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‘TYJAYEs’ and ‘ZYIRs,’ and WHAT YOU WON’T HEAR AT TONIGHT’s MAYORAL DEBATE

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BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY AUG. 26, 2019) — If Dan Valenti were moderating tonight’s mayoral debate, he’d do it PLANET style:

  • Roving moderator with hand-held mic
  • 90 minutes
  • Candidates on bar stools and not behind desks or podiums, each holding a wireless mic, no notes or time limits on responses
  • Aggressive questioning
  • Follow-up when candidates dodge
  • Heavy interplay among candidates.

This controlled free-for-all style produces the best possibility of the electorate spotting hints of genuineness among the candidates.

Dan Valenti, alas, is not moderating tonight’s “debate.” Word has it he’s on an assignment as script doctor for a current Hulu TV series helping to brainstorm a fourth season that just finished its third. As it is, the debate will go with a “safe” interlocutor, one who won’t press or venture into territory deemed risky by The Suits. THE PLANET tells you this as a warning not to expect much.

The four candidates will physically appear on equal footing, but everyone knows that barring an act of God, this “race” will come down to the Battle of the Machines (DelGallo-Ruberto v. Wojtkowski-Bianchi), a continuation of the long-standing war-by-proxy. Incumbent Linda Tyer and challenger Melissa Mazzeo will have one goal: Get out of it without a major gaffe.

If Valenti was moderating, he’d hammer on three areas: crime, public schools, and finances. All three reduce to one conveniently ignored during campaign season: Pittsfield Public Schools. Valenti would focus on the school department because it hogs nearly 75 cents of every city dollar while producing an evermore pathetic crop of clueless, undisciplined young people who can’t read, write, do math, compete in higher education, or hold down a job. They do know how to cause mayhem, however.

Here’s one of the latest numbers on the city’s Top 10 Hit Parade, from the Pittsfield Police Department:

———- 000 ———-

Last evening, Thursday, August 22, 2019 at 9:43 PM Pittsfield Police received a ShotSpotter activation reporting gunfire in the area of John Street in Pittsfield. Responding Patrol, Detective, and Crime Scene units located evidence of gunfire. No victims or property damage were discovered.

Two hours later, at 11:43 PM, a second ShotSpotter activation reported gunfire in the area of Francis Avenue in Pittsfield. A Massachusetts State Police Trooper was in close proximity, heard the shots, and observed a vehicle leaving the area at a high rate of speed. A motor vehicle stop was initiated by the Trooper on Danforth Ave., where he was joined by multiple Pittsfield Police Units.

The two occupants of the vehicle were detained, and a firearm was discovered inside the vehicle.

Subsequent investigation revealed no victims or property damage on Francis Avenue.

Tajaye Davis, 24, and Zyir Rasheed, 19, both of Pittsfield, were arrested and arraigned today in Central Berkshire District Court on the following charges:

1. Possession of a Firearm w/out FID/LTC
2. Possession of Ammunition w/out FID card
3. Receiving Stolen Property Under $1200.00

Additional charges are pending.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by Pittsfield Police Detectives, Crime Scene Investigators, and the Massachusetts State Police Ballistics Unit.

Anyone with information about these incidents is asked to contact the Pittsfield Police Department Detective Bureau at 413-448-9705. Information can also be provided anonymously via the Detective Bureau Tip Line at 413-448-9706, or by texting PITTIP and your message to TIP411 (847411).

———- 000 ———-

Take a good look at the two “suspects,” Tyjaye and Zrir, both innocent the law says.  Wait! You can’t. The mug shots distributed by the police cannot be uploaded “for security reasons.” Let us thus offer brief descriptions:

Davis: Black, bullying, tattooed, head tilted backward, sneering into the camera.

Rasheed: Black, blank stare, emotionless.

The district attorney’s office willlikely see them as misunderstood cherubs who had a tough upbringing exacerbated by parents dumb enough to name them after Islam terrorists. “Of-color” will be the boys’ ace-in-the-hole, and the lads will likely walk. Only “privileged” white people are evil under the revised approach to justice.

The city is run amok with Tyjayes and Zyirs. Time bombs ticking. Wounds licking. Charges not sticking. The Kapanskis kicking. The results heart-sicking.

———- ooo ———-

Pittsfield’s immediate problem is its lack of an economy, overspending, and high taxes. The underlying cause for nearly all this economic misery is the Pittsfield School Department, headed by a superintendent and a school committee chairwoman who deserve not accolades but indictments as war criminals and crimes against humanity. The war? The one they’ve waged on children. The crime? helping to destroy the lives of too many pupils and students.

McCandless and Yon have driven the public schools into the ground while enriching underperforming or superfluous employees at the Kapanskis expense.

