Taconic Grad Gillette Honored at Southern Vermont

Print Story | Email Story
BENNINGTON, Vt. -- The New England Collegiate Conference 2017 Fall Academic All-Conference honorees were announced by the league recently with nine of the student-athletes being recognized hailing from Southern Vermont College, including Lexia Gillette of Pittsfield, Mass.
 
To be eligible for the accolade, student-athletes must be a sophomore or higher in class standing and must have posted a cumulative grade point average of 3.40 or higher after the fall semester. Athletes representing the Conference's men's and women's cross country, field hockey, men's golf, men's and women's soccer, and women's volleyball teams could qualify to earn the fall academic laurel.
 
"Being honored as an academic all-star is a great achievement which acknowledges these students' successes in both the classroom and in athletic competition," said SVC Dean of Faculty Jennifer Burg. "The faculty members of Southern Vermont College are proud of the motivation, dedication, and teamwork that these students demonstrate across all areas of our campus community."
 
Gillette, a senior on the Mountaineers’ cross country team who attended Taconic High School, was named to the squad for the second time in her career.
 
In total, 164 student-athletes from around the league were recognized. To see the complete list honorees, visit http://neccathletics.com/landing/fallaac.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

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.

View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories