Explaining That Confusing Central Hudson Letter About Changing Energy Supplier - Deep Dive Into Community Choice Aggregation (CCA)

Energy in our lives is simple - you flip on a light switch and the lights turn on.

Managing that energy and where it comes from is not as simple, especially as residents get marketed to on their front porches, and get letters in the mail from sources like:

• Central Hudson, the company who makes sure our energy gets to our homes.

• City of Beacon to tell residents about any changes.

• Third-party energy agents who want customers to leave an energy supply arrangement with Central Hudson and hook up with their company, which could be a renewable energy company, or just an energy company promising discounts - in exchange for a contract with a length of time coupled with a fine if the customer decides to leave the billing arrangement early. Sometimes these companies come door to door, promising cash sign-on bonuses if you give them your bill right there on the spot.

  • Peddler’s Permit: Remember, when these people do come to your door, ask to see their Peddler’s Permit, as explained by Beacon’s former City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero to ALBB years ago.

  • Cautionary Note: Be very, very careful about showing your utility bills to anyone. You should protect your Central Hudson account number like you (should) protect you Social Security Number.

The Confusing Central Hudson Letter Of June 2021

In May 2021, residents of Beacon received a package from the City of Beacon explaining that the energy supplier of renewable energy (in this case, 100% hydropower) from the group purchasing partnership the city belongs to, Hudson Valley Community Power, was changing from Direct Energy to Columbia Utilities Power, LLC. No change would be needed by the resident customer, but as required by the program, a rectangular opt-out card with self-addressed envelope was included with the package for people who wanted to opt-out of the program they had been in for 2 years or for people who were newly offered participation in the program, for those who newly moved into a CCA community. Same program, new contract with different renewable energy supplier, which triggered the package to be sent.

Following that letter, in June 2021, Central Hudson sent out a similar letter, but one that led to much confusion, causing some residents to think that they had been duped by a peddler or scam, that their energy switched to a different company without them realizing it. Part of the letter from Central Hudson read: “If this change is unauthorized by you, you must contract Central Hudson within 1 business day prior to the effective date; otherwise your account will be transferred as stated above.”

During the spring of 2021, marketing peddlers of other energy companies had recently swept Beacon in a door-to-door energy switch marketing campaign, iPads in hand ready to switch people in minutes, which may have been a coincidence contributing to the confusion of when the letters arrived. A person could have thought: “Wait, did I authorize something with that young person promising me a rebate, hitting up all the houses with their iPad? Did they get into my account? Did my partner authorize something? Did my elderly parent sign something?”

Basically, nothing changed, everything is fine (unless you signed with the iPad peddlers). But let’s back up to remember what the City of Beacon agreed to on the behalf of residents - along with 9 other municipalities - 2 years ago in order to get 90% of Beaconites on renewable energy at the same or lower rate than what is currently traditional fossil fuel energy direct from Central Hudson, which is what this letter was all about.

It All Comes Down To Community Choice Aggregation (CAA) - What The Heck Is That?

After energy de-regulated in the 1990’s, companies could solicit energy supply relationships with consumers (though nothing would interfere with their delivery arrangement with Central Hudson - Central Hudson would always deliver the chosen supply). You may have seen these energy companies at farmers markets, where they try to entice you to sign up for solar power (not solar panels on your roof, but through your regular energy bill). Sometimes it was more expensive to sign up with these companies at farmers markets or on your front porch.

Then in 2016, New York State created legislation to allow for buying renewable energy in bulk, thereby discounting it, called Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), a policy which basically allows for cities, towns, villages and other local governments to buy renewable energy in a discounted rate in a buying club structure. According to Jeff Domanski, founder of the Beacon-based non-profit Hudson Valley Energy, there are so far 8 states who offer this, including California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, and Rhode Island. He says the law “is like a Swiss Army knife for getting renewable energy into homes.”

“The CCA Order came about for a number of reasons, but in simple terms, the win-win-win opportunity to:

1. promote renewable energy in New York,

2. in a cost-effective, and possibly cost-saving way for utility customers (counter to what everyone has expected prior to CCA, and

3. consumer empowerment/protection.

“Because of the numerous consumer protection/empowerment aspects inspiring and baked-into the CCA Order and programs,” Jeffrey continued to ALBB, “including empowering folks who never thought of supporting renewable energy to address the Climate Crisis because it was a more expensive prospect and because navigating the opportunities can be overwhelming for most folks – made worse by the many bad actors out there - the CCA program in communities is an easy way to contribute to the environment and save money on the electric bill.”

City of Beacon Agrees To Move Beaconites Into 100% Renewable Energy On Their Central Hudson Bills

A series of steps needed to be taken In order for this to be available in Beacon:

1. Beacon Law: A law needed to be passed in Beacon to pursue this. New York State required that each municipality needs to set a law to pursue it. Beacon passed a law in 2017.

2. An Administering Body: Beacon needed to choose how the program would be administered in line with New York’s order. New York’s order includes consumer protections, including sourcing renewable energy from New York suppliers, not locking customers into timed contracts, and not charging customers hidden fees. The municipality needed to pick an approved administrator. The administrator who emerged was (and is) called Joule Community Power. According to Joule, their mission is to empower municipalities (like a city or village) in the energy market: “We are shifting NY State’s energy dependency from a utility-controlled, fossil fuel model to a municipally-controlled clean, renewable energy model for thousands of households at a time. By designing and implementing community choice aggregation programs, we empower municipalities to make energy decisions for their own communities thereby enabling local decision-making and transferring control away from the State.”

3. Who Administers? The administrator, (Joule) needed to supply an implementation plan of hundreds of pages describing how this would work. Part of this implementation plan was educating and outreaching to the residents in the municipalities who signed into this. Joule would outsource this education and outreach via a non-profit. The non-profit selected to do this outreach is Hudson Valley Energy, a non-profit started by local Beaconite Jeffrey Domanski.

In 2019, after hearing presentations from Joule and Hudson Valley Energy, the City of Beacon agreed to be one of 10 municipalities to source this energy. The other municipalities included Fishkill, Philipstown, Cold Spring, City of Poughkeepsie, Town of Red Hook, Town of Clinton, Marveltown in Ulster, and the Town and Village of New Paltz. In the 2 years since this started, Fishkill has since exited the arrangement when the new Town Supervisor, Ozzy Albra, was elected and replaced Robert LaColla. According to Jeffrey of Hudson Valley Energy, Fishkill did not like the idea of the opt-out nature of the program, where the default was to be in the program, and one needed to take action to opt-out if they so desired. Replacing Fishkill to keep the group number at 10 is Saugerties. More municipalities can always join in.

4. The Bulk-Buy Program: With the municipalities signed on, this created a new group partnership program name called Hudson Valley Community Power. The Program administered by Joule, and locally managed by Hudson Valley Energy for customer service inquiries and education (not for power outages…Central Hudson remains the delivery/repair/billing company and go-to source for all of those calls). The power source for the Program is currently 100% hydropower. But things will change over time to include more New York-based solar and wind power sources, Jeffrey said.

