PINE PLAINS — Whether they’re collecting their prescriptions or dropping by the pharmacy on an errand, local residents know Nasir Mahmood for his diligence and personalized attention to every customer who walks into the Pine Plains Pharmacy, which he owns and operates. Mahmood’s dedication to his profession was recently recognized by the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), which presented him with the 2020 Calvin J. Anthony Lifetime Achievement Award.
Meditating on his decision to become a pharmacist, Mahmood said that he chose the profession to help people, adding that the pharmacy profession “offers more opportunities to help people and make a difference in their lives.
“You compare other medical professions, this is the best one,” he said.
Located at 2965 Church St. (Route 199), Mahmood has owned the Pine Plains Pharmacy since 1989, during which time he has continuously served the community in many ways. Every service, he said, is personalized to the individuals who come into his pharmacy, and everyone receives the best care possible.
Mahmood has since been joined at the pharmacy by his son, Rehan, who is working alongside his father as a pharmacist at the business. When asked whether he suspected his pharmacy would become such a valuable resource in the community, especially now, during the pandemic. Mahmood said, “That’s what my vision was, and we were able to accomplish it.”
In addition to his role as pharmacist, Mahmood previously served a one-year term as chairman of the board of the Pharmacist Society for the State of New York (PSSNY) as well as the president of PSSNY from 2008 to 2009. Additionally, he served as an officer and vice president for the Hudson Valley Pharmacist Society, an affiliate of PSSNY. He currently serves as vice chair of the New York State Board of Pharmacy. Throughout his career, Mahmood has earned many awards from the PSSNY as well as the Bowl of Hygiene, an award he said is granted to one pharmacists in every state each year.
The Calvin J. Anthony Lifetime Achievement Award was created to honor a pharmacist who has dedicated his or her career to the pharmacy profession. The award’s namesake pays tribute to Calvin J. Anthony’s distinguished pharmacy career as “an independent community pharmacy owner in Stillwater, Okl.,” and his service on multiple pharmacy organizational boards, including a five-year term as NCPA’s executive vice president, according to the PSSNY.
Mahmood received an engraved commemorative plaque and will be recognized at the NCPA’s annual convention later this month.
“It means a lot to me,” Mahmood said. “I know there are over 300,000 pharmacists in the U.S., and having been one of those 300,000, it’s a huge honor. I couldn’t do it alone.”
To the young generation of pharmacists preparing to pursue a career in the same profession that inspired him, Mahmood has encouraged them to get involved, to do the best they can, to work on top of their licenses and to help the community by sharing their knowledge and abilities.
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.
