The committee said it wanted a special performer to celebrate the 40th year of the festival and Bret Michaels fit the bill.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for fans to enjoy a free outdoor concert in our beautiful downtown harbor area,” said Paula Smith, festival president.

Bret Michaels is a multiplatinum global superstar who has turned his passion for music into a multi faceted brand that encompasses record breaking touring sales, Reality TV stardom, legendary songs that have sold over 32 million records, product endorsements as well as being a devoted philanthropist, all supported and followed by three generations of loyal fans,” according to the Oyster Festival website.

The performer rose to fame as the front man of Poison, one of rock’s most iconic and enduring bands, he helped define the 80s rock n roll scene on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles.

Bret’s solo career has charted its own course with multiple solo albums. His last album, Custom Built, topped the charts, reaching #1 on Billboards Hard Rock list. His new CD, Bret Michaels: Good Songs and Great Friends, is set to be released June of this year and features a myriad of legendary artists.

The 40th Annual Milford Oyster Festival will be held, rain or shine, on Saturday, Aug. 16, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. In addition to the main stage entertainment and live local bands, the event includes the Children’s Stage at Fowler Pavilion, the Harbor Stage and Festival Car Show at Lisman Landing, Armory Square Big Toys, 200 Arts & Crafts vendors on the green, amusement rides, schooner cruises, canoe & kayak race, and 30,000 oysters from the East Coast Shellfish Growers Association.

Oyster Eve, the Festival kick-off event, will be held on Friday, Aug. 15, from 6 to 10 p.m. at Lisman Landing. The featured band will be  Beatles Faux Sale, a musical tribute to live Beatle concerts.

The Boys & Girls Club of Milford will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at its new headquarters at 59 Devonshire Road.

The club’s new headquarters is within the old Simon Lake School.

Residents can celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ arrival in America with a special one night only concert event at Jonathan Law High School on Saturday, May 17, to benefit the Maren Sanchez Memorial Fund.

The Mystery Tour, a Beatles tribute band, will share their talents, featuring songs and achievements from the entire span of the Beatles years.

The performance includes songs from the Ed Sullivan Show, Rubber Soul, Revolver, Magical Mystery Tour, Abbey Road and Sergeant Pepper, complete with costume changes.

Performers use vintage period instruments, reflecting the music of that time.

The show will start at 7 p.m.

Tickets will be available at the door. They are $15 general admission, and $10 for students and seniors.

For early reservations call 914-439-6405 or email Michael Mele, Law’s Drama Club Advisor, at mmele@milforded.org.

The City of Milford’s 375th Anniversary Committee has announced its “Celebration Week” schedule of events, which includes a parade June 15.

The committee has focused the events on education, family, community and heritage.

“There truly is something for everyone,” said Pete Smith, vice chairman of the 375th Committee. From Diversity Day and Senior Citizen Day, to food and live music we have many unique ways to celebrate Milford.”

The committee is comprised of volunteers from Milford’s businesses, churches and schools, as well as the historical society

Celebration week begins June 6 with the mayors’ kick off, featuring UConn’s Funky Dawgz Brass Band on the steps of City Hall at 6 p.m. and concludes with a Grand Parade on June 15 at 2 p.m.

Further details may be found at milfordct375.org.

Friday, June 6

Kick off Celebration Week with Mayor Ben Blake and UConn’s Funky Dawgz Brass Band on the steps of City Hall at 6 p.m., then follow the band “pied piper” style to Stonebridge Restaurant and listen to music.

Attend “Stories and Lore,” presented and performed at the Milford Public Library, featuring former state troubadour Tom Callinan, telling adapted Milford stories through singing and verse from 7 to 9 p.m.

Saturday, June 7

Stroll the Milford Green for the annual Mary Taylor Methodist Church Fair from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Hike Mondo Ponds starting at 10 a.m. or the Solomon Property starting at 1 p.m.

Dance under the stars with the Rum Runners at Fowler Pavilion starting at 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 8

The 10th Annual Cap’n Kidd Treasure Hunt Pirates Day hits downtown Milford from noon to 5 p.m.

The Ride for Hope motorcycle ride leaves the YMCA at 11 a.m.

The Milford Volunteer Fire Department will have its annual Memorial Service and Muster on the green from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Monday, June 9

Westfield Mall will host a  “Salute to Business.” Milford businesses are invited to participate with items made in Milford on display from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Tuesday, June 10

Celebrate diversity with Milford Literacy Center featuring food and music from around the world at Fowler Field from 4 to 8 p.m.

Wednesday, June 11

Visit the Milford Public Library for Local Author Day and Writers Slam. Various local authors will be available for a signing, leading into an evening of storytelling by unpublished writers.

Dance to the oldies with Michael Rea at Walnut Beach Pavilion from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Thursday, June 12

Former mayors and Mayor Ben Blake will speak with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts about Milford’s past, present and future, followed by a tour of city departments starting at 9 a.m. in City Hall.

