Andrea Nuciforo Jr; Blogger Dan Valenti; Jon Melle's unedited blog post

 Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior aka "Luciforo" aka "Pittsfield's Pot King"

Blogger Dan Valenti - The publisher of the Planet Valenti blog about Pittsfield politics and beyond

July 24, 2023

Re: Dan Valenti's double standard

I tried to post my writings about people who were and are being treated harshly in Pittsfield politics and beyond on the Planet Valenti blog.  I thought that since blogger Dan Valenti has posted his justified writings about Pete White snubbing him and making unfair criticisms of his blog, and then Earl Persip snubbing him and making extremely harsh criticisms of his blog, then he would allow me to post my writings about how I and others have experienced similar mistreatment.  But I - Jon Melle - was wrong to think that blogger Dan Valenti would not edit out most of my posting on his blog, which is his right to do, or course.  I will put a new blog posting of my full writing on my own blog today if anyone wishes to read my thoughts about Pittsfield politics use of retribution, conflict, mean-spiritedness, vindictive vendettas, conspiratorial abuses, and the like.  Despite my post, I still empathize with Dan Valenti for the unfair and harsh labels that Earl Persip wrote about him on Facebook.  I believe that overall, blogger Dan Valenti means well, and he does an important service to the common people of Pittsfield and beyond.

Jon Melle

July 24, 2023

I feel bad for blogger Dan Valenti that he was disparaged so harshly by Earl Persip on Facebook; I defended Dan Valenti.  I felt bad for Andrea Harrington when blogger Dan Valenti wrote harsh words against her in 2022; I defended Andrea Harrington.

When politics devolves to people saying and writing harsh words against each other, it really means that it is not about politics anymore, but about conflict.

When I tell people and mental health professionals about my past experiences with Nuciforo in Pittsfield politics, they all say that while what happened to me back then took place in a political setting - as my father, Bob, was an elected Berkshire County Commissioner from 1997 to mid-2000 - that it was NOT about politics, but rather it was really mean-spirited and vindictive abuses against me and my family that went on for many years of my adult life, even after I moved away from my native hometown of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, to my current hometown of Amherst, New Hampshire, for the past a little less than 20 years.

My current mental health provider at the VA Medical Center in Manchester, NH, tells me that I have experienced "unusual events" in my life that most people do not experience in their lives.

While I enjoy following Pittsfield politics, including reading and commenting on Planet Valenti's blog, along with sending out my political emails, I have an aversion to career politicians, along with greedy registered lobbyists, especially when they mistreat people harshly for their own political and financial ends.

In my opinion, the most concerning thing in Pittsfield politics in 2023 is Mayor Linda Tyer's third husband, Barry Clairmont's, ongoing civil lawsuit against Melissa Mazzeo.  I am troubled by Mayor Linda Tyer's silence on the matter of free speech in Pittsfield politics, while she could also say that she loves her multimillionaire CPA third husband with an excessively big ego, his mansion in an elitist gated community, and their matching Lexus luxury cars in the postindustrial city with a distressed and extremely economically unequal community full of social services agencies, homeless residents, and violent crime that she has managed over the past a little less than 8 years.

Barry Clairmont gave Melissa Mazzeo an unfair choice.  He asked her to publicly apologize to him for publicly accusing him of being in the city clerk's office where ballots were stored close to the 2019 general election that his second wife, Mayor Linda Tyer, won that year.  Melissa Mazzeo declined to publicly apologize to him, and then he filed a civil lawsuit against her for allegedly defaming his character, which he claimed led to financial losses at his accounting firm.  Where is his accounting spreadsheet(s) and financial statement(s) proving his financial losses?

The aforementioned civil trial is scheduled to begin one month prior to the 2023 general election that two new mayoral candidates will be running in, which may impact the voters' decisions in the city election on November 7th, 2023.  The Pittsfield politics' "October Surprise" of 2023!

I believe that what I went through as the son of a well-meaning politician from Pittsfield was far worse than what the Boston State Democratic Party Officials did when they ran a homophobic smear campaign against Alex Morse prior to the 2020 primary federal election that U.S. Congressman (aka "PAC Man") Richie Neal won that year.  I believe that I went through far worse than what Barry Clairmont went through after the 2019 general election.

The local new media in Berkshire County has written news stories and editorials about Alex Morse and Barry Clairmont, but when it comes to me - Jon Melle - I am invisible because I do NOT count in this world!

Jonathan A. Melle

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August 3, 2023

Re: In memory of former Pittsfield State Rep. Tom Wojtkowski

I had dinner out with my dad, Bob, tonight (Thursday, August 3rd, 2023), and I told my father that Tom Wojtkowski passed away and that his obituary was online, which I showed to my dad on my smartphone.  I apologized to my dad for complaining about the Nuciforo/Wojtkowski family and the mean-spirited and vindictive conspiratorial political retribution they did to us over the past over 27 years now.

I told my dad that Tom Wojtkowski was a good man who did a lot of good work in politics.  I do not want to go down to my enemies' level.  I want to live at my own level of dignity in the short time of my life on Earth.  My dad said that he went through some of that, too, and he understood why I complained to him.

My dad said that he had a good relationship with the first Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Senior when he was a Pittsfield State Senator and then a Probate and Family Court Judge many years ago.  My dad said that he served on the Pittsfield School Committee with Tom Wojtkowski's wife, the late Anne Everest Wojtkowski (2014), who later was the first woman Mayor of Pittsfield.  My dad's career in the Pittsfield District Courthouse (late-1970 to early-2002) for a little over 31 years included seeing Attorney Tom Wojtkowski serve as a Defense Attorney many years ago now.

My dad's 3.5 years as an elected Berkshire County Commissioner from 1997 to mid-2000 included him serving along with the second Pittsfield State Senator Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior (1997 - 2006).  It was during the time when my dad, Bob, and the second Andrea Nuciforo Jr. served together when things became ugly for us in Pittsfield politics all the way east to the Boston Statehouse.

I understand that Tom Wojtkowski's sister married the first Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Senior, and that the second Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior is Tom Wojtkowski's nephew, and that his family came before my family in politics.  I wish that Tom Wojtkowski would have stopped the Nuciforo/Wojtkowski political family from persecuting me beginning when I was only 20 years old during the Spring 1996, which is over 27 years ago now in August 2023.  The Nuciforo/Wojtkowski political family never stopped hurting me, even after I relocated from Pittsfield (Massachusetts) to Amherst (New Hampshire) a little less than 20 years ago now.

I do not know what kind of people the Nuciforo/Wojtkowski political family really are, but I have felt the dark side of the aforementioned Pittsfield political family for a majority of my adult life.  I am 48 years old, and my dad is 79 years old now.  Both Tom & Anne Wojtkowski are passed away now.  Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior is 59 years old now.  I wish all that I have spoken out about, written about, and blogged about with the Nuciforo/Wojtkowski political family persecuting me and hurting my dad, Bob, many years ago now never happened.  Life is too short for people to engage in abusive conflict and political vendettas.

I wish to thank Tom Wojtkowski for all of his years public service.  I write this tonight in memory of former Pittsfield State Representative Tom Wojtkowski (1926 - 2023).  May he and his predeceased wife Anne both Rest in Peace.

Jonathan A. Melle

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"Former state Rep. Thomas C. Wojtkowski Sr., a champion of public education, is remembered as 'the ultimate extrovert'"

By Jane Kaufman, The Berkshire Eagle, August 3, 2023

PITTSFIELD — Dubbed the father of community colleges, former state Rep. Thomas C. Wojtkowski Sr. died Monday. He was 96.

A lifelong Democrat, Wojtkowski was an early supporter of Sen. John F. Kennedy and criticized the Berkshire County Democratic Party for failing to throw its weight behind his presidential run.

“I personally and my organization in Berkshire County intend to work until the last vote is cast for our party and the future of its promising young senator,” Wojtkowski said in a statement in March 1960. He drafted Peter Arlos to head that effort.

That same year, as a member of the NAACP, he joined a picket line in front of Pittsfield’s North Street F.W. Woolworth Co. protesting segregation in the South.

Wojtkowski helped write legislation that created community colleges across the state, with Berkshire Community College founded as the first in 1960. He himself had gone to college on the GI Bill — “the smartest social program,” he told his son.

He was elected to the state Legislature in 1953, having been the first male elementary school teacher in Pittsfield schools. In 1961, he made an unsuccessful run for state Senate, losing to Edmund St. John Jr. of Adams.

"Believing firmly in the ideals of the Democratic Party, I have tried to follow the humane and just principles of that party," Thomas C. Wojtkowski Sr. wrote in 1961. 

During that 1961 campaign, Wojtkowski wrote, “The future requires greater educational opportunity, it needs to reform our judicial and penal systems; it needs more efficient governmental procedures; it needs more economic protection for the average citizen, it requires the placing of issues above personalities.”

Wojtkowski served for six years on the House Ways and Means Committee, as well as the Committee for Agriculture, the Committee on Old Age and Pension Assistance, the Committee on Education and the Committee on the Judiciary. While serving as a state legislator, he attended law school at night, earning an bachelor's degree from New England Law School and later taking more than 30 graduate courses in Boston area law schools.

After he announced he wouldn’t run in 1972, he became counsel to the Ways and Means Committee and later associate counsel to the state House of Representatives, later serving as a lawyer in Pittsfield.

It was an unreliable 300 SL Mercedes Benz Gullwing that led to a fateful meeting for Wojtkowski.

Thomas C. Wojtkowski Sr. was proud of having been dubbed the father of community colleges.

Anne Everest, the first female student at Boston University’s College of Industrial Technology, was stuck in Pittsfield with her broken down car. At her mother’s suggestion, she hitched a ride to Boston with the 5th Berkshire District legislator. The couple was married at St. Charles Church in Pittsfield in 1962 and raised their two children in Pittsfield.

“My mom told me there was an instant connection,” said Dr. Marcella W. Bradway, the Wojtkowskis’ daughter.

At home, “I learned phone skills from the time I was a child,” Bradway said. “People just called the house with all kinds of issues.”

Both Bradway and her brother, Thomas C. Wojtkowski Jr., fondly remember trips to the Statehouse as children. They stayed in a rented apartment on Beacon Hill and Wojtkowski Jr. said his father placed him on his knee and told him to actually cast votes.

Bradway helped secretaries answer the phone in the House Ways and Means Committee office.

“After work we’d go rollerskating on the Esplanade,” she said.

On weekends, Wojtkowski headed home to Pittsfield and handled the outdoor chores, mowing the lawn, doing woodworking and carpentry. He taught Bradway to repair her bicycle tire and how to change oil.

In Pittsfield, the Wojtkowskis frequently offered hospitality to state officials.

“He would always put people to work,” Bradway said. “He’d have the attorney general or [Gov.] Mike Dukakis helping him cutting down a tree.”

Both children were destined to attend Berkshire Community College following their graduation from Taconic High School. In her first week at BCC, Bradway decided to become a doctor.

While Wojtkowski would have liked his son to pursue public service, “That’s just not how I’m wired,” Wojtkowski Jr. said. He became a mechanical engineer.

When Anne Everest Wojtkowski decided to run for mayor, it may have been her husband who inspired her, Bradway said. She served from 1987 to 1991.

“He loved the fact that she was mayor,” Bradway said. “He just thought it was so cool that she was doing community service. That really was at his heart.”

Bradway described her father as “the ultimate extrovert.”

While living in Boston, he offered hospitality to Sara J. Nuciforo, his niece, who was in her first year of medical school in Boston, making her breakfast every day.

Andrea Nuciforo Jr. said his uncle was “such a gem. He was just such an approachable and relatable person.”

The two often rode together to Boston from Pittsfield when Nuciforo was a state senator and Wojtkowski was working in the Statehouse. On those rides, Wojtkowski shared historical perspective.

“He said to me, in 18 years on Beacon Hill, he never voted against a minimum wage,” Nuciforo said. “He used to talk all the time about the importance of a good reputation. Your word is your bond. If you can’t commit to it, say so. Without credibility you can’t accomplish much.”

Wojtkowski was born in Pittsfield on Sept. 18, 1926. He was the sixth of 13 children of Frank and Anna (Yuhaski) Wojtkowski. His father worked in the dairy business.

“It was a hardscrabble first-generation experience,” Nuciforo said of the Wojtkowski siblings' childhood. His mother, Irene "Batesy" Nuciforo, was Wojtkowski's sister.

Wojtkowski graduated from Pittsfield High School in 1944 and served as a pharmacist's mate aboard the U.S. Navy minesweeper USS Barbican in the Pacific Theater from 1944 to 1946.

He earned an associate degree from Champlain College in Plattsburgh, N.Y., and a bachelor’s degree in education from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

In June 1999, the Wojtkowskis were separately honored at commencement at BCC, where she taught engineering for many years.

A photographer for The Eagle snapped a photo of the couple as she leaned in to him during the ceremony. Bradway thinks she knows what was on her mother’s mind in that moment.

"The conspiratorial thing," she said, "was 'What can we do now to make things better?'"

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Letter: "Tom Wojtkowski made me a better lawmaker"

The Berkshire Eagle, August 4, 2023

To the editor: I was very sad to hear of the passing of former state Rep. Tom Wojtkowski. ("Former state Rep. Thomas C. Wojtkowski Sr., a champion of public education, is remembered as 'the ultimate extrovert'," Eagle, Aug. 3.) 

When I was first elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives more than 20 years ago, I fondly recall seeing him at the Statehouse every day. I would visit him in former Sen. Andrea Nuciforo’s office, where Tom was given a desk of his own. He did research for the office all on his own time, which I thought was remarkable. After Andrea left, I would visit Tom in the Statehouse Library where he did the same. Tom loved state government and always believed that we as legislators were there to help people. He taught me more than he may ever know, and I will forever cherish the conversations that we had.

I became a better public servant by following Tom’s lead. Whenever I show people around the Statehouse, I love pointing out the portrait of Gov. Foster Furcolo who signed the Community College legislation, establishing Berkshire Community College as the first in the commonwealth. Tom Wojtkowski doesn’t get nearly enough credit for the work that he did to get that legislation across the finish line, but I remind people all the time that it was Tom who actually wrote the bill that became law.

Tom was a great man. He was, in many ways, the de facto dean of the Berkshire delegation, always going out of his way to ensure that new legislators were supported and could be successful. He loved the Berkshires and had a vision for how to make our community better. Every legislator should follow his example I will miss him, but I remember the stories he shared with me. I will miss his history lessons. I will do my best to follow his example as I walk the halls of the building that he loved so dearly. Rest in peace to a man who lived an extraordinary life, represented the best of public service and touched so many lives along the way.

William “Smitty” Pignatelli, Lenox

The writer is the state representative of the 3rd Berkshire District.

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August 4, 2023

Re: Smitty Pignatelli is not "a better lawmaker"!

Lenox State Representative Smitty Pignatelli wrote a letter praising the late Tom Wojtkowski, who was a Pittsfield State Representative on Beacon Hill many years ago.  Smitty Pignatelli's letter is flawed because he is not "a better lawmaker"!

Smitty Pignatelli has been a corrupt career politician in the Boston State House of Representatives for over 20.5 years now.  He has always voted down Sunshine Laws that would open the state's "cooked books" to rules reforms.  He has even stated that he openly supports the closed-door corruption and secrecy led by the top-down State House Speaker(s) because it efficient.

Smitty Pignatelli has happily accepted countless public pay raises plus perks.  In early-2017, Smitty Pignatelli voted for the outrageous 40 percent state legislative pay raise bill.  Also, Smitty Pignatelli voted for House Speakers Tom Finneran and Sal DiMasi, who later became convicted Felons due to their corruption in state government.

Smitty Pignatelli supports GE's misguided proposal to supposedly cleanup the polluted Housatonic River from Pittsfield down south to Great Barrington, which includes GE putting a capped "leaky landfill" full of industrial chemicals called PCBs in Lee.  Capped toxic waste dumps are time limited.  After a period of time, the caps always all fail, and then the PCBs will again spread in the Housatonic River in the future.  Capped landfills must be monitored from day one.

GE's proposal is to put its capped "leaky landfill" inside of a watershed in the Housatonic River in Lee that borders Lenoxdale.  The capped toxic waste dump is too close to the October Mountain aquifer.  The people who live in the area are protesting Smitty Pignatelli's support for GE over his constituents.

Smitty Pignatelli's college degree is in Finance.  GE has not made a financial commitment to its proposed cleanup of the Housatonic River, which will cost at least $576 million and take 15 years to complete once it starts after years of litigation in federal court.  Shouldn't GE's unfunded promise to his legislative district be a red flag to this "financial genius" who has long enriched himself at the public trough?

Smitty Pignatelli writes op-ed about the Berkshires' shrinking tax base with the past 50 years of thousands of lost living wage jobs and diminishing population numbers while the local tax burden increases without ever once looking at himself in the proverbial mirror as a failed corrupt career politician who voted for hundreds of millions of dollars in state tax breaks for Boston area big businesses that has nothing to do with his mostly rural legislative district in the beautiful Berkshires.

Smitty Pignatelli writes lofty op-eds in Western Massachusetts newspapers that belie his real failed public record in Boston, which is being a rubber stamp bureaucrat for the corrupt State House Speaker on Beacon Hill.  Smitty Pignatelli's real public record in Boston is one of doing many DISSERVICES against the common people and taxpayers.

Smitty Pignatelli writes that then Pittsfield State Senator Andrea Nuciforo Jr.'s Uncle Tom Wojtkowski had a desk in his Boston Statehouse office back in 2003 when Smitty Pignatelli began his political career in the State House.  But 3 years later in 2006, Nuciforo had to step down from his State Senator elected position because he was allegedly illegally double dipping as the Chair of the State Senate Finance Committee while at the same time serving as a private corporate Attorney for Boston's big banks and insurance companies under the Boston Law Firm named Berman and Dowell.  That is not something to omit!

Smitty Pignatelli represents the WORST in state government!  Smitty Pignatelli is a phony!

Jonathan A. Melle

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Letter: "Tom Wojtkowski was always there for me"

The Berkshire Eagle, August 8, 2023

To the editor: I'd like to echo the heartfelt remarks of Smitty Pignatelli ("Letter: Tom Wojtkowski made me a better lawmaker," Eagle, Aug. 4) upon the passing of former state Rep. Tom Wojtkowski.

Tom was a remarkable legislator, public servant and grand historian of both state and local political affairs. (Smitty's dad, John, was of the same mold.)

As a senior at St. Joe in March 1959, I had the privilege of representing my school at student government day at the Statehouse in Boston. I boarded a train from the grand old Pittsfield station and arrived in Boston, where Rep. Pat Callahan, whose seat I would take the next day, had arranged for a room for me at Boston's famous Parker House. The following morning, a short walk to the Statehouse brought me together with fellow students from schools throughout the commonwealth. There to greet the contingent from the Central Berkshire districts was a young state representative from Pittsfield, Tom Wojtkowski.

What might have been an overwhelming experience for a young lad from the Berkshires became a great opportunity as Tom took the four of us under his wing and gave us a grand escorted tour of the entire Statehouse, which also included meeting the governor in the executive office. At lunchtime, Tom was there to bring us to the cafeteria and make sure we were all fed (on the commonwealth).

Tom met with us again at the afternoon break and arranged a meeting point at the close of the day and offered the four of us a ride back to Pittsfield. We loaded ourselves into the famous Wojtkowski station wagon and set off for the Berkshires. But Tom had additional plans for us. He drove to a famous Boston steakhouse where he treated us to dinner. Unfortunately, this was a Friday and 1959, and he gently reminded those of us who were Catholic, including Tom himself, that we had to order fish. Representing St. Joe, I didn't have much choice. But the memories of that wonderful day remain with me these many years later.

Tom's narrative about government and public service, and the passion with which it was spoken lit a spark in me that even after college and early career to IBM led me to consider running for a public office. Tom was always there for me in my future political ventures. I will miss his advice, memories and friendship.

Joseph W. Ryan, Pittsfield

The writer is a former president of the Pittsfield City Council.

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August 5, 2023

Hello editor(s) of the Boston Herald newspaper,

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's so-called enemies list has been and is the subject of the Herald's news coverage and commentary.  There is another political resident of Boston who is a former Pittsfield State Senator (who really lived in Boston), and he is also known as Pittsfield/East Boston's Pot King named Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior who practiced retribution against innocent people, including yours truly: Jon Melle.  I have written countless letters to the Herald about Nuciforo's persecution of me since I was 20 years old during the Spring of 1996 that went on for many years of my adult life.  It amazes me that every other Democratic Party career political hack is called out for their uses of retribution against innocent people, but not my enemy #1: "Luciforo"!

Jonathan A. Melle

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August 6, 2023

Hello Erin Leahy at Act on Mass,

I had a Sunday brunch at my favorite diner in my hometown off Amherst, NH, today (August 6th, 2023); my native hometown is Pittsfield, Massachusetts - which I believe is systemically mocked by the elitist snobs in Boston, especially with the multibillion-dollar state lottery SCAM.  The Have Not named "Jon Melle" who is originally from Pittsfield is the perfect illustration of Beacon Hill lawmakers mocking the common people with their financial shell games and (voluntary) regressive taxation schemes such as the Massachusetts State Lottery SCAM.

During my Sunday afternoon brunch, I sat with my elderly friend who is in his early 80s.  He and I love to talk about financial issues at the local diner.  One of the young bussers of restaurant tables sat down with us.   She is going into her senior year of high school next month.  She was curious about finance.  I wrote her a brief note on a scrap piece of paper.  I wrote to her: "Finance is all about compound interest".  "The 'Rule of 72': 72/6 percent interest = 12 years of compound interest to double your money."  I gave her my note, and I told her that if she holds onto my note over the next 10 years of her young adult life, she will come to understand the crux of finance.  I asked her if she knew what I wrote on my note.  She said no.  My thoughts on financial literacy are that it is so simple to teach young adults in high school, but many adults are financially illiterate throughout part, most or all of their lives.

My story I am writing to you about today leads me to my thoughts on your "Saturday Scoop" political email yesterday.  You, Erin Leahy, wrote that the online lottery legislation was not in the one-month late fiscal year 2024 Massachusetts State Budget.  What you did not write is that the state lottery is nothing more than (voluntary) regressive taxation.  You also did not write that the 50th year of the Massachusetts State Lottery SCAM produced record profits, which state leaders had the nerve to brag about last month.  You also did not write that the state lottery inequitably targets the mostly financially illiterate low- to moderate-income financially constrained residents who have no idea what is really going on here.  You also did not write that the state lottery is misleading because nationally, it only increases state aid financial numbers by 1 percent on average, while 99 percent of the inequitable state lottery revenues go to the high-income residents and big businesses.   You also did not write that on Beacon Hill, the corrupt career politicians represented by the fictional State Representative Sellout Shakedown use the state lottery's inequitable profits to giveaway many millions of dollars in additional state tax breaks to their wealthy campaign donors to enrich themselves, the greedy lobbyist such as state pensioner Dan Bosley, and the financial and corporate elites at the public trough.  You also did not write that while most to all of the multimillion-dollar state tax breaks go to the top 1 percent, which does not benefit most areas of the state, especially in mostly rural Western Massachusetts, state lottery tickets are sold everywhere in Massachusetts.

I agree with your public advocacy for Sunshine laws and a would-be equitable and accessible state government in Massachusetts.  The state lottery SCAM is the perfect illustration of everything that stands as the exact opposite of your public advocacy work on behalf of all of the people and taxpayers in Massachusetts.  Please keep up your good work, Erin Leahy!

Best wishes,

Jonathan A. Melle

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August 6, 2023

In Massachusetts, the latte drinking limousine riding liberals are given a pass for being unable to help the underclass and the vulnerable children who suffer under family poverty and community violence.  The latte limousine liberals are socially liberal, but when it comes to the Almighty Dollar, they are just as greedy as everyone else.

The Boston Herald published two letters concerning the social crisis on "Mass and Cass".  Meanwhile, Beacon Hill lawmakers are sitting over $7.22 billion in surplus state dollars, which is the largest Slush Fund figure in the over 400-year history of Massachusetts.  Meanwhile, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is being questioned over her so-called enemies list - like retribution in Massachusetts politics is unheard of?  [Not by me - Jon Melle, of course!]

I read a news article that Governor Maura Healey will be making her first trip to Nantucket as the state's chief executive officer:

"Governor Maura Healey will be on Nantucket later this month to attend a political fundraiser that will be hosted by the island's Democratic state representatives [- along with the fictional Massachusetts State Representative named Sellout Shakedown and his greedy lobbyist friend named Dan Bosley, who is a state pensioner].

The reception is being held on Saturday, Aug. 19th [2023] at the island home of Ken Jarin and Robin Wiessmann, according to an invitation obtained by the Current. Tickets to attend the event range from $500 to $5,000."

Isn't Nantucket the wealthy island that billionaire John Forbes Kerry spends his summers on?  When John Kerry is sighted on the non-island parts of Massachusetts during the summer, people sarcastically say that John Kerry was sighted on the mainland, but lately he has been flying in the sky in his private jet like he is Zeus.  But rather than bolts of thunder, John Kerry spews HOT AIR to the world, which earns John Kerry eye rolls after eye rolls after eye rolls....

Joe Biden is known to summer on the islands off of Cape Cod, too.  The 46th U.S. President vacations in the home(s) of his billionaire campaign donors.  Joe Biden has raised more money from Wall Street and K Street in the Swamp - along with China, Ukraine and other foreign nations - than any other politician in U.S. history.  Elizabeth Warren must be proud of Joe Biden's lucrative campaign coffers because (sarcasm:) she stands for Main Street U.S.A.

I wonder if the "Mass and Cass" social crisis was located in a red state city instead of Boston, what would the liberal establishment write more about the ongoing humanitarian crisis?  But Boston is dominated by Democratic Party politicians so "Mass and Cass" is given a free pass for being unsolvable to Michelle Wu, Maura Healey, Elizabeth Warren, HOT AIR Ed Markey of Chevy Chase, Maryland, and our probably one-term sitting U.S. President Joe Biden.

Those latte limousine liberals!  All of them sure fit the definition and the illustration of GREED!

Jonathan A. Melle

Letters to the editor, By Boston Herald editorial staff, August 6, 2023

Mass and Cass

I agree that something must be done sooner rather than later over the malignant presence of the Mass and Cass homeless encampment (“Time to act on Mass & Cass,” Boston Herald, Aug. 1).  Actions always speak louder than words.

What once was an encampment along Melnea Cass Boulevard and across Mass. Ave. on the highway ramp headed north and south has now metastized  over to Southampton Street, Atkinson Street, up to Clifford Park and seemingly on hold at Edward  Everett Square by the giant pear at Columbia Road. Apparently, the city takes some action but then disappears and only returns when the numbers of homelessness swell up again as they always do.

