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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Dalton Board Uncertain on How to Budget for Clean Air Efforts

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — As concerns about Berkshire Concrete's operations persist, Select Board members agree funding is needed, but are uncertain on how it should be allocated.
 
During its meeting on Monday, Select Board member Antonio "Tony" Pagliarulo requested that the town include in the budget funds for technical air-monitoring and potentially legal costs for the Clean Air Committee budget. 
 
In June, the board approved the establishment of a Clean Air Ad Hoc Committee, charged with reviewing the special permit and ensuring compliance. 
 
The committee consists of one Select Board member, a Board of Health representative, a Planning Board member, a Conservation Commissioner, and two citizen members: one from the Dalton Clean Air Coalition and another at-large citizen.
 
For over a year, residents attended numerous meetings urging action to stop sand from leaving parcel No. 105-16, owned by Berkshire Concrete, a subsidiary of Petricca Industries.
 
Since then, the Zoning Board ordered the company to fully remediate the unauthorized dig site on parcel No. 105-16, the Board of Health fined it $5,000, and the Planning Board denied its special permit
 
Board members seemed to agree that budgeting funds for clean air monitoring be set aside in the Clean Air Committee budget but not how legal fees should be budgeted. 
 
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