Bianchi Paints Habitat for Humanity Office To Honor Volunteers

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Mayor Bianchi showed up ready to work Tuesday afternoon as he helped paint the Habitat for Humanity office.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Mayor Daniel Bianchi honored those who donate their time to helping others by doing the same.

On Tuesday, Bianchi helped paint the Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity's office with volunteers from the AmeriCorps' VISTA program and Senior Corps programs.

"The strength of a community is often measured by the volunteers who give of themselves to help those in need, or to help those less fortunate," Bianchi said.

"Pittsfield is a very rich community by this measure. Thousands of our citizens help others and make Pittsfield a truly wonderful community."

The afternoon of painting was the mayor's way of honoring the second annual Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service.



The AmeriCorps program has sent two volunteers to the city to help the Central Berkshire Habitat for Humanity program. Habitat for Humanity just recently celebrated the completion of yet another home in the city.

Meanwhile, other AmeriCorps volunteers from Berkshire Community College are working in the school system and the Berkshire United Way with tutoring, early education and service-learning.
 
The Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service was first celebrated last April with 832 mayors participating.


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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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