Planet Valenti

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

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: * […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, DATE, 2013) — Alf Barbalunga‘s decision not to seek re-election to the school committee, of which he was chair, or any other city position, could have dramatic impact on the Pittsfield School Department. It “could,” we say. This being Pittsfield, it also easily “could […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary FIRST ADD, JULY 23, 2013 THE PLANET has learned through sources and confirmed that school committee chairman Alf Barbalunga will not seek re-election this year. Barbalunga also will not be running for any other municipal office. In a brief interview with us, school committeeman Terry Kinnas told […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY-SUNDAY, JULY 19-21, 2013) — What barometer provides the best measure of a mayor? There are many from which to choose, but the one on which THE PLANET relies above all is a mayor’s handling of the municipal budget. Dan Bianchi has submitted two […]