By DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary

ADD 1 TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY, SEPT 20-21, 2011

REMAINS OF THREE WERE FOUND IN VACANT LOT IN BECKETT

THE PLANET has just learned and it appears confirmed that the three bodies in Pittsfield’s notorious triple murders were dismembered and buried in an empty lot in Beckett. Sharp-eyed sleuths noticed turned dirt in a vacant lot where there should have been grass, wild flowers, and weeds.

A source located the lot on Johnson Road. Interestingly enough, one of THE PLANET’s correspondents identifies the lot being on the same road.

Sources are also telling THE PLANET that the three victims were tortured prior to being killed. It appears they were killed, cut into pieces, with the remains buried in Beckett. Sources still believe that material connected with the case — either body parts or implements — were buried in Pittsfield, at the State Forest.

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TFB MOVES ON THE NOVEMBER

Did it surprise anyone. Tricia Farley-Bouvier is moving into the November finals against Mark Miller and Pam Malumphy. The final score seems closer than it was, for if you look at it, Ryan Scago had nothing — no qualifications, no resume, nothing — in his favor except his last name. He was backed heavily behind the scenes by ex-mayor Gerry Doyle and state Sen. Ben Downing. Peter White should have stayed put in Ward 2.

TFB had Mayor Jimmy Ruberto’s full court press behind her, and all that this machine can bring to the mix. This is the same support that Peter Marchetti has basically turned down, publicly, at least. Our spies have Marchetti declining Ruberto’s offer for open and full support. The question now becomes: To what extent is Ruberto contributing his organization, his machine, to Marchetti’s effort?

Anyways, congratulations to TFB and the Sandwich Generation.

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(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, SEPT. 20, 2011) — THE PLANET takes satisfaction but will not gloat over having virtually all of the new information on Pittsfield’s triple murder before any other media source … the information of significance, anyway.

We had the location of the bodies, first. We had the details of condition (dismemberment) and time (killed before being taken to the burial site). We had more. We won’t beat it to death, no pun intended, but readers are beginning to know who they can trust and who they can’t.

We take even greater satisfaction, though, in learning through colleagues at the Boring Broadsheet that the daily newspaper was “basically embarrassed into doing more” about the mass murder case because of “what you [THE PLANET] did. You lit a fire under some asses.” This colorful description attends to the facts of the situation. While the BB pretended that not much was happening, THE PLANET responded with good, old-fashioned reporting.

It seems that the executive editor, responding to questions from up above, decided to risk upsetting the GOBs who wanted to keep the story and its profile low. The concern has been that the heinous crimes do not contribute positively to the image Pittsfield is crafting for itself as a business-unfriendly, behind-the-times, recalcitrant city laced in a corset of corruption. The BB has too much at stake to risk upsetting its shrinking number of advertisers.

Still, as commentators have noted, the BB has left too many other angles to the story uncovered. We will not play assignment editor and tell them what they are, but they should be obvious to anyone with a nose, or even a hangnail, for news.

The BB has some excellent veteran talent who are being misused or underused (Derek Gentile, who had a GREAT column a couple weeks ago Wiffle Ball and other homemade versions of the once-great Game; Tony Dobrowolski; Ben Garver; Hawk Herman, though a sports guy; and people of that ilk). They have entrusted this big story to junior staffers who, if they have the chops, won’t be allowed to use them.

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ROLL UP THE SIDEWALKS, THE PUNKS ARE TAKING OVER

On Saturday, THE PLANET had reasons to be in downtown Pittsfield. We parked on upper North Street and, after conducting our business, pounded the beat down the east side of the street and up the west.

Along the way, we talked to a half dozen shop owners, from household names to relative newcomers. There was unanimous consent that the ill-time North Street construction basically killed summer for just about every store, shop, and enterprise. And why. As one put it with a Bierceian application of cynicism, “Just to make North Street like South Street.”

If you’ll notice, rounded cut-outs dot the wider sidewalks at regular intervals. They serve no practical purpose but are there for aesthetics. However, and with Pittsfield, doesn’t there always seem to be a “however,” what they’re not telling you is that the cutouts will eat up parking spots … not that parking downtown has ever been a problem. After walking the length of the street on both sides, counting cutouts, and doing some actual measurements, North Street will lose about 20 parking spots from Maplewood Avenue to The Pop Corner. That’s 20 less places for 20 to 40 more potential customers.

One other theme shop owners and store-keeps were unanimous about: the roving bands of kids, adolescents and teens, who use the street as a skateboard and stunt-bike park. One owner said he has watched them all spring and summer, especially with the construction and the sidewalks turned into dirt tracks. Their favorite game comes as dusk, and groups of eight to a dozen cut out in traffic and bike against traffic daring cars to stop. Yes, that’s right. They get in the south or north lanes and ride into traffic, knowing the cars will have to stop for the precious little darlings.

The police do nothing about it, the store owner said, even though there have been numerous complaints.

Police blame a toothless ordinance, but that’s just an excuse.

If there is unanimous consent, how long would it take to rewrite the ordinance to make it no-nonsense and give cops the authority to tan a few hides, so to speak? Twenty minutes? It could be passed in two council sessions. Trouble is, no one wants to take the lead. Why? Your guess is as good as ours.

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Quick takes on the two debates:

“Quote of the Year” — Tricia Farley-Bouvier’s remark that she is from the Sandwich Generation. It has prompted many comments about her weight and her preference for Lord Sandwich’s great invention. Baloney seems to be the favorite from the cheap seats.

Mayoral Division — Bianchi, by consensus of those THE PLANET talked to, seem to have a good night, as did Joe Nichols. Marchetti, according to observers, came off as tenuous and tense, not as mayoral and motivated. If Pete continues to run scared, that is, run not to make a mistake, he will be on the outside looking in. This is a short, silent campaign, though, and he probably sneaks in simple because people aren’t paying attention.

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ON TO MORE ADVENTURES IN PARADISE. UNTIL THEN …

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.