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.
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.
