Northern Illinois A.B.A.T.E.

 

 

 

Exclusively at Hupy.com 11-02-08

The state coordinator of A.B.A.T.E. of Illinois for the last several years has left under a cloud. We hope this is a turning point for this great organization. We have long been urging the membership of A.B.A.T.E. of Illinois not to allow the state coordinator to put personal agendas and the business interests of an Indiana law firm before the interests of eleven thousand members.

While the former state director was in office chapters and members were threatened with loss of membership, information important to members was censored and A.B.A.T.E. of Illinois continued an agreement giving an out of state law firm a monopoly on advertising in the state newsletter. This, despite the fact that members of A.B.A.T.E. of Illinois were referred to an Illinois attorney with a third rate rating with Martindale- Hubbell. Various members have demanded to see the agreement but no one has seen it yet.

The former state director took cheap shots at members and chapter leaders in the state newsletter. Attempts to respond to defamatory statements were ignored despite his claimed open door policy.

Part of the mission statement of A.B.A.T.E. of Illinois is to promote unity through involvement. We look forward to working with the new leadership to put the interests of eleven thousand members first.

This is a victory for those chapters and members who stood up to these divisive tactics. Our firm is proud that we never waivered in our support of what is right.
 

 

---

Fear of rival gangs detours motorcycle festival
Grayslake mayor says safety was main factor, but riders ask if stereotypes played a role in the decision

By Jeff Long, Emily S. Achenbaum and Ralph Zahorik | Chicago Tribune
May 5, 2008 
Thousands of motorcycle riders roared into Grayslake on Sunday for a huge rally and festival at the Lake County Fairgrounds, only to find their party had been brought to a screeching halt by officials worried that two rival biker gangs were planning to settle a score.
So, on a beautiful spring day, with the cops turning them away, the disappointed bikers hit the open road, determined to make the best of it. Many pointed their bikes toward Austin's Saloon in Libertyville, owned by the organizer of the Ironhorse Roundup Bike Show and the rally's former home.
Hundreds poured into the tavern's parking lot. Once that was full, they headed to a lot across the highway and hopped on a shuttle to the bar, where waitresses in orange hot pants, boots and black leather chaps handed out free shots of Jaegermeister. And where the riders griped about what they called unfair stereotypes and raised questions about whether officials overreacted.
"Bikers don't bother anyone," said David Nilsen, 37, of Chicago. "We're here to have a good time, and we come to spend money on food, on drink, on the vendors."
Mark Babicki, 38, of Lake in the Hills agreed. "It's jumping to conclusions that something is going to go wrong," he said. "There are motorcycle events every day all around the world" without problems.
Grayslake Mayor Timothy Perry said the show was canceled because Illinois State Police and a regional gang task force got word Friday that members of the rival Outlaws and Hell's Lovers reportedly had a score to settle and would do it at the Ironhorse Roundup.
Perry decided late Friday afternoon to pull the Lake County Fair Association's permit for the show after police Chief Larry Herzog told him public safety could not be guaranteed without at least 20 additional officers assigned to the fairgrounds. The department has just 30 officers, and many already had been hired by organizers as security.
Perry said he understood why people were upset. His dad owned a 75th anniversary edition Harley-Davidson. But the mayor stood by his decision.
"I empathize with them completely," Perry said. "But if we have a situation where they're being invited to my town and we can't guarantee their safety, that's the decision I'm going to make."
That explanation didn't sit well with Ironhorse organizer Mark Khayat, owner of Austin's.
"It almost looks like profiling to me," Khayat said. "I can't imagine why this would happen."
In its fourth year, the Ironhorse Roundup was to be held for the first time at the fairgrounds because it has been drawing more riders from across the country. As many as 17,000 bikers attended last year, when the Ironhorse was still being held—intentionally—at Austin's.
With Motley Crue's Vince Neil scheduled to headline, and vendors and other musical acts as a draw, Khayat expected as many as 35,000 people to attend this year. He began working with city officials more than a month ago and was upset Sunday that they didn't come to him with safety concerns so a solution could be found to keep the event open.
But by Sunday afternoon, it appeared the bikers' spirits were hardly dampened.
A deejay from a Kenosha radio station played heavy metal tunes, and a colleague at the Lake County Fairgrounds gave updates on what was going on there as police turned away would-be Ironhorse attendees.
Many at Austin's scoffed at the idea that the Outlaws would have caused a problem at the show.
Robbi Bintz, 39, rode his Polaris Victory from his home in Wallace, Mich., on the Upper Peninsula. He didn't find out the event was canceled until he pulled into the fairgrounds.
"I came because it's a good party," he said, calling the presence of Outlaws, "not a big deal." He said Outlaws routinely show up in Sturgis, S.D., the site of a major annual gathering of motorcyclists, and there is seldom any trouble.
Ken Boyd, a contractor from Mundelein, also was disappointed.
"It's the kickoff for the season," he said. "Everyone wants to get out and ride."
The cancellation hurt scores of vendors who had come from as far as California and Wyoming, Khayat said.
"Out of the thousands of people here last year, I saw maybe 30 [Outlaw] patches," Khayat said. "We've never had a problem."
Perry "did the equivalent of sending us all to our rooms," said Khayat's brother, Lenny.
But Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran defended the decision.
"You've got to err on the side of caution," he said, adding that the Outlaws "are one of the original motorcycle gangs [and have] a long history of homicides and the drug trade."
Some neighbors of the Libertyville tavern found themselves trying to shut out the thumping of music and the revving of motorcycle engines thanks to the cancellation of the event.
Jerry Gosen, who has lived on a street behind the bar for eight years, said noise levels there are a constant problem that escalated two years ago when Austin's built a large addition.
"It's thump, thump, thump, all bass," Gosen said. "It's all about money."
Neighbor Jeanne Brewer, who was outside in her garden on Sunday, took a live-and-let-live attitude.
"I personally don't like motorcycles," she said. "But they have the right to gather. This is America. And it's only one Sunday a year."
Jeff Long and Emily S. Achenbaum are Tribune reporters; Ralph Zahorik is a freelance reporter.

