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.”

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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.”

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.

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 >

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.

March For Palestinian Freedom In Newburgh (Videos) - March Congregates At Rep. Sean Maloney District Office

In mid May in response to the Palestinian neighborhood, Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem, protesting to save their homes from being taken over by Israeli forces, the world started paying attention to the centuries long conflict between Palestine and Israel, which are essentially in the same place.

Local Beaconite and former Councilperson Ali T. Muhammad helped to organize a march with Next Step Hudson Valley and people in the Palestinian and Arab communities living in the Hudson Valley. Several people attended, marching down Broadway and side streets, ending at Rep. Sean Maloney’s district office.

Speeches were made on the steps of his office. Several are posted below for you to view and to hear. Beacon locals Lena Rizkalla and Kamel Jamal were some of the speakers. Kamel later recorded a podcast with ALBB’s sister podcast, “What, What Is That?” which you can listen to here.

The first of many speeches, on the steps of Rep. Sean Maloney’s Newburgh office. This video includes a speech given by Beacon business owner, Kamel Jamal, who is a Palestinian refugee (see minute 9, but don’t miss the other speakers). Kamel spoke with ALBB’s sister podcast, “Wait, What Is That?” for an hour long episode on his experience and thoughts on Palestinian liberation.

Local Beaconite, Lena Rizkalla, a first generation Palestinian, speaks about her Palestinian experience and connection.

This speaker noted how Palestinians helped fight the Nazis in World War II.

Local Beaconite, former Beacon Councilperson, and current Newburgh resident, Ali T. Muhammad, speaks about supporting each other.

Little friends encouraging each other to speak about human rights in Palestine.

A little boy makes simple demands on the steps of Rep. Sean Maloney’s Newburgh office.

A speaker encourages people to continue spreading the word about Palestine.

Recipe For Mystery Chives From Your Yard Featured In New Cookbook Authored By Beaconites Emily and Matt Clifton

Beacon local authors and cooks Emily Clifton and Matt Clifton have done it again, with the release of their second cookbook, The Ultimate Dutch Oven Cookbook: The Best Recipes on the Planet for Everyone's Favorite Pot, published by Page Street Publishing and available at Binnacle Books, Split Rock Books, and other incredible places books are sold. This topic of perfecting cooking in the Dutch oven could not have come at a better time - during a pandemic - when people want creative and flavorful dinners at home with no-fuss.

All photos of the food have been taken by the Beacon-based authors, who live within the foothills of Mount Beacon, surrounded by their yard garden, where they develop the recipes.

The Dutch Oven Provides For Layers Of Flavor

If you could only pick one kitchen tool to use for the rest of the time what would it be? A shallow frying pan? Probably not. A cookie sheet? Meh. A versatile, long-lasting Dutch oven? Ding ding ding! We have a winner. As every home cook knows,  Dutch ovens are the ultimate cooking tool, and as one of the most reliable vessels in your kitchen arsenal, the recipe options are endless.

Under Emily and Matt’s tutelage, who began their cooking and food photography careers with the blog Nerds with Knives, readers will find this cookbook to be the perfect compendium of tried-and-true Dutch oven favorites combined with some very unique recipes for making the most of your favorite tool.

One of the best parts of cooking with a Dutch oven is it’s almost a set-it-and-forget-it option, making it perfect for creating easy weeknight dinners with layers of flavor. The Ultimate Dutch Oven Cookbook: The Best Recipes on the Planet for Everyone's Favorite Pot has 7 chapters and 60 recipes. Your mouth will be watering at the delicious possibilities! 

Traditional favorite recipes such as “Soy and Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs with Pickled Red Cabbage” will make a scrumptious dinner one night, and then you can spice it up with “Indian-Chinese Sweet and Spicy Fried Cauliflower” the next.

Wild allium is indigenous to the yards of Beacon, and can be used in the “Creamy Chicken Stew with Chive Dumplings” recipe in Beaconites Emily and Matt Clifton’s new cookbook, The Ultimate Dutch Oven Cookbook: The Best Recipes on the Planet for Everyone's Favorite Pot.

Are you a bread lover? With a whole chapter dedicated to bread baking, Emily and Matt have pulled out all the stops, showcasing exactly how the Dutch oven can do it all. Emily and Matt have shared a recipe with A Little Beacon Blog readers: “Chicken And Dumplings,” and we are so excited to try it - with some indigenous chives that come up every year in the yard. At least, we thought they were chives…

Matt chimed in to clarify: "Most often, when you see those chive-like clumps start coming up in spring, you’re seeing field garlic, a very common wild allium. The leaves are absolutely interchangeable for chives, and are a great forage provided you know the soil is not chemically-treated. Use them in our Creamy Chicken Stew with Chive Dumplings!"

