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UNH Ludacris Spring Concert Spurs 144 Arrests

Mon, 11 May 2009 12:30:46 CST

DURHAM, NH (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) -- The combination of a Ludacris concert and Cinco de Mayo festivities proved too much for the University of New Hampshire, as a total of 144 arrests were made by school, town and state police officers, as well as the Liquor Commission and Sheriff’s Department, over the weekend.

118 of the busts were made on the night of the concert, with non-student comprising about 60 percent of the total. “We haven’t seen these types of arrest numbers for a couple of years,” Durham Deputy Police Chief Rene Kelley. “We had additional staff on duty but we were still taxed.”

Billed as the “Spring Climax,” the Ludacris concert drew a sellout crowd of 5,000 to the university-owned Whittemore Center. It was a finale event scheduled for the last weekend before finals, and tickets went for $30 each for non-students and $15 for students.

The concert was presented by student organization S.C.O.P.E. (Student Committee on Popular Entertainment), who has also brought Third Eye Blind, Stone Temple Pilots and Bob Saget to the campus in recent years.

The majority of arrests were alcohol and drug related, with a few assault charges stemming from small fights. The police chief stressed that the situation was never out of control, despite the staggering numbers for the small town. -- by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers

Banning Bad Behavior

Fri, 3 Jul 2009 15:49:44 CST

Officials in the Alberta, Canada, city of Lethbridge don't think very highly of performers who smoke, drink or use drugs during performances, and they've come up with a plan to curb such onstage behavior - by forcing those artists to put up a cash guarantee of good conduct the next time they come through town.

The trouble stems from a Snoop Dogg concert last January at the Enmax Centre, where entertainers reportedly smoked marijuana on stage and encouraged the audience to do the same.
When word got out about what went down at the show, concerned parents complained and officials from the arena and the city came up with a plan.

Enmax Centre GM Ashley Matthews presented a four-item proposal to the city council that was instated into Enmax's booking policy, and serves to safeguard the venue from future incidents.

First, arena management will contact local police prior to any rock, rap or hip-hop concerts to discuss concerns and receive input on the number of officers needed for the event.

Next, management will research any previous concert problems an artist may have had and make necessary contact with the promoter to resolve any issues ahead of time. If the issues can't be resolved, the show won't go on.

Finally, if the performer still chooses to defy the law or promote unlawful acts on stage, they'll be asked to put up a guarantee to ensure good behavior before they can return to the venue. Repeat offenders will lose their guarantees and not get a return engagement. Matthews told Pollstar the booking policy is not meant to target any specific genre or performer. And, of course, consumers have the option to not purchase tickets for acts they find offensive, he added.

"The bottom line is that when acts come into our facility, there's an expectation that they will follow the law," Matthews said. "If there's something there in our research before they come in then of course that's something we want to discuss and review."

He explained that while booking an upcoming heavy metal show, management used the first two parts of the new policy, found no concerns with the artists, and no further action was needed.

"Since I've been in this facility, which is 16 years, we've only had one incident, so we're not blowing this out of proportion," Matthews said, "We don't think we'll ever have to implement clause four." Attempts to reach management for Snoop Dogg were unsuccessful at press time.

Burglars Steal Atlanta Shriners' Little Parade Cars

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:25:05 CST

EAST POINT, Ga. -- In the world of burglary and thievery, stealing the Shriners' little cars just might be as heinous as someone stealing Bozo's big, red, rubber nose from his circus dressing room, or stealing Santa's sleigh just before his annual debut at the Mall parking lot.

"I just couldn't believe it," said a heart-broken Shriner, Primis James of Atlanta's Nabbar Temple, Monday night. "Who in the world would want to take these cars?"

But someone did steal the Shriners' little cars -- those go-carts you see Shriners driving around in circles, in parades. Someone stole seven of the ten cars that members of the Shriners' Nabbar Temple have been driving in parades all across the country.

"We've been doing this for 20 years. So this means a whole lot to me.... These cars are near and dear to me. These cars mean so much to me."

Primis James said his Motor Unit had always garaged the go-carts, which look like Indy high-performance racers, in a storage unit in East Point. And the cars have always been safe, until now.

Burglars broke into 30 storage units at Extra Space Storage on Lakewood Ave. in East Point last week, including the Shriners' unit, and stole seven of the cars. They returned Sunday night to steal the remaining three, but East Point police spotted the burglars, and they got away empty handed.

The three remaining cars are now in an undisclosed location. And the Shriners are in a state of disbelief and sadness, unsure of how they'll bounce back.

"In order to replace these cars, it's going to be between $1,700 and $2,000 each."

An expense the Shriners cannot afford.

"No way. We're a non-profit organization. We survive off of donations and the little fund-raisers that we make."

James said it's not the loss of the cars, themselves, that hurts him most. It's not being able to be in the parades that they'd been invited to join during the holidays and beyond, drawing attention to the Shriners' charities, being part of the Metro Atlanta communities.

"We just make people smile all the time... Kids are smiling all the time when they see the little cars go in circles."

James and his Motor Unit compete all over the country, performing their precise choreography-on-wheels in contests with some of the best of the best, and raising money for charities.

"These cars have been, I don't want to say around the world, but definitely around the country. We've been everywhere, from Canada to Texas. I mean, you name it, Nabbar Temple 128, the Temple itself along with the Motor Unit, is always there."

So if somebody tries to sell you any of the Shriners' little Indy go-carts, beware -- if you buy, you'll be guilty of receiving stolen property. Call East Point police, instead.

"What these burglars have done is really set the organization back in terms of our parades. Our next parade would have been the College Park Parade, in College Park" just before Christmas. "And without our cars, it's just real difficult. So me and the other members of the Temple, we're going to have to come up with a plan and see what we can do to try to put ourselves back in the parades.... The Temple has clowns. But if you didn't have the mini-cars, I mean, to me, it's not a parade."

For now, the Shriners want to come up with a reward to help East Point police; but they don't know, yet, how much their reward will be.

"We haven't really come up with a number, yet, because our money is just so low, right now. But we're going to do the best we can, once we get those numbers together."

For anyone who wants to donate to the cause, the Shriners' address is: Nabbar Temple Motor Unit, 330 Auburn Ave., Atlanta, GA 30312.

Anyone with tips or any other information that might help investigators find the cars and the thieves should contact the East Point Police Department.

"Hold Your Wee For a Wii" Death Brings Big Verdict

Tue, 3 Nov 2009 10:46:57 CST

A California jury came back with a huge verdict for the family of a 28 year old woman who died as a result of a radio contest gone bad.

According to the AP, Jennifer Strange, a mother of three children, died of acute water intoxication. She died because of her participation in a radio contest called "Hold Your Wee for a Wii."

The contest, which was held in January 2007, was to see which contestant could drink the most water without going to the bathroom.

The jurors found that the Entercom Communications Corporation based in Philadeliphia, along with its Sacramento subsidiary liable for the actions of its employees at the Sacramento radio station KDND-FM.

Employer Liability for Employee's Bad Acts

Under a legal doctrine sometimes referred to as "respondeat superior" (Latin for "Let the superior answer"), an employer is legally responsible for the actions of its employees.

However, this rule only applies if the employee is acting within the course and scope of employment.

In other words, the employer will generally be liable if the employee was doing his or her job, carrying out company business, or otherwise acting on the employer's behalf when the incident took place.

The purpose of this rule is fairly simple: To hold employers responsible for the costs of doing business, including the costs of employee carelessness or misconduct. If the injury caused by the employee is simply one of the risks of the business, the employer will have to bear the responsibility.

In this case, the radio station and its head corporation must be held responsible for the acts of its employees because they were carrying out company business by conducting this contest.

The corporation tried to argue that Strange should have known the contest was dangerous. However, because Ms. Strange's death was held to have been caused by the negligence of contest operators who were acting within the scope of their employment, the corporation must answer to the victim's family.

Calif. jury awards $16M in radio contestant death

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A Sacramento County jury has awarded $16.5 million to the family of a 28-year-old woman who died after participating in a radio station's water-drinking contest.

Jennifer Strange, a mother of three, died of acute water intoxication in January 2007 after the challenge to see which contestant could drink the most water without going to the bathroom. A Nintendo Wii video game system was the prize for winning the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest.

On Thursday, jurors found Philadelphia-based Entercom Communications Corp. and its Sacramento subsidiary liable for the actions of its employees at Sacramento radio station KDND-FM. The station fired 10 employees after the death.

During the trial, Entercom argued that Strange should have known the contest could be dangerous.

Lil Wayne's postponed Laredo show back on

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 10:41:53 CST

LAREDO — The Laredo concert featuring rapper Lil Wayne, postponed after border officials found marijuana on one of his tour buses, is back on.

