Beaconites!

Lena Rizkallah has carved out a niche giving financial advice to women in their 40s and 50s, often helping them navigate transitional moments in their lives. For these clients — who may be going through a divorce, starting a businesses or taking on a new creative project — Lena helps frame out a financial plan that can enable the vision. “Money equals freedom,” she says.  Born to Palestinian parents who immigrated to the US and raised in a suburb of Washington D.C., Lena followed a winding path to Beacon.  In this interview, we talk about:   The Gaza catastrophe through the eyes of a second-generation Palestinian immigrant Lena's decision to give up a career as an Immigration lawyer to work in finance Her “moving to Beacon” story as a single woman, and why she kept her NYC apartment Her panels and speakeasies focused on women and female business owners What Gen X women have in common; common money mistakes; "Think big"  The current investment climate; why economic doomerism is wrong Lena's website: https://www.lenarizkallah.com/ Photo by Michael Isabell: https://www.michaelisabell.com/ Beaconites is recorded at Beacon AV Lab: https://www.beaconavlab.com/

Our interview with Sergei Krasikov is a must-listen if you're into trails, open spaces, water sheds and being outside in any weather.   Originally from Belarus, Sergei has made Beacon his home in every sense. He is a community builder and civic volunteer with a special focus on land conservation. As the chair of the Conservation Advisory Committee and founder of the Fishkill Creek Watershed Alliance, he has advanced a city-wide composting program, trail clearing, a water testing program and more. Right now he's focused on an inventory of open spaces that could eventually be adopted into the city's comprehensive plan.    On top of all that, Sergei is running for City Council for the consequential 2026-2028 term. City business aside, it'll come as no surprise that Sergei is an active outdoorsman – a trail runner, swimmer and cross-country skier. We spent a chunk of this interview talking about things listeners can do outside in Beacon and surrounding areas.  Links and further reading:  Earth Day cleanup. The CAC is organizing its annual Sat April 26 Earth Day clean up, trail clearing & riparian buffer planting followed by a Green Fair at Hudson Valley Brewery. More info at: https://www.greenbeaconcoalition.org Water testing. The Fishkill Creek Watershed Alliance, in partnership with Bard College Community Science Lab, Riverkeeper and Beacon Institute, is starting a community water quality testing program throughout the watershed this May. They're currently seeking volunteers to help collect samples that will be tested for metals, chemicals, biological markers and more. More info at https://www.fishkillwatershed.org  Photo by Michael Isabell: https://www.michaelisabell.com/ Beaconites is recorded at Beacon AV Lab: https://www.beaconavlab.com/  

Paulette Myers-Rich has partnered with dozens of artists and writers during an accomplished career in fine art printing. In this interview we talk about many of those collaborations - including a series of books featuring Irish poets produced jointly with the Center for Irish Studies at the University of St. Thomas.  Paulette moved to Beacon in her fifties, choosing it in part because it visually echoed her industrial river city home of St. Paul, Minnesota. Once here, she continued to produce letterpress printed works under her imprint, Traffic Street Press, and opened the No. 3 Reading Room exhibition space. In our interview, Paulette talks about her creative partnerships with artists and writers, the setbacks of Covid, and the importance of fine art books today.

Kim Pennock is an educator and the poultry lead at the Stony Kill educational farm and 4H club. Stony Kill has chickens, cows, sheep, rabbits and bees, with a focus on heritage breeds. Each August, its 4H youth are represented at the Dutchess County Fair, and some go on to participate in the youth livestock sale. They come away with useful skills, friendships and a commitment to raising animals ethically and humanely.  In this interview, Kim discusses how 4H teaches young people about agriculture, animal husbandry, gardening, art and more. And she provides an overview of her work at Stony Kill, what children and adults experience through the educational programs there and more.   

