NH OUTLOOK , Monday, 6/17/2002
script iconPreshow script iconMt. Washington
script iconHello script iconIntro H.S. expo
script iconIntro Bike Week script icontag expo
script iconBike Week script iconwebsite
script iconIntro ride along script iconTomorrow
script iconBaker ride along script iconGoodnight
script iconTag Baker script iconfounders
script iconChurch Cuts script iconWEB PROMO
script iconSUPCO-door to door script iconkey: recreation / leisure / sports
script iconEPA Clean-up script iconkey: crime / legal issues / law enforcement
script iconBoat Warning script iconkey: education
script iconIntro Mt. Washington script iconBeach Balls


script iconPreshow
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Next on New Hampshire Outlook.
Bike week, business and keeping the peace in Laconia.
Plus high school students put their knowledge to work.
script iconHello
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Hello. I'm Allison McNair. Welcome to NH Outlook.
script iconIntro Bike Week
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It could have been the rain or the fear of gang violence. Whatever it was, the numbers of bikers that attended Motorcycle Week at Weirs Beach were down from last summer. Producer Phil Vaughn happened to pick the only sunny day last week to visit the event and meet some the people who attended.


script iconBike Week
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shots of bikers
Jack 1-615 "When you have a lot of noise, nice looking women and all these motorcycles, there's not much to worry about."
narration 1 - You have to experience bike week to fully appreciate Jack Dubrul's words. For these bikers, the constant ear-splitting noise and the smell of motorcycle exhaust is more relaxing than a week at Club Med.
Kitty 1-2355 "I feel free, riding up through the notches is a great feeling."
Wayne 1-2720 "We're mesmerized by just sitting here and watching the bikes. They are great - all the different types and people on them. And you know it's the oldest event in the country."
Shots of bikes
narration 2 - Bike Week at Weirs Beach has its roots in racing. Starting in the 1930's, motorcycle racers and their fans would take over the roads around the Belmont Recreational Area. The people of New Hampshire it seemed loved the sport and the event grew in size, each year. Eventually, others came to the area and recreational riders soon outnumbered the racers.
Lee 2300/2224 "My parents used to race in the 1930s and 40s, so you can say that it is in my blood. I was born in 1952 and used to come up on my father's motorcycle in his sidecar - I love it."
Dan 1-2:40 "I remember my first time here at Laconia. I was a teenager and had learned to ride. It was very strange, all the people and the motorcycles. My eyes were this big."
Before shot of Weirs dissolve to after shot with bikes
narration 3 - It's a fascinating transformation - Weirs Beach in the quiet, resort town of Laconia - becomes this. Last week, more than 300,000 bikers came to Weirs, filling nearly every hotel in the region. The Laconia Chamber of Commerce estimates that the bikers dropped ------- dollars into the local economy. All of this, despite police warnings of potential motorcycle gang violence.
Peter 3-113 "What impact did all of this have? Not much as far as I can tell. I'm seeing as many people come into my business as I have in the past. And, that's what I'm hearing from other business owners, as well."
Shot of lemonade stand
narration 4 - Jim Schuyler spent his days along Weirs Beach squeezing lemons - thousands of them for thirsty bikers.
Jim 1-18:55 "The crowds are awesome this year. They seem to be a lot more mellow than in the past. The vendors seem to be doing okay, as well, other than the couple of rainy days we had."
Narration 5 - For many of the people who come to Weirs, Bike Week is a time to meet new friends and old. It's gives them a chance to feel at home. Debbie Fuller from Keene, has Alopecia, a disorder resulting in total hair loss.
Debbie 2-30:13 "It's an auto-immune disorder. When I am here I have fun with it. I decorate my head with tattoos and everyone is accepting of me.
Shots of bikes
narration 6 - Wilfred Wallace is from Manchester and has been riding for most of his seventy years. He arrives here early to grab a good parking spot where he shows off his three-wheeler.
2-9:40 "People like to look at it because I built it. It's not like the others here that are chrome and paint. I built it and people like it - they wave and beep."
2-10:30 lady comes up and kisses him - "Who was that?"
lady 2-11:44 "He's a sweetheart and I don't even know him. That's what this event is all about."
shots of motorcycles parading
narration 7 - Not all the residents around Laconia are fans of Bike Week, but they put up with the chaos for the sake of local businesses.
Peter 3-2:28 "It's been around for 79 years and has become ingrained with our economy. By the time July 4th rolls around, the people and businesses are rocking and rolling. We're not playing catch up because of this week. It has a big impact - 300,000 people leave behind a lot of money and 98 percent of the people who come here are really good people."
script iconIntro ride along
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What's it like being responsible for the safety and well-being of Laconia residents and the influx of bikers during bike week? To find out we went out on patrol last Thursday night with Police Chief Bill Baker.
script iconBaker ride along
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tape 1
how's the week been going?
1:05:56 We had a very busy first weekend.crowds bigger.the weather reduced.last night things started to turn significant arrests and accidents and all of those kids of things.1:06:16
--
2:01:09 how many people down here
a little hard to say the event pretty deep inside beer tents probably ten or 15 thousand maybe
and what will you get on a day or weekend night max 25 thousand in this mile and a haf radius
radius.
i get tired of that how's your hearing
mine is bad enuf due to shooting this week of this doens't do it any good.2:01:00
--
1:23:41 Does this go on all night?
clears up 2 -230 one pehnomena sense we lighten up all of a sudden fights in campgrounds break out.1:24:08 police stay busy all
crowds thin are there fights evernight?
oh yeah.every night every place.
1:24:21
--
1:12:00 you've gotten criticism you were criticized how you feeling about that
1:12:23 One of the coping mechanisims not take personally the barebone facts there was a clear pattern escalating violence from coast to coast much of east coast direct connetcion to nh groups all going to be present at motorcycle week in Laconia.how anyone can say not assess the implications for our event and prepare public safety i dismiss critixcism out of hand.i know my experiencehave experience.prepare for whatever happens. we prepare for the worst hope for the best. 1:13:26
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2:08:15 when you come down here what are you looking for
people appropriately spread out.pockets of problems intox people in the crowd we like to puill them out2:08:33 what do with them
if they're drunk men start fights drunk women victimized.rather get them out of do that than have a dozen sexual assault cases to investigate 2:08:54
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1:26:52you've had hells angels here what's their reaction when they see youi'm suyre they've taken some pleasure about kciking my butt in supreme court. some have said no hard feelings.my efforts to restrict level of communication has been pretty good. 1:27:25
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2:24:40 This is a compact area everything is manageable.
A couple of factors one is the honest truth majority people here to enjoy themselves.second thing is having police presence outgoing engage goes along way to disarming peopole reduce level of tension 2:25:18
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**2:14:55
do you have an average of how many people you arrest in a night
40 to 50 people
many of them leave them alone get in a fight victimized crashed into the woods when we take people into custody i our view a life saved inevitable see people off in the woods level f=of drinking.what's interesting arrests 340 arrests in course of a week doens't indicate number of violations in a week.i say to epoople reapeatedly small percentage misbehaving if all officer arrested every perosn they're be three thousand not three hundred have to use some discretion not precipitate conflict 2:16:31
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2:26:28 why did you want to make this area free of weapons responding to fights disturbances when you interject guns knives take on more significance assume cooperate would have kept large majority of guns out of the crowd.allowed to prosecute unfortunately city attorny had some reservations.a thousand peoplems sent me letters.prove my point how many guns are in the crow.guns concealed what does it mean s rival motorcycle grousp proposal made it correct firearms in this crowd.if things go south guns get dawn
complicates things seriously. 2:28:01
--
END BITE
***
1:20:44what do you like about motorcycle week.
one transient onwner said police were afraid of the event it's such a ludicrous statementas much as the downside creates the reason all got into this is we like the action when i'm running call to call no time happier and fulfilled.in spite of human tragedy its fun to have variety of problems reat to problem to solve we're problem solvers that's what make's laconia and bike week unique so much stuff going on here. 1:21:41 sirens there's a tough crowd
**
script iconTag Baker
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Police say there were about 176 arrests over the week. There was one fatality related to the event.
The Lakes Region Hospital reports unofficially it treated 200 people from Thursday to Sunday.
Those numbers are well below last year's.
script iconChurch Cuts
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Briefly in other news, a lawyer representing more than 50 people who say they were molested by Roman Catholic priests asked a judge Monday to approve a 30 million dollar lien against the Diocese of Manchester.
Peter Hutchins says he decided to file for the lien after the diocese announced last week it was creating an independent mediation program to settle claims against the church.
script iconSUPCO-door to door
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The U-S Supreme Court ruled Monday the Constitution protects the right of missionaries, politicians and others to knock on doors without first getting permission from local authorities.
The vote was 8-1. Chief Justice William Rehnquist was the only dissenter. He mentioned last year's Dartmouth murders by two teenagers who had been going door-to-door under the pretense of conducting a school survey.

script iconEPA Clean-up
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The Environmental Protection Agency has
proposed a 48 million dollar plan to complete the cleanup of a
Superfund hazardous waste site in Plaistow.
The agency will hold public meetings on June 26th and July 17th
on the plan for the 39-acre Beede waste oil site.
The cleanup addresses soil, sediment, groundwater and surface
water contamination.

