The Highlands Current is a nonprofit weekly newspaper and daily website that covers Beacon, Cold Spring, Garrison, Nelsonville and Philipstown, New York, in the Hudson Highlands. This podcast includes select stories read aloud. en-us https://beyondwords.io https://audio.beyondwords.io/f/19541/60632/read_14f8f85b92b3202a09d6fc866953afef https://beyondwordsneproduction.blob.core.windows.net/production/distribution_images%2Fdistribution%2F%2FHC-circle-3000.png Highlands Current tech@highlandscurrent.org false episodic Highlands Current Mon, 18 May 2026 14:43:24 +0000 5868778 250 Years Ago (May 1776)
Gen. George Washington wrote the Continental Congress, asking that two or three thousand stands of arms [weapons for one soldier] reserved for provincial use be "borrowed" to defend New York City. He enclosed a report from troops in the Highlands, where Col. Ritzema said his regiment had only 97 flintlocks and seven bayonets.
The Board of Treasury asked New York and five other colonies to conduct a census of their inhabitants for tax purposes.
The carpenters, boatbuilders and painters who had been drafted for military service by Major Gen. Israel Putnam were ordered to gather at sunrise outside his New York City headquarters to receive their orders.
A general order was issued in New York City to double the number of night sentries due to fears of a surprise British attack.
The Third Provincial Congress, based in New York, declared its independence from British rule.
Robert Livingston wrote from Philadelphia to his sister, Catherine, at the family estate in Clermont, on the Hudson River in Columbia County. "We have reason to believe that our enemy will make great efforts this summer," he wrote. "I hope, however, by the blessing of God, to see them repelled & this country, after a glorious struggle, emancipated from the tyranny of an inhuman prince."
150 Years Ago (May 1876)
Burglars broke through a rear window of William Rumpf's shop and stole hundreds of his best cigars, along with some chewing tobacco.
In an item under the headline "Wonderful," the editor of The Cold Spring Recorder reported that "three wagonloads of dirty and dishonest nomads came down Main Street at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, turned onto Garden Street and pushed for the Fishkill Landing road without stopping!"
The new Putnam County sheriff, Charles Brewster, a Cold Spring native, ended the practice of allowing inmates at the Carmel jail to lounge outside.
According to The Recorder, two patrons of a Cold Spring saloon measured the distance around its walls and raced around the room until they had walked at least three miles.
Mrs. P.K. Paulding of Paulding Avenue reported she had lost an oxidized silver pencil with a chain.
The schools "have been nearly depopulated for a fortnight" by the measles, according to The Recorder. "Nearly every house has a case."
James Trimble and James Kennedy were convicted of breaking the window of Morrison's boathouse before threatening to burn down the shanty and drown its occupant. Both were sentenced to six months in the penitentiary.
From The Recorder: "Lost, between Chestnut Street and the post office, on Thursday afternoon, a black feather."
Late on a Friday night, after they heard voices inside the Champlin blacksmith shop in Nelsonville, friends of the proprietor went quietly to a back door. Suddenly, two or three men dashed past them. Inside, the friends found a pile of chisels, saws and hammers, ready to be carried away. It was supposed that the intruders planned to free two prisoners at Town Hall.
Roger Maher died suddenly on a Wednesday afternoon at C.M. Brown's tavern. The bartender said he had taken a sip of whiskey when his head dropped.
Jacob Southard still had his grandfather's discharge papers from the Revolutionary War signed by George Washington and other top officers.
The Recorder suggested paying children 10 cents [about $3 today] per cup of potato bugs they collected and delivered to a kitchen stove.
While driving along the Garrison road, William Ladue came across a raccoon that had been treed. After going home to retrieve a rifle, he shot the animal dead, then brought the carcass into Cold Spring to show off his marksmanship.
David Robinson informed The Recorder of the need for a fence around the New Burying Ground to prevent grazing cattle from knocking down the headstones.
Enoch Lawrence, 84, the oldest resident of Cold Spring, was painting his house on Garden Street.
William Purdy was jailed at Town Hall after being accused of assaulting his wife. His brother came from Tarrytown to...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/16/looking-back-in-philipstown-103/ 250 Years Ago (May 1776)
Gen. George Washington wrote the Continental Congress, asking that two or three thousand stands of arms [weapons for one soldier] reserved for provincial use be "borrowed" to defend New York City. He enclosed a report from troops in the Highlands, where Col. Ritzema said his regiment had only 97 flintlocks and seven bayonets.
The Board of Treasury asked New York and five other colonies to conduct a census of their inhabitants for tax purposes.
The carpenters, boatbuilders and painters who had been drafted for military service by Major Gen. Israel Putnam were ordered to gather at sunrise outside his New York City headquarters to receive their orders.
A general order was issued in New York City to double the number of night sentries due to fears of a surprise British attack.
The Third Provincial Congress, based in New York, declared its independence from British rule.
Robert Livingston wrote from Philadelphia to his sister, Catherine, at the family estate in Clermont, on the Hudson River in Columbia County. "We have reason to believe that our enemy will make great efforts this summer," he wrote. "I hope, however, by the blessing of God, to see them repelled & this country, after a glorious struggle, emancipated from the tyranny of an inhuman prince."
150 Years Ago (May 1876)
Burglars broke through a rear window of William Rumpf's shop and stole hundreds of his best cigars, along with some chewing tobacco.
In an item under the headline "Wonderful," the editor of The Cold Spring Recorder reported that "three wagonloads of dirty and dishonest nomads came down Main Street at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, turned onto Garden Street and pushed for the Fishkill Landing road without stopping!"
The new Putnam County sheriff, Charles Brewster, a Cold Spring native, ended the practice of allowing inmates at the Carmel jail to lounge outside.
According to The Recorder, two patrons of a Cold Spring saloon measured the distance around its walls and raced around the room until they had walked at least three miles.
Mrs. P.K. Paulding of Paulding Avenue reported she had lost an oxidized silver pencil with a chain.
The schools "have been nearly depopulated for a fortnight" by the measles, according to The Recorder. "Nearly every house has a case."
James Trimble and James Kennedy were convicted of breaking the window of Morrison's boathouse before threatening to burn down the shanty and drown its occupant. Both were sentenced to six months in the penitentiary.
From The Recorder: "Lost, between Chestnut Street and the post office, on Thursday afternoon, a black feather."
Late on a Friday night, after they heard voices inside the Champlin blacksmith shop in Nelsonville, friends of the proprietor went quietly to a back door. Suddenly, two or three men dashed past them. Inside, the friends found a pile of chisels, saws and hammers, ready to be carried away. It was supposed that the intruders planned to free two prisoners at Town Hall.
Roger Maher died suddenly on a Wednesday afternoon at C.M. Brown's tavern. The bartender said he had taken a sip of whiskey when his head dropped.
Jacob Southard still had his grandfather's discharge papers from the Revolutionary War signed by George Washington and other top officers.
The Recorder suggested paying children 10 cents [about $3 today] per cup of potato bugs they collected and delivered to a kitchen stove.
While driving along the Garrison road, William Ladue came across a raccoon that had been treed. After going home to retrieve a rifle, he shot the animal dead, then brought the carcass into Cold Spring to show off his marksmanship.
David Robinson informed The Recorder of the need for a fence around the New Burying Ground to prevent grazing cattle from knocking down the headstones.
Enoch Lawrence, 84, the oldest resident of Cold Spring, was painting his house on Garden Street.
William Purdy was jailed at Town Hall after being accused of assaulting his wife. His brother came from Tarrytown to...]]> Sat, 16 May 2026 09:08:20 -0400 Looking Back in Philipstown 250 Years Ago (May 1776)
Gen. George Washington wrote the Continental Congress, asking that two or three thousand stands of arms [weapons for one soldier] reserved for provincial use be "borrowed" to defend New York City. He enclosed a report from tro...]]> 250 Years Ago (May 1776)
Gen. George Washington wrote the Continental Congress, asking that two or three thousand stands of arms [weapons for one soldier] reserved for provincial use be "borrowed" to defend New York City. He enclosed a report from troops in the Highlands, where Col. Ritzema said his regiment had only 97 flintlocks and seven bayonets.
The Board of Treasury asked New York and five other colonies to conduct a census of their inhabitants for tax purposes.
The carpenters, boatbuilders and painters who had been drafted for military service by Major Gen. Israel Putnam were ordered to gather at sunrise outside his New York City headquarters to receive their orders.
A general order was issued in New York City to double the number of night sentries due to fears of a surprise British attack.
The Third Provincial Congress, based in New York, declared its independence from British rule.
Robert Livingston wrote from Philadelphia to his sister, Catherine, at the family estate in Clermont, on the Hudson River in Columbia County. "We have reason to believe that our enemy will make great efforts this summer," he wrote. "I hope, however, by the blessing of God, to see them repelled & this country, after a glorious struggle, emancipated from the tyranny of an inhuman prince."
150 Years Ago (May 1876)
Burglars broke through a rear window of William Rumpf's shop and stole hundreds of his best cigars, along with some chewing tobacco.
In an item under the headline "Wonderful," the editor of The Cold Spring Recorder reported that "three wagonloads of dirty and dishonest nomads came down Main Street at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, turned onto Garden Street and pushed for the Fishkill Landing road without stopping!"
The new Putnam County sheriff, Charles Brewster, a Cold Spring native, ended the practice of allowing inmates at the Carmel jail to lounge outside.
According to The Recorder, two patrons of a Cold Spring saloon measured the distance around its walls and raced around the room until they had walked at least three miles.
Mrs. P.K. Paulding of Paulding Avenue reported she had lost an oxidized silver pencil with a chain.
The schools "have been nearly depopulated for a fortnight" by the measles, according to The Recorder. "Nearly every house has a case."
James Trimble and James Kennedy were convicted of breaking the window of Morrison's boathouse before threatening to burn down the shanty and drown its occupant. Both were sentenced to six months in the penitentiary.
From The Recorder: "Lost, between Chestnut Street and the post office, on Thursday afternoon, a black feather."
Late on a Friday night, after they heard voices inside the Champlin blacksmith shop in Nelsonville, friends of the proprietor went quietly to a back door. Suddenly, two or three men dashed past them. Inside, the friends found a pile of chisels, saws and hammers, ready to be carried away. It was supposed that the intruders planned to free two prisoners at Town Hall.
Roger Maher died suddenly on a Wednesday afternoon at C.M. Brown's tavern. The bartender said he had taken a sip of whiskey when his head dropped.
Jacob Southard still had his grandfather's discharge papers from the Revolutionary War signed by George Washington and other top officers.
The Recorder suggested paying children 10 cents [about $3 today] per cup of potato bugs they collected and delivered to a kitchen stove.
While driving along the Garrison road, William Ladue came across a raccoon that had been treed. After going home to retrieve a rifle, he shot the animal dead, then brought the carcass into Cold Spring to show off his marksmanship.
David Robinson informed The Recorder of the need for a fence around the New Burying Ground to prevent grazing cattle from knocking down the headstones.
Enoch Lawrence, 84, the oldest resident of Cold Spring, was painting his house on Garden Street.
William Purdy was jailed at Town Hall after being accused of assaulting his wife. His brother came from Tarrytown to...]]> Chip Rowe 13:03 false full 60 5868955 Standing under the curving wooden proscenium of the just-finished Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center in Philipstown, Davis McCallum recalled the moment last month when he showed the company's actors the building for the first time.
Some of them were speechless, said McCallum, the artistic director of Hudson Valley Shakespeare. Some cheered, danced, or sang. Some hugged him. But the actors who had been part of the troupe for years, performing under a seasonal tent at Boscobel and then at its current home, the former Garrison Golf Course on Route 9, said it felt like a homecoming.
"It's hard to overstate the commitment that a person makes when you decide you want to be a theater actor," said McCallum. "There's not a lot of glory; there's not a lot of remuneration. You do it for the love of the craft, and the art of theater. To have a space dedicated to exactly that feels like a real validation for the company."
"It's as simple as it needs to be, and it provides everything you could need to do your job very well," added Kendra Ekelund, the managing director.
HVS provided the media — reporters from The New York Times, Times Union, Times of London and NY1, among others — with a sneak peek on Thursday (May 14) during the building's ribbon-cutting. The public will be able to visit the 451-seat theater for the first time during an open house with tours and music on Sunday (May 17), 599 days after the 2024 groundbreaking. Once the season opens on June 10 with previews of As You Like It, the HVS grounds will be open to the public from dawn to dusk.
"The golf course was a place that people were already very accustomed to walking their dogs and having access to, and we wanted to maintain that and honor the incredible opportunity that receiving this land is by sharing it with our neighbors as a public good," said Ekelund.
"And there's great birding here," said architect Jeanne Gang.
Gang is a founder of Studio Gang, a past recipient of a MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant and was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time in 2019.

Her work has been hailed for incorporating sustainability in surprising and practical ways. The WMS Boathouse at Clark Park doubles as a stormwater management system for the Chicago River, diverting runoff from the sewers and the river itself. The Gilder Center, which opened in 2023 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, swirls around a towering atrium that lets in enough natural light and air circulation to drastically lower the building's energy demands. Even the roof of Studio Gang's Chicago office has been transformed into an urban prairie, with nearly 100 species of native wildflowers.
Before the Thursday ceremony, Gang and Ekelun showed off the features they hope will qualify it to become the country's first purpose-built theater rated LEED Platinum, the highest possible rating offered by the U.S. Green Building Council. Some features, such as solar panels and dots on the soaring windows to prevent bird collisions, are obvious. But tucked behind an elegant green room where actors will relax before performances sits a massive tank that captures rain from the roof to flush the toilets.
Photos by Ross Corsair
























"It was important for us to be water-conscious, because the golf course had been such a large user of water," said Studio Gang's Teo Quintana, the project leader.
The theater presents a stark contrast from what HVS actors, technicians and audience members experienced for decades past under the tent. No longer will crew members have to fight off raccoons determined to chew through lighting cables, or audience members sit behind support poles, or actors use dressing rooms outfitted with folding chairs, card tables and black curtains thrown over pipes.
The crew will also no longer have to stay up until 2 a.m. after each performance to shake sand from the costumes and drive for miles to an off-site laundry ...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/15/shakespeares-new-stage/ Standing under the curving wooden proscenium of the just-finished Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center in Philipstown, Davis McCallum recalled the moment last month when he showed the company's actors the building for the first time.
Some of them were speechless, said McCallum, the artistic director of Hudson Valley Shakespeare. Some cheered, danced, or sang. Some hugged him. But the actors who had been part of the troupe for years, performing under a seasonal tent at Boscobel and then at its current home, the former Garrison Golf Course on Route 9, said it felt like a homecoming.
"It's hard to overstate the commitment that a person makes when you decide you want to be a theater actor," said McCallum. "There's not a lot of glory; there's not a lot of remuneration. You do it for the love of the craft, and the art of theater. To have a space dedicated to exactly that feels like a real validation for the company."
"It's as simple as it needs to be, and it provides everything you could need to do your job very well," added Kendra Ekelund, the managing director.
HVS provided the media — reporters from The New York Times, Times Union, Times of London and NY1, among others — with a sneak peek on Thursday (May 14) during the building's ribbon-cutting. The public will be able to visit the 451-seat theater for the first time during an open house with tours and music on Sunday (May 17), 599 days after the 2024 groundbreaking. Once the season opens on June 10 with previews of As You Like It, the HVS grounds will be open to the public from dawn to dusk.
"The golf course was a place that people were already very accustomed to walking their dogs and having access to, and we wanted to maintain that and honor the incredible opportunity that receiving this land is by sharing it with our neighbors as a public good," said Ekelund.
"And there's great birding here," said architect Jeanne Gang.
Gang is a founder of Studio Gang, a past recipient of a MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant and was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time in 2019.

Her work has been hailed for incorporating sustainability in surprising and practical ways. The WMS Boathouse at Clark Park doubles as a stormwater management system for the Chicago River, diverting runoff from the sewers and the river itself. The Gilder Center, which opened in 2023 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, swirls around a towering atrium that lets in enough natural light and air circulation to drastically lower the building's energy demands. Even the roof of Studio Gang's Chicago office has been transformed into an urban prairie, with nearly 100 species of native wildflowers.
Before the Thursday ceremony, Gang and Ekelun showed off the features they hope will qualify it to become the country's first purpose-built theater rated LEED Platinum, the highest possible rating offered by the U.S. Green Building Council. Some features, such as solar panels and dots on the soaring windows to prevent bird collisions, are obvious. But tucked behind an elegant green room where actors will relax before performances sits a massive tank that captures rain from the roof to flush the toilets.
Photos by Ross Corsair
























"It was important for us to be water-conscious, because the golf course had been such a large user of water," said Studio Gang's Teo Quintana, the project leader.
The theater presents a stark contrast from what HVS actors, technicians and audience members experienced for decades past under the tent. No longer will crew members have to fight off raccoons determined to chew through lighting cables, or audience members sit behind support poles, or actors use dressing rooms outfitted with folding chairs, card tables and black curtains thrown over pipes.
The crew will also no longer have to stay up until 2 a.m. after each performance to shake sand from the costumes and drive for miles to an off-site laundry ...]]> Fri, 15 May 2026 15:00:57 -0400 Shakespeare's New Stage Standing under the curving wooden proscenium of the just-finished Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center in Philipstown, Davis McCallum recalled the moment last month when he showed the company's actors the building for the f...]]> Standing under the curving wooden proscenium of the just-finished Samuel H. Scripps Theater Center in Philipstown, Davis McCallum recalled the moment last month when he showed the company's actors the building for the first time.
Some of them were speechless, said McCallum, the artistic director of Hudson Valley Shakespeare. Some cheered, danced, or sang. Some hugged him. But the actors who had been part of the troupe for years, performing under a seasonal tent at Boscobel and then at its current home, the former Garrison Golf Course on Route 9, said it felt like a homecoming.
"It's hard to overstate the commitment that a person makes when you decide you want to be a theater actor," said McCallum. "There's not a lot of glory; there's not a lot of remuneration. You do it for the love of the craft, and the art of theater. To have a space dedicated to exactly that feels like a real validation for the company."
"It's as simple as it needs to be, and it provides everything you could need to do your job very well," added Kendra Ekelund, the managing director.
HVS provided the media — reporters from The New York Times, Times Union, Times of London and NY1, among others — with a sneak peek on Thursday (May 14) during the building's ribbon-cutting. The public will be able to visit the 451-seat theater for the first time during an open house with tours and music on Sunday (May 17), 599 days after the 2024 groundbreaking. Once the season opens on June 10 with previews of As You Like It, the HVS grounds will be open to the public from dawn to dusk.
"The golf course was a place that people were already very accustomed to walking their dogs and having access to, and we wanted to maintain that and honor the incredible opportunity that receiving this land is by sharing it with our neighbors as a public good," said Ekelund.
"And there's great birding here," said architect Jeanne Gang.
Gang is a founder of Studio Gang, a past recipient of a MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant and was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time in 2019.

Her work has been hailed for incorporating sustainability in surprising and practical ways. The WMS Boathouse at Clark Park doubles as a stormwater management system for the Chicago River, diverting runoff from the sewers and the river itself. The Gilder Center, which opened in 2023 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, swirls around a towering atrium that lets in enough natural light and air circulation to drastically lower the building's energy demands. Even the roof of Studio Gang's Chicago office has been transformed into an urban prairie, with nearly 100 species of native wildflowers.
Before the Thursday ceremony, Gang and Ekelun showed off the features they hope will qualify it to become the country's first purpose-built theater rated LEED Platinum, the highest possible rating offered by the U.S. Green Building Council. Some features, such as solar panels and dots on the soaring windows to prevent bird collisions, are obvious. But tucked behind an elegant green room where actors will relax before performances sits a massive tank that captures rain from the roof to flush the toilets.
Photos by Ross Corsair
























"It was important for us to be water-conscious, because the golf course had been such a large user of water," said Studio Gang's Teo Quintana, the project leader.
The theater presents a stark contrast from what HVS actors, technicians and audience members experienced for decades past under the tent. No longer will crew members have to fight off raccoons determined to chew through lighting cables, or audience members sit behind support poles, or actors use dressing rooms outfitted with folding chairs, card tables and black curtains thrown over pipes.
The crew will also no longer have to stay up until 2 a.m. after each performance to shake sand from the costumes and drive for miles to an off-site laundry ...]]> Brian PJ Cronin 08:20 false full 59 5868913 The Beacon Planning Board held a public hearing on Tuesday (May 12) on a developer's proposal to open a karaoke bar called The Howl just off Main Street.
The plan would convert the former art gallery space at 1154 North Ave. (Route 9D), near the west end of Main, to a venue for "immersive live-performance experiences." The site is across from the police station; the next street over, West Church, is residential, while two 4-story buildings with 64 apartments and nearly 14,000 square feet of commercial space have been approved nearby on Beekman Street.

The parcel is owned by a group that, through several LLCs, holds more than two dozen properties in Beacon, most of them on and around the west end of Main Street, including the housing development under construction at 2 Cross/172 Main.
The applicant, Eric Weitner, told the board on Tuesday that the two-story brick structure will have an 80-person lounge on the first floor. The second floor will have six private karaoke suites and, while designed for 80 people, its expected usage will be "more like 40" patrons, the project architect said.
According to project materials, The Howl was conceived as a "value-add to the local community and aligns with Beacon's long-standing tradition of fostering arts, music and creative gathering spaces." Weitner said he is working with an acoustic engineer on noise control and will submit a report with plans for next month's meeting. The intention is to "not disturb any of the neighbors," he said.
The venue would be closed Monday and Tuesday and open from 2 p.m. to midnight on Wednesday and Thursday, from noon to 1:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday and from noon to 11 p.m. on Sunday.
A consultant said the venue will need 38 parking spaces at peak; it would use the public lot at City Hall, the same one that could be utilized by Prophecy Hall and a future hotel at 1064 Wolcott Ave. There should be about 10 spaces left in the lot after accounting for those uses, the consultant said.
Several residents submitted emails to the Planning Board supporting or opposing the project, and others attended the Tuesday hearing. "This business is going to be located in my backyard," said Rob VanCott, who lives on West Church. "I'm not a fool; people are going to be hanging out in the back of the property" doing what "comes along with having a good time."
Weitner said a rear door would be an emergency exit only and "there won't be an influx of people waiting outside to get in." There will be no outdoor seating, he said. Board members asked him to return with plans showing how customers would be evacuated in an emergency. The public hearing remains open.
364 Main St.
Planning Board members on Tuesday chastised the owner of 364 Main St., where a three-story building with commercial space and 20 apartments is nearly complete. The project was approved in 2022, but officials returned seeking approval for architectural changes that occurred during construction.

The changes do not affect the building footprint but include material selections, facade changes, window detailing and the replacement of Juliet balconies and doors with double windows. There is also a reduction in rooftop area and, after discovering that the first-floor elevation is two feet higher than anticipated, a front patio was modified.
Board members were unhappy. "Why these changes were made without communication is a hot potato," said Randall Williams, who acted as chair in John Gunn's absence. Len Warner said that, after dropping approved features, "what we're left with is a really drab building." Karen Quiana added: "The Main Street facade is completely unacceptable in my view. It is awful."
In a comment responding to a Facebook post in March, architect Aryeh Siegel wrote: "This isn't the building I designed. It's embarrassing." On Tuesday, an architect from a different firm appeared with Eric Baxter, the owner. Williams asked Baxter to return next month with "substantial s...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/15/beacon-developer-plans-karaoke-bar/ The Beacon Planning Board held a public hearing on Tuesday (May 12) on a developer's proposal to open a karaoke bar called The Howl just off Main Street.
The plan would convert the former art gallery space at 1154 North Ave. (Route 9D), near the west end of Main, to a venue for "immersive live-performance experiences." The site is across from the police station; the next street over, West Church, is residential, while two 4-story buildings with 64 apartments and nearly 14,000 square feet of commercial space have been approved nearby on Beekman Street.

The parcel is owned by a group that, through several LLCs, holds more than two dozen properties in Beacon, most of them on and around the west end of Main Street, including the housing development under construction at 2 Cross/172 Main.
The applicant, Eric Weitner, told the board on Tuesday that the two-story brick structure will have an 80-person lounge on the first floor. The second floor will have six private karaoke suites and, while designed for 80 people, its expected usage will be "more like 40" patrons, the project architect said.
According to project materials, The Howl was conceived as a "value-add to the local community and aligns with Beacon's long-standing tradition of fostering arts, music and creative gathering spaces." Weitner said he is working with an acoustic engineer on noise control and will submit a report with plans for next month's meeting. The intention is to "not disturb any of the neighbors," he said.
The venue would be closed Monday and Tuesday and open from 2 p.m. to midnight on Wednesday and Thursday, from noon to 1:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday and from noon to 11 p.m. on Sunday.
A consultant said the venue will need 38 parking spaces at peak; it would use the public lot at City Hall, the same one that could be utilized by Prophecy Hall and a future hotel at 1064 Wolcott Ave. There should be about 10 spaces left in the lot after accounting for those uses, the consultant said.
Several residents submitted emails to the Planning Board supporting or opposing the project, and others attended the Tuesday hearing. "This business is going to be located in my backyard," said Rob VanCott, who lives on West Church. "I'm not a fool; people are going to be hanging out in the back of the property" doing what "comes along with having a good time."
Weitner said a rear door would be an emergency exit only and "there won't be an influx of people waiting outside to get in." There will be no outdoor seating, he said. Board members asked him to return with plans showing how customers would be evacuated in an emergency. The public hearing remains open.
364 Main St.
Planning Board members on Tuesday chastised the owner of 364 Main St., where a three-story building with commercial space and 20 apartments is nearly complete. The project was approved in 2022, but officials returned seeking approval for architectural changes that occurred during construction.

The changes do not affect the building footprint but include material selections, facade changes, window detailing and the replacement of Juliet balconies and doors with double windows. There is also a reduction in rooftop area and, after discovering that the first-floor elevation is two feet higher than anticipated, a front patio was modified.
Board members were unhappy. "Why these changes were made without communication is a hot potato," said Randall Williams, who acted as chair in John Gunn's absence. Len Warner said that, after dropping approved features, "what we're left with is a really drab building." Karen Quiana added: "The Main Street facade is completely unacceptable in my view. It is awful."
In a comment responding to a Facebook post in March, architect Aryeh Siegel wrote: "This isn't the building I designed. It's embarrassing." On Tuesday, an architect from a different firm appeared with Eric Baxter, the owner. Williams asked Baxter to return next month with "substantial s...]]> Fri, 15 May 2026 10:19:18 -0400 Beacon Developer Plans Karaoke Bar The Beacon Planning Board held a public hearing on Tuesday (May 12) on a developer's proposal to open a karaoke bar called The Howl just off Main Street.
The plan would convert the former art gallery space at 1154 North...]]> The Beacon Planning Board held a public hearing on Tuesday (May 12) on a developer's proposal to open a karaoke bar called The Howl just off Main Street.
The plan would convert the former art gallery space at 1154 North Ave. (Route 9D), near the west end of Main, to a venue for "immersive live-performance experiences." The site is across from the police station; the next street over, West Church, is residential, while two 4-story buildings with 64 apartments and nearly 14,000 square feet of commercial space have been approved nearby on Beekman Street.

The parcel is owned by a group that, through several LLCs, holds more than two dozen properties in Beacon, most of them on and around the west end of Main Street, including the housing development under construction at 2 Cross/172 Main.
The applicant, Eric Weitner, told the board on Tuesday that the two-story brick structure will have an 80-person lounge on the first floor. The second floor will have six private karaoke suites and, while designed for 80 people, its expected usage will be "more like 40" patrons, the project architect said.
According to project materials, The Howl was conceived as a "value-add to the local community and aligns with Beacon's long-standing tradition of fostering arts, music and creative gathering spaces." Weitner said he is working with an acoustic engineer on noise control and will submit a report with plans for next month's meeting. The intention is to "not disturb any of the neighbors," he said.
The venue would be closed Monday and Tuesday and open from 2 p.m. to midnight on Wednesday and Thursday, from noon to 1:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday and from noon to 11 p.m. on Sunday.
A consultant said the venue will need 38 parking spaces at peak; it would use the public lot at City Hall, the same one that could be utilized by Prophecy Hall and a future hotel at 1064 Wolcott Ave. There should be about 10 spaces left in the lot after accounting for those uses, the consultant said.
Several residents submitted emails to the Planning Board supporting or opposing the project, and others attended the Tuesday hearing. "This business is going to be located in my backyard," said Rob VanCott, who lives on West Church. "I'm not a fool; people are going to be hanging out in the back of the property" doing what "comes along with having a good time."
Weitner said a rear door would be an emergency exit only and "there won't be an influx of people waiting outside to get in." There will be no outdoor seating, he said. Board members asked him to return with plans showing how customers would be evacuated in an emergency. The public hearing remains open.
364 Main St.
Planning Board members on Tuesday chastised the owner of 364 Main St., where a three-story building with commercial space and 20 apartments is nearly complete. The project was approved in 2022, but officials returned seeking approval for architectural changes that occurred during construction.

The changes do not affect the building footprint but include material selections, facade changes, window detailing and the replacement of Juliet balconies and doors with double windows. There is also a reduction in rooftop area and, after discovering that the first-floor elevation is two feet higher than anticipated, a front patio was modified.
Board members were unhappy. "Why these changes were made without communication is a hot potato," said Randall Williams, who acted as chair in John Gunn's absence. Len Warner said that, after dropping approved features, "what we're left with is a really drab building." Karen Quiana added: "The Main Street facade is completely unacceptable in my view. It is awful."
In a comment responding to a Facebook post in March, architect Aryeh Siegel wrote: "This isn't the building I designed. It's embarrassing." On Tuesday, an architect from a different firm appeared with Eric Baxter, the owner. Williams asked Baxter to return next month with "substantial s...]]> Jeff Simms 09:07 false full 58 5868908 After 25 years of serving his trademark Mexican cuisine at locations in Philipstown, Fishkill, Beacon and Wappingers Falls, Luis Pinto, the owner and affable presence at the Maya Café on Route 9, has sold the business.
He and his restaurant had come a long way since his days growing up in Merida, the largest city on Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. "It had about 250,000 people when my family moved to Dallas when I was 15," recalled Pinto, 69. "Now it's a city of 1.5 million!"
In 2000, Pinto moved to Philipstown, where he still lives, and a year later opened the Maya Café in Perc's Plaza (now Philipstown Plaza) on Route 9. "It was the best thing that happened in my life," said Pinto, who still runs into his original customers. "They told me it was the best Mexican food they had ever had."
They were also fond of his spiked "Mexican lemonade," which he provided at no charge. The café initially didn't have a liquor license, but a wine store next door made it easy to bring your own. The staff consisted of Pinto and a friend.

In 2005, he moved the restaurant up Route 9 to Fishkill, where he purchased Moog's Farm Restaurant. Steve Carlson, a Philipstown contractor, renovated the building. It was a significant expansion. At Perc's Plaza, the cafe served 30 to 35 people. In Fishkill, Pinto could seat up to 140.
Pinto learned to cook in his mother's kitchen in Mexico and from his grandmother, who prepared meals for the employees at the family bakery and grocery. "My grandfather was the best baker in Merida," Pinto said. "He made everything by hand and supplied 40 stores."
As a high school junior in Dallas, Pinto worked as a dishwasher in a Mexican restaurant. As he took on more duties, he became known as "the king of nachos."
In 1986 Pinto met his wife, Joni, while working at a hotel in Cancun. The Buffalo native spoke no Spanish, but the two operated a stall at a Cancun market, where they sold tacos, and Pinto served his favorite recipe, cochinita pibil. "It's a typical Yucatan dish," he said. After marinating a pig with sour orange for a day and adding spices, it's wrapped in banana leaves, buried in a charcoal pit and roasted for several hours.
Pinto said he has kept his café menu "pretty authentic," but he didn't use much oil and included plenty of vegetables. He traveled to Mexico regularly to purchase about 90 pounds of spices per trip. "You can get the same spices here, but the quality isn't the same," he said.

He still enjoys cooking and creating dishes. One of his Saturday night favorites has been salmon and avocado stuffed with shrimp, surrounded by fruit.
Pinto operated a Maya Café in Beacon for a year in 2006. He ran a Wappingers Falls location for 15 years until it closed in 2025.
Last month, Pinto sold the Fishkill restaurant to the Van Wyck Restaurant Group. "I'm at a point in my life where I want to visit my daughter and grandchildren in Dallas more," he said. "Joni retired 10 years ago, and I want to travel with her."
Pinto said he had his children and grandchildren in mind when he kept a small piece of the business as part of the sale. He will continue to be a presence at the café for a while, but the 60-hour workweeks are over.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/15/maya-cafe-changes-hands/ After 25 years of serving his trademark Mexican cuisine at locations in Philipstown, Fishkill, Beacon and Wappingers Falls, Luis Pinto, the owner and affable presence at the Maya Café on Route 9, has sold the business.
He and his restaurant had come a long way since his days growing up in Merida, the largest city on Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. "It had about 250,000 people when my family moved to Dallas when I was 15," recalled Pinto, 69. "Now it's a city of 1.5 million!"
In 2000, Pinto moved to Philipstown, where he still lives, and a year later opened the Maya Café in Perc's Plaza (now Philipstown Plaza) on Route 9. "It was the best thing that happened in my life," said Pinto, who still runs into his original customers. "They told me it was the best Mexican food they had ever had."
They were also fond of his spiked "Mexican lemonade," which he provided at no charge. The café initially didn't have a liquor license, but a wine store next door made it easy to bring your own. The staff consisted of Pinto and a friend.

In 2005, he moved the restaurant up Route 9 to Fishkill, where he purchased Moog's Farm Restaurant. Steve Carlson, a Philipstown contractor, renovated the building. It was a significant expansion. At Perc's Plaza, the cafe served 30 to 35 people. In Fishkill, Pinto could seat up to 140.
Pinto learned to cook in his mother's kitchen in Mexico and from his grandmother, who prepared meals for the employees at the family bakery and grocery. "My grandfather was the best baker in Merida," Pinto said. "He made everything by hand and supplied 40 stores."
As a high school junior in Dallas, Pinto worked as a dishwasher in a Mexican restaurant. As he took on more duties, he became known as "the king of nachos."
In 1986 Pinto met his wife, Joni, while working at a hotel in Cancun. The Buffalo native spoke no Spanish, but the two operated a stall at a Cancun market, where they sold tacos, and Pinto served his favorite recipe, cochinita pibil. "It's a typical Yucatan dish," he said. After marinating a pig with sour orange for a day and adding spices, it's wrapped in banana leaves, buried in a charcoal pit and roasted for several hours.
Pinto said he has kept his café menu "pretty authentic," but he didn't use much oil and included plenty of vegetables. He traveled to Mexico regularly to purchase about 90 pounds of spices per trip. "You can get the same spices here, but the quality isn't the same," he said.

He still enjoys cooking and creating dishes. One of his Saturday night favorites has been salmon and avocado stuffed with shrimp, surrounded by fruit.
Pinto operated a Maya Café in Beacon for a year in 2006. He ran a Wappingers Falls location for 15 years until it closed in 2025.
Last month, Pinto sold the Fishkill restaurant to the Van Wyck Restaurant Group. "I'm at a point in my life where I want to visit my daughter and grandchildren in Dallas more," he said. "Joni retired 10 years ago, and I want to travel with her."
Pinto said he had his children and grandchildren in mind when he kept a small piece of the business as part of the sale. He will continue to be a presence at the café for a while, but the 60-hour workweeks are over.]]> Fri, 15 May 2026 10:01:10 -0400 Maya Café Changes Hands After 25 years of serving his trademark Mexican cuisine at locations in Philipstown, Fishkill, Beacon and Wappingers Falls, Luis Pinto, the owner and affable presence at the Maya Café on Route 9, has sold the bus...]]> After 25 years of serving his trademark Mexican cuisine at locations in Philipstown, Fishkill, Beacon and Wappingers Falls, Luis Pinto, the owner and affable presence at the Maya Café on Route 9, has sold the business.
He and his restaurant had come a long way since his days growing up in Merida, the largest city on Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. "It had about 250,000 people when my family moved to Dallas when I was 15," recalled Pinto, 69. "Now it's a city of 1.5 million!"
In 2000, Pinto moved to Philipstown, where he still lives, and a year later opened the Maya Café in Perc's Plaza (now Philipstown Plaza) on Route 9. "It was the best thing that happened in my life," said Pinto, who still runs into his original customers. "They told me it was the best Mexican food they had ever had."
They were also fond of his spiked "Mexican lemonade," which he provided at no charge. The café initially didn't have a liquor license, but a wine store next door made it easy to bring your own. The staff consisted of Pinto and a friend.

In 2005, he moved the restaurant up Route 9 to Fishkill, where he purchased Moog's Farm Restaurant. Steve Carlson, a Philipstown contractor, renovated the building. It was a significant expansion. At Perc's Plaza, the cafe served 30 to 35 people. In Fishkill, Pinto could seat up to 140.
Pinto learned to cook in his mother's kitchen in Mexico and from his grandmother, who prepared meals for the employees at the family bakery and grocery. "My grandfather was the best baker in Merida," Pinto said. "He made everything by hand and supplied 40 stores."
As a high school junior in Dallas, Pinto worked as a dishwasher in a Mexican restaurant. As he took on more duties, he became known as "the king of nachos."
In 1986 Pinto met his wife, Joni, while working at a hotel in Cancun. The Buffalo native spoke no Spanish, but the two operated a stall at a Cancun market, where they sold tacos, and Pinto served his favorite recipe, cochinita pibil. "It's a typical Yucatan dish," he said. After marinating a pig with sour orange for a day and adding spices, it's wrapped in banana leaves, buried in a charcoal pit and roasted for several hours.
Pinto said he has kept his café menu "pretty authentic," but he didn't use much oil and included plenty of vegetables. He traveled to Mexico regularly to purchase about 90 pounds of spices per trip. "You can get the same spices here, but the quality isn't the same," he said.

He still enjoys cooking and creating dishes. One of his Saturday night favorites has been salmon and avocado stuffed with shrimp, surrounded by fruit.
Pinto operated a Maya Café in Beacon for a year in 2006. He ran a Wappingers Falls location for 15 years until it closed in 2025.
Last month, Pinto sold the Fishkill restaurant to the Van Wyck Restaurant Group. "I'm at a point in my life where I want to visit my daughter and grandchildren in Dallas more," he said. "Joni retired 10 years ago, and I want to travel with her."
Pinto said he had his children and grandchildren in mind when he kept a small piece of the business as part of the sale. He will continue to be a presence at the café for a while, but the 60-hour workweeks are over.]]> Michael Turton 03:48 false full 57 5869008 The chances that Cold Spring and Philipstown will have Putnam County's resources in their quest to overturn New York State's approval of the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail environmental review just dimmed.
One week before a May 20 deadline for the village and town to file a court challenge, the Putnam Legislature's three-person Protective Services Committee voted 2-to-1 to refer a request for the county to participate to the Legislature's legal counsel. Nancy Montgomery, who represents Philipstown and part of Putnam Valley in the Legislature, cast the "no" vote.
If the committee had approved the request on Wednesday (May 13), it would have gone to the full Legislature, which does not meet until June 2. But Thomas Regan Jr., who chairs the committee, said the request from County Executive Kevin Byrne came two days before the meeting — without a draft lawsuit, cost estimates and enough notice to include the item on the meeting agenda.
"Regardless of my feelings on the topic, it would be ill-advised in any circumstance — for just learning about something and say, 'We're going to go in with this lawsuit and see where it goes,' " he said.
Before the vote, Cindy Trimble, a Philipstown resident, demanded that Montgomery recuse herself because she has expressed support for the trail and "has not publicly addressed" concerns about the project.
"What law says I have to recuse myself?" asked Montgomery.
Regan repeatedly asked Trimble to limit her comments to the vote on whether to refer the request to the legislative counsel. He banged a gavel as the back-and-forth continued. "This landed on our desk 48 hours ago, which has now put us in a hot seat," said Regan. "We have constituents who have concerns on both sides of this, and we want to do right by everybody."
In a "findings statement" dated Jan. 20 that concluded the mandated environmental review, state parks said that HHFT "avoids, minimizes or mitigates potential adverse environmental impacts to the maximum extent practicable" and "will achieve a balance between the protection of the environment and the need to accommodate social and economic considerations."
The town and village boards said the review of the project — a 7.5-mile trail between Dockside Park in Cold Spring and Long Dock Park in Beacon — did not adequately address potential visitor impact on parking, traffic, emergency services and local quality of life. The municipalities have 120 days from the date of the findings statement to file an Article 78 proceeding. Earlier this month, their respective boards authorized Mayor Kathleen Foley and Supervisor John Van Tassel to ask Putnam to join a lawsuit.
After the Protective Services Committee voted to refer the request, Van Tassel asked the legislators, "Can I just mention the timeline that we're up against?" Legislator Jake D'Angelo responded: "That's not our problem."]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/15/putnam-delays-fjord-trail-vote/ The chances that Cold Spring and Philipstown will have Putnam County's resources in their quest to overturn New York State's approval of the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail environmental review just dimmed.
One week before a May 20 deadline for the village and town to file a court challenge, the Putnam Legislature's three-person Protective Services Committee voted 2-to-1 to refer a request for the county to participate to the Legislature's legal counsel. Nancy Montgomery, who represents Philipstown and part of Putnam Valley in the Legislature, cast the "no" vote.
If the committee had approved the request on Wednesday (May 13), it would have gone to the full Legislature, which does not meet until June 2. But Thomas Regan Jr., who chairs the committee, said the request from County Executive Kevin Byrne came two days before the meeting — without a draft lawsuit, cost estimates and enough notice to include the item on the meeting agenda.
"Regardless of my feelings on the topic, it would be ill-advised in any circumstance — for just learning about something and say, 'We're going to go in with this lawsuit and see where it goes,' " he said.
Before the vote, Cindy Trimble, a Philipstown resident, demanded that Montgomery recuse herself because she has expressed support for the trail and "has not publicly addressed" concerns about the project.
"What law says I have to recuse myself?" asked Montgomery.
Regan repeatedly asked Trimble to limit her comments to the vote on whether to refer the request to the legislative counsel. He banged a gavel as the back-and-forth continued. "This landed on our desk 48 hours ago, which has now put us in a hot seat," said Regan. "We have constituents who have concerns on both sides of this, and we want to do right by everybody."
In a "findings statement" dated Jan. 20 that concluded the mandated environmental review, state parks said that HHFT "avoids, minimizes or mitigates potential adverse environmental impacts to the maximum extent practicable" and "will achieve a balance between the protection of the environment and the need to accommodate social and economic considerations."
The town and village boards said the review of the project — a 7.5-mile trail between Dockside Park in Cold Spring and Long Dock Park in Beacon — did not adequately address potential visitor impact on parking, traffic, emergency services and local quality of life. The municipalities have 120 days from the date of the findings statement to file an Article 78 proceeding. Earlier this month, their respective boards authorized Mayor Kathleen Foley and Supervisor John Van Tassel to ask Putnam to join a lawsuit.
After the Protective Services Committee voted to refer the request, Van Tassel asked the legislators, "Can I just mention the timeline that we're up against?" Legislator Jake D'Angelo responded: "That's not our problem."]]> Fri, 15 May 2026 09:55:44 -0400 Putnam Delays Fjord Trail Vote The chances that Cold Spring and Philipstown will have Putnam County's resources in their quest to overturn New York State's approval of the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail environmental review just dimmed.
O...]]> The chances that Cold Spring and Philipstown will have Putnam County's resources in their quest to overturn New York State's approval of the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail environmental review just dimmed.
One week before a May 20 deadline for the village and town to file a court challenge, the Putnam Legislature's three-person Protective Services Committee voted 2-to-1 to refer a request for the county to participate to the Legislature's legal counsel. Nancy Montgomery, who represents Philipstown and part of Putnam Valley in the Legislature, cast the "no" vote.
If the committee had approved the request on Wednesday (May 13), it would have gone to the full Legislature, which does not meet until June 2. But Thomas Regan Jr., who chairs the committee, said the request from County Executive Kevin Byrne came two days before the meeting — without a draft lawsuit, cost estimates and enough notice to include the item on the meeting agenda.
"Regardless of my feelings on the topic, it would be ill-advised in any circumstance — for just learning about something and say, 'We're going to go in with this lawsuit and see where it goes,' " he said.
Before the vote, Cindy Trimble, a Philipstown resident, demanded that Montgomery recuse herself because she has expressed support for the trail and "has not publicly addressed" concerns about the project.
"What law says I have to recuse myself?" asked Montgomery.
Regan repeatedly asked Trimble to limit her comments to the vote on whether to refer the request to the legislative counsel. He banged a gavel as the back-and-forth continued. "This landed on our desk 48 hours ago, which has now put us in a hot seat," said Regan. "We have constituents who have concerns on both sides of this, and we want to do right by everybody."
In a "findings statement" dated Jan. 20 that concluded the mandated environmental review, state parks said that HHFT "avoids, minimizes or mitigates potential adverse environmental impacts to the maximum extent practicable" and "will achieve a balance between the protection of the environment and the need to accommodate social and economic considerations."
The town and village boards said the review of the project — a 7.5-mile trail between Dockside Park in Cold Spring and Long Dock Park in Beacon — did not adequately address potential visitor impact on parking, traffic, emergency services and local quality of life. The municipalities have 120 days from the date of the findings statement to file an Article 78 proceeding. Earlier this month, their respective boards authorized Mayor Kathleen Foley and Supervisor John Van Tassel to ask Putnam to join a lawsuit.
After the Protective Services Committee voted to refer the request, Van Tassel asked the legislators, "Can I just mention the timeline that we're up against?" Legislator Jake D'Angelo responded: "That's not our problem."]]> Leonard Sparks 03:04 false full 56 5869033 I asked Shannon if all the deep freezes might lead to a down year for ticks and tick-borne illnesses. She reminded me that blacklegged ticks, the buggers responsible for Lyme disease, are well-adapted to cold weather. However, to pass pathogens to us, the ticks must feed on an infected animal, typically a deer or a white-footed mouse. If the brutal cold affected them, we could frolic with less concern.
Unfortunately, it appears we will not have a carefree tick season. LaDeau and her colleagues are starting their annual tick counts in Millbrook, and there isn't any hard data yet on the deer and mice populations, but "the ticks so far do not seem to be showing any signs of suffering from winter effects," she said last week.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that emergency room visits for tick bites are three times what was reported at the same time last year.
That's especially bad news considering a report that LaDeau and the Cary Institute just put out with researchers at SUNY Albany: Ticks in the Hudson Valley are becoming more likely to carry more than one pathogen, increasing the chances that you could get multiple diseases from just a single bite.
The Cary Institute has been studying ticks for more than 30 years. It has decades of data and ticks placed in cold storage in anticipation of additional funding and improved technology. For the recent study, the researchers screened 10 years' worth of nymphal blacklegged ticks — the poppy-seed ones that are so difficult to detect — for 16 pathogens.

They found that about 10 percent were carrying more than one pathogen, but that the rate had increased over the years. The most prevalent pathogens were those that cause Lyme disease and babesiosis, a malaria-like disease that can be devastating for some but has little effect on others. (I found out seven years ago that I had it only because it came up in a test when I gave blood.)
If there's good news, it's that diseases such as the Powassan virus, which can cause brain inflammation and meningitis, only showed up in a single tick, and the bacteria (Bartonella henselae) that cause "cat scratch disease" didn't show up at all. The researchers also didn't find any ticks with alpha-gal, a molecule that can cause allergic reactions to red meat.
That's not surprising, because lone star ticks are most likely to cause alpha-gal syndrome. While they have been found on Long Island, they are not prevalent in the Hudson Valley and haven't been found at Cary. But the researchers did find a few ticks carrying pathogens responsible for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, which usually isn't found in blacklegged ticks.
What's causing these changes? It's not clear, but LaDeau has some hypotheses. If nymphs carry more than one pathogen, it's likely they picked them up from the animal they bit, because they're probably too young to have had multiple meals. That would suggest deer and white-footed mice can also carry multiple pathogens, possibly from having been bitten repeatedly over years. Contracting one pathogen might also make hosts more vulnerable to infection from a different pathogen. "There are some lab studies that suggest that that's possible," said LaDeau.
If you find a tick has been feasting on you for at least 12 hours, get tested for multiple infections. LaDeau worries that the prevalence of Lyme disease in the Hudson Valley has made doctors less likely to test for other infections or to start patients right away on an antibiotic such as doxycycline, which is not the best strategy for other infections. For instance, treating babesiosis requires anti-malarial drugs.
It's also worth noting that Pfizer recently announced that its Lyme vaccine, which has completed Phase 3 trials, is 70 percent effective and has no repo...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/15/out-there-double-trouble/ I asked Shannon if all the deep freezes might lead to a down year for ticks and tick-borne illnesses. She reminded me that blacklegged ticks, the buggers responsible for Lyme disease, are well-adapted to cold weather. However, to pass pathogens to us, the ticks must feed on an infected animal, typically a deer or a white-footed mouse. If the brutal cold affected them, we could frolic with less concern.
Unfortunately, it appears we will not have a carefree tick season. LaDeau and her colleagues are starting their annual tick counts in Millbrook, and there isn't any hard data yet on the deer and mice populations, but "the ticks so far do not seem to be showing any signs of suffering from winter effects," she said last week.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that emergency room visits for tick bites are three times what was reported at the same time last year.
That's especially bad news considering a report that LaDeau and the Cary Institute just put out with researchers at SUNY Albany: Ticks in the Hudson Valley are becoming more likely to carry more than one pathogen, increasing the chances that you could get multiple diseases from just a single bite.
The Cary Institute has been studying ticks for more than 30 years. It has decades of data and ticks placed in cold storage in anticipation of additional funding and improved technology. For the recent study, the researchers screened 10 years' worth of nymphal blacklegged ticks — the poppy-seed ones that are so difficult to detect — for 16 pathogens.

They found that about 10 percent were carrying more than one pathogen, but that the rate had increased over the years. The most prevalent pathogens were those that cause Lyme disease and babesiosis, a malaria-like disease that can be devastating for some but has little effect on others. (I found out seven years ago that I had it only because it came up in a test when I gave blood.)
If there's good news, it's that diseases such as the Powassan virus, which can cause brain inflammation and meningitis, only showed up in a single tick, and the bacteria (Bartonella henselae) that cause "cat scratch disease" didn't show up at all. The researchers also didn't find any ticks with alpha-gal, a molecule that can cause allergic reactions to red meat.
That's not surprising, because lone star ticks are most likely to cause alpha-gal syndrome. While they have been found on Long Island, they are not prevalent in the Hudson Valley and haven't been found at Cary. But the researchers did find a few ticks carrying pathogens responsible for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, which usually isn't found in blacklegged ticks.
What's causing these changes? It's not clear, but LaDeau has some hypotheses. If nymphs carry more than one pathogen, it's likely they picked them up from the animal they bit, because they're probably too young to have had multiple meals. That would suggest deer and white-footed mice can also carry multiple pathogens, possibly from having been bitten repeatedly over years. Contracting one pathogen might also make hosts more vulnerable to infection from a different pathogen. "There are some lab studies that suggest that that's possible," said LaDeau.
If you find a tick has been feasting on you for at least 12 hours, get tested for multiple infections. LaDeau worries that the prevalence of Lyme disease in the Hudson Valley has made doctors less likely to test for other infections or to start patients right away on an antibiotic such as doxycycline, which is not the best strategy for other infections. For instance, treating babesiosis requires anti-malarial drugs.
It's also worth noting that Pfizer recently announced that its Lyme vaccine, which has completed Phase 3 trials, is 70 percent effective and has no repo...]]> Fri, 15 May 2026 09:45:35 -0400 Out There: Double Trouble I asked Shannon if all the deep freezes might ...]]> I asked Shannon if all the deep freezes might lead to a down year for ticks and tick-borne illnesses. She reminded me that blacklegged ticks, the buggers responsible for Lyme disease, are well-adapted to cold weather. However, to pass pathogens to us, the ticks must feed on an infected animal, typically a deer or a white-footed mouse. If the brutal cold affected them, we could frolic with less concern.
Unfortunately, it appears we will not have a carefree tick season. LaDeau and her colleagues are starting their annual tick counts in Millbrook, and there isn't any hard data yet on the deer and mice populations, but "the ticks so far do not seem to be showing any signs of suffering from winter effects," she said last week.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that emergency room visits for tick bites are three times what was reported at the same time last year.
That's especially bad news considering a report that LaDeau and the Cary Institute just put out with researchers at SUNY Albany: Ticks in the Hudson Valley are becoming more likely to carry more than one pathogen, increasing the chances that you could get multiple diseases from just a single bite.
The Cary Institute has been studying ticks for more than 30 years. It has decades of data and ticks placed in cold storage in anticipation of additional funding and improved technology. For the recent study, the researchers screened 10 years' worth of nymphal blacklegged ticks — the poppy-seed ones that are so difficult to detect — for 16 pathogens.

They found that about 10 percent were carrying more than one pathogen, but that the rate had increased over the years. The most prevalent pathogens were those that cause Lyme disease and babesiosis, a malaria-like disease that can be devastating for some but has little effect on others. (I found out seven years ago that I had it only because it came up in a test when I gave blood.)
If there's good news, it's that diseases such as the Powassan virus, which can cause brain inflammation and meningitis, only showed up in a single tick, and the bacteria (Bartonella henselae) that cause "cat scratch disease" didn't show up at all. The researchers also didn't find any ticks with alpha-gal, a molecule that can cause allergic reactions to red meat.
That's not surprising, because lone star ticks are most likely to cause alpha-gal syndrome. While they have been found on Long Island, they are not prevalent in the Hudson Valley and haven't been found at Cary. But the researchers did find a few ticks carrying pathogens responsible for Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, which usually isn't found in blacklegged ticks.
What's causing these changes? It's not clear, but LaDeau has some hypotheses. If nymphs carry more than one pathogen, it's likely they picked them up from the animal they bit, because they're probably too young to have had multiple meals. That would suggest deer and white-footed mice can also carry multiple pathogens, possibly from having been bitten repeatedly over years. Contracting one pathogen might also make hosts more vulnerable to infection from a different pathogen. "There are some lab studies that suggest that that's possible," said LaDeau.
If you find a tick has been feasting on you for at least 12 hours, get tested for multiple infections. LaDeau worries that the prevalence of Lyme disease in the Hudson Valley has made doctors less likely to test for other infections or to start patients right away on an antibiotic such as doxycycline, which is not the best strategy for other infections. For instance, treating babesiosis requires anti-malarial drugs.
It's also worth noting that Pfizer recently announced that its Lyme vaccine, which has completed Phase 3 trials, is 70 percent effective and has no repo...]]> Brian PJ Cronin 04:25 false full 55 5869059 Many interior designers understand lighting, but few know about electrical wiring, says Charles Burleigh, a Cold Spring resident who recently retired from the industry. Seeking to illuminate dollhouses as a child, he learned the basic engineering concepts from his father.
Taking advantage of newfound free time, Burleigh developed a method for turning out flowing porcelain bowls that offered elaborate form and just enough function. Though he dabbled in other media, he always returned to the flowery bowls, figuring that their striking appearance could be put to a practical use.
One night, an epiphany: "I figured I could turn them over or mount them on a wall as lamps." It was a simple concept that prompted many possibilities, including acceptance to the juried Launch Pad section for emerging designers at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) at the Javits Center in New York City, which debuted in 1989 to offer an alternative to the Salone del Mobile in Milan.
Burleigh will man a 25-square-foot booth for three days at the prestigious annual trade show, which will be open to the public on Tuesday (May 19). "In the interior design world, OMG, you have to go," he says.

Acanthus Ceiling Mount

Acanthus Wall Mount

Helianthus Table Lamp

Helianthus Wall Mount

Lisianthus Table Lamp

Ranunculus Table Lamp

Sabelica Pendants
Standing in his Cold Spring studio across from Depot Square while constructing the booth, Burleigh contrasted his career and new pathway. "It's nice to have merit-based recognition," he says. "In my other gigs, it was always who you know." The goal is to get a gallery or showroom to represent his work. "I just want to make things and not deal with the business end," he says.
Another eureka moment led him to the name, the Herbarium Collection, which is appropriate because the work appears to be organic. Green-glazed pieces resemble cabbage leaves. Others look like seashells or flowers. All are fragile.
Some of his white-ish lamps, adorned inside with gold glaze, are ghost-like. The interplay between the glaze, the porcelain and the illumination makes each handcrafted work singular.
"I started doing pinch-pots at the Garrison Art Center, little cups, and everything grew from that simple idea," Burleigh says of his textured collection.
Raw porcelain consists of 10-pound clay-like chunks. Burleigh places the malleable material into a colander coated with a paper towel, then pinches and presses away, working the material into a translucent state.
Deploying the latest LED technology, which uses the power equivalent of a nightlight but emits the brilliance of incandescence, he figured that for some pieces silvered bulbs — with tops coated in silver, gold and other colors to mute the glare — would spotlight the artistry and enhance the presentation.
For now, he's sticking with the artisanal approach. "Some people come out of design school and present chairs at ICFF that can be easily replicated," he says. "My work is more involved because I'm showing one-of-a-kind pieces that could be roughly recreated. But if someone wants to mass-produce something based on the style, I'm all ears."
ICFF will be open to the public at The Javits Center, 429 11th Ave. in New York City, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 19. Tickets are $250 ($35 students) at icff.com/fair/attend-register. To explore the Herbarium Collection, see charlesburleighporcelain.com.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/15/porcelain-flowers-and-light/ Many interior designers understand lighting, but few know about electrical wiring, says Charles Burleigh, a Cold Spring resident who recently retired from the industry. Seeking to illuminate dollhouses as a child, he learned the basic engineering concepts from his father.
Taking advantage of newfound free time, Burleigh developed a method for turning out flowing porcelain bowls that offered elaborate form and just enough function. Though he dabbled in other media, he always returned to the flowery bowls, figuring that their striking appearance could be put to a practical use.
One night, an epiphany: "I figured I could turn them over or mount them on a wall as lamps." It was a simple concept that prompted many possibilities, including acceptance to the juried Launch Pad section for emerging designers at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) at the Javits Center in New York City, which debuted in 1989 to offer an alternative to the Salone del Mobile in Milan.
Burleigh will man a 25-square-foot booth for three days at the prestigious annual trade show, which will be open to the public on Tuesday (May 19). "In the interior design world, OMG, you have to go," he says.

Acanthus Ceiling Mount

Acanthus Wall Mount

Helianthus Table Lamp

Helianthus Wall Mount

Lisianthus Table Lamp

Ranunculus Table Lamp

Sabelica Pendants
Standing in his Cold Spring studio across from Depot Square while constructing the booth, Burleigh contrasted his career and new pathway. "It's nice to have merit-based recognition," he says. "In my other gigs, it was always who you know." The goal is to get a gallery or showroom to represent his work. "I just want to make things and not deal with the business end," he says.
Another eureka moment led him to the name, the Herbarium Collection, which is appropriate because the work appears to be organic. Green-glazed pieces resemble cabbage leaves. Others look like seashells or flowers. All are fragile.
Some of his white-ish lamps, adorned inside with gold glaze, are ghost-like. The interplay between the glaze, the porcelain and the illumination makes each handcrafted work singular.
"I started doing pinch-pots at the Garrison Art Center, little cups, and everything grew from that simple idea," Burleigh says of his textured collection.
Raw porcelain consists of 10-pound clay-like chunks. Burleigh places the malleable material into a colander coated with a paper towel, then pinches and presses away, working the material into a translucent state.
Deploying the latest LED technology, which uses the power equivalent of a nightlight but emits the brilliance of incandescence, he figured that for some pieces silvered bulbs — with tops coated in silver, gold and other colors to mute the glare — would spotlight the artistry and enhance the presentation.
For now, he's sticking with the artisanal approach. "Some people come out of design school and present chairs at ICFF that can be easily replicated," he says. "My work is more involved because I'm showing one-of-a-kind pieces that could be roughly recreated. But if someone wants to mass-produce something based on the style, I'm all ears."
ICFF will be open to the public at The Javits Center, 429 11th Ave. in New York City, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 19. Tickets are $250 ($35 students) at icff.com/fair/attend-register. To explore the Herbarium Collection, see charlesburleighporcelain.com.]]> Fri, 15 May 2026 09:33:16 -0400 Porcelain Flowers — and Light Many interior designers understand lighting, but few know about electrical wiring, says Charles Burleigh, a Cold Spring resident who recently retired from the industry. Seeking to illuminate dollhouses ...]]> Many interior designers understand lighting, but few know about electrical wiring, says Charles Burleigh, a Cold Spring resident who recently retired from the industry. Seeking to illuminate dollhouses as a child, he learned the basic engineering concepts from his father.
Taking advantage of newfound free time, Burleigh developed a method for turning out flowing porcelain bowls that offered elaborate form and just enough function. Though he dabbled in other media, he always returned to the flowery bowls, figuring that their striking appearance could be put to a practical use.
One night, an epiphany: "I figured I could turn them over or mount them on a wall as lamps." It was a simple concept that prompted many possibilities, including acceptance to the juried Launch Pad section for emerging designers at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) at the Javits Center in New York City, which debuted in 1989 to offer an alternative to the Salone del Mobile in Milan.
Burleigh will man a 25-square-foot booth for three days at the prestigious annual trade show, which will be open to the public on Tuesday (May 19). "In the interior design world, OMG, you have to go," he says.

Acanthus Ceiling Mount

Acanthus Wall Mount

Helianthus Table Lamp

Helianthus Wall Mount

Lisianthus Table Lamp

Ranunculus Table Lamp

Sabelica Pendants
Standing in his Cold Spring studio across from Depot Square while constructing the booth, Burleigh contrasted his career and new pathway. "It's nice to have merit-based recognition," he says. "In my other gigs, it was always who you know." The goal is to get a gallery or showroom to represent his work. "I just want to make things and not deal with the business end," he says.
Another eureka moment led him to the name, the Herbarium Collection, which is appropriate because the work appears to be organic. Green-glazed pieces resemble cabbage leaves. Others look like seashells or flowers. All are fragile.
Some of his white-ish lamps, adorned inside with gold glaze, are ghost-like. The interplay between the glaze, the porcelain and the illumination makes each handcrafted work singular.
"I started doing pinch-pots at the Garrison Art Center, little cups, and everything grew from that simple idea," Burleigh says of his textured collection.
Raw porcelain consists of 10-pound clay-like chunks. Burleigh places the malleable material into a colander coated with a paper towel, then pinches and presses away, working the material into a translucent state.
Deploying the latest LED technology, which uses the power equivalent of a nightlight but emits the brilliance of incandescence, he figured that for some pieces silvered bulbs — with tops coated in silver, gold and other colors to mute the glare — would spotlight the artistry and enhance the presentation.
For now, he's sticking with the artisanal approach. "Some people come out of design school and present chairs at ICFF that can be easily replicated," he says. "My work is more involved because I'm showing one-of-a-kind pieces that could be roughly recreated. But if someone wants to mass-produce something based on the style, I'm all ears."
ICFF will be open to the public at The Javits Center, 429 11th Ave. in New York City, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 19. Tickets are $250 ($35 students) at icff.com/fair/attend-register. To explore the Herbarium Collection, see charlesburleighporcelain.com.]]> Marc Ferris 03:58 false full 54 5869156 At age 29, pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason is a classical music superstar who knew about Beacon even before her handlers booked a gig at the Howland Cultural Center on Sunday (May 17) that quickly sold out.
"I follow other piano players on the circuit, and when I saw that Emanuel Ax played there [in 2024], I was excited and couldn't wait," she says of the Howland Chamber Music Circle series.
On April 15, she performed and signed products at the flagship HMV music store in London, a ritual typically reserved for pop stars.
Fueling her solo career, the Nottingham native grew up in what her mother Kadiatu calls a "house of music," the title of her 2021 book about raising what is often called the world's most talented family. Last year, 60 Minutes aired a profile.

All seven siblings, along with mom and pop, Stuart, specialize in classical but play other styles. Isata, the eldest, says, "If I didn't take it up, the dominoes may not have fallen as they did." Her brother, Sheku, 27, is renowned for playing cello at the wedding of Prince Charles and Megan Markle in 2018, and the two will tour together later this year.
For her Chamber Music Circle concert, she crafted a theme that reflects "darkness moving into light." Most of the works will be new to her repertoire.
The proceeding will kick off with Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, ear candy that Ax performed on the same piano two years ago. Next comes Gaspard de la nuit, by Ravel, which "gets pretty wild and weird," she says.
Kanneh-Mason champions the work of female composers, including Clara Schumann and the "exceptionally talented but overlooked" Fanny Mendelssohn, older sister to Felix. Also on the program are Nocturne and Halo, two works by Dobrinka Tabakova, 46, with whom the pianist shares a BBC connection.
"They're calming pieces that fit with the dark-to-light journey," she says. "The Waldstein sonata [by Beethoven, which caps her program] is sometimes referred to as 'The Dawn. ' "
With their classical chops firmly established, Sheku and Isata also branch out. He is influenced by hip-hop, Bob Marley and Brazilian grooves. She performed an impressionistic version of George Gershwin's "I've Got Rhythm," a showpiece for jazz pianists after Oscar Peterson put his stamp on the tune in 1951.
"I like the arrangement [by Earl Wild], and it's an exciting piece to perform," she says. "I try to bring all aspects of the range of music I like into my playing."
Captured in a slick video, the rendition crackles as she reels off challenging passages as if they were a walk in the park. The piece opens with a skittering cascade of descending notes, then seesaws between aggressive runs and elegant, classical-inspired flourishes.
Beyond playing the music, Kanneh-Mason acts, looking for the cameras and flashing her wide eyes. In the creepy crawl toward the end that climbs up the keyboard's register, several notes represent shards of the song's melody.
Though she digs jazz, improvisation remains under wraps. "I'm developing my ear and trying new things, but I don't do it in public — yet."
Tickets for the Howland Chamber Music Circle's 2026-27 season will go on sale in July. See howlandmusic.org.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/15/stepping-out-from-the-house-of-music/ At age 29, pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason is a classical music superstar who knew about Beacon even before her handlers booked a gig at the Howland Cultural Center on Sunday (May 17) that quickly sold out.
"I follow other piano players on the circuit, and when I saw that Emanuel Ax played there [in 2024], I was excited and couldn't wait," she says of the Howland Chamber Music Circle series.
On April 15, she performed and signed products at the flagship HMV music store in London, a ritual typically reserved for pop stars.
Fueling her solo career, the Nottingham native grew up in what her mother Kadiatu calls a "house of music," the title of her 2021 book about raising what is often called the world's most talented family. Last year, 60 Minutes aired a profile.

All seven siblings, along with mom and pop, Stuart, specialize in classical but play other styles. Isata, the eldest, says, "If I didn't take it up, the dominoes may not have fallen as they did." Her brother, Sheku, 27, is renowned for playing cello at the wedding of Prince Charles and Megan Markle in 2018, and the two will tour together later this year.
For her Chamber Music Circle concert, she crafted a theme that reflects "darkness moving into light." Most of the works will be new to her repertoire.
The proceeding will kick off with Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, ear candy that Ax performed on the same piano two years ago. Next comes Gaspard de la nuit, by Ravel, which "gets pretty wild and weird," she says.
Kanneh-Mason champions the work of female composers, including Clara Schumann and the "exceptionally talented but overlooked" Fanny Mendelssohn, older sister to Felix. Also on the program are Nocturne and Halo, two works by Dobrinka Tabakova, 46, with whom the pianist shares a BBC connection.
"They're calming pieces that fit with the dark-to-light journey," she says. "The Waldstein sonata [by Beethoven, which caps her program] is sometimes referred to as 'The Dawn. ' "
With their classical chops firmly established, Sheku and Isata also branch out. He is influenced by hip-hop, Bob Marley and Brazilian grooves. She performed an impressionistic version of George Gershwin's "I've Got Rhythm," a showpiece for jazz pianists after Oscar Peterson put his stamp on the tune in 1951.
"I like the arrangement [by Earl Wild], and it's an exciting piece to perform," she says. "I try to bring all aspects of the range of music I like into my playing."
Captured in a slick video, the rendition crackles as she reels off challenging passages as if they were a walk in the park. The piece opens with a skittering cascade of descending notes, then seesaws between aggressive runs and elegant, classical-inspired flourishes.
Beyond playing the music, Kanneh-Mason acts, looking for the cameras and flashing her wide eyes. In the creepy crawl toward the end that climbs up the keyboard's register, several notes represent shards of the song's melody.
Though she digs jazz, improvisation remains under wraps. "I'm developing my ear and trying new things, but I don't do it in public — yet."
Tickets for the Howland Chamber Music Circle's 2026-27 season will go on sale in July. See howlandmusic.org.]]> Fri, 15 May 2026 09:04:46 -0400 Stepping Out from the House of Music At age 29, pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason is a classical music superstar who knew about Beacon even before her handlers booked a gig at the Howland Cultural Center on Sunday (May 17) that quickly sold out.
"I ...]]> At age 29, pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason is a classical music superstar who knew about Beacon even before her handlers booked a gig at the Howland Cultural Center on Sunday (May 17) that quickly sold out.
"I follow other piano players on the circuit, and when I saw that Emanuel Ax played there [in 2024], I was excited and couldn't wait," she says of the Howland Chamber Music Circle series.
On April 15, she performed and signed products at the flagship HMV music store in London, a ritual typically reserved for pop stars.
Fueling her solo career, the Nottingham native grew up in what her mother Kadiatu calls a "house of music," the title of her 2021 book about raising what is often called the world's most talented family. Last year, 60 Minutes aired a profile.

All seven siblings, along with mom and pop, Stuart, specialize in classical but play other styles. Isata, the eldest, says, "If I didn't take it up, the dominoes may not have fallen as they did." Her brother, Sheku, 27, is renowned for playing cello at the wedding of Prince Charles and Megan Markle in 2018, and the two will tour together later this year.
For her Chamber Music Circle concert, she crafted a theme that reflects "darkness moving into light." Most of the works will be new to her repertoire.
The proceeding will kick off with Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, ear candy that Ax performed on the same piano two years ago. Next comes Gaspard de la nuit, by Ravel, which "gets pretty wild and weird," she says.
Kanneh-Mason champions the work of female composers, including Clara Schumann and the "exceptionally talented but overlooked" Fanny Mendelssohn, older sister to Felix. Also on the program are Nocturne and Halo, two works by Dobrinka Tabakova, 46, with whom the pianist shares a BBC connection.
"They're calming pieces that fit with the dark-to-light journey," she says. "The Waldstein sonata [by Beethoven, which caps her program] is sometimes referred to as 'The Dawn. ' "
With their classical chops firmly established, Sheku and Isata also branch out. He is influenced by hip-hop, Bob Marley and Brazilian grooves. She performed an impressionistic version of George Gershwin's "I've Got Rhythm," a showpiece for jazz pianists after Oscar Peterson put his stamp on the tune in 1951.
"I like the arrangement [by Earl Wild], and it's an exciting piece to perform," she says. "I try to bring all aspects of the range of music I like into my playing."
Captured in a slick video, the rendition crackles as she reels off challenging passages as if they were a walk in the park. The piece opens with a skittering cascade of descending notes, then seesaws between aggressive runs and elegant, classical-inspired flourishes.
Beyond playing the music, Kanneh-Mason acts, looking for the cameras and flashing her wide eyes. In the creepy crawl toward the end that climbs up the keyboard's register, several notes represent shards of the song's melody.
Though she digs jazz, improvisation remains under wraps. "I'm developing my ear and trying new things, but I don't do it in public — yet."
Tickets for the Howland Chamber Music Circle's 2026-27 season will go on sale in July. See howlandmusic.org.]]> Marc Ferris 03:41 false full 53 5868255 Philipstown has amended its regulations for "conservation subdivisions" that sowed some confusion among Planning Board members last year when they reviewed a proposal for a 24-unit housing development called Hudson Highlands Reserve.
The project was Philipstown's first conservation subdivision, a residential development in which houses are clustered to preserve more land as open space. Philipstown's zoning allows developers to build more units in exchange for maintaining features such as forests, scenic views and wetlands.
The previous regulations required projects to be considered as potential conservation subdivisions but gave the Planning Board discretion to allow a conventional site plan, even if it determined that the plan would adversely affect the town's rural character.
Based on recommendations from a Zoning Update Committee, the Town Board on Thursday (May 7) approved language specifying that the Planning Board "shall require" a conservation subdivision if it has fewer adverse effects on the rural landscape or natural resources than a conventional plan.
In addition, the new regulations remove steep slopes and wetlands from the calculations for how much land must be preserved and eliminate a "density formula" as one of two methods (along with a "yield plan") for calculating the number of permitted units.
(A yield plan requires a preliminary design, with minimum lot sizes ranging from 3 to 20 acres per unit, depending on the district. The density formula allowed 75 percent of slopes, wetlands and other "constrained" land to be subtracted from the buildable area used in determining the number of units.)
In March, the Planning Board approved the revisions by a 6-to-1 vote. In reviewing Hudson Highlands Reserve, the board "tore itself up on yield plan versus density and didn't understand why both were there," said Neal Zuckerman, its chair. "We really struggled on why they were getting so much credit for conserving land that could never be built upon in the first place."
The changes, which included removing convenience stores as an allowed use in a conservation subdivision, "add clarity, simplicity and directness," he said.
Climate Smart
Martha Upton plans to resign as coordinator of Philipstown's Climate Smart program. Upton, who became coordinator in 2022, will step down in September or sooner if the town names a replacement.
"I reluctantly will have to accept this," said Supervisor John Van Tassell, adding that he knew residents who are interested in the position. "She has really provided us with a lot of equipment, a lot of resources," he said. "So, my appreciation to Martha for her years of service."
Tubman Byway
The board approved a resolution expressing its support for the state to designate the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad New York Scenic Byway, a 550-mile corridor between Manhattan and Niagara Falls. Phase One runs 173 miles between Niagara Falls and Auburn, home of the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park. Philipstown is along the Phase Two route, which covers 376 miles between Manhattan and Auburn.
Public notices
The board tabled a resolution supporting the proposed Local Government Notice Modernization and Transparency Act, which would allow municipalities to post public notices solely on their websites, rather than paying to have them printed in newspapers.
Last month, Nelsonville's board approved a resolution supporting the legislation. But Philipstown's board members said they wanted to continue advertising in print newspapers. "I would add that a healthy community relies on a healthy press, and I think we should support our papers where we can," said Ned Rauch, a member of the Town Board and a former journalist.
For decades, Philipstown, Cold Spring and Nelsonville used The Putnam County News & Recorder as their "official newspaper" for notices. But after the weekly closed last month, all three municipalities switched to The Poughkeepsie Journal, whi...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/10/philipstown-changes-conservation-zoning/ Philipstown has amended its regulations for "conservation subdivisions" that sowed some confusion among Planning Board members last year when they reviewed a proposal for a 24-unit housing development called Hudson Highlands Reserve.
The project was Philipstown's first conservation subdivision, a residential development in which houses are clustered to preserve more land as open space. Philipstown's zoning allows developers to build more units in exchange for maintaining features such as forests, scenic views and wetlands.
The previous regulations required projects to be considered as potential conservation subdivisions but gave the Planning Board discretion to allow a conventional site plan, even if it determined that the plan would adversely affect the town's rural character.
Based on recommendations from a Zoning Update Committee, the Town Board on Thursday (May 7) approved language specifying that the Planning Board "shall require" a conservation subdivision if it has fewer adverse effects on the rural landscape or natural resources than a conventional plan.
In addition, the new regulations remove steep slopes and wetlands from the calculations for how much land must be preserved and eliminate a "density formula" as one of two methods (along with a "yield plan") for calculating the number of permitted units.
(A yield plan requires a preliminary design, with minimum lot sizes ranging from 3 to 20 acres per unit, depending on the district. The density formula allowed 75 percent of slopes, wetlands and other "constrained" land to be subtracted from the buildable area used in determining the number of units.)
In March, the Planning Board approved the revisions by a 6-to-1 vote. In reviewing Hudson Highlands Reserve, the board "tore itself up on yield plan versus density and didn't understand why both were there," said Neal Zuckerman, its chair. "We really struggled on why they were getting so much credit for conserving land that could never be built upon in the first place."
The changes, which included removing convenience stores as an allowed use in a conservation subdivision, "add clarity, simplicity and directness," he said.
Climate Smart
Martha Upton plans to resign as coordinator of Philipstown's Climate Smart program. Upton, who became coordinator in 2022, will step down in September or sooner if the town names a replacement.
"I reluctantly will have to accept this," said Supervisor John Van Tassell, adding that he knew residents who are interested in the position. "She has really provided us with a lot of equipment, a lot of resources," he said. "So, my appreciation to Martha for her years of service."
Tubman Byway
The board approved a resolution expressing its support for the state to designate the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad New York Scenic Byway, a 550-mile corridor between Manhattan and Niagara Falls. Phase One runs 173 miles between Niagara Falls and Auburn, home of the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park. Philipstown is along the Phase Two route, which covers 376 miles between Manhattan and Auburn.
Public notices
The board tabled a resolution supporting the proposed Local Government Notice Modernization and Transparency Act, which would allow municipalities to post public notices solely on their websites, rather than paying to have them printed in newspapers.
Last month, Nelsonville's board approved a resolution supporting the legislation. But Philipstown's board members said they wanted to continue advertising in print newspapers. "I would add that a healthy community relies on a healthy press, and I think we should support our papers where we can," said Ned Rauch, a member of the Town Board and a former journalist.
For decades, Philipstown, Cold Spring and Nelsonville used The Putnam County News & Recorder as their "official newspaper" for notices. But after the weekly closed last month, all three municipalities switched to The Poughkeepsie Journal, whi...]]> Sun, 10 May 2026 14:43:03 -0400 Philipstown Changes 'Conservation' Zoning Philipstown has amended its regulations for "conservation subdivisions" that sowed some confusion among Planning Board members last year when they reviewed a proposal for a 24-unit housing development called...]]> Philipstown has amended its regulations for "conservation subdivisions" that sowed some confusion among Planning Board members last year when they reviewed a proposal for a 24-unit housing development called Hudson Highlands Reserve.
The project was Philipstown's first conservation subdivision, a residential development in which houses are clustered to preserve more land as open space. Philipstown's zoning allows developers to build more units in exchange for maintaining features such as forests, scenic views and wetlands.
The previous regulations required projects to be considered as potential conservation subdivisions but gave the Planning Board discretion to allow a conventional site plan, even if it determined that the plan would adversely affect the town's rural character.
Based on recommendations from a Zoning Update Committee, the Town Board on Thursday (May 7) approved language specifying that the Planning Board "shall require" a conservation subdivision if it has fewer adverse effects on the rural landscape or natural resources than a conventional plan.
In addition, the new regulations remove steep slopes and wetlands from the calculations for how much land must be preserved and eliminate a "density formula" as one of two methods (along with a "yield plan") for calculating the number of permitted units.
(A yield plan requires a preliminary design, with minimum lot sizes ranging from 3 to 20 acres per unit, depending on the district. The density formula allowed 75 percent of slopes, wetlands and other "constrained" land to be subtracted from the buildable area used in determining the number of units.)
In March, the Planning Board approved the revisions by a 6-to-1 vote. In reviewing Hudson Highlands Reserve, the board "tore itself up on yield plan versus density and didn't understand why both were there," said Neal Zuckerman, its chair. "We really struggled on why they were getting so much credit for conserving land that could never be built upon in the first place."
The changes, which included removing convenience stores as an allowed use in a conservation subdivision, "add clarity, simplicity and directness," he said.
Climate Smart
Martha Upton plans to resign as coordinator of Philipstown's Climate Smart program. Upton, who became coordinator in 2022, will step down in September or sooner if the town names a replacement.
"I reluctantly will have to accept this," said Supervisor John Van Tassell, adding that he knew residents who are interested in the position. "She has really provided us with a lot of equipment, a lot of resources," he said. "So, my appreciation to Martha for her years of service."
Tubman Byway
The board approved a resolution expressing its support for the state to designate the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad New York Scenic Byway, a 550-mile corridor between Manhattan and Niagara Falls. Phase One runs 173 miles between Niagara Falls and Auburn, home of the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park. Philipstown is along the Phase Two route, which covers 376 miles between Manhattan and Auburn.
Public notices
The board tabled a resolution supporting the proposed Local Government Notice Modernization and Transparency Act, which would allow municipalities to post public notices solely on their websites, rather than paying to have them printed in newspapers.
Last month, Nelsonville's board approved a resolution supporting the legislation. But Philipstown's board members said they wanted to continue advertising in print newspapers. "I would add that a healthy community relies on a healthy press, and I think we should support our papers where we can," said Ned Rauch, a member of the Town Board and a former journalist.
For decades, Philipstown, Cold Spring and Nelsonville used The Putnam County News & Recorder as their "official newspaper" for notices. But after the weekly closed last month, all three municipalities switched to The Poughkeepsie Journal, whi...]]> Leonard Sparks 05:29 false full 52 5868248 Marathon site
At the Wednesday (May 6) meeting of the Cold Spring Village Board, Mayor Kathleen Foley addressed questions she said had been raised about the 12-acre Marathon site on Kemble Avenue during public sessions hosted by the owner, The Kearney Group, and an urban planning firm, Speck-Dempsey.
"They were not village events, and there is no application [before village boards] yet for the site," Foley said. "This board is not authorized to act on its own related to this parcel, and I certainly have no authority to authorize anything on my own."
The Zoning Board, Planning Board and the Historic District Review Board are the reviewing bodies, the mayor said. She said the process will follow Chapter 134 of the Village Code, which regulates planned mixed-use projects.
"There are a lot of thoughtful hoops that project will have to go to before it's ever approved," she said. "There are many process points at which there will be opportunity for public comment, and to shape the outcome."
Mountain rescue
The Cold Spring and North Highlands fire companies will be recognized at the Putnam County EMS banquet later this month for a mountain rescue they performed, along with the Philipstown Volunteer Ambulance Corp, on May 3, 2025.
CSFC Chief Matt Steltz said the victim had been critically injured by a falling tree limb. First responders administered medical care and transported the victim off the mountain, he said.
CSFC has conducted four mountain rescues since March. The department answered 14 calls in April, including seven activated fire alarms, three mutual aids to local fire companies and two injured or lost hikers.
Police tasers
The board approved a recommendation by Matt Jackson, the Police Department's officer-in-charge, to accept a $106,382 bid from Axon Enterprise for tasers and training, amortized over 10 years. Jackson said the units will replace models with outdated technology that are no longer supported by the supplier.
CSPD responded to 137 calls in April, including 17 alarms, 16 assists to local EMS and 11 traffic stops. Officers also investigated four suspicious incidents and two calls each involving fraud and harassment.
In other news…
The Climate Smart Committee's food scrap recycling program will be expanded from weekly pickup to twice weekly. In addition, beginning June 1, any type of food scraps can be deposited in the bin at 46 Kemble Ave. on Tuesday mornings for pickup that evening or on Thursdays for Friday pickup.
The board authorized RACE Coastal Engineering to conduct a three-phase structural evaluation of the Cold Spring dock at a cost of $30,125.
The board approved in principle a request by the Cold Spring Boat Club to upgrade the club's entrance gate, but tabled a request to allow a food truck to operate on the site. The riverfront property is owned by the village and leased to the club.
The board tentatively approved a request for a film crew to shoot in the village on June 3, pending information about traffic control and other details. The areas affected would include Depot Square, a small section of Main Street and the Our Lady of Loretto parking lot.
The board accepted Ben Cheah's resignation from the Planning Board, effective June 30, and will seek applicants to fill the position.
A youth baseball clinic will be held at Mayor's Park from June 29 through July 1. The park will remain open to the public.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/09/catching-up-with-the-cold-spring-village-board-2/ Marathon site
At the Wednesday (May 6) meeting of the Cold Spring Village Board, Mayor Kathleen Foley addressed questions she said had been raised about the 12-acre Marathon site on Kemble Avenue during public sessions hosted by the owner, The Kearney Group, and an urban planning firm, Speck-Dempsey.
"They were not village events, and there is no application [before village boards] yet for the site," Foley said. "This board is not authorized to act on its own related to this parcel, and I certainly have no authority to authorize anything on my own."
The Zoning Board, Planning Board and the Historic District Review Board are the reviewing bodies, the mayor said. She said the process will follow Chapter 134 of the Village Code, which regulates planned mixed-use projects.
"There are a lot of thoughtful hoops that project will have to go to before it's ever approved," she said. "There are many process points at which there will be opportunity for public comment, and to shape the outcome."
Mountain rescue
The Cold Spring and North Highlands fire companies will be recognized at the Putnam County EMS banquet later this month for a mountain rescue they performed, along with the Philipstown Volunteer Ambulance Corp, on May 3, 2025.
CSFC Chief Matt Steltz said the victim had been critically injured by a falling tree limb. First responders administered medical care and transported the victim off the mountain, he said.
CSFC has conducted four mountain rescues since March. The department answered 14 calls in April, including seven activated fire alarms, three mutual aids to local fire companies and two injured or lost hikers.
Police tasers
The board approved a recommendation by Matt Jackson, the Police Department's officer-in-charge, to accept a $106,382 bid from Axon Enterprise for tasers and training, amortized over 10 years. Jackson said the units will replace models with outdated technology that are no longer supported by the supplier.
CSPD responded to 137 calls in April, including 17 alarms, 16 assists to local EMS and 11 traffic stops. Officers also investigated four suspicious incidents and two calls each involving fraud and harassment.
In other news…
The Climate Smart Committee's food scrap recycling program will be expanded from weekly pickup to twice weekly. In addition, beginning June 1, any type of food scraps can be deposited in the bin at 46 Kemble Ave. on Tuesday mornings for pickup that evening or on Thursdays for Friday pickup.
The board authorized RACE Coastal Engineering to conduct a three-phase structural evaluation of the Cold Spring dock at a cost of $30,125.
The board approved in principle a request by the Cold Spring Boat Club to upgrade the club's entrance gate, but tabled a request to allow a food truck to operate on the site. The riverfront property is owned by the village and leased to the club.
The board tentatively approved a request for a film crew to shoot in the village on June 3, pending information about traffic control and other details. The areas affected would include Depot Square, a small section of Main Street and the Our Lady of Loretto parking lot.
The board accepted Ben Cheah's resignation from the Planning Board, effective June 30, and will seek applicants to fill the position.
A youth baseball clinic will be held at Mayor's Park from June 29 through July 1. The park will remain open to the public.]]> Sat, 09 May 2026 13:37:57 -0400 Catching Up with the Cold Spring Village Board Marathon site
At the Wednesday (May 6) meeting of the Cold Spring Village Board, Mayor Kathleen Foley addressed questions she said had been raised about the 12-acre Marathon site on Kemble Avenue during publ...]]> Marathon site
At the Wednesday (May 6) meeting of the Cold Spring Village Board, Mayor Kathleen Foley addressed questions she said had been raised about the 12-acre Marathon site on Kemble Avenue during public sessions hosted by the owner, The Kearney Group, and an urban planning firm, Speck-Dempsey.
"They were not village events, and there is no application [before village boards] yet for the site," Foley said. "This board is not authorized to act on its own related to this parcel, and I certainly have no authority to authorize anything on my own."
The Zoning Board, Planning Board and the Historic District Review Board are the reviewing bodies, the mayor said. She said the process will follow Chapter 134 of the Village Code, which regulates planned mixed-use projects.
"There are a lot of thoughtful hoops that project will have to go to before it's ever approved," she said. "There are many process points at which there will be opportunity for public comment, and to shape the outcome."
Mountain rescue
The Cold Spring and North Highlands fire companies will be recognized at the Putnam County EMS banquet later this month for a mountain rescue they performed, along with the Philipstown Volunteer Ambulance Corp, on May 3, 2025.
CSFC Chief Matt Steltz said the victim had been critically injured by a falling tree limb. First responders administered medical care and transported the victim off the mountain, he said.
CSFC has conducted four mountain rescues since March. The department answered 14 calls in April, including seven activated fire alarms, three mutual aids to local fire companies and two injured or lost hikers.
Police tasers
The board approved a recommendation by Matt Jackson, the Police Department's officer-in-charge, to accept a $106,382 bid from Axon Enterprise for tasers and training, amortized over 10 years. Jackson said the units will replace models with outdated technology that are no longer supported by the supplier.
CSPD responded to 137 calls in April, including 17 alarms, 16 assists to local EMS and 11 traffic stops. Officers also investigated four suspicious incidents and two calls each involving fraud and harassment.
In other news…
The Climate Smart Committee's food scrap recycling program will be expanded from weekly pickup to twice weekly. In addition, beginning June 1, any type of food scraps can be deposited in the bin at 46 Kemble Ave. on Tuesday mornings for pickup that evening or on Thursdays for Friday pickup.
The board authorized RACE Coastal Engineering to conduct a three-phase structural evaluation of the Cold Spring dock at a cost of $30,125.
The board approved in principle a request by the Cold Spring Boat Club to upgrade the club's entrance gate, but tabled a request to allow a food truck to operate on the site. The riverfront property is owned by the village and leased to the club.
The board tentatively approved a request for a film crew to shoot in the village on June 3, pending information about traffic control and other details. The areas affected would include Depot Square, a small section of Main Street and the Our Lady of Loretto parking lot.
The board accepted Ben Cheah's resignation from the Planning Board, effective June 30, and will seek applicants to fill the position.
A youth baseball clinic will be held at Mayor's Park from June 29 through July 1. The park will remain open to the public.]]> Michael Turton 03:51 false full 51 5867847 Local and county officials gathered in Beacon on Thursday afternoon (May 7) for the ribbon-cutting of the luxury Mirbeau Inn & Spa on Route 9D, which opens today for guests with rooms ranging from $513 to $693 per night.
The Mirbeau Companies, which owns a day spa in Albany and three resorts (in Rhinebeck and Skaneateles, New York, and Plymouth, Massachusetts), purchased the 64-acre estate for $10 million in 2022. Its centerpiece is a 14,000-square-foot, neo-Gothic mansion built in 1859 for Civil War Gen. Joseph Howland and his wife, Eliza. It later became a private psychiatric hospital, Craig House, that closed in 1999 and had sat empty since.
Mirbeau began construction in February 2024. As unveiled on Thursday, the mansion is a spiffed-up pink brick jewel surrounded by incipient plantings, newly sodded lawns and a pool and water feature with a bridge and winding paths. Mirbeau tore down a 1978 hospital wing and built a chateau with the spa and 63 rooms in its place.

In his remarks, Ed Kellogg, the general manager, admitted that finishing the project went "right down to the wire." Beacon Mayor Lee Kyriacou confirmed this, saying he received a call from Kellogg at 11 that morning saying the city's Building Department had just issued the certificate of occupancy required for opening.
Kellogg noted that Craig House, the treatment center of choice for the rich and famous such as Zelda Fitzgerald and Jackie Gleason, had a "long history of wellness and rehabilitation. We're excited about that." He praised the city and the Planning Board as "wonderful," hailing their professionalism. "It was a challenge," he said, but "it was a great experience."
Kyriacou thanked Mirbeau founders Linda and Gary Dowers and "the entire Mirbeau team for bringing this gem of a historic asset back to life." He said that Dia art museum coming to Beacon in 2003 was a "first huge leap" for the city. "This is the second leap for us," he said.
"I want to say how important I think this will be for Beacon to take that next step of becoming a destination for tourism, for the arts and for people to come here and help enjoy our Main Street and keep it alive, keep it going," Kyriacou said. "I will say that we will be adding more catalysts in short order: The Fjord Trail and the Beacon Rail Trail are coming soon and will be important additions and very natural fits" for the spa.

Restoring a historic property comes with a plethora of rules and regulations. "This was the most challenging project we've ever undertaken," said Michael Dal Pos, the CEO of Mirbeau Hospitality Services. "But the results speak for themselves."
Kellogg noted that Mirbeau was not able to add an elevator in the original home because it would have altered the roofline and jeopardized the company's historic preservation tax credits. Instead, guests reach the second-floor rooms by climbing a wooden staircase. Mirbeau installed a dumbwaiter to move luggage.
The main suite was the Howlands' original bedroom. Its furnishings play up the antique look with a wooden vanity, plush upholstery and draperies. The bathroom in this primary suite is bigger than many New York City studio apartments and has a clawfoot tub and lavish-looking glass-enclosed shower.
On the ground floor, there is a suitably dark lounge and library with an adjoining game room dominated by an ornate 1873 Johnson & Company 58-pipe organ. There is a bar and several pretty dining rooms, with a few blank spots on the walls (and signs begging pardon for work in progress).
A large banquet room has views toward the river. There are several outside terraces furnished with tables, chairs and umbrellas that have views of the manicured grounds, but also look down on a wooded area and parking lots.
Photos by Ross Corsair
















The chateau's lower floor houses the spa, which includes a gym, yoga room and solarium that are flooded with natural light. Doors lead out to a Monet Garden (the...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/08/mirbeau-opens-luxury-spa-in-beacon/ Local and county officials gathered in Beacon on Thursday afternoon (May 7) for the ribbon-cutting of the luxury Mirbeau Inn & Spa on Route 9D, which opens today for guests with rooms ranging from $513 to $693 per night.
The Mirbeau Companies, which owns a day spa in Albany and three resorts (in Rhinebeck and Skaneateles, New York, and Plymouth, Massachusetts), purchased the 64-acre estate for $10 million in 2022. Its centerpiece is a 14,000-square-foot, neo-Gothic mansion built in 1859 for Civil War Gen. Joseph Howland and his wife, Eliza. It later became a private psychiatric hospital, Craig House, that closed in 1999 and had sat empty since.
Mirbeau began construction in February 2024. As unveiled on Thursday, the mansion is a spiffed-up pink brick jewel surrounded by incipient plantings, newly sodded lawns and a pool and water feature with a bridge and winding paths. Mirbeau tore down a 1978 hospital wing and built a chateau with the spa and 63 rooms in its place.

In his remarks, Ed Kellogg, the general manager, admitted that finishing the project went "right down to the wire." Beacon Mayor Lee Kyriacou confirmed this, saying he received a call from Kellogg at 11 that morning saying the city's Building Department had just issued the certificate of occupancy required for opening.
Kellogg noted that Craig House, the treatment center of choice for the rich and famous such as Zelda Fitzgerald and Jackie Gleason, had a "long history of wellness and rehabilitation. We're excited about that." He praised the city and the Planning Board as "wonderful," hailing their professionalism. "It was a challenge," he said, but "it was a great experience."
Kyriacou thanked Mirbeau founders Linda and Gary Dowers and "the entire Mirbeau team for bringing this gem of a historic asset back to life." He said that Dia art museum coming to Beacon in 2003 was a "first huge leap" for the city. "This is the second leap for us," he said.
"I want to say how important I think this will be for Beacon to take that next step of becoming a destination for tourism, for the arts and for people to come here and help enjoy our Main Street and keep it alive, keep it going," Kyriacou said. "I will say that we will be adding more catalysts in short order: The Fjord Trail and the Beacon Rail Trail are coming soon and will be important additions and very natural fits" for the spa.

Restoring a historic property comes with a plethora of rules and regulations. "This was the most challenging project we've ever undertaken," said Michael Dal Pos, the CEO of Mirbeau Hospitality Services. "But the results speak for themselves."
Kellogg noted that Mirbeau was not able to add an elevator in the original home because it would have altered the roofline and jeopardized the company's historic preservation tax credits. Instead, guests reach the second-floor rooms by climbing a wooden staircase. Mirbeau installed a dumbwaiter to move luggage.
The main suite was the Howlands' original bedroom. Its furnishings play up the antique look with a wooden vanity, plush upholstery and draperies. The bathroom in this primary suite is bigger than many New York City studio apartments and has a clawfoot tub and lavish-looking glass-enclosed shower.
On the ground floor, there is a suitably dark lounge and library with an adjoining game room dominated by an ornate 1873 Johnson & Company 58-pipe organ. There is a bar and several pretty dining rooms, with a few blank spots on the walls (and signs begging pardon for work in progress).
A large banquet room has views toward the river. There are several outside terraces furnished with tables, chairs and umbrellas that have views of the manicured grounds, but also look down on a wooded area and parking lots.
Photos by Ross Corsair
















The chateau's lower floor houses the spa, which includes a gym, yoga room and solarium that are flooded with natural light. Doors lead out to a Monet Garden (the...]]> Fri, 08 May 2026 16:52:32 -0400 Mirbeau Opens Luxury Spa in Beacon Local and county officials gathered in Beacon on Thursday afternoon (May 7) for the ribbon-cutting of the luxury Mirbeau Inn & Spa on Route 9D, which opens today for guests with rooms ranging from $513 to ...]]> Local and county officials gathered in Beacon on Thursday afternoon (May 7) for the ribbon-cutting of the luxury Mirbeau Inn & Spa on Route 9D, which opens today for guests with rooms ranging from $513 to $693 per night.
The Mirbeau Companies, which owns a day spa in Albany and three resorts (in Rhinebeck and Skaneateles, New York, and Plymouth, Massachusetts), purchased the 64-acre estate for $10 million in 2022. Its centerpiece is a 14,000-square-foot, neo-Gothic mansion built in 1859 for Civil War Gen. Joseph Howland and his wife, Eliza. It later became a private psychiatric hospital, Craig House, that closed in 1999 and had sat empty since.
Mirbeau began construction in February 2024. As unveiled on Thursday, the mansion is a spiffed-up pink brick jewel surrounded by incipient plantings, newly sodded lawns and a pool and water feature with a bridge and winding paths. Mirbeau tore down a 1978 hospital wing and built a chateau with the spa and 63 rooms in its place.

In his remarks, Ed Kellogg, the general manager, admitted that finishing the project went "right down to the wire." Beacon Mayor Lee Kyriacou confirmed this, saying he received a call from Kellogg at 11 that morning saying the city's Building Department had just issued the certificate of occupancy required for opening.
Kellogg noted that Craig House, the treatment center of choice for the rich and famous such as Zelda Fitzgerald and Jackie Gleason, had a "long history of wellness and rehabilitation. We're excited about that." He praised the city and the Planning Board as "wonderful," hailing their professionalism. "It was a challenge," he said, but "it was a great experience."
Kyriacou thanked Mirbeau founders Linda and Gary Dowers and "the entire Mirbeau team for bringing this gem of a historic asset back to life." He said that Dia art museum coming to Beacon in 2003 was a "first huge leap" for the city. "This is the second leap for us," he said.
"I want to say how important I think this will be for Beacon to take that next step of becoming a destination for tourism, for the arts and for people to come here and help enjoy our Main Street and keep it alive, keep it going," Kyriacou said. "I will say that we will be adding more catalysts in short order: The Fjord Trail and the Beacon Rail Trail are coming soon and will be important additions and very natural fits" for the spa.

Restoring a historic property comes with a plethora of rules and regulations. "This was the most challenging project we've ever undertaken," said Michael Dal Pos, the CEO of Mirbeau Hospitality Services. "But the results speak for themselves."
Kellogg noted that Mirbeau was not able to add an elevator in the original home because it would have altered the roofline and jeopardized the company's historic preservation tax credits. Instead, guests reach the second-floor rooms by climbing a wooden staircase. Mirbeau installed a dumbwaiter to move luggage.
The main suite was the Howlands' original bedroom. Its furnishings play up the antique look with a wooden vanity, plush upholstery and draperies. The bathroom in this primary suite is bigger than many New York City studio apartments and has a clawfoot tub and lavish-looking glass-enclosed shower.
On the ground floor, there is a suitably dark lounge and library with an adjoining game room dominated by an ornate 1873 Johnson & Company 58-pipe organ. There is a bar and several pretty dining rooms, with a few blank spots on the walls (and signs begging pardon for work in progress).
A large banquet room has views toward the river. There are several outside terraces furnished with tables, chairs and umbrellas that have views of the manicured grounds, but also look down on a wooded area and parking lots.
Photos by Ross Corsair
















The chateau's lower floor houses the spa, which includes a gym, yoga room and solarium that are flooded with natural light. Doors lead out to a Monet Garden (the...]]> Maria Ricapito 05:22 false full 50 5867842 The development of the last substantial piece of real estate in Cold Spring took a significant step forward in public sessions held April 27 to 30 at the Chapel Restoration and the St. Mary's Church rectory.
The urban planning firm Speck-Dempsey presented initial concept plans for a mixed-use development on the Kemble Avenue parcel, while residents voiced concerns and shared ideas regarding the 12-acre tract. There were standing-room-only crowds at each of the two charrettes that included presentations; the other two were open houses.

The Marathon Battery factory operated on the site from 1952 to 1979, discharging cadmium and other toxins into the soil and the adjacent Foundry Cove and the Hudson River. The Environmental Protection Agency ordered that the cove be dredged in 1972 and, in 1987, began a nine-year cleanup of the property that included demolition of the factory. (For a detailed history, see highlandscurrent.org/marathon.)
Kearney Realty Group purchased the property in 2003. In 2023, Cold Spring amended the zoning from light industrial to planned mixed-use.
Residents want smaller homes
Informal votes among the residents who attended the charrette at St Mary's included a few unrealistic suggestions, such as "nothing" and "a parking lot," but housing received the most attention. Residents advocated for reasonable rents, 12 homes, tiny houses, 55-plus housing, a ban on short-term rentals and a shared, central green space ("cottage courts"). The architecture will echo Cold Spring's historic buildings in style and scale, according to Speck-Dempsey.
Sustainability also scored well, with requests for low light pollution, solar power, energy-efficient buildings, trees, green space and preservation of the forest buffer. Community-oriented ideas included an aquatic center, ballfield, skate park, pavilion, safe walking and community-oriented retail. Some people wanted to see a bodega or restaurants that serve Thai and Indian food.


The site is larger than it looks
Speck-Dempsey drafted 12 concept plans and recommended two, which it dubbed The Amble and The Angle. Each contains 100 to 150 units, which raised some concern. Office uses, live-work spaces, upstairs apartments, small apartment villas and a few medium-size houses were also part of the mix. Restaurants or cafes could be added, but would require a zoning change.
To illustrate capacity, Jeff Speck of Speck-Dempsey said two Forge Gate condominium complexes, or 136 units, could fit on the Marathon site with substantial open space. Public spaces would include a playground, the protection and enhancement of the wooded bluff at the south end, paths and viewing areas. Speck stressed the proposed neighborhood's "walkability" and noted that traffic calming devices, such as narrow lanes, are incorporated in the plans.


The site is safe, says EPA
While some residents have lingering concerns about the polluted past, Chris Dempsey of Speck-Dempsey said the EPA determined that the site was safe for development more than a decade ago. Excavation for construction "won't get close" to the 15-foot limit set by the EPA, environmental monitoring will be carried out throughout construction, and all plans require approval by the EPA and state regulators.
Dempsey said the village has indicated it has the capacity to handle water and sewer for the development, although he reserved the right to reassess once detailed plans are ready. Because the site's groundwater is contaminated, the units cannot use wells for drinking water.
Traffic flow seems tight
Speck-Dempsey say that, even within the narrow confines of Rock Street, Kemble Avenue and Wall Street, traffic will not be a problem, including safe pickup and drop-off at the adjacent Montessori school. It plans to commission a traffic study and will look at access from Lunn Terrace or by connecting Kemble with Chestnut Street, although those options seem unlikely. Changing Kemble to two-way traf...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/08/marathon-development-moves-forward/ The development of the last substantial piece of real estate in Cold Spring took a significant step forward in public sessions held April 27 to 30 at the Chapel Restoration and the St. Mary's Church rectory.
The urban planning firm Speck-Dempsey presented initial concept plans for a mixed-use development on the Kemble Avenue parcel, while residents voiced concerns and shared ideas regarding the 12-acre tract. There were standing-room-only crowds at each of the two charrettes that included presentations; the other two were open houses.

The Marathon Battery factory operated on the site from 1952 to 1979, discharging cadmium and other toxins into the soil and the adjacent Foundry Cove and the Hudson River. The Environmental Protection Agency ordered that the cove be dredged in 1972 and, in 1987, began a nine-year cleanup of the property that included demolition of the factory. (For a detailed history, see highlandscurrent.org/marathon.)
Kearney Realty Group purchased the property in 2003. In 2023, Cold Spring amended the zoning from light industrial to planned mixed-use.
Residents want smaller homes
Informal votes among the residents who attended the charrette at St Mary's included a few unrealistic suggestions, such as "nothing" and "a parking lot," but housing received the most attention. Residents advocated for reasonable rents, 12 homes, tiny houses, 55-plus housing, a ban on short-term rentals and a shared, central green space ("cottage courts"). The architecture will echo Cold Spring's historic buildings in style and scale, according to Speck-Dempsey.
Sustainability also scored well, with requests for low light pollution, solar power, energy-efficient buildings, trees, green space and preservation of the forest buffer. Community-oriented ideas included an aquatic center, ballfield, skate park, pavilion, safe walking and community-oriented retail. Some people wanted to see a bodega or restaurants that serve Thai and Indian food.


The site is larger than it looks
Speck-Dempsey drafted 12 concept plans and recommended two, which it dubbed The Amble and The Angle. Each contains 100 to 150 units, which raised some concern. Office uses, live-work spaces, upstairs apartments, small apartment villas and a few medium-size houses were also part of the mix. Restaurants or cafes could be added, but would require a zoning change.
To illustrate capacity, Jeff Speck of Speck-Dempsey said two Forge Gate condominium complexes, or 136 units, could fit on the Marathon site with substantial open space. Public spaces would include a playground, the protection and enhancement of the wooded bluff at the south end, paths and viewing areas. Speck stressed the proposed neighborhood's "walkability" and noted that traffic calming devices, such as narrow lanes, are incorporated in the plans.


The site is safe, says EPA
While some residents have lingering concerns about the polluted past, Chris Dempsey of Speck-Dempsey said the EPA determined that the site was safe for development more than a decade ago. Excavation for construction "won't get close" to the 15-foot limit set by the EPA, environmental monitoring will be carried out throughout construction, and all plans require approval by the EPA and state regulators.
Dempsey said the village has indicated it has the capacity to handle water and sewer for the development, although he reserved the right to reassess once detailed plans are ready. Because the site's groundwater is contaminated, the units cannot use wells for drinking water.
Traffic flow seems tight
Speck-Dempsey say that, even within the narrow confines of Rock Street, Kemble Avenue and Wall Street, traffic will not be a problem, including safe pickup and drop-off at the adjacent Montessori school. It plans to commission a traffic study and will look at access from Lunn Terrace or by connecting Kemble with Chestnut Street, although those options seem unlikely. Changing Kemble to two-way traf...]]> Fri, 08 May 2026 13:47:44 -0400 Marathon Development Moves Forward The development of the last substantial piece of real estate in Cold Spring took a significant step forward in public sessions held April 27 to 30 at the Chapel Restoration and the St. Mary's Church rectory.
...]]> The development of the last substantial piece of real estate in Cold Spring took a significant step forward in public sessions held April 27 to 30 at the Chapel Restoration and the St. Mary's Church rectory.
The urban planning firm Speck-Dempsey presented initial concept plans for a mixed-use development on the Kemble Avenue parcel, while residents voiced concerns and shared ideas regarding the 12-acre tract. There were standing-room-only crowds at each of the two charrettes that included presentations; the other two were open houses.

The Marathon Battery factory operated on the site from 1952 to 1979, discharging cadmium and other toxins into the soil and the adjacent Foundry Cove and the Hudson River. The Environmental Protection Agency ordered that the cove be dredged in 1972 and, in 1987, began a nine-year cleanup of the property that included demolition of the factory. (For a detailed history, see highlandscurrent.org/marathon.)
Kearney Realty Group purchased the property in 2003. In 2023, Cold Spring amended the zoning from light industrial to planned mixed-use.
Residents want smaller homes
Informal votes among the residents who attended the charrette at St Mary's included a few unrealistic suggestions, such as "nothing" and "a parking lot," but housing received the most attention. Residents advocated for reasonable rents, 12 homes, tiny houses, 55-plus housing, a ban on short-term rentals and a shared, central green space ("cottage courts"). The architecture will echo Cold Spring's historic buildings in style and scale, according to Speck-Dempsey.
Sustainability also scored well, with requests for low light pollution, solar power, energy-efficient buildings, trees, green space and preservation of the forest buffer. Community-oriented ideas included an aquatic center, ballfield, skate park, pavilion, safe walking and community-oriented retail. Some people wanted to see a bodega or restaurants that serve Thai and Indian food.


The site is larger than it looks
Speck-Dempsey drafted 12 concept plans and recommended two, which it dubbed The Amble and The Angle. Each contains 100 to 150 units, which raised some concern. Office uses, live-work spaces, upstairs apartments, small apartment villas and a few medium-size houses were also part of the mix. Restaurants or cafes could be added, but would require a zoning change.
To illustrate capacity, Jeff Speck of Speck-Dempsey said two Forge Gate condominium complexes, or 136 units, could fit on the Marathon site with substantial open space. Public spaces would include a playground, the protection and enhancement of the wooded bluff at the south end, paths and viewing areas. Speck stressed the proposed neighborhood's "walkability" and noted that traffic calming devices, such as narrow lanes, are incorporated in the plans.


The site is safe, says EPA
While some residents have lingering concerns about the polluted past, Chris Dempsey of Speck-Dempsey said the EPA determined that the site was safe for development more than a decade ago. Excavation for construction "won't get close" to the 15-foot limit set by the EPA, environmental monitoring will be carried out throughout construction, and all plans require approval by the EPA and state regulators.
Dempsey said the village has indicated it has the capacity to handle water and sewer for the development, although he reserved the right to reassess once detailed plans are ready. Because the site's groundwater is contaminated, the units cannot use wells for drinking water.
Traffic flow seems tight
Speck-Dempsey say that, even within the narrow confines of Rock Street, Kemble Avenue and Wall Street, traffic will not be a problem, including safe pickup and drop-off at the adjacent Montessori school. It plans to commission a traffic study and will look at access from Lunn Terrace or by connecting Kemble with Chestnut Street, although those options seem unlikely. Changing Kemble to two-way traf...]]> Michael Turton 05:17 false full 49 5867836 A year after the Metropolitan Transportation Authority discontinued a commuter ferry on the Hudson River between Beacon and Newburgh, activists are hoping to raise $200,000 to launch their own weekend service.
The Save the Ferry coalition, whose members live on both sides of the river, envisions a free boat running 10 hours on each Friday, Saturday and Sunday from mid-June through October. They hope to demonstrate that demand still exists for the route, which the MTA has replaced with shuttle buses.
The service would rely on the Nellie Bly, a 40-person vessel supplied by the New York Boat Co., which runs charter cruises from Peekskill. The coalition said it is in talks to use the Sloop Club dock in Beacon and the Riverfront Marina in Newburgh.

The MTA suspended ferry service in January 2025 due to river ice. During the hiatus, the agency said it discovered damage to the floating dock it used in Beacon. Because ridership had also been declining — from an average of nearly 250 people per day in 2008 to 62 in 2024, according to the MTA — the agency officially canceled the service in June, before it ever restarted.
If the coalition can secure funding, weekend service "would be one incremental step in the whole restoration of that regional transportation link," said Victoria Manning, a Newburgh resident.
Organizers wouldn't say what they have raised so far, but they are asking Hudson Valley legislators to push for funding for their ferry pilot in the 2026-27 state budget. They estimate the $200,000 will cover marketing, insurance, permitting, docking fees and a crew for the season. If funding doesn't materialize, the coalition says it will try again in 2027-28.
While the MTA ferry ran only during commuting hours, bringing Newburgh residents to Beacon's Metro-North station to catch trains toward Poughkeepsie or Grand Central Station, the coalition believes a weekend boat would attract casual riders as well as people who work on Saturday and Sunday. "Businesses and individuals have been clamoring for this," Manning said.
An MTA spokesperson said on Wednesday (May 6) that the agency has no plans to restart a ferry between Beacon and Newburgh. The bus shuttles are free through 2026; an express route to New York Stewart International Airport has been added. For the third year, the agency will also operate a seasonal weekend ferry between Haverstraw in Rockland County and Ossining in Westchester County beginning this month.
Members of the coalition don't understand why that can't happen farther north. Amanda Brown, a Beacon resident and professional mediator, said the MTA told her it shut down the Newburgh crossing because of low ridership. But she believes the agency didn't do enough to examine the reasons behind it.
In January, Brown began surveying Main Street business owners in Beacon. Some told her, she writes in a report she hopes to share with the Beacon and Newburgh city councils, that they are certain some customers come from Newburgh. Others said that "anything that could draw people to the area in general would be good for them," said Brown, who plans more interviews.
Based on 2024 state tourism statistics, the coalition says its conservative estimate is that 60 passengers on a weekend ferry would generate $187,000 in retail revenue in the two cities over the season. At the high end, they said, with more passengers spending more money, it could reach $750,000.
"Newburgh does not have the same level of weekend tourism as Beacon, so our small business community needs this connection," said Manning, a museum registrar who rides the train into New York City three or four times a week.
According to the state Department of Transportation, usage of the Newburgh-Beacon bus shuttle more than doubled in the past year. But the numbers don't reflect an important difference between the bus and the ferry, said Manning, who takes a 6 a.m. shuttle to Beacon. On the return trip over the Newburgh-Be...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/08/fighting-for-a-ferry/ A year after the Metropolitan Transportation Authority discontinued a commuter ferry on the Hudson River between Beacon and Newburgh, activists are hoping to raise $200,000 to launch their own weekend service.
The Save the Ferry coalition, whose members live on both sides of the river, envisions a free boat running 10 hours on each Friday, Saturday and Sunday from mid-June through October. They hope to demonstrate that demand still exists for the route, which the MTA has replaced with shuttle buses.
The service would rely on the Nellie Bly, a 40-person vessel supplied by the New York Boat Co., which runs charter cruises from Peekskill. The coalition said it is in talks to use the Sloop Club dock in Beacon and the Riverfront Marina in Newburgh.

The MTA suspended ferry service in January 2025 due to river ice. During the hiatus, the agency said it discovered damage to the floating dock it used in Beacon. Because ridership had also been declining — from an average of nearly 250 people per day in 2008 to 62 in 2024, according to the MTA — the agency officially canceled the service in June, before it ever restarted.
If the coalition can secure funding, weekend service "would be one incremental step in the whole restoration of that regional transportation link," said Victoria Manning, a Newburgh resident.
Organizers wouldn't say what they have raised so far, but they are asking Hudson Valley legislators to push for funding for their ferry pilot in the 2026-27 state budget. They estimate the $200,000 will cover marketing, insurance, permitting, docking fees and a crew for the season. If funding doesn't materialize, the coalition says it will try again in 2027-28.
While the MTA ferry ran only during commuting hours, bringing Newburgh residents to Beacon's Metro-North station to catch trains toward Poughkeepsie or Grand Central Station, the coalition believes a weekend boat would attract casual riders as well as people who work on Saturday and Sunday. "Businesses and individuals have been clamoring for this," Manning said.
An MTA spokesperson said on Wednesday (May 6) that the agency has no plans to restart a ferry between Beacon and Newburgh. The bus shuttles are free through 2026; an express route to New York Stewart International Airport has been added. For the third year, the agency will also operate a seasonal weekend ferry between Haverstraw in Rockland County and Ossining in Westchester County beginning this month.
Members of the coalition don't understand why that can't happen farther north. Amanda Brown, a Beacon resident and professional mediator, said the MTA told her it shut down the Newburgh crossing because of low ridership. But she believes the agency didn't do enough to examine the reasons behind it.
In January, Brown began surveying Main Street business owners in Beacon. Some told her, she writes in a report she hopes to share with the Beacon and Newburgh city councils, that they are certain some customers come from Newburgh. Others said that "anything that could draw people to the area in general would be good for them," said Brown, who plans more interviews.
Based on 2024 state tourism statistics, the coalition says its conservative estimate is that 60 passengers on a weekend ferry would generate $187,000 in retail revenue in the two cities over the season. At the high end, they said, with more passengers spending more money, it could reach $750,000.
"Newburgh does not have the same level of weekend tourism as Beacon, so our small business community needs this connection," said Manning, a museum registrar who rides the train into New York City three or four times a week.
According to the state Department of Transportation, usage of the Newburgh-Beacon bus shuttle more than doubled in the past year. But the numbers don't reflect an important difference between the bus and the ferry, said Manning, who takes a 6 a.m. shuttle to Beacon. On the return trip over the Newburgh-Be...]]> Fri, 08 May 2026 10:15:21 -0400 Fighting for a Ferry A year after the Metropolitan Transportation Authority discontinued a commuter ferry on the Hudson River between Beacon and Newburgh, activists are hoping to raise $200,000 to launch their own weekend service.
...]]> A year after the Metropolitan Transportation Authority discontinued a commuter ferry on the Hudson River between Beacon and Newburgh, activists are hoping to raise $200,000 to launch their own weekend service.
The Save the Ferry coalition, whose members live on both sides of the river, envisions a free boat running 10 hours on each Friday, Saturday and Sunday from mid-June through October. They hope to demonstrate that demand still exists for the route, which the MTA has replaced with shuttle buses.
The service would rely on the Nellie Bly, a 40-person vessel supplied by the New York Boat Co., which runs charter cruises from Peekskill. The coalition said it is in talks to use the Sloop Club dock in Beacon and the Riverfront Marina in Newburgh.

The MTA suspended ferry service in January 2025 due to river ice. During the hiatus, the agency said it discovered damage to the floating dock it used in Beacon. Because ridership had also been declining — from an average of nearly 250 people per day in 2008 to 62 in 2024, according to the MTA — the agency officially canceled the service in June, before it ever restarted.
If the coalition can secure funding, weekend service "would be one incremental step in the whole restoration of that regional transportation link," said Victoria Manning, a Newburgh resident.
Organizers wouldn't say what they have raised so far, but they are asking Hudson Valley legislators to push for funding for their ferry pilot in the 2026-27 state budget. They estimate the $200,000 will cover marketing, insurance, permitting, docking fees and a crew for the season. If funding doesn't materialize, the coalition says it will try again in 2027-28.
While the MTA ferry ran only during commuting hours, bringing Newburgh residents to Beacon's Metro-North station to catch trains toward Poughkeepsie or Grand Central Station, the coalition believes a weekend boat would attract casual riders as well as people who work on Saturday and Sunday. "Businesses and individuals have been clamoring for this," Manning said.
An MTA spokesperson said on Wednesday (May 6) that the agency has no plans to restart a ferry between Beacon and Newburgh. The bus shuttles are free through 2026; an express route to New York Stewart International Airport has been added. For the third year, the agency will also operate a seasonal weekend ferry between Haverstraw in Rockland County and Ossining in Westchester County beginning this month.
Members of the coalition don't understand why that can't happen farther north. Amanda Brown, a Beacon resident and professional mediator, said the MTA told her it shut down the Newburgh crossing because of low ridership. But she believes the agency didn't do enough to examine the reasons behind it.
In January, Brown began surveying Main Street business owners in Beacon. Some told her, she writes in a report she hopes to share with the Beacon and Newburgh city councils, that they are certain some customers come from Newburgh. Others said that "anything that could draw people to the area in general would be good for them," said Brown, who plans more interviews.
Based on 2024 state tourism statistics, the coalition says its conservative estimate is that 60 passengers on a weekend ferry would generate $187,000 in retail revenue in the two cities over the season. At the high end, they said, with more passengers spending more money, it could reach $750,000.
"Newburgh does not have the same level of weekend tourism as Beacon, so our small business community needs this connection," said Manning, a museum registrar who rides the train into New York City three or four times a week.
According to the state Department of Transportation, usage of the Newburgh-Beacon bus shuttle more than doubled in the past year. But the numbers don't reflect an important difference between the bus and the ferry, said Manning, who takes a 6 a.m. shuttle to Beacon. On the return trip over the Newburgh-Be...]]> Jeff Simms 04:23 false full 48 5867833 Conservation groups are raising concerns about a proposed power line that would cut a path through the forested mountain across from Garrison's Landing.
The U.S. Army wants to upgrade and construct transmission lines and substations to increase power to West Point, which will alter the viewsheds of various registered historic districts, including Harriman State Park and the Thayer Hotel and Buffalo Soldier Field on base.
Garrison's Landing is "in the direct view of this unfortunate proposal to scalp a 150-foot-wide swath through the forest, down that ridge to the Hudson River," said J. Jeffrey Anzevino, director of land use advocacy at Scenic Hudson. The landing was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

An Army report on the project maps a 2.5-mile right-of-way for two new lines that would each deliver 69 kilovolts (kV) of electricity. Of the existing 9.5 miles of lines, which run at 34.5 kV, some would be removed and others upgraded. In addition, three substations would be upgraded, a substation would be built next to one at Wilson Gate and a substation in Highland Falls would be decommissioned. A switching station would also be built. Neither West Point nor Orange & Rockland, the utility that would construct the lines and substation, responded to requests for comment.
In its report, the Army acknowledges that the project "will noticeably and substantially alter the Hudson Highlands landscape" and "diminish the integrity of setting, feeling and association" of West Point and Garrison's Landing, but says its plan is still the best option. Upgrading the existing lines to handle larger loads and projected increases to up to 138 kV without building new lines would cost an estimated $60 million more than the $113 million approved for the project. Burying the lines would also be too expensive, it said, and impact wetlands and streams.
Anzevino said conservation and preservation groups would like to know more about how the Army determined that other options, such as going underground, are not feasible. "The consensus is there's not an awful lot of detail in their rationale," said Edward Warren of the Hudson Highlands Land Trust. He cited research showing that while tunneling is more expensive, it reduces maintenance costs because the lines are protected from storm damage.
The groups also would like more information about why the upgrades are needed. Anzevino said that he was only told by West Point that it has "electrical issues" every summer.
"What is West Point doing to generate its own energy?" he said. "Renewables, battery storage?" He said the military told them the review doesn't have to consider that.
The project must undergo a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review, but because West Point is federal land, it will not be subject to state review. It's not clear if the public will be invited to weigh in, Anzevino said. "I don't believe West Point is going to allow the rank and file — the residents who are going to be viewing this — to be participating," he said.
Pointing to an Army rendering that shows trees disappearing along Fort Putnam Street in Highlands Falls, he said, "I doubt the people on that street even know this is happening."]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/08/a-stripe-through-the-forest/ Conservation groups are raising concerns about a proposed power line that would cut a path through the forested mountain across from Garrison's Landing.
The U.S. Army wants to upgrade and construct transmission lines and substations to increase power to West Point, which will alter the viewsheds of various registered historic districts, including Harriman State Park and the Thayer Hotel and Buffalo Soldier Field on base.
Garrison's Landing is "in the direct view of this unfortunate proposal to scalp a 150-foot-wide swath through the forest, down that ridge to the Hudson River," said J. Jeffrey Anzevino, director of land use advocacy at Scenic Hudson. The landing was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

An Army report on the project maps a 2.5-mile right-of-way for two new lines that would each deliver 69 kilovolts (kV) of electricity. Of the existing 9.5 miles of lines, which run at 34.5 kV, some would be removed and others upgraded. In addition, three substations would be upgraded, a substation would be built next to one at Wilson Gate and a substation in Highland Falls would be decommissioned. A switching station would also be built. Neither West Point nor Orange & Rockland, the utility that would construct the lines and substation, responded to requests for comment.
In its report, the Army acknowledges that the project "will noticeably and substantially alter the Hudson Highlands landscape" and "diminish the integrity of setting, feeling and association" of West Point and Garrison's Landing, but says its plan is still the best option. Upgrading the existing lines to handle larger loads and projected increases to up to 138 kV without building new lines would cost an estimated $60 million more than the $113 million approved for the project. Burying the lines would also be too expensive, it said, and impact wetlands and streams.
Anzevino said conservation and preservation groups would like to know more about how the Army determined that other options, such as going underground, are not feasible. "The consensus is there's not an awful lot of detail in their rationale," said Edward Warren of the Hudson Highlands Land Trust. He cited research showing that while tunneling is more expensive, it reduces maintenance costs because the lines are protected from storm damage.
The groups also would like more information about why the upgrades are needed. Anzevino said that he was only told by West Point that it has "electrical issues" every summer.
"What is West Point doing to generate its own energy?" he said. "Renewables, battery storage?" He said the military told them the review doesn't have to consider that.
The project must undergo a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review, but because West Point is federal land, it will not be subject to state review. It's not clear if the public will be invited to weigh in, Anzevino said. "I don't believe West Point is going to allow the rank and file — the residents who are going to be viewing this — to be participating," he said.
Pointing to an Army rendering that shows trees disappearing along Fort Putnam Street in Highlands Falls, he said, "I doubt the people on that street even know this is happening."]]> Fri, 08 May 2026 10:05:20 -0400 A Stripe Through the Forest Conservation groups are raising concerns about a proposed power line that would cut a path through the forested mountain across from Garrison's Landing.
The U.S. Army wants to upgrade and construct...]]> Conservation groups are raising concerns about a proposed power line that would cut a path through the forested mountain across from Garrison's Landing.
The U.S. Army wants to upgrade and construct transmission lines and substations to increase power to West Point, which will alter the viewsheds of various registered historic districts, including Harriman State Park and the Thayer Hotel and Buffalo Soldier Field on base.
Garrison's Landing is "in the direct view of this unfortunate proposal to scalp a 150-foot-wide swath through the forest, down that ridge to the Hudson River," said J. Jeffrey Anzevino, director of land use advocacy at Scenic Hudson. The landing was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

An Army report on the project maps a 2.5-mile right-of-way for two new lines that would each deliver 69 kilovolts (kV) of electricity. Of the existing 9.5 miles of lines, which run at 34.5 kV, some would be removed and others upgraded. In addition, three substations would be upgraded, a substation would be built next to one at Wilson Gate and a substation in Highland Falls would be decommissioned. A switching station would also be built. Neither West Point nor Orange & Rockland, the utility that would construct the lines and substation, responded to requests for comment.
In its report, the Army acknowledges that the project "will noticeably and substantially alter the Hudson Highlands landscape" and "diminish the integrity of setting, feeling and association" of West Point and Garrison's Landing, but says its plan is still the best option. Upgrading the existing lines to handle larger loads and projected increases to up to 138 kV without building new lines would cost an estimated $60 million more than the $113 million approved for the project. Burying the lines would also be too expensive, it said, and impact wetlands and streams.
Anzevino said conservation and preservation groups would like to know more about how the Army determined that other options, such as going underground, are not feasible. "The consensus is there's not an awful lot of detail in their rationale," said Edward Warren of the Hudson Highlands Land Trust. He cited research showing that while tunneling is more expensive, it reduces maintenance costs because the lines are protected from storm damage.
The groups also would like more information about why the upgrades are needed. Anzevino said that he was only told by West Point that it has "electrical issues" every summer.
"What is West Point doing to generate its own energy?" he said. "Renewables, battery storage?" He said the military told them the review doesn't have to consider that.
The project must undergo a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review, but because West Point is federal land, it will not be subject to state review. It's not clear if the public will be invited to weigh in, Anzevino said. "I don't believe West Point is going to allow the rank and file — the residents who are going to be viewing this — to be participating," he said.
Pointing to an Army rendering that shows trees disappearing along Fort Putnam Street in Highlands Falls, he said, "I doubt the people on that street even know this is happening."]]> Brian PJ Cronin 03:31 false full 47 5867934 Sitting onstage and decked out in brownish historical garb, Chapin Fish wore one black Adidas sneaker with white stripes as a mutton-chopped storyteller, Jonathan Kruk, reeled off highlights from the new Desmond-Fish Public Library exhibit, Nicholas Fish: Choosing Liberty, in dramatic fashion.
On his other foot, Fish, a recent graduate of Fordham University with a degree in American studies, wore a white boot because of a foot injury. He otherwise hobbled around on crutches, adding a touch of irony to the proceedings, which celebrated his ancestor, who got "sick in camp" at the Battle of White Plains in 1776 and suffered a wound during the Battle of Monmouth.

Despite those setbacks, Nicholas Fish played a prominent role in the Continental Army's leadership, fighting alongside George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Benedict Arnold and the Marquis de Lafayette. Many other members of his family were Loyalists who remained faithful to the monarchy, says Anita Prentice, the library board chair, who wrote a 40-page biography that spearheaded the project. The exhibit began as a slow burn in 2019, when the library received a portrait of the war hero, now on display.
Nicholas Fish's saga stretches from a 1775 raid by the Sons of Liberty and a Columbia University militia on British guns in Manhattan to the Battle of Yorktown in 1781.
When the war formally ended in 1783, Fish rode with Washington to attend a banquet for Continental Army officers before they disbanded at Fraunces Tavern in Manhattan. Six years later, he again accompanied the general to Federal Hall on Wall Street, serving as an eyewitness to the first president's swearing-in.
In 1824, Nicholas reunited with an old pal, Lafayette, who was making a triumphant tour of the nation, including the Hudson Valley. (His visit to Beacon is commemorated by a blue-and-gold plaque at the waterfront.)
During the Revolutionary War, Nicholas visited Philipstown often but never established ties, says Prentice. He was a regular at the Beverly Robinson house, which served as Washington's headquarters (it was on Route 9D south of Route 403 but burned down in 1892), and often ferried to West Point.
After the war, Fish rattled around New York City (his birthplace), abandoned by his family and "struggling with PTSD, I'd imagine," says Prentice, a retired history teacher. "He fought for eight straight years with no time off, longer than Washington, because he had nowhere else to go."
Things turned out OK. Fish raised five children, including his eldest son, Hamilton, born in 1808, four years after his namesake died in a duel. Hamilton Fish made a lasting impression, serving as New York governor, a U.S. senator and secretary of state under President Ulysses S. Grant. The now-abandoned home at Glenclyffe, dating to the 1850s, became one of the family's three mansions and their local foothold.
The meat of the Desmond-Fish exhibit is 15 wall panels packed with information and punctuated by portraits, illustrations and paintings. Artifacts include Nicholas Fish's hefty bible and some of his silverware.
After the portrait donation, Prentice thought the library would need two or three panels to tell Fish's war story. "But he went wire to wire and participated in almost every major battle and incident, and his story is much more amazing than I ever could have imagined," she says.
The Desmond-Fish Public Library, at 472 Route 403 in Garrison, is open daily. See desmondfishlibrary.org. The exhibit continues through June 15. The library will host the Hearts of Oak Reenactors from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday (May 9).]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/08/the-original-fish/ Sitting onstage and decked out in brownish historical garb, Chapin Fish wore one black Adidas sneaker with white stripes as a mutton-chopped storyteller, Jonathan Kruk, reeled off highlights from the new Desmond-Fish Public Library exhibit, Nicholas Fish: Choosing Liberty, in dramatic fashion.
On his other foot, Fish, a recent graduate of Fordham University with a degree in American studies, wore a white boot because of a foot injury. He otherwise hobbled around on crutches, adding a touch of irony to the proceedings, which celebrated his ancestor, who got "sick in camp" at the Battle of White Plains in 1776 and suffered a wound during the Battle of Monmouth.

Despite those setbacks, Nicholas Fish played a prominent role in the Continental Army's leadership, fighting alongside George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Benedict Arnold and the Marquis de Lafayette. Many other members of his family were Loyalists who remained faithful to the monarchy, says Anita Prentice, the library board chair, who wrote a 40-page biography that spearheaded the project. The exhibit began as a slow burn in 2019, when the library received a portrait of the war hero, now on display.
Nicholas Fish's saga stretches from a 1775 raid by the Sons of Liberty and a Columbia University militia on British guns in Manhattan to the Battle of Yorktown in 1781.
When the war formally ended in 1783, Fish rode with Washington to attend a banquet for Continental Army officers before they disbanded at Fraunces Tavern in Manhattan. Six years later, he again accompanied the general to Federal Hall on Wall Street, serving as an eyewitness to the first president's swearing-in.
In 1824, Nicholas reunited with an old pal, Lafayette, who was making a triumphant tour of the nation, including the Hudson Valley. (His visit to Beacon is commemorated by a blue-and-gold plaque at the waterfront.)
During the Revolutionary War, Nicholas visited Philipstown often but never established ties, says Prentice. He was a regular at the Beverly Robinson house, which served as Washington's headquarters (it was on Route 9D south of Route 403 but burned down in 1892), and often ferried to West Point.
After the war, Fish rattled around New York City (his birthplace), abandoned by his family and "struggling with PTSD, I'd imagine," says Prentice, a retired history teacher. "He fought for eight straight years with no time off, longer than Washington, because he had nowhere else to go."
Things turned out OK. Fish raised five children, including his eldest son, Hamilton, born in 1808, four years after his namesake died in a duel. Hamilton Fish made a lasting impression, serving as New York governor, a U.S. senator and secretary of state under President Ulysses S. Grant. The now-abandoned home at Glenclyffe, dating to the 1850s, became one of the family's three mansions and their local foothold.
The meat of the Desmond-Fish exhibit is 15 wall panels packed with information and punctuated by portraits, illustrations and paintings. Artifacts include Nicholas Fish's hefty bible and some of his silverware.
After the portrait donation, Prentice thought the library would need two or three panels to tell Fish's war story. "But he went wire to wire and participated in almost every major battle and incident, and his story is much more amazing than I ever could have imagined," she says.
The Desmond-Fish Public Library, at 472 Route 403 in Garrison, is open daily. See desmondfishlibrary.org. The exhibit continues through June 15. The library will host the Hearts of Oak Reenactors from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday (May 9).]]> Fri, 08 May 2026 09:59:41 -0400 The Original Fish Sitting onstage and decked out in brownish historical garb, Chapin Fish wore one black Adidas sneaker with white stripes as a mutton-chopped storyteller, Jonathan Kruk, reeled off highlights from the n...]]> Sitting onstage and decked out in brownish historical garb, Chapin Fish wore one black Adidas sneaker with white stripes as a mutton-chopped storyteller, Jonathan Kruk, reeled off highlights from the new Desmond-Fish Public Library exhibit, Nicholas Fish: Choosing Liberty, in dramatic fashion.
On his other foot, Fish, a recent graduate of Fordham University with a degree in American studies, wore a white boot because of a foot injury. He otherwise hobbled around on crutches, adding a touch of irony to the proceedings, which celebrated his ancestor, who got "sick in camp" at the Battle of White Plains in 1776 and suffered a wound during the Battle of Monmouth.