You can’t seek a solution until you understand why the homeless keep returning to the same place over and over again.

Is the homeless crisis really about not having enough places for folks to live? Or are there a multitude of factors like substance abuse and mental illness that have created so many folks choosing to live on the streets rather than seek or accept housing?

When I first heard of the  proposed creation of a floating hospital-like solution I opposed it. However, at this point in time, it might be the only thing to do. There is no rebuilding of a Long Island facility any time soon. Not only would a new bridge need to be built but then the whole infrastructure out on the island would need rebuilding.

The choice is clear. Do nothing and nothing changes at Mass & Cass. Maybe, a floating treatment center/housing proposal might just work at least for now until the powers-that-be can come up with any other kind of plan.

I am an optimist, I believe that if Boston’s business community and Boston’s political class actually sat down together, we might see new ways of tackling this homeless street people crisis. We have a collection of problems to be solved.

Stop the sound bites and photo opps. The time is now to broach the idea of going back to the future with floating hospitals. This could be the solution or  at least bring us closer to the solution.

As the Boston Herald editorialized, “…the status quo along Mass & Cass does not need to be the norm.” It should not be the norm.

Sal Giarratani

East Boston

Sound the alarm?

What does it matter (‘Sound the Alarm,’ Aug. 03). This (Mass and Cass) has been going on way too long and if we “sound the alarm” we are only going to hear political posturing. The local politicians are never going to really address this issue, just politicize it.

Now I am not a big fan of Michelle Wu but what is Maura Healey’s responsibility with this issue? As far as I can remember she is the Governor of Massachusetts which includes Boston, unless that has changed.

Also, don’t we have two senators that oversee Massachusetts? Sorry, it is not involving climate change so they want nothing to do with it.

This is one of the easiest problems to solve and as you can see the politicians have no plan to solve it, just keep using it to get more federal money.

Michael Westen

Malden

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"Continue successful strategies at Mass. and Cass"

Letter, The Boston Globe, August 9, 2023

Mayor Michelle Wu says conditions at Mass. and Cass have reached a “new level of public safety alarm” and plans “‘to take a major step’ to address safety threats in the neighborhood” but has not yet elaborated (“Wu sounds alarm on Mass. Cass,” Page A1, Aug. 3). Meanwhile, public officials have called for increased law enforcement intervention and a warrant sweep, saying “it requires a public health and safety response” (”Criminals city’s focus for Mass. and Cass,” Page A1, Aug. 4).

Increased criminalization of people with substance use disorders increases risk of overdose, disrupts treatment plans and services, and hinders housing opportunities. Instead, resources should be devoted to transitional and permanent housing options and harm reduction and treatment programs. Tania Del Rio, director of the Mass. and Cass Response Team, noted the success of this approach, saying, “nearly half the people who were originally living at Mass. and Cass when Wu came to office have moved through transitional housing to permanent housing,” ultimately reducing the number of tenants at Mass. and Cass. Wu also notes the success of the services offered in the area as a reason why people stay close by.

It is not the time to diverge from methods with proven success. We need commitment to evidence-based public health approaches that center community treatment and housing.

Amelia Caramadre

Boston

The writer is is a legal fellow for the Action Lab at Northeastern University School of Law and a member of the Massachusetts Rights Coalition for Health.

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August 7, 2023

Hello blogger Dan Valenti,

I thought that Eric SwanSIN the SINNER was going to allege those homophobic salacious sex acts towards me - Jon Melle (I am not a homosexual), instead of against the former U.S. President Barack Obama.  I also thought that the Republican Party in the Swamp had another name: The MORAL HYPOCRISY Party!  We all have a Penis or a Vagina everybody.  We all like to ORGASM everybody.  We all have sexual interests everybody.  It doesn't matter if it is the three marriages and countless love affairs ultimate MORAL HYPOCRITE named Donald Trump, or the hunky love bug named Barack Obama.  Cultural Wars in Swamp politics are never-ending and do no nothing to help to better our messed-up society that the fringe media outlets like to broadcast for cheap, gratuitous political points and the Almighty Dollar.  Even Jesus Christ Himself said and THE BIBLE wrote that we are all sinners!

Jonathan A. Melle

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August 14, 2023

I look forward to blogger Dan Valenti's posts about Pittsfield politics' 2023 election season!  Also, Barry Clairmont's civil trial versus Melissa Mazzeo in two months.  I won't write that I - Jon Melle - went through far worse than anybody else in the modern history of Pittsfield politics all the way to the Boston Statehouse thanks to Pittsfield's Pot King because it would be redundant.  Only Pete and Pete are allowed to repeat and repeat.

Jonathan A. Melle

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August 14, 2023

Peter Marchetti likes to say, “One Pittsfield”, while he would have to take a pay cut to serve as mayor

John Krol is trying to make his mid-life comeback in Pittsfield politics

Karen Kalinowsky wants to collect her would-be mayoral salary that would be on top of her city pension plus perks because it would be a bad example of budgeting by necessity

Pete White wants to be the next City Council Prez

Earl Persip likes to label blogger Dan Valenti with harsh words

Barry Clairmont wants to sue Melissa Mazzeo in two months

Blogger Dan Valenti likes to call Pittsfield “Picklefield”

Jon Melle likes to write about: Barstool, Aberration, Rolodex, Bust, Gated Community, and the next mayoral nickname will be?

Jonathan A. Melle

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August 15, 2023

Predictable Pittsfield politics always raises municipal spending by at least 5 percent per fiscal year going back to when Larry Bird won 3 straight MVPs in the mid-1980s.  The "Big 3" - not Larry Bird, Kevin McHale & Robert Parish - in Pittsfield politics are the Public School, the Police and the Fire Department Unions.  Since the Larry Bird era Boston Celtics championship years in the mid-1980s, the Public School Union has received huge amounts of state and local funding only to see the Pittsfield Public School District labeled as Level 5 by the state.  Of course, unlike Larry Bird, Level 5 is the worst rating from the state.  The Police Union's budget has increased by millions of dollars, but the FBI's annual reports always cite Pittsfield in the top 10 cities by population in Massachusetts for violent crime.  During my graduate school studies in public administration many years ago now, the first and second things middle-class families look for in a community is the quality of the public school system and the public safety of the streets.  Of course, over the past 50 years, Pittsfield has experienced many thousands of people moving away from the distressed city, along with huge numbers of lost living wage jobs.  The question I ask is: Why does Pittsfield politics spend over $200 million per fiscal year in return for "a shit sandwich"?  It makes no sense, unless one is part of the state and local cabal of corrupt career politicians and the special and vested interests they serve - DISSERVICE - in government!

Jonathan A. Melle

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August 16, 2023

I should have gone the route of Dan Bosley who is a retired North Adams State Representative who collects his state public pension plus perks and double dips as a greedy registered as a lobbyist on Beacon Hill who legally bribes the fictional Massachusetts State Representative Sellout Shakedown with special interest campaign contributions to earn a his 6-figure salary that is on top of his state pension.  Then I would not be a Have Not.

I should have gone the Route of Richie Neal who is a Springfield (Massachusetts) Congressman who rakes in millions of dollars every two years from K Street corporate lobbyist firms in the Swamp.  Then not only would I not be a Have Not, but also, Dan Bosley would write countless letters to the editor of Western Massachusetts newspapers saying how great I am.

I am a Have Not because I have a good conscience, which means that I need to sleep at night instead of cashing in on big government by selling out the people and shaking down all of the wealthy campaign contributors.  At the end of the business day, I am NOT greed-ball Dan Bosley, and I am NOT PAC Man Richie Neal.

Jonathan A. Melle

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August 18, 2023

I - Jon Melle - am a 48-year-old man who is a 100% totally and permanently service-connected disabled Veteran who cares about mental health care.  This is what I read last week: The CDC reported that suicides reached an all-time high in the U.S.A.  This is what I read this week: two age groups reached historically high levels of drug use, as well as binge drinking of alcohol.  Marijuana and hallucinogen use and binge drinking reached historic highs among adults ages 35-50.  The other age group are adults ages 19 to 30.

Our country is experiencing severe crises in mental health care.  We need to start caring about each other again instead of only caring about the Almighty Dollar.  The corrupt career politicians are failing us with their greed and power that has led to endless disservices towards the common people and taxpayers they are supposed represent in government.  Please vote out all of the career politicians!

Jonathan A. Melle

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August 18, 2023

Career Politicians only like people who donate big bucks to their campaign coffers.  Greedy Lobbyists only like wealthy people who pay them big bucks - sometimes 7-figure salaries - to do their bidding in the Halls of Power in big government.  It is called CASHING IN at the public trough, while the common people and taxpayers pound sand.  But I do not live in Linda Tyer's Gated Community neighborhood within a few feet of Hancock.  I don't earn a living as a PAC Man on K Street in the Swamp.  I don't fly on billionaire John Kerry's private jet.  I guess I could ask the career politicians and greedy lobbyists who I write and blog about if they would be my friend, but I don't think it would work out well for me: The Have Not who is originally from Pittsfield (Mass.) who everyone knows and loves (except for Pittsfield's Pot King) known as Jon Melle.

Jonathan A. Melle

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August 19, 2023

Re: Jon Melle's sad story about how the Have Nots and Pittsfield are mistreated by the elitist snobs in Boston

I have heard stories about the Allendale Elementary School neighborhood and nearby areas of polluted postindustrial Pittsfield about children developing serious illnesses related to GE's industrial chemical waste called PCBs pollution over the course of my a little over 48-year life.  Pittsfield is GE's dump!  Pittsfield is an industrial chemical waste public health danger and disaster zone.  My mom, who turns 77 this Fall 2023, has Stage 4 cancer for life.  She was born, grew up and spent most of her life in Pittsfield.  There are cancer cluster neighborhoods near the former GE plants in Pittsfield.  The EPA, GE and the late Mayor Gerry Doyle sold out Pittsfield with the 2000 Consent Decree.

On top of all of this, Pittsfield charges taxpayers over $205.6 million fiscal year 2024 municipal budget in return for Level 5 public schools, the city always being in the top 10 cities by population in Massachusetts for violent crime, according to the FBI's annual reports, the 25-year-old polluted PEDA debacle that has millions of dollars in always increasing unfunded liabilities, Nuciforo's Berkshire Roots Pot Kingdom on Dalton Avenue stinking up nearby neighborhoods with his unpleasant pot growing odors with little to no action taken by the city, over one dozen empty storefronts on North Street, which is sarcastically referred to as "Social Services Alley" due to the sarcastically called "Ring of Poverty" distressed neighborhoods that surround dangerous downtown Pittsfield with its daily shootings by the over 1,000 gang members who live there, severe economic inequality with the only economic growth in the city is its always growing larger underclass, the Rolodex Godfather Jimmy Ruberto writing letters to the Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) from Naples, Florida and upscale Lenox, Mayor Linda Tyer living in a mansion in a Gated Community within a few feet from the Hancock border, Peter Marchetti running for Mayor and saying he would have to take a pay cut from his 35-year career at the local bank, John Krol running for Mayor by making questionable promises even though he says otherwise, and Karen Kalinowsky running for Mayor by saying she will cut city spending by budgeting by necessity, but not explaining to voters that she will still be collecting her city pension that would be on top of the $115,725 per fiscal year mayoral salary, which would double her city pension after she steps down from being the Mayor of Pittsfield politics.

The city's failed state and local leadership goes back generations to the mid-1960s, which is around 60 years of the fictional Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski family in Pittsfield being fed the same "shit sandwich" every year since LBJ was in the Oval Office.  They have to listen to Pittsfield State Representative Tricia Farley Bouvier tell them her single state legislative priority in Boston is the decriminalization of sex work.  They have to watch Becket State Senator Paul Mark be a banal rubber stamp for State Senate President Karen Spilka.  They have to deal with PAC Man Richie Neal only represent multimillion-dollar K Street corporate lobbyist firms in the Swamp, which have nothing to do with PAC Man Richie Neal's mostly rural Western Massachusetts-based Congressional District.  There is nobody who represents the fictional Kapanski family in local, state and federal government.

To illustrate, the Have Not originally from Pittsfield known as "Jon Melle" has a Master of Public Administration degree from UMass Amherst (May 1999), which means that I understand that Pittsfield runs on "Perverse Incentives" that allows the city government, big 3 public unions, and social services agencies to profit off of deleterious societal outcomes such as poverty, Level 5 public schools, inner-city violent crime, high per capita teen pregnancy and welfare caseloads, social services and not-for-profit agencies, and a scarcity of little to no living wage jobs for the average working person and family.

When I was a young man in Pittsfield, I spent a little over one year of my life searching for a job in Pittsfield with no success.  I felt that I had better odds of winning the state lottery jackpot than finding a job in Pittsfield.  Those are terrible odds!  Back then, if I told my sad story to Mayor Sara Hathaway, State Representative Peter J. Larkin or State Senator Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr., they would tell me to play the state lottery and hope to win big money if I needed cash.  Of course, the multibillion-dollar per fiscal year Massachusetts State Lottery is nothing more than a (voluntary) regressive taxation SCAM that was developed by supply side economists to target no- to low- to moderate-income residents like me - "Jon Melle"- in distressed cities such as Pittsfield.

After fiscal year 2023, Massachusetts state leaders and officials had the nerve to brag that the 50th year of the state lottery SCAM had record profits.  Studies of state lotteries around the nation showed that only 1 percent of state lottery profits go to public education and state aid to local government, while 99 percent of the profits go the top 1 percent of wealthy households and big businesses.  The corrupt career politicians on Beacon Hill use most of the state lottery's profits to giveaway huge multimillion-dollar state tax breaks to their wealthy campaign donors.  On top of that, the corrupt career politicians on Beacon Hill are sitting on an over $7.22 billion record surplus cash Slush Fund with no tax relief legislation in sight.

The point I wish to make is that the elitist snobs who run the corrupt and secretive state government in Boston are insidiously making a systemic mockery of Have Nots such as "Jon Melle" and distressed "Gateway Cities" such as Jon Melle's original hometown: Pittsfield.  In one word: DISSERVICES!

Jon Melle

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August 23, 2023

Hello Mayor Linda Tyer,

I read and watched a news story about the City of Manchester, New Hampshire, partnering with the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) to find solutions to the community's homelessness crisis.  I lived in inner-city Manchester, NH, for 4 years of my adult life from early-2005 to early-2009.  When I lived in Manchester, NH, I was at risk of homelessness.  In early-2009, I took out a 15-year VA backed mortgage for my condo unit in Amherst, NH, and I only have three more monthly mortgage payments left.  After my November 1st, 2023, mortgage payment, I will live rent free and mortgage free for the first time in my adult life of a little over 48 years.  Thank goodness.  I told my dad, Bob, that if my young women nieces were ever at risk of being homeless, I would sell them my condo unit for $1 because I do not want their adult lives to turn into a nightmare.  I would go back to being a renter, but I would look into living in a 55-year-old plus condo unit 7 or more years from now.  I support your mayoral leadership in my native hometown of Pittsfield (Massachusetts) because you care about the poor people, and you invest in people.  I also support your commitment to Human Rights and that you have a compassionate side to you.  If I ever read about a leader who matched my vision in government, it is you, Linda Tyer.  I have been a Linda Tyer supporter for 20 years now back when I lived in Pittsfield two decades ago.

Manchester announces partnership to help address homelessness (wmur.com)

https://www.wmur.com/article/manchester-homelessness-partnership-naeh/44882139

Best regards,

Jonathan A. Melle

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August 23, 2023

Sarcasm:

I was surprised when one of the candidates for president in the Republican Party debate tonight said that he has a Rolodex that he would use for his economic development initiatives.  Another candidate said he admired Pittsfield's Pot King, and if his campaign fails, he will grow and sell pot on Dalton Avenue in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.  Another candidate said that her number one and only priority is to decriminalize sex work because everyone likes a Happy Ending.  Another candidate said that mayors, governors and all of the other career politicians who live in Gated Communities should take in undocumented immigrants.  Another candidate said that the $32.7 trillion national debt is no match for supply side economics and Kufflinks' cooked books.

I thought that the candidates would have offered to cut their own public pay plus perks, but that would have been even more HOT AIR.  I thought that they would have said that they would represent the common people and taxpayers instead of Wall Street in NYC and K Street in the Swamp, but they all know that running for president requires raising big buck$.  If you don't believe me, then please ask the current U.S. President named Joe Biden who raises more money from Wall Street and K Street than any other career politician in U.S. history.  It pays for Joe Biden to have spent over 50 years of his corporate political career in the Swamp!

I didn't know that Hunter Biden was so important to the nation that one of the candidates said that he would put him in prison for one decade.  If Hunter Biden was behind bars, then we would have more Biden Buck$ in our pockets, and wings pasted on pigs would allow them to fly around Capitol Hill and The White House when they weren't flying around Allen Street and Pheasant Lane.  In closing, those 8 Republican Party candidates for U.S. President tonight made themselves look as good as Pittsfield politics' 25-year-old heavily indebted and polluted PEDA debacle.

Jonathan A. Melle

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August 25, 2023

I served our country honorably.  I received medals and commendations during my military service in the U.S. Army.  I received the regards of the U.S. President George W. Bush in a letter from the White House.  When I went to my VA hearing in Washington, D.C. over 19 years ago, the VA Judge stated that my hearing was ordered by President Bush.  My mother was with me if you do not believe me.  I am a 100 percent service connected totally and permanently disabled Veteran.  I go to the VA in Manchester, NH, for my health care.  I get along with my fellow Veterans and providers during my VA appointments.  I am a good person.  Other than Nuciforo's over 27-yearlong vendetta against my dad and I, I don't understand why some people say unfavorably words against me in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.  I love my native hometown of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.  I graduated from Pittsfield High School in June 1993, which is 30 years ago now.  I still have my high school diploma from PHS.  Go Generals!  Thank you.

Jon Melle

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August 26, 2023

Hello greedy lobbyist Dan Bosley,

Please read the news story about the New Hampshire State Lottery SCAM:

"NH Lottery breaks all-time sales record, generating $603 million in total sales in fiscal year 2023"

The Nashua Telegraph, August 24, 2023

CONCORD – The New Hampshire Lottery broke its all-time sales record in Fiscal Year 2023, surpassing $603 million in total sales, marking a 12% or $66.5 million increase from its record high of $536.5 million set the previous year. ....

I have followed your pro-big business political turned greed-ball lobbyist careers for many years now.  You are very intelligent about finance and governmental policies, which means that you know that state lotteries are the biggest and most inequitable SCAMS in history.  The state lottery is nothing more than (voluntary) regressive taxation that targets the underclass, working class, and the mostly financially illiterate no- to low- to moderate-income residents.  It is Robin Hood in reverse!

Greedy lobbyists like yourself like it when Massachusetts and New Hampshire state officials alike have the nerve to brag about their record profits in fiscal year 2023.  It allows greedy lobbyists like yourself to legally bribe the corrupt career politicians in state government to give their wealthy clients bigger state tax breaks.

Me - a Have Not known as Jon Melle - believes that state officials are systemically mocking people such as myself, as well as my economically distressed and very unequal native hometown of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, with the state lottery.  If I didn't study public administration in graduate school many years ago now, it would all go over my head, of course.

State lawmakers market the state lottery to "Jon Melle" and "Pittsfield" to raise state revenues so that they can enrich themselves and their wealthy campaign donors at the public trough, while "Pittsfield" always receives underfunded state aid for public education and local government services.

The state lottery SCAM is the worst of both worlds for me and Pittsfield alike, while it puts money into your greedy pockets.  Sarcasm: Congratulations, greed-ball!

In Truth!

Jonathan A. Melle

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August 27, 2023

In reply to "Gobsig's" post: "The state has found a way to tax stupidity with the lottery": The state lottery stands for everything that is wrong with the state government in Boston.

The government is supposed to have good men and women politicians who serve in elected office to represent the people and taxpayers in the state government.  When we pay state taxes, the state officials are supposed to use our limited tax dollars to invest in people, communities, and the efficient, effective and accountable management of state government resources.

The state lottery does the exact opposite of good governance.  Instead of treating the people and taxpayers as the state's most valuable resource, the lottery is a SCAM that takes advantage of the people and taxpayers.  After fiscal year 2023 ended on June 30th, 2023, state officials had the nerve to brag about the 50th year of the Massachusetts State Lottery posting record revenues and profits.

The state lottery is nothing more than an inequitable scheme to raise (voluntary) regressive taxation revenues from the people and taxpayers who can least afford it.  National studies on state lottery SCAMS found that only one percent of lottery funds go to public education and state aid to local government, while 99 percent of the lottery funds go to the top 1 percent of wealthy households and big businesses.  The lottery SCAM is a BIG LIE!

Enter greedy lobbyist Dan Bosley who never left Beacon Hill's corrupt and secretive Statehouse in Boston after he retired as a "North Adams" - who also lives in a residence in Boston - State Representative at the end of 2010.  It is pro big business turned greed-ball lobbyists such as Dan Bosley who salivate at the lottery's revenues and profits.  Why?  Because the more people who place "Sucker's Bets" on the state lottery's tickets and games means the more multimillion-dollar state breaks Dan Bosley is able to get for his wealthy clients who he lobbies for in return for his 6-figure lobbyist salary, which is on top of his state public pension plus perks.  Moreover, there are super-greedy lobbyists in Boston who earn 7-figure salaries to legally bribe the fictional Massachusetts State Representative Sellout Shakedown.

I am not opposed to gambling, but I do not like that gambling is structured into the state's regressive taxation revenues and profits.  I do not like that the state lottery targets "Have Nots" such as "Jon Melle" from "Pittsfield", who are mostly financially illiterate no- to low- to moderate-income people and taxpayers.  If I did not have a Master of Public Administration graduate degree from UMass Amherst (May 1999), I would not have studied these types of inequitable public policies and program, which means that it would all have gone way over my head - just like most of the "Have Nots" who live in "Pittsfield".

I believe that greedy lobbyists such as Dan Bosley and the elitist snobs like him in Boston are making a systemic mockery out of Have Nots such as "Jon Melle" from "Pittsfield" with the state lottery, along with all of their other financial and economic shell games that enrich the elites at the public trough, while "We the People" have to pound sand.

Jon Melle

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August 28, 2023

Re: How state "ethics" laws really work in Massachusetts

Does that mean that Pittsfield's Pot King's use of his political connections in Pittsfield and Boston since early-2017 will be subject to the Massachusetts "Ethics" Commission's conflict of interest rules, too?  I thought that the state's "ethics" laws only applied to the "John Krols" of the political world!  I thought that the tens of billions of dollars in state tax breaks that the corrupt career politicians in Boston's corrupt and secretive Statehouse giveaway to their wealthy big business campaign donors during every two-year state legislative session was "ethical" so long as the elites all get rich at the public trough, while we "Kapanskis" all get poorer.  What about Massachusetts' billionaire John Forbes Kerry, who in the first couple of months of 2021 had millions of dollars in investments in the oil and gas industry prior to becoming the nation's first climate change envoy who travels around the world in his gas guzzling private jet?  John Kerry is "ethical" because his Green New Deal policies have more than doubled energy prices in the U.S.A., while the U.S. Government sells its oil reserves to India and China and Joe Biden fist bumps MBS in Saudi Arabia on the world stage.  If John Krol is "unethical", then he must not have the class and status of Pittsfield's Pot King all the way up to John Kerry and Joe Biden!

Jonathan A. Melle

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August 29, 2023

Karen Kalinowsky collects a city public pension plus perks.  If she is elected to the position of the Mayor of Pittsfield politics, Karen Kalinowsky will collect the mayoral salary of $115,725 per fiscal year 2024 with future public pay raises through fiscal year 2027, which would be on top of her city pension public pay.  After Karen Kalinowsky would retire as the would-be Mayor of Pittsfield politics, her city pension would double in public pay.  Karen Kalinowsky's OPEB plus city public pension costs would cost taxpayers around $4 million if she lives to an old age of at least 85 years old.  To be clear, the only winner in this scheme would be Karen Kalinowsky.  That is NOT "Budget smart spirit" or "Budget by necessity"!  Rather, it is a local politician enriching herself at the public trough.  Dan Bosley tried to do the same or similar scheme in 2010 when he retired from his position as North Adams State Representative and campaigned for Berkshire County Sheriff.  Dan Bosley has collected his state pension for over one dozen years now, and he is a greedy registered lobbyist in Boston who cashes in on Beacon Hill with a 6-figure lobbyist salary.  Career politicians are the WORST!

Jonathan A. Melle

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Letter: "Stop protecting incumbents from elections"

The Berkshire Eagle, August 29, 2023

To the editor: Massachusetts lawmakers rarely face challengers for their seat.

In the 2022 election, 64 percent of state legislators were reelected without having to defend their record. Only one member of the Berkshire delegation faced opposition in the primary. Every member of the delegation was easily reelected or, even better, moved to the upper chamber. We have a one-party Legislature that, at great expense, does very little very slowly.

This is not good for democracy. The only way to hold our elected officials accountable to the will of the people they purport to represent is a robust campaign leading to a contested vote. Before we decide whom to support, we should weigh the incumbent’s record and plans for the future versus the challenger’s vision and ability to implement it. Incumbents should not be amassing forbidding war chests to ward off challengers.

Ask yourself when you are invited for the umpteenth time to donate to celebrate your legislator’s birthday, as if our representatives were celebrities instead of public servants, or for a picnic, or just because, why you are doing so. Are you unwittingly undermining democracy in order to stay in the good graces of your legislator? Are you buying access? A coveted spot on speed dial? Are you unwittingly helping them to preemptively ward off challengers?

Every member of our delegation has a lot of money in the bank; the total is well over $200,000, and yet they keep going back to the well. Just this week, I and many of you received an “invitation” to join our state senator at a “campaign” event at a bar on Beacon Hill. Suggested donation: $200 to $1,000. What “campaign”? Why in Boston, 150 miles away? More convenient for lobbyists and influencers?

For those concerned that American democracy is in deep trouble and want to know what we as individuals can do to improve the situation, here is a proposal, modest and realistic: Stop capitulating to the incessant trawling for “campaign donations” unless and until there is an actual contested campaign. Get familiar with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance’s website. See how much money your legislators have on hand and who is funding them.

Tell your legislators that you will be happy to donate to the better candidate in a contested election and that in the meantime they should focus on doing the job rather than fundraising.

Jeanne Kempthorne, Pittsfield

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August 30, 2023

PEDA is 25 years old.  That is a little over 4 years longer than Smitty Pignatelli has been in Boston.  I don't know which one is the bigger debacle.  PEDA has millions of dollars in always increasing unfunded liabilities.  Smitty Pignatelli and his fellow corrupt career politicians in Boston are still sitting on over $7.22 billion in surplus state cash.  PEDA is polluted with GE's PCBs.  Boston is corrupt and secretive, and the fictional Massachusetts State Representative Sellout Shakedown gives away tens of billions of dollars in state tax breaks every two years to his wealthy campaign donors.  The only thing that is worse than PEDA and Smitty Pignatelli is Jimmy Ruberto's Rolodex!

