After a 14-day stepped-up enforcement of seat belt laws Stratford Police announced their “saturation patrols” yielded 51 seat belt infractions, 11 cellphone / distracted driving infractions, 43 unregistered / suspended registration infractions, six uninsured motorists, 10 no license / suspended license infractions, two drug arrests, and 11 other motor vehicle violations.

The Stratford Police Department Click It or Ticket mobilization, part of a highly visible national enforcement crackdown took place here between May 19 and June 1.

According to a news release from Stratford Police Lt. Curtis Eller, “The Click It or Ticket mobilization may be over, but that is no excuse to stop wearing your seat belt. Don’t forget to buckle up and please encourage those around you to always do the same.”

For more on the national seat belt mobilization, visit Click It or Ticket headquarters at TrafficSafetyMarketing.gov.

In an effort to continually expand it’s life-saving capabilities and to further support it’s mission of maintaining Stratford as a HeartSafe Community, Stratford EMS has purchased new Automated External Defibrillators for the fire department.

Each year, the Stratford EMS system responds to more than 100 reports of cardiac arrest and, while they are not always able to revive every patient, the system works very hard to give each patient the very best chances for survival. The Stratford EMS System is made up of Stratford Fire Department First Responders and Stratford EMS (SEMS).

Over the past several years, Stratford has put several updates in place aimed at enhancing its ability to save lives. The Town of Stratford became a HeartSafe community in 2012 which requires the establishment and maintenance of CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training for the public, as well as the placement of AED’s throughout the community.

Stratford EMS has also upgraded its capabilities to reduce response times. In 2013, SEMS was awarded a grant to upgrade its paramedic cardiac monitors and purchase a Lucas II automatic chest compression device. SEMS also began providing advanced cardiac life support training in-house.

Michael Loiz, Director of EMS said, “The fire department asked us to support them in purchasing additional AED’s through the EMS Enterprise Fund. The purchase of these devices is an enhancement to the overall EMS systems capability to respond to sudden cardiac arrest and will help us continue to support our overall mission to save lives.”

The purchase also included first response oxygen bags for each AED.

This equipment cost SEMS approximately $24,000 and was paid for out of the EMS Enterprise fund which is supported by billing insurance carriers, and is not subsidized by public tax dollars.

Fighting and drugs

Police responded to a report of a fight in a hallway at Honeyspot Motel on June 5 and arrested Daniela Barros, 30, of Bridgeport after Barros had an altercation with the officers. Police say Barros was a uncooperative and yelled epithets to the police before the altercation and being handcuffed. Barros was found to be allegedly in possession of drugs. Charges against the man were illegal possession of an hallucinogen (ecstasy) and marijuana, interfering with a police officer and disorderly conduct.

Unvaccinated Rottweiller

After a Rottweiller was delivered to the Animal Control Shelter by a person who reportedly found the dog roaming, the owner of the dog, Michael Connelly, 52, of Stratford, came to the pound and found his dog. On June 7 Connelly was given a $136 infraction for failure to vaccinate for rabies and a $75 infraction for failure to license a dog.

DUI

An off-duty police officer witnessed a car hitting two other cars near Chelsea Street on June 7. Patrol officers were called in, and, when they approached the driver, John Malaver, 24, of Stratford, they saw what they believed to be signs of intoxication. Malaver was arrested and charged with operating while under the influence and evading responsibility for property damage.

Fleeing car accidents

After investigating a report of a vehicle hitting two other vehicles on April 10 in the area of Barnum and Nicols avenues and fleeing the scenes, police issued a warrant for the arrest of David Piccolo, 31, of Stratford. Piccolo turned himself into police on June 5. He was charged with allegedly evading responsibility, operating with a suspended license or registration, and following too close.