Pat Halvey is well acquainted with death and grieving. He was 13 years old when his father first initiated him into the family funeral business, and he's worked with the deceased and the bereft ever since. That business, Riverview Funeral Services, recently merged with Beacon's other multi-generational death and funeral services provider, Libby.  In our interview, Pat talks about many facets of death, grieving and funeral rites. He gamely answers dozens of literally morbid questions on cremation, green burials, Irish wakes, Covid, the falloff in religious services, the disturbing uptick in people not holding any death ritual at all, weird funeral requests and more.   Pat grew up in Beacon and he also shares memories of Beacon in his heyday (the '90s).  Photo credit: Michael Isabell 

While living in Brooklyn in the early 1990s, Neil Caplan saw a drawing of Bannerman's Castle on Pollepel Island - situated between Beacon and Cold Spring. Inspired, he set out to gain stewardship of it, shore up its historical features, create a system for public access and ultimately stage theater there. The result is the Bannerman Castle Trust: one part historic preservation, one part public park and one part arts organization. This spring Neil will be honored by the Howland Cultural Center at its annual gala. Current gallery exhibitions at the Howland and Bannerman's Island Gallery feature art and artifacts from the island. Learn more at Bannermancastletrust.org.  Photo credit: Michael Isabell   

Curtis Harvey's creative work has played out on two parallel tracks. As a musician, he helped define a certain 1990s post-rock sound as guitarist and singer for Rex, and he has gone on to play with many other bands in Beacon and beyond. As director of exhibitions at Dia:Beacon for the last 22 years, Curtis has installed the work of Fred Sandback, Meg Webster and other major artists. Most recently he supported the installation of Steve McQueen's massive and immersive  “Bass” installation on the basement level, and this interview has an extended discussion of this work. On Saturday January 25, Dia will host a symposium on this immersive sound and light experience, which will remain installed until May 26.  Related: Bass, Steve McQueen, Dia:Beacon    

Early childhood learning is pretty fraught at the moment. The lingering effects of Covid-era learning challenges, an epidemic of teacher burnout, and a rise in autism spectrum diagnoses have all contributed to a simmering that we're probably not talking about enough. But there are bright spots. One is the Tioranda Learning Center, a longstanding pre-K program serving Beacon, led by executive director Meredith Hairston. Meredith talks about her journey from Vermont to New York City to the Hudson Valley, TLC's place in the community over many decades, and how to help kids thrive creatively, emotionally and cognitively. 

Kristen Holt-Browning is a poet, editor and (now) novelist. Her debut work of fiction, Ordinary Devotion, juxtaposes the lives of two women separated by 700 years. Kristen grew up nearby in the hamlet of Stone Ridge, spent some years in New York City (Manhattan, then Brooklyn) before moving back to Beacon 15 years ago.  In this interview, she talks about her experience growing up in the Hudson Valley, raising kids in Beacon, the literary scene here and the pile-up of thoughts and memories in middle age. And she reads two poems and a passage from her novel. This interview is the latest in a series with Beacon and Hudson Valley-based writers. See also: Ruth Danon, Lucy Sante, Sam Anderson and Danny Goodman.  

Sam Anderson is a master of the essay form whose work spans a huge range of human experience and culture.  As a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine, Sam has interviewed and written about Weird Al Yankovic, writer John McPhee, NBA point guard Russell Westbrook, travel guru Rick Steves, Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami and the people trying to rescue Michaelanelo's David sculpture from ruin. He has spent time with the last two white rhinos on Earth and visited the bat volcano in Calakmul, Mexico. And he wrote a book, Boom Town, about Oklahoma City which is both a profile of one Midwestern municipality and a meditation on the dueling forces of rapacious development and “place making” that are at war in every American city, including Beacon.  In each of his projects, Sam brings a trademark personal touch, situating himself in relation to his subjects with a disarming vulnerability. He weaves in his anxiety, depression, his body image, feelings of loss and fear of death through introspective asides that illuminate rather than upstage his subjects.  In our interview, Sam talks about his early ambition to be a writer, his creative process, animals, aging, drawing, strategies for overcoming depression and much more.  

