Virginian Forrest Pritchard traveled to Stratford on Sunday, Nov. 13 to join the festivities at the Stratford Library where his memoir, Gaining Ground, was the selection for the Library’s town-wide “One Book, One Stratford” celebration.

Pritchard talked with the Library’s Teen creative writing group prior to his public presentation at the finale where he spoke about the science behind his farming methods and shared many photos and stories from his farm.

The presentation was followed by a 40-minute Q&A session and book signing.

Forrest Pritchard with Library Director Sheri Szymanski, Assistant Director Geri Diorio and Teen Department Head Lucretia Duwel.

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Update: James Vogts, an attorney representing Remington Arms, said Tuesday that his client is not expecting much to come from the Sandy Hook families’ appeal.

“Remington expects the Connecticut appellate court to come to the same conclusion as the trial court: [the] plaintiffs’ claims fail under both Connecticut common law and the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act,” Vogts said in an email.

Original story:

The families of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting massacre are appealing their lawsuit against gun companies to the state Supreme Court.

Families of nine Sandy Hook victims and one of the survivors asked the Connecticut Supreme Court on Tuesday to hear their appeal a month after their civil suit against Remington Arms Company Bushmaster Firearms, Camfour Holding and Riverview Gun Sales of East Winsdor was tossed out by Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis.

The families’ appeal argues that the state’s highest court should decide whether the sellers of the weapon used in the shooting can be held accountable under state law.

According to a statement, the families’ appeal asks the Supreme Court to consider the scope of the common law of negligent entrustment in Connecticut and its application to circumstances and technology that could not have been contemplated when the cause of action was first recognized.

Families of the victims had brought a civil suit in April 2015 against the manufacturer, distributor and seller of the AR-15 rifle used by Adam Lanza on Dec. 14, 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown. Lanza killed 26 people, including 20 children. Victoria Soto, a Stratford native and teacher at Sandy Hook, was one of the victims. Lanza killed himself during the shooting.

In a statement issued Tuesday, attorney Josh Koskoff said that, “We feel strongly that the critical issues raised in this case belong before our state’s Supreme Court and we hope the Court agrees.

“The Supreme Court not only sets precedent but also reviews the applicability and relevance of prior decisions, and works to ensure that the common law is up-to-date with the realities and dangers of a changing world,” Koskoff added.

“[T]he loss of twenty first-graders and six educators would shake any community to its core,” the appeal papers read. “Ours had to grapple with the manner in which those lives were lost.  Children and teachers were gunned down in classrooms and hallways with a weapon that was designed for our armed forces and engineered to deliver maximum carnage.  The assault was so rapid that no police force on earth could have been expected to stop it.”

The families also argue that the language in the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA) has to be determined by the state’s highest court. In Bellis’s decision on Oct. 14, she said the plaintiffs’ allegations “do not fit within the common-law tort of negligence entrustment under well established Connecticut law, nor do they come within the PLCAA [Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act]’s definition of negligent entrustment.” Bellis’s ruling also said the plaintiffs “cannot avail themselves of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA) to bring this action within PLCAA’s exceptions allowing lawsuits for violation of a state statute applicable to the sale of marketing of firearms.”

The appeal was filed in the state Appellate Court Clerk’s office. It is not immediately clear when the Supreme Court will decide if it will hear the case.

Stay with the Stratford Star and the HAN Network for more information on this story.

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Close to 30 funeral homes across Connecticut will welcome public donations of unwrapped toys and gift cards for the Connecticut National Guard’s Operation ELF collection drive Thursday, Nov. 17 through Wednesday, Nov. 30.

For the past 11 years, members of the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association (CFDA) have made personal donations of toys, gift cards and funds for Operation ELF (Embracing Lonely Families). That yearly collection drive has been so successful that the professional funeral service organization is encouraging Connecticut residents to join them in a statewide collection drive.

“Our family of Connecticut funeral directors and suppliers is expanding our annual Operation ELF collection drive to encourage state residents to assist military families who could use help during the holiday season,” said Howard K. Hill, CFSP, CPC, CCO, the 2015 and 2016 president of the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association. “By doing this, we add 28 new Operation ELF drop-off locations to supplement the wonderful effort’s four major sites. We ask everyone to step forward, take a few minutes of their time, and come donate an item that will mean so much to another Connecticut family.” In addition, on Thursday, Dec. 1, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., people may also bring unwrapped toys and gift cards to the CFDA’s annual Convention at the Radisson Cromwell Hotel at 100 Berlin Rd. (Route 372) in Cromwell.

All items collected by the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association will be delivered directly to Operation ELF, which assists the families of Connecticut National Guard soldiers and airmen who are deployed during the holidays, and provides a wide range of support to military families throughout the year.

Needed are donations of unwrapped toys for young people of any age, and gift cards of any dollar value to grocery, department stores, home supply stores, gas stations, and pharmacies.

“We are grateful that our military men and women have bravely answered the call to duty. Operation ELF makes that deployment just a little bit easier for their families,” said Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman, who launched Operation ELF’s 15th annual collection effort earlier this month with Major General Thad Martin, Adjutant General of the Connecticut National Guard. “I applaud the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association for their support and thank them for supporting Connecticut’s troops.”

In 2015, Operation ELF distributed more than $10,000 in gift cards to military families in need, its Adopt-A-Family program supported more than 125 military families, and hundreds of toys were distributed to children of soldiers and airmen.

Donations to the following CFDA funeral homes may be dropped off during regular business hours from Nov. 17-30.

• Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center, 301 Country Club Rd., Avon, 860-673-8610
• Funk Funeral Home, 35 Bellevue Ave., Bristol, 860-583-4107
• Alderson-Ford Funeral Home of Cheshire, 615 S. Main St., Cheshire, 203-272-7209
• Cornell Memorial Home, 247 White St., Danbury, 203-748-4833

• Edward F. Adzima Funeral Home, 253 Elizabeth St., Derby, 203-735-0111
• D’Esopo East Hartford Memorial Chapel, 30 Carter Street, East Hartford, 860-568-9420
• Shaughnessey-Banks Funeral Home, 50 Reef Rd., Fairfield, 203-255-1031
• Spear-Miller Funeral Home, 39 South Benson Rd., Fairfield, 203-259-0824
• John F. Tierney Funeral Home, 219 West Center St., Manchester, 860-643-1222
• John J. Ferry & Sons Funeral Home, 88 East Main St., Meriden, 203-235-3338
• Mystic Funeral Home, 51 Williams Ave., Rt. 1, Mystic, 860-536-2888
• Erickson-Hansen Funeral Home, 411 South Main St., New Britain, 860-229-5676
• Howard K. Hill Funeral Service, 1287 Chapel St., New Haven, 203-624-4477
• Newington Memorial Funeral Home, 20 Bonair Ave., Newington, 860-666-0600
• Thomas L. Neilan & Sons Funeral Home, 48 Grand St., Niantic, 860-739-6112
• Burke-Fortin Funeral Home, 76 Prospect St., Rockville, 860-875-5490
• Rose Hill Funeral Home, 580 Elm St., Rocky Hill, 860-529-3381
• Ralph E. Hull Funeral Home, 161 West Church St., Seymour, 203-888-2538
• Riverview Funeral Home, Inc., 390 River Rd., Shelton, 203-924-6800
• Samsel & Carmon Funeral Home, 419 Buckland Rd., South Windsor, 860-644-2940
• Adzima Funeral Home, 50 Paradise Green Place, Stratford, 203-375-2200
• Cook Funeral Home, 82 Litchfield St., Torrington, 860-482-4456
• Gleeson-Ryan Funeral Home, 258 Prospect St., Torrington, 860-489-4104
• B. C. Bailey Funeral Home, 273 South Elm St., Wallingford, 203-265-1111
• Wallingford Funeral Home, 809 North Main Street Ext., Wallingford, 203-269-7777
• D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Blvd., Wethersfield, 860-563-6117
• Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St., Willimantic, 860-423-2211
• Carmon Community Funeral Home, 807 Bloomfield Ave., Windsor, 860-688-2200

Donations may also be dropped off through Dec. 12 during normal business hours at the following Operation ELF collection sites. Large quantity donations or anyone requiring drop-off outside of business hours, should call 800-858-2677.

• Army Aviation Support Facility, Bradley International Airport, 85-300 Light Lane, Windsor Locks
• Armed Forces Reserve Center, 90 Wooster Heights Road, Danbury
• New London Armory, 249 Bayonet Street, New London
• William A. O’Neill Armory, 360 Broad Street, Hartford

Gift cards or financial contributions (made through the CT National Guard Foundation) may be mailed to Connecticut National Guard, Office of Family Programs, 360 Broad Street, Hartford, CT 06105.

For more information about Operation ELF, call 800-858-2677 or visit the Connecticut National Guard Facebook page.

For more information about the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association or its Operation ELF collection drive, call 860-721-0234 or 800-919-2332, or visit ctfda.org or Connecticut Funeral Directors Association.

Some members of the Connecticut Funeral Directors Association at the 2015 Operation ELF collection.

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Stephanie Philips, a member of the Stratford Zoning Commission, Democratic Town Committee chair and former Town Council member, attended a weekend performance of Square One Theatre’s political drama, Now Or Later. She also participated in a post-performance discussion with members of the audience.

Philips talked about the impact of politics on her own political career and how some of the situations depicted in the play were spot on and others, die to the playwright’s “literary license,” seemed a ‘bit beyond’ real-life yet emphasized the importance of being true to your constituents, yourself and your family.

The cast of Now or Later includes Christopher Finch of Bridgeport, Joseph Maker of Stamford, Jennifer Ju of Milford and Patrick Kelly of Ridgefield, plus Square One Subscriber Award winners Peggy Nelson of Hamden and Pat Leo of Monroe. Tom Holehan of Stratford is the director.

Final weekend performances of Now or Later are Thursday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 18, at 8 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 19, at 4 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 19, at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 20, at 2 p.m., on the stage of Stratford Academy at 719 Birdseye Street.

Tickets are available at 203-375-8778 or squareonetheatre.com.

Now or Later cast members Jennifer Ju, Patrick Kelly, Peggy Nelson, with Stephanie Philips, Christopher Finch and Pat Leo.

Stephanie Philips engages the audience in a post-performance discussion.

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Chip’s Family Restaurant in Fairfield will host its annual Thanksgiving Day breakfast on Thursday, Nov. 24, from 6-11 a.m., with all proceeds benefiting Operation Hope of Fairfield. The family-friendly restaurant, located at 525 Tunxis Hill Cutoff, will offer buttermilk pancakes, two eggs, bacon or sausage, coffee or tea for $12 per person. No reservations are required.

“Operation Hope is deeply honored and grateful to Chip’s for its continued generosity and community spirit,” said Carla Miklos, executive director, Operation Hope. Our most heartfelt thanks goes to Chip’s owner George Chatzopoulos, manager Adam Bajko and the staff at Chip’s who are donating their time and energy that morning to supporting this event.”

Local businesses and groups are invited to sponsor a table for $50. Business name and logo will be displayed on each table. To sponsor a table, contact Jennifer O’Neill, Director of Development at 203-292-5588, ext. 210 or joneill@operationhopect.org.

“Given that most of us will enjoy a bountiful meal with friends and family on Thanksgiving, there is no better recipient of the proceeds on this special day. The reality is there are many in our community who are not as fortunate and we are hoping this will help our neighbors in need,” said Adam Bajko, manager, Chip’s Family Restaurant, Fairfield.

“This is a wonderful way to start a holiday that is all about family, friends and food. We encourage all our neighbors to join us, and while we are feasting, please know that we are directly helping those most in need in our community,” said Michael Fucigna, Operation Hope board chair.

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A Darien man accused of trying to abduct a woman from her home in Stratford and burning her car was arrested on Tuesday evening by New Canaan police.

Pedro Oristanio

Pedro Oristanio, 29, of Darien, was charged on Tuesday with first-degree criminal mischief, second-degree arson, second-degree threatening, attempted kidnapping and unlawful restraint.

