Downing, Bianchi Launch Toys For Tots Collection Competition

By Andy McKeeveriBerkshires Staff
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State Sen. Benjamin Downing overflowed two boxes of donations last year.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — It's on.
 
State Sen. Benjamin Downing and Mayor Daniel Bianchi are in a battle over toys.
 
The stakes: bragging rights. The bet: who can collect the most Toys for Tots. 
 
Both offices announced they are reigniting the friendly competition. Downing will collecting donations at his Pittsfield office at 7 North St., Suite 307, while Bianchi will be collecting toys at his City Hall office.
 
Downing will collect unwrapped toys through Dec. 15. On Dec. 11, the senator will be hosting his annual Toys for Tots open house.
 
The open house from 3 until 6 p.m. is a push for the toy drive.
 
The office will be opened with refreshments and Downing will be announcing the winner of his first annual greeting card design contest.
 
The toys will be collected by Marines from Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee and be distributed to needy children in Western Massachusetts.
 
"I am proud to partner with the U.S. Marines in this great cause again this year," Downing said.
 
"I hope that families and children across Western Mass will have a happy, merry and bright Christmas morning thanks to the generosity of others and the donations we can help collect."
 

Ann Dobrowski and Becky Manship showing off the toys that have given Bianchi's office a jumpstart on the competition.

Bianchi's office is collecting toys through Dec. 17 that will be donated to city children. An ornament will be placed on the Christmas tree in City Hall for each gift donated.
 
The two are fairly evenly matched. Downing represents 52 towns in the western part of the state, covering significant more geography and population. However, Bianchi has a lot more staff he can ask to donate.
 
On Tuesday, Bianchi's office claimed a lead with five gifts. Last year, Bianchi's office got off to an early start as well with the donation of a bicycle.
 
The Toys for Tots program is an official activity of the Marine Corps Reserve.
 
Created by a reservist in 1947 to collect toys for needy children, the program has since distributed more than 469 million toys to some 216 million children.
 
Some ideas for donations include: Craft kits, sports equipment (basketball, baseball gloves, bats, tennis rackets, tennis balls, etc.) puzzles, bikes, stuffed toys, dolls, Legos, toddler friendly toys, skateboards, bouncy balls, books for all ages, art supplies, toy trucks

Tags: donations,   holiday story,   toys,   

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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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