Yvette Valdes-Smith knows firsthand how spiraling housing costs have made Beacon unaffordable to many. Yvette and her husband rented in Beacon for years, but moved to Fishkill when they realized they couldn't afford to buy a home here.  “We shouldn't have to struggle with paying our utility bills, our rent and our mortgages,” she says in our interview. “Affordability is critical to me and to pretty much every voter I've spoken to. And housing is a huge issue. It's going to require us not being NIMBY about things. We have to increase housing stock.”   Raised in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico, Yvette went to college in New York, became a public school teacher and started a family before winning a seat on the Dutchess County Legislature, where she is Minority Leader. Now she's running for NY State Senate District 39 on the Democratic ticket.  In addition to housing affordability, her campaign is focused on issues like abortion rights, gender-affirming care, gun safety and youth services.  “We need more youth services,” she says. “I'm a mom. I've experienced the lack of childcare in this county. I've experienced youth programs closing or not being available. Think about summer camps, how they'll go online and they'll be gone in three seconds.”  But winning won't be easy. The current State Senator in the seat she's running for, Republican Rob Rolison, is a seasoned pol who won the spot by about 7,000 votes two years ago. In this episode, she talks about what it will take to beat him – including lots and lots of canvassing in purple and red areas of the district.  Senate District encompasses Beacon along with parts of Putnam, Dutchess and Orange counties. 

Are you into the weird, the magickal and the macabre? You're going to like this week's interview with Amy Wilson, owner of the Otherworldly Waxes spellmaking shop as well as the Moon, Serpent and Bone “night markets.” Otherworldly Waxes produces customized spells in the form of candles that are inscribed with the intentions of her clients and burn for seven days. Meanwhile her night markets are haunted events — spooky, sexy, a smidge Satanic — full of makers who offer unique and weird items. These happenings are scheduled throughout the Hudson Valley during October and early November. In our interview, Amy talks about her early introduction to esoteric forms of spirituality (through her father, a medium who read tea leaves), the history of witchcraft in the New York City area and how people can attend her events.

Danny Goodman is the author of Amerikaland, a new novel that presents a twisted mirror-image of America and New York City. It centers on two characters, both professional athletes, ensnared by dark forces unleashed by a national white power movement. Danny started writing Amerikaland in 2017, in the wake of Donald Trump's election. In our interview, Danny talks about his upbringing in Danbury CT, his 20 years in NYC and how he and his wife made a snap decision to move to Beacon in the early days of the pandemic.  Amerikaland is published by Leftover books. Copies are available at Stanza Books.  

In this joint interview, fire chief Tom Lucchesi and veteran firefighter Pat Kelliher talk about fires and firefighting in Beacon.  Not so long ago, volunteer firefighting in Beacon was a generational tradition. “When I started, there were 200 volunteers,” says Pat. “Your grandfather was one. Your father was one. You were one.” In those days the city's three firehouses had as many as 75 volunteers each. By contrast, today's fire department has 18 career firefighters and just five volunteers. The downward trend in volunteerism is not unique to Beacon. Across New York and the United States more broadly, the equipment and techniques of firefighting have become far more  advanced and professionalized, requiring extensive training, and the nature of fires has changed as well. People also have less time — and time off from work — to answer the call when a fire breaks out.  Tom also talks about the new $14.7 million firehouse, which is nearing completion.  A little more on our guests:  Pat Kelliher is a 54-year veteran of Beacon's volunteer force who retired earlier this year. The son of a Beacon police officer and the grandson of Irish immigrants, he was among the earliest wave of Vietnam draftees. On returning home, he found the fire department offered some of the camaraderie and shared purpose he experienced in the war.  Fire Chief Tom Lucchese was obsessed with emergency services from a young age. Raised in New Windsor, he worked for the Newburgh fire department through a series of budget cuts and layoffs. During a single one-month period he was demoted from Captain to Firefighter, then promoted to Captain, then promoted again to Assistant Chief. “It would only happen in Newburgh,” he says. “We can laugh now, but I feel very fortunate. There were many firefighters who lost their jobs.” 

Taylor Jackson's introduction to astrology and the tarot was casual and fun, but quickly grew into a more dedicated practice. In our interview, she talks about the evolution of Black Satin Venus and how she supports her clients' spirtual, personal growth and mental health journeys.  Taylor was raised Baptist, educated at Stanford and worked for a time in marketing before pouring her energy more fully into astrology, reiki and the tarot. Much of her work involves helping people articulate what they want and achieve harmony with their own “blueprint.”  “To me, someone making progress on their mental health is about accepting and no longer fighting what their blueprint is,” she says. “Recognizing what that is, having passion and contentment, being able to feel their own humanity and their own vulnerability. Often people feel adrift because they've suppressed what they actually want, what they're crying out for.”    

