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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Pittsfield ARPA Funds Have Year-End Expiration Date

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — American Rescue Fund Act monies must be spent by the end of the year, and Pittsfield is already close. 

In 2021, the city was awarded a historic amount of money — $40,602,779 — in federal remediation funds for the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the end of September 2025, more than $37 million had been expended, and 90 percent of the 84 awarded projects were complete. 

Special Project Manager Gina Armstrong updated the City Council on the ARPA funds during its first meeting of the new term on Tuesday. 

As of September 2025, the $4.7 million allocated for public health and COVID-19 response has been fully expended. Additionally, $22.7 million of the $24.9 million allocated for negative economic impacts has been expended, and nearly all of the infrastructure funds, more than $5.8 million, have been expended. 

Less than $3 million of the $3.7 million allocated for revenue replacement has been spent, along with about $873,00 of the $1.1 million allocated for administration. 

Armstrong noted that in the last quarter, "Quite a bit more has been done in the areas of the housing projects." In 2022, then-Mayor Linda Tyer allocated $8.6 million in ARPA funds for affordable housing initiatives, and the community is eager for those additional units to come online. 

Nine supportive units at the Zion Lutheran Church on First Street received more than $1.5 million in ARPA funds, the 7,700-square-foot housing resource center in the basement received more than $4.6 million, and the Westside Legends' home construction project saw more than $361,000 for two single-family homes on South Church Street and Daniels Avenue. 

"This is just about complete, and I believe that people who are currently homeless or at risk of homelessness will be able to take these apartments in the very near future," Armstrong said, noting the supportive units and resource center that had a ribbon-cutting in late 2025

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