BCC Welcomes Welcomes Director of Student Financial Services

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announced the hire of Kelly Osorio as Director of Student Financial Services. 
 
Working in higher education for the past 12 years, Osorio began her financial aid career at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York and was most recently Director of Financial Aid at East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania.   
 
Osorio earned a bachelor of science degree physical education, with a teaching certification from the State University of New York, College at Brockport, and a master of science degree in educational psychology from the College of Saint Rose.  
 
According to a press release, along with managing federal, state, and institutional aid programs, Osorio strives to create an environment in which students and their families feel comfortable discussing financial needs while also working to improve financial accessibility. 
 
One of her first accomplishments at BCC was creating a series of short videos to help new students navigate the financial aid process. She also recently launched the FAFSA Thursdays series, a virtual program led by financial aid staff who assist students with completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.  
 
Currently residing in Danbury, Connecticut with her husband and two young sons, Osorio enjoys reading, beach vacations, and taking virtual cooking and baking classes.  

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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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