People can grab a blanket and settle in on the sand at Gulf Beach to watch the Milford Yacht Club Thursday Night Races starting at 6:30 p.m.

Friday, June 13

Senior Center music and flag ceremony at 1:30 p.m.

Jam to music by Flashback at the Fowler Pavilion beginning at 7 p.m.

“To Gillian, On Her 37th Birthday,” an Eastbound Theater production, will be performed at 8 p.m. at the Milford Arts Council .

Saturday, June 14

A day filled with historic home tours, Milford Arts Council Plein Air painting at various sites, slide and bounce for the kids, and the Milford Concert Band will perform on the green at 2 p.m.

Head to Lisman’s Landing at 3 p.m. to hear the music of the Sapphire Band followed by Dr B and the Brotherhood at 6:30 p.m. There will be food trucks including The Local Meatball, Melt Mobile, BRYAC Shuck Truck and LobsterCraft, and a sampling of local craft beer and wine.

Fireworks display starts at 9:30 p.m. at Lisman Landing.

The Milford Elks Lodge will host the Peace and Love Bands Block Party starting at 6 p.m.

Sunday, June 15

The Grand Parade takes place downtown as the celebration finale at 2 p.m. with floats, music and more.

The Plymouth Men’s Club of the First United Church of Christ (Congregational), 34 West Main Street, will hold its 60th annual white elephant tag sale on Saturday, June 7 from 8 a.m.t o 2 p.m. at the club.

Donations of household goods, small appliances, tools, small furniture and antiques are sought from the public. Donations may be left at the Plymouth Building the week of June 2 through 6.

Proceeds are shared with the church, Beth El Shelter, Boy Scout Troop 1 and Cub Scout Pack 7. For information and arrangements for pick up call Larry Urban at 203-243-7480, or the church office at 203-877-4277.

As a teenager growing up in the hills of Shelton, I was obsessed with driving a hot car and I mean a real muscle car like a Camaro, a Gran Torino or a Corvette. But unfortunately my ways and means didn’t match my aspirations and I usually found myself cruising around town in hand-me-down clunkers that burned oil and rattled from bumper to bumper.

Teenagers and men trapped in eternal adolescence have always believed hot cars attract chicks. But now, however, new scientific research shatters that theory, which existed since the ancient Romans raced around the Coliseum in flashy chariots, trying to pick up puellae. (For those of you who didn’t struggle through four years of Latin, that means “girls.”)

This groundbreaking study proves that girls dig guys who drive Priuses and are suspicious of guys with fast cars. Forget all the girls in bikinis at the auto shows, because 56% of women think men who own hot cars are arrogant or show-offs while 17% consider them insecure, according to a Harris poll commissioned by the dating site AnastasiaDate.

This survey also found that 46% of the women polled said the auto a man drives reflects his self-image and 32% said a car is an indication of the kind of family man he will be. Sedans rate higher than sports cars, which led the pollsters to conclude that “women prefer a man who drives a sensible car because it reflects his level of stability.”

Nevertheless, 10% of women would date a guy who drove an exotic import even if he wasn’t physically attractive and 21% found a man more appealing after they saw his car.

What’s happening to America when a car is no longer a sign of status and sexiness? Porsche sales are going to plummet, and the Oldsmobile will rise again.

I guess it turns out that I was a trendsetter. My father kept his cars for at least 200,000 miles and then passed them on to me, which meant I inherited junks with oil leaks, rattling mufflers, faulty brakes, and other assorted malfunctions. Some had bad body rot, so I couldn’t let anyone sit in the backseat or they’d fall through the floor.

My first car was a 1960 white Ford Fairlane with three on the column. This was before “four on the floor” became fashionable. Unfortunately, it needed a new battery and every time I turned the car off, I had to park it on a hill and roll it down to jump-start the engine.

One inauspicious night, my date had to push the car while I sat inside, waiting to pop the clutch. But the old Ford wouldn’t turn over, so I had to recruit strangers from the local bar to help us push it back up the hill again. Jumper cables would have been easier.

After that date, I couldn’t understand why the girl never answered my phone calls — until I saw her cruising around town with a guy who drove a red Fiat Spyder.

Next I inherited a white 1963 Pontiac LeMans from my uncle, with an automatic transmission like the Prius which used a lever on the dashboard to change gears. It served me well but wasn’t cool enough to lure girls away from guys with Corvettes.

After that, I got a Land Rover — not the suburban SUV model you often see making the trek to Starbucks but rather the one they drive on African safaris with a spare tire on the hood. Unfortunately, the only girls I attracted were the ones who went big-game hunting on spring break. Then I bought a canary yellow van. When I had a date, it was like picking up the girl in a school bus.

Cars and women didn’t mix well for me until I met my wife, who drove a Ford Gran Torino, just like Starsky and Hutch, which makes me think I was attracted to girls with hot cars. Now, however, she drives a Prius, which is the best auto around if you want to save money for your kid’s college education, retirement or a down payment on a Ferrari.

