Reader-Supported News for Philipstown and Beacon Fixing the Howland Page 16 JANUARY 31, 2020 ISSUE 400 Support us at highlandscurrent.org/join Beacon Counts Putnam D.A. Its Blessings Requests Phone City completes natural resource inventory Breaker By Jeff Simms Also says new state evidence law unworkable wo years ago, Beacon began to document its natural and cultural By Leonard Sparks resources. What exactly did the city T he Putnam County district attor- have going for it? How about this: more than 4 miles of ney plans to buy a device that will Hudson River shoreline; state-certified T allow investigators to retrieve “important areas” for rare plants and animals; photos, texts and other information from estuarine, marine, freshwater and forested the locked Apple and Android phones of wetlands; and 10 parks and preserves. suspects. What’s next? Figuring out how to protect The Legislature’s Audit and Adminis- them. tration Committee on Jan. 23 approved a The 64-page Natural Resource Inven- request from Robert Tendy to spend $9,500 tory, or NRI, was completed this month. to purchase Cellebrite, which is made by an This painting by Hudson Valley artist John Gould, “The Last Cantonment 1783,” is “a good It is filled with dozens of maps and charts, Israeli company for law enforcement agen- depiction of what the Fishkill Supply Depot would have looked like during the Revolutionary definitions and data on nearly every- cies and governments. War,” according to Friends of the Fishkill Supply Depot. Image courtesy John Gould thing under the sun, literally, within the Cellebrite’s system is “a powerful inves- 4.7-square-mile city. tigative tool, and we will be using it to our “It really is a foundational planning tool,” advantage,” Tendy said. Revolutionary War said Laura Heady, the conservation and A court order is required before a phone land-use program coordinator for the state can be accessed, he noted. “You can’t just Department of Environmental Conserva- grab a guy’s phone and apply Cellebrite,” Battle Rages in Fishkill tion’s Hudson River Estuary Program, which he said. “If you did that, any information (Continued on Page 9) (Continued on Page 3) Critics oppose themed tourist complex on historic site By Liz Schevtchuk Armstrong Sometimes called Crossroads, the parcel lies across Snook Road from the hat may be the last battle of the 18th-century Van Wyck Homestead, a American Revolution is being onetime farmhouse now owned by the W fought in Fishkill. Fishkill Historical Society that served as The fight pits an historical organization a Continental Army headquarters in the and residents against a pugnacious devel- epicenter of the Fishkill Supply Depot, oper. It also involves a local government which operated from 1776 to 1783. that until recently seemed ready to accom- Established by Gen. George Washing- modate him. ton, the entire supply depot sprawled from At stake is a 10.5-acre parcel on the east northern Philipstown to Fishkill Landing side of Route 9 (the Albany Post Road of (part of present-day Beacon) and Fishkill colonial days), opposite the largely vacant village (which served as New York’s wartime Dutchess Mall. capital for six months) and extended east- Over many years, the dispute has involved ward along the current state Route 52. a thicket of litigation; allegations that During the Revolutionary War, several someone salted the property with bones thousand soldiers and others lived or to suggest it contains important patriot worked on the site, which included such burials; political maneuvering; withering facilities as barracks, officers’ quarters, attacks on social media; and spying on the blacksmith and craft shops, warehouses, historical group by an undercover investi- stables, training grounds, an armory, HONORING THOSE WHO SERVED — The Lewis Tompkins Hose Co. in Beacon held gator hired by the developer. artillery placements, powder magazine, a its annual memorial service and breakfast on Jan. 26 to remember late members. The skirmish reflects broader concerns prison, and other operations essential for A service at St. John the Evangelist Church was followed by a meal at the firehouse. about the impact of development on neigh- the war. Gen. Israel Putnam oversaw the Those remembered included two members who died in 2019 (Larry Natoli and Alex boring communities, including Beacon, depot, and, like Washington, Alexander Bowen), all firefighters lost on 9/11 and in various wars, and Bobby Cramer, the former which could end up processing the site’s Hamilton and John Jay and other colonial president of the company who perished fighting a fire at 144-146 Main St. on Jan. 29, sewage, and Philipstown, which shares leaders came and went. 1955, and is the only Beacon firefighter to die in the line of duty. His daughter, Mary mountains, streams and Revolutionary Cramer Wassi, who was 4 at the time, attends the service each year. Photo by Ross Corsair (Continued on Page 6) War history with Fishkill. 