Neither Joule nor Hudson Valley Energy go door to door with education materials or billing changes. “We very, very, very much do not go door to door,” Jeffrey told ALBB. “Community Solar companies in particular are going out.”

5. Lights…Camera…Action! Now that the players and names have been settled, the supplier of energy must be selected. From 2019 - 2021, that supplier was Direct Energy for a 2 year contract at a fixed rate. In this buying club, if people do not opt-out, the rate does not change thanks to negotiations locking it in. The opt-out rate has been about 10%, said Jeffrey, which was expected. After the energy supply contract expired, Joule sent out a RFP (Request For Proposal) for a new supplier. Six companies bid, including Direct Energy, but a different company won for the lowest bid: Columbia Utilities Power. They will be the supplier for 3 years, from 2021 - 2024.

Hence The Letter From Central Hudson…

When the new contract was signed with Columbia Utilities Power, the letters to Beaconties went out, introducing customers to Columbia Utilities Power. But the letter from Central Hudson was very confusing, scaring some customers into calling customer service numbers immediately, and was signed with an acronym matching none of the above: “Very truly yours, Customer Choice Program”

The nation-wide program is called “Community Choice Aggregation,” which sounds similar to “Customer Choice Program,” the name signed at the bottom of the Central Hudson Letter. Nowhere in the letter was mentioned the national program “Community Choice Aggregation” and the letter instructed people to call Columbia Utilities Power LLC with pricing questions, which is not in line with how the regional program is or has been run.

The company to call with pricing information is Hudson Valley Energy, who works with Joule, to service the New York State initiative complying with Community Choice Aggregation.

The company to call with billing questions, smelling a gas leak, reporting a power outage, and safety concerns remains Central Hudson, whether you are in the Community Choice Aggregation program or not.

Whew! So Now What? Are We Saving Money And Saving The Planet?

Educator Jeffrey from Hudson Valley Energy says that we are. There are a lot of useful charts, rates and data at the Hudson Valley Energy website FAQ page (which is also available in Spanish). Now that two years of data has been collected, one can compare the rates in detail.

Rates from 2019-2021 in the Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program.
Photo Credit: Hudson Valley Energy

To further understand the numbers, ALBB asked Jeffrey some clarifying questions:

ALBB: Regarding the chart above: if I opt out of Community Choice Aggregation (CCA), and I get my energy from Central Hudson’s sources, am I in the Central Hudson Standard Mix? And of that energy, is it fossil fuel?

JEFFREY: “If you opt-out of the Program, Central Hudson will make your supply decision each month. The rate will vary and the sourcing will be predominately fossil-based. The sourcing mix of the Hudson Valley Community Power Program’s ‘Standard’ rate is similar, but is fixed (i.e., folks in the communities can choose to stay in the Program and choose one of the two rates).”"

ALBB: If I did nothing 2 years ago, and nothing this year, which color label am I in from the chart? Hudson Valley Community Power 100% Renewable (Fixed Rate)?

JEFFREY: “Yes – the 100% Renewable Rate option is the default (no-action required) choice in all of our partner-communities.”

Ok…So What Is Community Solar?

Add to the mix are the solar farms being developed and coming online for energy production referred to as “Community Solar.” Many of them are out marketing door-to-door to get consumers to switch. Jeffrey says that they aren’t necessarily a bad thing, and that consumers can actually have both. “It's not a bad service necessarily that Community Solar is offering,” stated Jeffrey. “It is the 2nd tool in the Swiss Army knife of tools that is Community Choice Aggregation. People who opt-in on their billing can be a virtual owner of a solar field. Thereby letting the owner meet their requirements to let them drive a discount on energy. People should look into Community Solar to save 10% on their electric. It's a parallel thing. You can do neither, either or, or both.”

In fact, Joule is involved with its own Community Solar.

ALBB: When my neighbor says he is opting into to Community Solar, is he leaving the Hudson Valley Community Power partnership?

JEFFREY: “In brief, no. Community Solar is a parallel opportunity to the fixed rate ‘electricity supply’ aspect of CCA we’ve been mostly talking about.”

“To further the distinction, the fixed electricity supply rate ($/kWh) is multiplied by the amount of electricity a customer uses each month (kWh). Nearly all Community Solar programs I know are a symbiotic relationship between the customer and the owner of the solar field, whereby the customer’s subscribing to be a virtual owner of a portion of the solar field allows the project to proceed as a ‘community project.’ In return, the customer receives a monetary discount off their entire electricity charges, which is targeted to result in a 10% savings for each year of the agreement. Note: the credit received each month is not based on the customer’s usage that month.”

However, Jeffrey wanted to stress: “Community Solar is NOT a customer’s supply source.”

ALBB: If I opt-into a Community Solar company, am I leaving the Hudson Valley Community Power Program - our region’s CCA?

JEFFREY: “Subscribing to a Community Solar project does not conflict with the Electricity Supply component of a CCA Program. The Electricity Supply component of CCA provides a fixed rate which is directly tied to a customer’s monthly electricity usage. Nearly all Community Solar subscription programs assign a portion of a solar field to a customer to generate (in the Community Solar developer/owner’s business model) a monetary credit which targets 10% off a customer’s total electric charges (averaged over a year).

ALBB: Regarding the rate: Is it cheaper than being in regular Central Hudson?

JEFFREY: “Yes – it currently is, and we believe will be cheaper over the life of the Program, though there will be months when Central Hudson’s supply rate is lower than the Program’s fixed rate. The Program rate for 100% renewable-sourced electricity (from New York producers) is $0.06573/kWh. Central Hudson’s comparable rate is $0.0697/kWh.”

###

That concludes today’s lesson in a few data points in the energy supply market for communities. In another article, Jeffrey can explain how CCA’s have been enabled to support Community Solar “and talk about the evolving ways that’s happened and will be happening,” Jeffrey told ALBB. “Suffice to say, CCA is a dynamic, powerful tool which enables cities, towns, and villages to help the customers through localizing energy decision-making.”

Newburgh to Beacon Ferry Will Run Again! CARES Act + American Rescue Plan Act Earmarked For MTA

MTA MONEY FROM FEDERAL GOVT SINCE PANDEMIC
Rep. Maloney voted to pass the CARES Act in March of last year, which generated funding for different sectors, some of which the MTA is receiving:

$4.35 billion via The CARES Act: Allocated $4.35 billion to New York in Transportation Funds. $3.8 billion of those funds went exclusively to the MTA.

$6 billion via The American Rescue Plan Act: The American Rescue Plan Act, which Rep. Maloney voted to pass in February, dedicated over $6 billion to the MTA.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, Metro-North implemented an Essential Service Plan and discontinued service on both ferries. This summer, readers of A Little Beacon Blog have written in to ask if the Newburgh/Beacon Ferry is running (signage and website were not updated), and if it would run again.

