Doctors at Wolfson Children’s Hospital reported a 222% increase in injuries between 2023 to 2024 related to so-called "micromobility devices,” including e-bikes and e-scooters. Based on data from the first five months of 2025, that number is expected to double again. And it’s not just kids getting hurt. To address the problem, a regional campaign is joining a statewide effort to tap the brakes on the troubling trend. Launched last week at the University of North Florida, the AAA-coordinated effort is urging drivers of micromobility devices to wear helmets, slow down and walk their e-machines through crosswalks. The campaign also urges motorists and pedestrians to prepare for interacting with the increasingly omnipresent devices. We talk to three campaign participants about the unique challenges posed by this latest form of transportation and how the rules of the road could be changing.
Guests:
- Deputy Chief Adam Brown, University of North Florida Police Department.
- Rebecca Melvin, trauma injury prevention and outreach coordinator, UF Health Jacksonville.
- Thalia Fusté, transportation planner, North Florida Transportation Planning Organization.
Then, bringing underrepresented voices to the forefront of the modern orchestral landscape. Philly native and musical virtuoso Na’Zir McFadden is known for pushing the boundaries of 21st century ensemble conducting, bringing fresh energy and inclusivity to the Jacksonville Symphony. We speak to the incoming 25-year-old assistant conductor as well as the organization’s longtime music director about their upcoming collaboration and what we can expect from the 2025-26 season.
Guests:
- Courtney Lewis, music director, Jacksonville Symphony.
- Na’Zir McFadden, assistant conductor, Jacksonville Symphony.
And, classical musicians reanimate the grandeur of early 20th-century England through the music of Downton Abbey, the award winning television series and the most popular drama in the history of PBS. Blending cinematic storytelling with live music, the Jacksonville-based Kinne Trio performs original themes, Strauss waltzes and World War I-era songs, transporting audience members to a world of ballroom dances, candlelit dinners and a nation at a time of social upheaval. Attendees are encouraged to wear a Victorian-era costume to celebrate Downton Abbey's new film, Grand Finale. The performance is Thursday at Friday Musicale.
Guest:
- Scott Watkins, pianist, composer and Kinne Trio member.