2nd Street Seeks Submissions for Literary Project

Print Story | Email Story
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — 2nd Street seeks submissions for Using Our Outside Voices, a literary project created in partnership with Berkshire Community College (BCC) that is designed to promote creativity, acceptance and inclusion for presently or formerly incarcerated men and women in Berkshire County. The deadline for submissions is June 15, 2024.
 
Authors whose work is selected will receive a cash award of $200, and winning submissions will be published in a journal. The initial run of 400 printed copies of the free journal will be distributed locally, and digital copies will be available online. In addition, public readings will be held at various venues in the Berkshires.
 
Any presently or formerly incarcerated resident of Berkshire County is invited to submit original poetry, short fiction, personal essays or other literary works. Those who need editorial help can bring their work to 2nd Street, located at 264 Second Street, Pittsfield.
 
For more details on how to submit a literary work, visit www.2nd-street.org and click Special Projects, or call (413) 443-7220, ext. 1275. 
 
Financial and in-kind support of Using Our Outside Voices is provided by Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation’s Arts Build Community initiative with funding from the Barr Foundation; by Berkshire United Way; by Berkshire Community College; and by Pittsfield Cultural Council, a local agency supported by Mass Cultural Council.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Pittsfield Plans to Replace Bridge Over Daniels Brook

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The city plans to replace a deteriorating bridge on Hancock Road over Daniels Brook. 

Last week, the Conservation Commission continued a notice of intent application for the project to its November meeting to get more information on water flow. 

"It's a great project. We like it. We just want to make sure it's done correctly as well," Commissioner Jonathan Lothrop explained. 

Pittsfield proposes replacing the crumbling bridge with a 17-foot-wide hydraulic span underneath to an embedded precast box culvert with a span of 26 feet. The .37 work area extends about 200 feet along Hancock Road, north of 615 Hancock Road.  

Contractors from Fuss & O'Neill presented to the commission. A budget was not provided. 

"I think overall, this is going to be a really great improvement for traffic traveling over this bridge and for wildlife living under this bridge," Natural Resources Scientist Megan Woytik said. 

The 1930 bridge is showing cracking, spalling, exposed steel supports, and section loss. It was determined that repairs would retain deteriorated components and yield fewer long-term benefits, while a full replacement also improves hydraulic capacity and aquatic organism passage. 

Engineers pointed to exposed, corroding reinforcement and an existing guardrail that is no longer embedded into the structure.  Rigid barriers were placed on either side of the road so that vehicles can't impact the rail. 

View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories