2nd Street Seeks Submissions for Literary Project

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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 Council to See 2-Year Moratorium on Data Centers

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The City Council will consider a two-year data center moratorium from the Community Development Board. 

The board endorsed the moratorium on Tuesday; it had previously voted to become the petitioner. 

"I still think that it is a necessary, proactive, responsible measure by the city in order to take some time to assess the potential impacts of these improvements on Pittsfield and on the county, and make sure that we understand these systems and create some really truly responsible regulations that take into account all the different aspects of this technology," City Planner Kevin Rayner said. 

The petition would amend City Code Chapter 23 and create Article 23-4 Section 4.332, "Data Center, Temporary Moratorium." 

Last month, Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order that gives municipalities the power to say "no" to data centers, and earlier this year, Ward 1 Councilor Kenneth Warren petitioned to explore implementing a moratorium on the establishment and siting of data centers.

Based on web results, there are as many as 75 data centers or projects in Massachusetts, none in Berkshire County. 

Rayner explained that he brought forward the same petition as before; it was sent to the council and then back to the board for a public hearing as part of the zoning amendment process. 

It defines a data center as a building or group of buildings where the primary use is to house computer systems, servers, data storage equipment, networking equipment, and associated infrastructure necessary for the processing, storage, and distribution of data and digital applications. 

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