Despite those setbacks, Nicholas Fish played a prominent role in the Continental Army's leadership, fighting alongside George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Benedict Arnold and the Marquis de Lafayette. Many other members of his family were Loyalists who remained faithful to the monarchy, says Anita Prentice, the library board chair, who wrote a 40-page biography that spearheaded the project. The exhibit began as a slow burn in 2019, when the library received a portrait of the war hero, now on display.
Nicholas Fish's saga stretches from a 1775 raid by the Sons of Liberty and a Columbia University militia on British guns in Manhattan to the Battle of Yorktown in 1781.
When the war formally ended in 1783, Fish rode with Washington to attend a banquet for Continental Army officers before they disbanded at Fraunces Tavern in Manhattan. Six years later, he again accompanied the general to Federal Hall on Wall Street, serving as an eyewitness to the first president's swearing-in.
In 1824, Nicholas reunited with an old pal, Lafayette, who was making a triumphant tour of the nation, including the Hudson Valley. (His visit to Beacon is commemorated by a blue-and-gold plaque at the waterfront.)
During the Revolutionary War, Nicholas visited Philipstown often but never established ties, says Prentice. He was a regular at the Beverly Robinson house, which served as Washington's headquarters (it was on Route 9D south of Route 403 but burned down in 1892), and often ferried to West Point.
After the war, Fish rattled around New York City (his birthplace), abandoned by his family and "struggling with PTSD, I'd imagine," says Prentice, a retired history teacher. "He fought for eight straight years with no time off, longer than Washington, because he had nowhere else to go."
Things turned out OK. Fish raised five children, including his eldest son, Hamilton, born in 1808, four years after his namesake died in a duel. Hamilton Fish made a lasting impression, serving as New York governor, a U.S. senator and secretary of state under President Ulysses S. Grant. The now-abandoned home at Glenclyffe, dating to the 1850s, became one of the family's three mansions and their local foothold.
The meat of the Desmond-Fish exhibit is 15 wall panels packed with information and punctuated by portraits, illustrations and paintings. Artifacts include Nicholas Fish's hefty bible and some of his silverware.
After the portrait donation, Prentice thought the library would need two or three panels to tell Fish's war story. "But he went wire to wire and participated in almost every major battle and incident, and his story is much more amazing than I ever could have imagined," she says.
The Desmond-Fish Public Library, at 472 Route 403 in Garrison, is open daily. See desmondfishlibrary.org. The exhibit continues through June 15. The library will host the Hearts of Oak Reenactors from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday (May 9).]]> Marc Ferris 04:05 false full 46 5867923 Beacon residents will be able to apply later this year to serve on a committee tasked with updating the city's comprehensive plan.
New York State recommends that municipalities update their plans — the blueprint for how a city will grow — every 10 years; Beacon's was last revised in 2017.
That document was drafted by a consulting firm with input from a committee of residents and city officials. Public workshops were held in the fall of 2016.
There has been a general shift from doing "everything and the kitchen sink" rewrites of comprehensive plans to focusing on priorities, planning consultant Natalie Quinn told the City Council on Monday (May 4).
The 2017 update focused on the waterfront and Metro-North train station area. Council members should begin thinking about important areas, because the 2027 plan will guide future councils as they enact zoning laws, said City Attorney Jennifer Gray. Topics mentioned Monday included non-vehicular transportation, smaller housing units as an affordability tool, climate adaptation and protected scenic views.
Council Member Lastar Gorton disagreed with the approach, saying she would prefer a review of the entire plan. "Beacon is completely different now" than in 2017, she said. "Let the community have its say."
Historic properties
A public hearing on properties nominated for Beacon's historic district, scheduled to continue on May 18, will likely be adjourned to June 1.
In the meantime, the city is creating an FAQ to explain the program. Many residents who spoke during the first part of the hearing last month seemed uncertain about the details.
Properties added to the district will be required to obtain approval from the Planning Board before making alterations to certain historic features, but there are tax and assessment benefits that come with the designation, Mayor Lee Kyriacou said.
Parking requirements
It's too soon to say whether Beacon's new parking requirements for developments will affect the number of apartments being built in the city.
In August 2024, the City Council eliminated minimum parking requirements for new developments and substantial reconstructions in "core" walkable areas, such as Main Street and parts of the waterfront. Instead, there is now a maximum number of spaces developers may provide.
Studies have concluded that minimum parking requirements added to the cost of new housing and hindered the development of affordable units.
A report by the Planning Board looked at 10 projects approved by the end of last year. In that time, four applicants provided the same parking as would have previously been required, three provided one to three fewer spaces, and two provided as many as 40 fewer spaces.
In several cases, the report said, applicants voluntarily provided on-site parking because of design considerations and anticipated demand. But developments on Main Street provided fewer spaces. The Planning Board said it's too soon to know how reduced supply will impact demand for on-street spaces, because the developments have not been built.
Moving forward, the board said it will monitor applications that provide no parking but rely on municipal lots, to avoid over-allocating or "double-counting." In addition, overuse of city lots could be an issue during snowstorms.
As for the new parking regulations and the density of development, "unit counts" are affected by factors other than parking, Quinn told the council. Future data will provide more clarity, she said.
Council Member Carolyn Bennett Glauda remarked: "If we want to encourage people to come here and not have cars, we need to talk about our bike comprehensive plan, and we need to talk about public transportation as viable options."
Meeting schedule
The City Council seems ready to continue meeting on the first and third Monday of each month, instead of weekly, as it had done for decades.
The shift to every other week (except during months with five Mondays) has allowed ...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/08/beacon-preps-for-comp-plan/ Beacon residents will be able to apply later this year to serve on a committee tasked with updating the city's comprehensive plan.
New York State recommends that municipalities update their plans — the blueprint for how a city will grow — every 10 years; Beacon's was last revised in 2017.
That document was drafted by a consulting firm with input from a committee of residents and city officials. Public workshops were held in the fall of 2016.
There has been a general shift from doing "everything and the kitchen sink" rewrites of comprehensive plans to focusing on priorities, planning consultant Natalie Quinn told the City Council on Monday (May 4).
The 2017 update focused on the waterfront and Metro-North train station area. Council members should begin thinking about important areas, because the 2027 plan will guide future councils as they enact zoning laws, said City Attorney Jennifer Gray. Topics mentioned Monday included non-vehicular transportation, smaller housing units as an affordability tool, climate adaptation and protected scenic views.
Council Member Lastar Gorton disagreed with the approach, saying she would prefer a review of the entire plan. "Beacon is completely different now" than in 2017, she said. "Let the community have its say."
Historic properties
A public hearing on properties nominated for Beacon's historic district, scheduled to continue on May 18, will likely be adjourned to June 1.
In the meantime, the city is creating an FAQ to explain the program. Many residents who spoke during the first part of the hearing last month seemed uncertain about the details.
Properties added to the district will be required to obtain approval from the Planning Board before making alterations to certain historic features, but there are tax and assessment benefits that come with the designation, Mayor Lee Kyriacou said.
Parking requirements
It's too soon to say whether Beacon's new parking requirements for developments will affect the number of apartments being built in the city.
In August 2024, the City Council eliminated minimum parking requirements for new developments and substantial reconstructions in "core" walkable areas, such as Main Street and parts of the waterfront. Instead, there is now a maximum number of spaces developers may provide.
Studies have concluded that minimum parking requirements added to the cost of new housing and hindered the development of affordable units.
A report by the Planning Board looked at 10 projects approved by the end of last year. In that time, four applicants provided the same parking as would have previously been required, three provided one to three fewer spaces, and two provided as many as 40 fewer spaces.
In several cases, the report said, applicants voluntarily provided on-site parking because of design considerations and anticipated demand. But developments on Main Street provided fewer spaces. The Planning Board said it's too soon to know how reduced supply will impact demand for on-street spaces, because the developments have not been built.
Moving forward, the board said it will monitor applications that provide no parking but rely on municipal lots, to avoid over-allocating or "double-counting." In addition, overuse of city lots could be an issue during snowstorms.
As for the new parking regulations and the density of development, "unit counts" are affected by factors other than parking, Quinn told the council. Future data will provide more clarity, she said.
Council Member Carolyn Bennett Glauda remarked: "If we want to encourage people to come here and not have cars, we need to talk about our bike comprehensive plan, and we need to talk about public transportation as viable options."
Meeting schedule
The City Council seems ready to continue meeting on the first and third Monday of each month, instead of weekly, as it had done for decades.
The shift to every other week (except during months with five Mondays) has allowed ...]]> Fri, 08 May 2026 09:47:39 -0400 Beacon Preps for Comp Plan Beacon residents will be able to apply later this year to serve on a committee tasked with updating the city's comprehensive plan.
New York State recommends that municipalities update their plans — the blue...]]> Beacon residents will be able to apply later this year to serve on a committee tasked with updating the city's comprehensive plan.
New York State recommends that municipalities update their plans — the blueprint for how a city will grow — every 10 years; Beacon's was last revised in 2017.
That document was drafted by a consulting firm with input from a committee of residents and city officials. Public workshops were held in the fall of 2016.
There has been a general shift from doing "everything and the kitchen sink" rewrites of comprehensive plans to focusing on priorities, planning consultant Natalie Quinn told the City Council on Monday (May 4).
The 2017 update focused on the waterfront and Metro-North train station area. Council members should begin thinking about important areas, because the 2027 plan will guide future councils as they enact zoning laws, said City Attorney Jennifer Gray. Topics mentioned Monday included non-vehicular transportation, smaller housing units as an affordability tool, climate adaptation and protected scenic views.
Council Member Lastar Gorton disagreed with the approach, saying she would prefer a review of the entire plan. "Beacon is completely different now" than in 2017, she said. "Let the community have its say."
Historic properties
A public hearing on properties nominated for Beacon's historic district, scheduled to continue on May 18, will likely be adjourned to June 1.
In the meantime, the city is creating an FAQ to explain the program. Many residents who spoke during the first part of the hearing last month seemed uncertain about the details.
Properties added to the district will be required to obtain approval from the Planning Board before making alterations to certain historic features, but there are tax and assessment benefits that come with the designation, Mayor Lee Kyriacou said.
Parking requirements
It's too soon to say whether Beacon's new parking requirements for developments will affect the number of apartments being built in the city.
In August 2024, the City Council eliminated minimum parking requirements for new developments and substantial reconstructions in "core" walkable areas, such as Main Street and parts of the waterfront. Instead, there is now a maximum number of spaces developers may provide.
Studies have concluded that minimum parking requirements added to the cost of new housing and hindered the development of affordable units.
A report by the Planning Board looked at 10 projects approved by the end of last year. In that time, four applicants provided the same parking as would have previously been required, three provided one to three fewer spaces, and two provided as many as 40 fewer spaces.
In several cases, the report said, applicants voluntarily provided on-site parking because of design considerations and anticipated demand. But developments on Main Street provided fewer spaces. The Planning Board said it's too soon to know how reduced supply will impact demand for on-street spaces, because the developments have not been built.
Moving forward, the board said it will monitor applications that provide no parking but rely on municipal lots, to avoid over-allocating or "double-counting." In addition, overuse of city lots could be an issue during snowstorms.
As for the new parking regulations and the density of development, "unit counts" are affected by factors other than parking, Quinn told the council. Future data will provide more clarity, she said.
Council Member Carolyn Bennett Glauda remarked: "If we want to encourage people to come here and not have cars, we need to talk about our bike comprehensive plan, and we need to talk about public transportation as viable options."
Meeting schedule
The City Council seems ready to continue meeting on the first and third Monday of each month, instead of weekly, as it had done for decades.
The shift to every other week (except during months with five Mondays) has allowed ...]]> Jeff Simms 04:34 false full 45 5867949 According to the authorities, the definition of an art book (aka artist's book) is serious stuff.
For Printed Matter, a nonprofit bookstore in Manhattan, they are "publications conceived as artworks in their own right." The Center for Book Arts calls them "artistic practices related to the book itself as an art object."

Of the 28 vendors exhibiting at the Art Book Fair at the VFW Hall in Beacon on May 16, 13 live in the city or nearby. This is the second iteration of what the Beacon Photo Club intends to be an annual event, according to Emma McDonald Diamond, who founded the group.
Broadly, the genre ranges from black-and-white zines to uber-elaborate permutations that make a paperback look like a cave painting.
"What binds them is that they're self-published," says Chiara Di Lello, co-founder of the collective Little Histories, which will be there.
One creator is Jennifer Lauren Smith, who will share her Weeping European Beech Baby Sleep Tonic. Her website reveals precise details about the binding, paper, color plates and cover, which is giclee on Hahnemühle Photo Rag. All 15 editions were printed, engraved and bound in Beacon.
The reception is positive: Reed College will acquire an edition for its art collection (Smith is an alum), and another will be displayed at the Griffin Museum of Photography in Massachusetts beginning June 12.

Smith just completed a month-long Interlude Artist residency in Hudson and is in the second year of The Photobook, a long-term residency program with the Penumbra Foundation.
"The books are so laborious and precious, I'm almost embarrassed," she says. "But that's why they're expensive [$200 each]. I work in sculpture, so I'm a craftsperson, and I take the materials seriously."
Little Histories will present zines with themes, such as using Wordle guesses to create the text. There's also one based on crosswords, says Di Lello, who previously created a formal art book exhibited at a Brooklyn show.

The members of Little Histories, including co-founder Chelsea Mize, write personalized poems on the spot with a typewriter, hammering away at a piece of gray paper. "We talk with the person — I call it 'intake' — and figure out where their head is at, and if it's intended for them or someone else," says Di Lello. "They come back later and pick it up. They're not hovering over us."
Andrea Moed, a ceramicist, is bringing zines along with hand-drawn comics. The cover of no costume depicts the view from her front door, including the porch, power lines, a pickup truck and her neighbors' houses. Her plans include Street Furniture of Beacon, New York, which will feature "a lot of weird stuff beyond the dummy light" in Beacon, she says. "At the foot of Mount Beacon, near the bus stop, there's some mutant, non-functioning contraption with four prongs."

Moed also is a paper engineer (think pop-up books) using the digital Cricut machine at the Desmond-Fish Public library in Garrison to create little lamps.
Scrawled on the walls of her studio are instructions for improving panels of her comic Monoculture, along with affirmations like "Less Think More Draw!!!" sketched out in colorful bubble letters.
"Many people are tired of being online, and the pendulum is swinging back to tangible interests and hobbies," says McDonald Diamond. "CDs, vinyl records, cassettes and shooting photos with film are making a comeback, and this event reflects all that."
The VFW Hall is located at 413 Main St. in Beacon. The Art Book Fair is scheduled for May 16 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free and open to all ages. See beaconphotoclub.com/2026-beacon-art-book-fair.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/08/folds-string-and-staples/ According to the authorities, the definition of an art book (aka artist's book) is serious stuff.
For Printed Matter, a nonprofit bookstore in Manhattan, they are "publications conceived as artworks in their own right." The Center for Book Arts calls them "artistic practices related to the book itself as an art object."

Of the 28 vendors exhibiting at the Art Book Fair at the VFW Hall in Beacon on May 16, 13 live in the city or nearby. This is the second iteration of what the Beacon Photo Club intends to be an annual event, according to Emma McDonald Diamond, who founded the group.
Broadly, the genre ranges from black-and-white zines to uber-elaborate permutations that make a paperback look like a cave painting.
"What binds them is that they're self-published," says Chiara Di Lello, co-founder of the collective Little Histories, which will be there.
One creator is Jennifer Lauren Smith, who will share her Weeping European Beech Baby Sleep Tonic. Her website reveals precise details about the binding, paper, color plates and cover, which is giclee on Hahnemühle Photo Rag. All 15 editions were printed, engraved and bound in Beacon.
The reception is positive: Reed College will acquire an edition for its art collection (Smith is an alum), and another will be displayed at the Griffin Museum of Photography in Massachusetts beginning June 12.

Smith just completed a month-long Interlude Artist residency in Hudson and is in the second year of The Photobook, a long-term residency program with the Penumbra Foundation.
"The books are so laborious and precious, I'm almost embarrassed," she says. "But that's why they're expensive [$200 each]. I work in sculpture, so I'm a craftsperson, and I take the materials seriously."
Little Histories will present zines with themes, such as using Wordle guesses to create the text. There's also one based on crosswords, says Di Lello, who previously created a formal art book exhibited at a Brooklyn show.

The members of Little Histories, including co-founder Chelsea Mize, write personalized poems on the spot with a typewriter, hammering away at a piece of gray paper. "We talk with the person — I call it 'intake' — and figure out where their head is at, and if it's intended for them or someone else," says Di Lello. "They come back later and pick it up. They're not hovering over us."
Andrea Moed, a ceramicist, is bringing zines along with hand-drawn comics. The cover of no costume depicts the view from her front door, including the porch, power lines, a pickup truck and her neighbors' houses. Her plans include Street Furniture of Beacon, New York, which will feature "a lot of weird stuff beyond the dummy light" in Beacon, she says. "At the foot of Mount Beacon, near the bus stop, there's some mutant, non-functioning contraption with four prongs."

Moed also is a paper engineer (think pop-up books) using the digital Cricut machine at the Desmond-Fish Public library in Garrison to create little lamps.
Scrawled on the walls of her studio are instructions for improving panels of her comic Monoculture, along with affirmations like "Less Think More Draw!!!" sketched out in colorful bubble letters.
"Many people are tired of being online, and the pendulum is swinging back to tangible interests and hobbies," says McDonald Diamond. "CDs, vinyl records, cassettes and shooting photos with film are making a comeback, and this event reflects all that."
The VFW Hall is located at 413 Main St. in Beacon. The Art Book Fair is scheduled for May 16 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free and open to all ages. See beaconphotoclub.com/2026-beacon-art-book-fair.]]> Fri, 08 May 2026 09:47:09 -0400 Folds, String and Staples According to the authorities, the definition of an art book (aka artist's book) is serious stuff.
For Printed Matter, a nonprofit bookstore in Manhattan, they are "publications conceived as artworks in th...]]> According to the authorities, the definition of an art book (aka artist's book) is serious stuff.
For Printed Matter, a nonprofit bookstore in Manhattan, they are "publications conceived as artworks in their own right." The Center for Book Arts calls them "artistic practices related to the book itself as an art object."

Of the 28 vendors exhibiting at the Art Book Fair at the VFW Hall in Beacon on May 16, 13 live in the city or nearby. This is the second iteration of what the Beacon Photo Club intends to be an annual event, according to Emma McDonald Diamond, who founded the group.
Broadly, the genre ranges from black-and-white zines to uber-elaborate permutations that make a paperback look like a cave painting.
"What binds them is that they're self-published," says Chiara Di Lello, co-founder of the collective Little Histories, which will be there.
One creator is Jennifer Lauren Smith, who will share her Weeping European Beech Baby Sleep Tonic. Her website reveals precise details about the binding, paper, color plates and cover, which is giclee on Hahnemühle Photo Rag. All 15 editions were printed, engraved and bound in Beacon.
The reception is positive: Reed College will acquire an edition for its art collection (Smith is an alum), and another will be displayed at the Griffin Museum of Photography in Massachusetts beginning June 12.

Smith just completed a month-long Interlude Artist residency in Hudson and is in the second year of The Photobook, a long-term residency program with the Penumbra Foundation.
"The books are so laborious and precious, I'm almost embarrassed," she says. "But that's why they're expensive [$200 each]. I work in sculpture, so I'm a craftsperson, and I take the materials seriously."
Little Histories will present zines with themes, such as using Wordle guesses to create the text. There's also one based on crosswords, says Di Lello, who previously created a formal art book exhibited at a Brooklyn show.

The members of Little Histories, including co-founder Chelsea Mize, write personalized poems on the spot with a typewriter, hammering away at a piece of gray paper. "We talk with the person — I call it 'intake' — and figure out where their head is at, and if it's intended for them or someone else," says Di Lello. "They come back later and pick it up. They're not hovering over us."
Andrea Moed, a ceramicist, is bringing zines along with hand-drawn comics. The cover of no costume depicts the view from her front door, including the porch, power lines, a pickup truck and her neighbors' houses. Her plans include Street Furniture of Beacon, New York, which will feature "a lot of weird stuff beyond the dummy light" in Beacon, she says. "At the foot of Mount Beacon, near the bus stop, there's some mutant, non-functioning contraption with four prongs."

Moed also is a paper engineer (think pop-up books) using the digital Cricut machine at the Desmond-Fish Public library in Garrison to create little lamps.
Scrawled on the walls of her studio are instructions for improving panels of her comic Monoculture, along with affirmations like "Less Think More Draw!!!" sketched out in colorful bubble letters.
"Many people are tired of being online, and the pendulum is swinging back to tangible interests and hobbies," says McDonald Diamond. "CDs, vinyl records, cassettes and shooting photos with film are making a comeback, and this event reflects all that."
The VFW Hall is located at 413 Main St. in Beacon. The Art Book Fair is scheduled for May 16 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free and open to all ages. See beaconphotoclub.com/2026-beacon-art-book-fair.]]> Marc Ferris 04:06 false full 44 5867945 Robert Freimark is best known for two things: his complicated jazz piano compositions and his hair, which is so long and straight that it serves as curtains over his face when he plays. The look resembles that of Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman.
"Someone told me that recently, but I had no idea who he is," says Freimark, 18, a 2025 Haldane High School graduate who is studying music at William Patterson University in New Jersey. "It makes me more recognizable."
On Saturday (May 9), Freimark will perform in Cold Spring as part of the Music at St. Mary's series with his quartet: Carter Stein on saxophone, Maria Kolesnik on drums and Gabriel Balado on bass (stepping in for Marcelo Díaz).

Earlier this year, Freimark won a Young-Arts National Competition Award in jazz, one of 741 musicians selected from some 13,000 applicants. His goal is to make a living as a professional musician.
He started playing piano at age 7, taking lessons in classical repertoire, but shifted to jazz when his teacher, Jesse Stecken at Forte Piano Studio in Beacon, encouraged him to improvise. A turning point, Freimark says, is when he nailed a solo arrangement of "Rhapsody in Blue" during his sophomore year at Haldane.
Conversant with standard and more obscure repertoire, his style is subtle but sophisticated. His goal is to reel off any of hundreds of instrumental jams on the fly.
"That's what being a jazz musician is, and I'm going through acute ear identification training," he says. "Another skill is listening and being able to identify chord changes on the spot, even if you don't know the song — 'ear-balling it,' as some people say."
Freimark arranged a version of "My Favorite Things," adapting John Coltrane's sax rendition for piano, changing the time signature and delivering a straightforward groove. He can replicate and build on the style of odd-bird Thelonius Monk, whose wobbly, off-kilter phrasing shook up jazz in the 1950s and '60s.
"Just You Wait," an original Freimark composition, which sounds like it's dredged from the classic Monk era, opens with a bebop-influenced passage in which the bass, played by Stecken on keyboard in a video shot at the Howland Cultural Center, doubles the piano's left hand through a few bars of Freimark's solo, then shifts into swinging, walking phrases to provide a launch pad for the pianist to modulate the timing and make other low-key modifications.
"A bunch of notes came to me so fast; I figured I should write them down immediately," Freimark says. "From that draft, not much has changed. There are abstractions, but it still feels grounded."
Reflecting the influence of his mother, Sandy McKelvey, a guitarist who is passionate about the music of Central and South America, Freimark also explores Latin Jazz, executing his feathery touch to "Soñando con Puerto Rico."
On Saturday, he and his bandmates will perform an extended version of "Just You Wait," along with a mix of "songbook standards and compositions that are important to jazz musicians," he says.
Though he began playing at a young age, Freimark never considered himself a prodigy. "There were always kids half my age who could play more difficult music," he says. "I'm just trying to do my own thing."
St. Mary's Church is located at 1 Chestnut St. in Cold Spring. The concert, which begins at 2 p.m., is free, but donations for Music at St. Mary's are welcome.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/08/at-18-pianist-has-a-plan-jazz/ Robert Freimark is best known for two things: his complicated jazz piano compositions and his hair, which is so long and straight that it serves as curtains over his face when he plays. The look resembles that of Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman.
"Someone told me that recently, but I had no idea who he is," says Freimark, 18, a 2025 Haldane High School graduate who is studying music at William Patterson University in New Jersey. "It makes me more recognizable."
On Saturday (May 9), Freimark will perform in Cold Spring as part of the Music at St. Mary's series with his quartet: Carter Stein on saxophone, Maria Kolesnik on drums and Gabriel Balado on bass (stepping in for Marcelo Díaz).

Earlier this year, Freimark won a Young-Arts National Competition Award in jazz, one of 741 musicians selected from some 13,000 applicants. His goal is to make a living as a professional musician.
He started playing piano at age 7, taking lessons in classical repertoire, but shifted to jazz when his teacher, Jesse Stecken at Forte Piano Studio in Beacon, encouraged him to improvise. A turning point, Freimark says, is when he nailed a solo arrangement of "Rhapsody in Blue" during his sophomore year at Haldane.
Conversant with standard and more obscure repertoire, his style is subtle but sophisticated. His goal is to reel off any of hundreds of instrumental jams on the fly.
"That's what being a jazz musician is, and I'm going through acute ear identification training," he says. "Another skill is listening and being able to identify chord changes on the spot, even if you don't know the song — 'ear-balling it,' as some people say."
Freimark arranged a version of "My Favorite Things," adapting John Coltrane's sax rendition for piano, changing the time signature and delivering a straightforward groove. He can replicate and build on the style of odd-bird Thelonius Monk, whose wobbly, off-kilter phrasing shook up jazz in the 1950s and '60s.
"Just You Wait," an original Freimark composition, which sounds like it's dredged from the classic Monk era, opens with a bebop-influenced passage in which the bass, played by Stecken on keyboard in a video shot at the Howland Cultural Center, doubles the piano's left hand through a few bars of Freimark's solo, then shifts into swinging, walking phrases to provide a launch pad for the pianist to modulate the timing and make other low-key modifications.
"A bunch of notes came to me so fast; I figured I should write them down immediately," Freimark says. "From that draft, not much has changed. There are abstractions, but it still feels grounded."
Reflecting the influence of his mother, Sandy McKelvey, a guitarist who is passionate about the music of Central and South America, Freimark also explores Latin Jazz, executing his feathery touch to "Soñando con Puerto Rico."
On Saturday, he and his bandmates will perform an extended version of "Just You Wait," along with a mix of "songbook standards and compositions that are important to jazz musicians," he says.
Though he began playing at a young age, Freimark never considered himself a prodigy. "There were always kids half my age who could play more difficult music," he says. "I'm just trying to do my own thing."
St. Mary's Church is located at 1 Chestnut St. in Cold Spring. The concert, which begins at 2 p.m., is free, but donations for Music at St. Mary's are welcome.]]> Fri, 08 May 2026 09:42:14 -0400 At 18, Pianist Has a Plan: Jazz Robert Freimark is best known for two things: his complicated jazz piano compositions and his hair, which is so long and straight that it serves as curtains over his face when he plays. The look resembles...]]> Robert Freimark is best known for two things: his complicated jazz piano compositions and his hair, which is so long and straight that it serves as curtains over his face when he plays. The look resembles that of Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman.
"Someone told me that recently, but I had no idea who he is," says Freimark, 18, a 2025 Haldane High School graduate who is studying music at William Patterson University in New Jersey. "It makes me more recognizable."
On Saturday (May 9), Freimark will perform in Cold Spring as part of the Music at St. Mary's series with his quartet: Carter Stein on saxophone, Maria Kolesnik on drums and Gabriel Balado on bass (stepping in for Marcelo Díaz).

Earlier this year, Freimark won a Young-Arts National Competition Award in jazz, one of 741 musicians selected from some 13,000 applicants. His goal is to make a living as a professional musician.
He started playing piano at age 7, taking lessons in classical repertoire, but shifted to jazz when his teacher, Jesse Stecken at Forte Piano Studio in Beacon, encouraged him to improvise. A turning point, Freimark says, is when he nailed a solo arrangement of "Rhapsody in Blue" during his sophomore year at Haldane.
Conversant with standard and more obscure repertoire, his style is subtle but sophisticated. His goal is to reel off any of hundreds of instrumental jams on the fly.
"That's what being a jazz musician is, and I'm going through acute ear identification training," he says. "Another skill is listening and being able to identify chord changes on the spot, even if you don't know the song — 'ear-balling it,' as some people say."
Freimark arranged a version of "My Favorite Things," adapting John Coltrane's sax rendition for piano, changing the time signature and delivering a straightforward groove. He can replicate and build on the style of odd-bird Thelonius Monk, whose wobbly, off-kilter phrasing shook up jazz in the 1950s and '60s.
"Just You Wait," an original Freimark composition, which sounds like it's dredged from the classic Monk era, opens with a bebop-influenced passage in which the bass, played by Stecken on keyboard in a video shot at the Howland Cultural Center, doubles the piano's left hand through a few bars of Freimark's solo, then shifts into swinging, walking phrases to provide a launch pad for the pianist to modulate the timing and make other low-key modifications.
"A bunch of notes came to me so fast; I figured I should write them down immediately," Freimark says. "From that draft, not much has changed. There are abstractions, but it still feels grounded."
Reflecting the influence of his mother, Sandy McKelvey, a guitarist who is passionate about the music of Central and South America, Freimark also explores Latin Jazz, executing his feathery touch to "Soñando con Puerto Rico."
On Saturday, he and his bandmates will perform an extended version of "Just You Wait," along with a mix of "songbook standards and compositions that are important to jazz musicians," he says.
Though he began playing at a young age, Freimark never considered himself a prodigy. "There were always kids half my age who could play more difficult music," he says. "I'm just trying to do my own thing."
St. Mary's Church is located at 1 Chestnut St. in Cold Spring. The concert, which begins at 2 p.m., is free, but donations for Music at St. Mary's are welcome.]]> Marc Ferris 03:47 false full 43 5867394 A cannabis dispensary opened in Cold Spring on Friday (May 1), nearly five years after village residents voted to allow retailers and as the state considers an application for a second shop at the Butterfield complex.
Mogu opened in a small space at 137 Main St., where it sells cannabis flower grown at its farm in Warwick, pre-rolls, edibles such as gummies, disposable vapes and accessories such as grinders, lighters and rolling papers. Adults 21 and older can book five-minute appointments online or order pre-rolls and flowers for pickup. The products have names such as Bob Hope, Chubby Bunny, Jelly Donutz and Purple Runtz.
The shop operates under a "microbusiness" license awarded by the state Office of Cannabis Management in November 2024 to Pleasant View Harvest LLC, based in Brewster. A microbusiness is allowed to operate a retail shop but can only sell cannabis that it grows and processes. According to its website, the dispensary is open from 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, and from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
"Hopefully, we get a good name and reputation with the folks in the village and people who live in the nearby area," said the store's manager, Greg, who declined to provide his last name because cannabis is still banned by the federal government, and he said some people associated with marijuana businesses have reported having credit cards canceled.
According to Cold Spring officials, the Office of Cannabis Management is also considering an application for a dispensary at 10 Julia Lane, adjacent to the U.S. Post Office. The village was notified in December of the application by NYC Sour Apple, doing business as Cannabis Realm of New York.

The Office of Cannabis Management also awarded a processor license in 2024 to Two Puffs and Pass LLC, a company registered at an address in Philipstown. Processors extract concentrated cannabis and its compounds and blend, infuse and manufacture them for resale.
New York legalized recreational marijuana in March 2021. Under state law, villages, towns and cities could "opt out" of allowing sales and/or on-site consumption. Cold Spring sent the issue to the ballot, and residents voted to allow retail but not on-site consumption. The Philipstown and Nelsonville boards voted to opt out of both, though they can opt in at any time with a second vote.
The Beacon City Council took no action, allowing sales and on-site consumption. Today, three dispensaries operate in the city: LotusWorks Wellness, at 261 Main St., and Hudson Valley Jane, at 544 Main St., are microbusinesses, while The Station Beacon, at 463 Main St., can sell cannabis but not cultivate it.
New York has 647 licensed dispensaries selling recreational marijuana. In April, the state announced that sales had exceeded $3.1 billion, including more than $400 million in 2026.
Sales are taxed at 13 percent — 9 percent goes to New York State, and 4 percent is shared by the county and municipalities where the store is located. (The split on the latter is 75 percent to the city, village or town and 25 percent to the county.) Beacon estimates it will receive $15,000 this year from its three dispensaries, compared to $13,600 in 2025.
Despite earning the state billions of dollars in revenues, more than two-thirds of the cannabis businesses surveyed by the Office of Cannabis Management in September 2025 were concerned or very concerned about taxes, out-of-state products infiltrating New York's market, the illegal sales of marijuana, the concentration of proximate businesses and state regulations.
Less than half of businesses overall reported being profitable, with variations among retailers (58 percent), growers (46 percent) and microbusinesses (20 percent). Revenue among retailers open at least a year averaged $2.9 million, ranging from $1.2 million to $5.5 million.
To boost profits, half the businesses surveyed said they were switching suppliers, cutting advertising and marketing...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/04/cannabis-store-opens-in-cold-spring/ A cannabis dispensary opened in Cold Spring on Friday (May 1), nearly five years after village residents voted to allow retailers and as the state considers an application for a second shop at the Butterfield complex.
Mogu opened in a small space at 137 Main St., where it sells cannabis flower grown at its farm in Warwick, pre-rolls, edibles such as gummies, disposable vapes and accessories such as grinders, lighters and rolling papers. Adults 21 and older can book five-minute appointments online or order pre-rolls and flowers for pickup. The products have names such as Bob Hope, Chubby Bunny, Jelly Donutz and Purple Runtz.
The shop operates under a "microbusiness" license awarded by the state Office of Cannabis Management in November 2024 to Pleasant View Harvest LLC, based in Brewster. A microbusiness is allowed to operate a retail shop but can only sell cannabis that it grows and processes. According to its website, the dispensary is open from 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, and from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
"Hopefully, we get a good name and reputation with the folks in the village and people who live in the nearby area," said the store's manager, Greg, who declined to provide his last name because cannabis is still banned by the federal government, and he said some people associated with marijuana businesses have reported having credit cards canceled.
According to Cold Spring officials, the Office of Cannabis Management is also considering an application for a dispensary at 10 Julia Lane, adjacent to the U.S. Post Office. The village was notified in December of the application by NYC Sour Apple, doing business as Cannabis Realm of New York.

The Office of Cannabis Management also awarded a processor license in 2024 to Two Puffs and Pass LLC, a company registered at an address in Philipstown. Processors extract concentrated cannabis and its compounds and blend, infuse and manufacture them for resale.
New York legalized recreational marijuana in March 2021. Under state law, villages, towns and cities could "opt out" of allowing sales and/or on-site consumption. Cold Spring sent the issue to the ballot, and residents voted to allow retail but not on-site consumption. The Philipstown and Nelsonville boards voted to opt out of both, though they can opt in at any time with a second vote.
The Beacon City Council took no action, allowing sales and on-site consumption. Today, three dispensaries operate in the city: LotusWorks Wellness, at 261 Main St., and Hudson Valley Jane, at 544 Main St., are microbusinesses, while The Station Beacon, at 463 Main St., can sell cannabis but not cultivate it.
New York has 647 licensed dispensaries selling recreational marijuana. In April, the state announced that sales had exceeded $3.1 billion, including more than $400 million in 2026.
Sales are taxed at 13 percent — 9 percent goes to New York State, and 4 percent is shared by the county and municipalities where the store is located. (The split on the latter is 75 percent to the city, village or town and 25 percent to the county.) Beacon estimates it will receive $15,000 this year from its three dispensaries, compared to $13,600 in 2025.
Despite earning the state billions of dollars in revenues, more than two-thirds of the cannabis businesses surveyed by the Office of Cannabis Management in September 2025 were concerned or very concerned about taxes, out-of-state products infiltrating New York's market, the illegal sales of marijuana, the concentration of proximate businesses and state regulations.
Less than half of businesses overall reported being profitable, with variations among retailers (58 percent), growers (46 percent) and microbusinesses (20 percent). Revenue among retailers open at least a year averaged $2.9 million, ranging from $1.2 million to $5.5 million.
To boost profits, half the businesses surveyed said they were switching suppliers, cutting advertising and marketing...]]> Mon, 04 May 2026 17:00:28 -0400 Cannabis Store Opens in Cold Spring A cannabis dispensary opened in Cold Spring on Friday (May 1), nearly five years after village residents voted to allow retailers and as the state considers an application for a second shop at the Butterfield...]]> A cannabis dispensary opened in Cold Spring on Friday (May 1), nearly five years after village residents voted to allow retailers and as the state considers an application for a second shop at the Butterfield complex.
Mogu opened in a small space at 137 Main St., where it sells cannabis flower grown at its farm in Warwick, pre-rolls, edibles such as gummies, disposable vapes and accessories such as grinders, lighters and rolling papers. Adults 21 and older can book five-minute appointments online or order pre-rolls and flowers for pickup. The products have names such as Bob Hope, Chubby Bunny, Jelly Donutz and Purple Runtz.
The shop operates under a "microbusiness" license awarded by the state Office of Cannabis Management in November 2024 to Pleasant View Harvest LLC, based in Brewster. A microbusiness is allowed to operate a retail shop but can only sell cannabis that it grows and processes. According to its website, the dispensary is open from 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, and from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
"Hopefully, we get a good name and reputation with the folks in the village and people who live in the nearby area," said the store's manager, Greg, who declined to provide his last name because cannabis is still banned by the federal government, and he said some people associated with marijuana businesses have reported having credit cards canceled.
According to Cold Spring officials, the Office of Cannabis Management is also considering an application for a dispensary at 10 Julia Lane, adjacent to the U.S. Post Office. The village was notified in December of the application by NYC Sour Apple, doing business as Cannabis Realm of New York.

The Office of Cannabis Management also awarded a processor license in 2024 to Two Puffs and Pass LLC, a company registered at an address in Philipstown. Processors extract concentrated cannabis and its compounds and blend, infuse and manufacture them for resale.
New York legalized recreational marijuana in March 2021. Under state law, villages, towns and cities could "opt out" of allowing sales and/or on-site consumption. Cold Spring sent the issue to the ballot, and residents voted to allow retail but not on-site consumption. The Philipstown and Nelsonville boards voted to opt out of both, though they can opt in at any time with a second vote.
The Beacon City Council took no action, allowing sales and on-site consumption. Today, three dispensaries operate in the city: LotusWorks Wellness, at 261 Main St., and Hudson Valley Jane, at 544 Main St., are microbusinesses, while The Station Beacon, at 463 Main St., can sell cannabis but not cultivate it.
New York has 647 licensed dispensaries selling recreational marijuana. In April, the state announced that sales had exceeded $3.1 billion, including more than $400 million in 2026.
Sales are taxed at 13 percent — 9 percent goes to New York State, and 4 percent is shared by the county and municipalities where the store is located. (The split on the latter is 75 percent to the city, village or town and 25 percent to the county.) Beacon estimates it will receive $15,000 this year from its three dispensaries, compared to $13,600 in 2025.
Despite earning the state billions of dollars in revenues, more than two-thirds of the cannabis businesses surveyed by the Office of Cannabis Management in September 2025 were concerned or very concerned about taxes, out-of-state products infiltrating New York's market, the illegal sales of marijuana, the concentration of proximate businesses and state regulations.
Less than half of businesses overall reported being profitable, with variations among retailers (58 percent), growers (46 percent) and microbusinesses (20 percent). Revenue among retailers open at least a year averaged $2.9 million, ranging from $1.2 million to $5.5 million.
To boost profits, half the businesses surveyed said they were switching suppliers, cutting advertising and marketing...]]> Leonard Sparks 04:39 false full 42 5866873 The former owner of a Beacon boardinghouse that burned down in 2023 has sued the city, accusing its Zoning Board and a former building inspector of causing him to lose money on his investment.
The lawsuit, filed April 24 in federal court, alleges that the city illegally canceled a building permit for then-owner Yeshia Berger's property at 925 Wolcott Ave.
Specifically, it says, the city "extinguished a vested, permit-backed, legal preexisting non-conforming, constitutionally protected use through an unreasonable interpretation of an ambiguous ordinance after affirmatively authorizing its continuation and reduction."
Along with the city, the suit names the Zoning Board of Appeals and former Building Inspector Bruce Flower as defendants.
The sequence of events that led to the lawsuit was unusual.
On the morning of Jan. 3, 2023, a former tenant, Brian P. Atkinson, started a fire that destroyed the 4,136-square-foot, three-story structure. Atkinson had been due in court that morning to protest eviction proceedings; instead, he walked to the Beacon Police Department and turned himself in, authorities said. He pleaded guilty later that year to third-degree arson and was sentenced to 4 to 12 years in state prison.

The boardinghouse had been a longstanding "legal non-conforming use" allowed in an area zoned for single-family homes. Before the fire, Berger had received a permit to convert the 16 single-occupancy rooms into nine larger units. But in July 2023, the Zoning Board upheld Flower's determination that Berger must rebuild after the fire in accordance with the zoning code.
Flower said he relied upon a provision requiring structures that have been more than 50 percent destroyed, such as by fire, to be rebuilt according to current standards — in this case, as a single-family home.
Even the vote by the five-member Zoning Board was complex. Its members first reversed two of Flower's determinations: that the non-conforming use had been "removed" by the fire and that a non-conforming building cannot be "structurally altered during its life" if the alterations amount to more than 25 percent of its value.
The board did agree that the structure should be rebuilt only under current regulations; Berger would have been allowed to proceed only if the Zoning Board had reversed all of Flower's determinations.
In response, Berger asked the board to consider two types of variances, but withdrew his appeal before a decision was made. According to the lawsuit, he was forced to sell the parcel for "less than half" of the $650,000 he paid in 2022. He argues that the city code is "at best, ambiguous" and should have been "interpreted in a light most favorable to the property owner."
Berger said he sold the property in February 2024 to Faust Design Build, "a luxury designing and building firm" that constructed a single-family home. Dutchess County records show that the parcel was last sold in October 2024 for $300,000.

Many Beacon residents opposed Berger's rebuilding plans, speaking out at public hearings and submitting petitions to the Zoning Board. Some said fights and other disturbances had taken place at the site for years; others suggested that Berger planned to construct a "luxury building."
In his 35-page complaint, Berger said that the proposed reduction in units would have decreased traffic "and any other impacts." The units would have continued to be single-room occupancies; all he "was trying to accomplish was to rebuild the building for affordable housing consistent with city code," he said. Instead, "it is clear that the city succumbed to generalized community opposition."]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/02/former-boardinghouse-owner-sues-beacon/ The former owner of a Beacon boardinghouse that burned down in 2023 has sued the city, accusing its Zoning Board and a former building inspector of causing him to lose money on his investment.
The lawsuit, filed April 24 in federal court, alleges that the city illegally canceled a building permit for then-owner Yeshia Berger's property at 925 Wolcott Ave.
Specifically, it says, the city "extinguished a vested, permit-backed, legal preexisting non-conforming, constitutionally protected use through an unreasonable interpretation of an ambiguous ordinance after affirmatively authorizing its continuation and reduction."
Along with the city, the suit names the Zoning Board of Appeals and former Building Inspector Bruce Flower as defendants.
The sequence of events that led to the lawsuit was unusual.
On the morning of Jan. 3, 2023, a former tenant, Brian P. Atkinson, started a fire that destroyed the 4,136-square-foot, three-story structure. Atkinson had been due in court that morning to protest eviction proceedings; instead, he walked to the Beacon Police Department and turned himself in, authorities said. He pleaded guilty later that year to third-degree arson and was sentenced to 4 to 12 years in state prison.

The boardinghouse had been a longstanding "legal non-conforming use" allowed in an area zoned for single-family homes. Before the fire, Berger had received a permit to convert the 16 single-occupancy rooms into nine larger units. But in July 2023, the Zoning Board upheld Flower's determination that Berger must rebuild after the fire in accordance with the zoning code.
Flower said he relied upon a provision requiring structures that have been more than 50 percent destroyed, such as by fire, to be rebuilt according to current standards — in this case, as a single-family home.
Even the vote by the five-member Zoning Board was complex. Its members first reversed two of Flower's determinations: that the non-conforming use had been "removed" by the fire and that a non-conforming building cannot be "structurally altered during its life" if the alterations amount to more than 25 percent of its value.
The board did agree that the structure should be rebuilt only under current regulations; Berger would have been allowed to proceed only if the Zoning Board had reversed all of Flower's determinations.
In response, Berger asked the board to consider two types of variances, but withdrew his appeal before a decision was made. According to the lawsuit, he was forced to sell the parcel for "less than half" of the $650,000 he paid in 2022. He argues that the city code is "at best, ambiguous" and should have been "interpreted in a light most favorable to the property owner."
Berger said he sold the property in February 2024 to Faust Design Build, "a luxury designing and building firm" that constructed a single-family home. Dutchess County records show that the parcel was last sold in October 2024 for $300,000.

Many Beacon residents opposed Berger's rebuilding plans, speaking out at public hearings and submitting petitions to the Zoning Board. Some said fights and other disturbances had taken place at the site for years; others suggested that Berger planned to construct a "luxury building."
In his 35-page complaint, Berger said that the proposed reduction in units would have decreased traffic "and any other impacts." The units would have continued to be single-room occupancies; all he "was trying to accomplish was to rebuild the building for affordable housing consistent with city code," he said. Instead, "it is clear that the city succumbed to generalized community opposition."]]> Sat, 02 May 2026 08:15:49 -0400 Former Boardinghouse Owner Sues Beacon The former owner of a Beacon boardinghouse that burned down in 2023 has sued the city, accusing its Zoning Board and a former building inspector of causing him to lose money on his investment.
The lawsuit, filed A...]]> The former owner of a Beacon boardinghouse that burned down in 2023 has sued the city, accusing its Zoning Board and a former building inspector of causing him to lose money on his investment.
The lawsuit, filed April 24 in federal court, alleges that the city illegally canceled a building permit for then-owner Yeshia Berger's property at 925 Wolcott Ave.
Specifically, it says, the city "extinguished a vested, permit-backed, legal preexisting non-conforming, constitutionally protected use through an unreasonable interpretation of an ambiguous ordinance after affirmatively authorizing its continuation and reduction."
Along with the city, the suit names the Zoning Board of Appeals and former Building Inspector Bruce Flower as defendants.
The sequence of events that led to the lawsuit was unusual.
On the morning of Jan. 3, 2023, a former tenant, Brian P. Atkinson, started a fire that destroyed the 4,136-square-foot, three-story structure. Atkinson had been due in court that morning to protest eviction proceedings; instead, he walked to the Beacon Police Department and turned himself in, authorities said. He pleaded guilty later that year to third-degree arson and was sentenced to 4 to 12 years in state prison.

The boardinghouse had been a longstanding "legal non-conforming use" allowed in an area zoned for single-family homes. Before the fire, Berger had received a permit to convert the 16 single-occupancy rooms into nine larger units. But in July 2023, the Zoning Board upheld Flower's determination that Berger must rebuild after the fire in accordance with the zoning code.
Flower said he relied upon a provision requiring structures that have been more than 50 percent destroyed, such as by fire, to be rebuilt according to current standards — in this case, as a single-family home.
Even the vote by the five-member Zoning Board was complex. Its members first reversed two of Flower's determinations: that the non-conforming use had been "removed" by the fire and that a non-conforming building cannot be "structurally altered during its life" if the alterations amount to more than 25 percent of its value.
The board did agree that the structure should be rebuilt only under current regulations; Berger would have been allowed to proceed only if the Zoning Board had reversed all of Flower's determinations.
In response, Berger asked the board to consider two types of variances, but withdrew his appeal before a decision was made. According to the lawsuit, he was forced to sell the parcel for "less than half" of the $650,000 he paid in 2022. He argues that the city code is "at best, ambiguous" and should have been "interpreted in a light most favorable to the property owner."
Berger said he sold the property in February 2024 to Faust Design Build, "a luxury designing and building firm" that constructed a single-family home. Dutchess County records show that the parcel was last sold in October 2024 for $300,000.

Many Beacon residents opposed Berger's rebuilding plans, speaking out at public hearings and submitting petitions to the Zoning Board. Some said fights and other disturbances had taken place at the site for years; others suggested that Berger planned to construct a "luxury building."
In his 35-page complaint, Berger said that the proposed reduction in units would have decreased traffic "and any other impacts." The units would have continued to be single-room occupancies; all he "was trying to accomplish was to rebuild the building for affordable housing consistent with city code," he said. Instead, "it is clear that the city succumbed to generalized community opposition."]]> Jeff Simms 03:56 false full 41 5867192 A state judge ruled on Friday (May 1) that a new Republican and Conservative candidate for the U.S. House district that includes Beacon can appear on the November ballot to challenge Rep. Pat Ryan, the Democratic incumbent.
In a lawsuit filed on April 16, the Ulster County clerk, Taylor Bruck, and Amee Peterson, deputy chair of the Kingston Democratic Committee, asked Judge Bruce Hidley to invalidate nominating petitions filed by Sharanjit "Sunny" Thind, who lives with his family on Long Island.
After submitting the petitions, Thind filed to refuse the nominations, and the Republican and Conservative parties named Jackie Auringer to replace him. Because the deadline to file petitions had passed, Auringer must rely on Thind's submissions to get on the ballot.

Bruck and Peterson had earlier appealed to the state Board of Elections to reject Thind's petitions, claiming the candidate provided an inaccurate home address and had not numbered the signatures as required, making them harder to review.
On April 28, the Board of Elections ruled that the accuracy of the address provided by Thind was not within its jurisdiction to review. At the same time, it validated both nominating petitions. Candidates for District 18 had to submit at least 1,250 signatures of registered district voters for the Democratic or Republican line and 509 for the Conservative line. Thind submitted 3,005 signatures on his Republican petition and 1,140 on his Conservative petition, and a review did not invalidate enough of them to drop below the minimum.
That left only the challenge to Thind's address on the petitions, which Bruck and Peterson said was fraudulent. After hearing testimony, Hidley ruled on May 1 that Bruck and Peterson had failed to establish that the Lagrangeville address, although owned by a friend, was not a second home. The judge also noted that, regardless, House members are only required to live in the state they represent, not the district.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/01/court-rules-republican-can-stay-on-ballot/ A state judge ruled on Friday (May 1) that a new Republican and Conservative candidate for the U.S. House district that includes Beacon can appear on the November ballot to challenge Rep. Pat Ryan, the Democratic incumbent.
In a lawsuit filed on April 16, the Ulster County clerk, Taylor Bruck, and Amee Peterson, deputy chair of the Kingston Democratic Committee, asked Judge Bruce Hidley to invalidate nominating petitions filed by Sharanjit "Sunny" Thind, who lives with his family on Long Island.
After submitting the petitions, Thind filed to refuse the nominations, and the Republican and Conservative parties named Jackie Auringer to replace him. Because the deadline to file petitions had passed, Auringer must rely on Thind's submissions to get on the ballot.

Bruck and Peterson had earlier appealed to the state Board of Elections to reject Thind's petitions, claiming the candidate provided an inaccurate home address and had not numbered the signatures as required, making them harder to review.
On April 28, the Board of Elections ruled that the accuracy of the address provided by Thind was not within its jurisdiction to review. At the same time, it validated both nominating petitions. Candidates for District 18 had to submit at least 1,250 signatures of registered district voters for the Democratic or Republican line and 509 for the Conservative line. Thind submitted 3,005 signatures on his Republican petition and 1,140 on his Conservative petition, and a review did not invalidate enough of them to drop below the minimum.
That left only the challenge to Thind's address on the petitions, which Bruck and Peterson said was fraudulent. After hearing testimony, Hidley ruled on May 1 that Bruck and Peterson had failed to establish that the Lagrangeville address, although owned by a friend, was not a second home. The judge also noted that, regardless, House members are only required to live in the state they represent, not the district.]]> Fri, 01 May 2026 19:23:05 -0400 Court Rules Republican Can Stay on Ballot A state judge ruled on Friday (May 1) that a new Republican and Conservative candidate for the U.S. House district that includes Beacon can appear on the November ballot to challenge Rep. Pat Ryan, the Democrati...]]> A state judge ruled on Friday (May 1) that a new Republican and Conservative candidate for the U.S. House district that includes Beacon can appear on the November ballot to challenge Rep. Pat Ryan, the Democratic incumbent.
In a lawsuit filed on April 16, the Ulster County clerk, Taylor Bruck, and Amee Peterson, deputy chair of the Kingston Democratic Committee, asked Judge Bruce Hidley to invalidate nominating petitions filed by Sharanjit "Sunny" Thind, who lives with his family on Long Island.
After submitting the petitions, Thind filed to refuse the nominations, and the Republican and Conservative parties named Jackie Auringer to replace him. Because the deadline to file petitions had passed, Auringer must rely on Thind's submissions to get on the ballot.

Bruck and Peterson had earlier appealed to the state Board of Elections to reject Thind's petitions, claiming the candidate provided an inaccurate home address and had not numbered the signatures as required, making them harder to review.
On April 28, the Board of Elections ruled that the accuracy of the address provided by Thind was not within its jurisdiction to review. At the same time, it validated both nominating petitions. Candidates for District 18 had to submit at least 1,250 signatures of registered district voters for the Democratic or Republican line and 509 for the Conservative line. Thind submitted 3,005 signatures on his Republican petition and 1,140 on his Conservative petition, and a review did not invalidate enough of them to drop below the minimum.
That left only the challenge to Thind's address on the petitions, which Bruck and Peterson said was fraudulent. After hearing testimony, Hidley ruled on May 1 that Bruck and Peterson had failed to establish that the Lagrangeville address, although owned by a friend, was not a second home. The judge also noted that, regardless, House members are only required to live in the state they represent, not the district.]]> Chip Rowe 02:09 false full 40 5866963 U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler raised $1.5 million and the five Democrats pursuing his District 17 House seat brought in a combined $1.3 million during the first three months of this year, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.
The reports, which detail donations received through March 31 from individuals and political action committees (PACs), show Lawler beating his previous quarter as he seeks a third term in a district that includes Philipstown.
They also show Cait Conley, a West Point graduate from Orange County and former director of counterterrorism for the National Security Council, more than doubling the donations of Beth Davidson, a Rockland County legislator.
Individuals donated $563,000 to Lawler's campaign. In a statement, he said 9,054 contributions came from 4,314 individuals, "a testament to the deep grassroots energy driving the campaign." He also received $573,000 from other committees, including the Lawler Victory Fund. Lawler's campaign splits the fund's proceeds with his political action committee, MVL PAC, and the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Another $365,000 came from special-interest PACs, including $7,500 from No Labels, a group of moderate Democrats, Republicans and independents who criticize "the extremes on the far left and right"; $5,000 each from the Allied Pilots Association, Ernst & Young and the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America; and $2,500 each from the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, the Loan Syndications & Trading Association and the National Cotton Council of the American Committee for the Advancement of Cotton.
Lawler spent nearly $792,000. His expenses ranged from $141,000 to the Campaign Engine Group for digital consulting, $43,000 to BrabenderCox for digital ads and $117,000 for wages, including $34,000 to his campaign manager, Ciro Riccardi, and $18,333 to the deputy campaign manager, Alexander Mathis.
While Lawler does not have to spend on a primary, five Democrats will face each other on June 23 for the party line in the November general election. Two months out from the primary, Conley widened her fundraising lead, bringing in $731,000 during the first quarter compared to $361,000 for Davidson.
Conley drew $666,000 in donations from individuals and $41,000 from PACs, including $10,000 from the JUNO Fund, which supports "dynamic candidates who do things differently" rather than the "aging leaders and old ideas" of the Democratic Party; and $5,000 each from Equality PAC (which supports LGBTQ+ candidates and "allies") and the New Democratic Coalition Action Fund.
Of Conley's $423,000 in spending, $163,700 went to SB Digital for advertising and fundraising services, $21,600 to her campaign manager, Emily Goldson, and $16,700 to Berger Hirschberg Strategies for campaign consulting.
"I'm deeply grateful for the incredible support behind this campaign," said Conley in announcing her fundraising totals. "From fundraising to volunteer power, we've built an incredible movement by people who believe in the possibility of a better America and the need for new leadership."

Davidson and Effie Phillips-Staley, a Tarrytown trustee, were the only other Democrats reaching six figures in donations during the quarter. All but $3,000 of Davidson's funds, including $2,500 from the Great Lakes PAC, came from individuals.
Some of Davidson's biggest disbursements were $79,000 to Blueprint Interactive for digital consulting and the purchase of contact lists from other campaigns, $44,100 to Impact Research for polling and $21,300 to her campaign manager, Ellen McCormick.
Phillips-Staley's contributions included $5,913 from a March 22 benefit concert in Sacramento, California, headlined by the band Cake. The show also raised funds for Mai Vang, who is running for a House seat there. One of her biggest expenses was $31,000 to Bartholomew Communications & Strategies to gather nominating petition signatures, so...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/01/house-money/ U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler raised $1.5 million and the five Democrats pursuing his District 17 House seat brought in a combined $1.3 million during the first three months of this year, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.
The reports, which detail donations received through March 31 from individuals and political action committees (PACs), show Lawler beating his previous quarter as he seeks a third term in a district that includes Philipstown.
They also show Cait Conley, a West Point graduate from Orange County and former director of counterterrorism for the National Security Council, more than doubling the donations of Beth Davidson, a Rockland County legislator.
Individuals donated $563,000 to Lawler's campaign. In a statement, he said 9,054 contributions came from 4,314 individuals, "a testament to the deep grassroots energy driving the campaign." He also received $573,000 from other committees, including the Lawler Victory Fund. Lawler's campaign splits the fund's proceeds with his political action committee, MVL PAC, and the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Another $365,000 came from special-interest PACs, including $7,500 from No Labels, a group of moderate Democrats, Republicans and independents who criticize "the extremes on the far left and right"; $5,000 each from the Allied Pilots Association, Ernst & Young and the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America; and $2,500 each from the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, the Loan Syndications & Trading Association and the National Cotton Council of the American Committee for the Advancement of Cotton.
Lawler spent nearly $792,000. His expenses ranged from $141,000 to the Campaign Engine Group for digital consulting, $43,000 to BrabenderCox for digital ads and $117,000 for wages, including $34,000 to his campaign manager, Ciro Riccardi, and $18,333 to the deputy campaign manager, Alexander Mathis.
While Lawler does not have to spend on a primary, five Democrats will face each other on June 23 for the party line in the November general election. Two months out from the primary, Conley widened her fundraising lead, bringing in $731,000 during the first quarter compared to $361,000 for Davidson.
Conley drew $666,000 in donations from individuals and $41,000 from PACs, including $10,000 from the JUNO Fund, which supports "dynamic candidates who do things differently" rather than the "aging leaders and old ideas" of the Democratic Party; and $5,000 each from Equality PAC (which supports LGBTQ+ candidates and "allies") and the New Democratic Coalition Action Fund.
Of Conley's $423,000 in spending, $163,700 went to SB Digital for advertising and fundraising services, $21,600 to her campaign manager, Emily Goldson, and $16,700 to Berger Hirschberg Strategies for campaign consulting.
"I'm deeply grateful for the incredible support behind this campaign," said Conley in announcing her fundraising totals. "From fundraising to volunteer power, we've built an incredible movement by people who believe in the possibility of a better America and the need for new leadership."

Davidson and Effie Phillips-Staley, a Tarrytown trustee, were the only other Democrats reaching six figures in donations during the quarter. All but $3,000 of Davidson's funds, including $2,500 from the Great Lakes PAC, came from individuals.
Some of Davidson's biggest disbursements were $79,000 to Blueprint Interactive for digital consulting and the purchase of contact lists from other campaigns, $44,100 to Impact Research for polling and $21,300 to her campaign manager, Ellen McCormick.
Phillips-Staley's contributions included $5,913 from a March 22 benefit concert in Sacramento, California, headlined by the band Cake. The show also raised funds for Mai Vang, who is running for a House seat there. One of her biggest expenses was $31,000 to Bartholomew Communications & Strategies to gather nominating petition signatures, so...]]> Fri, 01 May 2026 10:06:51 -0400 House Money U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler raised $1.5 million and the five Democrats pursuing his District 17 House seat brought in a combined $1.3 million during the first three months of this year, according to reports filed with t...]]> U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler raised $1.5 million and the five Democrats pursuing his District 17 House seat brought in a combined $1.3 million during the first three months of this year, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission.
The reports, which detail donations received through March 31 from individuals and political action committees (PACs), show Lawler beating his previous quarter as he seeks a third term in a district that includes Philipstown.
They also show Cait Conley, a West Point graduate from Orange County and former director of counterterrorism for the National Security Council, more than doubling the donations of Beth Davidson, a Rockland County legislator.
Individuals donated $563,000 to Lawler's campaign. In a statement, he said 9,054 contributions came from 4,314 individuals, "a testament to the deep grassroots energy driving the campaign." He also received $573,000 from other committees, including the Lawler Victory Fund. Lawler's campaign splits the fund's proceeds with his political action committee, MVL PAC, and the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Another $365,000 came from special-interest PACs, including $7,500 from No Labels, a group of moderate Democrats, Republicans and independents who criticize "the extremes on the far left and right"; $5,000 each from the Allied Pilots Association, Ernst & Young and the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America; and $2,500 each from the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, the Loan Syndications & Trading Association and the National Cotton Council of the American Committee for the Advancement of Cotton.
Lawler spent nearly $792,000. His expenses ranged from $141,000 to the Campaign Engine Group for digital consulting, $43,000 to BrabenderCox for digital ads and $117,000 for wages, including $34,000 to his campaign manager, Ciro Riccardi, and $18,333 to the deputy campaign manager, Alexander Mathis.
While Lawler does not have to spend on a primary, five Democrats will face each other on June 23 for the party line in the November general election. Two months out from the primary, Conley widened her fundraising lead, bringing in $731,000 during the first quarter compared to $361,000 for Davidson.
Conley drew $666,000 in donations from individuals and $41,000 from PACs, including $10,000 from the JUNO Fund, which supports "dynamic candidates who do things differently" rather than the "aging leaders and old ideas" of the Democratic Party; and $5,000 each from Equality PAC (which supports LGBTQ+ candidates and "allies") and the New Democratic Coalition Action Fund.
Of Conley's $423,000 in spending, $163,700 went to SB Digital for advertising and fundraising services, $21,600 to her campaign manager, Emily Goldson, and $16,700 to Berger Hirschberg Strategies for campaign consulting.
"I'm deeply grateful for the incredible support behind this campaign," said Conley in announcing her fundraising totals. "From fundraising to volunteer power, we've built an incredible movement by people who believe in the possibility of a better America and the need for new leadership."

Davidson and Effie Phillips-Staley, a Tarrytown trustee, were the only other Democrats reaching six figures in donations during the quarter. All but $3,000 of Davidson's funds, including $2,500 from the Great Lakes PAC, came from individuals.
Some of Davidson's biggest disbursements were $79,000 to Blueprint Interactive for digital consulting and the purchase of contact lists from other campaigns, $44,100 to Impact Research for polling and $21,300 to her campaign manager, Ellen McCormick.
Phillips-Staley's contributions included $5,913 from a March 22 benefit concert in Sacramento, California, headlined by the band Cake. The show also raised funds for Mai Vang, who is running for a House seat there. One of her biggest expenses was $31,000 to Bartholomew Communications & Strategies to gather nominating petition signatures, so...]]> Leonard Sparks 07:16 false full 39 5866976 A company seeking approval to build offices and a warehouse at Route 9 and East Mountain Road North is proposing signage, an electronic speed indicator and the donation of land for a right-turn lane to assuage safety concerns.
During its April 23 meeting, the Philipstown Planning Board scheduled a second public hearing for May 28 on Krasniqi Plaza LLC's scaled-down proposal for 9,500- and 5,300-square-foot buildings at 3626 Route 9 for its fencing and heating-oil businesses, and spaces for contractors.
First introduced in October 2023, Krasniqi's project no longer includes three 29,000-gallon tanks for heating oil. They were removed in February 2024 after an outcry that led Philipstown to pass a moratorium on large petroleum storage containers. (The town eventually adopted a law banning big tanks outright and limiting smaller containers to south of Routes 9 and 301.)
In May 2024, the Planning Board held a public hearing on the revised plan, which calls for a larger building with storage and warehouse space for Krasniqi's businesses, offices for contractors and an 8,800-square-foot outdoor equipment area in the rear. The smaller structure contains four units of up to 1,000 square feet that contractors could use for storage, and renters can request a 325-square-foot mezzanine in their unit for office space.

