!! EXTRA!! MAZZEO TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL TOMORROW AT 10 … THE BORING BROADSHEET SLATES ‘CONVERSATION’ ON INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING … BUT READERS OF THE PLANET KNOW ALL ABOUT THAT
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(ADD 1, APRIL 25, 2019) — THE PLANET has word from sources in the know that Melissa Mazzeo will take out nomination papers for mayor tomorrow at 10 a.m. in the city clerk’s office at city hall on Allen Street in Pittsfield. Mazzeo made the decision after a trip to Italy with her family and after long deliberation. This will open up an at-large seat on the city council. The new, published here first by THE PLANET, all but assures a November showdown between Mazzeo and incumbent Linda Tyer.
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(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY APRIL 24, 2019) — “Investigating Berkshire County.” That’s the latest “Conversation Series” for The Boring Broadsheet, the paper once known at The Berkshire Eagle.
THE PLANET gladly offers the plug. It’s free to the public 7:30 Friday April 26 at The BB, 75 Church St. Doors open at 6. BB executive editor Kevin Moran hosts the “conversation” with investigations editor Larry Parnass and scribes Heather Bellow and Haven Orecchio-Egresitz.
According to a BB house ad, “[t]he conversation will explore what local investigative journalism is all about and shed light on what it takes to report out stories like the Berkshire Museum, nursing homes, deteriorating bridges[,] and the women’s jail in Chicopee” [ED. NOTE: we didn’t know Chicopee was located in Berkshire County].
You can register at berkshireeagle.com/investigations or 1-800-245-0245.
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It would fill a Domesday Book if THE PLANET were to list the stories we broke that The BB either missed or was too timid to pursue. We could cram another such volume with the current stories — scandals, graft, corruption, pedophilia, bribes, shakedowns, embezzlements, you name it — going unreported locally. Why doesn’t THE PLANET go after them? Alas, we are but an empire of one. We don’t have an entire newsroom on call. And though it may come as a surprise to you, investigative reporting isn’t this site’s prime directive.
We began THE PLANET in 2010 as an online writing exercise. Gradually, this site emerged becoming an experimental, interactive column that would provide “The Little Guy” — Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski — with a voice. As the site grew, we became the “go-to” stop for those wanting more truthful reports and views than what they were getting from local media. Our investigative skills then kicked in, almost by habit. That said, we still don’t consider muckraking as our first mission.
It is, however, the duty of the local daily to venture into the dark lands authorities want to keep secret. Problem is, The BB has long shied away from such work. The newspaper is too embedded with city hall, The Suits and Skirts, and advertisers to dare actually roll up the sleeves and start respectable journalism whose backbone is hard-hitting investigative reporting.
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Investigative journalism reports facts that reveal truths others, particularly those in power, try to keep covered, usually to mask wrongdoing. You might wonder how THE PLANET can singlehandedly get stories the local daily misses. We have decades of covering the local scene, and not the pancake breakfasts of the Rotary or the Junior League’s plant sale — the puff-‘n-stuff The BB, local TV and radio, and the other online outlets love. Over those years, we’ve developed sources in just about every office and center of power. Our sources know us to be reliable, trustworthy, and good for our word. Mostly, they come to us. That’s how one guy, part-time, gets stories.
A good investigative reporter cultivates sources. Period. In every office, business, or concern, there are secrets. The tighter The Suits and Skirts guard or prevent access, the more there is to hide. In each office, you will find people who dare not speak in daylight but know what’s going on and want to drop a dime.
The BB‘s investigative problem lies in (a) frequent newsroom turnover, (b) failure in developing sources, (c) over-reliance on sanitized official information, (c) lack of management, and (d) business side control of the newsroom. THE PLANET, unencumbered by nervous executives, remains free to pursue. We can make decisions on a dime. We don’t have to appear before committees for the OK. We get tips and investigate. Sources spill. We act. Next thing you know, old Jed’s a millionaire, and we’ve got the story.
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A good investigative reporter is like a detective. He looks for clues, applies reason and logic, and gathers facts. He assembles those facts and testimonies into a coherent picture from which he draws conclusions. He goes where the evidence takes him. He can’t be intimidated. Mess with him, and he gets tougher and more determined. If he gets you in his sights and you’re holding the goods, you’re as good as gone.