Fleeing after being pulled over

Police report seeing a camper being driven erratically and passing cars on the right on June 5 around Mary Street. When they pulled over the driver and camper, a male allegedly exited a rear door and ran from the scene. Police lost sight of the man. They did not find the man at the house where there camper was registered, but they found a man of similar description walking on Jackson Street. He reportedly refused to answer questions and cooperate with police. The man, Keith Scheck, 46, of Stratford was arrested and charged with operating with a suspended license of registration, making an improper turn, refusing to be fingerprinted, and interfering with an officer.

Threatening

Police responded to a report of a domestic dispute at Fiddlers Green on June 10 and found a man laying on the ground outside a residence. With some prior experience with the man, Jason Coletsos, 43, of Stratford, police say they feared that he may have had a weapon, so they handcuffed the him. Police allege Coletsos spoke racial epithets to the police and spit on the police. Police removed guns from the residence as they had a reports of the man threatening and harassing his wife and saying he was going to do something dangerous, according to police reports. Coletsos was arrested and charged with depriving rights of others, interfering with an officer, breach of peach, harassment, and threatening.

DUI

Police pulled over a BMW driving north on Main Street on June 14 because they say it was weaving and crossing the yellow line. Police detected an odor of alcohol. The driver allegedly became argumentative and failed a field sobriety test. He was arrested and charged with operating under the influence and failure to drive right.

Gun possession

Michael Sherwood Jr., 27, of Stratford was arrested on June 11 and charged with carrying a gun without a permit and possessing a stolen firearm. This was after an investigation of guns stolen from a Canaan Road residence on Jan. 29 led police to Sherwood.

Stratford Police arrested a Stratford man and a Bridgeport man on Monday, June 23, for allegedly burglarizing a Pearl Place home that day.

Police responded to a report at 3:30 p.m. Monday of a burglary in progress at a residential home on Pearl Place. The burglars left Pearl Place walked toward Ruby Lane before police got to the scene, police say.

Shortly afterward police received a second call from a resident on Timber Ridge Road reporting two strange men in her yard.

When officers arrived on Timber Ridge Road the two men ran into a wooded area at the end of Timber Ridge Road, according to the report. Stratford Officer Tom Clements and K-9 Kahn located the suspects in the thick brush. They were arrested after several witnesses identified them as the two men observed breaking and entering into the home on Pearl Place and trespassing on Timber Ridge Road, according to police.

Jesus Roman of Stratford

Items stolen from the Pearl Place residence were also recovered in the area.

Jesus Roman, 23, of Stratford and Angel Arbelo, 23, of Bridgeport

Angel Arbelo of Bridgeport

were charged with burglary, criminal trespass and interfering with an officer. Both were held on a $10,000 bond.

Stratford police report that a male with a gun entered the Alltown Convenience Store at 7294 Main Street, at approximately 2 a.m. on Sunday, June 22, approached the front counter clerk, displayed a handgun, and left the store with an undetermined amount of money.

There were no injuries.

The Cumberland Farms on River Road in nearby Shelton experienced a similar robbery prior to the Alltown incident, according to Capt. Paul DosSantos, who said he believes the two events are connected.

Stratford Police Department launches heightened enforcement of boating under the influence laws June 27-29.

The Stratford Police Department will be participating in Operation Dry Water June 27-29, as part of a nationally coordinated effort to reduce the number of accidents and deaths related to boating under the influence (BUI).

During this three-day weekend, Stratford Police Marine Unit, with the addition of two personal watercraft jet skis — one of which was seized from a drug dealer — will be on the water reminding boaters about the dangers of boating under the influence and detecting boaters who are impaired.

Boating under the influence continues to be major problem nationwide, according to Lt. Curt Eller at Stratford Police. In fact, the leading factor in boater deaths is alcohol use while boating.

By participating in Operation Dry Water, The Stratford Police Department is working to keep recreational boaters safe and reduce the number of accidents and deaths related to alcohol or drug use.

“Our agency encourages boaters to enjoy the boating season with friends and family, and we also encourage you do it in a safe and responsible way,” said Eller. “Drinking alcohol while on a boat can have serious, even deadly, consequences, and our goal is to make sure everyone is enjoying their time on the water and staying safe.”