Since that hearing, Krasniqi has shifted its driveway 5 feet to the north, away from a curve south of the property and a utility pole that had sparked concerns about sightlines and the ability of northbound drivers to stop in time for vehicles exiting the property's driveway.
Adam Thyberg, a senior associate with Insite Engineering and one of the project's representatives, said the state Department of Transportation did not consider traffic heavy enough to warrant a traffic light at Route 9 and East Mountain North, but approved the driveway relocation and supports a sign warning northbound drivers of an impending driveway and an electronic sign displaying the speed of those driving above the 45-mph limit.
In addition to those measures, Krasniqi would also be willing to donate land if the town wanted to request from the state the addition of a dedicated lane for northbound drivers turning right onto East Mountain Road North, said Anthony Russo, a regional manager for SLR Engineering, Landscape Architecture and Land Surveying, the Planning Board's consultant.
A turn lane "would facilitate a movement that can be executed without having to turn from the northbound through lane on Route 9, where vehicle speeds can be high, and provide adequate space where vehicles can reduce their speed more safely to execute the near 90-degree turn" onto East Mountain, Russo wrote in a memo to Neal Zuckerman, the Planning Board chair.
Traffic data compiled by SLR Engineering in September 2024 seemingly supported residents' concerns when the firm estimated higher traffic volumes than Krasniqi Plaza and waits of up to one minute and 22 seconds during the morning peak and up to two minutes and 44 seconds during the evening peak to turn south onto Route 9 from East Mountain Road.
But the Department of Transportation later determined that SLR's counts were inflated because they were taken during the renovation of the Breakneck Tunnel, when drivers used Route 9 to avoid delays on Route 9D. One Planning Board member, Heidi Wendel, still had doubts about the accuracy of the state's crash data for Jan. 1, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2023.
Five accidents were reported at Route 9's intersection with East Mountain and Old Albany Post Road, but none involved vehicles turning left from East Mountain and none were in the area of Krasniqi's proposed driveway, according to the company.
Krasniqi agreed to provide updated crash data for the hearing.
"It doesn't seem likely that this is not a dangerous area for people turning south off of East Mountain," said Wendel. "I'm befuddled how it could be the case that this is no...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/01/route-9-project-adds-safety-measures/ A company seeking approval to build offices and a warehouse at Route 9 and East Mountain Road North is proposing signage, an electronic speed indicator and the donation of land for a right-turn lane to assuage safety concerns.
During its April 23 meeting, the Philipstown Planning Board scheduled a second public hearing for May 28 on Krasniqi Plaza LLC's scaled-down proposal for 9,500- and 5,300-square-foot buildings at 3626 Route 9 for its fencing and heating-oil businesses, and spaces for contractors.
First introduced in October 2023, Krasniqi's project no longer includes three 29,000-gallon tanks for heating oil. They were removed in February 2024 after an outcry that led Philipstown to pass a moratorium on large petroleum storage containers. (The town eventually adopted a law banning big tanks outright and limiting smaller containers to south of Routes 9 and 301.)
In May 2024, the Planning Board held a public hearing on the revised plan, which calls for a larger building with storage and warehouse space for Krasniqi's businesses, offices for contractors and an 8,800-square-foot outdoor equipment area in the rear. The smaller structure contains four units of up to 1,000 square feet that contractors could use for storage, and renters can request a 325-square-foot mezzanine in their unit for office space.

Since that hearing, Krasniqi has shifted its driveway 5 feet to the north, away from a curve south of the property and a utility pole that had sparked concerns about sightlines and the ability of northbound drivers to stop in time for vehicles exiting the property's driveway.
Adam Thyberg, a senior associate with Insite Engineering and one of the project's representatives, said the state Department of Transportation did not consider traffic heavy enough to warrant a traffic light at Route 9 and East Mountain North, but approved the driveway relocation and supports a sign warning northbound drivers of an impending driveway and an electronic sign displaying the speed of those driving above the 45-mph limit.
In addition to those measures, Krasniqi would also be willing to donate land if the town wanted to request from the state the addition of a dedicated lane for northbound drivers turning right onto East Mountain Road North, said Anthony Russo, a regional manager for SLR Engineering, Landscape Architecture and Land Surveying, the Planning Board's consultant.
A turn lane "would facilitate a movement that can be executed without having to turn from the northbound through lane on Route 9, where vehicle speeds can be high, and provide adequate space where vehicles can reduce their speed more safely to execute the near 90-degree turn" onto East Mountain, Russo wrote in a memo to Neal Zuckerman, the Planning Board chair.
Traffic data compiled by SLR Engineering in September 2024 seemingly supported residents' concerns when the firm estimated higher traffic volumes than Krasniqi Plaza and waits of up to one minute and 22 seconds during the morning peak and up to two minutes and 44 seconds during the evening peak to turn south onto Route 9 from East Mountain Road.
But the Department of Transportation later determined that SLR's counts were inflated because they were taken during the renovation of the Breakneck Tunnel, when drivers used Route 9 to avoid delays on Route 9D. One Planning Board member, Heidi Wendel, still had doubts about the accuracy of the state's crash data for Jan. 1, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2023.
Five accidents were reported at Route 9's intersection with East Mountain and Old Albany Post Road, but none involved vehicles turning left from East Mountain and none were in the area of Krasniqi's proposed driveway, according to the company.
Krasniqi agreed to provide updated crash data for the hearing.
"It doesn't seem likely that this is not a dangerous area for people turning south off of East Mountain," said Wendel. "I'm befuddled how it could be the case that this is no...]]> Fri, 01 May 2026 10:05:47 -0400 Route 9 Project Adds Safety Measures A company seeking approval to build offices and a warehouse at Route 9 and East Mountain Road North is proposing signage, an electronic speed indicator and the donation of land for a right-turn lane to assu...]]> A company seeking approval to build offices and a warehouse at Route 9 and East Mountain Road North is proposing signage, an electronic speed indicator and the donation of land for a right-turn lane to assuage safety concerns.
During its April 23 meeting, the Philipstown Planning Board scheduled a second public hearing for May 28 on Krasniqi Plaza LLC's scaled-down proposal for 9,500- and 5,300-square-foot buildings at 3626 Route 9 for its fencing and heating-oil businesses, and spaces for contractors.
First introduced in October 2023, Krasniqi's project no longer includes three 29,000-gallon tanks for heating oil. They were removed in February 2024 after an outcry that led Philipstown to pass a moratorium on large petroleum storage containers. (The town eventually adopted a law banning big tanks outright and limiting smaller containers to south of Routes 9 and 301.)
In May 2024, the Planning Board held a public hearing on the revised plan, which calls for a larger building with storage and warehouse space for Krasniqi's businesses, offices for contractors and an 8,800-square-foot outdoor equipment area in the rear. The smaller structure contains four units of up to 1,000 square feet that contractors could use for storage, and renters can request a 325-square-foot mezzanine in their unit for office space.

Since that hearing, Krasniqi has shifted its driveway 5 feet to the north, away from a curve south of the property and a utility pole that had sparked concerns about sightlines and the ability of northbound drivers to stop in time for vehicles exiting the property's driveway.
Adam Thyberg, a senior associate with Insite Engineering and one of the project's representatives, said the state Department of Transportation did not consider traffic heavy enough to warrant a traffic light at Route 9 and East Mountain North, but approved the driveway relocation and supports a sign warning northbound drivers of an impending driveway and an electronic sign displaying the speed of those driving above the 45-mph limit.
In addition to those measures, Krasniqi would also be willing to donate land if the town wanted to request from the state the addition of a dedicated lane for northbound drivers turning right onto East Mountain Road North, said Anthony Russo, a regional manager for SLR Engineering, Landscape Architecture and Land Surveying, the Planning Board's consultant.
A turn lane "would facilitate a movement that can be executed without having to turn from the northbound through lane on Route 9, where vehicle speeds can be high, and provide adequate space where vehicles can reduce their speed more safely to execute the near 90-degree turn" onto East Mountain, Russo wrote in a memo to Neal Zuckerman, the Planning Board chair.
Traffic data compiled by SLR Engineering in September 2024 seemingly supported residents' concerns when the firm estimated higher traffic volumes than Krasniqi Plaza and waits of up to one minute and 22 seconds during the morning peak and up to two minutes and 44 seconds during the evening peak to turn south onto Route 9 from East Mountain Road.
But the Department of Transportation later determined that SLR's counts were inflated because they were taken during the renovation of the Breakneck Tunnel, when drivers used Route 9 to avoid delays on Route 9D. One Planning Board member, Heidi Wendel, still had doubts about the accuracy of the state's crash data for Jan. 1, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2023.
Five accidents were reported at Route 9's intersection with East Mountain and Old Albany Post Road, but none involved vehicles turning left from East Mountain and none were in the area of Krasniqi's proposed driveway, according to the company.
Krasniqi agreed to provide updated crash data for the hearing.
"It doesn't seem likely that this is not a dangerous area for people turning south off of East Mountain," said Wendel. "I'm befuddled how it could be the case that this is no...]]> Leonard Sparks 04:12 false full 38 5866980 Lisa Maria Nero, the town clerk for Greenburgh in Westchester County and a doctoral student in education at Long Island University, brought a lesson to Calvary Presbyterian Church in Newburgh on April 25.
For nearly a year, she has attended public hearings held by the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies, whose nine members are examining the state's history of slavery and its "lingering negative effects" on New York residents. The commission was created in December 2023 by legislation signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul. It is tasked with making recommendations to the Legislature on how to proceed.
"When we're talking about systemic harms, I'm not sure people realize the extensive list," said Nero. "Chattel slavery, Jim Crow, Black codes, white domestic terrorism, racial massacres, racial property seizures, medical experimentation on Black Americans, sharecropping, convict leasing, Homestead Act exclusions, GI Bill exclusions and FHA [Federal Housing Administration] mortgage exclusions."
In a series of meetings and hearings that began in July 2024, the commission has heard presentations from experts on the prevalence of slavery in New York before it was legally abolished in 1827, and the history of discrimination in education, housing, jobs, lending and other areas that came after emancipation. The most recent hearings have looked at gentrification and redlining, and the war on drugs.
Churches also discriminated. The Episcopal Diocese of New York acknowledged in a report from February that "countless Episcopal laity and clergy enslaved people and profited richly from the shipping and trade of Africans," and that the church discriminated against Black congregations.
One of those congregations, St. Andrew's in Beacon, was "unsupported by the diocese as urban renewal in the 1960s and '70s demolished Black homes and businesses to build Route 9D," according to the report.
While the diocese has created a $1.2 million reparations fund, the commission's chair, Seanelle Hawkins, said its members are still "in the learning phase" regarding remedies. "Our work is to educate ourselves and work with a team of researchers, policy analysts and economists to understand what those recommendations are," she said.

About two dozen people attended the hearing at Calvary Presbyterian, where they heard presentations by Shango Blake, an educator; Jackie Cody, who runs a Brooklyn nonprofit providing education and counseling services to teens and young adults; and Stephanie James Harris, director of the Africana Studies Program at Seton Hall University.
As a child in Jamaica, Queens, Blake said he experienced busing to a majority-white school where "all the Black children in the school were trapped in lower classes, while the students that weren't Black were given the higher, more challenging classes" in math and science.
"Reparations acknowledges the harm, names who was harmed and directs resources and policies to repair that harm," he said.
Slavery stood as the first harm. In a presentation to the commission in June 2025, Ned Benton, co-director of the Northeast Slavery Records Index, which covers nine states, listed some of its data for New York state: 8,835 records naming people who were enslaved; 43,111 naming enslavers, including 209 elected officials; 1,042 advertisements for fugitives and 559 records of sales.
In 2019, Historic Hudson Valley, based in Westchester County, produced an interactive documentary, People Not Property, that acknowledged the earliest Black residents of the Hudson Valley and named their enslavers, including the owners of Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton and Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow.
Africans enslaved by Frederick Philipse (1626-1702), a Dutch merchant, built the manor, whose property covered about a quarter of modern-day Westchester. Philipse and his son would become major slave traders; the family is honored today by the name Philipstown.
"Slavery wa...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/01/state-hears-feedback-on-reparations/ Lisa Maria Nero, the town clerk for Greenburgh in Westchester County and a doctoral student in education at Long Island University, brought a lesson to Calvary Presbyterian Church in Newburgh on April 25.
For nearly a year, she has attended public hearings held by the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies, whose nine members are examining the state's history of slavery and its "lingering negative effects" on New York residents. The commission was created in December 2023 by legislation signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul. It is tasked with making recommendations to the Legislature on how to proceed.
"When we're talking about systemic harms, I'm not sure people realize the extensive list," said Nero. "Chattel slavery, Jim Crow, Black codes, white domestic terrorism, racial massacres, racial property seizures, medical experimentation on Black Americans, sharecropping, convict leasing, Homestead Act exclusions, GI Bill exclusions and FHA [Federal Housing Administration] mortgage exclusions."
In a series of meetings and hearings that began in July 2024, the commission has heard presentations from experts on the prevalence of slavery in New York before it was legally abolished in 1827, and the history of discrimination in education, housing, jobs, lending and other areas that came after emancipation. The most recent hearings have looked at gentrification and redlining, and the war on drugs.
Churches also discriminated. The Episcopal Diocese of New York acknowledged in a report from February that "countless Episcopal laity and clergy enslaved people and profited richly from the shipping and trade of Africans," and that the church discriminated against Black congregations.
One of those congregations, St. Andrew's in Beacon, was "unsupported by the diocese as urban renewal in the 1960s and '70s demolished Black homes and businesses to build Route 9D," according to the report.
While the diocese has created a $1.2 million reparations fund, the commission's chair, Seanelle Hawkins, said its members are still "in the learning phase" regarding remedies. "Our work is to educate ourselves and work with a team of researchers, policy analysts and economists to understand what those recommendations are," she said.

About two dozen people attended the hearing at Calvary Presbyterian, where they heard presentations by Shango Blake, an educator; Jackie Cody, who runs a Brooklyn nonprofit providing education and counseling services to teens and young adults; and Stephanie James Harris, director of the Africana Studies Program at Seton Hall University.
As a child in Jamaica, Queens, Blake said he experienced busing to a majority-white school where "all the Black children in the school were trapped in lower classes, while the students that weren't Black were given the higher, more challenging classes" in math and science.
"Reparations acknowledges the harm, names who was harmed and directs resources and policies to repair that harm," he said.
Slavery stood as the first harm. In a presentation to the commission in June 2025, Ned Benton, co-director of the Northeast Slavery Records Index, which covers nine states, listed some of its data for New York state: 8,835 records naming people who were enslaved; 43,111 naming enslavers, including 209 elected officials; 1,042 advertisements for fugitives and 559 records of sales.
In 2019, Historic Hudson Valley, based in Westchester County, produced an interactive documentary, People Not Property, that acknowledged the earliest Black residents of the Hudson Valley and named their enslavers, including the owners of Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton and Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow.
Africans enslaved by Frederick Philipse (1626-1702), a Dutch merchant, built the manor, whose property covered about a quarter of modern-day Westchester. Philipse and his son would become major slave traders; the family is honored today by the name Philipstown.
"Slavery wa...]]> Fri, 01 May 2026 10:02:23 -0400 State Hears Feedback on Reparations Lisa Maria Nero, the town clerk for Greenburgh in Westchester County and a doctoral student in education at Long Island University, brought a lesson to Calvary Presbyterian Church in Newburgh on April 25.
For nearly ...]]> Lisa Maria Nero, the town clerk for Greenburgh in Westchester County and a doctoral student in education at Long Island University, brought a lesson to Calvary Presbyterian Church in Newburgh on April 25.
For nearly a year, she has attended public hearings held by the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies, whose nine members are examining the state's history of slavery and its "lingering negative effects" on New York residents. The commission was created in December 2023 by legislation signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul. It is tasked with making recommendations to the Legislature on how to proceed.
"When we're talking about systemic harms, I'm not sure people realize the extensive list," said Nero. "Chattel slavery, Jim Crow, Black codes, white domestic terrorism, racial massacres, racial property seizures, medical experimentation on Black Americans, sharecropping, convict leasing, Homestead Act exclusions, GI Bill exclusions and FHA [Federal Housing Administration] mortgage exclusions."
In a series of meetings and hearings that began in July 2024, the commission has heard presentations from experts on the prevalence of slavery in New York before it was legally abolished in 1827, and the history of discrimination in education, housing, jobs, lending and other areas that came after emancipation. The most recent hearings have looked at gentrification and redlining, and the war on drugs.
Churches also discriminated. The Episcopal Diocese of New York acknowledged in a report from February that "countless Episcopal laity and clergy enslaved people and profited richly from the shipping and trade of Africans," and that the church discriminated against Black congregations.
One of those congregations, St. Andrew's in Beacon, was "unsupported by the diocese as urban renewal in the 1960s and '70s demolished Black homes and businesses to build Route 9D," according to the report.
While the diocese has created a $1.2 million reparations fund, the commission's chair, Seanelle Hawkins, said its members are still "in the learning phase" regarding remedies. "Our work is to educate ourselves and work with a team of researchers, policy analysts and economists to understand what those recommendations are," she said.

About two dozen people attended the hearing at Calvary Presbyterian, where they heard presentations by Shango Blake, an educator; Jackie Cody, who runs a Brooklyn nonprofit providing education and counseling services to teens and young adults; and Stephanie James Harris, director of the Africana Studies Program at Seton Hall University.
As a child in Jamaica, Queens, Blake said he experienced busing to a majority-white school where "all the Black children in the school were trapped in lower classes, while the students that weren't Black were given the higher, more challenging classes" in math and science.
"Reparations acknowledges the harm, names who was harmed and directs resources and policies to repair that harm," he said.
Slavery stood as the first harm. In a presentation to the commission in June 2025, Ned Benton, co-director of the Northeast Slavery Records Index, which covers nine states, listed some of its data for New York state: 8,835 records naming people who were enslaved; 43,111 naming enslavers, including 209 elected officials; 1,042 advertisements for fugitives and 559 records of sales.
In 2019, Historic Hudson Valley, based in Westchester County, produced an interactive documentary, People Not Property, that acknowledged the earliest Black residents of the Hudson Valley and named their enslavers, including the owners of Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton and Philipsburg Manor in Sleepy Hollow.
Africans enslaved by Frederick Philipse (1626-1702), a Dutch merchant, built the manor, whose property covered about a quarter of modern-day Westchester. Philipse and his son would become major slave traders; the family is honored today by the name Philipstown.
"Slavery wa...]]> Leonard Sparks 06:40 false full 37 5866951 An effort by Putnam legislators to preserve federal funds for a nonprofit whose mental-health crisis center has been rejected by Brewster and Carmel now centers on buying a home it rents in Philipstown for people needing respite.
Nancy Montgomery, who represents Philipstown and part of Putnam Valley on the Legislature, and its chair, Dan Birmingham, unveiled on Monday (April 27) a proposal to allow People USA to keep $2.1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to buy 111 Philipse Brook Road, which is on the market for $1.3 million.
After debating the idea for more than an hour, the Budget and Finance Committee, which includes every legislator, postponed a vote on whether to terminate a contract with People USA to open a 24-hour, drop-in "stabilization" center for people experiencing a mental-health or substance-abuse crisis.
People USA initially planned to lease space above a childcare center in Brewster, but that sparked outrage from residents and led the Town of Southeast to impose a moratorium on permits for medical and mental-health clinics. The nonprofit then tried to open a stabilization center in an office building in Carmel. That provoked similar opposition, and the town's Planning Board rejected the application.
The two rejections have made it impossible for People USA to spend the money by June 1, which is a provision of the contract, according to Bill Carlin, the county finance commissioner. Because of approaching federal deadlines, he asked the Legislature to divert the funds to paving projects. The county received $19 million in pandemic relief funding; under ARPA rules, money for paving projects must be spent by September and for anything else by Dec. 31.
To replace People USA's funding, County Executive Kevin Byrne wants to take $2.1 million from Putnam's savings for mental-health initiatives. But Birmingham said he has "an uncomfortableness with trading human services dollars for blacktop." And Montgomery said that she has been told by the U.S. Treasury Department that ARPA contracts can be amended.
Revising the People USA contract to specify "stabilization services" instead of a center is "much less risky," she said, and would preserve an existing service by allowing the nonprofit to buy the Philipstown home. "Once this money disappears from ARPA for public health for People USA, we're not going to get that money back for stabilization services," she said.
The Philipstown property is part of People USA's network of Rose Houses, places of respite "operated by peers who have their own personal lived experiences" with a mental-health crisis. People can stay up to seven days and are free to come and go for jobs and other reasons. Rebecca Valk, a lawyer for People USA, said buying the house would "give us a stronger foot" in Putnam. "We have not found a community that does not seem to be scared of the individuals that we serve," she said.
People USA said it has received state approval for renovation plans for Philipstown Brook Road. But Valk said that because the organization "would be flowing with the services that are already there" and not building a center like the ones proposed for Brewster and Carmel, no approvals would be needed from Philipstown.
Supervisor John Van Tassel had a different view. He told legislators that he only found out about the proposal less than two hours before the 5:45 p.m. meeting and "was a little disappointed that I wasn't included in any of the communications."
Under the town's zoning code, only single-family homes are permitted in that area, he said. "Whatever is operating there currently, I don't know if it's there illegally, but any adaptation to that building would require site plan approval," he said.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/01/philipstown-eyed-for-mental-health-funds/ An effort by Putnam legislators to preserve federal funds for a nonprofit whose mental-health crisis center has been rejected by Brewster and Carmel now centers on buying a home it rents in Philipstown for people needing respite.
Nancy Montgomery, who represents Philipstown and part of Putnam Valley on the Legislature, and its chair, Dan Birmingham, unveiled on Monday (April 27) a proposal to allow People USA to keep $2.1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to buy 111 Philipse Brook Road, which is on the market for $1.3 million.
After debating the idea for more than an hour, the Budget and Finance Committee, which includes every legislator, postponed a vote on whether to terminate a contract with People USA to open a 24-hour, drop-in "stabilization" center for people experiencing a mental-health or substance-abuse crisis.
People USA initially planned to lease space above a childcare center in Brewster, but that sparked outrage from residents and led the Town of Southeast to impose a moratorium on permits for medical and mental-health clinics. The nonprofit then tried to open a stabilization center in an office building in Carmel. That provoked similar opposition, and the town's Planning Board rejected the application.
The two rejections have made it impossible for People USA to spend the money by June 1, which is a provision of the contract, according to Bill Carlin, the county finance commissioner. Because of approaching federal deadlines, he asked the Legislature to divert the funds to paving projects. The county received $19 million in pandemic relief funding; under ARPA rules, money for paving projects must be spent by September and for anything else by Dec. 31.
To replace People USA's funding, County Executive Kevin Byrne wants to take $2.1 million from Putnam's savings for mental-health initiatives. But Birmingham said he has "an uncomfortableness with trading human services dollars for blacktop." And Montgomery said that she has been told by the U.S. Treasury Department that ARPA contracts can be amended.
Revising the People USA contract to specify "stabilization services" instead of a center is "much less risky," she said, and would preserve an existing service by allowing the nonprofit to buy the Philipstown home. "Once this money disappears from ARPA for public health for People USA, we're not going to get that money back for stabilization services," she said.
The Philipstown property is part of People USA's network of Rose Houses, places of respite "operated by peers who have their own personal lived experiences" with a mental-health crisis. People can stay up to seven days and are free to come and go for jobs and other reasons. Rebecca Valk, a lawyer for People USA, said buying the house would "give us a stronger foot" in Putnam. "We have not found a community that does not seem to be scared of the individuals that we serve," she said.
People USA said it has received state approval for renovation plans for Philipstown Brook Road. But Valk said that because the organization "would be flowing with the services that are already there" and not building a center like the ones proposed for Brewster and Carmel, no approvals would be needed from Philipstown.
Supervisor John Van Tassel had a different view. He told legislators that he only found out about the proposal less than two hours before the 5:45 p.m. meeting and "was a little disappointed that I wasn't included in any of the communications."
Under the town's zoning code, only single-family homes are permitted in that area, he said. "Whatever is operating there currently, I don't know if it's there illegally, but any adaptation to that building would require site plan approval," he said.]]> Fri, 01 May 2026 10:01:09 -0400 Philipstown Eyed for Mental Health Funds An effort by Putnam legislators to preserve federal funds for a nonprofit whose mental-health crisis center has been rejected by Brewster and Carmel now centers on buying a home it rents in Philipstown for p...]]> An effort by Putnam legislators to preserve federal funds for a nonprofit whose mental-health crisis center has been rejected by Brewster and Carmel now centers on buying a home it rents in Philipstown for people needing respite.
Nancy Montgomery, who represents Philipstown and part of Putnam Valley on the Legislature, and its chair, Dan Birmingham, unveiled on Monday (April 27) a proposal to allow People USA to keep $2.1 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to buy 111 Philipse Brook Road, which is on the market for $1.3 million.
After debating the idea for more than an hour, the Budget and Finance Committee, which includes every legislator, postponed a vote on whether to terminate a contract with People USA to open a 24-hour, drop-in "stabilization" center for people experiencing a mental-health or substance-abuse crisis.
People USA initially planned to lease space above a childcare center in Brewster, but that sparked outrage from residents and led the Town of Southeast to impose a moratorium on permits for medical and mental-health clinics. The nonprofit then tried to open a stabilization center in an office building in Carmel. That provoked similar opposition, and the town's Planning Board rejected the application.
The two rejections have made it impossible for People USA to spend the money by June 1, which is a provision of the contract, according to Bill Carlin, the county finance commissioner. Because of approaching federal deadlines, he asked the Legislature to divert the funds to paving projects. The county received $19 million in pandemic relief funding; under ARPA rules, money for paving projects must be spent by September and for anything else by Dec. 31.
To replace People USA's funding, County Executive Kevin Byrne wants to take $2.1 million from Putnam's savings for mental-health initiatives. But Birmingham said he has "an uncomfortableness with trading human services dollars for blacktop." And Montgomery said that she has been told by the U.S. Treasury Department that ARPA contracts can be amended.
Revising the People USA contract to specify "stabilization services" instead of a center is "much less risky," she said, and would preserve an existing service by allowing the nonprofit to buy the Philipstown home. "Once this money disappears from ARPA for public health for People USA, we're not going to get that money back for stabilization services," she said.
The Philipstown property is part of People USA's network of Rose Houses, places of respite "operated by peers who have their own personal lived experiences" with a mental-health crisis. People can stay up to seven days and are free to come and go for jobs and other reasons. Rebecca Valk, a lawyer for People USA, said buying the house would "give us a stronger foot" in Putnam. "We have not found a community that does not seem to be scared of the individuals that we serve," she said.
People USA said it has received state approval for renovation plans for Philipstown Brook Road. But Valk said that because the organization "would be flowing with the services that are already there" and not building a center like the ones proposed for Brewster and Carmel, no approvals would be needed from Philipstown.
Supervisor John Van Tassel had a different view. He told legislators that he only found out about the proposal less than two hours before the 5:45 p.m. meeting and "was a little disappointed that I wasn't included in any of the communications."
Under the town's zoning code, only single-family homes are permitted in that area, he said. "Whatever is operating there currently, I don't know if it's there illegally, but any adaptation to that building would require site plan approval," he said.]]> Leonard Sparks 03:59 false full 36 5867058 A rare bird has reached a milestone. The Philipstown Depot Theater, co-sponsored by the town and operated by a nonprofit, is celebrating 30 years in the second grand old depot at Garrison's Landing. The first depot, moved across the street in the 1890s, is now a part of Antipodean Books.
Over three decades, The Depot Theater has staged 90 plays and musicals, more than 180 youth productions, the long-running Depot Docs series, musical performances, storytelling and modern dance. Its latest production, The Heart Sellers, opens tonight (May 1); Amy Dul, the Depot's executive director since 1998, says that over the past two years it has been the most-produced play by theater groups in the U.S.

Two weeks from now, on May 17, the theater will host its annual gala and highlight the past and future: It plans to soon build a 6,000-square-foot storage, rehearsal and education center near the town Recreation Center on Route 9D. The theater will pay for and construct the structure, then dedicate it to the town, which will provide a 99-year lease.
Built like a tank, the former depot at Garrison's Landing has 16-inch-thick granite walls and exquisite woodwork. It's one of the most ornate stations along the Hudson Line because four railroad tycoons who lived in Philipstown during the Gilded Age wanted to wait for their elaborate private cars in style.

After closing in 1956, the depot fell into disrepair until the newly created Garrison's Landing Association purchased it from New York Central in the early 1960s for $3,000 (about $33,000 today). In 1966, a group of residents, including Russel Wright, the designer who lived and worked at Manitoga, envisioned a railroad museum and poured another $2,000 ($20,000) into sprucing up the space. The following year, the Hand to Mouth Players began presenting productions at the depot, a run that continued for 29 years.
Remember These?
The Fantasticks (2006)
A Little Night Music (2007)
Arsenic and Old Lace (2008)
The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2008)
The Miracle Worker (2009)
The Secret Garden (2009)
Threepenny Opera (2010)
The Seagull (2011)
The Beggar's Opera (2012)
The Way of the World (2012)
Beyond the Fringe (2013)
To Kill a Mockingbird (2013)
The Birds (2014)
A Christmas Carol (2014)
1776 (2014)
On Golden Pond (2015)
Jesus Christ Superstar (2015)
HMS Pinafore (2016)
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2016)
Company (2017)
Guys and Dolls (2017)
Steel Magnolias (2017)
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (2018)
The Music Man (2018)
Doubt: A Parable (2018)
The Importance of Being Earnest (2019)
Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein (2019)
Nunsense (2019)
Oliver! (2021)
The Cake (2022)
God of Carnage (2023)
In 1996, Jean Marzollo and Carolyn Copeland wanted to expand their summer teen musical program from an annex at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Garrison, recalls Claudio Marzollo, who would serve as president of the newly formed Philipstown Depot Theater for 14 years. The Garrison's Landing Association ended its lease with the Hand to Mouth Players, which it said was behind on its rent, and the new troupe asked the town for funding. Philipstown came through, but "didn't know anything about running a theater, so we formed what became the nucleus of our board of directors," says Marzollo.
Today, the town covers the modest rent paid by the theater to the Landing Association and assists with other expenses. Taxpayers provide about 9 percent of the budget, says Dul; the rest comes from grants, donations and ticket sales.

Anne of Green Gables (2017)

The Full Monty (2024)

Guys and Dolls (2023)

House of Lattisville (2025)

Music Man Jr. (2025)

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (2018)

Young Frankenstein (2019)
Inside, the atmosphere is cozy; patrons sink into 67 chairs arrayed at a steep angle, and the tech is up to spec (sound in 2023, lighting in 2025). The group does a lot with its 18-by-19-foot stage. Alice Jankell came aboard as artistic director in 2024, succeeding Nancy Swann,...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/01/the-depot-theater-at-30/ A rare bird has reached a milestone. The Philipstown Depot Theater, co-sponsored by the town and operated by a nonprofit, is celebrating 30 years in the second grand old depot at Garrison's Landing. The first depot, moved across the street in the 1890s, is now a part of Antipodean Books.
Over three decades, The Depot Theater has staged 90 plays and musicals, more than 180 youth productions, the long-running Depot Docs series, musical performances, storytelling and modern dance. Its latest production, The Heart Sellers, opens tonight (May 1); Amy Dul, the Depot's executive director since 1998, says that over the past two years it has been the most-produced play by theater groups in the U.S.

Two weeks from now, on May 17, the theater will host its annual gala and highlight the past and future: It plans to soon build a 6,000-square-foot storage, rehearsal and education center near the town Recreation Center on Route 9D. The theater will pay for and construct the structure, then dedicate it to the town, which will provide a 99-year lease.
Built like a tank, the former depot at Garrison's Landing has 16-inch-thick granite walls and exquisite woodwork. It's one of the most ornate stations along the Hudson Line because four railroad tycoons who lived in Philipstown during the Gilded Age wanted to wait for their elaborate private cars in style.

After closing in 1956, the depot fell into disrepair until the newly created Garrison's Landing Association purchased it from New York Central in the early 1960s for $3,000 (about $33,000 today). In 1966, a group of residents, including Russel Wright, the designer who lived and worked at Manitoga, envisioned a railroad museum and poured another $2,000 ($20,000) into sprucing up the space. The following year, the Hand to Mouth Players began presenting productions at the depot, a run that continued for 29 years.
Remember These?
The Fantasticks (2006)
A Little Night Music (2007)
Arsenic and Old Lace (2008)
The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2008)
The Miracle Worker (2009)
The Secret Garden (2009)
Threepenny Opera (2010)
The Seagull (2011)
The Beggar's Opera (2012)
The Way of the World (2012)
Beyond the Fringe (2013)
To Kill a Mockingbird (2013)
The Birds (2014)
A Christmas Carol (2014)
1776 (2014)
On Golden Pond (2015)
Jesus Christ Superstar (2015)
HMS Pinafore (2016)
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2016)
Company (2017)
Guys and Dolls (2017)
Steel Magnolias (2017)
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (2018)
The Music Man (2018)
Doubt: A Parable (2018)
The Importance of Being Earnest (2019)
Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein (2019)
Nunsense (2019)
Oliver! (2021)
The Cake (2022)
God of Carnage (2023)
In 1996, Jean Marzollo and Carolyn Copeland wanted to expand their summer teen musical program from an annex at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Garrison, recalls Claudio Marzollo, who would serve as president of the newly formed Philipstown Depot Theater for 14 years. The Garrison's Landing Association ended its lease with the Hand to Mouth Players, which it said was behind on its rent, and the new troupe asked the town for funding. Philipstown came through, but "didn't know anything about running a theater, so we formed what became the nucleus of our board of directors," says Marzollo.
Today, the town covers the modest rent paid by the theater to the Landing Association and assists with other expenses. Taxpayers provide about 9 percent of the budget, says Dul; the rest comes from grants, donations and ticket sales.

Anne of Green Gables (2017)

The Full Monty (2024)

Guys and Dolls (2023)

House of Lattisville (2025)

Music Man Jr. (2025)

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (2018)

Young Frankenstein (2019)
Inside, the atmosphere is cozy; patrons sink into 67 chairs arrayed at a steep angle, and the tech is up to spec (sound in 2023, lighting in 2025). The group does a lot with its 18-by-19-foot stage. Alice Jankell came aboard as artistic director in 2024, succeeding Nancy Swann,...]]> Fri, 01 May 2026 09:59:53 -0400 The Depot Theater at 30 A rare bird has reached a milestone. The Philipstown Depot Theater, co-sponsored by the town and operated by a nonprofit, is celebrating 30 years in the second grand old depot at Garrison's Landing. The fi...]]> A rare bird has reached a milestone. The Philipstown Depot Theater, co-sponsored by the town and operated by a nonprofit, is celebrating 30 years in the second grand old depot at Garrison's Landing. The first depot, moved across the street in the 1890s, is now a part of Antipodean Books.
Over three decades, The Depot Theater has staged 90 plays and musicals, more than 180 youth productions, the long-running Depot Docs series, musical performances, storytelling and modern dance. Its latest production, The Heart Sellers, opens tonight (May 1); Amy Dul, the Depot's executive director since 1998, says that over the past two years it has been the most-produced play by theater groups in the U.S.

Two weeks from now, on May 17, the theater will host its annual gala and highlight the past and future: It plans to soon build a 6,000-square-foot storage, rehearsal and education center near the town Recreation Center on Route 9D. The theater will pay for and construct the structure, then dedicate it to the town, which will provide a 99-year lease.
Built like a tank, the former depot at Garrison's Landing has 16-inch-thick granite walls and exquisite woodwork. It's one of the most ornate stations along the Hudson Line because four railroad tycoons who lived in Philipstown during the Gilded Age wanted to wait for their elaborate private cars in style.

After closing in 1956, the depot fell into disrepair until the newly created Garrison's Landing Association purchased it from New York Central in the early 1960s for $3,000 (about $33,000 today). In 1966, a group of residents, including Russel Wright, the designer who lived and worked at Manitoga, envisioned a railroad museum and poured another $2,000 ($20,000) into sprucing up the space. The following year, the Hand to Mouth Players began presenting productions at the depot, a run that continued for 29 years.
Remember These?
The Fantasticks (2006)
A Little Night Music (2007)
Arsenic and Old Lace (2008)
The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2008)
The Miracle Worker (2009)
The Secret Garden (2009)
Threepenny Opera (2010)
The Seagull (2011)
The Beggar's Opera (2012)
The Way of the World (2012)
Beyond the Fringe (2013)
To Kill a Mockingbird (2013)
The Birds (2014)
A Christmas Carol (2014)
1776 (2014)
On Golden Pond (2015)
Jesus Christ Superstar (2015)
HMS Pinafore (2016)
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2016)
Company (2017)
Guys and Dolls (2017)
Steel Magnolias (2017)
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (2018)
The Music Man (2018)
Doubt: A Parable (2018)
The Importance of Being Earnest (2019)
Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein (2019)
Nunsense (2019)
Oliver! (2021)
The Cake (2022)
God of Carnage (2023)
In 1996, Jean Marzollo and Carolyn Copeland wanted to expand their summer teen musical program from an annex at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Garrison, recalls Claudio Marzollo, who would serve as president of the newly formed Philipstown Depot Theater for 14 years. The Garrison's Landing Association ended its lease with the Hand to Mouth Players, which it said was behind on its rent, and the new troupe asked the town for funding. Philipstown came through, but "didn't know anything about running a theater, so we formed what became the nucleus of our board of directors," says Marzollo.
Today, the town covers the modest rent paid by the theater to the Landing Association and assists with other expenses. Taxpayers provide about 9 percent of the budget, says Dul; the rest comes from grants, donations and ticket sales.

Anne of Green Gables (2017)

The Full Monty (2024)

Guys and Dolls (2023)

House of Lattisville (2025)

Music Man Jr. (2025)

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (2018)

Young Frankenstein (2019)
Inside, the atmosphere is cozy; patrons sink into 67 chairs arrayed at a steep angle, and the tech is up to spec (sound in 2023, lighting in 2025). The group does a lot with its 18-by-19-foot stage. Alice Jankell came aboard as artistic director in 2024, succeeding Nancy Swann,...]]> Marc Ferris 06:25 false full 35 5866989 Voters in Philipstown will be asked May 19 to approve school budgets for 2026-27 that include tax-levy increases of 5.53 percent for Haldane and 2.27 percent for Garrison. Both increases are the maximum allowed for each district next year under the state's complex cap formula.
Both boards approved their budgets unanimously. Haldane will hold a public hearing on Tuesday (May 5) and Garrison on Wednesday.
Haldane numbers
Haldane's proposed $32 million budget includes a 5.53 percent tax-levy increase that is nearly double last year's (2.8 percent). The larger increase was driven by borrowing costs for a $28.4 million capital plan approved by voters in 2024.
The tax-cap formula allows districts to collect higher taxes for debt payments on voter-approved capital improvements. The capital plan includes a 17,300-square-foot addition to the high school, changes to campus traffic flow, new student support offices and security upgrades.
Haldane's proposal translates to a $740 annual property tax increase for a home valued at $1 million, according to the district.
Among the line items that increased over 2025-26 were out-of-district placements for special education students (by $175,000), athletics (by $56,000) and redesign of the district's Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) courses (by $10,000).
District voters will also decide whether to approve spending $275,000 to replace the school's two tennis courts. The expenditure is considered "tax-neutral" because the funds would be taken from a reserve established in 2018 for facilities improvements. The Haldane girls' tennis team and their parents have lobbied for the upgrade.
The district also has tax-neutral ballot measures to purchase a bus for $175,000 and to establish a fund to pay for zero-emission buses that are required under state law beginning in 2027.
Garrison numbers
Garrison's $15.6 million budget will translate to a $182 annual property tax increase on a Philipstown home valued at $1 million, according to district officials. To balance the budget, the district said it would withdraw $1.78 million of its $5.4 million in savings.
Its budget includes $500,000 for a forest classroom with a composting toilet at the 181-acre Garrison School forest, land donated in 1956 for environmental education by the Osborne, Gunther and Sloane families. The district and Hudson Highlands Land Trust have discussed placing an easement on the property to prevent any future development.
The Garrison budget also includes additional funding for playground equipment ($100,000), classroom equipment and materials ($40,000), a new gym scoreboard ($7,500) and new soccer goals ($5,000).
Voters will also be asked to approve contracts that allow the K-8 district to send its graduating students to Haldane and O'Neill in Highland Falls for high school.
Lakeland numbers
The Lakeland Central School District, which includes Continental Village in Philipstown, has proposed a $202 million budget for 2026-27. Voters will also be asked to approve $2.13 million for school buses and vehicles.
The budget includes 2.62 percent more spending than in 2025-26 and includes a 2.2 percent tax-levy increase, the maximum allowed under the state tax-cap formula for the district.
There are also five candidates for three open seats on the nine-member school board: incumbents Christopher Eustace and Amanda Franco and newcomers James Hedberg, Keith Baisley and Patricia Martucci-Pace. Donald Pinkowsky did not run for re-election. Board members serve three-year terms.
The vote will take place on May 19 at Van Cortlandtville Elementary School in Mohegan Lake from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/01/philipstown-schools-finalize-2026-27-budgets/ Voters in Philipstown will be asked May 19 to approve school budgets for 2026-27 that include tax-levy increases of 5.53 percent for Haldane and 2.27 percent for Garrison. Both increases are the maximum allowed for each district next year under the state's complex cap formula.
Both boards approved their budgets unanimously. Haldane will hold a public hearing on Tuesday (May 5) and Garrison on Wednesday.
Haldane numbers
Haldane's proposed $32 million budget includes a 5.53 percent tax-levy increase that is nearly double last year's (2.8 percent). The larger increase was driven by borrowing costs for a $28.4 million capital plan approved by voters in 2024.
The tax-cap formula allows districts to collect higher taxes for debt payments on voter-approved capital improvements. The capital plan includes a 17,300-square-foot addition to the high school, changes to campus traffic flow, new student support offices and security upgrades.
Haldane's proposal translates to a $740 annual property tax increase for a home valued at $1 million, according to the district.
Among the line items that increased over 2025-26 were out-of-district placements for special education students (by $175,000), athletics (by $56,000) and redesign of the district's Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) courses (by $10,000).
District voters will also decide whether to approve spending $275,000 to replace the school's two tennis courts. The expenditure is considered "tax-neutral" because the funds would be taken from a reserve established in 2018 for facilities improvements. The Haldane girls' tennis team and their parents have lobbied for the upgrade.
The district also has tax-neutral ballot measures to purchase a bus for $175,000 and to establish a fund to pay for zero-emission buses that are required under state law beginning in 2027.
Garrison numbers
Garrison's $15.6 million budget will translate to a $182 annual property tax increase on a Philipstown home valued at $1 million, according to district officials. To balance the budget, the district said it would withdraw $1.78 million of its $5.4 million in savings.
Its budget includes $500,000 for a forest classroom with a composting toilet at the 181-acre Garrison School forest, land donated in 1956 for environmental education by the Osborne, Gunther and Sloane families. The district and Hudson Highlands Land Trust have discussed placing an easement on the property to prevent any future development.
The Garrison budget also includes additional funding for playground equipment ($100,000), classroom equipment and materials ($40,000), a new gym scoreboard ($7,500) and new soccer goals ($5,000).
Voters will also be asked to approve contracts that allow the K-8 district to send its graduating students to Haldane and O'Neill in Highland Falls for high school.
Lakeland numbers
The Lakeland Central School District, which includes Continental Village in Philipstown, has proposed a $202 million budget for 2026-27. Voters will also be asked to approve $2.13 million for school buses and vehicles.
The budget includes 2.62 percent more spending than in 2025-26 and includes a 2.2 percent tax-levy increase, the maximum allowed under the state tax-cap formula for the district.
There are also five candidates for three open seats on the nine-member school board: incumbents Christopher Eustace and Amanda Franco and newcomers James Hedberg, Keith Baisley and Patricia Martucci-Pace. Donald Pinkowsky did not run for re-election. Board members serve three-year terms.
The vote will take place on May 19 at Van Cortlandtville Elementary School in Mohegan Lake from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.]]> Fri, 01 May 2026 09:55:39 -0400 Philipstown Schools Finalize 2026-27 Budgets Voters in Philipstown will be asked May 19 to approve school budgets for 2026-27 that include tax-levy increases of 5.53 percent for Haldane and 2.27 percent for Garrison. Both increases are the maxi...]]> Voters in Philipstown will be asked May 19 to approve school budgets for 2026-27 that include tax-levy increases of 5.53 percent for Haldane and 2.27 percent for Garrison. Both increases are the maximum allowed for each district next year under the state's complex cap formula.
Both boards approved their budgets unanimously. Haldane will hold a public hearing on Tuesday (May 5) and Garrison on Wednesday.
Haldane numbers
Haldane's proposed $32 million budget includes a 5.53 percent tax-levy increase that is nearly double last year's (2.8 percent). The larger increase was driven by borrowing costs for a $28.4 million capital plan approved by voters in 2024.
The tax-cap formula allows districts to collect higher taxes for debt payments on voter-approved capital improvements. The capital plan includes a 17,300-square-foot addition to the high school, changes to campus traffic flow, new student support offices and security upgrades.
Haldane's proposal translates to a $740 annual property tax increase for a home valued at $1 million, according to the district.
Among the line items that increased over 2025-26 were out-of-district placements for special education students (by $175,000), athletics (by $56,000) and redesign of the district's Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) courses (by $10,000).
District voters will also decide whether to approve spending $275,000 to replace the school's two tennis courts. The expenditure is considered "tax-neutral" because the funds would be taken from a reserve established in 2018 for facilities improvements. The Haldane girls' tennis team and their parents have lobbied for the upgrade.
The district also has tax-neutral ballot measures to purchase a bus for $175,000 and to establish a fund to pay for zero-emission buses that are required under state law beginning in 2027.
Garrison numbers
Garrison's $15.6 million budget will translate to a $182 annual property tax increase on a Philipstown home valued at $1 million, according to district officials. To balance the budget, the district said it would withdraw $1.78 million of its $5.4 million in savings.
Its budget includes $500,000 for a forest classroom with a composting toilet at the 181-acre Garrison School forest, land donated in 1956 for environmental education by the Osborne, Gunther and Sloane families. The district and Hudson Highlands Land Trust have discussed placing an easement on the property to prevent any future development.
The Garrison budget also includes additional funding for playground equipment ($100,000), classroom equipment and materials ($40,000), a new gym scoreboard ($7,500) and new soccer goals ($5,000).
Voters will also be asked to approve contracts that allow the K-8 district to send its graduating students to Haldane and O'Neill in Highland Falls for high school.
Lakeland numbers
The Lakeland Central School District, which includes Continental Village in Philipstown, has proposed a $202 million budget for 2026-27. Voters will also be asked to approve $2.13 million for school buses and vehicles.
The budget includes 2.62 percent more spending than in 2025-26 and includes a 2.2 percent tax-levy increase, the maximum allowed under the state tax-cap formula for the district.
There are also five candidates for three open seats on the nine-member school board: incumbents Christopher Eustace and Amanda Franco and newcomers James Hedberg, Keith Baisley and Patricia Martucci-Pace. Donald Pinkowsky did not run for re-election. Board members serve three-year terms.
The vote will take place on May 19 at Van Cortlandtville Elementary School in Mohegan Lake from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.]]> Joey Asher 04:35 false full 34 5867052 Barrett Magistro has been a police officer since 2009, and he wasn't long into his career when he realized not everyone sees law enforcement as an honorable profession.
"There was a huge downturn in the way police officers were viewed through the media," says the officer, who lives in Fishkill and joined the Cold Spring Police Department last year. "A five-second TV newsclip is a tiny sliver of what police work is; it's not the whole situation."
Magistro wanted to change that perception and felt that any shift would begin with children. "I wanted to show them the human side of being a police officer and that for a community, law enforcement is a positive."
To that end, in 2017, Magistro wrote and published a children's book for ages 4 to 7 called How I Found Hope. It was inspired by an encounter on a cold, snowy morning in January 2010, while he was on patrol in Mount Hope, in Orange County.

A passerby waved him down, alerting him to an abandoned pit bull puppy. "She was about 8 months old, and you could tell she was abused," says Magistro of the dog. "You could see her ribs and spine."
As soon as Magistro opened the door of his squad car, the dog jumped in. He took her to the Port Jervis Humane Society and began checking in daily. Soon, he had adopted the pup, which he named Hope.
Like police officers, Magistro felt pit bulls suffered from misperceptions. "Pit bulls were originally nanny dogs because they're loyal, sweet and loving dogs," he says. Their reputation for aggression is "about how they're raised."
Magistro says that, as someone who worked as an engineer before joining the police academy, writing didn't come easy. "I was actually terrible academically in school," he says.
He didn't have time to promote the book, he says, and put it on the back burner once he had sold 125 copies and recouped his investment.
Hope lived for 15 years, three more than expected for a pit bull. But her story didn't end there. "I started thinking of a way to keep Hope's memory alive," Magistro said. Last month, he published a second edition of the book. He also found a manufacturer to make a black-and-white stuffed animal. He sells both online at hopethepitbull.com.
Last month, Magistro began scheduling readings at schools and daycare centers, with a toy version of Hope at his side. He plans visits to the Maria Fareri Children's Hospital in Westchester County and hospitals in New York City.

Magistro is partnering with Angels of Light, a Millbrook-based nonprofit that supports families in the Hudson Valley who are dealing with a life-threatening illness or whose lives have been altered by an accident or death.
"Barrett's compassion and caring for children has evolved not only through his book but also by giving comfort and love to very ill children with his stuffed animal," says Lori Cassia-Decker, a co-founder of Angels of Light.

Magistro has more books in mind and has written two stories featuring himself and Hope as protagonists. "One is about a dog that's scared of the dark, and I make a nightlight for her, and the other is about dealing with loss," he says.
He smiles when recalling Hope. When she was adopted, Magistro and his wife had two chihuahuas, Junior and Bobbi. "Hope always thought of herself as small because she was so young when we got her," he said. "She actually thought she was a chihuahua and tried to sleep in their tiny beds."]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/01/the-officer-who-found-hope/ Barrett Magistro has been a police officer since 2009, and he wasn't long into his career when he realized not everyone sees law enforcement as an honorable profession.
"There was a huge downturn in the way police officers were viewed through the media," says the officer, who lives in Fishkill and joined the Cold Spring Police Department last year. "A five-second TV newsclip is a tiny sliver of what police work is; it's not the whole situation."
Magistro wanted to change that perception and felt that any shift would begin with children. "I wanted to show them the human side of being a police officer and that for a community, law enforcement is a positive."
To that end, in 2017, Magistro wrote and published a children's book for ages 4 to 7 called How I Found Hope. It was inspired by an encounter on a cold, snowy morning in January 2010, while he was on patrol in Mount Hope, in Orange County.

A passerby waved him down, alerting him to an abandoned pit bull puppy. "She was about 8 months old, and you could tell she was abused," says Magistro of the dog. "You could see her ribs and spine."
As soon as Magistro opened the door of his squad car, the dog jumped in. He took her to the Port Jervis Humane Society and began checking in daily. Soon, he had adopted the pup, which he named Hope.
Like police officers, Magistro felt pit bulls suffered from misperceptions. "Pit bulls were originally nanny dogs because they're loyal, sweet and loving dogs," he says. Their reputation for aggression is "about how they're raised."
Magistro says that, as someone who worked as an engineer before joining the police academy, writing didn't come easy. "I was actually terrible academically in school," he says.
He didn't have time to promote the book, he says, and put it on the back burner once he had sold 125 copies and recouped his investment.
Hope lived for 15 years, three more than expected for a pit bull. But her story didn't end there. "I started thinking of a way to keep Hope's memory alive," Magistro said. Last month, he published a second edition of the book. He also found a manufacturer to make a black-and-white stuffed animal. He sells both online at hopethepitbull.com.
Last month, Magistro began scheduling readings at schools and daycare centers, with a toy version of Hope at his side. He plans visits to the Maria Fareri Children's Hospital in Westchester County and hospitals in New York City.

Magistro is partnering with Angels of Light, a Millbrook-based nonprofit that supports families in the Hudson Valley who are dealing with a life-threatening illness or whose lives have been altered by an accident or death.
"Barrett's compassion and caring for children has evolved not only through his book but also by giving comfort and love to very ill children with his stuffed animal," says Lori Cassia-Decker, a co-founder of Angels of Light.

Magistro has more books in mind and has written two stories featuring himself and Hope as protagonists. "One is about a dog that's scared of the dark, and I make a nightlight for her, and the other is about dealing with loss," he says.
He smiles when recalling Hope. When she was adopted, Magistro and his wife had two chihuahuas, Junior and Bobbi. "Hope always thought of herself as small because she was so young when we got her," he said. "She actually thought she was a chihuahua and tried to sleep in their tiny beds."]]> Fri, 01 May 2026 09:33:07 -0400 The Officer Who Found Hope Barrett Magistro has been a police officer since 2009, and he wasn't long into his career when he realized not everyone sees law enforcement as an honorable profession.
"There was a huge downturn in the way pol...]]> Barrett Magistro has been a police officer since 2009, and he wasn't long into his career when he realized not everyone sees law enforcement as an honorable profession.
"There was a huge downturn in the way police officers were viewed through the media," says the officer, who lives in Fishkill and joined the Cold Spring Police Department last year. "A five-second TV newsclip is a tiny sliver of what police work is; it's not the whole situation."
Magistro wanted to change that perception and felt that any shift would begin with children. "I wanted to show them the human side of being a police officer and that for a community, law enforcement is a positive."
To that end, in 2017, Magistro wrote and published a children's book for ages 4 to 7 called How I Found Hope. It was inspired by an encounter on a cold, snowy morning in January 2010, while he was on patrol in Mount Hope, in Orange County.

A passerby waved him down, alerting him to an abandoned pit bull puppy. "She was about 8 months old, and you could tell she was abused," says Magistro of the dog. "You could see her ribs and spine."
As soon as Magistro opened the door of his squad car, the dog jumped in. He took her to the Port Jervis Humane Society and began checking in daily. Soon, he had adopted the pup, which he named Hope.
Like police officers, Magistro felt pit bulls suffered from misperceptions. "Pit bulls were originally nanny dogs because they're loyal, sweet and loving dogs," he says. Their reputation for aggression is "about how they're raised."
Magistro says that, as someone who worked as an engineer before joining the police academy, writing didn't come easy. "I was actually terrible academically in school," he says.
He didn't have time to promote the book, he says, and put it on the back burner once he had sold 125 copies and recouped his investment.
Hope lived for 15 years, three more than expected for a pit bull. But her story didn't end there. "I started thinking of a way to keep Hope's memory alive," Magistro said. Last month, he published a second edition of the book. He also found a manufacturer to make a black-and-white stuffed animal. He sells both online at hopethepitbull.com.
Last month, Magistro began scheduling readings at schools and daycare centers, with a toy version of Hope at his side. He plans visits to the Maria Fareri Children's Hospital in Westchester County and hospitals in New York City.

Magistro is partnering with Angels of Light, a Millbrook-based nonprofit that supports families in the Hudson Valley who are dealing with a life-threatening illness or whose lives have been altered by an accident or death.
"Barrett's compassion and caring for children has evolved not only through his book but also by giving comfort and love to very ill children with his stuffed animal," says Lori Cassia-Decker, a co-founder of Angels of Light.

Magistro has more books in mind and has written two stories featuring himself and Hope as protagonists. "One is about a dog that's scared of the dark, and I make a nightlight for her, and the other is about dealing with loss," he says.
He smiles when recalling Hope. When she was adopted, Magistro and his wife had two chihuahuas, Junior and Bobbi. "Hope always thought of herself as small because she was so young when we got her," he said. "She actually thought she was a chihuahua and tried to sleep in their tiny beds."]]> Michael Turton 03:47 false full 33 5867045 Folk singer Laurie MacAllister's name is a letter off from that of a bass player for The Runaways, which oozed attitude in the 1970s and might have been a footnote in rock history but for founding member Joan Jett's hits in the 1980s.
"A lot of women musicians, myself included, worship the ground she walks on," says MacAllister of Jett. "I first heard 'I Love Rock and Roll' at age 10. I remember exactly where I was and just lost it — but let's not forget Pat Benatar and Chrissie Hynde."
Even though the styles differ, all these women produce music with moxie. Playing guitar, singing and stirring emotion, MacAllister will bring her songs to the Howland Cultural Center on Saturday (May 2).

As with fictional settings, her songs make something out of nothing, like that moment in Cambridge, Massachusetts, when it's cold and wet and then the vignette turns into a break-up ode that crystallizes a fragment of the human experience ("Out of the Darkness").
To be a team player and round out the sound, she put down the guitar and picked up a bass for Red Molly, the folk trio with Hudson Valley roots. The band — MacAllister, Abbie Gardner and Molly Venter — shook up the folk scene with its polished look, sound and presentation.
"When we played places that served alcohol, they improvised many drinks that have only one common characteristic: the color," MacAllister says, but when the pandemic hit, along with parenthood for one member, the trio split for now.
MacAllister still seeks to subvert conventions. "I want to get away from the setup where the opener plays for 25 minutes, and then I come on for my slot," she says. "I have three male collaborators whom I work with, but I open each set and bring them in and out of the show."
Joining her in Beacon will be Fred Gillen Jr., a longtime local folk performer who lived in Westchester County before moving upstate. This is her last live slot for a while. MacAllister, now based in Virginia, is taking a break to record an album before a fall tour. The woman has paid her dues: "I'm 56, so I can decide what to do," she says.
With all the wordsmithing, chord changes and full-throttle vocals, it's easy to overlook her nimble guitar playing, which emits a big sound. She's also able to sing while fingerpicking — plucking out more intricate patterns with at least three digits — which is no mean feat. The test of talent is to execute something difficult while making it look easy.
"At first, I figured it would be impossible, but I put in a lot of practice and, somehow, it happened," MacAllister says.
While onstage, she seems to be on the verge of killing herself softly with her own songs. "I bring it to 95 percent, then I have to dial it back," she says. "If it makes people cry, that's a litmus test — like, if it gives me goosebumps — but it can only hit to a certain degree. We're poking at feelings, so even if I get physical reactions, I've got to be professional and gathered onstage."
The Howland Cultural Center is located at 477 Main St. in Beacon. Tickets for the concert, which begins at 8 p.m., are $25 at dub.sh/macallister-hcc, or $30 at the door. To download music, see lauriemacallister.net.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/05/01/meet-laurie-from-red-molly/ Folk singer Laurie MacAllister's name is a letter off from that of a bass player for The Runaways, which oozed attitude in the 1970s and might have been a footnote in rock history but for founding member Joan Jett's hits in the 1980s.
"A lot of women musicians, myself included, worship the ground she walks on," says MacAllister of Jett. "I first heard 'I Love Rock and Roll' at age 10. I remember exactly where I was and just lost it — but let's not forget Pat Benatar and Chrissie Hynde."
Even though the styles differ, all these women produce music with moxie. Playing guitar, singing and stirring emotion, MacAllister will bring her songs to the Howland Cultural Center on Saturday (May 2).

As with fictional settings, her songs make something out of nothing, like that moment in Cambridge, Massachusetts, when it's cold and wet and then the vignette turns into a break-up ode that crystallizes a fragment of the human experience ("Out of the Darkness").
To be a team player and round out the sound, she put down the guitar and picked up a bass for Red Molly, the folk trio with Hudson Valley roots. The band — MacAllister, Abbie Gardner and Molly Venter — shook up the folk scene with its polished look, sound and presentation.
"When we played places that served alcohol, they improvised many drinks that have only one common characteristic: the color," MacAllister says, but when the pandemic hit, along with parenthood for one member, the trio split for now.
MacAllister still seeks to subvert conventions. "I want to get away from the setup where the opener plays for 25 minutes, and then I come on for my slot," she says. "I have three male collaborators whom I work with, but I open each set and bring them in and out of the show."
Joining her in Beacon will be Fred Gillen Jr., a longtime local folk performer who lived in Westchester County before moving upstate. This is her last live slot for a while. MacAllister, now based in Virginia, is taking a break to record an album before a fall tour. The woman has paid her dues: "I'm 56, so I can decide what to do," she says.
With all the wordsmithing, chord changes and full-throttle vocals, it's easy to overlook her nimble guitar playing, which emits a big sound. She's also able to sing while fingerpicking — plucking out more intricate patterns with at least three digits — which is no mean feat. The test of talent is to execute something difficult while making it look easy.
"At first, I figured it would be impossible, but I put in a lot of practice and, somehow, it happened," MacAllister says.
While onstage, she seems to be on the verge of killing herself softly with her own songs. "I bring it to 95 percent, then I have to dial it back," she says. "If it makes people cry, that's a litmus test — like, if it gives me goosebumps — but it can only hit to a certain degree. We're poking at feelings, so even if I get physical reactions, I've got to be professional and gathered onstage."
The Howland Cultural Center is located at 477 Main St. in Beacon. Tickets for the concert, which begins at 8 p.m., are $25 at dub.sh/macallister-hcc, or $30 at the door. To download music, see lauriemacallister.net.]]> Fri, 01 May 2026 09:31:32 -0400 Meet Laurie from Red Molly Folk singer Laurie MacAllister's name is a letter off from that of a bass player for The Runaways, which oozed attitude in the 1970s and might have been a footnote in rock history but for founding member Jo...]]> Folk singer Laurie MacAllister's name is a letter off from that of a bass player for The Runaways, which oozed attitude in the 1970s and might have been a footnote in rock history but for founding member Joan Jett's hits in the 1980s.
"A lot of women musicians, myself included, worship the ground she walks on," says MacAllister of Jett. "I first heard 'I Love Rock and Roll' at age 10. I remember exactly where I was and just lost it — but let's not forget Pat Benatar and Chrissie Hynde."
Even though the styles differ, all these women produce music with moxie. Playing guitar, singing and stirring emotion, MacAllister will bring her songs to the Howland Cultural Center on Saturday (May 2).

As with fictional settings, her songs make something out of nothing, like that moment in Cambridge, Massachusetts, when it's cold and wet and then the vignette turns into a break-up ode that crystallizes a fragment of the human experience ("Out of the Darkness").
To be a team player and round out the sound, she put down the guitar and picked up a bass for Red Molly, the folk trio with Hudson Valley roots. The band — MacAllister, Abbie Gardner and Molly Venter — shook up the folk scene with its polished look, sound and presentation.
"When we played places that served alcohol, they improvised many drinks that have only one common characteristic: the color," MacAllister says, but when the pandemic hit, along with parenthood for one member, the trio split for now.
MacAllister still seeks to subvert conventions. "I want to get away from the setup where the opener plays for 25 minutes, and then I come on for my slot," she says. "I have three male collaborators whom I work with, but I open each set and bring them in and out of the show."
Joining her in Beacon will be Fred Gillen Jr., a longtime local folk performer who lived in Westchester County before moving upstate. This is her last live slot for a while. MacAllister, now based in Virginia, is taking a break to record an album before a fall tour. The woman has paid her dues: "I'm 56, so I can decide what to do," she says.
With all the wordsmithing, chord changes and full-throttle vocals, it's easy to overlook her nimble guitar playing, which emits a big sound. She's also able to sing while fingerpicking — plucking out more intricate patterns with at least three digits — which is no mean feat. The test of talent is to execute something difficult while making it look easy.
"At first, I figured it would be impossible, but I put in a lot of practice and, somehow, it happened," MacAllister says.
While onstage, she seems to be on the verge of killing herself softly with her own songs. "I bring it to 95 percent, then I have to dial it back," she says. "If it makes people cry, that's a litmus test — like, if it gives me goosebumps — but it can only hit to a certain degree. We're poking at feelings, so even if I get physical reactions, I've got to be professional and gathered onstage."
The Howland Cultural Center is located at 477 Main St. in Beacon. Tickets for the concert, which begins at 8 p.m., are $25 at dub.sh/macallister-hcc, or $30 at the door. To download music, see lauriemacallister.net.]]> Marc Ferris 03:35 false full 32 5866793 There are four rules of LitLit, a literary open mic held at the Howland Cultural Center on the first Friday of every month. Audience members must listen in near silence, like at a jazz club, and a limit of 20 people get five minutes to read whatever they want, to a point.
The last stricture is "no hate speech," says founder Donna Minkowitz, but the structure is democratic: All erotic material and other genre-agnostic work is welcome.
On Friday (May 1), LitLit will celebrate five years of taking what can be a lonely and thankless pursuit into a social setting. (The event grew out of pre-pandemic sessions organized by Julie Chibbaro at the Howland Public Library.) For this occasion, the time limit is seven minutes and all performers may take the mic, not just writers.

Part of the evening will be spent honoring regular attendee Addison Goodson, who died April 16 at his Beacon home. A relative plans to read one of his works, says Minkowitz. "The only time he missed coming was to deal with medical issues."
Regulars praise Minkowitz's ability to provide an "accepting, no-judgment space where people listen," says Natalie Wilkinson, who writes poetry and short stories.
"Donna's generous spirit holds it together," says Nadine Revheim. "LitLit helped me find my voice as a writer and be comfortable as I read my memoir pieces and nonfiction essays."
Though Wilkinson says she found the open mic format to be "terrifying" at first, she discovered that "the audience lets you know the places where something lands, where something falls short or where they lose interest, without saying a word."
Revheim says she built the courage to read because of the "friendly and encouraging environment with structure that respects the writers and listeners. Donna is consistently fair to all readers and sets an equitable tone."
The readings examine a wide cross-section of life, says Wilkinson: "mental health, brushes with stardom, fictional nature adventures, children's stories, travel, religious, LGBTQ issues, relationships and family issues."

All genres are represented, even "some that have no name yet," says Peter Ullian, who has been attending since the beginning. "The experienced writers inspire me with their skill and wisdom; those new to sharing their work inspire me with the purity and freshness of their visions."
For LitLit, "I strive to be grassroots," says Minkowitz, who was the first full-time reporter to cover LGBTQ+ issues for The Village Voice and has published a novel and two memoirs. "People come from all walks of life: young, old, different races, published writers, unpublished writers," she says. "Whoever signs up gets to read."
LitLit began during the pandemic "as a funny-hair reading session" on Zoom, says Minkowitz, with in-person gatherings later on the back patio of Homespun Foods (now Dave the Butcher) on Main Street. When cold weather arrived, Minkowitz found a more permanent spot.
"The most beneficial aspect is that it's a 'third space' to share," says Revheim. "Donna's generous spirit is what holds it together."
The Howland Cultural Center is located at 477 Main St. in Beacon. The doors open on Friday (May 1) at 6:30 p.m. for sign-ups, with readings from 7 to 9 p.m. A $5 donation is suggested, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/29/litlit-celebrates-five-years-of-readings/ There are four rules of LitLit, a literary open mic held at the Howland Cultural Center on the first Friday of every month. Audience members must listen in near silence, like at a jazz club, and a limit of 20 people get five minutes to read whatever they want, to a point.
The last stricture is "no hate speech," says founder Donna Minkowitz, but the structure is democratic: All erotic material and other genre-agnostic work is welcome.
On Friday (May 1), LitLit will celebrate five years of taking what can be a lonely and thankless pursuit into a social setting. (The event grew out of pre-pandemic sessions organized by Julie Chibbaro at the Howland Public Library.) For this occasion, the time limit is seven minutes and all performers may take the mic, not just writers.