The Laredo Entertaiment Center's Web site says the show, originally set for Friday, will take place Saturday night.

The entertainer, whose real name is Dwayne Carter, canceled his Friday night performance after two of his tour buses were stopped at a federal checkpoint in Falfurrias, about 80 miles southwest of Corpus Christi.

U.S. Border Patrol Supervisory Agent Joe G. Trevino said Saturday that Lil Wayne and the11 people traveling with him were questioned and released but the case was referred to the Brooks County Sheriff's Office.

A dispatcher at the sheriff's office said the sheriff was the only one allowed to comment and he was unavailable.

Victims of RI nightclub fire to soon receive money

Wed, 2 Jun 2010 13:23:11 CST

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Hundreds of people affected by one of the nation’s deadliest nightclub fires will soon receive money from lawsuits over the blaze.

A federal judge on Tuesday signed an order requiring roughly $176 million in settlement funds to be deposited into a trust account within 90 days.

The money will then be distributed to survivors of The Station nightclub and relatives of the 100 people killed.

The Feb. 20, 2003, fire at the West Warwick club began when pyrotechnics used by the rock band Great White set ablaze soundproofing foam around the stage. Besides the 100 killed, more than 200 others were injured.

Several dozen people and companies, including foam manufacturers and the town of West Warwick, agreed to settle.

Victims’ lawyers are receiving roughly one-third of the settlement money.

Vince Young apologizes for fight at Dallas strip club

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 12:30:54 CST

Dallas vice officers said today that they've had no recent problems at a northwest Dallas strip club where Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young was cited over the weekend in connection with a fight.

Meanwhile, ESPN.com reported that Young, back in Nashville, apologized to teammates, coaches and Titans fans for his role in the altercation.

"I just made a mistake. I made a mistake even being there, and I let that guy provoke me into doing what I did," Young was quoted as saying.

He added: "I pray to God that Roger Goodell [commissioner of the National Football League] doesn't come down hard on me, because I definitely want to be here for my teammates."

Titans head coach Jeff Fisher was quoted by ESPN.com as saying, "I'm disappointed. He's taken responsibility for it. I like to think he's learned a lesson. He had no business making the decision that he made and obviously he's got to deal with those consequences.

"The league will look into it. The commissioner is very strict about these types of things and I am sure we'll hear from him after we get more information."

A check of Dallas police records revealed no complaints or enforcement action at Club Onyx since the topless club, off West Northwest Highway near the Stemmons Freeway, was acquired in 2008 by RCI Entertainment, also known as Rick's Cabaret International.

The club was most recently inspected in mid-May, police said.

Young, a onetime star at the University of Texas, was cited for misdemeanor assault at the club early Sunday morning.

A surveillance video shows Young throwing a punch at a club employee, Creiton Kinchen, 45, after the two exchanged words.

Kinchen, who is believed to be from Oklahoma, can be seen in the video flashing an upside-down version of the "Hook 'em Horns" sign. As one Dallas police official put it on Sunday, "This obviously made Mr. Young upset."

Kinchen wound up with a cut lip.

Young was cited for class C assault, a misdemeanor that carries a maximum fine of $500.

The videotaped altercation occured about 3:30 a.m. While there are restraictions on the hours when bars and restaurants can serve alcohol, the city's sexually oriented business ordinance does not restrict the hours when an adult business can operate, police said.

Young, a Houston native, is entering his fifth season with the Titans.

More than 100 taken to hospitals during Electric Daisy Carnival

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 10:44:21 CST

LOS ANGELES – Authorities say more than 100 people were taken to local hospitals during a two-day electronic music festival and rave at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Exposition Park.

The LA Fire Department says some of the injuries occurred as people rushed barriers Saturday to try and overwhelm security and get inside the 14th annual Electric Daisy Carnival, which featured rides and five stages with performances by Moby and Will.I.Am.

Paramedics were at the event, which drew 185,000 people Friday and Saturday. On Friday, 94 incidents were reported, 52 of which were injured people who were taken to hospitals. On Saturday, 132 incidents were reported, 62 of which required transportation to hospitals.

The extent of the injuries was not known.

Cycling to investigate Armstrong's RadioShack team for its jerseys in Tour de France finale

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:10:12 CST

Cycling's governing body is opening disciplinary proceedings against Lance Armstrong's RadioShack team. Its riders wore unapproved jerseys to the final stage of the Tour de France, delaying the start of the race.

