By Eleanor Beardsley, NPR

Every day, one-third of the people of Copenhagen ride their bikes to work or school. Collectively, they cycle more than 750,000 miles daily, enough to make it to the moon and back. And city officials want even more people to commute, and over longer distances.

So a network of 26 new bike routes, dubbed “the cycling superhighway,” is being built to link the surrounding suburbs to Copenhagen.

Lars Gaardhoj, an official with the Copenhagen capital region, says the routes will be straight and direct.

“It will be very fast for people who use their bike,” he says. “This is new because traditionally cycle paths have been placed where there is space for them and the cars didn’t run. So now the bike is going to challenge the car.”

The first highway, to the busy suburb of Albertslund some 10 miles outside the city, was completed in April.

To test it, I got a rental bike and went out for a ride.

One of the first things you learn about these bike lanes is that you have to move in fast. This is not leisurely biking — this is serious stuff in Copenhagen.

It’s a parallel world of transportation: You’ve got the cars on the roads and the people on their bikes. There are thousands and thousands of people on their bikes here in this city.

Read the whole story

By Kathryn Reed

South Lake Tahoe City Councilwoman Angela Swanson is the public official Gino DiMatteo is accused of bribing.

“I have been advised by the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office that I am involved in an investigation into the activities of Gino DiMatteo. I have cooperated with the district attorney’s investigation and I will continue to do everything I can to assist the investigation until the matter is concluded,” Swanson told Lake Tahoe News.

Angela Swanson

Swanson said the revelation that she could be part of this came as a “shock and affront” to her.

DiMatteo was arrested Aug. 31 at Bank of America in South Lake Tahoe on charges of felony possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana for sale, and bribing a public official.

The DA’s complaint has not been released, but could be on Sept. 4. Key to the charges is the word “attempted” is not used in relation to the bribery charge.

However, as of Sept. 3, Swanson has not been charged with any crime. She has retained an attorney.

Police officers and DA investigators were at the Swanson residence on Friday night, the same day they served search warrants at DiMatteo’s banking institution, his house and current business – Push Fitness.

Also arrested Friday was DiMatteo’s wife, Irene. She faces felony charges of possession of marijuana for sale, possession of concentrate cannabis, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Both DiMatteos are still in jail.

District attorney’s officials and South Lake Tahoe officials remain mum about the case.

Swanson said she does not intend to step down from the City Council because she has done nothing wrong. She told Lake Tahoe News she would step aside from certain duties if she would be a controversial figure. Swanson also said she will not be involved in open or closed session discussions involving DiMatteo, medical marijuana or the current case she is party to. The council on Tuesday morning will be discussing DiMatteo’s claim against the city.

Swanson’s colleagues on the City Council are for the most part taking a backseat until more details come forward. Mayor Claire Fortier and Councilman Tom Davis had no comment.

Councilman Hal Cole told Lake Tahoe News, “This is probably the worst thing any official could be accused of. I just hope for the best.”

Councilman Bruce Grego said, “I don’t know whether she is a witness or what her position is in this. I have not talked to her.”

Former South Lake Tahoe City Manager Tony O’Rourke told Lake Tahoe News he last spoke with DiMatteo after the council decided to not allow him to move his medicinal marijuana shop. While he was not surprised by the arrest based on all the allegations swirling around the pot shops, he was surprised Swanson would be a target of an investigation.

By Breaking Travel News

Despite what people may think, the humble postcard is still managing to hold its own as a form of holiday correspondence. More than a quarter (28 percent) of international visitors at Generator Hostels still send a postcard to friends and family when traveling abroad.

This is according to a survey of 505 people by Generator Hostels, Europe’s fastest growing hostel chain.

While some holiday-goers are sending postcards back to their friends and family, unsurprisingly the most favoured method of contact while abroad is Facebook, with 73 per cent of those surveyed using it to contact family and friends back home.

Despite the rising popularity of social networks, it seems the personal touch has not lost favor, with many young travelers phoning (60 percent) and texting (60 percent) their closest friends and family while abroad.

Video calls were a surprisingly popular method of contact, with 33 percent choosing it to contact their friends and family at home while traveling. This highlights the popularity of applications such as Skype or Apple’s Facetime.

“It is great to see that young travelers are still sending postcards in this era of mobile technology. Postcards have always been the traditional way of telling everyone at home what a great time you’re having on holiday,” said Julia Luker at Generator Hostels.

“However, it’s not surprising to see that video and Facebook are some of the most popular modes of contact, especially with so many hostels and hotels providing Internet access free of charge. We regularly see guests sharing their location at our hostels on Facebook, and using the free Internet in the social areas to Skype their families at home.”