Because THE PLANET does not rely on advertisers, we can laugh off pressure. The BB doesn’t do this. It’s too scared, wants to play it safe to please anyone with power of the pocket. The BB long ago lost its edge, and it continues to blunt what’s left of the blade. In doing so, it has walked away from its first obligation, which is to be a voice for the voiceless among its readership and, in a larger sense, the entire local population.
If you attend the paper’s conversation on investigative reporting, ask them what they think of this piece. It should provide a good lesson in human behavior.
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“It is a joy to be hidden but disaster not to be found” — Donald Winnicott.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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There is a huge hullabaloo going on with Springside park being invaded by roving teenage gangs all the while the city is pouring money into the park. It is questionable whether law abiding taxpayers will be able to use the place. Will the Eagle do a story on this that is not edited by city hall? Will they interview and quote local residents and park users?
The BB hasn’t had a real good investigative reporter since Conor Berry left. He had the GOBSIGs shaking in their shoes. While I think the BB did a very good job covering the Berkshire Museum conspiracy, they have left way too many stories untold. Here are just a few examples of low hanging fruit for a real investigative journalist followed by a couple that would require some serious tree shaking but could none the less be had, by the like of Berry and company; The GE 10 million slush fund, the TIF beneficiaries, the Community Preservation Fund, Inside City Hall, the PEDA fiasco, Daly’s Departure, The School Department truth. See a common thread here folks? Follow the money!!!!
SISTER
We were good friends with Conor. In fact, we often worked with him on the sly, feeding him intelligence on “stuff” we picked up. The BB lost a good one when the canned him. Jack Dew and Andy Amelnyx (sp?) were also good friends. They, too, gave up the ghost after being stuffed by management once too many times. Each landed on their feet, we are glad to say.
Dan,
Amelinckx moved to NY, wrote a book about murder in the guilded age in the Berkshires. Berry worked for Springfield Republican but was forced out over a tweet. He of course broke the story on the gay mafia, pedophilia ring camp Russell, Massimiano/Stracuzii etc, and the story broke, coincidentally or not, around the time Massimiano was up for re-election, and Bowler was about to announce his candidacy, Then barbalunga jumped in, when Massimiano pulled out, no pun intended, then Barbalunga pulled out when he saw the writing on the wall, and said he’d be back next time to run. Next time came and went, Bowler was re-elected, and now Barbalunga is holding Harringtons’s coatails. So even a BB reporter can see where this is headed. Hopefully, Berry landed on his feet again.
Does anyone out there know the whereabouts of Conor Berry?
Dan will you run a piece on Methuselah? After the museum debacle I find it funny that a Jacobs Pillow board member who owns the bar is having events for JB at her bar. Isn’t that a conflict of interest? Is JB compensating her or is the owner donating everything and all food/drinks are free. Ok, but that doesn’t explain why a charity is having free mixers for 18-35 at a bar owned by someone on the JB board. Under most circumstances that would be a charity conducting age discrimination and a conflict of interest with the board. Does TFB have her grubby mits on this to try and get AH donors through funny bossiness with Jacobs Pillow? It’s got a funny smell. I love that place, please don’t let gobsogs ruin it like they did the museum.
Who is JB ?
JP – Jacobs Pillow
The truth is that it has been a drug and thug infested place for dozens of years, not to mention a moto cross/atv track. What should be the city’s crown jewel of its parks is a rag tag discombobulated mess, kinda like the rest of the city.
The toddler playground at Springside Park has been enjoyed by many young children and families. This crap is unacceptable.
In total agreement. It is the responsibility of the mayor, police chief, and D.A. Their failure at Springside Park is appalling.
This is a real story that officials need to pay attention to. This pickleball court expense is enraging to me, when you have serious issues to be addressed. Mayor Tyer and her Chief of Police need accountability. For the police to say there is nothing you can do because they are juveniles, is unacceptable. These thugs are harrassing mothers and toddlers. Put police presence there, abd collar these punks and bring them to their home with a no trespass order for Springside Park. In the Berkshire Eagle this morning tge Council approved additional funds for improvements at Clapp Park. I am absolutely in favor of this. Two councilors were not happy about the overrun cost by the bidder. To the City Council… Scrap the pickleball court, and get behind the funds for kids at Clapp Park. A splash pad and changes to the park should be a healthy priority for funds. Get on board with thugs harrassing mothers and children, and bring a hammer.