Lucy Sante is the author of “Low Life: Lures and Snares of Old New York,” “The Other Paris,” and many other works. Her latest book, “I Heard Her Call My Name,” is a memoir that examines her life through the lens of gender and details her decision to transition from “Luc” to “Lucy”  in her 60s.  Hannah Brooks is an organizer of Beacon LitFest and a former surgeon. She had an Orthodox Jewish upbringing in Queens, and as a child and young adult grappled with her mother's bipolar disorder. She moved to Beacon a few years ago and is an organizer of Beacon LitFest among other local happenings.  As an extension of this year's LitFest, Hannah and Lucy will discuss Lucy's new book during an event at The Town Crier on June 20. More info here.

Bob Bozic's life story reads like pulp fiction. After a tough upbringing, Bob ran away at 14 and lived on the streets of Toronto. A gangster bookie took him under his wing and taught him to fight. Bob won bout after bout, eventually becoming the amateur heavyweight boxing champ in Canada and fighting Larry Holmes at Madison Square Garden (Bob didn't fare well). After retiring in his 20s, Bob got mixed up in smuggling and attempted to rob a bank, among other crimes. He eventually married and had a child, earning money as a bouncer and bartender — including 25 years behind the bar at Fanelli Cafe in New York City.  Bob's new book, "So what happens is..." comes out in June. Check out his June 9 book launch at Fanelli.  This episode is sponsored by Berg + Moss Architects, a small architecture studio based in Beacon.  Since 1999, Berg + Moss has specialized in housing, hospitality, healthcare and adaptive re-use of historic structures throughout the Hudson Valley and tri-state area.   

Shane Bly Killoran is the force behind a crazy assortment of film, theater and literary arts programming in Beacon — many under the banner of Hit House Creative. To list a few... She has curated movie screenings, documentary series' and comedy standup nights at the Beacon Movie Theater. She's about to kick off a series of play readings at Reserva, in which Hudson Valley playwrights (and other writers) will workshop their plays-in-progress in front of a supportive live audience.  She has acted in plays including Red Silk and the Vagina Monologues. And she is a co-curator of Beacon LitFest. After studying acting and women's studies at NYU and doing post-graduate work at the University of London, Shane worked as a dramaturg on productions such as August Strindberg's Playing With Fire and Tendulkar's Sakharam Binder. In our episode, she talks about her journey in theater and talks about upcoming shows, screenings and readings.  

The Towne Crier, founded by Phil Ciganer in the early 70s, has a long history staging folk acts in the Hudson Valley. As a young man, Phil prowled the folk scene in Greenwich Village, a wellspring of American music during the 60s. He initially based his venue in Beekman and has moved twice, most recently to Beacon 11 years ago.  Among the first musicians to play the Towne Crier was Pete Seeger, and this interview contains some great lore about Beacon's favorite late native son. Speaking of which, the Crier will host its annual celebration of Pete's life on May 3, the anniversary of his birth. This year's event will be hosted by David Bernz, a dear friend and collaborator Pete's who has authored a new book called “Pete Seeger - Chopping Wood, Thoughts and Stories of a Legendary American Folksinger."  This episode is sponsored by Healthy In Color, a purveyor of delicious and healthful salads, breakfast options, wraps, warm bowls located at 259 Main Street.  Photo by Michael Isabell.   

Adam McKible is an associate professor of English at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He grew up in Newburgh and moved to NYC, where he met his wife Julie and started a family before moving back to the area. “We spawned then swam upstream,” he says.  Adam's new book, “Circulating Jim Crow,” examines how The Saturday Evening Post advanced a racist ideology that supressed Black modernity through dialect fiction authored by white writers. In our interview, Adam talks about his research, the major themes of this book, and the freakish popularity of black minstrelsy in the first half of the 20th century (including in Beacon). Photo credit: David Sampliner 

Ruth Danon grew up on the grounds of a mental hospital where her mother was a psychiatrist and many neighbors were European immigrants fleeing the devastation of World War 2. She forged a winding literary path, publishing four poetry collections and developing a style of teaching that treats writing as a studio art. She moved to Beacon in 2020 and now teaches privately and curates literary events such as the Spring Street Reading Series at Atlas Studios in Newburh and the Beacon Lit Fest,  In this interview Ruth talks about her life and reads a cluster of poems from her new collection, “Turn up the Heat.”  Photo credit: Meredith Heuer 

