A participant in the cross-country run to benefit Boston.

The One Run For Boston cross-country relay, which last year raised $91,000 for the One Fund Boston to help the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings, is expected to reach Milford April 12.

There are plenty of opportunities for local runners and supporters to get involved, according to a press release about the run.

The 3,300-mile route is divided into 336 stages across 14 different states. Most stages are around 10 miles with some as long as 22 miles. Each stage can accommodate up to 25 runners. Group stages in some of the major cities along the route including Van Cortland Park in New York City are five miles or less and designed to encourage mass participation of 100 or more runners.

Local runner Stephen Kraffmiller, a native of Milford now living in Waltham, Ma., has signed up to run the final two stages of the relay from Waltham to Boston on April 13.

Kraffmiller said, “I ran this event last year when the shock was still raw. It took place only about 10 weeks after the bombing at the Boston Marathon finish line. I think we wanted to show that the running community was strong and would not be broken.”

He said it was an incredible experience.

“I ran the second to last stage, which finished at the Newton (MA) City Hall around the 19-mile mark of the marathon course,” Kraffmiller said. “I ran alongside people who had run all the way from the border of Connecticut and Massachusetts to the Boston Marathon finish line in Copley Square some 50 miles or more.”

Last year was about resiliency and community, he said, and the effort raised over $90,000 for the One Fund to benefit survivors of the bombings and their families.

“This year’s goal is to raise even more money and to raise awareness that the needs of the survivors will last the rest of their lives,” Kraffmiller said.

Interested runners can sign up to run one or more stages of the relay at onerunforboston.org. Once registered, each runner is given their own online fundraising page which enables them to collect sponsorship for the One Fund Boston. So far more than 1250 runners have signed up to run and between them they have raised over $275,000. Supporters may follow the relay via a live tracker map, photo gallery and blog.

Three friends from England — Danny Bent, Kate Treleaven and James Hay — are the driving force behind the relay, which was first organized in June 2013 in response to the Boston Marathon bombings.

Danny Bent said: “We wanted to do something to help those impacted by the blasts. We had no idea if the relay would work, let alone take off in the extraordinary way that it did.”

Over 2,000 runners took part in One Run For Boston last year, some traveling hundreds of miles from their home states to take part. They kept the baton moving around the clock through scorching deserts, lightning storms and torrential rain.

Kate Treleaven said: “One Run For Boston had a profound effect on many of the runners who took part. So, when it was over, they didn’t simply walk away thinking ‘that’s it, job done’.  We soon realized that the relay had forged a new community of runners, powered by positivity and united by a desire to support the One Fund Boston in its ongoing mission to help those impacted by the bombings.”

This year the One Run For Boston relay started from Santa Monica, Calif., on Sunday, March 16. It is scheduled to reach Boston on Sunday, April 13, two days before the first anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings.

Milford police arrested Angela Gillespie, 37, on weapons charges on March 25 after they received information regarding a disoriented motorist on Bridgeport Avenue.

Police say they located the vehicle operated by Gillespie in a parking lot on Bridgeport Avenue. During the investigation police found a handgun and a shotgun inside the vehicle which were both loaded with ammunition. A computer check revealed that Gillespie did not have a pistol permit.

Gillespie is charged with weapon in a motor vehicle, carrying a loaded shotgun/rifle in a motor vehicle and carrying a pistol without a permit.

Bond was set at $10,000.

Jeffrey Peter Young, who died March 15 in a boating accident on Long Island Sound, was remembered at a memorial service on Sunday, March 23, in New Jersey.

According to a posting in the StarLedger in New Jersey, Young was born on May 5, 1989, and grew up in North Caldwell, N.J. He graduated with honors from West Essex High School in 2007, where he was a four-year member and a captain of the varsity tennis team, winning three Iron Hills Conference Championships and an award for his “consistent display of badassness and eloquent mannerisms/behavior towards opponents.”

The young man’s life was cut short in March when he and a companion headed out onto Long Island Sound in a canoe March 15.

