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Hey Poughkeepsie, hope your week’s off to a good start!

In today’s wallet-friendly edition: Casa Amigos expansion, a free screening of Empire Records, and a 90s-style book fair + lots of fun things to do for free.

Today’s sponsor, American Hartford Gold, is helping folks around Poughkeepsie protect their savings as gold and silver continue to gain momentum. Their free guide explains what’s driving the surge… and what to know before adding precious metals to your portfolio. Grab your free copy here.

📰 In the news

Brothers behind popular eatery: Casa Amigos from LaGrange is expanding to Kerhonkson and Wappingers Falls, giving Poughkeepsie-area diners choices, with the first possibly opening later this month and a second expected by late June — see when locations open.

Tracing regional culinary heritage: From century-old icons to beloved diners, mid-Hudson eateries are in the spotlight. Voting is open now to name the most classic in Dutchess, Orange, and Ulster, with results announced soon — vote and share your pick.

County-by-county parade guide: Parades are lined up around the mid-Hudson for St. Patrick’s Day, including Wappingers Falls. One already happened March 7, with Ulster set for March 15 and Kingston for March 16 — get the full parade schedule.

Nothing prepares you for a pet emergency: I learned that the hard way after charging $10k to a credit card for life-saving surgery on my cat, Miss Stache. As soon as we got home, I signed up for Spot. It’s super affordable – and reimburses up to 90% of the bill.

Highlights this week:

• Learn hands-only CPR and receive Narcan kits
• Create mosaic animals from recycled toys
• Enjoy a 90s-style book fair

🫶 We got your back

Upgrade your lunch rotation: Lola’s Cafe has been Poughkeepsie’s go-to since 2005 for made-to-order sandwiches, panini, chopped salads, grain bowls, and homemade soups with locally sourced ingredients. Fast-casual and no fuss, it sits near the Walkway, where Chef Ed Kowalski’s crew delivers a reliable lunchtime reset.

Skyline stroll, anyone? When the week gets loud, Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park delivers an easy reset with a wide path, fresh air, and sweeping river views without leaving town. Perfect with a friend, it’s a chance to stretch your legs, let your brain idle for a mile, and feel better after.

Small-shop toy joy: But First, We Play!is your friendly neighborhood toy shop for last-minute birthdays and hard-won high-fives. Local, browsable, and delightfully stocked, it makes gift hunting easy, with finds for kids and, let’s be honest, a little something for you too.

Why your last diet didn’t work: Sustained weight loss is nearly impossible with diet alone. Your body literally fights back by making you hungrier the moment you start restricting calories. That’s why more doctors are recommending GLP-1s. The best part? Getting them has never been easier. We compared three programs to help you find the right fit. See which ones stood out →

Your data is for sale right now: There are over 400 websites selling your info to marketers, political campaigns, and scammers. They’ve got your phone number, home address, relatives’ names… you name it. That’s how robocallers seem to know everything about you before you pick up. You can remove your info one site at a time, or pay a service to do it for you. Here’s what we recommend →

📆 Free events worth checking out

Have an event to share? BaseLocal Verified Businesses can submit them for free! Learn more about how to submit an event here →

All events are subject to change without notice. Always check official event pages for the most up to date information.

🎺 Tuesday Night Jazz Jam Session! @ Mahoney’s Irish Pub & Steakhouse | Tuesday (3/10) at 7:00 PM – Tuesday jazz jam keeps Poughkeepsie’s scene lively, hosted by Poughkeepsie Jazz Project with bassist Ben Basile’s house trio. Free, all ages, backline ready, so bring your horn, or just your ears. Standards, Songbook gems, bossa, and Afro-Cuban grooves, not your magnum opus.

👨 Family Free Night @ Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum | Sunday (3/15) at 5:30 PM – Third Sunday parenting hack, the museum opens late and families get in free for a kid-powered evening. Bring the kids, ages 0 to 12, keep an eye on them, and let them touch everything you can’t at the grownup galleries. Juice boxes optional.

🎣 Fly Tying Series @ Plan Bee Farm Brewery | Saturday (3/21) at 12:00 PM – Whether you can cast a line or just cast shade, Plan Bee’s taproom is reopening for a day on the farm, fresh pours, and Trout Unlimited tying flies at the bar. Watch, ask questions, learn a knot or two, then toast the season.

🦄 Seriously Whimsical @ Gallery 40 | Saturday (3/21) at 5:00 PM – Because this town loves a Serious Art Face, Seriously Whimsical is a group show that winks, nudges, and nails technique. Four local and international artists play with mixed media, collage, and paper, inviting you to look twice, laugh freely, and enjoy it, guilt-free. Free admission.

🎖 Veterans Social @ Taconic Resources for Independence | Tuesday (3/24) at 2:00 PM – Free social for our Veterans, with good food, real conversation, and zero sales pitch. Swap stories, meet neighbors, and get help with VA pensions, home accessibility, HUD-VASH and HERO housing options, and peer support; register by March 17, then come hungry.

🎬 Film: Empire Records (1995) @ Bardavon Presents | Wednesday (4/8) at 7:30 PM – Free screening of the cult classic Empire Records, teamed with Darkside Records, because independent music still sounds better than corporate beige. Relive ’90s alt riffs, workplace chaos, and the noble art of not selling out. Rex Manning Day energy, no calendar required.

🎉 PKX Festival: Day 1 @ Carole J. Wolf Gallery | Friday (4/24) at 5:30 PM – Day 1 of PKX kicks off at The Art Effect’s Carole J. Wolf Gallery with teen art that will make you question your own high school hobbies, an international film screening, awards, and a Q&A. It’s free, all ages, rain or shine, and gloriously Poughkeepsie.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

📻 Poughkeepsie report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 74°F – Low: 47°F – Precip: 3%

Patchy fog before 10am. Sunny, with a high near 74. South wind 1 to 6 mph. Later: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. South wind around 5 mph.

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Tomorrow – High: 70°F – Low: 50°F – Precip: 27%

A chance of rain showers after 8am. Partly sunny, with a high near 70. South wind 2 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible. Later: Rain showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Southwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Are you quietly overpaying for car insurance? 🚗

Premiums have been climbing across New York but most folks won’t notice until they’re hit with a higher bill when it’s time to renew.

That’s exactly what happened to me. I had the same policy for half a decade. Autopay was on, it was out of sight and out of mind. Turns out I was blindly paying way more than everyone else I knew.

If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too – here’s the comparison tool I used.

This house is wild

This 4-bed, 2.5-bath home sits in the Spackenkill School District minutes from Route 9 conveniences. The kitchen shines with granite countertops, a 1-year-old stove, and a 2-year-young fridge, opening to dining and living rooms. Features include newer flooring, a primary ensuite, and a deck to a level backyard. Invisible fencing, newer roof, natural gas, town water and sewer add ease.

Take a peek inside →