State Senator Michelle Hinchey speaks about Melanie’s Law, which would close a loophole for orders of protection for victims of domestic violence and insure that all members of a victim’s family are protected. Behind her on the right are Cheryl Chiannese, Melanie’s mother and Sue Serino, Dutchess County Executive.
Legislators in New York are working to close a gap in a law that is meant to protect victims of domestic violence.
State Sen. Michelle Hinchey (D-41), representing the counties of Columbia, Green, northern Dutchess, and parts of Ulster , announced the passage of Melanie’s Law, a bill she co-sponsored, through the state Senate.
The bill awaits passage in the Assembly and to be signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Melanie’s Law addresses a hole in domestic violence legislation that allows protective orders to be placed on people who are in a relationship and their family members under age 18, but not those who are older.
Dutchess County resident, 29-year old Melanie Chianese was murdered by her mother’s boyfriend. Her mother and her then three-year old son had orders of protection, but because Melanie was over eighteen, she was denied a protective order.
The boyfriend, Paul J. Senecal of Poughkeepsie, was wearing an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet at the time of the murder. He had been arrested three times for domestic violence and was awaiting a sentence on felony contempt. On May 29, 2022, he stabbed Melanie several times at her home in Wappingers, which she shared with her mother and son. She ran to a neighbor’s house covered in blood. An ambulance responded, but Melanie died at the hospital.
Sen. Hinchey said, “When victims of domestic violence and their loved ones come forward for help, they deserve to be protected under the law.
Melanie’s Law will bridge a glaring loophole by expanding orders of protection to cover family and household members, ensuring they can also seek protection from dangerous individuals.”
She added, “I’m proud to sponsor this common-sense legislation and to have secured its passage in the Senate.”
“The bill was originally sponsored by former Sen. Sue Serino. When I became the representative of northern Dutchess County in the State Senate, I discussed the bill with Sue, learned about its importance, both to her and the Chianese family, and decided to sponsor the bill,” explained Senator Hinchey.
Serino now serves as Dutchess County Executive and remains a supporter of the bill.
Of Melanie’s mother Senator Hinchey said, “I thank Cheryl Chianese, Melanie’s mom for her tireless advocacy in the face of such unimaginable tragedy.”
At the time of her murder Melanie was about to graduate from Dutchess Community College with a degree in substance abuse counseling. She also was a devoted mother to a three-year-old son who has autism.
At his sentencing Senecal said he killed Melanie because he wanted revenge for being rejected by her mother. He was sentenced to life without parole and is also under restricted communication with the outside world because of writing, calling, and emailing Cheryl Chianese while in prison.
Cheryl Chianese was granted a 99-year restraining order against Senecal.
Since the murder of her daughter, Chianese has advocated for better protection for all involved in domestic violence.
She said, “If Melanie’s Law passes and if Melanie’s Law saves just one life, our mission has been fulfilled.”
AMENIA — The first day of school on Thursday, Sept. 4, at Webutuck Elementary School went smoothly, with teachers enthusiastically greeting the eager young students disembarking from buses. Excitement was measurable, with only a few tears from parents, but school began anyway.
Ready for her first day of school on Thursday, Sept. 4, at Webutuck Elementary School, Liliana Cawley, 7, would soon join her second grade class, but first she posed for a photo to mark the occasion.Photo by Leila Hawken
Millerton Police Chief Joseph Olenik shows off the new gear. Brand new police cruisers arrived last week.
MILLERTON — The Millerton Police Department has received two new patrol cars to replace vehicles destroyed in the February 2025 fire at the Village Water and Highway Department.
The new Ford Interceptors are custom-built for law enforcement. “They’re more rugged than a Ford Explorer,” said Millerton Police Chief Joseph Olenik, noting the all-wheel drive, heavy-duty suspension and larger tires and engine. “They call it the ‘Police Package.’”
Olenik worked with The Cruiser’s Division in Mamaroneck, New York, to design the vehicles.
