BHS TAX FILING CREATES ONE VERSION OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY, AND THE CITY PITTSFIELD, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CREATE ANOTHER PICTURE OF THE SAME THING. CAN YOU GUESS WHICH ONE IS MORE ACCURATE AND WHICH IS A FAIRY TALE? OUR EXCLUSIVE BHS COVERAGE CONTINUES

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BHS TAX FILING CREATES ONE VERSION OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY, AND THE CITY PITTSFIELD, CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CREATE ANOTHER PICTURE OF THE SAME THING. CAN YOU GUESS WHICH ONE IS MORE ACCURATE AND WHICH IS A FAIRY TALE? OUR EXCLUSIVE BHS COVERAGE CONTINUES

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, DEC. 6, 2011) — Happy 43rd anniversary, Linda, wherever you may be. Yes, we still remember. PERRY MASON SENDS IN QUESTIONS — A “connected” local attorney sent into some interesting comments on the BHS articles THE PLANET has featured. They came as a […]

December 6, 2011 22 Comments

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FATAL SHOOTING NOT GOOD PR FOR CRIME-ADDLED CITY … BHS OCTOPUS EXEMPLIFIES A CAUTIONARY TALE, or WHAT’s WRONG WITH GETTING SICK IN AMERICA

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD 1 MONDAY, DEC. 5, 2011 Fatal Shooting Brings Crime Situation in City of Pittsfield to the Front The city of Pittsfield’s latest shooting, this one fatal and looking now like a murder, brings us around again to the crime wave sweeping through town. A 23-year-old man […]

December 5, 2011 45 Comments

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ANATOMY OF A NON-PROFIT’S TAX FILING, or, WHY THE HECK DOES BERKSHIRE HEALTH SYSTEMS HAVE FINANCIAL HOLDINGS IN THE TAX HAVEN CAYMAN ISLANDS??

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, DEC. 2, 2011) — On the tax filing of Berkshire Health Systems dated Aug. 15, 2011 — Form 990, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax with BHS’ employment ID # 04-2442944 — question 4 asks for a description of the organization’s achievement. […]

December 2, 2011 173 Comments

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METH PETITION — WHAT’S THE REAL STORY? HAS THE PLANET FOUND THE SMOKING GUN? DOCUMENTS ESTABLISH MOTIVE FOR BHS TO FIGHT FOR ITS $$TRANGLEHOLD ON LOCAL HEALTHCARE … plus … PT. 2 OF THE PLANET’s EXCLUSIVE EXAM OF ANNUAL SCHOOL REPORT

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, DEC. 1, 2011) — Welcome to December, final month of the year and the last month in office for the city of Pittsfield’s current lame-duck government. The new government will have to decide on the issue of regulating future meth and suboxone clinics […]

December 1, 2011 47 Comments

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TWO PLANET EXCLUSIVES!! WE BEGIN A LINE-EDIT OF THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT’s ANNUAL REPORT … plus … MORE QUESTIONS SWIRL IN A HAZE OF METH: PETITION ON CLINIC RAISES SERIOUS QUESTIONS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30, 2011) — At the invitation of Pittsfield superintendent of schools, Howard “Jake” Eberwein, THE PLANET went online to review the latest posted annual report. It’s a 76-page document, full of interesting facts, suppositions, and assertions. As a way of continuing to […]

November 30, 2011 56 Comments

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CHRISTMAS TREE AND HOLIDAY CAROLS (NO WISE MEN, NO VIRGINS, BUT PLENTY OF ASSES) … THE CONS AND PROS OF METH CLINIC … plus … DR. JAKE SHOWS UP AND ADMITS PLANET WAS RIGHT ON BUDGET ANALYSIS…

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary —————————————————- Tree Lighting Ceremony on Friday (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, NOV. 29, 2011) — In keeping with the hurry-up nature of the season, which has been rushing you along into Bing Crosby Christmas since the day after Halloween, THE PLANET tells you that the annual lighting of […]

November 29, 2011 35 Comments

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SUPT. EBERWEIN ANSWERS THE PLANET, TOUTING CITY’s ‘OUTSTANDING’ SCHOOL DEPT. … WHY STIMULUS MONEY SPENT ON SCHOOLS HURTS THE ECONOMY … and GIVE ME LIBERTY OF GIVE ME METH: KROL PETITION AIMS TO CUT METHADONE CLINICS OFF AT THE PASS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, NOV. 28, 2011) — In case you missed it, Pittsfield School Supt. Jake Eberwein sent THE PLANET a lengthy commentary in reaction to our recent series on city schools. Several posters commented on his message, and Eberwein has, to his credit, engaged them […]

November 27, 2011 50 Comments

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PLANET GIVES YOU THE TRUTH ON UNFUNDED LIABILITIES, HOW THE PROBLEM IS WORSE THAT REPORTED, AND THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT’s CONNECTION TO THE IMPENDING DISASTER

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, “BLACK FRIDAY” NOV. 25, 2011) — No. We shall not buy a single item today. We choose to keep our souls intact, to stay out of the consumeristic tidal pull, and enjoy a day for itself (and not for what we can buy). We […]

November 25, 2011 63 Comments

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A HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL, FROM THE PLANET … plus … OUR CONTINUING EXPOSE OF ‘THE GAME’ BEING PLAYED IN THE NAME OF PUBLIC EDUCATION (CLUE: ‘It’s not about ‘The children’ … It’s about ‘the money’).

