Franks Biker News August 7th archive

High Security As Bikers Rev Up For 'Bash' - Sky News - Thousands of bikers will gather today for the start of a controversial motorcycle festival where a Hells Angel was killed two years ago.
A police officer watching bikers arrive for the Bulldog Bash biker festival at Avon Park Raceway, Long Marston
Security was tightened in 2008 following the previous year's death
Up to 30,000 people are expected to attend the Bulldog Bash, near Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire.
Detectives are worried violence may erupt between organisers the Hells Angels and rival motorbike gang The Outlaws.
Concerns are particularly high as Gerry Tobin, a London Hells Angel, was shot dead on the M40 in Warwickshire as he rode home from the Bash in 2007.
Seven Outlaws have since been convicted of his murder.
A mini-riot also broke out between the gangs at Birmingham Airport last year.
The situation has led to a £1.4m security operation - including stop and searches and automatic number plate recognition on some roads - being put in place.
Bulldog Bash organiser John Britt said the security measures were "over the top".
He said: "It's a total waste of taxpayers' money.
Hells Angel Richie Southcoast
A Hells Angel biker
"We are surrounded by armed police with machine guns and things - this is a family show.
"It has a great reputation for being a family show. I just cannot understand what the police are up to."
Warwickshire Police asked Stratford-on-Avon District Council to review its decision to grant the Hells Angels a 10-year licence to operate in May last year.
The force appealed again, unsuccessfully, last month amid fears that there were "heightened" tensions between the two gangs.
Warwickshire's Assistant Chief Constable Bill Holland said the measures are to protect people from harm during the four days of the event.
"This is not to say that all those attending are criminals - the vast majority are decent people out to enjoy themselves," Mr Holland said.
"But there is a small criminal minority and it is against these that the police operation will be targeted."

Freeburg hosts moving tribute to Vietnam vets - Belleville News Democrat - Freeburg is expected to be awash in red, white and blue this morning to greet the arrival of The Moving Wall, a traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Escorted by the Illinois Patriot Guard Riders, the half-scale version of the famed Washington, D.C., monument will leave at 8 a.m. from Frieze Harley-Davidson in O'Fallon and make its way to town via Green Mount Road and Illinois 13/15.
Residents have been asked to line State Street to salute the procession as it makes its way to Freeburg Recreation Park, where the wall will be set up and displayed around the clock from 3 p.m. today until 10 a.m. Monday.
Sheila Gallagher, of Freeburg, figures it's the least people can do to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice during the long conflict in Southeast Asia. Gallagher herself has seen the wall five times -- twice in the nation's capitol along with three visits to replicas -- and is still awed by it.
"A lot of my friends have friends and family on the wall," said Gallagher, who runs Gallahger's Getaway in Freeburg. "And, I know a lot of Vietnam veterans. I wanted to bring it to Freeburg so that everybody around here could get a chance to view it, too, to honor their brothers and sisters and fallen families and friends who are no longer with us."
So, last October, Gallagher, a board member of the Freeburg Chamber of Commerce, suggested the organization host an exhibit of The Moving Wall. In a short time, the $4,500 fee had been raised and offers of help started pouring in to help stage the event.
"The VFW, the American Legion, the Vietnam veterans motorcycle club, businesses in Freeburg and Smithton," said Gallagher, rattling off the list of volunteers. "The carpenters local is building the platform. I could go on and on about how much everybody's doing for us. It's been spectacular."
She couldn't have picked a more noteworthy year for the display. When the original wall was dedicated in 1982, Vietnam vet John Devitt was so struck by its "positive power" that he vowed to share the experience with those unable to make the trek to Washington.
So, he, Norris Shears, Gerry Haver and other vets built The Moving Wall, a 250-foot-long replica filled with the names of the 58,000 American war dead, including about 1,300 still considered mission in action. It was displayed for the first time in 1984 in Tyler, Texas, making this its 25th anniversary year.
Since then, The Vietnam Combat Veterans Ltd. has added a second half-scale replica. The two structures now travel the country from April through November, spending about a week at each site.
Opening ceremonies will be at 6 p.m. today, complete with a posting of color, the playing of "Taps" by Andy Voelker, of the Freeburg High School Band, and a performance of "Amazing Grace" by the Ainad Highlanders bagpipes group. Vietnam veteran Paul Braun and U.S. Rep. Jerry Costello will speak.
Tthroughout the weekend, Gallagher and her large band of volunteers will be at the park to greet what she hopes will be large crowds wanting to view the wall. She says they are well-prepared for the hot weather that is forecast to hit Saturday.
"The weather scared me this morning when I heard that," she said Tuesday. "I'm like 'Noooooooo!' But we have parking for the disabled and golf carts and air-conditioned campers. And we'll have water available at all times and plenty of finger desserts, so we'll have plenty to keep everybody cooled off."
Closing ceremonies, featuring talks by state Sen. Dave Luechtefeld and Vietnam vet Ken Morrow, of Springfield, will be at 6 p.m. Sunday. The wall, however, will be open until Monday morning. Volunteers will be on hand to help visit locate specific names.
For more information on The Moving Wall, go to www.themovingwall.org .
At a glance
What: The Moving Wall, a half-scale traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Where: Freeburg Recreation Park
When: 3 p.m. today through 10 a.m. Monday. (Will arrive with a procession through town at about 8:15-8:30 a.m. today.)
Admission: Free.
Ceremonies: Opening ceremonies with U.S. Rep Jerry Costello and Vietnam veteran Paul Braun at 6 p.m. today. Closing ceremonies with state Sen. Dave Luechtefeld and Vietnam veteran Ken Morrow at 6 p.m. Sunday. 

