Category: Stratford

“Common Causes of Arthritis” Set For May 1

The Stratford Library, 2203 Main Street, will present an informative health care lecture about “The Common Causes of Arthritis” on Wednesday, May 1 at 11 am.  The program is free and open to the public and one of dozens of free, health-related programs offered annually by the library.

Guest speaker Adam S Driesman, MD is a fellowship-trained adult hip and knee surgeon who focuses on treating people of all ages who suffer from debilitating hip or knee conditions. He understands these ailments not only limit mobility, but can drastically affect quality of life, preventing one from enjoying many activities. As a physician, he pledges to take the time to listen to your story, understand what is important to you, and develop a plan to get you back on your feet. He uses surgery as a last resort, when other treatments are no longer working.

Dr. Driesman was born and raised in Fairfield County. He attended Brown University’s selective 8-year Program in Liberal Medical Education, earning both his undergraduate and medical degrees. He completed his Orthopedic Residency at NYU and an Advanced Fellowship in Adult Hip and Knee Reconstruction under the tutelage of Dr. Douglas Dennis, an early pioneer of total knee replacement. Throughout his training, Dr. Driesman performed over 1,000 procedures, ranging from minimally invasive hip arthroscopy to complex knee revisions.  He has presented and lectured at medical meetings for the Eastern Orthopedic Association, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, American Academy of Hip and Knee Surgeons, and the Orthopaedic Trauma Association.

 “The Common Causes of Arthritis” will be held in the Stratford Library Lovell Room beginning at 11 am on Wednesday, May 1.  For further information call the library at 203.385.4162 or visit: www.stratfordlibrary.org.

Musician/Song Writer Karlus Trapp Performs May 3

The Stratford Library, 2203 Main Street in Stratford will offer a special music history concert, “The Roots of Black Music in America”, on Friday, May 3 at 7 pm.  The concert, featuring musician Karlus Trapp, is free and open to the public.

Producer, songwriter, teacher & troubadour Karlus Trapp presents his delightful, educational and entertaining 100-year journey back through time for Stratford audiences. Trapp offers a fresh perspective through song, story and history to learn about the music of America’s black musical giants. Hear Scott Joplin during the birth of Ragtime. Dance to the Charleston in the 1920’s. Play air guitar with Chuck Berry or sing along with the Supremes in the 1960’s. Warning: Attending this show you may find yourself smiling, humming or tapping your feet for hours afterward…and you’ll be surprised what you may learn!

 “The Roots of Black Music in America” will take place in the Stratford Library Lovell Room from 7-8 pm on May 3.  Doors open at 6:30 pm.  General seating. 

For further information call the library at: 203.385.4162 or visit: www.stratfordlibrary.org.

 The Stratford Library, 2203 Main Street in Stratford, Connecticut will offer “Managing Money Matters” with guest speaker Patrina Dixon on Tuesday, April 30 at 6:30 pm.  Dixon, an author, blogger, YouTuber and podcaster

will give the tools and information to help individuals make their financial goals a reality.  Learn tips and strategies to master managing cash flow and increase your savings. The workshop is free and open to the public.

     Patrina Dixon is a Certified Financial Education Instructor, Registered Financial Consultant and two-time #1 Best Selling Author and International Speaker.  As Founder and CEO of “It’$ My Money”, her own local

Connecticut TV show, Dixon and her team are on a mission to help people transform their lives by mastering money management skills. She has been featured in Black Enterprise, Yahoo Finance, Real Simple, and Fox61.

Dixon has taught personal finance workshops in high schools, colleges, universities, businesses, prisons, detention homes, from Rhode Island to New York to Texas and as far as Trindad and Tobego.  She attended the

University of Hartford’s Barney School of Business, holds a Financial Management from Cornell University and a Licensed Insurance Agent in CT.  She is also an alum of the GoldmanSachs One Billion Black Women – Black in

Business Program. 

     “Managing Money Matters” will begin at 6:30 pm in the Stratford Library Lovell Room on April 30.  It is free but registration is required at: https://stratfordlibrary.libcal.com/event/11750124.

