HONEY COMBS FROM THE BEES OF ESSEX
BY DAN VALENTI
PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY
(SUMMER FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY AUGUST. 17) — Thoughts whilst bee keeping in Essex:
Bang Bang: On Sunday (8/16) at 6:43 pm, Bitchfield witnessed another shooting, this one at Linden Street and Francis Avenue. Early details were sketchy. The PPD tells THE PLANET that three victims were transported by BMC. No other details were available as of press time. Wonder how that plays with the theater crowd. When the steps of city hall are devoid of people, we’ll know it’s mayor Lumpy NOT holding a press conference.
RIP TJ: We were saddened to learn that baseball great Tommy John died. We spent several fulfilling months with TJ at his home and at our hotel in Tenafly, NJ while co-writing TJ: My 26 Years in Baseball (Bantam 1989, ’90). His 288 career wins are second most for any pitcher not in the Hall of Fame. THE PLANET remembers a sincere, forthright gentleman with a deadly dry wit and a photographic recall. The New York Times mentioned us in its obit on Sunday, sourcing and quoting extensively from the book. Godspeed, good fellow.
Wu Flu: Boston mayor Michelle Wu said on public radio recently that she will work to repeal Prop. 2.5. When asked if the mayor should have the power to set tax rates, she answered in the affirmative. You just know that after the November elections, the LVD troika (Lumpy, Voltron, Dumpster) will take their cue. Like true “progressives,” they think property taxes need to be upped to support their obscene spending.
The Heat Is On: Speaking of Boston, did you know that Gub. Healey has created a new office and a $90K position (plus bennies) to “man” it? The Gub has appointed pretty Katie Schlick as Heat Czar. THE PLANET kids you not. “Hot Licks” Schlick’s job will be “to protect the public and reduce the impacts of extreme heat.” No, seriously! Who says you can’t change the weather?
Beer Dome: Construction-crew destructors will take down the Wahconah Park grandstand next month. Good news is that the flood plain will remain in place. The ducks are happy. Meanwhile, the latest design for the fabled ballfield calls for a domed roof. Not the retractable kind. The predictable kind: Lumpy, Voltron, and Dumpster will use their bulging pots to cover the field. At least all that beer will have been put to good use.
Samey Same: So they’re going to put in a new grandstand and a new everything and brag that this is the same classic park that’s hosted events since 1892. That’s like the farmer who boasted of having the same ax for 60 years. “Yup,” he said. “I’ve only changed the head twice and the handle four times.” How much you want to be they’ll have trouble dismantling the “fragile” grandstand? Reminds us of when the idiots took a wrecking ball to the Palace Theater at Nothing on North. Remember? They said the theater was about to fall in on itself. Right. That’s why the wreckers couldn’t budge the building until they stopped work to bring in their heaviest wrecking ball.
Fenton Endorsements: The obsolete and archaic office of Governor’s Council has an opening. Tara Jacobs from North Adams, elected in 2022, looks to reup. She’s opposed by for prosecutor Mike Fenton. Even though Jacobs is a Berkshire resident, local bigs Tim Shugrue, DA; Pudge Bowler, sheriff; and Lisa Denault, clerk of courts, held a presser to endorse Fenton. The trio wants him on the council to try and prevent the council’s habit of freeing murderers who were sentenced to life without parole because they killed when they were youngins. For that reason, THE PLANET also endorses Fenton.
And in the End: Good news. Donald Trump’s tarpit, otherwise known as the War with Iran, ended … for the 27th time. The next day, it began again. The stop-go nature of the conflict reminds one of driving a car on any Bitchfield road.
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Of Color: Seems that state AG Andrea Campbell and disgraced former AG Rachel Rollins, who’s seeking reelection as Suffolk County DA against incumbent Kevin Hayden, spent lavishly on themselves using the taxpayers’ dime. The so-called P-cards allow office holders to go on any junket they wish, and when they do they spend, spend, spend on 5-star hotels, upscale restaurants, and first-class air travel. It’s almost as good as being Bitchfield’s “chief diversity officer,” Michael Obasohan. The council caught him in a lie, but it didn’t matter. That’s the job description. Incidentally, Campbell, Rollins, and Obasohan are Black … black for the regular population.
Ode to Maynard G. Krebs: The Berkshire Regional Transportation Authority has cancelled a bunch of routes not because they can’t get riders. They can’t get drivers. The BRTA says it’s nine drivers understaffed, about a quarter of the work force. Seems that when applicants find out they have to actually work, show up on time, report regularly, and wear a uniform they book. Being responsible is too much to ask for many of the crop of unemployed (by choice) young people. Mooching’s a lot easier and more rewarding. They don’t know it, but they’re from the Maynard G. Krebs School of Loafing. THE PLANET wonders how many will get the reference.
Your comments on these and other topics always welcome.
———————————————————–
“To be or not to be. That is the question. On second thought, that is the statement” — Sir Donald Turpentine, Knight of the Bath.
“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”
LOVE TO ALL.
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Nobody can afford to live in Boston anymore unless one is a millionaire like Luciforo, a greedy lobbyist like Dan Bosley, and so on, or they are living off of the system in subsidized housing and other social service assistance programs.
On the other end of Massachusetts in Pittsfield, Earl and the 2-Pete’s record-breaking, wallet-draining annual operating budgets are putting Senior Citizens on fixed-incomes and others in similar financial situations at risk of losing their home.
Pittsfield always spends tens of millions of dollars per fiscal year MORE than Pittsfield’s peer small cities such as Fitchburg and Westfield. The fictional Kapanski’s are Earl and the 2-Pete’s ATM, doormat, and worse (a toilet for them to….on).
Over the past 2 years, Boston has increased its local taxes by double-digits. Proposition 2.5 has more loopholes in it than the millionaires in U.S. Congress’ financial disclosures full of legal insider-trading that would put the rest of us behind bars.
Over the past many years, Pittsfield has been and still is one of the top municipalities in Massachusetts for its Commercial Tax Rate with only Holyoke being in first place.
The do-nothing Boston state lawmakers always under-fund state aid to local government. In fact, Massachusetts ranks 39th out of the 50 states for state aid funding to local government. For close to the past 20 years, state lawmakers in Boston have not increased local aid when adjusted for inflation and other budgetary metrics.
The IRONY of all of the above is that many of the state and local career politicians are making 6-figure public pay plus perks for life. While we are falling behind and dutifully paying taxes, the Governor, State Senators, State Representatives, Mayors, and so on, are set for life.
I write to Governor Maura Healey, among others who don’t block my political letters to them such as Tricia Country Buffet, but they never write back to me because I am “Jon Melle the have-NOT” who does NOT donate BIG MONEY to their campaign coffers.