Motorcyclist flown to hospital after crash - News-Leader.com - A Macks Creek man was flown to a Columbia hospital Tuesday night after crashing his motorcycle on U.S. 54, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol.
Steven W. Phillips, 44, was flown to University Hospital after the 7:20 p.m. crash one-half mile east of the Niangua bridge.
Phillips was injured when his eastbound 2006 Honda ran off the road.
Phillips was wearing a helmet, according to the patrol.

Veterans' motorcycle group gives $27522 - Belleville News Democrat - A local veterans' motorcycle group almost doubled the amount of money it raised to donate to a house where families will be able to stay when their veteran is getting medical treatment in St. Louis.
Wednesday afternoon, Rodney Dunaway, of the VFW Riders Illinois, and past commander of the Collinsville VFW Post 5691, presented a check for $27,522 to Jim Donahoe, president of the Jefferson Barracks Fisher House in St. Louis. The presentation was at the Collinsville VFW.
"We're nothing but a bunch of VFW members that ride motorcycles. That's what we do," Dunaway said. "This is something very big to us and people really supported us on this. We have to show our veterans and their families we support them. You may not support the war, but we have to support our veterans and their families."
The group held different fundraisers such as chicken and beer dances and acted as servers at local Culver's Restaurants during a day of giving. Proceeds from the restaurant were donated to the fundraising efforts.
"We rode our motorcycles to these places, put aprons on, got Culverized and spent the day taking orders, delivering food and wiping down tables," Dunaway said.
Last year the group, which has 10 members, donated $16,300 to the still-under-construction Fisher House.
Dunaway, a retired Army staff sergeant who served in Desert Storm, recalled a woman who came to St. Louis to be with her injured veteran while he was at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in St. Louis. She could not afford the cost of a hotel room during her extended stay and ended up living out of her van, Dunaway said.
"I won't let something like that happen again," he said. "If I have anything to do with it, it won't ever happen again. There is no way a family member of one of our veterans will ever have to go through that again."
The Fisher House is a lodging facility where families of veterans can stay free while loved ones are undergoing treatment at veterans hospitals that are more than 50 miles from their homes. The Fisher House Foundation has built 40 such facilities across the country.
The St. Louis Fisher House, which will be built at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center at Jefferson Barracks, will have 21 bedroom suites, each with a private bath, and will be able to accommodate up to 42 guests. Although architectural plans are undergoing minor revisions, groundbreaking took place on Veterans Day and it is expected to open in early to mid-2010.
To pay for the $5 million project, the Fisher House Foundation will contribute up to $2.5 million. Local organizations must raise the remaining $2.5 million to build the facility. Once the construction is done the Fisher House will be donated to the VA.
The Fisher House is the work of New York construction executive and philanthropist Zachary Fisher, who started the foundation. Unable to serve in World War II because of a leg injury, he drew on his building skills to help the U.S. Coastal Service by constructing coastal fortifications.
Then, in 1990, Fisher and his wife, Elizabeth, began the Fisher House program. In the nearly 20 years since, the program has provided nearly 2.5 million days of lodging and now serves more than 10,000 families annually. The Fishers' foundation also has a number of related programs, including scholarships for military children and transferring frequent-flyer miles to families of veterans.
For more information, visit www.fisherhouse.org . To donate locally, visit www.fisherhouseinstl.org  or write Fisher House Foundation, Voluntary Service, VA Medical Center, 1 Jefferson Barracks Road, St. Louis, MO 63125. 

