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WHEN WINTER BRINGS A SNOW JOB INSTEAD OF SNOW HANDLING, THE WHITE STUFF PILES HIGHER THAN THE S**T

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 18, 2015) — The winter of 2015 didn’t roll in until about mid-January. Prior to then, The Berkshires — particularly Pittsfield, the county seat — received a handful of nuisance snowfalls with temperatures seasonal or warmer. That all changed when the Polar […]

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: HOLD MAYOR ‘PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE’ FOR SNOW HAZARDS … THS PROJECT CONCERNS … PUBLIC MURAL DEFACED … plus … SEN. DOWNING’s OFFICE EXPLAINS WHY ELECTRIC RATES ARE SO HIGH

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, FEB. 17, 2015) — First, THE PLANET has some interesting letters to share from the mailbag. These were sent to us via e-mail, not posted, but for sharing, which we do in our periodic “Letters to the Editor” feature. ——– 000 ——– Hold […]

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FEELING PRESIDENTIAL ON THIS HOLIDAY MONDAY, WHILE THE ‘LITTLE SCHOLARS’ GO ASTRAY

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, FEB 16, 2015) — Hey, guess what. THE PLANET has President’s Day reserved in celebration, holiday style. Whenever we fire up a new column blank, we are sorely tempted to peel off ribbons of commentary of a multitude of issues. For example, why […]

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COUNCILORS WEIGH IN ON THS REFERENDUM … ‘VOTE’ IS 6-5 or 5-6, DEPENDING ON YOUR VIEW

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, FEB. 13-15, 2015) — Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone. Fell the love. Feel it, too. Because remember two things, (1) THE PLANET is all about love and (2) you can’t spell “Valentine” without “Valenti.” As we went into the final two minutes of […]

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!UPDATED! … TULLY, MAZZEO RESPOND TO PLANET QUESTION ON SCHOOL-BUILDING REFERENDUM … plus … STATE REPS FIDDLE WHILE CONSUMERS GET BURNED BY SCANDALOUS HIKE IN UTILITY BILLS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary THURSDAY, FEB. 12, 2015 — In this update, THE PLANET can tell you that we have heard from all 11 councilors. We shall present their views tomorrow. We can tell you that this council is split on the question of whether or not We The People should […]

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PITTSFIELD VAPORIZED!!! IT SNOWED AGAIN IN FEBRUARY … SIX of 11 COUNCILORS HAVE NOW WEIGHED IN ON THS REFERENDUM … plus … MAYOR DUMBDUM CONS CONCOM

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FEB. 10, 2015) — Good gosh! It snowed yesterday. In February. In Pittsfield. Predictably, Mayor Dumbvil Bebumchi went into full panic mode. He ordered the city vaporized, ending All Life As We Know It. This, alas, included another snow day for The Children. Part of Dumvil’s […]

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PLANET POLLS 11 COUNCILORS ON REFERENDUM: SHOULD ‘WE THE PEOPLE’ GET A VOTE ON PROPOSED MULTIMILLION-$$ SCHOOL PROJECT? … plus … LAYOUTS FROM LAYABOUTS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, FEB. 9, 2015) — THE PLANET has sent the following request for comment to each of our Right Honorable Good Friends on the Pittsfield City Council: ——– 000 ——– I want to ask you a simple yes or no question. After you answer […]

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DON’T TELL ANYONE, BUT CITY WASTES $$$ ON DATED TECHNOLOGY … plus … SUITS FOISTING BOGUS THS CONSTRUCTION SCHEME ON CITIZENS THROUGH LIES, WHAT ORWELL CALLED ‘GIVING SOLIDITY TO PURE WIND’

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, FEB. 6-8, 2015) — Given that the low-wattage Pittsfield mayor loves to spend YOUR money, it comes as no surprise that the city has installed “Video Conferencing!” at 100 North St. and now in Room 203 at city hall. How George Jetson! […]