I thought that the government served the people, but I believe I would have better odds of winning the state lottery jackpot(s) than hoping that the career politicians would want me and other commoners like myself to get ahead in life.
Why would I vote for a career politician? It would have to be the INSANITY defense!
I wanted to send you some explicit photos of your communist girlfriend, Maura Healey, posing in her “devil-glasses,” gleefully pandering for votes from Bitchfield and North Adams.
Healey Makes Berkshire Campaign Swing: ‘I Stand With You’ / iBerkshires.com – The Berkshires online guide to events, news and Berkshire County community information.
Her accomplishments to date:
*Hates Trump (TDS)
*Hates Trump (TDS)
*Hates Trump (TDS)
*Squander our tax money on illegal aliens.
*Kicked US Veterans out of housing for illegal aliens.
*Used terminals in Logan Airport as a hotel for illegal aliens.
*Having black drug dealers on her staff shipping booger-sugar to state offices.
*Full-term abortion
*Sky-high crime rates in illegal alien concentrations
A pretty solid list of her “US Citizens Last” policies I have listed JM. Care to comment?
We all get that you fawn over her and “support her political policies.”
Please explain those “political policies” that you support and not just offer a broad statement like you always do. I can’t find any of these “policies,” other than the ones I listed.
August 18, 2026
Hello Governor Maura Healey,
I am sorry that someone posts online that you are my would-be “communist girlfriend” and that I “fawn over” you.
Neither statement is accurate. I never met you in-person in my life of 51-years. I only know you by the media.
I support your policies. I agree with your statements that women are safe in Massachusetts. As a p/t 100-percent service-connected disabled Veteran, I was proud of you when you signed the HERO Act into state law. I believe that you have every right to oppose the Donald Trump administration’s policies, especially when it comes to political violence that we all witnessed Trump’s “ICE Age” of cruelty that smacks of concentrations camps during Nazi Germany’s Holocaust.
I would support and vote for you for U.S. President in 2028. I am proud to support you in politics and government. I hope that you believe in me instead of those who disparage both you and I on blogs such as PlanetValenti.com.
Best wishes,
Jon Melle
Will you and your cousin mayor Pete bury the hatchet and help campaign for gov Healey as gay white guys 4 Healey (gwg4h) like you did VP Harris when she lost to Trump.
Lol, JM you get here earlier each time on the Planet,stay longer each time that anyone disagrees with Maura ‘s policies.JM you are desperate to stick up for
and help Maura spread her propaganda.
Hilarious.
Democrat MA Governor Maura Healey to allocate $8.5 MILLION in state funding to pay for the surgical and chemical castration of children.
Not a SINGLE DOLLAR of federal funding should be sent to Massachusetts.
Democrats love the mutiIation of children.
But this is alright and ok…oh, but it keeps women safe in MA… screw you
Knock, knock…
Who’s there?
Theater.
Theater who?
The watchers and the players
Cuz you know sometimes words have two meanings.
E.g, Theater
prose & kahns
Warm smell “emeritus” rising up through the air.
Makes more sense than colitas
Old familiar economic snake skin.
Pittsfield Signs Negotiating Rights Agreement With Suns Baseball TeamBy Brittany Polito
iBerkshires Staff
05:49AM / Thursday, December 18, 2025
Print Story | Email Story
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Suns will call Wahconah Park home again.
On Tuesday, the Parks Commission accepted a negotiating rights agreement between the city and longtime summer collegiate baseball team, the Pittsfield Suns. It solidifies that the two will work together when the historic ballpark is renovated.
It remains in effect until the end of 2027, or when a license or lease agreement is signed. Terms will be automatically extended to the end of 2028 if it appears the facility won’t be complete by then.
“It certainly looks like it lays out kind of both what the Suns and Pittsfield would like to see over the next year or so during this construction plan, to be able to work together and work exclusively with each other in this time,” Commissioner Anthony DeMartino said.
Owner Jeff Goldklang, joining virtually, said he shared those thoughts, and the team looks forward to starting negotiations. After this approval, it will need a signature from Mayor Peter Marchetti and the baseball team.
The negotiating rights agreement recognizes the long-standing relationship between Pittsfield and the team dating back to 2012, and the Suns’ ownership group’s historical ties to Wahconah Park and the city dating to the 1980s. The team skipped the 2024 and 2025 seasons after the historic grandstand was deemed unsafe in 2022.
The Suns were granted the exclusive right to negotiate in good faith with the city for a license or lease agreement where the Suns will be the primary tenant. During the terms of the agreement, the city can’t negotiate or enter into an agreement with another party for leniency, licensing, or operation of Wahconah Park for professional or collegiate summer baseball.
“The Parties acknowledge the historic and cultural importance of Wahconah park to the residents of Berkshire County and share a mutual goal of providing community access, engagement, and programming on a broad and inclusive scale,” it reads.
The agreement also stipulates that the Suns won’t seek another party for tenancy, licensing, or operation of a facility. It establishes only the exclusive negotiating rights and is not a binding lease, license, or occupancy agreement.
The Goldklang Group is a sports entertainment consulting and management firm. The Group provides operational consulting and management services in all areas relating to sports franchise, event, and venue acquisition, promotion and operation.
Armed with a passion for the game and the foresight of growth within professional baseball, Marv Goldklang formed the Goldklang Group. A fan himself, Goldklang set out to capitalize on what he felt were the key ingredients to success once the market and venue was established- providing superior customer service, cutting edge ideas, and family entertainment at affordable prices.
The origins of the Goldklang Group date back to September 1989, when investment partnerships headed by Goldklang acquired controlling interests in three affiliated Minor League Baseball franchises – the Single A Charleston, S.C. franchise in the South Atlantic League; the Single A Miami, Fla. Franchise in the Florida State League (relocated to Ft. Myers in 1992); and the Double A Williamsport, Pa franchise in the Eastern League. At that time, the Goldklang Group also acquired a substantial minority interest in the Triple A Oklahoma City franchise in the American Association, which subsequently was sold in 1992. In 1990, the Goldklang Group added the Erie, Pa. franchise in the short season A New York-Penn League, which was relocated to the Hudson Valley, N.Y. region in 1994. In December 1990, a new Professional Baseball Agreement was entered into between the Major Leagues and the affiliated Minor Leagues which, among other things, mandated affiliation of the Goldklang Group’s Williamsport franchise with the New York Mets. Goldklang, also a part owner of the New York Yankees, thereupon entered into discussions with the crosstown rival, resulting in sale of the franchise to the Mets in 1991. In 1992, Goldklang and Mike Veeck participated with Miles Wolff and Van Schley in recreating the concept of independent professional baseball and helped establish the Northern League, acquiring rights to St. Paul, Minn. where the Goldklang Group’s franchise commenced play in 1993. The Saints immediately became the league’s premiere franchise, garnering national attention and acclaim on a regular basis.