Joe Pisani may be reached at joefpisani@yahoo.com

Vendors sought for Milford Rotary’s third annual EcoFest and environmental celebration on May 17. This family–focused event runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Milford Rotary Pavilion behind the public library on New Haven Ave., rain or shine. Any organization or business that can help our planet Earth to be a better place should consider participating. Space is $25 for Non-profits and $125 for for-profit vendors ($125). For additional information contact Darcy Lapp-Rabinovitz at 203-876-5123.

Families Anonymous — Families Anonymous is a free self-help support group for adults concerned about the drug, alcohol or related behavioral problems of a relative or friend. The group meets Tuesdays from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at St. Andrew Episcopal Church Hall, 283 Bridgeport Avenue. No registration is required. For information call Judy D. at 203-283-3867 or Charlene at 203-878-0669.

The following students were named to the third quarter honor roll at Foran High School:

High honors

Grade 9 — Julia Astram, Annika Benedetti, Jessie Coleman, Gino Esposito, Jordan Fox, Benedict Fraccola IV, Zinnia Hall, Cody Hennequin, Paul Homorodean, Kristina Lazdauskas, John Lickteig, Carly Malesky, Kimberly Simko, Olivia Steigbigel, Sydney Taylor, Isabella Teixeira, Battseren Tumendemberel.

Grade 10 — Chelsea Aliberti, Sarah Barrett, Joseph Bartone, Brian Brown, Lindsey Carlson, Mark Duffy, Julia Farrell, Abby Felner, Madelyn Flader, Maxwell Gorlick, Patrick LaPenna, Cedrick Lingane.

Grade 11 — Zena Abulhab, Zoe Grinder, Annie Jin, Kyle Lockwood, Kacie Trapp.

Grade 12 — Erin Dunn, Jennafer Fugal, Hannah Reed, Joy-Li Van Pala.

First honors

Grade 9 — Ashlinn Casey, Adrian Ciccaglione, Kalysta Contaras, James Cronin, Mark Fitzpatrick, Francesca Giannattasio, Andrew Hiza, Rochelle Holness, Joshua Huebner, Allison Jezierny, Ethan Jorgensen, Pierce Klein, Ava Kovlakas, Justin Lanese, Steven Lynch, Courtney Marren, Alexa O’Sullivan, Amy Palumbo, Caitlyn Parisi, Hannah Pouliot, Christopher Saltus, Michael Sciuto, Meghan Sengstacken, Steven Soerensen, Lily Stiffler.

Grade 10 — Samantha Bennett, Jennifer Blodgett, Richard Breault, Lindsay Broderick, Emma Bromley, Katharine Buckheit, Hannah Buckley, Taylor Ceballos, Christopher Conner, Justin Dickovick, Emmarose Diglio, Luke Edmondson, Matthew Flores, Christopher Flynn, Aaron Franze, Katherine Furda, Madison Ganter, Julia Gaul, Brooke Gauthier, Alyssa Giacobbe, Samantha Giesman-Ginter, Magdalena Greene, Kyle Greenspan, Ethan Hanna;

Also, Natalie Henry, Noah Hubler, Jenna Lang, Jessica Lavallee, Scott Leiper, Hanxin Liu, Julia Mahroos, Samantha Martinez, Mark Martino, Samantha Mitchell, Sabrina Morgan, Dylan Mulligan, Alexa Newall, Taylor Oliver, Matthew Porter, Richard Repetsky, Barbara Shehata, Nicole Stefan, Thomas Stuart, Sydney Szalkiewicz, Baleigh Toon, Hao Tran, Julia Wargo, Bailey Wheeler, Madison Wong, Brian Wydra, Zachary Wyman.

Grade 11 — Shaina Arsenault, Monica Bello, Jabriel Blue, Kali Borden, Zachary Cardellichio, Bryce Ciccaglione, Haley Gluhanich, Kayla Gyger, Eric Hammer, Ryan Harrington, Raymond Hofferman, Elizabeth Hull, Nicole Jurgot, Emily Khon, Taylor Laslett, Josselin Lathuras, Drew Lenz, Jessica Lin, Christian Lofthouse, Robert Lynch, Domenico Manna;

Also, Corissa Masciana, David McLenithan, Courtney Mills, Kayanush Mistry, Erica Money, Carly Pala, Alessandra Phelan, Stephen Povroznik IV, Claire Ritz, Amanda Roma, Tiana Rotzal, Matthew Rubenstein, Michaela Smith, Piotr Stojanowski, Madeline Turiano, Gabrielle Verdura, Jennifer Weissauer.