Connecticut’s Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police responded with Milford Police and Fire departments and the U.S. Coast Guard at about 2 p.m. that day to a report of an overturned canoe with two people on board. Young and a female were pulled from the Sound and taken to Milford Hospital. The female was treated for hypothermia and released. Young died at the hospital.

“Water temperatures [were] only in the upper 40s and lower 50s, which makes survivability from immersion far less due to the effects of hypothermia,” Fire Department Spokesman Greg Carman said at the time.

According to the published death notice, Young spent much of his childhood competing in tennis and swimming at Bradford Bath & Tennis Club, where he later worked summers as a lifeguard for three years.

In 2011, he earned a bachelor of science degree in marketing from Wake Forest University in North Carolina. Throughout those four years and beyond, he was a member of Sigma Pi Fraternity.

Upon graduation, Young helped market the start-up of Suburban Monk and pursued employment opportunities in Colorado, where he and his uncle rooted passionately for the Denver Broncos.

Young began working for Covanta in Morristown, N.J., in May 2012 and was promoted to account executive in December 2013. In his limited time at Covanta, he played an important role in signing an agreement with Turning Earth for one of the first commercial-scale organics recycling operations in the Northeast and was a guest speaker at Central Connecticut State University’s open president’s advisory meeting on environmental sustainability.

“Jeffrey spent his last five months living in Milford in a house on Long Island Sound in a room looking out to the sunrise,” his obituary notice states. “He spent his last day doing what he loved: hanging out with friends, playing football on the beach, and spending time on the water.”

He is survived by grandmother, Constance Young; parents, Peter and Robin Young; brother, Miles Young; uncles, Miles Hamm, Bill Young, and Roger Young; aunt, Catherine (Young) Davis, and many cousins.

Principal Sheila Williams of Platt Technical High School was with Judy Tucker, Paul Buzzelle and Jan Buzzelle as they were honored at the Connecticut Association of Schools Volunteer Banquet at the Aqua Turf Club on March 11.

The association holds the event annually to publicly acknowledge the work of parents and other volunteers for their contributions to schools across the state.

Over 550 participants from 78 elementary, middle and high schools were treated to a four course meal and were entertained by pianist Kim Quinn from Albert D. Griswold Middle School in Rocky Hill.

Honorees were presented with plaques and corsages to commemorate their service.

John Maziarz, Commercial Sales Account Manager for Connecticut Natural Gas and a volunteer for Junior Achievement was the keynote speaker. In his remarks Maziarz stated that “Volunteers are the silent heroes of our schools.” He went on to say that “… they may be silent in what they do, but their impact is great.”

Paul and Jan Buzzelle have been active members of Platt Tech’s PFO since it first opened in the mid-1970s. They have supported their children, grandchildren and the entire school community through extensive fundraisers each year for the school.

Paul and Jan are at Platt almost daily and they can usually be found in the school’s restaurant, The Orchard, where their granddaughter is learning the culinary trade. The Buzzelles are an institution at Platt Tech.

Judy Tucker has been president of the Platt Tech PFO for the past several years and remains this year, despite her son graduating last year. She has volunteered her time to help transition coordinated efforts with the Family Engagement Program.

Tucker was instrumental in planning Platt Tech’s Fall Festival and Car Cruise, which generated funds for the PFO.

A Milford man was charged with stealing metal from a renovation site and selling it to a scrap metal recycling facility.

Milford resident Robert Mahoney, 49, was charged with larceny March 31, and was released from police custody on his promise to appear in court April 29.

Police said Mahoney is accused of taking metal scaffolding devices valued at $684 from a New Haven Avenue renovation site and selling them to a scrap metal recycling facility.

The City of Milford’s 375th Anniversary Committee will host a Grand Parade on June 15 at 2 p.m. through Downtown Milford.

The theme of the parade is “Past, Present and Future, 375 years of Milford’s Progress” and will feature floats from Milford organizations, businesses and community members.

“This will be the biggest parade Milford has seen in a long time,” said Committee Chairman Bob Gregory. “This delivers a chance to see what our community has to offer and have a whole lot of fun while doing it.”

The Parade Committee, led by Director of Recreation Paul Piscitelli, anticipates 100-125 units participating in the parade.