In Connecticut boaters whose blood alcohol content (BAC) level exceeds the state limit of [.08] can expect to be arrested for BUI and face other serious penalties that may include having their vessel impounded, payment of fines, jail time and loss of boating or even driving privileges.

Operation Dry Water patrols will include increased patrols, breathalyzer tests, and checkpoints, as well as boater education and outreach, according to Eller.

Operation Dry Water is a joint program of Stratford Police Department, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, the U.S. Coast Guard and other partner agencies. For more information on Operation Dry Water, please visit operationdrywater.org.

The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators is a national nonprofit organization that works to develop public policy for recreational boating safety. NASBLA represents the recreational boating authorities of all 50 states and the U.S. territories. NASBLA offers a variety of resources, including training, model acts, education standards and publications. Through a national network of thousands of professional educators, law enforcement officers and volunteers, NASBLA affects the lives of over 76 million American boaters.

The United States Coast Guard is a military, multi-mission, maritime service within the Department of Homeland Security and one of the nation’s five armed services. Its core roles are to protect the public, the environment, and U.S. economic and security interests in any maritime region in which those interests may be at risk, including international waters and America’s coasts, ports, and inland waterways.

Stratford Police boat their two jet skis that will be used to enforce boating laws.

Updated 2:00 p.m. The woman who was found unconscious after washing ashore onto Short Beach in Stratford late this morning has passed away, according to Stratford Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour.

“No personal information will be released until next of kin are notified,” Ridenhour told The Star.

Foul play is not suspected, Ridenhour said earlier.

Updated 2:40 p.m. Short Beach Park is completely open after police investigated incident.

ORIGINAL STORY: An unconscious woman was found washed ashore at the southern end of Short Beach Park in Stratford late this morning, Stratford Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour reported.

The woman was transported to a local hospital, and hospital staff was working to revive the woman, Ridenhour said at 1:40 p.m.

Ridenhour believes it may be connected to a recent report of a missing person from a local town, but that has not been confirmed.

The matter is under investigation. No other details were available.

Wayne’s Walk is both a place and an event.

The place is a path that runs from Riverdale Drive out into Short Beach Park. Now a town-built and -maintained concrete walkway, it used to be an informal accessway to the beach that Wayne Lecardo and others would tend to and keep tidy, since it was an off-shoot of their neighborhood.

The beginning of Wayne’s Walk, the place, at Riverdale Drive, is also the home to a stone and garden memorial to Lecardo, who at the age of 34, was killed by a drunk driver in 2007.

At that site on this past Saturday, June 21, Wayne’s Walk the place and Wayne’s Walk the event came together for the fourth year in a row.

At that site dozens of walkers came to symbolize the effort to increase awareness about the dangers of drunk driving and to raise money for victims of drunk driving — all part of the annual Wayne’s Walk 5K.

Darin Bershefsky welcomes the crowd to the Wayne’s Walk 5K on June 21. Greg Reilly photo.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal spoke about his “passion to fight drunk driving.” Mayor John Harkins attended to show his and the town’s continuous support of the program. State Rep. Laura Hoydick was there, as was a representative from the Connecticut chapter of MADD-Mothers Against Drunk Driving. The media was there, too, to transmit the messages.

Wayne’s Walk, the event, is a “memorial with a message,” according to Darin Michael Bershefsky, RN, who was a friend of Lecardo and who created the Wayne’s Walk Foundation to raise awareness and assist victims and families of victims of drunk driving.

Listening to Bershefsky at the start of the event one understands that the event was inspired by Lecardo himself. Wayne Lecardo was, Bershefsky said, a person who lived as a testimony to the belief that “it is better to give than to receive.”

By all accounts Lecardo lived with constant concern for others, and he helped others in countless ways.