You can bet none of this will be covered at tonight’s “debate.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

“An unexamined faith is not worth having, for it can be true only by accident” — James Luther Adams.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

The views and opinions expressed in the comment section or in the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not necessarily endorsed by the operators of this website. PLANET VALENTI assumes no responsibility for such views and opinions, and it reserves the right to remove or edit any comment, including but not limited to those that violate the website’s Rules of Conduct and its editorial policies. PLANET VALENTI shall not be held responsible for the consequences that may result from any posted comment or outside opinion or commentary as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and this website’s terms of service. All users of this website — including readers, commentators, contributors, or anyone else making use of its information — hereby agree to these conditions by virtue of this notice. When PLANET VALENTI ends with the words “The Usual Disclaimer,” that phrase shall be understood to refer to the full text of this disclaimer.

 

 

 

 

 

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Flogging Molly
Flogging Molly
4 years ago

Ok, Graves just drop out and get back to buying dumps and overcharging customers. You know zilch about this City and it was obvious the only preparation you did for the debate was sit at the Rusty Anchor and talk to drunk boaters.

And Kalinowski, deer in the headlights much. She is a worse mayoral candidate than she was a police officer. She did a big fat nothing for this city as an officer. Hey Karen its 2019, not the 80’s and 90’s. Policing has changed. You were relegated to Reid Middle School as an SRO because you were a danger on the streets. Reid was the most out of control school with an SRO thanks to you.

And Mazzeo, if she was dittoing Kalinowski’s answers that tells you how bright and prepared she is to be mayor.

doomiedodger
doomiedodger
Reply to  Flogging Molly
4 years ago

But Tyer is the one giving huge tax breaks to millionaire business owners and that loss of money has to be made up by the rest of us. She is so embarrassed by it that she will not discuss it in public and is terrified that the list of names will become public.

taxes definitely could be cut if there was not so much waste and giveaways. Vote for an independent thinker. Get us off this merry go round of insanity.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  Flogging Molly
4 years ago

Tyer had her 4 years.Mazzeo will get her 4 years and we have one big mess to figure out.We are not Darien Conn….the taxes absolutely need to be cut.Most departments answer to nobody.Tyer has lost a great opportunity. NEXT

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

How the hell do you go 3 million OVER budget in 12 months?One million last year and it doubled the next year.Where was anybody on this?…..Tyer really blew it.This city budget is unsustainable, wake up Pittsfield.

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
Reply to  Flogging Molly
4 years ago

And all three of them would be better than Tyer

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
4 years ago

Not a stabbing, maybe an attack, not sure about the attacker?
What really do the police know?

https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/pittsfield-police-investigating-assault-at-cumberland-farms-on-1st-street,583158

Pittsfield police investigating assault at Cumberland Farms on 1st Street

PITTSFIELD — A man and a woman were seriously injured during a weekend incident at Cumberland Farms.

Pittsfield Police Lt. Gary Traversa said the early-morning incident on Sunday at the 1st Street gas station and convenience store appears to have been an aggravated assault and battery. The injuries were “serious, but not life threatening,” he said.

While there were rumors online that the incident was a stabbing, Traversa said that wasn’t the case.

“We don’t believe this to have been a stabbing,” he said.

Asked if it could accurately be described as a fight, Traversa said Monday that it’s too soon to tell.
“Preliminary information indicates that it may have been more of an attack, but we don’t know for sure yet. It’s too early to say one way or another,” he said.

frateekat
frateekat
4 years ago

I think next year I’ll vacation at Cumberland farms.

Pat
Pat
4 years ago

2 votes for Kalinowsky coming from my house. She was the most likable and made the most sense. She is worried about the issues I am worried about….crime and a dangerous North Street. the condition of the roads, taxes too high, schools out of control, etc.

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

That would be a wasted vote on both accounts.

She was a horrible and dangerous cop. She got put into the easiest school, and it got a lot worse with her there.

Tyer hopes that she’ll split a vote

thank you for that question
thank you for that question
Reply to  PoliceReport
4 years ago

Tyer is a horrible mayor.

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
Reply to  thank you for that question
4 years ago

And Tyer will win if somehow Mazzeo isn’t running against her.

This Just In
This Just In
4 years ago

Congratulations Ted Kennedy. It’s neen 10 years and 2 days wiytjouy you touching a drop.

The school committee
The school committee
Reply to  This Just In
4 years ago

Another Republican

This Just In
This Just In
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

Give Teddy his due

Ham Anex
Ham Anex
Reply to  This Just In
4 years ago

Teddy still votes

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

Another Republican

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

Mccandless goes on and on about how challenging it is to run a crappy schools program.Here is what he really said…we don’t know what the heck we are doing.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

Pittsfield had an Alternate School….Eberwien and his S.P.E.D. councilors and directors along with the School Committee shut it down….they don’t know what they are doing except they know what they did was not for the kids as they used the students to spend the Sherriff’s 9 million in grant money….We need access to that audited cash as it cost us millions.

Pat
Pat
4 years ago
PoliceReport
PoliceReport
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

It was a homicide the day it happened. She was dead at the scene. The DA and the chief and the Mayor all know it.
The information was withheld, they will say, as part of an ongoing investigation, this would be a lie. They withheld it because Tyer didn’t want it to come out right before the debate. This was a coordinated effort by Tyer, Wynn, and Harrington.