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PV-TV !LIVE! TONIGHT, 7 P.M., LIVE, CHANNEL 16, “CAN’T MISS TV” IF EVER THERE WAS SUCH … plus … ‘PATRIOT WAY’ PROVES THE DIFFERENCE IN TEAM’S STUNNING SUPER BOWL WIN

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, FEB. 5, 2015) — Another fearless and !live! edition of PLANET VALENTI TELEVISION comes your way tonight. The fun begins at 7 p.m. and goes for the hour. PV-TV can be seen on Channel 16 of the Time Warner dial. We are the […]

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“VOTE FOR THE VOTE” PT. 3 — A MYSTERY WITH A WHIFF OF SCANDAL

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary Third of Three Parts (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, FEB. 4, 2015) — Soon, unless there is a change in plans, there will be an announcement of a petition drive to put a direct vote on the Taconic High School construction project — up or down — on […]

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PART 2: THS CONSTRUCTION PROJECT BLITHELY IGNORES WHAT’S GOING ON (AND NOT GOING ON) INSIDE THE CLASSROOM

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary Second of Three Parts (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, FEB. 3, 2015) — Here’s where THE PLANET left off with part one yesterday: Meanwhile, the schools have lost control of the classroom. That is why the schools are not properly preparing our young people for higher education of for the […]

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PATRIOTS ARE SUPER … AGAIN … plus FIRST IN A 3-PT. SERIES —’VOTE FOR THE VOTE’ — OPPOSITION GROWING TO $130M THS CONSTRUCTION PROJECT … MOMENTUM BUILDS FOR CITIZENS INITIATIVE TO FORCE A REFERENDUM

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary Let’s just begin with a tribute to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, who answered all doubters by coming up big in the clutch to win the team’s fourth Super Bowl. Brady joins the ranks of the all-time greats and put his stamp on the claim […]

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WHERE ARE THE SNOWS OF YESTERDAY? THEY’RE ON THE STREETS TODAY, AS BIANCHI ADMINISTRATION AGAIN DROPS THE BALL (THEY’RE CERTAINLY NOT DROPPING THE PLOWS)

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, SUPER BOWL WEEKEND EDITION, JAN. 30-FEB. 1, 2015) — Last night (Thursday) on the latest live edition of PLANET VALENTI TELEVISION, just before air time, we went outside the PC-TV studios and scooped up a cup of real-ta’-goodness Pittsfield snow. During the course of […]

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!UPDATE! PV-TV LIVE TONIGHT ON CH. 16!! … THE BB, MAYOR BIsnowCHI BLOW IT AGAIN AS MEGASTORM FIZZLES … plus … MAZZEO RESPONDS TO QUESTIONS ON CONNELL’S PETITION … RIP, MONBO

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary THURSDAY< JAN. 29 < ON THE FLY — It’s been a hectic morning and afternoon here on THE PLANET, as we are in Elvis mode, TCB (takin’ care of business). Yes, PLANET VALENTI TELEVISION will be on the air tonight beginning at 7 p.m. from the PCTV […]

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WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE or WHY DON’T THE NUMBERS ADD UP?

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, “SNOWMAGEDDON OUR ASS,” JAN. 27, 2015) —  Ward 4 councilor Chris Connell continues to make news of the good kind, unlike, say, certain former councilors who just can’t seem to stay out of the big muddy. Connell has urged a referendum on the building […]

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CONNELL SUBMITS PETITION FOR MAYOR TO RESCIND ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER ON DPW, SO WHY ISN’T IT ON TUESDAY’s COUNCIL AGENDA?

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ———- 000 ———- ED NOTE: Ward 1 city councilor Lisa Tully and Ward 2’s Kevin Morandi will hold a joint meeting for constituents at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 26, at Union Hall, 789 Tyler St. State Rep. Paul Mark will join them. Discussion will include the proposed new Taconic […]

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