DALTON, Mass. — The Historical Commission announced during its meeting on Wednesday that it will be reissuing the book "Down Memory Lane" in the near future.
The Historical Commission has been discussing how to reissue the book for the last few months, navigating concerns surrounding copyright, cost and printing company selection.
The book is a compiled series of weekly columns by the Rev. Franklin L. "Cap" Couch that appeared in the now defunct Dalton News Record from 1972 to 1977.
To advertise this project and gauge community interest, the commission will request the Dalton Library display one of its copies of the book next to the sign-up sheet.
The library has three copies of the book but two have to stay in the library and only one can be borrowed.
The project would improve the accessibility of the book so that interested buyers can purchase it because finding a copy is difficult.
The commissioners said selling items like calendars, bicentennial books, magnets, tiles, plates, and other Dalton-themed merchandise during elections was popular among residents.
They are also exploring tabling at the presidential election in November to gather a list of residents interested in purchasing the book.
They also authorized using the donation account to cover the cost of reprinting 10 copies of the book using Adams Specialty & Printing Co.
Adams Specialty has a one-time fee of $60 to cover scanning the pages and laying them out.
The books will be perfect bound (glued) and will cost the commission $19.86 per book, if it submits an order of 10. The estimated total cost of the first order of 10 books is projected to be $259.50.
If the commission receives more than 10 requests and need to order books individually, they reach out to Adams Specialty & Printing Co to determine the cost of the individual books if they order less than 10.
The commission will set the price of the book based on the total cost of the project.
Cap Couch's son Robert Couch attended the meeting on Wednesday and expressed his interest in seeing this happen and offered to help in whatever way he can.
The commission will be emailing him a letter to sign that gives them permission to reprint his father's columns.
The commissioners originally considered going to Studley Press to have the book reprinted but they quoted a price of $429 to print 10 copies.
In 2006 the publisher, Berkshire Family History Association, had originally compiled the columns. But the association told the commission it did not know who held the copyright and so was unable to help, Bonnie Eastwood said.
Commissioners feel comfortable proceeding with the project especially since they will not be making a profit and they have permission from the family. They suspect that since the book does not have a copyright page the only approval they need is from the family.
In other news:
• The commission bought a fireproof cabinet for $1,199, leaving $1,767 in the town budget. This amount includes what the commission is receiving this fiscal year.
• The commission will be moving back into the Town Hall on Sept. 23.
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Belchertown Stops Pittsfield Post 68
By Stephen DravisiBerkshires.com Sports
PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Belchertown Post 239’s Cooper Beckwith set the tone when he crushed the game’s first pitch to left-center field for a double.
The visitors went on to pound out 14 more hits in a 9-1 win over Pittsfield Post 68 in American Legion Baseball action at Buddy Pellerin Field on Monday night.
Beckwith went 3-for-4 with an RBI and scored twice, and Chase Earle went five innings on the mound without allowing an earned run as Post 239 improved to 15-0 this summer and completed a regular-season sweep of Post 68 (12-4).
“He’s a good pitcher,” Post 68 coach Rick Amuso said. “Good velo[city], kept the ball down. We didn’t respond.”
Pittsfield did manage to scratch out a run in the bottom of the fourth inning, when it already trailed, 7-0.
Nick Brindle reached on an error to start the inning. He moved up on a single by Jack Reed (2-for-2) and scored on a single to left by Cam Zerbato.
That was half the hits allowed by Earle, who struck out three before giving the ball to Alex West, who gave up a leadoff walk in the sixth and retired the next six batters he faced.
Water runoff reaching the drainage outlet behind the property is flooding it, unable to reach an intermittent stream meant to carry that runoff. click for more
The $25,000 raised will directly assist the Berkshire Humane Society in funding its various programs aimed at improving the lives of animals in need throughout the Berkshire County area. click for more
The short film follows Tom Levardi, who has been a supporter of the hiking community over the last 45 years by allowing Appalachian Trail hikers to camp in his back yard.
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On Thursday, the commission issued 36 conditions for the city project that include a new boardwalk, access stairs, paring improvements, seasonal docks, and a new swimming beach on the park’s two properties at 1447 North St. and 40 Hancock Rd. click for more
Mike Ressler was unhittable on the mound, and the Pittsfield Little League All-Stars completed a convincing run through the Don Gleason District 1 Tournament with a 19-0 win over Dalton-Hinsdale on Thursday. click for more