For more than two decades, the Group has participated in the construction and/or financing of three minor league baseball stadiums (Hudson Valley, Charleston and Brockton), and most recently have added a fourth with CHS Field opening in St. Paul at the start of the 2015 season. Goldklang and Veeck were also at the forefront of the formation of the American Association in 2005, a modern independent baseball venture in which the St. Paul franchise played until becoming a Triple-A affiliate in the 2021 season.
So does Goldkang own the Suns and they wanted the new stadium? That taxpayers are going to be forced to pay for? Wow…
This is why our taxes are so high. The people watching over our tax money are giving it out in the form of corporate welfare. Try to image how much lower your taxes might be if we were not supporting connected fat cats.
Wunner what an audit might offer as commentary on such things. Like if we were a burg that did such things.
The Planet again misses the lede’s
Timmy the Fixer, has no comment on the turf war, which is being saved on Shitsfield streets.
It will spread, last time Dalton got to experience its first , drive by shooting. Be careful out there.
RIP
Commie mayor’s are the useful idiots,newest get free stuff fad. “Problem with socialism, is sooner or later,you run out of other peoples money” Margret Thatcher
Heat Czar, will work out as well as Kameltoe’s reign as Border Czar.
She will solve the heat problem, mid September. Healey will extoll her newest,girl toy, as reversing global warming! Garnering thousands of libtard useful idiots votes.
Only questions are;
Which West Coast Canadian fabrication shop, is sending moron Healey, a campaign donation?
Will Done be a foreskin replicate?
Remarkable how steel can be trucked across the nation, cheaper than it can be made in New England. Trump needs to Tariff steel imports 100%,see if the Chinese steel , laundered in Korea , is cheaper then. .
20 years from now , buildings will be crumpling, like they are in Argentina…. Chink sheetrock, still making Americans sick, fentanyl is another bioweapon, like bat soup fever….
Seeing the pattern yet?
Wackoffa park got new scoreboard a few years ago, guess it’s like jacking up the battery, to put a new car under it..
Tara again attempted to intimidate myself, for concealing Lisa McCormick judicial nomination, until after confirmation.
Timmy the Fixer, best be prosecuting her for violating mgl C 265 s13a violations of rights.
Or he will be getting another federal civil and criminal prosecution. Massachusetts is getting a real federal prosecutor 9/9/26. 🙂 happy days are here again!
Iran is being strangled, like the prey of a python. Ever time they exhale, they breath a little less.
The Kurds are moving forward daily, giving the Iranians the weapons Trump sent, 75 grains at a time,at 2700 feet per second.
Not exactly to plan, but efficient, and they will keep what they take..
Death from a thousand cuts, only a matter of time , and strategic patience.
That Mark Kelly and commie libtards, built descent among the troops , with ” don’t follow orders” and withholding of funding, is typical Demonrat tactic, create a crisis, and then exploit it
Seeing the pattern yet?
Rachel ” Road Rage” Rollins is as fake as Jason ArDEI , and Monica cannon grant, Rollins can/will be busy dealing with federal charges shortly. Should of stayed irrelevant, but HUBRIS….
Did I mention, our new prosecutor, New Jersey should of kept Allina Habba Habba..
BRTA is just moving homeless shelter, riders get off , do their drugs of drinking, then get back on.
Some are now taking scenic rides to Greenfield, so they can enjoy their summer home on Greenfield common. ICYMI, many of them were former residents of Greenfield common, transported to Spring side park, so Shitsfield could launder money through an NGO, with large salaries for administrative staff.
Seeing the pattern yet?
8/17/26@5:00am
Tom
Our federal government is 40 TRILLION dollars in debt, three trillion of that since trump .02. And he is spending and building all kinds of silly shit the country does not need and also started a war all his senior generals begged him not to. The country is now paying over one trillion dollars per year in interest on that debt. Imagine what that could be sued for. Healthcare, roads, bridges lower medication costs?
And yet somehow we are not “out of money”. So I guess we are in pretty good shape and the accelerated bond interest should not be a problem. the stock market is still going to crash and inflation is about to get much much worse due to the rising costs of diesel fuel but hey, lets’ all do the trump dance and get stoned. I am feeling it over here man.
I keep saying this, and apparently I shall have to continue saying it until someone decides to listen:
NEW CHIEF + NEW CAPTAINS + NEW RECRUITS = NO POLICE ON THE STREETS.
Quite the equation, isn’t it?
Another shooting, another round of handwringing, and still I have the same rather elementary question: Where are the police?
Police cannot deter crime from inside the police station. Presence requires, well, presence. Cruisers. Patrols. Officers being seen in neighborhoods. The occasional reminder to the aspiring criminal class that perhaps tonight isn’t the night.
You can drive from one end of Pittsfield to the other without seeing a PPD cruiser. I see State Troopers in Pittsfield more often than Pittsfield Police.
How did we get here?
There has not been order, control or a unified staff since Wynn left.
And readers, prepare yourselves, because I am about to type words I never expected to type.
I may have been wrong about Wynn.
I didn’t like him. He wasn’t particularly pleasant, and I certainly had my criticisms. Looking back, however, I realize I may have confused being unpleasant with being ineffective.
Wynn was willing to be disliked.
That’s an increasingly rare quality in Pittsfield government, where everyone seems terribly concerned with appearances, feelings and keeping the proper people happy.
Wynn kept order.
He got things done.
Then came Dawley, who never wanted the chief’s job, hated being in the position and, in my view, performed accordingly. Bare minimum. Keep the ship floating until somebody else takes the wheel.
Now somebody else has.
Marc Maddalena.
Marc seems like a nice man. Soft-spoken. Easygoing. Pleasant.
And therein lies the problem.
Marc is failing.
A police chief doesn’t have to be a tyrant, but he does have to command. Right now I see very little evidence that anybody has firm control of that department.
Dan, you have friends in the PD. Don’t take my word for it. Ask them.
While you’re at it, ask what our new chief wears to work.
I enjoy AC/DC as much as the next person, but apparently I missed the memo adding the concert T-shirt to the chief’s daily wardrobe. From what I’ve seen and heard, when public duty calls, the uniform shirt simply goes over it.
I confess this knowledge has become a problem for me.
Every time I pass Marc in City Hall, I giggle.
There he is, Chief of Police, official uniform shirt and all, and I know what’s underneath.
Not Superman.
AC/DC.
Perhaps Highway to Hell is simply Pittsfield’s new municipal theme song.
