BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, NOV. 27, 2017) — Happy Birthday, Peter. We love you.

With that out of the way, THE PLANET  wonders, “What in the name of a hair-lipped mule skinner is going on with the following items?” All theories welcome, especially those that hold the facts.

• What on earth’s behind the political feud between John Krol and Peter Marchetti? Could it be the upcoming turf war over who gets to preside over city council meetings, as hard as it is to believe that grown men could quibble about such a Mickey Mouse-Podunkland “honor.”  This is Nowhere City, Backwater Couty, remember. Keep in mind also that it used to be Pittsfield, Massachusetts, one of the best small towns in the Northeast, if not America. But then GE exited, and the politicians “took over.” A generation+ later, and we’re down to Trashcan and Kufflinks, the civic equivalent of dregs on the bottom of the barrel, or, if you’re a half-full person, seeds and stems.
• Why will Krol be coronating Dina Guiel, his hand-picked candidate to run in Ward 2 (failing miserably) against our Right Honorable Good Friend Kevin Morandi, after he boots our good friend Bill Sturgeon from the “Good Morning, Pittsfield” gig? Gosh, could it be to set her up for another bid for the ward in two years, when rumor has it that Krol will take his shot at the corner office? For the record, Krol has repeatedly denied to THE PLANET that he has any interest in being mayor. When you consider this, keep in mind that when a politician “absolutely rules out” something, he’s got it on the front burner.
• Why has Supt. JIV been so tight-lipped and vague about the incident involving a transgender teacher and at least one student at Herberg Middle Scho0ol? JIV’s hiding behind the old, “Can’t talk about it; it’s a personnel matter.” Yeah, as if taxpayers, who are only footing the $110 million rip-off known as the Pittsfield Public School system, have no standing. Does it have to do with chemical burns suffered by a pupil, needlessly, even after the parent complained about this alleged abuse? And why did the police have to “escort” the teacher from the building? And why were the shades and blinds closed on the classrooms? And why, by the next day, was the teacher’s name no longer on the PSD web site? There’s a huge story here, but the media blackout is on. iBerkshires, following THE PLANET‘s lead, has a story in which JIV hid everything. iBerkshires had no follow-up, and The Boring Broadsheet has had NOTHING. A compliant, roll-over media is a corrupt politician’s best friend.
• Why won’t the Berkshire Museum reveal its payroll? Could it be because of the many superfluous position and the obscene salaries? Is that one of the contributing factors that led the board of directors to buy into the executive director’s infinitely stupid plan to sell off its best art treasures and screw the present and future generations for the sake of 30 pieces of silver? Ah, but at least Pittsfield has “hip” trashcans on Tyler Street and painted electrical boxes.
• Is there anyone surprised, let alone shocked, to learn of the heavy traffic in women and drugs in downtown Pittsfield, or that the two are related? The recent arrests concerning pimping come with only one question: What took so long? Prostitution is called the world’s oldest profession. Judging by the quality of Pittsfield hookers, it appears most of them got in on the ground floor.

“However …” — Prof. Irwin Corey, beginning a lecture.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

The Usual Disclaimer.