MAYOR’s CONSENT DECREE REOPENER REQUEST GOES BEFORE THE COUNCIL TONIGHT … COUNCIL SHOULD APPROVE THIS MOVE … MEASURE WOULD HELP REMEDIATION AT SILVER LAKE … IN PRACTICAL TERMS, IS THAT THE BEST PITTSFIELD CAN HOPE FOR, OR IS ANOTHER FORM OF RE-OPENER IN ORDER? WHY NOT GO AFTER HILL 78?

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MAYOR’s CONSENT DECREE REOPENER REQUEST GOES BEFORE THE COUNCIL TONIGHT … COUNCIL SHOULD APPROVE THIS MOVE … MEASURE WOULD HELP REMEDIATION AT SILVER LAKE … IN PRACTICAL TERMS, IS THAT THE BEST PITTSFIELD CAN HOPE FOR, OR IS ANOTHER FORM OF RE-OPENER IN ORDER? WHY NOT GO AFTER HILL 78?

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, SEPT. 17, 2013) — At tonight’s city council meeting, our Right Honorable Good Friends shall hear about amendments to the GE Consent Agreement (GECA) being proposed by Pittsfield Mayor Dan Bianchi. THE PLANET supports this initiative, which would transfer property around Silver Lake […]

September 16, 2013 19 Comments

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WALLOWING IN THE GUANO: BIANCHI FINDS HIS HEAVEN ON EARTH in PITTSFIELD’s POISON POLITICS … MAYOR FALLS VICTIM TO ‘GOB-‘n’-MOUTH DISEASE’

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, SEPT. 16, 2013) — It’s easy to measure. You know THE PLANET has rattled the cages and shaken the walls as measured by the way the GOB apologists, particularly Dan Bianchi and his Stooges, have responded to our most recent criticisms and analyses of […]

September 15, 2013 24 Comments

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IS MAYOR DAN BIANCHI, a.k.a., Mr. HIDE, SCARED OF SITTING DOWN WITH THE PLANET FOR A LIVE INTERVIEW? WHAT ELSE CAN AN INQUIRING MIND CONCLUDE BASED ON MR. HIDE’S REMARKS ON THE STURGEON SHOW? READ ON, FEARLESS EXPLORER, READ ON

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, SEPT. 13, 2013) — On Bill Sturgeon‘s radio show yesterday, the talkmeister asked Mayor Dan Bianchi why Bianchi refuses to sit down to an interview with THE PLANET. As you may recall, we have: (a) Invited the mayor to do this, given that […]

September 13, 2013 38 Comments

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KINNAS’ WORK ON OPEN MEETING LAW LEAVES CITY, OFFICIALS, CITIZENS BETTER OFF … SABOURIN, REID SUBCOMMITTEE IMMATURE REACTION TO OML COMPLAINTS IS THE TRUE EMBARRASSMENT IN THIS AFFAIR … plus … BARBALUNGA CLUELESS, AS INDICATED BY HIS REACTION TO AG’s RULINGS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, SEPT. 12, 2013) — Because of the great work done by school committee member Terry Kinnas, all of official Pittsfield now has a better understanding of the state’s requirements regarding transparency during meetings. Essentially, the core or heart of the Open Meeting Law […]

September 12, 2013 40 Comments

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WANT SOME FUNNY LATE-SUMMER READING? TRY ‘MAYOR DAN BIANCHI: 2012 ACCOMPLISHMENTS,’ STRAIGHT FROM THE CITY WEBSITE … WHAT TAKES FOUR PAGES COULD HAVE BEEN ANSWERED IN ONE WORD: ‘SQUAT’

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 11, 2013) — If you visit the city of Pittsfield’s website and click on the mayor’s link, you’ll find a side tab labeled “Mayor Dan Bianchi’s 2012 Accomplishments.” It is a ponderous list of breathtaking achievements. THE PLANET would like to share […]

September 11, 2013 28 Comments

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WRITE-IN VOTE FOR ‘DAN VALENTI’ BETTER THAN THE BLANK AND FAR BETTER THAN NOT VOTING AT ALL … ‘CANDIDATE’ VOWS CAMPAIGN NOT TO CAMPAIGN … RESERVES THE RIGHT TO UNLIMITED FLIP-FLOPS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, SEPT. 10, 2013) — Dan Valenti‘s write-in “candidacy” for mayor can be seen as the “None of the above” (NOTA) option — rather, its equivalent. Or as Pittsfield bedraggled voters and taxpayers might phrase it, “Free at last! Free at last! O Lord […]

September 10, 2013 17 Comments

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GALILEO AND THE INQUISITION: THIS TIME AROUND, THE CHARGES APPEAR — APPEAR, WE STRESS — TO BE WARRANTED … plus … QUICK HITS AND HOT LIX EXAMINES ONE-WAY STREETS, BCC’s NO-SMOKING POLICY, CASTING FOR THE HALLOWEEN PARADE, & RIVERS’ $25 FUNDRAISER

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, SEPT. 9, 2013) — Galileo again will be facing the Inquisition. Whether he should or not is a matter from jurists far more capable than we. Thus, history repeats itself, and thus, Pittsfield gets another round of great publicity, doesn’t it, by serving […]

September 8, 2013 15 Comments

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CONGRESS’ CRUCIAL VOTE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CUT OFF THE EXECUTIVE’S UNCONSTITUTIONAL WAR MONGERING, WHICH HAS BEEN IN PLACE SINCE THE COLD WAR … PLUS … OBAMA’S FOREIGN POLICY FAILURES SHOULD MAKE IT EASY TO SAY ‘NO’ ON THE SYRIAN QUESTION