Parade applications are available at the Recreation Department or email Piscitelli at ppsicitelli@ci.milford.ct.us for an online application.

Contact Bob Gregory for more information at 203-988-2274.

Additional details can also be found at milford375.org.

Five graduating seniors will be eligible to receive a $1,000 scholarship towards their higher education from the Thomas J. Williams Scholarship program offered by Sikorsky Credit Union.

Each scholarship applicant will submit an essay, with the subject “How Sikorsky Credit Union helped me take charge of my money.”

In order to be eligible, the student must be a high school graduate in the spring of 2014, and planning to attend an institute of higher learning in the fall of 2014. The student must also be a member of Sikorsky Credit Union on or before March 15, 2014. Membership can be started with a $5 minimum opening deposit.

Interested seniors may pick up an application at any of the credit union’s branch offices in Danbury, Milford, Seymour, Shelton or Stratford.

The program is named after Thomas Williams, who in 2012 retired after more than 30 years as the CEO and president of Sikorsky Credit Union.

Seniors at Oxford, Seymour and Stratford high schools may also visit the credit union branch inside their school. The application can be downloaded at www.sikorskycu.org/scholarship. The application deadline is April 30.

Christopher Saley has been named the new public works director in Milford.

Resident Christopher Saley, owner of the Bridge House Restaurant, has been named the new public works director, replacing Bruce Kolwicz, who retired.

Saley’s appointment represents the culmination of an extensive three month process during which 37 applicants were considered and 16 were interviewed, said Mayor Ben Blake in a press release Thursday.

The interviews were conducted by a search committee consisting of City Attorney Jon Berchem, Personnel Director Tania Barnes, Recreation Director Paul Piscitelli, local businessman Joe Agro, and the City of Danbury Public Works Director Antonio Iadarola. The search committee referred four finalists to the mayor for a second interview, and Saley emerged as the top candidate.

“Chris brings to the table a unique and diverse skill set for this position,” Blake said. “As a Milford native, he knows our streets and neighborhoods, he knows our business owners, our residents, and he knows how our city operates. Chris served on Milford’s Sewer Commission and presently serves on the Board of Education and Permanent Schools Building Committee, two positions from which he will step down prior to starting his new role.”

As the owner of a local property management and development company, Saley knows construction, project management, and heavy equipment operation.

“Chris also understands budgets, union contract negotiations, and how to effectively manage a large team of employees, based upon his prior experience as a hospital operations director,” Blake said. “Chris’ experience as a small business owner will enable him to find efficiencies and cost effective solutions. I’m excited to have Chris join our team.”

Saley is scheduled to begin in the director position on April 14. In the meantime, he will work on transitioning his other professional responsibilities so that his exclusive focus will be on the Department of Public Works.

Representatives from The Annual Milford Oyster Festival committee recently distributed charitable funds to Milford non-profit groups.

The 2013 recipients include the Jonathan Law Post Prom Committee, Foran High School Post Prom Committee, Platt Tech Post Prom, United Way of Milford’s Adopt-A-Family program, Literacy Center of Milford, Beth-El Center, Rape Crisis Center of Milford, Milford Food Bank, Boys & Girls Club of Milford, BSA/Yankee Council, Milford Children’s Trout Derby, Camp Happiness, Scholarship of Social Learning Benhaven and the Sandy Ground Project.

Also receiving funds were the Jonathan Law High School Key Club, Young Parent Program, Senior Housing Assistance Program, City of Milford, Milford Animal Shelter, Milford Toys for Tots, Bridges Folks on Spokes, Milford Red Cross, Milford Troop 1 BSA, Milford Citizen’s Police Academy, The Beacon, Senior Make a Wish, Kids Count, Concerned Citizen’s for People with Disabilities and Heat for Heroes.

“The Milford Oyster Festival Committee is pleased to be able to support these organizations,” said Committee President Paula Smith. “Each one strives to make our community to be a better place. The success of the 2013 Milford Oyster festival and the contributions we are able to make is due to the can-do attitude of our citizens and volunteers. The over 70 civic groups that partook in the festival show what a caring community Milford is.”

