« September 2006 | Main | November 2006 »
The Poughkeepsie Journal reported Saturday that the old theater on Main Street now appears to have two suitors. The two parties interested in the building have two distinctly different views of how the space should be used. One sees it as a six screen movie complex while the other sees the old theater as a venue for performing arts, including movies, live theater, and music.
Beacon police officer Anthony Hopper was shot today responding to a report of trespassing in the parking lot of the Forrestal Heights apartment buildings. PoJo reports that Officer Hopper was shot at "point blank range and the bullet penetrated his bullet-resistant vest, but did not pierce his skin." It was reportedly the first time in 87 years that a police officer had been shot in the line of duty in Beacon.
PoJo reports this morning that Tallix is merging with Polich Art Works in Rock Tavern, Orange County. The new company, called Polich Tallix LLC "will result in the closing of the Beacon facility, which opened in 1986." According to the article, most of the employees in Beacon will continue to work for the new company.
On September 26th the Beacon Dispatch learned that we were under investigation by our Internet Service Provider (ISP) for possibly violating our Acceptable Use Policy. According to our ISP someone had contacted them stating that the Beacon Dispatch website, and more specifically last month’s editorial, included anonymous postings that were, “…offensive, defamatory, and malicious,” and that they wanted our website shut down. The person also told our ISP that they were “… receiving phone calls at home and worried about their physical well being because of the site,” and that they were, “seeking legal advice on suing for libel.”
The investigation ended, quite literally, in a matter of minutes. The Dispatch site was reviewed by the ISP’s management and lawyers, we were issued an apology, and business proceeded as usual; the Dispatch website never saw a second of downtime.
by Karen Maserjian Shan
When Tim Buzinski and his wife Mei Ying So decided to open a wine shop, they chose to locate it in Beacon.
“We were looking for a place where we would feel comfortable and really liked to live,” said Buzinski, who, with So moved form Queens, NY to Beacon Hill this summer and opened their store, the Artisan Wine Shop at 180 Main Street in August.
“We were looking around at different towns and we came upon Beacon…and we figured that this would be the perfect place for us,” he said, adding he and his wife liked the culture and diversity of residents and businesses the City offered. The couple also is happy with the close relationships they’ve formed with the business community and customers, many of whom they see around town.
“Everybody’s trying to get on the same page to promote not just their own businesses but the town as a whole,” Buzinski said. “We’re really exited to be here.”
Newburgh theater screens indie films and a new theater comes to Beacon
by Kate Fraher
Good news for art film lovers: you need suffer no more the long drives to Rhinebeck and Pleasantville. An independent film center has opened on the Newburgh waterfront and plans are underway to convert the old theater at 445 Main Street, Beacon, into a six-screen cinema.
The Downing Film Center, which shares 19 Front Street in Newburgh with the Yellow Bird Gallery and Vino 100, opened its doors to a sold-out crowd on July 22. “We had people say they’d stand,” says owner, Brian Burke. The favorable response is no surprise considering that local movie-goers looking for the “independent, foreign and classic films,” in which the Downing specializes, formerly faced at least a forty-five minutes drive to theaters like Upstate Films in Rhinebeck, and the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville. Now it’s just a short trip to this cozy single-screen cinema which seats seventy. The concession stand offers traditional movie fare as well as coffee, tea, and fresh baked goods; the screening room is furnished with office style chairs, cheerily adorned with colorful cushions, and a front row of lounge chairs. Perhaps the most inviting aspect of the Downing is the enthusiasm of the Burke family, who run the theater together. The film center is the fulfillment of a life long dream for Brian Burke, a retired educator. He and his son, Kevin, an attorney, formed the business together and Burke’s wife also helps run it.
by Sara Pasti
Co-Chair, Comprehensive Plan Committee
The April issue of the Beacon Dispatch included a summary of findings from the Beacon Basic Studies Inventory and Analysis document prepared by city planning consultants Frederick P. Clark Associates. As indicated in that article, the Inventory and Analysis document shows where Beacon has been and where it is now and provides the basis for the comprehensive plan that will soon begin to shape Beacon’s future physical, economic, social and environmental development and conservation.
Since April, significant progress has been made toward the completion of the comprehensive plan, currently scheduled to be presented in draft form to the City Council and the public at the end of the year. Of primary importance during the summer months has been the involvement of Beacon’s residents in the planning process. This involvement ensures that the Comprehensive Plan truly represents the needs and interests of the entire city.
Continue reading "Comprehensive Plan Update: October 2006" »
Book Review
by Debra Adamsons
I had a lover in Denning’s Point this summer. No, it wasn’t “Naked Guy” living on the sailboat anchored off the Bay side of the Point, nor one of the workers constructing Building One of the Beacon Institute, or any member of DPW re-capping the landfill. Neither was it anyone from the Vassar archeological team digging on the south side of the island, or any of the daily joggers or fishermen fishing off the Point, and finally it wasn’t a local resident walking their dog along the loop. It was Denning’s Point that called to me every day. And it was Denning’s Point I developed a relationship and fell in love with.
Continue reading "Denning’s Point: A Hudson River History—A book by Jim Heron" »
by Bill Zopf, School Board President & Dr. Jean Parr, Superintendent
I appreciate the many positive comments I received in response to last month’s column. Many people have expressed an interest in hearing more about events within the schools, so I have asked Dr. Jean Parr, the superintendent of schools, to co-author the column. As the lead administrator of the district, she offers a great second perspective. This month we’ll touch on two topics that may not seem connected at first, but that are actually both essential items for a healthy school district: school taxes and program initiatives.
