BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, CHRISTMAS EVE, 2015) — There’s probably not a soul out there who has escaped the shadow of cancer, either directly or by watching a family member, loved one, or friend go through it. THE PLANET? Count us in this not-so-select number. Over the […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 23, 2015) — Happy Birthday, V- O_- \ = —. <3 <3 <3. With that coded reverse-coda dispatched, THE PLANET presents mayor-elect Linda Tyer‘s response to the AG‘s recent finding that the Pittsfield City Council broke the state Open Meeting Law on […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAY, DEC. 22, FIRST DAY OF WINTER, 2015) — First, an important announcement. THE PLANET knows of two beautiful, adorable kittens, from a litter of eight, that are in dire need of adoption. They are in a neglected state, and we need two angels […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, DEC. 21, 2015) — Terry Kinnas is Don Larsen on Oct. 8, 1956. He’s perfect. Kinnas is now 8-for-8 — Eight formal complaints of law breaking by city officials, and eight favorable rulings by the AG’s office. THE PLANET thinks its eight, but […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 2015) — So what happened at the Community ReStart meeting Tuesday night? THE PLANET shares this Facebook post: Go PittsfieldCommunity Restart- Info Meeting & Send off for terminated Director Paul Deslauriers “In the end, the meeting as advertised in the agenda […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 16, 2015) — Today THE PLANET steps back from the sewers of corruption and politics to bring you a baseball story — one that’s also a story of the resilience of the human spirit. We pass it along, hot from our good […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, TUESDAy, DEC. 15, 2015) — Tonight from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the second floor conference room at The Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield, the troubled agency Community ReStart has scheduled a meeting to announce yet another reorganization. The agency also plans to “honor” its former executive […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, DEC. 14, 2015) — What is going on at Community ReStart, the “not-for-profit” agency formerly known as Bershire Co-Act? THE PLANET and many others want to know. About three weeks ago, the agency announced that it had parted ways with its director for the […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY Fifth of Five Parts (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, DEC. 11-13, 2015) — This is how stupid the “Profiles in Cabbage” Pittsfield School Committee is. After the fight at the skateboard park across from PHS on Appleton Avenue and East Street, the cabbages want to padlock the […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY Part 4 of a Series (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2015) — Yes, THE PLANET said Three Parts to the series on the phony deal authored by the Pittsfield School Committee in the teachers’ contract. Kathy Yon — a.k.a. Lady Boots The Betrayer — signed for the Pittsfield […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY Last of a 3-Part Series (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 9, 2015) — In the first two parts of this series, we examined how The Suits tried to hide the salary increases for teachers and other school department personnel (16.2 to 18.2%, revised upward based on more […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY Second of Three Parts (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, 2015) — This is the story of The Chase. The Chase for public information. That should be easily available. But it’s not. Hidden ‘Public’ Information The Pittsfield School Department and School Committee have hid it from public […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY First of 3 Parts (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, MONDAY, DEC. 7, 74th ANNIVERSARY OF PEARL HARBOR) — The two most salient facts about the new contract signed by the city of Pittsfield — “representing” taxpayers, and the United Educators of Pittsfield, Representing the Pittsfield’s largest special interest group (SIG), […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEEKEND EDITION, DEC. 4-6, 2015) — Let’s close another productive week on THE PLANET with some Quik Hitz and Hot Lix. Most Black Lives Matter, but Some? Well … — In Chicago Black Lives Matter protesters blew whistles into police officers’ faces, destroyed a municipal […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 2015) — THE PLANET reported this first, that the Polymer Processing Development Center (PPDC) once of GE Plastics progeny and now of Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (Sabic), will be shuttered. The move was confirmed yesterday in a report in Plastics News, […]
BY DAN VALENTI PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY (FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 2, 2015) — Sources connected to District Attorney David Capeless‘ office tell THE PLANET they expect Capeless to “go full bore with criminal charges, and not just a slap on the wrist” in connection with theft charges lodged against just-fired former city cop […]