Maybe the harassment by the punks doesn’t rise to a crime under the new more lenient guidelines of far left District Attorneys across the country (including our own District Attorney). The latest craziness in Texas is that stealing something under $700.00 will not be a crime if the person can prove they really need the item. Gosh, sounds like this is setting up situations where more criminals will come in contact with home owners and we know this often leads to violence even if the criminals only intended to steal an under $700 item.
We are heading toward total lawlessness with these insane policies.
Dan and I were both Deming Park rats and I remember there always being a park police officer on duty until well after dark. There was officer Lindsey for several years and then several others. The last was the late Jimmy Rodriquez who even at an advanced age could be seen patrolling live at the lake and Wahconah Park events. With drug use and homelessness, we need a similar program more than ever.
TWO
If you were a Deming rat, odds are good that we played with or against each other in the sandlot games. I remember six diamonds being used for pickup ball — all at once. You had Sand Field (what we used to call the beat up diamond off of Newell near Lyman entrance), the softball diamond, the old LL diamond, the BRL diamond, and the two makeshift diamonds in the diagonal to the LL and BRL fields. It’s vivid in my mind because I remember having to wait for a game to get over so our guys could play or getting into one of the ongoing games as kids used to leave for lunch or supper. Remember Officer Leslie? Great guy but didn’t take any guff.
The Berkshire Eagle also has a story regarding the Carousel. The founders are looking for the Community to step forward to take over ownership. In my opinion the location should have been in the Common, and I do hope there will be a rebirth.
@Spagirl – spot on re: the carousel. What is it with Pittsfield? Destined to shoot itself in the foot at every step. Does any reader remember the days of the carousel overlooking Pontoosuc Lake? Magical memories of riding on that carousel as the sun set with a spectacular view of the lake and mountains beyond. Now it is in a dirt lot in a treeless forsaken commercial area – how uplifting for kids. Not! Cue up the he raiding of the priceless artwork from the Berkshire Museum supported by this mayor and her clueless followers, another Pittsfield “lack of vision” disaster. Beware of “bold” new visions or anything of the sort because it introduces shameless self-serving acts designed to benefit only the few. @DV – Yes, your column is invaluable. Only Larry Parnass’ reporting on the museum came close to investigative reporting. The rest is canned, unscrutinized press releases.
CB
Parnass did a decent job on the museum. Your last sentence says it all. Great comments here. They reflect what I’m sure is the vast majority of what’s left of the decent, law-abiding, hard-working citizens in the forsaken city.
The problem of selective investigative journalism of the Berkshire Eagle is the same problem infecting the media in the entire country. They pick what they will investigate (very little) and what they will ignore (not politically advantageous to the far left). The ignore list has become the largest because so many things in society that are wrong point to the far left agenda. They will not hesitate, in fact, even make things up, if it makes the Republicans look bad.
So many stories should be out for public airing and discussion…Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris saying they think that terrorists and others who commit horrible crimes should be allowed to vote (we know why they want this and it’s not sympathy for prisoners), many far left candidates want to get rid of the electoral college since Hillary lost the election. Getting rid of the electoral college would give places like California and New York and other large population areas the ability to win elections every time while people in smaller population areas would lose their ability to be heard. The large cities are mainly Democrat.
The list goes on and on of stories that they bury or give very little coverage.
They should investigate issues the far right will find appealing, like What would Jesus do? Answer, Jesus would do nothing because he is a fictional character in a crappy story that are impossible because of science.
There is actually more historical written evidence for the life, death an resurrection of Jesus Christ than for your life.
I suggest you read some research literature on this before making such an idiotic statement.
So true Trump Train. Those on the far left hate Christianity so calling the story of Jesus a crappy story is so typical of them. Christians were recently murdered in a terrorist attack on Easter so you would think that people would act much more sensitively.
I’m a conservative that believes in science over fairy tales. Sorry I don’t fit your ‘mold’.
Thousands of people around the world are murdered each day. The Christians murdered in Bangladesh are on no pedestal above other victims.
Every murder is senseless and tragic; a specific terror act.
You sir are either stupid, or seriosuly ignorant.
Your spot on there Pat. People who live in cities should not have a vote equal to those who don’t. Thankfully you live here in MA where your republican vote really counts.
