Pittsfield Parks Light Up With Memorial, Holiday Events

By Joe DurwinPittsfield Correspondent
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The crowd gathers at the 2012 tree lighting at Park Square. This year's event is Friday, Dec. 5, at 6 p.m.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Downtown open spaces will be brightened with seasonal cheer and commemoration of loved ones at a variety of upcoming December events.

The city's 2014 Christmas tree will be installed in Park Square this Tuesday, to be followed by its annual lighting ceremony on Friday, Dec. 5, at 6 p.m.

"The deadline was extended, but we did find a tree," Recreation Coordinator Rebecca Manship told the city's Parks Commission.

As in past years, Manship said the event will feature caroling by the Taconic High School chorus, with Santa and Mrs. Claus to arrive following the lighting of the tree. Free hot chocolate will be provided by Patrick's Pub, and attendees are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items to be donated to local food pantries.

The following weekend will see another tree lighting, at the Veterans Memorial Park off South Street, an annual tradition organized by Dwyer Funeral Home.

Residents are invited to bring an ornament of their own to commemorate a lost loved one, or choose from ornaments that will be provided, at the ceremony scheduled for 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13. The event is intended to celebrate all loved ones, and is not limited to families of veterans.

"It's a great community event," said Robert Dwyer. "Everyone is welcome."

The following night, Park Square will grow even brighter, as local representatives of the Compassionate Friends network participate in a worldwide annual candle lighting event.

"It is the largest candle-lighting ceremony on the globe," said organizer Robin Burnell. "Creating a virtual 24-hour wave of light as it moves from time zone to time zone.

"As candles are lit at 7 p.m. local time, hundreds of thousands of people commemorate and honor the memory of all children gone too soon," according to Burnell, who says she became involved with the organization following the death of her son in a car accident two years ago.

According to the Compassionate Friends website, the event originated in 1997, and now in its 18th year includes hundreds of larger formal events and thousands more informal lightings in homes around the world. All participating candle lightings are held at 7 p.m. in each time zone; Burnell said the Pittsfield event will be held rain or shine.


Tags: holiday event,   park square,   tree lighting,   

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Dalton Man Accused of Kidnapping, Shooting Pittsfield Man

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A Dalton man was arrested on Thursday evening after allegedly kidnapping and shooting another man.

Nicholas Lighten, 35, was arraigned in Central Berkshire District Court on Friday on multiple charges including kidnapping with a firearm and armed assault with intent to murder. He was booked in Dalton around 11:45 p.m. the previous night.

There was heavy police presence Thursday night in the area of Lighten's East Housatonic Street home before his arrest.

Shortly before 7 p.m., Dalton dispatch received a call from the Pittsfield Police Department requesting that an officer respond to Berkshire Medical Center. Adrian Mclaughlin of Pittsfield claimed that he was shot in the leg by Lighten after an altercation at the defendants home. Mclaughlin drove himself to the hospital and was treated and released with non-life-threatening injuries. 

"We were told that Lighten told Adrian to go down to his basement, where he told Adrian to get down on his knees and pulled out a chain," the police report reads.

"We were told that throughout the struggle with Lighten, Adrian recalls three gunshots."

Dalton PD was advised that Pittsfield had swabbed Mclaughlin for DNA because he reported biting Lighten. A bite mark was later found on Lighten's shoulder. 

Later that night, the victim reportedly was "certain, very certain" that Lighten was his assailant when shown a photo array at the hospital.

According to Dalton Police, an officer was stationed near Lighten's house in an unmarked vehicle and instructed to call over the radio if he left the residence. The Berkshire County Special Response Team was also contacted.

Lighten was under surveillance at his home from about 7:50 p.m. to about 8:40 p.m. when he left the property in a vehicle with Massachusetts plates. Another officer initiated a high-risk motor vehicle stop with the sergeant and response team just past Mill Street on West Housatonic Street, police said, and traffic was stopped on both sides of the road.

Lighten and a passenger were removed from the vehicle and detained. Police reported finding items including a brass knuckle knife, three shell casings wrapped in a rubber glove, and a pair of rubber gloves on him.

The response team entered Lighten's home at 43 East Housatonic before 9:30 p.m. for a protective sweep and cleared the residence before 9:50 p.m., police said. The residence was secured for crime scene investigators.

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