Part of the evening will be spent honoring regular attendee Addison Goodson, who died April 16 at his Beacon home. A relative plans to read one of his works, says Minkowitz. "The only time he missed coming was to deal with medical issues."
Regulars praise Minkowitz's ability to provide an "accepting, no-judgment space where people listen," says Natalie Wilkinson, who writes poetry and short stories.
"Donna's generous spirit holds it together," says Nadine Revheim. "LitLit helped me find my voice as a writer and be comfortable as I read my memoir pieces and nonfiction essays."
Though Wilkinson says she found the open mic format to be "terrifying" at first, she discovered that "the audience lets you know the places where something lands, where something falls short or where they lose interest, without saying a word."
Revheim says she built the courage to read because of the "friendly and encouraging environment with structure that respects the writers and listeners. Donna is consistently fair to all readers and sets an equitable tone."
The readings examine a wide cross-section of life, says Wilkinson: "mental health, brushes with stardom, fictional nature adventures, children's stories, travel, religious, LGBTQ issues, relationships and family issues."

All genres are represented, even "some that have no name yet," says Peter Ullian, who has been attending since the beginning. "The experienced writers inspire me with their skill and wisdom; those new to sharing their work inspire me with the purity and freshness of their visions."
For LitLit, "I strive to be grassroots," says Minkowitz, who was the first full-time reporter to cover LGBTQ+ issues for The Village Voice and has published a novel and two memoirs. "People come from all walks of life: young, old, different races, published writers, unpublished writers," she says. "Whoever signs up gets to read."
LitLit began during the pandemic "as a funny-hair reading session" on Zoom, says Minkowitz, with in-person gatherings later on the back patio of Homespun Foods (now Dave the Butcher) on Main Street. When cold weather arrived, Minkowitz found a more permanent spot.
"The most beneficial aspect is that it's a 'third space' to share," says Revheim. "Donna's generous spirit is what holds it together."
The Howland Cultural Center is located at 477 Main St. in Beacon. The doors open on Friday (May 1) at 6:30 p.m. for sign-ups, with readings from 7 to 9 p.m. A $5 donation is suggested, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.]]> Wed, 29 Apr 2026 22:26:33 -0400 LitLit Celebrates Five Years of Readings There are four rules of LitLit, a literary open mic held at the Howland Cultural Center on the first Friday of every month. Audience members must listen in near silence, like at a jazz club, and a limit of 20 peop...]]> There are four rules of LitLit, a literary open mic held at the Howland Cultural Center on the first Friday of every month. Audience members must listen in near silence, like at a jazz club, and a limit of 20 people get five minutes to read whatever they want, to a point.
The last stricture is "no hate speech," says founder Donna Minkowitz, but the structure is democratic: All erotic material and other genre-agnostic work is welcome.
On Friday (May 1), LitLit will celebrate five years of taking what can be a lonely and thankless pursuit into a social setting. (The event grew out of pre-pandemic sessions organized by Julie Chibbaro at the Howland Public Library.) For this occasion, the time limit is seven minutes and all performers may take the mic, not just writers.

Part of the evening will be spent honoring regular attendee Addison Goodson, who died April 16 at his Beacon home. A relative plans to read one of his works, says Minkowitz. "The only time he missed coming was to deal with medical issues."
Regulars praise Minkowitz's ability to provide an "accepting, no-judgment space where people listen," says Natalie Wilkinson, who writes poetry and short stories.
"Donna's generous spirit holds it together," says Nadine Revheim. "LitLit helped me find my voice as a writer and be comfortable as I read my memoir pieces and nonfiction essays."
Though Wilkinson says she found the open mic format to be "terrifying" at first, she discovered that "the audience lets you know the places where something lands, where something falls short or where they lose interest, without saying a word."
Revheim says she built the courage to read because of the "friendly and encouraging environment with structure that respects the writers and listeners. Donna is consistently fair to all readers and sets an equitable tone."
The readings examine a wide cross-section of life, says Wilkinson: "mental health, brushes with stardom, fictional nature adventures, children's stories, travel, religious, LGBTQ issues, relationships and family issues."

All genres are represented, even "some that have no name yet," says Peter Ullian, who has been attending since the beginning. "The experienced writers inspire me with their skill and wisdom; those new to sharing their work inspire me with the purity and freshness of their visions."
For LitLit, "I strive to be grassroots," says Minkowitz, who was the first full-time reporter to cover LGBTQ+ issues for The Village Voice and has published a novel and two memoirs. "People come from all walks of life: young, old, different races, published writers, unpublished writers," she says. "Whoever signs up gets to read."
LitLit began during the pandemic "as a funny-hair reading session" on Zoom, says Minkowitz, with in-person gatherings later on the back patio of Homespun Foods (now Dave the Butcher) on Main Street. When cold weather arrived, Minkowitz found a more permanent spot.
"The most beneficial aspect is that it's a 'third space' to share," says Revheim. "Donna's generous spirit is what holds it together."
The Howland Cultural Center is located at 477 Main St. in Beacon. The doors open on Friday (May 1) at 6:30 p.m. for sign-ups, with readings from 7 to 9 p.m. A $5 donation is suggested, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.]]> Marc Ferris 03:41 false full 31 5866367 Voters in the Beacon City School District will be asked to approve a proposed $1.56 million budget for 2026-27 and to fill three open seats on the nine-member board. The polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. in the Community Room at 313 Main St. See beaconlibrary.org/vote for more details.
One seat is for a five-year term, and two others will fill vacancies for one- and three-year terms. The terms will be determined by the vote count.
The candidates are incumbent Kathy Furfey and newcomers Henry Breed, Toni Maeck and Pia Ruisi-Besares. They each provided statements to the library, which are republished below in alphabetical order by last name.
Henry Breed
The history, culture and natural beauty of our region have been major, vibrant forces in my life since my earliest childhood, and they drew me back to it and to Beacon nearly five years ago, after I completed a career of nearly 30 years at the United Nations that focused on educational and cultural issues.

My increasing involvement in the Howland library — as a frequent and significant contributor to Beacon Reads, as someone with deep and broad experience in strategic planning for cultural organizations, and as someone who has always loved reading — has been very exciting and enjoyable for me. The library has great potential and is poised to take some very important moves to realize it, and I would be glad to contribute the experience and perspective I've acquired to help it optimize them.
As a former council member of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), I have chaired its strategic planning committee and served on its governmental liaison, performing arts and visual arts committees. I have also served as an expert panelist on music and on international exchange at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). And, as a political advisor in the United Nations General Assembly, where I led the team that covered and analyzed debates on the full range of issues before it, I focused particularly on issues of culture, education, human rights, sustainable development and organizational reform.
Earlier, while still a graduate student, I worked as a consulting editor for the UNESCO Courier, which champions worldwide efforts in education, literacy and cultural preservation. At a very personal level, there is one other tie that links me closely to the library and the pursuit of its best interests and future: I am a descendant of General Joseph Howland, its founder.
Kathleen Furfey
I have had the privilege of being a trustee on the board of the Howland Public Library. I am asking you to help me continue in that role.

This is an exciting time for our library. We have been working diligently with meetings and questionnaires to gather as much information as possible on how this library can meet the needs of all members of our community. All that input helps us to move on with our long-range plans. Committees have been in session to revise policies and bylaws. New services require new policies and procedures. Facility options are being explored.
I am firmly committed to the role of our library as the heart of our community, and I want to continue working to provide inclusivity and availability to all.
My experience as a board member, my background as a teacher, my commitment to volunteerism and social responsibility will help me to serve you as we move forward.
Anotina (Toni) Maeck
I live in Glenham with my partner and dog, and I've been grateful to call Beacon and Fishkill home for the past 12 years.

The Howland Library has been a constant in my adult life. It has been a cool place to work on a hot day, a source of books and audiobooks that have nourished my spirit, and a place where I've learned from amazing local speakers. As a trustee, I would work hard to ensure that everyone can rely on the library as a welcoming and protective place at the heart of ...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/26/meet-the-candidates-howland-library/ Voters in the Beacon City School District will be asked to approve a proposed $1.56 million budget for 2026-27 and to fill three open seats on the nine-member board. The polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. in the Community Room at 313 Main St. See beaconlibrary.org/vote for more details.
One seat is for a five-year term, and two others will fill vacancies for one- and three-year terms. The terms will be determined by the vote count.
The candidates are incumbent Kathy Furfey and newcomers Henry Breed, Toni Maeck and Pia Ruisi-Besares. They each provided statements to the library, which are republished below in alphabetical order by last name.
Henry Breed
The history, culture and natural beauty of our region have been major, vibrant forces in my life since my earliest childhood, and they drew me back to it and to Beacon nearly five years ago, after I completed a career of nearly 30 years at the United Nations that focused on educational and cultural issues.

My increasing involvement in the Howland library — as a frequent and significant contributor to Beacon Reads, as someone with deep and broad experience in strategic planning for cultural organizations, and as someone who has always loved reading — has been very exciting and enjoyable for me. The library has great potential and is poised to take some very important moves to realize it, and I would be glad to contribute the experience and perspective I've acquired to help it optimize them.
As a former council member of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), I have chaired its strategic planning committee and served on its governmental liaison, performing arts and visual arts committees. I have also served as an expert panelist on music and on international exchange at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). And, as a political advisor in the United Nations General Assembly, where I led the team that covered and analyzed debates on the full range of issues before it, I focused particularly on issues of culture, education, human rights, sustainable development and organizational reform.
Earlier, while still a graduate student, I worked as a consulting editor for the UNESCO Courier, which champions worldwide efforts in education, literacy and cultural preservation. At a very personal level, there is one other tie that links me closely to the library and the pursuit of its best interests and future: I am a descendant of General Joseph Howland, its founder.
Kathleen Furfey
I have had the privilege of being a trustee on the board of the Howland Public Library. I am asking you to help me continue in that role.

This is an exciting time for our library. We have been working diligently with meetings and questionnaires to gather as much information as possible on how this library can meet the needs of all members of our community. All that input helps us to move on with our long-range plans. Committees have been in session to revise policies and bylaws. New services require new policies and procedures. Facility options are being explored.
I am firmly committed to the role of our library as the heart of our community, and I want to continue working to provide inclusivity and availability to all.
My experience as a board member, my background as a teacher, my commitment to volunteerism and social responsibility will help me to serve you as we move forward.
Anotina (Toni) Maeck
I live in Glenham with my partner and dog, and I've been grateful to call Beacon and Fishkill home for the past 12 years.

The Howland Library has been a constant in my adult life. It has been a cool place to work on a hot day, a source of books and audiobooks that have nourished my spirit, and a place where I've learned from amazing local speakers. As a trustee, I would work hard to ensure that everyone can rely on the library as a welcoming and protective place at the heart of ...]]> Sun, 26 Apr 2026 09:04:50 -0400 Meet the Candidates: Howland Library Voters in the Beacon City School District will be asked to approve a proposed $1.56 million budget for 2026-27 and to fill three op...]]> Voters in the Beacon City School District will be asked to approve a proposed $1.56 million budget for 2026-27 and to fill three open seats on the nine-member board. The polls will be open from noon to 8 p.m. in the Community Room at 313 Main St. See beaconlibrary.org/vote for more details.
One seat is for a five-year term, and two others will fill vacancies for one- and three-year terms. The terms will be determined by the vote count.
The candidates are incumbent Kathy Furfey and newcomers Henry Breed, Toni Maeck and Pia Ruisi-Besares. They each provided statements to the library, which are republished below in alphabetical order by last name.
Henry Breed
The history, culture and natural beauty of our region have been major, vibrant forces in my life since my earliest childhood, and they drew me back to it and to Beacon nearly five years ago, after I completed a career of nearly 30 years at the United Nations that focused on educational and cultural issues.

My increasing involvement in the Howland library — as a frequent and significant contributor to Beacon Reads, as someone with deep and broad experience in strategic planning for cultural organizations, and as someone who has always loved reading — has been very exciting and enjoyable for me. The library has great potential and is poised to take some very important moves to realize it, and I would be glad to contribute the experience and perspective I've acquired to help it optimize them.
As a former council member of the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), I have chaired its strategic planning committee and served on its governmental liaison, performing arts and visual arts committees. I have also served as an expert panelist on music and on international exchange at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). And, as a political advisor in the United Nations General Assembly, where I led the team that covered and analyzed debates on the full range of issues before it, I focused particularly on issues of culture, education, human rights, sustainable development and organizational reform.
Earlier, while still a graduate student, I worked as a consulting editor for the UNESCO Courier, which champions worldwide efforts in education, literacy and cultural preservation. At a very personal level, there is one other tie that links me closely to the library and the pursuit of its best interests and future: I am a descendant of General Joseph Howland, its founder.
Kathleen Furfey
I have had the privilege of being a trustee on the board of the Howland Public Library. I am asking you to help me continue in that role.

This is an exciting time for our library. We have been working diligently with meetings and questionnaires to gather as much information as possible on how this library can meet the needs of all members of our community. All that input helps us to move on with our long-range plans. Committees have been in session to revise policies and bylaws. New services require new policies and procedures. Facility options are being explored.
I am firmly committed to the role of our library as the heart of our community, and I want to continue working to provide inclusivity and availability to all.
My experience as a board member, my background as a teacher, my commitment to volunteerism and social responsibility will help me to serve you as we move forward.
Anotina (Toni) Maeck
I live in Glenham with my partner and dog, and I've been grateful to call Beacon and Fishkill home for the past 12 years.

The Howland Library has been a constant in my adult life. It has been a cool place to work on a hot day, a source of books and audiobooks that have nourished my spirit, and a place where I've learned from amazing local speakers. As a trustee, I would work hard to ensure that everyone can rely on the library as a welcoming and protective place at the heart of ...]]> Staff 05:50 false full 30 5866039 Three years ago, Gov. Kathy Hochul attempted to solve a dire housing crisis with a plan to build 800,000 units over a decade.
Her plan would have required that municipalities with commuter train stations such as Beacon, Cold Spring and Philipstown increase housing by 3 percent over three years. It faced pushback from Hudson Valley legislators, who argued the proposal would compromise local autonomy. The proposal collapsed in budget negotiations.
Now the governor is back with a new housing plan that, if anything, gives local municipalities more control: It would overhaul the 50-year-old State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) to exempt much new housing construction from undergoing an environmental review process.
Hochul says SEQRA has become burdensome, adding years to the development process and driving up construction costs, and that it duplicates reviews that often take place at the local level. Her concerns echo a new "abundance" movement that claims that, while 1970s regulations reduced pollution, they have since become obstacles to combating climate change and to affordability. Earlier this year, California overhauled its environmental review process for similar reasons.

The New York plan has support. Last month, 12 mayors and supervisors from the Hudson Valley (not including the Highlands) asked the state Legislature to support the SEQRA overhaul. It also has support — to a lesser degree — from environmental groups such as Riverkeeper, Scenic Hudson and the Hudson Highlands Land Trust, who joined 10 organizations to tell Hochul they believe an overhaul of SEQRA could accelerate affordable housing projects.
According to Johnathan Clark of Scenic Hudson, the groups also support "denser, connected development in places with the infrastructure to support it" because that would allow for "connecting to public transit or promoting walkability, or reducing emissions and protecting open space by shifting some of that pressure to make up that missing housing in disconnected areas that we might want to conserve as open space."
The groups said SEQRA is sometimes used to obstruct and appreciate a suggestion to impose time limits on reviews. "There are times when planning boards, if they have a project in front of them that they don't really like, but they feel like there's not much they can do about it, because their zoning laws that they have in place don't prevent what's being proposed," said Edward Warren of the Hudson Highlands Land Trust. "They'll sometimes try to drag their feet using SEQRA with the hope that the developer will get frustrated and move on."
However, the groups warned that the language of the proposed changes is too vague, which could be exploited to "encourage sprawling development, incentivize housing in contaminated or flood-prone areas, strain existing water and sewer infrastructure, and result in irreversible environmental impacts," they wrote.
"You don't want to create a giant loophole, because developers are just going to drive whatever project they want through it," said Tracy Brown, the executive director of Riverkeeper.
She expressed concern that framing a SEQRA overhaul as a necessary component to create affordable housing sets up a false contrast. "This is kind of a political cudgel for saying that environmental priorities are somehow in opposition to affordability or to abundance," she said.
Here are some concerns that have been raised:
Two sizes fit all
The governor's proposal centers on two sets of requirements for a project to be exempt from environmental review: one for New York City and one for everywhere else.
Under the current guidelines, a multifamily home with three or fewer units can qualify for an exemption; Hochul's proposal would increase that to 100 units outside New York City. "That might work fine in Yonkers," said Brown. "It's not necessarily going to work in Garrison."

Disturbed site
One of the proposed requirements ...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/24/cutting-the-green-tape/ Three years ago, Gov. Kathy Hochul attempted to solve a dire housing crisis with a plan to build 800,000 units over a decade.
Her plan would have required that municipalities with commuter train stations such as Beacon, Cold Spring and Philipstown increase housing by 3 percent over three years. It faced pushback from Hudson Valley legislators, who argued the proposal would compromise local autonomy. The proposal collapsed in budget negotiations.
Now the governor is back with a new housing plan that, if anything, gives local municipalities more control: It would overhaul the 50-year-old State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) to exempt much new housing construction from undergoing an environmental review process.
Hochul says SEQRA has become burdensome, adding years to the development process and driving up construction costs, and that it duplicates reviews that often take place at the local level. Her concerns echo a new "abundance" movement that claims that, while 1970s regulations reduced pollution, they have since become obstacles to combating climate change and to affordability. Earlier this year, California overhauled its environmental review process for similar reasons.

The New York plan has support. Last month, 12 mayors and supervisors from the Hudson Valley (not including the Highlands) asked the state Legislature to support the SEQRA overhaul. It also has support — to a lesser degree — from environmental groups such as Riverkeeper, Scenic Hudson and the Hudson Highlands Land Trust, who joined 10 organizations to tell Hochul they believe an overhaul of SEQRA could accelerate affordable housing projects.
According to Johnathan Clark of Scenic Hudson, the groups also support "denser, connected development in places with the infrastructure to support it" because that would allow for "connecting to public transit or promoting walkability, or reducing emissions and protecting open space by shifting some of that pressure to make up that missing housing in disconnected areas that we might want to conserve as open space."
The groups said SEQRA is sometimes used to obstruct and appreciate a suggestion to impose time limits on reviews. "There are times when planning boards, if they have a project in front of them that they don't really like, but they feel like there's not much they can do about it, because their zoning laws that they have in place don't prevent what's being proposed," said Edward Warren of the Hudson Highlands Land Trust. "They'll sometimes try to drag their feet using SEQRA with the hope that the developer will get frustrated and move on."
However, the groups warned that the language of the proposed changes is too vague, which could be exploited to "encourage sprawling development, incentivize housing in contaminated or flood-prone areas, strain existing water and sewer infrastructure, and result in irreversible environmental impacts," they wrote.
"You don't want to create a giant loophole, because developers are just going to drive whatever project they want through it," said Tracy Brown, the executive director of Riverkeeper.
She expressed concern that framing a SEQRA overhaul as a necessary component to create affordable housing sets up a false contrast. "This is kind of a political cudgel for saying that environmental priorities are somehow in opposition to affordability or to abundance," she said.
Here are some concerns that have been raised:
Two sizes fit all
The governor's proposal centers on two sets of requirements for a project to be exempt from environmental review: one for New York City and one for everywhere else.
Under the current guidelines, a multifamily home with three or fewer units can qualify for an exemption; Hochul's proposal would increase that to 100 units outside New York City. "That might work fine in Yonkers," said Brown. "It's not necessarily going to work in Garrison."

Disturbed site
One of the proposed requirements ...]]> Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:02:20 -0400 Cutting the Green Tape Three years ago, Gov. Kathy Hochul attempted to solve a dire housing crisis with a plan to build 800,000 units over a decade.
Her plan would have required that municipalities with commuter train sta...]]> Three years ago, Gov. Kathy Hochul attempted to solve a dire housing crisis with a plan to build 800,000 units over a decade.
Her plan would have required that municipalities with commuter train stations such as Beacon, Cold Spring and Philipstown increase housing by 3 percent over three years. It faced pushback from Hudson Valley legislators, who argued the proposal would compromise local autonomy. The proposal collapsed in budget negotiations.
Now the governor is back with a new housing plan that, if anything, gives local municipalities more control: It would overhaul the 50-year-old State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) to exempt much new housing construction from undergoing an environmental review process.
Hochul says SEQRA has become burdensome, adding years to the development process and driving up construction costs, and that it duplicates reviews that often take place at the local level. Her concerns echo a new "abundance" movement that claims that, while 1970s regulations reduced pollution, they have since become obstacles to combating climate change and to affordability. Earlier this year, California overhauled its environmental review process for similar reasons.

The New York plan has support. Last month, 12 mayors and supervisors from the Hudson Valley (not including the Highlands) asked the state Legislature to support the SEQRA overhaul. It also has support — to a lesser degree — from environmental groups such as Riverkeeper, Scenic Hudson and the Hudson Highlands Land Trust, who joined 10 organizations to tell Hochul they believe an overhaul of SEQRA could accelerate affordable housing projects.
According to Johnathan Clark of Scenic Hudson, the groups also support "denser, connected development in places with the infrastructure to support it" because that would allow for "connecting to public transit or promoting walkability, or reducing emissions and protecting open space by shifting some of that pressure to make up that missing housing in disconnected areas that we might want to conserve as open space."
The groups said SEQRA is sometimes used to obstruct and appreciate a suggestion to impose time limits on reviews. "There are times when planning boards, if they have a project in front of them that they don't really like, but they feel like there's not much they can do about it, because their zoning laws that they have in place don't prevent what's being proposed," said Edward Warren of the Hudson Highlands Land Trust. "They'll sometimes try to drag their feet using SEQRA with the hope that the developer will get frustrated and move on."
However, the groups warned that the language of the proposed changes is too vague, which could be exploited to "encourage sprawling development, incentivize housing in contaminated or flood-prone areas, strain existing water and sewer infrastructure, and result in irreversible environmental impacts," they wrote.
"You don't want to create a giant loophole, because developers are just going to drive whatever project they want through it," said Tracy Brown, the executive director of Riverkeeper.
She expressed concern that framing a SEQRA overhaul as a necessary component to create affordable housing sets up a false contrast. "This is kind of a political cudgel for saying that environmental priorities are somehow in opposition to affordability or to abundance," she said.
Here are some concerns that have been raised:
Two sizes fit all
The governor's proposal centers on two sets of requirements for a project to be exempt from environmental review: one for New York City and one for everywhere else.
Under the current guidelines, a multifamily home with three or fewer units can qualify for an exemption; Hochul's proposal would increase that to 100 units outside New York City. "That might work fine in Yonkers," said Brown. "It's not necessarily going to work in Garrison."

Disturbed site
One of the proposed requirements ...]]> Brian PJ Cronin 07:56 false full 29 5866036 More than anything else, there were questions on Monday (April 20) from residents whose properties are being considered for Beacon's protected historic district.
Some were pleased, others said "no thanks," but most were lukewarm about a proposal they said they didn't understand.
The district — which is an overlay, meaning it can be applied to buildings throughout the city — encompasses nearly 300 properties. Some are private residences; others, like the Madam Brett Homestead, are cultural institutions.
City code permits the ordinary maintenance and repair of a historic structure but a building permit and "certificate of appropriateness" from the Planning Board are required to alter an "identified historical feature" visible from a street, sidewalk or park.
On the flip side, if a certificate of appropriateness is secured, the assessed value will not increase because of those improvements. Property owners may also apply for special permits. For example, the former Reformed Church of Beacon, now known as Prophecy Hall, received a special-use permit in 2023 to construct a hotel that would not otherwise be allowed.
City Council members vote on whether to add each property to the historic district. A property owner may object, but five of the seven members can override an objection.
The council held a public hearing on Monday for 17 parcels under consideration. Several owners worried that inclusion would cost them money.
The district appears to create "a structure where the obligations placed on the homeowners are clear, enforceable and carry real costs," while the benefits "are conditional, uncertain and not guaranteed," said Kimberly Garcia, who owns 159 Fishkill Ave. She asked the council, which must vote on designating properties within 60 days of concluding the hearing, to delay its decision.
Lou Amoroso Jr., vice president of the St. Rocco Society at 26 South Chestnut St., said its board has no plans to alter the building but does not want to be part of the district. The members of the society, founded in 1905 by Italian immigrants, feel it's important "to keep it the way that it is," he said. However, "we don't want to feel that we're going to be put in a situation where the organization is going to have to struggle to do that."
Mayor Lee Kyriacou, who has lived in a historic home for 30 years, offered to meet with property owners to allay their concerns. He described "the infinite renovations that we have done in our home and the fact that it hasn't ever required going to the Planning Board for anything regarding the [district]."
Matthew Healey, the owner of 30 South Ave., questioned "what the compelling reason for creating this historic district is," noting that the Planning Board last month authorized construction of an addition to the historic Telephone Building at 291 Main St. "I don't want a planning board telling me you can use this color, that color paint," Healey said. "Obviously, I'm not going to paint [my house] Day-Glo orange."
(The Planning Board approved the Telephone Building project after a historical expert testified that the addition would not detract from the 1907 structure.)
Three property owners submitted written objections to their nominations. Council members adjourned the public hearing to May 18 and will discuss the nominations during a workshop on May 4.
248 Tioronda
The council held a second public hearing on Monday on a revised concept plan for a residential housing development at 248 Tioronda Ave.
Originally approved in 2014 as a 100-unit complex, the project has been through at least a half-dozen iterations. The current owner, Bernard Kohn, received permission from the City Council last year to construct two additional residential buildings (two structures with 64 apartments are already completed). The new buildings will include 136 apartments, 27 of which by law must be rented at below-market rates.
Several things must happen before the proje...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/24/many-question-historic-designation/ More than anything else, there were questions on Monday (April 20) from residents whose properties are being considered for Beacon's protected historic district.
Some were pleased, others said "no thanks," but most were lukewarm about a proposal they said they didn't understand.
The district — which is an overlay, meaning it can be applied to buildings throughout the city — encompasses nearly 300 properties. Some are private residences; others, like the Madam Brett Homestead, are cultural institutions.
City code permits the ordinary maintenance and repair of a historic structure but a building permit and "certificate of appropriateness" from the Planning Board are required to alter an "identified historical feature" visible from a street, sidewalk or park.
On the flip side, if a certificate of appropriateness is secured, the assessed value will not increase because of those improvements. Property owners may also apply for special permits. For example, the former Reformed Church of Beacon, now known as Prophecy Hall, received a special-use permit in 2023 to construct a hotel that would not otherwise be allowed.
City Council members vote on whether to add each property to the historic district. A property owner may object, but five of the seven members can override an objection.
The council held a public hearing on Monday for 17 parcels under consideration. Several owners worried that inclusion would cost them money.
The district appears to create "a structure where the obligations placed on the homeowners are clear, enforceable and carry real costs," while the benefits "are conditional, uncertain and not guaranteed," said Kimberly Garcia, who owns 159 Fishkill Ave. She asked the council, which must vote on designating properties within 60 days of concluding the hearing, to delay its decision.
Lou Amoroso Jr., vice president of the St. Rocco Society at 26 South Chestnut St., said its board has no plans to alter the building but does not want to be part of the district. The members of the society, founded in 1905 by Italian immigrants, feel it's important "to keep it the way that it is," he said. However, "we don't want to feel that we're going to be put in a situation where the organization is going to have to struggle to do that."
Mayor Lee Kyriacou, who has lived in a historic home for 30 years, offered to meet with property owners to allay their concerns. He described "the infinite renovations that we have done in our home and the fact that it hasn't ever required going to the Planning Board for anything regarding the [district]."
Matthew Healey, the owner of 30 South Ave., questioned "what the compelling reason for creating this historic district is," noting that the Planning Board last month authorized construction of an addition to the historic Telephone Building at 291 Main St. "I don't want a planning board telling me you can use this color, that color paint," Healey said. "Obviously, I'm not going to paint [my house] Day-Glo orange."
(The Planning Board approved the Telephone Building project after a historical expert testified that the addition would not detract from the 1907 structure.)
Three property owners submitted written objections to their nominations. Council members adjourned the public hearing to May 18 and will discuss the nominations during a workshop on May 4.
248 Tioronda
The council held a second public hearing on Monday on a revised concept plan for a residential housing development at 248 Tioronda Ave.
Originally approved in 2014 as a 100-unit complex, the project has been through at least a half-dozen iterations. The current owner, Bernard Kohn, received permission from the City Council last year to construct two additional residential buildings (two structures with 64 apartments are already completed). The new buildings will include 136 apartments, 27 of which by law must be rented at below-market rates.
Several things must happen before the proje...]]> Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:00:24 -0400 Many Question 'Historic' Designation More than anything else, there were questions on Monday (April 20) from residents whose properties are being considered for Beacon's protected historic district.
Some were pleased, others said "no than...]]> More than anything else, there were questions on Monday (April 20) from residents whose properties are being considered for Beacon's protected historic district.
Some were pleased, others said "no thanks," but most were lukewarm about a proposal they said they didn't understand.
The district — which is an overlay, meaning it can be applied to buildings throughout the city — encompasses nearly 300 properties. Some are private residences; others, like the Madam Brett Homestead, are cultural institutions.
City code permits the ordinary maintenance and repair of a historic structure but a building permit and "certificate of appropriateness" from the Planning Board are required to alter an "identified historical feature" visible from a street, sidewalk or park.
On the flip side, if a certificate of appropriateness is secured, the assessed value will not increase because of those improvements. Property owners may also apply for special permits. For example, the former Reformed Church of Beacon, now known as Prophecy Hall, received a special-use permit in 2023 to construct a hotel that would not otherwise be allowed.
City Council members vote on whether to add each property to the historic district. A property owner may object, but five of the seven members can override an objection.
The council held a public hearing on Monday for 17 parcels under consideration. Several owners worried that inclusion would cost them money.
The district appears to create "a structure where the obligations placed on the homeowners are clear, enforceable and carry real costs," while the benefits "are conditional, uncertain and not guaranteed," said Kimberly Garcia, who owns 159 Fishkill Ave. She asked the council, which must vote on designating properties within 60 days of concluding the hearing, to delay its decision.
Lou Amoroso Jr., vice president of the St. Rocco Society at 26 South Chestnut St., said its board has no plans to alter the building but does not want to be part of the district. The members of the society, founded in 1905 by Italian immigrants, feel it's important "to keep it the way that it is," he said. However, "we don't want to feel that we're going to be put in a situation where the organization is going to have to struggle to do that."
Mayor Lee Kyriacou, who has lived in a historic home for 30 years, offered to meet with property owners to allay their concerns. He described "the infinite renovations that we have done in our home and the fact that it hasn't ever required going to the Planning Board for anything regarding the [district]."
Matthew Healey, the owner of 30 South Ave., questioned "what the compelling reason for creating this historic district is," noting that the Planning Board last month authorized construction of an addition to the historic Telephone Building at 291 Main St. "I don't want a planning board telling me you can use this color, that color paint," Healey said. "Obviously, I'm not going to paint [my house] Day-Glo orange."
(The Planning Board approved the Telephone Building project after a historical expert testified that the addition would not detract from the 1907 structure.)
Three property owners submitted written objections to their nominations. Council members adjourned the public hearing to May 18 and will discuss the nominations during a workshop on May 4.
248 Tioronda
The council held a second public hearing on Monday on a revised concept plan for a residential housing development at 248 Tioronda Ave.
Originally approved in 2014 as a 100-unit complex, the project has been through at least a half-dozen iterations. The current owner, Bernard Kohn, received permission from the City Council last year to construct two additional residential buildings (two structures with 64 apartments are already completed). The new buildings will include 136 apartments, 27 of which by law must be rented at below-market rates.
Several things must happen before the proje...]]> Jeff Simms 06:56 false full 28 5866087 For Sal Russo, the live figure drawing sessions at Garrison Art Center are about a youthful dream revived following the death of his wife.
Russo, 78, loved drawing as a kid and considered a career in art before landing a position climbing down New York City manholes as a lineman for Ma Bell. When Dottie, his wife of 37 years, died of pancreatic cancer in 2010, he decided it was time to return to drawing.
"I did it to stay sane," says Russo, who lives in Orange County. "Without it, I would have been a little bit lost." Now, in addition to attending the weekly Garrison sessions, Russo enters his pastel paintings in local art shows and has made some sales.

Russo is part of Highland's flourishing figuring drawing scene, where artists in Philipstown and Beacon practice drawing nude models.
"It's just about the process of sitting and looking and making marks," said John Allen, 83, of Philipstown, who started drawing in the 1980s when his wife, a clothing designer, signed him up for a class at the Garrison Art Center.
He has also done sculpture, but says he has no interest in showing or selling his work, as in the past. He just enjoys the meditative process. "Sometimes you make a drawing that you really like," he says. "That makes everything count."
Meet the Models

Sophia Jackson was 18 when she first posed nude for an art class. "I was applying to art school and needed some drawings for my portfolio," said the Beacon resident. She began accompanying her mother, a ceramicist, to life-drawing sessions in Philadelphia, where they lived.
"One day, the model didn't show up," said Jackson. "They asked me if I would do it. It was a group of artists whom my mom knew — people I had grown up with — so it was comfortable and easy. They were excited [about having a new model], and I was excited to make some money."
Jackson has modeled off and on for 30 years. She is one of several models who regularly pose for artists in the Highlands and around the Hudson Valley.
She said that, when she is posing, she doesn't think much about being nude. "I think about shapes, and what story I can tell with my body that's going to inspire the people in the room," said Jackson.
What are the keys to being a good model? "You make yourself truly available to the artists," said Rudy Vavra, who has been modeling for nearly four decades in and around New York City. "When you're comfortable being nude, that goes out to the person that's drawing you, and they feel comfortable with you. The other aspect is you must stand still."
Vavra said he models to support his own art, which focuses on abstract paintings and woven projects. At times, he has modeled as much as 60 hours a week. He said he once posed for singer Tony Bennett, who was also an artist. Vavra, who lives near Rhinebeck, said he has had a few "wacky" assignments, such as when he posed nude on a sofa next to the artist's fully clothed mother while she read a book.
Todd Moore was inspired to become a nude model by the ancient Greek statues at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. "I've always been into Spartans," said Moore, 36, who lives in Wappingers Falls. "I thought, 'These statues are really cool. I wonder if they still do these things.'"
Moore is known to artists for his ripped muscles. He has a degree in exercise science, has worked as a personal trainer and aspires to model clothing for fitness brands. He was once asked to bring a Captain America shield to a session. "Captain America is my favorite Marvel character," he said. "The Hulk used to be."
Allen doubles as the Garrison Art Center's figure-drawing "monitor." He collects the weekly $25 fee from the 15 or so people who crowd into the back room on Monday mornings. He also levies a $5 fine if a cellphone rings. During the three-hour sessions, models pose for up to 25 minutes while the artists work with pencil, ink, charcoal, pastels, watercolors and gouache.
At a recent session, Peter Dama drew on an iPad using an elect...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/24/art-au-naturel/ For Sal Russo, the live figure drawing sessions at Garrison Art Center are about a youthful dream revived following the death of his wife.
Russo, 78, loved drawing as a kid and considered a career in art before landing a position climbing down New York City manholes as a lineman for Ma Bell. When Dottie, his wife of 37 years, died of pancreatic cancer in 2010, he decided it was time to return to drawing.
"I did it to stay sane," says Russo, who lives in Orange County. "Without it, I would have been a little bit lost." Now, in addition to attending the weekly Garrison sessions, Russo enters his pastel paintings in local art shows and has made some sales.

Russo is part of Highland's flourishing figuring drawing scene, where artists in Philipstown and Beacon practice drawing nude models.
"It's just about the process of sitting and looking and making marks," said John Allen, 83, of Philipstown, who started drawing in the 1980s when his wife, a clothing designer, signed him up for a class at the Garrison Art Center.
He has also done sculpture, but says he has no interest in showing or selling his work, as in the past. He just enjoys the meditative process. "Sometimes you make a drawing that you really like," he says. "That makes everything count."
Meet the Models

Sophia Jackson was 18 when she first posed nude for an art class. "I was applying to art school and needed some drawings for my portfolio," said the Beacon resident. She began accompanying her mother, a ceramicist, to life-drawing sessions in Philadelphia, where they lived.
"One day, the model didn't show up," said Jackson. "They asked me if I would do it. It was a group of artists whom my mom knew — people I had grown up with — so it was comfortable and easy. They were excited [about having a new model], and I was excited to make some money."
Jackson has modeled off and on for 30 years. She is one of several models who regularly pose for artists in the Highlands and around the Hudson Valley.
She said that, when she is posing, she doesn't think much about being nude. "I think about shapes, and what story I can tell with my body that's going to inspire the people in the room," said Jackson.
What are the keys to being a good model? "You make yourself truly available to the artists," said Rudy Vavra, who has been modeling for nearly four decades in and around New York City. "When you're comfortable being nude, that goes out to the person that's drawing you, and they feel comfortable with you. The other aspect is you must stand still."
Vavra said he models to support his own art, which focuses on abstract paintings and woven projects. At times, he has modeled as much as 60 hours a week. He said he once posed for singer Tony Bennett, who was also an artist. Vavra, who lives near Rhinebeck, said he has had a few "wacky" assignments, such as when he posed nude on a sofa next to the artist's fully clothed mother while she read a book.
Todd Moore was inspired to become a nude model by the ancient Greek statues at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. "I've always been into Spartans," said Moore, 36, who lives in Wappingers Falls. "I thought, 'These statues are really cool. I wonder if they still do these things.'"
Moore is known to artists for his ripped muscles. He has a degree in exercise science, has worked as a personal trainer and aspires to model clothing for fitness brands. He was once asked to bring a Captain America shield to a session. "Captain America is my favorite Marvel character," he said. "The Hulk used to be."
Allen doubles as the Garrison Art Center's figure-drawing "monitor." He collects the weekly $25 fee from the 15 or so people who crowd into the back room on Monday mornings. He also levies a $5 fine if a cellphone rings. During the three-hour sessions, models pose for up to 25 minutes while the artists work with pencil, ink, charcoal, pastels, watercolors and gouache.
At a recent session, Peter Dama drew on an iPad using an elect...]]> Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:54:09 -0400 Art au Naturel For Sal Russo, the live figure drawing sessions at Garrison Art Center are about a youthful dream revived following the death of his wife.
Russo, 78, loved drawing as a kid and considered a career in art before landing a ...]]> For Sal Russo, the live figure drawing sessions at Garrison Art Center are about a youthful dream revived following the death of his wife.
Russo, 78, loved drawing as a kid and considered a career in art before landing a position climbing down New York City manholes as a lineman for Ma Bell. When Dottie, his wife of 37 years, died of pancreatic cancer in 2010, he decided it was time to return to drawing.
"I did it to stay sane," says Russo, who lives in Orange County. "Without it, I would have been a little bit lost." Now, in addition to attending the weekly Garrison sessions, Russo enters his pastel paintings in local art shows and has made some sales.

Russo is part of Highland's flourishing figuring drawing scene, where artists in Philipstown and Beacon practice drawing nude models.
"It's just about the process of sitting and looking and making marks," said John Allen, 83, of Philipstown, who started drawing in the 1980s when his wife, a clothing designer, signed him up for a class at the Garrison Art Center.
He has also done sculpture, but says he has no interest in showing or selling his work, as in the past. He just enjoys the meditative process. "Sometimes you make a drawing that you really like," he says. "That makes everything count."
Meet the Models

Sophia Jackson was 18 when she first posed nude for an art class. "I was applying to art school and needed some drawings for my portfolio," said the Beacon resident. She began accompanying her mother, a ceramicist, to life-drawing sessions in Philadelphia, where they lived.
"One day, the model didn't show up," said Jackson. "They asked me if I would do it. It was a group of artists whom my mom knew — people I had grown up with — so it was comfortable and easy. They were excited [about having a new model], and I was excited to make some money."
Jackson has modeled off and on for 30 years. She is one of several models who regularly pose for artists in the Highlands and around the Hudson Valley.
She said that, when she is posing, she doesn't think much about being nude. "I think about shapes, and what story I can tell with my body that's going to inspire the people in the room," said Jackson.
What are the keys to being a good model? "You make yourself truly available to the artists," said Rudy Vavra, who has been modeling for nearly four decades in and around New York City. "When you're comfortable being nude, that goes out to the person that's drawing you, and they feel comfortable with you. The other aspect is you must stand still."
Vavra said he models to support his own art, which focuses on abstract paintings and woven projects. At times, he has modeled as much as 60 hours a week. He said he once posed for singer Tony Bennett, who was also an artist. Vavra, who lives near Rhinebeck, said he has had a few "wacky" assignments, such as when he posed nude on a sofa next to the artist's fully clothed mother while she read a book.
Todd Moore was inspired to become a nude model by the ancient Greek statues at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. "I've always been into Spartans," said Moore, 36, who lives in Wappingers Falls. "I thought, 'These statues are really cool. I wonder if they still do these things.'"
Moore is known to artists for his ripped muscles. He has a degree in exercise science, has worked as a personal trainer and aspires to model clothing for fitness brands. He was once asked to bring a Captain America shield to a session. "Captain America is my favorite Marvel character," he said. "The Hulk used to be."
Allen doubles as the Garrison Art Center's figure-drawing "monitor." He collects the weekly $25 fee from the 15 or so people who crowd into the back room on Monday mornings. He also levies a $5 fine if a cellphone rings. During the three-hour sessions, models pose for up to 25 minutes while the artists work with pencil, ink, charcoal, pastels, watercolors and gouache.
At a recent session, Peter Dama drew on an iPad using an elect...]]> Joey Asher 08:12 false full 27 5866084 This weekend, Grammy-Award winning singer Fleur Barron and the Parker Quartet are riding the Brooklyn-to-Beacon pipeline to road test a two-year-old work before heading into a Manhattan studio to record it.
On Saturday (April 25), they will perform at National Sawdust, followed on Sunday by a trip to the Howland Cultural Center as part of the Chamber Music Circle series.
Novel combinations have been a theme of the 2025-26 season, with previous concerts by a cello quartet and a reed quintet. The pairing of mezzo-soprano with a traditional string quartet is so unusual that the Boston-based group commissioned "the field remembers" by Chinese American composer Anthony Cheung.
Another work on the program is a Schubert lieder written for piano and voice arranged for two violins, viola and cello by Ken Hamao, one of the Parker violinists. Other pieces include quartets by Schubert and Philip Glass.
Barron, who lives in London, tours the world to accompany prominent orchestras and made her New York Philharmonic debut with conductor Gustavo Dudamel last month. Schubert's vocal works, along with those by Bach, Mahler, Ravel and Debussy, land in her wheelhouse, she says, but she also champions new music.
"It's always nice to hear works from the great composers we know and love, but it's also good to bask in the familiar and discover something new," she says.

Barron met a couple of quartet members at a festival, developed a relationship, and the commission concept developed. Since 2014, the quartet has held an artist-in-residence at Harvard University, which helped support the project.
Hamao says the musicians chose Cheung because he writes well for the format, and he's also experienced with vocal parts, which is unusual, says Barron. They let the composer choose the texts.
The ensemble has performed the piece three times, she says, and the first of six "ambitious" movements, according to Hamao, is available online. Barron calls it "complicated"; the opening section includes a speaking part.
"Since 2020, it's been important for me to feature chamber music works related to the Asian diaspora," says Barron, who is of English and Singaporean decent. She notes that the text in "the field remembers" is written in English by Chinese American poets.
"I sing and commission a lot of songs from all over Asia. Singapore is such a melting pot that I feel like it's important and part of my artistic responsibility to highlight these beautiful, creative works."
Beyond promoting Asian-themed music, the Parker Quartet embarks on other missions in its hometown, says Hamao: "We perform in homeless shelters, community centers and youth programs. For a 20th-anniversary Beethoven project [in 2022], we had some moving moments, like playing at a recovery shelter for three weeks in a row. The people came out, and hopefully the music uplifted them."
The Howland Cultural Center is located at 477 Main St. in Beacon. Tickets for the April 26 concert, which begins at 4 p.m., are $5 to $35 at howlandmusic.org/tickets.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/24/a-quartet-with-a-voice/ This weekend, Grammy-Award winning singer Fleur Barron and the Parker Quartet are riding the Brooklyn-to-Beacon pipeline to road test a two-year-old work before heading into a Manhattan studio to record it.
On Saturday (April 25), they will perform at National Sawdust, followed on Sunday by a trip to the Howland Cultural Center as part of the Chamber Music Circle series.
Novel combinations have been a theme of the 2025-26 season, with previous concerts by a cello quartet and a reed quintet. The pairing of mezzo-soprano with a traditional string quartet is so unusual that the Boston-based group commissioned "the field remembers" by Chinese American composer Anthony Cheung.
Another work on the program is a Schubert lieder written for piano and voice arranged for two violins, viola and cello by Ken Hamao, one of the Parker violinists. Other pieces include quartets by Schubert and Philip Glass.
Barron, who lives in London, tours the world to accompany prominent orchestras and made her New York Philharmonic debut with conductor Gustavo Dudamel last month. Schubert's vocal works, along with those by Bach, Mahler, Ravel and Debussy, land in her wheelhouse, she says, but she also champions new music.
"It's always nice to hear works from the great composers we know and love, but it's also good to bask in the familiar and discover something new," she says.

Barron met a couple of quartet members at a festival, developed a relationship, and the commission concept developed. Since 2014, the quartet has held an artist-in-residence at Harvard University, which helped support the project.
Hamao says the musicians chose Cheung because he writes well for the format, and he's also experienced with vocal parts, which is unusual, says Barron. They let the composer choose the texts.
The ensemble has performed the piece three times, she says, and the first of six "ambitious" movements, according to Hamao, is available online. Barron calls it "complicated"; the opening section includes a speaking part.
"Since 2020, it's been important for me to feature chamber music works related to the Asian diaspora," says Barron, who is of English and Singaporean decent. She notes that the text in "the field remembers" is written in English by Chinese American poets.
"I sing and commission a lot of songs from all over Asia. Singapore is such a melting pot that I feel like it's important and part of my artistic responsibility to highlight these beautiful, creative works."
Beyond promoting Asian-themed music, the Parker Quartet embarks on other missions in its hometown, says Hamao: "We perform in homeless shelters, community centers and youth programs. For a 20th-anniversary Beethoven project [in 2022], we had some moving moments, like playing at a recovery shelter for three weeks in a row. The people came out, and hopefully the music uplifted them."
The Howland Cultural Center is located at 477 Main St. in Beacon. Tickets for the April 26 concert, which begins at 4 p.m., are $5 to $35 at howlandmusic.org/tickets.]]> Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:46:53 -0400 A Quartet with a Voice This weekend, Grammy-Award winning singer Fleur Barron and the Parker Quartet are riding the Brooklyn-to-Beacon pipeline to road test a two-year-old work before heading into a Manhattan studio to re...]]> This weekend, Grammy-Award winning singer Fleur Barron and the Parker Quartet are riding the Brooklyn-to-Beacon pipeline to road test a two-year-old work before heading into a Manhattan studio to record it.
On Saturday (April 25), they will perform at National Sawdust, followed on Sunday by a trip to the Howland Cultural Center as part of the Chamber Music Circle series.
Novel combinations have been a theme of the 2025-26 season, with previous concerts by a cello quartet and a reed quintet. The pairing of mezzo-soprano with a traditional string quartet is so unusual that the Boston-based group commissioned "the field remembers" by Chinese American composer Anthony Cheung.
Another work on the program is a Schubert lieder written for piano and voice arranged for two violins, viola and cello by Ken Hamao, one of the Parker violinists. Other pieces include quartets by Schubert and Philip Glass.
Barron, who lives in London, tours the world to accompany prominent orchestras and made her New York Philharmonic debut with conductor Gustavo Dudamel last month. Schubert's vocal works, along with those by Bach, Mahler, Ravel and Debussy, land in her wheelhouse, she says, but she also champions new music.
"It's always nice to hear works from the great composers we know and love, but it's also good to bask in the familiar and discover something new," she says.

Barron met a couple of quartet members at a festival, developed a relationship, and the commission concept developed. Since 2014, the quartet has held an artist-in-residence at Harvard University, which helped support the project.
Hamao says the musicians chose Cheung because he writes well for the format, and he's also experienced with vocal parts, which is unusual, says Barron. They let the composer choose the texts.
The ensemble has performed the piece three times, she says, and the first of six "ambitious" movements, according to Hamao, is available online. Barron calls it "complicated"; the opening section includes a speaking part.
"Since 2020, it's been important for me to feature chamber music works related to the Asian diaspora," says Barron, who is of English and Singaporean decent. She notes that the text in "the field remembers" is written in English by Chinese American poets.
"I sing and commission a lot of songs from all over Asia. Singapore is such a melting pot that I feel like it's important and part of my artistic responsibility to highlight these beautiful, creative works."
Beyond promoting Asian-themed music, the Parker Quartet embarks on other missions in its hometown, says Hamao: "We perform in homeless shelters, community centers and youth programs. For a 20th-anniversary Beethoven project [in 2022], we had some moving moments, like playing at a recovery shelter for three weeks in a row. The people came out, and hopefully the music uplifted them."
The Howland Cultural Center is located at 477 Main St. in Beacon. Tickets for the April 26 concert, which begins at 4 p.m., are $5 to $35 at howlandmusic.org/tickets.]]> Marc Ferris 03:25 false full 26 5866074 Next weekend, a violist is coming to Chapel Restoration with a bagful of jokes.
In a way, Isabel Hagen's act reprises and modernizes Borscht Belt legend Henny Youngman, known as the king of the one-liners ("Take my wife, please"), who displayed a violin onstage but rarely played it.
Hagen, 34, saws away on short selections adapted from Bach cello suites, then unleashes F-bombs. During shows, the music lasts for five minutes, she says, but serves as a palate cleanser between jokes.
"If I'm going dark, I'll play a suitable passage to set it up," she says.

Last year, she toured with the prominent rock group Vampire Weekend, formed in 2008. One of their songs is titled "Oxford Comma," though the lyrics never jump into the debate over its usage.
The gig happened because Hagen is a graduate of The Juilliard School, the band's intellectual style lends itself to string instruments and her husband is the band's keyboard player. "It's who you know," she says.
In her solo routine, Hagen quips that when she married Will Canzoneri, his family went into a congratulatory tizzy, which made her think, "Did I choose a loser?" Take my husband, please.
Upping the edge factor, the viola is one of the orchestra's most obscure instruments. Pitched lower than the violin, it adds another layer of sound and harmonic potential to string sections, but throughout classical music history, viola solos, chamber works and concertos versus music written for the violin are hard to find.
Hagen started on the fiddle in the classical vein for five years, but at age 10, "I had a crush on my brother's friend who played viola and heard that because there are fewer of us, there's more work," she says. "As a shy, awkward kid, I figured that I could be a good teammate and was desperate to fit in, so it was nice to be in the background but still be necessary."
Choosing the viola propelled a music career, but she turned to comedy after an injury forced her hand, knowing nothing about her predecessor Youngman until she hit the podcast circuit and heard about him. "He was so deadpan and self-deprecating, like me," she says. "It's so trippy and fun to learn about him."
Hagen performed at Chapel Restoration in 2024 and admits to trepidation about delivering her blunt, raunchy set in a former church. "I was like, OK, I'm down for whatever," Hagen recalls. "The crowd was so fun — I didn't expect it."
Being a young woman with a public interface who has reached a modicum of fame — she performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon — has its downsides.
"So many haters; it's a snake pit," she says. "Every woman has to deal with this, but I can't spend time getting upset. My defiance is to ignore it as best I can."
The Chapel Restoration is located at 45 Market St. in Cold Spring. Tickets for the performance, which begins at 7 p.m., are $25 at dub.sh/hagen-chapel.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/24/jokes-with-interludes/ Next weekend, a violist is coming to Chapel Restoration with a bagful of jokes.
In a way, Isabel Hagen's act reprises and modernizes Borscht Belt legend Henny Youngman, known as the king of the one-liners ("Take my wife, please"), who displayed a violin onstage but rarely played it.
Hagen, 34, saws away on short selections adapted from Bach cello suites, then unleashes F-bombs. During shows, the music lasts for five minutes, she says, but serves as a palate cleanser between jokes.
"If I'm going dark, I'll play a suitable passage to set it up," she says.

Last year, she toured with the prominent rock group Vampire Weekend, formed in 2008. One of their songs is titled "Oxford Comma," though the lyrics never jump into the debate over its usage.
The gig happened because Hagen is a graduate of The Juilliard School, the band's intellectual style lends itself to string instruments and her husband is the band's keyboard player. "It's who you know," she says.
In her solo routine, Hagen quips that when she married Will Canzoneri, his family went into a congratulatory tizzy, which made her think, "Did I choose a loser?" Take my husband, please.
Upping the edge factor, the viola is one of the orchestra's most obscure instruments. Pitched lower than the violin, it adds another layer of sound and harmonic potential to string sections, but throughout classical music history, viola solos, chamber works and concertos versus music written for the violin are hard to find.
Hagen started on the fiddle in the classical vein for five years, but at age 10, "I had a crush on my brother's friend who played viola and heard that because there are fewer of us, there's more work," she says. "As a shy, awkward kid, I figured that I could be a good teammate and was desperate to fit in, so it was nice to be in the background but still be necessary."
Choosing the viola propelled a music career, but she turned to comedy after an injury forced her hand, knowing nothing about her predecessor Youngman until she hit the podcast circuit and heard about him. "He was so deadpan and self-deprecating, like me," she says. "It's so trippy and fun to learn about him."
Hagen performed at Chapel Restoration in 2024 and admits to trepidation about delivering her blunt, raunchy set in a former church. "I was like, OK, I'm down for whatever," Hagen recalls. "The crowd was so fun — I didn't expect it."
Being a young woman with a public interface who has reached a modicum of fame — she performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon — has its downsides.
"So many haters; it's a snake pit," she says. "Every woman has to deal with this, but I can't spend time getting upset. My defiance is to ignore it as best I can."
The Chapel Restoration is located at 45 Market St. in Cold Spring. Tickets for the performance, which begins at 7 p.m., are $25 at dub.sh/hagen-chapel.]]> Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:38:39 -0400 Jokes, with Interludes Next weekend, a violist is coming to Chapel Restoration with a bagful of jokes.
In a way, Isabel Hagen's act reprises and modernizes Borscht Belt legend Henny Youngman, known as the king of the one-liners ("Take my wi...]]> Next weekend, a violist is coming to Chapel Restoration with a bagful of jokes.
In a way, Isabel Hagen's act reprises and modernizes Borscht Belt legend Henny Youngman, known as the king of the one-liners ("Take my wife, please"), who displayed a violin onstage but rarely played it.
Hagen, 34, saws away on short selections adapted from Bach cello suites, then unleashes F-bombs. During shows, the music lasts for five minutes, she says, but serves as a palate cleanser between jokes.
"If I'm going dark, I'll play a suitable passage to set it up," she says.

Last year, she toured with the prominent rock group Vampire Weekend, formed in 2008. One of their songs is titled "Oxford Comma," though the lyrics never jump into the debate over its usage.
The gig happened because Hagen is a graduate of The Juilliard School, the band's intellectual style lends itself to string instruments and her husband is the band's keyboard player. "It's who you know," she says.
In her solo routine, Hagen quips that when she married Will Canzoneri, his family went into a congratulatory tizzy, which made her think, "Did I choose a loser?" Take my husband, please.
Upping the edge factor, the viola is one of the orchestra's most obscure instruments. Pitched lower than the violin, it adds another layer of sound and harmonic potential to string sections, but throughout classical music history, viola solos, chamber works and concertos versus music written for the violin are hard to find.
Hagen started on the fiddle in the classical vein for five years, but at age 10, "I had a crush on my brother's friend who played viola and heard that because there are fewer of us, there's more work," she says. "As a shy, awkward kid, I figured that I could be a good teammate and was desperate to fit in, so it was nice to be in the background but still be necessary."
Choosing the viola propelled a music career, but she turned to comedy after an injury forced her hand, knowing nothing about her predecessor Youngman until she hit the podcast circuit and heard about him. "He was so deadpan and self-deprecating, like me," she says. "It's so trippy and fun to learn about him."
Hagen performed at Chapel Restoration in 2024 and admits to trepidation about delivering her blunt, raunchy set in a former church. "I was like, OK, I'm down for whatever," Hagen recalls. "The crowd was so fun — I didn't expect it."
Being a young woman with a public interface who has reached a modicum of fame — she performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon — has its downsides.
"So many haters; it's a snake pit," she says. "Every woman has to deal with this, but I can't spend time getting upset. My defiance is to ignore it as best I can."
The Chapel Restoration is located at 45 Market St. in Cold Spring. Tickets for the performance, which begins at 7 p.m., are $25 at dub.sh/hagen-chapel.]]> Marc Ferris 03:18 false full 25 5866079 Singer-songwriter Marc Douglas Berardo digs deep to find pathos and humor in universal human conditions.
A troubadour in the tradition of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, he forgoes boxcars, hitting up hotels or rooms provided by fans and venues as he travels, hitting hard with existential, soul-bearing lyrics.
Berardo has carved a 35-year career outside the mainstream, ping-ponging around the country to perform house concerts and at smaller venues, such as the Towne Crier in Beacon on Friday (May 1).
"This is such a niche market, songwriters who don't have any hits and just keep writing and playing live, anywhere," he says. "But it has its own ecosystem" of fans, festivals and music rooms (he has a following in Texas and Arizona).

Berardo grew up in Westchester County and cannot count how many times he's played the Towne Crier, which opened in 1972 in Pawling and moved to Beacon in 2013.
"I've known Phil [Ciganer] since the early days," he says. "We knew people who had a farm up there, and when I looked at a lineup of performers, I recognized a friend's name and snuck in with a fake ID. Later, in about 2005, I opened for Chris Brown. Phil remembered me, and I developed a draw, so I opened for a lot of acts."
Joining him on May 1 will be Abbie Gardner, Dobro guitar player for Red Molly, a female trio founded at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in Hillsdale that splintered in 2014. Gardner and Berardo joined forces in 2006 to write tunes, learn each other's songs and put on extemporaneous shows.
Gardner brings fun, funny energy to the mix. At one show, he said, "If you write your email on the list, we'll come over and do odd jobs." She responded, "We're not good at it, but we'll try."
Adding harmony voices and another instrument to a solo singer-songwriter act beefs up the sound and adds visual impact. In this case, the Dobro emits a biting, barking sound that differs from a standard acoustic guitar, although it has six strings and is referred to as a "resonator."
Created in the 1920s with metal components to increase the volume of an acoustic guitar, it got absorbed into bluegrass during the 1950s and is played with a slide because the strings sit far above the fretboard and cannot be pressed down.
One tune Berardo and Gardner play together, the melancholy "My Mistakes," epitomizes his go-with-the-flow and enjoy-every-moment ethos. Berardo also focuses on a neighbor who drinks too much, fights with his wife every night and is "wasting away." In "Passing Through," he sings of life: "In this moment, on this stool, that's all I need to know."
The Towne Crier is located at 379 Main St. in Beacon. Tickets for the concert, which begins at 8:30 p.m., are $25 at townecrier.com, or $30 at the door.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/24/road-warrior/ Singer-songwriter Marc Douglas Berardo digs deep to find pathos and humor in universal human conditions.
A troubadour in the tradition of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, he forgoes boxcars, hitting up hotels or rooms provided by fans and venues as he travels, hitting hard with existential, soul-bearing lyrics.
Berardo has carved a 35-year career outside the mainstream, ping-ponging around the country to perform house concerts and at smaller venues, such as the Towne Crier in Beacon on Friday (May 1).
"This is such a niche market, songwriters who don't have any hits and just keep writing and playing live, anywhere," he says. "But it has its own ecosystem" of fans, festivals and music rooms (he has a following in Texas and Arizona).

Berardo grew up in Westchester County and cannot count how many times he's played the Towne Crier, which opened in 1972 in Pawling and moved to Beacon in 2013.
"I've known Phil [Ciganer] since the early days," he says. "We knew people who had a farm up there, and when I looked at a lineup of performers, I recognized a friend's name and snuck in with a fake ID. Later, in about 2005, I opened for Chris Brown. Phil remembered me, and I developed a draw, so I opened for a lot of acts."
Joining him on May 1 will be Abbie Gardner, Dobro guitar player for Red Molly, a female trio founded at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in Hillsdale that splintered in 2014. Gardner and Berardo joined forces in 2006 to write tunes, learn each other's songs and put on extemporaneous shows.
Gardner brings fun, funny energy to the mix. At one show, he said, "If you write your email on the list, we'll come over and do odd jobs." She responded, "We're not good at it, but we'll try."
Adding harmony voices and another instrument to a solo singer-songwriter act beefs up the sound and adds visual impact. In this case, the Dobro emits a biting, barking sound that differs from a standard acoustic guitar, although it has six strings and is referred to as a "resonator."
Created in the 1920s with metal components to increase the volume of an acoustic guitar, it got absorbed into bluegrass during the 1950s and is played with a slide because the strings sit far above the fretboard and cannot be pressed down.
One tune Berardo and Gardner play together, the melancholy "My Mistakes," epitomizes his go-with-the-flow and enjoy-every-moment ethos. Berardo also focuses on a neighbor who drinks too much, fights with his wife every night and is "wasting away." In "Passing Through," he sings of life: "In this moment, on this stool, that's all I need to know."
The Towne Crier is located at 379 Main St. in Beacon. Tickets for the concert, which begins at 8:30 p.m., are $25 at townecrier.com, or $30 at the door.]]> Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:33:31 -0400 Road Warrior Singer-songwriter Marc Douglas Berardo digs deep to find pathos and humor in universal human conditions.
A troubadour in the tradition of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, he forgoes boxcars, hitting up hotels or rooms...]]> Singer-songwriter Marc Douglas Berardo digs deep to find pathos and humor in universal human conditions.
A troubadour in the tradition of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, he forgoes boxcars, hitting up hotels or rooms provided by fans and venues as he travels, hitting hard with existential, soul-bearing lyrics.
Berardo has carved a 35-year career outside the mainstream, ping-ponging around the country to perform house concerts and at smaller venues, such as the Towne Crier in Beacon on Friday (May 1).
"This is such a niche market, songwriters who don't have any hits and just keep writing and playing live, anywhere," he says. "But it has its own ecosystem" of fans, festivals and music rooms (he has a following in Texas and Arizona).

Berardo grew up in Westchester County and cannot count how many times he's played the Towne Crier, which opened in 1972 in Pawling and moved to Beacon in 2013.
"I've known Phil [Ciganer] since the early days," he says. "We knew people who had a farm up there, and when I looked at a lineup of performers, I recognized a friend's name and snuck in with a fake ID. Later, in about 2005, I opened for Chris Brown. Phil remembered me, and I developed a draw, so I opened for a lot of acts."
Joining him on May 1 will be Abbie Gardner, Dobro guitar player for Red Molly, a female trio founded at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in Hillsdale that splintered in 2014. Gardner and Berardo joined forces in 2006 to write tunes, learn each other's songs and put on extemporaneous shows.
Gardner brings fun, funny energy to the mix. At one show, he said, "If you write your email on the list, we'll come over and do odd jobs." She responded, "We're not good at it, but we'll try."
Adding harmony voices and another instrument to a solo singer-songwriter act beefs up the sound and adds visual impact. In this case, the Dobro emits a biting, barking sound that differs from a standard acoustic guitar, although it has six strings and is referred to as a "resonator."
Created in the 1920s with metal components to increase the volume of an acoustic guitar, it got absorbed into bluegrass during the 1950s and is played with a slide because the strings sit far above the fretboard and cannot be pressed down.
One tune Berardo and Gardner play together, the melancholy "My Mistakes," epitomizes his go-with-the-flow and enjoy-every-moment ethos. Berardo also focuses on a neighbor who drinks too much, fights with his wife every night and is "wasting away." In "Passing Through," he sings of life: "In this moment, on this stool, that's all I need to know."
The Towne Crier is located at 379 Main St. in Beacon. Tickets for the concert, which begins at 8:30 p.m., are $25 at townecrier.com, or $30 at the door.]]> Marc Ferris 03:09 false full 24 5865764 The Ulster County clerk has taken his case to state court against the Republican candidate for the U.S. House district that includes Beacon.
Taylor Bruck, joined by Amee Peterson, deputy chair of the Kingston Democratic Committee, filed a challenge in state court on April 16, asking a judge in Albany to invalidate nominating petitions filed by Sharanjit "Sunny" Thind for the Republican and Conservative lines on the November ballot to challenge Rep. Pat Ryan, the Democratic incumbent.
Judge Kimberly O'Connor, a state judge based in Albany, scheduled a hearing for 9 a.m. on Monday (April 27).
Candidates were required to submit 1,250 signatures of District 18 voters for the Democratic or Republican lines and 509 for the Conservative line.
After submitting the petitions, Thind filed to refuse the nominations, and the Republican and Conservative parties named Jackie Auringer to replace him. Because the deadline for petitions had passed, Auringer must rely on Thind's petitions to get on the ballot.
The lawsuit names Thind, Auringer, members of the committees to fill vacancies for the Republican and Conservative parties and four state Board of Elections commissioners.
Bruck earlier appealed to the state Board of Elections to reject Thind's petitions, claiming the candidate had given an inaccurate home address and did not number the signatures as required, making them harder to review.