This Monday (7/19/2021), the MTA announced that they were reopening the Newburgh/Beacon Ferry, as well as the Haverstraw-Ossining ferry services, scheduled to resume on Monday, August 30, just one day after Metro-North's overall service increase, which will increase train service to 83% of pre-pandemic levels.

“We are so excited to see the region continue to recover, and our weekday ridership has increased steadily all spring and into the summer,” President Rinaldi said. “Our late August service increase will provide even more travel options for people ready to return to the office after Labor Day. Restoring ferry service during weekday peak periods will give our Rockland and Orange County customers returning to work additional options for getting to and from the City and other destinations along Metro-North’s Hudson Line.”

"People are coming back to work and NY Waterway ferries are here to give them a safe, fast and convenient commute. We’re thrilled to restart the Haverstraw-Ossining and Newburgh-Beacon service with Metro-North, and we look forward seeing all our past riders, and many more new ones, back aboard in August," said Armand Pohan, CEO, President and Chairman of NY Waterway.

Funding From CARES Act And American Rescue Plan Act Earmarked For MTA

In an emailed press release, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney highlighted the reinstatement of ferry service between Newburgh and Beacon, where he celebrated “the essential funding he secured for the MTA and Metro-North in the American Rescue Plan and CARES Acts that has enabled service to resume at close to full capacity,” stated in his press release sent Wednesday (7/21/2021).

Said Rep. Maloney: “Folks are going back into the office, and they need safe, reliable, and fast transportation to get there. Getting Metro-North up and running at full capacity is key to New York’s economic recovery,” said Rep. Maloney. “The MTA saw steep declines in ridership, expensive sanitation efforts, and a massive budget shortfall during the pandemic. I worked hard to deliver the funding necessary to help fill that deficit and get operations back to normal. Now, we are seeing the impact of that investment. We’re not at 100% yet, but thanks to the nearly $10 billion I helped secure in Washington, we are getting close.”

The CARES Act, which Rep. Maloney voted to pass in March of last year, allocated $4.35 billion to New York in Transportation Funds. $3.8 billion of those funds went exclusively to the MTA. Amtrak additionally received approximately $1 billion to meet funding needs after a decline of ridership on the Northeast Corridor and long-distance routes due to COVID-19.

The American Rescue Plan Act, which Rep. Maloney voted to pass in February, dedicated over $6 billion to the MTA, as well as $4 million for New York Stewart International Airport.

MTA Announced No Scheduled Fair Hike

Also on Monday, Gothamist reported that the MTA announced that they decided not to impose a previously scheduled and postponed fair hike. From the article:

“The MTA announced Monday that a previously postponed fare hike will not happen at all in 2021. MTA board member Larry Schwartz, who chairs the finance committee and is a close confidante and adviser to Governor Cuomo, said it would be inappropriate to raise fares, during Monday’s MTA committee meetings. Larry was also at the heart of a vaccination question on counties during the spotlight on Cuomo for alleged sexual inappropriateness in the spring of 2021.

“Now is not the time to raise fares,” Schwartz said Monday. “At a time when we need to encourage increasing ridership, raising fares does the opposite.”

After receiving so much money through the CARES Act and American Rescue Plan Act, as spelled out by Rep. Maloney in this week’s press release, it appears that they may not need to add that cost to people.

MTA Timetables For Re-Opening Services

According to the MTA’s 7/19/2021 announcement about the Newburgh/Beacon Ferry, the Augst 30th date is part of their logic on staggered openings. “Upcoming Aug. 29 service increase follows up on service increases reflected in Metro-North's April 12 and June 21 timetables. The April 12 timetables saw the restoration of weekend service to Wassaic and the reopening of the Manitou station, located near Bear Mountain Bridge and Anthony’s Nose. The June 21 timetables added 24 new peak trains on the Hudson, Harlem and New Haven Lines, bringing the railroad to 67% of its pre-pandemic service levels.”

Schedules for the Haverstraw-Ossining and Newburgh-Beacon ferries will be made available in early August. Perhaps the MTA will also update the printed signage in the Beacon location as well! And perhaps they will consider opening weekend service for trips across the river to visit the sister cities of Beacon and Newburgh!

Back To School Block Party Is BACK From I Am Beacon - How To Get Involved

BACK TO SCHOOL BLOCK PARTY
Day: Saturday, August 21, 2021
Time: 12pm - 4pm
Location: South Avenue Park

Supporting parents and students in preparing for the start of the new school year!

Community Leaders - Parents - Teachers - Administrators,

 As you know, back to school is one of the most stressful times of the year for both students and parents.

 In effort to support Beacon families, please join I Am Beacon for the Annual Back to School Block Party designed to help jump-start planning and preparation for the upcoming school year.

What ways can your School/PTA/PTO/Organization/Business be involved?

• Set Up a Booth: We are offering space (free of charge) to all groups, community organizations and businesses. This event will allow your organization to engage students/parents in a fun environment. 

• Donate supplies (i.e. pens/pencils etc) or materials (i.e. literature, tips & tricks) to be included in the Back to School "Starter Kit" back packs that will be handed out to the first 100 students.

• Help sponsor the event or donate raffle items in support of "Class in a Bag" which provides new back packs and school supplies to local students in need.

• Spread the word: Tell your network about the event to help us reach the most students possible. 

If you are interested in participating, click here to register your organization. For more information or questions, please reach out to Brooke directly at 845.505.6820 or iambeacon.brooke@gmail.com  

People Are Reminded Of Duplicative History Of Declaration of Independence By Beacon City Council Member Air Nonken Rhodes

As we reflect on July 4th and life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, it is refreshing to read these words from a Beacon City Council member:

Repost from Air Nonken Rhodes:

I was disheartened anew reading the Declaration of Independence this morning that every single one of the list of grievances stated by the document's authors could have just as easily been stated emphatically by the indigenous people of this continent, protesting against the (much worse) injustices and unjust tyranny of the English (and other) colonists. Of course, the English colonists' claim to independent sovereignty on this land was only made possible by the brutal, duplicitous conquest of the then-recent "French and Indian War" (1754-1763) and the hundred years of smaller "wars" that put down native people's attempts (diplomatic and military) to throw off the yoke of European colonists, but decimated the remaining indigenous populations and their ability to sustain their communities. Were the Founding Fathers aware of the irony, that they were perpetuating exactly the same oppressions about which they were complaining they were victim, but on a vastly more devastating scale? The extra dash of bitterness to this holiday's history comes from how in 1773, in the protest that became known as the Boston Tea Party, the participants (who included Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere, and many other of our founding icons) disguised themselves as Mohawks to scapegoat the native peoples as the perpetrators of the protest.