Blumenthal told the audience at the start of the walk that “Wayne’s memory is inspiring.” The senator conveyed the common allegory of true generosity being depicted by one who plants a tree even though he knows he will not benefit from its shade.

Wayne’s Walk Foundation leader Darin Bershefsky with his daughter and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) at the impact part of the event. Greg Reilly photo.

It was that kind of spirit that guided Lecardo’s life, Blumenthal said, and it is that spirit of goodness toward others that is guiding Lecardo’s friends and family who now work to help fight drunk driving.

“Life is so fragile,” Blumenthal said, and “the scourge of drunk driving is still prevalent at all age groups.”

Two families who are victims of drunk driving — one that lost a son who was hit by a drunk driver and another who had family members injured as a car literally drove through their house in the middle of the night — spoke at the Wayne’s Walk event. They tearfully thanked the participants and the foundation leaders for their support in the wake of their tragedies.

According to Bershefsky, the foundation raised over $10,000 with this year’s Walk event, which brings the total raised to over $50,000 since 2011. The foundation has given over $20,000 in financial support to Connecticut victims and families over the past four years with things like burial costs and medications for pain, Bershefsky said.

Following the walk in and around Short Beach, families gathered at the park pavilion where there were games and activities for children, live music, food and beverage for all.

Participants begin the Wayne’s Walk 5K on Saturday, June 21, on a pathway to Short Beach Park. The event raised over $10,000 to support victims of drunk driving. Greg Reilly photo.

The woman who was found at Short Beach Park midday today, June 27, and who was pronounced dead shortly after 1 p.m. at a local hospital has been identified as Amy Golda of Hamden, according to Stratford Police Sgt. Eric Lazaro.

Police estimate the woman was in her 40s.

The cause of death is pending a ruling by the medical examiner, and the matter remains under investigation, according to Lazaro.

Lazaro said that the deceased woman “may have been reported missing from another town, possibly Hamden.”

Earlier reports were that the woman was found ashore, but the latest police report says that the woman’s body was found floating in the waters off of Short Beach in Stratford, before it was brought to shore and transported to a hospital. Attempts to revive the woman were unsuccessful.

See related stories on this website.

Armed robbery

Police made two arrests on May 29 related to an incident on May 8 in which three males allegedly approached a parked car on Columbus Place, displayed a handgun and stole two wallets and two phones from the victims. Marquess Coleman, 19, of Stratford and Daishaun Murphy, 19, of Stratford were charged with first degree robbery (which applies when a weapon is used), larceny, breach of peace, and threatening. A third suspect is under investigation.

Heroin and seat belt

Police on the lookout for drug sales in the area of Honeyspot and Anderson roads resulted in the two paroled prisoners being returned to jail. Police say they observed a car parked on Anderson, on May 30, where a male left the car as another male came and got into the car. Then the male who had left returned and the male who had gotten in the car left. Police say this is activity common during drug transactions. When the car pulled away police pulled it over for an apparent seat belt violation. More suspicious activity led to police discovering pure rock heroin and the arrest of parolee and convicted felon Luis Orriola, 27, of Stratford and parolee Anthony Arbelo, 22, of Bridgeport. Both men were immediately returned to the Department of Corrections.

Pot and parked cars

Four cars parked together and occupied at the Birdseye boat ramp were approached by a police officer on normal patrol on May 30. Police say there was no sign of any boating activity. After detecting an aroma of marijuana and questioning the car occupants police arrested Robert Hofmiller, 20, of Stratford who, according to police, voluntarily revealed marijuana and narcotics in his backpack. Hofmiller was charged with illegal sale of prescription drugs, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Family dispute

A brother and sister involved in a domestic dispute were arrested on June 1 and charged with assault. According to a police report Sherri Ann Birch, 59, of Stratford sliced her brother’s arm and she said her brother slapped her. She was charged with assault in the second degree and disorderly conduct. The brother, Christopher J. Barker, 56, of Stratford was charged with assault in the third degree.