On Saturday, Aug. 16, the Milford Oyster Festival will hold its 40th annual celebration from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in downtown Milford. Oyster Eve, a pre-festival event, will be held on Friday, Aug. 15, from 6 to 10 p.m. For more information go to MilfordOysterFestival.org or call the festival hotline 203-878-5363.

Milford police arrested Melissa Drinkwater, 30, of Milford on a variety of charges on April 2 after they responded to a complaint regarding a disturbance on Manilla Avenue.

Police accuse Drinkwater of striking an acquaintance during the incident. Police say Drinkwater resisted the officers’ during her arrest on scene. While being processed at the police department Drinkwater allegedly kicked three police officers.

A computer check revealed that Drinkwater had an outstanding warrant for her arrest from the Connecticut State Police, accusing her of failing to appear in court on Feb. 7.

Drinkwater is charged with second-degree breach of peace, third-degree assault, interfering with police, assault on a police officer and second-degree failure to appear in court.

Bond was set at $2,000 for court on April 29.

Doing it Local is reporting that the Shell gas station in Devon was robbed at gunpoint Friday night at 10:45 p.m.

Police are seeking a white male in jeans and a denim jack who fled on foot.

Milford’s spring bulk pickup will take place in May.

Items set out for collection are to be placed at the curb not sooner than the Saturday prior to the scheduled date of the collection and all items are to be at the curb by 6 a.m. on the scheduled pickup date.

Metal must be separated from burnable items. Yard waste should be placed in disposable containers or bags. Brush and wood must be cut to four-foot lengths and tied in bundles.

No more than four passenger car tires may be included in the items set out for collection. Where possible, similar items should be placed together in containers, which the homeowner wishes to discard.

The following items will not be collected:

1. Batteries 2. Commercial Items 3. Logs and Stumps 4. Concrete or cement 5. Any item requiring more than two men to pick up 6. Hazardous waste 7. Liquid waste, oil based paint, motor oil 8. Propane tanks 9. Grass clippings 10. Sheetrock and demolition material

Following is the Bulk Trash Pickup Schedule: 

If your garbage is picked up Monday your bulk pickup day is May 7.

If your garbage is picked up Tuesday your bulk pickup day is May 14.

If your garbage is picked up Thursday your bulk pickup day is May 21.

If your garbage is picked up Friday your bulk pickup day is May 28.

Residents should call the Public Works Office at 203-783-3265 the Monday before their pickup if they have white goods, such as stoves, refrigerators, dishwashers, hot water heaters, etc.

The Milford Recreation Department has announced that registration for its Summer Playground Program will begin on Thursday, May 1.

The six-week program will begin on Monday, June 30, and continue through Friday, Aug. 8, and is available to Milford residents only and is open to boys and girls aged 5-12 or those children who have completed kindergarten.

The program will meet from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, weather permitting. No class will be held July 4.

The Summer Playground Program will be held at the following six locations: Live Oaks School, John F. Kennedy School, Mathewson School, Meadowside School, Orange Avenue and Orchard Hills.

Daily activities at the camp will include sports, games, arts and crafts as well as special event days. The children will also be bused to AMF Lanes in Milford for bowling days each week and have three trips to the Rave Movie Theatre at the Westfield Mall.

Campardy is being added to the Summer Playground Program for the first time. This program combines the look and feel of a real TV hit game show with all the bells and whistles. There will be some light physical challenges and music.

The Summer Playground Program will cost $45 per week per child and that includes all trips and games. Each child will also receive a Summer Playground Program tee-shirt, which is to be worn on travel days.

All registrations will be online at www.milfordrecreation.com and payment can be mailed in or dropped off at the Recreation Department. For any other questions, contact Bill Garfield at 203-783-3388 or bgarfield@ci.milford.ct.us.

Milford police arrested Karina Steckel, 35, of Trumbull on weapons charges on April 1 after an officer stopped a vehicle for not signaling properly on the Boston Post Road.

During the stop, police discovered a Sig Sauer replica BB gun and a set of brass knuckles in the driver’s seat. Police say drug paraphernalia was also located inside the vehicle.

