BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ED. NOTE — Breaking news for the Pittsfield Fire Department. Sources tell us that it will be hiring its first female fire fighter. The newbie currently volunteers in that capacity for the Lenox FD. THE PLANET finds that supremely and deliciously ironic given the tonic of our […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION OCT. 8-10, 2017) — At 1:20 a.m. Sept. 10 in the Fenn Street parking lot adjacent to the building that houses Lach’s Lounge, a 32-year-old Pittsfield man was shot multiple times. Judging by the cold bullet casings littering the ground and earwitness testimony, the gunman […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY OCT. 7, 2017) — In the glorified Trashcan that has become the city of Pittsfield, a tree falling in the forest with no one there to hear is heard by everyone. Conversely, gunfire, gangs, drug activity, and scumbags with firearms can engage in mayhem […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY OCT. 4, 2017) — The only silence you hear in the bedraggled city of Pittsfield comes from when the mayor, police chief, council president, and school committee chairwoman in that rank refuse to officially speak to the public through the press following yet […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY OCT. 4, 2017) — Our series on the Berkshire Museum‘s art sale put several planned topics on hold. Today we thought THE PLANET would handle them, albeit briefly. Then, on Sunday evening in Las Vegas, Stephen Paddock broke a window on the 32nd […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY ED NOTE 10-2-17 — THE PLANET shall be back tomorrow with a column on the mass murder in Las Vegas. (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY OCT. 2, 2017) — Sources close to Ground Zero inside the imploding Berkshire Museum (BM) tell THE PLANET that the “deeply conflicted” Board of […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY Part Four of a Series; Editor’s Note: THE PLANET is extending this series one more installment. (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, SEPT. 29-OCT. 1, 2017) — THE PLANET heard again from our inside source at the Berkshire Museum (BM), Sunny. He/she relayed how our series has been received by […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY SEPT. 28, 2017) — Bad politics (like there’s some other kind). That’s the two-word explanation for the disaster happening at the Berkshire Museum (BM) by its own suicidal hand. The BM’s crass plan to sell its treasures to the highest bidder — works of […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY Second of a Four-Part Series (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY SEPT. 27, 2017) — The avalanche of outrage over the Berkshire Museum‘s (BM) proposed sale of artwork — significant works by important artists, including two large, “marquee” canvasses by Norman Rockwell — descended so swiftly upon the hapless director […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY This is the first of a four-part series on the Berkshire Museum’s proposed sale of artwork. Also a program note: PLANET VALENTI TELEVISION comes back tonight at 6:30 p.m. with all new episodes. PV-TV’s shush kabob tonight skewers trash cans, gymnasiums at city hall, and the museum. […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY EDITOR’S NOTE: Today’s column on the Tyler Street trash cans was already warming in the hopper when THE PLANET heard the plaintive requests to address the Berkshire Museum’s planned sale of 40 works of art. Beginning tomorrow and running every day of the week, we shall present our […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION, SEPT. 22-24, 2017) — In his first address to the United Nations’ General Assembly, President Donald Trump told world leaders that North Korea will be “totally destroyed” if it attacks America or any of its allies. There’s no wiggle room in […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY SEPT. 20, 2017) — It’s come to this: ribbon cuttings for garbage cans. Cue the first three notes of “Taps.” Ba-Ba-Baaaaaa. What’s next as Mayor Linda “Trashcan” Tyer presides over the demise she has not only not addressed but has hurriedly hastened? Salutations for strip […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY Coming Wednesday: THE PLANET’s take on the Ribbon Cutting for … for … (we can hardly say it) … Tyler Street garbage cans … Wherein we find out if the mayor has (a) a sense of humor and/or (b) a thick skin. Either will suffice. TRUTH OUTSTRIPS […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THE WEEKEND EDITION SEPT. 15-17, 2017) — Once upon a time, a golden, flaming scroll descended from the heavens, and in its ashes one could read the words: How to Design Exasperating Traffic Patterns. And it came to pass that most cities rejected the sacred text, as […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY SEPT. 13, 2017) — Step into Mr. Peabody’s Time Machine for a journey back to 1982. In Pittsfield, a little company starts up with a couple-three employees. The company wants to build armored security vehicles for police, the military, governments, SWAT, and a […]