 

 

---

Bikers hire lawyer to pursue restitution, bias claim after event canceled
Ironhorse Roundup was called off in Grayslake because of rumored gang feud
By Lisa Black | Tribune staff reporter
10:07 PM CDT, May 7, 2008

Motorcycle enthusiasts have hired a lawyer and are filing Freedom of Information requests with the Village of Grayslake to find out more about a threat of gang rivalry that was cited as the cause of a last-minute cancellation of an event Sunday at the Lake County Fairgrounds.
About two dozen motorcycle riders filed into a Grayslake Village Board meeting Tuesday night, some of whom accused Mayor Tim Perry of discriminating against bikers because of outdated Hollywood images.
"The people who attend these [motorcycle] events are people with jobs, with lives," said Dave White of Pleasant Prairie, Wis., a member of the Lake County Motorcycle Club.
"To assume all people will be irresponsible is a slap in the face."
The bikers added a colorful, leather-clad presence to the otherwise staid Village Board room as they explained they are tired of being branded as troublemakers.
The cancellation of the Ironhorse Roundup, which the lawyer said was expected to draw 40,000 bikers, reportedly cost its promoter and vendors money and inconvenienced thousands who rode in from out of town.
"There is an impression that your decision was not made just based on safety but because of the attendees to this event," said Ed Domine, assistant state coordinator for A Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education.
"I have to ask you to ask yourselves, did the fact these were motorcyclists play into this?"
Perry said he sympathized, but he had to prioritize the safety of Grayslake residents.
He said he made the decision to pull the Lake County Fair Association's permit for the show late Friday afternoon after the Illinois State Police and a regional gang task force reported that members of the rival Outlaws and Hell's Lovers were expected to settle a score at the Ironhorse Roundup.
Police Chief Larry Herzog told Perry public safety could not be guaranteed without at least 20 more officers assigned to the fairgrounds. The department has just 30 officers, and many already had been hired by organizers as security.
"I will always err on the side of caution when it comes to the safety of the residents of the community," said Perry, adding that a concert at the fairgrounds was canceled several years ago under similar circumstances.
Pete Naylor, a Gurnee lawyer who rode his Harley to the board meeting still wearing suit and tie, told the board he has been hired by the event's promoter to seek restitution.
On Friday, he said, promoter Mark Khayat scrambled over to Village Hall at 4:40 p.m. trying to find out why the permit was pulled.
Khayat is owner of Austin's Saloon in Libertyville, which, along with a Kenosha radio station, had spent months promoting the event.
"Mark walked into City Hall, was brought into an office and read the press release," Naylor said.
"[Herzog] didn't answer any questions. . . . There was no opportunity for them to fix the issue."
Grayslake Village Trustee Jeff Werfel later said he appreciated the "thoughtful commentary."
"Ultimately, it was the mayor's call. I'm not going to second-guess him."

lblack@tribune.com