Mr. More I have no idea what you are talking about. Do you understand how the electoral college works?
Journalism and especially investigative journalism is dead. What would you expect them to investigate? Who was buried in Grant’s tomb or whether Pickleball should be an Olympic Sport. This social justice thing is seriously taking hold.
RK
There’s PLENTY to investigate. Our readers have mentioned many stories. One of the biggest is “the money trail,” starting with (a) the municipal budget, particularly the school department, and (b) the awarding of contracts by the city. It would take digging and some clever detective work, but THE PLANET knows for a fact such an effort would turn up the cash-filled envelopes.
The Eagle like Fox News can not serve two masters.Fox serves Trump but not the news as the Eagle serves the best face of the Heroin hills of Berkshire.If the Eagle became a watchdog of Pittsfield budgets I would subscribe tomorrow as would a couple of thousand others,get inside the schools budgets and expose it or make them hide.The Eagle is leaving millions on the table staying as a PR arm of local politicians.Hire young bright in connected journalist who will be fantastic if they are unleashed.
Well said. Politics has poisoned this newspaper. I also would subscribe if I did not consider them the enemy. This paper pushed hard for the Civic Authority and even under new ownership is still city hall supervised and edited.
TSC
Sometimes, they DO hire young, bright, ambitious journalists. However, such talents do not stay long. The editors, operating under control of the paper’s business interests, muzzle them. They get frustrated and leave. The BB cannot keep good, young talent. They WILL keep the long-time veterans (e.g., Herman, Dobrowolski, Lindsey, etc.) because them guys have nowhere else to go. They keep their heads down, meekly submitting,, and look to play out the string. They WILL keep the mediocre, who feel lucky to have a job. They will keep young talent, but if they show any enterprise, they will leave. The problem, as I said in my column, is the lack of good beat reporting. A good beat guy or gal will develop sources not only among the managers and department heads but among the janitors, secretaries, worker bees, and grunts. There’s where you find out what’s REALLY going on.
Cancelled my BB subscription years ago due to the leftist slant of the “journalism” and lack of good local reporting. So now I get my local news from iBerkshires.com, masslive.com and of course…..the Planet! The BB absolutely sucks.
A big salute this morning to Councilors Mazzeo, Connell, Simonelli (who lately has been a BIG star on the council) and Morandi for voting against Tyer’s ill- advised plan to raid the GE monies for handouts to homeowners. Tyer needs to be voted OUT!
They all need to be voted out and take Ruffer with them. The Beacon deal has to be looked into.
Agreed. Ruffer’s fingerprints are on much of the slush.
I’m sure you realize that the only reason they did a story on the jail in Chicopee is that that’s where women from Berkshire County are sent if they’re sentenced to jail time. They haven’t been sent to the Berkshire County House of Correction for a few years now.
DD
Thanks for sharing. This isn’t commonly known. That might make an interesting story: Why is it that the Berkshire lockup is all men?
It was a bizarre multi-part story impacting a handful of people. There are something like 12 berkshire women awaiting trial. Chicopee is not far. Their attorneys who get paid to travel have to drive so that’s just a horrible state of affairs. With so many other needs it’s not a priority for the legislature but Harrington and Bouvier have backed moving women prisoners back here. More sympathy for the jailed. More do nothing that matters progessive bs.
I’m personally totally against the community preservation tax scam but if there was ever a worthy case for the money it’s to save The Carosul. Pickle Ball??? Free roof for churches??? seriously??????
With you on all this, J-99
I totally agree on the carousel. I believe the past administration and the one before it actually laid a minefield in front of the carousel wanting a cut of profits and hamstringing its success. Not sure about now but there are people who feel the need to take a bite for some reason.
Anyone familiar with the backstory on why Boutons ball team got nixed at the last second? Please Jim Boutons book BALL FOUR for all you need to know about Pittsfield politics. It has not changed that much since then but is covered up a little better. A great little history lesson for anyone who has moved to Pittsfield in the last 15 years and may be clueless to what they have done to themselves.
Familiar with it. Bouton and co. got railroaded. They were set for a renovation, no public money. But Pitts. political bosses didn’t want it after civic authority defeat
BTW DV is one of the main character s in the book. Great story on when he was on the air when 9/11 attacks occurred.
