BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, OCT. 9-11, 2015) — The news is as dour as it gets but only as consoling as the writing on the wall has indicated for at least a year, that is, such time as when THE PLANET first talked about the exit more […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, OCT. 8, 2015) — Picking up on yesterday’s topic of “revitalization,” mayoral candidate Linda Tyer held a moveable campaign event Tuesday. Cue Sammy Vincent and the orchestra: “A little traveling music, Sam!” The Lovely Linda, the press release goes, “began a walk of Pittsfield’s downtown. […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, OCT. 7, 2015) — If Tyler Street was an early 1960s game show, it would be Password. In Password, the word on the screen would be flashed for “those viewing at home” and the studio audience. It would be hidden from the players. […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, OCT. 6, 2015) — It’s on. THE PLANET will host a TV debate between the mayoral candidates beginning at 7 p.m. Oct. 29 as an episode of PLANET VALENTI TELEVISION. It shall be the campaign’s most highly anticipated event, and with it being so […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, OCT. 5, 2015) — The message began this way: “After my cousin’s windows were shot out on Brown Street Saturday afternoon …” It gets your attention. “After my cousin’s windows were shot out on Brown Street Saturday afternoon, I wrote a letter to the editor [The […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, OCT. 2-4, 2015) — Welcome to The Weekend Edition, where we open The Comment Line. A couple months ago, a witty wag asked us “How is The Comment Line different from every other day, where people can freely post?” It brought a […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, OCT. 1, 2015) — Today THE PLANET begins our sixth year. This is column 1,300. What started out as a simple writing exercise (our equivalent of a daily workout) has blossomed in a way we did not plan, could not anticipate, and would not […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30, 2015) — Here’s a comment from Irishman relating to last night’s city council meeting: Police union exerting its self serving protectionism and paranoia in regard to a rather innocuous special police provision … Obviously the police union is self-sustaining only, showing […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, SEPT. 29, 2015) — It’s all connected. Let’s explore. Revised Dress Code THE PLANET likes the attention the Pittsfield School Committee has given to the district dress code. We have long been a champion of a stricter code and, more importantly, enforcement of it. You […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, SEPT. 28, 2015) — It’s not exactly “Man Bites Doberman,” but it is out of the norm for a two-term, incumbent mayor to issue a debate challenge to an opponent who has never held a public-service executive position. Last week, Mayor Dan Bianchi […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, SEPT. 25-27, 2015) — This week having put to rest the preliminary phase of the 2015 campaign season, THE PLANET provides this information for perusal. It’s the school department budget, in all its glorious multimillions, which doesn’t include the pay raises just agreed […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, SEPT. 24, 2015) — Welcome to autumn. Today, THE PLANET begins with one of the best questions that can be asked at this point, a couple days after the preliminary election and nearly six weeks before Election Day in November. Romaniel’s question goes to […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 23, 2015) — Yesterday, THE PLANET predicted “under 20%” turnout in the preliminary election. Unofficial actual vote: just under 19% of the electorate (27,962 voters). We called it for Tyer and Bianchi, and they finished 1-2. Several times we assigned The Water […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY NIGHT, SEPT. 22, 2015) — Linda Tyer took the preliminary in a landslide. Here are the results: Tyer Decisively Wins Preliminary Election Pittsfield, Mass. – Upon learning the results from the Preliminary Election held on September 22, 2015, Linda Tyer, current City Clerk […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, SEPT. 22, 2015) — Today is the electoral equivalent of The Time Machine. Today is all about Nov. 3, six weeks from now. The smart money predicts Dan Bianchi and Linda Tyer finishing in the top two today, with Craig Gaetani and Donna Walto playing the bass […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, SEPT. 21, 2015) — On the prelim’s final weekend, the candidates did not rest. DAN BIANCHI Mayor Lockdown waited until the last minute to formally kick-off his re-election bid Friday, grabbing a cheap headline of praise prior to Tuesday’s election from The Boring […]
