KINNAS 4-FOR-4 with ATTORNEY GENERAL, BUT GOB IS CHOKING ON ITS OWN BILE HAVING TO ADMIT IT, HENCE, ITS MUD-SLINGING … STICKER CAMPAIGNS: A POWERFUL TOOL IN THE HANDS OF PISSED-OFF, FED-UP VOTERS … LEE BOARD ‘PHONES IT IN’ ON BUFFIS … plus … SAKSHAUG RE-APPOINTMENT: WILL ‘POLITICS AS USUAL’ KEEP HIM OFF CONSERVATION COMMISSION?

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KINNAS 4-FOR-4 with ATTORNEY GENERAL, BUT GOB IS CHOKING ON ITS OWN BILE HAVING TO ADMIT IT, HENCE, ITS MUD-SLINGING … STICKER CAMPAIGNS: A POWERFUL TOOL IN THE HANDS OF PISSED-OFF, FED-UP VOTERS … LEE BOARD ‘PHONES IT IN’ ON BUFFIS … plus … SAKSHAUG RE-APPOINTMENT: WILL ‘POLITICS AS USUAL’ KEEP HIM OFF CONSERVATION COMMISSION?

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY THROUGH LABOR DAY, AUG. 30-SEPT. 2, 2013) — Terry Kinnas, Pittsfield’s best public servant, filed four allegations of law breaking against Pittsfield school officials. Four times, state Attorney General Martha Coakley has agreed with him, upheld his allegations, and determined these officials to […]

August 29, 2013 78 Comments

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PLANET EXCLUSIVE STATE AG RULES IN FAVOR OF TERRY KINNAS NOT ONCE, NOT TWICE, BUT THREE TIMES … KINNAS’ COMPLAINTS AGAINST REID MIDDLE SCHOOL SUBCOMMITTEE UPHELD … EAT CROW, JULIA SABOURIN, DAN BIANCHI, ALF BARBALUNGA, and SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBERS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, AUG. 29, 2013) — Congratulations again to Terry Kinnas, Pittsfield’s most effective public servant. Once more (actually, thrice more), the office of state Attorney Gen. Martha Coakley has ruled in favor of Kinnas in three open meeting complaints related to the Reid Middle […]

August 28, 2013 56 Comments

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ITEM ON PITTSFIELD SCHOOLS LOOKING TO INSTALL CREW AS A VARSITY SPORT HITS A NERVE … plus … SPEAKING OF HITTNG A NERVE, SO DOES CHRIS BARRY’S LETTER TO BMC REGARDING HIS EXPERIENCE IN THE ER

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, AUG. 28, 2013) — The item THE PLANET posted yesterday on the efforts of the Pittsfield School Department wanting the school committee to take up the idea of crew — crew, of all things — as a varsity sport hit a nerve for […]

August 27, 2013 21 Comments

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PLANET ADVISES PITTSFIELD SCHOOL COMMITTEE TO CREW CUT … SPEAKING OF WHICH, WHEN IS A ‘CUT’ NOT A ‘CUT’? WHEN IT’s A MULTIMILLION RAISE … plus … IS ANDY NUCIFORO GOING TO POT?

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, AUG. 27, 2013) — As Pittsfield’s public schools continue to reel in an amalgamation of falling test scores, increasing drop out rates, graduates unprepared for college and the workplace, the growing problem of the misuse of technology and smart phones, and all the […]

August 27, 2013 22 Comments

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PHS GYM FLOOR PROCESS FLOORS ONE’S CREDULITY; BIANCHI OVERSEES FAULTY PROCEDURE THAT a.) ALLOWED VOLUNTEER, NOT PURCHASING, TO OBTAIN QUOTE and b.) SELECT A VENDOR NOT CERTIFIED FOR THE WORK … RESULT? TAXPAYERS MuST COUGH UP 60 EXTRA $Gs

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, AUG. 26, 2013) — In our previous column, THE PLANET outlined the lack of process in capital projects under Mayor Dan Bianchi, exemplified by the shoddy procurement and vetting work related to a proposal for work on a new gym floor at PHS. Capital […]