Grade 12 — Lauren Aliberti, Fallon Bevino, Jessica Black, Kyra Blacketter, Nicholas Bradeen, Liam Callahan, Katelyn Carino, John Casey, William Chase, Nicole Cichowski, Bianca Corjuc, Nena Coulombe, Diana Coutros, Daniel Cyr, Brittany Czajkowski, Sarah Dunn, Ryan Eccleston, Emily Felner, Connor French, Kassandra Frey, Stephen Furda, David Glowny, Daniel Grindley;

Also, Anna Huebner, Vanessa Jamieson, Hannah Johnson, Noah Johnson, Justin Kassouf, Yale Kaufman, Hannah Lickteig, Marissa Lorenzo, Charles Maher, Rachel Manto, Serena Mulligan, Mary Murphy, Olivia O’Leary, Amanda O’Shea, Julianna Petrucelli, Meghan Sherman, Naagma Timakondu, Angela Vu, Lucy Weissauer, Emilia Wielogorski, Mary Wynne.

Second honors

Grade 9 — James Alfano, Kyle Anderson, Emmanuel Asinas, Dylan Attolino, Steven Bell, Richard Beres, Michael Bevino, Ryan Brenes, Julia Brunson, Parker Callahan, Kylie Carino, Emily Casey, Molly Champagne, Kyle Cohen, Kayla Coppola, Hannah DeSousa, Lance DiNatale, Rylee Doheny, Garrett Edgeworth, Ryan Enders, Nicole Eschweiler, Alyssa Fameli, Nicholas Foss, Elizabeth Galaburri;

Also, Troy Gallipoli, Ashley Giacobbe, Casey Glennon, Christopher Goglia, Ryan Griffin, Joshua Henderson, Brett Huber, Alexandra Iannotti, Kaylee Jamieson, Genevieve Jaser, Kiara Kanlong, Maeve Kiley, Matthew Kozek, Cassidy Kuba, Taylor Lambiase, Kyle Lang, Avery Lasky, Desiree Lazo, Michael Leson, Kyle Lieff, Peter Ljuljdjurovic, Trygve Lund, Sarah Luzzi, Hannah Mata, Douglas McLenithan, Jessica McQuade, Sydney Messey, Nicholas Milewski;

Also, Elijah Moretti, Rebecca Morse, Lily Muir, Lauren Notholt, Viktoria Notholt, Zachary Paquet, Morgan Pastir, Taylor Patton, David Payne, Christopher Petrucelli, Alexander Ricci, Salvatore Rosa III, Shannon Sanders, Brittney Sicotte, Annie Sinisgalli, Colby Stuart, Zachary Tavitian, Anthony Turlis, Nicholas Tutino, Alexis Utz, Gabriella Vitelli, Cassondra Zak, Nicholas Zavaglia.

Grade 10 — Janae Ambrose, Roman Babadzhan, Melanie Bachman, Brittney Baker, Michael Bakx, Roberto Balado, Reilee Barron, Kaycie Begley, Samantha Bernardo, Justin Blatt, James Coon, Sarah Corris, Erin Dillman, Brianna Dudding, Tori Edwards, Samantha Enders, Bryan Firmender, Colin Firmender, Stacy Foster, Emma Gerstein, Luke Gibbs, Kayla Gosselin;

Also, Megan Gossett, Kathryn Gowisnock, Erica Hanson, Alexa Hart, Olivia Hayes, Aaron Hostetler, Michelle Hovey, Kelly Hunt, Alexandra Ives, Wyatt Johnson, Leandro Jorge, Noah Jorgensen, Reed Keller, Sam Kopatch, Levin Labrias, Jacob Lambert, Serena Lambiase, Alyssa Lee, David Leonard, Juliet Levesque, Jason Liontas, Ryan Manning, Maxwell Mauro, Donald McNulty, Lyric McVoy, Dennis Mema, Khyle Mingo, Dylan Minowa, Sarah Moon, Brandon Morse;

Also, Fiona Noyes, Kevin O’Connor, Erica Ourfalian, Matthew Panettieri, Kayleigh Paskiewicz, Conor Quinn, Pocholo Recto, Brittany Reed, Julia Roth, Kyle Ruocco, Victoria Savoca, Gabrielle Steinlauf, Katelyn Stokes, Jordan Townsend, Nicolas Vanchot, Brittany Whitham, Jubilee Witte, Samuel Worobel.

Grade 11 — Thomas Aguirre, Laylah Alvarez, Dylan Bartel, Kayla Benedetti, Jacques Benoit, James Berkovich, Hanna Birenbaum, Shana Blatt, Kristin Carlson, Matthew Carrano, Robert Ceballos, Tyler Colwell, Erin Doran, Claudio dos Santos, John Doty, David Enders, MaryKate Fallon, Patrick Fitzgerald, Amber Frank, Andy Garcia, John Garland, Destynee Gill, Samuel Glinsky, Eryn Goff, Marissa Gomes, Kathleen Grisier, Christian Gunzenhauser;

Also, Kayla Hart, Gabrielle Henry, Brianne Holden, Maxwell Jerue, Destini Jones, Jake Kasuba, Alexander Kefford, Danielle Kemp, Thomas Kennedy, Joseph Kliff, Richard Kratzer, Joseph Kubic, Katherine Kurata, Marina Kydes, Noelle Labozzo, Caitlin Lauro, Patrick Leary, Stephanie Leson, Stephen Longley, Savannah Mailloux, Victor Mariano, Olivia Marrone, Kevin Mastriano, Makenzie McDonald, Joshua Mixie, Jeff Morgan Jr;