“We really want to thank the Pine Plains Police Department for their tremendous support,” Olenik said. After the fire, “they were the first ones to come forward and offer help.”
The new police cruisers are outfitted with lights with automatically adjusting brightness to best perform in ambient conditions.Photo by Aly Morrissey
Since February, Millerton officers have been borrowing a patrol car from Pine Plains. With the new vehicles now in service, Olenik said he plans to thank Pine Plains officers by treating them to dinner at Four Brothers in Amenia and having their car detailed
AMENIA — While the courage and perseverance of Revolutionary era patriots is well understood and celebrated, the stories of the fate of British loyalists in New York are not as clear.
Seen as the initial event in observance of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the Amenia Historical Society will present a talk titled, “The Plight of a Loyalist in Revolutionary New York,” examining the journal of Cadwallader Colden, Jr., spanning the period of 1777-1779. The speaker will be noted author, genealogist and historian Jay Campbell.
The talk is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m. at the Smithfield Presbyterian Church in Amenia. The handicapped-accessible church is located at 656 Smithfield Valley Road. Refreshments will be served.
Colden was the son of a New York Lieutenant Governor. He was a surveyor, farmer and mercantilist, serving as a judge in Ulster County. His fortunes changed dramatically with the dawn of the Revolutionary War when he remained loyal to the British Crown. His arrest came in 1776, just before the start of his journal.
Campbell is a historian specializing in Hudson Valley history, and the regional stories of Revolutionary era families.
Erin Rollins of Millbrook in the Fashion Feed booth, open year round, at the Millbrook Antiques Mall. All proceeds from Fashion Feeds go to the Food of Life Pantry. As an interior designer by trade, Rollins designed this booth to evoke a high-end department store to align with the designer brands she carries.
MILLERTON — The Townscape 50/50 raffle drawing has collected a pot of more than $7,000.
That raffle drawing will take place this Saturday at 2 p.m. in Veteran’s Park. The moment is not just about picking a winner, but also about reflecting on how far Townscape has come since its humble beginnings in 1998, when founder Catherine Fenn — alongside Renee Vollen and Jan Gilmor — first set out to beautify her beloved village.
Fenn’s connection to Millerton runs deep. “I moved here from the Bronx when I was eight years old and fell in love with the place, even as a child,” she recalled, remembering camping trips at Rudd Pond and enjoying the quiet pace of life.
At 15, her family relocated to southern Connecticut. “My dad didn’t think there was much here for us, so we moved. I left kicking and screaming, literally, and I said, ‘Someday I’m coming back.’”
Years later, after marrying, divorcing, and raising children, Fenn kept that promise. She returned to Millerton and married a childhood friend who was very involved in the fire department. After his passing, Fenn threw herself into her own way of giving back.
“I care about this village deeply. Townscape is my way of helping Millerton be the best it can be,” she said.
What began as an informal effort to gather volunteers and plant flowers eventually blossomed into something larger. “We started with flowers up and down Main Street — barrels of them everywhere. Then it grew into benches, tables, trees and even events. It was such a fun world, a really wonderful organization with so many people involved.”
Fenn’s service to the community extends beyond beautification. She spent roughly two decades on the Planning Board, served as Town Supervisor and worked with the county housing authority. Still, her passion for flowers, trees and landscapes has left the most visible mark on Millerton — shaping not only how the village looks, but how it feels.
In 2006, Townscape became a nonprofit organization. But beautification, Fenn admits, isn’t always the easiest cause to fund. “We’re just putting flowers out — and I shouldn’t say ‘just,’ because to me it’s really important. The trees, the benches, all of it matters. But it’s not high on most people’s list when they think about charitable donations. Still, people have been wonderfully generous over the years.”
This Saturday’s raffle drawing is one way neighbors can show their support. The winner does not have to be present to claim the prize, but those who stop by can enjoy cookies, lemonade and artwork by local creators on display in the park.