August 25, 2013 22 Comments

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BUFFIS BUFFETED BY BOARD … CAPPY CRAPPY IN COURT … plus … PHS GYM FLOOR FIASCO HIGHLIGHTS CITY’S LACK OF DUE PROCESS ON CAPITAL EXPENDITURES … BLAME TRACES BACK TO CORNER OFFICE

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY AND THROUGH THE WEEKEND, AUG., 23-26, 2013) — THE PLANET has been Out West, young man, scratching out a living in Hollywood, Palm Springs, and Needles, via Syracuse, living and working fixing holes in scripts and the roof. It stops our mind from […]

August 22, 2013 29 Comments

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PLANET’S MISSION ISN’T TO BREAK THE NEWS, ALTHOUGH WE DO SO REGULARLY, WITHOUT EVEN TRYING … OFFICIAL REACTION TO AG’s RULING AGAINST PSC REVEALS ARROGANCE OF GOB AND ITS DISDAIN FOR THE LAW

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, AUG. 2o, 2013) — Let’s get one thing clear from the outset. THE PLANET does not have as its mission the breaking of news. We leave that task to the other media in town, particularly to the so-called “mainstream media,” which consists of […]

August 20, 2013 34 Comments

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!!UPDATE!! HAS A SITTING CITY COUNCILOR BEEN ARRESTED OR CITED ON DRUG-RELATED CHARGES? THE WIRES ARE BURNING, THOUGH NOTHING AS OF YET HAS BEEN CONFIRMED … … BUFFIS PROBE: PLANET WAS ON IT EARLY … HERE’s THE LATEST ON A STORY THAT IS BOUND TO HAVE LONG LEGS … plus … RECAP OF COVERAGE

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD 1 AUG. 19, 2013 — Multiple sources have been burning the wires to inform us of a situation apparently related to drugs that, if true, would be a shocker and a shame. THE PLANET hears that a sitting city councilor has been arrested or cited by the […]

August 18, 2013 22 Comments

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WANT TO REGISTER YOUR DISSATISFACTION WITH PITTSFIELD POLITICS? WRITE-IN VOTE WILL ALLOW YOUR TO ‘STICKER’ IT TO ‘EM … plus … PLANET INVITES BIANCHI TO A ONE-ON-ONE, BROADCAST SIT-DOWN; INVITATION SENT TUESDAY BUT NO WORD YET FROM MAYOR

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, AUG. 16, 2013) — Let us begin with an interesting possibility, raised by for county selectman Ron Kitterman: Given that Mayor Dan Bianchi has no formal opposition — that is, no one took out and competed nomination papers — Kitterman proposed that voters […]

August 15, 2013 38 Comments

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GENIUS IS FOUND EVERYWHERE BUT IN POLITICS, WHERE INTEGRITY COMES THE CLOSEST … PSC’s VIOLATION OF THE LAW BODES ILL FOR PITTSFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, AUG. 15, 2013) — Before we finish with Terry Kinnas‘ triumph and the Pittsfield School Committee‘s defeat in the AG’s ruling on an Open Meeting Law allegation, we present this brief meditation on genius. When intuition not only infuses but overcomes experience, we […]

August 15, 2013 19 Comments

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!PLANET EXCLUSIVE! AG RULES IN FAVOR OF KINNAS’ OPEN MEETING COMPLAINT AGAINST BARBALUNGA AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE … plus … ‘CAT & CANARY’ DELIVERS THE CHILLS AT BTG’S UNICORN THEATRE

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary PLANET VALENTI Arts and Entertainment (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, AUG. 14, 2013) — This just in: THE PLANET has learned that the office of state Attorney General Martha Coakley has ruled that the Pittsfield School Committee and its chairman, Alf Barbalunga, violated the open meeting laws by […]