Pam Wetherbee grew up in Newburgh and moved to Beacon in 1986 for an almost unfathomable reason: affordability. In this episode, she talks about changes to Beacon in the 38 years since she moved here and her hopes for the city now. In this episode...  Affordability. Pam also shares her perspective on housing affordability, including a recent study that found the city needs more of both lower income and luxury homes, but not necessarily middle-income homes. Can this be believed?  Views. And, Pam wants to preserve views of Mount Beacon for as many residents as possible. “Looking at the mountain from Fishkill Avenue, to me it's just a gem, and to lose that because we've built higher and blocked it? That needs to be considered.”  Social services. How many people in Beacon are in need, but we don't know? Pam is concerned that older and poorer resident may be experiencing isolation and health risks, and she sees a role for the city in identifying and helping those in need.  Want to support local media? Donate a few bucks to Beaconites. This episode was recorded and edited by Beacon AV Lab. Photo courtesy of Michael Isabell.  Visit Beaconites.com to hear past episodes, subscribe to our newsletter and more.

As she kicks off her second term, Molly Rhodes comes on the podcast to discuss the major issues facing Beacon and her Ward. Molly grew up in New York City, the child of UK immigrants. Her first exposure to the Hudson Valley came when she was young and her family rented a house in Cornwall.  This episode includes a lengthy discussion of the Fishkill Avenue Corridor zoning process, which could have a huge impact on Beacon's future building stock.

Greg Slick is an artist whose work reflects a fascination with late stone age art. In this interview he shares childhood memories of neolithic ruins and how their “muteness” provided fodder for his creative practice. Greg also shares memories of Beacon's gallery scene in the years after Dia:Beacon opened and assesses the Hudson Valley art scene today. Greg was the co-owner of a celebrated gallery, Go North (2006-2009), and his wife Karlyn Benson operated her own gallery, Matteawan (2013-2018).   

Zandy Mangold is an ultramarathon runner, running coach and high-spirited guy who has completed — and in some cases won — some of the world's toughest endurance races. Zandy shares experiences running the Spartathlon (153 miles, Western States (100 miles) and Badwater (135 miles) and the Altacama Crossing (155 miles), the latter of which he won. In his coaching life, Zandy works with people of all ability levels at any stage of their running journey. On the side, Zandy has a business baking plant-based cookies. Even if you aren't an endurance athlete, you're likely to gain something from this episode and be drawn in by Zandy's worldview.  Zandy is organizing a 10K race in association with the upcoming Beacon Bonfire festival on Nov 4-5. The Beacon Bonfireball 10K will take place the morning of Nov 4 and is sure to be a great excursion for both competitive and casual runners. Find the registration link at BeaconBonfire.com  

Corey Dwyer has just started his second full school year as principal at Beacon High School. Corey attended BHS himself and has an interesting story to tell about his journey as an educator and administrator. In this interview he talks about many facets of the high school experience - including academics, clubs & extra-curriculars, mental health support, college advisory services and more.  Corey has a hearing impairment and has worn hearing aids most of his life, and I think this makes him a great leadership figure in particular for students who may face physical and other challenges as they try to learn, make friends and speak up for themselves in a big school of 850 students.  Thanks to Niche Lighting for sponsoring this episode of Beaconites. Check out their Factory Sale on Oct 7-8.  This episode was recorded and edited by Beacon AV Lab. Photo of Corey by Michael Isabell.  Our deepest thanks to all the Beaconites listeners, guests and other supporters wh have helped us get to 100 episodes.   

Eve Morgenstern is the founder of the Soon Is Now festival, taking place Saturday September 23 at Scenic Hudson's Long Dock Park. Gary Hilderbrand is a renowned landscape architect and founding partner of Reed Hilderbrand, which oversaw the design and construction of the park.  In this episode, Gary, who grew up in Wappingers Falls and whose dad worked at the Nabisco box plant, shares memories of Beacon's waterfront from the 1960s and 1970s. And Eve and Gary talk about how artists, landscape architects and others are responding to the environmental violence wrought by climate change.  For more on Soon Is Now and how to experience this immersive day of climate change and eco-themed performance and art, visit SoonIsNow.org.

