BCHS Presents 'Sailing Towards My Father'

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On Wednesday, June 26, the Berkshire County Historical Society will present "Sailing Towards My Father," a one-man play about Herman Melville performed by Stephen Collins and written and directed by Carl A. Rossi.

The play chronicles Melville's life from youth to old age, concentrating on his evolution as a writer and his complex relationship with God; his parents and siblings; his wife and children; and Nathaniel Hawthorne. The performance takes place at Herman Melville's historic home Arrowhead at 5:30 pm. Tickets are available by using the BOOK NOW button at berkshirehistory.org; $15 BCHS Members, $20 non-members.

About Stephen Collins
Stephen Collins grew up in Cambridge and received a BA in Literature from the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He teaches seminars on Walt Whitman,Thomas Hardy, William Shakespeare, Robert Frost, and Contemporary Poetry. He also performs in one-man plays by Carl A. Rossi. In addition to "Sailing Towards my Father," he performs as James Abbott McNeill Whistler in "Butterfly." Collins also works as a professionally licensed tour guide narrating historical tours of Boston. His Walt Whitman performances have taken him all over the country. He now has eight one-man shows and seven courses where his teaching style has been described as a hybrid between lecture and performance.

 


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Hinsdale OKs Police Department Audit After Fatal Shooting

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

HINSDALE, Mass. — The town has approved $25,000 for an administrative review of the police department, more than two months after police fatally shot 27-year-old Biagio Kauvil during a mental health crisis. 

Town Administrator Robert Graves said the shooting on Jan. 7 is not the only focus of the audit, and it will be several months before the Select Board receives a final report. 

During a special town meeting on March 11, an article appropriating $25,000 from free cash for an independent consultant to conduct a professional evaluation and audit of the Town's Police Department was approved. The audit includes a review of the department's policies, protocols, operations, and procedures, and concludes with a written report. 

"The Berkshire County District Attorney's Office and Massachusetts State Police are investigating the shooting, and we await their conclusions.  As we look to move forward, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, our insurance company (MIIA/Cabot Risk), and our legal counsel have recommended that the town hire an independent law enforcement consultant or firm to conduct a comprehensive administrative review of our police operation," Graves wrote in an email to iBerkshires on Friday. 

"This event is not their focus; they will assess the overall operation. We want a written assessment of our police operation's strengths and weaknesses to help Hinsdale make future changes and improvements." 

He said after completing the procurement process and signing a contract with a reputable consultant or business, it will most likely be several months before the Select Board receives the final report. 

"Still, it will help the town and police department move forward," Graves wrote. 

Last weekend, family and friends of Kauvil stood in Park Square asking for justice. A flier for the standout reads "Biagio was killed by police while experiencing a mental health crisis. Now, over seven weeks later, authorities have not yet provided any updates.

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