More than 600 Participate in Steel Rail Races

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- Matthew Ferraro was the first runner across the finish line at the MountainOne Steel Rail Marathon.
 
Ferraro clocked a time of 2 hours, 41 minutes flat on the Ashuwilticook Rail Trail course.
 
He finished a little more than five minutes ahead of runner-up Nick Reid (2:46:15).
 
Simone Veale won the race's women's division in a time of 3:18:42. She beat out Jill Hussain, who covered the course in 3:27:23.
 
The fastest marathoner on Sunday was Stephen Gulley, a hand cyclist, who clocked a time of 2:15:03.
 
The 26.2-mile circuit was covered by 150 finishers ranging in age from 18 (William Hanley in 14th place) to 72 (Ric Nudell, who finished in 6:04:47).
 
The day also featured a half-marathon and an 8-kilometer race.
 
Mark Rabasco won the half-marathon in 1:18:41, edging Vincent Gauthier (1:22:38).
 
Kat Morrissey placed third overall in 1:23:43 and first among women in the half-marathon, which had 213 finishers.
 
Abigail Chaloux was the fastest woman in the 8K, crossing the finish line in 35:52, six seconds ahead of Caroline Kessler; the two women were ninth and 10th, respectively, overall in a field of 171 finishers.
 
Peter Hale had the fastest 8K time, 27:42. Erik Kessler was second in 30:32.
 
More than 600 people registered for Sunday's races, a record for the Berkshire Running Foundation event. Runners from 24 different states signed up to run.
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Housing Secretary Visits Pittsfield's 'The First'

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Just five months after opening, The First has already become a community hub for individuals in need of resources or a place to decompress. 
 
The space is filled with donated items from a room full of clothing, lockers, a classroom, couches, a television, a ping-pong table, and more.  
 
Located at 74 First St., the resource center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 
 
"[Visitors] come up to us daily and admit that this is a beautiful space, and we want to keep it in the community as a whole… It's a wonderful place for them to feel as part of the community," The First Program Director, John Jablonski, said. 
 
The First was one of the stops on Housing Secretary Juana Matias' tour of supportive housing initiatives in Pittsfield.  In February, she was appointed to lead the state Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities. 
 
 
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