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Reader-Supported News for Philipstown and Beacon Local Podcasts Page 11 DECEMBER 20, 2019 Support us at highlandscurrent.org/join Former Cold Spring Trustee Arrested by FBI Charged with attempted child enticement By Chip Rowe harles E. “Chuck” Hustis III, a former two-term Village of Cold Spring trustee and recent mayoral A sampling of LIC Rocks (above) and Rock Girl places a rock on the bench outside The Current office in Cold Spring. Photos by M. Turton C candidate, was arrested by the FBI on Monday (Dec. 16) and charged with Current tracked down the mother-daugh- both “hidden in plain sight.” One was attempted enticement of a minor to Mystery Rocks ter team behind the secretive stones. They simply painted beautifully but the other engage in sexual activity, according to agreed to meet on the condition they be contained a welcome message. “I found a federal officials. Mother-daughter team referred to only as Rock Mom and Rock rock inscribed with ‘You are Strong’ at a Girl because no one in Long Island City has moment when I needed the sentiment, at a pays it forward been able to identify them. low point in my day,” Currelley said. “The By Michael Turton “That’s part of the fun,” Rock Mom said. idea of LIC Rocks is wonderful: Giving The team, which calls itself LIC Rocks, without reward, encouraging people to ast year, residents of Long Island visits the Highlands often and recently open their hearts and paying forward.” City in Queens were mystified when decided to make its mark here. Stones have Both mother and daughter admit to asking L hand-painted stones, many bearing been placed at Garrison Landing, on Main neighbors who they think is behind the rock messages, appeared in their neighborhood. Street in Cold Spring and on Main Street and conundrum, as a bit of misdirection. Now, these mysterious rocks are showing at the waterfront in Beacon. The adventure began last winter when up in Garrison, Cold Spring and Beacon. Cold Spring resident Ed Currelley found the two were looking for a project to work Acting on a tip from a reader, The two rocks at Beacon’s Long Dock Park, (Continued on Page 8) Yes, Beacon, There is a Santa Claus Plastic Bag Ban Hustis, 36, appeared before a federal Members of Facebook group Stephanie Dignan, a city resident. judge in White Plains on Monday on Dignan said she realized that she had the Coming — in the charge, which carries a mandatory spread a little holiday cheer means to buy presents this year for people minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. beyond her family and friends but wasn’t March, not He was represented at the initial court By Brian PJ Cronin sure how to find those in need. So she created appearance by a federal public defender a Facebook group. The idea was to identify January and released to home confinement anta Claus came early to Beacon this families, learn what they needed for the on a $150,000 bond, according to the year — and he did it 61 times. holidays, and distribute requests to group Dutchess enforcement U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern S That’s the number of families who members. She invited people she knew to District of New York. benefited from a Facebook group called join and made posts elsewhere on Facebook unlikely until state law The 2002 Haldane graduate, who could Beacon Santas created last month by (Continued on Page 8) takes effect not immediately be reached for comment, served on the Village Board from 2010 to By Jeff Simms 2014 and also ran unsuccessfully for the Haldane school board in 2015. He chal- Dutchess County law banning lenged incumbent Mayor Dave Merandy plastic grocery bags takes earlier this year. effect Jan. 1 but is unlikely to be A According to the complaint filed with enforced because a statewide measure the court, a 16-year-old male teenager noti- effective March 1 will supersede it. fied the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office The state regulation, signed into law that Hustis on Dec. 8 and 9 sent him sexu- on Earth Day (April 22) by Gov. Andrew ally explicit photos over Facebook Messen- Cuomo, bans single-use, carry-out plastic ger and solicited him to meet for sex. bags at any store that is required to collect The teen told police that Hustis had sales tax. New York joins seven other states been one of his substitute teachers. that have banned single-use plastic bags. Hustis was certified by the state as a Becky Fraioli (left) and Madison Lee (with Oliver the dog) played Santa to Takiya Mitchell The ban passed as part of the state and her two children. Photo provided (Continued on Page 