NEED A ‘SIMPLE’ PERMIT? TRY NEGOTIATING THE LABYRINTH THAT IS PITTSFIELD’s PERMITTING PROCESS … FIRE CHIEF HAS ‘NO STATEMENT’ TO MAKE IN CATALANO CASE … THE WHEELS CONTINUE TO FALL OFF THE BABEAU EXPRESS … WHY THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE JOB SEARCH FOR A NEW SUPER IS RUSHED AND PREMATURE

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NEED A ‘SIMPLE’ PERMIT? TRY NEGOTIATING THE LABYRINTH THAT IS PITTSFIELD’s PERMITTING PROCESS … FIRE CHIEF HAS ‘NO STATEMENT’ TO MAKE IN CATALANO CASE … THE WHEELS CONTINUE TO FALL OFF THE BABEAU EXPRESS … WHY THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE JOB SEARCH FOR A NEW SUPER IS RUSHED AND PREMATURE

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 29, 2012) — We will only write that dateline once every four years, the same way we elect a president. Welcome to hump day, ladies and gentlemen. We are following several local stories. We can update you on one of them. Miracle! […]

February 29, 2012 54 Comments

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!! PLANET EXCLUSIVE !! SOURCES: PITTSFIELD FIREFIGHTER SUSPENDED WITHOUT PAY FOR ALLEGED THEFTS IN SUPPORT OF DRUG HABIT, MONEY PROBLEMS … SEARCH FOR NEW SCHOOL SUPER IS NOT ADDING UP … plus … PLANET BOWS OUT OF KROL-MAZZEO DISCUSSION

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, FEB. 28, 2012) — On what is three out of every four years the last day of February, THE PLANET has a few interesting items to share with you. SOURCES: PITTSFIELD FIREMAN SUSPENDED WITHOUT PAY FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING TO SUPPORT HIS DRUG HABIT […]

February 28, 2012 63 Comments

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!!UPDATE!! MORE ON ‘THE OFFICIAL TOBY MOORE DOG WALK’ … REAL PITTSFIELD BENEFIT FOR PETER MOORE AND FAMILY A HUGE SUCCESS … DAYLONG EVENTS PACKS CHAMELEON’S WITH CARING AND COMPASSION … THE REAL PITTSFIELD STEPS FORWARD

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD #1 FEB. 27, 2012 LATER THAT AFTERNOON Our main posting today concerned the Peter Moore Benefit that took place yesterday. Please scroll down for that. Two, Count ’em, Two Toby Moore Dog Walks We now want to say more about the Toby Moore Dog Walks. Notice […]

February 27, 2012 31 Comments

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PETER MOORE BENEFIT ON SUNDAY; LET’S PACK THE PLACE … 11th Hr. FUNNY BIZ BAGS DOGWALK … BUSH’S $4 TRILLION+ IRAQ WAR A DISASTER ANY WAY YOU COUNT THE COST AND LOOK FOR THE ‘BENEFITS’ … plus … KIWANIS CLUB OF PITTSFIELD: GIVE THE LITTLE DARLINGS BRUSHES AND BROOMS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD #1 FEB. 24, 2012 — THE PLANET just received word from Ken Ramsdell — the person who has stepped up to the plate to formally organize the Toby Moore Dog Walk in light of the city’s 11th hour requirement that the heretofore unorganized event obtain “proper” […]

February 23, 2012 140 Comments

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PLANS FOR KROL-MAZZEO ENCOUNTER COMING INTO PLACE … SCHEDULE FOR PLANET’S TV APPEARANCE SHARED … A POLITICAL ALLEGORY, IN VERSE … AND INFORMATION FROM BIANCHI CAMPAIGN TREASURER

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, FEB. 23, 2012) — Happy Birthday, Mick! Glad to see so many are interested in the upcoming discussion between my two Right Honorable Good Friends, Ward 6 councilor John Krol, and at-large councilor Melissa Mazzeo. Krol and Mazzeo have been at loggerheads on […]

February 23, 2012 13 Comments

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COUNCIL PREZ SHERMAN WEIGHS IN ON ‘MASSACRE’ … AN UNPAID POLITICAL ANNOUNCEMENT FROM A CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE … NOW THAT ‘CHARACTER’ IS FAIR GAME, CAPPY, WILL YOU LOOK INTO THE CHARACTERS OF THE WARD 3 DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE CANDIDATES? … PLUS, THE PLANET DOES TV AND OUR ALIBI CHECKS OUT

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE,WEDNESDAY, FEB. 22, 2012) — THE PLANET thought to talk with one essential party in the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre whose voice has heretofore been missing. That would be our Right Honorable Good Friend, council president Kevin Sherman. SHERMAN: WALKED THE TIGHTROPE WITHOUT FALLING INTO THE […]

February 22, 2012 45 Comments

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KROL, MAZZEO FIRE AWAY OVER ST. VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE … PLANET OFFERS DEBATE CHALLENGE TO MM & JK and BOTH ACCEPT … BIANCHI PULLS A NIXON, GETS TRADED FOR HIMSELF … plus … GANG OF 4 in MASSACRE ALL MARCHETTI CONTRIBUTORS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, FEB. 21, 2012) — As you could see from yesterday’s post, THE PLANET doesn’t stop for President’s Day. We have ceased caring about the White House, in truth, since 1:31 p.m., EST, on Nov. 22, 1963. If we have to explain the significance of […]

February 21, 2012 70 Comments

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KROL-MAZZEO LETTERS GET TO HEART OF FERRIN ‘MONKEY TRIAL’ … TACTICS OF GANG OF FOUR MAY BOOMERANG … plus … SHERIFF BABEAU GOING DOWN IN FLAMES