Steckel is charged with two counts of weapons in a motor vehicle and possession of drug paraphernalia.

She was released on a promise to appear in court on April 29.

Is service getting better or worse on Metro-North Railroad trains? Do you feel safe on the New Haven Line?

It has been almost a year since the New Haven Line train derailment and collision on the Fairfield-Bridgeport border — and two months since Joseph Giulietti arrived as the new president at Metro-North. So what do the daily railroad commuters think?

To gauge their views, The Commuter Action Group has launched an online survey asking:

• What letter grade would you give Metro-North?

• Is service getting better or worse?

• What are the problems you face as a commuter?

• Have you ever filed a complaint about the trains? Was it answered?

• Do you feel safe riding Metro-North?

The online survey, found here, will collect responses for about a month and the results will be shared with Metro-North, the Connecticut Department of Transportation, which owns the New Haven Line, and the public. Each person can take the survey once.

The Commuter Action Group is an advocacy group promoting safer, more reliable service on Metro-North.

Jim Cameron, a long-time commuter advocate and former chairman of the Connecticut Rail Commuter Council, launched the Commuter Action Group, an online effort to give voice to commuters’ complaints, in January.

“The Commuter Action Group will be the strongest possible advocate for commuters on Metro-North in Connecticut. We won’t have dues, and everyone can join. But we’ll make our voices heard every day,” Cameron said earlier this year.

“The culture of incompetence and unaccountability at Metro-North has got to be reversed,” Cameron said in January. “Human error by railroad employees has resulted in deaths, yet nothing seems to change. The Con Ed power problem, the recent stranding of trains without heat on the coldest night of the year and last week’s complete shutdown because somebody ‘pulled a plug’ are all the result of mismanagement, not bad luck.”

For more information commuters can visit the following sites:

Website: CommuterActionGroup.org

Twitter: @CTRailCommuters

Facebook: facebook.com/CommuterActionGroup

Email: CommuterActionGroup@gmail.com

The Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center in Milford will hold its fourth annual Return of the Osprey Party at the Coastal Center on Saturday, April 12, starting at 5:30 p.m.

There will be food and drink, live music, a wide selection of auction items, including works from many local wildlife artists.

Milford’s Bistro Basque Restaurant will provide a Spanish torte and hors d’oeuvres; Villa Gourmet has offered a selection of their cheeses; and Milford’s Southport Brewing Company and Restaurant is providing a variety of appetizers.

At the silent auction, there will be gift certificates for many of Milford’s finest eateries and shops, as well as a variety of opportunities to win canoe and kayak tours, summer camp weeks, birthday parties, jewelry, art, and many other items.

A select sampling from the silent auction include: Original wildlife art from David Sibley, Mark Szantyr, Paul Fusco, AJ Hand, Michael DiGiorgio, Tom Mihaylo, Jim Zipp and others, hand-crafted jewelry from Vincent’s Jewelers, a wide array of Gift Certificates to Area Businesses, Ferry Tickets, Assorted Gift Baskets; Private Bird Walks with Local Experts; Ski Lift Tickets; Zoo and Aquarium Passes; Theater Tickets, Canoe Tours; Science-themed Birthday Parties and a Summer Camp Week

Price is $40 a person, or $75 a couple. RSVP to Louise at 203-878-7440 x 502.

Milford has named a new city historian to replace Richard Platt, who retired from the position.

Like Platt, the new city historian, Carol LaBrake, can trace her family roots to Milford’s founders, said Mayor Ben Blake this week, when the Board of Aldermen appointed LaBrake the new historian.

LaBrake is the daughter of the late Rutheva Brockett, who was the city’s first city historian.

Milford has only had two city historians: Rutheva Brockett and Platt, “and both of them could trace their families back to Milford’s founders,” Blake said.

LaBrake was appointed for five years. The job, which involves researching peoples’ questions about city history and serving as a resource to city officials and the press, doesn’t come with a salary.

Platt has said in the past that it’s a labor of love for the city and history.

The mayor said LaBrake has an impressive résumé and he’s sure she is qualified for the role.

“I have full faith that she will do a fantastic job,” Blake said.