Stratford Police said officers responded on Tuesday to a domestic incident at a residence on Kings College Place. Upon arrival, police said, it was determined that Oristanio, described an an ex-boyfriend, had attempted to abduct the woman living there and had set fire to the woman’s vehicle parked near the home.
Police determined that Oristanio might be en route to one of three other towns. With assistance from police in other towns, Oristanio was taken into custody in New Canaan, Stratford Police said. Oristanio was transported back to Stratford to be charged.

Oristanio is being held on $250,000 bond.

Stay with The Stratford Star for more information on this story. 

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Joe Paul wants to have smarter growth and development as Stratford tries to add more homes and companies.

He will have that chance now, as he will join the Zoning Commission as the town considers more transit-oriented development projects.

Paul, a former mayoral candidate, was chosen on Monday by the Town Council to step in as the new commissioner for Zoning District 1, which encompasses Town Council Districts 1 and 2. Council members voted 8-2 to have Paul fill the vacancy created when Scott Farrington-Posner was elected to the town’s top board. Council Chairman Beth Daponte and Council Minority Leader Vincent Chase cast the only no votes.

Ann Baker was the only other person nominated for the vacancy. Baker’s nomination failed 7-3.

Paul said he was very pleased to be named to the Zoning Commission. Paul said he intends to vote on developments guided by the town’s Plan of Conservation and Development.

“That will be kind of a bible I will use. It causes us to make good decisions in the future,” Paul said. “I’m looking forward to working with members of the Zoning Commission to make sure  that [smart growth] happens.”

Paul will likely vote on TOD proposals that come before the Zoning Commission. However, Paul has suggested the town institute a moratorium on TOD projects until changes to the rules are made. The Transit-Oriented Development Overlay Zone District was created in April 2015. It was intended to spur more mixed-use developments near the Metro-North Railroad station. Two TOD projects have been approved so far and neither has much in the way of a business mix.

“I’m for TOD, but we need to take a step back and re-evaluate the concept of TOD,” Paul said. “Before we go too far in the direction we’re going in, we need to take a step back and regroup and rethink this whole process out. We need to look at the impact of what’s been decided already.”

Paul would also like to change the regulations of the TOD zone district so that it applies to properties within a quarter-mile of the train station rather than the current half-mile rules. The way Paul sees it, people are not going to walk a half-mile to get to the train station.

“We have to crawl before we start walking and walk before we start running,” he said.

Joe Paul

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The Bridgeport Hospital Auxiliary will sponsor “A Hallmark Holiday Event” on Thursday, Dec. 1, from 5:30-8:30 p.m., at the Black Rock Yacht Club. The event features wine tasting courtesy of Harry’s Wine and Liquor Market of Fairfield, food stations, holiday gift vendors and boutiques.

Tickets are $85 and available in the hospital gift shop or from Masha Watson, mashasw@aol.com, and Shaun Amberg, shaunamberg@gmail.com.

Proceeds will support the hospital’s Newborn ICU, including a new video monitoring system for parents, and programs provided by Ahlbin Rehabilitation Centers.

The Hallmark Holiday Event takes the place of another auxiliary fund-raiser, The Enchanted Castle: A Magical Halloween Experience, held at Fairfield’s Burr Homestead, which is undergoing renovations this year.  

“We committed ourselves to finding ways to continue our support of Bridgeport Hospital and Ahlbin Rehabilitation Centers during the renovation period,” said Auxiliary President Bonnie Molloy. “The Hallmark Holiday Event gives us a great opportunity to do this.”

Earlier this year, the Auxiliary completed a $450,000 multi-year pledge to fund the ambulatory surgery/endoscopy suite waiting room at the new Park Avenue Medical Center in Trumbull. The center is Bridgeport Hospital’s first comprehensive outpatient campus and the largest facility of its kind in the Yale New Haven Health system. It combines ambulatory surgery, gastroenterology, outpatient rehabilitation, radiology and laboratory services with a Smilow Cancer Hospital care center, Norma Pfriem Breast Center satellite office, Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital pediatric specialty center and physician offices in nearly 200,000 square feet of new and renovated space at 5520 Park Avenue.

Bridgeport Hospital Chief Operating Officer Pamela Scagliarini (left) accepts the final $100,000 installment of the Bridgeport Hospital Auxiliary’s $450,000 pledge toward the ambulatory surgery waiting room at Park Avenue Medical Center from Auxiliary President Bonnie Molloy (center) and Vice President Anne Pappas Phillips (right). Auxiliary proceeds during the current fiscal year will support the hospital’s Newborn ICU and outpatient rehabilitation medicine programs.

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Baldwin Center calendar

Mondays-Fridays, 8:30-4

1000 West Broad Street

203-385-4050

Friday, Nov. 18 — 9 CARES, zumba, Men’s Club; 9:30 mahjongg; 10 Jeopardy; 11:30 chair yoga; 11:45 lunch; 12:30 cards; 1 pokeno, ping pong, Baldwin Players rehearsal, tap; 2 drawing.

Monday, Nov. 21 — 9 CARES, aerobics; 9:30 knitting; 10 strength, tai chi, laugh therapy; 11 qigong; 11:30 Italian; 12:30 quilting; 12:45 bingo; 1 ping pong.

Tuesday, Nov. 22 — 9 CARES, zumba tone; 10 sittercize; 10:30 line dance; 11 Spanish; 11:45 lunch; noon Stew Leonard’s; 12:30 ladies poker, mahjongg; 1 Golden Tones, concert; 2 reiki.

Wednesday, Nov. 23 — 9 CARES, strength; 10 zumba, book group; 11 qigong; 11:30 piano; 11:45 lunch; 12:30 men’s poker, Wii bowling; 1 writing.

Thursday, Nov. 24 — Center closed in observance of Thanksgiving.

Chair yoga

Chair yoga will be offered Fridays, 11:30-12:30 through Jan. 6. Fee is $2/class. Registration is not necessary. Chair yoga is a gentle form of yoga that is practiced sitting on a chair, or standing using a chair for support. Chair yoga has helped people with the symptoms of many health issues including: hypertension (high blood pressure), anxiety, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, vertigo (medical), multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, osteopenia, carpal tunnel syndrome, depression, and chronic pain.