The Stratford Library will host a special workshop “Edible Wild Plans and Fungi of Spring”,
an informative and entertaining seasonal presentation on Thursday, April 25 at 6:30 pm. The
program is free and open to the public.
As the warmer temperatures and longer days of spring unfold, many tender, young edible
shoots, plants, flowers, and even a few fungi awaken a forager’s senses and delight. At the
Library program, attendees will learn how to identify, sustainably harvest, and prepare the wild
foods of spring, from invasive bamboo shoots to the lemony tang of fresh wood sorrel, including
some of the early edible fungi of the season.
Guest speakers for the program are “The 3 Foragers”, a family from southeastern
Connecticut who have been identifying, photographing, and cooking with the edible plants and
fungi of New England for more than 18 years. Their educational slideshow will focus on family-
friendly, environmentally sustainable harvest of both native and invasive species of plants, and
ways to incorporate these foods into a diet with original recipes.
“Edible Wild Plans and Fungi of Spring” will be held in the Stratford Library Lovell Room
on April 25 from 6:30-8 pm. All are invited to attend but reservations at:
https://stratfordlibrary.libcal.com/event/11974910.
For further information call the Library at 203.385.4162 or visit: www.stratfordlibrary.org.

The Stratford Health Department, The Baldwin Center, Stratford Parents’ Place and Stratford YMCA are excited to announce their Spring Walk N’ Talk series. We are inviting grandparents, parents, caregivers, and providers to join in for this enriching multigenerational experience. Lace up your sneakers, bring your loved ones, and join us as we walk and engage in health-related conversations.

Dates and locations:

• Tuesday, May 7^th, 2024          9:30 AM – 10:30 AM (Shakespeare Trail)
• Tuesday, May 14^th, 2024        9:30 AM – 10:30 AM (Short Beach)
• Tuesday, May 21^st, 2024        9:30 AM – 10:30 AM (Longbrook Park)
• Tuesday, May 28^th, 2024        9:30 AM – 10:30 AM (Roosevelt Forest)

The Walk N’ Talk sessions will kick off with a 30-minute talking session led by a health professional, allowing participants to ask questions and engage in discussions on important health topics. Themes for each week include “Healthy Beginnings for All Ages,” “Pediatric Health and Family Wellness,” “Mental Wellness Matters,” and “Healthy Habits, Happy Families.”

“We believe in the power of community and the importance of promoting holistic wellness,” stated Health Educator Walter Owusu. “By fostering multigenerational collaboration and providing valuable health information.”

“We are thrilled to bring the community together for our Walk N’ Talk series. These walks provide an excellent opportunity for residents of all ages to come together, enjoy the outdoors, and learn about various aspects of health and wellness” said Greta Broneill, Assistant Director of Health.

For questions, please call Walter Owusu from the Stratford Health Department at 203-385-4090 or email wowusu@townofstratford.com.

The Stratford Library will host a special opera and poetry event in conjunction with “National Poetry Month” and featuring Italian poet and opera singer Stefano Russo on Sunday, April 21 at 2 pm. The program is free and open to the public.

Stefano Russo is an Italian American artist born in Rome, Italy who moved to the United States in 2011.
His artistic history began with opera singing and led to a passion for writing, especially poetry. He published his
first collection of poems, “Life, a Labyrinth of Thoughts,” in 2017 and another collection entitled “Beyond the
Chains of the Mind,” in 2017. In 2024 he wrote a memoir, “Prisoner”, and currently is working on another
collection of poems. The passion that drives him to write and sing is a passion that Russo has always cultivated to
make his nature shine and to give life to his identity. At the Library program, Russo will perform various opera
selections, accompanied by acclaimed pianist Eric Trudell, and discuss and read from his latest collection of
poems.

Stefano Russo poetry and poetry will be held in the Stratford Library Lovell Room starting at 2 pm on April

21. Autographed copies of Russo’s book will be available for purchase after the performance.

For further information call the Library at 203.385.4162 or visit: www.stratfordlibrary.org.