According to the legal filing, after Thind withdrew, each party on April 13 submitted a Certificate of Substitution by Committee to Fill Vacancies After Declination, Death or Disqualification and a Consent by Substituted Candidate with the state Board of Elections. Peterson filed objections the following day.
The lawsuit asks the court to order the state Board of Elections to conduct a "timely" review of the petitions. It lists 55 objections, among them that the petitions do not contain the minimum number of valid signatures, that some signatures were forged and that many people who signed do not reside at the addresses given.
On Monday (April 20), Auringer, who lives in Kingston, accused Ryan of hypocrisy. "Instead of competing, my opponent is trying to deny voters a real choice," she said in a statement to the Daily Freeman. "You can't talk about freedom and patriotism while trying to keep your opponent off the ballot. Maybe he thinks I'm someone he can push around. He wouldn't be the first to get that wrong."
Ryan's campaign said in a statement that he had submitted "more than 12,000 signatures to get on the November ballot. His opponent submitted zero."]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/21/democrats-file-suit-to-remove-candidate/ The Ulster County clerk has taken his case to state court against the Republican candidate for the U.S. House district that includes Beacon.
Taylor Bruck, joined by Amee Peterson, deputy chair of the Kingston Democratic Committee, filed a challenge in state court on April 16, asking a judge in Albany to invalidate nominating petitions filed by Sharanjit "Sunny" Thind for the Republican and Conservative lines on the November ballot to challenge Rep. Pat Ryan, the Democratic incumbent.
Judge Kimberly O'Connor, a state judge based in Albany, scheduled a hearing for 9 a.m. on Monday (April 27).
Candidates were required to submit 1,250 signatures of District 18 voters for the Democratic or Republican lines and 509 for the Conservative line.
After submitting the petitions, Thind filed to refuse the nominations, and the Republican and Conservative parties named Jackie Auringer to replace him. Because the deadline for petitions had passed, Auringer must rely on Thind's petitions to get on the ballot.
The lawsuit names Thind, Auringer, members of the committees to fill vacancies for the Republican and Conservative parties and four state Board of Elections commissioners.
Bruck earlier appealed to the state Board of Elections to reject Thind's petitions, claiming the candidate had given an inaccurate home address and did not number the signatures as required, making them harder to review.

According to the legal filing, after Thind withdrew, each party on April 13 submitted a Certificate of Substitution by Committee to Fill Vacancies After Declination, Death or Disqualification and a Consent by Substituted Candidate with the state Board of Elections. Peterson filed objections the following day.
The lawsuit asks the court to order the state Board of Elections to conduct a "timely" review of the petitions. It lists 55 objections, among them that the petitions do not contain the minimum number of valid signatures, that some signatures were forged and that many people who signed do not reside at the addresses given.
On Monday (April 20), Auringer, who lives in Kingston, accused Ryan of hypocrisy. "Instead of competing, my opponent is trying to deny voters a real choice," she said in a statement to the Daily Freeman. "You can't talk about freedom and patriotism while trying to keep your opponent off the ballot. Maybe he thinks I'm someone he can push around. He wouldn't be the first to get that wrong."
Ryan's campaign said in a statement that he had submitted "more than 12,000 signatures to get on the November ballot. His opponent submitted zero."]]> Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:49:35 -0400 Democrats File Suit to Remove Candidate The Ulster County clerk has taken his case to state court against the Republican candidate for the U.S. House district that includes Beacon.
Taylor Bruck, joined by Amee Peterson, deputy chair of the Kings...]]> The Ulster County clerk has taken his case to state court against the Republican candidate for the U.S. House district that includes Beacon.
Taylor Bruck, joined by Amee Peterson, deputy chair of the Kingston Democratic Committee, filed a challenge in state court on April 16, asking a judge in Albany to invalidate nominating petitions filed by Sharanjit "Sunny" Thind for the Republican and Conservative lines on the November ballot to challenge Rep. Pat Ryan, the Democratic incumbent.
Judge Kimberly O'Connor, a state judge based in Albany, scheduled a hearing for 9 a.m. on Monday (April 27).
Candidates were required to submit 1,250 signatures of District 18 voters for the Democratic or Republican lines and 509 for the Conservative line.
After submitting the petitions, Thind filed to refuse the nominations, and the Republican and Conservative parties named Jackie Auringer to replace him. Because the deadline for petitions had passed, Auringer must rely on Thind's petitions to get on the ballot.
The lawsuit names Thind, Auringer, members of the committees to fill vacancies for the Republican and Conservative parties and four state Board of Elections commissioners.
Bruck earlier appealed to the state Board of Elections to reject Thind's petitions, claiming the candidate had given an inaccurate home address and did not number the signatures as required, making them harder to review.

According to the legal filing, after Thind withdrew, each party on April 13 submitted a Certificate of Substitution by Committee to Fill Vacancies After Declination, Death or Disqualification and a Consent by Substituted Candidate with the state Board of Elections. Peterson filed objections the following day.
The lawsuit asks the court to order the state Board of Elections to conduct a "timely" review of the petitions. It lists 55 objections, among them that the petitions do not contain the minimum number of valid signatures, that some signatures were forged and that many people who signed do not reside at the addresses given.
On Monday (April 20), Auringer, who lives in Kingston, accused Ryan of hypocrisy. "Instead of competing, my opponent is trying to deny voters a real choice," she said in a statement to the Daily Freeman. "You can't talk about freedom and patriotism while trying to keep your opponent off the ballot. Maybe he thinks I'm someone he can push around. He wouldn't be the first to get that wrong."
Ryan's campaign said in a statement that he had submitted "more than 12,000 signatures to get on the November ballot. His opponent submitted zero."]]> Chip Rowe 02:47 false full 23 5865723 The Putnam County Democratic Committee voted on Monday (April 20) to endorse Cait Conley, one of five candidates who hope to challenge Mike Lawler for his U.S. House seat in November. The district includes Philipstown.
"In a race among strong Democratic candidates, Cait Conley has the X factor that we think will give us the best chance to beat Mike Lawler in November," said Jennifer Colamonico, the committee chair. She said Conley received 63 percent of the vote on the first ballot.
Conley is a West Point graduate from Orange County and former director of counterterrorism for the National Security Council.
The other candidates who will appear on the June 23 primary ballot are John Cappello, a Rockland native and former defense attaché at the U.S. embassies in Israel and Serbia; Beth Davidson, a Rockland County legislator; Effie Phillips-Staley, a Tarrytown trustee; and Mike Sacks, a lawyer and former TV journalist from Westchester.
The Dutchess County Democratic Committee earlier endorsed Conley and Rep. Pat Ryan, the incumbent in House District 18, which includes Beacon.
In Westchester County, Democratic leaders on April 15 declined to endorse in the District 17 race, with its 26 members splitting their votes between Conley and Davidson or abstaining. The other candidates did not seek the endorsement, according to the committee.
State Senate
Putnam County Democrats declined to endorse in the race for the state Senate seat held by Republican Rob Rolison that includes the Highlands.
Colamonico said the representatives from the two towns in the district, Philipstown and Putnam Valley, felt that both Evan Menist, a member of the Poughkeepsie Common Council, and Lisa Kaul, a member of the Dutchess Legislature, were "outstanding candidates." A third candidate, Gay Lee, a social worker and former Newburgh City Council member, will also appear on the primary ballot.
The Dutchess Democrats endorsed Kaul for state Senate and Jonathan Jacobson, the Assembly incumbent whose district includes Beacon.
The Putnam Democrats earlier endorsed incumbent Dana Levenberg for the state Assembly seat that includes Philipstown. The organization also endorsed John Van Tassel for Philipstown supervisor, Brett Yarris for county executive, Dr. Michael Strauss for county coroner and Maia Gilleo, Kathy Kahng and Gwen Burke for the county Legislature.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/21/putnam-democrats-endorse-conley/ The Putnam County Democratic Committee voted on Monday (April 20) to endorse Cait Conley, one of five candidates who hope to challenge Mike Lawler for his U.S. House seat in November. The district includes Philipstown.
"In a race among strong Democratic candidates, Cait Conley has the X factor that we think will give us the best chance to beat Mike Lawler in November," said Jennifer Colamonico, the committee chair. She said Conley received 63 percent of the vote on the first ballot.
Conley is a West Point graduate from Orange County and former director of counterterrorism for the National Security Council.
The other candidates who will appear on the June 23 primary ballot are John Cappello, a Rockland native and former defense attaché at the U.S. embassies in Israel and Serbia; Beth Davidson, a Rockland County legislator; Effie Phillips-Staley, a Tarrytown trustee; and Mike Sacks, a lawyer and former TV journalist from Westchester.
The Dutchess County Democratic Committee earlier endorsed Conley and Rep. Pat Ryan, the incumbent in House District 18, which includes Beacon.
In Westchester County, Democratic leaders on April 15 declined to endorse in the District 17 race, with its 26 members splitting their votes between Conley and Davidson or abstaining. The other candidates did not seek the endorsement, according to the committee.
State Senate
Putnam County Democrats declined to endorse in the race for the state Senate seat held by Republican Rob Rolison that includes the Highlands.
Colamonico said the representatives from the two towns in the district, Philipstown and Putnam Valley, felt that both Evan Menist, a member of the Poughkeepsie Common Council, and Lisa Kaul, a member of the Dutchess Legislature, were "outstanding candidates." A third candidate, Gay Lee, a social worker and former Newburgh City Council member, will also appear on the primary ballot.
The Dutchess Democrats endorsed Kaul for state Senate and Jonathan Jacobson, the Assembly incumbent whose district includes Beacon.
The Putnam Democrats earlier endorsed incumbent Dana Levenberg for the state Assembly seat that includes Philipstown. The organization also endorsed John Van Tassel for Philipstown supervisor, Brett Yarris for county executive, Dr. Michael Strauss for county coroner and Maia Gilleo, Kathy Kahng and Gwen Burke for the county Legislature.]]> Tue, 21 Apr 2026 10:23:40 -0400 Putnam Democrats Endorse Conley The Putnam County Democratic Committee voted on Monday (April 20) to endorse Cait Conley, one of five candidates who hope to challenge Mike Lawler for his U.S. House seat in November. The district includes Philipst...]]> The Putnam County Democratic Committee voted on Monday (April 20) to endorse Cait Conley, one of five candidates who hope to challenge Mike Lawler for his U.S. House seat in November. The district includes Philipstown.
"In a race among strong Democratic candidates, Cait Conley has the X factor that we think will give us the best chance to beat Mike Lawler in November," said Jennifer Colamonico, the committee chair. She said Conley received 63 percent of the vote on the first ballot.
Conley is a West Point graduate from Orange County and former director of counterterrorism for the National Security Council.
The other candidates who will appear on the June 23 primary ballot are John Cappello, a Rockland native and former defense attaché at the U.S. embassies in Israel and Serbia; Beth Davidson, a Rockland County legislator; Effie Phillips-Staley, a Tarrytown trustee; and Mike Sacks, a lawyer and former TV journalist from Westchester.
The Dutchess County Democratic Committee earlier endorsed Conley and Rep. Pat Ryan, the incumbent in House District 18, which includes Beacon.
In Westchester County, Democratic leaders on April 15 declined to endorse in the District 17 race, with its 26 members splitting their votes between Conley and Davidson or abstaining. The other candidates did not seek the endorsement, according to the committee.
State Senate
Putnam County Democrats declined to endorse in the race for the state Senate seat held by Republican Rob Rolison that includes the Highlands.
Colamonico said the representatives from the two towns in the district, Philipstown and Putnam Valley, felt that both Evan Menist, a member of the Poughkeepsie Common Council, and Lisa Kaul, a member of the Dutchess Legislature, were "outstanding candidates." A third candidate, Gay Lee, a social worker and former Newburgh City Council member, will also appear on the primary ballot.
The Dutchess Democrats endorsed Kaul for state Senate and Jonathan Jacobson, the Assembly incumbent whose district includes Beacon.
The Putnam Democrats earlier endorsed incumbent Dana Levenberg for the state Assembly seat that includes Philipstown. The organization also endorsed John Van Tassel for Philipstown supervisor, Brett Yarris for county executive, Dr. Michael Strauss for county coroner and Maia Gilleo, Kathy Kahng and Gwen Burke for the county Legislature.]]> Chip Rowe 02:33 false full 22 5865161 "I had been looking for years — and for a class where she was with her peers, not with children much younger" Pamela said. "Emma has always loved dancing, but she was born with multiple genetic complications. Among her many challenges is a genetic mutation where she can be more easily injured."
When asked what she wants to be when she grows up, Emma always writes: "Ballerina."
Pamela found Dance As You Are, held on Tuesday nights for children ages 7 to 12, by circumstance: She happened to drive by the Beacon studio and saw a sign. Katie Bissinger, the artistic director at Ballet Arts Studio, said she had long wanted to offer the class because her younger sister was born with special needs, and a fun, creative, active class was nowhere to be found during her short life.
Emma's mother says she has come a long way from the gastrostomy tube ("g-tubes") and neurological and medical interventions of her younger years. At Rombout Middle School, she is the manager of the cheer team, carrying a clipboard with a list of the routines. She also works the spotlight for the Drama Club.
Two other mothers said they also had been searching for a class like Dance As You Are. "It's something I've always wanted for her," said Alexandra Devin about her daughter, Madeline, 10. "Improvisatory movement is a great opportunity for self-expression."
Melissa Akar said of her 11-year-old daughter: "Daya has a lot of medical, doctor and therapy appointments, all with adults. Her week is very structured, so it's great to have something where she can just be a kid."
Anna Brady Marcus, who leads the class, said she uses music she knows the dancers will like but often plays challenging songs that might intrigue them, such as those by The Talking Heads or Steve Reich.
On May 30, these students will perform a piece they're creating with Marcus at the studio's annual showcase at the Bardavon in Poughkeepsie.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/18/dance-as-you-are/ "I had been looking for years — and for a class where she was with her peers, not with children much younger" Pamela said. "Emma has always loved dancing, but she was born with multiple genetic complications. Among her many challenges is a genetic mutation where she can be more easily injured."
When asked what she wants to be when she grows up, Emma always writes: "Ballerina."
Pamela found Dance As You Are, held on Tuesday nights for children ages 7 to 12, by circumstance: She happened to drive by the Beacon studio and saw a sign. Katie Bissinger, the artistic director at Ballet Arts Studio, said she had long wanted to offer the class because her younger sister was born with special needs, and a fun, creative, active class was nowhere to be found during her short life.
Emma's mother says she has come a long way from the gastrostomy tube ("g-tubes") and neurological and medical interventions of her younger years. At Rombout Middle School, she is the manager of the cheer team, carrying a clipboard with a list of the routines. She also works the spotlight for the Drama Club.
Two other mothers said they also had been searching for a class like Dance As You Are. "It's something I've always wanted for her," said Alexandra Devin about her daughter, Madeline, 10. "Improvisatory movement is a great opportunity for self-expression."
Melissa Akar said of her 11-year-old daughter: "Daya has a lot of medical, doctor and therapy appointments, all with adults. Her week is very structured, so it's great to have something where she can just be a kid."
Anna Brady Marcus, who leads the class, said she uses music she knows the dancers will like but often plays challenging songs that might intrigue them, such as those by The Talking Heads or Steve Reich.
On May 30, these students will perform a piece they're creating with Marcus at the studio's annual showcase at the Bardavon in Poughkeepsie.]]> Sat, 18 Apr 2026 09:56:50 -0400 Dance As You Are "I had been looking for years — and for a class where she was with her peers, not with childre...]]> "I had been looking for years — and for a class where she was with her peers, not with children much younger" Pamela said. "Emma has always loved dancing, but she was born with multiple genetic complications. Among her many challenges is a genetic mutation where she can be more easily injured."
When asked what she wants to be when she grows up, Emma always writes: "Ballerina."
Pamela found Dance As You Are, held on Tuesday nights for children ages 7 to 12, by circumstance: She happened to drive by the Beacon studio and saw a sign. Katie Bissinger, the artistic director at Ballet Arts Studio, said she had long wanted to offer the class because her younger sister was born with special needs, and a fun, creative, active class was nowhere to be found during her short life.
Emma's mother says she has come a long way from the gastrostomy tube ("g-tubes") and neurological and medical interventions of her younger years. At Rombout Middle School, she is the manager of the cheer team, carrying a clipboard with a list of the routines. She also works the spotlight for the Drama Club.
Two other mothers said they also had been searching for a class like Dance As You Are. "It's something I've always wanted for her," said Alexandra Devin about her daughter, Madeline, 10. "Improvisatory movement is a great opportunity for self-expression."
Melissa Akar said of her 11-year-old daughter: "Daya has a lot of medical, doctor and therapy appointments, all with adults. Her week is very structured, so it's great to have something where she can just be a kid."
Anna Brady Marcus, who leads the class, said she uses music she knows the dancers will like but often plays challenging songs that might intrigue them, such as those by The Talking Heads or Steve Reich.
On May 30, these students will perform a piece they're creating with Marcus at the studio's annual showcase at the Bardavon in Poughkeepsie.]]> Ross Corsair 02:11 false full 21 5865318 The Fishkill Planning Board concluded on April 9 that the plan to restore the 158-year-old Dutchess Manor into a visitor's center and offices for the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail will not have a significant environmental impact.
The "negative declaration" unanimously approved by the board ends its environmental review of the project and allows HHFT Inc. to avoid a more in-depth study of the impacts. But it still needs Planning Board approval for its site plan, a special-use permit and a zoning change to 14 Coris Lane, the adjacent property it purchased with Dutchess Manor in 2020 for $3.4 million.
While acknowledging small impacts from land disturbance and runoff, as well as the "targeted" use of herbicides on invasive plants and an increase in visitors to the property, the Planning Board determined that HHFT will incorporate sufficient mitigations, including proposing a left turn lane for entering Dutchess Manor from northbound Route 9D.
In addition, the board approved a "certificate of appropriateness" that will allow HHFT to begin demolishing additions constructed in 1947, 1989 and 2007. The original structure, built in 1868 as a home for merchant James Wade and his wife, Louisa, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

"With the environmental review finalized and the certificate of appropriateness issued, we look forward to beginning work so that we can realize our vision for the Fjord Trail Visitor Center as a welcoming hub for our educational programs and events and our home base," said Amy Kacala, HHFT's executive director.
Demolishing the additions will be a prelude to renovations that include restoring the slate roof and rear patio, removing paint to expose the brickwork and rebuilding the trim, HHFT said. The interior will be remade with first-floor spaces for a welcome desk and interpretive exhibits, upper-floor offices and meeting space.
Outside, a 600-square-foot bathroom with four stalls, a service closet and a pump house for the manor's fire-suppression system is planned for a sunken area southwest of the manor. There would also be 170 parking spaces in three areas: a paved lot with 48 spaces for the public and 19 for staff; a gravel parking area with 55 spaces; and a grass "overflow" spot with 48 spaces.
A shuttle is proposed to transport visitors from the Dutchess Manor to trailheads, as well as terraced lawn seating and a lawn behind the manor for events. According to HHFT, the property will not be marketed as a venue for private events.

During the review process, HHFT expanded a planted buffer on the property's southern boundary in response to concerns from neighbors about the visual impact of the overflow parking area. One of those neighbors, Erin Sine, had suggested eliminating the overflow lot and replacing it with "a substantial and dense evergreen buffer that protects the safety and quality of life of the residents who live close to this park."
Along with concerns from neighbors, opponents of the Fjord Trail development argued to the board that HHFT improperly "segmented" the project by having the Dutchess Manor project reviewed by Fishkill rather than by the state as part of its environmental review of the entire trail.
Under state law, segmenting projects to avoid a comprehensive review "may result in legal action." But state parks rejected the claim. In an October 2025 letter addressed to the Planning Board, the department said that because Dutchess Manor is located within Fishkill, "it is appropriate for the town to analyze the potential impacts arising from its specific land use actions."
State parks also concluded that Dutchess Manor, which is projected to open next year, will have "independent utility" from the trail and support the existing trail system. It said that its environmental review of the Fjord Trail, which concluded in January, considered the Dutchess Manor visitor center's impact on traffic, parking and community character.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/18/fishkill-completes-dutchess-manor-review/ The Fishkill Planning Board concluded on April 9 that the plan to restore the 158-year-old Dutchess Manor into a visitor's center and offices for the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail will not have a significant environmental impact.
The "negative declaration" unanimously approved by the board ends its environmental review of the project and allows HHFT Inc. to avoid a more in-depth study of the impacts. But it still needs Planning Board approval for its site plan, a special-use permit and a zoning change to 14 Coris Lane, the adjacent property it purchased with Dutchess Manor in 2020 for $3.4 million.
While acknowledging small impacts from land disturbance and runoff, as well as the "targeted" use of herbicides on invasive plants and an increase in visitors to the property, the Planning Board determined that HHFT will incorporate sufficient mitigations, including proposing a left turn lane for entering Dutchess Manor from northbound Route 9D.
In addition, the board approved a "certificate of appropriateness" that will allow HHFT to begin demolishing additions constructed in 1947, 1989 and 2007. The original structure, built in 1868 as a home for merchant James Wade and his wife, Louisa, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

"With the environmental review finalized and the certificate of appropriateness issued, we look forward to beginning work so that we can realize our vision for the Fjord Trail Visitor Center as a welcoming hub for our educational programs and events and our home base," said Amy Kacala, HHFT's executive director.
Demolishing the additions will be a prelude to renovations that include restoring the slate roof and rear patio, removing paint to expose the brickwork and rebuilding the trim, HHFT said. The interior will be remade with first-floor spaces for a welcome desk and interpretive exhibits, upper-floor offices and meeting space.
Outside, a 600-square-foot bathroom with four stalls, a service closet and a pump house for the manor's fire-suppression system is planned for a sunken area southwest of the manor. There would also be 170 parking spaces in three areas: a paved lot with 48 spaces for the public and 19 for staff; a gravel parking area with 55 spaces; and a grass "overflow" spot with 48 spaces.
A shuttle is proposed to transport visitors from the Dutchess Manor to trailheads, as well as terraced lawn seating and a lawn behind the manor for events. According to HHFT, the property will not be marketed as a venue for private events.

During the review process, HHFT expanded a planted buffer on the property's southern boundary in response to concerns from neighbors about the visual impact of the overflow parking area. One of those neighbors, Erin Sine, had suggested eliminating the overflow lot and replacing it with "a substantial and dense evergreen buffer that protects the safety and quality of life of the residents who live close to this park."
Along with concerns from neighbors, opponents of the Fjord Trail development argued to the board that HHFT improperly "segmented" the project by having the Dutchess Manor project reviewed by Fishkill rather than by the state as part of its environmental review of the entire trail.
Under state law, segmenting projects to avoid a comprehensive review "may result in legal action." But state parks rejected the claim. In an October 2025 letter addressed to the Planning Board, the department said that because Dutchess Manor is located within Fishkill, "it is appropriate for the town to analyze the potential impacts arising from its specific land use actions."
State parks also concluded that Dutchess Manor, which is projected to open next year, will have "independent utility" from the trail and support the existing trail system. It said that its environmental review of the Fjord Trail, which concluded in January, considered the Dutchess Manor visitor center's impact on traffic, parking and community character.]]> Sat, 18 Apr 2026 09:53:58 -0400 Fishkill Completes Dutchess Manor Review The Fishkill Planning Board concluded on April 9 that the plan to restore the 158-year-old Dutchess Manor into a visitor's center and offices for the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail will not have a significant...]]> The Fishkill Planning Board concluded on April 9 that the plan to restore the 158-year-old Dutchess Manor into a visitor's center and offices for the Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail will not have a significant environmental impact.
The "negative declaration" unanimously approved by the board ends its environmental review of the project and allows HHFT Inc. to avoid a more in-depth study of the impacts. But it still needs Planning Board approval for its site plan, a special-use permit and a zoning change to 14 Coris Lane, the adjacent property it purchased with Dutchess Manor in 2020 for $3.4 million.
While acknowledging small impacts from land disturbance and runoff, as well as the "targeted" use of herbicides on invasive plants and an increase in visitors to the property, the Planning Board determined that HHFT will incorporate sufficient mitigations, including proposing a left turn lane for entering Dutchess Manor from northbound Route 9D.
In addition, the board approved a "certificate of appropriateness" that will allow HHFT to begin demolishing additions constructed in 1947, 1989 and 2007. The original structure, built in 1868 as a home for merchant James Wade and his wife, Louisa, is on the National Register of Historic Places.

"With the environmental review finalized and the certificate of appropriateness issued, we look forward to beginning work so that we can realize our vision for the Fjord Trail Visitor Center as a welcoming hub for our educational programs and events and our home base," said Amy Kacala, HHFT's executive director.
Demolishing the additions will be a prelude to renovations that include restoring the slate roof and rear patio, removing paint to expose the brickwork and rebuilding the trim, HHFT said. The interior will be remade with first-floor spaces for a welcome desk and interpretive exhibits, upper-floor offices and meeting space.
Outside, a 600-square-foot bathroom with four stalls, a service closet and a pump house for the manor's fire-suppression system is planned for a sunken area southwest of the manor. There would also be 170 parking spaces in three areas: a paved lot with 48 spaces for the public and 19 for staff; a gravel parking area with 55 spaces; and a grass "overflow" spot with 48 spaces.
A shuttle is proposed to transport visitors from the Dutchess Manor to trailheads, as well as terraced lawn seating and a lawn behind the manor for events. According to HHFT, the property will not be marketed as a venue for private events.

During the review process, HHFT expanded a planted buffer on the property's southern boundary in response to concerns from neighbors about the visual impact of the overflow parking area. One of those neighbors, Erin Sine, had suggested eliminating the overflow lot and replacing it with "a substantial and dense evergreen buffer that protects the safety and quality of life of the residents who live close to this park."
Along with concerns from neighbors, opponents of the Fjord Trail development argued to the board that HHFT improperly "segmented" the project by having the Dutchess Manor project reviewed by Fishkill rather than by the state as part of its environmental review of the entire trail.
Under state law, segmenting projects to avoid a comprehensive review "may result in legal action." But state parks rejected the claim. In an October 2025 letter addressed to the Planning Board, the department said that because Dutchess Manor is located within Fishkill, "it is appropriate for the town to analyze the potential impacts arising from its specific land use actions."
State parks also concluded that Dutchess Manor, which is projected to open next year, will have "independent utility" from the trail and support the existing trail system. It said that its environmental review of the Fjord Trail, which concluded in January, considered the Dutchess Manor visitor center's impact on traffic, parking and community character.]]> Leonard Sparks 04:12 false full 20 5864996 150 Years Ago (April 1876)
The station master at Matteawan had four boys arrested for stealing eggs from the freight house.
Willett Dates, the baggage master at the Dutchess Junction station, bought the restaurant at the depot.
When the Addington family came down to breakfast in their home on South Avenue near Beacon Street on a Tuesday morning, they found their pantry had been raided. A burglar had broken through a basement window and taken loaves of bread, a dish of meat, four pounds of butter, pickles, preserves and canned goods.
W. Burnett Jr., a clerk at Dr. Schneck's drugstore in Glenham, was sleeping in the store when he was awakened at 5 a.m. on a Sunday by someone trying to unlock the cellar door. When he opened the door, the culprit fled.
The Dutchess & Columbia Railroad freight depot burned, destroying $3,000 [about $93,000 today] worth of stock owned by the paper bag factory.
The bankrupt Newburgh Lager Beer Brewery was sold at auction for $10,000 [$300,000]. It was said that many evangelical Christians owned stock. The firm had a capacity of 800 barrels per week.
According to The Cold Spring Recorder, "Matteawan is becoming a sort of mecca for tramps. On Sunday night, no less than 50 applied for and were furnished with lodgings" by the poor master.
M.E. Dietrich bought a property on Ferry Street and planned to divide the lower floor into two stores.
A clay slide at Dutchess Junction reminded James Mackin of when he was a boy and a slide happened near Low Point in which the trees slid down the bank but were not uprooted.
W.G. Van Buskirk, the master mechanic of the Dutchess & Columbia Railroad, and the first engineer to run a locomotive west of the Mississippi River, was interviewed by the Fishkill Landing correspondent of The New York Times. Van Buskirk recalled that his trains hit and killed people so often that he stopped counting at 17. One night, at a hotel in the west where he was staying, a clergyman from Arkansas overheard Van Buskirk discussing the number of people he had killed and cried, "Monster! Monster!" He was told that Van Buskirk was a train engineer, but the minister was offended anyway and moved to another hotel. The next morning, as Van Buskirk's train left town, a horse pulling a wagon carrying two men became frightened and pulled it onto the tracks. The horse and passenger were killed, and Van Buskirk realized it was the preacher, who had hired the wagon rather than take the train. At the funeral, the minister said: "Truly, Providence, thy ways are mysterious."
Alexander Turney Stewart died at age 72. Known as the "merchant prince" of New York City, he built a $50 million [$1.5 billion] fortune as a dry-goods merchant and real estate investor. At the time of his death, he was rebuilding and expanding a cassimere and carpet factory known as Glenham Mills to compete with foreign products. He expected to bring skilled workmen from abroad and was building homes for them. Stewart bought the mill for $195,000 [$6 million] after it failed in 1873 and made extensive improvements; its first shipment of carpets arrived at his flagship Manhattan store two weeks before his death.

During a storm, the Hudson overflowed at the long dock, washing away wells along the tracks and uprooting trees and fence posts. A flood also came down Fishkill Creek, threatening the wooden dams and filling cellars with 3 feet of mud.
The Matteawan correspondent for The Poughkeepsie Journal lamented that the village didn't have a ready-made clothing store or a good bakery.
Justice Ormsbee fined Mrs. McBurney $5 [$150] for assaulting James Leslie with a shovel.
Stolesbury Brothers closed their branch in Matteawan to concentrate on their wholesale and retail grocery trade at Fishkill Landing.
Zacheus Marsh, known for his tobacco, died at Glenham of apoplexy [stroke].
When the factory bells sounded on a Sunday night during services at the Pilgrim Bap...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/18/looking-back-in-beacon-76/ 150 Years Ago (April 1876)
The station master at Matteawan had four boys arrested for stealing eggs from the freight house.
Willett Dates, the baggage master at the Dutchess Junction station, bought the restaurant at the depot.
When the Addington family came down to breakfast in their home on South Avenue near Beacon Street on a Tuesday morning, they found their pantry had been raided. A burglar had broken through a basement window and taken loaves of bread, a dish of meat, four pounds of butter, pickles, preserves and canned goods.
W. Burnett Jr., a clerk at Dr. Schneck's drugstore in Glenham, was sleeping in the store when he was awakened at 5 a.m. on a Sunday by someone trying to unlock the cellar door. When he opened the door, the culprit fled.
The Dutchess & Columbia Railroad freight depot burned, destroying $3,000 [about $93,000 today] worth of stock owned by the paper bag factory.
The bankrupt Newburgh Lager Beer Brewery was sold at auction for $10,000 [$300,000]. It was said that many evangelical Christians owned stock. The firm had a capacity of 800 barrels per week.
According to The Cold Spring Recorder, "Matteawan is becoming a sort of mecca for tramps. On Sunday night, no less than 50 applied for and were furnished with lodgings" by the poor master.
M.E. Dietrich bought a property on Ferry Street and planned to divide the lower floor into two stores.
A clay slide at Dutchess Junction reminded James Mackin of when he was a boy and a slide happened near Low Point in which the trees slid down the bank but were not uprooted.
W.G. Van Buskirk, the master mechanic of the Dutchess & Columbia Railroad, and the first engineer to run a locomotive west of the Mississippi River, was interviewed by the Fishkill Landing correspondent of The New York Times. Van Buskirk recalled that his trains hit and killed people so often that he stopped counting at 17. One night, at a hotel in the west where he was staying, a clergyman from Arkansas overheard Van Buskirk discussing the number of people he had killed and cried, "Monster! Monster!" He was told that Van Buskirk was a train engineer, but the minister was offended anyway and moved to another hotel. The next morning, as Van Buskirk's train left town, a horse pulling a wagon carrying two men became frightened and pulled it onto the tracks. The horse and passenger were killed, and Van Buskirk realized it was the preacher, who had hired the wagon rather than take the train. At the funeral, the minister said: "Truly, Providence, thy ways are mysterious."
Alexander Turney Stewart died at age 72. Known as the "merchant prince" of New York City, he built a $50 million [$1.5 billion] fortune as a dry-goods merchant and real estate investor. At the time of his death, he was rebuilding and expanding a cassimere and carpet factory known as Glenham Mills to compete with foreign products. He expected to bring skilled workmen from abroad and was building homes for them. Stewart bought the mill for $195,000 [$6 million] after it failed in 1873 and made extensive improvements; its first shipment of carpets arrived at his flagship Manhattan store two weeks before his death.

During a storm, the Hudson overflowed at the long dock, washing away wells along the tracks and uprooting trees and fence posts. A flood also came down Fishkill Creek, threatening the wooden dams and filling cellars with 3 feet of mud.
The Matteawan correspondent for The Poughkeepsie Journal lamented that the village didn't have a ready-made clothing store or a good bakery.
Justice Ormsbee fined Mrs. McBurney $5 [$150] for assaulting James Leslie with a shovel.
Stolesbury Brothers closed their branch in Matteawan to concentrate on their wholesale and retail grocery trade at Fishkill Landing.
Zacheus Marsh, known for his tobacco, died at Glenham of apoplexy [stroke].
When the factory bells sounded on a Sunday night during services at the Pilgrim Bap...]]> Sat, 18 Apr 2026 09:52:02 -0400 Looking Back in Beacon 150 Years Ago (April 1876)
The station master at Matteawan had four boys arrested for stealing eggs from the freight house.
Willett Dates, the baggage master at the Dutchess...]]> 150 Years Ago (April 1876)
The station master at Matteawan had four boys arrested for stealing eggs from the freight house.
Willett Dates, the baggage master at the Dutchess Junction station, bought the restaurant at the depot.
When the Addington family came down to breakfast in their home on South Avenue near Beacon Street on a Tuesday morning, they found their pantry had been raided. A burglar had broken through a basement window and taken loaves of bread, a dish of meat, four pounds of butter, pickles, preserves and canned goods.
W. Burnett Jr., a clerk at Dr. Schneck's drugstore in Glenham, was sleeping in the store when he was awakened at 5 a.m. on a Sunday by someone trying to unlock the cellar door. When he opened the door, the culprit fled.
The Dutchess & Columbia Railroad freight depot burned, destroying $3,000 [about $93,000 today] worth of stock owned by the paper bag factory.
The bankrupt Newburgh Lager Beer Brewery was sold at auction for $10,000 [$300,000]. It was said that many evangelical Christians owned stock. The firm had a capacity of 800 barrels per week.
According to The Cold Spring Recorder, "Matteawan is becoming a sort of mecca for tramps. On Sunday night, no less than 50 applied for and were furnished with lodgings" by the poor master.
M.E. Dietrich bought a property on Ferry Street and planned to divide the lower floor into two stores.
A clay slide at Dutchess Junction reminded James Mackin of when he was a boy and a slide happened near Low Point in which the trees slid down the bank but were not uprooted.
W.G. Van Buskirk, the master mechanic of the Dutchess & Columbia Railroad, and the first engineer to run a locomotive west of the Mississippi River, was interviewed by the Fishkill Landing correspondent of The New York Times. Van Buskirk recalled that his trains hit and killed people so often that he stopped counting at 17. One night, at a hotel in the west where he was staying, a clergyman from Arkansas overheard Van Buskirk discussing the number of people he had killed and cried, "Monster! Monster!" He was told that Van Buskirk was a train engineer, but the minister was offended anyway and moved to another hotel. The next morning, as Van Buskirk's train left town, a horse pulling a wagon carrying two men became frightened and pulled it onto the tracks. The horse and passenger were killed, and Van Buskirk realized it was the preacher, who had hired the wagon rather than take the train. At the funeral, the minister said: "Truly, Providence, thy ways are mysterious."
Alexander Turney Stewart died at age 72. Known as the "merchant prince" of New York City, he built a $50 million [$1.5 billion] fortune as a dry-goods merchant and real estate investor. At the time of his death, he was rebuilding and expanding a cassimere and carpet factory known as Glenham Mills to compete with foreign products. He expected to bring skilled workmen from abroad and was building homes for them. Stewart bought the mill for $195,000 [$6 million] after it failed in 1873 and made extensive improvements; its first shipment of carpets arrived at his flagship Manhattan store two weeks before his death.

During a storm, the Hudson overflowed at the long dock, washing away wells along the tracks and uprooting trees and fence posts. A flood also came down Fishkill Creek, threatening the wooden dams and filling cellars with 3 feet of mud.
The Matteawan correspondent for The Poughkeepsie Journal lamented that the village didn't have a ready-made clothing store or a good bakery.
Justice Ormsbee fined Mrs. McBurney $5 [$150] for assaulting James Leslie with a shovel.
Stolesbury Brothers closed their branch in Matteawan to concentrate on their wholesale and retail grocery trade at Fishkill Landing.
Zacheus Marsh, known for his tobacco, died at Glenham of apoplexy [stroke].
When the factory bells sounded on a Sunday night during services at the Pilgrim Bap...]]> Chip Rowe 10:12 false full 19 5864998 For at least a year, the Beacon City Council has grappled with how to address housing "affordability."
The city recently streamlined the approval process to create accessory dwelling units, an element of Gov. Kathy Hochul's plan to reverse a statewide housing shortage. Beacon is part of a state grant program launched in 2024 that awards up to $125,000 to low- and middle-income residents to build or improve ADUs on their properties.
The City Council also negotiated the addition of 27 below-market-rate apartments in the complex under construction at 248 Tioronda Ave. Further, the rollback of parking requirements in some parts of the city may spur construction.
This year, council members have said they want to revisit the local law governing short-term rentals, potentially freeing up residential units, and to examine the city's "inclusionary" zoning policy, which requires new developments of 10 units or more to rent at least 10 percent at below-market rates.
With all this in mind, a team of Dutchess County planners earlier this month walked the council through various scenarios.
The planners said that renters earning between $50,000 and $75,000 annually should find a surplus of apartments in Beacon, but all other income levels will be challenged. The most significant shortages are for people making less than $20,000 annually or more than $75,000, they said.
At the same time, a survey found the city provides 17 percent of all affordable apartments in complexes with at least 20 units in Dutchess County, second only to the City of Poughkeepsie (44 percent). According to the 2024 Dutchess Rental Housing Survey — the most recent available — there are 783 "capital-A affordable" apartments in Beacon. This includes government-subsidized units, such as those managed by the Beacon Housing Authority, and apartments with below-market rents due to tax credits or the inclusionary requirement. However, the owners of six complexes, representing at least 400 apartments, did not respond to the voluntary survey.
During an April 6 workshop, the planners told the council that many renters in Dutchess County are "severely cost burdened" by housing, meaning they spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent. Rising construction and borrowing costs have driven rents higher, while incomes have not kept pace, they said.
Not Counted
These developers did not respond to a 2024 housing survey conducted by Dutchess County.
344 Main (25 units)*
50 Leonard St. (68 units)
Landgrove (44 units)
Lofts at Beacon (178 units)*
Prospect Realty (63 units)
The Beacon (29 units)
*Received government housing subsidies
According to the county survey, the average one-bedroom, market-rate apartment in Beacon costs $2,725 per month, nearly $900 more than the county average. The below-market rate for a one-bedroom in Beacon, based on developer responses, ranges from $1,400 to $1,853. The Dutchess average is $1,008. The report does not include average prices for subsidized units.
In addition, incomes are increasing faster at the top of the scale than at the low end, said Gail Padalino, a county representative. "Eventually it just pushes out the people at the bottom, so that people with the lowest incomes have the hardest time finding housing," she said.
Padalino noted that, along with the rental survey, some data was taken from the county's 2022 Housing Needs Assessment. The county is updating that report, she said, but "I don't think much has changed as far as the shortage and who's struggling the most to find affordable housing."
As for inclusionary zoning, if the city bumps its affordable requirement for developers from 10 percent to 15 percent or 20 percent, it will probably have to offer a "giveback," such as allowing more apartments in a complex or providing property tax relief.
"In general, having an incentive is part of the deal," said Emily Dozier, another Dutchess planner, because a higher percentage of afford...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/17/beacon-continues-to-address-affordability/ For at least a year, the Beacon City Council has grappled with how to address housing "affordability."
The city recently streamlined the approval process to create accessory dwelling units, an element of Gov. Kathy Hochul's plan to reverse a statewide housing shortage. Beacon is part of a state grant program launched in 2024 that awards up to $125,000 to low- and middle-income residents to build or improve ADUs on their properties.
The City Council also negotiated the addition of 27 below-market-rate apartments in the complex under construction at 248 Tioronda Ave. Further, the rollback of parking requirements in some parts of the city may spur construction.
This year, council members have said they want to revisit the local law governing short-term rentals, potentially freeing up residential units, and to examine the city's "inclusionary" zoning policy, which requires new developments of 10 units or more to rent at least 10 percent at below-market rates.
With all this in mind, a team of Dutchess County planners earlier this month walked the council through various scenarios.
The planners said that renters earning between $50,000 and $75,000 annually should find a surplus of apartments in Beacon, but all other income levels will be challenged. The most significant shortages are for people making less than $20,000 annually or more than $75,000, they said.
At the same time, a survey found the city provides 17 percent of all affordable apartments in complexes with at least 20 units in Dutchess County, second only to the City of Poughkeepsie (44 percent). According to the 2024 Dutchess Rental Housing Survey — the most recent available — there are 783 "capital-A affordable" apartments in Beacon. This includes government-subsidized units, such as those managed by the Beacon Housing Authority, and apartments with below-market rents due to tax credits or the inclusionary requirement. However, the owners of six complexes, representing at least 400 apartments, did not respond to the voluntary survey.
During an April 6 workshop, the planners told the council that many renters in Dutchess County are "severely cost burdened" by housing, meaning they spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent. Rising construction and borrowing costs have driven rents higher, while incomes have not kept pace, they said.
Not Counted
These developers did not respond to a 2024 housing survey conducted by Dutchess County.
344 Main (25 units)*
50 Leonard St. (68 units)
Landgrove (44 units)
Lofts at Beacon (178 units)*
Prospect Realty (63 units)
The Beacon (29 units)
*Received government housing subsidies
According to the county survey, the average one-bedroom, market-rate apartment in Beacon costs $2,725 per month, nearly $900 more than the county average. The below-market rate for a one-bedroom in Beacon, based on developer responses, ranges from $1,400 to $1,853. The Dutchess average is $1,008. The report does not include average prices for subsidized units.
In addition, incomes are increasing faster at the top of the scale than at the low end, said Gail Padalino, a county representative. "Eventually it just pushes out the people at the bottom, so that people with the lowest incomes have the hardest time finding housing," she said.
Padalino noted that, along with the rental survey, some data was taken from the county's 2022 Housing Needs Assessment. The county is updating that report, she said, but "I don't think much has changed as far as the shortage and who's struggling the most to find affordable housing."
As for inclusionary zoning, if the city bumps its affordable requirement for developers from 10 percent to 15 percent or 20 percent, it will probably have to offer a "giveback," such as allowing more apartments in a complex or providing property tax relief.
"In general, having an incentive is part of the deal," said Emily Dozier, another Dutchess planner, because a higher percentage of afford...]]> Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:09:30 -0400 Beacon Continues to Address 'Affordability' For at least a year, the Beacon City Council has grappled with how to address housing "affordability."
The city recently streamlined the approval process to create accessory dwelling units, an elemen...]]> For at least a year, the Beacon City Council has grappled with how to address housing "affordability."
The city recently streamlined the approval process to create accessory dwelling units, an element of Gov. Kathy Hochul's plan to reverse a statewide housing shortage. Beacon is part of a state grant program launched in 2024 that awards up to $125,000 to low- and middle-income residents to build or improve ADUs on their properties.
The City Council also negotiated the addition of 27 below-market-rate apartments in the complex under construction at 248 Tioronda Ave. Further, the rollback of parking requirements in some parts of the city may spur construction.
This year, council members have said they want to revisit the local law governing short-term rentals, potentially freeing up residential units, and to examine the city's "inclusionary" zoning policy, which requires new developments of 10 units or more to rent at least 10 percent at below-market rates.
With all this in mind, a team of Dutchess County planners earlier this month walked the council through various scenarios.
The planners said that renters earning between $50,000 and $75,000 annually should find a surplus of apartments in Beacon, but all other income levels will be challenged. The most significant shortages are for people making less than $20,000 annually or more than $75,000, they said.
At the same time, a survey found the city provides 17 percent of all affordable apartments in complexes with at least 20 units in Dutchess County, second only to the City of Poughkeepsie (44 percent). According to the 2024 Dutchess Rental Housing Survey — the most recent available — there are 783 "capital-A affordable" apartments in Beacon. This includes government-subsidized units, such as those managed by the Beacon Housing Authority, and apartments with below-market rents due to tax credits or the inclusionary requirement. However, the owners of six complexes, representing at least 400 apartments, did not respond to the voluntary survey.
During an April 6 workshop, the planners told the council that many renters in Dutchess County are "severely cost burdened" by housing, meaning they spend more than 30 percent of their income on rent. Rising construction and borrowing costs have driven rents higher, while incomes have not kept pace, they said.
Not Counted
These developers did not respond to a 2024 housing survey conducted by Dutchess County.
344 Main (25 units)*
50 Leonard St. (68 units)
Landgrove (44 units)
Lofts at Beacon (178 units)*
Prospect Realty (63 units)
The Beacon (29 units)
*Received government housing subsidies
According to the county survey, the average one-bedroom, market-rate apartment in Beacon costs $2,725 per month, nearly $900 more than the county average. The below-market rate for a one-bedroom in Beacon, based on developer responses, ranges from $1,400 to $1,853. The Dutchess average is $1,008. The report does not include average prices for subsidized units.
In addition, incomes are increasing faster at the top of the scale than at the low end, said Gail Padalino, a county representative. "Eventually it just pushes out the people at the bottom, so that people with the lowest incomes have the hardest time finding housing," she said.
Padalino noted that, along with the rental survey, some data was taken from the county's 2022 Housing Needs Assessment. The county is updating that report, she said, but "I don't think much has changed as far as the shortage and who's struggling the most to find affordable housing."
As for inclusionary zoning, if the city bumps its affordable requirement for developers from 10 percent to 15 percent or 20 percent, it will probably have to offer a "giveback," such as allowing more apartments in a complex or providing property tax relief.
"In general, having an incentive is part of the deal," said Emily Dozier, another Dutchess planner, because a higher percentage of afford...]]> Jeff Simms 05:31 false full 18 5865225 By popular demand, Magazzino Italian Art in Philipstown is extending its exhibit, Yoichi Ohira: Japan in Murano, through Feb. 22.
"One woman kept begging me, 'Please don't close it,' and hugged me when I told her we're holding it over," says museum co-founder Giorgio Spanu.
Selecting favorites from the 54 unique pieces is challenging. There are advanced coloring and techniques, deceptive textures, complex swirling patterns and optical illusions aplenty.
Ohira, who died in 2022, became enamored with glass as a youngster, calling it "music without sound." He studied in Japan, then pursued further education in Venice, graduating in 1978 and landing on the nearby island of Murano, a famous glassblowing center for centuries.

After being hired by the de Majo company as artistic director in 1987, he left after five years to forge his own path. Unlike many designers at the time, Ohira credited the craftsmen who helped execute his vision, including carver Giacomo Barbini and glass artists Livio Serena and Andrea Zilio.
In 1997, Spanu and Nancy Olnick, the museum's other founder, attended Ohira's first solo exhibition at Caffe Florian in Venice. Over the years, the couple has amassed and displayed many of his works.
Around 85 percent of the exhibit is culled from their collection, which spans most of the artist's nearly four-decade career in Italy, starting with his early reinventions of historic Venetian-style vessels. The exhibit ends with three works of thick, nearly colorless glass created by melding together two separate vessels.
At the exhibit, which fuses Japanese-inspired motifs and sensibilities with meticulous Italian craftsmanship, many visitors point out details, utter a comment and shake their heads.
The patterns on some vases resemble Japanese letters, including one with clay-like vertical streaks on a black background. "Dark colors are incredibly difficult to render in glass," says Spanu.
The texture of "Pasta Vitria" looks bumpy, but closer inspection reveals a mirror-smooth surface. Black lines streaking the surface of "Natsume" are obvious, but the rest of the orb settles on green or purple, depending on one's viewpoint.

Mille luci, 2004

Mosaico, 1997

Murrine, 1997

Pasta vitrea 2, 1997

Pasta vitrea 3, 1997

Pasta Vitrea Finestre, 1997

Pasta vitrea, 1997

Pastra vitrea, 1997

Polvere 2, 1997

Polvere, 1997

Polvere, 2000

Serena e Giacomo Barbini, Mille luci, 2002

Silenzio, 1999, glass

Tessere smaltate, 2000

Finestre 2, 1997

Finestre, 1998

Fiori verdi e blu, 1998

Gocce di cristallo, 1999

Gocce di murrine, 1999

Grappolo in rosso e in nero, 2001

A canne bianche e verdi
In the artist's little windows series, tiny shards of shiny glass speckle the works, some of which look like wood or pottery. Ohira hand-carried the milk-white glass sculpture "Finestre" on an airplane, gifting it to Spanu and Olnick when they curated a show at Manhattan's Museum of Art and Design in 2000.
Another pattern resembles small strings of seashells fused together with remarkable precision. The carver Barbini transformed the top of one work into a lagoon; others include vertical surface scratches, although he typically worked with a wheel.
The exhibition displays a few of Ohira's hand-drawn designs, the raw material his team turned into glass masterpieces. Like potters, who never know what their conception is going to look like once the kiln door swings open, glassblowers bear the similar vicissitudes of trial and error.
"No one knows how he and his collaborators mastered the interplay between opacity and transparency," says Olnick. "To this day, it's completely mysterious and unbelievable."
Magazzino Italian Art, at 2700 Route 9 in Philipstown, is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday to Monday. Tickets are $20 ($10 students, seniors, visitors with disabilities; $5 ages 5 to 10; military, veterans, children under 5, members and Philipstown residents free). See magazzino.art.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/17/music-without-sound/ By popular demand, Magazzino Italian Art in Philipstown is extending its exhibit, Yoichi Ohira: Japan in Murano, through Feb. 22.
"One woman kept begging me, 'Please don't close it,' and hugged me when I told her we're holding it over," says museum co-founder Giorgio Spanu.
Selecting favorites from the 54 unique pieces is challenging. There are advanced coloring and techniques, deceptive textures, complex swirling patterns and optical illusions aplenty.
Ohira, who died in 2022, became enamored with glass as a youngster, calling it "music without sound." He studied in Japan, then pursued further education in Venice, graduating in 1978 and landing on the nearby island of Murano, a famous glassblowing center for centuries.

After being hired by the de Majo company as artistic director in 1987, he left after five years to forge his own path. Unlike many designers at the time, Ohira credited the craftsmen who helped execute his vision, including carver Giacomo Barbini and glass artists Livio Serena and Andrea Zilio.
In 1997, Spanu and Nancy Olnick, the museum's other founder, attended Ohira's first solo exhibition at Caffe Florian in Venice. Over the years, the couple has amassed and displayed many of his works.
Around 85 percent of the exhibit is culled from their collection, which spans most of the artist's nearly four-decade career in Italy, starting with his early reinventions of historic Venetian-style vessels. The exhibit ends with three works of thick, nearly colorless glass created by melding together two separate vessels.
At the exhibit, which fuses Japanese-inspired motifs and sensibilities with meticulous Italian craftsmanship, many visitors point out details, utter a comment and shake their heads.
The patterns on some vases resemble Japanese letters, including one with clay-like vertical streaks on a black background. "Dark colors are incredibly difficult to render in glass," says Spanu.
The texture of "Pasta Vitria" looks bumpy, but closer inspection reveals a mirror-smooth surface. Black lines streaking the surface of "Natsume" are obvious, but the rest of the orb settles on green or purple, depending on one's viewpoint.

Mille luci, 2004

Mosaico, 1997

Murrine, 1997

Pasta vitrea 2, 1997

Pasta vitrea 3, 1997

Pasta Vitrea Finestre, 1997

Pasta vitrea, 1997

Pastra vitrea, 1997

Polvere 2, 1997

Polvere, 1997

Polvere, 2000

Serena e Giacomo Barbini, Mille luci, 2002

Silenzio, 1999, glass

Tessere smaltate, 2000

Finestre 2, 1997

Finestre, 1998

Fiori verdi e blu, 1998

Gocce di cristallo, 1999

Gocce di murrine, 1999

Grappolo in rosso e in nero, 2001

A canne bianche e verdi
In the artist's little windows series, tiny shards of shiny glass speckle the works, some of which look like wood or pottery. Ohira hand-carried the milk-white glass sculpture "Finestre" on an airplane, gifting it to Spanu and Olnick when they curated a show at Manhattan's Museum of Art and Design in 2000.
Another pattern resembles small strings of seashells fused together with remarkable precision. The carver Barbini transformed the top of one work into a lagoon; others include vertical surface scratches, although he typically worked with a wheel.
The exhibition displays a few of Ohira's hand-drawn designs, the raw material his team turned into glass masterpieces. Like potters, who never know what their conception is going to look like once the kiln door swings open, glassblowers bear the similar vicissitudes of trial and error.
"No one knows how he and his collaborators mastered the interplay between opacity and transparency," says Olnick. "To this day, it's completely mysterious and unbelievable."
Magazzino Italian Art, at 2700 Route 9 in Philipstown, is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday to Monday. Tickets are $20 ($10 students, seniors, visitors with disabilities; $5 ages 5 to 10; military, veterans, children under 5, members and Philipstown residents free). See magazzino.art.]]> Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:55:50 -0400 'Music Without Sound' By popular demand, Magazzino Italian Art in Philipstown is extending its exhibit, Yoichi Ohira: Japan in Murano, through Feb. 22.
"One woman kept begging me, 'Please don't close it,' and hugged me when I told...]]> By popular demand, Magazzino Italian Art in Philipstown is extending its exhibit, Yoichi Ohira: Japan in Murano, through Feb. 22.
"One woman kept begging me, 'Please don't close it,' and hugged me when I told her we're holding it over," says museum co-founder Giorgio Spanu.
Selecting favorites from the 54 unique pieces is challenging. There are advanced coloring and techniques, deceptive textures, complex swirling patterns and optical illusions aplenty.
Ohira, who died in 2022, became enamored with glass as a youngster, calling it "music without sound." He studied in Japan, then pursued further education in Venice, graduating in 1978 and landing on the nearby island of Murano, a famous glassblowing center for centuries.

After being hired by the de Majo company as artistic director in 1987, he left after five years to forge his own path. Unlike many designers at the time, Ohira credited the craftsmen who helped execute his vision, including carver Giacomo Barbini and glass artists Livio Serena and Andrea Zilio.
In 1997, Spanu and Nancy Olnick, the museum's other founder, attended Ohira's first solo exhibition at Caffe Florian in Venice. Over the years, the couple has amassed and displayed many of his works.
Around 85 percent of the exhibit is culled from their collection, which spans most of the artist's nearly four-decade career in Italy, starting with his early reinventions of historic Venetian-style vessels. The exhibit ends with three works of thick, nearly colorless glass created by melding together two separate vessels.
At the exhibit, which fuses Japanese-inspired motifs and sensibilities with meticulous Italian craftsmanship, many visitors point out details, utter a comment and shake their heads.
The patterns on some vases resemble Japanese letters, including one with clay-like vertical streaks on a black background. "Dark colors are incredibly difficult to render in glass," says Spanu.
The texture of "Pasta Vitria" looks bumpy, but closer inspection reveals a mirror-smooth surface. Black lines streaking the surface of "Natsume" are obvious, but the rest of the orb settles on green or purple, depending on one's viewpoint.

Mille luci, 2004

Mosaico, 1997

Murrine, 1997

Pasta vitrea 2, 1997

Pasta vitrea 3, 1997

Pasta Vitrea Finestre, 1997

Pasta vitrea, 1997

Pastra vitrea, 1997

Polvere 2, 1997

Polvere, 1997

Polvere, 2000

Serena e Giacomo Barbini, Mille luci, 2002

Silenzio, 1999, glass

Tessere smaltate, 2000

Finestre 2, 1997

Finestre, 1998

Fiori verdi e blu, 1998

Gocce di cristallo, 1999

Gocce di murrine, 1999

Grappolo in rosso e in nero, 2001

A canne bianche e verdi
In the artist's little windows series, tiny shards of shiny glass speckle the works, some of which look like wood or pottery. Ohira hand-carried the milk-white glass sculpture "Finestre" on an airplane, gifting it to Spanu and Olnick when they curated a show at Manhattan's Museum of Art and Design in 2000.
Another pattern resembles small strings of seashells fused together with remarkable precision. The carver Barbini transformed the top of one work into a lagoon; others include vertical surface scratches, although he typically worked with a wheel.
The exhibition displays a few of Ohira's hand-drawn designs, the raw material his team turned into glass masterpieces. Like potters, who never know what their conception is going to look like once the kiln door swings open, glassblowers bear the similar vicissitudes of trial and error.
"No one knows how he and his collaborators mastered the interplay between opacity and transparency," says Olnick. "To this day, it's completely mysterious and unbelievable."
Magazzino Italian Art, at 2700 Route 9 in Philipstown, is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday to Monday. Tickets are $20 ($10 students, seniors, visitors with disabilities; $5 ages 5 to 10; military, veterans, children under 5, members and Philipstown residents free). See magazzino.art.]]> Marc Ferris 05:15 false full 17 5865028 Voters in the Beacon City School District will be asked on May 19 to approve a $91.9 million budget that would allow Rombout Middle School to expand to a nine-period day in 2026-27.
The six members of the board (two seats are vacant and one member was absent) unanimously adopted the budget on Monday (April 13). A public hearing will be held at Beacon High School on May 5; two weeks later, district residents will vote on the budget and three trustee seats.
The budget will increase the tax levy — the total amount the district collects through property taxes — by 4.47 percent, to $52.3 million. That's the maximum increase allowed for 2026-27 under a state tax cap. Going "to cap" will keep in place big-ticket items funded in previous spending plans: reduced class sizes at the district's four elementary schools, increased mental health support for students and expanded extracurriculars and special education resources, among other initiatives.
The most significant expenditure for 2026-27 will be Rombout's shift from eight to nine periods, which comes four years after Beacon High School made the same move. School officials said it will allow the district to add a sixth-grade health class and a "Welcome to Sixth Grade" course for incoming students while giving all grades access to an expanded selection of electives.
In addition to property taxes, the budget will rely on about $33 million in total state aid, a 3.2 percent increase over 2025-26, including $1.1 million for pre-K. That number is significant because it's enough to cover full-day pre-K programs at all four elementaries, saving the district about $450,000.
More than 75 percent of expected spending in 2026-27 will go to salaries and benefits, with medical and dental insurance premiums increasing by more than 15 percent.
The district estimates that the average homeowner, which includes residents in parts of Fishkill and Wappinger, will pay between $213 and $244 more in taxes annually.
Last month, Board Member Eric Schetter asked Superintendent Matt Landahl to cut $250,000 from the budget — enough to get the tax levy increase under 4 percent. Landahl's immediate recommendation was to delay the Rombout expansion to nine periods for a year.
If Rombout goes ahead, he said during the Monday meeting, a handful of other cuts could lighten the budget by about $150,000, but it would be "a slog for me, trying to figure out ways" to get to $250,000. Another option would be to defer debt on the $50 million capital project approved by voters in 2024, but that could cause next year's levy to swell beyond 5 percent, Deputy Superintendent Ann Marie Quartironi said.
Other board members pushed back. "Most of the discretionary things are rising by very, very small percentages, most often less than inflation," said Chris Lewine. "We're managing huge cost increases in a ton of different places and finding a way to do that without making cuts and even doing this thing [the nine-period day] you've been planning for many years."
Schetter ultimately said he would support the budget with the maximum allowable levy increase. "If going to 4.47 [percent] means going to a nine-period day at Rombout, then I would be in favor of that," he said. "I think it's important not only from the students' perspective, but it brings more favorable things for the teachers in regard to professional development."
Schetter's seat is one of three that will be on the May ballot, along with the two that are vacant. Nominating petitions are due by 5 p.m. on April 29; to receive a petition, email jackson.v@beaconk12.org.
Electric buses
The school board on Monday agreed to sign onto the Lower Hudson Education Coalition's request that the state Public Service Commission study whether electric utilities, including Central Hudson, will have the necessary infrastructure in place to support the electrification of school bus fleets.
A state law adopted in 2022 requires that all b...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/17/beacon-schools-finalize-2026-27-budget/ Voters in the Beacon City School District will be asked on May 19 to approve a $91.9 million budget that would allow Rombout Middle School to expand to a nine-period day in 2026-27.
The six members of the board (two seats are vacant and one member was absent) unanimously adopted the budget on Monday (April 13). A public hearing will be held at Beacon High School on May 5; two weeks later, district residents will vote on the budget and three trustee seats.
The budget will increase the tax levy — the total amount the district collects through property taxes — by 4.47 percent, to $52.3 million. That's the maximum increase allowed for 2026-27 under a state tax cap. Going "to cap" will keep in place big-ticket items funded in previous spending plans: reduced class sizes at the district's four elementary schools, increased mental health support for students and expanded extracurriculars and special education resources, among other initiatives.
The most significant expenditure for 2026-27 will be Rombout's shift from eight to nine periods, which comes four years after Beacon High School made the same move. School officials said it will allow the district to add a sixth-grade health class and a "Welcome to Sixth Grade" course for incoming students while giving all grades access to an expanded selection of electives.
In addition to property taxes, the budget will rely on about $33 million in total state aid, a 3.2 percent increase over 2025-26, including $1.1 million for pre-K. That number is significant because it's enough to cover full-day pre-K programs at all four elementaries, saving the district about $450,000.
More than 75 percent of expected spending in 2026-27 will go to salaries and benefits, with medical and dental insurance premiums increasing by more than 15 percent.
The district estimates that the average homeowner, which includes residents in parts of Fishkill and Wappinger, will pay between $213 and $244 more in taxes annually.
Last month, Board Member Eric Schetter asked Superintendent Matt Landahl to cut $250,000 from the budget — enough to get the tax levy increase under 4 percent. Landahl's immediate recommendation was to delay the Rombout expansion to nine periods for a year.
If Rombout goes ahead, he said during the Monday meeting, a handful of other cuts could lighten the budget by about $150,000, but it would be "a slog for me, trying to figure out ways" to get to $250,000. Another option would be to defer debt on the $50 million capital project approved by voters in 2024, but that could cause next year's levy to swell beyond 5 percent, Deputy Superintendent Ann Marie Quartironi said.
Other board members pushed back. "Most of the discretionary things are rising by very, very small percentages, most often less than inflation," said Chris Lewine. "We're managing huge cost increases in a ton of different places and finding a way to do that without making cuts and even doing this thing [the nine-period day] you've been planning for many years."
Schetter ultimately said he would support the budget with the maximum allowable levy increase. "If going to 4.47 [percent] means going to a nine-period day at Rombout, then I would be in favor of that," he said. "I think it's important not only from the students' perspective, but it brings more favorable things for the teachers in regard to professional development."
Schetter's seat is one of three that will be on the May ballot, along with the two that are vacant. Nominating petitions are due by 5 p.m. on April 29; to receive a petition, email jackson.v@beaconk12.org.
Electric buses
The school board on Monday agreed to sign onto the Lower Hudson Education Coalition's request that the state Public Service Commission study whether electric utilities, including Central Hudson, will have the necessary infrastructure in place to support the electrification of school bus fleets.
A state law adopted in 2022 requires that all b...]]> Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:42:26 -0400 Beacon Schools Finalize 2026-27 Budget Voters in the Beacon City School District will be asked on May 19 to approve a $91.9 million budget that would allow Rombout Middle School to expand to a nine-period day in 2026-27.
The six members o...]]> Voters in the Beacon City School District will be asked on May 19 to approve a $91.9 million budget that would allow Rombout Middle School to expand to a nine-period day in 2026-27.
The six members of the board (two seats are vacant and one member was absent) unanimously adopted the budget on Monday (April 13). A public hearing will be held at Beacon High School on May 5; two weeks later, district residents will vote on the budget and three trustee seats.
The budget will increase the tax levy — the total amount the district collects through property taxes — by 4.47 percent, to $52.3 million. That's the maximum increase allowed for 2026-27 under a state tax cap. Going "to cap" will keep in place big-ticket items funded in previous spending plans: reduced class sizes at the district's four elementary schools, increased mental health support for students and expanded extracurriculars and special education resources, among other initiatives.
The most significant expenditure for 2026-27 will be Rombout's shift from eight to nine periods, which comes four years after Beacon High School made the same move. School officials said it will allow the district to add a sixth-grade health class and a "Welcome to Sixth Grade" course for incoming students while giving all grades access to an expanded selection of electives.
In addition to property taxes, the budget will rely on about $33 million in total state aid, a 3.2 percent increase over 2025-26, including $1.1 million for pre-K. That number is significant because it's enough to cover full-day pre-K programs at all four elementaries, saving the district about $450,000.
More than 75 percent of expected spending in 2026-27 will go to salaries and benefits, with medical and dental insurance premiums increasing by more than 15 percent.
The district estimates that the average homeowner, which includes residents in parts of Fishkill and Wappinger, will pay between $213 and $244 more in taxes annually.
Last month, Board Member Eric Schetter asked Superintendent Matt Landahl to cut $250,000 from the budget — enough to get the tax levy increase under 4 percent. Landahl's immediate recommendation was to delay the Rombout expansion to nine periods for a year.
If Rombout goes ahead, he said during the Monday meeting, a handful of other cuts could lighten the budget by about $150,000, but it would be "a slog for me, trying to figure out ways" to get to $250,000. Another option would be to defer debt on the $50 million capital project approved by voters in 2024, but that could cause next year's levy to swell beyond 5 percent, Deputy Superintendent Ann Marie Quartironi said.
Other board members pushed back. "Most of the discretionary things are rising by very, very small percentages, most often less than inflation," said Chris Lewine. "We're managing huge cost increases in a ton of different places and finding a way to do that without making cuts and even doing this thing [the nine-period day] you've been planning for many years."
Schetter ultimately said he would support the budget with the maximum allowable levy increase. "If going to 4.47 [percent] means going to a nine-period day at Rombout, then I would be in favor of that," he said. "I think it's important not only from the students' perspective, but it brings more favorable things for the teachers in regard to professional development."
Schetter's seat is one of three that will be on the May ballot, along with the two that are vacant. Nominating petitions are due by 5 p.m. on April 29; to receive a petition, email jackson.v@beaconk12.org.
Electric buses
The school board on Monday agreed to sign onto the Lower Hudson Education Coalition's request that the state Public Service Commission study whether electric utilities, including Central Hudson, will have the necessary infrastructure in place to support the electrification of school bus fleets.
A state law adopted in 2022 requires that all b...]]> Jeff Simms 06:14 false full 16 5865209 While volunteering at Beacon Reads, the bookstore run by the Friends of the Howland Public Library, Hannah Brooks took particular interest in a customer whose voice she recognized.
Since 1991, Felix Hernandez has hosted "Rhythm Revue," a six-hour weekly radio show produced by WGBO (88.3 FM) in Newark on which he spins classic and obscure soul, funk and R&B. Long before high-earning celebrity DJs became a thing, Hernandez played clubs like the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan until the wee hours of the morning.
Brooks says she shocked herself "by jumping out of the chair for a selfie. I've never done that with any other celebrity."