2 JANUARY 31, 2020 The Highlands Current highlandscurrent.org FIVE QUESTIONS: ANGEL ELEKTRA By Michael Turton sation. I was raised in a Christian house- hold and taught to love one another and not By Michael Turton ngel Elektra will present a Drag judge one another. Catholic priests should Queen Story Hour for children reevaluate themselves and worry about the Where is Super A at the Putnam Valley Library on mishaps they are involved in. Saturday, Feb. 1. Registration is full. Bowl LIV on your What do you think are the What books do you use in your story misconceptions and fears some priority list? hours? people have regarding those who We read all kinds of stories that deal with are not heterosexual? acceptance, love and tolerance; that’s what we They fear drag queens are pedophiles. My want kids to take away from the experience. mission is to change that perspective. Drag Pretty low. I don’t care Examples include The Very Hungry Cater- is an art form. It has no gender; anyone can pillar and Julian is a Mermaid. All books do drag! I do it because I enjoy perform- for either team, and I are approved by the local librarians and have ing; I studied musical theater and doing didn’t bet anything. absolutely nothing to do with sexuality. How do you respond to a local Cath- drag allows me to embrace creativity. I am olic priest who wrote that programs a married, gay man. It’s all about express- What is your goal? such as yours “promote gender ing love and acceptance. I’m changing the world by dressing up as my confusion in innocent children and favorite characters. I can’t tell you how many spread immoral disordered ideas What would you say to parents children have approached me with stories of among children and adults”? who are unsure about bringing not being accepted. Is that the world we want The program does not promote gender their child? to live in? When I was a child I needed this kind confusion. We simply do what a librarian Parents can bring them if they wish, or of experience to help me identify myself. Unfor- does, except with a little sparkle. Immoral not! Eventually the child will be able to tunately, there was no program like DQSH. disorder? That shouldn’t even be a conver- make his or her own decisions. I can’t tell you how many children have approached me with ~ Rob Runcie, Cold Spring stories of not being accepted. Is that the world we want to live in? It should be a good game. I grew up in the Bay area. Go 49ers! ~ Doug Berman, Beacon It’s probably a negative number on my list. Don’t know who’s playing. Don’t care. ~ Hailey Reynolds, Beacon highlandscurrent.org The Highlands Current JANUARY 31, 2020 3 Putnam Considers Human Rights Commission More Hate Group Would work to counter hate in 2018. There were no incidents reported would be appointed by the county execu- Signs in Beacon in 2014, 2015 or 2016. tive and approved by the Legislature. The Flyers promote white crimes, intolerance Hyre said hate crimes don’t affect just commission would have no budget or staff. the immediate victim but the community. Montgomery said a commission would nationalist group By Holly Crocco “What we need to do is put something in help bring communities together. “In each Posters promoting Patriot Front, a place to protect all of our citizens, and little pocket of the county we have organi- white nationalist group, appeared hile only a few hate-crime inci- creating a Human Rights Commission will zations that are working on these issues,” in and near Beacon last week dents have been reported in do just that,” he said. she noted, but there is no “conversation with slogans such as “Not Stolen. W Putnam in recent years, lawmak- “Every community does things differ- happening on a county level. This county Conquered” and “Reclaim America.” ers seem to agree that the county should ently, and the magic will happen when you needs more of an opportunity for public Propaganda from the group, which create a Human Rights Commission. folks appoint people to this commission participation, and this is the way to do it.” is based in Texas, also showed up in Brooklyn earlier in the month. “This was driven by the people of Putnam and they decide what they need in Carmel, Terry Raskin, president of the Putnam County,” said Legislator Nancy Montgomery or what they need in Patterson, or Philip- Valley Library board, said she and her In October 2018, posters promoting (D-Philipstown), during the Legislature’s Jan.