The Stratford Police Department Narcotics, Vice & Intelligence Unit, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration Bridgeport HIDTA conducted a narcotics sales investigation within the Town of Stratford into Edward C Johnson. 

Based on this investigation, Search and Seizure Warrants were secured for the residence and Johnson’s vehicle. 

At the time of the Search Warrant execution, Johnson engaged Investigators in a foot pursuit, attempting to discard packaged narcotics from his person. Johnson was taken into custody. 

Upon warrant execution, Investigators seized over 2 pounds of Methamphetamine in both powder and tablet form, Oxycodone tablets, 6.5 pounds of Marijuana and $32,151.00 in illegal narcotics sales proceeds. 

On 3/22/2024, Johnson plead guilty in United States Federal Court for the Distribution of Methamphetamine and Distribution of Oxycodone. Johnson was sentenced to 7 years in Federal Prison, followed by 4 years of Federal Supervised Release.

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The Stratford Library, 2203 Main Street in Stratford will offer a special sports history presentation, “Red Sox-Yankees: The Greatest Rivalry in Sports”, on Tuesday, April 16 at 7 pm. The program is free and open to the public. Welcome to the most intense rivalry in American sports – maybe the world. Hosted by award-winning sportswriter, baseball beat writer and book author Marty Gitlin, “Red Sox- Yankees: The Greatest Rivalry in Sports” features videos of the biggest moments of the rivalry from well over a century, as well as trivia questions for the patrons to ponder. From the sale of Babe Ruth in 1919 that launched the Yankees dynasty and Curse of the Bambino to Joe DiMaggio vs. Ted Williams to the Brawl of 1967 to Bucky "Freaking" Dent to Munson vs. Fisk to the Red Sox Revenge of 2004 all the way to today, this lively program is a blast for sports fans. Following his talk, Gitlin will have autographed copies of his Ultimate New York Yankees Time Machine Book and Ultimate Boston Red Sox Time Machine Book for sale. “Red Sox-Yankees: The Greatest Rivalry in Sports” will take place in the Stratford Library Lovell Room from 7-8 pm on April 16. Doors open at 6:30 pm. General seating. For further information call the library at: 203.385.4162 or visit: www.stratfordlibrary.org.

The Stratford Library Board of Trustees will present its annual fundraiser for the library on Saturday, April 27 beginning at 6:30 pm.

The nineteenth annual gala event entitled “Hooray for Hollywood” will offer “Avenue Groove”, a six piece R&B/Funk band as this year’s entertainment. “Hooray for Hollywood” is an evening of music, dancing, appetizers, dinner and fine beverages. Guests are encouraged to “dress Hollywood” for an entry to win a prize. A silent online and in-person auction and a 50/50 raffle will also be included in the festivities. Those unable to attend the benefit may support the Library by going online to make their auction bids.

This year’s event will be held at Blackhawk County Club, 385 Oronoque Lane in Stratford and all proceeds will benefit the Library’s collections and programs. Honorary Chair of the gala is Mayor Laura Hoydick and current major sponsors include Ahlberg & Glad, LLC, Ashcroft, Inc., Aquarion Water Company, Barnum Animal Hospital, Berchem Moses, PC, Dr. Immacula Cann & Family, Florek and O’Neill, LLC, Halper Keating Family, Hampford Research, Mayor’s Golf Tournament, Mitchell & Sheahan, PC, M&T Bank, Joel Pleban, CPA, Stratford Development Company and The Milford Bank. Additional sponsors include Brush and Floss Dental Center, State Representative Joe Gresko, Stratford Democratic Town Committee, Stratford Republican Town Committee and Deborah Loban of William Raveis. Tickets for the event are $80/person and include dinner and entertainment.

There are discounts of up to $100 off for a table of 10 people. For further information about the silent auction or ticket reservations for “Hooray for Hollywood” call the Stratford Library at 203.385.4166 or visit: www.stratfordlibrary.org/gala-2024/.