Platt recommended her as well, saying she is very qualified to be city historian.

The following students were named to the second trimester honor roll at East Shore Middle School:

High honors

Grade 8 — Khadija Ashfaq, Jillian Bevilacqua, Emily Brennan, Lindsey Brooks, Hayley Byers, Rebecca Carey, Brooke Carlson, Ava Corsi, Norman Matthew Cruz, James D’Amato, Nolan DeMayo, Alyssa Deptulski, Meghan Dunn, Shannon Flynn, Karen Garcia, Julia Harrington, Katherine Kiernan, Samantha Kliff, Sarah Kummer, Emily Kwalek, Julia LaPenna, Emma Longley, Ryan Luth, Kalie Mendola, Brandon Olah, Arshia Puri, Kulnoor Saini, Ethan Skuches, Erin Suech, Gabrielle Tunucci, Devon Verma, Catherine Weed, Taylor Wisniewski, Gabrielle Woodward/

Grade 7 — Emily Beringer, Evan Broderick, Ceili Clerkin, Isabelle Connelly, Emma Cote, Kathryn Della Bitta-Falkowski, Megan Flanagan, Meredith Fucci, Cameron Ganter, Anthony Giannattasio, Ava Haig, Jonathan Hannon, Natalie Hubler, Kelsey Jackson, Nina Javier, Jordan Lang, Alexandra Laudun, Alexandra Leso, Abigail Licata, Cecelia Lickteig, Kailey Loewenberg, Emma Lucas, Sophie Lucas, Tessa Malesky, Madeleine Marrone, Jillian Montano, Ana O’Connor, Theresa Piscitelli, Jaelyn Roth, Jordan Shand, Kaylee Sostilio, Kelly Strom, Shannon Thompson, Dean Vogel, Anja Voges, Shannon Winters, Aaron Xing, Adam Yang, Andrew Yanik.

Grade 6 — Allison Bennett, Vaishnavi Bulusu, Lucas Burgard, Anthony Capua, Marguerite Collette, Sara Davies, Megan Dragonette, Alexander Egan, Amy Eidelman, Thomas Ellis, Natalie Goncalves, Tyler Griffin, Leigha Howland, Anna Jani, Andrew Janik, Trevanna Kandrach, Matthew Kiernan, Christopher Kiley, Risha Kothari, Amogh Krishna, Grace Lavallee, Sarah Lockwood, Haley Marshall, Matthew Martin, Corina Massey, Isabella McPadden, Anna Melton, Isabel Messore, Nicole North, Jason Olexovitch, Kaylee Osborne, Dana Parrott, Gavin Paul, William Phelan, Isabella Pietrosanti, Hannah Pokornowski, Zoe Pringle, Matthew Rothchild, Lily Smith, Samantha Sutton, David Torgerson, Macy Vital, Matthew Ward, Matthew Wootton/

First honors

Grade 8 — Alianna Agovino, David Alldredge, Cassandra Bennett, Madeline Buckley, Hope Burrows, Jake Burwell, Jason Cardona, Gabriella Cervone, Zachary Cleary, Mackenzie Coughlin, Gianna Cruciani, Gibson Ehalt, Nathan Garofano, Tyler Heenan, Alexandra Hemmann, Matthew Jankura, Mireille Jaser, Meghan Kelliher, Qasim Khan, Benjamin Kirsch, Victor Korman, Jason Lavallee, Allison May, Hailey McGinnis, Jordan McLenithan, Caraline Mee, Ryan Michelson, Aaron Miller, Griffin Ondek, Olivia Ouellette, Shawn Parrott, Shea Phelan, Gayle Portoff, Kaitlyn Shaw, Emily Sportini, Leah Teller, Jacqueline Vanchot.

