The Friends of the Melbbad and the citizens' initiative “Save the Melbbad” want to pay for an interim container solution at the Melbbad. They claim this would make it possible to ensure the operation of the open-air swimming pool in this and the coming 2022 season. The association announced its willingness to bear part of the costs and called for donations to cover the remaining costs. Two shower and two sanitary containers with twelve showers and twelve WCs, respectively, and two further containers with lockers, a WC and shower for occupational health and safety concerns of the bath employees are planned. 

According to Achim Dehnen, chairman of the sponsoring association, and initiative spokesman Kai Schröder, changing rooms and lockers for visitors could continue to be used in the existing building, as could office space for swimming supervisors and the first aid room. Dehnen said he has obtained a binding cost proposal for the containers for the two-year period. A mid-five-figure amount would be needed to finance the rental. Electricity, water and sewage connections would have to be provided by the city, also to clearly assign responsibility. "The proposed interim solution would only burden the city coffers with a few thousand euros for the container connections," Dehnen and Schröder believe. 

The repairs in the underground technical room, which was damaged by heavy rain in August, are to be performed anyway. The reinforced concrete structure was newly built by the Municipal Building Management in 2009. The existing functional building with locker rooms, restrooms and showers is in such poor condition that the Health Department and Building Inspectorate believe it is no longer usable in its entirety. After inspecting the damage to the technical room and considering relocating it, the administration also came to the conclusion that opening the popular outdoor pool this season was no longer an option. For an interim solution, from their point of view, the rental of 25 containers would be necessary, at a cost of several hundred thousand euros. 

Dehnen and Schröder see their proposal as an example of "how citizen protest is not always perceived as a synonym for obstruction, but can also be part of the solution and mean the assumption of responsibility by citizens.” 

In response to the submitted suggestion, city vice-speaker Marc Hoffmann said, the city always welcomes it, if citizens show commitment. Until the next council meeting on February 4, a time and cost plan should be available. The council had also instructed the administration to quickly initiate planning for renovation or demolition or construction of a new functional building at the same location. In addition, there is a preliminary design by an architect for a functional building, which would also include the ticket booth on the so-called roller-skating area a few meters away from the current building.  (Original text, Philipp Königs) 

The first "carnival concert" of BonnLive took place on Saturday evening on the former Miesen site in Dottendorf, with Kasalla. Despite the coronavirus lockdown, contact restrictions and various hygiene measures, a real carnival atmosphere arose at the first "carnival concert" of BonnLive. The revellers were in colourful costumes, as clowns, sailors or princesses, for example. Balloons hung from cars, and streamers lay on many dashboards. Meanwhile, the music of Kasalla came out of car radios. In order to convey the musical mood of the Cologne band, the organisers had set up their own radio frequency. Confetti in the form of small snowflakes fell from the sky and windscreen wipers had their work cut out to ensure that the Kasalla fans always had a clear view of the stage.

RheinEvents and the fünfdrei event agency are organising the "Carneval Concerts" in Bonn on the former Miesen site and in Cologne on the car park at the Südstadion until February 16. Carnival guests can celebrate there according to coronavirus restrictions, in their own cars. Performers will include Brings, Höhner, Miljö, the Domstürmer and many other well-known bands. 

The "carnival concerts" are a new edition of the car concerts that took place during the lockdown last year not far from the Bonn incineration plant and were a complete success. In Cologne, there is room for 300 cars, and in Bonn, 400. So that the revellers in the back rows also have a good view, they can follow the action on the stage on LED screens. Cars may only be left to go to the toilet. Only one household and one other person from outside the household may be in the vehicle. Applause in the form of honking is strictly forbidden out of consideration for nearby residents. So that there can still be contact between the audience and the band, revellers can access the LED screens with the help of a zoom conference. 

Ticket prices range from 25.90 euros to 44.90 euros, depending on the event. There will also be car carnival sessions where five artists will perform at once. Tickets, the program and further information are available.

Early on Saturday morning, a 37-year-old man was found with severe stab wounds after an altercation in the Bonn Südstadt. Witnesses had reported cries for help from the area of the Thielstrasse and An der Elisabethkirche to the police around 00.30 a.m. on Saturday morning, and police officers found a 37-year-old man with stab wounds lying on the ground a short time later. Until the arrival of an ambulance and an emergency doctor, police officers provided first aid and immediately initiated a manhunt. The injured man was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. A short time later, a 43-year-old suspect was arrested on Römerstraße. His vehicle was seized, but no weapon was found on the suspect. 

The exact sequence of events in the confrontation between the two men is as yet unclear. Due to the circumstances, a homicide squad has taken over the further investigations and investigation into the background to the incident. The investigators are currently also still searching for the possible murder weapon, which was a stabbing tool. The area around the crime scene was searched for the weapon, also with the help of a search dog, but without success. 

Investigators are asking possible additional witnesses who can provide information about the altercation to contact the homicide squad by calling 0228 15-0. (Original text, Thomas Faßbender) 

Since Monday, a stricter mask requirement has been in effect on buses and trains, as well as in supermarkets and doctors' surgeries: All passengers, customers and patients must wear a medical mask, FFP2 mask or comparable face covering marked KN95 or N95. So-called textile masks, which in many cases are home-made, as well as simple scarves or shawls, are no longer accepted. A control on Friday morning of the passengers of the Stadtwerke Bonn showed that most were wearing the prescribed masks. 

According to the municipal press office, only five notices had to be written on Friday during checks between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. Of these, four passengers were not wearing a mask at all and one passenger had only pulled a scarf over their mouth and nose. "The overall response from passengers was positive. Further checks will follow," announced the city of Bonn. 

Anyone who does not wear a mask on public transport can expect a fine of up to 150 euros and those who wear only textile masks or a scarf must pay 50 euros. "Who is caught in a shop without a face-covering or with the wrong type, will pay a flat rate of 50 euros," said vice city spokesman Marc Hoffmann. In queues in front of the shops or in car parks, textile masks are allowed. From Monday, February 1, the public is also obliged to wear medical face coverings in the service buildings of the Bonn city administration. Visitors will be made aware of the new regulation with posters. 

The coronavirus incidence value for Bonn on Friday was 104 related to 100,000 inhabitants. The health department has been notified of 343 new infections in the past seven days. According to the city, 138 people have died so far in connection with coronavirus. The most recent five deaths involved three men (81, 92 and 82 years old) and two women (86 and 95 years old). Furthermore, 813 Bonn residents are currently in quarantine and 91 people from Bonn and the surrounding area who have contracted Covid-19 are in city hospitals: 64 patients are being cared for in normal wards and 27 people are in intensive care units, 20 of whom require ventilation. (Original text, Lisa Inhoffen)

 (Translations, John Chandler)