August 13, 2013 18 Comments

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THE PLANET PAID A GREAT COMPLIMENT, CALLED A “FREEDOM FIGHTER!” … plus … ALL POLITICAL PHILOSOPHIES WORK GREAT ON PAPER, BUT IN REAL LIFE? THAT’S A DIFFERENT STORY

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI and News and Commentary ADD #1 EARLY TUESDAY MORNING, TUESDAY, AUG. 13, 2013 — Coming soon! THE PLANET’s review of the Berkshire Theatre Group‘s Cat and the Canary, plus, more info on the Buffis investigation. The Cat and the Canary represents one of the most popular performance genres, The Whodunit, a type […]

August 12, 2013 39 Comments

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BIANCHI TO RUN UNOPPOSED, CLAIMS IT’s BECAUSE HE’S DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB … TRUTH IS, BIANCHI’s TIMID, UNIMAGINATIVE TERM HAS PUNISHED THE LITTLE GUY AND TURNED VOTER APATHY INTO ATROPHY

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, AUG. 9 AND THROUGH THE WEEKEND, 2013) — Dan Bianchi lost by 200 votes to Jimmy Ruberto in 2009 then turned the tables on Peter Marchetti in 2011, winning by 106. That’s a miserable sum total of (-94) votes over the two last […]

August 9, 2013 36 Comments

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ANTI-BELVEDERE BLOCKHEADS APPEAL OF SUPERIOR COURT RULING FLIES IN THE FACE OF COMMON SENSE … plus … STATEHOUSE HACKS WRANGLE FREE BERKSHIRES VACATION ON TAXPAYER DIME, COURTESY OF THE GOB

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY, AUG. 6-7, 2013) — The ABB — Anti-Belvedere Blockheads — is a group of Lenox citizens that represents the worst side of activism, which we can call “NIMBY, monied, and over-scrupulous.” This combination produces the opposite of a true citizen activist, namely, a […]

August 7, 2013 17 Comments

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HERE’S WHAT IT’S COME TO: COLLEGE ASSIGNS COMIC BOOK TO INCOMING FRESHMEN … PROTAGONISTS OF TALE INCLUDE A LESBIAN AND A CHILD MOLESTER … plus … KINNAS ‘WILL NOT TAKE OUT PAPERS’

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY-TUESDAY, AUG. 5-6, 2013) — As that notoriously tough grader Prof. Valenti gets ready for his courses this fall, there are syllabi to perfect, classes to prepare, lectures to mull over, and books to order. In our “Composition 101” class, we shall use Prose Models, […]

August 4, 2013 37 Comments

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PLANET EXCLUSIVE — THE SALARY AND COST FIGURES THE PITTSFIELD SCHOOL DEPARTMENT ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY DOESN’T WANT YOU TO SEE

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY AND THROUGH THE WEEKEND, AUG. 2-7, 2013) — Looking for a job? Don’t want to flip hamburgers or butter popcorn for $8 an hour, which pretty much sums up the economy in Pittsfield, Mass., Dreaded Private Sector Division? Do you want to start […]

August 1, 2013 36 Comments

Planet Valenti

PLANET EXCLUSIVE STATE AG RULES IN FAVOR OF TERRY KINNAS NOT ONCE, NOT TWICE, BUT THREE TIMES … KINNAS’ COMPLAINTS AGAINST REID MIDDLE SCHOOL SUBCOMMITTEE UPHELD … EAT CROW, JULIA SABOURIN, DAN BIANCHI, ALF BARBALUNGA, and SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBERS

ITEM ON PITTSFIELD SCHOOLS LOOKING TO INSTALL CREW AS A VARSITY SPORT HITS A NERVE … plus … SPEAKING OF HITTNG A NERVE, SO DOES CHRIS BARRY’S LETTER TO BMC REGARDING HIS EXPERIENCE IN THE ER

PLANET ADVISES PITTSFIELD SCHOOL COMMITTEE TO CREW CUT … SPEAKING OF WHICH, WHEN IS A ‘CUT’ NOT A ‘CUT’? WHEN IT’s A MULTIMILLION RAISE … plus … IS ANDY NUCIFORO GOING TO POT?

