Date: 2007-06-17 09:23 Subject: Hells Angels Security: Public Tags: auburn, hells angels, lorrett kinnicutt, motorcycle, sonny barger

The Hell's Angels created quite a stir in this sleepy little burg recently. A "Patriotic Paradise Weekend" (June 1-3, 2007) -- pitched to the community as a troop cheerleading, family-friendly event -- turned Auburn on its ear when it came to light that organizer Lorrett Kinnicutt invited Hell's Angels co-founder Sonny Barger to the party. The Auburn Police Department expressed concern that Barger's visit, a book signing at the Gold Country Fairgrounds, could draw a negative element to town. I found it interesting that Kinnicutt never mentioned Barger at any of the meetings in which I heard her pitch the event. It was eagle-eyed California Highway Patrol officers who noticed a flyer being circulated that marketed to "outlaw motorcycle gangs" (as designated by the State of California). They then alerted the Auburn Police Department. Kinnicutt claims that Barger makes his living signing books and he wouldn't be invited back to any of the events if trouble were to arise related to his visit. She makes a good argument. Usually, when Barger is invited to an event, organizers request added security, but Kinnicutt did not. Extra law enforcement officers were brought into town from neighboring cities and counties, saturating Auburn with cops. The event went off peacefully, but many of the things Kinnicutt was hoping for (a community barbecue cook-off with local officials as judges, a light parade and community concert) were cancelled when the board of trustees for the Veterans Memorial Hall booted her from the grounds. The board claims that Kinnicutt "misrepresented herself" and advertised events that they hadn't given her permission to host on their facility. Oh boy. She attempted to move everything to the fairgrounds and even just a few days before the event, had not announced that the cook-off was actually cancelled.