News & Events

Update for Wednesday, April 15, 2020:

• County Executive Molinaro participated in a Virtual Contact Breakfast this morning with the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce. If you were unable to attend, or want to rewatch the webinar, you can watch the full recording HERE.
• The New York Department of Health has issued the Interim Guidance for the requirement that businesses offer face masks to employees that must interact with the public. The guidance can be found HERE.
• In today’s (Wednesday) press conference, Governor Cuomo said that he did not expect this difficult time to end until a vaccine is created. He did say that the healthcare system has stabilized, which is a good sign that the social distancing measures have been successful so far
• In the same press conference, Governor Cuomo said that there is a blueprint for how they will reopen the state. It will be based on a multi-phase approach using criteria to determine who can reopen. The criteria for each tier will be; 1) How essential is the business? 2) What is the risk of infection spread? 3) What practices and precautions the businesses can implement? More information will be provided when it is released by the governor’s office.
• He also said he would be signing an Executive Order that would require any individual in public who cannot maintain social distancing to wear a nose/mouth covering. There is still a lot of ambiguity to this announcement and a copy of the Executive Order will be included when it is released. The policy will go into effect on Saturday.
• Tomorrow at 3PM, be sure to honk your horn twice to support all those in the MTA and public transit systems who are working everyday to make sure essential workers are still able to get to work. This is part of the #HeroesMovingHeroes campaign to show our appreciation to an often overlooked but vital part of our state, regional, and local economy.
• Celebrate National High Five Day tomorrow and give a “Dutchess Air Five.” Dutchess Tourism is encouraging all of Dutchess County to show appreciation for our local service industry, with support in the following ways: Purchase gift cards (online or over-the-phone) for later use; Shop online stores or participate in virtual experiences; Share 5-star love with favorite businesses by posting stellar reviews on Trip Advisor, Yelp, Google and on their own sites. Businesses: Promote the initiative on your social platforms using the provided graphic in the link. Help make this initiative go viral locally. For more information, click HERE.
• The Dyson Foundation will host a webinar tomorrow starting at 11AM, that will focus on how non-profits can remain economically viable through COVID-19. The webinar, “Nonprofit Financial Planning in Response to COVID-19”, can be registered for in advance by going HERE.

If you have any questions regarding the information in this notification or any other business related concerns and suggestions, please email Contact@DutchessBNN.com. Please do NOT contact elected officials regarding information in this email as they are currently inundated with handling the government response to this crisis. This network was created to help coordinate responses and share the burden, and we ask that you please contact us with any questions or concerns so our elected officials can focus on their task at hand. Thank you for your continued support through this time.

If you were forwarded this email, but would like to be added to the email list, please let us know by emailing contact@DutchessBNN.comPOWERED BY

Dutchess County’s Recovery Center stands ready as needed should local hospitals exceed their capacity to care for those impacted by COVID-19. This past Saturday, Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro joined Assistant Commissioner Cathi Tegtmeier and other representatives from the Department of Behavioral & Community Health as nearly 50 Dutchess County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers, who will assist in staffing the Recovery Center, were trained in the facility’s operational structure. Although staff is trained and prepared and the facility is ready for patient admission, it is not expected it will be necessary to open the facility this week as local hospital bed capacity has remained stable. Hospital capacity is evaluated daily, looking out three days, to determine if it is necessary to open the recovery center.

Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro directed the establishment of the Recovery Center last month to ensure Dutchess County would have enough beds to care for everyone throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as assist the local hospitals meet Governor Cuomo’s order to hospital capacity increase by 50% now, and plan for 100%.

County Executive Molinaro said, “We are grateful to our outstanding team from the Department of Behavioral & Community Health and all of our dedicated MRC volunteers for their diligent work to prepare this Recovery Center. While we hope we will never need to utilize the Recovery Center based on the current trend in hospitalization, it is important to have this resource ready to care for people as we do not yet know when we will reach our apex with this virus. We must all continue to do our part – stay safe, stay home and if you must go out, social distance with a face covering to stop the spread of this disease.”

County Executive Marc Molinaro joins DBCH Assistant Commissioner Cathi Tegtmeier for a tour of Dutchess County’s Recovery Center at DCC and offers thanks to the MRC volunteers staffing the center. Click above to watch a short video of the tour.

In the event local hospitals have limited bed capacity, the Recovery Center will be available to serve individuals who can be discharged from hospital care but still need appropriate support service to continue their recovery before returning home. The Recovery Center will provide safe housing and/or support of activities of daily living for individuals discharged from acute care.

Dutchess Community College’s Conklin Hall Dormitory serves as the location for the Recovery Center, with 176 rooms and 457 beds on 4 different floors. Total capacity will vary based on number of guests requiring single room and/or access to private bathroom per their care plan.

Staffing for the Recovery Center consists of approximately 50 medical and nonmedical professionals from multiple disciplines, primarily MRC volunteers. Housekeeping and security services are jointly provided by DCC staff and MRC volunteers.

In the last month, more than 200 additional people have joined the volunteer ranks of the MRC of Dutchess County, many of them nurses and other healthcare professionals. These volunteers have been instrumental in the response to COVID-19 in Dutchess County, assisting with monitoring those quarantined, staffing the Coronavirus hotline, making deliveries and now staffing the Recovery Center as needed.

Cathi Tegtmeier, Assistant Commissioner of Behavioral & Community Health said, “Under the leadership of County Executive Molinaro, Dutchess County has been proactive in establishing this Recovery Center that, if needed, will reduce the stress our local hospitals caring for COVID-19 patients. This facility, staffed by a dedicated contingent of medical professionals and trained volunteers, will provide a venue for those still recuperating from COVID-19 — but not needing hospitalization — to do so in a safe, contained building before being released home. Having this resource offers our healthcare community some peace of mind that there is a relief valve available to them if needed.”

Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health (DBCH) has worked in cooperation with Nuvance Health on the establishment of the Recovery Center. DBCH and Nuvance Health coordinate each day to assess current hospital capacity and determine if there is a need to utilize the Recovery Center within the next three days. Currently, hospital census numbers remain stable and it is not necessary to house guests at the Recovery Center.

Dutchess County Government continues to provide residents the most current information on its COVID-19 Community Impact Dashboard, and further updates and guidance are available on its website, http://www.dutchessny.gov/coronavirus, its Coronavirus hotline, (845) 486-3555, and its Facebook and Twitter accounts.

www.dutchessNY.gov

Watch today’s update from County Executive Molinaro about the two Facebook/TeleTown Halls he’s hosting tomorrow, including the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce forum in the morning.In Dutchess County as of April 14, 2020 there have been:-1,801 confirmed cases of COVID-19-8,546 tests administered-196 people have recoveredPOWERED BY

Update for Tuesday, April 14, 2020:

• On Wednesday 4/15/2020 between 8-9AM the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce will host a Virtual Contact Breakfast with Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro. You can use one of three options: 1) Zoom: HERE.  2) Dial and listen: (845) 765-7121. 3) Facebook Live: HERE. Thank you to Greystone Programs and KeyBank for sponsoring this event.
• The governor announced in a new Executive Order that any business that still has essential employees that comes into contact with customers, must provide those employees with face masks. This must be enforced by local government and law enforcement, and goes into effect tomorrow at 8PM. The full order can be found HERE.
• At 3 PM Thursday, be sure to honk your horn twice to support all those in the MTA and public transit systems who are working everyday to make sure essential workers are still able to get to work. This is part of the #HeroesMovingHeroes campaign to show our appreciation to an often overlooked but vital part of our state, regional, and local economy.
• In his press conference today (Tuesday) Governor Cuomo said he did not want to fight with the President in regards to the regional task force that was announced by six states yesterday (Massachusetts joined the task force today). However, Governor Cuomo also said he did not believe President Trump has the Constitutional authority because of the 10th Amendment to override his decision to shut down the state, and that he would make that case in court if needed.
• A $400,000 grant competition has been launched for small businesses who can produce N95 masks or ventilators. Applications are due Friday at 4PM. For more information, or to apply for the grant, click HERE.
• The SBA will host a number of webinars that will explain the five different programs the SBA has to help businesses and non-profits through COVID-19. To see the dates of the webinars and register, click HERE.
• On April 16th, celebrate National High Five Day and give a “Dutchess Air Five”. Dutchess Tourism is encouraging all of Dutchess County to show appreciation for our local service industry, with support in the following ways: Purchase gift cards (online or over-the-phone) for later use; Shop online stores or participate in virtual experiences; Share 5-star love with favorite businesses by posting stellar reviews on Trip Advisor, Yelp, Google and on their own sites. Businesses: Promote the initiative on your social platforms using the provided graphic in the link. Help make this initiative go viral locally. For more information, click HERE.

