WESTCHESTER – Danbury, Connecticut resident Chantel Chenault, 46, has been indicted by a Westchester grand jury on charges of grand larceny and identity theft for stealing more than $300,000 from a 95-year-old woman with dementia while she was under Chenault’s care.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James says Chenault was a caseworker with Westchester County Adult Protective Services (APS) from March 2017 through April 2022 and transferred more than a half-million dollars from the victim’s retirement accounts to the woman’s checking account and would then bring the woman to the bank several times per month to make withdrawals.

Chenault also regularly used the woman’s ATM card at casinos without permission. Chenault was arraigned Friday in Westchester County Court on two felony counts of grand larceny, felony identity theft, and misdemeanor official misconduct. Her next appearance in court is scheduled for June 15, 2023.

“Chantel Chenault used her position as a caregiver to steal from someone who trusted her and who couldn’t protect herself. This betrayal harmed the victim and harmed the reputation of the Westchester County Adult Protective Services,” said Attorney General James, adding “All New Yorkers deserve safe and secure services to support autonomy later in life.”

“There is nothing more insidious than exploiting the most vulnerable among us, especially when families put their trust in a caseworker they believe will treat their loved one with the respect and dignity they deserve,” said Suzanne Miles-Gustave, acting commissioner, New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS). “OCFS has zero tolerance for this type of abuse and referred this case directly to Attorney General James’ office for investigation. I commend the subsequent caseworker who reported the alleged criminal activity to the appropriate authorities immediately. Reinforcing what we know in OCFS, the vast majority of human services professionals approach their work with the utmost care and compassion.”

Chenault became the elderly woman’s caseworker in 2017. As the woman’s physical and mental health declined, Chenault was responsible for arranging home health aides from a third-party provider to provide care. Chenault went on medical leave in March 2022, and the new caseworker at APS assigned to the elderly woman noticed there had been a substantial drop in her assets in just a matter of months. Further investigation revealed that the woman’s bank accounts and retirement accounts were entirely depleted and as a result, she could no longer afford home health care. A forensic audit of her bank accounts identified a pattern of suspicious withdrawals and transfers, and the use of her ATM card at times when she was homebound. In total, Chenault is alleged to have stolen more than $300,000 from the woman over a five-year period.

NEW YORK – Fifty-three-year-old Robert Porco of Fishkill was arrested by New York City police on March 19, 2023, while protesting at an event sponsored by New York State Attorney Letitia James and the LGBTQ+ Community Center in Manhattan. The first of its kind “Drag Story Hour Read-A-Thon” for families drew protesters consisting primarily of the Proud Boys network who were met by counter-protesters who were denouncing the bigotry and “gay-bashing” carried out by the protesters.

Porco traveled from Fishkill to Greenwich Village in the city to join fellow protesters in denouncing the event.  Wearing an “Anonymous” mask, he allegedly approached a counter-protester and struck him in the face, causing injury, according to police officials.  He was charged with assault for the attack.

The Drag Story Hour enlists individuals dressed in drag who read books to children and their families in a festive environment.  The program is designed to encourage reading among young children.  The term “drag” originated as British theater slang in the 19th century and was used to describe women’s clothing worn by men. Today, many prominent drag artists are still people who identify as men and present themselves in exaggeratedly feminine ways as part of their performance and are known as drag queens, according to the National Center for Transgender Equality.

“The recent rise in anti-LGBTQ+ protests, rhetoric, and policies has left New Yorkers — myself included — devastated and disappointed. But I know better than anyone that when the choice is between love and hate, between joy and venom, New Yorkers will always choose love, and New Yorkers will always choose joy,” said Attorney General James.

“Drag Story Hour is one of our most popular programs and a fun and positive experience for families. Children love hearing stories and singing songs with the performers who dress in bright colors and sparkles,” said The New York Public Library, Brooklyn Public Library, and Queens Public Library. “Our librarians work closely with DSH to select age-appropriate books in English and other languages. We are proud to offer story times for babies and older children that reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and introduce a new generation to the joy of reading.”

Denouncing the violent protest outside of the center, Sean Ebony Coleman, Founder and Executive Director of Destination Tomorrow said “We have to stand up to those who have politicized something joyful and educational. The weaponization of drag story hour is a tool to vilify the community and further promote violence against and discrimination of LGBTQ+ individuals. We will continue to celebrate all identities and refuse to let our joy be taken away.”

ALBANY – Private sector jobs in the Hudson Valley rose by 1.3 percent for the 12 months ending in February, according to the State Labor Department.

Jobs rose by 10,400 to 781,600.

Gains were largest in educational and health services (+3,400); leisure and hospitality (+3,100); natural resources, mining and construction (+3,100); other services (+800); financial activities (+300); professional and business services (+300); manufacturing (+200); and trade, transportation and utilities (+200).

Employment losses were greatest in information (1,000).

Greene County ranked first in the state with job growth at 5.9 percent. Sullivan County followed in second place with 5.6 percent growth.

Ulster County followed with 2.7 percent job growth followed by Columbia County at 2.6 percent.

The Orange-Rockland-Westchester Metro Area experienced 1.7 percent growth, while the Dutchess-Putnam Metropolitan Division saw a decline of 1.8 percent in jobs.

Delaware County remained flat with no job growth.

HYDE PARK – The first phase of vertical construction at Bellefield at Historic Hyde Park, the Inn at Bellefield by Residence Inn, is scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of the year.

Officials of the $1 billion Bellefield project briefed the Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.

The inn will contain 137 rooms in a $52 million project being developed by T-Rex in partnership with Shaner Hotel Group, LP. It is the first of two hotels to be constructed there.

The next phases of construction include 400,000 square feet of retail and commercial space that will include restaurants, breweries, a high-end grocer, daycare, co-working space, a film production studio, and agriculturally themed specialty shops.

There will also be some 600,000 square feet of residential space that includes 344 rental units and 129 condominiums.

Located across Route 9 from the Culinary Institute of America, Bellefield will consist of 2.1 million square feet of development.

Residential space will comprise 60 percent of the project; commercial space is 40 percent.

More than half of the property’s 340 acres will remain as undeveloped woods.

TOWN OF THOMPSON – The Sullivan County Partnership, Thursday, brought together business people, developers, and local municipal officials to provide them with a tutorial on how to work through the maze of government red tape.

Among the more than 100 attendees was Parish Martin, a member of the Monticello Village Zoning Board of Appeals.

“We see all of the various elements kind of come together specifically on the development side. Sitting on the planning side you are looking at it from a completely different perspective,” he said. “Promoting economic development is always something we want to do in our areas. We want to be broader; we want to have businesses or room for a diverse number of businesses to climb here and to adjust to our ever-changing atmosphere here and landscape.”

Partnership President Marc Baez said the purpose of the summit was to discuss what it takes to do development in Sullivan County from its initial idea phase, the approval phase, to its final approval to the construction side.

Interview with Marc Baez: