RVIA: Go RVing’s Creator Summit Momentum Continues

In Berkeley, California, officials confirmed that a man died from leptospirosis after living in a recreational vehicle they said was heavily infested with wild rats. A woman who lived with him also got sick but later recovered under medical care. According to the Berkeley Scanner, first responders were called to the RV in May, and nearly 200 rats were removed before the vehicle was destroyed. The couple had been trapping, feeding, and breeding wild rats, and they delayed seeking medical care for weeks or months. Berkeley had not reported a human leptospirosis infection in over 10 years. The city issued public warnings and established a buffer zone for rodent control.

The City of Tilden, Nebraska, invites residents to an open house on its park and recreation master plan on Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Lied Auditorium. Attendees can review proposed site plans for each city park, including Sunrise RV Park, Horseshoe Park, Richie Ashburn Memorial Park, and the new Elkhorn Valley Schools/Tilden baseball field complex. The plans reflect city resources and priorities from community workshops and a survey completed by 124 residents.

Outdoorithm, launched in 2023, aggregates data on nearly 11,000 public campgrounds and uses an AI assistant, CampSage, to help plan trips. The service also monitors availability and alerts campers to open sites, while the nonprofit Outdoorithm Collective organizes guided trips for newcomers. The founders say the goal is to lower information barriers and help people confidently use public lands.

A camper top attached to a vehicle being towed by an eastbound truck broke free and flew into the windshield of a westbound SUV on Hwy. 14 near Dover, Minnesota, Wednesday evening. The SUV driver, 21-year-old Kaydence Rita Plank, and passenger, 42-year-old Carrie Lee Elliotplank, both from Lewiston, were taken to St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester. Elliotplank suffered life-threatening injuries; Plank's injuries were non-life-threatening. The tow truck driver was unharmed. All involved were wearing seatbelts, and alcohol was not a factor.

According to data, 43% of Gen Z campers maintain friendships formed at campgrounds after trips end. Three in four campers consider campgrounds a genuine 'third place' for community. In 2026, Route 66 turns 100, and the National Park Service waives entrance fees on Aug. 25. Near World Cup host cities, RV park supply more than tripled during the tournament.

An Escanaba resident sustained minor injuries and a pet died in an early morning fire on Wednesday. The Escanaba Public Safety Department responded to a structure fire on 14th Avenue South at 4:28 a.m., where a camper and a vehicle were fully engulfed. Firefighters extinguished the blaze quickly, preventing spread to nearby homes. The male resident was treated and released by Rampart EMS.