!!UPDATE!! HAS A SITTING CITY COUNCILOR BEEN ARRESTED OR CITED ON DRUG-RELATED CHARGES? THE WIRES ARE BURNING, THOUGH NOTHING AS OF YET HAS BEEN CONFIRMED … … BUFFIS PROBE: PLANET WAS ON IT EARLY … HERE’s THE LATEST ON A STORY THAT IS BOUND TO HAVE LONG LEGS … plus … RECAP OF COVERAGE

Article

!!UPDATE!! HAS A SITTING CITY COUNCILOR BEEN ARRESTED OR CITED ON DRUG-RELATED CHARGES? THE WIRES ARE BURNING, THOUGH NOTHING AS OF YET HAS BEEN CONFIRMED … … BUFFIS PROBE: PLANET WAS ON IT EARLY … HERE’s THE LATEST ON A STORY THAT IS BOUND TO HAVE LONG LEGS … plus … RECAP OF COVERAGE

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD 1 AUG. 19, 2013 — Multiple sources have been burning the wires to inform us of a situation apparently related to drugs that, if true, would be a shocker and a shame. THE PLANET hears that a sitting city councilor has been arrested or cited by the […]

August 18, 2013 22 Comments

Article

WANT TO REGISTER YOUR DISSATISFACTION WITH PITTSFIELD POLITICS? WRITE-IN VOTE WILL ALLOW YOUR TO ‘STICKER’ IT TO ‘EM … plus … PLANET INVITES BIANCHI TO A ONE-ON-ONE, BROADCAST SIT-DOWN; INVITATION SENT TUESDAY BUT NO WORD YET FROM MAYOR

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, AUG. 16, 2013) — Let us begin with an interesting possibility, raised by for county selectman Ron Kitterman: Given that Mayor Dan Bianchi has no formal opposition — that is, no one took out and competed nomination papers — Kitterman proposed that voters […]

August 15, 2013 38 Comments

Article

GENIUS IS FOUND EVERYWHERE BUT IN POLITICS, WHERE INTEGRITY COMES THE CLOSEST … PSC’s VIOLATION OF THE LAW BODES ILL FOR PITTSFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, AUG. 15, 2013) — Before we finish with Terry Kinnas‘ triumph and the Pittsfield School Committee‘s defeat in the AG’s ruling on an Open Meeting Law allegation, we present this brief meditation on genius. When intuition not only infuses but overcomes experience, we […]

August 15, 2013 19 Comments

Article

!PLANET EXCLUSIVE! AG RULES IN FAVOR OF KINNAS’ OPEN MEETING COMPLAINT AGAINST BARBALUNGA AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE … plus … ‘CAT & CANARY’ DELIVERS THE CHILLS AT BTG’S UNICORN THEATRE

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary PLANET VALENTI Arts and Entertainment (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, AUG. 14, 2013) — This just in: THE PLANET has learned that the office of state Attorney General Martha Coakley has ruled that the Pittsfield School Committee and its chairman, Alf Barbalunga, violated the open meeting laws by […]

August 13, 2013 18 Comments

Article

THE PLANET PAID A GREAT COMPLIMENT, CALLED A “FREEDOM FIGHTER!” … plus … ALL POLITICAL PHILOSOPHIES WORK GREAT ON PAPER, BUT IN REAL LIFE? THAT’S A DIFFERENT STORY

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI and News and Commentary ADD #1 EARLY TUESDAY MORNING, TUESDAY, AUG. 13, 2013 — Coming soon! THE PLANET’s review of the Berkshire Theatre Group‘s Cat and the Canary, plus, more info on the Buffis investigation. The Cat and the Canary represents one of the most popular performance genres, The Whodunit, a type […]

August 12, 2013 39 Comments

Article

BIANCHI TO RUN UNOPPOSED, CLAIMS IT’s BECAUSE HE’S DONE SUCH A GREAT JOB … TRUTH IS, BIANCHI’s TIMID, UNIMAGINATIVE TERM HAS PUNISHED THE LITTLE GUY AND TURNED VOTER APATHY INTO ATROPHY

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, AUG. 9 AND THROUGH THE WEEKEND, 2013) — Dan Bianchi lost by 200 votes to Jimmy Ruberto in 2009 then turned the tables on Peter Marchetti in 2011, winning by 106. That’s a miserable sum total of (-94) votes over the two last […]

August 9, 2013 36 Comments

Article

ANTI-BELVEDERE BLOCKHEADS APPEAL OF SUPERIOR COURT RULING FLIES IN THE FACE OF COMMON SENSE … plus … STATEHOUSE HACKS WRANGLE FREE BERKSHIRES VACATION ON TAXPAYER DIME, COURTESY OF THE GOB

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY, AUG. 6-7, 2013) — The ABB — Anti-Belvedere Blockheads — is a group of Lenox citizens that represents the worst side of activism, which we can call “NIMBY, monied, and over-scrupulous.” This combination produces the opposite of a true citizen activist, namely, a […]

August 7, 2013 17 Comments

Article

HERE’S WHAT IT’S COME TO: COLLEGE ASSIGNS COMIC BOOK TO INCOMING FRESHMEN … PROTAGONISTS OF TALE INCLUDE A LESBIAN AND A CHILD MOLESTER … plus … KINNAS ‘WILL NOT TAKE OUT PAPERS’