Jeopardy

Come play Jeopardy with Bobbi Kulas, care coordinator, at Grand Care Companions on Friday, Nov. 18, at 10 a.m. Prizes will be awarded. In addition, Learn about GCC and their services. GCC has companions, homemakers, and personal care assistants that are available 24/7 to assist you with your personal care, housework and errands. Sign up for your free home assessment and receive a free gift from GCC.

Men’s Club meeting

The Men’s Club meets at 9 a.m. on the first and third Friday of every month at the Baldwin Center. New members welcome; Don Coulson, 203-375-9937.

Qigong

Awaken your vital life-force energy with a combined approach of movement, breathing and relaxation Wednesdays at 11 a.m.

All levels exercise  

Classes include aerobics, zumba, zumba tone, qigong, strength, yoga, tai chi and sittercise. Cardio classes and low impact classes help with balance, coordination and flexibility. Visit the center and pick up a current schedule or try out a class; Lauren Donovan, 203-385-4050.

Strength training

Classes held Mondays, at 10 a.m.  and Wednesdays, at 9 a.m. Strength training in older adults improves flexibility and balance, which may decrease the likelihood and severity of falls. Increased bone density is another benefit. Bring 1-2 lb. hand weights. Registration not necessary. Class fee is $1. Open to the senior community.

Men’s Club seeks members

The Stratford Senior Men’s Club is looking to expand its membership. The group gets together to bowl, play bocce, pinochle, etc. Club meets twice a month at the Baldwin Center. They host speakers that cover topics ranging from hobbies, sports, history, local news, health and more. Information: Don Coulson, 203-375-9937.

Laugh therapy

Laugh therapy can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure and can give an overall feeling of well-being. Laughter increases blood flow just as cardio exercise does with the same benefit. It is the easiest form of meditation and brings instant relaxation. In addition, studies have shown laughter increases immune-boosting antibodies. No experience or physical ability necessary. Instructor (and Baldwin Center member) Mary Torres will have you laughing. Classes are held the first and third Monday of each month. No registration necessary. Fee $2 per class.

CARES program

Stratford Senior Services is accepting new participants for its CARES program. CARES is a social model activities program designed for older adults who may have a memory impairment or are physically too frail to participate in the programs at the Baldwin Center. The program provides seniors with a variety of therapeutic recreational activities within a supervised and structured environment.

The C.A.R.E.S. Program is housed at the Raymond E. Baldwin Center, 1000 West Broad Street. Program hours are Monday-Friday, 9-3:30. Participants are provided with a continental breakfast in the morning, a hot lunch in the afternoon, and snacks. Programming includes music, exercise, trivia and other word games, and activities that help individuals with balance and hand-eye coordination.

Cost to attend the C.A.R.E.S. program is $15/day for Stratford residents, and $20/day for non-Stratford residents. For more information, call 203-385-4050 or 203-385-4055 and ask for Erin or Diane.

Poker anyone?

The men’s poker group that plays on Wednesday afternoons at 1 p.m. is looking for more players. To join, or for more information call Vinnie at 203-335-3623.

Tap dancing

Led by a Stratford Dance Academy Instructor, $4/class. Call for the date of the next six-week session.

Monday bingo

The Baldwin Center offers bingo in the main hall on Monday afternoons at 12:45. Bingo cards are .50 cents per card or three cards for $1. Several different games are played. Any senior age 55 and older may attend.

Dakim BrainFitness

Easy to use, computer-based program designed specifically for adults exercises six essential cognitive domains in every session and self-adjusts the level of challenge for each user in each domain, so everyone receives customized therapy. It is the number one brand of brain fitness in America’s senior living market and has been shown to significantly improve memory, both immediate and delayed, and language skills as it strengthens attention, focus, and concentration. To schedule a session, call Lauren Donovan, 203-385-4050.

Spanish class

Instructor Cindy Brand offers a beginners class which includes speaking and culture, as well as vocabulary and grammar, Tuesdays, 11 a.m., $2, 203-385-4050.

Wii bowling

Play every Wednesday and Thursday, 12:30. Additionally, group competes against other senior centers in the area. No experience required.

Italian classes

Conversational Italian taught by Anna Sincavage Mondays, 11:30, Baldwin Center library. Class fee: $2, 203-385-4050.

Sikorsky Teamsters of Stratford

Meets second Wednesday of the month, 11, Union Hall, 150 Garfield Ave. Bette, 203-375-7313 or 203-243-5633.

Free Internet

Stratford Senior Services offers free wireless connection to the Internet at the Baldwin Center Coffee Shop weekdays, 9-3.

CT Veterans Wartime Service Medal

Established by the 2005 General Assembly, any veteran who served at least 90 days during wartime and was honorably discharged is eligible for the medal. Visit ct.gov/ctvg. Applications also are available at Baldwin Center Main Desk, and can be submitted to the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Baldwin Center offers Wii bowling for seniors.

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A Trumbull man accused of sexually assaulting a coworker at her home was arrested Friday by Stratford Police.

Dennis Hwang

Dennis Hwang, 31, of 11214 Avalon Gates St., was charged on Nov. 11 third-degree sexual assault and first-degree criminal trespass.

Police said Hwang, who works for the U.S. Postal Service in Westport, had visited his co-worker at her home at about 8:40 a.m. Friday. Police said the two were talking and he then tried to force himself on her inside the home. Police said the woman activated a panic alarm on her home’s security system. Officers showed up about two minutes later and detained Hwang without incident.

Hwang was ordered held on $10,000 bond and is scheduled to appear Friday in Bridgeport Superior Court.

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Sterling House Community Center will continue to accept Thanksgiving-related holiday food and gift card donations through 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19, at its agency office at 2283 Main Street.

Items requested include food shopping gift cards, canned gravy and 13-ounce size boxes of instant potatoes.

In addition, cash donations related to the agency’s food pantry as well as toward the agency’s annual holiday toy drive for children are being accepted now, according to Executive Director Amanda Meeson.

“The greater Stratford community has again responded very generously in helping us provide our neediest citizens a full and nutritious Thanksgiving meal, including turkeys,” she said this week.

