PODCAST · news
Beaconites!
by Zachary Rodgers
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.
Episodes
-
The history of Beacon's Black community, with Andrea Barrow-Williams
Andrea Barrow-Williams is one of the founders of Rise Up, a social justice and community ministry based out of St. Andrew & St. Luke Episcopal Church. She produced the 2023 documentary "Lines of Demarcation," which captures the history of Beacon's Black community from the 1950s through the '70s....
-
Why film and theater can still challenge us, with Jenny Tibbels
Is there still room for art that changes minds, rather than merely validating our entrenched worldviews? This week's guest, Jenny Tibbels, has dedicated her career to staging experimental works for the stage and screen that bridge the personal and political while morally challenging their...
-
Kids come alive in a garden, with Land to Learn's Nicole Porto
There's a growing movement to bring more outdoor learning to public schools. This month, we profile Land to Learn, a non-profit organization that provides hands-on, garden-based learning to elementary students and teens throughout the Hudson Valley. Executive Director Nicole Porto previously…
more -
Lastar Gorton wants Beacon to stop caving to developers
Lastar Gorton, Beacon's new Ward 1 city council rep, is tired of watching families be forced out of the city because their paychecks can't cover the rent or a mortgage down payment. Lastar grew up in Beacon, and she has watched waves of lifelong Beaconites leave as the cost of housing rises…
more -
Paula and Justin King, the married couple behind Rexhill Studio
How do you end up going into business with your life partner? For Paula and Justin King, the couple behind Rexhill Studio, the decision came many years after they first met, as their separate interests and skillsets gradually converged in their adopted home city. Paula grew up in NJ, attended NYU...
-
The many facets of Vibeke Saugestad
Not sure what to do with your one precious existence? Good news from the true-life adventures of Vibeke Saugestad: You don't have to pick one thing. Best known as a power-pop singer-songwriter, Vibeke is also an accomplished literary translator, multi-instrumentalist, puppet-maker and...
-
Everyone needs help, with disability rights advocate Beth Poague
Beth Poague's life changed when she and her then-husband Jim learned that their youngest son Finn had a rare genetic disorder. Their pace of living shifted, they sought community with other families going through the same thing, and as Finn got older, Beth channeled her energy into advocating for...
-
The Zach Rodgers interview
Repost: Some listeners experienced a truncated version of this interview, so we are deleting and reposting. -ZR The tables have turned! After six years and more than 133 interviews, Beaconites creator and host Zach Rodgers (i.e. me) moves into the guest's chair for a discussion of his life and…
more -
Finding magic in a drop of water or a nighttime walk, with Julie Winterbottom
Julie Winterbottom has written a wide range of books aimed at children, including books on farts, pranks and horror — all designed for maximum humor, spine chills and fun. Her most recent work is a little different: "Magic in a Drop of Water" tells the story of ecologist Ruth Patrick, who did...
-
How food stabilizes community, with Mike Diago
Mike Diago loves eating, and writing about, food, but his interest is only partly about the cuisine itself. In articles for Eater, Saveur, Chronogram, The Bittman Project and other publications, Mike has created a niche covering the critical role food and eateries play in stabilizing communities....
-
The choral-cosmic works of Heather Christian, MacArthur Fellow
Heather Christian is a singer, playwright, composer and recent winner of a MacArthur "genius grant." Her compositions use spiritual music forms to explore themes as varied as ghosts, grief, the Odyssey and the Big Bang. She describes them as " choral-based complex music theater works." They are...
-
Carolyn Glauda is an optimist in dark times
As the only candidate running for city council representing Ward 4, Carolyn Glauda is pretty much a shoe-in for the seat, but she still wants to earn your vote. In this interview, she shares her vision for a safer, more affordable and more sustainable Beacon. Carolyn has been a member of the...