Ex-Cape man died in Dennis accident Tuesday - Cape Cod Times - Police have identified the victim of Tuesday afternoon's fatal motorcycle accident as a former Dennis resident who recently lived in Connecticut.
Gerald M. Robertson, 42, of Milford, Conn., died of injuries received when he was thrown from his motorcycle while riding on Lower County Road, according to the Dennis police.
Robertson was heading east on his 1999 Kawasaki ZX1100 when he collided with a westbound vehicle, which was turning into the Sundae School Ice Cream Store at the moment of impact, the police said.
Witnesses told police that Robertson was thrown from his motorcycle and hit a tow truck stopped in the westbound lane. Witnesses also told police that Robertson "popped a wheelie" shortly before the crash, but police have not been able to confirm those reports.
Dennis police Capt. William Monahan said investigators will reconstruct the crash as their probe continues this week. No charges had been filed as of yesterday.
Robertson is survived by a son and five brothers. They could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Flagler deputy injured in traffic accident - Daytona Beach News-Journal - A Flagler County sheriff's deputy responding to a crash on a motorcycle was injured Wednesday when a tractor-trailer struck him in Palm Coast, a sheriff's spokeswoman said.
Sgt. Michael Van Buren, 42, was riding west on Palm Coast Parkway when he collided with a tractor-trailer coming from the northbound Interstate 95 exit ramp, said sheriff's spokeswoman Debra Johnson.
The crash involving Van Buren occurred shortly before noon as the sergeant was responding to a minor crash in which no one was injured. He suffered several fractures and other injuries and was taken to Florida Hospital Flagler where he will remain overnight, Johnson said.
Van Buren, who is the supervisor of the Flagler County sheriff's Traffic Unit, has worked for the Sheriff's Office since 1987, Johnson said.
The Florida Highway Patrol continues to investigate the accident but said Van Buren suffered facial injuries when his motorcycle crashed into the tractor-trailer. The driver of the truck, Roy L. Sanner, 66, of Ohio was not hurt, said FHP Lt. William Leeper.
Charges against Sanner are pending a full investigation, Leeper said.

Harley-Davidson to cut 410 area jobs - Sun Tribune - A sputtering national economy means more layoffs at the Northland’s Harley-Davidson factory.
Roughly 410 workers at the Kansas City plant are scheduled to lose their jobs in September, according to spokesperson Pat Sweeney.
The decision to lay off workers is the result of plummeting retail motorcycle sales around the world and the company’s ongoing efforts to stop its fiscal bleeding, Sweeney said.
"Harley-Davidson is in the process of aligning its cost structure with the current business environment," she said.
In a July 16 release of Harley-Davidson’s second quarter financial report, company executives also announced that they would pause production of the brand’s Sportster and V-Rod models during the last three months of 2009. This move will effectively furlough a large portion of the remaining work force at the Kansas City facility.
The July announcement marks the third round of layoffs so far this year for the company. Harley-Davidson’s Kansas City plant started 2009 with about 900 workers, according to Sweeney. It will end the year with approximately 400 employees.
Harley-Davidson’s second-quarter financials were abysmal, with reported declines in revenue, net income and diluted earnings per share compared to the same period last year.
The company took its biggest hit from worldwide retail sales, which fell by 30 percent from 2008 levels, according to the financial report. The motorcycle industry as a whole is suffering, according to company officials, with overall sales down nearly 50 percent.
"We continue to take these difficult actions to manage through the current challenges and we also continue to take major steps in creating the operational effectiveness that is essential to our long-term future," said Wandell. "We are committed to doing what is required to enable Harley-Davidson to operate as a competitive business and employer over the long haul."