Many area corporations and businesses, local churches, civic groups, school communities, and members of the general public have donated turkeys and related Thanksgiving items for several weeks, she said. “We are still accepting frozen turkeys, but have limited space at this point for storage.”

Sterling House also has a full complement of canned vegetables on hand for the Thanksgiving holiday next week.

The agency did encourage people who want to make a difference in helping local families meet their basic food needs even after next week to make a donation directly to the food pantry in the form of either a check or a gift card.

“We have many instances where it is easier for the family to receive a gift card and to shop for themselves,” Meeson said. For many served by the Sterling House Food Pantry, the need extends well beyond Thanksgiving and into the winter weather season, as households prepare to spend more money on heat and utilities.

For more information, call Sterling House Community Center at 203-378-2606.

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The newly full Town Council meets on Monday night. — Melvin Mason photo

The Stratford Town Council is prepared to hire an attorney to represent the Water Pollution Control Authority.

First they’ll have to figure out how much he will be paid.

The first meeting of the newly full Town Council on Monday was highlighted by discussion to hire Andrew Lord of East Haddam as the attorney for the WPCA. The council voted 8-2 to determine that the WPCA Committee, composed of the 10 councilors, may hire its own attorney under state law.

But the council members will have to discuss how much Lord should be paid. A resolution that would have allowed for Lord to be paid out of the WPCA’s contractual service fund was not voted on, with questions raised about how much he would be paid. The discussion on payment will go to the WPCA board, which meets again on Nov. 28, after councilors voted unanimously to refer the matter back to the WPCA.

“The council tonight approved that the WPCA properly can hire its own attorney. Now the WPCA board has to finalize and define its relationship with that attorney,” said new 5th District Councilman Greg Cann.

Discussion on whether the WPCA Committee could hire its own counsel began three weeks ago when the committee announced it would hire Lord, who is a member of the WPCA committee in his hometown and a founding member of the Connecticut Association of Water Pollution Control Authorities.

Town Attorney Chris Hodgson had challenged the WPCA committee’s action three weeks ago, claiming that it was improper via the Town Charter and any hiring of outside counsel should go through the Town Council first.  

While the initial paperwork sent by Lord to 7th District Councilman Marianne “Mitzi” Antezzo, who chairs the WPCA Committee, indicated that Lord would be paid $300 an hour, Cann said that it was a “simple agreement” that “needs to be fleshed out.”

During the meeting, 9th District Councilman Alan Llewelyn, one of two council members to vote against hiring Lord, complained that Lord’s selection was a direct hire and that no bidding had been done to find a better price. He also repeated his stance from the WPCA Committee meeting that hiring a separate WPCA attorney would be like paying two volleyball teams to go against each other.

Discussion on the salary should have been done before Monday, Llewelyn said, instead of being “railroaded through.”

Two proposed amendments were offered and neither was acted upon. One would have capped Lord’s deal so that he would be paid $150 per hour and another would have limited him to a maximum of $50,000 in the 2016-17 fiscal year.

Lord said he expects to hear from Antezzo this week and did not want to comment on any possible changes to his compensation.

The post More to discuss on WPCA attorney appeared first on Stratford Star.

The friends of Caroline House will hold a wine tasting sponsored by Twisted Vine Fairfield and A Dash of Salt Catering on Friday, Nov. 18, from 7-10 p.m., at the Fairfield Museum & History Center.

The evening will feature appetizers, wine samplings, and a tour of the museum.

Proceeds will benefit the Caroline House Mother and Child Literacy Program.

Tickets are $40. Register at thecarolinehouse.org or mail check payable to Caroline House, 574 Stillman Street, Bridgeport, CT 06608.

About Caroline House

Caroline House is a literacy education center located on the East Side of Bridgeport. For more than 21 years, Caroline House has served low-income women and children through English as a second language, life skills, citizenship, preschool, and children’s tutoring programs. Classes are held in a safe and welcoming environment to inspire confidence, hope, lifelong learning and achievement. The Caroline House mission is: To enable women and children to reach the fullness of their potential through education in English language and life skills. For more information, visit thecarolinehouse.org.

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Operation Hope seeks donations for their annual “Hope for the Holidays” program, which helps provide local families in need with food and gifts they might otherwise go without.

The program identifies close to 200 people in need of basic items each year. By “adopting” a family or individual, one can purchase items from a wish list completed by each of the men, women and children served by Operation Hope. General donations and gift cards to local stores also are welcome.

Individuals, families, civic groups and businesses have helped Operation Hope to supply thousands of gifts in the past. Sponsors will receive gift lists in late  November. Operation Hope also needs on-site volunteers to organize the gift distribution on Dec. 5-7, at St. Anthony of Padua Church on South Pine Creek Road in Fairfield. Children are welcome during the volunteer shifts; but children under the age of 5 must be supervised and kept with parents.

To sponsor a family or individual or volunteer to sort and transport gifts, contact Operation Hope’s Hope for the Holidays Program Coordinator Evie Angel at evieangel@aol.com or Volunteer Program Manager Donna Schmidt at dschmidt@operationhopect.org or 292-5588 ext. 207, by Nov. 20.

“Every year the families may change but the need does not,” said Carla Miklos, executive director, Operation Hope. “The families who are recipients of your generosity are so grateful for the help. This effort not only brings the true meaning of the holidays to them, but also to our community. By becoming a donor to ‘Hope for the Holidays,’ you will make happy holiday memories possible for the men, women and children who need it most.”

Operation Hope serves residents of Fairfield, Bridgeport, Easton, Trumbull and Stratford.

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Save the Sound has received three grants to monitor and prevent water pollution around the western Long Island Sound region. Grants from the Long Island Sound Futures Fund will make possible green infrastructure in Fairfield County and water quality program development in Westchester and Nassau counties, and a grant from the Westchester Community Foundation will support water quality monitoring.

“The western Sound faces special water pollution challenges: dense population, deteriorating pipes, and water flow patterns that mean pollution can stick around for a long time,” said Tracy Brown, director of Save the Sound’s Western Long Island Sound programs. “Support from the Westchester Community Foundation will let us continue tracking down sewage leaks in Westchester County’s streams, rivers, and harbors. And thanks to the Long Island Sound Futures Fund, we’ll be able to pilot common standards for citizen scientists doing similar work on Sound bays and harbors across the New York and Connecticut shores.”

