Beaconites!

Zachary Rodgers
Beaconites!

Beaconites! is a podcast about Beacon, New York and the people who live here. Interviews with artists, business owners, educators, students and other local figures provide a window on Beacon and a point of entry for listeners to get involved.

  1. ١ ربيع الآخر

    Meet Yvette Valdes Smith, the Democrat trying to flip NY State Senate District 39

    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.  “Housing is a huge issue. It’s going to require us not being NIMBY about things. We have to increase housing stock," she tells Beaconites. 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 in the Republican controlled body. Now she’s running for NY State Senate District 39, which encompasses Beacon along with parts of Putnam, Dutchess and Orange counties.  In addition to housing affordability, her campaign is focused on issues like abortion rights, gender-affirming care, gun safety. She's especialy passionate about creating more resources for young people.  “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.

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  2. Firefighters of Beacon

    ١ صفر

    Firefighters of Beacon

    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.”

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Beaconites! is a podcast about Beacon, New York and the people who live here. Interviews with artists, business owners, educators, students and other local figures provide a window on Beacon and a point of entry for listeners to get involved.

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