Your Local News, Sports & More! Scan & Subscribe to Advocate News Online! Vol. 35, No. 39 -FREEwww.advocatenews.net Published Every Friday Malden City Council working on plan to address safety issues arising from use of electric-powered e-bikes, scooters Council resolution calls for formation of working group to address concerns over misuse of ‘micromobility devices’ By Steve Freker T he members of the Malden City Council do not have to look far to see why they needed to take action. “When we are sitting at the Finance Committee meetings we see many kinds of electric-powered bikes and devices whizzing by on the sidewalk,” said Ward 6 Councillor Stephen Winslow, of the meeting room which has a multi-window view of one of Malden’s busiest thoroughfares, “and Pleasant Street is a busy sidewalk.” Councillor-at-Large Michelle Luong, at a recent City Council meeting where the issue of e-bike safety we discussed, recalled that the discussion has been going on for over a year. “Councillor [Ari] Taylor [Ward 5] and I started the discussion Michelle Luong Councillor-at-Large on this issue a year ago and the safety concerns have continued,” Councillor Luong said. “We can have a meaningful conversation and a working group that is going to be able to address these issues, because eventually somebody’s going to get hurt and Stephen Winslow Ward 6 Councillor someone’s going to get killed.” The ultimate tragedies due to travel on electric-powered devices have already happened in other communities, such as Stoneham and Haverhill, where SCOOTERS| SEE PAGE 5 First Lutheran Church Merges with another Congregation A fter more than 130 years of ministry in Malden, First Lutheran Church closed its doors with a celebration ministry and a festive worship service. A reception followed that contained displays from the long history of the congregation. Mayor Gary Christenson was on hand for the service and wished the Rev. Emily Hamilton and the congregation all the best as they merge with another congregation to become Hope Lutheran Church. They will hold a monthly worship service in Malden, at a date and time yet to be established. They are calling these motorbikes of all sizes and descriptions “micromobility” devices. The misuse of these electric-powered devices is causing concerns with community leaders. (Advocate Photo) By Steve Freker T here have been plenty of near misses, for now. Anyone who lives in Everett, Malden, Revere or Saugus or any community in the state — and probably most cities and towns across the nation — has stories. Lots of them. Most of us have as many stoReverend Emily Hamilton and Mayor Gary Christenson with the City of Malden Citation that was presented to First Lutheran Church.(Photo courtesy of Mayor’s Office) ries as there are contained in a deck of playing cards. Kids — and we do mean kids, from as young as 11 or 12 up to high school age and beyond — zipping down the streets, with traffic, against traffic, in the middle of traffic. Or, buzzing down sidewalks, both toward and behind unsuspecting pedestrians. How many times have you walked down a street on the sidewalk and out of nowhere a scooter, e-bike or, basically, a mini(or NOT so mini at all) motorcycle whips by you, with maybe a credit card’s width between you? News Analysis It is not “getting bad” — it’s here — and it’s getting terrifying at times. What we are talking about is all the near misses: the hundreds of times there is not a device vs. car, device vs. person, device vs. other device collision or single crash. This happens probably every week in every city and town across the state. The general consensus is that the unchecked use of all of the multitude of the newly termed“micromobility” devices by, basically, untrained novices, is a clear and present danger. Many communities, not just in Massachusetts, but across the nation, are dealing with this, and those who manage them from a municipal standpoint as well as those responsible for maintaining safety are all talking about it. The Malden City Council recently SAFETY | SEE PAGE 4 617-387-2200 Friday, October 2, 2026 NEAR MISSES, FOR NOW: Our communities all face a major, daily safety issue with electricpowered vehicles, bikes and scooters There’s a consensus that the unchecked, misuse of “micromobility” devices is a clear and present danger
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