The Long Island Sound Futures Fund (LISFF) pools funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The LISFF has granted Save the Sound $58,937 to operate the pilot program at Mamaroneck Harbor and Manhasset Bay, New York — one of 25 grants announced Monday with federal, Connecticut, and New York environmental officials. The Westchester Community Foundation will continue its strong support of Save the Sound’s water quality monitoring program with a grant of $15,000, the foundation announced late last week.

A second major grant from the LISFF provides $149,833 for Phase II of a green infrastructure project at Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport.

“This project will capture and filter nearly one million gallons of urban stormwater each year,” said Save the Sound Green Infrastructure Program Manager Kendall Barbery. “Thanks to the Long Island Sound Futures Fund, the Pequonnock River and Long Island Sound will be cleaner. We’re looking forward to providing zoo visitors with beautiful landscaping and giving local teens and landscape practitioners the opportunity to learn new planting and green infrastructure construction skills.”

Save the Sound and the zoo have been partnering since April on permeable pavement and rain gardens that filter rain flowing across the zoo’s parking lot and walkways. This grant will support installation of 2,000 square feet of bioretention gardens and tree pits in lawn areas, and replacement of up to 4,000 square feet of impervious pavement with pervious pavers that allow water to soak into the ground.

Save the Sound is a bi-state program of Connecticut Fund for the Environment with an established 40-year track record of restoring and protecting the waters and shorelines of the Sound. From its offices in New Haven and Mamaroneck, Save the Sound works for a cleaner, healthier, and more vibrant Long Island Sound where humans and marine life can prosper year-round. Our success is based on scientific knowledge, legal expertise, and thousands of ordinary people teaming up achieve results that benefit our environment for current and future generations.

Peter Linderoth, Save the Sound Water Quality Program Manager; Mark Tedesco of the EPA’s Long Island Sound Study; Tracy Brown, Director of Save the Sound’s Western Long Island Sound programs; Kendall Barbery, Save the Sound Green Infrastructure Program Manager.

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Stratford voters decided to go blue in national races and a little more red in local contests on Election Day.

While businessman and Republican nominee Donald Trump managed to capture the presidency of the United States, Stratford residents went for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Clinton won Stratford with 13,729 votes, while Trump received 10,534 votes in town.

The other national races also went the way of the Democrats, with incumbent U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal taking 16,516 votes in Stratford as part of his statewide victory. Blumenthal appeared on the Democrat and Working Families party lines. Republican challenger Dan Carter finished a distant second with 7,080 votes. Green Party candidate Richard Lion had 568 votes in Stratford, while Green Party nominee Jeffrey Russell earned 247 votes.

U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro earned a new term as the 3rd District representative, in part due to receiving 16,236 votes in Stratford on the Democratic and Working Families tickets. Republican challenger Angel Cadena managed to earn 7,843 votes.

Republicans were winners in the state races. Kevin Kelly was re-elected as state senator for the 21st District with 11,501 votes from Stratford residents. His Democratic challenger, Prez Palmer, received 8,083 votes.

Republican Laura Hoydick won another term as the 120th District state representative, getting 7,508 votes on the GOP and Independent lines. Her Democratic challenger, Frederick “Jerry” Streets, received 4,470 votes. Petitioning candidate Clifton Price received 62 votes.

Ben McGorty triumphed in the 122nd District state representative race. He received 1,314 votes in Stratford. Green Party nominee Angela Capinera garnered 1,143 votes in town.

Democrat Joe Gresko earned a full term as the 121st District state representative. Gresko ran unopposed and earned 7,010 votes.

Democratic state Sen. Ed Gomes garnered the most votes in Stratford in his 23rd District race, beating out Republican Mike Garrett 2,387 to 40. Gomes appeared on the Democratic and Working Families tickets.

Stratford’s results came in after midnight. A big reason for that was the influx of Election Day voter registrations, said Democratic Registrar Rick Marcone. Between 750 and 1,000 same-day registrants voted in Stratford, he said.

Republican Registrar Lou DeCilio said 34,963 people voted in Stratford last Tuesday, accounting for 73% of the town’s registered voters. That’s up from the 32,073 who voted in 2012.

Big night for the GOP

Local Republicans celebrated Trump’s victory at the Lazy Dog, watching late into Tuesday night as the political novice inched toward the White House. Cheers went up from the GOP crowd as the Fox News channel showed Trump close to clinching Wisconsin just after midnight.  

Mayor John Harkins said the election night numbers showed that “people are frustrated with politics in general.”

“I think we have an opportunity to have a different president that’s going to unite as opposed to divide,” Harkins said.

Hoydick said she was humbled to get the votes to continue as the 120th District representative.

“I think the voters are saying that they like what I’m doing and they like how I’m representing them, and I appreciate that,” she said.

Hoydick also elaborated on the GOP drawing even in the state Senate with Democrats. That means, she said, that Connecticut residents want balance in Hartford.

“We’re going to have to work more collaboratively together,” she said. “We’re going to have to work on balancing Connecticut’s budget. We can’t do this for four times a year, going back and reassessing the budget.”

Kelly said the GOP picking up three seats in the state Senate showed that voters were speaking out against the “failed policies” of Gov. Dannel Malloy.

“It’s a big thing to bring balance to where the governor is going,” he said,

DeCilio, who is also chairman of the Stratford Republican Town Committee, said it was “easy” to see why Trump appealed to Stratford residents. Those reasons include opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the North American Free Trade Agreement and cracking down on illegal immigration.

“But the big reason Trump will be our next president is because of his willingness to confront a society that has taken political correctness too far. He is not a Washington insider and many believe Washington is the real reason our country faces so many challenges internally and internationally,” DeCilio said in an email. “‘Draining the Swamp’ has resonated, and Mr. Trump’s willingness to say what’s on his mind is refreshing to many. I am a proud supporter of Mr. Trump since day one, and I continue to believe Mr. Trump brings to the table what this country needs at this moment in time.”