Creamy Chicken Stew With Chive Dumplings Recipe 

Say Emily and Matt: “Our version of this classic recipe results in tender chicken; a rich and creamy broth; and chive-flecked, light-as-air dumplings. While not traditional, popping the pot under the broiler for a few minutes gives the dumplings a beautiful golden-brown crust, a great contrast to their pillowy center. This is Southern fine dining.” 

FOR THE STEW 

• 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter 

• 1 large yellow or Spanish onion, diced 

• 2 celery ribs, diced

• 3 medium carrots, diced 

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed 

• 4 cloves garlic, minced 

• 6 cups (1.4 L) Golden Chicken Stock (page 84) or store-bought stock 

• 1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves 

• 1 bay leaf 

• 3 lbs (1.4 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts 

• 6 tbsp (48 g) all-purpose flour 

• 1 (12-oz [355-ml]) can evaporated milk 

• 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, room temperature, cut into cubes 

FOR THE DUMPLINGS 

• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour 

• 2 tsp (6 g) baking powder 

• 1⁄4 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1⁄4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 

• 1⁄2 cup plus 2 tbsp (150 g) buttermilk 

• 3 tbsp (45 ml) melted unsalted butter, cooled 

• 1⁄4 cup (12 g) finely minced fresh chives, plus more for garnish 

DIRECTIONS

To make the stew, melt the butter in a large Dutch oven set over medium heat.

Add the onion, celery, and carrots, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened but not browned, 8 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute.

Add the stock, thyme, bay leaf, and chicken, making sure all the chicken pieces are submerged. Bring the liquid to a full boil, cover the pot, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let the chicken continue to poach in the hot broth for 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it sit until cool enough to handle. Shred the meat and cover it with foil to keep it warm. Set it aside. 

Add the flour to a small bowl and whisk in the evaporated milk until the mixture is completely smooth. Turn the heat under the Dutch oven back to low and slowly pour the milk-flour mixture into the chicken stock, whisking constantly. Add the cream cheese, stirring until it melts. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, while you make the dumpling dough. 

HOW TO MAKE THE DUMPLINGS

To make the dumplings, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pepper.

In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk, butter, and chives.

Slowly pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring just until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overmix it, or the dumplings will be tough. 

Drop tablespoon-sized (15-g) dollops of dumpling dough on top of the stew, leaving a little room between each one. Cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes.

The dumplings should have grown in size by roughly fivefold, and the interior should look like a soft dinner roll. If they’re not fully cooked, cover and cook for 2 minutes more.

If you like browned dumplings like we do, preheat your broiler while the dumplings are poaching. Once the dumplings are puffed, place the pot in the oven, uncovered, and broil until their tops are golden brown, 2 to 5 minutes, depending on your broiler.

Divide the chicken stew and dumplings among bowls, and top with more chives, if desired. 

Reprinted with permission from The Ultimate Dutch Oven Cookbook by Emily and Matt Clifton, Page Street Publishing Co. 2021. Photo credit: Emily and Matt Clifton

NEW Businesses Added To ALBB's Business Directory!

ALBB's Business Directory is a Deep Dive List of services you need right now in Beacon and the Hudson Valley. There is a lot of talent here in the 12508 and beyond and we want to highlight all of them. Check out the Business Directory HERE.

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Businesses in the Business Directory

Rizzi Home Inspection Services, Inc.

Rizzi performs thorough Pre-purchase buyer home Inspections, pre-listing seller home inspections, annual home maintenance inspections, multi-family / investment property inspections. Find out more HERE.

Samantha Cuello Consulting

Samantha Cuello Consulting is a full-service marketing and communications firm with 10 years of experience in the high-end home space—working with interior designers, D2C retail brands, B2B trade brands, and media companies. Find out more HERE.

Juniper Empowered Birth

“Hi! I’m Jennifer Polk (she/her) and I’m a Labor & Delivery RN, Certified Lactation Consultant, and Evidence-Based Birth® Instructor. An Evidence-Based Birth® Instructor is a birth professional specially trained in how to help families get evidence-based care." Find out more HERE.

Heads Up Learning

Heads Up Learning is a tutoring service run by Laura Head, a former public school teacher in NYC for Grads 3rd and 4th, who recently moved to Beacon to open a virtual tutoring service. Laura knows the public school curricula and how units tie together. She specializes in courses in French literacy, English literacy, and offers academic support for Grades 1-9. Says Laura: “Students learn best when given the opportunity to make discoveries, find patterns, and think critically about new ideas, which is why their curriculum is built on student-centered pedagogies, and themes of citizenship, activism, and environmentalism.” Find out how Laura can help your child in reading, math and more HERE.

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