Community Builder
by Nell Timmer
On a beautiful, early fall day I sat down in the playground of the Beacon Community Center to talk with Michelle Rhone-Collins, the new director, about the past, present and future of the center.
ET: So, you are the new director of the Beacon Community Center. What is this place?
MR-C: Well, it is a wonderful facility with different activities for, primarily, right now, young people—for their out-of-school time—and older adults. So, we are open every day after school for kids to come by and participate in some academic enrichment activities and some arts and recreational activities. And a couple of mornings a week there is time for older adults to come by and take yoga, exercise classes, art classes, and workshops. Part of my work as the new director is to broaden the scope of programming so that we can include more activities for toddlers, parent support groups, especially for new parents. That was something that was very helpful for me as a new mother. I would also like to see some adult workshops in areas that folks are interested in, from budgeting to gift wrapping. And, some more comprehensive programming for teens as well.
ET: How long has the Beacon Community Center been in existence?
MR-C: It has been in existence for over 40 years, since 1965. Families have attended the BCC for generations yet there are many people who are not aware of its existence or its location. I want that to change and for people to see this as a really active resource for the community.
by Garrett Deutermann
September 5th meeting
Tuesday, September fifth, City Council members motioned to appoint Captain Glen Scofield to Chief of Police and appoint Detective Sergeant Musmeci to Detective Lieutenant. Councilman Lee Kyriacou called a point of order, referring to a section of the local charter, “My understanding is, no appointments can be made without the issue being discussed at workshop.” City Attorney Gerard Pisanelli, who looked at the section of charter in question, said this instance fell into a gray area, but it was prudent to have the appointments put to workshop before being voted on.
Later in the month, when further questioned about the appointment, Councilman Phil Shea said, “The appointments had not been work shopped” at the September eleventh workshop, one reason being, “City Administrator Joe Braun was not present, so it could not be discussed.” There has been nothing more on the appointments to date.
by Bruce Beaty
Alas, October is here. The pool is closed, the garden and the Farm are in their final stretches as we cross the bridge between the last warm days and the first chilly ones. Quick meals made from late summer vegetables, along with all good things coming off the grill, inevitably give way to more "comfort cooking." And although the grill has not yet been sequestered to the garage for the season, (mine never really is) the natural shift in the weather nudges our cooking indoors, toward slow-braises, roasts, and heartier fare. It's what I like to call "dig in food."
It was about this time of year that I moved to Paris to begin cooking as an apprentice, or "stagier" in some truly great restaurants. And although I had long since discovered some of New York's old-world, venerable French cooking institutions such as Chez Napoleon and Pierre au Tunnel, it was not until I lived in Burgundy that I truly understood what French Bistro life was all about. Well, of course it's about the cooking. Pure, simple, honest, real home cooking. It's what is referred to as " Cuisine Grand Mere," or Granmother's cooking. 'Nuff said. No wasabi glazes or tamarind foams to hide behind, no "fusion cooking" that leads to "confusion," as a chef friend of mine once said. No nonsense upon stilts.
When I think of classic bistro food, I think of the most impossibly delicious, simple roast chicken, garlicky potato gratins, Leeks Vinaigrette, warm lentil salads, Moules Mariniere ( mussels steamed in white wine) Calves Liver with onions, Coq au Vin ( chicken stewed in red wine), Pot-au-Feu (beef braised in stock with vegetables) and of course Tarte Tatin, a French flag-waving dessert if ever there was one. But it's more than just the food. French bistros, like Italian trattorias, or the table of my mother's Southern upbringing, imply a sense of generosity, familiarity and conviviality. They are characterized by a spirit of welcoming that says "rest your bones here."
I've included this month two classic soups, two salads, and a main course, all of which stay true to the spirit of their origins. As much as I encourage using recipes only as a template or a guideline, some of the classics deserve to be treated "comme il faut" ( as they should be) or "justement" ( correctly). The French are sometimes slow to adapt to new changes, and also reticent to throw out old classics in favor of the latest fad, particularly when it comes to food. And you know, that's really not a bad thing.
Continue reading "Recipe: Home Cooking, French Bistro Style" »
The Poughkeepsie Journal is reporting today that Chief Sassi has filed yet another lawsuit against the City of Beacon for "First Amendment Rights violations." The article releases the text of a letter sent by Sassi to City Administrator Joe Braun regarding Braun's use of City vehicles for personal purposes. While the letter raises legitimate questions, the letter—which should have been directed to the City Council rather than Braun—clearly has an insubordinate tone.
Sassi's attorney Jonathan Lovett—highlighting the true purpose behind Sassi's several lawsuits—stated that, "...the problem is Braun — he ought to be removed. [Removing Braun] would save the city hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal costs."
Today's editorial in the Poughkeepsie Journal is calling for an end to the imbroglio between Beacon's Chief of Police and City Hall stating that the residents of Beacon need better than what they're getting and, "Regardless of how all the legal matters run their course, the community and police department will need a fresh start."
The PJ's editorial echos a Beacon Dispatch editorial from March of this year.
Yesterday PoJo reported that Beacon Mayor Clara Lou Gould extended police chief Richard Sassi's unpaid suspension by two weeks. She also made the decision to demote Sassi to an unspecified position. Said the Mayor in her letter to Sassi:
"You clearly have a complete lack of respect for the city administrator, which disrespect led to your gross insubordination towards him ... your misconduct has resulted in a complete lack of trust on all levels of City government ... Over the next week or so, I will be considering to what position you shall be demoted and will advise you when that determination has been made."
Rumors have been circulating in Beacon that Sassi would resign on Monday, but as of now that is still hearsay. While it's good to see the Mayor putting the interests of the community first, she needs to keep going until this situation is resolved in its entirety.
