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More Than 1,100 Complete Holiday 5K

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Pittsfield’s Abigail Geurds was the fastest female finisher in the 4th of July 5K on Friday morning.
 
Geurds covered the 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) course in 17 minutes, 51 seconds to place 26th overall.
 
The race saw 1,141 competitors finish the out-and-back course from Wahconah Street south to the intersection of South Street and West Housatonic and back to Wahconah Park.
 
The top finisher overall was Steve Dowsett of Newburyport, who ran a time of 15:12 to finish three seconds ahead of runner-up Alex White of Dalton.
 
Finishers at the event ranged in age from Pittsfield’s Eamon Doyle, 7, who ran a time of 26:34, to Pittsfield’s Allan Bates, 76, who finished in 23:05.
 
The race was organized by the Berkshire Running Center and sponsored by Berkshire Health Systems.
 
Complete results are available here
 
Photos from this event here.
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Possible Measles Exposure at Boston, Logan

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed Wednesday that an out-of-state adult visitor who spent time in Boston and Westborough earlier this month was diagnosed with measles and was present in a number of locations.
 
This could have resulted in other people being exposed to measles virus.
 
The visitor arrived at Logan International Airport on American Airlines flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, on Dec. 11 at 2:39 p.m. They stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Boston-Westborough in Westborough and departed the state on Dec. 12 via Logan at 9:19 p.m. on JetBlue flight 117 to Las Vegas.
 
DPH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local partners to identify and notify those who may have been exposed to measles from this individual.
 
"Measles is a highly contagious, airborne disease, which has increased significantly in the United States because of the unfortunate decrease in vaccination rates. It is also a preventable disease," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. "This current situation serves as an important reminder of the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our communities. While Massachusetts has not had a measles case this year, 2025 saw the highest number of nationwide cases in more than a decade — nearly 2,000 in 44 jurisdictions, and sadly, three deaths. 
 
"Fifteen years ago, measles had been considered eliminated in the United States, but that tremendous progress is at risk. Vaccines are one of the most important public health interventions ever — they are safe, effective, and lifesaving."
 
Measles is very contagious. However, the risk to most people in Massachusetts is low because the vaccination rate in the state is high. People who are not immune and visited any of the locations on the following dates and times may be at risk for developing measles.
 
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