Also, Victoria Netkovick, David Notholt, Sara O’Connell, Ryan Olah, Timothy Orozco, Janae Owen, Prashant Patel, Hannah Pelton, Nicole Pergolotti, Amanda Portoff, Amber Price, Anthony Raccio, Joseph Radecki, Karina Santiago, Adriana Sciancalepore, Maryam Shahabadi, Kristen Sheridan, Paige Sirichantho, Allison Steele, Taylor Stehlik, Joshua Teller, Michael Torrens, Salvatore Tuozzola, Jack Wilson, Olivia Wunder, Jenna Zacarelli, Leah Zinsky.

Grade 12 — Michael Alderman, Jesse Alldredge, Abigail Amann, Daniel Anderton, Kaylyn Bettencourt, John Paul Blodgett, Bailey Brown, Kristen Brown, Connor Cadrin, Nicholas Carpenter, Kelsey Carvalko, Leanna Charron, Kaylee Ciolino, BarbaraAnne Clayton, Jason Corn, Joseph DiBiase, Jane DiNatale, Jonathan Duarte, Jessica DuBret, Erica Durazzo, Benjamin Ear, Bria Fernandes, Garrett Glynn;

Also, Bryanna Gonski, Charles Grant, Julia Green, Nicholas Griswold, Lukas Guimaraes, Jessica Harkness, Robert Held, Jenna Higgins, Jason Jaser, Savannah Jennings, Andrew Jones, Christopher June, Mariah Kasparek, Tyler Kasuba, Mia Kernaghan, Anthony Kopatch, John Laychak, Anna Levinson, Colin Lydiksen, Roderick Manuel, Brianna Marchitto, Lawson Martinez, Ashley Masliuk, Teneya McLaughlin;

Also, Maggie-Marie Meyers, Christopher Mills, Paul Mirmina, Tessanie Negron, Kayla Newall, Bryan Niebanck, Elizabeth Nolan, Robert Notholt, Liam Oliver, Luke Olsson, Samuel Olsson, Jason Paquette, Satyam Patel, Emily Pisarra, Valeriya Pozdnyakova, Alyssa Pudill, Paige Raucci;

Also, Daniel Rivera, Taylor Rivera, Hailey Scofield, Iris Shapiro, Victoria Sicotte, Andres Siguencia, Emanuel Silva, Shemona Singh, Matthew Smith, James Sylvester, Chelsea Utz, Ashley Veillette, Nicholas Weissauer, Aleksandra Wielogorski, Cristian Woodford.

The Milford Fire Department will collect propane tanks on Saturday, May 17.

The collection is for Milford residents only and proof of residency will be required. There is no cost for this collection.

The collection will take place at 55 Wheelers Farms Road, upper parking lot of Fire Station 7, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Following are the rules:

• Have proof of residency ready

• Tanks should be transported in an upright position

• Safety plug must be in place

• Preferable driver only transporting the tank(s)

• Valve must be in the closed position

• The city will take full, partially filled, and empty 20-pound tanks

• Do not vent the tank prior to transporting

• Tanks should be secured in place to prevent accidental tip-over

• Tanks should be transported with the vehicle windows open

• No smoking during the transport of the tank or in the drop off area

For more information, call the fire marshal’s office at 203-874-6321.

The 47,000 miles of highways that make up America’s interstate highway system are nothing short of an engineering marvel, surpassed only by what China has built in the last few years.

We take them for granted, but when they were designed almost 60 years ago, these super-highways presented both great opportunity and vast challenges. The United States wasn’t the first with super-highways. Those bragging rights go to the Germans, whose Reichsautobahn saw cars zooming along at 100-plus mph in the 1930s.

Most credit President Eisenhower, whose troops rode the Autobahn in World War II, for seeing the military value of an American equivalent, though engineering such a complex across the United States was far more difficult.

Of course, by 1940, the United States already had the Pennsylvania Turnpike and by 1954 the New York State Thruway, but private toll roads were just the beginning.

To build a road expected to last, in 1955 the federal government, AAA and automakers first built a $27-million seven-mile test road near Ottawa, Illinois. Half was concrete, the other half asphalt. The 836 separate sections of highway had various sub-surfaces and 16 bridges. For two years Army trucks drove night and day, seeing which road designs would hold up.

Weather and traffic dictated different designs: In desert areas the highways needed to be only a foot thick, while in Maine, the tough winter and freeze-thaw cycles required that I-95 be five feet thick.

Construction of the highways required moving 42 billion cubic feet of soil. To expedite construction of I-40 in California, there was even a plan to use nuclear bombs to vaporize part of the Bristol Mountain range.

As author Dan McNichol writes in his excellent book The Roads that Built America, “VIP seating was even planned for the event. The [nuclear] bombing was to produce a cloud 12,000 feet high and a radioactive blast 133 times that of Hiroshima.” Needless to say, the mountains were moved using more conventional explosives.

