Texas Couple Pushing for Skate Park
from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Cody Rocamontes and his friends skateboarded in empty parking lots and around businesses. They dreamed of a free skate park in Arlington, Texas, and planned to go before the City Council this fall with their request. Then he was struck by a car and killed Aug. 6 while walking near a highway to one of his favorite skateboarding spots. More

Thrifty Summer to Write Home About
from the Omaha World-Herald
With the much reported on dip the economy has taken, many families are taking short trips for vacation this year in an attempt to save money. This very frequently leads them to state parks, museums, and other cultural institutions. More

Arizona State Parks Considers Layoffs, Fee Increase
from The Arizona Republic
Facing a $1.5 million budget shortfall, the Arizona State Parks Board is considering layoffs and increased entrance fees. The move would fall in line with the parks board's decision last month to avoid park closures. However, the board may still have to reduce park days and hours of operation. More

State Parks Closure List To Be Released Next Week
from Bay City News
A list detailing the budget-related plans to close up to 100 state parks will be released sometime in the next week, a spokeswoman for California State Parks said late last week. The proposed closures were announced earlier this summer after last-minute line-item vetoes and other funding reductions resulted in millions of dollars in lost funding for parks, according to California State Parks officials. More

State Sales Tax Funding: A Start for County Parks
from Shakopee Valley News
More than a half-million dollars is headed for Scott County, Minn., parks from the state’s new sales tax fund, but it won’t be enough to open the long idle Spring Lake Regional Park. Instead, the county is opting to invest state dollars in the newly acquired Cedar Lake Farm in Helena Township and develop a strategy for acquiring land in the Blakeley Bluffs area. More

Sun, Wind Power Coming to Three Oklahoma Parks
from Tulsa World
Tulsa County, Okla., plans to use $250,000 in federal stimulus funds to install wind turbines and solar panels at three county parks. Tulsa County Park Administration Director Richard Bales said: "We're pretty excited about the potential, because I do have pretty heavy electric bills. So if I can shave a couple of pennies off, it would be pretty good news for the county." More

100 Years of Patrolling the Park
from the Canmore Leader
Known as Fire and Game Guardians in 1909, they later became the National Park Warden Service. A century later, the legacy of the warden from the mountain man on horseback to the men and women who protect our parks today was celebrated last weekend.More

Focus is on Increased Accountability and Performance
from News Blaze
Federal agencies today released the seven draft reports required by President Obama's executive order on the Chesapeake Bay, which contain a range of proposed strategies for accelerating cleanup of the nation's largest estuary and its vast watershed.More

U.S. Mint List of New National Park Quarters
from The Associated Press
The U.S. Mint announced last week that it will produce a series of quarters highlighting America's national parks, one per state and territory, beginning next year. More

Report Says Yellowstone Healthy
from the Associated Press
A new report says natural resources at Yellowstone National Park are generally doing well. However, the report also concludes that the park faces challenges from both within and outside its boundaries. More

Physically-active Children Sleep Better
from the Examiner
A research published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood reports that every hour of the day children are inactive adds three minutes to the time it takes them to fall asleep. The study indicates that children who fall asleep faster also sleep for longer. Although, it appears one is not the direct consequence of the other. Research shows that approximately 16 percent of parents of school aged children report that their child finds it difficult to get to sleep. More