Hernandez, who splits time between homes in Brooklyn and Ulster County, will be donating his services on Friday (April 24) for an extended '70s Dance Party at Denning's Point Distillery to benefit Beacon LitFest, which will take place from June 12 to 14. Brooks is among the organizers.
Litfest Rises in Charts
Attendance at the annual Beacon LitFest jumped from 80 in its first year in 2023 to more than 400 last year, according to Hannah Brooks. She says 75 percent of participants are locals.
This year, the festival will host panels on Friday, June 12 ("The Exquisite Art of Translation") and Saturday ("The Poet as Witness" and "Crafting Realities in Nonfiction and Fiction") to "get the creative bug going" for Sunday workshops, says Brooks.
On May 13, LitFest will host an exploration of mental health at "Stories We Don't Tell" at Savage Wonder in Beacon. See beaconlitfest.org.
Hernandez is an expert on pop music from doo-wop to disco; he says he especially cherishes songs from 1954 to 1979. "I have so many thousands of records, I lost count long ago," he says. "The only thing that surpasses them is books."
The playlist of a recent show included the overlooked Motown group, The Elgins, followed by "I Love You (For Sentimental Reasons)" by Sam Cooke, which reached No. 15 on the pop charts but is more commonly associated with Nat King Cole.
Hernandez also slipped in Earth, Wind and Fire's "Serpentine Fire," a Top 20 pop hit not included on the 1978 album, The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1, a monster seller. (For true fans, it does appear on Volume 2.)
During live gigs, people expect and receive familiar fare. But on the radio, Hernandez keeps things fresh by alternating familiar chestnuts with more obscure artists and repertoire. He says his format is to play a hit, then a miss — rinse and repeat. He notes that, during the period when Cooke and Ray Charles forged soul music, James Brown created funk, and its spawn, disco, emerged, thousands of independent labels released a barrage of great songs, including many one-hit wonders during the 1970s.
"There's so much obscure but incredible music out there, it's baffling why, like with classic rock, people are fixated on such a small number of artists," he says.
Dennings Point Distillery is located at 10 N. Chestnut St. in Beacon. Tickets for the dance party, which begins at 6:30 p.m., are $20 at dub.sh/beacon-boogie, or at the door. Rhythm Revue can be streamed at wbgo.org/show/rhythm-revue.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/17/rhythm-revue-dj-to-play-benefit/ While volunteering at Beacon Reads, the bookstore run by the Friends of the Howland Public Library, Hannah Brooks took particular interest in a customer whose voice she recognized.
Since 1991, Felix Hernandez has hosted "Rhythm Revue," a six-hour weekly radio show produced by WGBO (88.3 FM) in Newark on which he spins classic and obscure soul, funk and R&B. Long before high-earning celebrity DJs became a thing, Hernandez played clubs like the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan until the wee hours of the morning.
Brooks says she shocked herself "by jumping out of the chair for a selfie. I've never done that with any other celebrity."

Hernandez, who splits time between homes in Brooklyn and Ulster County, will be donating his services on Friday (April 24) for an extended '70s Dance Party at Denning's Point Distillery to benefit Beacon LitFest, which will take place from June 12 to 14. Brooks is among the organizers.
Litfest Rises in Charts
Attendance at the annual Beacon LitFest jumped from 80 in its first year in 2023 to more than 400 last year, according to Hannah Brooks. She says 75 percent of participants are locals.
This year, the festival will host panels on Friday, June 12 ("The Exquisite Art of Translation") and Saturday ("The Poet as Witness" and "Crafting Realities in Nonfiction and Fiction") to "get the creative bug going" for Sunday workshops, says Brooks.
On May 13, LitFest will host an exploration of mental health at "Stories We Don't Tell" at Savage Wonder in Beacon. See beaconlitfest.org.
Hernandez is an expert on pop music from doo-wop to disco; he says he especially cherishes songs from 1954 to 1979. "I have so many thousands of records, I lost count long ago," he says. "The only thing that surpasses them is books."
The playlist of a recent show included the overlooked Motown group, The Elgins, followed by "I Love You (For Sentimental Reasons)" by Sam Cooke, which reached No. 15 on the pop charts but is more commonly associated with Nat King Cole.
Hernandez also slipped in Earth, Wind and Fire's "Serpentine Fire," a Top 20 pop hit not included on the 1978 album, The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1, a monster seller. (For true fans, it does appear on Volume 2.)
During live gigs, people expect and receive familiar fare. But on the radio, Hernandez keeps things fresh by alternating familiar chestnuts with more obscure artists and repertoire. He says his format is to play a hit, then a miss — rinse and repeat. He notes that, during the period when Cooke and Ray Charles forged soul music, James Brown created funk, and its spawn, disco, emerged, thousands of independent labels released a barrage of great songs, including many one-hit wonders during the 1970s.
"There's so much obscure but incredible music out there, it's baffling why, like with classic rock, people are fixated on such a small number of artists," he says.
Dennings Point Distillery is located at 10 N. Chestnut St. in Beacon. Tickets for the dance party, which begins at 6:30 p.m., are $20 at dub.sh/beacon-boogie, or at the door. Rhythm Revue can be streamed at wbgo.org/show/rhythm-revue.]]> Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:35:51 -0400 'Rhythm Revue' DJ to Play Benefit While volunteering at Beacon Reads, the bookstore run by the Friends of the Howland Public Library, Hannah Brooks took particular interest in a customer whose voice she recognized.
Since 1991, Felix Hernandez has h...]]> While volunteering at Beacon Reads, the bookstore run by the Friends of the Howland Public Library, Hannah Brooks took particular interest in a customer whose voice she recognized.
Since 1991, Felix Hernandez has hosted "Rhythm Revue," a six-hour weekly radio show produced by WGBO (88.3 FM) in Newark on which he spins classic and obscure soul, funk and R&B. Long before high-earning celebrity DJs became a thing, Hernandez played clubs like the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan until the wee hours of the morning.
Brooks says she shocked herself "by jumping out of the chair for a selfie. I've never done that with any other celebrity."

Hernandez, who splits time between homes in Brooklyn and Ulster County, will be donating his services on Friday (April 24) for an extended '70s Dance Party at Denning's Point Distillery to benefit Beacon LitFest, which will take place from June 12 to 14. Brooks is among the organizers.
Litfest Rises in Charts
Attendance at the annual Beacon LitFest jumped from 80 in its first year in 2023 to more than 400 last year, according to Hannah Brooks. She says 75 percent of participants are locals.
This year, the festival will host panels on Friday, June 12 ("The Exquisite Art of Translation") and Saturday ("The Poet as Witness" and "Crafting Realities in Nonfiction and Fiction") to "get the creative bug going" for Sunday workshops, says Brooks.
On May 13, LitFest will host an exploration of mental health at "Stories We Don't Tell" at Savage Wonder in Beacon. See beaconlitfest.org.
Hernandez is an expert on pop music from doo-wop to disco; he says he especially cherishes songs from 1954 to 1979. "I have so many thousands of records, I lost count long ago," he says. "The only thing that surpasses them is books."
The playlist of a recent show included the overlooked Motown group, The Elgins, followed by "I Love You (For Sentimental Reasons)" by Sam Cooke, which reached No. 15 on the pop charts but is more commonly associated with Nat King Cole.
Hernandez also slipped in Earth, Wind and Fire's "Serpentine Fire," a Top 20 pop hit not included on the 1978 album, The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1, a monster seller. (For true fans, it does appear on Volume 2.)
During live gigs, people expect and receive familiar fare. But on the radio, Hernandez keeps things fresh by alternating familiar chestnuts with more obscure artists and repertoire. He says his format is to play a hit, then a miss — rinse and repeat. He notes that, during the period when Cooke and Ray Charles forged soul music, James Brown created funk, and its spawn, disco, emerged, thousands of independent labels released a barrage of great songs, including many one-hit wonders during the 1970s.
"There's so much obscure but incredible music out there, it's baffling why, like with classic rock, people are fixated on such a small number of artists," he says.
Dennings Point Distillery is located at 10 N. Chestnut St. in Beacon. Tickets for the dance party, which begins at 6:30 p.m., are $20 at dub.sh/beacon-boogie, or at the door. Rhythm Revue can be streamed at wbgo.org/show/rhythm-revue.]]> Marc Ferris 03:47 false full 15 5865031 The Nelsonville Village Board on Wednesday (April 15) adopted a $392,497 budget for 2026-27, a 3.4 increase over the current year. The property tax levy — the total amount the village collects through property taxes — will rise by 3.14 percent, the maximum Nelsonville is allowed under the state's tax cap for 2026-27.
The spending plan includes $6,112 (compared to $2,500 this year) to supply Nelsonville's fire hydrants because of higher rates charged by Cold Spring, an additional 33 percent for the village attorney ($20,000), and 10 percent raises for the mayor and the four trustees, their first increase since 2017, according to Winward. The mayor's salary will rise to $4,950 annually, and the trustees' to $2,915.
The budget also includes a 10 percent hike for the village justice, to $3,850, and 3 percent raises for the clerk and court clerk positions, both held by Melissa Harris.
Anticipated savings include $2,000 in street lighting costs due to the installation last year of LED bulbs and $6,000 in street maintenance costs. Instead of renewing a contract with a company that handled road maintenance and snow removal, the village contracted with Philipstown for plowing and some roadwork, and with another company to provide services not offered by the town.
"Even with the unusually snowy winter we had — where we actually had to pay more to remove snow — we were still able to stay within the budgeted amount for snow and street maintenance combined," said Winward.
This fiscal year is Nelsonville's first to include revenue from a sales-tax sharing agreement between Putnam County and its nine municipalities. Nelsonville will receive the minimum share, which is $50,000. It must be spent on infrastructure but can be used to hire consultants for projects. "I can't say enough how important that is for a tiny village, to be able to look forward and plan," said Winward.
Code update
The board continues to review property-maintenance regulations as part of a comprehensive revision of the village codes that began last month with the adoption of rules for residents with household pets, bees and/or chickens.
The guidelines for property maintenance span three sections of the code: Chapter 74 (Brush, Grass and Weeds), Chapter 148 (Property Maintenance) and Article IV, which requires property owners to remove snow and ice from sidewalks.
Trustee Alan Potts said he and another trustee, Marie Zhynovitch, are working on crafting a single chapter for property maintenance and revising language to eliminate ambiguity and confusion.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/17/nelsonville-adopts-2026-27-budget/ The Nelsonville Village Board on Wednesday (April 15) adopted a $392,497 budget for 2026-27, a 3.4 increase over the current year. The property tax levy — the total amount the village collects through property taxes — will rise by 3.14 percent, the maximum Nelsonville is allowed under the state's tax cap for 2026-27.
The spending plan includes $6,112 (compared to $2,500 this year) to supply Nelsonville's fire hydrants because of higher rates charged by Cold Spring, an additional 33 percent for the village attorney ($20,000), and 10 percent raises for the mayor and the four trustees, their first increase since 2017, according to Winward. The mayor's salary will rise to $4,950 annually, and the trustees' to $2,915.
The budget also includes a 10 percent hike for the village justice, to $3,850, and 3 percent raises for the clerk and court clerk positions, both held by Melissa Harris.
Anticipated savings include $2,000 in street lighting costs due to the installation last year of LED bulbs and $6,000 in street maintenance costs. Instead of renewing a contract with a company that handled road maintenance and snow removal, the village contracted with Philipstown for plowing and some roadwork, and with another company to provide services not offered by the town.
"Even with the unusually snowy winter we had — where we actually had to pay more to remove snow — we were still able to stay within the budgeted amount for snow and street maintenance combined," said Winward.
This fiscal year is Nelsonville's first to include revenue from a sales-tax sharing agreement between Putnam County and its nine municipalities. Nelsonville will receive the minimum share, which is $50,000. It must be spent on infrastructure but can be used to hire consultants for projects. "I can't say enough how important that is for a tiny village, to be able to look forward and plan," said Winward.
Code update
The board continues to review property-maintenance regulations as part of a comprehensive revision of the village codes that began last month with the adoption of rules for residents with household pets, bees and/or chickens.
The guidelines for property maintenance span three sections of the code: Chapter 74 (Brush, Grass and Weeds), Chapter 148 (Property Maintenance) and Article IV, which requires property owners to remove snow and ice from sidewalks.
Trustee Alan Potts said he and another trustee, Marie Zhynovitch, are working on crafting a single chapter for property maintenance and revising language to eliminate ambiguity and confusion.]]> Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:24:49 -0400 Nelsonville Adopts 2026-27 Budget The Nelsonville Village Board on Wednesday (April 15) adopted a $392,497 budget for 2026-27, a 3.4 increase over the current year. The property tax levy — the total amount the village collects through property t...]]> The Nelsonville Village Board on Wednesday (April 15) adopted a $392,497 budget for 2026-27, a 3.4 increase over the current year. The property tax levy — the total amount the village collects through property taxes — will rise by 3.14 percent, the maximum Nelsonville is allowed under the state's tax cap for 2026-27.
The spending plan includes $6,112 (compared to $2,500 this year) to supply Nelsonville's fire hydrants because of higher rates charged by Cold Spring, an additional 33 percent for the village attorney ($20,000), and 10 percent raises for the mayor and the four trustees, their first increase since 2017, according to Winward. The mayor's salary will rise to $4,950 annually, and the trustees' to $2,915.
The budget also includes a 10 percent hike for the village justice, to $3,850, and 3 percent raises for the clerk and court clerk positions, both held by Melissa Harris.
Anticipated savings include $2,000 in street lighting costs due to the installation last year of LED bulbs and $6,000 in street maintenance costs. Instead of renewing a contract with a company that handled road maintenance and snow removal, the village contracted with Philipstown for plowing and some roadwork, and with another company to provide services not offered by the town.
"Even with the unusually snowy winter we had — where we actually had to pay more to remove snow — we were still able to stay within the budgeted amount for snow and street maintenance combined," said Winward.
This fiscal year is Nelsonville's first to include revenue from a sales-tax sharing agreement between Putnam County and its nine municipalities. Nelsonville will receive the minimum share, which is $50,000. It must be spent on infrastructure but can be used to hire consultants for projects. "I can't say enough how important that is for a tiny village, to be able to look forward and plan," said Winward.
Code update
The board continues to review property-maintenance regulations as part of a comprehensive revision of the village codes that began last month with the adoption of rules for residents with household pets, bees and/or chickens.
The guidelines for property maintenance span three sections of the code: Chapter 74 (Brush, Grass and Weeds), Chapter 148 (Property Maintenance) and Article IV, which requires property owners to remove snow and ice from sidewalks.
Trustee Alan Potts said he and another trustee, Marie Zhynovitch, are working on crafting a single chapter for property maintenance and revising language to eliminate ambiguity and confusion.]]> Leonard Sparks 03:02 false full 14 5864783 A historic Black church in Washington, D.C., awarded rights to the name and logo of an extremist group after its property was vandalized, won a trademark case against the Hudson Valley chapter and its president, a former Beacon resident.
In a federal lawsuit filed in August 2025, the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church accused the Hudson Valley Proud Boys and Will Pepe of "unlawful and ongoing infringement" of its right to control use of the group's name. Pepe is one of over 1,000 people found guilty of invading the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and pardoned in January 2025 by President Donald Trump.
After he failed to submit a timely answer to Metropolitan's lawsuit, U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla issued an order on April 8 permanently barring the chapter from using the name and logo. She also awarded $75,000 to the church, which hosted the funeral of Frederick Douglass and a speech by Eleanor Roosevelt; $183,603.50 in fees to Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and $15,849.50 to the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
The judgment is the church's first against a chapter and similar lawsuits could follow.
"This is an important judgment for the church and for the residents of the Hudson Valley," said Dan Kramer, the Paul, Weiss attorney who represented the church. "It means that there cannot be a chapter of the Proud Boys in their community."

A D.C. Superior Court judge awarded Metropolitan AME the trademark rights in February 2025 as the Proud Boys largely ignored an earlier $2.8 million judgment against it over a December 2020 incident during a rally in support of Trump. Some of the group's members, during a roving "night march," leaped the church's fence to tear down its Black Lives Matter sign.
They then "stomped on it and cut it into pieces, and loudly and publicly celebrated its destruction" on social media, according to Metropolitan AME, which installed cameras and hired security guards after the attack.
Despite the Superior Court order, which prohibits the Proud Boys from "selling, transferring, disposing of or licensing" the name without the church's permission, the Hudson Valley chapter continued to employ the Proud Boys name on multiple websites it and other New York chapters use, and on clothing, hats and other merchandise sold online, according to court documents.
Metropolitan also said Pepe had not responded to a cease-and-desist letter sent to him at a Long Island address in June 2025, as well as requests that he provide information on the chapter's use of the name and the amount of revenues from members' dues and merchandise sales.

The church said it wants to "evolve" the Proud Boys name to become "associated with the church's mission of love and humanity, rather than white supremacy, hatred and violence." Last year, it introduced two limited-edition T-shirts replicating the Proud Boys logo and etched with slogans: "Stay Proud, Black Lives Matter" and "Stay Black, Black Lives Matter.
Metropolitan was one of two Black churches in D.C. whose Black Lives Matter signs were destroyed by Proud Boys who rallied in the city on Dec. 12, 2020, in support of Trump's challenge to the results of the 2020 presidential election won by Joe Biden. Weeks later, on Jan. 6, 2021, protesters broke into and ransacked the Capitol building as lawmakers met to certify Biden's win.
Police arrested Pepe six days later, accusing him, as president of the Hudson Valley chapter of the Proud Boys, of coordinating with other members by radio and moving a police barricade. A federal judge found Pepe, who was fired from his job with Metro-North in Brewster, guilty in a bench trial on Oct. 23, 2024, of a felony (obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder) and four misdemeanors. His sentencing was canceled when he was pardoned.

Metropolitan AME is targeting the Proud Boys' money. The church initially sued Proud Boys International for destructi...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/15/black-church-defeats-local-proud-boys/ A historic Black church in Washington, D.C., awarded rights to the name and logo of an extremist group after its property was vandalized, won a trademark case against the Hudson Valley chapter and its president, a former Beacon resident.
In a federal lawsuit filed in August 2025, the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church accused the Hudson Valley Proud Boys and Will Pepe of "unlawful and ongoing infringement" of its right to control use of the group's name. Pepe is one of over 1,000 people found guilty of invading the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and pardoned in January 2025 by President Donald Trump.
After he failed to submit a timely answer to Metropolitan's lawsuit, U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla issued an order on April 8 permanently barring the chapter from using the name and logo. She also awarded $75,000 to the church, which hosted the funeral of Frederick Douglass and a speech by Eleanor Roosevelt; $183,603.50 in fees to Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and $15,849.50 to the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
The judgment is the church's first against a chapter and similar lawsuits could follow.
"This is an important judgment for the church and for the residents of the Hudson Valley," said Dan Kramer, the Paul, Weiss attorney who represented the church. "It means that there cannot be a chapter of the Proud Boys in their community."

A D.C. Superior Court judge awarded Metropolitan AME the trademark rights in February 2025 as the Proud Boys largely ignored an earlier $2.8 million judgment against it over a December 2020 incident during a rally in support of Trump. Some of the group's members, during a roving "night march," leaped the church's fence to tear down its Black Lives Matter sign.
They then "stomped on it and cut it into pieces, and loudly and publicly celebrated its destruction" on social media, according to Metropolitan AME, which installed cameras and hired security guards after the attack.
Despite the Superior Court order, which prohibits the Proud Boys from "selling, transferring, disposing of or licensing" the name without the church's permission, the Hudson Valley chapter continued to employ the Proud Boys name on multiple websites it and other New York chapters use, and on clothing, hats and other merchandise sold online, according to court documents.
Metropolitan also said Pepe had not responded to a cease-and-desist letter sent to him at a Long Island address in June 2025, as well as requests that he provide information on the chapter's use of the name and the amount of revenues from members' dues and merchandise sales.

The church said it wants to "evolve" the Proud Boys name to become "associated with the church's mission of love and humanity, rather than white supremacy, hatred and violence." Last year, it introduced two limited-edition T-shirts replicating the Proud Boys logo and etched with slogans: "Stay Proud, Black Lives Matter" and "Stay Black, Black Lives Matter.
Metropolitan was one of two Black churches in D.C. whose Black Lives Matter signs were destroyed by Proud Boys who rallied in the city on Dec. 12, 2020, in support of Trump's challenge to the results of the 2020 presidential election won by Joe Biden. Weeks later, on Jan. 6, 2021, protesters broke into and ransacked the Capitol building as lawmakers met to certify Biden's win.
Police arrested Pepe six days later, accusing him, as president of the Hudson Valley chapter of the Proud Boys, of coordinating with other members by radio and moving a police barricade. A federal judge found Pepe, who was fired from his job with Metro-North in Brewster, guilty in a bench trial on Oct. 23, 2024, of a felony (obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder) and four misdemeanors. His sentencing was canceled when he was pardoned.

Metropolitan AME is targeting the Proud Boys' money. The church initially sued Proud Boys International for destructi...]]> Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:47:31 -0400 Black Church Defeats Local Proud Boys A historic Black church in Washington, D.C., awarded rights to the name and logo of an extremist group after its property was vandalized, won a trademark case against the Hudson Valley chapter and its...]]> A historic Black church in Washington, D.C., awarded rights to the name and logo of an extremist group after its property was vandalized, won a trademark case against the Hudson Valley chapter and its president, a former Beacon resident.
In a federal lawsuit filed in August 2025, the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church accused the Hudson Valley Proud Boys and Will Pepe of "unlawful and ongoing infringement" of its right to control use of the group's name. Pepe is one of over 1,000 people found guilty of invading the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and pardoned in January 2025 by President Donald Trump.
After he failed to submit a timely answer to Metropolitan's lawsuit, U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla issued an order on April 8 permanently barring the chapter from using the name and logo. She also awarded $75,000 to the church, which hosted the funeral of Frederick Douglass and a speech by Eleanor Roosevelt; $183,603.50 in fees to Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and $15,849.50 to the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.
The judgment is the church's first against a chapter and similar lawsuits could follow.
"This is an important judgment for the church and for the residents of the Hudson Valley," said Dan Kramer, the Paul, Weiss attorney who represented the church. "It means that there cannot be a chapter of the Proud Boys in their community."

A D.C. Superior Court judge awarded Metropolitan AME the trademark rights in February 2025 as the Proud Boys largely ignored an earlier $2.8 million judgment against it over a December 2020 incident during a rally in support of Trump. Some of the group's members, during a roving "night march," leaped the church's fence to tear down its Black Lives Matter sign.
They then "stomped on it and cut it into pieces, and loudly and publicly celebrated its destruction" on social media, according to Metropolitan AME, which installed cameras and hired security guards after the attack.
Despite the Superior Court order, which prohibits the Proud Boys from "selling, transferring, disposing of or licensing" the name without the church's permission, the Hudson Valley chapter continued to employ the Proud Boys name on multiple websites it and other New York chapters use, and on clothing, hats and other merchandise sold online, according to court documents.
Metropolitan also said Pepe had not responded to a cease-and-desist letter sent to him at a Long Island address in June 2025, as well as requests that he provide information on the chapter's use of the name and the amount of revenues from members' dues and merchandise sales.

The church said it wants to "evolve" the Proud Boys name to become "associated with the church's mission of love and humanity, rather than white supremacy, hatred and violence." Last year, it introduced two limited-edition T-shirts replicating the Proud Boys logo and etched with slogans: "Stay Proud, Black Lives Matter" and "Stay Black, Black Lives Matter.
Metropolitan was one of two Black churches in D.C. whose Black Lives Matter signs were destroyed by Proud Boys who rallied in the city on Dec. 12, 2020, in support of Trump's challenge to the results of the 2020 presidential election won by Joe Biden. Weeks later, on Jan. 6, 2021, protesters broke into and ransacked the Capitol building as lawmakers met to certify Biden's win.
Police arrested Pepe six days later, accusing him, as president of the Hudson Valley chapter of the Proud Boys, of coordinating with other members by radio and moving a police barricade. A federal judge found Pepe, who was fired from his job with Metro-North in Brewster, guilty in a bench trial on Oct. 23, 2024, of a felony (obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder) and four misdemeanors. His sentencing was canceled when he was pardoned.

Metropolitan AME is targeting the Proud Boys' money. The church initially sued Proud Boys International for destructi...]]> Leonard Sparks 05:19 false full 13 5864689 For the third year in a row, a local resident has won a Guggenheim Fellowship.
Reid Davenport, who lives in Beacon, was among 223 recipients of the annual award, which provides scholars, artists, writers, historians and scientists with grants ranging from about $30,000 to $45,000 to provide "blocks of time in which fellows can work with as much creative freedom as possible," according to the Guggenheim Foundation. The honors were announced on Tuesday (April 14).

Davenport is a documentary filmmaker who premiered Life After (2025) and I Didn't See You There (2022) at the Sundance Film Festival. Davenport, who has cerebral palsy, describes himself online as a "disabled filmmaker telling disabled stories through a political lens."
Jessica Pisano, a Philipstown resident who is a professor of politics at The New School for Social Research in New York City, was named a fellow in 2024, and Gwen Laster, a violinist who lives in Beacon, was among the honorees in 2025.
Adam James Smith, a documentary filmmaker who has a home in Lake Peekskill in Putnam County, was also honored this year. His upcoming films include Nighthawk, set in Shenzhen's vast art factory, and In the Valley of Solace, about a woman living alone and off the land in a remote Yunnan valley.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/14/beacon-resident-wins-guggenheim/ For the third year in a row, a local resident has won a Guggenheim Fellowship.
Reid Davenport, who lives in Beacon, was among 223 recipients of the annual award, which provides scholars, artists, writers, historians and scientists with grants ranging from about $30,000 to $45,000 to provide "blocks of time in which fellows can work with as much creative freedom as possible," according to the Guggenheim Foundation. The honors were announced on Tuesday (April 14).

Davenport is a documentary filmmaker who premiered Life After (2025) and I Didn't See You There (2022) at the Sundance Film Festival. Davenport, who has cerebral palsy, describes himself online as a "disabled filmmaker telling disabled stories through a political lens."
Jessica Pisano, a Philipstown resident who is a professor of politics at The New School for Social Research in New York City, was named a fellow in 2024, and Gwen Laster, a violinist who lives in Beacon, was among the honorees in 2025.
Adam James Smith, a documentary filmmaker who has a home in Lake Peekskill in Putnam County, was also honored this year. His upcoming films include Nighthawk, set in Shenzhen's vast art factory, and In the Valley of Solace, about a woman living alone and off the land in a remote Yunnan valley.]]> Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:01:31 -0400 Beacon Resident Wins Guggenheim For the third year in a row, a local resident has won a Guggenheim Fellowship.
Reid Davenport, who lives in Beacon, was among 223 recipients of the annual award, which provides scholars, artists, writers, hist...]]> For the third year in a row, a local resident has won a Guggenheim Fellowship.
Reid Davenport, who lives in Beacon, was among 223 recipients of the annual award, which provides scholars, artists, writers, historians and scientists with grants ranging from about $30,000 to $45,000 to provide "blocks of time in which fellows can work with as much creative freedom as possible," according to the Guggenheim Foundation. The honors were announced on Tuesday (April 14).

Davenport is a documentary filmmaker who premiered Life After (2025) and I Didn't See You There (2022) at the Sundance Film Festival. Davenport, who has cerebral palsy, describes himself online as a "disabled filmmaker telling disabled stories through a political lens."
Jessica Pisano, a Philipstown resident who is a professor of politics at The New School for Social Research in New York City, was named a fellow in 2024, and Gwen Laster, a violinist who lives in Beacon, was among the honorees in 2025.
Adam James Smith, a documentary filmmaker who has a home in Lake Peekskill in Putnam County, was also honored this year. His upcoming films include Nighthawk, set in Shenzhen's vast art factory, and In the Valley of Solace, about a woman living alone and off the land in a remote Yunnan valley.]]> Staff 01:32 false full 12 5864518 The Putnam County News & Recorder, which was published weekly in Cold Spring for 160 years, has closed.
The PCNR published its last print edition on Jan. 28 due to what the editor, Rick Pezzullo, at the time called "unforeseen circumstances." It continued to publish a digital edition, but that did not appear on April 8, and the paper's website has not been updated since April 2.
The weekly had been published since April 2024 by a Carmel-based company called Putnam Media Inc. Its owners were described as "a group of Putnam County citizens" but never identified. The company purchased The PCNR and The Putnam County Courier, based in Brewster, from Douglas Cunningham, their former editor.
A source said the investment group voted, 14-2, to dissolve Putnam Media Inc. as of March 31. On April 6, Eric Gross, the senior reporter for The PCNR and Courier, joined Mid Hudson News as its Putnam County bureau chief.
Kathy Kahng, a Kent resident who was identified after the 2024 sale as the papers' general manager, did not return a phone call or email seeking comment. But Getz Obstfeld, one of the 16 investors, said on Tuesday (April 14) that the group had two or three potential buyers and had ceased publication to preserve cash.
"We want to continue the papers and preserve the tradition," said Obstfeld, who has a home in Kent. "We'll see how fast we can make a deal, but I expect it will be within weeks." He said the 16 investors were a mix of "community-minded and media-minded" residents who liked the idea of supporting a nonpartisan news source that served the entire county.
"The papers will be sold at a loss," he said. "But not a single one of us went into it to make money. We intended it as an investment to support the community."
He said the group approached the board of Highlands Current Inc., which publishes this newspaper, but the nonprofit was not interested in buying the publications. Todd Haskell, the board chair, declined to comment.
The loss of the two papers reflects a national trend. According to the State of Local News, a report compiled by Northwestern University, nearly 40 percent of local newspapers have vanished in the past 20 years. That represents at least 3,400 titles, including 130 in 2025. Newspapers have been hit hard by competition from Facebook and Google for local advertisers.
"I've been involved in community journalism since I was 13, and it's a shame what once was a big part of every municipality is fading quickly, and not too many people seem to care," said Pezzullo, who had been on the job for nine months after leaving Examiner Media when it shuttered its print editions, including The Putnam Examiner. Pezzullo referred questions about the closure to Putnam Media Inc.
The PCNR dated to March 1866, when Charles Blanchard founded The Cold Spring Recorder, promising readers "a family journal devoted to the dissemination of general and local news, and the impartial discussion of questions of public interest."
He sold the paper in 1867 to a group of residents who appointed the village postmaster, Sylvester Beers Allis, as editor. Nearly 20 years later, in 1886, a county history reported that The Recorder, now owned by Allis, was "independent in politics, fearless in expression of opinion and has an extensive circulation."
After Allis died in 1891, his heirs sold the paper to Irving McCoy, who ran it for 15 years before handing the operation to Otis Montrose, the principal of the Cold Spring school. Montrose published The Recorder for 29 years; after his death, it passed to W. Osborn Webb, owner of the upstart Putnam County News, who merged the two publications and sold The PCNR in 1939 to pursue a graduate degree in journalism. (According to his obituary, in 1946 Webb was among the founders of the Central Intelligence Agency.)
Jack Ladue, the next owner, ran The PCNR for 44 years until his retirement in 1983. In 1965, ahead of its centennial, he added the motto to the...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/12/pcnr-stops-publishing/ The Putnam County News & Recorder, which was published weekly in Cold Spring for 160 years, has closed.
The PCNR published its last print edition on Jan. 28 due to what the editor, Rick Pezzullo, at the time called "unforeseen circumstances." It continued to publish a digital edition, but that did not appear on April 8, and the paper's website has not been updated since April 2.
The weekly had been published since April 2024 by a Carmel-based company called Putnam Media Inc. Its owners were described as "a group of Putnam County citizens" but never identified. The company purchased The PCNR and The Putnam County Courier, based in Brewster, from Douglas Cunningham, their former editor.
A source said the investment group voted, 14-2, to dissolve Putnam Media Inc. as of March 31. On April 6, Eric Gross, the senior reporter for The PCNR and Courier, joined Mid Hudson News as its Putnam County bureau chief.
Kathy Kahng, a Kent resident who was identified after the 2024 sale as the papers' general manager, did not return a phone call or email seeking comment. But Getz Obstfeld, one of the 16 investors, said on Tuesday (April 14) that the group had two or three potential buyers and had ceased publication to preserve cash.
"We want to continue the papers and preserve the tradition," said Obstfeld, who has a home in Kent. "We'll see how fast we can make a deal, but I expect it will be within weeks." He said the 16 investors were a mix of "community-minded and media-minded" residents who liked the idea of supporting a nonpartisan news source that served the entire county.
"The papers will be sold at a loss," he said. "But not a single one of us went into it to make money. We intended it as an investment to support the community."
He said the group approached the board of Highlands Current Inc., which publishes this newspaper, but the nonprofit was not interested in buying the publications. Todd Haskell, the board chair, declined to comment.
The loss of the two papers reflects a national trend. According to the State of Local News, a report compiled by Northwestern University, nearly 40 percent of local newspapers have vanished in the past 20 years. That represents at least 3,400 titles, including 130 in 2025. Newspapers have been hit hard by competition from Facebook and Google for local advertisers.
"I've been involved in community journalism since I was 13, and it's a shame what once was a big part of every municipality is fading quickly, and not too many people seem to care," said Pezzullo, who had been on the job for nine months after leaving Examiner Media when it shuttered its print editions, including The Putnam Examiner. Pezzullo referred questions about the closure to Putnam Media Inc.
The PCNR dated to March 1866, when Charles Blanchard founded The Cold Spring Recorder, promising readers "a family journal devoted to the dissemination of general and local news, and the impartial discussion of questions of public interest."
He sold the paper in 1867 to a group of residents who appointed the village postmaster, Sylvester Beers Allis, as editor. Nearly 20 years later, in 1886, a county history reported that The Recorder, now owned by Allis, was "independent in politics, fearless in expression of opinion and has an extensive circulation."
After Allis died in 1891, his heirs sold the paper to Irving McCoy, who ran it for 15 years before handing the operation to Otis Montrose, the principal of the Cold Spring school. Montrose published The Recorder for 29 years; after his death, it passed to W. Osborn Webb, owner of the upstart Putnam County News, who merged the two publications and sold The PCNR in 1939 to pursue a graduate degree in journalism. (According to his obituary, in 1946 Webb was among the founders of the Central Intelligence Agency.)
Jack Ladue, the next owner, ran The PCNR for 44 years until his retirement in 1983. In 1965, ahead of its centennial, he added the motto to the...]]> Sun, 12 Apr 2026 19:54:18 -0400 PCNR Stops Publishing The Putnam County News & Recorder, which was published weekly in Cold Spring for 160 years, has closed.
The PCNR published its last print edition on Jan. 28 due to what the editor, Rick Pezzullo, at the time...]]> The Putnam County News & Recorder, which was published weekly in Cold Spring for 160 years, has closed.
The PCNR published its last print edition on Jan. 28 due to what the editor, Rick Pezzullo, at the time called "unforeseen circumstances." It continued to publish a digital edition, but that did not appear on April 8, and the paper's website has not been updated since April 2.
The weekly had been published since April 2024 by a Carmel-based company called Putnam Media Inc. Its owners were described as "a group of Putnam County citizens" but never identified. The company purchased The PCNR and The Putnam County Courier, based in Brewster, from Douglas Cunningham, their former editor.
A source said the investment group voted, 14-2, to dissolve Putnam Media Inc. as of March 31. On April 6, Eric Gross, the senior reporter for The PCNR and Courier, joined Mid Hudson News as its Putnam County bureau chief.
Kathy Kahng, a Kent resident who was identified after the 2024 sale as the papers' general manager, did not return a phone call or email seeking comment. But Getz Obstfeld, one of the 16 investors, said on Tuesday (April 14) that the group had two or three potential buyers and had ceased publication to preserve cash.
"We want to continue the papers and preserve the tradition," said Obstfeld, who has a home in Kent. "We'll see how fast we can make a deal, but I expect it will be within weeks." He said the 16 investors were a mix of "community-minded and media-minded" residents who liked the idea of supporting a nonpartisan news source that served the entire county.
"The papers will be sold at a loss," he said. "But not a single one of us went into it to make money. We intended it as an investment to support the community."
He said the group approached the board of Highlands Current Inc., which publishes this newspaper, but the nonprofit was not interested in buying the publications. Todd Haskell, the board chair, declined to comment.
The loss of the two papers reflects a national trend. According to the State of Local News, a report compiled by Northwestern University, nearly 40 percent of local newspapers have vanished in the past 20 years. That represents at least 3,400 titles, including 130 in 2025. Newspapers have been hit hard by competition from Facebook and Google for local advertisers.
"I've been involved in community journalism since I was 13, and it's a shame what once was a big part of every municipality is fading quickly, and not too many people seem to care," said Pezzullo, who had been on the job for nine months after leaving Examiner Media when it shuttered its print editions, including The Putnam Examiner. Pezzullo referred questions about the closure to Putnam Media Inc.
The PCNR dated to March 1866, when Charles Blanchard founded The Cold Spring Recorder, promising readers "a family journal devoted to the dissemination of general and local news, and the impartial discussion of questions of public interest."
He sold the paper in 1867 to a group of residents who appointed the village postmaster, Sylvester Beers Allis, as editor. Nearly 20 years later, in 1886, a county history reported that The Recorder, now owned by Allis, was "independent in politics, fearless in expression of opinion and has an extensive circulation."
After Allis died in 1891, his heirs sold the paper to Irving McCoy, who ran it for 15 years before handing the operation to Otis Montrose, the principal of the Cold Spring school. Montrose published The Recorder for 29 years; after his death, it passed to W. Osborn Webb, owner of the upstart Putnam County News, who merged the two publications and sold The PCNR in 1939 to pursue a graduate degree in journalism. (According to his obituary, in 1946 Webb was among the founders of the Central Intelligence Agency.)
Jack Ladue, the next owner, ran The PCNR for 44 years until his retirement in 1983. In 1965, ahead of its centennial, he added the motto to the...]]> Chip Rowe 05:16 false full 11 5864507 A policy passed in 2017 to forbid Philipstown employees from participating in immigration enforcement has been revised to specify that access to personal data and town facilities is banned without a judicial warrant or court order.
An ad hoc committee's changes to the town's "equal protection" policy were unanimously approved by the Town Board on Thursday (April 9). The policy bans town employees and contractors from collecting information about immigration status or disclosing personal information such as names, addresses and Social Security numbers, without an order or warrant from a federal judge.
It also bars officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies from nonpublic areas without a warrant or court order. If an employee is served with a judicial or an administrative warrant — documents issued by the agencies without a judge's signature — they are not to allow access to data or nonpublic areas. Instead, they must give the warrant to the town clerk, who will notify the supervisor and town attorney.
Judy Farrell, a member of the Town Board, suggested the revision in February. At that time, she said the new language was designed to protect personal data, not immigration status, which the town does not collect. "It's about requiring judicial process, which residents are entitled to under the Constitution, and to make sure our town staff aren't sharing residents' information," she said.
Following Supervisor John Van Tassel's recommendation, the policy will take effect in June to allow training for town employees. "I don't think it's fair to put an employee in a position that they're going to implement a policy without prior training to the actual policy," he said.
Philipstown's original equal-protection policy passed, by a 3-2 vote, in April 2017, with "no" votes from Van Tassel, then a councilor, and Bob Flaherty, who voted on Thursday for the revised guidance. It similarly barred town employees from aiding immigration investigations or arrests unless required by state or federal law or a judge's order.
That same month, the Beacon City Council approved a policy limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities, and declaring the city to be "welcoming, safe and inclusive." Both policies were enacted amid heightened immigration enforcement during President Donald Trump's first term. Philipstown's revision comes as Trump expands deportations in his second term.
In January 2025, the state attorney general, Letitia James, issued guidance that noted federal law does not require a local government to communicate with immigration authorities, but that a federal statute says municipalities cannot prevent employees "from sending to, or receiving from" them information regarding someone's citizenship or immigration status. Nothing prevents governments from withholding other information, said James.
Federal officials say restrictions imposed by state and local governments, which they designate as "sanctuary" jurisdictions, hinder the capture and deportation of dangerous criminals.
Immigration arrests have more than quadrupled, and deportations have risen fivefold, during the first year of Trump's second term, according to a report this month from the Deportation Data Project, a team of academics and lawyers who obtain and analyze immigration data.
While the Trump administration says it is focused on criminals (entering the country without legal authorization is a civil offense), the arrests of people without criminal convictions increased eightfold, according to the report.
Food-scrap recycling
Jeff Mikkelson, advocacy chair for the Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce and a member of the town's Climate Smart Task Force, asked if Philipstown would be the fiscal sponsor if an application for a grant to expand the residential food scraps recycling program to businesses is successful.
A $6,000 grant from Williams College has enabled a startup commercial pr...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/12/philipstown-updates-immigration-policy/ A policy passed in 2017 to forbid Philipstown employees from participating in immigration enforcement has been revised to specify that access to personal data and town facilities is banned without a judicial warrant or court order.
An ad hoc committee's changes to the town's "equal protection" policy were unanimously approved by the Town Board on Thursday (April 9). The policy bans town employees and contractors from collecting information about immigration status or disclosing personal information such as names, addresses and Social Security numbers, without an order or warrant from a federal judge.
It also bars officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies from nonpublic areas without a warrant or court order. If an employee is served with a judicial or an administrative warrant — documents issued by the agencies without a judge's signature — they are not to allow access to data or nonpublic areas. Instead, they must give the warrant to the town clerk, who will notify the supervisor and town attorney.
Judy Farrell, a member of the Town Board, suggested the revision in February. At that time, she said the new language was designed to protect personal data, not immigration status, which the town does not collect. "It's about requiring judicial process, which residents are entitled to under the Constitution, and to make sure our town staff aren't sharing residents' information," she said.
Following Supervisor John Van Tassel's recommendation, the policy will take effect in June to allow training for town employees. "I don't think it's fair to put an employee in a position that they're going to implement a policy without prior training to the actual policy," he said.
Philipstown's original equal-protection policy passed, by a 3-2 vote, in April 2017, with "no" votes from Van Tassel, then a councilor, and Bob Flaherty, who voted on Thursday for the revised guidance. It similarly barred town employees from aiding immigration investigations or arrests unless required by state or federal law or a judge's order.
That same month, the Beacon City Council approved a policy limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities, and declaring the city to be "welcoming, safe and inclusive." Both policies were enacted amid heightened immigration enforcement during President Donald Trump's first term. Philipstown's revision comes as Trump expands deportations in his second term.
In January 2025, the state attorney general, Letitia James, issued guidance that noted federal law does not require a local government to communicate with immigration authorities, but that a federal statute says municipalities cannot prevent employees "from sending to, or receiving from" them information regarding someone's citizenship or immigration status. Nothing prevents governments from withholding other information, said James.
Federal officials say restrictions imposed by state and local governments, which they designate as "sanctuary" jurisdictions, hinder the capture and deportation of dangerous criminals.
Immigration arrests have more than quadrupled, and deportations have risen fivefold, during the first year of Trump's second term, according to a report this month from the Deportation Data Project, a team of academics and lawyers who obtain and analyze immigration data.
While the Trump administration says it is focused on criminals (entering the country without legal authorization is a civil offense), the arrests of people without criminal convictions increased eightfold, according to the report.
Food-scrap recycling
Jeff Mikkelson, advocacy chair for the Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce and a member of the town's Climate Smart Task Force, asked if Philipstown would be the fiscal sponsor if an application for a grant to expand the residential food scraps recycling program to businesses is successful.
A $6,000 grant from Williams College has enabled a startup commercial pr...]]> Sun, 12 Apr 2026 15:07:28 -0400 Philipstown Updates Immigration Policy A policy passed in 2017 to forbid Philipstown employees from participating in immigration enforcement has been revised to specify that access to personal data and town facilities is banned without a judicial wa...]]> A policy passed in 2017 to forbid Philipstown employees from participating in immigration enforcement has been revised to specify that access to personal data and town facilities is banned without a judicial warrant or court order.
An ad hoc committee's changes to the town's "equal protection" policy were unanimously approved by the Town Board on Thursday (April 9). The policy bans town employees and contractors from collecting information about immigration status or disclosing personal information such as names, addresses and Social Security numbers, without an order or warrant from a federal judge.
It also bars officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies from nonpublic areas without a warrant or court order. If an employee is served with a judicial or an administrative warrant — documents issued by the agencies without a judge's signature — they are not to allow access to data or nonpublic areas. Instead, they must give the warrant to the town clerk, who will notify the supervisor and town attorney.
Judy Farrell, a member of the Town Board, suggested the revision in February. At that time, she said the new language was designed to protect personal data, not immigration status, which the town does not collect. "It's about requiring judicial process, which residents are entitled to under the Constitution, and to make sure our town staff aren't sharing residents' information," she said.
Following Supervisor John Van Tassel's recommendation, the policy will take effect in June to allow training for town employees. "I don't think it's fair to put an employee in a position that they're going to implement a policy without prior training to the actual policy," he said.
Philipstown's original equal-protection policy passed, by a 3-2 vote, in April 2017, with "no" votes from Van Tassel, then a councilor, and Bob Flaherty, who voted on Thursday for the revised guidance. It similarly barred town employees from aiding immigration investigations or arrests unless required by state or federal law or a judge's order.
That same month, the Beacon City Council approved a policy limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities, and declaring the city to be "welcoming, safe and inclusive." Both policies were enacted amid heightened immigration enforcement during President Donald Trump's first term. Philipstown's revision comes as Trump expands deportations in his second term.
In January 2025, the state attorney general, Letitia James, issued guidance that noted federal law does not require a local government to communicate with immigration authorities, but that a federal statute says municipalities cannot prevent employees "from sending to, or receiving from" them information regarding someone's citizenship or immigration status. Nothing prevents governments from withholding other information, said James.
Federal officials say restrictions imposed by state and local governments, which they designate as "sanctuary" jurisdictions, hinder the capture and deportation of dangerous criminals.
Immigration arrests have more than quadrupled, and deportations have risen fivefold, during the first year of Trump's second term, according to a report this month from the Deportation Data Project, a team of academics and lawyers who obtain and analyze immigration data.
While the Trump administration says it is focused on criminals (entering the country without legal authorization is a civil offense), the arrests of people without criminal convictions increased eightfold, according to the report.
Food-scrap recycling
Jeff Mikkelson, advocacy chair for the Cold Spring Chamber of Commerce and a member of the town's Climate Smart Task Force, asked if Philipstown would be the fiscal sponsor if an application for a grant to expand the residential food scraps recycling program to businesses is successful.
A $6,000 grant from Williams College has enabled a startup commercial pr...]]> Leonard Sparks 04:58 false full 10 5864069 250 Years Ago (April 1776)
On April 2, George Washington wrote from his headquarters near Boston to Brig. Benedict Arnold: "The chief part of the troops are marched from hence towards New York. I will set off tomorrow." The general was concerned that the British, who had evacuated Boston, were headed to New York City.
On April 13, after traveling nine days by horseback, Washington and three aides arrived in New York. He made his headquarters at Richmond Hill, a 26-acre estate located in what is now Greenwich Village.

It was during his stay that the New York governor and the New York City mayor, both loyalists, plotted to capture and/or kill Washington with assistance from his bodyguards. The plotters had loose lips, however, and the alleged ringleader, Thomas Hickey, was hanged. "The discovery of this plot, and the effort to investigate it, led colonial authorities to devise new systems" that today would be called counterintelligence, wrote Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch in The First Conspiracy.
On April 19, Washington wrote to Congress reporting that four regiments ordered to march from Boston to defend New York had not left because their colonels had not arranged for them to be paid. He lamented the lack of trained officers.
On April 22, Washington left for Philadelphia to consult with Congress about the defense of New York.
On April 29, the Iroquois complained that there were not enough traders to meet their needs for blankets, clothing and ammunition and called for a meeting with the Americans at Albany. Most sachems remained neutral about the war, but this lack of trade goods would push some to side with the British.
150 Years Ago (April 1876)
William Jaycox reported that, after a 9-inch snowfall on April 5, sleighing was good on the old post road. In the village, the snow melted by evening.
Stephen Davenport, "among the few of our old men who retained a good memory of the past half century," according to The Cold Spring Recorder, died at age 76 after complaining of a headache at breakfast.
After a hoghead of molasses being unloaded at J.Y. Dykeman's store in Nelsonville broke open, "most of the sweet stuff was wasted on the ungrateful soil," according to The Recorder.
A prisoner escaped from the county jail in Carmel by taking the place of the boy who usually delivered the coal to heat the jail overnight. The jailer discovered the escape when he woke up in the cold.
John Brady broke his leg when he was thrown from his wagon near Garden Street. His horse was spooked by a boy rolling a barrel.
The Recorder noted that "a fine goat which has grown fat and kept itself in fine condition by stealing all about the village was shot, somewhere downtown, on Tuesday afternoon. … We could not avoid sorrow at the creature's dying moans, but could not say that its death was unjust."
A one-armed traveling cornet player performed on Main Street for tips.
After a Saturday night stop at Fishkill Landing, the Van Amburgh & Co. circus paraded into Cold Spring with an elephant, camel and a lion in a cage on Monday morning for a performance later in the day.

Standing a few rods from the West Point Foundry, a group of 12 men, including Robert Parrott, Capt. Ottinger and Colin Tolmie Jr., a clerk, observed test firings of projectiles designed for the Coast Life Saving service. After a successful first shot, Tolmie was instructed to add 4 more ounces of gunpowder. During its flight, the second projectile exploded, sending a 60-pound fragment into the men, who were standing 40 feet away. Tolmie, 46, was struck in the head and killed instantly. Tolmie had worked at the foundry for nearly 30 years; he came to Cold Spring at age 9 when his father was hired to supervise the forging department, and he was apprenticed at age 17.
Peter Louis, a Frenchman who lived on Bank Street and had fought as a sharpshooter in the Civil War, worked at the foundry pattern shop until a leg disease forced him to become a peddler. He and Charles Hines were returning ...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/11/looking-back-in-philipstown-102/ 250 Years Ago (April 1776)
On April 2, George Washington wrote from his headquarters near Boston to Brig. Benedict Arnold: "The chief part of the troops are marched from hence towards New York. I will set off tomorrow." The general was concerned that the British, who had evacuated Boston, were headed to New York City.
On April 13, after traveling nine days by horseback, Washington and three aides arrived in New York. He made his headquarters at Richmond Hill, a 26-acre estate located in what is now Greenwich Village.

It was during his stay that the New York governor and the New York City mayor, both loyalists, plotted to capture and/or kill Washington with assistance from his bodyguards. The plotters had loose lips, however, and the alleged ringleader, Thomas Hickey, was hanged. "The discovery of this plot, and the effort to investigate it, led colonial authorities to devise new systems" that today would be called counterintelligence, wrote Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch in The First Conspiracy.
On April 19, Washington wrote to Congress reporting that four regiments ordered to march from Boston to defend New York had not left because their colonels had not arranged for them to be paid. He lamented the lack of trained officers.
On April 22, Washington left for Philadelphia to consult with Congress about the defense of New York.
On April 29, the Iroquois complained that there were not enough traders to meet their needs for blankets, clothing and ammunition and called for a meeting with the Americans at Albany. Most sachems remained neutral about the war, but this lack of trade goods would push some to side with the British.
150 Years Ago (April 1876)
William Jaycox reported that, after a 9-inch snowfall on April 5, sleighing was good on the old post road. In the village, the snow melted by evening.
Stephen Davenport, "among the few of our old men who retained a good memory of the past half century," according to The Cold Spring Recorder, died at age 76 after complaining of a headache at breakfast.
After a hoghead of molasses being unloaded at J.Y. Dykeman's store in Nelsonville broke open, "most of the sweet stuff was wasted on the ungrateful soil," according to The Recorder.
A prisoner escaped from the county jail in Carmel by taking the place of the boy who usually delivered the coal to heat the jail overnight. The jailer discovered the escape when he woke up in the cold.
John Brady broke his leg when he was thrown from his wagon near Garden Street. His horse was spooked by a boy rolling a barrel.
The Recorder noted that "a fine goat which has grown fat and kept itself in fine condition by stealing all about the village was shot, somewhere downtown, on Tuesday afternoon. … We could not avoid sorrow at the creature's dying moans, but could not say that its death was unjust."
A one-armed traveling cornet player performed on Main Street for tips.
After a Saturday night stop at Fishkill Landing, the Van Amburgh & Co. circus paraded into Cold Spring with an elephant, camel and a lion in a cage on Monday morning for a performance later in the day.

Standing a few rods from the West Point Foundry, a group of 12 men, including Robert Parrott, Capt. Ottinger and Colin Tolmie Jr., a clerk, observed test firings of projectiles designed for the Coast Life Saving service. After a successful first shot, Tolmie was instructed to add 4 more ounces of gunpowder. During its flight, the second projectile exploded, sending a 60-pound fragment into the men, who were standing 40 feet away. Tolmie, 46, was struck in the head and killed instantly. Tolmie had worked at the foundry for nearly 30 years; he came to Cold Spring at age 9 when his father was hired to supervise the forging department, and he was apprenticed at age 17.
Peter Louis, a Frenchman who lived on Bank Street and had fought as a sharpshooter in the Civil War, worked at the foundry pattern shop until a leg disease forced him to become a peddler. He and Charles Hines were returning ...]]> Sat, 11 Apr 2026 09:29:10 -0400 Looking Back in Philipstown 250 Years Ago (April 1776)
On April 2, George Washington wrote from his headquarters near Boston to Brig. Benedict Arnold: "The chief part of the troops are marched from hence towards New York. I will set off tomorrow." The general was concerned that ...]]> 250 Years Ago (April 1776)
On April 2, George Washington wrote from his headquarters near Boston to Brig. Benedict Arnold: "The chief part of the troops are marched from hence towards New York. I will set off tomorrow." The general was concerned that the British, who had evacuated Boston, were headed to New York City.
On April 13, after traveling nine days by horseback, Washington and three aides arrived in New York. He made his headquarters at Richmond Hill, a 26-acre estate located in what is now Greenwich Village.

It was during his stay that the New York governor and the New York City mayor, both loyalists, plotted to capture and/or kill Washington with assistance from his bodyguards. The plotters had loose lips, however, and the alleged ringleader, Thomas Hickey, was hanged. "The discovery of this plot, and the effort to investigate it, led colonial authorities to devise new systems" that today would be called counterintelligence, wrote Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch in The First Conspiracy.
On April 19, Washington wrote to Congress reporting that four regiments ordered to march from Boston to defend New York had not left because their colonels had not arranged for them to be paid. He lamented the lack of trained officers.
On April 22, Washington left for Philadelphia to consult with Congress about the defense of New York.
On April 29, the Iroquois complained that there were not enough traders to meet their needs for blankets, clothing and ammunition and called for a meeting with the Americans at Albany. Most sachems remained neutral about the war, but this lack of trade goods would push some to side with the British.
150 Years Ago (April 1876)
William Jaycox reported that, after a 9-inch snowfall on April 5, sleighing was good on the old post road. In the village, the snow melted by evening.
Stephen Davenport, "among the few of our old men who retained a good memory of the past half century," according to The Cold Spring Recorder, died at age 76 after complaining of a headache at breakfast.
After a hoghead of molasses being unloaded at J.Y. Dykeman's store in Nelsonville broke open, "most of the sweet stuff was wasted on the ungrateful soil," according to The Recorder.
A prisoner escaped from the county jail in Carmel by taking the place of the boy who usually delivered the coal to heat the jail overnight. The jailer discovered the escape when he woke up in the cold.
John Brady broke his leg when he was thrown from his wagon near Garden Street. His horse was spooked by a boy rolling a barrel.
The Recorder noted that "a fine goat which has grown fat and kept itself in fine condition by stealing all about the village was shot, somewhere downtown, on Tuesday afternoon. … We could not avoid sorrow at the creature's dying moans, but could not say that its death was unjust."
A one-armed traveling cornet player performed on Main Street for tips.
After a Saturday night stop at Fishkill Landing, the Van Amburgh & Co. circus paraded into Cold Spring with an elephant, camel and a lion in a cage on Monday morning for a performance later in the day.

Standing a few rods from the West Point Foundry, a group of 12 men, including Robert Parrott, Capt. Ottinger and Colin Tolmie Jr., a clerk, observed test firings of projectiles designed for the Coast Life Saving service. After a successful first shot, Tolmie was instructed to add 4 more ounces of gunpowder. During its flight, the second projectile exploded, sending a 60-pound fragment into the men, who were standing 40 feet away. Tolmie, 46, was struck in the head and killed instantly. Tolmie had worked at the foundry for nearly 30 years; he came to Cold Spring at age 9 when his father was hired to supervise the forging department, and he was apprenticed at age 17.
Peter Louis, a Frenchman who lived on Bank Street and had fought as a sharpshooter in the Civil War, worked at the foundry pattern shop until a leg disease forced him to become a peddler. He and Charles Hines were returning ...]]> Chip Rowe 11:54 false full 9 5864246 When David Bruen defeated three other candidates in 1978 to become Putnam's first-ever county executive, he also became the only Democrat to ever occupy the office.
In nearly five decades, a succession of Democratic candidates failed to surmount the Republican advantage in party registration and their candidates' traditional support from the Conservative Party. But Democrats are hoping the dry spell will end this year as Brett Yarris challenges incumbent Republican Kevin Byrne.
Their hopes are bolstered by Democrats performance in last year's election, when the party gained control of legislatures in Dutchess and Orange counties and defeated Republicans in other state and local races in New York and nationally amid flagging support for President Donald Trump and his policies.
Opposition to Trump and fervor over winning the congressional seat held by Rep. Mike Lawler, whose district includes Philipstown, are expected to drive high local turnout for Democratic voters.
Byrne could also be harmed by the Putnam Conservative Party's endorsement of its chair, attorney William Spain, for county executive. If Spain, a former county attorney and the brother of county attorney Compton Spain, stays in the race, it could deprive Byrne of Conservative votes that have usually aided Republicans.

As of February, Republicans still held an advantage over Democrats in active-voter registration: 24,723 versus 22,080. Another 21,235 active voters are unaffiliated; 2,777 are designated as "other"; 1,689 are Conservative Party members; and 292 belong to the left-leaning Working Families Party.
"Democrats are rightfully ticked off; frankly, a lot of independents are also rightfully ticked off, and even some Republicans," said Jennifer Colamonico, chair of the Putnam Democratic Committee. "Of all the years to bank on a Democratic overperformance, it's this one."
"We've seen this kind of talk before, but elections in Putnam County aren't decided by press releases or predictions," said Joe Nickischer, Byrne's campaign spokesperson. "Others can talk about confidence. We'll keep focusing on results."
Asked about Spain's endorsement as the Conservative candidate, Nickischer said Byrne has "a broad coalition of support from Republicans, Conservatives, independents and common-sense Democrats" and has amassed endorsements from "organizations representing families, taxpayers, first responders and labor."
Byrne "has outperformed every candidate on the ballot in every election he has run," said Nickischer. "The Conservative Party has time to finalize its own internal process and figure out what it needs to do to accurately represent Conservative voters. Those voters already know and support Kevin Byrne."
Putnam Legislature
It's an unusual year for the Legislature: There will be no incumbents on the ballot. The three open seats are held by Republicans who are not running for re-election.
In District 2, which includes most of Putnam Valley, William Gouldman cannot run due to term limits. The Democrats have endorsed Maia Gilleo, a small business owner, while Christian Russo, a Town Board member, is the Republican candidate.
In District 3, which includes Kent and Patterson, the Democrats endorsed Kathy Kahng, a small-business owner who lost in 2023 to incumbent Toni Addonizio, who cannot run due to term limits. Joseph Cunningham and Jorma Tompuri will face off in a primary on June 23 for the Republican line. Cunningham has been endorsed by the Conservative Party.
In District 8, which includes Mahopac, Gwen Burke has been endorsed by the Democrats for the seat held by Amy Sayegh, who is not running for re-election. The Republicans endorsed Carmel council member Frank Lombardi, while the Conservatives backed Tanner McCracken, a Mahopac school board trustee.
Yarris, a former special education teacher who now provides services to people with special needs, said he also has a base of support that goes beyond his party. He said th...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/10/dems-eye-end-to-dry-spell/ When David Bruen defeated three other candidates in 1978 to become Putnam's first-ever county executive, he also became the only Democrat to ever occupy the office.
In nearly five decades, a succession of Democratic candidates failed to surmount the Republican advantage in party registration and their candidates' traditional support from the Conservative Party. But Democrats are hoping the dry spell will end this year as Brett Yarris challenges incumbent Republican Kevin Byrne.
Their hopes are bolstered by Democrats performance in last year's election, when the party gained control of legislatures in Dutchess and Orange counties and defeated Republicans in other state and local races in New York and nationally amid flagging support for President Donald Trump and his policies.
Opposition to Trump and fervor over winning the congressional seat held by Rep. Mike Lawler, whose district includes Philipstown, are expected to drive high local turnout for Democratic voters.
Byrne could also be harmed by the Putnam Conservative Party's endorsement of its chair, attorney William Spain, for county executive. If Spain, a former county attorney and the brother of county attorney Compton Spain, stays in the race, it could deprive Byrne of Conservative votes that have usually aided Republicans.

As of February, Republicans still held an advantage over Democrats in active-voter registration: 24,723 versus 22,080. Another 21,235 active voters are unaffiliated; 2,777 are designated as "other"; 1,689 are Conservative Party members; and 292 belong to the left-leaning Working Families Party.
"Democrats are rightfully ticked off; frankly, a lot of independents are also rightfully ticked off, and even some Republicans," said Jennifer Colamonico, chair of the Putnam Democratic Committee. "Of all the years to bank on a Democratic overperformance, it's this one."
"We've seen this kind of talk before, but elections in Putnam County aren't decided by press releases or predictions," said Joe Nickischer, Byrne's campaign spokesperson. "Others can talk about confidence. We'll keep focusing on results."
Asked about Spain's endorsement as the Conservative candidate, Nickischer said Byrne has "a broad coalition of support from Republicans, Conservatives, independents and common-sense Democrats" and has amassed endorsements from "organizations representing families, taxpayers, first responders and labor."
Byrne "has outperformed every candidate on the ballot in every election he has run," said Nickischer. "The Conservative Party has time to finalize its own internal process and figure out what it needs to do to accurately represent Conservative voters. Those voters already know and support Kevin Byrne."
Putnam Legislature
It's an unusual year for the Legislature: There will be no incumbents on the ballot. The three open seats are held by Republicans who are not running for re-election.
In District 2, which includes most of Putnam Valley, William Gouldman cannot run due to term limits. The Democrats have endorsed Maia Gilleo, a small business owner, while Christian Russo, a Town Board member, is the Republican candidate.
In District 3, which includes Kent and Patterson, the Democrats endorsed Kathy Kahng, a small-business owner who lost in 2023 to incumbent Toni Addonizio, who cannot run due to term limits. Joseph Cunningham and Jorma Tompuri will face off in a primary on June 23 for the Republican line. Cunningham has been endorsed by the Conservative Party.
In District 8, which includes Mahopac, Gwen Burke has been endorsed by the Democrats for the seat held by Amy Sayegh, who is not running for re-election. The Republicans endorsed Carmel council member Frank Lombardi, while the Conservatives backed Tanner McCracken, a Mahopac school board trustee.
Yarris, a former special education teacher who now provides services to people with special needs, said he also has a base of support that goes beyond his party. He said th...]]> Fri, 10 Apr 2026 10:09:39 -0400 Dems Eye End to Dry Spell When David Bruen defeated three other candidates in 1978 to become Putnam's first-ever county executive, he also became the only Democrat to ever occupy the office.
In nearly five decades, a succession of Democrat...]]> When David Bruen defeated three other candidates in 1978 to become Putnam's first-ever county executive, he also became the only Democrat to ever occupy the office.
In nearly five decades, a succession of Democratic candidates failed to surmount the Republican advantage in party registration and their candidates' traditional support from the Conservative Party. But Democrats are hoping the dry spell will end this year as Brett Yarris challenges incumbent Republican Kevin Byrne.
Their hopes are bolstered by Democrats performance in last year's election, when the party gained control of legislatures in Dutchess and Orange counties and defeated Republicans in other state and local races in New York and nationally amid flagging support for President Donald Trump and his policies.
Opposition to Trump and fervor over winning the congressional seat held by Rep. Mike Lawler, whose district includes Philipstown, are expected to drive high local turnout for Democratic voters.
Byrne could also be harmed by the Putnam Conservative Party's endorsement of its chair, attorney William Spain, for county executive. If Spain, a former county attorney and the brother of county attorney Compton Spain, stays in the race, it could deprive Byrne of Conservative votes that have usually aided Republicans.

As of February, Republicans still held an advantage over Democrats in active-voter registration: 24,723 versus 22,080. Another 21,235 active voters are unaffiliated; 2,777 are designated as "other"; 1,689 are Conservative Party members; and 292 belong to the left-leaning Working Families Party.
"Democrats are rightfully ticked off; frankly, a lot of independents are also rightfully ticked off, and even some Republicans," said Jennifer Colamonico, chair of the Putnam Democratic Committee. "Of all the years to bank on a Democratic overperformance, it's this one."
"We've seen this kind of talk before, but elections in Putnam County aren't decided by press releases or predictions," said Joe Nickischer, Byrne's campaign spokesperson. "Others can talk about confidence. We'll keep focusing on results."
Asked about Spain's endorsement as the Conservative candidate, Nickischer said Byrne has "a broad coalition of support from Republicans, Conservatives, independents and common-sense Democrats" and has amassed endorsements from "organizations representing families, taxpayers, first responders and labor."
Byrne "has outperformed every candidate on the ballot in every election he has run," said Nickischer. "The Conservative Party has time to finalize its own internal process and figure out what it needs to do to accurately represent Conservative voters. Those voters already know and support Kevin Byrne."
Putnam Legislature
It's an unusual year for the Legislature: There will be no incumbents on the ballot. The three open seats are held by Republicans who are not running for re-election.
In District 2, which includes most of Putnam Valley, William Gouldman cannot run due to term limits. The Democrats have endorsed Maia Gilleo, a small business owner, while Christian Russo, a Town Board member, is the Republican candidate.
In District 3, which includes Kent and Patterson, the Democrats endorsed Kathy Kahng, a small-business owner who lost in 2023 to incumbent Toni Addonizio, who cannot run due to term limits. Joseph Cunningham and Jorma Tompuri will face off in a primary on June 23 for the Republican line. Cunningham has been endorsed by the Conservative Party.
In District 8, which includes Mahopac, Gwen Burke has been endorsed by the Democrats for the seat held by Amy Sayegh, who is not running for re-election. The Republicans endorsed Carmel council member Frank Lombardi, while the Conservatives backed Tanner McCracken, a Mahopac school board trustee.
Yarris, a former special education teacher who now provides services to people with special needs, said he also has a base of support that goes beyond his party. He said th...]]> Leonard Sparks 04:52 false full 8 5864136 The plot of Daddy-Long-Legs, a 1912 novel by Jean Webster, presents a literary playground, especially when the female protagonist turns annual farm visits into a writer's retreat.
Daddy Long Legs In Concert, based on the book and a 2015 off-Broadway musical, will be performed on April 18 and 19 at the Howland Cultural Center in Beacon by special permission of the musical's authors.
Beacon resident Will Reynolds, who directs and provides piano accompaniment, premiered the 90-minute production at Beacon Bonfire in November. The cultural center, a former library built in 1872, is such an apt setting that Howland board member Craig Wolf requested an encore.
Reynolds, cellist Aaron Stier and guitarist Andy Stack are happy to oblige, along with the actors, married couple Erin Mendez Stapleton and Andrew Oppman.