Grade 7 — Luke Alfano, Aidan Bradley, Lia Burrows, Josiah Cartagena, Graham Chen, Hannah Conrad, Kenneth DeMaio, Reilly Deschaine, Sky Farrace, Hannah Forlenzo, Jessica Foss, Jenna French, Kaliegh Garris, Noah Gerstein, Ani Goorhigian, Ryan Gosselin, Nicholas Keller, Umer Khan, Ben Kissinger, Thomas Kuryla, Hailey Laforte, Jacquelynne LeBlanc, Eric Levesque, Alexis Libero-Smith, Yasmina Lingane, Abigail Lucas, Sydney Maher, Joseph Matrisian, Lucia Mikan, Kaitlynn Morse, Huyen Nguyen, Scott Pelham, Richard Piscitelli, Chase Pringle, Richard Prosser, Katelyn Regan, Candice Schweiger, Courtney Schweiger, Skylar Sheppard, Samuel Sinisgalli, Taylor Smolinsky, Samuel Steigbigel, Meghan Stokes, Jamie Sullivan, Maxwell Tavitian, Ryan Tran, Lucas Tuozzola, Hannah Turner, Victoria Walsh, Brooke Wedemeyer, Emily Westphal, James Wright, Erynn Zak.

Grade 6 — Luke Ardolino, Jethro Asinas, Alexis Burwell, May Cervone, Emma Champagne, Ashley Ciesluk, Brendan Clerkin, Alexander Conte, Casey Coon, Kathryn Dennis, William Diamantis, Zoe Eichner, Benjamin Evanoff, Isaiah Fazio, Dylan Fernandez, Alina Goorhigian, Cassie Harrington, Trevor Hitchcock, Jahangir Khan, Jenna King, Kyle Knapp, Staci Mann, Andrew Martija, Pedro Mata, Brendan May, Isabela Meade, Jonfranco Menta, Abigayle Mitchell, Ariana Montero, Lauren Nieman, Isabella O’Brien, Caden Ondek, Esther Pabon Ramirez, Sara Portoff, Max Queiroz, Madeline Razzaia, Renee Robles, Gary Safferstein, Jacqueline Santiago, Daniel Silva, Justin Tran, Mia Tunucci, Michael Vanchot, Bryant Wardman, Jacob Willey.

Second honors

Grade 8 — Alexander Besaw, Joshua Brennan, Nicholas D’Angelo, Nicholas DeBiase, Jack Elson, Brian Flanagan, Kayla Fratarcangeli, Emily Gilebbi, Agatha Holland, Jared Hubler, Navneet Kaur, Ashley Kokenos, Ava Lang, Emerson Mayville, Evan Meyer, Evan Miller, Colin O’Sullivan, Samantha Pierpont, Victor Rios III, Caitlyn Roman, Mark Wootton.

Grade 7 — Sophia Aquilina, James Carbone, Evan Clarizio, Zoe Collins, Alexis DeCrescenzo, Alexis Falcigno, Tayah Fazzino-Little, Mark Fitzgerald, Nicholas Gerwien, Amanda Grisier, Jillian Haggerty, Michelle Heiter, Konstantinos Karipidis, Samuel Lamb, Gerald Lawrence, Nestor Lopez, Matthew Loverci, Carley Malota, Damien O’Connor, Max Pavelko, Bryan Pepe, John Reno, Alexis Roma, Claudia Ross, Michael Ruocco, Andrea Sinchak, Cameron Wong.

Grade 6 — Abigail Aldrich, Jessica Anderson, Victoria Anton, Kayla Becker, Nicole Benedetti, Daniel Cartagena, Kalyn Cocchia, Michael Dahr, Anthony Davis, Amanda Fitzgerald, Abigail Gerstein, Matthew Gilebbi, Jessica Gluhanich,Kelsey Jamieson, Erik Johnson, Hailey Johnson, Kayla Jurzyk, Caleb Kanlong, Matthew Kelleher, Colby Kmetz, Jacquelyn Larese, Anthony Ljuljdjurovic, Tanner Lucy, Alexa Mendillo, Timothy Nicolia, Victoria Padilla, Gavin Paeth, Trevor Perrotti, Aidan Reed, Aiden Saldaris, Jessica Sanders, Tremaine Thomas Jr., Emily Wheaton, Carly Whelan, Evan White.

The Annual Smooth Jazz for Scholars concert has been set for Friday, April 18 and Saturday, April 19 and will be held at the Parsons Complex, 70 West River Street.