9) (Continued on Page 8) 2 DECEMBER 20, 2019 The Highlands Current highlandscurrent.org FIVE QUESTIONS: RACHEL LEVIN By Chip Rowe do have chances with content to correct a job when I moved to New York was oversee- first impression, if you’re not aligned visu- ing a $6 million department for them. But achel Levin of ally, it’s going to distract. I missed working with clients one-on-one. Garrison, a former By Michael Turton R director at Saks You spent 10 years in luxury retail. A woman comes to you for styling. Fifth Avenue, is a personal What kind of markup is there? What is the first thing you ask? What’s your favorite stylist. She blogs at You mean, are customers paying a What’s going on in her life and in her rachellevinstyle.com. premium for luxury? Whether you’re closet, and what motivated her to call. I holiday tradition? talking moderate or luxury, once stores usually hear from people in the midst of Why does style hit the first major markdown they’re a personal or professional change that matter? making pennies on the dollar. Some prompts them to think about other things It’s a powerful companies, such as the Doen Collection that have to shift. I love to start in the closet I love Christmas tool for communi- and Tibi, are trying to maintain their because it’s a way to understand the edit- Eve, the [Feast of cation. While you margins and pay a living wage and be ing and re-evaluation that has to be done. sustainable instead of being part of My favorite scenario is where I say, “It’d be the] Seven Fishes the markdown culture we live in. great if you had X or Y,” and we find the and midnight Mass. piece stuffed in the back. If there’s been Were you fashionable as a kid? complete neglect and I have to start from I like to think so, yeah, but I was scratch, it’s incredibly stressful for myself more interested in other people and the client. wearing the clothing. I had my first job in fashion retail What is usually the first thing to go? at age 14, helping to run Anything “well-loved.” Listen, I appre- a boutique at a tennis ciate that you have your favorite black club. At age 19 I went sweater, but life is too good to wear things to work for Saks in with holes. But I understand. After I moved Cleveland as the to New York, I had to downsize and had a company’s young- girlfriend and my mother help me with my est designer first closet cleanout. It took a week, and I sales associ- felt physically ill. I tell clients, “If it’s truly ~ Danny Alos, Cold Spring ate, and sentimental, keep it. But never leave the my first house wearing it.” Photo by Karen Seifert Being with family for a good Spanish HIGHLAND STUDIO gathering and dinner with pernil and tostons. PRINTMAKERS FINE ART ~ Xio Mia, Beacon PRINTING SCANNING Our family comes from all over LARGE FORMAT — Italy, Texas, California — lots of heavy food, meatloaf, Greek HUDSON VALLEY’S salad and red wine. ARCHIVAL PRINTING SINCE 1997 PICTURE FRAMING print & map gallery 845-809-5174 31 STEPHANIE LANE COLD SPRING, NY www.thehighlandstudio.com ~ Eddie Burke, Cold Spring highlandscurrent.org The Highlands Current DECEMBER 20, 2019 3 MORE PARKING — The Beacon City Council on Dec. 9 authorized city officials to buy this lot at the corner of Wolcott Avenue and Beacon Street from the Lewis Tompkins Hose Co. for $325,000. The city plans to open the lot, which is being used by the department and the adjacent St. Andrew's Church, to the public. Photo by Jeff Simms NEWS BRIEFS number of people in our jail.” In addition, Dutchess DMV because bail reforms scheduled to go into Restricts Services effect in 2020 may further reduce the jail population, he said he was concerned that Will no longer process “the county administration appears set to licenses for Philipstown move forward with jail construction before he Department of Motor Vehicles office we have clarity” on their impact. T in Beacon will no longer accept or The budget reduced the property tax levy process applications for driver’s licenses, for the sixth consecutive year and lowered the driver’s permits or non-driver ID cards for property tax rate for the fifth straight year, residents of Philipstown under a new regu- from $3.45 to $3.27 per $1,000 of true value lation issued by Dutchess County. assessments. As of Dec. 17, Dutchess County DMV Legislators added amendments that offices only serve Dutchess County resi- included $50,000 to the Division of Veter- dents for licenses, permits and IDs, the ans’ Services to serve homeless veterans; agency said, although there are no resi- $575,000 to the Department of Planning dency restrictions on other transactions.

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