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY-TUESDAY, AUG. 5-6, 2013) — As that notoriously tough grader Prof. Valenti gets ready for his courses this fall, there are syllabi to perfect, classes to prepare, lectures to mull over, and books to order. In our “Composition 101” class, we shall use Prose Models, […]

August 4, 2013 37 Comments

Article

PLANET EXCLUSIVE — THE SALARY AND COST FIGURES THE PITTSFIELD SCHOOL DEPARTMENT ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY DOESN’T WANT YOU TO SEE

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY AND THROUGH THE WEEKEND, AUG. 2-7, 2013) — Looking for a job? Don’t want to flip hamburgers or butter popcorn for $8 an hour, which pretty much sums up the economy in Pittsfield, Mass., Dreaded Private Sector Division? Do you want to start […]

August 1, 2013 36 Comments

Article

WE PRESENT THE DOTS ON ALF BARBALUNGA AND THE JRC RUMOR … plus …WITH THE LIKES OF CROWE AND BEHNKE, IS IT ANY WONDER WHY PITTSFIELD KIDS HAVE BEEN SHORTCHANGED?

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, AUG. 1, 2013) — Welcome to August, the penultimate act of The Vanishing Summer. On this day, 51 years ago, Boston Red Sox right hander Bill Monbouquette threw a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox. The losing pitcher was Early Wynn. That night he suffered […]

July 31, 2013 21 Comments

Article

IDLE RUMORS AND SCUTTLEBUTT FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, SUCH AS IT IS … IN ‘LET’S HAVE SOME FuN’ DEPT., PLANET, BAT IN HAND, READY TO TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE FROM DARREN LEE … plus … JAKE IV WANTS QUOTAS FOR TEACHER HIRING, ALSO PROPOSES CASH PAYMENTS FOR STUDENTS WHO SCORE 60% IN AP

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, JULY 31, 2013) — The campaign trail, such as it is thus far, bears little resemblance to a byway that leads anywhere interesting. A look at the field, coming in a moment, will bear this out. Meantime, THE PLANET has heard the following: * […]

July 30, 2013 21 Comments

Article

POPE FRANCIS CONTINUES REMARKABLE TRANSFORMATION OF MUSTY, MOLDY EXPRESSION OF CATHOLICISM … plus … THE PHONY BASTARDS ARE DOING IT AGAIN: STATEHOUSE POLLS WANT TO SHOW YOU FOR WHOM THE TURNPIKE TOLLS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, JULY 30, 2013) — You may have missed it, though it was hard to miss. Check out these words from Pope Francis, from an impromptu press conference as he was flying home from his visit to Rio de Janeiro: “If someone is gay […]

July 29, 2013 14 Comments

Article

PLANET’S ADVICE TO CANDIDATES: TOUGHEN UP THE HYDE AND TOUGHEN UP THE HIDE … plus … QUICK HITS AND HOT LICKS TACKLES BIANCHI’s THROWING ARM and INJURIOUS NEW ‘PC’ LANGUAGE ENDORSED BY OVERMATCHED PITTSFIELD SCHOOL COMMITTEE

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, JULY 29, 2013) — Toughen up the hyde, and toughen up the hide. Hyde. Hide. That was, is, and shall be THE PLANET‘s free advice to candidates running for public office. We won’t explain the homonymic difference. We trust you are smart enough to […]

July 27, 2013 18 Comments

Article

ADD 1 ON ‘CLOSINGATE’: THE THINKING BEHIND THE PLANET’s VIEWPOINT … or … THE INDISCRETE CHARM OF THE OPINION BUSINESS DURING A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN …’CLOSINGATE’: WARD 6 CANDIDATE JOE NICHOLS SAYS RIVERS DENIED SHE WAS ‘CLOSING’ NORTH STREET SHOP … RIVERS’ OWN LETTER, STATEMENTS, AND ADS, SHOW OTHERWISE in CAMPAIGN ’13’s ‘CAN YOU TRUST HER?’ … plus … LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD 1, FRIDAY, JULY 26, 2013 AND INTO THE WEEKEND — THE PLANET has known Donna Todd Rivers for about three years. She has been an acquaintance though not a friend. We’re bought her lunch at the Red Lion Inn and, when she was breaking into radio, […]

July 25, 2013 69 Comments

Article

AT-LARGE CANDIDATE DONNA TODD RIVERS’ BIZARRE FLIP-FLOP ON CLOSING-OPENING OF BUSINESS COMES OFF AS CHEAP PUBLICITY STUNT … AT-LARGE OPPONENTS BLAST THE MOVE … DOES ‘DIVA’ REALLY THINK VOTERS, AND CUSTOMERS, ARE THAT DUMB?

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2013) — Still waters run deep, so the saying goes. Fast-moving rivers produce dangerous currents — unpredictable and untrustworthy — that can easily sweep you away to your doom. Be careful. Don’t be fooled. Enter candidate Donna Todd Rivers, who is […]

July 24, 2013 32 Comments

Article

PLANET EXCLUSIVE: WE HAVE THE CHEESE ON MAYOR BIANCHI’s SECRET PLAN TO SAVE PITTSFIELD … TIME WARNER DOES THE THINKABLE … plus … SLOOPY SECONDS ON SUE CARMEL’s CITY BUDGET TRANSFERS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 2013) — The city of Pittsfield wants to expand its arts district. This would amount to a change into acceptable uses. New businesses that would be considered “arts” would include breweries, pubs, winemakers, and — are you sitting down? — cheese […]

July 23, 2013 22 Comments

Planet Valenti