script iconBoat Warning
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The Coast Guard and safety specialists are cautioning boaters and paddlers to be careful on rivers. Heavy rains have pushed water levels to flood stages causing hazardous conditions.
The water still is very cold, and can be dangerous for anyone who falls in.
Boaters are also reminded to wear life jackets.

script iconIntro Mt. Washington
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The rain finally moved out of the area Monday. We checked in earlier with Chris Peruzzi at the Mount Washington Observatory to see what's ahead and what conditions were like on top of the mountain.
script iconMt. Washington
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Mount Washington Observatory\Monday on the Summit\In and out of the fog, some breaks of sunshine\High: 40 \Peak Gust: W 34 mph\Visibility: 50 miles
Tuesday\North\Partly sunny \Scattered showers and thunderstorms\Highs: 70 to 75 \Winds: W 5 to 10 mph
Tuesday\South\Partly sunny skies\Highs: 75 to 80\Winds: SW 5 to 10 mph\
script iconIntro H.S. expo
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Last week at this time we reported on New Hampshire's 25-percent high school drop-out rate.
This week, we have another side of the high school experience for you.
It's a new educational initiative designed to demonstrate what students actually know.
Lisa Brown reports on this modern version of show and tell.
script icontag expo
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The New Hampshire Competency based program began three years ago as a pilot program through a grant from the Federal School To Work Fund. The program is now being partially funded through the state's education budget.
script iconwebsite
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For information on our program, and links to our guests and interviews,
visit our web site at nhptv.org.
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If you've got a story idea or comment on our program, click the feedback button on our website.
Or, call us at 800-639-2721.
script iconTomorrow
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On the next New Hampshire Outlook -
Candidates for governor debate education funding and more
script iconGoodnight
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That's it for this edition of our program. For all of us here at New Hampshire Public Television, I'm Ally McNair. Thanks for joining us. We'll see you next time on New Hampshire Outlook.
script iconfounders
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Thanks to our founding sponsors who have provided major funding for the production of New Hampshire Outlook:
New Hampshire Charitable Foundation
Public Service of New Hampshire
Alice J. Reen Charitable Trust
Putnam Foundation
Stratford Foundation
script iconWEB PROMO
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Tonight on New Hampshire Outlook.
candidates for governor debate education funding and more tonight at 10pm on New Hampshire Outlook.
script iconkey: recreation / leisure / sports
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NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time:6/17/02 / 2200
HOST: Allison McNair Length: 4:46
In addition to a summary of the day's top New Hampshire stories, this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, included report on the annual motorcycle week in Laconia. It could have been the rain or the fear of gang violence. Whatever it was, the numbers of bikers that attended Motorcycle Week at Weirs Beach were down from last summer. Our producer happened to pick the only sunny day last week to visit the event and meet some the people who attended.
PRODUCER/REPORTER: Phil Vaughn
NAME OF PARTICIPANTS:
"Kitty"\Massachusetts Biker
Wayne Bosowicz\Maine Biker
Lee\Massachusetts Biker
Dan Thibodeau\Massachusetts Biker
Jim Schuyler\Vendor
Debbie Fuller\Keene Biker
Wilfred Wallace\Manchester Bike
Audrey\Massachusetts Biker
Peter Karagianis\Business Owner
script iconkey: crime / legal issues / law enforcement
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NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time:6/17/02 / 2200
HOST: Allison McNair Length: 10:20
In addition to a summary of the day's top New Hampshire stories, this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, included a ride along report from alongside Laconia Police Chief Bill baker during one of the biggest events in town- Bike Week. Viewers were able to see what it's like being responsible for the safety and well-being of Laconia residents and the influx of bikers during bike week.
PRODUCER/REPORTER: Allison McNair
NAME OF PARTICIPANTS:
Chief Bill Baker\Laconia Police
script iconkey: education
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NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time:6/17/02 / 2200
HOST: Allison McNair Length: 5:08
In addition to a summary of the day's top New Hampshire stories, this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, included a report on a new educational initiative designed to demonstrate what students actually know. It's a modern version of show and tell for high school students.
PRODUCER/REPORTER: Lisa Brown
NAME OF PARTICIPANTS:
Jennifer Van Laere\Fall Mountain Reg HS
Paul Leather\NH Dept of Education
Jon Miller\Kingswood High School
Nicholas Donohue\NH Dept of Education
script iconBeach Balls
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-- Mysteriously, tens of thousands of dense,
grassy-looking balls have washed up on the beach in Hampton.
Beachgoers say they have never seen anything like them, and
scientists still are trying to figure out what they are.
Ellen Goethel, a marine biologist who serves on the Hampton
Conservation Commission, said at first the balls looked like some
man-made material that was rolled up by wave action close to the
shore.
But after talking to some fishermen, she decided the balls could
be made up of sea grass.


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