Outside of Greenbelt Maryland, another site tested the design of road signs … white lettering on a black background, white on blue (already adopted by the New York Thruway) or, what proved to be the winning model, white on green.

Just 5,200 of the original 41,000 miles of interstates were to be built in urban areas, but those few miles accounted for almost half of the $425-billion total cost. By 1992 the system was deemed “completed.” Bragging rights for the longest of the interstates goes to I-90, running 3,020 miles from Boston to Seattle and our own beloved I-95, which runs 1,920 miles from the Canadian border to Miami, Fla.

As anyone who drives on I-95 in Connecticut knows, the interstates have far surpassed their expected traffic load and are in need of billions in repairs. Little did we know 60 years ago what our automotive future might bring.

Jim Cameron has been a Darien resident for 22 years. He is the founder of the Commuter Action Group and also serves on the Darien RTM. The opinions expressed in this column are only his own. You can reach him at CommuterActionGroup@gmail.com.

There will be a pet blessing at the Wildermere Beach Congregational Church Sunday, May 18, at 9 a.m.

Residents are welcome to bring their pet to be blessed.

The church is located at 133 Broadway in Milford.

Milford police issued an arrest warrant for Heather Simonelli, 26, of Milford, accusing her of allegedly stealing prescription medication from a Bridgeport Avenue residence on April 16, 2014.

Investigation led to an arrest warrant being issued for Simonelli who is accused of taking 67 narcotic prescription pills from an acquaintance’s residence. Police say she later attempted to sell the medication.

A computer check revealed that Simonelli also had an outstanding warrant accusing her of violating her court appointed probation.

Simonelli is charged with possession of narcotics, possession of narcotics with intent to sell and narcotic prescription not stored in original container. She was held on $20,500 bond.

The Foran Sports Booster Club will be selling Foran graduate balloons for $5.

Forms are available on the school’s website at milforded.org. Go to schools, Joseph A. Foran High School and click on Athletics, then Booster Club.

For information call Jane Eager at 203-913-1854 or Kathy Huber at 203-530-3322. All orders must be received by June 10.

“Milford Day at the Zoo” is Saturday May 31, at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

All Milford residents will get in for $5 each with identification.

Residents can spend the day at the zoo seeing all the new faces, riding the carousel and enjoying the entertainment.

They can also meet and greet local officials as well as business and civic leaders.

It’s not every day Connecticut’s Secretary of State Denise Merrill comes to your high school to specifically see you, but that is exactly what happened to Bryan Niebanck this week.

The Foran High School senior learned only a few days ago that he had been selected to receive one of only five scholarships in the state — and that it would be delivered personally by Merrill at the Milford school.

The Secretary of the State’s annual scholarship, the 12th Grade Excellence In Citizenship Scholarship, is awarded to high school seniors who have demonstrated selfless service to the community and have exhibited an interest in civic activities.

The annual award is co-sponsored by the Connecticut Citizenship Fund, Inc.  Scholarships of $1,000 each are awarded — one per Congressional district in Connecticut. Bryan received the award for the 3rd Congressional District.

In her official presentation to Bryan at the high school, Secretary of State Merrill said, “Bryan — we are proud of you, and after reading about all the wonderful things you do the State of Connecticut is counting on you to continue your work here for a long time to come.”

Academically, Bryan has taken the most challenging coursework throughout his four years at Foran, including nine AP courses, (AP Statistics, AP American History, and AP English Literature, to name a few).  He was recognized last year as an AP Scholar with Honors for high scores on his AP annual exams and has continually succeeded in his schoolwork. He currently ranks in the top 10 of his class.

Bryan was the treasurer of the National Honor Society, vice president of the Bible Club, and active in the Natural Helpers group at school.

Bryan attained the high honor of Eagle Scout through his active participation and dedication in the Boy Scouts, earning 76 merit badges in the process.

During his high school years, Bryan has accumulated 710 community service hours. He has volunteered on several mission trips to New Orleans, Boston and Atlantic City, helping to rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy. On his trip to Boston, Bryan helped cook for the homeless, and assisted in rebuilding a water damaged church.

In his recommendation letter, Foran Principal Max Berkowitz wrote, “Bryan Niebanck is a caring and compassionate person who has made a difference through his devotion and commitment to helping others. His quiet leadership and dedication to helping people has made his school, community and world a better place.”

Bryan will be attending Siena College in Loudonville, N.Y. to pursue a degree in religious studies, with a minor concentration in philosophy.

Lauralton Hall’s 108th Commencement Ceremony will be held on Sunday, June 1 at 10 a.m.

Lauralton President Antoinette Iadarola, Ph.D. will give the opening and closing remarks and, along with Chairman of the Board of Trustees Michael Amato and Principal Ann Pratson, will present the graduates with their diplomas.

One of the graduates will be the recipient of Lauralton’s highest honor, the McAuley Award. Named after Catherine McAuley, the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, the McAuley Award is given annually to a student for her dedication and commitment to Lauralton Hall’s mission. The recipient will not be announced until the ceremony.