I should state that only candidate that I would agree on is with this water candidate,who has over three hundred petitions, we’ve heard from three City Councilors about the water rate issue and although they voted against a Seventy million dollar project failed to ruffle any serious challenge,other than that. Someone on the Council should have asked for a review,none ever considered it. If someone ru s against drama queen Donna Todd Riviera I’ll will personally donate 300 dollars to their campaign.
You are the water candidate.
Donna Todd Rivers is like a squirrel in the middle of the road – she can’t seem to decide which direction to run in. Last night she appeared to be against the At Home in Pittsfield handout – then voted for it.
Hopefully she’ll get voted OUT!
I think the carousel was a bust, bad location and bad investment, sort of like the Beacon,only difference private monies used which makes the movie theatre and the BeaCon all the more leery.And be realistic, the carousel cannot be moved.
A question that ruffled Ruffers feathers, was asking for an audit concerning the BeaCon, to which she replied, are you going to appropriate the money for it? When Tyered was asked about potholes on the a
-hole show in the morning, she replied, well, if there is a genius out there that can prevent potholes come springtime in the Berkshires then they would be a genious. Not what we want to hear,Madame Tax a Hike.
You don’t have to be a genius to know that if you let roads deteriorate well past there expected life they will come apart big time. She knows well they have been neglected while monies were spent haphazardly on fluff stuff instead of the roads. Who does she think she is kidding? Sounds like a comment Trump would make.
Couldn’t go a comment without bashing your President, Matt?
I’m glad someone asked about the Beacon. The carousel was housed in a terrible spot. The building was unappealing for such a beautiful carousel. It should have been In the commons or another park.
KERMIT
THE PLANET all but painted the picture of corruption at the Beacon. We put out most of the dots. We set the story there for The BB for knock out of the park. There was actually some attempt made inside the newspaper to TRULY cover what was going on with the nearly $3 million in loan forgiveness, the virtual vanishing of $30 million for the project, and the poor condition of the building. We heard, though, that the business side spiked the story.
They will need to keep reading it here first! Also, to see what bad ideas catch up with people.
I realized that the Jacobs Pillow promo throwing money at Methuselah owner/JB board member was organized by the Pittsfield Cultural Council. That made me laugh out loud — that our ‘oppression’ sensitive mayors office wants to target public money to an adult age block so no uglier show up to the bar that night for culture (I.e. discrimination). Are wheel chair folks allowed or does that harsh theethuselah vibe for who know who drinking spritzers from their mason jars. They should remind themselves can promote events for education for age ranges but not bar people from public paid for events because they are old and ugly.
Some kid beat up outside of Reid.bumch of kids running down Pontoosic.
Springside used to be the home of the Eight Balls, the original gang of the Pitts. Now we have. Ultiple gangs hanging around the park,24 seven. Springside used to be a great police affair rendezvous area, many a cop was caught doing it their.
And now it is a money pit the kids cannot safely play at. You don’t have to be a genius to figure that out either.
Clearly since you posted it
We do not need to takeover any new projects or expenses, pool,carousel. That carousel should be donated to the Hilton or the banks.
If you run for office please choose to define yourself as a cutter of budgets or a spender of poor hardworking taxpaying poverty stricken people of Pittsfield.Our mayor and councilors are Spenders…..Marchetti ,Moon,Caccamo, White,Rivers can spend poor peoples money….they don’t get it.They have no energy or intellectual curiosity to find out if we can survive on 4% less money than last year….in the end Marchetti is in charge and it would be great if the Berkshire Eagle would interview each person on that councilor to find out why we just say yes to budgets.
I liken Ms Tyler to Nero who fiddle while Rome burned. In this case she pickled while Pittsfield burned.
The Berkshire Eagle isn’t really an investigative news paper, even the coverage of the museum was years late and only after they saw the money in the coverage. Controversy sells, they saw controversy, they jumped on the bandwagon after the damage was done and they had published a positive editorial supporting the project.
Larry Parnass is a low effort reporter who doesn’t throws confidential sources under the bus if he thinks it will stir up more controversy and produce more leads. He’s low rent and low budget.
If the Eagle was any good at investigate reporting, they would have looked at Van Shields in depth at the time of his hiring. Parnass just plagiarized most of his “in depth” reporting from a South Carolina paper, The Herald.