If you have any questions regarding the information in this notification or any other business related concerns and suggestions, please email Contact@DutchessBNN.com. Please do NOT contact elected officials regarding information in this email as they are currently inundated with handling the government response to this crisis. This network was created to help coordinate responses and share the burden, and we ask that you please contact us with any questions or concerns so our elected officials can focus on their task at hand. Thank you for your continued support through this time.

If you were forwarded this email, but would like to be added to the email list, please let us know by emailing contact@DutchessBNN.com

www.dutchessNY.gov

Watch today’s update from County Executive Molinaro about the COVID-19 Recovery center that will be operated by our Medical Reserve Corps to help relieve pressure on our local hospitals.In Dutchess County as of April 13, 2020 there have been:-1,746 confirmed cases of COVID-19-8,050 tests administered-178 people have recoveredPOWERED BY

Dutchess County Executive Marcus J. Molinaro announced today, in cooperation with the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce, an hour-long “Virtual Contact Breakfast” and Telephone Town Hall for local business owners and leaders will be held on Wednesday, April 15, at 8 a.m. County Executive Molinaro will discuss the many ways Dutchess County is working with the business community to react and respond during the COVID-19 pandemic, including proactive efforts to provide and collect information, resources and guidance.

Members of the business community can participate by calling (845) 765-7121 on Wednesday, April 15, beginning at 8 a.m., and it will also be streamed live on the County’s and Chamber’s Facebook pages.

County Executive Molinaro said, “Small businesses are the backbone of Dutchess County’s local economy and, as we face the Coronavirus pandemic together, many have had to rapidly change the way they do business. We understand the hardships being faced by our business community and have been working tirelessly to mobilize resources to help ensure business owners have the support they need.”

“Together with the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce and the many partners of the Think Dutchess Alliance for Business, we launched the Dutchess Business Notification Network which has been a critical information outlet for businesses during these unprecedented times,” Molinaro continued. “I encourage the business community to join us for Wednesday’s Virtual Contact Breakfast and Telephone Town Hall to learn more about our efforts and update us on their needs.”

The Dutchess Business Notification Network (DBNN) shares important updates, guidelines and information for the businesses and nonprofits in the community at www.dutchessbnn.com.  Business owners are encouraged to sign-up for daily email updates as well as join the DBNN Facebook Group for frequent updates.

Dutchess County’s efforts through the Dutchess Business Notification Network include:

• Survey of business needs to analyze the pandemic’s impact on the local economy and assess future business community needs to be well-positioned to recharge the economy as restrictions are lifted.
• Coordination with the Small Business Administration (SBA) to promote disaster relief loans to eligible businesses.
• Daily updates on State guidance for businesses including essential vs. non-essential classification, Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans, unemployment insurance, mortgage relief, and more.
• Collaboration with local businesses and residents to coordinate collection of Personal Protective Equipment donation for the County’s response efforts.
• Webinars for businesses with the Dutchess Chamber, such as the recent “Cybersecurity Awareness During COVID-19” to support business owners now operating remotely.
• Sharing “best practices” for essential retail and service industry businesses to protect employees and customers.
• Collaborating with Dutchess Tourism to promote “Take-out Tuesdays” to support local restaurants.

Later Wednesday evening, County Executive Molinaro will host the next in his weekly series of Telephone Town Hall and Facebook Live events for residents to participate and learn more about how Dutchess County is continuing to assist residents in need through its “Dutchess Responds” relief effort. Starting at 5:30 p.m., residents can call 845-765-7121 to listen and ask questions, or submit inquiries as Facebook comments.

Dutchess County Government continues to provide residents the most current information on its COVID-19 Community Impact Dashboard, and further updates and guidance are available on its website, www.dutchessny.gov/coronavirus, its Coronavirus hotline, (845) 486-3555, and its Facebook and Twitter accounts.

www.dutchessNY.gov

FREE Groceries are coming to Beacon again this Wednesday, April 15th. There will be free boxes of groceries available for pick up for anyone who needs them. This food is brought to you by the following organizations and groups: Beacon City School District, Beacon Mutual Aid,  Common Ground Farm, Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Green Teen Program, Fareground, the Food Bank of the Hudson Valley, and Hudson Valley Seed.