Yes, yes, I can hear you already: What does a T-shirt have to do with policing?
Nothing.
And everything.
Command presence matters. Presentation matters. Culture matters. When you’re trying to restore discipline, morale and public confidence in a troubled department, looking and acting like the person in charge isn’t an unreasonable place to begin.
But Marc’s wardrobe is merely amusing.
The empty streets aren’t.
Marc needs to get his people into the cruisers and onto the streets. PERIOD.
Patrol the neighborhoods. Patrol downtown. Be visible. Let residents see you. More importantly, let the people causing the trouble see you.
You cannot deter what you aren’t there to deter.
And while we’re discussing our new-and-improved PPD, did everyone hear that Captain Strout’s kid graduated and joined the department?
Cool, huh?
Because if there is one thing a department already burdened with talk of favoritism, drama, innuendo, corruption and accusations of pedophilia needed, surely it was another family connection.
Perfect optics.
Now, I’m not accusing Strout’s kid of participating in any of that. Perhaps the young officer earned the position fair and square. I hope so.
But PPD doesn’t operate in a vacuum. It has a history, a reputation and a public-trust problem. When relatives of command staff join the ranks, people are going to notice. Given everything that has surrounded this department, they should.
Transparency would be a wonderful thing.
So would leadership.
But today I’ll settle for something even simpler.
Police.
On the streets.
We have the new chief. We have the new captains. We have the new recruits.
Marc, put them in the cruisers.
Pittsfield has had quite enough experience seeing the police arrive after something happens.
Perhaps it’s time to try being there before it does.
Ven – I agree that there needs to be more police presence in Lumpsville. But, there are many more important underlying reasons of the absence than what Marc is wearing. First, give him a chance. Mayor Lump asked for time, why can’t the same be given to Marc. My main suggestion to you and others, is purchase a scanner. This will give you a complete understanding of what PPD is doing all day. They basically work more for the Brien Center doing well being checks than working “normal” police work. I have asked it for years, does the City get reimbursed from the Brien Center? Also, on every single day the officers are dealing with overdoses, drunks and domestic fights mostly on North Street, Lumpy’s favorite street. These officers are physically abusses, puked on, peed and shit on and this is daily. If they arrest an individual, the courts have them back on the streets within hours, sometimes you will hear the officers dealing with the same out of control individuals three times in one day. I will also state that most of these “troublemakers” are not taxpayers. Bottom line the court system is totally broken.
Another issue, in line with school choice which is costing us millions, why does the City have so much trouble hiring and keeping officers. Has the City Administration ever thought to check into it? Lumpy loves Committees, why doesn’t he create a committee to find out the reason officers leave? Taxpayers pay to put these officers through training and then they leave. Why? There should be a mandate that have to serve the City for a determined amount of time. I can remember Wynn explaining this issue.
It all comes from the top, the Mayor. All of his departments are completely out of control. In private business, like I worked for, we had weekly meetings that ALL department heads attended, Issues good and especailly bad were discussed and solved. I have always felt that all City Department Heads should be mandated to attend the City Council meetings. After all taxpayers pay them hefty salaries and that particularly includes our SILENT Mayor. Surprise he doesn’t have his best buddy Michael Taylor hire a spokesperson for him. Whoops, probably should not have said that as it will cost us taxpayers another $100,000 plus. Wake up Lumpy, start doing your job which includes COMMUNICATION to the taxpayers that pay you.
You’re not wrong about the bigger picture. The shirt was a joke because, well, I’m Val and apparently sarcasm is my cardio. I don’t actually believe an AC/DC shirt is responsible for the state of public safety in Pittsfield. If it were, we could fix this whole mess with a trip to Kohl’s.
And yes, Marc deserves a fair chance. My criticism isn’t that one man walked into the chief’s office and magically created every problem at PPD. A lot of this predates him, and much of it lands exactly where you put it: upstairs.
Police officers cannot be the city’s answer to every mental-health crisis, overdose, intoxicated person, domestic disturbance, homelessness-related call and social-service failure. At some point we have to ask whether we’re actually funding public safety or simply using the police department as Pittsfield’s 24-hour emergency catch-all because every other system is overwhelmed.
Where I part company with you is the “troublemakers aren’t taxpayers” piece. Paying property taxes isn’t the admission price for public safety, and addiction, mental illness and homelessness don’t make somebody less entitled to basic dignity. Someone can be an absolute nightmare for an officer to deal with at 2 a.m. and still be a human being. Both things can be true.
But your recruitment and retention question is a damn good one.
If Pittsfield keeps paying to recruit and train officers only to watch them leave, why are they leaving? Better pay elsewhere? Morale? Leadership? Staffing? Working conditions? Mandatory overtime? Lack of support? City Hall? Those aren’t rhetorical questions. Somebody should actually be collecting the exit data and giving taxpayers an answer.
And that brings us back to my favorite recurring character in this municipal sitcom: accountability.
The mayor doesn’t need another committee for the sake of having another committee. He needs department heads communicating with each other, problems being identified before they become disasters, measurable expectations, and somebody willing to publicly explain what the hell is happening.
Weekly department-head meetings? Absolutely. Regular reporting? Absolutely. Department heads appearing before the Council when their departments are relevant to the business being discussed? Absolutely.
And most importantly: communication.
We shouldn’t have to buy scanners, scour meeting packets, chase rumors and play Where in the World Is City Hall? to understand how our government is functioning.
So yes, give Marc a chance.
But giving someone a chance doesn’t require giving the entire administration another two years of silence.
And PLEASE do not give Michael Taylor the spokesperson idea.
By Thursday there’ll be a new Executive Director of Mayoral Verbal Communications and Strategic Sentence Completion making $112,000 plus benefits.
And somehow we’ll still have no idea what’s going on.
“Police officers cannot be the city’s answer to every mental-health crisis, overdose, intoxicated person, domestic disturbance, homelessness-related call and social-service failure. At some point we have to ask whether we’re actually funding public safety or simply using the police department as Pittsfield’s 24-hour emergency catch-all because every other system is overwhelmed.”
Precisely.
And in the same vein, we cannot ask public schools to solve every social problem that leaves children not ready to learn. Unfortunately, the city continues to use these two departments to do just that. That’s why public safety and education continue to erode in Pittsfield. Businesses take notice.
I would not want to be a police officer or schoolteacher in Pittsfield. If I went to college and learned how to be a teacher that is what I wanted to do…not social work. Likewise, if I wanted to be a police officer it probably was not to do social work most of my day.
It takes a very dedicated and special person to sign up for social work. It is often a thankless venture, heartbreaking and takes a heavy toll on the psyche. Few are cut out for it and many who think they are find out it is not the case. They had no idea what they signed up for. Society seems to be in a spiral with little sign of improvement.
