Downstreet: “Citizen-Lawyers Battle Porn Shop Just a Block Away From Home”

Mike Kirby and Lu Stone are residents of Summer Street with a full-on view of Capital Video’s prospective King Street porn shop. In January they appealed the Northampton Planning Board’s approval of Capital Video’s site plan. While not a party to this appeal, NoPornNorthampton publicized it with a press release: The goal of the couple’s […]

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Gazette: “Couple appeals porn shop’s building permit”

As reported in today’s Gazette, Adam Cohen and Jendi Reiter from NoPornNorthampton recently wrote to Northampton Building Commissioner Anthony Patillo, asking him to revoke the building permit issued to Capital Video for their proposed porn shop at 135 King Street. We wrote: Section 1.3 of the [Northampton zoning] ordinance includes these criteria for site plan […]

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Gazette: “60 days to porn on King? Permit in hand, shop eyes spring opening”

Today’s Gazette reports that Northampton has issued Capital Video a building permit (PDF) for a porn shop on 135 King Street [see a PDF of the floor plan]. Due to its proximity to homes, the store may have no more than 1,000 square feet of adult material on display. The Gazette notes that an appeal […]

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Providence Journal Archives: Kenneth Guarino’s Mob Ties, Criminal Past, Global Empire

Kenneth Guarino owns 100% of the capital stock of Capital Video, the company planning to locate a hard-core porn shop at 135 King Street. We have documented his background and attitude in these previous posts: Capital Video Owner Kenneth Guarino “was associated with Natale Richichi, a capo in the Gambino family of La Cosa Nostra” […]

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Capital Video’s “Victoria’s Secret Standard”: Not Compatible with Northampton’s Signage Regulations

In December, Capital Video initially proposed a bondage display for the outside of their porn shop at 135 King Street. When some Northampton Planning Board members objected at the Capital Video Site Plan Review on December 14, Capital Video attorney Michael Pill withdrew the display and verbally asserted the company would instead adhere to a […]

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An Open Letter to Capital Video Attorney Michael Pill

Dr. Michael Pill is a Shutesbury attorney retained by Capital Video to help them establish a porn shop at 135 King Street. Northampton’s Planning Board approved Capital Video’s Site Plan on December 14, but many citizens still have concerns about how Capital Video will respect their interests. Here we ask Capital Video and Michael Pill […]

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Capital Video Attorney Michael Pill: Fickle Defender of Free Speech

Capital Video Attorney Michael Pill has tried to portray himself as a First Amendment hero, suggesting that legal restrictions on porn shops are impermissible infringements on freedom of speech. However, not so long ago he was on the other side of the argument, trying to use the law to impede people from practicing their religions, […]

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Capital Video Plays Hardball, Proposes Bondage Display for Store, Attorney Disses Community Opposition Ahead of December 14 Public Hearing

A month ago, Capital Video was talking up its “excellent relationship with its host communities”. General counsel Lesley Rich suggested that their store would be “designed in a ‘mainstream’ manner… Capital intends on opening an ‘upscale’ store in Northampton, and would be very receptive to discussions with the community on the look, feel and the […]

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Breaking News: Capital Video Capitulates to New Zoning, Revises Plans for 135 King Street

Capital Video general counsel Lesley Rich initially dismissed Northampton’s new adult-use zoning ordinances as “totally illegal”, but it now appears the company has decided to accept them. Wayne Feiden and Carolyn Misch from Northampton’s planning department have just received an email from Capital Video attorney Michael Pill stating that they “will comply with all legally […]

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Capital Video Representative Swears at NoPornNorthampton During Public Meeting

At today’s Planning Board meeting, NoPornNorthampton had a brief exchange with Capital Video’s Anthony Nota. Public documents submitted to the Planning Board list Mr. Nota as a Capital Video “project manager”. Mr. Nota is a large, tall man. He is pictured here standing in City Council chambers beside Capital Video’s lawyer, Michael Pill. Towards the end of […]

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