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING, NOV. 23, 2011) — First item of business is to wish everyone reading this website a happy, healthy Thanksgiving Day. On the air this morning at “Good Morning, Pittsfield” with my Rt. Hon. Good Friend John Krol (unanimous winner in […]

November 23, 2011 65 Comments

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SCHOOL DEPARTMENT’s $82 MILLION CHUNK OF PITTSFIELD’s BUDGET YIELDS PRECIOUS LITTLE IN RETURN … PLANET PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON THE CHICANERY … plus … WILL IT GO ‘ROUND and ‘ROUND? MANY HOPE SO FOR THE BERKSHIRE CAROUSEL PROJECT

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, NOV. 22, 2011) — How top heavy is the current school department in the city of Pittsfield? Consider this: Today, there are a little more than 6,000 (6,016) students in Pittsfield public schools. A generation ago, there were more than 12,000. Nonetheless, despite […]

November 22, 2011 39 Comments

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!!BULLETIN RECOUNT CONFIRMS LOTHROP WIN IN WARD 5!! … PLANET FORCED BORING BROADSHEET’s HAND ON ARMITAGE … COPS AS THUGS NOT ACCEPTABLE … WARD 5 RECOUNT TODAY … plus … THE TRUE COST OF RUNNING PITTSFIELD PUBLIC SCHOOLS

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD 1 NOV. 21, 2011 Lothrop Win Holds Up in Recount This just in from city clerk Linda Tyer: Jonathan Lothrop‘s six-vote win over Joe Breault in the Ward 5 race has stood, as THE PLANET predicted, and J-Lo is now officially re-elected. In the recount, Lothrop […]

November 21, 2011 44 Comments

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CUSTOMER IS KING AT CARR’S … MORE ON MONDAY’S WARD 5 RECOUNT … plus … JOSH CUTLER COMMENTS ON THE ELECTION TALLY: A LOOK BACK, A LOOK AHEAD

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, NOV. 18, 2011) — With BJ’s Wholesale Club being the lastest Big Box to further erode the market base for the dwindling number of Mom and Pops in the area, let us salute one store that exemplifies the battle. Carr Hardware has been […]

November 18, 2011 47 Comments

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COUNTERPOINT: THE CASE FOR J-LO AS COUNCIL PREZ … PLANET PREDICTS NO CHANGE AFTER WARD 5 RECOUNT … & THE EV WORLDWIDE CON KING SENTENCED IN FEDERAL COURT

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, NOV. 17, 2011) — Nothing is ever as it seems in politics, especially the inbred nature of Pittsfield politics. “Inbred” in this case refers to the narrow confines of the city when it comes to connections, links, and this-one-knowing-that-one … to say nothing […]

November 17, 2011 26 Comments

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MORE ON ‘THE INCIDENT AT MAZZEO’s’ … plus … PLANET RECOMMENDS SHERMAN AS NEXT COUNCIL PRESIDENT … and … COUNCIL SHOULD ADOPT A NEW RULE BOOK

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16, 2011) — For whatever reason, my Right Honorable Good Friends councilors John Krol and Jonathan Lothrop have drawn the ire and the fire of many Dan Bianchi, Melissa Mazzeo, and “Alternate” supporters. It’s an interesting phenomenon to observe, and it appears […]

November 16, 2011 56 Comments

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STOREFRONT AFFRONTERY or WHY THE BORING BROADSHEET HAS LOST ALL CREDIBILITY … plus … TOWN OF LEE TAXPAYERS HOSED, SAYS THE STOOLEY … PLANET LAUDS MARCHETTI DECISION … and PLANET HAS SCOOP ON ‘THE INCIDENT’ AT MAZZEO’s

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD #1 11/15/11 Sherman Adds to Our Understanding of ‘The Incident at Mazzeo’s’ If you scroll below to the last item, you will see the disclosure of an incident that happened on Election Night at the victory celebrations for Dan Bianchi and Melissa Mazzeo. John Krol, Barry […]

November 15, 2011 65 Comments

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PLANET !!EXCLUSIVE!! … STATE’S SHOCKING LETTER REVEALS DOUBLE-DEALING OF PITTSFIELD’S SCHOOL BUILDING NEEDS COMMISSION … YOU WON’T READ ABOUT THIS IN THE BB!

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, NOV. 14, 2011) — John Krol, Sally Douglas, Paul Raverta, Carmen Massimiano, Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Lou Costi, Peter Marchetti, Floriana Fitzgerald, Patrick Mele Jr., Cheryl Bethel, John barber, Ernie Fortini, Kathleen Amuso, Jake Eberwein, Lisa Buchinski, JoAnne Soules, Keith Babuszczak, Frank LaRagione, Guy Pannesco, […]

November 14, 2011 59 Comments

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