Jonathan A. Melle

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August 30, 2023

If/when Karen Kalinowsky is a would-be Mayor of Pittsfield politics, she could use the "I was given incorrect information" card when the shit hits the fan.  Let us not forget that Karen Kalinowsky's whole campaign for Mayor of Pittsfield politics is based on her being outgoing Mayor Linda Tyer's biggest critic.  Karen Kalinowsky says that she will "budget by necessity", but I wonder if she thinks it is necessary for her to collect her city public plus perks which would be on top of the mayoral salary of $115,725 per fiscal year 2024 with annual public pay raises built in over the next couple of fiscal years.  If/when she would step down from the mayor's office, Karen Kalinowsky would double her city pension.  Karen Kalinowsky makes state public pensioner and greedy registered lobbyist Dan Bosley blush due to her own greed-ball schemes to enrich herself at the public trough.

Jonathan A. Melle

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September 4, 2023

Mr. Fritz, I still like you despite you calling me a scam artist - but I, Jon Melle, served our country honorably in the U.S. Army and received the regards of the U.S. President (GWB) in a letter from the White House.  Am I the only service connected Veteran who is a scam artist, according to you, or are other service connected Veterans also scam artists, according to you?  Joe Biden had Asthma when his draft number was called.  Donald Trump bone spurs when his draft number was called.  Obama and Bill Clinton are not Veterans.  George W. Bush served in the U.S. Army, but there were reports that he was AWOL.  His father, George H.W. Bush, is a WW2 Veteran.  Ronald Reagan is not a Veteran.  Jimmy Carter is a non-combat Veteran.  Compared to the aforementioned U.S. Presidents, I am a non-combat Veteran who served 1 year and 9 months in the military.  I am no JFK.  I am no George H.W. Bush.  I am certainly no Dwight Eisenhower.  I am very grateful for the VA honoring my honorable military service.  I would be at risk of being homeless without my service connection VA benefits.  I would go back to me living a distressed life.  If I were a homeless Veteran, I could live on a sidewalk on the corner of First and Fenn Street in my native hometown of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.  All of my old friends and foes in Pittsfield could watch me shit on the pavement.  In my state of banality, maybe Pittsfield's Pot King could give me a joint to smoke out of charity for all of the abuse he gave me since the Spring of 1996 when I was only 20 years old and my dad, Bob, began his political campaign for Berkshire County Commissioner (1997 - mid-2000),  Would you, Mr. Fritz, still call me - Jon Melle - a scam artist if I wasted away on the inner-city streets of Pittsfield?  My last breath to you would be, I still like you Mr. Fritz, but I will never like Pittsfield's Pot King!  Jon Melle

Jonathan A. Melle

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September 5, 2023

In Pittsfield politics, every citywide election is always decided by the (mostly middle-class) voters of Ward 4 with a marginal impact from the voters of Ward 3, going back decades in time.  The rest of the city's wards do not matter in terms of deciding who the next Mayor, 4 at large City Councilors, and 6 "Level 5" School Committee members will be, as well as the Pittsfield's State Representative to Boston's corrupt and secretive Statehouse, who resides in Ward 4, of course.

Peter Marchetti ran for Mayor of Pittsfield politics in 2011, but he lost to Dan Bianchi back then.  Peter Marchetti would collect a 6-figure city public pension plus perks if he wins the mayoral election in 2023 and serves one or two 4-year terms in the corner office.  John Krol would make his comeback in Pittsfield politics if he wins.  Karen Kalinowsky would double dip by collecting her existing city public pension plus perks on top of the mayoral salary of $115,725 per fiscal year 2024, and after she retires all over again, she would double her city public pension.

Jonathan A. Melle

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September 6, 2023

Hello blogger Dan Valenti,

I read the news article in the Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) rag (newspaper) today that covered the September 5th, 2023, preliminary mayoral debate between Peter Marchetti, John Krol, and Karen Kalinowsky.  My thoughts about their answers about Pittsfield are misguided.  Of course, Pittsfield (Massachusetts) is a city plagued by violent crime, poverty, homelessness, economic inequality, Level 5 public schools, a downtown that is sarcastically called "Social Services Alley", the distressed inner-city neighborhoods that surround North Street that are sarcastically called "The Ring of Poverty", the 25-year-old polluted PEDA debacle with its always increasing millions of dollars in unfunded liabilities (debts), Nuciforo's "Berkshire Roots" Pittsfield Pot Kingdom stinking up nearby residential neighborhoods with his unpleasant odors from his single largest marijuana growing operations in Berkshire County, the city government's bloated $205.6 million municipal operating budget, the city government's hundreds of millions of dollars in municipal debts plus OPEB unfunded liabilities (debts), 50 years of severe population loss along with thousands of lost living wage jobs that never return in our nation's "rust belt" postindustrial wastelands, Senior Citizens and disability recipients being used as the city's ATM, the elitist snobs in Boston, such as greedy lobbyist Dan Bosley, making a systemic mockery of Pittsfield (and Gateway Cities like it) with the state's (voluntary) regressive taxation schemes such as the 51-year-old state lottery SCAM that allows greed-ball lobbyist Dan Bosley to give his wealthy big business clients in Boston many millions of dollars in additional state tax breaks, while the low- to moderate-income mostly financially illiterate residents, such as "Jon Melle" of (native hometown) Pittsfield, do not understand that they are the target of snobbery and inequitable public policies that make a mockery of them.  I only understand all of these financial shell games because I have a Master of Public Administration degree from UMass Amherst (May 1999).  To be clear, the corrupt career politicians on secretive Beacon Hill only do DISSERVICES to the common people and taxpayers of Massachusetts.  To be clear, the corrupt career politicians on Beacon Hill do nothing but enrich themselves and their wealthy campaign donors via greedy lobbyists such as Dan Bosley at the public trough, while the rest of us pound sand.

This is how state and local government is supposed to work in Pittsfield, Massachusetts:

The voters of Pittsfield elect good men and women to represent their economic and financial interests in City Hall and in the Boston Statehouse.  In return for the common people and taxpayers' hard-earned tax dollars, the good politicians return the favor by investing the city and state government's limited economic and financial resources in people and the community so that Pittsfield would be - in a perfect world - a safe community with Level 1 public schools and small businesses that provide workers with living wage jobs and benefits.  The people and taxpayers are supposed to be treated by the elites as the community's most valuable resource - because they are just that in Pittsfield.

In terms of the environment, the state and local government officials should tell the truth that Pittsfield is GE's toxic waste dump full of GE's industrial chemical waste called PCBs, and that the capped landfills are a ticking time bomb that will set off more public health crises, especially learning disabilities (brain damage) and cancer cluster cases.  The state and local government officials should shutdown the PEDA debacle because it is polluted and heavily indebted, and PEDA should be turned over to the EPA as a Superfund site.

State and local officials should stop all of the tax giveaways that amounts to tens of billions of dollars of Reverse Robin Hood every two years that benefits big businesses that do not exist in most regions of the state, especially mostly rural Western Massachusetts.  State and local officials educate the people and taxpayers about all of the state's (voluntary) and disingenuous regressive schemes such as the inequitable state lottery SCAM that is nothing more than regressive taxation that exploits the poorest residents of the state to make greed-ball Dan Bosley rich, along with his wealthy big business clients.  Moreover, there are some registered lobbyists in Boston who earn 7-figure salaries by legally bribing the fictional Massachusetts State Representative Sellout Shakedown, who sells out his constituents and shakes down anyone and everyone.

In closing, the reason why I have been a supporter of Mayor Linda Tyer over the past 20 years is that she understands public management.  In all of the news articles I have read, Mayor Linda Tyer has said most to all of the aforementioned idealistic words.  She has a compassionate side to her in government, and she always took the time to invest in people and the community, including the poorest people and neighborhoods.  I hope that Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey offers Linda Tyer an important administrative job in her administration in early-January 2024 because Linda Tyer has received praise from state and local officials throughout Massachusetts, and she is a hidden gem in Massachusetts.

Best wishes,

Jonathan A. Melle

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September 6th, 2023

Posted on "Planet Valenti" blog comment section: I promise to always post under my own name - unlike Eric SwanSIN the SINNER! I am a Have Not, therefore I cannot promise to put $50,000 into a campaign account to go all around Pittsfield and tell voters that if I paste wings on PIGS then they will fly all around the city, and that I will give residents who vote for "Jon Melle for Mayor of Pittsfield politics" umbrellas to keep them from all of the PIG yellow rain and brown SHIT that would fall on their heads, especially the voters in Ward 4.  I wonder if greed-ball lobbyist Dan Bosley would donate money to my would-be campaign, but I would not give him an umbrella because he resides in North Adams and Boston.      I would give Richie Neal a couple of Quarters to play PAC Man.  I would sell HOT AIR to Ed Markey when he is not at his home in Chevy Chase, Maryland,  I would give Joe Biden a "Get out of Jail Free card" from Monopoly for his son, Hunter Biden.  Jon Melle

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September 9, 2023

Re: "Luciforo's" new mansion

Hello blogger Dan Valenti,

Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior aka "Luciforo" aka "Pittsfield's Pot King" spent a little less than $1 million to purchase a home 0.3 miles from Mayor Linda Tyer and multimillionaire CPA Barry Clairmont's mansion in Pittsfield's elitist Gated Community neighborhood west of Berkshire Community College near the border with Hancock, Massachusetts.

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George C. Whaling and Karen C. Gomula sold property at 4 Southbrook Lane, Pittsfield [Massachusetts], to Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr., trustee, EEM NT, $950,000.

Source: Berkshire County Real Estate Transactions for August 21 - 25, 2023, by Jeannie Maschino, September 09, 2023.

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Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr. served as a Berkshire-based State Senator to Boston from 1997 - 2006.  Nuciforo had to step down from his aforementioned elected position because he was allegedly illegally double dipping as the Chair of the State Senate Finance Committee while at the same time, he worked as a private Attorney for Boston's big banks and insurance companies (1999 - 2006) for the Boston Law Firm Berman and Dowell.  Nuciforo never faced legal charges for his unethical and disgraced political career.

Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr., who controversially anointed himself as the Middle Berkshire Registrar of Deeds in Pittsfield by strong-arming two women candidates named Registry staff member Sharon Henault and former Pittsfield Mayor Sara Hathaway out of the 2006 state government so-called election.  In early-January 2007, the Boston Globe reported that Nuciforo lobbied the then new Governor Deval Patrick for the nomination to the position of Commissioner of Insurance, but Nuciforo was not nominated, and he stayed at the Registry of Deeds for the next 6 years.

For 6 years from 2007 to 2012, Nuciforo plotted to oust the now late-John W. Olver from his elected position in U.S. Congress, but due to redistricting, Olver retired from the U.S. House of Representatives, which led Nuciforo to challenge Richard E. Neal in the 2012 primary election, which Nuciforo lost by 40 percentage points to Congressman Richie Neal.  The Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) called Nuciforo "a fringe politician".

In late-winter, early-spring 2017, Nuciforo used his political connections in Pittsfield and Boston to be one of the first marijuana businesses to receive permits to open "Berkshire Roots" in Pittsfield and then in Boston.  When Mayor Linda Tyer won the mayoral election in 2015, Nuciforo was pictured in the news media online photos at her swearing in ceremony in early-January 2016.

Nuciforo's marijuana growing buildings on Dalton Avenue in Pittsfield are the single largest grower of marijuana in Berkshire County, Massachusetts.  The nearby residential neighborhoods that surround "Berkshire Roots" on Dalton Avenue in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, have long complained to no avail about Nuciforo's unpleasant marijuana growing odors.  Of course, Southbrook Lane in Pittsfield is not near Nuciforo's "Berkshire Roots" marijuana growing building on Dalton Avenue.  Of course, the homes near "Berkshire Roots" on Dalton Avenue are not mansions in Pittsfield's elitist Gated Community neighborhood.

My personal story about Nuciforo goes back to the Spring 1996 when I was only a 20-year-old man back then.  My dad, Bob, campaigned for Berkshire County Commissioner (1997 - mid-2000), and Nuciforo campaigned for Berkshire-based State Senator, despite that he really lived full-time in Boston, but his late-father was a Pittsfield State Senator several decades prior to 1996 so he had an inside track with his late-father's voting bloc.  Ever since I first met Nuciforo over 27 years ago now, Nuciforo conspiratorially had people connected to his Pittsfield political family's network hurt, bully, harass and even threaten to assault me for many years of my then young adult life.

From the Fall 1997 - Spring 1998, Nuciforo filed multiple state "ethics" reports - the irony - against my dad, Bob, to multiple state government agencies from Pittsfield to Boston to try to have my dad fired from his state government job in the Probation Department at the Pittsfield District Courthouse, and force my dad to resign his elected position on the Berkshire County Commission.  Nuciforo, along with then North Adams State Representative Dan Bosley, who is now a greedy registered lobbyist on Beacon Hill, abolished Berkshire County Government effective July 1, 2000.  The state government assumed the administrative duties of Berkshire County Government since then.  Thankfully, Nuciforo's persecution of my dad, Bob, was ineffective.

During the Summer 1997, Nuciforo gave me a hostile stare after the promotional swearing in of Judge Francis Spina on the grounds of the Pittsfield Courthouse.  During the North Adams Fall Foliage Parade in 1997, Nuciforo, with his then legislative aide Sara Hathaway at his side, broke his parade route and threateningly walk towards me like he was going to assault me, but my cousin and Uncle from Saratoga Springs stepped in front of me, and then Nuciforo and Sara Hathaway proceeded to walk back to their parade route.  Sara Hathaway never told Nuciforo to stop.

For one year and 6-months, Nuciforo conspiratorially had people connected to his political network abuse me, and then Nuciforo began to abuse me himself, and then he filed "ethics" reports against my dad, Bob.  On May 20th, 1998, Nuciforo made false allegations against me to the Pittsfield Police Department that I made "veiled threats" against him.  My dad, Bob, found out about Nuciforo's false allegations at his job in Pittsfield Courthouse, and my dad said Nuciforo never expressed any of his concerns to him, despite their communication in government back then.  My dad told me to stay away from Nuciforo.  Thankfully, Nuciforo's persecution of me was ineffective.

When I graduated from UMass Amherst with a Master of Public Administration degree in May 1999, Nuciforo blacklisted me from employment in the Berkshires back then.  In the Fall 1999, I joined the U.S. Army, where I served for 1 year 9 months, and I received an honorable discharge, and I am a 100 percent totally and permanently disabled Veteran since July 8, 2001.  I moved from the Berkshires to Amherst, New Hampshire during the early-Spring 2004 to live with my family who previously recently relocated to Southern New Hampshire from the Berkshires back then.

On July 23rd, 2005, which was my 30th birthday, the Massachusetts Democratic Party held a gathering at Bousquet in Pittsfield.  Following that function, I heard reports from attendees that Denis E. Guyer, who was a Dalton State Representative who was married to Allison Crane of the Crane and Company wealthy family back then, allegedly said that "All Jonathan Melle ever did was stalk a Jewish woman from Otis [Massachusetts]".  I did not even live in the Berkshires anymore, but I was still being abused there.  Denis E. Guyer later told me that he never spoke those hurtful words against me.

The woman was married during the Summer 2002.  The woman's father worked as an environmental science Professor at Berkshire Community College for decades with Nuciforo's now late-Aunt Anne Everest Wojtkowski back when I was a young man.  The woman's father bullied and threatened to assault me for several years of my then young adult life back then.  I was set up by Nuciforo back then, and then they used it all to hurt me.

In counseling, I have been told that what Nuciforo has done to hurt me is mean-spirited, and that while what happened to me over so many years of my life took place within the context of politics, it was not politics, but, once again, it was mean-spirited.  In counseling, I have been told that I am a person and Veteran who has faced unusual events in my life.  I was told that even though I say that I am a persecuted person, these were unusual events in my life.

Neither Nuciforo nor any of his bullies in his conspiratorial network ever once apologized to me for hurting me.  During Nuciforo's campaign to oust Richie Neal from U.S. Congress, the Springfield editorial wrote that Nuciforo's campaign was mean-spirited.  I wonder if my dad, Bob, and I are the only ones who Nuciforo has hurt.  My brother told me that Nuciforo probably hurt many people over the years.  The abuse I have endured from Nuciforo never really ended all of these years later in the late-Summer 2023.

In closing, I hope that Nuciforo and his family enjoys their new almost $1 million mansion within walking distance from Mayor Linda Tyer's mansion on Pheasant Lane in Pittsfield's elitist Gated Community neighborhood.  If there is an afterlife with a place called Hell, I hope that "Luciforo" rots in Hell for eternity for being a mean-spirited Son of a Bitch!

Best wishes,

Jonathan A. Melle

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September 15, 2023

Outgoing Ward 2 City Councilor Charles Ivar Kronick is a powerful voice of dissent against Mayor Linda Tyer and her six rubber stamp City Councilors.  I agree with most of what he had to say in Pittsfield politics over the past two years.  He reminded me of Chris Connell's leadership in Pittsfield politics.

I also think that Mayor Linda Tyer's leadership and public management is effective.  She was the only competent mayor in over a generation of failed leadership in Pittsfield politics.

I do not like that dissenting voices are supporting candidates who are running against Mayor Linda Tyer's record because they have not proven themselves as a coalition in power in Pittsfield politics.

To illustrate, retired Pittsfield Police Officer Karen Kalinowsky's whole campaign is based on her criticizing Mayor Linda Tyer, but she herself is looking to cash in on the mayor's $115,725 public pay, which would be on top of whatever her city public pension plus perks are, which would double her city public pension after she would retire all over again as the future outgoing would-be Mayor of Pittsfield.

Alex Blumin would represent the public interests of Ward 2, which is the poorest Ward in the distressed and severely unequal economy of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.  The other two candidates for Ward 2 City Council would also speak for their constituents in Pittsfield politics.

Jonathan A. Melle

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September 17, 2023

Hello Editor(s) of the the Berkshire Eagle,

The FTX cryptocurrency scam shafted investors out of over $8 billion, among other victims who Sam Bankman-Fried hurt with the loss of tens of billions of dollars in a company that never hired an accredited accountant to manage the bankrupted company's "cooked books", which was most likely on purpose.  The young adults who ran FTX are facing federal indictments, plea bargain agreements, upcoming trials, and many years in federal prison.  Ryan Salame is from Berkshire County, Massachusetts, which the Berkshire Eagle newspaper covers.

There is another scam artist and disgraced former corrupt politician turned Pittsfield Pot King in Berkshire County named Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior who is also known as "Luciforo" who has a questionable public record in Pittsfield politics all the way east to Boston in Massachusetts state politics.  I have written to the Eagle and many others over many years now about Nuciforo's political corruption, scams and reputation as a mean-spirited and conspiratorial bully who hurts anyone and everyone who stands in his way of money and power.

Unlike Ryan Salame, Nuciforo gets to do whatever the Hell he wants and he never faces any consequences for his actions in politics and the pot business.  The Eagle wrote about how Alex Morse was the target of a homophobic smear campaign by Massachusetts State Democratic Party Officials in Boston during the Summer 2020 prior to his primary election versus Congressman Richie Neal.  The Eagle covered Mayor Linda Tyer's third husband - the multimillionaire CPA - Barry Clairmont's civil lawsuit against Melissa Mazzeo for the alleged defamation of his reputation and alleged financial losses to his accounting firm.  The Eagle never covered my allegations that Nuciforo conspiratorially persecuted me since I was only 20 years old in the Spring 1996, which is a little less than 27.5 years now.  I must be invisible to the Eagle and others in this otherwise cruel world.

A little over one week ago, the Eagle reported that Nuciforo bought a $950,000 mansion in Pittsfield's elitist gated community neighborhood that Mayor Linda Tyer and Barry Clairmont also live in.  Nuciforo's pot company named "Berkshire Roots" must have made him a multimillionaire similar to how Barry Clairmont's accounting firm made him a multimillionaire.  Are Nuciforo's books cooked?  How did Nuciforo found his Pittsfield Pot Kingdom with a second dispensary in East Boston with such deep pockets of cash?  Who were the investors who put their cash into "Berkshire Roots" and how did Nuciforo pay them back since early-2017?  Did Nuciforo's connections with Boston's big banks and insurance companies factor into his path to pot glory?

It is unbelievable to me how the Eagle defended Alex Morse, but I never counted.  It is unbelievable to me how the Eagle covers Barry Clairmont's ongoing civil lawsuit against Melissa Mazzeo over her free speech in Pittsfield politics, but I never counted.  It is unbelievable to me how the Eagle writes about Ryan Salame, but Nuciforo purchased himself a mansion with his pot cash without any question from the Eagle and others about his political corruption, scams and his reputation of being a mean-spirited and conspiratorial bully who hurts people he dislikes.

Jonathan A. Melle

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Our Opinion: "The public deserves to know just how good Salame's plea deal is"

The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, September 15, 2023

As the fallout for former FTX executive Ryan Salame and his extensive portfolio unfolds, it’s sad but unsurprising that this fallout is being felt in Lenox, where Mr. Salame owns a tidy empire of downtown eateries.

As part of an agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, Mr. Salame last week pleaded guilty to one criminal count each of making unlawful political contributions and conspiring to run an unlicensed money transmitting business. The government claims that Mr. Salame is liable for more than $1.5 billion as a result of his activities. He is a former CEO of FTX Digital Markets and a close colleague of financial wunderkind-turned-pariah Sam Bankman-Fried. Presumably, the government believes that Mr. Bankman-Fried at least shares Mr. Salame’s liability.

If Mr. Salame cooperates with prosecutors and abides by the conditions of a forfeiture order, though, he will be relieved of about 99 percent of his monetary liability. Mr. Salame agreed to pay $6 million and turn over a handful of his properties to the federal government by March 6, his scheduled sentencing date. In addition to forfeiture, Mr. Salame also faces up to 10 years in federal prison as punishment for the crimes he has admitted.

The properties Salame must forfeit include The Olde Heritage Tavern — the 12 Housatonic St. property in Lenox considered to be the crown jewel of his restaurant holdings — as well as a Lenox residence on Tucker Street and his ownership and equity in the East Rood Farm Corp. based at his family homestead on 74 Rood Hill Road in Sandisfield. He also must turn over his 2021 Porsche 911 Turbo.

For those keeping score at home, those forfeitures might make for an impressive portfolio for anyone who isn’t a CEO for a shady crypto company. However, their cumulative worth probably does not add up to 1 percent of the $1,555,186,143 the U.S. government is seeking to recover. If Mr. Salame turns over the ordered properties and payment — and his declaration of his financial status as of Sept. 7 is found to be truthful — he will walk away from more than $1.5 billion of liability. To be sure, part of this equation is prosecutors offering a carrot along with the stick so as to incentivize Mr. Salame’s cooperation and testimony in the ongoing cases against even bigger fish in the FTX pond — particularly Mr. Bankman-Fried. And it is worth noting that Mr. Salame reached out to authorities as a whistleblower as the bottom began to fall out for FTX, though any praise for that effort is sharply tempered by the fact that he did so at the last possible moment before the cryptocurrency exchange’s implosion became public.

If the plea agreement holds through his sentencing in March, it’s safe to say Mr. Salame — who took out a $55 million loan from FTX’s hedge fund subsidiary and also received an additional $30 million in bonuses — will have received a big deal, at least when comparing the total sum the government is seeking to recover minus what he’s been ordered to pay and forfeit.

While we’re familiar with Mr. Salame’s Berkshire properties, we aren’t aware of the full scope his portfolio — although the federal government should be if Mr. Salame was honest in completing an affidavit that describes his current finances. (And if he was less than honest, he could pay a $1.5 billion penalty over it.)

What are the other properties Mr. Salame holds, and just how big of a “carrot” is the government extending with this deal? Lenox gets some sense of closure regarding the fate of the Olde Heritage Tavern, but not on the multiple other downtown Lenox commercial properties owned by Mr. Salame and operated under various corporate entities — what about those?

As the title “United States of America v. Ryan Salame” implies, prosecutors are pursuing this case not just on behalf of those fleeced by FTX’s ethically bankrupt and financially disastrous practices but the American public as well. The public therefore deserves some indication from the SDNY U.S Attorney’s Office as to how a full accounting adds up regarding the contours of this deal and Mr. Salame’s total assets. One is left wondering if, for Mr. Salame, crime pays. Right now, we can’t tell — and in this particular case, we the people deserve to know.

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September 18, 2023

The most valuable resource in Pittsfield is the people and taxpayers who live in Pittsfield.  In return for our taxpayer dollars, Pittsfield should return the favor and invest in people, the state government - Tricia Farley-Bouvier and Paul Mark - should invest in the community, and the federal government - "PAC Man" Richie Neal, Ed "Maryland" Markey, and Elizabeth "not on Main Street" Warren should represent the public interests of the nation's postindustrial rust belt that defines post-GE Pittsfield, along with the rural Berkshire region that surrounds Pittsfield.

Instead, Pittsfield has an outgoing Mayor, Linda Tyer, who lives in a mansion in an elitist Gated Community within 0.3 miles from Pittsfield's Pot King's newly purchased $950,000 mansion.  Tricia Farley-Bouvier's only state legislative priority is to legalize sex work because everyone enjoys a Happy Ending, Paul Mark is Karen Spilka's biggest rubber stamp, Richie Neal cashes in on K Street in the Swamp, Ed Markey spews HOT AIR from his suburban home in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and Elizabeth Warren supports Joe Biden in the White House because his presidential campaigns take in more money from Wall Street and K Street than any other politician in U.S. history.

There is NOBODY representing the people and taxpayers who live in Pittsfield, Massachusetts!  Ergo, Pittsfield's most valuable resource - the people and taxpayers of Pittsfield - are NOT being invested in by the ruling elites from Pittsfield to Boston to the Swamp.

Jonathan A. Melle

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September 18, 2023

Pittsfield politics preliminary election 2023:

Vote for Peter Marchetti so he can collect a 6-figure city pension plus perks for life 4 or 8 years from now.

Vote for John Krol so he can make his mid-life comeback in Pittsfield politics.  There was a middle-aged mystery man from Texas who lives in Naples, Florida, who did the same thing 20 years ago, who is infamously known for his Rolodex and failed downtown Renaissance.

Vote for Karen Kalinowsky so she can collect her existing city public pension on top of the $115,725 mayoral public pay, which would double her city pension in 4 or 8 years from now.

Write in Mickey Mouse for Mayor of Pittsfield to send a message to Peter, John and Karen that they all represent the rock bottom of the downward spiral in Pittsfield politics!

Jon Melle

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September 18, 2023

Pittsfield politics equals PTSD:

* Level 5 public schools

* Top 10 city in Massachusetts for violent crime

* The 25-year-old polluted PEDA debacle with millions of dollars in debts

* The $205.6 million municipal operating budget in return for the same old "shit sandwich" going back 60 years in time

* The hundreds of millions of dollars in municipal debt and unfunded OPEB liabilities

* Pittsfield's Pot King living in a mansion near Mayor Linda Tyer's mansion in the city's elitist Gated Community neighborhood west of BCC that is far away from his 3 story pot growing building on Dalton Avenue that stinks up nearby neighborhoods with his unpleasant pot growing odors

* North Street aka "Social Services Alley" with "The Ring of Poverty" inner-city distressed neighborhoods that surround downtown Pittsfield

* Barry Clairmont suing Melissa Mazzeo for her publicly saying he was in the City Clerk's Office near the ballots close to the 2019 general election that his second wife won

* Tricia Farley-Bouvier telling her constituents in Pittsfield that her only state legislative priority in Boston is to legalize sex work

* Jimmy Ruberto's notorious "Rolodex" and failed downtown Renaissance, along with his letters signed from Naples, Florida and Lenox

* The last 4 mayors also known as "Barstool", "Aberration", "Rolodex", and "Bust"

* The city's ongoing homelessness crisis that does NOT attract economic growth

* The Godfather-like 4 families who have run Pittsfield into the ditch, while they purchase mansions, or live in Naples, Florida, or give out-of-town multimillionaires huge city tax breaks, and who sues Melissa Mazzeo over Free Speech

Jon Melle

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September 18, 2023

John Krol's quote: “Our downtown needs our help. Downtown needs our help. Yes, we went through our revitalization in the mid-2000s. But boy, we got empty storefronts, we have an empty Wright Building, we have a lot of challenges.”

https://www.wamc.org/news/2023-09-18/there-can-only-be-two-pittsfield-voters-to-choose-between-marchetti-krol-and-kalinowsky-in-preliminary-mayoral-election

What is wrong with John Krol's quote? Answer: The so-called "Ruberto Renaissance" of downtown Pittsfield only worked for a few short years with a lot of taxpayer dollars in the tens of millions of dollars, but then it failed many years ago now.  During Jimmy Ruberto's 8 years as Mayor of Pittsfield, the city saw thousands of people move away and hundreds of lost living wage jobs, while local taxes always increased - the worst of both worlds.

Jimmy Ruberto never owned a home, nor rented an apartment, in Pittsfield in his life.  As man who was in his 50s in the early-2000s, he moved into his mother's Pittsfield home after he relocated from Texas.  Jimmy Ruberto always lived in an upscale condo unit in Naples, Florida.  After he sold his late-mother's Pittsfield home sometime around 2019, Jimmy Ruberto purchased a $490,000 condo unit in Lenox as a part-time resident there with cold hard cash.

John Krol's praise of Jimmy Ruberto tells me that he is a dupe who will allow Pittsfield's "Godfather" to continue his legacy of Good Old Boys Pittsfield politics that has failed the city over the past 60 years.  If there were any candidate whom I would NEVER support for elected office, it is John Krol.

Pittsfield politics needs change!  I am unhappy with John Krol, Peter Marchetti and Karen Kalinowsky.  I am happy that I live in Amherst, NH, so I don't have to dodge bullets, get stabbed to death, or otherwise risk my life as a would-be resident of my distressed native hometown: Pittsfield, Massachusetts.  

Jimmy Ruberto was not, is not, and will never be the answer to Pittsfield politics!  Move on from Jimmy Ruberto already, please!

Jon Melle

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September 19, 2023

Hello Brenna Ransden at Act on Mass,

Your political email on Monday, 9/18/2023, about a hearing on Wednesday, 9/20 at 1pm, for a bill to guarantee state house staff the right to unionize led me to ask you if you could look into how many (greedy) lobbyists there are on Beacon Hill versus how many state house and state senate staff members there are on Beacon Hill.  I wonder how much money does the highest paid (greedy) lobbyist take in versus the highest paid state house and state senate staffer.  I wonder what is the median income of the (greedy) lobbyists versus the staffers.

I read that some of the highest paid (greedy) lobbyists on Beacon Hill earn 7-figure salaries.  I read that many of the (greedy) lobbyists earn 6-figure salaries.  Some of the (greedy) lobbyists such as Dan Bosley collect a state public pension plus perks that is on top of their (greedy) lobbyist salaries.  I read that Beacon Hill lawmakers giveaway tens of billions of dollars in state tax breaks to their wealthy campaign donors during every two-year state legislative session.  The problem with "pay to play" state government is that there are regions of Massachusetts, such as the beautiful Berkshires, where big banks and insurance companies and the like do not exist.

Beacon Hill lawmakers are all about the almighty dollar and political power so that they can sit on their fat asses in elected office for life.  To illustrate, Lenox State Representative Smitty Pignatelli has been in Boston for over 20 years now, and I predict that he will continue to be a corrupt career politician there for another 20 years until the early-to-mid-2040s when he will be in his 80s.  Smitty Pignatelli has always voted down Sunshine Laws on Beacon Hill.  Smitty Pignatelli voted for Speaker turned convicted Felon Tom Finneran, as well as Speaker turned convicted Felon Sal DiMasi.  Smitty Pignatelli has voted for and happily accepted countless public pay raises plus perks.  Smitty Pignatelli has enriched himself at the public trough, while doing nothing but DISSERVICES against the people and taxpayers he supposedly represents in Massachusetts State Government.

I support your public advocacy on behalf of the people and taxpayers of Massachusetts, but until your organization ousts corrupt career politicians such as Lenox State Representative Smitty Pignatelli, then nothing will change on Beacon Hill - except for all of the HOT AIR, of course.

Best wishes,

Jonathan A. Melle

Monday, September 18, 2023

TAKE ACTION: Sunlight Agenda hearing this Wednesday

Dear Jonathan,

This Wednesday at 1pm, the State House is holding a hearing for our Sunlight Agenda bill to guarantee state house staff the right to unionize (S.2014/H.3069). The hearing will take place both virtually and at the State House, in Hearing Room A-1. 

Can you join me in signing up to testify before the committee in support of the Massachusetts State House Employees Union (MSHEU) on Wednesday? If you’re able to come to the State House, be sure to say hi — I’ll be the one wearing an Act on Mass sticker!

REGISTER TO GIVE ORAL TESTIMONY >>

If you’re unable to attend the hearing, you are still able to submit written testimony by 5PM on Wednesday, 9/20

SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY FOR S.2014 >>

SUBMIT WRITTEN TESTIMONY FOR H.3069 >>

CHECK OUT OUR TESTIMONY TOOLKIT >>

With reports of underpayment and unequal payment, long hours, racial and gender discrimination and more, State House staff deserve the right to collectively bargain for better work conditions.

Let’s make our solidarity for the MSHEU loud and clear by testifying in support of S.2014/H.3069.

See you on Beacon Hill,

Brenna Ransden (she/her)

Organizing Director

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September 20, 2023

Only one out of five registered voters actually vote in municipal elections in Pittsfield politics - give or take a few percentage points - because Ward 4 always decides the winners of citywide elections.  The city's other six wards do not really matter in citywide elections.  Ward 4 controls the outcome of the mayoral, at-large city councilors, Ward 4 City Councilor, and the six (Level 5) School Committee members.  Then there is the issue of campaign dollars.  Who will raise the big buck$ between now and the general election?  Then there is the issue of social media outreach.  Who will be on social media to sell their campaign messages to the voters?

In 2011, Peter Marchetti lost to Dan Bianchi because he did not stand for anything that the voters wanted out of Pittsfield politics.  Will he make the same mistake 12 years later in 2023 with John Krol?  Peter Marchetti touts his financial management experience and expertise, along with his many years of being involved in community events.  John Krol touts that he will be the most accessible mayor ever, and that he will revitalize the city's distressed economy.  Lastly, I always ask the age old question: What ever happened to investing in people who are the community's most valuable resource?

Jon Melle

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September 21, 2023

Meanwhile, Pittsfield's Pot King recently purchased a $950,000 mansion that is 0.3 miles from Mayor Linda Tyer's mansion in Pittsfield's elitist Gated Community neighborhood west of BCC.  Who invested in "Luciforo's" "Berkshire Roots" marijuana business?  Wasn't Nuciforo an alleged illegal double dipper with Boston's big banks and insurance companies in the mid-2000s?  Didn't the King of Pot in Pittsfield use his political connections in Pittsfield and Boston alike to cash in on the green products?  Compared to John Krol's alleged "theft" of $6,800, Nuciforo's story of political corruption and his Pittsfield Pot Kingdom is huge!  BUT, But, but, Nuciforo is a Good Old Boy Democratic Party Prince of Pittsfield politics, unlike John Krol.

Jonathan A. Melle

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September 21, 2023

Re: Jon Melle's thoughts on John Krol's radio interview

My thoughts on John Krol's radio interview are that he has enemies in Pittsfield politics.  Unfortunately, Jon Melle has gone through similar unusual and mean-spirited events in Pittsfield politics since I was only 20 years old in the Spring 1996 - I am now 48 in the late-summer 2023 - thanks to a 4 foot piece of poop that walks around Pittsfield and Boston in the form of a man.

I do not understand why Barry Clairmont is suing Melissa Mazzeo for defamation of his reputation.  I don't understand why John Krol will pursue a defamation civil suit against the named and unnamed people in the Dirty Bird's so-called "hit piece".  The best thing I have done is to write, email and blog about how I am a persecuted person in Pittsfield politics.  People who care about Pittsfield politics know that I was hurt because my dad, Bob, was a Berkshire County Commissioner (1997 - mid-2000).

I disagree with John Krol that he is not part of the political machine because he is endorsed by Jimmy Ruberto and Melissa Mazzeo.  He is not part of the political machine that is currently in power in Pittsfield politics.  In all levels of politics, I feel like at the end of the day, the ruling elites are all in collusion to enrich themselves and their wealthy campaign donors at the public trough, while the rest of us pound sand.

Lastly, I agree with John Krol that most people avoid politics because of the cut throat actions of a few insiders who hurt anyone who stands in their way of power and money.

Jon Melle

https://www.wamc.org/news/2023-09-21/pittsfield-mayoral-candidate-krol-denies-embezzlement-allegations-blames-political-rivals-for-berkshire-eagle-hit-piece

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Letter: "Voter turnout for Pittsfield preliminary was dismal"

The Berkshire Eagle, September 21, 2023

To the editor: It was a really sad showing in terms of Pittsfield voter turnout on Tuesday. (“Mayoral candidate Peter Marchetti wins lion’s share of votes in preliminary election and ward races see narrowed fields,” Eagle, Sept. 20.)

It shows younger voters we are a bunch of hypocrites, as we are trying to instill the voting process as the American way.

Pittsfield politics are a joke. We want change, we want lower taxes, real representation, we complain and do nothing to change it.

When the final vote comes in the November general election, remember the people who have been running it for their purpose, not ours. If that is what you want, oh well, stop complaining and watch the multitude of seniors losing their homes, businesses not moving in, city of useless bike paths, schools given free rein of unlimited spending that goes nowhere.

They talk of air conditioning Pittsfield High School when new units at Taconic High School are not working.

Voters of Pittsfield better wake up. You will never know if change will work unless you vote for it.

The present regime is not getting it done. Even if you disagree with me, at least vote.

Maggie Smith, Pittsfield

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September 23, 2023

Re: Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr.'s Pittsfield Pot Kingdom versus John Krol's "theft" of $6,800

The Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) cherry picks who to criticize in Pittsfield politics.  For many years now, I have written, emailed, and blogged about Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior's political corruption and his Pittsfield Pot Kingdom.  The Dirty Bird gives "Luciforo" - aka - Pittsfield's Pot King - a free pass, while John Krol receives the harshest of treatment.

Let us review Nuciforo's public record.  First elected in 1996 to the position his late-father of the same name held many years prior - State Senator from Pittsfield - Nuciforo conspiratorially had people in his Pittsfield political network bully, harass and even threaten to physically assault me after I first met him during the Spring 1996 when my dad, Bob, successfully campaigned for the elected position of Berkshire County Commissioner.  I was only 20 years old during the Spring 1996; I am 48 years old on this first day of Autumn 2023.

Nuciforo himself even threatened me twice.  Once during the Summer 1997 after Judge Francis Spina was promoted at the Pittsfield Courthouse when he gave me a long, cold and threatening stare.  The second time, he with Sara Hathaway at his side threatened me by Nuciforo breaking from his Fall Foliage 1997 parade route in North Adams and getting in my personal space with Sara Hathaway never telling Nuciforo to stop.  My Uncle from Saratoga Springs (NY) and my cousin stepped in front of Nuciforo, and then Nuciforo with Sara Hathaway at his side, backed off and they returned to their parade route.

From the Fall 1997 to the Spring 1998, Nuciforo filed multiple state "ethics" complaints against my dad, Bob, to multiple state agencies in Massachusetts to try to get my dad, Bob, fired from his state government probation job that my dad, Bob, held since early-December 1970, and to force my dad, Bob's, resignation from his elected position as a Berkshire County Commissioner.  Thankfully, Nuciforo's plot was ineffective.

Nuciforo did not stop there.  On May 20th, 1998, Nuciforo made secretive and false allegations against me - Jon Melle - to the Pittsfield Police Department that I was making "veiled" threats against him, and that if I entered his State Senate district office, his staff were directed to immediately call the police and I was to be arrested and jailed.  Back then, Nuciforo's closest political ally, the now late Berkshire County Sheriff Carmen Massimiano, Jr., ran the county jail in Pittsfield.  My dad, Bob, had daily communications with Nuciforo and his district office staff back then, but he found out about Nuciforo's plot at his job in the Pittsfield Courthouse, and he told me to stay away from Nuciforo.  Thankfully, Nuciforo's plot was ineffective.

During the Summer 1998, Nuciforo, along with then North Adams State Representative Dan Bosley, filed a rider to the fiscal year 1999 Massachusetts State Budget to abolish Berkshire County Government effective July 1, 2000, and for the state government to take over all administrative duties because - sarcasm - the bureaucrats in Boston know how to manage county government duties better than the people who live in Berkshire County.  For two years from July 1, 2000, to June 30, 2002, Pontoosuc Lake, which sits in both Pittsfield and Lanesborough, was placed in a state accounting agency in Boston, which meant that it was neglected for 2 years, prior to being put into the state environmental agency.

Dan Bosley retired from being a North Adams - he also resides in Boston - State Representative after his term ended in 2010.  In 2010, Dan Bosley unsuccessfully ran for Berkshire County Sheriff against Tom Bowler, who is in his third 6-year term.  Dan Bosley is a greedy registered lobbyist on Beacon Hill and beyond.  Dan Bosley collects a state public pension plus perks, which is on top of his 6-figure lobbyist loot.

Nuciforo's retribution against me when I was a resident of the Berkshires until early-Spring 2004 included him blacklisting me from employment in Pittsfield, having his political network spread vicious and half-truth rumors against me to the Pittsfield area, and then after I moved to Amherst, NH, where my family relocated to back then, Nuciforo and his network still kept up their abuses to hurt me for many years thereafter the early-Spring 2004, but there were and are good people in Pittsfield who apprised me of these ongoing mean-spirited and unusual events, and thankfully, I was defended against the ongoing attacks.  People told me that they were turned off by Nuciforo's uses of retribution.

From 1999 - 2006, Nuciforo allegedly illegally double dipped as the Chair of the State Senate Finance Committee while he at the same time served as a corporate Attorney for the Boston Law Firm "Berman & Dowell" as counsel of Boston's big banks and insurance companies.  Nuciforo's political corruption led him to have to step down from his elected position as a State Senator from Pittsfield - he really always lived Boston as a professional adult - and for him to enter the state government 2006 "election" for Registrar of Deeds in Pittsfield.  Nuciforo strong-armed two women candidates - Sharon Henault and Sara Hathaway - out of the aforementioned "election" to anoint himself to the sinecure.

In January 2007, after Nuciforo became the Registrar of Deeds in Pittsfield, the Boston Globe published a news story that he lobbied the then new Governor of Massachusetts, Deval Patrick, to be appointed as the state's Commissioner of Insurance, but Nuciforo was passed over for the position.  The Dirty Bird published an editorial saying that Nuciforo should remain at the Registry of Deeds in Pittsfield.

Over the next 6 years, Nuciforo plotted to oust the now late Congressman John W. Olver from his elected position, but due to the 2012 redistricting, Olver retired from U.S. Congress, and Nuciforo opposed Congressman Richie Neal in the September 2012 primary federal election.  The Dirty Bird wrote that Nuciforo was "a fringe politician".  The Springfield Republican wrote that Nuciforo's campaign was "mean-spirited".  Nuciforo lost to "PAC Man" Richie Neal by 40 percentage points.  Nuciforo's corrupt political career was over after 16 years of him being a mean-spirited political hack who hurt people such as me - Jon Melle.

In March 2017, Nuciforo went to pot.  Nuciforo used his corrupt political connections in Pittsfield politics to the Boston Statehouse to the Boston Financial District to start his marijuana company "Berkshire Roots".  The Boston Globe published news stories and editorials mentioning Nuciforo's ambitions to establish his Pot Kingdom in Pittsfield and East Boston.  

On Dalton Avenue in Pittsfield, Nuciforo's "Berkshire Roots" touts itself as the single largest grower of marijuana plants in the Berkshires.  Behind his Dalton Avenue 3 story tall marijuana growing building, nearby residential neighborhoods have been complaining over recent years to Pittsfield City Hall that they have to smell Nuciforo's unpleasant pot growing odors on a  daily basis, but nothing is done about it because, as one can now see, Nuciforo can do what ever the Hell he wants to do and he never faces any consequences for his action.  Nuciforo has a marijuana dispensary in both Pittsfield and in East Boston.

Two weeks ago, the Dirty Bird published a real estate transaction report that Nuciforo purchased a $950,000 mansion that is 0.3 miles away from Mayor Linda Tyer's mansion in Pittsfield's elitist Gated Community neighborhood.  12 days later on Thursday, September 21st, 2023, the Dirty Bird published a bombshell news story that mayoral candidate John Krol allegedly embezzled $6,800 from a not-for-profit animal shelter that has since merged with another not-for-profit animal shelter.  John Krol denied any wrongdoing.

Today, which is two weeks after the Dirty Bird reported that Nuciforo purchased his mansion, the Dirty Bird published an editorial defending its bombshell news story stating that John Krol is a "thief" by asking John Krol to openly publish his banking and credit card statements to defend himself against the allegations that were made against him shortly after the preliminary election this past week.

Please allow me to review: Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr.'s Pittsfield Pot Kingdom versus John Krol's "theft" of $6,800.  Nuciforo has spent the past over 27 years getting away with being a mean-spirited and vindictive corrupt politician, as well as using his disgraced political legacy to cash in as Pittsfield's Pot King.  The Dirty Bird gives Nuciforo yet another free pass after the newspaper reported that Nuciforo purchased a $950,000 mansion in far west Pittsfield.  John Krol allegedly stole $6,800 from an animal shelter, and the Dirty Bird publishes a bombshell news story and then an editorial against him.  This is the exact illustration of the small town news media being UNFAIR!

Jonathan A. Melle

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Our Opinion: "For Pittsfield voters' sake, mayoral candidate John Krol can and should shed some light on Animal Dreams drama"

The Berkshire Eagle, Editorial, Saturday, September 23, 2023

On Thursday, this newspaper broke the story that Pittsfield mayoral candidate John Krol had diverted $6,800 from a nonprofit organization of which he was a director to his personal benefit.

Mr. Krol denies wrongdoing. Mr. Krol claims he’s the victim of a political hit job and has castigated The Berkshire Eagle for reporting the story. Significantly, Mr. Krol does not question the accuracy of any of the material facts in the article.

Former president of Animal Dreams says John Krol 'stole' $6,800 from nonprofit; Krol says it's a banking 'mistake'

The story, first published online Wednesday evening (24 hours after Tuesday’s preliminary election) and in print on Thursday morning, raises serious questions about Mr. Krol’s honesty, integrity and fiscal acumen — all matters that voters could and indeed should consider when evaluating any candidate for an executive office.

Mr. Krol said he made the payments on his personal American Express credit card by unwittingly transferring funds from the bank account of Animal Dreams, a nonprofit of which he was a director with the authority to approve money transfers. Mr. Krol maintains he intended for the transfers to come from his personal account.

In June 2019, Stacey Carver, Animal Dreams’ president, discovered five separate withdrawals, from November 2018 to March 2019, from the nonprofit’s bank account. She traced them to Mr. Krol’s American Express card.

Ms. Carver contacted Mr. Krol. He told her then and he continues to assert now that it was Greylock Federal Credit Union’s fault.

Krol’s “explanation” begs more questions than it answers.

If accurate, he mistakenly directed Animal Dreams’ account at Greylock to send money to pay his American Express bill — or, he mistakenly directed American Express to make withdrawals from Animal Dreams’ account.

Mr. Krol can settle his case by publicly disclosing both his American Express card and his Greylock Federal bank account statements for 2018 and 2019. Most likely, these statements are available to him online without cost.

The statements can show when and from what sources Mr. Krol made payments on his American Express card before November 2018. That may, in turn, shed light on his assertion that his mistakes stem from having been given an incorrect “router” number by a Greylock employee in 2015. If his claim has merit, Mr. Krol would have had to have been given an erroneous bank account number — not an incorrect bank routing number.

A comparison of his American Express and his Greylock Federal bank statements might answer questions of what payments, if any, Mr. Krol made to his American Express account from 2015, when he claims he received the bad “router” number, to November 2018, when he made the first payment out of the Animal Dreams’ account. And from November 2018 to March 2019, when payments were made from the Animal Dreams account, and subsequently from June 2019 on, when the Animal Dreams account was no longer connected to his credit card, the account records would show activity that could prove his assertion.

The most glaring question: Did Mr. Krol have enough money in his own account during that time to cover his American Express bills?

If he innocently directed a withdrawal from the Animal Dreams account when he meant to direct the withdrawal from his personal account, why did he not have the money to correct the error when Stacey Carver brought it to his attention? If he mistakenly had those payments made from the nonprofit’s account, his personal account had about $6,000 more than he reasonably thought it contained.

Mr. Krol apparently did not have that $6,800, or anything close to it, when Ms. Carver contacted him. Mr. Krol was not obliged to balance his own bank accounts every month, but most working people would know if their bank reported their balances to be several thousand dollars higher than they believed.

Clearly, Mr. Krol would have had the belief that his account contained that $6,800 when he ordered the withdrawals, so it would be difficult for him to sincerely say that he had no idea what his balances were at the time. Again, disclosing his bank statements would shed much light on the issue.

We must add that Mr. Krol had a fiduciary duty to Animal Dreams when he ordered the withdrawals. As such, the law required him to exercise the greatest degree of trust and loyalty in dealing with Animal Dreams’ property.

Voters need to assess how Mr. Krol has conducted himself in his dealings with Animal Dreams when they decide who will receive their votes. If he’s elected mayor in November, he will be dealing with taxpayer money and public funds.

Mr. Krol controls the information that would allow voters to answer these serious questions.

We call upon him to publicly and promptly disclose the monthly statements issued to him by both Greylock Federal Credit Union and American Express at least from Jan. 1, 2018, through Jan. 1, 2020.

This will give Pittsfield voters real information upon which they can decide on Mr. Krol’s fitness to hold the office of the mayor of the city of Pittsfield.

Impugning the motives of those who have brought the uncontroverted facts to light can only divert the public’s attention while answering nothing. We implore Mr. Krol to do the right thing and release the relevant information.

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September 23, 2023

Someone emailed me: "Did Mr. Pot king buy on pheasant Dr? What number?"

My - Jon Melle's - reply: The Dirty Bird reported:

George C. Whaling and Karen C. Gomula sold property at 4 Southbrook Lane, Pittsfield [Massachusetts], to Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr., trustee, EEM NT, $950,000.

Source: Berkshire County Real Estate Transactions for August 21 - 25, 2023, by Jeannie Maschino, September 09, 2023.

Mayor Linda Tyer lives in a mansion at 3 Pheasant Lane, Pittsfield, Massachusetts.  The distance between Nuciforo's recently purchased mansion and Mayor Linda Tyer's mansion is 0.3 miles according to Google Maps.  Both Nuciforo and Mayor Linda Tyer's mansions are located in Pittsfield's elitist Gated Community neighborhood that is west of Berkshire Community College, which is close to the Hancock border but still in Pittsfield.

Nuciforo is Pittsfield's Pot King.  He started his marijuana business in March 2017.  Nuciforo used his corrupt political connections and unknown investors with deep pockets of cash - most likely from Boston's big banks and insurance companies that he has been in bed with since 1999, and the Wojtkowski side of his family - to cash in on Massachusetts' multi-billion-dollar predatory marijuana industry.

The point I am making is that Nuciforo's millions is and should be a huge scandal compared to the Dirty Bird calling John Krol a thief over a matter of $6,800.  For less than 30 years now in Pittsfield politics and in Boston alike, Nuciforo has been very controversial, corrupt and questionable, but the Dirty Bird almost always gives "Luciforo" a free pass!  John Krol is NOT the problem, but rather, Pittsfield's Pot King is the real problem!

Jonathan A. Melle

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September 23, 2023

We live in a new era of McCarthyism.  Instead of giving a person the benefit of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law usually by a Jury of one's peers, there are extremist people and news media outlets out there that go full force against a person in the harshest of terms.

In politics, things become conspiratorial instead of rational.  In my own experiences in Pittsfield politics when I was a young man many years ago, I didn't understand who I was fighting against until I witnessed unusual events unfold before my own eyes.  As a 48-year-old man, I now know who I was fighting against all of those years ago.

Career politicians are all about corruption (money), retribution (rule by fear), and power (authority).  When I witnessed politics over the years, I found out that everything was a done deal because the money went into the pockets of the politicians and their vested and special interest that finance their decades in elected office.  I found out that when someone stands against corrupt career politicians, they receive retribution even in the land of the free and the home of the brave.  I found out that authority applies to who you are, not necessarily your actions.

The Beltway in the Swamp is the wealthiest region of the U.S.A.  Instead of the government serving the people, Capitol Hill is K Street's "pay to play" paradise.  Maryland and then the part of Virginia closest to Capitol Hill and K Street are also very wealthy suburban areas.

Meanwhile, the U.S.A. has a huge swath of the country called the postindustrial "rust belt" whereby there are endless rows of trailer parks, as well as many impoverished inner cities with their countless social services agencies, the jail and prison industrial complex whereby a youth that is able to graduate from high school is at risk of ending up of behind bars because the ruling elites refuse to invest in people and communities, and so on.