The Native Americans were not the only ones whose life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness were systematically excluded by the Founding Fathers. Our nation's history has largely been a history of the struggle of those excluded at its start. In 1852, 75 years after our county's start, Frederick Douglas laid bare the continued failure of its aspirations:

“What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy — a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices, more shocking and bloody, than are the people of these United States, at this very hour."
(I encourage you to read the entirety of the excellent speech from which this quote is excerpted.)

Despite all of this, I like much of the text of the Declaration of Independence. Much of what it says are values and actions to which we must aspire (as urgently as possible). It is revolutionary. If you haven't read it recently, the full text is at archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript. The section I transcribed onto my flag here reads:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all [wo]men are created equal. That they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it and to institute new government. Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes, and accordingly all experience hath shewn that [wo]mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government."

This statement is the proud foundation for American protest, which had existed long before the Declaration and has its legitimacy outside of this text, but which is by this text enshrined as a most essential American value. It took the elites themselves feeling oppressed (by taxes on imported luxury goods, of course) to decide to utilize protest as a mechanism of change. As James Leamon notes in “Maine in the American Revolution," “In the eighteenth century an urban mob, riot, or ‘crowd action’ constituted a semi-legitimate means of social protest. …Crowds were useful if kept in control, but they …remained ‘legitimate’ only as long as they served the community interests— as defined by the elite.” The People today are starting to chip away at that power. Just as it has taken, and continues to take, hundreds of years to define and expand the "man" in the phrase "all men are created equal", to wrest power of that definition out of the hands of landowning white men and into the hands of The People - We are making incremental progress? And I still believe that we must actively aspire to the rights of people to determine their governance, and the inherancy of all people's life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. That's something I can celebrate today.

Once Bitten, Twice Shy: 344 Main Street Building + Parking Is Back In The News

Once bitten, twice shy. The new construction building 344 Main that triggered the running and election of several board members and the current mayor is in the news again.

During a City Council meeting, the board members were presented with the parking dilemma that resulted in the revoking of a parking lease years ago, a delayed COI (Certificate of Occupancy, needed for renting to commercial businesses), the big drama between two developers, and now possible new litigation. The process of how this building came to be is why Mayor Lee Kyriacou pushed through so many zoning changes, and with more planned, like the designation of several buildings as a way, in part, to act as pawns in the chess game of what is allowed in the city planning of a city and the new construction and expansion of buildings now.

This is a huge deep dive. Be sure to pick up the Beacon Free Press for Mark Roland’s weekly column, Beaconomics (of the blog Wigwam Economy), and Jeff Simm’s @jeff_simms coverage in the @highlandscurrent. ALBB has several deep-dive articles on other topics ahead of this (including HDLO) and will be transcribing City Administrator Chris White’s summary last night of what happened years ago to bring us to our point today, and his subsequent parking proposal. Currently, residents of 344 Main have no official place to park and park in free municipal lots (do what you need to do!). Chris’s proposal is to monetize the parking by charging the current developer/building owner for spaces in the free municipal parking lot ($50/space). The developer may or may not pass that on to tenants. Parking is a problem in Beacon, and Chris’s plan is to earmark the money for parking development. But the council was burned so badly by these developers years ago, they are hesitant to set a new precedent. Tenants are caught in the middle.

More to come. Pick up your newspapers, and support local media everywhere.

No Fireworks Display In Beacon This July 4th, 2021

Several readers have contacted A Little Beacon Blog to ask if there are fireworks in Beacon, and we got a tip froma citizen reporter who reached out to the Mayor’s Assistant, Collin Milone, that there will be no fireworks this year in Beacon at Memorial Park, as there have been in years past.

Last year during the high cases of COVID-19 during the pandemic when New York was under a State of Emergency, the fireworks were “postponed,” then City Administrator Anthony Ruggiaro said. The hope was to light them later in the summer or for the Spirit of Beacon Day. Both of which did not happen.

New York’s State of Emergency has been lifted, as have several COVID-19 restrictions, but requirements for large scale gatherings remain for event venues. It is unknown at this time if this is the reason for no fireworks in Beacon. As New York State hit the 70% first-shot vaccinated milestone, Governor Cuomo scheduled fireworks at locations around the state.

See Hudson Valley Magazine’s roundup of where to watch fireworks, including Fishkill, Cornwall, and Dutchess Stadium.

A Brief Historical Refresh on Beacon’s Fireworks

The City of Beacon does not fund or organize the city’s fireworks, but they do need to approve the use of Memorial Park. Traditionally, the firework show was undertaken by volunteers with Kiwanis Club of Beacon, who disbanded in 2018, and some organizing from I Am Beacon. When the Kiwanis Club disbanded, there was no formal passing down of the organizing of the fireworks. When this was realized, the people of Beacon began to chatter, and LT Sherpa, owner of Beacon Natural, stepped up to fill the shoes.

LT put the word out seeking funding, and businesses in Beacon stepped up to pitch in. You can read all about it here. This year, according to his wife, Kitty Sherpa, LT had reached out to ask the City of Beacon for permission to hold the event again. LT waited for an answer, and eventually “got a hard no from the City, who said that they were not going to hold the fireworks,” Kitty said. LT was prepared to do the fundraising again for 2021, but is not for this year.

Other Events The City Wants To Greenlight

The first event that the City of Beacon approved was called the Modern Makers Market from Hops on the Hudson down at Pete and Toshi Seeger Riverfront Park in May 2021. That event encountered some resistance from City Council, as people were still wary of coming out for a public event. While the event promised masks would be worn by vendors and ticketed guests, several were not, as seen in the Highlands Current. Masks were still mandated at the time.

The park was also stated by Beacon’s City Administrator Chris White at the 5/24/2021 to be open to the public, or “not fully closed” and open to people who people who want to walk along to go fishing, but there was a police barricade at the park entrance, and public access was not easy, if it was possible. The markers market was a ticketed event, as mandated by state requirements at the time.

At its 5/24/2021 Workshop Meeting, the City of Beacon’s City Council discussed potential upcoming events that were to be considered, including a Brew Fest, the Beacon Sloop Club Strawberry Festival (but the organizers stated they did not want to have it), Taco Festival, Family Fun Day at Springfield Baptist Church, Beacon Sloop Club Corn Festival, Spirit of Beacon Day, Bike Safety Day on Catherine Street, and other events.

The 4th of July Fireworks at Memorial Park were not on that list.

Annual Reading of Declaration of Independence To Be Read On July 4th

Dennis Pavlov, host and organizer of the annual reading of the Declaration of Independence for the past 11 years in Beacon, announced during a Community Segment at the 6/21/2021 City Council Meeting that the reading would take place at the usual time of 11am at 1 Municipal Plaza.

Said Dennis: “I started it in Steve Gold's administration. Why did I start it? There is more to these patriotic holidays than parades, fireworks, cookouts and BBQs. Our forefathers, I don't believe, should be left out. That's the reason I started doing it. Regardless of what is said and how it is said, the forefathers are some of my heroes. July 4th looked different last year, maybe we will have more people this year because of different circumstances.”