Remember the day Van was hired all the information about his $60 million mismanagement of the York County Culture and Heritage Museums was out there. His $60 million “bold vision” and “grand reimagining” …words he would use later at the Berkshire museum. He was and is a one trick pony.
The Eagle doesn’t investigate, it just prints what it’s told.
Yeah and Parnass “borrowed” from the Planet too.
Reid Whittaker lead school big problem today,gangs of berk county.
Dan,heard through the grapevine gangbangers beat the crap out some kid at Reid,anyone confirm?
When you look up conspiratorial politics in the encyclopedia, you see a picture of Pittsfield (Mass.) City Hall! Pittsfield politics is ran by an incestuous group of interrelated Good Old Boys who concentrate and centralize their power over state and local government. They stopped any and all economic development in Pittsfield, including the bypass, the downtown mall, the downtown community college, the downtown minor league baseball park, and the like. Meanwhile, they supported PEDA, the Consent Decree, tax breaks for out of town millionaires, GE fund grants to failed businesses, and the like.
– Jonathan Melle
Looks like we’re going to do it again. A few short years ago we squandered about $400,000.00 in an effort to improve Clapp Park. This is what was supposed to happen. The donor of money was local boy Larry Bossidy who gave simple recommendations like “improvement and preservation of playing fields.” This generous donation was squandered. Numerous remedial was done but nothing of consequence. Now Clapp Park is once again going to receive money for changes. I hope the changes and quality of changes are going to be an improvement over the previous con job.
Does any of this stuff go out to bid? Can we see the paperwork and where it was advertised?
Look a lot like they are repeating the past exactly. And why not? One man’s “squandered” is another man’s profit, and if they can keep on doing every few years they are living the dream.
Speaking of investigative journalism…..
Daniel Pearl’s Father, Judea Pearl Renounces Alumni Status At NYU. Here’s What NYU Did.
Judea Pearl, father of the late Daniel Pearl, renounced his NYU “distinguished alumni status.” He made his decision after NYU announced that the activist group Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) received the University’s prestigious Presidential Service Award.
“This sad happening at NYU unveils the power of ignorance in the electronic age,” he wrote on Twitter. “I bet my esteem colleagues at NYU do not know that their university is awarding a ‘president service award’ to SJP, a student organization that prides itself on crushing meetings of other student organizations.”
More @
https://saraacarter.com/daniel-pearls-father-judea-pearl-renounces-alumni-status-at-nyu-heres-what-nyu-did/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social-pug
The one the great wealth should bring is great healthcare.American citizens have the right to not go broke paying for healthcare,its just not necessary anymore.Time is now.Private insurance patients fighting cancer go bankrupt at the rate of 40%.
Can’t stop thinking about the City Council meeting last night. First of all the Mayor should be ashamed of herself for her snarky behavior towards many of the councilors. If she worked in the private sector her behavior last night would be not tolerated and subject to discipline up to dismissal. She also should be ashamed that not one of her department heads was prepared for the meeting. In fact they have never been prepared, always flying by the seat of their pants. Deanna can’t answer questions, McGrath is stuttering over his own words, Turocy stands up there and down right lies, Kerwood is talking in circles and makes no sense, actually admitting to purging files when the project is incomplete. Turocy claims bridge work is safe and claims Czerwinski backs him only to have a professional state it is not safe. Then we have the Springside Park issue with juveniles threatening young mothers and children and we have yet to hear any response from Chief Wynn as to why his officers aren’t doing anything. Where is the Councilor for Springside Park? Oh, she is just sitting drinking her beverage out of a mason jar. Wonder what she is drinking? It is down right sickening and we wonder why our city is in such trouble. They all need to go. I hope someone will come forward and run against Tyer and when they win, they will clean house and bring in some professional responsible department heads.
Merry & Bright
It is pretty shameful and disparaging, and a clean sweep is all the Citizens can do. Vote them out and there needs to be a voice for the law abiding citizens in this town as well! It is appalling what is going on.
Moon is absolutely useless as a councilor for the Springside area. It’s like there is no representation at all, but she does know how to further her own career, that’s for sure.
I remember Moon when she was campaigning for her councilor position. She was all perky and promising to represent the people of her ward. She got elected and took the oath of office but then took the oath of the rubber stamper and is quite useless now on the heap of Pittsfield’s self serving political farce.
