BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY WARNING! THIS COLUMN IS SATIRIC IN NATURE. CARICATURES ARE NOT PORTRAITS. THEY ARE EXAGGERATIONS. THE PLANET IS OBLIGED TO INCLUDE TO LEST SOME OF THE MORE FRAGILE PERSONS MENTIONED FAIL TO ROUSE THEIR SENSE OF HUMOR. WE ARE ON THIS EARTH TO LIVE, LIGHTEN UP, LAUGH, AND […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY APRIL 6, 2022) — The most enjoyable part of smash-hit game show Ricky’s Rumpass is that it’s the gift that keeps giving. One would join Dwight Frye eating flies in Carfax Mental Hospital trying to figure out the whys and wherefores of the […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ADD 1, 4/4/22 9:42 p.m.: This just in from the Pittsfield Police Department: On Monday April 4th 2022 at approximately 4:22 pm members of the Pittsfield Police Department (PPD) responded to an area near the intersection of King Street and Von Nida Avenue for a ShotSpotter activation. […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION APRIL 1-3, 2002) — Head ’em up and move ’em out. ANOTHER SHOOTING: THE PLANET leads with this from the Pittsfield Police Department: On Wednesday March 30th 2022 at approximately 9:51pm members of the Pittsfield Police Department (PPD) responded to an […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY MARCH 30, 2022) — Something’s not adding up. THE PLANET speaks of Miguel Estrella, 22, shot to death by a PPD officer in front of the old school (now apartments) at 279 Onota Street. That’s to be expected in such a sensitive case […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY MARCH 28, 2022) — Back in the day, THE PLANET was quite familiar with the 200 block of Onota Street. Our beloved Uncle Fred, Aunt Dolores, and cousin David lived at 286, having moved there in 1963 to build a home. A home […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ADD 2, March 26, evening: The Berkshire Edge has reported new details from the fatal incident wherein a Pittsfield police officer shot and killed a 22-year-old man on Onota Street. The incident took place outside 279 Onota Street. Miguel Estrella died from two gunshot wounds fired by […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY MARCH 23, 2022) — Over the St. Patrick’s Day weekend, THE PLANET appeared along with writer Paul Kocak in Auburn, NY for a talk and reading at the Octane Social Club. It was a great success, meeting-and-greeting, selling and signing books. We and […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ADD 1, 3/21/22 — We present two items from the Pittsfield Police Department: On Saturday March 19th 2022 at approximately 7:44pm members of the Pittsfield Police Department (PPD) responded to the 300 block of Columbus Avenue for a ShotSpotter activation. Multiple shell casings were discovered in that […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION MARCH 18-20, 2022) — On Monday, THE PLANET reported on the four 6-4 votes by our Right Honorable Good Friend on the Pittsfield city council not to support a plan presented by Charles Ivar Kronick along with Ken Warren, Karen Kalinowsky, […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY MARCH 16, 2022) — Yesterday wasn’t a great day for Julius Caesar back in the day. It wasn’t all that great for Berkshire County district attorney Andrea Harrington, either. Seems that THE PLANET‘s friends and colleagues at the Berkshire Eagle and in the […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY MARcH 14, 2020) — 6-4. 6-4. 6-4. Stuck record. Ground Hog’s Day. Deja vu, all over again. Same old same old. Those were the identical votes, from the identical sixes and fours, at last week’s city council meeting, where Our Right Honorable Good […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ————————————————————- Now on Sale! Dan Valenti’s new book, Third Person Singular. This collaboration with Jerri Chaplin and Paul Kocak, two of the nation’s finest contemporary poets, offers three books in one, a trinity of outstanding new literature sure to please. Makes a great “Buy Berkshire” gift. Published […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ADD #1 3/9/22: THE PLANET has heard from two reliable sources that attorney Tim Shugrue will be entering the race for district attorney. He would join Bob Sullivan and incumbent Andrea Harrington, assuming the latter decides to run for re-election. ADD #2 3/9/22 late afternoon: It’s official. […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY MARCH 7, 2022) — THE PLANET opens with a couple notes on crime, followed up by another note on crime. Got the theme? From Lt. John Soules, Pittsfield Police Dept.: On Thursday March 3 2022 at approximately 2:24pm members of the Pittsfield Police […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION MARCH 4-6, 2-22) — President Biden’s SOTU address Tuesday failed to perform the “reset” for which he had hoped. That’s a political consideration, one that doesn’t interest THE PLANET in the least. There were, however, several specifics of the address that […]