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, PRESIDENTS DAY, MONDAY, FEB. 20, 2012) — Back at the ranch after road time, and THE PLANET enjoys a rare day off — day off, we said, and MRS. PLANET insists, thus, we will keep this brief. Tomorrow, we present the back-and-forth of a […]

February 20, 2012 108 Comments

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!!UPDATE!! KROL QUESTIONS MAZZEO COMMENTS ON FERRIN!! … DOG WALK TO BEGIN ‘PETER MOORE’ BENEFIT DAY … THE SURPRISING EVOLUTION OF THE PLANET AS A FORCE … plus …COUNCILORS’ INQUISITION OF JEFF FERRIN WAS WRONG: WE PRESENT IT EVERY WHICH WAY, INCLUDING LOOSE

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary Add #1 (2:11 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 17, 2012) KROL DISPUTES ACCURACY OF MAZZEO’S COMMENTS ON JEFF FERRIN CASE We break into our weekend for an update to acknowledge receiving communications from two city councilors on the Jeff Ferrin appointment battle, also know as the St. Valentine’s Day […]

February 17, 2012 122 Comments

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TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR MOORE BENEFIT … EXTRA! JUICY EXCERPTS FROM MEREDITH’s MYSPACE PAGE … SHERMAN, MAZZEO EXPLAIN MATTOON VOTE … NUCIFORO BLASTS NEAL’s ‘BIG MONEY’ … COACHES VS. CANCER TOURNAMENT SET FOR SATURDAY … PLUS … QUICKIES

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, FEB. 16, 2012) — Here’s some additional information on The REAL Pittsfield Benefit for Peter Moore and Family. Tickets are now available at $10 apiece at the Allendale Underground, Allendale Shopping Center and at Chameleon’s Nightclub, 1350 East St., both in Pittsfield. Tickets […]

February 16, 2012 65 Comments

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PLANET ENDORSES NUCIFORO FOR CONGRESS … WHY DOES BB RUN NILAN STORIES ANONYMOUSLY? WHAT’S IT AFRAID OF? … THE PLANET VISITS MANY, INCLUDING MAYOR BIANCHI, WHO SHARES BUDGET PLANS … MATOON APPOINTMENT RAISES QUESTIONS … plus … LETTERS THE TO EDITOR ON NILAN-MOORE CASE

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15, 2012) — We trust you had a cozy, romantic Valentine’s Day, as did the PLANET and MRS. PLANET. We cannot give the details, except to say that poets have felled many trees for the reams of paper needed to describe such […]

February 15, 2012 96 Comments

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PETER MOORE BENEFIT NEEDS LOCAL TALENT … PLANET’s GROWING INFLUENCE A WIN FOR THE LITTLE GUY … A VALENTINE DAY POEM FOR A SECRET AGENT OUT THERE … ODD BEDFELLOWS: 1BERKSHIRE and PUMMELIN’ PAM … OTHER PERSONNEL MOVES AT 1B, or, WHY WE GET NO MFG. JOBS … plus …

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, FEB. 14, 2012) — THE PLANET wishes to relay a word on this Valentine’s Day from impresario extraordinaire Andy Poncherello regarding The REAL Pittsfield Benefit for Peter Moore and Family. Singers/Songwriters Wanted to Play for Packed House Poncherello asked us to put out […]

February 14, 2012 72 Comments

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!!EXCLUSIVE!! HELLER REPORT: JUDGE OVERTURNS MAGISTRATE DECISION IN NILAN-MOORE CASE, UPHOLDS PPD APPEAL … CRIMINAL CHARGES TO BE WEIGHED AGAIN FOR RE-INSTITUTION … MORE DETAILS LATER!!

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, FEB. 13, 2012) — BULLETIN! JUDGE HADLEY RULES IN NILAN-MOORE. SEE BELOW. ———————————————— It having been a weekend of no small energy expenditure, we shall ease our way back into the saddle with THE PLANET. Productive but tiring might be one way to […]

February 13, 2012 103 Comments

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NEXT BYP ‘NETWORKING SOCIAL’ TO BE HELD AT A … DRUM ROLL PLEASE … LIQUOR STORE!!!!!!! … RETURNING IN KIND WITH JOE D. ON PEDA COVERAGE … WANNA BE A TALK SHOW HOST? or WALK IN THOSE SHOES FIRST

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, FEB. 10, 2012) — Irony, primarily a literary term, also enjoys many uses in real life. Irony typically has a caustic aspect to it, ranging from mild to strong. We would define it as the use of language to describe a situation contrary […]

February 10, 2012 109 Comments

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FAT MAN AND PLANET GO FOR TWO HOURS, SAYING AND UNSAYING … REMEMBER PETER MOORE BENEFIT FEB. 26 … plus TICKING TIMEBOMB OF PITTSFIELD’S UNFUNDED PENSION LIABILITIES A LITTLE CLOSER TO GOING KABOOM AND KABLOOEY

February 9, 2012 24 Comments

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GRUNIN OUT AS PEDA BOARD CHAIR; MICK CALLAHAN IN … HOSING DOWN THE PETULANT … ‘WEREWOLVES OF PITTSFIELD’ and OTHER LETTERS … plus … PEDA’s THURSTON SAYS ‘IT’S A DONE DEAL’ (BE NERVOUs, FOLKS. BE VERY NERVOUS)

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD 1 FEB. 8, 2012 The Pittsfield Economic Development Authority met at the usual convenient time of 8 a.m. The most interesting aspect of the meetings is that — Voila! — Gary Grunin is out as the board’s chair. After a nationwide search, Mick Callahan, as good […]

February 8, 2012 75 Comments

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