plus 4, WEEK AHEAD: Mavericks offer up a two-for-one deal - Kansas City Star |
- WEEK AHEAD: Mavericks offer up a two-for-one deal - Kansas City Star
- Crazy about racing - Alpena News
- Bikers raise $5,000, give 4 students racing bikes - Naples Daily News
- Pregnant woman among six hurt in attack - star.com.my
- Scrambling Through the Snow - FOX 40 News WICZ TV
| WEEK AHEAD: Mavericks offer up a two-for-one deal - Kansas City Star Posted: 20 Dec 2009 09:18 PM PST Christmas may be around the corner, but that doesn't mean you can't do something nice for yourself while buying something for that hockey fan on your list. The Missouri Mavericks hockey team will have a two-for-one special for Tuesday's game against the Laredo Bucks. Fans who buy tickets at the box office on game day can show a Price Chopper Shopper card and get two terrace or club-level seats for the price of one. The first 1,500 fans will receive thunderstix for the game, which starts at 7:05 p.m. If you're waiting until after Christmas to see the Mavericks, the team is offering a special for a New Year's Eve game against the Colorado Eagles. The Mavericks will sell party packs, which include four terrace tickets (face value of $18 each), four soft drinks and four hot dogs, for $60. In addition, the team will be giving away $20.10 to 100 fans to commemorate the start of 2010. Fans also will have the chance to skate at the Community Ice Rink after the game. For more information, call the Mavericks at 816.252.7825. TODAY BOOK SIGNING: Author Matt Fulks will be signing "For Jayhawks Fans Only!" alongside Kent Pulliam, author of "For Wildcats Fans Only!" during 5:30-7 p.m.; Borders Express, 7311 Quivira in Shawnee. KANSAS CITY STARS The ABA team will face off against the Lake Michigan Admirals on consecutive nights, playing on Dec. 29 and 30 at Municipal Auditorium; for the rest of the season, the team will donate $5 to the American Cancer Society for each $15, $20 or $25 ticket sold via ticketmaster.com when the purchaser enters the Promo Code ACSURE; www.kcstars.com. UPCOMING EVENTS RETIRED COACHES AND OFFICIALS: All former men's and women's basketball coaches and officials, age 55 and older, are invited to meet for the annual gathering at Coach's, 103rd and Wornall, at 11:30 a.m. Dec. 29; Sam Breckenridge, 816-525-9220 or Jerry Culver, 816-941-2146. HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS: The famous basketball team will play two games at 2 and 7 p.m. Jan. 2 at the Sprint Center; www.harlemglobetrotters.com. EXTREME ICE RACING: Motorcycles and four-wheelers will race on ice Jan. 2-3 at the Independence Events Center; www.independenceeventscenter.com. BORDER WAR ON ICE: The Missouri and Kansas club hockey teams will play Jan. 20 at the Independence Events Center; tickets cost $10 and are available by calling 866-443-8849. GROUNDHOG RUN:The 28th annual Children's TLC Groundhog Run at the Hunt Midwest SubTropolis, Jan. 31; www.sportkc.org. | Please send e-mail to pgrathoff@kcstar.com Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Crazy about racing - Alpena News Posted: 20 Dec 2009 06:04 PM PST Crazy about racingQuick's passion for motocross leads to this year's district championship
By YVETTE LANIER News Sports Writer Nothing can keep No. 961 off the race track. Not a broken shoulder, punctured lungs, bruised kidneys, or even cracked ribs - all of which L.J. Quick suffered during an American Motorcycle Association (AMA) race in June of 2008. By the fall he was right back on his bike. "Every year, I get a couple of concussions here and there," Quick said. "It's kind of a big deal, but when I get injured or something I just can't wait to get back on my bike. Nothing can keep me from racing." Most people would call that crazy. In the world of sports, it's called passion. That type of dedication and obsession for motocross has earned the 19-year-old from Harrisville a pretty impressive record on the race track. This year, Quick competed in 32 races throughout the state and of those he placed first in 21 events. He recently won the District 14 championship in the Open B class at the Bulldogs MX in Millington. His most notable feats were earning fifth place in the Open B class out at the Red Bud MX held in Buchanan, where he competed against the top racers from all over the country and took fifth out of 40 racers in his class. Not bad for a kid who started taking AMA seriously a couple years ago. Most start right out of the wound. At his home in Harrisville, Quick has a one-mile track in his backyard. His love for racing began to develop when he started BMX racing for fun at the age of 8, and as he got older he began to take it more seriously. His father, Jim Quick, says his son lives at the track. "The love he has for this is something special," said Jim, who used to race competitively in 1975. "He reads about it. Talks about it. He dreams about it. It's part of his life." Now with the off season in full swing, the Ferris State University college sophomore has his attention turned to preparing for what he calls. "the biggest stage" of AMA's racing: Loretta Lynn's Nationals in April. Over 30,000 bikers from all over the country compete and only 3,000 qualify for the national championship race. "It's the biggest amateur race in the world," said Quick. "The race in Tennessee is the best of the best. You really find out where you are , and find out what your flaws are." In preparation for the nationals, this past weekend his family traveled to the Georgia Practice Facility, one of the premier practice and training facilities in the country for racers. Quick said he'll be trained by professional racers such as Josh Woods and will be there for four days. In addition to receiving training from professionals, Quick rides his bike three to five times a day and does cardio and eats a healthy diet to stay in shape. In memory of his friend, Neil Johnson, who