Hazardous driving

Police charged Allon Guglielmoni, 20, of Stratford with hazardous driving at a construction or utility work zone and operating a vehicle with a suspended license on May 27 after he allegedly approached a zone with signs and cones at a high rate of speed.

The mother of a Stratford Academy Johnson House student, Lisa Marie Miguel, 44, of Stratford was arrested on Friday, June 6, after her child brought what police call “a simulated hand grenade” to school for a show-and-tell lesson, a stay-put order was placed on the school, and some students were evacuated from their classrooms.

Connecticut State Police Bomb squad, which was called to the Johnson House school by Stratford Police, reported that “the simulated hand grenade could combust and cause damage to property and persons within a 15 to 20 foot radius,” according to a police report.

Local police charged Miguel with reckless endangerment, possession of an explosive device and risk of injury to a minor.

The incident arose when Miguel’s 12 year old son brought the hand grenade to school for a lesson regarding World War II. According to Stratford Police Capt. Paul DosSantos the teacher alerted a school administrator immediately upon observing the item, and the administrator immediately removed the item and placed it outside the school building in a courtyard.

All students located in classrooms near the courtyard were evacuated from their classrooms to the auditorium, and the ‘stay put’ was initiated at the until the item was safely removed from the property, DosSantos said.

The state bomb technician safely removed the simulated hand grenade from the area to properly dispose the item.

Miguel reported to police that the simulated hand grenade was given to her by her deceased father as a gift from his military days. When her son told her about the World War II ‘show and tell’ lesson at school Miguel gave the simulated grenade to her son to bring to school. Police say that Miguel thought the grenade was a dud.

Town of Stratford’s annual fireworks display will be held Thursday, July 3, at Short Beach Park at approximately 9:00 p.m.

Preceding the fireworks will be the Atwood Express rock ’n roll band at 7 p.m. at the park’ concession stand.

Gov. Dannel Malloy is expected to be mingling with attendees on the beach, according to Stratford Democratic Town Committee Chairman Len Petrucelli.

The fireworks rain date is Friday, July 5.

The town’s event notification includes the following: There is limited parking at Short Beach Park. There is additional parking in the south lot at the Stratford Army Engine Plant. Open fires and pets are not permitted on the beach.

Picnic pavilions rentals will not be available that evening. Bathroom facilities will be available at the golf course building, at the ball fields, picnic areas and at the concession stand on the beach.

Stratford EMS will be providing first aid with walking and bike patrols. They will be located in the golf course parking lot. Any lost and found should be brought to the golf course building.

The Stratford Police Department requests the public follow the traffic pattern described here to ensure that traffic flows in and out of the area in an orderly and safe manner. At 9:15 p.m. all traffic heading south on Main Street toward Short Beach will be stopped at Access Road with no exceptions. Everyone will be diverted to Access Road. Main Street will not re-open for southbound traffic until Short Beach is cleared after the fireworks. At the conclusion of the fireworks all traffic leaving Short Beach will be directed left out of the beach towards Prospect Drive. Both lanes on Lordship Boulevard from Oak Bluff will be used for traffic traveling out of Lordship.

This year’s fireworks are part of Celebrate Stratford and the 375th Anniversary. They are sponsored by Peter DiNardo Enterprises. Other sponsors include: Milford Bank, Tim Bishop, Jackson Law Group, Stratford Land Development, Bridgeport Fittings, William B. Meyers Inc., and Next Step Living.

A display of fireworks from Short Beach last year. Greg Reilly photo.

Threatening with gun

Police responded to a dispute between neighbors on June 21 and arrested Ernest M. Pataki, 59, of Stratford for allegedly displaying a firearm toward the other. The gun was later determined to be a non-ammunition starter’s pistol, but Pataki was charged with threatening and breach of peach.