But God bless the teachers and police officers and fireman for their efforts. There is a severe shortage of folk who can do their work. I believe parental failure is a large part of the problem. Certainly not the whole problem but many kids seem to not even have the basic skills to live in a community setting. And if the kids screws up the parent gets in an uproar for them being called out on it. Set up to fail which is why cops and teachers opt out along with the kids looking for a more disciplined environment. Who can blame them?
I’ve read both posts from Vendetta and M&B, and I believe you both make excellent points about Marc and the PPD.
I believe it’s too early to give up on Chief Marc Maddelena. It’s not like he took over a well-run machine. Wynn was blunt and didn’t care if you liked him or not. Dawley was just an “ahh shucks,” type of guy. Nothing wrong with it, but no the personality needed to lead a police department IMO. You can’t be afraid to break your boot off in someone’s ass, if needed.
M&B, this quote from your post I wanted to add on, “I have asked it for years, does the City get reimbursed from the Brien Center? Also, on every single day the officers are dealing with overdoses, drunks and domestic fights mostly on North Street, Lumpy’s favorite street.”
To answer it, I hate to keep beating a dead horse, but Linda “Flat” Tyer-Clairmont, in her zest for getting her filthy paws on “state grant money,” took in so many of these bums from Boston, it simply overwhelmed our small community.
Bitchfield doesn’t have nearly the hospitals, bed space, detox facilities, or the other services to “treat” these people that Boston does.
Flat, nor Tricia Farley-Country Buffet (d-illegal aliens) gave a damn. They don’t have to deal with this.
Lumpy, Wimpy White, and Big Dumpster Earl, are way in over their heads with this mess and it’s only going to get worse.
Zero tolerance and the “broken windows theory,” are the only tried and true policies that work.
The pink-elephant in the room for Bitchfield and other dumocRAT led areas, white supremacy and/or white males, are not the cause of the violence.
Enforcing the laws against POC in blue states goes against the dumocRAT mantra.
Don’t believe me, ask Lonnie Durfee.
Great points!! Theses are the words that a true leader of a city(Mayor) Should have delivered to Strout upon his appointment.
obedience is key..do not rock the boat and you will be kept on
more cops retiring than coming in..but budget should start looking better with all the newbies and less paying out to long termers with rank
although the retirement budget must be bursting at the seams with all the megabuck recipients…how much is tyer sucking out of the system?
“Bullets, Bowties, and Wimpy White’s Terrified Flight”
In the mayhem‑ridden town of Bitchfield, where danger fills the air,
The shootings pop like popcorn—everywhere, everywhere!
The residents duck daily, living life in constant fright,
While Wimpy White sprints screaming, “I CAN’T DO THIS TONIGHT!”Mayor Lumpy hears the gunfire and dives under his desk,
Clutching his stress ball, trembling like a nervous little wreck.
He whispers, “I’m leading bravely!” though he’s shaking like a leaf,
And his staff all roll their eyes at their mayor-in-chief.Treasurer Bowtie Dumbwood bursts in, bowtie crooked as a crime,
Shouting, “Lumpy, DO SOMETHING! We’re running out of time!”
But Lumpy just whimpers, “I’m strategizing down here…”
While Bowtie mutters, “This clown is the reason we live in fear.” Outside, chaos reigns: Wimpy White hides behind a mailbox, crying into his sleeve.Bowtie tries bribing criminals with coupons they don’t believe.The police chief resigns hourly, then comes back for lunch. And the shooters reload merrily—Bitchfield’s daily crunch.Bowtie calls a meeting, but Lumpy stays beneath the desk,
Claiming, “I’m in a bunker! It’s tactical! It’s best!”
Wimpy White faints twice, then wakes up just to scream,
While Bowtie tries to organize a “Stop Shooting Us” team.The citizens beg, “Please fix this crime explosion!”
But Lumpy’s hiding spot becomes his permanent chosen.
He files paperwork from the floor, signs documents upside‑down,
And Wimpy White keeps shrieking, “WE’RE ALL GOING TO DROWN!”
(They’re not near water—he’s just dramatic.) Bowtie finally snaps, “Lumpy, get up and lead!”
But Lumpy clings tighter to his desk like a stubborn weed.
So Bitchfield keeps suffering, keeps dodging every shot,
While Wimpy White panics and Bowtie schemes a lot. And the townsfolk sigh, “We’re doomed, it’s official—
Our leaders are cowards, corrupt, or artificially superficial.”Still, somehow Bitchfield survives each ridiculous night,
Thanks to citizens who have more courage than Lumpy, Bowtie, or Wimpy White.
I agree with that flyer about Gov. Healy. Her most recent terrible decision is allowing abortion up to birth. All of those women cheering on being able to abort at any time was very difficult to watch and to understand. These women have made this issue all about themselves, but there is no good reason to abort at such a late time in the pregnancy and this logic is coming from many in the medical field.
I agree that Mayor Marchetti should make a statement and hold a press conference after all of the shootings in this city. There is never any follow-up to any of these shootings. The public is left in the dark with no answers.
I don’t think he does the tough stuff. Rather do water fou8ntain photo ops. But hey, by the way, did the museum pay for its 12 million dollar renovation out of its gigantic bank account from selling the Rockwells or did the Pittsfield senior taxpayers have to foot part or all of that? Anybody know for sure?
Grift
They sold the valuable exhibits….
ICYMI
Tom
Trump blows.
Couldn’t agree more. Should have voted for the water wiz so he could take care of biz better then mayor beer belly. Even cutie Krol is better then belly.
Pat
Timmy the fixer, not going to prosecute, his former clients or colleagues.
Seeing the pattern yet?
8/17/26@2:20 pm
Tom
Three people were shot and hospitalized following a violent incident at the corner of Linden Street and Francis Avenue in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, on Sunday evening, August 16, 2026.
In response to the surge in local gun violence, Berkshire County District Attorney Timothy Shugrue announced on Monday, August 17, 2026, the formation of a specialized task force to address these targeted crimes.
Escalating Violence: This shooting marks the third major instance of gun violence in the city since mid-June 2026. Previous cases included a fatal targeted shooting and an incident where 25 rounds were fired.
Task Force Launch: The new anti-violence task force will coordinate resources to combat the uptick in illegal firearms and shootings.
There are evidence-based, researched social and mental health programs that are proven to work to promote non-violence in distressed cities such as inner-city Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
They should be combined with the new anti-violence specialized task force that is being formed by the Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office to combat the city’s increases in illegal firearms and shootings in Pittsfield.