This year, Dennis stated, there is no longer a committee, refreshments or copies of Declaration of Independence handed out. Former Mayor Clara Lou Gould had also served on the committee.

The Great Hudson River Revival (The Clearwater Festival) Is Happening Virtually This Weekend

The Great Hudson River Revival (The Clearwater Festival)
Day: Saturday, June 19, 2021
Time: 11am - 11pm
Location: Virtual
The country’s oldest and largest music and environmental festival, this year’s event will celebrate the 100th birthday of its founder Pete Seeger, as well as the 50th anniversary of the sloop Clearwater, the iconic ship Seeger built to advocate cleaning up the Hudson River. The Clearwater has become a symbol of environmental advocacy and of Seeger’s efforts to inspire, educate, and activate millions of people around environmental issues.

Previously announced artists include Mavis Staples, Ani DiFranco, The Wailers, Railroad Earth, The Lone Bellow, The Mammals, Immortal Technique, and many more.

New additions to the line-up include Del McCoury Band, Chapin McCombs Chapin, Alan McClintock, Arif Choudhury, Betty & the Baby Boomers, Chief Perry, Children at the Well, Dennis Yerry, Dirty Stay Out Skifflers, Edukated Fleas, Ernie Sites, Evan Pritchard, Evy Mayer, Geoff Kaufman, Greenheart, Jacob & David Bernz, Jamie Brickhouse, Jan Christensen, Jonathan Kruk, Late Show's Gospel Choir, Laurie & Ira McIntosh, Leeny Del Seamonds, Lonnie Harrington, Luis Ramos, Magpie, Marita Solberg, Mel & Vinnie, Mercedes Garcia, Niemo, Norah Dooley, Peter Siegel, Ramapo Spirit of the Mountain Drummers, Reggie Harris, Reggie Seasar, Rik Palieri, Sheila Arnold, Spirit of Thunderheart, The Rix, The Storycrafters, Walkabout Clearwater Chorus, and William Ruiz. 

The Great Hudson River Revival (aka Clearwater Festival) will return virtually this year on Saturday, June 19th. The online fundraising event will continue the organization’s decades-long tradition and community gathering normally held annually at Croton Point Park, NY. 

This year’s Great Hudson River Revival will be live-streamed from 11 am - 11 pm EST on June 19th on Clearwaterfestival.org as well as Clearwater’s Youtube and Facebook pages. While The Great Hudson River Revival is free to attend, Clearwater encourages viewers to donate if they are able. All performances will be accompanied by ASL interpreters. 

Donations can be made at http://bit.ly/TheGreatHudsonRiverRevival21.

Revival is the country’s oldest and largest music and environmental festival, bringing together major musical acts and Clearwater’s own brand of green activism for a unique weekend every June. Clearwater Festival takes place on the banks of the Hudson River at beautiful Croton Point Park, Croton-On-Hudson, NY.
Information >

Bannerman Island's First Tours of 2021 Starts This Sunday, June 20

Bannerman Island's First Tours of 2021
Day: June 20, 2021
Time: 11 am - 5 pm
Location: Pollepel Island, Fishkill, NY
Here's your chance to visit Bannerman Island on the Hudson River! Cruises for the Island will be departing from the waterfronts in Beacon and Newburgh, New York, on the Estuary Steward. Tours will likely sell out in advance and follow all COVID protocols
Tour Highlights:

• A scenic cruise on the Hudson River to and from the Island.

• A guided walking tour of Bannerman Island where you'll learn about the Island, the work being done on it, and it's storied past; including areas previously not accessible to the public.

• Enjoy walking among the many gardens that are maintained around the Island.

• Entry into the recently-opened Bannerman family residence.

• Multiple photo opportunities in one of the most picturesque settings in the Hudson Valley.
  Information >

New York State Reaches 70% Vaccinated In People Age 18+; Governor Cuomo Lifts Many Restrictions

As reported by everywhere, including WHAM and Dutchess Business Notification Network, New York State has reached the milestone of 70% of people 18 and older having received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Mid-Hudson region has reached 71.9%, as stated in Governor Cuomo’s press conference today (6/15/2021). To celebrate, the governor has lifted many restrictions, and has scheduled firework celebrations throughout the state.

Last year at this time, according to WHAM, the COVID-19 positivity rate was 48.16%, while today it is .4%. Also last year at this time, Governor Cuomo himself was complaining about unexpected firework launchings, as remembered by Gothamist: '“But it is somewhat unexpected that Cuomo would spring fireworks on unsuspecting New Yorkers considering the proliferation of illegal fireworks last summer led to lots of complaints...including from the governor himself. ‘You can be in New York City, it sounds like the Wild West at night. Even in Albany, I’ll tell you the truth. I don’t know what has happened,’ Cuomo said last summer, adding that he was so startled at night at times that he jumped out of his bed.”

Last summer In Beacon, Councilperson Air Nonken Rhodes also encouraged people not to launch their own fireworks, and continues to encourage no private fireworks into this summer was well.

Most importantly, however, are the restrictions that are lifted by Governor Cuomo, effective immediately. Federal orders related to COVID are still in place for now, which include masks for children indoors in school. Children and adults can be masks off outdoors, however, on school property. According to his 6/15/2021 announcement, the lifted restrictions are as follows:

Effective Immediately, State-Mandated COVID Restrictions Are Lifted Across Commercial and Social Settings:
Social Gathering Limits
Capacity Restrictions
Social Distancing
Cleaning and Disinfection Protocols
Health Screening
Contact Information for Tracing Purposes

Effective Immediately, State-Mandated COVID Restrictions Are Lifted Across Commercial and Social Settings:
Retail
Malls
Movie Theaters
Food Services
Offices
Gyms and Fitness Centers
Amusement and Family Entertainment
Hair Salons
Barber Shops
Personal Care Services
Sports and Recreation
Construction
Manufacturing
Trade
Child Care
Camps
Food Services
Real Estate
Buildings
Agriculture
Fishing
Forestry

Unvaccinated Individuals Responsible for Maintaining Social Distancing of Six Feet and Wearing a Mask, Per Federal CDC Guidance

Exempt and Still Adhering to State's Existing COVID-19 Health Protocols:
Large-Scale Events Venues
Pre-K to 12 Schools
Public Transit
Homeless Shelters
Correctional Facilities
Nursing Homes and Health Care Settings

HIRING! Homespun Foods is looking for a Sous-Chef

Homespun Foods is looking for a Sous-Chef (preferably with pastry experience)

Key Duties

• Team Player with experience

• Reliable with great attention to detail

• Positive attitude

• Ability to teach & help lead a crew

How To Apply:

Email joe@homespunfoods.com

Rental Application Assistance (Ayuda) Offered By Community Action For NY State Emergency Rental Assistance Program

The flyer for assistance with rental relief distributed by Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County in English.

