2nd Street Seeks Submissions for Literary Project

11:19AM / Saturday, May 18, 2024Print 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.

iBerkshires.com Text Ads

Greylock Youth SummerFest

Come join in on the wealth building fun! August 3-8. Click for event details. Insured by NCUA.

www.greylock.org

rk MILES Blding Materials

Are You Ready to Update Your Home? Start With rk MILES. 4 Locations (800)670-7433

www.rkmiles.com

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Hinsdale Considers Switching Dispatch Centers Amid Response Time Concerns

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:12AM / Monday, August 24, 2026

HINSDALE, Mass. — The town has experienced longer emergency response times since the Dalton Police Department suspended its mutual aid agreement with Hinsdale. Now, Hinsdale is considering suspending its use of Dalton's Communication Center.

During the Hinsdale Select Board meeting on Aug. 12, board member Margaret Gregory raised concerns about the department's response times, recounting an incident the previous Sunday when she called police at about 9:51 p.m. but did not see a state trooper arrive until approximately 10:45 p.m.

"We're here to protect the town and make sure we're getting the aid that we need. That did not happen," she said in a follow-up with the media.

Now word has gotten to Dalton that Hinsdale's department has requested to withdraw from the Dalton Communication Center and use the Berkshire Regional Emergency Communications Center instead.

Dalton Town Manager Eric Anderson informed Dalton's Select Board that he heard indirectly from the state's communications center of Hinsdale's request and that there will be a meeting with the E911 system and all parties sometime later in September.

In order for Hinsdale to switch to the state call center, the town would have to obtain funding to ensure the town's equipment works with the state's.

During Hinsdale's August meeting, Gregory told Peru Police Chief Bruce Cullett that she is concerned with how Dalton's dispatch is relaying information to the state, citing that calls from multiple people about shots fired shouldn't be an hour wait.

View Full Story