Drugs and alcohol both alter a person’s brain functions. The culture of violence stems from the feeling of having no power and self-worth. The underclass believes that nobody cares about them. They see no way out of the rabbit hole of destitution.
Most people AVOID the darkness. I am from Pittsfield. I had to spend decades of my life AVOIDING “the Pitts”. Now in mid-2026, I read about it from my home in Southern New Hampshire, which is 100 miles away from my native hometown.
I look back on it all as a 51-year-old man. The social structure in Pittsfield is one of inequality, social groupings and isolation, negative reinforcements, political retribution, and hopelessness.
We all experience blood, sweat and tears in our lives. We all experience violence, too. But it is what we do with it that matters. We should hope for positive changes – even in Pittsfield.
Talk is cheap. They need a swift response, with boots on the ground. Seek additional patrols from State Police and Berkshire County Sheriff’s Department. Stop giving verbal advisement’s and warnings. Start making arrests. Also use Berkshire County Drug task force to raid drug dens. PS, still waiting on the identity of the 9 individuals, who were found with Drugs, Cash and Guns Nov. 2025? Something tells me they Fd’ up that investigation.
Need to stop attracting drug addicts to city. Free needles, free naloxone, housing, food, therapists, way more services than taxpayer slaves would ever receive. Every drug addict needs a dealer, doesn’t how many you lock up, if you’ve got trash piling up there are going to be rats.
It is a good thing the well-off, high society folk in Berkshire County do not drink and do drugs excessively. Thank God they never touch booze or that white powdery stuff and behave peculiarly.
The social thing is true. But the have nots socialize together and that usually involves spirits and drugs because that’s all they have. Many don’t have cars and stuff to afford gas and travel. So by not going stir crazy the stay home and try to chill with this type of environment.
More bullets fired tonight. Shot spotter sure brings attention if anything.
Can we please not talk about all the gunfire in Pittsfield right now? It is hurting tourism which is bringing in billions of dollars and is keeping business s booming which provide well paying jobs for everybody and stuff. This is why your taxes are so low ya know.
So lets us keep a rosy view if ya don’t mind already.
Great schools there as well, as far as we know. (as long as ya don’t be poking around any investigative stuff you can believe that)
The dripping irony is well done, GHOST.
The shootings are in the afternoon
The toters are full of flies
Kids are getting meowed down peddling bicycles
And mail comes at midnight
The taxes are way up on homes and utilities
The city budget is out of sight
Gasoline is at its zenith price
And social services can’t even help with blight
Domestic fighting is a concern
And young kids are found roaming around at night
There’s a rubber burning of tires making its tracks throughout the city
But home cameras can’t find them in sight
The bump outs are a ridiculous scheme
Just a matter of time till your vehicle gets creamed
Red lights are now a nuisance for wait
And these lights take a long time to change
But just remember your city is high in taxes
And crime is arisen
But don’t be worried anyone
Winters coming and everybody will be a hiding
Could always jump on a bus. Free bus rides for all , entire Berkshire County and the new 413 to the Valley 7 days a week. 100% Government funded.
CrazyScience. The Brien Center actually thinks they help folks. What they do is manage the social services money for their patients and get employment for it.
Another shooting this afternoon around 5:30 on Circular Avenue. Also, a pedestrian was injured badly on Wahconah Street near Wilson Street earlier this afternoon, hit and run. Another lovely day in Pittsfield.
Yes. In a profound statement released by the Mayor said this is unacceptable.
and was he reading that from a piece of paper or did it come out of his mouth on its own?
Lumpy always sounds like he has something in his mouth while speaking on anything. Can’t understand what he is saying.
Poor diction, the result of cloudy thinking. That’s Lumpy.
It was probably tucked away in his desk left by Flats.
I asked “Google AI” about evidenced base programs to reduce community violence and guns.
Use the Public Health approach.
Get people in the community with lived experiences, along with people with moral authority, to be involved with at-risk people and groups, and connect them with social services.
Provide social services to people in need. Offer people immediate access to housing, education, and employment support.
Mediate community conflicts.
The Safe Streets program in Baltimore, Maryland reduced violent crime by 23 percent; in New York, by 63 percent.
Deterrence programs work. Mental Health programs work. Hospital programs work. Youth employment programs work.
Clean up the city. Reduce or eliminate blighted properties. Violent crime drops significantly when distressed neighborhoods are cleaned up and invested in.
Interrupt the cycle of abuses, violent crime, stressors, traumas, and so on, to give people, groups, and the community time to deescalate and manage it in a constructive way.
Yes. The law enforcement and court officials needs to be involved with violent crime in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
Use all of the above evidenced-based programs that are researched to reduce violent crime.
The Soft on crime stance in Massachusetts doesn’t help the problem. Many individuals involved in these shootings have criminal gun and drug convictions. 40 inmates released this year , who were sentenced to Life Without Parole more to come. Judges need to be held accountable.
Well.that’s what restorative justice is. Do the crime and get a job.
Right on JT!
It’s time to give up on the social justice laws that were brought on by
St. George Floyd, Big Mike Brown, and Freddie Gray and their pandering kneeling social justice warriors. People need to be held accountable for their own actions , especially repeat offenders.We can’t keep letting people blame those actions they commit on somebody or anything else. They made these decisions in their life that put them in this place in time. Getting
rid of social justice crutch laws and holding them accountable to the maximum instead of slaps on the wrist might
change things.
WWLP-22News
1͏9͏m͏
·
The Springfield Police Department has surpassed 100 off-highway vehicles (OHVs) and unregistered motorcycles seized from city streets during enforcement details.
It’s either that or more traffic accidents. Kids on bikes in streets are another problem. Lumpyville was stupid letting those scooters go. to glad to see them gone. Lumpyville got lucky with that one.
Lumpy and the rest of the Bitchfield “leaders” might not be able to attract a profitable business to Bitchfield, but they can take pride in the fact that Bitchfield is slowly taking over Holyoke as the 2nd most dangerous city in Western MA.
Keep shooting it up Bitchfield gangstas. The violence in the streets of Springfield is within reach.
My money is on the “equity and diversity” of Bitchfield to catch-up and overtake Springfield as the #1 crime ridden toilet of Western Mass.
1 injured in Pittsfield shooting; police investigating
**I read a few posts on Facebook from some of Bitchfield’s POC activists, claiming Bitchfield doesn’t support (i.e.-toss untold amounts of coin) the POC youth enough.
What I never read from any “activist,” POC or white, is them blaming the Bitchfield Pubic Scohol Sistam, for these issues.
*Principals sending pics of their crotch-fruit to their students.
*Hired a black man as a school administrator with less qualifications than that of a janitor.
*That same black man dealt cocaine during school hours.