Former Democratic Town Committee Chairman Len Petruccelli, who watched the election results with Republicans at the Lazy Dog, said the national election showed that people wanted change “and they didn’t think Hillary would bring change” and that people did not trust her.

“They figured Donald Trump would bring a bigger change, so we shall see,” Petruccelli said.

Petruccelli also thinks Trump will change his approach once in office.

“Hopefully, [Trump] lives up to his expectations and is not so impulsive as he has been,” Petruccelli said.

State Sen. Kevin Kelly, R-21, left, talks with Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti on election night as they watch the presidential election results come in with fellow Republicans at the Lazy Dog bar in Stratford. — Melvin Mason photo

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Stratford Library

Stratford Library, 2203 Main Street; Hours: Monday-Thursday, 10-8; Friday-Saturday, 10-5; Sunday, 1-5; 203-385-4162, stratfordlibrary.org.

Harry Potter book group

Children ages 8 and up read Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them for the discussion Thursday, Nov. 17, 6:30 p.m. Snack and activity provided.

Coloring and Coffee

Come and experience the latest trend in relaxation, adult coloring books — Friday, Nov. 18 and Dec. 9, 10-11:30 a.m.; Monday, Dec. 5 and 12, 6-7:30 p.m., Lovell Room. The library will provide coloring pages and colored pencils. Coffee served and soothing music will play. Participants welcome to bring their own coloring materials. Free; adults only.

International Games Day

Play family games Saturday, Nov. 19, 1:30-4.

Leading to Reading workshop

Preschool parents learn literacy tips and check out the Library’s Leading to Reading kits Sunday, Nov. 20, 1:30 or Saturday, Nov. 26, 2:30.

Digital photo exhibit highlights CT

A Connecticut Retrospective, a digital photo exhibit by New Haven artist Jim Duffy will showcase a series of digital photos highlighting Connecticut locales. Photos on display in November and December. Photos and note cards of Duffy’s work also will be available for purchase. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

Aspiring Authors

Aspiring writers ages 8-12 meet Monday, Nov. 21, 4 p.m. Bring a notebook and pencil.

Career coach

Free services to low-wage workers and job seekers age 16 and older in Southwestern Connecticut who are unable to get the services at local career centers due to lack of transportation, childcare or employment schedules Mondays, from 10-3, Nov. 21 and Dec. 19.

Creative writing workshop

High school and college students who love to write both prose and poetry are invited to this monthly workshop to share their writings and get feedback Monday, Nov. 21, 6:30-8 p.m., Board Room. Future workshop: Dec. 19. Call the Teen Department 203-385-4167.

Wordle holiday cards

Make a Thanksgiving word jumble on the computer to give to a loved one Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2-5 p.m.; drop in anytime. Younger children may need an adult’s help.

Library closed

The Library is closed Thursday, Nov. 24 in observance of Thanksgiving. On Wednesday, Nov. 23, the Library will close at 5 p.m. Also, Dec. 24-26 in observance of Christmas holiday and Dec. 31, 2016-Jan. 2, 2017 for New Year’s holiday.

Drop-in family portrait craft

Drop in and draw a family portrait Saturday, Nov. 26, 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; materials provided.

Weasley clocks

Children ages 7 and up make a Weasley Clock from Harry Potter Sunday, Nov. 27, 2 p.m.

Holiday lighting magic

Magic from performer Debbie O’Carroll is part of the town’s Holiday Lighting celebrations on Tuesday, Nov. 29, 4 p.m. After the magic show, head over to Town Hall for more festivities.

Fall storytimes

Children’s department offers storytimes throughout the fall which are free and open to the public. School vacation and holiday schedules may vary. Registration is not required. Toddler Time meets Mondays at 10:30 for walkers ages 1-2. Siblings welcome. Preschool Power Hour meets Tuesdays at 10:30 for ages 3 and up. Various stories, activities and crafts. Baby Lapsit meets on Thursdays at 10:30 for babies and young toddlers. Friday Fun meets Fridays at 10:30 for ages 2-5. Move ‘n Groove meets two Wednesdays a month at 6:30 for ages 2-5.

Read Around Stratford

The Children’s Department encourages children to participate in a school year reading program called Read Around Stratford. Sign-ups continue through March 2017. Read 1,000 pages during the school year and come to a special party just for readers. Other prizes and special activities will be offered throughout the year. Read Around Stratford also takes monthly trips to different Stratford places. Both programs are courtesy of the Carol Pieper Memorial Fund.

Play it Again, Square One

Join actors and artistic personnel from the Square One Theatre Company’s recent production of Christopher Shinn’s political drama, Now or Later, for an informal talk-back session Tuesday, Nov. 29, noon, Board Room. Bring a bag lunch; coffee served. Free and open to the public.

Crazy 8s Math

Children ages 5-8 meet Wednesday, Nov. 30, 6:30.

Books Over Coffee

Chris Cleave’s latest novel, Everyone Brave is Forgiven Wednesday, Nov. 30, noon, Lovell Room. Other titles include Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman (Dec. 21). Bring a bag lunch; coffee and tea served.

Holiday cricut cards

Children ages 6-12 create holiday cards with the Cricut machine’s fun cut out shapes Thursday, Dec. 1, at 6 p.m.

Holiday concert      

The New England Guitar Society, under the direction of James Baird performs holiday music Sunday, Dec. 4, 2 p.m., Lovell Room. Free and open to the public.

Monday Matinees

Free monthly screenings of recent, popular films shown uncut and on widescreen continue Monday, Dec. 5, at noon with Captain America: Civil War.

Teens: Youth Review Board                              

Monthly group of middle and high school teens who read, review and recommend books and discuss current teen issues meets Wednesday, Dec. 7, 3:30-4:30, Lovell Room. Next session is Dec. 19.

Teen Anime club

Teens are invited to discuss anime and manga, view movies and share their artwork at this monthly club Wednesday, Dec. 14, 4-5 p.m.