In closing, John Krol is and should be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.  John Krol should not have received the harshest of treatment by the Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle).  Pittsfield has politicians other than John Krol that almost always receive a free pass from the Eagle.  I will never support John Krol in Pittsfield politics because of his allegiance to Jimmy Ruberto, who is one of the biggest Good Old Boys in Pittsfield politics, and he was a failed Mayor of Pittsfield for 8 years (2004 - 2011) who never owned a home nor rented an apartment in Pittsfield in his entire life.  I see John Krol as a dupe who needs to get his own personal life together instead of trying to make his mid-life political comeback in Pittsfield politics.

Jon Melle

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September 24, 2023

Hello blogger Dan Valenti,

"Flogging Molly" wrote and posted on your blog: "As far as this Melle innocent until proven guilty horseshit...."

The exact definition of tyranny that the Founders - who mostly owned Slaves - fought the British Crown over was that the Colonialists in the North American 13 States had no legal right to due process of law and they could lose everything they owned, including the Right to Life, Liberty, and Property (the Pursuit of Happiness) at the whim of the British Crown's decree.

John Krol, whom I would never support and/or vote for in politics, is still a U.S. Citizen with state and federal constitutional entitlements including the absolute right to be innocent until guilty just like the rest of us.  I liked his older sister when I was in classes with her over 30 years ago now when we attended Pittsfield High School together.  She is a nice person.  Unlike his older sister, I don't know John Krol on a personal basis.  I am repulsed by his politics because his political boss is Jimmy Ruberto, who was a failed Mayor of Pittsfield who never owned a home, nor did he ever rent an apartment, in Pittsfield in his life, but told local taxpayers to "sacrifice" to move the distressed city forward, which as we all know all too well failed to happen.

This is not about John Krol anymore, but rather, this is about the fact that the Massachusetts and the U.S.A. alike are a nation of laws, not of men.  We put our good faith in the law, not in men.  John Krol's character and reputation was viciously attacked in Pittsfield politics, but it should mean nothing until he is given his right to due process under law with Equal Justice Under Law.  The Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) needs to state these words instead of being a self-righteous yellow journalistic rag!

Similar to John Krol, I have been viciously attacked in my native hometown of Pittsfield, Massachusetts in Pittsfield politics beginning when I was 20 years old during the Spring of 1996 when my dad, Bob, successfully campaigned for the elected position of Berkshire County Commissioner (1997 - mid-2000) .  After I first me Nuciforo back then, I have experienced as well as witnessed unusual events and heard horrible words said about me over the past 27.5 years of my adult life, as I am now 48 years old.

No one in Pittsfield politics ever gave "Jon Melle" his day in court when it comes to the aforementioned persecution of me.  I have been hurt over and over again by Pittsfield politics, but people, including you blogger Dan Valenti, have told me that you have defended me over the years.  Thank you!

Best wishes,

Jonathan A. Melle

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September 26, 2023

Sarcasm: I asked Barry Clairmont if the settlement of his civil lawsuit against Melissa Mazzeo will impact Free Speech in Pittsfield politics.  He told me that he would make a great official in countries such as China, Russia, North Korea, Iran....  I told him that Pittsfield is in the U.S.A., not those other countries.  He kicked me out of the Gated Community that he lives in with his second wife, Mayor Linda Tyer, along with Pittsfield's Pot King "Luciforo".  I shouted to him that he is in (no) good company with Nuciforo.  He said that he is going to sue the next Mayor of Pittsfield to change the city's name to RETRIBUTION!  I shouted out to him that he should change Pittsfield's name to Barry's RETRIBUTION.  He told me to go back to my homelessness sidewalk on the corner of First and Fenn Streets.  I am not good enough to live in a mansion in Barry Clairmont and "Luciforo's"Gated Community that is west of Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield.

Jon Melle

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September 26, 2023

Blogger Dan Valenti reported:

CLAIRMONT LAWSUIT AGAINST MAZZEO SETTLED … 

By Dan Valenti

PLANET VALENTI News and Commentary

ADD 1 9-26-2023 p.m. — Breaking news. The defamation case launched by Barry Clairmont, husband of Mayor Linda Tyer, against Tyer’s mayoral opponent Melissa Mazzeo has been settled. We’ll have more later.

THE PLANET got word through our spies, and we got on the horn to Mazzeo, who confirmed the out-of-court agreement had been reached.

Watch now. THE PLANET is breaking this news. It won’t be long before The Boring Broadsheet contacts the principals in the case and claims they got it first.

Bet the house.

ADD 2 later 9/26/2023 p.m. — Mazzeo said she settled based on her insurance company’s recommendation. Last week, Mazzeo’s insurers paid Clairmont $140,000.

“I wanted to take this to court,” Mazzeo told THE PLANET, “but [the insurance company] wanted the case settled and off the books. I agreed. It would have been costly [and time consuming] to hire private representation, so in August, we went to mediation in Boston. We went from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. That’s when [Clairmont] dropped the defamation charge and changed it to ‘pain and suffering,’ which is much easier to prove than defamation.”

She said Clairmont came into arbitration demanding an unrealistic amount of money as well as a public apology. She said there’s no way she would ever agree to an apology or the initial amount sought in damages, because her claims were correct. Her insurance lawyer negotiated downward toward a much more favorable number, she said.

“[Clairmont] was behind the counter [where the votes were being counted]. He shouldn’t have been there. He had direct access to the ballots. I didn’t say he stole ballots, only that he had access to them. The recount was the only way we could be assured [of an honest tabulation].

“I wanted to go to trial,” Mazzeo said. “I wanted to take jurors to city hall to show how Clairmont went to where the votes were being held.” She says he didn’t use the public entry to city hall like every other private citizen but entered the inner sanctum through doors for official use only.

“I stand by my charges,” Mazzeo said.

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September 30, 2023

The answer is that John Krol is legally entitled to be innocent until proven guilty in a constitutional court of law by a Judge and Jury of his peers.  John Krol is innocent because the Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle)'s hatchet job does not constitute due process of law.  Anyone, any group, and newspaper or yellow journalism rag such as the Dirty bird can do a hatchet job on John Krol or anyone else out there, but it means nothing in the eyes of the law.

I have lived this painful experience since I was 20 years old way back in the Spring 1996 when my dad, Bob, began his successful campaign for Berkshire County Commissioner (1997 - mid-2000) for the past 27.5 years of my adult life - (Jon Melle is now 48).  The Nuciforo network conspiratorially hurt me over and over again setting up bait for me to behave inappropriately and/or illegally like I was and am a mouse looking at eating a piece of cheese on a deadly mouse trap, but my response is not to take the bait, but rather, for me to write, send political emails, and blog about the mean-spirited abuse I have endured from the aforementioned 4-foot tall piece of poop that exists in the form of a man who is sarcastically called "Luciforo" and "Pittsfield's Pot King".

Politics is a game played by the financial, corporate and ruling elites, and we common people are all bystanders.  To illustrate, the Republicans in U.S. Congress are in the process of impeaching Joe Biden.  Democrats in the Swamp and a few state governments are indicting Donald Trump on felony charges.  The irony of all of this is that they are all corrupt career politicians and multimillionaires in the Swamp - granted some a lot worse than other spoiled rich brats.

When Bill Clinton was impeached because he loved receiving blowjobs from younger women, it came out that many of those in U.S. Congress back then also loved similar sex affairs with younger women - past and present back then.  Moral hypocrisy on the Hill and in the Oval Office - or in Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky's case: The Oral Orifice Cigars and Thongs White House.

Jonathan A. Melle

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September 30, 2023

Pittsfield politics: A $205.6 million municipal operating budget, hundreds of millions of dollars in municipal debts plus OPEB unfunded liabilities, the 25-year-old polluted PEDA debacle with millions of dollars in always increasing unfunded liabilities (debts), capped "leaky" landfills full of GE's PCBs industrial chemicals including Hill 78 abutting Allendale Elementary School, a dangerous downtown with 15 empty storefronts, Level 5 public schools with over 650 students who choice out to neighboring public school districts, Pittsfield's Pot King stinking up residential neighborhoods with his unpleasant pot growing odors on Dalton Avenue, a Pittsfield State Representative named Tricia Farley-Bouvier who supports illegal immigrants having Massachusetts Driver's Licenses and the legalization of sex workers, Mayor Linda Tyer living in a mansion in an elitist Gated Community along with "Luciforo" who lives 0.3 miles away from Linda and her litigious CPA 3rd husband, Jimmy Ruberto supporting John Krol from Naples, Florida and his Summertime residence in Lenox, the Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle)'s yellow journalism hatchet jobs on the proverbial dog catchers....

Jonathan A. Melle

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October 1, 2023

John Krol's calls for reforms to Pittsfield politics and City Hall ring hollow because he has the endorsement of Jimmy Ruberto aka Rolodex, who was Pittsfield's Snake Oil Salesman Mayor of Pittsfield who himself never owned a home, nor did he ever rent an apartment, in Pittsfield in his life, but he often used to tell residents and small businesses to sacrifice, which meant big municipal spending increases, including during the 2008 economic recession, which was the single worst recession since the Great Depression in the 1930s.  

Compared to Mayors (the late) Gerry Doyle aka Barstool, Sara Hathaway aka Aberration turned Level 5 Schoolmarm, the aforementioned Rolodex, Dan Bianchi aka Bust who also works for Montello Energy, Mayor Linda Tyer is the only good Mayor over the past generation of stinkers.  Mayor Linda Tyer is well regarded by state and local officials throughout Massachusetts.  Mayor Linda Tyer inherited a mess from Dan Bianchi.  Mayor Linda Tyer stabilized the city's municipal finances.  I refuse to judge Mayor Linda Tyer because of her litigious third CPA husband Barry Clairmont.

I hope that Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey will hire Linda Tyer to complement her administration because Linda Tyer is an effective public manager who actually knows what she is doing in state and local government.  John Krol was once friends and allies with Mayor Linda Tyer, but now he is criticizing her because she endorsed his opponent, Peter Marchetti for Mayor of Pittsfield in 2023.

I would be very upset with how things are going if I were in John Krol's shoes, too, because he is being treated unfairly by the Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) and conspiratorially by his opposition.  I have experienced similar events throughout my adult life of 48 years thus far in Pittsfield politics, too.  It upsets me on a personal level, too.  My heart goes out to John Krol, but he is NOT above scrutiny as a political candidate for Mayor of Pittsfield.  John Krol knows what he got into when he began his middle-age political comeback in Pittsfield politics.

I have heard rumors about Peter Marchetti for decades, too.  In 2006, I was told that Peter Marchetti spread rumors about me - as I am his relative as my late maternal grandmother's maiden name is Marchetti - in Pittsfield politics, despite me living in Southern New Hampshire back then through present times.  Peter Marchetti has been known to engage in dirty politics, despite all of the rumors spread about him in Pittsfield politics over many years now.

To be clear: I support Mayor Linda Tyer and I think she has been the best Mayor of Pittsfield in my adult lifetime.  John Krol is off base to use her to divert the unfair political attacks he has received over the past couple of weeks.  This could be an episode in the series: The Twilight Zone.  It has turned into an ugly mayoral election campaign in 2023 Pittsfield politics.

Jonathan A. Melle

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October 2, 2023

Are you, B. Clairmont, really a citizen of Russia or China or North Korea or Iran....because you sued and settled with Melissa Mazzeo over her use of Free Speech?  Did you, B. Clairmont, know that Pittsfield is in the U.S.A., which entitles Melissa Mazzeo to Free Speech?  What kind of precedent have you, B. Clairmont, set in Pittsfield politics by using retribution against Melissa Mazzeo for her exercising Free Speech?  I have yet to read anyone, including The Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) and Planet Valenti, affirm your civil lawsuit and settlement of $140,000.  Your second wife, Mayor Linda Tyer, should have issued a statement saying that while she loves her third husband, CPA Barry Clairmont, she denounces your use of retribution in Pittsfield politics over Melissa Mazzeo exercising Free Speech!

Jonathan A. Melle

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October 7, 2023

I learned that my 30 year PHS class reunion will take place on the evening after Thanksgiving 2023 on November 24th, 2023, at 5:30 pm, at the GEAA in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.  I wont be attending.  I used to have a Facebook account years ago, but I canceled it years ago.  I became upset that some of the people, including some of my peers from Pittsfield High School who I new in my teenage years over 3 decades ago, unfriended me over my comments about the recurring abuse I endured in Pittsfield politics starting when I was only 20 years old during the Spring of 1996 when my dad, Bob, successfully campaigned for the elected position of Berkshire County Commissioner (1997 - mid-2000), which has continued over the past 27.5 years of my adult life - even after I moved away from Pittsfield, Massachusetts in the early-Spring 2004 when I moved to Amherst, New Hampshire to live with my family who previously relocated their residences.

How would my PHS class of 1993 classmates understand that I am a persecuted person at the hands of Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior aka "Luciforo" aka "Pittsfield's Pot King" and his conspiratorial network of bullies?  If I attended my PHS 30 year class reunion, my peers would ask me questions, tell me that I am a horrible person, and say that I am messed up.  It would hurt me - Jon Melle - to be criticized by the people who I attended Pittsfield High School with many years ago because I like all of them all of these many years later.  I love Pittsfield because it is my native hometown and I have many warm memories in the beautiful Berkshires from the days of my youth.

I wish that I never had to know Nuciforo and his mean-spirited clique because I would otherwise attend my PHS 30 year class reunion to see my peers next month.  But I have to function and live my middle-aged life with peace of mind, so I am going to stay home with my family in Amherst, NH during the Thanksgiving 2023 holiday weekend.  I like my PHS peers, and I love Pittsfield, of course.  Thank you for your understanding.

Jonathan A. Melle

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October 7, 2023

I did not ask for my dad, Bob, to run for elected office in the Berkshires when I was only 20 years old in the Spring 1996.  I did not ask for Nuciforo to conspiratorially and abusively bully me over the past 27.5 years of my adult life because Nuciforo has a vendetta against my father, Bob.  I could not possibly expect that my PHS 1993 classmates would be able to take the time out of their own adult lives to understand that I am a persecuted person in Pittsfield politics due to "Luciforo" aka "Pittsfield's Pot King's" mean-spirited actions.  It all just falls directly on my - Jon Melle's - head because my only crime in my life is being the son of a former politician from Berkshire County named Bob Melle.

Jonathan A. Melle

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October 8, 2023

Re: Maura Healey's Latte Limousine Liberals only huddle

Hello Boston Herald Editors,

I will send my letter to the Herald to Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey to let her know that I agree with the Herald that her Latte Limousine Liberals only huddle(s) are anti-democratic.  But I also wish to ask the Herald: How is this anything new or different than business as usual in the corrupt, secretive and top-down Boston Statehouse?

My dad, Bob, was a politician in Berkshire County, Massachusetts a generation ago.  I witnessed that politicians first raise money and then set public policies and by the time they debate, if that even happens anymore, and vote on a piece of state legislation, it is always a done deal in state government.  It is money first, set the public policies second, debate third, if that even happens anymore, of course, and vote fourth.

If I went up to Governor Maura Healey or the fictional Massachusetts State Representative Sellout Shakedown with a check written out to them for no less than $1,000, then they would give me at least one minute of their time to listen to what I have to say to them.  If I went up to either of them with only HOT AIR, they would tell me to go pound sand.

Is the Herald really surprised that Governor Maura Healey and the fictional State Rep. Sellout Shakedown are unable to manage the state's migrant crisis, the state's homelessness crisis, the ongoing Mass and Cass crisis, and so on?  It is the Latte Limousine Liberals way of only doing DISSERVICES against the common people they supposedly represent in government.

Jonathan A. Melle

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A Boston Globe Editorial: "Healey’s elitism infuriating" - "Gov. Maura Healey needs to be reminded she’s the governor for the entire state — not just Democrats"

By the Boston Herald editorial staff, October 8, 2023

An infuriated Herald reader put it best after reading that Gov. Maura Healey huddled with fellow Democrats over the state’s migrant crisis: “This is ridiculous!”

“Well, that’s nice and very secretive. What are you hiding?” the reader added, alluding to the fact that no Republicans were invited to that huddle.

The governor needs to study the Massachusetts Constitution. The “body politic” (i.e., Governor, Legislature, etc.) must adhere to a solemn “social compact” working toward “the common good.” That’s just in the preamble, so Gov. Healey shouldn’t need to read much further.

It doesn’t say in times of trouble, consult with your party.

Article V (worth reading, governor) states in full: “All power residing originally in the people, and being derived from them, the several magistrates and officers of government, vested with authority, whether legislative, executive, or judicial, are their substitutes and agents, and are at all times accountable to them.”

This means, as we read it and I’m sure thousands of others do too, that Democrats, Republicans, independents, Libertarians, Green Party, Constitution Party all the way to the Pizza Party (go check it out, it’s a political designation) represent the people of this great state.

It is elitist for Gov. Healey to think only her party has the right to brainstorm about coping with the right-to-shelter law here in Massachusetts and the migrants and homeless leaning on that flawed passage.

Gov. Maura Healey, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll, House Speaker Ronald Mariano, Senate President Karen Spilka, and members of the state’s congressional delegation — all Democrats — were in on that virtual huddle, as the Herald reported. Aides to U.S. Reps. Seth Moulton and Jake Auchincloss as well as U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey confirmed their attendance.

Both top legislative Republicans — Minority Leaders Sen. Bruce Tarr and Rep. Brad Jones — in Massachusetts confirmed they did not receive an invite.

A source tells the Herald the migrant crisis has hit districts with hotels housing these newcomers very hard. Reps and senators are all trying to adjust while begging for leadership from the Corner Office.

So what does the governor do? She rallies her base. She seeks opinions from her party.

That brand of leadership, where you turn to like-minded supporters, has proven fatal for generations. You need dissenting voices, skeptics, and people who will challenge the status quo.

Not inviting Bruce Tarr and Brad Jones smacks of partisan politics and is precisely why Congress has an approval rating of 19%. Politicians forget they work for the taxpayers.

This is exactly what we feared would happen from electing a Democratic governor here in Massachusetts — one-party rule.

Gov. Healey has asked the state Legislature to approve $250 million in additional funding for the emergency shelter system on top of the $325 million that was included in the fiscal year 2024 budget. Taxpayers are footing this bill.

Gov. Healey needs to realize, as Article VI of the state Constitution says, that she cannot “obtain advantages, or particular and exclusive privileges, distinct from those of the community.”

Or, she will be a one-term governor.

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October 10, 2023

Pittsfield politics nicknames: the late Mayor Barstool, Lobbyist Larkin, Luciforo aka Pittsfield's Pot King, Tricia Country Buffet, Chrome Dome, Mayor Aberration aka Level 5 Schoolmarm, Mayor Rolodex, Mayor Montello, Mayor Gated Community, Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski, PAC Man Richie Neal, Maryland Markey, Syracuse Joe, Financial Wizard Krol, Gavel Marchetti, Voltron White, Cumby's Clairmont, Social Services Alley surrounded by The Ring of Poverty distressed neighborhoods, the polluted PEDA debacle, the Hill 78 & Allendale Elementary School chemical cancer center, the Water Wizard, Kufflink's cooked books, Paul Marx, Shitty Pignatelli, career politician John Barett III, greed-ball Bosley, the historic flood zone Wahconah Park, the Dirty Bird's daily yellow journalism rag, a vibrant and dynamic shit sandwich, Linda's ARPA Buck$, over one dozen empty storefronts, Bowler's bullshit, Shugrue's mentor, the Berkshire Museum heist, a top 10 city for violent crime, Shitty Hall, the Shitty Clowncil, the Level 5 Scohol Committee, the Good Old Boys, the Ruberto Renaissance, A City in Decay, economic growth in the underclass, 50 years of population loss and the losses of many living wage jobs, postindustrial rust belt creative economy of welfare and disability caseloads, the 2-headed Pittsfield Democratic Party fighting factions, the infamous Dalton Avenue 3 stories stinker of nearby neighborhoods pot palace, littered streets full of nip bottles, cig butts, and old scratch tickets, the Stockbridge blogger, the so-called delusional and paranoid NH blogger, the GOBSIGs and SUITS, the 20 percent voter turnout apathetic elections, the city of RETRIBUTION and civil lawsuits, the city of severe economic inequality, the once proud city that fell into a downward spiral, GE's toxic waste dump, Lenox's ugly sister city, there are a lot of Pittsfields out there city, the economically distressed city, the leave and never look back city, the most cliquey and mean-spirited city of inbred mulligenerational moron families, the don't drop your keys there city, the Neutron Jack Welch city, the city of con artists, the big 3 police, fire, and public school unions and the special interests and out-of-town millionaires cut of the loot city, the service city for the southern Berkshire towns, the Consent Decree in exchange for 30 pieces of silver city, the no to the bypass, downtown community college, downtown mall, new ballpark city, and the scary city that JON MELLE ran away from as a longtime persecuted person in Pittsfield politics.

Jonathan A. Melle

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October 15, 2023

Hello blogger Dan Valenti,

Do you understand how frustrating it is for me - Jon Melle - to read about Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior's Berkshire Roots marijuana HCA lawsuit against Mayor Linda Tyer's City of Pittsfield, Massachusetts?  The crux of Nuciforo's lawsuit is that he is alleging that Mayor Linda Tyer did NOT act in GOOD FAITH in charging his Pittsfield Pot Kingdom on Dalton Avenue $440,000 in HCA fees.  The frustration I am experiencing here is that in the 27.5 years of me following Nuciforo's career, I believe that Nuciforo never once in his life acted in good faith in politics, the law and in the multi-billion-dollar predatory pot industry in Massachusetts.

Since I first met Nuciforo in the Spring 1996 when I was 20 years old, and when my dad, Bob, began his campaign for Berkshire County Commissioner back then while Nuciforo started campaigning for the Berkshire-based State Senate elected position in Boston, Nuciforo conspiratorially had people who were part of his Pittsfield "All in the Family" political dynasty bully me - even threaten to physically assault me - over the past 27.5 years of my adult life - I am now 48 years old.

Nuciforo always had a vindictive vendetta against my dad, Bob, who from the Fall of 1997 - Spring 1998, Nuciforo filed multiple state "ethics" complaints against my dad to multiple state agencies from Pittsfield to Boston.   On May 20th, 1998, Nuciforo made false allegations against me to the Pittsfield Police Department that I was making "veiled" threats against him, but the truth was that it was Nuciforo who was the one who was threatening me, including him harshly staring at me after Judge Francis Spina's promotion at the lawn of the Pittsfield District Courthouse in the Summer 1997, along with Nuciforo with Sara Hathaway at his side breaking his parade route in the 1997 North Adams Fall Foliage Parade to confront me - Sara Hathaway never told Nuciforo to stop - but my Uncle from Saratoga Springs, NY and my cousin stepped in front of me, which led Nuciforo to back off of me and return to his parade route.

Nuciforo blacklisted me from employment in the Berkshires.  Nuciforo's network spread half-truth vicious rumors about me all over the Pittsfield area.  Neither Nuciforo nor any of his network of bullies apologized to me and/or my family for hurting me over many years of my adult life.

From 1999 - 2006, Nuciforo was a double dipper.  In the mid-2000s, Nuciforo chaired the State Senate Finance Committee.  At the same time back then, Nuciforo worked for the Boston Law Firm Berman and Dowell as a private Attorney for Boston's big banks and insurance companies.  In 2006, Nuciforo got in trouble over his allegedly illegal double dipping, and he had to step down from his elected position as a Berkshire-based State Senator in Boston (1997 - 2006).  Nuciforo is a disgraced politician!

In 2006, Nuciforo strong-armed two women out of a state government so-called "election" for Middle Berkshire Registrar of Deeds.  The two women candidates were Sharon Henault, who worked at the aforementioned Registry of Deeds, and Sara Hathaway, who is a former one-term Mayor of Pittsfield.  Nuciforo anointed himself to the sinecure from 2007 - 2012.

In early-2007, the Boston Globe published a news article alleging that Nuciforo lobbied the then newly elected Governor, Deval Patrick, to appoint him to the position of Commissioner of Insurance, but Nuciforo was passed over for the post.  The Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) wrote in an editorial that Nuciforo should stay at the aforementioned Registry, which he did while he spent the next 6 years of his life plotting to oust Congressman John W. Olver, who has since passed away, but due to the 2010 redistricting, Olver retired in 2012, and Nuciforo faced Congressman Richie Neal in the 2012 federal primary election.  The Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) wrote that Nuciforo is a FRINGE politician, and Nuciforo lost to Neal by 40 percentage points.  Nuciforo's political career was finally over in 2012.

In mid-March 2017, Nuciforo received his permit in Pittsfield to start his marijuana business that is now named "Berkshire Roots".  The Boston Globe wrote news articles and editorials about Nuciforo and other politicians who cashed in on the predatory pot industry in Massachusetts.  Later on, Nuciforo received his permit in Boston to open a marijuana dispensary in East Boston.  This past Summer 2023, Nuciforo purchased a mansion for $950,000 in the same Gated Community neighborhood west of Berkshire Community College that Mayor Linda Tyer lives in.  Their respective mansions are 0.3 miles apart, according to Google Maps.

For Nuciforo to file a lawsuit against the City of Pittsfield that basically argues that Mayor Linda Tyer did NOT act in good faith with his pot business "Berkshire Roots" is the ultimate illustration of hypocrisy by Nuciforo, who never acted in good faith in his adult life.  Mayor Linda Tyer is a good Mayor of Pittsfield, and Nuciforo is bullying her with his lawsuit.

Jonathan A. Melle

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“LEGAL” Marijuana industry is another corrupt bureaucracy pushed upon taxpayers by the Criminals in Beacon Hill.

I could smell the stench from ROOTS all the way to RIBCO when I went to get plumbing parts.

The fact Nuciforo was fast tracked into the business/scheme is because he was one of the corrupt at one time and knows the BEACON HILL MOB well.

- Mad Trapper

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It will come from taxpayer money so I don’t think Marchetti will hesitate to give it to him if elected. Probably with interest. And good chance Nucifero knew this before even asking. This is no blindside. May have tossed a few bucks into the campaign bucket for good measure.

- "snark snark"

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Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior's Berkshire Roots versus Mayor Linda Tyer's City of Pittsfield lawsuit:

https://www.cannabisandthelaw.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/10/Berkshire-Roots-Complaint.pdf

Nuciforo is asking for Pittsfield to pay Berkshire Roots $440,000 plus fees and unspecified damages. Basically, Nuciforo is accusing Mayor Linda Tyer of NOT acting in good faith in the city's HCA contract with Berkshire Roots.

https://www.cannabisandthelaw.com/2023/10/10/massachusetts-cannabis-business-sues-city-over-community-impact-fees/?utm_source=mondaq&utm_medium=syndication&utm_term=Cannabis-Hemp&utm_content=articleoriginal&utm_campaign=article

I find Nuciforo's lawsuit against Mayor Linda Tyer interesting because if anybody in Pittsfield politics has a history of NOT acting in good faith, it is Nuciforo. I have followed Nuciforo's corrupt career over the past 27.5 years of my adult life now, and please believe me when I write to you that Nuciforo should be a Convicted Felon for allegedly illegally double dipping as a disgraced former Pittsfield State Senator who chaired the Finance Committee in Boston, while he also worked as a private Attorney for Boston's big banks and insurance companies for the Boston Law Firm "Berman and Dowell" from 1999 - 2006.

