemed useful to people who cannot get a drivers license “because the state makes it so difficult. They don't have all of the documentation that the state wants,” explained Mayor Randy Casale during an official public hearing on the program on December 17, 2018.

According to the City Attorney, Nicholas Ward-Willis, at that meeting, "The Council finds that some residents don't have access to an ID to take advantage of certain services.” These services can include getting a library card, picking up a child from school, picking up a prescription, picking up food from a food pantry, and other everyday activities that require proof of identification that a drivers license can secure.

Requirements To Get A Municipal Beacon ID

According to the City Attorney, Nicholas, the Beacon ID cards can be available to any resident over the age of 14. They are $10 for adults, and $5 for kids under 18 or adults over the age of 62. ID cards can be renewed for $5.

Open hours for application are with the city registrar’s office during regular business hours, Monday to Friday between 8 am and 3:30 pm.

According to the City Attorney, to protect confidentiality, the City shall not disclose the application, including to law enforcement or the county. The City Clerk’s office shall not retain original documents to prove residency. Nor will it keep the listing. Documents will be immediately returned to the applicant.

A full list of what is needed at the time of the application is here:

Applications available in English can be downloaded here.

Applications available in Spanish can be downloaded here.

Important to people during the creation of this program was the life-changing impact it can have on a resident, as well as protecting the identify of that resident. Applicants do need to supply at least one of the following, including other proof of identity and residency items (which are listed in the links above):

• U.S. Permanent Resident (Green Card)

• U.S. Citizenship and Naturalization Certificate

• U.S. Federal Government or Tribal-issued photo ID

• State Veterans ID with photo.

Benefits To Having A Municipal Beacon ID

Before the City Council voted to approve this program, they heard from the public who largely came out in support of creating the program. During that public hearing on December 17. 2018, reasons that those with drivers licenses do not encounter include:

• Food Pantry: People who receive food from food pantries may need photo ID in order to receive food. If a person is elderly and has no license anymore, this can become a problem. We verified with Atticus Lanigan of Zero To Go, who works with Dutchess Outreach food pantry, to see if people need photo ID. She told us: “Dutchess Outreach does require an ID for anyone claimed as a member of the household. In part because people can only get food here once a month.”

• Public Safety: One person mentioned that a police officer from New Haven, CT, said the ID cards have bolstered relationships with people who have the cards, as they feel more secure making a call for a complaint or help.

• Everyday Things:

  • Opening Bank Accounts

  • Picking Up Kids From School

  • Prescriptions

  • Obtaining Library Cards

  • Some Requirements During Hospice Care Such As Notarizing a Will

One resident from Middletown spoke at the podium to give her personal experience of what can happen when a parent does not have a photo ID to pick up their child, or if that ID is questioned.

When this person was six years old, she was sick in school, and her mother was called to come pick her up. However, when her mother showed her consulate ID from Mexico, the administrator at the school deemed it fake, and would not let the child go home with her mother.

“The administrator said it was fake. I had to say, ‘That's my mom.’ The administrator said they could not let me go home with her. I didn't know how to translate for her. ‘Mommy, they say I can't go home with you. This is my mom, this is her ID, I am sick, they need this.‘ The administrator told me to go back to class. The only way my mom could pick me up was after school at bus drop-off. I thought I'd never see my mom again.

“My mom had taken me to the doctor. I needed medication. When we went to the pharmacy, they needed ID, so we had to ask my neighbor. [When my neighbor went to the pharmacy to pick up for us, they gave it to her] without asking for ID, nothing. If [my neighbor] had tried to pick me up [from school] that day, would they have let me go home with a complete stranger? I hope you consider passing it so that no child in Beacon has to go through this experience.”

Beacon Businesses Have Offered Discounts To Those With Municipal Beacon IDs

As first reported by the Beacon Chamber of Commerce, some Beacon businesses have begun offering discounts to those with a Beacon ID. You can find that list here, which was published in June 2019. Maybe there are more now!

A Little Beacon Blog does offer $5 off A Little Beacon Tote Bag to anyone who has an ID. Look for us at an event where we sometimes have the totes!