was also a racer, Quick has dedicated his entire season to him. Before every event he taps a sticker on his helmet and bike to honor his friend. Staying injury free is another challenge for Quick. He has seen his share of injuries, as AMA racing is a sport on the edge. In June of 2008 his bike crashed due to equipment failure and he suffered serious injuries. He said his parents are often concerned about his safety, but allow him to continue to do what he loves. "Every time I get hurt my mom she wants me to quit," Quick said. "She's just being mom. My dad, asks if I'm OK and if I still want to do this and I say 'yes' and that's pretty much all he says." In high school, Quick never wrote his name on his assignments he turned in. He signed his papers No. 961. His teachers were confused by this at first, and soon they learned it was his number given to him by the American Motorcycle Association organization. "Teachers didn't know what it was at first, but then they thought it was cool after I told them," Quick said. Definitely a sign of someone who's crazy about racing. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Bikers raise $5,000, give 4 students racing bikes - Naples Daily News Posted: 20 Dec 2009 05:07 PM PST 
Photo by LEXEY SWALL
Cally Parks, second from right, accepts a bike for her friend Jon Coulter, who could not attend the event where he and three other Collier County high school students were given bicycles at the end of the Bikes for Tykes 15th Annual Poker Run on Sunday in Naples. The students, Michael Jean-Baptiste, left, Jackie Lefferts, second from left, and Daniela Salazar, right, participated in a contest where they had to write an essay with the prompt "How would a quality road bike change my life." They were surprised to find out that all four students received a bike, rather than only one student as they originally thought. Please check back this week in the Naples Daily News Community section to read the essays from the four winners. Lexey Swall/Staff When the crowd of motorcyclists heard the racing bike donated for the winner of an essay contest had been taken away, there was a loud groan. The four finalists, all Collier County high school students, looked crestfallen. But then Skip Riffle, who works at the Bike Route in North Naples, added, "It was replaced with four bikes." Those outside the Moose Lodge on Enterprise Avenue in East Naples cheered, prompting relieved smiles from the finalists of the 500-word essay contest in which they had to explain why a racing bike would improve their lives. Daniela Salazar, 16, a Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology and Technical High School student who hopes to be a plastic surgeon, aspired to be like Santiago Botera, a 37-year-old racer from Colombia. "Daniela had a dream," Riffle said. "I tried to make it all come true." But he told the crowd he was unable to get Botera to come to the lodge, so she'd have to use her new Cannondale racing bike to catch him. Salazar, who came to Florida six years ago from Colombia and is fully fluent in English, said later she relates to Botera because they grew up in similar circumstances. "He was raised by a family who didn't have much and he became a bike racer," Salazar said after Collier County Commissioner Donna Fiala walked out with her bike. "All my family in Colombia do this. They race around mountains." Salazar, who lives in East Naples, was fairly confident about her essay, but added, "I wasn't really positive I'd win." She planned to ride with her father, Luis, tonight. The second-runner up, Jon Coulter, 17, a Barron Collier High School student, couldn't be at the ceremony because he was playing bagpipes at an Eagle Scout award ceremony, so a friend, Cally Parks, 18, accepted his Cannondale Synapse from Collier Sheriff's Capt. Tim Guerrette. The third finalist was Jackie Lefferts, 17, also of Barron Collier, and Michael Jean Baptiste, 16, a Golden Gate High School student, came in fourth. All will receive free yearlong memberships to Naples Vello, a riding group that will offer a course that will enable them to get licensed as a racer. The memberships were donated by the instructor, Naples Vello's vice president, Adam Schmitt of Schmitt Jeweler on Fifth Avenue South. The award ceremony followed the 15th Annual Bikes for Tykes Poker Run, which raised about $5,000 for the nonprofit Bikes for Tykes through registration fees, auctions that included three wooden Harley-Davidson rocking horses, a raffle for a Harley-Davidson quilt, and donations. The largest single donation came from Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.), Paradise Chapter, a Naples group that contributed $750. The second largest, $240, came from the Gator Alley Chapter of ABATE, American Bikers Aiming Toward Education. A total of 145 motorcyclists participated in the poker run, which began at the lodge and headed to each sponsor, Alvinno's Pizza in East Naples, Stan's Idle Hour Bar in Goodland, Everglades Cycle, and Naples Harley-Davidson on Pine Ridge Road in Naples. At each stop, bikers picked up a small token, a bell, a ribbon, or a candy cane to prove they'd done the run. When they returned to the lodge, each received five playing cards in return, although they get to keep the small gifts. The winner of the best hand won $200, while the second- and third-place hands received $75 and $25. Bikers started out at different times, but many traveled in small groups. "This is a very casual ride," said Michael "Pappy" Forrester, who organized the run with Kent Kolegue. H.O.G.'s Bob "Cadillac" Butcher began the charitable poker run 15 years ago, to help raise money for Bikes for Tykes, which was started in the 1980s by Skip Riffle. "People give us their old bikes and we sand them and paint them and add parts until we can get them as close to brand new as possible," Riffle said. A total of 338 bikes will be