*That black man drove a $130,000 Maserati.
*White students ignored and made to feel bad, when they complain about harassment from POC.
I pressed send too quickly and forgot to ask an important question.
Why is the BBEC, ROPES (Shirley), DEI Office (OB), and the NAACP, so quiet on this rash of POC gun violence?
As I mentioned above, “activists” on social media are claiming Bitchfield “doesn’t support our youth enough.”
Translation, toss us more taxpayer money.
Between the 4 groups I listed above, millions of tax dollars have already gone “for the youth,” to these groups.
Hell, Shirley was the “cultural competency coach” for years at PHS.
How many went on to legitimate, careers? She’s “indoctrinated” the youth for years, so it’s not like it’s a newly created position. Show the data.
Maybe it’s time to have an honest conversation and start pressing our black leaders for answers. They’re quick to blame “white privilege” or “oppression by whitey,” when they are receiving taxpayer money.
But when black guys deal drugs in the school. Black women take family and friends on an all-expense paid African vacation, to “explore their roots,” perhaps that money could have truly benefited the POC youth, instead Shirley and her group? How about ask them.
BBEC has had over $1,500,000 of taxpayer money grifted to them for being a “black company to help start-up new black owned businesses.”
Very racist, if you ask me. If I were to do that w/white people only, ok, for another time.
How many “new black owned and thriving black businesses” has my tax money paid for?
**One final note for The Planet. I wanted to announce that I have offered to sell my “White Privledge Card” to any of the four listed groups above. My WP Card has never worked for me. I’ve had to study, work hard, and live an honest life. I got nothing for free or given to me, so it’s time to sell, sell, sell!!
My price, $10,000.00 (it’s not like it’s not my $$ any ways).
I’ll keep you posted.
Generous of you, MARK, for offer the sale. You make some valid observations about the racial situation in “Progressive” enclaves such as Bitchfield in the Commonwealth Matriarchy of Massachusetts. The crackers fall for it every time.
Trump deficit hits 40 trillll…..just sayin Gas over 4. Trump family wealth up over 12 billion sinceLast election
“Equity.” Quite different from “equality.” It would make an interesting column to fathom the difference.
Dan.I think the War Wagon is parked on the 150 block of Onata Street. Didn’t see John Wayne though. It even has Cones around it.
Dan why aren’t you talking about failed Trump policies? Worst President ver.
Easy. Much better things to do!
Four posts in a row. And rambling.
I would rather enjoy that type of column and discussion with this group.
I’m still waiting for any dumocRAT to explain to me how a brain-dead vegetable got almost 15,000,000 votes in 2020, then your black messiah, Hussein Obama, did in 2008?
Val, how do you explain?
I, too, would love this conversation.
What’s your thoughts on the WNBA Val?
Should biological men, who think they’re women, be allowed to play, and eventually dominate and take over, women’s sports?
If you call it a mockery by the two former NBA players, you’re only showing your true hypocrisy of “only a liberal gets a label a person and then decide if they get to join the club or not.”
Better worry about your president. He’s losing it.
Seek help Craig.
You’re not well when you can’t think beyond Trump.
(Bitch)Field of Nightmares
Lumpy et al. appear to be using the build it and they will come approach without sharing with we the people who “they” are, other than maybe their imaginary friends.
Old Town Hall the white building on Park Square that was formerly Berkshire Bank, was funded by us for at least a million and a quarter in order to provide PPD more space.
This one included TFB getting taxpayer funds from Boston, an RFP looking for a contractor to I believe it was to replace pipes and plumbing, and proposal was accepted and I assumed paid out,
And then next thing you know are historic building that previous tenants worked hard to maintain the historical integrity of, is handed over to Allegrone for, you guessed it, MORE apartments for Next othing on North.
Yo can we get our money back???
I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed a more blatantly obvious cash grab here in the Pitty.
I think we all know we are not going to get a usable stadium for years..
As for all these recent shootings on the west side and we are now ever getting what like one a day? Not your mama’s vitamin for sure!
May I suggest we close the elementary school on the west side and replace it with a police station?
If we do that and move forward with turning warning side into the cop shop, we can run the leaderboard on the school to prison pipeline, p and who doesn’t want that for our fair City?
We need to ask ourselves truly who benefits from these shootings?
Is this the new activism? To keep rent not only affordable but also available to the low income working class?
Or is it a form of blockbusting sponsored not just by systemic oppression but inadvertently by the Gobsigs, who continue to give the store away to outside investors?
So if property values of remain static or become depressed , depressed like many of we the people, who do you think will show up to buy out the neighborhood?
If you want to run the block you have to OWN the block, and locals are so discouraged by (Bitch)field of Nightmares, that we no longer believe investing in our own neighborhoods will make a difference.
To me that feels like we are talking ourselves out of opportunity to improve where we live.
Giving up is lgiving it all away, it gives the tree voting for the ax vibes, as the kids say.
We don’t need another damn task force for Shirley; we already know what does and does not work in terms of disrupting gun violence
In other local news that you probably missed check out local progressive activists Betsy Heilman’s feud with Jeromie Whalen playing itself out on her Facebook.
She correctly called him out for for his propensity to hug women and girls whether they want it or not because he believes the world needs more hugs, regardless of consent.
Instead of acknowledging like hey you’re probably right he clapped back defending his uncomfortable and/ or unwanted touching not only by claiming he would continue to do that but also shared a photo of him hugging a minor girl as he and her mother left her at camp.
She clearly broken down into sobs, and it is a deeply personal moment for her.
Was the child made aware of this photo,?
The adult female in the photo is identified as her mom, but we are give no indication that he has any familial relationship with the child.
Is this a case of a random campaigner showing up in the lives of vulnerable moms and touching their daughters and then filming or photographing it????
Did the mom and child understand that Whalen was going to exploit this very sensitive and personal moment for his campaign?
Sohere comes Betsy,coming to you live from the land of the dancing dean and and Miss Hall’ s School, to point out that how inappropriate his behavior is,just on the matter of hugging alon
e.
But because she is a Richie Neal supporter in the indivisible world, she was unprepared when the fasci…. er, I mean, progressive, playbook came for her.
Sadly it is mostly women who are speaking out against her for righty calling out Whalen, and who are protecting him.
So if you’ve ever wondered how we get dancing Dean’s and schools like Miss Halls, , this is a great hyperlocal micro example of how this continues to happen here.
It truly is the stuff of nightmares.
Outfox Susan, please stop giving people like Betsy Heilman a microphone as though being loud and aggressive somehow makes someone insightful.