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, SEPT. 6, 2013) — With President Barack Obama at the G-20 economic summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, you can bet he and his staff will try to lobby world leaders into support for an attack on Syria. You can also be sure the […]

September 6, 2013 11 Comments

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SYRIAN CAULDRON ROILING, BUT SHOULD THE U.S. TRY TO PERFORM ‘SURGERY’ TO STOP THE BOILING? THE PLANET THINKS NOT … WE’D LIKE TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK; OUR REPRESENTATIVES ARE LISTENING

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, SEPT. 5, 2013) — Some national issues hold such great import that even a site such as this, which primarily feeds off local fodder, must address it. This happens, of course, from time to time, and it’s happened now. THE PLANET speaks of Syria, […]

September 4, 2013 37 Comments

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AFTER A SHORT STINT OF ROUTINE MAINTENANCE by the TECHIES, THE PLANET FINDS OURSELVES ‘BACK IN THE SADDLE AGAIN.”

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, SEPT. 4, 2013) — As we begin another semester, we marvel at the predictability of certain aspects of Pittsfield’s poisonous politics (and, brothers and sisters, THE PLANET happens to be work on what may be a doozy of a humdinger, one that has […]

September 3, 2013 11 Comments

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KINNAS 4-FOR-4 with ATTORNEY GENERAL, BUT GOB IS CHOKING ON ITS OWN BILE HAVING TO ADMIT IT, HENCE, ITS MUD-SLINGING … STICKER CAMPAIGNS: A POWERFUL TOOL IN THE HANDS OF PISSED-OFF, FED-UP VOTERS … LEE BOARD ‘PHONES IT IN’ ON BUFFIS … plus … SAKSHAUG RE-APPOINTMENT: WILL ‘POLITICS AS USUAL’ KEEP HIM OFF CONSERVATION COMMISSION?

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY THROUGH LABOR DAY, AUG. 30-SEPT. 2, 2013) — Terry Kinnas, Pittsfield’s best public servant, filed four allegations of law breaking against Pittsfield school officials. Four times, state Attorney General Martha Coakley has agreed with him, upheld his allegations, and determined these officials to […]

August 29, 2013 78 Comments

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PLANET EXCLUSIVE STATE AG RULES IN FAVOR OF TERRY KINNAS NOT ONCE, NOT TWICE, BUT THREE TIMES … KINNAS’ COMPLAINTS AGAINST REID MIDDLE SCHOOL SUBCOMMITTEE UPHELD … EAT CROW, JULIA SABOURIN, DAN BIANCHI, ALF BARBALUNGA, and SCHOOL COMMITTEE MEMBERS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, AUG. 29, 2013) — Congratulations again to Terry Kinnas, Pittsfield’s most effective public servant. Once more (actually, thrice more), the office of state Attorney Gen. Martha Coakley has ruled in favor of Kinnas in three open meeting complaints related to the Reid Middle […]

August 28, 2013 56 Comments

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ITEM ON PITTSFIELD SCHOOLS LOOKING TO INSTALL CREW AS A VARSITY SPORT HITS A NERVE … plus … SPEAKING OF HITTNG A NERVE, SO DOES CHRIS BARRY’S LETTER TO BMC REGARDING HIS EXPERIENCE IN THE ER

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, AUG. 28, 2013) — The item THE PLANET posted yesterday on the efforts of the Pittsfield School Department wanting the school committee to take up the idea of crew — crew, of all things — as a varsity sport hit a nerve for […]

August 27, 2013 21 Comments

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PLANET ADVISES PITTSFIELD SCHOOL COMMITTEE TO CREW CUT … SPEAKING OF WHICH, WHEN IS A ‘CUT’ NOT A ‘CUT’? WHEN IT’s A MULTIMILLION RAISE … plus … IS ANDY NUCIFORO GOING TO POT?

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, AUG. 27, 2013) — As Pittsfield’s public schools continue to reel in an amalgamation of falling test scores, increasing drop out rates, graduates unprepared for college and the workplace, the growing problem of the misuse of technology and smart phones, and all the […]

August 27, 2013 22 Comments

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PHS GYM FLOOR PROCESS FLOORS ONE’S CREDULITY; BIANCHI OVERSEES FAULTY PROCEDURE THAT a.) ALLOWED VOLUNTEER, NOT PURCHASING, TO OBTAIN QUOTE and b.) SELECT A VENDOR NOT CERTIFIED FOR THE WORK … RESULT? TAXPAYERS MuST COUGH UP 60 EXTRA $Gs

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, AUG. 26, 2013) — In our previous column, THE PLANET outlined the lack of process in capital projects under Mayor Dan Bianchi, exemplified by the shoddy procurement and vetting work related to a proposal for work on a new gym floor at PHS. Capital […]

August 25, 2013 22 Comments

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BUFFIS BUFFETED BY BOARD … CAPPY CRAPPY IN COURT … plus … PHS GYM FLOOR FIASCO HIGHLIGHTS CITY’S LACK OF DUE PROCESS ON CAPITAL EXPENDITURES … BLAME TRACES BACK TO CORNER OFFICE

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY AND THROUGH THE WEEKEND, AUG., 23-26, 2013) — THE PLANET has been Out West, young man, scratching out a living in Hollywood, Palm Springs, and Needles, via Syracuse, living and working fixing holes in scripts and the roof. It stops our mind from […]

August 22, 2013 29 Comments

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