I am on Mayor Linda Tyer's side. Nuciforo is a disgrace to the law!

Jon Melle

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October 27, 2023

Is the City of Pittsfield better than it was 4 or 8 years ago?  The answer is that Pittsfield is in an endless downward spiral of....a shit sandwich.

Does Matt Kerwood aka Kufflinks Cook the Books in Pittsfield politics?  The answer is that he secretly shuffles money around various city accounts to continue Pittsfield politics' 40 year tradition of always increasing municipal spending by 5 percent per fiscal year since Proposition 2.5 became state law in the early-1980s.

Will Peter Marchetti build on Mayor Linda Tyer's public record in Pittsfield politics?  The answer is he would continue predictable Pittsfield politics' business as usual that treats the fictional Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski working family like a doormat.

Will John Krol change course in Pittsfield politics?  The answer is that he will always make utopia-like promises to voters and use banal taglines such as "AUDIT" to criticize his opposition.   

How will Pittsfield politics go from the shit show that we all know and hate all too well to a functioning democracy?  The answer is NOT Nuciforo's pot lawsuit against the city that basically argues that Mayor Linda Tyer acted in BAD FAITH on the HCAs with Berkshire Roots.  The answer is NOT Barry Clairmont's recently settled lawsuit against Melissa Mazzeo over FREE SPEECH in a FREE COUNTRY.  The answer is NOT 20 percent voter turnout in municipal elections whereby Ward 4 always decides who the next Mayor will be.  The answer is NOT Pittsfield politics other name: RETRIBUTION!

Jon Melle

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Letter: "Krol can bring needed change to Pittsfield as mayor"

The Berkshire Eagle, October 17, 2023

To the editor: Pittsfield does not need more of the same.

I hear Peter Marchetti talking about 35 years of experience as a banker and 16 years on the City Council, the last eight as council president. But I wonder: Is the city better than it was four years ago, eight years ago?

He has promised to build on the foundation of what has been done in the previous administration. What exactly is that legacy? Taxes are out of control. We’re not seeing better services. Our schools are struggling. Our downtown is in shambles. Clearly, building on a “foundation” of this record is not going to lead to better results.

John Krol is the choice to bring change, and he has my vote. I ask you to join me in doing the same.

Sue Halpin, Pittsfield

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October 21, 2023

Hello blogger Dan Valenti,

A tale of two weasels: It was the best of times for one weasel (Nuciforo), It was the worst of times for the other weasel (John Krol).

The best of times weasel is Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior, who is suing the City of Pittsfield for $440,000 in HCAs fees he paid to the city for his CONTROVERSIAL Pittsfield Pot Kingdom named "Berkshire Roots", plus Nuciforo is asking the city to pay his pot company interest, fees and unspecified damages. The heart of Nuciforo's lawsuit essentially argues that Mayor Linda Tyer acted in BAD FAITH with Nuciforo's "Berkshire Roots" marijuana company when the city charged Berkshire Roots fees for the HCAs. Mayor Linda Tyer said that the city will vigorously fight Nuciforo's lawsuit.

The Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) allows the best of times weasel (Nuciforo) off the hook over his years of acting in BAD FAITH as a Berkshire-based State Senator in Boston whereby Nuciforo chaired the State Senate Finance Committee in the mid-2000s while at the same time Nuciforo allegedly illegally double-dipped as an Attorney for the Boston Law Firm Berman and Dowell whereby Nuciforo served as legal counsel for Boston's big banks and insurance companies from 1999 - 2006, which led to Nuciforo having to step down in disgrace from his elected position as a Massachusetts State Senator in 2006 after one decade there (1997 - 2006). The Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) could but does not write news articles and editorials about Nuciforo's disgraced political legacy and his hypocritical ongoing lawsuit against the city, but the best of times weasel (Nuciforo) gets a free pass.

The Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) writes news articles and editorials about the worst of times weasel named John Krol, who allegedly embezzled $6,100 from a not-for-profit charitable animal shelter years ago. John Krol faces criminal legal allegations, but to this date (10/21/2023), John Krol was never allowed due process of law for the Eagle to hear both sides of the story under oath. On November 7th, 2023, John Krol and Peter Marchetti are on the ballot for the elected position of Mayor of Pittsfield. It looks like the Eagle is trying to prejudice Pittsfield voters against John Krol over mere allegations of wrongdoing.

Best wishes,

Jonathan A. Melle

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October 21, 2023

Hello blogger Dan Valenti,

Over the years, you have written to me and others that you know that I was hurt in Pittsfield politics, that you have defended me on your blog, and that we are family friends with our families are all natives of Pittsfield.

While I know I have written to you about it many times before, it bothers me that Pittsfield politics other name is RETRIBUTION.  When Nuciforo started his conspiratorial, mean-spirited and hurtful bullying of me, I was only 20 years old during the Spring of 1996 when my dad, Bob, campaigned for the elected position of Berkshire County Commissioner (1997 - mid-2000), while Nuciforo campaigned for the elected position of Berkshire-based State Senator (1997 - 2006).

It has been 27.5 years of my adult life of me being treated like a doormat or a lot worse, a toilet that Nuciforo's network shits on.  I have read that I am a delusional, paranoid schizophrenic, a horrible person, that I am messed up, and so on due to my writings on this ongoing unusual situation and unusual events.

John Krol is going through it in Pittsfield politics, but like me - Jon Melle - nobody in Pittsfield politics is affording John Krol due process of law, including the Berkshire Eagle newspaper.  Both sides need to be heard under oath in a court of law for allegations to be considered legitimate.  Why isn't the Eagle writing that John Krol is facing allegations of allegedly embezzling $6,100 from a not-for-profit charitable animal shelter account, but over all of these years, nobody has afforded him due process of law?  It looks similar to the unusual events that I - Jon Melle - went through in Pittsfield politics because like John Krol, I never had my day in court with Pittsfield politics.

Everyone has somethings that they hope to hide in their lives.  When Jon Melle or John Krol face allegations over many years of our adult lives, the other side doesn't want to testify under oath because they don't want the truth to be told on them.  It is easy to point a finger at a person, but when it comes to due process of law, it leaves the finger pointer(s) vulnerable to legal jeopardy.

Best wishes,

Jon Melle

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October 21, 2023

Hello blogger Dan Valenti,

Someone posted on your blog: "Mere allegations!? The only people who dismiss the obvious evidence and believe that John Krol is merely incompetent when it’s evident John Krol embezzled is you, Dan Valenti, and John Krol’s mom."

My - Jon Melle's - response: I never wrote that I dismissed the evidence in the mere allegations against John Krol that he allegedly embezzled $6,100 from a not-for-profit charitable animal shelter years ago. I never wrote that John Krol is merely incompetent over this matter. Why do you allow someone to put words into my writings on your blog?

The Berkshire Eagle's editorial today omitted that the allegations during John Krol's political campaign for Mayor of Pittsfield are not legitimate because John Krol was never given due process of law whereby all statements are made under oath and both sides are heard and that all are vulnerable to legal jeopardy when they are heard in a court of law. As it stands, John Krol is innocent just like the rest of us until he is proven guilty of the alleged embezzlement from many years ago in a court of law.

The Berkshire Eagle should be questioning the disgraced former politician and lawyer turned Pittsfield Pot King named Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior, whose lawsuit against the City of Pittsfield basically argues that Mayor Linda Tyer did NOT act in GOOD FAITH in the city's signing of the HCAs with Berkshire Roots.

Here is Nuciforo's lawsuit:

https://www.cannabisandthelaw.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/10/Berkshire-Roots-Complaint.pdf

Please go to page 8 to see the name under the signature of Berkshire Roots' lawsuit against the City of Pittsfield: Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr.

There are 43 pages of Nuciforo's lawsuit that essentially argues that the "BAD FAITH" actor named Mayor Linda Tyer defrauded him of $440,000 in HCAs fees from Berkshire Roots to the City of Pittsfield.

For Nuciforo to argue in a lawsuit against the city he once represented as a disgraced Massachusetts State Senator from Pittsfield - who never really lived in Pittsfield - that the "BAD FAITH" actor named Mayor Linda Tyer defrauded him of $440,000 in HCAs fees to the city is the height of hypocrisy by Nuciforo.

The Boston Globe has published multiple news stories and editorials about Nuciforo over the years. The Boston Globe reported that from 1999 - 2006, Nuciforo allegedly double dipped as a State Senator, who chaired the Senate Finance Committee in the mid-2000s, while at the same time, he served as an Attorney for the Boston Law Firm Berman and Dowell whereby Nuciforo served as legal counsel for Boston's big banks and insurance companies. In 2006, Nuciforo had to step down from being a State Senator in disgrace over this matter.

Nuciforo's public record was NOT in GOOD FAITH! Nuciforo's double dipping was allegedly illegal. Nuciforo should have been charged over this, but he stepped down in 2006 to cover his behind. Nuciforo should be a Convicted Felon over this matter. Nuciforo should have been disbarred over this matter. Nuciforo's ongoing lawsuit should not even be reality if we lived in a perfect world whereby Nuciforo was held accountable over this matter.

Nuciforo's Pittsfield Pot Kingdom on Dalton Avenue, as well as his dispensary in East Boston, is CONTROVERSIAL! Nuciforo used his disgraced political connections in Pittsfield and Boston alike to cash in on the multi-billion-dollar predatory pot industry in Massachusetts. There are questions about how Nuciforo's marijuana business always had such deep pockets of money. Where did Nuciforo receive his pot company's investments from? How was he one of the first people to receive permits over other worthy candidates to start marijuana businesses?

Why does the Eagle always give Nuciforo a FREE PASS on all of his corruption in politics, the law, and the marijuana business? For crying out loud, Nuciforo is suing the City of Pittsfield and he is arguing that Mayor Linda Tyer acted in BAD FAITH to defraud him of $440,000 over Berkshire Roots HCAs with the city. For crying out loud, Nuciforo has a long history of acting in BAD FAITH on many levels in Pittsfield and in Boston alike.

When one compares the Eagle's coverage of John Krol's alleged embezzlement of $6,100 to Nuciforo's lawsuit against the city that argues Mayor Linda Tyer acted in BAD FAITH to defraud Berkshire Roots of $440,000 in HCAs fees to the city, one sees the Eagle's double standard of questioning John Krol with mere allegations, while giving Nuciforo a FREE PASS.

Best wishes,

Jon Melle

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October 22, 2023

Hello blogger Dan Valenti, and the Honorable Mayor Linda Tyer,

Someone wrote on your blog, Planet Valenti: "Jesus, Jon, do yourself a big favor and let Nuciforo go. The only one you are hurting is yourself."

I wish to thank this person for looking out for me.  However, I have something to say here.

I had breakfast with my 79-year-old dad, Bob, this Sunday morning.  I asked my dad, Bob, if he is surprised that Pittsfield's former disgraced State Senator named Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior is suing the City of Pittsfield and essentially arguing that Mayor Linda Tyer acted in BAD FAITH and that she thereby allegedly defrauded Nuciforo out of $440,000 in the HCAs fees that Nuciforo's Berkshire Roots marijuana company paid the city years ago.  My dad, Bob, said that Nuciforo wants the money.

I also asked my dad, Bob, who is a former Berkshire County Commissioner (1997 - mid-2000) if Nuciforo's lawsuit could backfire on him given all of the corruption and allegedly illegal double dipping Nuciforo was accused of in the mid-2000s when he was the Chair of the Massachusetts State Senate Finance Committee while he also worked for the Boston Law Firm named Berman and Dowell whereby Nuciforo served as legal counsel for Boston's big banks and insurance companies from 1999 - 2006.  Nuciforo was a State Senator from 1997 - 2006, but due to his corruption in state government with Boston's Financial District, Nuciforo had to step down from being a State Senator in disgrace in 2006.  My dad, Bob, said that the city's lawyers can present Nuciforo disgraced political legacy in Massachusetts State Government to the Berkshire Superior Court as part of Nuciforo's character, especially given that Nuciforo's lawsuit against the city is basically arguing that Mayor Linda Tyer's character is one of her NOT acting in GOOD FAITH with Nuciforo's marijuana company named "Berkshire Roots".

To read Nuciforo's lawsuit against the City of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, please go this link:

https://www.cannabisandthelaw.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/10/Berkshire-Roots-Complaint.pdf

Given all that I know about how Nuciforo operates in politics, the law, and the lucrative marijuana industry, how could I stay silent and allow Mayor Linda Tyer to be persecuted by Nuciforo?  The other thing is that there are no other lawsuits or formal complaints that I know of that argues that Mayor Linda Tyer acts in BAD FAITH and allegedly DEFRAUDS people or businesses.  I understand that there is another Pittsfield marijuana company suing the city to receive a lesser amount of their HCAs back, but Nuciforo's legal argument targets Mayor Linda Tyer's character.

The hypocrisy by Nuciforo of attacking Mayor Linda Tyer's character is that Nuciforo is the disgraced politician, not Mayor Linda Tyer!

Best wishes,

Jon Melle

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October 28, 2023

LITIGIOUS Pittsfield politics:

Mayor Linda Tyer's 3rd husband multimillionaire CPA Barry Clairmont sued and recently settled his lawsuit versus Melissa Mazzeo for $140,000.  He wanted her to publicly apologize to him for saying that he was in the City Clerk's Office close to the voters' ballots close to election day in November 2019, but she refused, so he sued and recently settled with her in 2023.  So much for FREE SPEECH!  Pittsfield politics other name is RETRIBUTION!

Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior's Berkshire Roots is suing the City of Pittsfield for $440,000-plus.  Nuciforo is essentially arguing that Mayor Linda Tyer acted in BAD FAITH with his marijuana company over Berkshire Roots' HCAs payments to the city.  The irony is that Nuciforo is the DISGRACED former FRINGE politician turned Pittsfield Pot King, NOT Mayor Linda Tyer.  Nuciforo's long disgraced public record may be used against him in the legal proceedings at the Berkshire Superior Court, which would lead to him losing his lawsuit against the City of Pittsfield.

Please click on the link and go to page 8:

https://www.cannabisandthelaw.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/10/Berkshire-Roots-Complaint.pdf

John Krol said he may sue the named and unnamed people who accused him of embezzlement from years ago.  John Krol said it was a political hit job by the Berkshire Eagle newspaper.  John Krol was never afforded his day in court by his accusers.  What do his accusers have to hide here?  We will never know, of course.  It is too easy to point the finger against John Krol without his accusers having to face due process of law whereby they would be questioned under oath, too.  It is a one-sided mudslinging attack meant to bias Pittsfield voters against John Krol's candidacy for Mayor in 2023.

Peter Marchetti is being sued as part of the management team at Pittsfield Co-op Bank in Federal Court for allegedly harassing and discriminating against former bank employee Victoria May.  Peter Marchetti allegedly verbally abused the former female bank employee by allegedly calling her "a bitch", among other allegations.  If a would-be Mayor Peter Marchetti acts similarly in City Hall, then city taxpayers will pay for his alleged temper tantrums in would-be future lawsuits.

Jon Melle

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October 29, 2023

Pittsfield politics' Mayors: (the late) "Bar-stool", "Aberration/Schoolmarm", "Rolodex", "Montello", "Gated Community".

Pittsfield's next would-be Mayor: "The Gavel" or "The Embezzler" - both of whom could end up behind bars, but are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Pittsfield's public school district: Level 5 - the WORST rating!

Pittsfield's downtown: "Social Services Alley" with 15 empty storefronts.

Pittsfield's inner-city: "The Ring of Poverty" with over 1,000 gang members living there.

Pittsfield's daily rag: "The Dirty Bird" (Berkshire Eagle)'s political hit jobs based on allegations without formal legal complaints.

Pittsfield's Lucifer: "Pittsfield's Pot King: Luciforo"- the disgraced former fringe politician who is suing the city; Please click on the link and go to page 8:

https://www.cannabisandthelaw.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/10/Berkshire-Roots-Complaint.pdf

Pittsfield's State Rep.: "Illegal Immigrants - Happy Endings - Country Buffet" who sent her own children to the Lenox public school district.

Pittsfield's State Senator: Paul Marxism who is Karen Spilka's favorite rubber stamp vote.

Pittsfield's Congressman: PAC Man Richie Neal who is the darling of K Street corporate lobbyist firms, especially insurance companies.

Pittsfield's business park: The 25-year-old indebted and polluted PEDA debacle that is symbolized by an old bar-stool and a rusted out rolodex found at the rock bottom of Silver Lake.

Pittsfield's economic growth: The underclass, teen mothers, welfare caseloads....

Pittsfield's business model: A shrinking tax base with record breaking city budgets....in return for "a shit sandwich".

Sarcasm: Pittsfield is really attracting Fortune 500 companies, small business investments, middle-class families, and its so-called "Renaissance" that rivals Paris, London, NYC, and L.A. because after all it is "Brooklyn in the Berkshires"!

Jon Melle

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November 10, 2023

Hello blogger Dan Valenti,

Unlike the disgraced former Pittsfield State Senator Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior and his despicable political network of bullies in Pittsfield politics to Boston, there are still good people who defend me and my family in Pittsfield, Massachusetts; someone wrote in an email to me tonight:

"For record, I never tolerated the abuse heaped upon you and the coarse calumnies. A gentleman called me 6 months ago. He apologized to me on behalf of the village for their behavior. He spoke of and your father and spoke of your grievance."

I wish to thank all of the good people who fight the good fights and who fight for good people who live in Pittsfield, Boston and beyond.

In Manchester, NH, Alderman-at-large Joe Kelly Levasseur won reelection this past week.  In 2008 - 2009, he defended me from political attacks in the City of Manchester, NH.  He is a Republican, but at the end of the day, we are all Americans who believe in democracy, liberty and justice for all.

There are good people everywhere.  I am a disabled Veteran and I go to the VAMC Manchester, NH, on a weekly basis.  I have wonderful neighbors, family and friends in Amherst, NH.

I am thankful that you, Dan Valenti, have told me that you have defended me over these past 27.5 years of political persecution since my dad, Bob, ran and served as a Berkshire County Commissioner (1997 - mid-2000).  North Adams' John Barrett III also defended my dad, Bob, back then.

During this month of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for all of the good people in my life.  I hope to pay it forward in the years to come during my short time of life on Earth.

Best wishes,

Jon Melle

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December 4, 2023

Do you people even know what happened to me in Pittsfield politics at the hands of "Luciforo"?  Nuciforo persecuted me because he had a vendetta against my dad, Bob.  It all started in the Spring 1996 when I was 20 years old and my dad started campaigning alongside of Nuciforo back then, and my dad was elected Berkshire County Commissioner and Nuciforo was elected State Senator in the 1996 election.  It annoys me when people write that I am still complaining about events that happened 30 years ago, which is not at all accurate.  Furthermore, Nuciforo's abuses against me never stopped, even after I moved to Amherst, NH, nearly 20 years ago.  Other people, politicians and news media outlets have written about Nuciforo over the years.  Most of the printed words were unfavorable to Nuciforo in politics, the law and the marijuana industry.  The Berkshire Eagle once called Nuciforo a FRINGE politician.  The Springfield Republican once called Nuciforo mean-spirited.  The Boston Globe said that Nuciforo used his political connections in Massachusetts, along with his unknown financial backers with deep pockets, to be one of the first people to receive state and local permits to start his Pittsfield Pot Kingdom on Dalton Avenue with a dispensary in East Boston called "Berkshire Roots".  I am NOT alone in writing about Nuciforo being a very questionable character who has disgraced himself in politics due to his corrupt special interests in the financial world, especially insurance companies; The Boston Globe once reported that Nuciforo co-hosted an elitist campaign fundraising event with then presidential candidate John Forbes Kerry whereby they wore matching tuxedos to impress billionaire John Kerry's wealthy donors.  I never understood why someone such as Nuciforo would use so much of his energy to hurt "Jon Melle" over and over again, but I feel fortunate that people have defended me in Pittsfield and beyond over and over again.  I am a nobody whose father was once a political and community activist in Pittsfield politics.  It never made any sense to me.  But Nuciforo's 2012 fringe and mean-spirited campaign for U.S. Congress was also nonsensical, which he lost by 40 percentage points to PAC Man Richie Neal, who also has a questionable reputation for being too close to insurance company lobbyists on K Street in the Swamp.  Nuciforo's 2023 lawsuit against the City of Pittsfield is also a long-shot.  Nuciforo is pushing 60 years old come next February 2024.  I don't know what will come next for him, but I hope that he will either stop being a very questionable character or that he will end up in prison where he belongs!

Jonathan A. Melle

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Saturday, December 16, 2023

A recap in the past week of Pittsfield politics - Holidays edition:

This past week in Pittsfield politics, the City Council raised the municipal tax rate by a little less than 9 percent, which almost triples the 3.2 percent Social Security CoLA and almost doubles the median increase in workers' pay.  6 out of the 11 City Councilors voted to soak the low- to moderate-income property homeowners who are scared for their financial livelihood.  4 City Councilors voted no, while Councilor Earl Persip was absent and he was not present to vote on the excessive tax rate hike.

Later on this past week in Pittsfield politics, Mayor Linda Tyer - who lives in a mansion in an elitist Gated Community west of Berkshire Community College (along with her neighbor and Pittsfield's Pot King "Luciforo" whose lucrative marijuana kingdom is suing the city over $440.000 in years ago HCAs fees plus unspecified damages) - announced that she was selected for a high paying state government 6-figure position as the new Executive Director of Workforce Training and Community Education at Berkshire Community College.

To recap, the retired nurse who told the City Council that the city's excessive spending is causing her to fear for her financial security and that she fears having to lose her home due to the hundreds of dollars more she has to pay to the city every fiscal year.  Meanwhile, Mayor Linda Tyer is moving on to a 6-figure sinecure working for the state government in a new position at Berkshire Community College - a very short drive from her millionaire estate.

Lastly, the thing that is most alarming to me is that this past week, Governor Maura Healey's administration stated that the state's surplus cash is at a record high of $8.2 billion.  I would think that the Governor of Massachusetts would have then stated that she is going to give rebates to the property taxpayers with the state's historic Slush Fund, but instead, she filed her economic development bill this past week that went to the do-nothing (but DISSERVICES) state lawmakers who are enjoying their 7-weeks-long taxpayer-funded vacation.

Jon Melle

P.S. The above events and facts is a perfect illustration of why most people dislike career politicians!

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December 18, 2023

I went through far worse in Pittsfield politics since the Spring 1996 when I was 20 years old  way back then when I first had the unfortunate experience of meeting "Luciforo"; I believe that I am persecuted person who has had it worse than anybody else in Pittsfield politics over the past over 27.5 years, but my heart goes out to all of the other victims of Pittsfield politics over the years.

As we all know all too well, blogger Dan Valenti, Pittsfield politics' other name is RETRIBUTION.  We are supposed to live in a FREE COUNTRY whereby the state and local government is NOT a FIEFDOM, but Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is, indeed, a FIEFDOM run by a few inbred families that love to hurt anyone who challenges their control over the provincial FIEFDOM.  I am thankful for you, blogger Dan Valenti, for defending me and anyone else who has been a victim of RETRIBUTION in Pittsfield politics.  What a DISGRACE!

Jonathan A. Melle

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December 24, 2023

Somehow, I drove into Pittsfield's Gated Community, but my car was stuck between Mayor Linda Tyer's mansion and Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior's mansion.  I called Linda Tyer, but she said she was already tucked in for the night after a long day at the City Hall.  Then I called "Luciforo", but he said that he only helps out customers of "Berkshire Roots".  I did not know what to do.  But then a number's man with a Cumby's cape came swooping in.  I said, "Cumby's Clairmont", my car is stuck, can you help me get moving again.  Cumby's Clairmont whipped out an air pump for my flat tire, he charged my car's engine, he put 1 gallon of gas in my car's tank, and he lifted my car up and put it outside of the gate.  He then gave my car a good push and said start your engine.  I drove off into the night.

But the night was young.  I stopped by Cumby's on 1st Street.  I pulled out a crisp new $100 bill.  I said to the store clerk, in the name of the 3 am Super Hero of Cumberland Farm's on 1st Street, please give me $100 worth of scratch tickets.  I hit it big.  I cashed out with $500 in winnings.  I drove down Dalton Avenue.  I entered "Berkshire Roots", I said to the clerk, I have $500 cash to spend at Luciforo's Pittsfield's Pot Kingdom.  The clerk replied, what would you like to buy.  I answered, Andy's special herbs.

I got real high, and I started to fly around Pittsfield.  When I reached the clouds, I deployed my parachute, but it would not open.  I thought that I was done for, but out of nowhere, Cumby's Clairmont swooped out of the sky and brought me safely back to Earth.  I said to him, what would I do without you.  He said that he patrols Pittsfield into the early hours of the night.  He told me to drive home to my condo unit in Amherst, NH.  I said that it is over 100 miles away from Pittsfield, but I complied and went back home.

The next day, I thought about Nuciforo's lawsuit suing the City of Pittsfield for $440,000 in HCAs plus unspecified damages.  He would not help me get out of the ditch, while he sat in his $950,000 mansion that is 0.3 miles away from Cumby Clairmont and Linda Tyer's mansion.  I thought to myself that Nuciforo only helps himself, while he sues the city that hosts his Pot Kingdom.  I called Nuciforo and told him that not everyone is into his pot, smoke and big bucks.  Nuciforo replied that the next time I am in Pittsfield, stop in City Hall and say hello to my second cousin, Mayor Peter Marchetti for him.  I replied, I don't wish to talk to Pete and re-Pete, LUCIFORO!

Jonathan A. Melle

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December 27, 2023

Hello correspondent,

It is too bad that Mayor Linda Tyer went low on her opponents on the outgoing City Council by having her hand in the Eagle's news article about the 4 dissenting City Councilors having arrears with the city government.  I understand your beliefs that Mayor Linda Tyer is unproductive, manipulative, and scheming.  I also understand that marijuana is very harmful to the mental health of young adults.  Similar to the alcohol, tobacco, gambling, porn and sex workers industries, the marijuana industry is a predatory industry that exploits people's impulses, demands and desires.

I love to read about financial management, which has a dark side to its own industry.  I tell people that my understanding of financial management is that we spend our adult lives trying to transition from negative income, to neutral income, to positive income, and if one does well enough and lives long enough, progressive income.  I also tell people that given all of the predatory industries that play on our impulses, demands and desires as human beings, it is O.K. to spend one's money on "negative income" interests.

