What’s Open, What’s Not on Memorial Day
Stratford’s annual Memorial Day Parade will be held on Monday, May 26. The ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. at Academy Hill, and the parade begins at 12: 15 p.m. The parade route will be northbound on Main Street from Academy Hill to Paradise Green, according to police. “Main Street will be SHUT DOWN with NO through traffic as the parade goes by,” police wrote in a post on Facebook. “Northbound Main St. access will be PAST Paradise Green – Southbound Main St. access will be PAST Stratford Ave.”
Stratford Public Works Department: There will be no refuse, recycling or yard waste collection on Monday, May 26, in observance of Memorial Day. All routes will be picked up one day late with Friday’s route to be collected on Saturday.
The Transfer Station on Watson Boulevard will be CLOSED on May 26.
The Connecticut Department of Administrative Services, Connecticut Insurance Department and State of Connecticut Judicial Branch courts will be closed in observance of Memorial Day.
Stratford Schools will be closed in observance of Memorial Day.
The United States Postal Service will be closed on Memorial Day.
The Connecticut Lottery Headquarters in Wallingford will be closed on Memorial Day; however, regularly scheduled lottery drawings will still occur.
DMV locations across Connecticut will be closed.
Banks in CT will be closed on Memorial Day, because Memorial Day is a federal holiday and banks follow the Federal Reserve’s holiday schedule, which dictates that banks are closed on federal holidays.
Major U.S. stock markets, such as the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, observe Memorial Day as a holiday and will be closed on Monday.
Drivers can anticipate delays on I-95 in Stratford, Milford, and Bridgeport for bridge work. Crews will shut down lanes on both sides of the highway between exits 27 and 34 starting on Sunday, May 18 through Friday, July 18 from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. State police and illuminated signs will help drivers through the work zone. Please slow down and follow the signs. The project could take longer based on poor weather or other unforeseen circumstance.
The National Helicopter Museum in Stratford (at the RR station Northbound side) is seeking volunteers to act as docents. Basic duties include signing in and directing visitors to exhibits. No helicopter experience required. The museum is open from May 26 through October 15, 1-4 p.m. You may volunteer as much or as a little as you prefer. Please call Mike for more information: 203-218-4087.
Executives at Walmart are warning that the retail giant will raise prices on many everyday items due to President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs. Walmart will hike the costs of many grocery items and general merchandise, CEO Doug McMillon said during an earnings call on Thursday, May 15. The announcement comes as Walmart’s revenue rose 2.5% in the first quarter of 2025. McMillon said the chain can’t swallow the greater costs caused by Trump’s tariffs.
Stratford Animal Rescue Society (STARS) seeking volunteers for dog, event, and organizational training. For more information go to: http://www.stratfordanimalrescue.org/volunteer.html
Be aware, CT State Police are now using GPS dart launchers. They are systems that allow police officers to deploy GPS tracking devices onto fleeing vehicles from a distance, eliminating the need for high-speed chases. These devices, often deployed from launchers mounted on patrol cars or handheld, are designed to stick to the target vehicle and track its movements. This technology can help officers avoid dangerous pursuits and potentially lead to safer arrests.
A Connecticut General Assembly bill passed by the Transportation Committee calls for a plan to expand speed safety cameras on state highways. The bill was approved by the committee and placed on the House calendar, records show. The proposed bill, HB-7058, would require the Department of Transportation commissioner to develop a plan to expand speed camera use on state roads by Feb. 1, 2026. It also would “permit a municipality to use any funds generated from the use of an automated traffic enforcement safety device to reimburse a vendor for the expenses associated with the design, installation, operation or maintenance of such device.”