Punching a girl

Bridgeport Police encountered Darrin Wilson, 36, of Stratford on June 21 and discovered there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest in Stratford. They turned him over to Stratford Police who had issued the warrant last August after they received a complaint that alleged that Wilson assaulted a woman by pulling her hair and punching her in the face. He was charged with assault and breach of peach.

Phone and pot

Police on patrol near Barnum Avenue and Thompson Street on June 20 observed a car without a front registration plate and with the driver using a hand-held telephone. After pulling over and approaching the car the police officer detected what he believed to be the odor of unburned marijuana. A K9 unit was called in and the dog found a clear baggie with approximately 15 grams of marijuana. The driver, Jaime Deciucis, 31, of Shelton, was arrested and charged with operating an unregistered motor vehicle, failure to carry insurance identification, operating a motor vehicle while using a hand-held phone, and illegal possession of marijuana.

Unvaccinated roaming dog

Kadidra Felix, 20, of Stratford was cited with the infractions of allowing her dog to roam, failure to vaccinate a dog and animal nuisance after her dog ran out from her property and, according to a police report, aggressively approached two dogs that were leashed and being walked by a person on June 20. Police say their records indicate numerous other complaints have been made about an animal at Felix’s address.

On this final week before we celebrate the Fourth of July, let us at the Stratford Fire Marshals Office share some facts about fireworks.

The term “fireworks” is commonly used to describe items such as: Bottle rockets, firecrackers, lady fingers, roman candles, etc. and all are illegal in the State of Connecticut. Items such as snap poppers, party poppers, smoke bombs, snakes, etc. are considered novelties that would produce smoke, ash, or small noise and are also not allowed under Connecticut law.

Other items commonly known as M80s, M100, M1000, Cherry Bombs, Quarter Sticks, Blockbusters, etc., are generally illegally manufactured explosive devices that at times are referred to as firecrackers because of the way they look. These items will be considered explosive devices and possession of and/or manufacturing of such devices may result in felony criminal charges.

In 2010, U.S. hospitals treated an estimated 8,600 people for fireworks-related injuries — 73% of these injuries occurred between June 18 and July 18 — and 40% of the reported injuries were related to children under the age of 15.

With all the professional firework shows scheduled throughout the state the last thing anyone wants to do on such a great holiday is to spend it in a hospital emergency room due to carelessness.

The items you may see throughout Connecticut stores are considered sparklers and fountains that are regulated by the state fire marshal and enforced mainly by the local fire marshals. Sparklers and fountains will come in many varieties, which upon ignition will produce a shower of sparks without any explosions or aerial devices.

It should be understood that sparklers and fountains are not to be used, purchased or sold by persons under the age of 16 and are never to be used indoors.

Jesse Roman

Angel Arbelo

Stratford Police arrested a Stratford man and a Bridgeport man on Monday, June 23, for allegedly burglarizing a Pearl Place home that day.

Police responded to a report at 3:30 p.m. of a burglary in progress at a home on Pearl Place. The burglars left Pearl Place walked toward Ruby Lane before police got to the scene, police say.

Shortly afterward police received a call from a resident on Timber Ridge Road reporting two strange men in her yard.

When officers arrived on Timber Ridge Road the two men ran into a wooded area at the end of the road, according to the report. Stratford Officer Tom Clements and K-9 Kahn located the suspects in the thick brush. They were arrested after several witnesses identified them as the two men observed breaking and entering into the home on Pearl Place and trespassing on Timber Ridge Road, according to police.

Items stolen from the Pearl Place residence were also recovered in the area.

Jesus Roman, 23, of Stratford and Angel Arbelo, 23, of Bridgeport were charged with burglary, criminal trespass and interfering with an officer. Both were held on a $10,000 bond.

During Stratford Police marine unit’s announced heightened patrolling of waters off Stratford June 27 – 29 they issued 18 infraction citations for speeding in a No Wake Zone, and they gave 37 Verbal Warnings for the same violation.

The police also issued a ticket for failure to carring a boating certificate, two tickets for operating a vessel without a license, and one ticket for failure to carry proper PFDs (personal flotation devices).