Doors will open at 7 p.m.; the concert begins at 8 p.m. The corporate sponsors for this year’s performances are Colonial Toyota of Milford, Barrett Outdoor Communications, Briarpatch Enterprises and The Milford Bank.

Now in its 12th year, world renowned jazz musician and local resident Jay Rowe donates a portion of the ticket sales back to the Milford Public Schools Music Department. Rowe continues to make this annual donation as a way to thank the educators who were there at the beginning of his musical career.

He is a graduate of Calf Pen Elementary and Joseph A. Foran High School. Rowe has donated more than $54,000 to the district’s music program since he started the program.

Rowe will have two separate artist line-ups for each night. On April 18 the show will feature guitarist Chuck Loeb (of the jazz super-group Fourplay), saxophonists Kim Waters and Steve Cole and Rowe’s boyhood idol pianist/keyboardist Jeff Lorber.

The show on April 19 will feature guitarists Chieli Minucci and Nick Colionne and saxophonists Marion Meadows and Nelson Rangell.

The back-up band for both nights will be guitarist Rohn Lawrence (4/18 only), Trevor Somerville on drums, Dave Anderson on bass and percussionist Steve Scales, (who has performed with the Talking Heads, Tina Turner and Michael Bolton).

“I am so pleased to be able to bring a show of this quality to Milford for two nights — it gives residents the opportunity to see a first-rate festival-like performance right here in town, without having to travel to New Haven, Hartford, or NYC,” Rowe said. “It is also an honor for me to be able to bring an artist like Jeff Lorber who is a major influence of mine and a true legend of the Smooth Jazz genre into this already great line-up or artists. And, of course, I am so pleased to be able to contribute in this way to our schools. To bring awareness and attention to the importance of music education is why we do this every year.”

Rowe has performed and recorded with the elite in the world of jazz throughout the world and has played in many major jazz festivals across the U.S., and around the world, including Portugal, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Norway, Germany, Holland, South Africa, China and Indonesia. As a solo artist, he has recorded and released five CDs, “A Dream I Had” (1994), “Jay Walking” (1997), “Laugh Out Loud” (2001), and “Red, Hot and Smooth” (2006) and “Live At Daniel Street”(2011).

“Last year’s event, covering two nights, was a big hit,” Rowe said. “Many of our long-time supporters of this event are traveling to Milford from out of state and many of them come for both shows and stay and shop in Milford for the weekend.”

Tickets are $40 for one night and $70 for two nights. The first 250 tickets sold are for reserved seating. Tickets sold after that will be for general admission seating. Tickets can be purchased at the following locations: Café Atlantique, The Canvas Patch, Milford Fine Arts, Arciuolo’s Shoe Store and the Villa Gourmet. For additional information, go to jayrowemusic.com or call 203-874-4150.

Dr. Michael L. Stein

Michael L. Stein MD died on April 7 at his home in Belfast, Me.

Dr. Stein spent most of his professional career practicing pediatrics in Milford and lived in Woodbridge from 1965 until 1994. He retired to Belfast in 1994 with his wife, Judy.

The cause of death was prostate cancer.

Dr. Stein joined Milford Pediatrics in 1965 and remained in that practice until 1993.

During those years he also worked in the Pediatric Gastroenterology clinic at Yale-New Haven Hospital and taught clinical pediatrics at the Yale School of Medicine. He served as base pediatrician at Tinker Air Force Base, Midwest City, Ok. from 1962-1964.

A long time member of the Milford Yacht Club, Dr. Stein served on the Board of Directors and headed the junior sailing program for several years.

Dr. Stein was born April 11, 1934 in New York City. He graduated from Union College and New York University School of Medicine and did his pediatric training at Bellevue Hospital, New York, where he was chief resident in 1961-62.

He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Judy Kramer Stein, his son, James Stein, MD, his daughter Roberta Stein McLain and grandchildren Alexandra and Andrew McLain and Stephanie, Dylan and Eli Stein.

He asked that anyone wishing to make a donation in his memory consider a gift to the Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport.

Arrangements are under the care of Riposta Funeral Home 182 Waldo Ave. Belfast, ME 04915.