The cyclists tried to wear black jerseys Sunday with "28" on the back. The number honors the 28 million people fighting cancer, one of the themes of Armstrong's Livestrong Foundation.

The International Cycling Union said Monday it "regrets that an initiative for a cause as worthy as the fight against cancer" was not coordinated beforehand with officials. The cycling body says Armstrong's venture could have been done while staying within the rules.

Death toll at German music festival rises to 20

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 10:38:15 CST

DUISBURG, GERMANY - German police say the death toll at a weekend music festival has risen to 20 after a woman died from her injuries.

A police spokesman said a 21-year-old German woman died Monday in a hospital. She was among those crushed at the Love Parade techno festival in the western German city of Duisburg on Saturday.

German prosecutors are investigating whether negligent manslaughter was involved in the deaths of 19 people killed in a crush at the Love Parade techno festival.

But amid a clamor of questions about who is to blame, they said Monday they haven't yet identified any suspects.

The tragedy Saturday happened near a tunnel that was the only entrance to the festival grounds in the western industrial city of Duisburg. Police said 511 people were injured _ one of whom was still in life-threatening condition Monday.

It remains unclear what triggered the panic, but it appears that people trying to escape the surging crowd climbed up a metal stairway in front of the tunnel and then fell into the crowd and were trampled or crushed.

"The investigations are concentrating on the allegation of negligent manslaughter and negligent bodily harm," said Rolf Haferkamp, a spokesman for Duisburg prosecutors. "They are not directed against any concrete person at present."

A union representing German police has blamed organizers and officials in Duisburg. But witnesses also have pointed the finger at police and private security staff, saying the panic broke out after they closed one end of a tunnel _ the only entrance _ when the festival grounds became too full.

Police denied that and said they actually opened a second exit to disperse the crowd before the accident happened.

Former NFL players sue EA over Madden

Wed, 4 Aug 2010 10:56:36 CST

Former Bengals running back Tony Davis has filed a class-action suit against EA on behalf of some 6,000 retired NFL pros over the use of player likenesses in Madden NFL 09.

The plaintiffs argue that EA never compensated thousands of retired players whose likenesses were used to fill the rosters for the game's historic teams. The suit alleges that EA "knowingly and intentionally" included the stats, positions, height and weights of retired players, but removed player names and uniform numbers to avoid paying anyone.

"The only significant detail that EA changes from the real-life retired NFL players is their jersey number," the suit reads. "Despite EA's 'scrambling' of the retired NFL players' numbers, the games are designed so that consumers of the Madden NFL video game franchise will have no difficulty identifying who the 'historic' players are."

It further insists that “EA was fully aware that its use of the retired players’ likenesses was without authorisation and that a license fee was needed." The claim seeks actual, punitive, and statutory damages.

History is not on the side of the plaintiffs. A similar suit brought against EA in 2008 by Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown was recently dismissed, although Brown is currently appealing the ruling.

Insuring Lollapalooza against every risk

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:17:35 CST

For the music-loving public, the Lollapalooza music festival in Grant Park is all about 130 bands on eight stages over three days.

Not so much for James Chippendale, 42, and Jerid Schmickle, 36.

It's their job to worry, worry and worry. They prepare for the worst and try to minimize risks at the event, so no one ends up getting sued, or if they do, at least they are insured.

Chippendale, a Decatur, Ill., native and chief executive of Dallas-based CSI Entertainment Insurance brokerage, and Schmickle, a music underwriting director for Fireman's Fund Insurance, gave the Tribune a spin around the grounds a day before the event opened Friday. They showed how they work with artists, promoters and vendors to identify potential risks. It's Fireman's first year handling the festival.

Problems do happen, and crowd control is a major concern. About 20 people were killed last month at a music festival in Germany. In April, eight teens were hospitalized after a stampede at a Justin Bieber concert in Australia, according to news reports.

The Lollapalooza festival in Chicago last year marked its first death when an Oak Park man collapsed of a heart ailment near a stage. And, when Rage Against the Machine performed in 2008, fans stormed the stage, bystanders rushed the gates, and the band halted its show three times until the situation calmed down.

Generally, everything that moves, and some things that don't, will have insurance.

"Everybody has insurance, so if something happens, there are many policies in place," said Chippendale.

Chippendale, who lived in Decatur until he was 10, is also a leukemia survivor who has the last name of his German bone-marrow donor — Kaiser — tattooed on his arm. Noah Hutton, son of actress Debra Winger and actor Timothy Hutton, included his story in a documentary, "More to Live For."

