By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ——– 000 ——– LATE NEWS EXCLUSIVE: Before THE PLANET gets into our regular coverage, we present the news that Josh Cutler resigned Wednesday from the Human Rights Commission. The HRC, launched with the mayor dragged into its activation kicking and screaming, has been among the most dysfunctional of […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News & Commentary (Most of the Time but Sometimes Poetry and Such) (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, OCT. 17-19, 2014) — Sure, there’s lots of news swirling around THE PLANET. Some involves new wrinkles on familiar topics (100gate, the insurance switch) and some of it is new (developments at Berkshire […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, OCT. 16, 2014) — One councilor dubbed Tuesday’s meeting as “magical.” Another talked of “fireworks.” THE PLANET shall not give a play-by-play or blow-by-blow. There was a lot of noise but, in the end, not much thunder. 100gate proceeds untouched by council hands, […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, OCT. 15, 2014) — Here is a copy of the disclosure form that the mayor filed with city clerk Linda Tyer. He filled it out in response to questions made by THE PLANET first and later, city councilors, most notably councilor-at-large Barry Clairmont. […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, OCT. 14, 2014) — Tonight, our Right Honorable Good Friends on the Pittsfield city council gather. Hip boots, gas masks, and clothes pins have been ordered. Three of the mayor’s favorite pet projects are up for … what? Discussion, debate, and deliberation — words […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NOT JUST NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FROM THE FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, STANZAS FOR OCT. 10-12, 2014) ——– 000 ——– THE WONDERMENT OF A LEAF I A flow of evanescent tide, Blue by no purpose or design But by the way the wide expanse With vicissitude combines Detaches the […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, OCT. 9, 2014) — From our series on the suicidal doings at RSVP, THE PLANET has a few crumbs and leftovers. We’re bussing tables. Don’t get in our way. We’re kicking two butts and charging for seven: * RSVP Should Help People Not […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, OCT. 8, 2014) — You know you have hit a nerve when The Suits attack. “They” never do so honestly and in the open. They don’t use their true names. They avoid facts. They make unsupported claims, counting on the gullibility and stupidity […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, OCT. 7, 2014) — Yesterday, THE PLANET took you into the “what” of the mayor’s firing of RSVP executive director Deborah Sadowy Dargie. Today, we take you into the room at the moment of the “how.” TIME: Noon-ish. DATE: Thursday, Sept. 25, 2014 […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary First of a Two-Part Series (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, OCT. 6, 2014) — As you now know but once again weren’t supposed to know — this is, after all, a city with a mayor who has ordered Administrative Shutdown on transparency, inquiry, questions, and honest debate — […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, OCT. 3-5, 2014) — Ah, welcome to the Weekend Edition. The incoming lines to THE PLANET are hot with intelligence, coming in from many quarters on several fronts. First, though, let us slice to ribbons the phony insurance switch just pulled off […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary Tune to Channel 16 at 7 p.m. tonight for a live, unabridged, and unexpurgated episode of PLANET VALENTI TELEVISION. You won’t believe your eyes and ears. (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, OCT. 2, 2014) — DON PARDO: “And now, folks, it’s time once again to play Don’t Tell Anybody, […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, OCT. 1, 2014) — Welcome to October, in Pittsfield time for leaf changing and double dealing. The leaves will ripen, redden, and fall. The double dealing from the corner office and The Suits (a typo first had it as “The Shits” … perhaps […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, SEPT. 30, 2014) — The first time, the mayor’s taxpayer-crushing plan was unanimously rejected. The mayor then rescinded the vote, so he could engineer to outcome he so desperately (and mysteriously) wanted. In the second vote, which came yesterday, the majority still voted […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, SEPT. 29, 2014) — Is Mayor Dan Bianchi trying to pull another fast one? Is he trying to force city employees out of the GIC and into Blue Cross/Blue Shield? After the unions voted to stay put in the GIC, did the mayor […]
By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, SEPT. 26-28, 2014) — On the road and taking care of business, but THE PLANET posts this interesting question to start things off for the weekend: What happened to the sign-up sheet at Tuesday’s city council meeting? That was the meeting where […]