June 1, 2021 was the first day that the Emergency Rental Assistance Program opened in New York State. Money is on the table to help those who meet income thresholds, and within the order of priorities. Getting that money can be confusing, as you wade your way through applications. Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County, with an office on Main Street in Beacon, says they are here to help. Their Beacon office is on 10 Eliza Street, which is in the Rite Aid parking lot behind Antalek and Moore Insurance.

To help you apply: call Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County at 845-452-5104 or email info@dutchesscap.org. You can also visit www.dutchesscap.org and click “Apply for Services.”

How Community Action Helps With The Application:

The flyer for assistance with rental relief distributed by Community Action Partnership For Dutchess County in Spanish.

We asked Samantha Riley, Director of Family Resources for Community Action, to walk us through how Community Action helps with the applicaation process, and what kind of issues people have come up against. Here’s what she told us:

“We are available to help screen for eligibility and to assist with families with applying for the program. This looks different for every person depending on their ability. The application must be completed online by both the tenant and landlord. Some families just need to be talked through the process and can apply on their own, and others can’t do it on their own for various reasons.”

Samantha continued: “Our first priority for assisting families with applying is to assist those who do not have internet access at home. For those families, if they just need access to a computer we have a computer at each of our locations for the public to use. If families need help filling out the application, we can assist them 1:1 either in person or over the phone; preferably by appointment.

“The required Documents need to be uploaded to the online application. We mostly right now are getting calls about families needing help with that process, which we can help with.”

To help you apply: call Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County at 845-452-5104 or email info@dutchesscap.org. You can also visit www.dutchesscap.org and click “Apply for Services.”

About New York State Emergency Renal Assistance Program (ERAP)

The New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) will provide significant economic relief to help low and moderate-income households at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability by providing rental arrears, temporary rental assistance, and utility arrears assistance.

Eligibility

New York residents are eligible for ERAP if they meet all of the following criteria:

• Household gross income is at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI). These income limits differ by county and household size. A household may qualify based on current income or calendar year 2020 income that is at or below 80 percent AMI.

• On or after March 13, 2020, a member of the household received unemployment benefits or experienced a reduction in income, incurred significant costs, or experienced financial hardship, directly or indirectly, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The applicant is obligated to pay rent at their primary residence and has rental arrears (rent overdue) at their current residence for rent owed on or after March 13, 2020.

• The household must be at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability, which can be demonstrated by having rental arrears owed on or after March 13, 2020.

Benefits

Households approved for ERAP may receive:

• Up to 12 months of rental arrears payments for rents accrued on or after March 13, 2020.

• Up to 3 months of additional rental assistance if the household is expected to spend 30 percent or more of their gross monthly income to pay for rent.

• Up to 12 months of electric or gas utility arrears payments for arrears that have accrued on or after March 13, 2020.

Apply

Program open as of June 1, 2021. Applications are now being accepted. Apply here >

To help you apply: call Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County at 845-452-5104 or email info@dutchesscap.org. You can also visit www.dutchesscap.org and click “Apply for Services.”

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El dinero está aquí para ayudar a aquellos que están económicamente aplastados por la pandemia, pero solicitarlo puede ser un trabajo de tiempo completo, además de ser difícil de entender. ¡La Asociación de Acción Comunitaria del Condado de Dutchess tiene un programa para eso! Samantha Riley de Community Action se ha acercado al Blog de A Little Beacon con la esperanza de hacer correr la voz de que están aquí para ayudar. Así es como funciona: El Programa de asistencia de emergencia para el alquiler del estado de Nueva York (ERAP) proporcionará un alivio económico significativo para ayudar a los hogares de ingresos bajos y moderados en riesgo de quedarse sin hogar o inestabilidad de la vivienda al proporcionar asistencia para el alquiler atrasado, asistencia temporal para el alquiler y asistencia para el pago de servicios públicos.

Elegibilidad

Los residentes de Nueva York son elegibles para ERAP si cumplen con todos los siguientes criterios:

• El ingreso bruto del hogar es igual o inferior al 80 por ciento del ingreso medio del área (AMI). Estos límites de ingresos difieren según el condado y el tamaño del hogar. Un hogar puede calificar según los ingresos actuales o los ingresos del año calendario 2020 que sean iguales o inferiores al 80 por ciento del AMI.

• A partir del 13 de marzo de 2020, un miembro del hogar recibió beneficios por desempleo o experimentó una reducción en sus ingresos, incurrió en costos significativos o experimentó dificultades financieras, directa o indirectamente, debido a la pandemia de COVID-19.

• El solicitante está obligado a pagar el alquiler en su residencia principal y tiene atrasos en el alquiler (alquiler vencido) en su residencia actual por el alquiler adeudado a partir del 13 de marzo de 2020.

• El hogar debe estar en riesgo de experimentar falta de vivienda o inestabilidad de la vivienda, lo que puede demostrarse si se adeudan pagos de alquiler a partir del 13 de marzo de 2020.

Beneficios

Los hogares aprobados para ERAP pueden recibir:

• Hasta 12 meses de pagos atrasados ​​de alquiler para alquileres acumulados a partir del 13 de marzo de 2020.

• Hasta 3 meses de asistencia adicional para el alquiler si se espera que el hogar gaste el 30 por ciento o más de sus ingresos brutos mensuales para pagar el alquiler.

• Hasta 12 meses de pagos atrasados ​​de servicios públicos de electricidad o gas por atrasos que se hayan acumulado a partir del 13 de marzo de 2020.

Solicitar

Programa abierto a partir del 1 de junio de 2021. Ahora se aceptan solicitudes. Aplicar aquí>

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Dutchess Community Action Partnership is open Monday - Friday from 8:30 am - 4:30 pm. Contact them by phone: 844-NY1RENT (844-691-7368)
For the hearing impaired, TTY phone number: 1-833-843-8829.

Governor Cuomo Continues To Skip Dutchess County As A NY State Partner Vaccination Site - Why That Matters

Dutchess County entered 2021 by opening 3 county-run vaccination centers dubbed as PODs, which is in addition to any privately run locations at pharmacies or grocery stores. The locations are at the former JC Penney at the Poughkeepsie Galleria Mall, the former CVS, 3081 Route 22, Dover, and at Dutchess County Behavioral and Community Health - Mental Health Campus.

Why JC Penney? The retailer had filed for bankruptcy at the end of 2020 due in part to the pandemic shutdown, and has since emerged with new owners, possibly saving 60,000 jobs of the 85,000 jobs lost. The space inside of the mall with plenty of parking and public transportation drop-offs was available.

The only way to know about these locations in order to make an appointment at them is to follow Dutchess County announcements and local news. Why? Because the Dutchess County locations are not included in New York State’s Vaccine Hotline or Website to book an appointment. Only sites that Governor Cuomo designates as “Partner” sites are included in that very popular, state-wide website.