George talks about his decision to sell Dogwood to Brendan McAlpine nearly 11 years after opening the bar. Going forward, George plans to spend more time making art and focus on his other two ventures: Quinns and Untouchable (a new bar set to open in Newburgh), both in partnership with Tom and Yukie Schmitz. He also discusses his seven terms on city council, his proudest achievements and the work that remains to be done.  Dogwood's closing weekend (September 16-17) will feature upwards of 35 bands. Be there!

The Highlands Current recently published a series of features on the profound changes to Beacon, including demographic shifts, surging tax revenues, crime and policing, spiraling housing costs and other aspects of civic life. The package culminated in a conversation between Beacon's four living mayors: Clara Lou Gould (Beacon's Moses), Steve Gold (the recession mayor), Randy Casale (our first ever guest on this podcast) and current mayor Lee Kyriacou.  To recap that coverage and share his perspective on all the dizzying changes to our city, we're glad to welcome reporter Jeff Simms back to the podcast. Jeff has attended more council, planning board, zoning board of appeals and school board meetings than perhaps any other resident and shares his informed perspective on current city business and the forces that will shape Beacon in years to come. 

Calli Rothberg is the owner of Passion - The Adult Dance Studio on Main Street. Calli grew up in Beacon as part of a big family. When the pandemic hit, she and all her siblings moved home to Beacon, living again in the house where they all grew up (which happens to be the second oldest home in Beacon, after the Madam Brett homestead). This disruption of her life led to a period of soul searching that in turn inspired her to open her studio in early 2022. 

Noga Cabo is a talented songwriter and guitarist who grew up in a family of dedicated musicians. She has been writing songs since she was a young child, and still collaborates musically with her brothers Adam and Zohar and her mother Dassi. Her music straddles the line between folk and jazz.  Noga released her first single “Catch Me,” in June and will release her debut EP “Lady Sun” in July. Her upcoming performances include an EP release show on Sunday June 30 at the Howland Cultural Center. Learn more about Noga and hear her music at NogaCabo.com and on Bandcamp.

On the surface, One Nature is a landscape design business and nursery, but that doesn't fully describe it. Its real work, as you'll hear in this interview with Blair Patterson, is the engineering of outdoor spaces that build community and biodiversity.  Blair started working at One Nature in 2016 as a temporary nursery hand after deciding that her career in metal fabrication was not worth the physical toll. In the years since she joined, One Nature has designed more than 100 gardens in Beacon, helping to create an interlinked network of pollinator friendly zones full of native plants. And its public projects in Beacon, Newburgh and surrounding areas have brought people together. In this episode she describes some of One Nature's projects, and shares simple things listeners can do to create habitat in Beacon and the Hudson Valley.  Learn more about One Nature at OneNatureLLC.com. Follow them on Instagram at @1Nature. Photo credit: Michael Isabell  

In March, Beacon's city council passed an electrification law that will eliminate the use of gas hookups in new construction. Thomas Wright and Erin Ashoka, two founders of Beacon Climate Action Now, discuss how this legislation came to pass and what it will mean for the city. They also share BCAN's mission and talk about which sustainability issues theroup plans to tackle next. After recording this interview, NY state passed similar legislation taking effect in 2026 so this interview offers a nice overview not only for what the law means for Beaconites but also for residents across the state.  Learn more about electrification at RewiringAmerica.org.  Want to get involved with BCAN? Visit their website at beaconcan.org and follow them on Instagram at @beacon.can. 

George Atkinson still lives in the same house on Locust Place where he was born in 1927. In this episode he shares memories and historical anecdotes spanning nine decades, recounting the city's changes through the Great Depression, World War 2, the economic doldrums of the 70s and 80s, and eventual renaissance. George talks about the factories that employed his father and brothers, two plane crashes on Mt. Beacon that shocked city residents, how it felt to ride the old incline railway and more. And he grapples with the meaning of “progress” as Beacon absorbs new residents and revenues. A must-listen for any fan of local history.