By KTVN-TV

Fire officials made quick work of a brush fire that happened in the Lake Tahoe area.

It happened in the area between Cave Rock and Glenbrook right before midnight.

There are no structures in the area and fire officials say the fire was only about one-third of an acre.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and fire officials say they will be heading out Monday morning to look for evidence.

We here on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe just witnessed what, in my estimation as a 30-year veteran of South Shore fireworks displays, could be the best fireworks-music mix and sync ever.

Wow!

South Lake Tahoe rocks. I would like to thank all of the people involved who help to produce and pay for this amazing event we now enjoy twice a year.

— Toogee Sielsch

Fireworks over the South Shore of Lake Tahoe on Sept. 2. Photos/Howie Nave

The dark sky becomes illuminated.

Bicycling enthusiasts from all over the country will participate in the 10th annual Tour de Tahoe – Bike Big Blue – Ride to Cure Diabetes on Sept. 9.

This fun ride is not a race, but a tour and is fully supported.

This year marks the third year for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to have this as its national team fundraiser.

Bicyclists will ride two tour options based on their ability level with all rides starting and finishing from the Horizon casino in Stateline. There is a 35-mile ride that includes starting with a boat ride and the 72-mile ride around the whole lake.

Information is available online.

Several troopers from the Nevada Highway Patrol, as well as other employees from the Department of Public Safety, will be volunteering their time to raise money for Special Olympics Nevada and California on Sept. 15 at Hard Rock Café at Harveys casino in Stateline.

Officers will be serving as volunteer waiters and waitresses as they assist the restaurant staff that day while they work for “special tips”.

All of the extra tips will stay in Northern Nevada and Northern California to pay for the sports training and competition activities for area athletes.

The special servers will be working that Saturday from noon-4pm and 5-9pm.

• Placer County planning commissioners in August approved Alpine Meadows’ application to replace the existing Hot Wheels triple chairlift with a detachable quad chairlift that would be about 1,000 feet longer to reach the Sherwood Bowl ridge.

• Genevieve Evans of Carnelian Bay won the XTERRA Lake Tahoe off-road triathlon in Incline Village in August.

• Lake Tahoe Unified School District is introducing Sprigeo, an online system where students at South Tahoe High and Middle schools can report bullying incidents and school safety threats.

• North Shore resident and six-time X Games medalist Nate Holland hopped on his skateboard and went for a 28-mile cruise for breast cancer in August as part of Boarding for Breast Cancer’s event in Tahoe City.

• The Sparks Tribune newspaper, which started in 1910, became a twice-weekly publication starting Sept. 1.

Toby and Cocoa are two large Maine Coon cats who were adopted from the shelter 6 months ago, but were returned recently because the adopter’s dog didn’t get along with them.

They are very easy going, friendly cats who might need a little extra space because of their size, but they are great companions for a family, even one with a nice dog. They are about 5 years old, and must go home together – but the previous adopter has paid half of the fees, so the new adopter pays one fee and gets both cats.

Both cats are is neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated. They are at the El Dorado County Animal Services shelter in Meyers, along with many other dogs and cats who are waiting for their new homes.

Go online to see photos and description of all pets at the shelter.

Call (530) 573.7925 for directions, hours, and other information on adopting a pet.

For spay-neuter assistance for South Tahoe residents, go online.

— Karen Kuentz

By Kathryn Reed

Gino and Irene DiMatteo of South Lake Tahoe remained in separate El Dorado County jails Monday after having been arrested Aug. 31 on drug charges.

Gino DiMatteo, 43, was being housed in Placerville on $37,500 bail. He faces charges of felony possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana for sale, and bribing a public official.

His 36-year-old wife was being held in the South Lake Tahoe jail on $25,000 bail. She faces felony charges of possession of marijuana for sale, possession of concentrate cannabis, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Gino DiMatteo

It is possible neither will be able to post bail based on the penal code tacked on to their charges that says, “Bail, pursuant to this chapter, shall not be accepted unless a judge or magistrate finds that no portion of the consideration, pledge, security, deposit, or indemnification paid, given, made, or promised for its execution was feloniously obtained.”

DiMatteo used to operate City of Angel’s II marijuana dispensary. He had to close it down this summer when the landlord evicted him and the city denied his application to move the business.

At the Aug. 21 South Lake Tahoe City Council meeting DiMatteo’s $1 million claim against the city for not letting him move his pot shop was denied by the council. The council has scheduled a special closed session meeting related to the claim for 8:15am Sept. 4.

DiMatteo currently owns Push Fitness, which remains open.

No new details about who was allegedly bribed have been forth coming since Lake Tahoe News broke the story on Friday.