In 2006, Chippendale, who bears a resemblance to actor Owen Wilson, helped start the Love Hope Strength Foundation, a music-centric cancer foundation. It has been a part of more than 100 events, including ones on Mounts Everest and Kilimanjaro and Pikes Peak.

Given those experiences, Grant Park should be easy, but there are still many Lollapalooza insurance perils, including: Beer vendors and security. The pair quizzes vendors. How do they check IDs? Who checks them? How many people check them? How do they determine who has had too much to drink? How do they respond to a belligerent patron?

"It's probably one of our biggest concerns," Schmickle said.

The industry has a protocol that's generally followed. If someone is denied service and won't go away quietly, for example, then security is summoned.

Tila Tequila Attacked at Rowdy Concert

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:21:00 CST

According to Tila, she took the stage at the Gathering of the Juggalos in Illinois -- a concert featuring such acts as Insane Clown Posse and Kottonmouth Kings.

Tila gave a very detailed account of what happened, saying: "I went onstage and immediately, before I even got on stage, DUDES were throwing HUGE STONE ROCKS in my face, beer bottles that slit my eye open, almost burnt my hair on fire cuz they threw fire crackers on stage, and they even took the sh*t out of the port-0-potty and threw sh*t and piss at me when I was onstage."

She went on to say: "These people were trying to kill me. So then after the last blow to my head with the firecracker they threw at me exploded, my bodygaurd and the other security grabbed me and ran as fast as they could to the shitty trailor. Since their security SUCKS, the 2 thousand people ran after us, trying to kill me. They almost got me so they finally reach the trailor, blood all over myself, cant stop bleeding, then all of a sudden, all 2 thousand people surround the trailor and busts the windows!!! Even the guys INSIDE with me were shaking! Their hands were shaking cuz they were so scared! So 3 guys inside the trailor had to grab a table and push it over the broken windows and grabbed all the chairs they could find so hold the people from outside back. It was scary as hell!"

Police confirm they responded to the scene, but couldn't go into detail, citing HIPAA laws.

California off-road race crash kills 8

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:41:59 CST

The crash at the Saturday-night race left six people dead at the scene, said Tim Franke of the San Bernardino County Fire Department. The California Highway Patrol said Sunday the final death toll was eight.

Four more were taken to hospitals by air in serious condition, while five others suffered minor to moderate injuries.

The 200-mile race was part of an amateur series on a course in the Lucerne Valley area of San Bernardino County, east of Los Angeles, Franke said.

Vince Dimiao, a driver who was running just ahead of the truck that crashed, said the races are often run at night due to the extreme heat. He said officials initially halted the race for an hour due to the crash, then canceled it completely when the scope of the "carnage" became known.

The race's sanctioning body, Mojave Desert Racing, urges spectators to stay back 100 feet from the 50-mile course -- "But as you can tell, there are no delineations to where the track begins and where the track ends at this point," said Joaquin Zubieta, a California Highway Patrol spokesman.

Dimiao said there are few restrictions on spectators, and Larry Webster, automotive editor for Popular Mechanics magazine, said few such races remain "precisely for this problem."

"It's just very difficult to control the spectators," Webster told CNN. "You can give all the warnings you want, but at the end of the day, they're out there, they're on their own and they do what they want."

But Rich Minga, a former off-road racing champ, defended the sport on Sunday.

"This sport's been safe throughout the years," he told CNN. "We have a wonderful track record -- it's been a great, great form of family entertainment."

Minga said it was "quite shocking" how close the spectators at Saturday's Lucerne Valley race were to the course, but acknowledged that fans frequently gather at points "where the cars might be apt to do something more exciting."

Minga said he supported an investigation of the incident "so we could put more safety measures and keep it a little bit safer."

Jonathan Davy, who attended Saturday's deadly race and captured the accident on video, said he sensed the danger even before the crash.

"They have barricades up... to hold the fans back and the spectators and it still doesn't control the situation with the fans because they want to get as close as possible to what's going on," Davy told CNN. "It's really intense -- everybody's going 'Go faster, go faster, go faster!' and a lot of people hit these jumps and get air and everyone cheers and it's just crazy."

"Even for me to be right there filming was very dumb," he said. "(I) was just in the moment."

Davy said it was his first off-road race.

"What seemed to be like a great day... something I had never been to before, just turned tragic," he said. "It 's forever going to be in my head. I couldn't sleep last night. I got chills right now just thinking about it."