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MAYORAL RECOUNT: STRANGE DAYS ARE UPON US … or … WRINKLES IN THE RE-TALLY

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY NOV. 25, 2019) — With the mayoral recount going into the books, THE PLANET has picked up interesting developments. These wrinkles in the re-tally may escape other local media, but because of our presence in the offices of Berkshire County, through our Secret Squadron THE […]

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!!UPDATED!! MAZZEO RELEASES STATEMENT … SAFE SPACES: VOTE RECOUNT MONDAY … DA WANTS SHOOTING GALLERIES FOR JUNKIES … PPD ‘PRIORITIES’

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION NOV. 22-4, 2019) — Two days ago, a Pittsfield Police officer delivered a letter to Melissa Mazzeo. The letter said the mayoral recount will begin at 8:30 a.m. Monday in City Council chambers. As you know because THE PLANET scooped all […]

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!! UPDATED!! BEATLESQUE CONCERT FRIDAY! … plus … SHOCKING QUESTIONS RE: STUCK ELEVATOR HAUNT DEATH OF THS TEACHER

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ADD 1, THURSDAY NOV. 21 — Not even the dead are safe in Pittsfield. Last night, a thief or thieves broke into Devaney-Condron Funeral Home on 40 Maplewood Ave., stealing jewelry from the upstairs rooms. Police were called, and they began immediately interviewing the cadavers. The dead […]

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TYLER STREET LAB: A MONSTER FROM ITS SLAB BEGINNING TO RISE

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY NOV. 18, 2019) — There’s a vortex swirling in and around Pittsfield, especially city hall. Its gravitational spirals attract the most dubious kinds of “economic development.” THE PLANET is talking fly-by-nighters (damagatis patricatis muracas), the incompetent (beaconat et cinematicum), and projects that couldn’t […]

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!!BREAKING NEWS!! MAZZEO ACTS ON BALLOT TAMPERING CHARGE … DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES, BUT DO THEY VOTE?

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ADD 1, NOV. 14, 2019, mid-afternoon: THE PLANET has learned that after virtually non-stop consultations with  multiple lawyers and the legal department of the Secretary of State’s office in Boston, Melissa Mazzeo and her Team have been advised that if she eventually wishes to file charges of […]

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THE ELECTION IS OVER … OR IS IT? RUMORS CIRCULATE REGARDING VOTING IRREGULARITIES

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY 1st of a Two-Part Series (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY NOV. 13, 2019) — Try getting on an airplane without identification. Try obtaining a driver’s license without a set of I.D. documents fit for 007’s  attache case. Cashing a check? Better have your ID handy. Buying a six-pack […]

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ON VETERAN’S DAY, A SALUTE

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS COMMENTARY ADD 1 — Tomorrow, THE PLANET will post the first in a two-part series dealing with the mayoral race results. As you know, mayor Linda Tyer won re-election by 529 votes. Nearly 12,000 votes were cast. A 265-vote swing would have reversed the outcome, triggering a certain recount. […]

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HALLOWEEN HITLER WAS A STUPID STUNT, BUT YOU SHOULDN’T BE ‘OFFENDED’

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, NOV. 8, 2019) — Prepare yourself for this one. Be forewarned. Read it with the dispassion of intellect, not the spur of overreaction. THE PLANET calls your attention to a bizarre happening at a public school in Utah. It provides an important […]

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RIPPING IT, TRICKING IT, DEALING IT, FLOATING IT, BLACKING IT, TOGETHER-ING IT, DOME-ING IT, and OTHER RANDOM THOUGHTS

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY NOV. 7, 2019) — Today THE PLANET shares some random observations that entered our domain as fleeting thoughts. Here goes: Rip It — Some 41 people have died in ocean rip currents this year. Elizabeth Warren says if she become President, she will […]

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TYER VICTORY: WE SAW IT LONG IN COMING (OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT)

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY NOV. 6, 2019) — The day after the election, we all become smarter. That includes THE PLANET. We endorsed Melissa Mazzeo, but Linda Tyer prevailed. An endorsement is not a prediction, a distinction with an enormous difference most people do not make or […]

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VOTERS GO TO WORK TODAY … plus … ONE LAST CONSIDERATION FOR THE ELECTORATE

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, ELECTION DAY, 2019) — As you go to the polls today, THE PLANET wants to share a story about crime in Pittsfield. As an issue, it rivals the budget. It’s an issue that mayor Linda Tyer avoided during the campaign. By almost all measures, […]

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UGLY INCIDENT: TYER SUPPORTERS TARGET MAZZEO KIN … PLANET ENDORSES MELISSA MAZZEO FOR MAYOR

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY NOV. 4, 2019) — Tomorrow, voters go to the polls to elected a school committee (same old same old), a council (some changes), and a mayor (sea change). The key race  is for mayor, the city’s chief executive. The mayor determines the pulse […]

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TYER NIXED PLANET DEBATE, PULLED OUT OF GUEST COLUMN … MAZZEO ACCEPTS AND SCORCHES OPPONENT’S ‘HOLLOW PROMISES’

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION NOV. 1-3, 2019) — Let’s get this out of the way first. The needless and “snowflake” cancellation of Halloween by mayor Linda Tyer has led to a parental reaction that has been “vibrant and dynamic.” They howled to us, among themselves, […]

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SALT OF THE EARTH POURS DOWN ON CAPITOL HILL, PITTSFIELD’S DPW BUDGET, ROADS, & TAXPAYERS

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY [ED. NOTE: To inaugurate our updated site, THE PLANET will be publishing daily through the rest of the week. Today is one of the bonus columns. Make sure you tune into F this week then M-T (Election Day). It’s our way of again thanking our readers for […]

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FOR TYER, SCHOOL’s OUT … FOR MAZZEO, IT’S ‘BUDGET, BUDGET, BUDGET’

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, DATE, 2019) — There’s a brain-drain in the Pittsfield Public Schools, and if things “stand pat,” there will be no reasonable expectation the situation will magically correct itself, not with a selfish superintendent and a MIA school committee. Supt. Jason “JIV” McCandless tried to […]

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ASSESSMENTS: WHY DID MOST EVERYONE’S GO UP (INCLUDING MAZZEO) BUT THE MAYOR’S WENT DOWN?

BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY OCT. 28, 2019) — A brief housekeeping note starts us today. The launch of the new site went well overall. Transferring data from and to different servers always involves a few kinks. Mostly they have been addressed. We thank everyone for their patience […]

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