Beaconites like Joe Robitaille, owner of Homespun was eligible in late February for his vaccination, and used New York State’s website to book the only appointment he could. “The staff and I were sitting here looking at the website, clicking Refresh and appointments were just going, going, going right before our eyes. Finally we just clicked on anything, and I got Plattsburgh, NY.” That location is in the northern most part of New York State, near Vermont and Canada.

In early March, a location in Binghamton opened, and he switched appointments. “I'm off to Binghamton today to get my first vaccine shot! Got my appointment switched. So excited,” he told ALBB. Joe used the New York State website, and said he wasn’t aware of JC Penney location operated by Dutchess County.

Another local Beaconite was helping her dad, age 70, book his appointment back in February. “He called the New York State hotline. He didn’t use internet—at 70, I think the phone was less stressful than Internet. He got the appointment for April in Binghamton.” But the family wasn’t satisfied. They wanted an appointment sooner, and possibly closer. “We decided he should just call every day,” the resident continued to ALBB. “One day he called and they said they couldn’t really tell him details but they’d heard that Tops in New Paltz had appointments, and he called them, and got an appointment for 3 days later! He gets his second shot this Friday!”

When ALBB asked if her dad knew about the JC Penney location, the resident answered: “I don’t think it was an option he was given.”

Dutchess County’s Vaccination Plea To New York State To Add As A State Location

The entrance to the JC Penney COVID-19 Vaccination Site, run by Dutchess County.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

On February 19, 2021, Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro wrote to Governor Cuomo, the letter of which was shared with media, which requested that the JC Penney vaccination POD site be added as an official New York State Partner vaccination site.

County Executive Molinaro stated in the letter: “I respectfully request New York State partner with Dutchess County Government to create a joint vaccination site at this current Poughkeepsie location. Due to the lack of supply given to our county, local residents must travel more than an hour to the nearest State-operated mass vaccination site, located at the Westchester County Center or SUNY Albany, and most cannot obtain an appointment in the next several months at either of those sites.”

Individuals can still get vaccinations at the JC Penney location - and any county-run location - but the option to book an appointment are not listed in the New York State website, which is what Governor Cuomo refers to daily when encouraging people to sign up for their vaccinations. Other locations are available in this region, including at pharmacies, but those are not included in the NY State appointment website.

New York State’s Incomplete Vaccination Appointment Website

Should all vaccination sites be located in a central website for New York State? Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro and the CDC believe that they should. Says Colleen Pillus, Communication Director for the County Executive Office told ALBB: “The County Executive has been openly advocating for a clear picture of where all vaccine is allocated and a centralized place to schedule appointments at any vaccine provider.”

With Governor Cuomo’s consistent display of data aggregation across multiple web pages in New York State’s COVID section of the website, as he tracks patterns of the virus to display to the public, it is not clear why the vaccine locations across the state are not included in that portal. From a website build standpoint, that build-out is not difficult using Google Map tool at the very least. Local design firms nation-wide have already built some for their communities (including my own website design firm for a company producing an antibody test to display various locations in CVS drug stores).

Additionally, when the COVID-19 tests rolled out across multiple private locations, Dutchess County was not designated as an official testing center by New York State. The omission of Dutchess County from New York State’s test center location finder website added time and confusion to the testing process.

When a person called the New York State testing hotline, as Governor Cuomo told people to do daily when he was marketing how easy it was to get tested, the closest location Dutchess County residents was the parking lot at the Bear Mountain Bridge. Despite multiple Dutchess County run testing centers in operation, like the one at Dutchess Stadium just up the road for Beaconites. ALBB reported on the confusion of testing locations and insurance early on.

“Vaccination Czar,” Impeachment Issue, and County Access To Doses

This location-with-benefits logic is now repeating itself for vaccination locations. And is part of why County Executives were so shaken up when New York State’s “Vaccination Czar,” Larry Schwartz, called County Executives across the state asking them for the support of Governor Cuomo during his current impeachment consideration, which is based in part on megalomaniac tendencies and political bullying.

Dutchess County Marcus Molinaro, who is president of the New York State County Executives Association, told NPR in a report on the multiple phonecalls: “[Molinaro] says in the eyes of these local officials, Schwartz's calls were troubling and that after receiving the calls, 3 to 4 executives contacted him or his staff to express their concern and disgust. Here is Molinaro. ’That these calls would be made at all was troubling. That they were made by the individual responsible for, really, with a great deal of discretion, distribution of vaccines was extremely disturbing to them.’”

Dutchess County Executive’s Response To Omission Of Dutchess County Vaccination Locations In NY State Website

The empty parking lot at JC Penney, the location of a Dutchess County run vaccination site that New York State continues to not grant partnership benefits to.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth Martin

Despite Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro’s repeated request to have the JC Penney POD be a “Partner” location by New York State, Governor Cuomo has not granted this designation. Though he has been adding partner locations regularly, and announced 2 in the Hudson Valley recently: one in Ulster County and in New Palz, which Governor Cuomo says, are not ready for the public yet. Dutchess County’s however, is already open and operational.

Despite New York State officials visiting Dutchess County’s JC Penney vaccination location prior to it opening and declaring it ready for scale, Governor Cuomo won’t make the partnership. "County Executive Molinaro has been advocating for the JCPenney location to be a mass vaccination site for several months,” said Colleen to ALBB. “In fact,” she continued, “as noted in his letter [to Governor Cuomo on 2/19/2021], officials from the Governor’s Office were on site at JCPenney when we first opened in January and noted how the capacity was certainly there to be expanded."

County Executive Molinaro pointed out in his 2/19/2021 letter to Governor Cuomo: “Though Dutchess County’s current 185,000-square-foot site in Poughkeepsie, inside the former JCPenney store at the Poughkeepsie Galleria, currently vaccinates fewer than 1,000 essential workers and seniors each week, due the limited number of doses we receive from New York State, our DBCH staff has the capability and space at the site to inoculate five times that number.”

Governor Cuomo Relevance To Dutchess County Executive Molinaro

Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro ran against Governor Cuomo in the last election for governor, and was defeated. Actress Cynthia Nixon from Sex and the City was also running. Governor Cuomo refers to County Executive Molinaro as “some county executive who ran against me” in a press conference delivered on February 19, 2021, the same day the letter was sent, after Governor Cuomo encouraged people to check with their counties for individual sign-up locations, emphasizing that New York State was opening state-run sites in “socially vulnerable communities.”

Governor Cuomo has been pressured by Republicans and a growing number of New York State politicians about the nursing home issue, which questions how the Governor designated nursing home deaths (if the person died at the hospital, but was a resident in a nursing home, then it did not count as a nursing home death in figures released by New York State). That questioning has erupted into a broader discussion of how Governor Cuomo works with - or doesn’t - other politicians running different parts or departments of the state, including his staff. The question of bullying and megalomaniac power tenancies have been questioned.

