BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

ADD #1 — THE PLANET shares this breaking news from the safe streets of the city, from the Pittsfield Fire Department.

On Wednesday morning at 0842 hours [8:42 a.m.] the Pittsfield Fire Department responded to 7 Second Street for a reported motor vehicle fire. Upon arrival Engine 3 found (1) motor vehicle on fire with impingement on other vehicles. Bystanders alerted responders that an occupant was still in the burning vehicle. E3 crew removed the victim and began administering aide. Car2, Engine 6, Truck 2, and County Ambulance responded. The victim was transported to Berkshire Medical Center with life threatening injuries.

The vehicle was parked at time of the fire and not caused by an MVC. A total of (3) vehicles were damaged as a result of this incident. There was only (1) civilian injured. The incident is being investigated by PPD, MSP Fire Marshal’s Office, and PFD Fire Investigation Unit.

Will it never, will it EVER, end? Huh, Madame Mayor? Buck stops with you, as you may know.

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(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY JAN. 19, 2022) — Today THE PLANET zeroes in on three local items:

• the latest gun play on the “safe, vibrant, dynamic, equitable, and inclusive” Tyler-Woodlawn area
• the endless saga of the one-lane Holmes Road bridge
• the sad state of city roads, using Ward 4 as our exemplar

ONE DEAD, ONE INJURED IN LATEST GUNPLAY

Lakewood Avenue used to be the gateway to heaven, the north entrance to the sprawling GE complex that at its peak employed 14,000 people. THE PLANET will not waste photons remembering those thrilling days of yesteryear, the ones that seems today to be from a galaxy far, far away and in the dim and distant past. Ghosts be there.

In 2022, on Lakewood Avenue, that oxbow of the decaying Tyler Street, those thousands of employees going whistling to work have been replaced by a den of human scum who love guns and know how to use them — stupidly.

THE PLANET received this yesterday from the Pittsfield Police Department:

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On Sunday 1/16/2022 at approximately 10:43pm members of the Pittsfield Police Department (PPD) responded to a residence on Woodlawn Avenue for a report of shots fired.  Responding officers arrived on scene and learned that an adult male and a dog had been shot.  Other evidence of a shooting was also located.  The man was transported to Berkshire Medical Center (BMC) where he was treated for his injuries, which are not considered to be life-threatening.  PPD officers attempted to transport the animal to an emergency veterinary hospital but the dog succumbed to its injuries during transport.  Several suspects are believed to have been involved in the shooting.    

Anyone who wishes to provide information regarding this case is asked to contact Detective Matos  PPD at 413-448-9700 x576.  Information can also be provided anonymously via the Detective Bureau Tip Line at 413-448-9706, or by texting PITTIP and your message to TIP411 (847411).

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Another shooting. Another death, and don’t tell us “it was only a dog.” A life was taken, an innocent one at that. The most troubling aspect of the case is that Several suspects are believed to have been involved in the shooting.   

Great. Just what the city needs, several turds with guns, at loose and at large somewhere in the city.

THE PLANET urges anyone with any information to contact the police.

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THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS

Having been stuck in long lines waiting for red to turn to green at the one-lane Holmes Road ridge — you know, the one that’s been in shambles and scrambles since Peter Arlos was knee-high to Jiminy Cricket — THE PLANET contacted Ward 4 councilor Jim Conant.

Our Tight Honorable Good Friend looked into it and filed this report:

The Holmes Road bridge replacement is not a city managed project.  The bridge is under the ownership of the MA DOT.  This is because the bridge span goes over railroad tracks.

There is one of hundreds of DOT bridges in the state that need repairs. We all know that Western Mass is always last in line in Boston’s view. I have been told that there is a new bridge design that has been approved by DOT engineers and funding has been secured.  The construction bids have gone out and the DOT is in the review process to award a contract.  What that all means is that construction could hopefully start sometime this year for long-overdue replacement.

The city bridge projects at Pecks Road and the repairs at Dan Casey Drive have been designed and permitted and will go out to bid.  The expectation repairs could start later this year if there are no construction delays.

“This year” likely translates to “almost never” because of what Conant correctly says about the Berkshires being “last in line in Boston’s view.” THE PLANET attributes this directly to the stellar work of our state legislative delegations, none of whom serve any purpose on Beacon Hill other than to vote the way leadership orders. First in line among the incompetents, Pittsfield’s back-bencher on the General Court, the ravenous Tricia Country-Buffet. It’s a Mad Magazine satire.

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THE ROADS TO NOWHERE

Here’s what Conant reported on the Ward 4 roads:

This is what I have learned about road replacements/improvements.  The city has a consultant who drives around the city each Spring. They drive a car that resembles one of the Google Map cars you may have seen in the past. This car used cameras and a laser system to scan every mile of every road within the city.  Once this process is complete, city staff will be able to use this data to prioritize how we prioritize road work.

Once the consultant has completed their assessment and supplies us with the data on the status of city infrastructure, we will hold public works committee meetings and look into our PCI. The PCI or pavement condition index, is a numerical index between 0 and 100, which is used to indicate the general condition of a pavement section. The PCI is widely used in transportation civil engineering, asset management, and many municipalities including our own, use it to measure the performance of their infrastructure and our levels of service. Simply put, it is the statistical measure of the pavement across the city, which the Commissioner of Public Services and The Highway Superintendent use to prioritize streets.

Currently, the city is using 2.5 million a year for road resurfacing with the state matching. In order to properly resurface all of the streets (and upgrade sidewalks on said streets) that fall within the range between 0 PCI and 70 PCI, I was told we need to raise roughly 40 million. I am hoping with the combination of city, state, federal and cannabis funds we can raise roughly 10 million a year and get our infrastructure back up to par within the next five years, so we can then focus on maintaining instead of this continuous game of catch up.

The good news here that there is a plan to repair the roads that need it the most. I was impressed with the information shown to me.  The facts are there is not enough state funds to do more.  I was told the Feds infrastructure bill will be a big help to get more roads and sidewalks repaired in town.

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THE PLANET thanks our good friend for (a) the quick response (b) any response at all (scare-dy cat councilors take notice) and (c) the solidity and specificity of the information.

It’s early yet, but Conant have gotten out of the blocks fast, faster than his 10 colleagues.

Keep up the good work, Jimbo.

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“I don’t much like Spartacus” — Film director Stanley Kubrick.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

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