Planet Valenti

BY DAN VALENTI UPDATED!! HAPPY NOO YEER EVERYBODY!! Hope the hangovers you’re nursing do not loom large over your poor noggins. We trust most made it through their evenings of reverie and welcoming of Baby Time in reasonably good shape. The Planet did, popping Dom 1982 with lovely women. The Planet share a couple of […]

BY DAN VALENTI COMING TOMORROW: PT. 2 OF THE PLANET’s 3-PT. SERIES ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WITH CO-AUTHOR FRANCOIS ARNEAU. ALSO, BUY THE PITTSFIELD GAZETTE FOR THE PRINT VERSION OF PLANET VALENTI. WE PRINT THE EXPLOSIVE “DEAR ANDY” LETTER “DA BOYZ” SENT TO ANDREA NUCIFORO, TELLING HIM NOT TO RUN FOR CONGRESS IF HE KNWS WHAT’S […]

NOTE — Today begins the first of a three-part series on economic development that intends to (a) expose the false premises upon which the city of Pittsfield has built its arguments about the future growth of the area, (b) show how economic development is not dependent upon a region’s size but its smarts, and (c) […]

BY DAN VALENTI THE PLANET again is first, this time with an important downtown story. A new business is coming to Pittsfield, one that seeks to fill a previously ignored niche. The business, Bizzy B’s at 6 Burbank Street off North Street on the right immediately prior to Tyler Street, is, according to owner Keri […]

BY DAN VALENTI Our change of plans has us posting The Letter in the next few days. This is the “you better not run if you know what is good for you” letter 23 Democratic players sent to Andy Nuciforo regarding the latter’s congressional bid. Of course, they didn’t word it that way, but the […]

BY DAN VALENTI This is the second in a two-part profile of Joe Nichols, Pittsfield city councilor and candidate for mayor in 2011. Joe Nichols says he’s a candidate for mayor because of what he has witnessed as “an insider” of city government in 2010. Nichols is Ward 7 city councilor. The Planet has family […]

BY DAN VALENTI Not much in order for today, except to wish everyone in The Planet’s universe a Merry Christmas. Since late September, this site has grown, and much faster than anticipated. That is a positive sign. We had to learn a lot of the technical backstage managing of a web site like this, and, […]

BY DAN VALENTI He has slate-blue eyes that exude an inner calmness, a type of humility and gratefulness when you emerge at the other side of darkness. He speaks in quiet tones, his cadence measured by the need not just to think through what he says but to make sure he’s speaking from the heart. […]

BY DAN VALENTI (DEC. 23, 2010) — SNOW FELL in the little city of Pittsfield, light and random flakes that danced in the breezy gust. The snow fell without a care, unlike what was happening at 75 South Church Street. The Boring Broadsheet was in a quandary yesterday. A good friend from the reporting staff […]

BY DAN VALENTI General Dynamics plans to add up to 150 new jobs, at a reported $75,000 average annual salary, as a result of the approval in the Senate and House yesterday of the new federal spending plan. On Tuesday afternoon, the Senate approved the measure 79-16. Late last night, the House followed suit in […]

BY DAN VALENTI So much to cover. So little time. Ah, but certainly not too little “space,” since that’s another area where cyberspace has it all over print and other physical media. First, let’s dispel couple quickies: * Once again, THE PLANET beats the BORING BROADSHEET, aka, The Berkshire Eagle, this time on its own […]

BY DAN VALENTI THE PLANET received an anonymous e-mail and a phone call (voice mail) that told me I was an accomplice to law breaking each time I appeared on the radio/TV show “Good Morning, Pittsfield,” hosted by John Krol. After my laughter died down, I stopped to consider the point. The gist of the […]

BY DAN VALENTI DEC 19, 2010: This update: — THE PLANET will be interviewing Joe Nichols on his intentions in the coming week. We shall file a report. — We have not heard from Jonathan Lothrop on our e-mail, shared with you below. We also have not heard from MAyor Jimmy Ruberto, whom we solicited […]

BY DAN VALENTI We will be in and out all day with little, bite-sized nuggets about the size of rhetorical shredded wheat, humbly offered for your amusement, enlightenment, and edification. And don’t bother telling us that our prose IS rhetorical shredded wheat. We know. Jut make sure you notice the delicious cinnamon in between the […]

BY DAN VALENTI EXCLUSIVE TO THE PLANET! AN ERROR IN PAPERWORK BY PITTSFIELD OFFICIALS HAS ROBBED CITY COFFERS OF A SUBSTANTIAL SUM OF MONEY. AT THE SAME TIME, HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESSES HAVE JUST BEEN HAMMERED WITH YET ANOTHER LARGE TAX HIKE. *  *  * Do you recall earlier this fall, when the city council needed […]

BY DAN VALENTI According to sources, William Hines, interim head of the Pittsfield Ecocomic Development Corporationand former founder/CEO of Interprint, has announced his retirement, effective April 29, 2011. Hines announced his intention “to return to retirement mode” at the last PEDA meeting. Pittsfield-based Interprint, founded by Hines in the mid-80s and now owned and operated […]