During that patrol period the police conducted 22 boat safety inspections and handed out one boating manual at every boat stop.

The boating enforcement statistics were reported by Stratford Police Capt. Curtis Eller.

A credit card data breach at Splash Car Wash locations has affected about 1,400 people, according to a consumer alert sent by State Sen. Kevin Kelly.

The breach occurred from Feb., 28 to May 16 at six Splash Car Wash locations in Fairfield, Cos Cob, Shelton, Greenwich, Bridgeport and West Haven.

In a statement released June 25 the company advised all Splash patrons to check their credit card accounts for fraudulent activity. If fraudulent activity is discovered, Splash advises people to contact their credit card company immediately.

This data breach did not affect customers who have unlimited plans with Splash, according to the alert.

Since discovery of the breach, Splash has engaged a third-party forensic investigator and sought guidance from banking institutions to remediate the source of the breach. Credit card systems at all 16 Splash Car Wash locations have been replaced by credit card readers verified as safe and provided by banking institutions.

With questions for Splash Car Wash call 800-927-4489.

The Stratford Police Department will be conducting roadside sobriety checkpoints and increased patrols throughout this upcoming Fourth of July holiday weekend.

The sobriety checkpoint is scheduled for Saturday July 5, 2014 and will be
sometime between 5:00pm to 4:00 a.m.

This is part of the 2014 Comprehensive DUI Enforcement program. This program assists Stratford Police in conducting roadside sobriety checkpoints in an effort to reduce the number of impaired driving injuries and fatalities through increased high-visibility DUI enforcement.

Police say: Have a safe holiday weekend and PLEASE DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE.

Updated July 5: Town of Stratford’s annual fireworks display will be held tonight, Saturday July 5, at Short Beach Park at approximately 9:30 p.m.

It appears the Town of Stratford made a good decision by postponing the fireworks set for Thursday. It rained that evening. The weather today is clear.

Preceding the fireworks will be the Atwood Express rock ’n roll band at 7 p.m. at the park’ concession stand.

The town’s event notification includes the following: There is limited parking at Short Beach Park. There is additional parking in the south lot at the Stratford Army Engine Plant. Open fires and pets are not permitted on the beach.

Picnic pavilions rentals will not be available that evening. Bathroom facilities will be available at the golf course building, at the ball fields, picnic areas and at the concession stand on the beach.

Stratford EMS will be providing first aid with walking and bike patrols. They will be located in the golf course parking lot. Any lost and found should be brought to the golf course building. July4Traffic

The Stratford Police Department requests the public follow the traffic pattern described here to ensure that traffic flows in and out of the area in an orderly and safe manner. At 9:15 p.m. all traffic heading south on Main Street toward Short Beach will be stopped at Access Road with no exceptions. Everyone will be diverted to Access Road. Main Street will not re-open for southbound traffic until Short Beach is cleared after the fireworks. At the conclusion of the fireworks all traffic leaving Short Beach will be directed left out of the beach towards Prospect Drive. Both lanes on Lordship Boulevard from Oak Bluff will be used for traffic traveling out of Lordship.

This year’s fireworks are part of Celebrate Stratford and the 375th Anniversary. They are sponsored by Peter DiNardo Enterprises. Other sponsors include: Milford Bank, Tim Bishop, Jackson Law Group, Stratford Land Development, Bridgeport Fittings, William B. Meyers Inc., and Next Step Living.

A display of fireworks from Short Beach last year. Greg Reilly photo.

Stratford police report that a male with a gun entered the Alltown Convenience Store at 7294 Main Street, at approximately 2 a.m. on Sunday, June 22, approached the front counter clerk, displayed a handgun, and left the store with an undetermined amount of money.

There were no injuries.

The Cumberland Farms on River Road in nearby Shelton experienced a similar robbery prior to the Alltown incident, according to Capt. Paul DosSantos, who said he believes the two events are connected.