Clarence man killed in motorcycle crash - WIVB - A motorcycle crash has taken the life of a Clarence man in the Town of Clarence Wednesday night.
State Police say 47-year-old Thomas Manzella lost control of his motorcycle on Sheridan Drive near Wenner Road and collided with an oncoming car.
Manzella was taken to Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Man, woman on motorcycle are killed when it hits trailer - Minneapolis Star Tribune - A motorcycle struck a tractor pulling an empty horse trailer in southeastern Minnesota, leaving both people on the motorcycle dead, authorities said Wednesday.
The crash happened shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday on County Road 1 in Wanamingo Township, the Goodhue County Sheriff's Office said.
Killed was passenger Paula Ashton, 42, of rural Farmington, and the motorcycle's operator, Arnold A. Hinrichs Jr., 51, of South St. Paul, the Sheriff's Office said. Both died at the scene. Neither was wearing a helmet.
The motorcycle was heading south when it came upon the southbound tractor as it was turning left into a driveway and struck the trailer, the Sheriff's Office said.
The driver of the tractor, James Kyllo, 54, of rural Wanamingo, was uninjured.

Motorcyclist hurt in Wednesday crash - Morning Sentinel - A motorcyclist from Quebec was taken by LifeFlight helicopter from the Gadabout Gaddis Airport on U.S. Route 201 Wednesday afternoon, suffering from head injuries, police said.
Lt. Donald Pomelow, at Maine State Police Troop C Barracks in Skowhegan, said Pierre Bergeron, 49, crashed his motorcycle just north of the Department of Transportation garage in Moscow. The accident happened just before 1 p.m.
Reports from police indicated Bergeron was in the middle of the busy road. Pomelow said the rider did not remember the accident. He said the Bergeron's injuries were not life-threatening. 

Summerville man killed in motorcycle wreck on Ga. 156 identified - Rome News Tribune - A Chattooga County man who was killed late Tuesday after his motorcycle hit a tree on Ga. 156 has been identified as Gerald Byars, 37, of Summerville.
He was pronounced dead at the scene by Deputy Coroner Ernie Studard at 9:26 p.m.
According to Trooper Stan Smith of the Georgia State Patrol:
Byars was riding a red Yamaha motorcycle westbound near 1915 New Rosedale Road when his vehicle apparently left the road. The motorcycle traveled more than 200 feet before striking the tree.
Smith said the impact threw the driver from the motorcycle, and he was found in a ditch approximately 10 to 15 feet from the vehicle.
Georgia State Patrol officers closed one lane of New Rosedale Road while they investigated the crash. Studard arrived on the scene shortly after 9 p.m. to confirm the fatality.
Smith said he was dispatched to the scene at 8:36 p.m. He said he was the first emergency responder to arrive at around 8:41 p.m.
He said nearby residents heard the collision but that nobody witnessed the crash. 

Motorcyclist Dies in Valley Crash - San Fernando Valley Sun - LOS ANGELES — A collision between a motorcycle and a car resulted in the death of the motorcyclist late Tuesday afternoon.
On Aug. 4, at around 4:15 p.m., 51-year-old motorcyclist Phillip Indovino from Saugus was riding his 1993 Harley Davidson motorcycle eastbound on Rinaldi Street. Witnesses reported that he was traveling at a high rate of speed when he failed to stop for a red-phase tri-light at the intersection of Wilbur Avenue and Rinaldi Street, causing him to collide with a 2001 Nissan Altima traveling westbound on Rinaldi Street and turning left onto Wilbur Avenue heading south.
The 35-year-old female driver of the Nissan Altima was not injured and did not attempt to leave the scene. Indovino was pronounced dead at the location, and there is no criminal investigation related to this collision.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call LAPD Valley Traffic Division Detective David Millan at (818) 644-8037. After-hours and weekends, calls may be directed to a toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527- 3247) or by texting CRIMES (274637) and beginning the message with the letters LAPD. Tipsters may also submit information on the LAPD website: All tips may remain anonymous.

Man dies in motorcycle collision on 44th Street - WZZM - KENTWOOD, Mich. (WZZM) - A 25-year-old man from Kentwood died this morning after his motorcycle was hit by a car turning onto 44th Street near Broadmoor.
Colin James Jansma did not survive the crash that happened at about 11:15am.
Police say that Jansma was on the inside lane of eastbound 44th Street and a Federal Express truck was in the right lane next to him. A Chevy Monte Carlo was waiting at Airwest Drive waiting to turn onto westbound 44th Street. The Federal Express truck signaled to turn right onto Airwest and the Monte Carlo started its turn onto 44th Street and did not see Jansma's motorcycle behind the truck. Neither were able to avoid the collision.
Police say speed and alcohol do not appear to be factors in the crash. Responding units say that Jansma was being given CPR from civilians on scene when they arrived.
The accident remains under investigation. When completed it will be turned over to the Kent Co. prosecutor's office for review.