Håkan Mårtensson is a Sweden-born confectioner and pastry chef who opened his Beacon storefront Håkan in 2021. At age 15, Håkan (pronounced Ho-kan) enrolled in the Culinary Institute in Kristianstad, Sweden. At 22, he was recruited as a sculptor on the Swedish National Culinary Team. Despite competing against chefs with decades of experience, Håkan brought home gold medals from the World Cup in Luxembourg, and the Culinary Olympics in Erfurt. He moved to Beacon by way of New York City, where he was master chocolatier at FIKA NYC before that company went under.  In this interview Håkan talks about his culinary philosophy and what he's trying to accomplish with his Beacon storefront. Evident throughout the episode are his incredible work ethic and deep love of chocolate.  Håkan is interviewed by Alana Semuels, a journalist from Boston who spent more than a decade as a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times and then The Atlantic. She is now senior economics correspondent at TIME magazine. She's done podcasting work for Marketplace and Planet Money, and has co-hosted NPR's The Indicator, sometimes recording audio from the closet of the Beacon house she is renting. She moved to Beacon with her husband and toddler in summer 2022 from San Francisco. Thank you to Alana for leading this interview!  

Diane Lapis, former president and current trustee at the Beacon Historical Society, comes on the podcast to discuss the life of a notable native son of Beacon. In the process she offers a deep-dive on the importance of postcards to the study of Beacon's history.  Harry Van Tine grew up in Beacon, the son of Richard Van Tine, who founded and operated the Van Tine stationery store. His early photographs were printed on hundreds of souvenir postcards and sold by the thousands at the family business. Harry worked as a photojournalist for the Hearst Corporation and was sent to Washington, D.C. to open a field office in 1915. Joining forces with other news photographers to gain better access at the White House, Van Tine helped found the White House News Photographers Assocation in 1921. Harry's work will be featured in an upcoming exhibition at the Beacon Historical Society. "The Eyes of History" will present a century of the WHNPA's White House and presidential photography. These displays will be complimented with highlights from BHA's collection showcasing images from Harry's remarkable career.   You can support BHS's mission to promote, preserve, and procure the history of Beacon by becoming a member.  Members received a monthly informative newsletter full of interesting vignettes about Beacon's history.  Visit www.beaconhistorical.org for more stories, photos, and upcoming events. The historical society is open to the public Thursdays. 

Kk Naimool was born in Trinidad and Tobago and followed a winding path to Beacon. Kk, who uses all pronouns, has worked closely with Newburgh's LGBTQ Center and the Cornwall school district to support gay and trans people. She is also on Beacon's Human Rights Commission and helped found a consulting group called Collective Justice that works with mutual aid pods and other community nonprofits. “Wherever you start is a good place to start,” Kk says in this surprisingly hilarious interview.

Mimi and Mike, two members of rock trio Barnaby!, talk about the band's formation, how its sound has evolved and what it means to live a life dedicated to music. Sadly missing from this interview is bassist Harrison Cannon, who was out of town on the day we recorded.  Follow and listen to Barnaby!: Instagram, Spotify and Bandcamp.   Live show: Catch Barbaby! at Boughton Place in New Paltz on Saturday, February 11. Tickets.  Thanks for listening. Please share this episode with someone who might enjoy it. And subscribe here to receive occasional email newsletters about Beacon and the people who live here. Photo by Michael Isabell. 

In this "state of the city" episode, Beacon's senior-most elected official offers a preview of key issues that are bubbling up this year. The interview is broadly grouped into four areas: affordability, sustainability, infrastructure and community. Additionally, Lee discusses the house fire at George Washington's head; his interactions with a younger, more progressive city council; proposals to ban or restrict gas hook-ups; a major roads project that will replace Teller Ave and Route 52 all the way to the Fishkill border; prospects for a community center; the ghost bridge at Madam Brett Park and more. And as a bonus for those who listen to the end, the mayor announces whether he'll run for re-election this year. Thanks for listening. Please share this episode with someone who might enjoy it. And subscribe here to receive occasional email newsletters about Beacon and the people who live here. 