Pickup Locations;

*At Rombout Middle School from 10:00-11:00am

*At South Avenue Elementary school from 10:00-11:00am for pedestrians only–no car pickups please

Los comestibles GRATUITOS llegarán a Beacon nuevamente este miércoles 15 de abril. Habrá cajas de comestibles gratuitas disponibles para que las recoja cualquier persona que las necesite. Las siguientes organizaciones y grupos le traen esta comida: Beacon City School District, Beacon Mutual Aid, Common Ground Farm, el Programa Green Teen de Cornell Cooperative Extension, Fareground, el Banco de Alimentos del Hudson Valley y Hudson Valley Seed.

Ubicaciones de recogida;

* En la Escuela Intermedia Rombout de 10: 00-11: 00am

* En la escuela primaria South Avenue de 10: 00-11: 00 am solo para peatones, no se permite recoger el automóvil.

1. Courts & Playgrounds:  Beacon City parks remain open.  However, in light of new guidance from the state, our playgrounds, basketball courts and skate park will close.  We know from regular monitoring that Beacon residents are doing a great job of social distancing.  Keep it up.  Enjoy the parks, but not playgrounds or basketball courts.
2. Unemployment:  The NYS Department of Labor website now has a new streamlined application for unemployment that should handle new cases and reduce frustration.
3. Emotional Helpline:  This time can be hard emotionally – It’s a full rollercoaster of feelings. For any of you who are struggling, New York State has a Coronavirus Emotional Support Helpline at 844-863-9314. Call from 8am-10pm 7 days per week. There’s absolutely no shame in asking for some support.
4. Domestic Violence:  My mind has also been with those of you stuck at home, when home is not a safe place. In crisis times, domestic violence escalates. If you or someone you know needs help, know that there are helpers nearby.  If you’re in an urgent crisis, please call 911. Otherwise, text or call the National Domestic Violence hotline 24/7: 800-799-7233.
5. Beacon Police:  You can also always call the Beacon Police Department. Our police are part of the Dutchess County Domestic Abuse Response Team, and work with an advocate on site who supports people experiencing domestic violence.  And there are many others regionally who can help, including shelters. Find all of this soon on the city’s website, cityofbeacon.org.
6. This Census:  Don’t forget the census.

You’re all in our thoughts.  We’ll get through this together. 

Debido a la pandemia de COVID-19, la Oficina de Asistencia Temporal y para Personas con Discapacidades (OTDA, por sus siglas en inglés) del estado de Nueva York emitirá automáticamente un beneficio
suplementario de emergencia de SNAP para los hogares que aún no reciben el beneficio máximo. Esta acción forma parte de una disposición establecida por la Ley de Respuesta al Coronavirus ‘Familias primero’ de 2020 (Families First Corona Virus Response Act of 2020). Los hogares que actualmente no reciben el beneficio máximo recibirán el beneficio suplementario de emergencia de SNAP para aumentar el monto de beneficios actual al monto máximo por tamaño de la familia. OTDA del estado de Nueva York emitirá los beneficios suplementarios de emergencia a todos los hogares de SNAP que NO reciban el beneficio máximo durante los meses de marzo y abril de 2020.
Los hogares que ya recibieron el monto máximo del beneficio por el tamaño de la familia en marzo y abril de 2020 no son elegibles para este adicional.
Consulte en la siguiente tabla la asignación máxima del beneficio según la cantidad de miembros en la familia

CANTIDAD DE MIEMBROS EN LA FAMILIA
1 – ASIGNACION MAXIMA = $194
2 – ASIGNACION MAXIMA = $355
3 – ASIGNACION MAXIMA = $509
4 – ASIGNACION MAXIMA = $646
5 – ASIGNACION MAXIMA = $768
6 – ASIGNACION MAXIMA = $921
7 – ASIGNACION MAXIMA = $1,018
8 – ASIGNACION MAXIMA = $1,164
Por cada miembro adicional $146

Casos elegibles: Los casos de SNAP que recibieron beneficios en marzo y/o abril de 2020 y no recibieron el monto máximo de acuerdo con la cantidad de miembros en la familia en esos meses, recibirán el beneficio
suplementario de SNAP.

Los adicionales se emitirán automáticamente y estarán disponibles en su tarjeta EBT. NO es necesario que solicite los adicionales ni se ponga en contacto con su oficina local al respecto de estos.

Nota: Este es un pago de una sola vez. Los beneficiarios recibirán su monto regular de beneficios de SNAP a partir de mayo. No hay derecho a una audiencia imparcial para aquellos que reciben su beneficio regular en mayo, que es menor al beneficio máximo únicamente porque ya no reciben
la asignación suplementaria.