-
How's the cell phone ban going? With Beacon teachers Christina Dahl and Lesli Tomkins
In this back-to-school episode, we hear from two longtime teachers in the public schools. High school history teacher Christina Dahl and JV Forrestal kindergarden teacher Lesli Tomkins talk about changes for the 2025-26 school year, the largest of which is a new "bell-to-bell" ban on cell phones…
more -
Making art through life's changes, with Margot Kingon
Our new interview with Margot Kingon, an artist and the founder of Second Wave Supplies, has a wonderful sweep to it. As an artist and creative instigator, much of Margot's work could be labeled "art as social practice." Her many projects have included a long-running pop-up dance party...
-
In pursuit of connection, with Gracelyn Woods
Originally from Seattle, Gracelyn Woods grew up housing insecure, food insecure and raised by a single mom. From these tough beginnings, she cultivated a fierce attitude of hard work and self-determination that resulted in a successful career in TV and event production in New York City. But after...
-
Beacon needs bikes, with Meg Lazaros
There are plenty of good reasons to hope for a more bikeable Beacon. To name a few: 1) Improved safety (for drivers and pedestrians as well as for cyclists) 2) Reduced traffic congestion 3) Greater equity for people who can't afford a car or don't want to drive around for small errands. 4) Bikes...
-
Gen X women are not done, with Lena Rizkallah
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...
-
How Sergei Krasikov turned his love of nature into a civic purpose
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.…
more -
Paulette Myers-Rich's art book collaborations
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...
-
Raising animals builds compassion, with Kim Pennock
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…
more -
We're all gonna die, with Riverview Funeral Home director Pat Halvey
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...
-
The strange history of Pollepel Island and Bannerman Castle, with Neil Caplan
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…
more -
The two sides of Curtis Harvey
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, where he has…
more -
Are the little kids alright? With pre-K educator Meredith Hairston
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 crisis in education that we're probably not talking about enough. But there...
-
Ordinary Devotion, with Kristen Holt-Browning
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…
more -
Sam Anderson
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,...
-
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...
-
Beacon Occultism! With Amy Wilson, owner of Otherworldly Waxes
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...
-
America vs. Amerikaland, with author Danny Goodman
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...
-
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...
-
How to become who you are, with Taylor Jackson (aka Black Satin Venus)
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...
-
Transitioning, with Lucy Sante and Hannah Brooks
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....
-
The amazing and true adventures of Bob Bozic
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...
-
Shane Killoran, dramaturg and performing arts curator
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…
more -
Fifty-plus years of music, with the Towne Crier owner Phil Ciganer
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...
-
Adam McKible on his book, 'Circulating Jim Crow'
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,"...
-
Ruth Danon, Poet and Literary Instigator
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...
-
Should we build vertically or protect the view? With council member Pam Wetherbee
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...
-
Confronting Beacon's housing crunch, with Ward 1 council member Molly Rhodes
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...
-
Art, archeology, and the 'neolithic package,' with Greg Slick
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…
more -
Zandy Mangold, ultrarunner and coach
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), Badwater (135 miles) and the Atacama...
-
Episode 100! With Beacon High School principal Corey Dwyer
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...
-
Soon Is Now, with Eve Morgenstern and Gary Hilderbrand
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,...
-
George Mansfield moves on from Dogwood and city council
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...
-
Twenty years of change, with Beacon beat reporter Jeff Simms
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...
-
A passion for movement, with Calli Rothberg
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...
-
Singer-songwriter Noga Cabo
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...
-
Building a pollinator highway through Beacon, with One Nature's Blair Patterson
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…
more -
Building a climate movement in Beacon, with Thomas Wright and Erin Ashoka
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...
-
George Atkinson, 96-year-old lifelong Beaconite
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…
more
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
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.
HOSTED BY
Zachary Rodgers
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Beaconites! have?
Beaconites! currently has 100 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Beaconites! about?
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.
How often does Beaconites! release new episodes?
Beaconites! has 100 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Beaconites!?
You can listen to Beaconites! on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Beaconites!?
Beaconites! is created and hosted by Zachary Rodgers.
URL copied to clipboard!