If I wish to play the lottery or go to a casino. I may say to myself, I have a $100 limit or another amount in a given month, and once I lose my $100 or another set amount of money in a given month, then I am done gambling for the rest of the month, and then I wish myself better luck next month with my new $100 limit or another set amount of money.  I know that gambling is a predatory industry that plays on my impulses, demands and desires.  I know that gambling is "negative income".  I know that casinos are like the Opiate Dens of old times that I read about in my history books.  I know that gambling - especially the state lottery - is regressive taxation that allows the state government to lower taxes for the corrupt career politicians' wealthy campaign donors who pay some of the super-greedy lobbyists $7-figure salaries.  I know that greedy lobbyist Dan Bosley loves regressive taxation schemes such as the state lottery because it allows him to make more money than he otherwise would by Dan Bosley getting big tax breaks for the wealthy big businesses who hire him as their lobbyist in Boston and beyond.

When I buy a Powerball ticket that tonight advertises a $700 million jackpot, I call it a couple of dollars and my elusive dream of being wealthy.  The odds of me winning tonight's Powerball $700 million jackpot prize are irrational.  When I was a kid growing up in Pittsfield, people used to say to me that the lottery was "A dollar and a dream".  Who comes up with these kinds of SCAMS?  When I try find the answer, I think of greed-balls such as Dan Bosley, who is very intelligent about financial management and government operations, but he is also very greedy.

The trinity of addiction for people in need of dopamine rushes are substance abuse, paying for porn and/or sex, and gambling.  For young adults who have an addiction(s) and are in need of dopamine rushes, their mental health is at stake because their youthful still developing brains are being wasted.  Beer companies show celebrities, beautiful young women in bikinis on the beach - sex sells, and other dreamy ads that target young adults.  Instead, they should show middle-aged adults with beer bellies complaining about their divorces, debts and bouts of depression.

Mayor Linda Tyer is who she is, but I believe that Dan Bosley is much worse than her in politics because he has spent his political and lobbyist careers supporting the wealthy campaign donors in state government in Boston by pushing predatory SCAMS such as the state lottery on the common people to further enrich himself for greed.  I also believe that predatory industries and career politicians in state government mock the common people and the economically distressed and unequal cities that they live in, while the Dan Bosley's of the world cash in on regressive taxation and the elites enrich themselves at the public trough.

Best wishes,

Jon Melle

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January 12, 2024

Donald Trump is facing 4 criminal trials and multiple civil trials in 2024.  Joe Biden is facing an impeachment inquiry in 2024.  The corrupt career politicians in the U.S. House of Representatives on the Republican Party side want Hunter Biden to testify in privately held depositions to throw his father, Joe Biden, under the bus so that the Swamp politicians will have more ammunition to use against the sitting U.S. President.  Hunter Biden defied the subpoena because he knows that it is a mousetrap.

For years now in Pittsfield politics (Massachusetts), I - Jon Melle - have written about the deadly mousetrap(s) set up to ruin my life because Nuciforo, who is an Attorney, had a vendetta against my dad, Bob, and tried to ruin his life in the mid- to late-1990's.  People have said and written that what happened to me was many years ago, but the political and legal mousetraps are still there for me in my native hometown of Pittsfield.

This is called CONSPIRATORIAL POLITICS and LEGAL ENTRAPMENT(S)!  They are doing it to Donald Trump.  They are doing it to Joe Biden and his scoundrel son Hunter Biden.  In Pittsfield politics, they are still doing to to me: Jon Melle - even though it happened many years ago now.

Why do politicians and lawyers set up these kinds of conspiratorial mousetraps?  Aren't we supposed to be treated both FAIRLY and SAFELY with Equal Justice Under Law?  If your father was the sitting U.S. President and you knew that a mousetrap was set up for you to throw your own father under the bus, would you take the bait like a rodent?  Hunter Biden is a lawyer who has lawyers defending him.  Hunter Biden chose to NOT throw his father, Joe Biden, under the bus.

Jon Melle

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January 15, 2024

WAMC's journalist Josh Landes promote's North Street's sarcastic name of "Social Services Alley":

https://www.wamc.org/news/2024-01-15/pittsfields-peer-led-living-in-recovery-group-is-settling-into-its-new-downtown-headquarters

Downtown Pittsfield (Mass.)'s glut of Social Services Agencies and 15 empty storefronts on North Street is surrounded by Pittsfield's inner-city distressed neighborhoods that are sarcastically called: "The Ring of Poverty".

Social Services Staff always talk about the generations of traumatized individuals and families that face recurring episodes of direct, structural and cultural abuses, assaults, and community conflicts in Pittsfield, which is always ranked in the FBI's annual reports as being in the top ten cities by population in Massachusetts for violent crime.

I grew up in Pittsfield.  One of my biggest fears in my life on 48.5 years was having to end up as a low- to moderate-income adult who resided in inner-city Pittsfield.  It still amazes me - Jon Melle - that I own my own condo unit in a civilized community in Amherst, New Hampshire.  I thank the lucky stars after leading a life of social anxiety and emotional traumas as a native of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Why does Pittsfield always have recurring themes of suffering people and families, along with a distressed community that has an over-reliance on social services?  I am Exhibit A as a person who grew up in Pittsfield who had recurring themes of anxiety and traumas.  I did everything in my power to not be part of Pittsfield's generations of traumatized individuals and families.  It still saddens me to read about Pittsfield's never-ending and always recurring downward spirals....

Jon Melle

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January 15, 2024

A correspondent wrote to me: "Josh Landes is to me as Nuciforo is to you. He is absolutely a malevolent shit".

My reply is that there are many pieces of poop who exist in the form of men, including Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior and Josh Landes.

Please do not speak for me by saying that I wanted to be part of the club in Pittsfield politics, but I was denied membership (many years ago when my dad, Bob, was a politician in Berkshire County).

I wish to speak for myself, please.  I wanted - and still wish to be - to be an American Citizen who uses my FREE SPEECH to participate in our government in our FREE COUNTRY!

You sound like a stool sample yourself.  Do you know why government stinks?  It is full of....!

Jon Melle

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January 18, 2024

Pittsfield Mayor Peter Marchetti will air his new local TV show on the Monday evening prior to the biweekly Tuesday evening City Council meetings.

SARCASM:

He will talk about Pittsfield politics excessively taxing the fictional Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski working-class family out of their home.

He will talk about the Pittsfield public school district's Level 5 rating, which is rock bottom.

He will talk about Pittsfield always being ranked in the top 10 cities by population in Massachusetts for VIOLENT CRIME.

He will talk about Allendale Elementary School abutting Hill 78, which is a capped leaky landfill full of industrial chemicals called PCBs.

He will talk about all of the Social Services Agencies and the 15 empty storefronts on North Street.

He will talk about postindustrial Pittsfield's past 50 years of huge losses in population and living wage jobs.

He will talk about Pittsfield State Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier's sole state legislative priority to legalize sex workers in Massachusetts.

He will talk about Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior's Pittsfield pot kingdom called "Berkshire Roots" stinking up working-class and middle-class residential neighborhoods near his Dalton Avenue marijuana business, while Nuciforo lives in his $950,000 mansion in the same elitist Gated Community former Mayor Linda Tyer resides in.

He will talk about Governor Maura Healey being one of the most unproductive governors in Massachusetts history, while she recently cut state funding for all of the social services agencies and programs that Pittsfield's distressed and extremely unequal economy over-relies on.

"Throw the underclass, disabled, children, elderly and working poor people of Massachusetts off of the proverbial cliff, Maura!"

He won't be talking about "Luciforo's" civil pot lawsuit versus the City of Pittsfield.

He won't be talking about Jimmy Ruberto's Rolodex (debacle).

He won't be talking about the federal lawsuit that names him, his men colleagues, and the local bank he worked at for 35 years that alleges sex discrimination by Victoria May.

He won't be talking about trying to reduce spending in the next fiscal year's municipal budget (even though he said he took a pay cut to be the mayor at a city salary of $115,725 per fiscal year 2024).

He probably won't be inviting blogger Dan Valenti on his local television show because he publicly said that he wants a 90 day grace period free of criticism on social media websites and blogs, which he said that he is not a fan of.

Jon Melle

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January 20, 2024

Hello blogger Dan Valenti,

The Dirty Bird (Berkshire Eagle) rag (newspaper) published an editorial criticizing the 7 out of 11 Pittsfield City Councilors for voting in favor of a petition to level fund or close to level fund the yet to be proposed fiscal year 2025 municipal budget that will take effect on July 1st, 2024 and end on June 30th, 2025.  The editorial did make some valid points, including that it was too soon for the petition and that it would have been better if the petition requested that the new Mayor, Peter Marchetti, find ways to reduce city spending in Pittsfield politics.

The issues I have with the Dirty Bird's editorial are that:

1. The Dirty Bird published a news story about the four no voting City Councilors tax arrears when they voted on then Mayor Linda Tyer's a little less than 9 percent tax rate increase.  The Dirty Bird has a pattern of publishing unfavorable news stories and editorials against dissenting voices, such as their coverage of former Ward 2 Pittsfield City Councilor Charles Ivar Kronick.  Also, The Dirty Bird took the nuclear option to sink John Krol's mayoral campaign the day after the preliminary election.  In fact, The Dirty Bird has not published any of my many letters to them in a little less than 20 years because someone - (Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior) - doesn't like me: Jon Melle.

2. The bigger story would be for The Dirty Bird to follow up on Mayor Peter Marchetti's online WAMC radio interview whereby he publicly asked for a 90 day grace period from criticisms, as well as him saying that he is not a fan of social media and blogs.  What message did Mayor Peter Marchetti send to the people he works for in Pittsfield, Massachusetts?  I would think that The Dirty Bird would want to clarify the new mayor's public remarks!

3. There are so many other career politicians for The Dirty Bird to write about and comment on.

A. Joe Biden.  U.S. Congress will likely impeach him in the coming months of 2024.  His scoundrel son Hunter Biden is a very suspicious person in the Swamp for his overseas business dealings in Ukraine, Russia and China, among his other activities.  Joe Biden raised and raises more big campaign dollars from Wall Street and K Street corporate lobbyist firms than any other person in U.S. history.

B. Elizabeth Warren.  She claims to fight for Main Street, but she fully supports Joe Biden and all of his fortunes from big government and big business.

C. Ed Markey.  He lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland, which is a wealthy suburb near the Swamp.  He campaigned on the Green New Deal, but he openly supports GE's plan to put a capped leaky landfill full of PCBs in Lee (Mass.) over the objections of his constituents there.

D. Governor Maura Healey.  She is the poster woman for being UNPRODUCTIVE.  In the past year, she signed a record high state budget into law, tax relief for the elites into law, and she recently cut state funding for social services.  It looks to me like she could not pass Financial Management 101.  I cannot understand why she wanted to be Governor when she fails at public management.

E. Paul Mark.  He is a big RUBBER STAMP for Karen Spilka in the State Senate.

F. Smitty Pignatelli.  He has voted against Sunshine laws and rules reform measures in Boston for a little over 21 years now.

H. Tricia Farley-Bouvier.  Another do nothing career politician who has not helped Pittsfield's distressed and extremely unequal economy.

I. John Barrett III.  He has been a career politician for almost as long as Joe Biden's a little over 51 years in the Swamp.

J. Mayor Peter Marchetti.  Victoria May alleges in a sex discrimination federal lawsuit that he called her a BITCH at the bank prior to her termination there.

K. City Council President Pete White.  Like his City Council colleague and V.P. Earl Persip, he refuses to be interviewed by blogger Dan Valenti.  Why?

L. School Committee member Sara Hathaway.  Doesn't she work as a middle-school teacher?  If so, should she even be on the Pittsfield School Committee?  Also, she sued the City of Pittsfield over age and sex discrimination around one decade ago and walked away with an undisclosed settlement under the Dan Bianchi administration.

M. Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior.  There is so much for me to write about him.  He is a disgraced politician for double-dipping as a Pittsfield State Senator who chaired the State Senate Finance Committee in the mid-2000, but had to step down from his elected position in 2006 due to him also serving as a corporate Attorney for Boston's financial district - big banks and insurance companies - where he still has a law office today in 2024.  In 2006, he proceeded to strong-arm two woman candidates - Sara Hathaway and Sharon Henault - out of the 2006 "election" for Middle Berkshire Registrar of Deeds to anoint himself to the 6-year term (sinecure).  For nearly 6 years, Nuciforo plotted to oust the now late John W. Olver from his seat in U.S. Congress.  In 2012, Nuciforo lost to Congressman Richie Neal by 40 points.  In early-2017, Nuciforo used his political and financial business connections to start his marijuana business.  In mid-2023, Nuciforo filed a civil lawsuit against the City of Pittsfield over the $440,000 in HCA's fees "Berkshire Roots" paid plus unspecified damages.

N. Richard Neal.  Instead of Congressman, the fitting title should be PAC Man!  Richie Neal has been in office since the dinosaurs roamed the Earth.  Richie Neal only represents K Street corporate lobbyist firms in the Swamp, especially big Insurance Companies.  If a common citizen wishes to contact Richie Neal, they would have better luck with talking to Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny.

O. Violent Crime in Pittsfield.  Going back decades, Pittsfield always ranks in the top 10 cities by population for VIOLENT CRIME.  The first thing that businesses look at in a community is the crime rate.  How can any mayor honestly say they are for economic development when Pittsfield is a gang-land?

P. Level 5 public schools.  Why are Pittsfield's public schools always rated Level 5, which is the worst rating by the state.  The first thing than a middle-class family looks at in a community are the quality of the public schools.  How can any mayor honestly say they are for middle-class families living in Pittsfield when the public schools are a disaster?

Q. PCBs.  Allendale Elementary School abuts Hill 78, which is a capped leaky landfill full of GE's industrial chemicals called PCBs that cause cancer and learning disabilities in children and adults alike.  Most of Pittsfield's PCBs sites are in capped leaky landfills, which do not last forever.  

R. PEDA.  How many millions of dollars in debts and unfunded liabilities does PEDA hold?  Who will pay off these arrears?  PEDA will turn 26 years old this upcoming Summer 2024, but it is still very polluted with GE's PCBs.  PEDA is a DEBACLE!

S. North Street.  Downtown Pittsfield has 15 empty storefronts, a glut of social services agencies, and a down and out vibe to it.

T. The state lottery.  The multi-billion-dollar Massachusetts State Lottery boasts record profits, but it is really a regressive taxation scheme that systemically mocks "Gateway" cities such as Pittsfield.  Why? ....

U. Dan Bosley.  He is a greedy lobbyist in Boston and beyond.  Dan Bosley is a big supporter of the lottery SCAM because it allows him to give his big business clients in Boston huge state tax breaks, while the low- to moderate-income residents of Pittsfield (and North Adams) are being played for fools by playing the lottery.

V. RETRIBUTION.  Pittsfield politics' other name is RETRIBUTION.  It seems like it is The Dirty Bird's other name, too.

W. Homelessness.  The state sends homeless people and families - both domestically and around the world - to Pittsfield, and then the Governor cuts state funding for the social services the city and homeless people and families rely on.  She should resign over this fiasco!  If not, she should apologize to everyone and the cities involved, and then she should not only restore the state funding, but increase it.

X. Beacon Hill.  Why is the Boston Statehouse so corrupt, inaccessible, inequitable, secretive and top-down?  Answer: The ruling elites enrich themselves by enriching the financial and corporate elites with billions of dollars per fiscal year in state tax breaks.  Some super-greedy lobbyists in Boston earn 7-figure per year salaries legally bribing the fictional Massachusetts State Representative Sellout Shakedown.  I hear he is Dan Bosley's cousin!

Y. The Swamp.  Joe Biden not only broke all of the records in raising big dollars in campaign cash, he also spent more money than any U.S. President in U.S. history.  Oh, by the way, our U.S. national debt surpassed $34 trillion earlier this month of January 2024.  Over 40 years of deficit spending, while the working class' median pay increased a whole $5 over the past 50 years.  The system of government is broken!  It must be why postindustrial Pittsfield is part of our nation's rust belt.

Z. The Kapanski's.  The fictional Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski works hard for a living, plays by the rules, and lives in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.  The Kapanski's never get ahead.  They live their lives in Pittsfield by paying the bills, while City Hall, the Boston Statehouse, and the Swamp are all living the high life.

Jon Melle

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January 28, 2024

Why do we common citizens even expect all of the stool samples in elected office to not block our political emails to them?  The pieces of poop in elected office who always block my political emails are: Maryland Ed Markey, Paul Mark (Marxism), Smitty Pignatelli (Shitty Pig-pen), and Tricia Farley-Bouvier (Country Buffet, Illegal immigrants, and Happy Endings).  The government is supposed to serve the people, but I must not be good enough to email the aforementioned stool samples.  Then there is the biggest piece of poop of all in my adult life who exists in the form a 4-foot-tall man who is sarcastically called Luciforo as well as Pittsfield's Pot King.  Career politicians, greedy lobbyist such as Dan Bosley, and the financial and corporate elites are all systemically mocking us common people, especially with the multi-billion-dollar Massachusetts State Lottery SCAM.  They are all in bed with each other, while we have to pound sand.

Jon Melle

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January 28, 2024

The combined amount of federal and state spending in 2023 by lobbyists was $5.6 billion.  $4.6 billion in the Swamp plus $1.4 billion in the state capitals throughout the U.S.A. last year in 2023.  The numbers were higher in 2022 because it was an election year.  The numbers will mostly likely be higher in 2024 because we are in an election year.

I have read about lobbyist firms for years.  Some lobbyist firms report tens of millions of dollars in yearly earnings, especially in the Swamp.  On Beacon Hill, I have read that some registered lobbyist make 7-figure per year salaries, while many others make 6-figures.

In Western Massachusetts, retired Beacon Hill lawmakers who turned to lobbying include Dan Bosley, Peter Larkin and Stan Rosenberg.  These political hacks never left the Boston Statehouse after they retired there with their state public pensions plus perks because they chose to cash in at the public trough as double dipper greed-balls.

https://www.nbcnews.com/investigations/lobbyists-spent-record-42-billion-2023-federal-lawmakers-rcna135943

Please don't get me started on the politically corrupt hacks who went to pot to cash in, including Pittsfield's Pot King who last Summer 2023 purchased a $950,000 mansion in the same elitist Gated Community neighborhood west of Berkshire Community College that the former Pittsfield Mayor, Linda Tyer, lives in with her third husband Cumby's Clairmont.  But I wonder how Luciforo's marijuana lawsuit versus the City of Pittsfield is going?

Jon Melle

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February 6, 2024

It figures that former Mayor Dan Bianchi is a partner in Nuciforo's pot company named "Berkshire Roots".  Dan Bianchi was to the late Mayor Anne Everest Wojtkowski (who was Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior's Aunt) as Matt Kerwood was to former Mayor Linda Tyer and is to sitting Mayor Peter Marchetti (who, unfortunately, is my relative, as we share the same great grandparents who migrated from Italy to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, a long time ago).

The aforementioned people who ran or run Pittsfield politics are all disingenuous and only out for themselves.  Dan Bianchi, the late "Queen Anne" and her evil nephew "Luciforo", Matt Kerwood, Linda Tyer and Peter Marchetti have all done very well for themselves in Pittsfield, while the rest of us have not.

The late "Queen Anne" and "Luciforo" conspiratorially persecuted me since I was 20 years old beginning in the Spring 1996 when my dad, Bob, began his campaign for Berkshire County Commissioner, 1997 - mid-2000.  They were mean-spirited and abusive with their political power in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.  My dad, Bob, served on the Pittsfield School Committee with "Queen Anne" a long time ago.  They obviously did not like each other, which led to them targeting me to get to my father, but it ended up backfiring on them, and I read and hear that good people in Pittsfield still defend me from the ongoing mudslinging attacks even though I haven't lived in Pittsfield in about 20 years.

"Luciforo" is currently suing The City of Pittsfield, Massachusetts" over his $440,000 pot HCAs fee payments that he wants refunded with unspecified damages to "Berkshire Roots".

Jon Melle

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February 6th, 2024

Good riddance, Smitty Pignatelli.  You are one of the worst career politicians in Massachusetts history.

You support GE's plan to put a capped leaky landfill in Lee (Mass.) over the strong objections of the town's residents who will be impacted by GE's industrial chemicals called PCBs.

You always voted against Sunshine rules and laws reform measures that would have brought transparency to Beacon Hill's secretive operations.  You even publicly stated that you support closed door governance because you said it is efficient and gets things done.

You are a Rubber Stamp vote in favor of the top-down State House leadership.  Beacon Hill lawmakers and the inequitable governor's office gives away billions of dollars per fiscal year in state tax breaks to Boston area big businesses that do not exist in Western Massachusetts - the worst of both worlds for your constituents.

You voted for two House Speakers - Finneran (your very first vote in Boston) and DiMasi - who later became Convicted Felons as a result of their illegal actions in their leadership positions.

You voted for your own 40-percent state legislative pay raise bill that cost state taxpayers millions of dollars.  You happily accepted countless state legislative public pay raises plus perks for over 21 years now.  You will file for a 6-figure state public pension plus perks one year from now.

You wrote op-eds decrying Berkshire County's past 50 years of losses in population and living wage jobs - a shrinking tax base - while state and local taxes increased - a distressed economy in Western Massachusetts.  You never once looked at yourself in the proverbial mirror of self-reflection as a career politician who is part of the problem.

You proposed legislation to give youths criminal records if they possess a small amount of marijuana near a youth center instead of helping them succeed in their young lives; (the real alleged criminals are the corrupt career politicians, registered lobbyists and marijuana dispensary owners with political connections at the Boston State House)

In early-2004, you - along with now greedy lobbyists Dan Bosley and Peter Larkin - refused to sign my nomination papers for Berkshire-based State Senator because you chose loyalty to then Pittsfield State Senator Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior, who two years later had to step down from his elected position due to Nuciforo allegedly illegally double-dipping as the Chair of the State Senate Finance Committee while at the same time serving as legal counsel for Boston's big banks and insurance companies in Boston's Financial District where Nuciforo still has a law office in 2024.

You block all of my political emails to you because your ego is bigger than the size of the Moon.  Moreover, you blame Governor Maura Healey's one year in her current elected office for the problems that you have failed to solve in over 21 years in Boston.

You have two faces. One was sweet for the rich and powerful. The other was sour for the rest of us. Instead of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, it is Smitty & Shitty.

You represent everything that is wrong with state and local politics.

Jon Melle

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"State Rep. William 'Smitty' Pignatelli will not run for another term. Friends, Colleagees and Constituents say he'll be hard to replace"

By Greg Sukiennik, The Berkshire Eagle, February 6, 2024

Lenox - State Rep. Smitty Pignatelli will not run for another two-year term representing the 3rd Berkshire District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, the longtime Democratic lawmaker told The Berkshire Eagle on Monday.

Pignatelli, who was first elected to the House in 2002, said he made that announcement now to give would-be hopefuls “plenty of opportunity to explore” a run for the seat.

But Pignatelli, 64, emphasized that his leaving Beacon Hill is “not a retirement” when it comes to public service, and that he remains focused on finishing out his 11th two-year term. “I promise you that I’ll be running through the tape at the end of my term in January 2025,” he said.

“There is always more to do, but I feel it’s time for a new generation of leadership to hopefully make the people of the 3rd Berkshire District their priority as your new state representative," he said.

"I'm still humbled by the show of support that I have received," he said in a letter announcing the decision. "Each day that I enter the Statehouse I think about my immigrant grandparents who wanted nothing but a better life for themselves and their families. In our Commonwealth, with nearly 7 million people, I think that they would be proud knowing that their grandson was one of 160 people chosen to serve our state in the House of Representatives."

Why now?

“I think it’s time,” he said. “I've seen a lot of changes and I've been losing a lot of dear friends — it’s keeping life in perspective. After 40 years of elected office and over 50 years of service, I feel it’s time to move on.”

Also, Pignatelli never expected to make a career out of Beacon Hill.

“I gave up a very good job just to run for this job,” he said of his former role in business development at Lee Bank. “This was never my plan ... it just happened.”

“I told my staff for 22 years do your job every day and the next election will take care of itself. I still believe that,” he said.

SOLVING PROBLEMS

Friends, town officials and fellow lawmakers said Pignatelli’s tireless effort and follow-through, empathy, willingness to listen and commitment to the district’s needs made him effective — and popular. They also pointed to the many favors Pignatelli has done for others, quietly and without fanfare or publicity.

“South County identifies itself geographically as a place. But there’s only been one unifying government we could call for the last however many years — it’s been Smitty,” Lenox Town Manager Christopher Ketchen said. “So the idea we’ll no longer have him is understandable from his perspective, but sad for us who have enjoyed working with him.”

“The strength of Smitty is his ability to connect with people,” said Gene Dellea, president of Fairview Hospital and Hillcrest Family Health Center of Berkshire Medical Center. "Beyond being a legislator he is there to solve problems for people other than legislation.

"He's the go-to person for South County — I know that firsthand. He’s responsive and always gets back to people. If he says he’ll do something it always will be done,” Dellea said.

“The thing I think of is he's fast on his feet,” said Mary Ellen Deming, who recently retired as Lenox director of administrative services. “He was sincere and honest and always there to help anyone … you could call him at any moment and he will help you.”

Pignatelli made the announcement on the day his late father, former Lenox Select Board and Berkshire County Commission member John Pignatelli, would have turned 100. The fifth anniversary of his late mother Mary Jane Pignatelli’s death, in 2019, is Tuesday.

“I owe everything I am today to my parents, who laid the foundation for service to our community,” Pignatelli said.

"My father was a great mentor to me. He taught me you have to understand history to chart a path forward, otherwise you're going to make the same mistakes," he said. "Whoever the next state rep. is needs to have his perspective."

John Pignatelli, a World War II veteran and electrician, joined the Lenox Planning Board in 1957, and served as a Lenox Select Board member from 1961-93 and a county commissioner from 1972-92. Smitty — named after his father’s childhood friend, William Henry Smith, who was killed in World War II — also started his public service career on the Planning Board, and was elected to the Select Board in 1992, serving with his father for one year.

Deming, who worked with both father and son in town government, said the younger Pignatelli went about things the same way as his dad. “That’s how he grew up," she said.

Michele Rivers Murphy, a longtime friend who grew up in the same neighborhood as the Pignatellis, said she thinks about how proud John Pignatelli would be of his son.

“I think about his father a lot, just knowing what his father meant to Lenox and to Berkshire County politics — and how proud he would be of those 40 years of selfless service to others,” she said.

“From a public service standpoint it's hard to imagine you’ll ever find such a staple of goodness and service again," she said. "Everyone’s posturing and positioning. And then there’s Smitty.”