Donna Minkowitz is a journalist, activist and memoirist who has written extensively about LGBTQ politics and culture. She covered gay issues and AIDS activism for The Village Voice from the late 1980s through the mid-1990s. In her book “Ferocious Romance: What My Encounters With the Right Taught Me About Sex, God, and Fury,” she describes how she went undercover as a 16 year old christian evangelical boy to investigate Focus on the Family and other anti-gay groups on the Christian Right and surprisingly found she had a lot in common with them. Donna was a lifelong resident of New York City before moving to Beacon a number of years ago. Episode recorded at Beacon AV Lab. Photography by Michael Isabell. Hear more interviews and sign up for our newsletter at Beaconites.com. 

Eliza Woolsey Howland was a Civil War nurse, philanthropist and historical writer who was a member of the upper crust in Beacon during the middle of the 19th century. Among other contributions to the city, she co-founded the Howland Library, which celebrated its 150th anniversary this year.  In honor of that anniversary, historian Emily Murnane comes on the podcast to talk about Eliza's life and legacy in this community. Emily is a lifelong Beaconite who has worked as a teacher, gardener and historical reenactor, among other things. She portrayed Eliza in a recent presentation at the Howland  Cultural Center. For that event she wore formal period garb and adorned the stage with historically significant props while guiding her audience through the life of this fascinating nurse and benefactor.  Episode recorded at Beacon AV Lab. Photography by Michael Isabell. Hear more interviews and sign up for our newsletter at Beaconites.com.   

The Beacon Bonfire music & arts festival is coming up on Friday Nov 4 & Saturday Nov 5. This is a citywide event featuring upwards of 100 performers at venues across the city. In this episode I talk with Jeremy Schonfeld, one of the festival's organizers and an accomplished musician and composer. Jeremy grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, the child and grandchild of holocaust survivors, and made his way to NYC as a young man before moving to Beacon with his family. To learn more and buy your pass, visit BeaconBonfire.com and follow the festival on Instagram. Handle is Beacon Bonfire.

Anne Alvergue's film The Martha Mitchell Effect, now streaming on Netflix, a funny and fascinating documentary centered on the wife of Nixon attorney general John Mitchell. In this episode Anne describes how she got into non-fiction TV and film and how Nixon-era politics connects to our current discourse. Plus: Craig House anecdotes, Beacon's filmmaking community.

Julie Shiroishi is running to represent New York's newly created 39th Senate District. Dismayed by the 2016 election outcome, Julie began attending meetings of the Beacon Democrats and quickly rose through the ranks in Dutchess County progressive politics, volunteering her time to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot. In this episode she tells her story and makes an appeal for more community involvement in the electoral process.

Greg Buzulencia is a backcountry skier and trail runner who has explored wild places around the world. He's also a startup founder who runs a travel company called ViaHero. In this episode, Greg tells the story of an alpine skiing expedition outside Tehran and offers advice for those curious about the trail running experience in the Hudson Highlands. 

Steve Rossi is an interdisciplinary artist and the sculpture program head at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia.  Among other topics, we talk about Steve's time at the Tallix art foundry in Beacon, a fine art metal fabrication business that was one of this city's last connections to its industrial past before it merged with Polich Art Works and moved away in 2006.   Steve established the scuplture program at St. Joseph's with the goal of building hooks into other departments. And Steve has brought digital fabrication technologies like 3D printing, laser cutting, and digital rendering into the curriculum there.  Listeners to this episode may want to follow along on steve's website at steverossisculpture.com

Amber Grant is a two-term former city council person and an advocate for local sustainability initiatives. We talk about Beacon's trash and waste streams, and we learn more about a new citywide composting pilot program that's giving Beaconites access to subsidized compost bins and new dropoff sites that will accept things you probably don't want to throw in your backyard - including bones, dairy and meat.

Zakiyah Maynard moved to Beacon in 2014 and lived here until last summer when she was forced to move and wound up living in a shelter. Nine months later, she's still in search of permanent housing. 

In March, Beacon's city council passed “good cause eviction” legislation, written to protect renters in an increasingly vicious housing market. Councilman Dan Aymar Blair, who authored the law, joins us this week to talk about what it does and doesn't do and what may come next in the high stakes battle over housing affordability in this city. 

The Beacon Players are about to stage their spring show, Into The Woods, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Cast members Jonah Mensch and Shep Rodgers talk about what went into the production. 

Test your knowledge of our river's (ahem estuary's) natural and human history, and learn about upcoming community outreach programs at Clarkson University's campus at Dennings Point.