One hundred nineteen young women from towns across Connecticut will be receiving diplomas. Following the president’s opening remarks will be speeches by the valedictorian and salutatorian.

The 2014 valedictorian is Ann Marie Guzzi of Fairfield and the salutatorian is Jeanne-Claire Vincent of Stamford. Ann Marie and Jeanne-Claire leave Lauralton with impressive resumes that show academic excellence, dedication to their school and communities, and service to others.

Ann Marie Guzzi will be majoring in engineering at Duke University and Jeanne-Claire Vincent will be attending McGill University in Montreal.

This commencement ceremony will be dedicated to Principal Ann Pratson. After 35 years at Lauralton Hall, 21 years as Principal, she is retiring.

Bosch Field Training Specialists in 38 states nationwide tutored hundreds of future automotive technicians in advance of and at the Ford/AAA Student Auto Skills competition.

More than 12,000 high school students entered the competition, with 10 two-person teams competing at the state level. The team of Alec Bergemann and Santiago Serena from Platt Technical School took first place in Connecticut.

The winning teams from each state will compete on Tuesday, June 10, at the Ford Motor Company World Headquarters in Dearborn, Mich.

At stake is more than $10 million in scholarships to help students enhance their skills as future automotive technicians. The competition reinforces students’ desired field of study, showing them career opportunities within the automotive service field and shaping the next generation of automotive technicians.

“As vehicles become more complicated and require an advanced degree of servicing, the career opportunities as an automotive technician continue to expand,” said Mike Hosch, Director of Sales Electronics & Diagnostics, Bosch Automotive Service Solutions. “Our Field Training Specialists rely on their decades of experience as technicians, mentoring and helping students develop the skill set needed to be successful to build a career working in dealerships and service shops nationwide.”

The Auto Skills competition pits student teams against one another, repairing intentionally “bugged” vehicles and completing a written test. Teams are evaluated on workmanship, automotive knowledge and problem-solving abilities in a timed race.

“This is something our specialists look forward to every year, a chance to share their passion for the automotive service industry with students looking to learn and grow under the tutelage of Bosch,” added Hosch.

Bosch Field Training Specialists will continue providing technical instruction to students at the national level. Students will use the OTC Genisys EVO, an advanced diagnostics tool manufactured by the Automotive Aftermarket Business Division of Bosch, at the national competition. OTC has been the “Scan Tool of Choice” for the Student Auto Skills competition for more than 23 years, providing technical assistance for students for more than two decades.

Bosch’s Automotive Aftermarket Business Division provided every student at the state level with an Actron U-Scan, 1,000 in all. The U-Scan plugs into a vehicle’s On Board Diagnostics (OBD II) port, providing vehicle diagnostics with an iOS or Android device. The U-Scan offers users access to a vehicle’s OBD II information via a Bluetooth connection, reading the codes behind worrisome dashboard lights and helping offer a fix.

All students competing at the national level will receive a Bosch 12V Max Lithium-Ion cordless combo drill/driver and impact driver kit, and Bosch will be giving away three 24” Ascenta-Stainless steel dishwashers to families of competing students. In addition there will be one OTC Encore diagnostic tool given away at random to one high school in the competition, representing three of the four business sectors that comprise the Bosch Group: Automotive Technology, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology.

Incumbent state Rep. Paul Davis of Orange received the Democratic endorsement to run for a sixth term at a convention at the High Plains Community Center in Orange Tuesday night. Charles Ferraro, a Republican businessman from West Haven, will challenge him for the seat.

The 117th District includes parts of Milford, Orange and West Haven.

Davis

Davis, a retired West Haven teacher and swim coach, said in accepting the nomination that he was honored and humbled by the support he has received.

In nominating Davis, Orange resident Kevin McNabola, former Orange schools finance director and recently appointed West Haven director of finance, said Davis is responsive to the needs of the communities and works tirelessly on behalf of his constituents. He mentioned that on numerous occasions when issues involving the state arose, Davis was there to help.

In a seconding speech, former Milford state Rep. Richard Roy, who worked with Davis at the Capitol for eight years, spoke of Davis’s outstanding work ethic and integrity.

During his acceptance speech, Davis said, “Under Democratic leadership the legislature tackled some of the most important issues facing our citizens. My position as deputy majority leader and my membership on the Education, Environment, and Energy and Technology committees has given me a unique opportunity to directly impact many of these issues.”

He said he felt that much has been accomplished, but there are still more problems to address.

“When I first ran for office 10 years ago, I said I would not make promises I could not keep, but would promise to work as hard as possible for my constituents,” Davis said. “Today I am here to renew that pledge. I do this because I believe our communities are great places to live and work. They are worth fighting for and we can make them even better. I am committed to hard work and responsible representation. I am honored to once again receive the endorsement of my party, the Democratic Party. With a strong belief that the best is yet to come, I proudly and humbly accept the nomination.”

