Why Deadly, Illegal E-Motos Are On The Rise – And Why E-Bikes Are Being Blamed When They Crash
Courtesy of Streetsblog USA
By Kea Wilson
High-speed electric motorcycles, often marketed illegally as e-bikes, are contributing to serious crashes and confusion over e-bike safety. In this Streetsblog USA article, author Kea Wilson explains how some manufacturers disguise vehicles capable of reaching 50 mph or more as ordinary electric bicycles, sometimes targeting children and teens.
The confusion has led to growing calls for restrictions on e-bikes, including legal, pedal-assist models that offer a low-cost transportation and recreation option. Advocates argue that better federal oversight, enforcement against misleading marketing, and clearer distinctions between e-bikes and electric motorcycles would improve safety without unnecessarily restricting legitimate e-bike use.
Read more:
https://usa.streetsblog.org/2026/10/26/why-deadly-illegal-e-motos-are-on-the-rise-and-why-e-bikes-are-being-blamed-when-they-crash
How Great Bike Parks Become Community Destinations
Courtesy of Parks and Recreation Business +
By Bianca Montoya
MISSOURI - A destination bike park should give people a reason to return long after their first visit. Set within a 95-acre site, MOmentum combines more than 132,000 square feet of purpose-built riding features with over ten miles of trails, making it the largest bike park facility in Missouri. Bicycle playgrounds, Velosolutions pump tracks, progressive jump lines, gravity trails, and technical riding features work together to welcome beginners while continuing to challenge experienced riders.
That progression is intentional. Instead of outgrowing the facility, riders continue developing new skills over time. Families return because everyone can find an appropriate challenge, whether they are learning to balance on a bike or preparing for competition. Recreation programming becomes easier to sustain because the park continues serving riders throughout their journey rather than during a single stage of it.
Read more:
https://content.prbplus.com/prb-october-2026?ref=prbplus.com#page42
Reclaiming sites for Community Use
Courtesy of Parks and Recreation Business +
By Clement Lau
CALIFORNIA - Across LA County and other oil-producing regions, this shift presents a rare opportunity to reconsider how land is used in some of the most densely developed and park-poor areas. It also raises broader questions about how communities can move from extraction toward restoration in ways that are equitable, practical and lasting.
In urban regions, where land is scarce and costly, identifying opportunities for new parks and open space has long been a challenge. Communities with the greatest need for recreational amenities are often those where land is limited and development pressures are high, making traditional parkland acquisition more difficult and highlighting the need to look beyond conventional sites, including former industrial and constrained lands.
Read more:
https://content.prbplus.com/prb-october-2026?ref=prbplus.com#page30
States Wrestle With the Prospect of Rogue AI
Courtesy of Governing
By Jule Pattison-Gordon
A rogue artificial intelligence agent hacking into government systems, knocking the electric grid offline or leaking sensitive data — these dangerous scenarios aren’t so far-fetched as they once seemed. AI software has already escaped human control, and if the problem isn’t solved, the risks are severe enough to threaten society and, according to some experts, even human life.
Deriding the White House’s approach to AI regulation as just “superficial solutions,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been advancing his own approach. Newsom recently signed an executive order calling for two state agencies to collaborate with national experts to examine how effective — and technically feasible — certain AI safeguards would be. Those include measures like having independent verification organizations onsite at the labs of all large frontier AI developers for audits, and creating “kill switches” to shut down advanced AI models. Recommendations on the safeguards are due in mid-November.
Read more:
https://www.governing.com/artificial-intelligence/states-wrestle-with-the-prospect-of-rogue-ai
Florida could lose billions in funding for infrastructure, parks
Courtesy of Planetizen
By Zachary Whalen
FLORIDA - Florida voters will vote on Amendment 3 in November, which would alter how much certain homeowners pay in property taxes.
If passed, the state would lose about $11.86 billion in property tax revenue. Miami-Dade would lose $445 million annually by fiscal year 2028-29.
“NBC6 investigative reporter Sasha Jones reported that, at the municipal level, that revenue reduction could affect funding for public safety services, parks, infrastructure, and community programs,” reports NBC6. According to an NBC poll, of those who oppose the amendment, 55% do so because of potential cuts to local services.
Read more:
https://www.planetizen.com/news/2026/10/138677-florida-could-lose-billions-funding-infrastructure-parks
Wave of the Future
Courtesy of Recreation Management
By Dave Ramont
“We often encourage clients to think beyond daily operations and consider how the facility can support special events, rentals and seasonal programming,” said Meaghan Rosenthal, a concept designer at Water Technology Inc. (WTI), an aquatic planning, design and engineering firm. “Flexible event lawns, adaptable seating, electrical infrastructure and areas that can accommodate temporary staging can all make those offerings easier to execute.
Many aquatic venues are no longer operating only during traditional daytime hours, “they’re becoming entertainment destinations that generate revenue well into the evening through special events and private rentals.” As an example, he mentioned Island H2O outdoor waterpark, formerly Island H2O Live, in Kissimmee, Fla. “The park has successfully expanded beyond traditional waterpark operations by hosting dive-in movie nights, 21-plus events, foam parties, live concerts and private events.”
Read more:
https://recmanagement.com/articles/156182/wave-future
NACo has Relaunched its Advocacy Hub
We have relaunched our Advocacy Hub, your one-stop page for federal advocacy. It brings our policy priorities, analysis, toolkits and action steps together in one place, so you can see what is happening in Congress and the administration and what you can do about it.
Read more:
https://www.naco.org/page/advocacy-hub
Deep-Sea Species Struggle to Recover After Deepwater Horizon Spill
Courtesy of Inside Climate News
By Bob Berwyn
Across hundreds of miles of the northern Gulf of Mexico, a deep-water ecosystem collapsed after the massive 2011 Deepwater Horizon oil and gas spill, and recovery is uncertain, new research concludes.
The study, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that animal populations, including octopus, krill, squid and shrimp declined by 60 to 85 percent in the three-and-a-half years after the spill, with few signs of recovery since. Krill and lanternfish, both foundational species in the Gulf’s food web, were among the hardest hit. The findings also suggest that the die-off is causing genetic bottlenecks that could further hinder ecosystem recovery.
Read more:
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/19102026/deepwater-horizon-spill-recovery/
SF weighs putting data center inside abandoned mall
Courtesy of Planetizen
By Zachary Whalen
CALIFORNIA - The San Francisco Centre Mall, currently gathering dust after the remaining tenants departed at the beginning of 2026, has received a bid from an unusual potential buyer. Development consultants KG Growth Partners is working with a technology company to buy the entire mall. The company plans to convert one-third of it into what the San Francisco Standard calls a data center. The other two-thirds of the mall would contain space for retail, wellness, sports and free education, along with six acres of green space on top of the building.
Read more:
https://www.planetizen.com/news/2026/10/138703-sf-weighs-putting-data-center-inside-abandoned-mall
Apply for the Inaugural NRPA Directors Exchange
Join the inaugural NRPA Directors Exchange, February 28 - March 2, 2027, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Connect with fellow leaders, exchange ideas and discover how strategic partnerships can transform your agency and strengthen your community. Directors Exchange is open to Directors School graduates, park and recreation leaders, public agency leaders and executive team members. Only 40 spots are available.
Read more:
https://learning.nrpa.org/directors-exchange