She’s clearly drinking kool-aid and rode the nurses union all to a comfy, do nothing job with DA Publicityshot
Yup. She rose the demographics of the far-left local progressives all the way: Unionism, buoyed by the “correct” gender and racial minority. In this case, the book and the cover align pretty well.
PAT
One would think that with her responsibilities to the ward coupled with her position in the DA’s office, she would be leading the fight to rid Springside Park of the current plague of locusts and gangs. We are hearing reports from the field of shocking incidents taking place there on a daily basis. You would think The BB might want to assign its elite “investigative” crew on that. There’s a story there. A little undercover work and sleuthing would bring it out in to the open. Problem is, it might prove embarrassing to local law enforcement biggies.
Mick Valenti is in P C T V channel 1301. 7 p m
Great show. Mick’s been busy with BEATLESQUE, recording, and the nascent revival of QUICK FOX. Thanks for the plug, REIGN.
Luv the Mickster,talented lads are the V – Boys. He would be a great interview,Dan.
We will trade the mayor and all councilors except Mazzeo, Connell, Morandi and Simonelli for any other living, breathing human beings…
Side note – what’s up with the $250,000K spent to restore the Senior Center marquee on North St? It been nearly a year and I don’t see much progress…except the old one is gone…
BE articles state the project to be finished by the end of April 2019. Who wants to wage bets that 1- it will never be finished or 2- it will be finished after they ask for more money….
PHIL
Yes, good question. A quarter million for a marquee, with no apparent progress in sight. What gives?
Could parks paint the restrooms at Belange r field and clean them every morning as people from out of town can’t believe the condition.
Pittsfield high fed 1400 everyday in 1972 so they can easily feed 750 now
Are we painting road lines yet ?
Kind of a waste to paint lines on roads that are coming apart at the seams.
Berkshire County is one of the first areas in the country to fall very hard down the rabbit hole of the far left agenda. The Berkshire Eagle has a reputation across the country for reporting everything in glowing terms when it comes to the far left agenda. The Berkshire Eagle has this terrible reputation of one sided reporting that has been tolerated by locals for a very long time.
Don’t let Berkshire County turn into Seattle, Washington. This is what happened to that area after they implemented policies of leniency toward crime.
https://www.seattletimes.com/opinion/editorials/seattles-persistent-crime-problem-demands-change/
Now that the gang banger adults are being arrested, the high school youngsters with a chance at some quick cash and lenient consequences are starting to show their power, all the while junkies get treatment and jails will soon be obsolete in the future.
Dan . . .
Why are giving DA “Andrew” Harrington a free ride?
How much money has she spent since taking office? More or less than Capless and Cacc spent at the same time last year? Follow the money . . . .
Why are we always reading about Linda Tyer’s fault and never a good wholesome blog about what’s right with her administration? Is positive reporting not in the Planet’s repertoire?
Enquiring minds wanna know!!!
If you want positive spin turn into the stooge show.
BCM
You might want to ask the DA if she thinks THE PLANET has given her a free ride. We’ve covered her office with, shall we say, sufficiency. Now if you want a “good, wholesome” report, subscribe to The Boring Broadsheet. Attend their “conversation” in “investigative reporting” tomorrow night hosted by our good friend, Kevin Moran. And actually, there’s more positive reporting here than you realize. The diagnostician serves perhaps the most positive role of all.
Brian,
Please illuminate us to the things that are right with Mayor Tyer’s administration. From my viewpoint, I see many failed initiatives such as the trash toter debacle, the At Home in Pittsfield attempt at raiding the GE Fund, the push for Syrian refugee resettlement, the dog pound closure, the Beacon giveaway, etc etc.
Glad to see she will have some opponents in the next election.
My vote for insulting puffery of the week at the BB goes to the story about some woman from Stockbridge who has a passion for true crime and guess what, has a book publishing agency with her husband. She wrote a book two years ago now in its third printing with a woman who received a “divine nudge” that she should recall her time in the Charles Manson family. Aren’t there a half dozen pending murder trials here?
Dan should write a Murder Novel. Call it….Death of a City. non-fiction…
REIGN
It’s an idea at that. Thinking about it, we already have. It’s a nearly 2-million-word tome called THE PLANET. Since September 2010 until today, that’s what we’ve been chronicling.
