Planet Valenti

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, SEPT. 15, 2011) — Bits and pieces of the now-notorious Pittsfield Triple Murders continue to float in the air, in reality, and in cyberspace. Capeless Deserves Some Slack — If and only until evidence to the contrary emerges, the most credible source of […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 14, 2011) — Sources within a local law enforcement agency have told THE PLANET that prior to his murder, David Glasser, who was to be the prosecution’s star witness in the trial of Hell’s Angels’ member Adam “Leo” Hall, made multiple requests […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, SEPT. 13, 2011) — We received a lot of mail (and several comments for posting here on THE PLANET) concerning yesterday’s column. We share two typical responses, each with permission. We hit a nerve. THE PLANET can tell, objectively, when our readership spikes. […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary TRIPLE MURDER SHOCKS BUT CONFIRMS: ‘IT’s OVER’ (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, SEPT. 12, 2011) — “This is the Third World.” Thus a friend and Pittsfield resident described the murder of three men, the so-called Hell’s Angels case.  THE PLANET will not comment on the details of the […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary Joe’s in, Dan Maybe, but Where the Heck is Pete? (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, SATURDAY, SEPT. 10, 2011) — As most of you know, THE PLANET invited The Big Three mayoral candidates — Peter Marchetti, Dan Bianchi, and Joe Nichols — to an informal “discussion” on issues. It […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, SEPT. 9, 2011) — In connection with the story we ran yesterday about the Pittsfield Colonials not returning to the city in 2012, a commentator asked if we had contacted managing partner Buddy Lewis or anyone else in the organization. The answer is […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary !!EXCLUSIVE!! (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, SEPT. 8, 2011) — THE PLANET has learned that representatives of two college baseball summer leagues have contacted the city of Pittsfield expressing an interest in playing their home games at Wahconah Park for the 2012 baseball season. This is significant news […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary Tighten the Belt (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 7, 2011) — You can always make do. That’s a lesson THE PLANET learned early in life from our parents, who grew up in the Depression and understood the twin concepts of adaptation and value. They appreciated what they […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD ONE, SEPT. 6, 2011 We break into our regular post to inform you that Joe Nichols is the first mayoral candidate to accept our invitation of an informal gathering of The Big Three corner-office hopefuls. Nichols wrote: I would be happy to participate in such a […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY LABOR DAY, SEPT. 4, 2011) — THE PLANET was wrong. Jim Gleason, Jeffrey Turner, and everyone else who at this address as commentators never got on board with the Pittsfield Colonials were right. The Colonials critics and the realists about professional baseball in […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, SATURDAY, Sept. 3, 2011) — FIRE STARTS UP AGAIN … KIND OF. More information emerged in the past few days about the problematic contract talks between the firefighters union local 2647 and the city of Pittsfield. You may recall that THE PLANET posed several questions […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FRIDAY, SEPT. 2, 2011) — In what can be considered the first true salvo of Campaign ’11, Mayoral Division, Dan Bianchi’s campaign manager slammed the platitudinous nature of Peter Marchetti’s website “Platform,” labeling it vague and self-evident. “[Marchetti’s platform]says nothing,” said Owen Davis, Bianchi’s […]

By CHAD COOPER Special to PLANET VALENTI Sports (BROCKTON, Mass., GAME OF SEPT. 1, 2011) — The Pittsfield Colonials broke open a tie game with a three-run sixth inning and David Qualben tossed 7.2 strong innings as the Colonials moved to within one win of the playoffs with an 8-4 victory over the Brockton Rox […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI Arts PLAY REVIEW: “Birthday Boy,” a world premiere produced by the Berkshire Theatre Festival, Unicorn Stage, Aug. 30-Oct. 16. (STOCKBRIDGE, Mass., THURSDAY, SEPT. 1, 2011) — In addition to the complimentary coffee offered by the Berkshire Theatre Festival’s congenial staff prior to the opening of BIRTHDAY BOY last night at […]

By CHAD COOPER PLANET VALENTI Sports (BROCKTON, Mass., GAME OF TUESDAY 8/31/11) — The Pittsfield Colonials and Brockton Rox locked up in a pitcher’s duel from start to finish, with the Rox making two early runs hold up in a 2-0 Brockton victory. The Colonials magic number to clinch a playoff spot remains at three. […]

By DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary ADD ONE, 8/31/11 As we said we would, THE PLANET sent out feelers to those who might be in the know on the persistent rumors that Berkshire Like will be pulling out of Pittsfield. We have heard back from one of our sources, who tells us: It’s […]