 Ferraro

Charles Ferraro was nominated as his party’s convention May 14 in West Haven to run for the position.

Ferraro is a lifelong West Haven resident and owner of the West Haven Academy of Karate.

Ferraro is also the co-founder of Worldwide Tang Soo Do Family, an international martial arts organization uniting practitioners from 19 different countries.

In his acceptance speech, Ferraro shared some of his thoughts on the upcoming campaign.

“You can’t keep doing the same thing and expect a different result,” Ferraro said. “Over the past 10 years, Democrats have continually increased state spending, including in our most recent budget. Unrestrained spending necessitated raising taxes to record levels, not only on businesses but on just about everything else. The result is reduced tax revenues despite the record tax increases, one of the weakest state economies in America, and a slow recovery with unemployment higher than it should be.”

Ferraro said Davis has been a part of the Democrat majority that raised taxes, “borrowing and spending to historically high levels.”

“We are faced with unfunded state pensions and a projected large budget deficit once again,” Ferraro said.

The Republican said he would be a strong voice for effective government and would fight to lower taxes and ensure sound fiscal policy.

“I will be your voice and fight against bad legislation that harms our economy and inhibits job creation,” he said. “We must review all spending to ensure that each project is absolutely necessary. By weeding out pork we can allocate a greater share for essential services, such as mental health assistance, which benefits all of us.”

Ferraro also said he wants to repeal the 20% business tax surcharge and the business entity tax.

“We can get businesses moving to Connecticut and hiring again,” he said. “Once state spending is under control and our economy is growing again, we can lower taxes for everyone.”

The following property transfers are copyrighted material previously published in the Commercial Record, a weekly trade paper. It is reprinted with permission from the publisher, The Warren Group, thewarrengroup.com.

38 8th Ave, William M. and Timothy F. Bannon to Barbara A. Infurchia, $279,000.

Benson St, Michael A. and Sarah T. Lebov to Ann Ballantyne and Lane Pagnam, $310,000.

750 Bridgeport Ave, Sanford Realty LLC to 750 Bridgeport Avenue LLC, $3,500,000.

13 Lincoln Ave, Molly Rentals LLC to Temi T. and Erica Akingboye, $324,900.

6 Robbins Ct, Robert F. and Gary J. Beloin to Vince and Heather L. Rossi, $180,000.

34 Shipyard Ln Unit F, Jamesina E. Henderson to Donal and Bridget Gleeson, $477,500.

57 Southwind Ln Unit 57, Mary Baranowsky and Onewest Bank FSB to Onewest Bank FSB, $116,000.

25 Springdale St, US Bank NA Tr to Cuiping Zhang, $151,824.

“Through the Looking Glass: Celebrating Early Milford Families” is the title of this year’s opening exhibit at the Milford Historical Society, which resumed tours this weekend.

The hours are 1 to 4 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday through Columbus Day at the society’s complex at 34 High Street.

The centerpiece of the exhibit is a mirror that was a wedding present given by Capt. Anthony Stow to his bride Sarah Bryan on Oct. 22, 1800. This Federal period (1781-1800) looking glass has a pediment with 15 acorns – one for each state (dating to about 1797) and gilded molded sides with gesso. The mirror was a gift to the Society by Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Stow Butler of Greenwich, descendents of the original owner, in memory of their son, 1st Lt. Anthony Stow, Jr. Items owned by other early Milford families also are on display

The society has an exhibit of photographs, banners and mementos from past celebrations of Milford’s founding. There are souvenirs and commemorative books from the 350th, 325th, 300th and other years.

New this year is a Victorian Parlor that can be viewed in the Bryan-Downs House. Furniture and accessories have recently been donated by Burton and Natalie van Hise and other Milford families. Finishing touches will be put on this exhibit all summer.

Also on display is the permanent exhibit of Native America artifacts from the “Claude C. Coffin Indian Collection.” The story of indigenous people in Connecticut began at least 13,000 years ago, and the society’s collection spans 10,000 years of that time including many items from the early cultural Archaic Period 8,000 years ago, a stage not well known in the Northeast.

Milford is one of the oldest European settlement sites in Connecticut. In 1639, members of the Paugusset Tribe, known locally as the Wepawaug Indians, traded land that became Milford (and other towns) to settlers originally from England.

During this year, the 375th anniversary of the founding of Milford, the suggested donation for tours of three houses is $3.75. However, no donation will be requested on June 14, Connecticut’s “Open House Day” during the usual Saturday hours of 1 to 4 p.m. “Open House Day” is sponsored by the Connecticut Office of Tourism to broaden awareness among residents of Connecticut of its cultural sites and showcase our museums and galleries for visitors.

Thanks to the “Blue Star Museums” program, admission is free every weekend to those active in the military and their families. “Blue Star Museums” is a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, the Department of Defense, and more than 2,000 museums in all 50 states.

For information on joining the society, call 203-877- 1851, visit milfordhistoricalsociety.org or write to the Milford Historical Society at P.O. Box 337, Milford, CT 06460.