PHS GYM FLOOR PROCESS FLOORS ONE’S CREDULITY; BIANCHI OVERSEES FAULTY PROCEDURE THAT a.) ALLOWED VOLUNTEER, NOT PURCHASING, TO OBTAIN QUOTE and b.) SELECT A VENDOR NOT CERTIFIED FOR THE WORK … RESULT? TAXPAYERS MuST COUGH UP 60 EXTRA $Gs

BUFFIS BUFFETED BY BOARD … CAPPY CRAPPY IN COURT … plus … PHS GYM FLOOR FIASCO HIGHLIGHTS CITY’S LACK OF DUE PROCESS ON CAPITAL EXPENDITURES … BLAME TRACES BACK TO CORNER OFFICE

PLANET’S MISSION ISN’T TO BREAK THE NEWS, ALTHOUGH WE DO SO REGULARLY, WITHOUT EVEN TRYING … OFFICIAL REACTION TO AG’s RULING AGAINST PSC REVEALS ARROGANCE OF GOB AND ITS DISDAIN FOR THE LAW

!!UPDATE!! HAS A SITTING CITY COUNCILOR BEEN ARRESTED OR CITED ON DRUG-RELATED CHARGES? THE WIRES ARE BURNING, THOUGH NOTHING AS OF YET HAS BEEN CONFIRMED … … BUFFIS PROBE: PLANET WAS ON IT EARLY … HERE’s THE LATEST ON A STORY THAT IS BOUND TO HAVE LONG LEGS … plus … RECAP OF COVERAGE

WANT TO REGISTER YOUR DISSATISFACTION WITH PITTSFIELD POLITICS? WRITE-IN VOTE WILL ALLOW YOUR TO ‘STICKER’ IT TO ‘EM … plus … PLANET INVITES BIANCHI TO A ONE-ON-ONE, BROADCAST SIT-DOWN; INVITATION SENT TUESDAY BUT NO WORD YET FROM MAYOR

GENIUS IS FOUND EVERYWHERE BUT IN POLITICS, WHERE INTEGRITY COMES THE CLOSEST … PSC’s VIOLATION OF THE LAW BODES ILL FOR PITTSFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

!PLANET EXCLUSIVE! AG RULES IN FAVOR OF KINNAS’ OPEN MEETING COMPLAINT AGAINST BARBALUNGA AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE … plus … ‘CAT & CANARY’ DELIVERS THE CHILLS AT BTG’S UNICORN THEATRE

THE PLANET PAID A GREAT COMPLIMENT, CALLED A “FREEDOM FIGHTER!” … plus … ALL POLITICAL PHILOSOPHIES WORK GREAT ON PAPER, BUT IN REAL LIFE? THAT’S A DIFFERENT STORY

BIANCHI TO RUN UNOPPOSED, CLAIMS IT’s BECAUSE HE’S DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB … TRUTH IS, BIANCHI’s TIMID, UNIMAGINATIVE TERM HAS PUNISHED THE LITTLE GUY AND TURNED VOTER APATHY INTO ATROPHY

ANTI-BELVEDERE BLOCKHEADS APPEAL OF SUPERIOR COURT RULING FLIES IN THE FACE OF COMMON SENSE … plus … STATEHOUSE HACKS WRANGLE FREE BERKSHIRES VACATION ON TAXPAYER DIME, COURTESY OF THE GOB

HERE’S WHAT IT’S COME TO: COLLEGE ASSIGNS COMIC BOOK TO INCOMING FRESHMEN … PROTAGONISTS OF TALE INCLUDE A LESBIAN AND A CHILD MOLESTER … plus … KINNAS ‘WILL NOT TAKE OUT PAPERS’

PLANET EXCLUSIVE — THE SALARY AND COST FIGURES THE PITTSFIELD SCHOOL DEPARTMENT ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY DOESN’T WANT YOU TO SEE

The Planet: Voice of the Little Guy