Of his mother, a world language teacher in the Lenox Public Schools, Pignatelli was impressed by her combination of compassion, tenacity and dedication to public service.

“It was about doing something to help other people,” he said of his mother’s efforts. “She did things in a very different style — quiet and behind the senses but equally as effective.”

Another close friend, Doug Trombly, recalled how he and Pignatelli bonded during a weeklong trip to New Orleans in 2007 to rebuild a Lower Ninth Ward home that had been decimated by Hurricane Katrina.

Two years after the storm, a family was still living in a FEMA trailer not much bigger than an SUV, Trombly recalled. Pignatelli organized a small army of Berkshire building contractors and tradesmen and led a weeklong trip to build the family a new home.

“It says everything about who he is. He cares about people. He’s not the politician of politicians; he sincerely cares for you,” Trombly said. “If I call and tell him I've got a problem, or a buddy of mine has a problem, this is what he’d tell you: ‘Give him my cell phone number.’ He’d never hesitate to do that. And he’d help him out. He’d see it through. I think that’s what makes him special.”

BIG SHOES

Whoever follows his footsteps has big shoes to fill — and an 18-town district stretching from Dalton to Mount Washington.

“In a district that size you need somebody who has a lot of energy, a lot of commitment. Being a representative in a district like that means working 14-hour days, six days a week,” said state Sen. Paul Mark, whose Senate district is even larger. “It’s a lot of time away from family and has a significant impact on your personal life.”

Mark said Pignatelli was invaluable as a mentor. He recalled that one time before a tough vote — in which he was bucking leadership — Pignatelli related his experience with the 2004 same-sex marriage bill, in which he gave his first House floor speech in favor of the state granting that right.

“The point I took from it was even when you’re worried about doing the right thing, the right thing is usually its own reward in the end,” said Mark, D-Becket, of the advice. “That meant a lot to me.”

LOCAL IMPACT

While many hailed Pignatelli for his advocacy on behalf of the Berkshires, others said the loss of a 22-year veteran will be felt.

“Smitty has moved up in seniority and he’s well known,” Dellea said. “He knows how to approach an issue with a commissioner or the governor. For a new person there’s a learning curve."

When it comes to future priorities for his successor, Pignatelli remains convinced that the state must do more to ease the Berkshires' housing crisis — not with a single project in a single town, but with a "patchwork" spreading homes throughout the county. 

But he remains convinced that the most important work is constituent service. 

"The day-to-day interactions you can have are far greater than trying to go down there to solve big issues," he said. "I’m glad to be part of a team to solve big issues. But don't lose sight of where you came from."

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February 16, 2024

Putin killed another Russian dissident, but in Pittsfield politics, Jon Melle is still alive, Luciforo and his conspiratorial network of bullies who hurt me since the Spring 1996 when I was 20 years old.  I am relieved that Nuciforo's disgraced political career in Massachusetts politics is long over!

Jon Melle

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February 16, 2024

Why did he return to Russia?  He should have stayed in a democratic country so that he wouldn't have been sent to a Siberian prison and killed by Russia's authoritarian henchman, Putin.

After all of the abuses Luciforo did to me over the past a little less than 28 years now, I feel peace of mind living 100 miles away from Pittsfield (Mass.) in Amherst, New Hampshire.  Why would I return to Pittsfield (Mass.) knowing that the Nuciforo network would continue to hurt me there?

I know a few people who are my friends who used to live in Pittsfield, but live near me in southern, New Hampshire.  I go out to eat once a week with my friend, who is a Navy Veteran, and a lady at the diner said to us: "Both of you experienced life in the Pitts".

In closing, I guess it was better for me to have been in the Pitts than in Siberia, Russia.

Jon Melle

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February 16, 2024

Do you know anyone who would serve as my Attorney to sue Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior, who - by the way - is currently suing the City of Pittsfield over his marijuana company Berkshire Roots' past payments of $440,000 in HCAs fees plus unspecified damages?  I would be more than happy to sue "Luciforo" for all of his conspiratorial abuses against me since the Spring 1996 when I was 20 years old and my dad, Bob, began his successful campaign for Berkshire County Commissioner, 1997 - mid-2000!

I believe that Nuciforo belongs in prison due to his allegedly illegal double dipping in the mid-2000s when he chaired the Massachusetts State Senate Finance Committee while at the same time serving as an Attorney at the Boston Law Firm Berman & Dowell as legal counsel for Boston's big banks and insurance companies, which led to Nuciforo having to step down in disgrace as Pittsfield's State Senator in 2006.  These are all facts that were published in The Boston Globe in early- to mid-January 2007.

Furthermore, in present day 2024, Nuciforo still has a law office in Boston's financial district.  Someone needs to hold Nuciforo accountable for being a mean-spirited, abusive and corrupt disgraced politician, Attorney, and marijuana businessman.

Instead, Nuciforo lives in a mansion he purchased last Summer 2023 for $950,000 in the same elitist Gated Community neighborhood west of Berkshire Community College that former Mayor Linda Tyer also resides in.  Also, Nuciforo's owns other properties in Pittsfield and Boston.

The Berkshire Eagle targets other politicians and people, but not Nuciforo, who is the biggest FRAUD in the history of Pittsfield politics!

Jon Melle

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February 17, 2024

If I sued Nuciforo and I won money due to "Luciforo's" conspiratorial harmful actions against and multi-decades persecution of me, then I would give it all away to good causes.  I am NOT in it for the money.  Also, Mr. Fritz, I am not "playing the victim card".  Thank you.

What did former Mayor Linda Tyer's 3rd husband Barry Clairmont do with his 6-figure settlement at the end of his multi-year civil lawsuit versus Melissa Mazzeo?

What is the status of Nuciforo's ongoing pot lawsuit versus the City of Pittsfield?

I have not filed any lawsuits, while Barry Clairmont did, and Nuciforo is doing.  I do not rule out filing a civil lawsuit versus Nuciforo.

Also, I do not live in a mansion in Pittsfield's elitist Gated Community neighborhood like Barry Clairmont and "Luciforo".  I only own a 1-bedroom condo unit in Amherst, NH.

Jon Melle

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February 19, 2024

Happy U.S. Presidents' Day 2024

Here are my ideas for Pittsfield politics' Holidays:

Life in the Pitts Day

PEDA Day

PCBs Day

Cancer clusters Day

Level 5 Scohol Day

Learning disabilities Day

Blame the GE Day

Barstool Day

Aberration Day

Rolodex Day

Gated Community Day

Openly Gay Day

County Buffet Day

Luciforo Day

Violent Crime Day

Dead Downtown Day

Kufflinks' Day

Kapanski Day

Krooklyn in the Berkshires Day

Rinaldo's Day

Nip bottle Day

Lottery litter Day

The Dirty Bird Day

The Fart of the Berkshires Day

Sell Norman Rockwell paintings Day

20 percent Voter Turnout Day

Growth in the Underclass Day

50 years of population loss Day

No living wage jobs left Day

Fall off the Cliff (Nilan) Day

Homeless in Pittsfield Day

DISSERVICE-Net Day

The Good Old Boys Day

The 5 Families who run Pittsfield Day

Pittsfield is a political fiefdom Day

FREE CASH Day

Excessive municipal spending Day

Pittsfield is a junkie for state aid Day

The panhandler on every corner Day

The 3 am Cumby's Clairmont Day

The Tell 'em Angelo sent you Day

The Carmen Massimiano, Jr. Day

The everyone is related to each other Day

The low gene pool Day

The Retribution Day

The there is nothing for you here Day

Jon Melle

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February 20, 2024

Hello Congresswoman Annie Kuster,

Is it true that the Democrats since Bill Clinton was the sitting U.S. President many years ago now have created issues that can be blamed on the Republicans?

Is Governor Maura Healey cutting Massachusetts health benefits for citizens so she can spend more state dollars on public schools and the like?

Are illegal immigrants and Ukraine taking away federal dollars from programs like WIC, U.S. Veterans, housing, etc.?

My dad, Bob, who will turn 80 this Summer 2024, was a Berkshire County, Massachusetts, politician several decades ago.  That is why blog posters in the Berkshires refer to my father being a Democrat elected official.

Disgraced former Pittsfield (Massachusetts) State Senator (and failed candidate for U.S. Congress in 2012) Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior has persecuted me ever since the Spring 1996 when I was 20 years old back then.  He also tried to ruin my dad's life by filing multiple state "ethics" complaints to multiple Massachusetts state agencies from the Fall 1997 - Spring 1998.  He also tried to jail me by lying about me to the Pittsfield Police Department during the Spring 1998 - Summer 1998.  Due to his many abuses, mean-spirited actions and corruption, Nuciforo's political career ended in disgrace a long time ago.  Nuciforo is sarcastically called "Luciforo" and Pittsfield's Pot King, and he is currently suing the City of Pittsfield.

The then U.S. President, George W. Bush, ordered a hearing at the VA Central Office near The White House that I attended (with my mother) in the Summer 2004.  I am a 100 percent totally and permanently disabled Veteran who served honorably.  Your office has helped me with matters before the VA over the years.  Thank you.

Are the Democrats in DC going to eliminate my VA benefits?

Thank you for your time,

Jonathan A. Melle

Attn: Congresswoman Annie Kuster:

I posted my letter to you on the PlanetValenti.com blog.  These are the responses that I read.

* Just the Democrat mantra JM since Clinton, create an issue you can blame the Republicans for and it always seems to be aimed at the poor and weak. Our current Governor played the Dem play and cut MA Health benefits so she can give more money to scohols. Keep voting for them JM so at least you will have stuff to write about!

* JM, you do realize that the cuts to programs like WIC, help for US veterans, housing, etc, are being cut by the people YOU VOTED FOR, in favor of illegal aliens and Ukraine.

Let that sink in before you pen your next letter and look like a fool. YOU VOTED FOR THIS.

Actions have consequences. This isn’t your father’s democRAT party.

Get off MSNBC and go ask a recent Vet how he feels about democRATS and their policies.

Have you considered allowing a few illegals to live with you? You’d be a democRAT hero.

You could tell them your tales of woe and misery. Starting with your Army DI’s offending you by screaming and cussing at you in basic training. Followed by the Andy “Luciforo” Nuciforo story and how he has tormented you for 35 years and counting.

* I - Jon Melle - wrote: I served honorably just like you did, but I believe that you were the better Soldier than I; thank you.

As for Nuciforo, I am not the only one who feels like vomiting when his name is mentioned. Please ask him how his lawsuit versus the City of Pittsfield is going? I am not suing anyone.

The U.S. Congress should pass the late federal budget already.

* John, the current Junta in DC are treating the CRIMINAL ALIENS better than American citizens. Maybe they will eliminate your VA benefits and give those to the invaders too!

Guess what? YOU VOTED FOR THEM!!!!

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February 23, 2024

Sarcasm: Would-be Mayor of Pittsfield politics Jon Melle files a counter lawsuit versus Pittsfield's Pot King "Luciforo" for being a 4-foot-tall piece of poop in the form of a man who will turn 60 - "666-0" - this upcoming Monday.

More sarcasm: If I won, then the would-be city-owned Berkshire Roots marijuana business would be renamed Berkshire Poops because Nuciforo and his pot business both STINK!

Jon Melle

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February 23, 2024

Hello blogger Dan Valenti,

One of your well-informed posters on your blog wrote: "Locally how can you say the city is following the example of the 4 freedoms when the citizens are afraid to voice opposition in fear they will become JM?"

My reply is that Pittsfield politics' other name is RETRIBUTION.  The career politicians only do DISSERVICES to the common people, while they serve their political, financial and corporate backers.  The multi-billion-dollar per fiscal year record breaking Massachusetts State Lottery is a perfect illustration of the government scamming the common people to enrich the financial, corporate and ruling elites at the public trough.

My dad, Bob, once was a political and community activist in Pittsfield (Massachusetts) many years ago now.  When I was a young man back then, my dad's political enemies abused me as a means to hurt my dad, especially "Luciforo".  I - Jon Melle - know that if I ever returned to my native hometown of Pittsfield, they would find ways to hurt me there all over again.  But I am not the one who is suing the city, unlike the aforementioned Nuciforo (aka "Pittsfield's Pot King").

Predictable Pittsfield politics should not be always raise its municipal fiscal year operating budget by between 5 percent to 10 percent every year since the early-1980's.  There is no real middle-class tax base in Pittsfield anymore.  The city is basically robbing the Senior Citizens of their monthly Social Security checks, among other low- to moderate-income local taxpaying households.

I wish I could change and reform things for the better in the government, but it would end up being me getting abused and hurt again (and again and again....) in an act of futility.

Jon Melle

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On Monday, 2/26/2024, Pittsfield's Pot King "Luciforo" turns "666"-0 years old.  Nuciforo's marijuana company's lawsuit versus the City of Pittsfield is claiming that the city government owes him $440,000 in past HCAs fees plus unspecified damages.  Maybe "Luciforo" will end up winning a sum total of $666,666?  As Nuciforo is playing the victim card here, we should all sign his birthday - victim - card and wish him a Happy Birthday.

Poor 60-year-old Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior. He has made millions of dollars off his stinky marijuana company called "Berkshire Roots", but nonetheless, he is playing the victim card by suing the city government. I hope he loses his lawsuit because he is a stinky old fart.

On the night of "Luciforo's" 60th birthday, Pittsfield City Councilor Alisa Costa is holding her first constituent meeting at Living in Recovery off of McKay Street at 7:00 pm on Monday, February 26th, 2024.  What if one of her constituents asks her about his addiction to marijuana, and if it is O.K. that Nuciforo is profiting off of being a drug dealer of pot products?

https://www.wamc.org/news/2024-02-23/pittsfield-city-councilor-costa-to-launch-new-series-of-constituent-meetings-monday

Jon Melle

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February 27, 2024

Nuciforo owns multiple properties that he rents out in both Pittsfield and Boston.  Nuciforo's mansion home in Pittsfield is 0.3 miles from former Mayor Linda Tyer's mansion home in Pittsfield's elitist Gated Community west of Berkshire Community College.  Nuciforo does not live near his pot growing building on Dalton Avenue.  Nuciforo also has a residence in Boston, as well as a law office in Boston's Financial District.  Nuciforo is suing the City of Pittsfield over his marijuana company's $440,000 in HCAs payments from years ago, along with unspecified damages.

I agree with "Merry & Bright" that your Ward in Pittsfield deserves some answers about Nuciforo's Pittsfield Pot Kingdom from Mayor Peter Marchetti, City Councilors and the Health Department.  It seems like everyone but me - Jon Melle - is afraid of Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior, whom I believe belongs in prison for being a corrupt disgraced former politician, unethical lawyer, and a stinky marijuana businessman.

Jon Melle

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February 28, 2024

Sarcasm: I told Kufflinks that the city government forgot to pay me back $440,000 plus unspecified damages over my marijuana company's past payments of HCAs fees from years ago.  Kufflinks told me that he didn't forget to pay me because it was part of my pot permits to make millions of dollars off of being a drug dealer of pot products.  So last Summer 2023, I filed a civil lawsuit versus the City of Pittsfield in Berkshire Superior Court to recoup my money from the city government, which is still ongoing in 2024.  I am also a disgraced former Pittsfield State Senator who had to step down from my elected position in 2006 because I was double dipping as the Chair of the State Senate Finance Committee while at the same time serving as an Attorney for the Boston Law Firm Berman and Dowell as an Attorney serving Boston's big banks and insurance companies.  In 2024, I still have a law office in Boston's Financial District because I get away with everything under the Sun.  From 2007- 2012, I anointed myself as the Middle Berkshire Registrar of Deeds whereby in 2012, I ran a failed campaign for U.S. Congress.  Years ago in March 2017, I went to pot and co-founded "Berkshire Roots" by using my corrupt political connections with deep pockets of money as one of the first pot permit holders in Pittsfield and Massachusetts alike.  My large marijuana growing building on Dalton Avenue stinks up nearby residential neighborhoods, but the city government that I am suing lets me do whatever the hell I want.  In the Summer 2023, I purchased a $950,000 mansion in the same elitist Gated Community neighborhood west of Berkshire Community College that former Mayor Linda Tyer lives in.  I don't live near my pot kingdom on Dalton Avenue in Pittsfield (Mass.) because I don't want to smell all of the stinky marijuana growing odors that so many city residents complain about.  I am a 4-foot-tall stinky piece of poop who exists in the form of a man.  My sarcastic nicknames are "Luciforo" and "Pittsfield's Pot King".  I have hurt a lot of people over the years because I want everyone to fear me, but as the years go by, I am the one who is called mean-spirited, corrupt, litigious, hypocritical, and so on.  I just turned 60 years old earlier this week, which means that I hope to live for at least another 25 years before I end up in Hell for eternity.  I liked blogger Dan Valenti's satirical play about Pittsfield politics' Agenda 12 requesting the city government pay a $43,000 bill from around one year ago.  I am asking over 10 times that amount from the city government from pot payments that I paid years ago now in my lawsuit versus the City of Pittsfield.  I hope that blogger Dan Valenti does not write a satirical play about me.  I get picked on enough.  The Berkshire Eagle wrote that I am "a fringe politician".  The Springfield Republican wrote that I am "mean-spirited".  The Boston Globe wrote about how I used my political connections with deep pockets of money to cash in on being a drug dealer of marijuana products.  Jon Melle always writes that I belong in prison over all of the above corrupt things I have done over the years.  I am Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior.

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March 02, 2024

Sarcasm:

As a career politician, I lie, raise taxes, increase spending, and dish out retribution....

As a lobbyist, I greedily shakedown big businesses for money, put some of my loot in the pockets of the career politicians, and then support regressive taxation schemes such as the state lottery SCAM to give my wealthy clients big tax breaks....

As an accountant, I cook the books for my boss and then I crawl back under my desk in shame....

As an economist, I say that "the ratio" always has trade-offs, but all of the income gains go to the super wealthy 1 percent, while the working class received a whole $5 pay raise over the past 50 years....

As a bureaucrat, I only care about the elites whom I serve, along with my pay plus perks for life....

As a lawyer, I make hundreds of dollars per hour, interpret the law in favor of my client(s), and my picture is on my opposing side's dart board....

As a journalist, I work for my media outlet, which is funded by big corporations to divide and conquer the people based on our political beliefs....

As a blogger, I write about my views of Pittsfield politics and beyond, read Dan Valenti's blog posts, and redundantly write that the financial, corporate and ruling elites are all enriching themselves at the public trough, while the rest of us pounds sand....

Jon Melle

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A Planet Valenti comment blog poster wrote: "JM has a unhealthy thing for Nuciforo and you can see it by how he doesn’t mention others seeking the same return of money."

Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024

My reply: Nuciforo used his political connections in Pittsfield and Boston to receive one of the first pot permits in both metro areas at the opposite ends of Massachusetts.  Nuciforo's "Berkshire Roots" marijuana business always had deep pockets of investments.  Who were his investors?  Why didn't many of the other pot permit seekers have so much large investment capital funds like Nuciforo's Pittsfield Pot Kingdom?

Nuciforo is NOT similar to many of the other marijuana businesses in Massachusetts.  We all know that Nuciforo has deep ties to the finance industry in Boston.  It led to him being a disgraced politician and having to step down from his elected position of State Senator back in 2006.  The Boston Globe reported on these facts in early-2007.

Nuciforo has two pending marijuana lawsuits in two Massachusetts Superior Courts.  The first lawsuit was filed last Summer 2023 in Pittsfield's Berkshire Superior Court.  He is suing the City of Pittsfield over the $440,000 in HCAs fees "Berkshire Roots" paid to the city government many years ago now.  The second lawsuit was recently filed in Boston's Suffolk Superior Court in a union decertification bid - SARCASM: You're some Democrat, Nuciforo, suing to decertify unions in the Massachusetts marijuana industry in order to make a few more pot bucks for yourself, you GREED-BALL.

Nuciforo is a very politically connected, disgraced politician, unethical financial industry-based Attorney, and litigious marijuana businessman.  In 2004, when John Forbes Kerry ran for U.S. President, Nuciforo and Kerry wore matching tuxedos to co-host an elitist fundraiser whereby they raised campaign funds from the financial, corporate and ruling elites.  John Kerry is a billionaire and Boston Brahmin, as is Bill Weld.

Nuciforo is a millionaire.  Nuciforo owns several buildings in Boston and Pittsfield alike.  Nuciforo is a landlord.  Nuciforo has a law office in Boston's Financial District.  Nuciforo has a law office in Pittsfield, too.  Nuciforo lives in a mansion in Pittsfield's Gated Community neighborhood west of Berkshire Community College.

The Berkshire Eagle wrote that Nuciforo is a FRINGE politician.  The Springfield Republican wrote that Nuciforo is MEAN-SPIRITED.  The Boston Globe wrote that Nuciforo - along with other former politicians - used his political connections and deep pockets of investors to receive their pot permits to make millions of dollars off of the commonwealth's marijuana industry, while minority applicants had to pound sand.

Since I was 20 years old during the Spring 1996, Nuciforo has persecuted me: Jon Melle.  Nuciforo also persecuted my dad, Bob, who is a former Berkshire County Commissioner, 1997 - mid-2000.  I have lived in Amherst, NH, for the past 20 years now.  Believe it or not, people who live here who have ties to Massachusetts know that Nuciforo ensnared me into his conspiratorial politics.  Even when I was a graduate college student at U Mass Amherst, (from the Fall 1997 - Spring 1999), some of my College Professors told me they questioned Nuciforo about his mistreatment of me when they went to the Boston Statehouse back then.  Even blogger Dan Valenti himself once wrote to me that he knows that I was hurt in Pittsfield politics.  Bottom line: A lot of people who follow Massachusetts politics know that Nuciforo has been mean-spirited towards me for a very long time now.

In closing, I do NOT understand how Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior is able to file his pot lawsuits without question by the news media and blogs, while he is a disgraced politician, a politically connected sycophant to the likes of John Kerry, and an unethical Attorney who always gets to do whatever the Hell he wants to do and he never faces any consequences for his actions!

Jon Melle

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April 11, 2024

Predictable Pittsfield politics:

1. An excessive municipal operating budget that always increases spending by at least 5 percent up to 10 percent per fiscal year.

2. Instead of small businesses, Pittsfield is the Social Services and Not-for-Profit Capital of Massachusetts.

3. Instead of investing in the people and the community, Pittsfield screws anyone and everyone who is not part of the incestuous-like one political (Democrat) party insider's club.

4. Level 5 public schools with over 650 students per academic year who choice out to nearby neighboring public school districts.

5. Lottery Tickets and Nip Bottles and Marijuana Dispensaries and the like epitomizing the state's systemic mockery of the low- to-moderate income underclass residents who live in Pittsfield's distressed economy.

6. Mayors who say that Pittsfield is a Junkie for State Aid, Crime in Pittsfield is an Aberration, I have a Rolodex, I will revitalize post-GE Pittsfield, Pittsfield is Vibrant and Dynamic, I request a 90-day Grace Period free from criticism, and I am NOT a fan of social media and blogs, I formed a [secretive] advisory committee on mental health and addiction whereby I have unilateral authority....

7. Past Mayors who now live in Sunny Florida, a Gated Community along with her litigious neighbor who is sarcastically known as Pittsfield's Pot King Luciforo, and anywhere else but inner-city Pittsfield.

8. The School Committee and City Council supporting demolishing two West Side public schools, while omitting the elementary school that abuts Hill 78, which is a capped leaky landfill full of GE's PCBs industrial chemicals that causes brain damage, learning disabilities and cancer.

9. Pittsfield politics other name is RETRIBUTION!  It is NOT democracy.

10. NO real representation on any level of government for the fictional family named Mary Jane and Joe Kapanski, who lives, works, and pays taxes in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Jon Melle

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April 12, 2024

Sarcasm: That is me: Jon Melle, who is racing to post my delusional rants.... I should join the ranks of "Junkie for State Aid" & "Aberration", "Rolodex" & "Renaissance", "Vibrant & Dynamic", and "90 day grace period".  I should run for U.S. Congress versus PAC Man Richie Neal and then after I lose by 40 points, I should appoint myself as Pittsfield's Pot King.  I should propose demolishing 2 West Side public schools, while NOT doing anything about the elementary school that abuts the capped leaky landfill full of PCBs industrial chemicals that causes brain damage, learning disabilities, and cancer.  I should be the first would-be openly gay Governor of Massachusetts, but then have the sarcastic nickname of "Unproductive".  I should be a U.S. Senator who represents Massachusetts in the Swamp, but really live in Chevy Chase, Maryland.  I should be the U.S. President and say that I am very proud of my scoundrel son, Hunter.  There you have it: Jon Melle's DELUSIONAL rant.

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April 14, 2024

Hello blogger Dan Valenti,

One of my best friends, who I grew up with in Pittsfield, wrote to me today that I cannot change the past with Andrea Francesco Nuciforo Junior's a little less than 28 years of bullying me, hurting my dad, Bob, and so on.  I agreed with him, of course.  You, Dan Valenti, once wrote to me that you know that I was hurt in Pittsfield politics.  Many other concerned people have communicated with me their negative views about "Luciforo" over these many years of my adult life (20 years old during the Spring 1996 to 49 years old this upcoming Summer 2024).  I appreciate that good people care about me, as well as my family, when it comes to "Pittsfield's Pot King".

The thing many people do not understand about Nuciforo's conspiratorial persecution of me is that it has not ended, nor will it ever end until death to us part.  It is like I am married and divorced to my enemy #1.  I can never escape this 4-foot-tall piece of poop that exists in the form of a man.  Nuciforo wins at any cost.  He has no decency.  He has no bottom.  It bothers Nuciforo that he has not fully ruined my life, despite all of the abuses he has done to me over so many years now.

I wrote to my best friend that Nuciforo is suing the city.  Nuciforo also filed a lawsuit in Boston to take away unions in the marijuana industry.  I wrote to my best friend that Nuciforo is a piece of shit.  I am NOT the only person who views Nuciforo unfavorably.  Moreover, the Eagle wrote that Nuciforo is a FRINGE politician.  The Springfield Republican wrote that Nuciforo is MEAN-SPIRITED.  The Boston Globe wrote that Nuciforo - along with other former politicians - used his political connections, deep pockets of unknown investors, and the like to be one of the first marijuana firms to receive pot permits in Massachusetts.

Pittsfield (Mass.) is notorious for persecuting innocent people who are powerless versus the likes of someone such as Nuciforo.  All I have to defend myself is my political writings and blogs to fight back versus Nuciforo.  I could not imagine what would happen to me if Nuciforo had won in the past or wins against me in the future.  Lastly, I do not comprehend how Nuciforo has done so much wrong in his horrible life, but he always gets away with everything under the Sun.  I hope that someone out there will STOP Nuciforo over the next 25 years before he ends up in Hell for Eternity.

Best wishes,

Jon Melle

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