My issue isn’t whether I agree with every point she makes. It’s the behavior that comes with it. Heilman has a habit of attacking people who disagree with her, stirring up conflicts, escalating situations, and then behaving as though everyone else is the problem. That’s not courageous political commentary. That’s just hostility dressed up as activism.
And that’s the irony here. She displays many of the same behaviors she presumably despises in Trump: the personal attacks, the outrage, the absolute certainty that she’s right, the inability to tolerate disagreement, and the constant creation of enemies. She’s basically a Trumper without the love of Trump.
So no, I’m not particularly interested in Betsy Heilman sitting in judgment of somebody else’s behavior. Before appointing yourself the local authority on how everyone else should conduct themselves, perhaps demonstrate those standards yourself.
It’s not the message, Susan. It’s the abuse that accompanies it. And handing abusive behavior a microphone doesn’t suddenly turn it into advocacy.
” … a Trumper without the love of Trump.” VAL, that’s a perfect description of such a person.
Want to commend your blog Dan for efforts to light a fire under the city of Pittsfield to finally make a serious effort to level the road under the Hubbard ave bridge. I do not know why it took a private citizen rebellion to fix such an obvious bad problem that has been going on forever.
It is or did go OUT TO BID to mill and pave the road under the bridge. Did we see the projected cost and if so how much is it? The city mills and paves roads all the time so should this 100 foot section be a super special ordeal?
But seriously, if you are spending tens of millions of dollars on pickle ball courts, baseball parks, on street botanical beautification, vehicles for a city workers to take home at night and constant raises for high level employees etc. etc. etc., you should take care of a really really bad road area that has cost and is costing drivers of both personal and business vehicles hundreds of thousands of dollars. I have myself had two front end repairs as a result and I try to crawl through there. Would love to know what UPS costs have been.
I did not even mention all the money the city gives up by giving tax breaks to the millionaire class mini oligarchs that do not need them and that have to be made up by seniors skimping and scraping to save their homes. Looks like I did mention it after all and it bears repeating as it is such a piss in the face move by the administration.
AUDIT
Thank you. The public’s comments about the deplorable condition of the underpass has finally hit home.
Possibly a distraction from the gunfire subject. Look over there not over here.
Nah. Lumpys beer belly is the distraction.
O p e b is another distraction…NOT. What is our interest payment obligation on that. And what does Scanlons say about it?
Dan. I’ve 4 Richie Neal cards delivered. So I’m making a fan out of it.
Love it.
Maybe it’s time to can mayor beer belly and get someone serious to lead Pittsfield like the water wiz or Cutie pie Krol. Two guys who get things finished and more than just a six pack of beer like mayor belly.
There’s no saving Pittsfield. The people who vote like high taxes, shitty roads and ineptness. They continue to vote in tax and spend politicians. They’re getting what they deserve. Enjoy.
Exactly Joe. We’re done. It’s either move the hell out or pay the freight for these clowns.
N S P
Why don’t good people run for mayor? It’s the unions. Any candidate who dares to talk about reform will not make it to November alive.
Water is a millionaire,doesn’t want it.. Krill won’t run. Baggage.
Pittsfield is a NIGHTMARE.
I am sorry to read about the gun shootings violent crime over the past couple of warm weather months 2026.
I am sorry for all of the families who have been affected by the tragedies of violence in “the Pitts”.
I am sorry to read about Pittsfield’s record-setting spending. Pittsfield’s Commercial Tax Rate is the 2nd highest of any city in Massachusetts; Holyoke’s is 1st. North Street hosts between 15 to 25 empty storefronts.
It is frustrating to know that the city’s top officials are making 6-figure public pay plus perks for life, while Senior Citizens on fixed-incomes and those in similar financial situations are struggling to survive to keep their own homes.
It is sad that “Earl and the 2-Pete’s Pittsfield politics pounds, pummels, pulverizes, punishes people’s purses”.
Pittsfield Schools See Better Building Utilization, Continued Choice Outs / iBerkshires.com – The Berkshires online guide to events, news and Berkshire County community information.
More and more parents still bailing their kids out of district. Hiding that investigative report is going to haunt the system for a long time but admins still pretending nothing ever happened. A while back they were going to do a survey and ask parents WHY their kids were opting out. Did they ever go through with it? Did they not like the answers they were getting and so abandoned it?
They still won’t admit they can easily close a couple more Elementary schools. Only one Elementary school was even near capacity, now they have removed the 5th grade out of the system. If Crosby is in such disrepair why are children going to school there?
The Ballad of Planet ValentiIn the crooked little crossroads town
Where truth is chased and hunted down,
One beacon cuts through smoke and spin—
Planet Valenti’s voice within.
For in Bitchfield’s halls of ink and lies,
Where headlines wear a thin disguise,
The Boring Broadsheet drones its tune,
A paper moon at high noon.
Three stooges guard its rusted gate—
Mayor Lumpy, slow to navigate;
Wimpy White, with whispers cold;
And Dumpster Earl, whose stories fold.
They stir the pot, they script the show,
Deciding what the town should know;
True or false, it matters not—
So long as they control the plot.
But one lone blog refuses chains,
Cuts through the fog, rejects their reins.
A rebel pen, a stubborn spark—
A lighthouse in their manufactured dark.
So readers gather, night and day,
To hear a voice that won’t obey;
A place where truth still dares to stand—
Planet Valenti’s steady hand.
In a town where facts are bought and sold,
Where silence keeps the powerful bold,
One writer keeps the ledger clean—
A watchdog in a tainted scene.
And though the stooges stomp and shout,
And try to snuff the fire out,
The blog keeps burning, fierce and free—
A testament to honesty.
Masterpiece. Missed your calling.
LLP
This is your masterpiece. THE PLANET thanks you for this honor. You’re the best.
The ShotSpotter activates its nightly chime,
While city hall leaders ignore the crime.
On Tyler Street a young life reached its end,
A targeted strike, according to the trend.
Onota and Walnut saw twenty rounds fly,
Under a vibrant diverse Upstreet sky.
Now Linden and Francis will hear the guns roar,
Three more victims bleeding on the West Side floor.
By Tuesday evening, Circular Avenue is blocked,
A fourth incident proves the neighborhood is rocked.
The Broadsheet lists injuries, iBerkshires the toll,
The Planet will pray for the city’s lost soul.
DA Shugrue steps up to build a special task force team,
Attempting to salvage the fading Renaissance dream.
But Chief Maddalena says cooperation is low,
And the mayor’s empty statements are all just for show.
While working people flee the violence on the street,
The corner-office politicians comfortably retreat.
The citizens are outraged by the lack of direct action,
Divided up by politics, neighborhood, and faction.
Provide the police with resources, hold the bad actors tight,
Before the streets of Pittsfield completely lose the fight.