If MelMaz runs it will give Ms. Clairmont a perfect opportunity to appoint another of the White-Persip caliber to run at-large.
She already has TM Fast Eddie Caramel.He of Pitttsfield Housing Authority.
Department head Mccandless want all 3 million the state gave to Pittsfield taxpayers to help lower their realestate taxes.
Begging the mayor and council to lower realestate taxes for the bottom 90% of homeowners.Yes Yon,Taylor Cameron,Rivers,Tyer,Marchetti,White,Kroll,Moon ,Caccamo can afford higher taxes.The people the represent can not…..Make these schools consolidate,stop kicking this can down the road.I have never seen a group of citizens who need a spanking more than these little brats do.People lose touch when their incomes go higher weather they are Democrats or Republican .McCandless is throwing everything he has to see if something sticks…….Hes wasting our hard earned money….He makes 160k
Investigative journalism — The Berkshire Eagle?
Are you kidding?
Anyone remember The Eagle’s near total lack of coverage
of hit-and-run victim Peter Moore who, jogging the evening of December 8, 2011, was hit head-on by an SUV driven by Meredith Nilan, daughter of Berkshire Superior Court’s chief probation officer Clifford J. Nilan. The force of the collision pushed Moore’s face through the SUV’s windshield.
Did The Eagle even follow-up on the accident investigation?
Cliffette and Carmella were an item at one time.
She thought she hit a deer. Anyone could make that mistake when a human face comes through their windshield.
I support the lovely Linda Tyer for reelection for Mayor of Pittsfield in 2019! She is the best Mayor of Pittsfield EVER! She stands for everything in politics that I believe in. She is a wonderful person and politician! Go Linda!
– Jonathan Melle
Mr. Melle, how are you supporting her? You better not be giving her my tax dollars that are supporting you.
Dan, I am Pretty good at predicting, and here’s one. If Tony Roads ran for Mayor, he would win.
Now THAT would be interesting. Don’t think Tone will do it, though.
I’m voting for Nuciforo if he runs, my favorite politician of all time.
I wonder if the political and vindictive DA Harrington will make good on her threat of career and political blowback for Melissa Mazzeo after she didn’t support her campaign? It’s just one of the many campaign lies Harrington was not held accountable for by the Eagle.They refused to cover it as it was “heresay” by the accused. Even though they write stores about what people claim all day long.
Mazzeo is in. These campaigns combined will spend a million bucks. And she will have plenty of fodder as Tyer has left a mess in her wake. Blow the lid off Lynn…..
I’ll vote Melissa, I trust her. Tyer is a gold digger, and cannot be trusted and is a gold digger.
BB’s Guide to Investigative Reporting:
1. Sit on arse.
2. Continue sitting on arse.
3. Make a phone call or two, maybe.
4. Stay on arse.
5. Have them send you a press release.
6. Or better yet, have them write the damn piece for you.
7. Do some internet research, maybe.
8. Keep sitting on that arse.
9. Spent the bulk of your time thinking up that very punny headline–’cause that’s all you got anyway.
10. Do a final check to make sure no GOB-SIGs are put in a bad light.
11. Go to bed.
McCandless want the states 3 million for his department
Any student bringing guns to school or use verbal violence have no place in a school building forever.Mccandless admits it happening now.
The last thing the mayor wants just before the election is for this Springside/.Reid mess to blow up. Don’t expect too much coverage in the Eagle. But another mayor might consider doing a press conference to explain to her subjects just what is and is not going on.
Sources say the Reid-Springside violence are “related.” There’s a huge problem in both middle schools, especially, and at Springside Park. So why is official Pittsfield pretending there isn’t? Mazzeo and her camp might want to do some investigating.
What has been going on for the last week is out of control punk kids terrorizing everything they come in contact with. These are juvenile delinquints that need to be off the street and permanently removed from school. It is astounding that this has ramped up to the degree it has. This is affecting too many innocent people.
That Donna riviera show is a barrel of laughs.Sturgeon is just depressing.
The Berkshire Eagle should be interviewing teacher anonymously, they should be in the Departments office everyday.Violence in schools are the number 1 problem.
They are allowing kid to be violent,we all have 1st hand accounts of what going on.More money has made schools worse.Violence is being perpetrated on teachers and school councilors and principles are allowing teachers to be violated.Teachers are being victimized by Yon ,Cameron and Taylor