given away to families in need this year and 150 were already shipped to families in Houston who lost their possessions after last year's hurricanes. This year, the roughly three dozen who entered the essay contest were recommended by the Children's Network of Southwest Florida, which had helped the families with money or food. "If there's no money for food, then there's not going to be any for presents," Riffle said of giving away the bikes. "We had many people try to scam us back in the early years of the program. They had huge estates and were trying to get free bikes." This is the first year Children's Network recommended students. Jean Baptiste's mother, Merce Grace Merton, a housekeeper at Moorings Park retirement community, said she saved up to buy her son a $100 bike, but within a month, the locked bike was stolen from school during a football game. She often leaves for work at 6 a.m. and he often stays late at school, where he plays saxophone in the band and aspires to play professionally after studying music in college. "I'm living two or three miles from school and sometimes Michael has a problem with transportation," Marton said of receiving calls late at night from her son because he needs a ride home. His essay explained how he needed a bike to ride to school and to keep in condition after football, baseball and other sports seasons are over. Riffle had the Trek bike modified. Jean Baptiste's essay described how children can't drive, so bikes provide them with freedom to ride on the roads. "The wind in your hair, the sheer excitement of the road," he wrote about bicycling, which he noted didn't pollute the environment like cars do. "There is nothing else like it." Riffle showed him how to lock it securely to prevent it from being stolen, advising him a twisted cable lock is best because it's impossible to cut through quickly. Both Coulter and Lefferts wrote about training in triathlons. Lefferts said she was inspired by her parents, Peter and Jodie, who both participate in triathlons, while Coulter noted that biking is something people do for the rest of their lives. "It was a complete surprise," Lefferts said of everyone winning. "I thought I had a good chance, but I wasn't expecting anything." The motorcycles, most Harley-Davidson's, crammed the lodge's parking lot, several decorated with reindeer, snowmen, even a small Santa with a helmet. Many bikers were clad in leather chaps and jackets, and boots, while many men had ponytails or headwraps. There were lawyers, doctors, nurses, and businessmen. Assistant Public Defender Richard Grant, who is unassuming in court in his suit and tie, was transformed into a cool biker dude in his worn leather jacket, dark sunglasses, cap, jeans and cowboy boots. Kolegue, a millionaire, retired after working in real estate. Forrester said bikers are known for their charitable work. "People from all walks of life do this," Forrester said of riding motorcycles. "You put on your biker clothes and just have fun. It doesn't matter what you do. A lot of people have misconceptions about bikers. We are very conscientious people who try to help the community." Riffle, who put the four bikes together, said he wanted to thank Cannondale Corp. for donating the bicycles' forks and frames. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Pregnant woman among six hurt in attack - star.com.my Posted: 20 Dec 2009 08:35 PM PST GEORGE TOWN: Six people, including a two-month pregnant woman, ended up in hospital after being attacked by a group of more than 10 men during the Petronas-AAM Malay-sian Cub Prix Championship at the Esplanade here. The fight is said to have been triggered when one of the victims, who wanted to be known only as Shukri, 30, went over to talk to the girls from one of the motorcycle racing teams, about 5pm yesterday. "More than 10 men from the team suddenly walked over and started shouting at us. A Rela member immediately asked us to go back to our van but as we were walking away, the group came up from behind and attacked us. "We ran to our van and as we were driving away, they threw stones at us and shattered the glass window. The stones hit my head," he said at the Penang Hospital. Shukri needed three stitches on his face and four on the head while his friend, who only wished to be known as Rizal, fractured his left hand. The others received stitches on their heads, too. Normawati Jalil, 26, who is two months pregnant, said she was punched in the abdomen during the attack and was given out-patient treatment at the hospital. She said she had come from Kuala Lumpur with the four men and her sister-in-law to watch the race. The two-day event attracted some 70,000 motorcycle racing enthusiasts from all over the country. The last street circuit took place at the Esplanade in 1986. Youth and Sports, Women, Family and Community Development Com-mittee chairman Lydia Ong Kok Fooi said the state government would be turning the Cub Prix Championship into an annual event. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Scrambling Through the Snow - FOX 40 News WICZ TV Posted: 20 Dec 2009 04:17 PM PST
It's lovely weather for a sleigh ride, but how about a motorcycle ride? More than 150 riders thought so at the mud and snow scramble put on by the Square Deal Riders Motorcycle Club Sunday. The race was one of eight winter races, and despite the cold weather, the club president says they attract the entire family this time of year.
"The small kids will race, 4, 5, 6, 7-years-old. An hour later, dad will be out there racing. Grandma and grandpa are here watching, their aunts and uncles come, so we really keep it family oriented here, that's the big thing," said Gary Homanich, president of the Square Deal Riders. Binghamton web design and website hosting by EFX internet Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
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