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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Former Miss Hall's Head Arraigned for Child Endangerment

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Warning: this article discusses sexual assault. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A retired head of Miss Hall's School was charged with reckless child endangerment in relation to sexual abuse allegations against a former teacher

Jeannie Norris, head of the girls' boarding school from 1996 to 2012, was arraigned on Monday for one count of reckless endangerment of a child. Now living in North Carolina, she appeared virtually before Judge James Manitsas in Berkshire Superior Court and pled not guilty. 

Based on evidence collected during the investigation into allegations of abuse that occurred at the school, the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office alleges she was aware of inappropriate relationships between a teacher, Matthew Rutledge, and students attending the school. The evidence collected demonstrated that she received numerous reports of Rutledge's alleged inappropriate conduct, according to the indictment. 
 
Rutledge, 63, was arraigned on rape charges in April of this year. Several women came forward publicly to accuse him of grooming them as teenagers and raping them. 
 
Norris, represented by attorney Thomas Hoopes, had her physical presence waived for Monday's arraignment and for Nov. 18, when the case goes to pretrial. Reckless child endangerment is a misdemeanor that carries more than 100 days of incarceration. 

The DA's Office, represented by Assistant District Attorney Joseph Yorlano, returned the indictment on July 22. 

Rutledge was indicted by a Berkshire grand jury following accusations dating back to the 1990s of sexually assaulting students at the girls' school. Standing in front of the Superior Court, former students Hilary Simon and Melissa Fares that day called out the school for failing to protect them. 

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