Also they will not tell you but this is part of a known ongoing turf war. Both a PPD CI and a family member of Harrington’s political inner circle is involved in these homicides. Either directly and by being given “passes” or information by a PPD officer or by feeding information to know gang members via a “friend of the DA.”

Auto Phil
Auto Phil
Reply to  PoliceReport
4 years ago

This is way more troubling than a bunch of Pittsfield-Via-Wherever gangsters shooting each other over beefs…

This is crazy.

Ted
Ted
Reply to  Pat
4 years ago

None of this passes the smell test.

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
Reply to  Ted
4 years ago

Then you need a new nose.

//planetvalenti.com/2019/08/tyjayes-and-zyirs-and-what-you-wont-hear-at-tonights-mayoral-debate/comment-page-1/#comment-179468

Reported well before today’s “breaking news” by the Eagle. I had posted one post earlier but it got censored.
The recent shootings are all part of an ongoing turf battle. It includes people from CT, NY, Springfield MA.

There as least on CI that runs rampant in the area because he gives up some of the competition.
It’s very well known the CI is “protected”.
In fact you can probably go back in Eagle articles and figure out who’s continually been given “passes” in cases.

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
4 years ago

In the Berkshires August means it is tourist season.
In Pittsfield it’s heroin and shooting season.

https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/for-shooting-outside-lounge-in-2018-pittsfield-man-given-5-years-in-prison,583221

PITTSFIELD — A city man who fired multiple shots at a group of people outside a city nightclub last August has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Davon Kelly, 41, admitted Tuesday to seven charges in the incident and with his subsequent arrest.

According to police reports and information provided by the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office, Kelly opened fire near the former Lach’s Lounge on Fenn Street shortly after 1 a.m. Aug. 19, 2018. No one was hit, apparently.

Surveillance video reportedly captured images of Kelly firing the shots, and police found six .38-caliber shell casings in the area.

An arrest warrant was issued for Kelly, who was arrested on East Street about 7:45 p.m. Aug. 29. In his possession he had a .38-caliber handgun loaded with ammunition that matched the shell casings found in the parking lot after the shooting, as well as a bag of heroin.

X-Lachs Lounge
X-Lachs Lounge
Reply to  PoliceReport
4 years ago

did our nitwit DA disregard the firearms charges?

a fan
a fan
4 years ago

Pittsfield’s problems are no different than those of any city. Money to our schools represents our best effort to address societal ills wrought by decades of inequity. Parents who give Islamic names are not dumb. Scare quotes do not ascribe legitimacy to bankrupt concepts that can’t stand on their own. For example, the implication that only white people are judged evil is a gross exaggeration.

disagree
disagree
Reply to  a fan
4 years ago
Akbar Fukwad
Akbar Fukwad
Reply to  a fan
4 years ago

Why would a black person give an Islamic name to a child. Islam still believes in keeping black slaves.

Shakes
Shakes
Reply to  Akbar Fukwad
4 years ago

So does Christianity, but who’s counting?

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
4 years ago

https://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/murder-suspect-held-without-bail-after-pleading-not-guilty-in-killing-of-david-green-jr,567486

Look deeper into David Green Jr. background. Why would a man who was on a “hit list”, who left town, move back and then almost get killed. Why would a person from the Bronx, with outstanding warrants, come up and do the shooting.
He was shot at 9AM while sitting in his truck. why was the alleged gunman moved out of the area without notifying his lawyer?
Fast forward to this week, shootings, back to back, an outright murder that’s not reported as such until nearly two days later?

PITTSFIELD — A New York man charged in last fall’s fatal shooting of David Green Jr. remains held without bail after his arraignment in Berkshire Superior Court.

Lance Burke, 40, of the Bronx, waived his appearance Wednesday and entered not guilty pleas to murder and weapons charges in connection with the Nov. 3 slaying.

He is accused of shooting Green, 30, who was seated in a pickup truck on Willow Street in the Morningside neighborhood. Green died of a gunshot wound to the neck, and the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office has ruled his death a homicide.

Burke was arrested on a warrant in New York on Nov. 20 and returned to the Berkshires for an arraignment in Central Berkshire District Court in early December. He has since been held without bail, and was indicted by a grand jury last week.

“Today’s homicide arraignment is the result of a rigorous investigation by the Pittsfield Police Department and strong teamwork between law enforcement and prosecutors,” said Berkshire District Attorney Andrea Harrington, in a prepared release. “My job is to seek justice for victims and their families. My office will continue to prosecute this case with competence and integrity.”

Burke’s attorney, Calvin Carr, filed a motion seeking to have Burke transferred from Worcester County, where he is being held in pretrial detention, to the Hampshire County House of Corrections in Northampton.

Carr said Burke was inadvertently transferred from Berkshire County to Worcester, and the extra distance not only makes phone calls between Burke and his family in New York more costly, but makes it more difficult for him to meet with his client.