"It's rare for a wife and husband to be in a show together, even more so to take over a two-person musical," says Reynolds, who, as the standby during the off-Broadway run, played the male lead for about a month.
The story echoes Pygmalion (the 1913 play) and My Fair Lady, although the characters in Daddy Long Legs communicate from afar, meet under contrived circumstances and resolve their secrets together.
Q&A: Will Reynolds
By Joey Asher
How did you start in show business?
I always loved singing and theater. I stuttered growing up, and theater helped me break free. Anytime I did something pretend or memorized, the stutter disappeared. In the fourth grade, I went to see the musical Five Guys Named Moe in Chicago. I met the actors afterward, and one said, "They're doing Oliver! this summer. You should audition." I was like, "Wait, I can do that?" I was Oliver's understudy. I also did commercials, including for Cap'n Crunch bars. My line was "Chewy!"
When did you learn to play piano?
Singing came first. I took voice lessons. My two older sisters took piano lessons and hated it. But I became obsessed. Pippin has a song I loved called "Corner of the Sky." It was too advanced for me, but I figured it out. I was mostly self-taught.
You accompany singers at the open mic, Broadway in Beacon. Do you ever get stumped?
I'm classically trained with a BFA in musical theater from Carnegie Mellon, and I have done so much work off and on Broadway that I'm familiar with about 70 percent of the material. But because there's no rehearsal, at times I'm sightreading to save my life, praying my fingers know where to go.
How do you help singers who are nervous?
I know what's going through a singer's mind at every moment. I'm listening to their breathing and phrasing. I adjust the tempo. It's about micro-adjustments that are not noticeable to the audience. Less-experienced singers have usually practiced, but they haven't performed for a large group. Broadway in Beacon is a communal trust fall. We're there to help. Mistakes are part of the art.
What's next?
I'm working with Eric Price on a musical version of Richard Greenberg's Broadway play The Violet Hour, about what happens when a publisher can see the future. It's set in Jazz Age New York City. I loved getting to play in that vocabulary. These characters have such big wants and dreams and unique points of view. We recorded a studio album that has over 2 million streams on Spotify.
For years, benefactor Jervis Pendleton (Oppman) has sent promising but needy young men to college. Due to such "exceptional talent in her original and amusing essays," Jerusha Abbott (Mendez Stapleton) will be the first woman he sponsors. He expects she will become an "author of world renown."
The 18-year-old, who spent most of her childhood in an orphanage, becomes a fish out of water on campus. Strings attached ratchet up the tension: She must write a letter each month to her anonymous benefactor, although he will never reply. Jerusha catches a glimpse of his silhouette, noticing spindly legs, and believes him to be far older than he is.
"How can I be ...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/10/have-you-met-daddy-long-legs/ The plot of Daddy-Long-Legs, a 1912 novel by Jean Webster, presents a literary playground, especially when the female protagonist turns annual farm visits into a writer's retreat.
Daddy Long Legs In Concert, based on the book and a 2015 off-Broadway musical, will be performed on April 18 and 19 at the Howland Cultural Center in Beacon by special permission of the musical's authors.
Beacon resident Will Reynolds, who directs and provides piano accompaniment, premiered the 90-minute production at Beacon Bonfire in November. The cultural center, a former library built in 1872, is such an apt setting that Howland board member Craig Wolf requested an encore.
Reynolds, cellist Aaron Stier and guitarist Andy Stack are happy to oblige, along with the actors, married couple Erin Mendez Stapleton and Andrew Oppman.

"It's rare for a wife and husband to be in a show together, even more so to take over a two-person musical," says Reynolds, who, as the standby during the off-Broadway run, played the male lead for about a month.
The story echoes Pygmalion (the 1913 play) and My Fair Lady, although the characters in Daddy Long Legs communicate from afar, meet under contrived circumstances and resolve their secrets together.
Q&A: Will Reynolds
By Joey Asher
How did you start in show business?
I always loved singing and theater. I stuttered growing up, and theater helped me break free. Anytime I did something pretend or memorized, the stutter disappeared. In the fourth grade, I went to see the musical Five Guys Named Moe in Chicago. I met the actors afterward, and one said, "They're doing Oliver! this summer. You should audition." I was like, "Wait, I can do that?" I was Oliver's understudy. I also did commercials, including for Cap'n Crunch bars. My line was "Chewy!"
When did you learn to play piano?
Singing came first. I took voice lessons. My two older sisters took piano lessons and hated it. But I became obsessed. Pippin has a song I loved called "Corner of the Sky." It was too advanced for me, but I figured it out. I was mostly self-taught.
You accompany singers at the open mic, Broadway in Beacon. Do you ever get stumped?
I'm classically trained with a BFA in musical theater from Carnegie Mellon, and I have done so much work off and on Broadway that I'm familiar with about 70 percent of the material. But because there's no rehearsal, at times I'm sightreading to save my life, praying my fingers know where to go.
How do you help singers who are nervous?
I know what's going through a singer's mind at every moment. I'm listening to their breathing and phrasing. I adjust the tempo. It's about micro-adjustments that are not noticeable to the audience. Less-experienced singers have usually practiced, but they haven't performed for a large group. Broadway in Beacon is a communal trust fall. We're there to help. Mistakes are part of the art.
What's next?
I'm working with Eric Price on a musical version of Richard Greenberg's Broadway play The Violet Hour, about what happens when a publisher can see the future. It's set in Jazz Age New York City. I loved getting to play in that vocabulary. These characters have such big wants and dreams and unique points of view. We recorded a studio album that has over 2 million streams on Spotify.
For years, benefactor Jervis Pendleton (Oppman) has sent promising but needy young men to college. Due to such "exceptional talent in her original and amusing essays," Jerusha Abbott (Mendez Stapleton) will be the first woman he sponsors. He expects she will become an "author of world renown."
The 18-year-old, who spent most of her childhood in an orphanage, becomes a fish out of water on campus. Strings attached ratchet up the tension: She must write a letter each month to her anonymous benefactor, although he will never reply. Jerusha catches a glimpse of his silhouette, noticing spindly legs, and believes him to be far older than he is.
"How can I be ...]]> Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:41:30 -0400 Have You Met Daddy Long Legs? The plot of Daddy-Long-Legs, a 1912 novel by Jean Webster, presents a literary playground, especially when the female protagonist turns annual farm visits into a writer's retreat.
Daddy Long...]]> The plot of Daddy-Long-Legs, a 1912 novel by Jean Webster, presents a literary playground, especially when the female protagonist turns annual farm visits into a writer's retreat.
Daddy Long Legs In Concert, based on the book and a 2015 off-Broadway musical, will be performed on April 18 and 19 at the Howland Cultural Center in Beacon by special permission of the musical's authors.
Beacon resident Will Reynolds, who directs and provides piano accompaniment, premiered the 90-minute production at Beacon Bonfire in November. The cultural center, a former library built in 1872, is such an apt setting that Howland board member Craig Wolf requested an encore.
Reynolds, cellist Aaron Stier and guitarist Andy Stack are happy to oblige, along with the actors, married couple Erin Mendez Stapleton and Andrew Oppman.

"It's rare for a wife and husband to be in a show together, even more so to take over a two-person musical," says Reynolds, who, as the standby during the off-Broadway run, played the male lead for about a month.
The story echoes Pygmalion (the 1913 play) and My Fair Lady, although the characters in Daddy Long Legs communicate from afar, meet under contrived circumstances and resolve their secrets together.
Q&A: Will Reynolds
By Joey Asher
How did you start in show business?
I always loved singing and theater. I stuttered growing up, and theater helped me break free. Anytime I did something pretend or memorized, the stutter disappeared. In the fourth grade, I went to see the musical Five Guys Named Moe in Chicago. I met the actors afterward, and one said, "They're doing Oliver! this summer. You should audition." I was like, "Wait, I can do that?" I was Oliver's understudy. I also did commercials, including for Cap'n Crunch bars. My line was "Chewy!"
When did you learn to play piano?
Singing came first. I took voice lessons. My two older sisters took piano lessons and hated it. But I became obsessed. Pippin has a song I loved called "Corner of the Sky." It was too advanced for me, but I figured it out. I was mostly self-taught.
You accompany singers at the open mic, Broadway in Beacon. Do you ever get stumped?
I'm classically trained with a BFA in musical theater from Carnegie Mellon, and I have done so much work off and on Broadway that I'm familiar with about 70 percent of the material. But because there's no rehearsal, at times I'm sightreading to save my life, praying my fingers know where to go.
How do you help singers who are nervous?
I know what's going through a singer's mind at every moment. I'm listening to their breathing and phrasing. I adjust the tempo. It's about micro-adjustments that are not noticeable to the audience. Less-experienced singers have usually practiced, but they haven't performed for a large group. Broadway in Beacon is a communal trust fall. We're there to help. Mistakes are part of the art.
What's next?
I'm working with Eric Price on a musical version of Richard Greenberg's Broadway play The Violet Hour, about what happens when a publisher can see the future. It's set in Jazz Age New York City. I loved getting to play in that vocabulary. These characters have such big wants and dreams and unique points of view. We recorded a studio album that has over 2 million streams on Spotify.
For years, benefactor Jervis Pendleton (Oppman) has sent promising but needy young men to college. Due to such "exceptional talent in her original and amusing essays," Jerusha Abbott (Mendez Stapleton) will be the first woman he sponsors. He expects she will become an "author of world renown."
The 18-year-old, who spent most of her childhood in an orphanage, becomes a fish out of water on campus. Strings attached ratchet up the tension: She must write a letter each month to her anonymous benefactor, although he will never reply. Jerusha catches a glimpse of his silhouette, noticing spindly legs, and believes him to be far older than he is.
"How can I be ...]]> Marc Ferris 06:16 false full 7 5863995 The Cold Spring Village Board on Wednesday (April 8) unanimously voted to sue Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail Inc. and state parks, saying the environmental review of the 7.5-mile trail to Beacon was inadequate.
The Philipstown Town Board followed suit on Thursday (April 9), with Judy Farrell the only person on the five-member board rejecting a resolution authorizing the town to partner with the village on a lawsuit.
Cold Spring alleges that the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement, released in January, failed to comply with the requirements of the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act. It states that the FGEIS didn't address significant concerns identified by the Village Board, including "analysis of environmental impacts, infrastructure demands, traffic, parking, public safety and consistency with local land use controls."
HHFT is the sponsor of the project and state parks is the lead agency. The resolution, which passed 5-0, authorizes village attorney John Furst to begin legal action.
Mayor Kathleen Foley said the board has until May 7 to contest the FGEIS. "If we don't do this, we are remiss in our fiduciary responsibilities to the village, given the long-term costs," she said. "We are up against a very well-funded organization and a state agency, but we need to have sovereignty and to have say over our own waterfront."
Dockside Park in Cold Spring, which is owned by the state but managed by the village, is HHFT's preferred southern gateway for the trail.
The village's resolution said that if Philipstown initiates a similar legal challenge, the municipalities will file a joint lawsuit, with Philipstown taking the lead. Although the Town Board's agenda for the Thursday (April 9) only mentioned a "discussion regarding a response from the town to the Fjord Trail FEIS," and did not include a draft resolution regarding the Article 78, the board voted to authorize a lawsuit.
When Farrell questioned spending taxpayer money on a lawsuit the town and village could lose, Supervisor John Van Tassel said, "I don't think we can afford it either, but I don't think we can afford not to do it" because the municipalities will be unable to challenge the FGEIS if they wait.
"If we lose the court case, we lose the court case," said Van Tassel. "I'm going to be able to sleep at night knowing that we've exhausted every legal option we can and every negotiation that we can."
The lawsuit will be filed in state court in Carmel under Article 78 of New York Civil Practice Law and Rules, which enables municipalities and others to challenge the actions or inactions of the state, local government agencies and public bodies.
In a statement on Thursday, HHFT said, "Article 78 proceedings challenging environmental reviews carry a high burden of proof for the plaintiffs, which is very rarely met when an EIS has been prepared. Taxpayers of Cold Spring — and Philipstown, if the Town Board moves to make a similar resolution — are being asked to fund a frivolous and expensive lawsuit."
"I'm deeply disappointed with this approach," said Peter Mullan, the Fjord Trail's president and CEO. "HHFT has made every effort to nurture a collaborative partnership with Philipstown and Cold Spring. … We are collaborating with Putnam County, Philipstown and Cold Spring on the pending [state transportation] grant to complete sidewalks on Fair Street by committing $450,000 in matching funds required for the project to be eligible. Why is this type of divisive, incendiary action necessary at tremendous local taxpayer expense, especially as local governments deal with stretched budgets and cut services? The supervisor [John Van Tassel] and mayor seem intent on continuing to foster a climate of conflict."
In its statement, HHFT also cited "troubling public accountability issues" because, it said, two village trustees "are active members of the local opposition group, Protect the Highlands, but were not recused from voti...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/09/cold-spring-to-sue-fjord-trail/ The Cold Spring Village Board on Wednesday (April 8) unanimously voted to sue Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail Inc. and state parks, saying the environmental review of the 7.5-mile trail to Beacon was inadequate.
The Philipstown Town Board followed suit on Thursday (April 9), with Judy Farrell the only person on the five-member board rejecting a resolution authorizing the town to partner with the village on a lawsuit.
Cold Spring alleges that the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement, released in January, failed to comply with the requirements of the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act. It states that the FGEIS didn't address significant concerns identified by the Village Board, including "analysis of environmental impacts, infrastructure demands, traffic, parking, public safety and consistency with local land use controls."
HHFT is the sponsor of the project and state parks is the lead agency. The resolution, which passed 5-0, authorizes village attorney John Furst to begin legal action.
Mayor Kathleen Foley said the board has until May 7 to contest the FGEIS. "If we don't do this, we are remiss in our fiduciary responsibilities to the village, given the long-term costs," she said. "We are up against a very well-funded organization and a state agency, but we need to have sovereignty and to have say over our own waterfront."
Dockside Park in Cold Spring, which is owned by the state but managed by the village, is HHFT's preferred southern gateway for the trail.
The village's resolution said that if Philipstown initiates a similar legal challenge, the municipalities will file a joint lawsuit, with Philipstown taking the lead. Although the Town Board's agenda for the Thursday (April 9) only mentioned a "discussion regarding a response from the town to the Fjord Trail FEIS," and did not include a draft resolution regarding the Article 78, the board voted to authorize a lawsuit.
When Farrell questioned spending taxpayer money on a lawsuit the town and village could lose, Supervisor John Van Tassel said, "I don't think we can afford it either, but I don't think we can afford not to do it" because the municipalities will be unable to challenge the FGEIS if they wait.
"If we lose the court case, we lose the court case," said Van Tassel. "I'm going to be able to sleep at night knowing that we've exhausted every legal option we can and every negotiation that we can."
The lawsuit will be filed in state court in Carmel under Article 78 of New York Civil Practice Law and Rules, which enables municipalities and others to challenge the actions or inactions of the state, local government agencies and public bodies.
In a statement on Thursday, HHFT said, "Article 78 proceedings challenging environmental reviews carry a high burden of proof for the plaintiffs, which is very rarely met when an EIS has been prepared. Taxpayers of Cold Spring — and Philipstown, if the Town Board moves to make a similar resolution — are being asked to fund a frivolous and expensive lawsuit."
"I'm deeply disappointed with this approach," said Peter Mullan, the Fjord Trail's president and CEO. "HHFT has made every effort to nurture a collaborative partnership with Philipstown and Cold Spring. … We are collaborating with Putnam County, Philipstown and Cold Spring on the pending [state transportation] grant to complete sidewalks on Fair Street by committing $450,000 in matching funds required for the project to be eligible. Why is this type of divisive, incendiary action necessary at tremendous local taxpayer expense, especially as local governments deal with stretched budgets and cut services? The supervisor [John Van Tassel] and mayor seem intent on continuing to foster a climate of conflict."
In its statement, HHFT also cited "troubling public accountability issues" because, it said, two village trustees "are active members of the local opposition group, Protect the Highlands, but were not recused from voti...]]> Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:17:58 -0400 Cold Spring to Sue Fjord Trail The Cold Spring Village Board on Wednesday (April 8) unanimously voted to sue Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail Inc. and state parks, saying the environmental review of the 7.5-mile trail to Beacon was inadequate.
T...]]> The Cold Spring Village Board on Wednesday (April 8) unanimously voted to sue Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail Inc. and state parks, saying the environmental review of the 7.5-mile trail to Beacon was inadequate.
The Philipstown Town Board followed suit on Thursday (April 9), with Judy Farrell the only person on the five-member board rejecting a resolution authorizing the town to partner with the village on a lawsuit.
Cold Spring alleges that the Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement, released in January, failed to comply with the requirements of the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act. It states that the FGEIS didn't address significant concerns identified by the Village Board, including "analysis of environmental impacts, infrastructure demands, traffic, parking, public safety and consistency with local land use controls."
HHFT is the sponsor of the project and state parks is the lead agency. The resolution, which passed 5-0, authorizes village attorney John Furst to begin legal action.
Mayor Kathleen Foley said the board has until May 7 to contest the FGEIS. "If we don't do this, we are remiss in our fiduciary responsibilities to the village, given the long-term costs," she said. "We are up against a very well-funded organization and a state agency, but we need to have sovereignty and to have say over our own waterfront."
Dockside Park in Cold Spring, which is owned by the state but managed by the village, is HHFT's preferred southern gateway for the trail.
The village's resolution said that if Philipstown initiates a similar legal challenge, the municipalities will file a joint lawsuit, with Philipstown taking the lead. Although the Town Board's agenda for the Thursday (April 9) only mentioned a "discussion regarding a response from the town to the Fjord Trail FEIS," and did not include a draft resolution regarding the Article 78, the board voted to authorize a lawsuit.
When Farrell questioned spending taxpayer money on a lawsuit the town and village could lose, Supervisor John Van Tassel said, "I don't think we can afford it either, but I don't think we can afford not to do it" because the municipalities will be unable to challenge the FGEIS if they wait.
"If we lose the court case, we lose the court case," said Van Tassel. "I'm going to be able to sleep at night knowing that we've exhausted every legal option we can and every negotiation that we can."
The lawsuit will be filed in state court in Carmel under Article 78 of New York Civil Practice Law and Rules, which enables municipalities and others to challenge the actions or inactions of the state, local government agencies and public bodies.
In a statement on Thursday, HHFT said, "Article 78 proceedings challenging environmental reviews carry a high burden of proof for the plaintiffs, which is very rarely met when an EIS has been prepared. Taxpayers of Cold Spring — and Philipstown, if the Town Board moves to make a similar resolution — are being asked to fund a frivolous and expensive lawsuit."
"I'm deeply disappointed with this approach," said Peter Mullan, the Fjord Trail's president and CEO. "HHFT has made every effort to nurture a collaborative partnership with Philipstown and Cold Spring. … We are collaborating with Putnam County, Philipstown and Cold Spring on the pending [state transportation] grant to complete sidewalks on Fair Street by committing $450,000 in matching funds required for the project to be eligible. Why is this type of divisive, incendiary action necessary at tremendous local taxpayer expense, especially as local governments deal with stretched budgets and cut services? The supervisor [John Van Tassel] and mayor seem intent on continuing to foster a climate of conflict."
In its statement, HHFT also cited "troubling public accountability issues" because, it said, two village trustees "are active members of the local opposition group, Protect the Highlands, but were not recused from voti...]]> Michael Turton 04:46 false full 6 5863914 After a Putnam County sheriff's deputy tackled George Taranto and his colleagues helped handcuff the Brewster resident outside his home on July 8, 2019, Sgt. William Quick and Investigator Daniel Hunsberger spoke to his wife, Karen.
While paramedics treated George Taranto, 75, Quick said, "Do you know that I almost killed your husband tonight?" according to Karen Taranto.
Karen Taranto and her son and daughter believe head trauma caused by George Taranto being driven to the ground led to his death two years later. But a federal judge disagreed on March 31, dismissing their $75 million wrongful-death lawsuit over an incident that began with a report of a transformer fire and ended in a standoff with George Taranto, who suffered from early dementia and had gone outside with a loaded handgun to investigate noises.

Judge Victoria Reznik of the U.S. District Court in White Plains dismissed all claims filed by Taranto's family against Hunsberger, Quick and three other deputies: Vincent Dalo, Ryan Diskin and Ronald Yeager. Claims against Putnam County and then-Sheriff Robert Langley Jr. were also dismissed.
Reznik found that Dalo did not use excessive force in tackling Taranto after deputies said they saw the gun in his right hand and mistook a holster in his left hand for a second weapon. Without a case for excessive force, the family's other claims, including for assault and battery and wrongful death, also had to be dismissed, said Reznik.
An investigation completed by the Sheriff's Office in July 2020 found that the officers "acted within the scope of their duties" and had not violated any state laws or agency regulations. "No reasonable jury could find that Deputy Sheriff Dalo's split-second decision to subdue Taranto by tackling him to the ground" was unreasonable, Reznik concluded.
The confrontation began shortly after Diskin responded to a report of a transformer explosion. He called for backup after spotting a vehicle with two males inside that was acting "suspiciously." Both males jumped from the car when Diskin followed it; one obeyed his order to drop to the ground and the other ran into the woods.
Yeager, who responded with Dalo, Hunsberger and Quick, testified that during the search for the second male, he saw Taranto standing at his back patio door and told him to stay inside. Hunsberger said he then saw Taranto standing behind a garage and also told him to return indoors.
Hunsberger said he began walking away but turned when he heard Taranto ask, "Who the fuck is out there?" Seeing a loaded Colt Mustang .380 pistol in Taranto's right hand, Hunsberger said he drew his weapon and alerted the other deputies. They took cover while Taranto shielded himself behind a parked car, according to court documents.
The family, whose lawyer did not respond to a request for comment, said Taranto's gun was pointed at the ground. They say he complied when deputies, with their weapons drawn, began screaming at him to drop the gun, raise his hands and walk toward them.
But the officers said Taranto, who they initially thought was drunk, initially did not obey their commands and continued to hide. When he put down his gun and walked toward the officers, Dalo feared that a holster in Taranto's left hand could be another weapon, according to court documents. He tackled the Brewster man from behind, causing his head to hit the ground.
At Putnam Hospital, Taranto suffered cardiac arrest and respiratory failure, as well as a pulmonary edema, according to his family, and was moved to Danbury Hospital in Connecticut. Deputies issued tickets for second-degree menacing, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, resisting arrest and second-degree obstructing governmental administration, all misdemeanors.
Taranto was released but hospitalized again on Sept. 2, according to the lawsuit. A scan revealed bleeding in his brain, requiring surgery. His injuries led the family to sue for $50 million in ...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/09/lawsuit-against-putnam-deputies-dismissed/ After a Putnam County sheriff's deputy tackled George Taranto and his colleagues helped handcuff the Brewster resident outside his home on July 8, 2019, Sgt. William Quick and Investigator Daniel Hunsberger spoke to his wife, Karen.
While paramedics treated George Taranto, 75, Quick said, "Do you know that I almost killed your husband tonight?" according to Karen Taranto.
Karen Taranto and her son and daughter believe head trauma caused by George Taranto being driven to the ground led to his death two years later. But a federal judge disagreed on March 31, dismissing their $75 million wrongful-death lawsuit over an incident that began with a report of a transformer fire and ended in a standoff with George Taranto, who suffered from early dementia and had gone outside with a loaded handgun to investigate noises.

Judge Victoria Reznik of the U.S. District Court in White Plains dismissed all claims filed by Taranto's family against Hunsberger, Quick and three other deputies: Vincent Dalo, Ryan Diskin and Ronald Yeager. Claims against Putnam County and then-Sheriff Robert Langley Jr. were also dismissed.
Reznik found that Dalo did not use excessive force in tackling Taranto after deputies said they saw the gun in his right hand and mistook a holster in his left hand for a second weapon. Without a case for excessive force, the family's other claims, including for assault and battery and wrongful death, also had to be dismissed, said Reznik.
An investigation completed by the Sheriff's Office in July 2020 found that the officers "acted within the scope of their duties" and had not violated any state laws or agency regulations. "No reasonable jury could find that Deputy Sheriff Dalo's split-second decision to subdue Taranto by tackling him to the ground" was unreasonable, Reznik concluded.
The confrontation began shortly after Diskin responded to a report of a transformer explosion. He called for backup after spotting a vehicle with two males inside that was acting "suspiciously." Both males jumped from the car when Diskin followed it; one obeyed his order to drop to the ground and the other ran into the woods.
Yeager, who responded with Dalo, Hunsberger and Quick, testified that during the search for the second male, he saw Taranto standing at his back patio door and told him to stay inside. Hunsberger said he then saw Taranto standing behind a garage and also told him to return indoors.
Hunsberger said he began walking away but turned when he heard Taranto ask, "Who the fuck is out there?" Seeing a loaded Colt Mustang .380 pistol in Taranto's right hand, Hunsberger said he drew his weapon and alerted the other deputies. They took cover while Taranto shielded himself behind a parked car, according to court documents.
The family, whose lawyer did not respond to a request for comment, said Taranto's gun was pointed at the ground. They say he complied when deputies, with their weapons drawn, began screaming at him to drop the gun, raise his hands and walk toward them.
But the officers said Taranto, who they initially thought was drunk, initially did not obey their commands and continued to hide. When he put down his gun and walked toward the officers, Dalo feared that a holster in Taranto's left hand could be another weapon, according to court documents. He tackled the Brewster man from behind, causing his head to hit the ground.
At Putnam Hospital, Taranto suffered cardiac arrest and respiratory failure, as well as a pulmonary edema, according to his family, and was moved to Danbury Hospital in Connecticut. Deputies issued tickets for second-degree menacing, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, resisting arrest and second-degree obstructing governmental administration, all misdemeanors.
Taranto was released but hospitalized again on Sept. 2, according to the lawsuit. A scan revealed bleeding in his brain, requiring surgery. His injuries led the family to sue for $50 million in ...]]> Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:13:58 -0400 Lawsuit Against Putnam Deputies Dismissed After a Putnam County sheriff's deputy tackled George Taranto and his colleagues helped handcuff the Brewster resident outside his home on July 8, 2019, Sgt. William Quick and Investigator Daniel Hunsberger ...]]> After a Putnam County sheriff's deputy tackled George Taranto and his colleagues helped handcuff the Brewster resident outside his home on July 8, 2019, Sgt. William Quick and Investigator Daniel Hunsberger spoke to his wife, Karen.
While paramedics treated George Taranto, 75, Quick said, "Do you know that I almost killed your husband tonight?" according to Karen Taranto.
Karen Taranto and her son and daughter believe head trauma caused by George Taranto being driven to the ground led to his death two years later. But a federal judge disagreed on March 31, dismissing their $75 million wrongful-death lawsuit over an incident that began with a report of a transformer fire and ended in a standoff with George Taranto, who suffered from early dementia and had gone outside with a loaded handgun to investigate noises.

Judge Victoria Reznik of the U.S. District Court in White Plains dismissed all claims filed by Taranto's family against Hunsberger, Quick and three other deputies: Vincent Dalo, Ryan Diskin and Ronald Yeager. Claims against Putnam County and then-Sheriff Robert Langley Jr. were also dismissed.
Reznik found that Dalo did not use excessive force in tackling Taranto after deputies said they saw the gun in his right hand and mistook a holster in his left hand for a second weapon. Without a case for excessive force, the family's other claims, including for assault and battery and wrongful death, also had to be dismissed, said Reznik.
An investigation completed by the Sheriff's Office in July 2020 found that the officers "acted within the scope of their duties" and had not violated any state laws or agency regulations. "No reasonable jury could find that Deputy Sheriff Dalo's split-second decision to subdue Taranto by tackling him to the ground" was unreasonable, Reznik concluded.
The confrontation began shortly after Diskin responded to a report of a transformer explosion. He called for backup after spotting a vehicle with two males inside that was acting "suspiciously." Both males jumped from the car when Diskin followed it; one obeyed his order to drop to the ground and the other ran into the woods.
Yeager, who responded with Dalo, Hunsberger and Quick, testified that during the search for the second male, he saw Taranto standing at his back patio door and told him to stay inside. Hunsberger said he then saw Taranto standing behind a garage and also told him to return indoors.
Hunsberger said he began walking away but turned when he heard Taranto ask, "Who the fuck is out there?" Seeing a loaded Colt Mustang .380 pistol in Taranto's right hand, Hunsberger said he drew his weapon and alerted the other deputies. They took cover while Taranto shielded himself behind a parked car, according to court documents.
The family, whose lawyer did not respond to a request for comment, said Taranto's gun was pointed at the ground. They say he complied when deputies, with their weapons drawn, began screaming at him to drop the gun, raise his hands and walk toward them.
But the officers said Taranto, who they initially thought was drunk, initially did not obey their commands and continued to hide. When he put down his gun and walked toward the officers, Dalo feared that a holster in Taranto's left hand could be another weapon, according to court documents. He tackled the Brewster man from behind, causing his head to hit the ground.
At Putnam Hospital, Taranto suffered cardiac arrest and respiratory failure, as well as a pulmonary edema, according to his family, and was moved to Danbury Hospital in Connecticut. Deputies issued tickets for second-degree menacing, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, resisting arrest and second-degree obstructing governmental administration, all misdemeanors.
Taranto was released but hospitalized again on Sept. 2, according to the lawsuit. A scan revealed bleeding in his brain, requiring surgery. His injuries led the family to sue for $50 million in ...]]> Leonard Sparks 04:38 false full 5 5863860 Six Democratic candidates filed nominating petitions with the state Board of Elections by the April 6 deadline to challenge Rep. Mike Lawler for his U.S. House seat representing Philipstown, although one — Peter Chatzky — dropped out on Thursday (April 9).
Lawler, who filed petitions to appear on the Republican and Conservative lines on the November ballot, is seeking his third 2-year term.
A Democratic primary is scheduled for June 23. The candidates who filed are John Cappello, a Rockland native and former defense attaché at the U.S. embassies in Israel and Serbia; Chatzky, a tech company founder and village trustee in Briarcliff Manor; Cait Conley, a West Point graduate from Orange County and former director of counterterrorism for the National Security Council; Beth Davidson, a Rockland County legislator; Effie Phillips-Staley, a Tarrytown trustee who is a nonprofit executive; and Mike Sacks, a lawyer and former TV journalist from Westchester.
Each candidate had to collect at least 1,250 signatures from voters in District 17. Typically, a candidate files far more than required because the Board of Elections can invalidate signatures if opponents file challenges.
On Thursday, Alyssa Verrilli, Chatzky's campaign manager, confirmed reports that he had ended his campaign. A debate hosted on Thursday at Manhattanville University in Purchase by the Westchester County Democratic Committee with four candidates selected based on polling, money raised and endorsements — Chatzky, Conley, Davidson and Phillips-Staley — proceeded with three. A recording is posted below and at dub.sh/district-17-debate.
In District 18, which includes Beacon, incumbent Rep. Pat Ryan filed petitions for the Democratic and Working Families lines, and Sharanjit Thind filed for the Republican and Conservative lines.
The Dutchess County Democratic Committee has endorsed Conley and Ryan. The Putnam County Democratic Committee is expected to make endorsements after its April 20 meeting.
In state legislative contests, retired teacher Laurie Ryan filed for the Republican and Conservative lines to oppose Dana Levenberg, the incumbent Democrat whose 95th Assembly district includes Philipstown. In District 104, which includes Beacon, Ali Muhammad, a former Beacon City Council member who now lives in Newburgh, will challenge incumbent Jonathan Jacobson in a Democratic primary. Robert F. Johnson filed to run as a Republican.
Three Democrats will face off in the June 23 primary to challenge the Republican incumbent, Rob Rolison, for the state Senate seat that represents the Highlands: Lisa Kaul, a Dutchess County legislator who represents part of the Town of Poughkeepsie; Gay Lee, a social worker and former Newburgh City Council member who ran for the seat in 2014; and Evan Menist, a member of the Poughkeepsie Common Council.
The Dutchess County Democratic Committee has endorsed Kaul for the state Senate and Jacobson for the Assembly. The Putnam County Democratic Committee has endorsed Levenberg.]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/08/six-democrats-file-petitions-to-challenge-lawler/ Six Democratic candidates filed nominating petitions with the state Board of Elections by the April 6 deadline to challenge Rep. Mike Lawler for his U.S. House seat representing Philipstown, although one — Peter Chatzky — dropped out on Thursday (April 9).
Lawler, who filed petitions to appear on the Republican and Conservative lines on the November ballot, is seeking his third 2-year term.
A Democratic primary is scheduled for June 23. The candidates who filed are John Cappello, a Rockland native and former defense attaché at the U.S. embassies in Israel and Serbia; Chatzky, a tech company founder and village trustee in Briarcliff Manor; Cait Conley, a West Point graduate from Orange County and former director of counterterrorism for the National Security Council; Beth Davidson, a Rockland County legislator; Effie Phillips-Staley, a Tarrytown trustee who is a nonprofit executive; and Mike Sacks, a lawyer and former TV journalist from Westchester.
Each candidate had to collect at least 1,250 signatures from voters in District 17. Typically, a candidate files far more than required because the Board of Elections can invalidate signatures if opponents file challenges.
On Thursday, Alyssa Verrilli, Chatzky's campaign manager, confirmed reports that he had ended his campaign. A debate hosted on Thursday at Manhattanville University in Purchase by the Westchester County Democratic Committee with four candidates selected based on polling, money raised and endorsements — Chatzky, Conley, Davidson and Phillips-Staley — proceeded with three. A recording is posted below and at dub.sh/district-17-debate.
In District 18, which includes Beacon, incumbent Rep. Pat Ryan filed petitions for the Democratic and Working Families lines, and Sharanjit Thind filed for the Republican and Conservative lines.
The Dutchess County Democratic Committee has endorsed Conley and Ryan. The Putnam County Democratic Committee is expected to make endorsements after its April 20 meeting.
In state legislative contests, retired teacher Laurie Ryan filed for the Republican and Conservative lines to oppose Dana Levenberg, the incumbent Democrat whose 95th Assembly district includes Philipstown. In District 104, which includes Beacon, Ali Muhammad, a former Beacon City Council member who now lives in Newburgh, will challenge incumbent Jonathan Jacobson in a Democratic primary. Robert F. Johnson filed to run as a Republican.
Three Democrats will face off in the June 23 primary to challenge the Republican incumbent, Rob Rolison, for the state Senate seat that represents the Highlands: Lisa Kaul, a Dutchess County legislator who represents part of the Town of Poughkeepsie; Gay Lee, a social worker and former Newburgh City Council member who ran for the seat in 2014; and Evan Menist, a member of the Poughkeepsie Common Council.
The Dutchess County Democratic Committee has endorsed Kaul for the state Senate and Jacobson for the Assembly. The Putnam County Democratic Committee has endorsed Levenberg.]]> Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:23:22 -0400 It's Down to Five in House Race Six Democratic candidates filed nominating petitions with the state Board of Elections by the April 6 deadline to challenge Rep. Mike Lawler for his U.S. House seat representing Philipstown, although one — Peter ...]]> Six Democratic candidates filed nominating petitions with the state Board of Elections by the April 6 deadline to challenge Rep. Mike Lawler for his U.S. House seat representing Philipstown, although one — Peter Chatzky — dropped out on Thursday (April 9).
Lawler, who filed petitions to appear on the Republican and Conservative lines on the November ballot, is seeking his third 2-year term.
A Democratic primary is scheduled for June 23. The candidates who filed are John Cappello, a Rockland native and former defense attaché at the U.S. embassies in Israel and Serbia; Chatzky, a tech company founder and village trustee in Briarcliff Manor; Cait Conley, a West Point graduate from Orange County and former director of counterterrorism for the National Security Council; Beth Davidson, a Rockland County legislator; Effie Phillips-Staley, a Tarrytown trustee who is a nonprofit executive; and Mike Sacks, a lawyer and former TV journalist from Westchester.
Each candidate had to collect at least 1,250 signatures from voters in District 17. Typically, a candidate files far more than required because the Board of Elections can invalidate signatures if opponents file challenges.
On Thursday, Alyssa Verrilli, Chatzky's campaign manager, confirmed reports that he had ended his campaign. A debate hosted on Thursday at Manhattanville University in Purchase by the Westchester County Democratic Committee with four candidates selected based on polling, money raised and endorsements — Chatzky, Conley, Davidson and Phillips-Staley — proceeded with three. A recording is posted below and at dub.sh/district-17-debate.
In District 18, which includes Beacon, incumbent Rep. Pat Ryan filed petitions for the Democratic and Working Families lines, and Sharanjit Thind filed for the Republican and Conservative lines.
The Dutchess County Democratic Committee has endorsed Conley and Ryan. The Putnam County Democratic Committee is expected to make endorsements after its April 20 meeting.
In state legislative contests, retired teacher Laurie Ryan filed for the Republican and Conservative lines to oppose Dana Levenberg, the incumbent Democrat whose 95th Assembly district includes Philipstown. In District 104, which includes Beacon, Ali Muhammad, a former Beacon City Council member who now lives in Newburgh, will challenge incumbent Jonathan Jacobson in a Democratic primary. Robert F. Johnson filed to run as a Republican.
Three Democrats will face off in the June 23 primary to challenge the Republican incumbent, Rob Rolison, for the state Senate seat that represents the Highlands: Lisa Kaul, a Dutchess County legislator who represents part of the Town of Poughkeepsie; Gay Lee, a social worker and former Newburgh City Council member who ran for the seat in 2014; and Evan Menist, a member of the Poughkeepsie Common Council.
The Dutchess County Democratic Committee has endorsed Kaul for the state Senate and Jacobson for the Assembly. The Putnam County Democratic Committee has endorsed Levenberg.]]> Chip Rowe 03:20 false full 4 5863361 Sean Dague would like to use his refrigerator to lower your energy bills.
A few years ago, after buying a fridge, the Dutchess County resident did something few people do: He read the manual. (He's a software engineer at IBM, so he does that.) In it, he learned that, when the grid was under strain, the local utility could send a signal telling it to temporarily use less power. He found similar language in the manual for his hot-water heater.
This feature could save Dague money and make it less likely that utilities would need to rely on fossil-fuel-reliant "peaker" plants, such as Danskammer, north of Newburgh. If every "smart" appliance were connected this way, it could save money for everyone and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming.
Alas, there was a major obstacle. Central Hudson doesn't participate.
"When you talk about what it costs to get electricity to people, you also have to talk about demand flexibility," says Dague, who lives in LaGrange. "We have the technology to do it."
This flexible grid technology is also known as virtual power plants (VPP). Across the river, Orange & Rockland Utilities recently ran a pilot program in which customers who installed solar panels received a free or heavily discounted battery. In exchange, they agreed to allow the utility to draw power from the battery when the grid is strained, such as during last summer's "heat dome."
Dague is a volunteer organizer with the Citizens Climate Lobby, which recently worked with Assembly Member Anna Kelles, a Democrat whose district includes Ithaca, on a bill that would create VPPs throughout the state.
This past week, MIT unveiled an online tool developed with Heatmap News and CleanEcon called The Electricity Price Hub, which tracks electricity prices by ZIP code. Things don't look so bad in New York: The state is mostly a soothing green. But click on utility bills, and a dark orange blob appears: the service area for Central Hudson, indicating that its customers are, by far, paying the highest utility bills in the state.

VPPs are among many tools that can lower bills and help transition New York away from fossil fuels, the primary goal of the Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act (aka the Climate Law), enacted in 2019. The law sets ambitious targets, including getting 70 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030 and 100 percent zero-emissions energy by 2040.
As we reported last week, the state is behind in its targets. Enforcement regulations that would have penalized industries for high emissions — with fines that would pay for renewable energy projects and rebate checks to consumers — were scrapped just before they were scheduled to take effect.
Arguing that New York was breaking its own law, a group of environmental organizations sued the state in 2025 — and won. Now, Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to roll back some targets to make them easier to meet and change how the state calculates emissions. This methodology, which many states use, would put New York much closer to reaching its goals.
The governor is working with the Legislature to amend the law as part of the 2026-27 budget, which is due this coming week. Hochul cites a series of unforeseen setbacks: a pandemic, wars, inflation, tariffs and President Donald Trump's disapproval of renewable energy projects. As a result, she says, the law has become too expensive to implement by the 2019 deadlines.

Not every state is backing away: 50 gigawatts of renewable energy were added in the U.S. last year. Wind, solar and battery storage continue to grow. "It's good business, right? These are profitable," said Erin Baker, faculty director of the Energy Transition Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. "They suppress prices for ratepayers. The example I always give is Texas: It has the most wind energy production and the second-most solar in the country. Its batteries...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/03/countdown-to-zero-backup-power/ Sean Dague would like to use his refrigerator to lower your energy bills.
A few years ago, after buying a fridge, the Dutchess County resident did something few people do: He read the manual. (He's a software engineer at IBM, so he does that.) In it, he learned that, when the grid was under strain, the local utility could send a signal telling it to temporarily use less power. He found similar language in the manual for his hot-water heater.
This feature could save Dague money and make it less likely that utilities would need to rely on fossil-fuel-reliant "peaker" plants, such as Danskammer, north of Newburgh. If every "smart" appliance were connected this way, it could save money for everyone and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming.
Alas, there was a major obstacle. Central Hudson doesn't participate.
"When you talk about what it costs to get electricity to people, you also have to talk about demand flexibility," says Dague, who lives in LaGrange. "We have the technology to do it."
This flexible grid technology is also known as virtual power plants (VPP). Across the river, Orange & Rockland Utilities recently ran a pilot program in which customers who installed solar panels received a free or heavily discounted battery. In exchange, they agreed to allow the utility to draw power from the battery when the grid is strained, such as during last summer's "heat dome."
Dague is a volunteer organizer with the Citizens Climate Lobby, which recently worked with Assembly Member Anna Kelles, a Democrat whose district includes Ithaca, on a bill that would create VPPs throughout the state.
This past week, MIT unveiled an online tool developed with Heatmap News and CleanEcon called The Electricity Price Hub, which tracks electricity prices by ZIP code. Things don't look so bad in New York: The state is mostly a soothing green. But click on utility bills, and a dark orange blob appears: the service area for Central Hudson, indicating that its customers are, by far, paying the highest utility bills in the state.

VPPs are among many tools that can lower bills and help transition New York away from fossil fuels, the primary goal of the Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act (aka the Climate Law), enacted in 2019. The law sets ambitious targets, including getting 70 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030 and 100 percent zero-emissions energy by 2040.
As we reported last week, the state is behind in its targets. Enforcement regulations that would have penalized industries for high emissions — with fines that would pay for renewable energy projects and rebate checks to consumers — were scrapped just before they were scheduled to take effect.
Arguing that New York was breaking its own law, a group of environmental organizations sued the state in 2025 — and won. Now, Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to roll back some targets to make them easier to meet and change how the state calculates emissions. This methodology, which many states use, would put New York much closer to reaching its goals.
The governor is working with the Legislature to amend the law as part of the 2026-27 budget, which is due this coming week. Hochul cites a series of unforeseen setbacks: a pandemic, wars, inflation, tariffs and President Donald Trump's disapproval of renewable energy projects. As a result, she says, the law has become too expensive to implement by the 2019 deadlines.

Not every state is backing away: 50 gigawatts of renewable energy were added in the U.S. last year. Wind, solar and battery storage continue to grow. "It's good business, right? These are profitable," said Erin Baker, faculty director of the Energy Transition Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. "They suppress prices for ratepayers. The example I always give is Texas: It has the most wind energy production and the second-most solar in the country. Its batteries...]]> Fri, 03 Apr 2026 17:51:12 -0400 Countdown to Zero: Backup Power Sean Dague would like to use his refrigerator to lower your energy bills.
A few years ago, after buying a fridge, the Dutchess County resident did something few people do: H...]]> Sean Dague would like to use his refrigerator to lower your energy bills.
A few years ago, after buying a fridge, the Dutchess County resident did something few people do: He read the manual. (He's a software engineer at IBM, so he does that.) In it, he learned that, when the grid was under strain, the local utility could send a signal telling it to temporarily use less power. He found similar language in the manual for his hot-water heater.
This feature could save Dague money and make it less likely that utilities would need to rely on fossil-fuel-reliant "peaker" plants, such as Danskammer, north of Newburgh. If every "smart" appliance were connected this way, it could save money for everyone and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming.
Alas, there was a major obstacle. Central Hudson doesn't participate.
"When you talk about what it costs to get electricity to people, you also have to talk about demand flexibility," says Dague, who lives in LaGrange. "We have the technology to do it."
This flexible grid technology is also known as virtual power plants (VPP). Across the river, Orange & Rockland Utilities recently ran a pilot program in which customers who installed solar panels received a free or heavily discounted battery. In exchange, they agreed to allow the utility to draw power from the battery when the grid is strained, such as during last summer's "heat dome."
Dague is a volunteer organizer with the Citizens Climate Lobby, which recently worked with Assembly Member Anna Kelles, a Democrat whose district includes Ithaca, on a bill that would create VPPs throughout the state.
This past week, MIT unveiled an online tool developed with Heatmap News and CleanEcon called The Electricity Price Hub, which tracks electricity prices by ZIP code. Things don't look so bad in New York: The state is mostly a soothing green. But click on utility bills, and a dark orange blob appears: the service area for Central Hudson, indicating that its customers are, by far, paying the highest utility bills in the state.

VPPs are among many tools that can lower bills and help transition New York away from fossil fuels, the primary goal of the Climate Leadership & Community Protection Act (aka the Climate Law), enacted in 2019. The law sets ambitious targets, including getting 70 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030 and 100 percent zero-emissions energy by 2040.
As we reported last week, the state is behind in its targets. Enforcement regulations that would have penalized industries for high emissions — with fines that would pay for renewable energy projects and rebate checks to consumers — were scrapped just before they were scheduled to take effect.
Arguing that New York was breaking its own law, a group of environmental organizations sued the state in 2025 — and won. Now, Gov. Kathy Hochul wants to roll back some targets to make them easier to meet and change how the state calculates emissions. This methodology, which many states use, would put New York much closer to reaching its goals.
The governor is working with the Legislature to amend the law as part of the 2026-27 budget, which is due this coming week. Hochul cites a series of unforeseen setbacks: a pandemic, wars, inflation, tariffs and President Donald Trump's disapproval of renewable energy projects. As a result, she says, the law has become too expensive to implement by the 2019 deadlines.

Not every state is backing away: 50 gigawatts of renewable energy were added in the U.S. last year. Wind, solar and battery storage continue to grow. "It's good business, right? These are profitable," said Erin Baker, faculty director of the Energy Transition Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. "They suppress prices for ratepayers. The example I always give is Texas: It has the most wind energy production and the second-most solar in the country. Its batteries...]]> Brian PJ Cronin 11:53 false full 3 5863268 Legislators in Dutchess and Putnam counties this week advanced measures that would temporarily lower taxes on gas purchases.
The average price per gallon in the area has risen to more than $4 per gallon, up from $3 a month ago, largely due to U.S. and Israeli attacks that prompted Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, a major route for tankers.
A resolution to limit Putnam's 4 percent sales tax to the first $3 per gallon passed the Legislature's Budget and Finance Committee, which includes all nine legislators, on Monday (March 30). The proposal, which will be considered by the full Legislature again at its monthly meeting on Tuesday (April 7), would be in effect from June 1, 2026, to Dec. 31, 2027. It would not reduce state taxes, which are 24.18 cents per gallon, or the federal tax, which is 18.4 cents.
"We are doing what we can do to help the families of Putnam County," said Legislator William Gouldman of Putnam Valley, who introduced the measure. "Government should not benefit from higher prices."
The Dutchess Legislature is preparing a similar exemption from the county's 3.75 percent sales tax, said its chair, Yvette Valdés Smith, whose district includes part of Beacon. Like Putnam, the proposal would suspend taxes over $3 per gallon, beginning on June 1 and continuing for at least six months. It will be introduced at the Budget and Finance Committee meeting on Thursday (April 9), she said.

Putnam approved a similar temporary exemption in April 2022, when the average price in New York was $4.21 per gallon. The tax break began at $2 per gallon and lasted until Dec. 1 of the same year. The current proposal originally ended June 1, 2027, but the Legislature's chair, Dan Birmingham, won passage of an amendment to extend it through next year.
"Whether it's an international crisis now with the Iranian conflict, or whether it's something else that drives it up to $5 or $6 next year, I'd still rather not have this county government profit off of whatever calamity" might come, he said.
Rockland County last month put a cap on taxes over $3 per gallon from June 1, 2026, to March 1, 2027.
Consumer prices and the cost of living have become early flashpoints for the national midterm elections in November. A poll last month by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 45 percent of 1,150 U.S. adults surveyed were "extremely" or "very" concerned about being able to afford gas in the next few months, up from 30 percent shortly after Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election. The most recent poll had a 4 percent margin of error.
Beyond visits to the pump, analysts say higher fuel costs will trickle into groceries, which must be restocked frequently and could also see price hikes as transportation and packaging costs pile up. The U.S. Postal Service is seeking an 8 percent temporary surcharge on some of its popular products, including Priority Mail. U.S. diesel, used for many freight and delivery trucks, costs an average of $5.45 per gallon, up from $3.76 a gallon before the war began, according to AAA.

Only two states have suspended all or part of their gas taxes. Georgia removed its 33-cent-per-gallon tax on March 20 for 60 days (followed by a warning to retailers from the state attorney general to pass along the savings), and Utah reduced its 38-cent-per-gallon tax by 6 cents for six months beginning July 1.
California charges a nationally high tax of 61 cents per gallon; a gallon of gas averaged $5.89 per gallon on Thursday, according to AAA. In Maryland, Republicans pushed for a 30-day gas tax holiday, but Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, said it would cost the state $100 million. In Connecticut, Democratic leaders want Gov. Ned Lamont to tap an emergency fund to cover a 30-day suspension of the state's 25-cent tax.
Roughly half the price at the pump pays for the crude oil, the main ingredient in gasoline, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administra...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/03/gas-tax-holiday/ Legislators in Dutchess and Putnam counties this week advanced measures that would temporarily lower taxes on gas purchases.
The average price per gallon in the area has risen to more than $4 per gallon, up from $3 a month ago, largely due to U.S. and Israeli attacks that prompted Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, a major route for tankers.
A resolution to limit Putnam's 4 percent sales tax to the first $3 per gallon passed the Legislature's Budget and Finance Committee, which includes all nine legislators, on Monday (March 30). The proposal, which will be considered by the full Legislature again at its monthly meeting on Tuesday (April 7), would be in effect from June 1, 2026, to Dec. 31, 2027. It would not reduce state taxes, which are 24.18 cents per gallon, or the federal tax, which is 18.4 cents.
"We are doing what we can do to help the families of Putnam County," said Legislator William Gouldman of Putnam Valley, who introduced the measure. "Government should not benefit from higher prices."
The Dutchess Legislature is preparing a similar exemption from the county's 3.75 percent sales tax, said its chair, Yvette Valdés Smith, whose district includes part of Beacon. Like Putnam, the proposal would suspend taxes over $3 per gallon, beginning on June 1 and continuing for at least six months. It will be introduced at the Budget and Finance Committee meeting on Thursday (April 9), she said.

Putnam approved a similar temporary exemption in April 2022, when the average price in New York was $4.21 per gallon. The tax break began at $2 per gallon and lasted until Dec. 1 of the same year. The current proposal originally ended June 1, 2027, but the Legislature's chair, Dan Birmingham, won passage of an amendment to extend it through next year.
"Whether it's an international crisis now with the Iranian conflict, or whether it's something else that drives it up to $5 or $6 next year, I'd still rather not have this county government profit off of whatever calamity" might come, he said.
Rockland County last month put a cap on taxes over $3 per gallon from June 1, 2026, to March 1, 2027.
Consumer prices and the cost of living have become early flashpoints for the national midterm elections in November. A poll last month by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 45 percent of 1,150 U.S. adults surveyed were "extremely" or "very" concerned about being able to afford gas in the next few months, up from 30 percent shortly after Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election. The most recent poll had a 4 percent margin of error.
Beyond visits to the pump, analysts say higher fuel costs will trickle into groceries, which must be restocked frequently and could also see price hikes as transportation and packaging costs pile up. The U.S. Postal Service is seeking an 8 percent temporary surcharge on some of its popular products, including Priority Mail. U.S. diesel, used for many freight and delivery trucks, costs an average of $5.45 per gallon, up from $3.76 a gallon before the war began, according to AAA.

Only two states have suspended all or part of their gas taxes. Georgia removed its 33-cent-per-gallon tax on March 20 for 60 days (followed by a warning to retailers from the state attorney general to pass along the savings), and Utah reduced its 38-cent-per-gallon tax by 6 cents for six months beginning July 1.
California charges a nationally high tax of 61 cents per gallon; a gallon of gas averaged $5.89 per gallon on Thursday, according to AAA. In Maryland, Republicans pushed for a 30-day gas tax holiday, but Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, said it would cost the state $100 million. In Connecticut, Democratic leaders want Gov. Ned Lamont to tap an emergency fund to cover a 30-day suspension of the state's 25-cent tax.
Roughly half the price at the pump pays for the crude oil, the main ingredient in gasoline, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administra...]]> Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:07:02 -0400 Gas Tax Holiday Legislators in Dutchess and Putnam counties this week advanced measures that would temporarily lower taxes on gas purchases.
The average price per gallon in the area has risen to more than $4 per gallon, up...]]> Legislators in Dutchess and Putnam counties this week advanced measures that would temporarily lower taxes on gas purchases.
The average price per gallon in the area has risen to more than $4 per gallon, up from $3 a month ago, largely due to U.S. and Israeli attacks that prompted Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz, a major route for tankers.
A resolution to limit Putnam's 4 percent sales tax to the first $3 per gallon passed the Legislature's Budget and Finance Committee, which includes all nine legislators, on Monday (March 30). The proposal, which will be considered by the full Legislature again at its monthly meeting on Tuesday (April 7), would be in effect from June 1, 2026, to Dec. 31, 2027. It would not reduce state taxes, which are 24.18 cents per gallon, or the federal tax, which is 18.4 cents.
"We are doing what we can do to help the families of Putnam County," said Legislator William Gouldman of Putnam Valley, who introduced the measure. "Government should not benefit from higher prices."
The Dutchess Legislature is preparing a similar exemption from the county's 3.75 percent sales tax, said its chair, Yvette Valdés Smith, whose district includes part of Beacon. Like Putnam, the proposal would suspend taxes over $3 per gallon, beginning on June 1 and continuing for at least six months. It will be introduced at the Budget and Finance Committee meeting on Thursday (April 9), she said.

Putnam approved a similar temporary exemption in April 2022, when the average price in New York was $4.21 per gallon. The tax break began at $2 per gallon and lasted until Dec. 1 of the same year. The current proposal originally ended June 1, 2027, but the Legislature's chair, Dan Birmingham, won passage of an amendment to extend it through next year.
"Whether it's an international crisis now with the Iranian conflict, or whether it's something else that drives it up to $5 or $6 next year, I'd still rather not have this county government profit off of whatever calamity" might come, he said.
Rockland County last month put a cap on taxes over $3 per gallon from June 1, 2026, to March 1, 2027.
Consumer prices and the cost of living have become early flashpoints for the national midterm elections in November. A poll last month by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 45 percent of 1,150 U.S. adults surveyed were "extremely" or "very" concerned about being able to afford gas in the next few months, up from 30 percent shortly after Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election. The most recent poll had a 4 percent margin of error.
Beyond visits to the pump, analysts say higher fuel costs will trickle into groceries, which must be restocked frequently and could also see price hikes as transportation and packaging costs pile up. The U.S. Postal Service is seeking an 8 percent temporary surcharge on some of its popular products, including Priority Mail. U.S. diesel, used for many freight and delivery trucks, costs an average of $5.45 per gallon, up from $3.76 a gallon before the war began, according to AAA.

Only two states have suspended all or part of their gas taxes. Georgia removed its 33-cent-per-gallon tax on March 20 for 60 days (followed by a warning to retailers from the state attorney general to pass along the savings), and Utah reduced its 38-cent-per-gallon tax by 6 cents for six months beginning July 1.
California charges a nationally high tax of 61 cents per gallon; a gallon of gas averaged $5.89 per gallon on Thursday, according to AAA. In Maryland, Republicans pushed for a 30-day gas tax holiday, but Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, said it would cost the state $100 million. In Connecticut, Democratic leaders want Gov. Ned Lamont to tap an emergency fund to cover a 30-day suspension of the state's 25-cent tax.
Roughly half the price at the pump pays for the crude oil, the main ingredient in gasoline, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administra...]]> Leonard Sparks 05:49 false full 2 5863279 The Howland Public Library in Beacon is asking residents to weigh in on the future of its building, a beloved but aging former department store at 313 Main St.
The library moved to Main Street in 1976, after outgrowing its original 1872 building, which became the Howland Cultural Center. But the library's director, Gillian Murphy, said at a charrette on March 25 that the 15,000-square-foot structure, built in 1949 as Fishman's department store, is badly in need of repair.
The roof has been patched nearly a dozen times since Murphy was hired in 2023. The building lacks insulation, with haphazard heating and cooling systems struggling to keep patrons and staff comfortable. The brick exterior is crumbling, and the Main Street entrance is the only one that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Inside, there are no fire sprinklers and almost no natural lighting. The children's room is too small, Murphy said, and a nook by the entrance that functions as a teen space is hardly spacious.
Upgrades have been made from time to time, including last year, when interior walls were painted to brighten the place and the circulation desk was moved. But there's never been a comprehensive capital project.
"People have sought me out since the day I came here," said Murphy, who was director of the Butterfield Library in Cold Spring for 21 years, until 2021. "It was obvious that they didn't find this space friendly." She said the staff and nine-member library board agreed and decided to ask the community: "This is what we have — where do we go from here?"

Several options are on the table, but as architect Paul Mays told the audience of about 75 people on March 25, "pencil has not been put to paper on anything." Mays, who worked on additions and major renovations to libraries in Kingston and Saugerties, walked the audience through the possibilities.
The first option, repairs and maintenance, would be the least expensive and disruptive, although a new roof will cost at least $1 million, Murphy said. More involved renovations would add cost but provide more opportunities for energy efficiency.
Even more costly would be demolition and new construction, which would require the library to move to a temporary location; renovations of a building at another site; or new construction at another site.
Funding for a capital project would come from outside sources (e.g., state grants) and/or a public referendum. Voters in the Beacon City School District, which includes parts of Fishkill and the Town of Wappinger, vote on the library budget each year, but the annual spending plan only covers operating expenses.
Voters rejected a capital proposal in 2005, then voted down the operating budget for the next three years, but Murphy believes the support will be there this time. "It's a totally different community than it was 20 years ago," she said, noting that the library last year hired two new staff members to manage increased usership.
The March 25 charrette was the first in a series. Many people have already said the library should stay on Main Street, Murphy said. But other considerations — ample parking and green space — are virtually impossible in the current location.
There's no timeline for a decision, Mays said. The community-led process "isn't the fastest, but it's a deliberate and, I think, thorough one."

If the library were renovated, its footprint is deceptively large. It also owns 311 Main St., where its board meetings are held; 309 Main, where the Friends of the Howland Public Library operate Beacon Reads, a secondhand bookstore; and 307 Main, which needs work and is used for storage. Another back-of-building storage area could also be converted.
"I don't think people realize what a big space we have," Murphy said. "There are so many possibilities."
Mays asked community members to consider a few questions: What features and programs offered by the library are most important to ...]]> https://highlandscurrent.org/2026/04/03/howland-library-ponders-its-next-move/ The Howland Public Library in Beacon is asking residents to weigh in on the future of its building, a beloved but aging former department store at 313 Main St.
The library moved to Main Street in 1976, after outgrowing its original 1872 building, which became the Howland Cultural Center. But the library's director, Gillian Murphy, said at a charrette on March 25 that the 15,000-square-foot structure, built in 1949 as Fishman's department store, is badly in need of repair.
The roof has been patched nearly a dozen times since Murphy was hired in 2023. The building lacks insulation, with haphazard heating and cooling systems struggling to keep patrons and staff comfortable. The brick exterior is crumbling, and the Main Street entrance is the only one that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Inside, there are no fire sprinklers and almost no natural lighting. The children's room is too small, Murphy said, and a nook by the entrance that functions as a teen space is hardly spacious.
Upgrades have been made from time to time, including last year, when interior walls were painted to brighten the place and the circulation desk was moved. But there's never been a comprehensive capital project.
"People have sought me out since the day I came here," said Murphy, who was director of the Butterfield Library in Cold Spring for 21 years, until 2021. "It was obvious that they didn't find this space friendly." She said the staff and nine-member library board agreed and decided to ask the community: "This is what we have — where do we go from here?"

Several options are on the table, but as architect Paul Mays told the audience of about 75 people on March 25, "pencil has not been put to paper on anything." Mays, who worked on additions and major renovations to libraries in Kingston and Saugerties, walked the audience through the possibilities.
The first option, repairs and maintenance, would be the least expensive and disruptive, although a new roof will cost at least $1 million, Murphy said. More involved renovations would add cost but provide more opportunities for energy efficiency.
Even more costly would be demolition and new construction, which would require the library to move to a temporary location; renovations of a building at another site; or new construction at another site.
Funding for a capital project would come from outside sources (e.g., state grants) and/or a public referendum. Voters in the Beacon City School District, which includes parts of Fishkill and the Town of Wappinger, vote on the library budget each year, but the annual spending plan only covers operating expenses.
Voters rejected a capital proposal in 2005, then voted down the operating budget for the next three years, but Murphy believes the support will be there this time. "It's a totally different community than it was 20 years ago," she said, noting that the library last year hired two new staff members to manage increased usership.
The March 25 charrette was the first in a series. Many people have already said the library should stay on Main Street, Murphy said. But other considerations — ample parking and green space — are virtually impossible in the current location.
There's no timeline for a decision, Mays said. The community-led process "isn't the fastest, but it's a deliberate and, I think, thorough one."

If the library were renovated, its footprint is deceptively large. It also owns 311 Main St., where its board meetings are held; 309 Main, where the Friends of the Howland Public Library operate Beacon Reads, a secondhand bookstore; and 307 Main, which needs work and is used for storage. Another back-of-building storage area could also be converted.
"I don't think people realize what a big space we have," Murphy said. "There are so many possibilities."
Mays asked community members to consider a few questions: What features and programs offered by the library are most important to ...]]> Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:55:49 -0400 Howland Library Ponders Its Next Move The Howland Public Library in Beacon is asking residents to weigh in on the future of its building, a beloved but aging former department store at 313 Main St.
The library moved to Main Street in...]]> The Howland Public Library in Beacon is asking residents to weigh in on the future of its building, a beloved but aging former department store at 313 Main St.
The library moved to Main Street in 1976, after outgrowing its original 1872 building, which became the Howland Cultural Center. But the library's director, Gillian Murphy, said at a charrette on March 25 that the 15,000-square-foot structure, built in 1949 as Fishman's department store, is badly in need of repair.
The roof has been patched nearly a dozen times since Murphy was hired in 2023. The building lacks insulation, with haphazard heating and cooling systems struggling to keep patrons and staff comfortable. The brick exterior is crumbling, and the Main Street entrance is the only one that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Inside, there are no fire sprinklers and almost no natural lighting. The children's room is too small, Murphy said, and a nook by the entrance that functions as a teen space is hardly spacious.
Upgrades have been made from time to time, including last year, when interior walls were painted to brighten the place and the circulation desk was moved. But there's never been a comprehensive capital project.
"People have sought me out since the day I came here," said Murphy, who was director of the Butterfield Library in Cold Spring for 21 years, until 2021. "It was obvious that they didn't find this space friendly." She said the staff and nine-member library board agreed and decided to ask the community: "This is what we have — where do we go from here?"

Several options are on the table, but as architect Paul Mays told the audience of about 75 people on March 25, "pencil has not been put to paper on anything." Mays, who worked on additions and major renovations to libraries in Kingston and Saugerties, walked the audience through the possibilities.
The first option, repairs and maintenance, would be the least expensive and disruptive, although a new roof will cost at least $1 million, Murphy said. More involved renovations would add cost but provide more opportunities for energy efficiency.
Even more costly would be demolition and new construction, which would require the library to move to a temporary location; renovations of a building at another site; or new construction at another site.
Funding for a capital project would come from outside sources (e.g., state grants) and/or a public referendum. Voters in the Beacon City School District, which includes parts of Fishkill and the Town of Wappinger, vote on the library budget each year, but the annual spending plan only covers operating expenses.
Voters rejected a capital proposal in 2005, then voted down the operating budget for the next three years, but Murphy believes the support will be there this time. "It's a totally different community than it was 20 years ago," she said, noting that the library last year hired two new staff members to manage increased usership.
The March 25 charrette was the first in a series. Many people have already said the library should stay on Main Street, Murphy said. But other considerations — ample parking and green space — are virtually impossible in the current location.
There's no timeline for a decision, Mays said. The community-led process "isn't the fastest, but it's a deliberate and, I think, thorough one."

If the library were renovated, its footprint is deceptively large. It also owns 311 Main St., where its board meetings are held; 309 Main, where the Friends of the Howland Public Library operate Beacon Reads, a secondhand bookstore; and 307 Main, which needs work and is used for storage. Another back-of-building storage area could also be converted.
"I don't think people realize what a big space we have," Murphy said. "There are so many possibilities."
Mays asked community members to consider a few questions: What features and programs offered by the library are most important to ...]]> Jeff Simms 04:46 false full 1