Connecticut
Cheshire Student Wins Whitey Piurek ‘No ‘I’ In Team’ Award
CHESHIRE, CT — Cheshire’s Christopher Kobylanski will be one of 31 honorees to receive the John “Whitey” Piurek “There’s No ‘I’ in Team” Award at the Southern Connecticut Diamond Club’s upcoming banquet.
The Southern Connecticut Diamond Club, Inc., will hold its 19th Annual “No ‘I’ in Team” High School Awards Banquet on Sunday, June 9, at 11 a.m. at The Woodwinds in Branford.
Tickets to the 2024 SCDC “No ‘I’ in Team” luncheon are $45 per person and will only be sold in advance. Tickets can be purchased online here or by contacting Rose V. Mentone, Executive Director, at RMentone@comcast.net.
Find out what’s happening in Cheshirewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The SCDC, a non-profit, volunteer-run organization whose stated mission is to foster and promote the game of baseball in greater New Haven, will bestow upon a player from each of 31 area high schools the John “Whitey” Piurek “There’s No ‘I’ in Team” Award.
The honor is named for Piurek, the longtime West Haven High School coach, Seattle Mariners scout, and Greater New Haven Baseball Umpires Association commissioner, and is tagged with one of his favorite phrases.
Find out what’s happening in Cheshirewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Honorees were selected jointly by their coaches and directors of athletics. While it was recommended schools choose a senior, they were free to recognize any player they felt gave most unselfishly to their team.
Winners represent the Southern Connecticut Conference (18), Shoreline Conference (4), Naugatuck Valley League (3), New England Private Schools Athletics Council (3), Central Connecticut Conference (2), and Connecticut Technical Conference (1)
The SCDC will also honor its George Klivak Team of the Year and Samuel A. Burrell Jr. Coach of the Year. Both awards, as chosen by area coaches and the SCDC Executive Board, will have co-winners in 2024. The Team of the Year award will be shared by SCC champion Daniel Hand High School and Shoreline winner North Branford High School.
Southington High’s Stan Switala and East Haven High’s Raymond “Butch” Johnson are the Co-Coaches of the Year. Southington, the inaugural CCC Tournament champion, entered the CIAC Class LL Tournament with a 22-0 record and ranked No. 1 in the GameTimeCT state poll. East Haven (12-8-1 entering Class L Tournament) enjoyed its first winning season since 2019.
The 2024 winners of the Southern Connecticut Diamond Club John “Whitey” Piurek “There’s No ‘I’ in Team” Award are:
Amity Regional – Johnny Aldi
Ansonia – Brendan Lynch
Branford – Giuseppe Piscitelli
Canterbury – Seth Schullery
Cheshire – Christopher Kobylanski
Derby – Kobe Marroquin
East Haven – Dominick Perillo
Fairfield Prep – Griffin Fisher
Foran – Kasen Lanese
Guilford – Joe Tafro
Hamden – Tristan Manganiello
Hamden Hall – Ryan Lynch
Hand – Johnny Reh
Hopkins – Jaan Desai
Hillhouse/Career – Henry Rugemer
Law – Alex Bludevich
Morgan – Ryan Donadio
North Branford – Victor Castillo
Notre Dame (West Haven) – Matthew Cinque
North Haven – Jordan Higgins
Old Saybrook – Nick Denovellis
Platt HS – Aiden McCarty
Sheehan – Paul Gorry
Shelton – Jake Duda
Southington – Carson Lentini
Westbrook – Kyle Litevich
West Haven – Haygen Axelrod
Wilbur Cross – Andrez Garcia
Wilcox Tech – Noah Zamorano
Woodland Regional – Ethan Stepputtis
Xavier – Luciano Frezza
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Connecticut
Cyclosporiasis outbreak prompts food safety concerns in Connecticut
ROCKY HILL, Conn. (WFSB) – People like Dena Pizzoferrato are changing what they put in their grocery carts after hearing about a cyclosporiasis outbreak.
“I’m kind of a little nervous so I’m looking to see what I buy right now,” Pizzoferrato said. “Today I didn’t buy any lettuce. I said I’m OK for now.”
Doctors say the illness is spread through parasites that make their way onto fresh produce. There have been 23 reported cases in Connecticut since May, but the CDC says the number is likely higher. Across the country, more than 840 cases and 86 hospitalizations have been reported in 31 states.
Symptoms include diarrhea and nausea that can last days to weeks. Doctors have not identified a source for the outbreak.
Dr. Ulysses Wu, chief epidemiologist at Hartford HealthCare, said a range of produce could be contaminated.
“Typical things you would think are vegetables or fruits. In the past, it’s been raspberries, basil, cilantro. You may find it in lettuces, bagged salads. So it’s a variety of things that can be contaminated, but they have not found it at this time,” said Wu.
Wu said residents should take precautions with their produce. “Take precautions with your fruit and your produce. We give the same advice when people go overseas that you should always peel something. You should always boil something,” he said.
Doctors also recommend washing produce thoroughly if boiling is not an option, and washing hands regularly.
Copyright 2026 WFSB. All rights reserved.
Connecticut
Milford business celebrating 50th anniversary
Chip Rubenstein, owner of Chip’s Auto Sales of Milford, says he’s honored to celebrate the dealership’s 50th anniversary alongside America’s 250th birthday.
“I opened Chip’s Auto Sales in 1976, during a chaotic time for our nation in the world,” said Rubenstein, “50 years later, I am so proud of the legacy I’ve created as somebody who always tried his best to do right, and to serve my community proudly.”
Connecticut
Car catches fire in Trumbull
Intense flames engulfed a car early Saturday morning in Trumbull.
Officials say it happened around 3:30 a.m. on Richfield Drive near the Bridgeport town line.
Trumbull and Bridgeport fire crews worked to put out the flames.
It was not immediately known how the fire started or if there were any injuries.
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