Governor Cuomo’s dismissive statement was made while the Governor was being questioned by the media about the nursing home issue, as he attempted to discredit critical voices. You can read the full transcript of the February 19th, 2021 press conference here. The Governor has since denied taking questions from the media during a later press conference, as the investigation into him begins, and impeachment is discussed.

“Socially Vulnerable" Communities In Poughkeepsie, Beacon and the Hudson Valley

In terms of “socially vulnerable” communities being the reason for the lack of New York State partnership with Dutchess County, there are plenty of people in Dutchess County who have lost jobs, were already in a lower income bracket, or don’t have a car.

Said County Executive Molinaro in his letter to Governor Cuomo: “[The people who book an appointment] are the lucky ones – residents who have personal transportation and can travel at a moment’s notice, should a much-coveted appointment open up for them. Residents in our underserved communities, who rely on public transportation to take them to appointments to receive this life-saving vaccination, cannot readily travel an hour or more to the State’s sites; they can, however, travel to our Poughkeepsie site, which is easily accessible by Dutchess County Public Transit.”

Public transportation from Beacon regularly circulates to the Poughkeepsie Galleria Mall, including the G-Line, which is the pretty blue bus line introduced as a partnership with Beacon, Poughkeepsie and Dutchess County last year.

How To Add Yourself To Dutchess County’s More Convenient Vaccination Location List

Dutchess County has a web page that shows what their allocation was of vaccinations for the week, as well as a signup form to sign up once, and wait to be called for an appointment at a Dutchess County location. Other locations, such as pharmacies, are listed there as well for convenience.

As for the number of allocation doses since the County Executive’s letter, Communication Director for Dutchess County Colleen Pillus confirmed to ALBB on 3/17/2021: “Vaccine doses have increased statewide (and decreased) over the past several weeks as more vaccine become available from the federal level. Overall, vaccine allotment is up from what we been receiving in Jan/Feb, but last week’s allocation was lower than the previous week’s allocation.”

Dutchess County makes weekly updates to many vaccination sites on their vaccination web page, including pharmacies and hospital facilities. Do check this page weekly if you are in pursuit of a vaccination shot for yourself or a family member, as you may find a dose at a nearby location to you in Beacon, Fishkill, or other communities.

Volunteers who are pursuing and booking vaccination appoints on behalf of those who are too challenged in technology or physical condition to do it themselves have been making a big difference to connect people with doses. Read ALBB’s interview with a Vaccination Appointment Whisperer, Heidi Harrison, to learn her tips and tricks.

Shuttered Venues Closer To Applying For Money From Grant Launching April 8, 2021

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has opened an intake form for the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG) application portal to process applications for the much-anticipated critical economic relief program that launches on Thursday, April 8, 2021.

Venues must have been in operation by February 2020, and include the following:

• Live venue operators or promoters

• Theatrical producers

• Live performing arts organization operators

• Relevant museum operators, zoos and aquariums who meet specific criteria

• Motion picture theater operators

• Talent representatives

• Each business entity owned by an eligible entity that also meets the eligibility requirements

“The SBA’s new Administrator, Isabella Casillas Guzman, said about the grant “The SBA knows these venues are critical to America's economy and understands how hard they've been impacted, as they were among the first to shutter. This vital economic aid will provide a much-needed lifeline for live venues, museums, movie theatres and many more.”

The SVOG program was established by the Economic Aid to Hard Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act, which appropriated $15 billion for it. The American Rescue Plan Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden on March 11, 2021, appropriated an additional $1.25 billion, bringing the program funding to a total of $16.25 billion, with more than $16 billion allocated for grants.

Applying for both SVOG and PPP Program

To ensure eligible venues do not miss a window to receive assistance through the Paycheck Protection Program, the American Rescue Plan Act also amended the SVOG program so entities that apply for a PPP loan after Dec. 27, 2020, can also apply for an SVOG, with the eligible entity’s SVOG to be reduced by the PPP loan amount. The PPP loan applications have been updated to reflect this. SBA is currently offering PPP loans until March 31, 2021.

To prepare in advance of the SVOG application portal opening on April 8, potential applicants should get registered in the federal government’s System for Award Management (SAM.gov), as this is required for an entity to receive an SVOG, and reference the preliminary application checklist and eligibility requirements.

Information Webinar March 30th

The SBA will be holding a SVOG Application Information Webinar on Tuesday, March 30th. You can register for this free event by clicking this link.

Loan Extension for all disaster loans, including the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, until 2022

The U.S. Small Business Administration recently announced extended deferment periods for all disaster loans, including the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, until 2022.

All SBA disaster loans made in calendar year 2020, including COVID-19 EIDL, will have a first payment due date extended from 12-months to 24-months from the date of the note.

All SBA disaster loans made in calendar year 2021, including COVID-19 EIDL, will have a first payment due date extended from 12-months to 18-months from the date of the note.

Existing SBA disaster loans approved prior to 2020 in regular servicing status as of March 1, 2020, received an automatic deferment of principal and interest payments through December 31, 2020. This initial deferment period was subsequently extended through March 31, 2021. An additional 12-month deferment of principal and interest payments will be automatically granted to these borrowers.

Borrowers will resume their regular payment schedule with the payment immediately preceding March 31, 2022, unless the borrower voluntarily continues to make payments while on deferment. It is important to note that the interest will continue to accrue on the outstanding balance of the loan throughout the duration of the deferment.

Questions on SBA COVID-19 EIDL and disaster loan payments can be answered by email at DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov or by calling SBA’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339).

Coming in April to Howland Public Library - Applying to College: From Getting Started to Finding Your Fit With Adam Kendis

The Howland Public Library is offering a free workshop for students starting the college application process. The workshop, Applying to College: From Getting Started to Finding Your Fit, will be led by Adam Kendis and will be held via Zoom on Thursday, April 8th, at 6pm.

The college application process can seem overwhelming to students and families. But deciding on your next steps in life doesn’t need to produce anxiety. Instead, it can be a fun and powerful journey. This workshop will offer tips and practical resources that will help students and families learn:

• How to start the college search process;

• How to find colleges that are a great fit - academic, social and financial- for you;

• What resources can help you confidently navigate this journey;

• How to make yourself and your applications stand out in the process;

• How to approach this journey in a way that emphasizes self-discovery and fun over anxiety and pressure.

This workshop is designed for students in 11th grade and the adults who support them but is open to all students and parents. To register, email Michelle Rivas at community@beaconlibrary.org .

About Adam Kendis

Adam Kendis is the Director of College Guidance at a small, independent school in Fairfield County, CT and a local Beaconite. He has been working in college guidance for 15 years and has worked with hundreds of students and families. In 2011 Adam was named a Counselor That Changes Lives by the Colleges That Change Lives.