Sunday Afternoon Talks

Sunday Afternoon Talks, a monthly series of informative talks featuring prominent local guest speakers, coordinated by Stratford resident and Library volunteer Charles Lautier:

Jan. 8: The Pennsylvania Station in New York City, From Corporate Jewel to Corporate Vandalism by Richard Abramson

Feb. 12: Leaf Cutter Ants by Dr. Barbara Beitch

March 5: Connecticut Town Greens by Professor Eric Lehman

April 2: Shakespeare: Myth and Reality by Dr. Francis DeStefano

May 7: Newspapers in the Civil War by Professor Hamish Lutris

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The Stratford Library will present a holiday concert with members of the New England Guitar Society on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 2 p.m. The concert, which is made possible in part through the Claudia McCoach Memorial Fund, is free and open to the public.

The New England Guitar Society was established to create a nurturing environment for classical guitarists to meet, share ideas, perform, compose, teach and grow as musicians. The NEGS goal is to increase the public interest in classical guitar, to ultimately create future players and audiences. The Society was conceived in 2004 by guitarists James Baird, president and Cem Duruöz, artistic director.

The Society invites international guest artists to perform public concerts and hold master classes. NEGS has hosted guest artists from over 16 countries including: Spain, France, Italy and Germany. The group meets monthly and activities include informal solo performances, master classes, guest lectures, ensemble readings, member recitals and lively discussion about the classical guitar.

For their performance at the Stratford Library, NEGS members and student youth will be performing standard classical guitar repertoire such as Spanish classics and Baroque dances by Johann Sebastian Bach. Holiday favorites also will be featured.

The holiday guitar concert will be held in the Lovell Room of the Stratford Library starting at 2 p.m. on Dec. 4. For more information visit stratfordlibrary.org or 203-385-4162.

Members of the New England Guitar Society will perform a free holiday concert at the Stratford Library on Sunday, Dec. 4.

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Thanksgiving is fast approaching, but there’s still plenty of fall fishing action on Yankee Fisherman on the HAN Network, live Thursday at 1 p.m.

We traveled up to Massachusetts, and while there were fish, there wasn’t a lot of catching. But what’s most important is family and friends, some of whom we’d never have met if not for a shared passion for the water, getting together and spending some time in a beautiful place among beautiful creatures.

If you can’t get fishing over the long Thanksgiving weekend, or if you need to get out of the house, the Fairfield Museum looks at the relationship between one coastal town and the water that’s shaped it in Rising Tides, on display through Feb. 28, 2017. As the museum posted on its website, “his hands-on exhibition invites visitors to explore the history of Fairfield and its region over the past four centuries. Look inside a Native American wigwam, climb into an American Revolution fort, decipher a spy code, and look through the windows of a trolley. Young and old alike will enjoy learning how people worked, lived, and built communities over time by exploring original objects, individual stories, and engaging activities.  Sponsored by CT Humanities, Fairfield County Community Foundation, The Perry Family and Southport Area Association.”

We’ll also talk about the start of the Long Island Sound Blue Plan.

Yankee Fisherman, presented by The Dock Shop, airs Thursdays at 1 p.m. on the HAN Network. Previous episodes can be watched on demand or listened to as a podcast.

Yankee Fisherman is hosted by John Kovach, editorial director, host and announcer for the HAN Network. A native of New Jersey, Kovach has fished since his father first took him out as a child. Kovach fishes fresh and salt water, ties flies, dabbles in lure making and promotes conservation, including a leadership role in the Connecticut Council of Trout Unlimited.

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This holiday, AAA estimates an estimated 49 million folks — a nearly 2% increase over last year and the most travelers since 2007 — will travel between Nov. 23 and Nov. 27, according to AAA’s annual holiday travel survey.

Of the overall number,

• 89% or 43.5 million people expect to travel 50 miles or more by motor vehicle. This is a 1.9% increase over last year.
• Another estimated 8% or 3.69 million will travel by plane, up 1.6% compared to last year; and
• The remaining 3% or 1.44 million will go by train, boat or other mode of transportation.

Closer to home, the New England region is projected to outpace national projections in all modes of travel, based in part because of the stability in the regional price of gasoline. More than 2.1 million New Englanders, a 2.4% increase, are expected to travel this year. In addition, AAA estimates U.S. drivers nationally have saved more than $28 billion so far at the pumps this year compared to the same period last year because of gas prices.

So what’s driving this year’s Turkey travel? According to AAA’s survey, there are two elements:

• First, the economy — including rising wages, greater consumer spending, higher consumer confidence and more money in our pockets for the gas savings we got from lower gas prices this year; and
• Second, it’s “Tradition” to quote Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof. Thanksgiving has always been known as the holiday for family and friends to gather so that traditional desire to spend time with loved ones is expected to propel a significant increase in travel.

Even though today’s national average price of a gallon of gas is $2.15, is more than Thanksgiving 2015 when prices averaged $2.05, US motorists generally will pay the second cheapest Thanksgiving prices since 2008 when the national average was $1.85.

To compare this to Connecticut’s, today’s statewide average of $2.31 is a nickel more than Thanksgiving 2015 when prices averaged $2.26. In 2008, Thanksgiving Day prices were around $2.03.

A mixed bag for airfares, hotel rates, car rentals

According to AAA’s Leisure Travel index:

• Airfares are projected to increase 21% this holding, landing at an average of $205 for a roundtrip flight for the top 40 domestic routes.
• Rates for AAA Three Diamond-rated lodgings are expected to be flat with travelers spending an average $155 each night;
• Rates for AAA Two Diamond-rated lodgings are expected to rise 4% with an average nightly cost of $123; and
• Daily car rental rates are expected to average $52, 13% lower than last Thanksgiving.

Westward Ho!

The survey also identified this year’s top vacation destinations for Thanksgiving, including several popular West Coast cities and the perennial family-friendly favorites. The most popular destinations this Thanksgiving, based on AAA.com bookings, are: Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Diego, Orlando, New York City, New Orleans, Anaheim, Fort Lauderdale, Philadelphia and Seattle.

AAA’s travel projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Markit, which first teamed with AAA in 2009 to jointly analyze travel trends during major holidays. AAA has been reporting on holiday travel trends for more than two decades.

AAA Northeast is a not-for-profit auto club with 62 offices in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire and New York, providing more than 2 million local AAA members with travel, insurance, finance, and auto-related services.

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