Assemblyman Anil Beephan, speaks about Melanie’s law, which will close a loophole in protecting victims of domestic violence. Assemblyman Brian Cunningham stands next to him. Cheryl Chianese, who lost her daughter when her ex-boyfriend murdered her, stands in the first row, far right, next to Cunningham. She has advocated for the law. Photo from the State Assembly.
ALBANY — New York state took another crucial step in the passage of Melanie’s Law, a law which will protect the families of domestic violence victims, whatever their age.
On Tuesday, May 21 the Assembly gave its approval to the measure.
Assemblyman Anil Beephan, who represents the 105th Assembly district, announced that the law passed in the Assembly and was be on its way to the governor’s office for signature. The 105th district includes parts of Dutchess County: Amenia, Dover, and Wappingers. Melanie Chianese, for whom the bill is named, was from Wappingers.
As it stands now, the law only protects those family members who are under eighteen.
Melanie was stabbed to death by her mother’s ex-boyfriend, Paul Senecal, in May of 2022. While Melanie’s mother and three-year-old son were granted protective orders against Senecal, Melanie, then twenty-nine, did not qualify for one. Melanie’s Law will correct this loophole if signed into law by the governor.
Beephan introduced Melanie’s Law in February of 2023 and it failed to pass the Assembly. He is “proud to confirm” its passage this year.
“The bill was able to pass this time because we were able to secure more bipartisan co-sponsors who advocated for the bill to be reported out of committee. As this was a new bill introduced in 2023, it sometimes takes the full session to get things to the floor. None of this would have been possible without the support of Assemblyman Cunningham.” Brian Cunningham, a Democrat, represents the 43rd district. As part of the majority in the Assembly, he helped Beephan introduce the bill.
State Senator Michelle Hinchey, who co-sponsored the bill in the Senate, commented about the Assembly’s passage of the bill, “The tragic murder of Melanie Chianese reminds us of the far-reaching consequences of domestic violence and the work that must be done to better protect victims and their loved ones. I’m proud to sponsor Melanie’s Law, developed in her memory, and heartened that both houses of the Legislature were able to pass it before the end of the session. We remain hopeful that the Governor will see the need for this common-sense legislation and sign it into law.”
Beephan said of the law and the work put into it, “I want to thank Cheryl, Melanie’s mother, for sharing her story and bringing awareness to this issue. I feel incredibly honored to have been part of this body of advocates and legislators to enact real change that will protect people in the future. The best of government is people coming together to solve problems, and in Melanie’s memory, I was glad we could do that here.”
Built in 1820, 1168 Bangall Amenia Road sold for $875,000 on July 31 with the transfer recorded in August. It has a Millbrook post office and is located in the Webutuck school district.
STANFORD — The Town of Stanford with nine transfers in two months reached a median price in August of $573,000 for single family homes, still below Stanford’s all-time median high in August 2024 of $640,000.
At the beginning of October there is a large inventory of single-family homes listed for sale with only six of the 18 homes listed for below the median price of $573,000 and seven above $1 million.
July transfers
79 Ernest Road — 4 bedroom/2.5 bath home on 6.87 acres in 2 parcels sold to Matthew C. Marinetti for $1,225,000.
29 Drake Road — 3 bedroom/3.5 bath home on 2 acres sold to Harper Montgomery for $850,000.
6042 Route 82 — 4 bedroom/2 bath home on 1.09 acres sold to Spencer Thompson for $795,000.
125 Tick Tock Way — 3 bedroom/2.5 bath ranch on 1.9 acres sold to Fleur Touchard for $475,000.
August transfers
102 Prospect Hill Road — 3 bedroom/2 bath home on 6.35 acres sold to Karl Creighton Pfister for $565,000.
252 Ernest Road — 2 bedroom/1 bath cottage on .85 acres sold to Meg Bumie for $465,000.
1196 Bangall Amenia Road — 4 bedroom/2.5 bath home on 2.16 acres sold to Roderick Alleyne for $875,000.
Hunns Lake Road (#759929) — 59.1 acres of residential land sold to Argos Farm LLC for $3,325,000.
* Town of Stanford recorded real estate transfers from July 1 to August 31 provided by Dutchess County Real Property Office monthly transfer reports. Details on each property from Dutchess Parcel Access - properties with an # indicate location on Dutchess Parcel Access. Market data from One Key MLS and Infosparks .Compiled by Christine Bates, Real Estate Advisor with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, Licensed in Connecticut and New York.
Hunt club members and friends gathered near Pugsley Hill at the historic Wethersfield Estate and Gardens in Amenia for the opening meet of the 2025-2026 Millbrook Hunt Club season on Saturday, Oct. 4. Foxhunters took off from Wethersfield’s hilltop gardens just after 8 a.m. for a hunting jaunt around Amenia’s countryside.
Joining in the fun at the dedication of the new pollinator pathway garden at The Millbrook Library on Saturday, Oct. 4, local expert gardener Maryanne Snow Pitts provides information about a planting to Lorraine Mirabella of Poughkeepsie.
MILLBROOK — Participating in a patchwork of libraries that have planted pollinator pathway gardens to attract insects and birds to their native plantings was one of the accomplishments being celebrated at the dedication of a new pollinator garden at the Millbrook Library on Saturday, Oct. 4.
“A lot of work went into it,” said Emma Sweeney, past President of the Millbrook Garden Club, who started the local library’s initiative two years ago.
The Pollinator Pathway program is a national effort to plant native plants that native insects depend upon for sustenance and preferred plants for their own seasonal reproduction.
Jana Hogan of Ridgefield, Connecticut, Executive Director of the Pollinator Pathway program, was on hand to present a plaque to the library for its successful participation.
“A garden is not just a garden,” said garden designer Andy Durbridge of Wassaic, designer of the library’s garden. “It may serve as a model for other gardens along the line.”
Speaking to the 50 visitors at the dedication, Durbridge said that the library’s garden has a mission, that it is a working garden, planned to serve insects and birds over their seasons. The earliest plants support pollinators, while the full range of plants continues to serve the needs of those they attract, offering habitat, shelter and food.
A pollinator garden is akin to a prairie, rather than a formalized European garden, Durbridge noted.
The garden project was supported by the library’s Friends group using funds raised during the Holiday Silent Auction and ongoing book sale. A grant from the Millbrook Garden Club also provided support.
Amenia Town Hall on Route 22.
AMENIA — After gathering comments from the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals, as it considers adding alternate members to those boards, the Town Board discussed possible changes to local laws governing those boards at its meeting on Friday, Oct. 3. The meeting date, usually on a Thursday, had been changed to accommodate a holiday.
In recent weeks Town Board attorney Ian Lindars has been compiling comments from the affected boards along with comments from the Town Board. The new laws may bring the appointment of two alternate members to each board. Alternate members are likely to be required to attend all meetings and be prepared to be seated if needed and be familiar with the applications being discussed. They would also need to take training required of all board members.
Lindars will prepare a draft of the new local laws to be reviewed by the Town Board and the affected boards.
As the Town Board begins work on the town’s annual budget negotiation process and anticipating an increase in some budget lines to accommodate major projects, the board unanimously approved three resolutions. The first will override the tax levy limit imposed on municipalities by the state of New York, a limit generally tied to the rate of inflation.
A public hearing on the proposal to override the levy limit was set for Thursday, November 6, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall.
