HENNEF. Despite the long holiday weekend and hot temperatures, many runners took part in the 15 Hennef Europe Run on Saturday afternoon. In total, 1,900 runners, 200 fewer than in the record year 2018, took part in one of the biggest sporting events in the region. People of all ages took part in the half marathon over 21.1 kilometres, the panorama run over 10 kilometres, the family run over 3.3 kilometres or the trial run over 1.1 kilometres. About 730 participants took part in the “family run” alone. These included parents without start numbers, sometimes together with their children, who ran the route from Frankfurter Strasse via Siegalle, Kaiserstrasse and Dickstrasse back to the starting point at Commerzbank. Many schools and social institutions participated in the run. The Europe race attracted people from the Rhein-Sieg district and even beyond. While the runners and their supporters sweated in the sun, others listened to the many musicians who performed on Bad Hennef market square up to and including Sunday as part of the Summer Open Air festival.

(Original text: Franziska Jünger)

Two separate collisions in Siegburg on Saturday left a motorcyclist seriously injured

SIEGBURG. A 56-year-old motorcyclist was seriously injured in a traffic accident in Siegburg-Kaldauen on Saturday afternoon at about 5.35 pm. The 56-year-old motorcyclist crashed into the back of a car driven by 20-year-old car driver who wanted to turn from Wahnbachtalstraße into Kapellenstraße. The motorcyclist fell off the bike and lay seriously injured on the adjacent meadow before being taken to a nearby hospital. The car driver was uninjured. The damage to property was estimated at about 10,000 euros. Because of the accident, the Wahnbachtalstraße was closed for about one hour and traffic was diverted. Almost 10 minutes after this accident, a second accident occurred at the other end of Kapellenstraße in Siegburg-Kaldauen at the intersection with Hauptstraße. While turning into the main road, a 71-year-old didn’t see an approaching car and collided with it. The accident caused slight injury to the driver and to a four-year-old-girl. In the other vehicle, a 67-year-old woman and her husband remained uninjured according to police reports. The damage to property was estimated at 7,000 euros.

(Original text: Dierk Himstedt)

Climate change also challenges German cities. The city of Bonn wants to become more sustainable. However, figures show that there is still a lot to do.

BONN. In February, the Council of the City of Bonn adopted the first municipal sustainability strategy. How sustainable is the city already? The GA asked the city administration about the current state of the city.

Solar roofs: the Municipal Building Management manages 1,035 of its own properties (individual houses) and 522 of its own properties (plots of land with several houses). A total of 63 solar systems with a total output of more than 1,100 kilowatts are installed on the city roofs.

There are currently 50 public e-charging stations in the city area and 50 more will be added by the end of 2019. In total, 10,125 electric vehicles with a BN number plate will be on the road. This includes 9,728 vehicles registered with Deutsche Post. Only 397 e-cars are registered in Bonn by private owners, in addition there are 2 129 hybrid vehicles.

Green space share: "in the future, the aim in Bonn must be to further develop multifunctionality in use in the increasingly narrow open space, whether in forests, parks or roadside green areas, in a broad dialogue with the users," said Markus Schmitz from the Press Office.

Mobility of city employees: The city administration owns 80 bicycles that employees can use for official tasks. Of the more than 7,000 municipal employees, 2,400 use a job ticket.

Air quality: Over the past ten years, the city administration has, according to its own figures, succeeded in "significantly reducing" air pollution in Bonn.

(Original text: Maximilian Mühlens)

Today, the German railway will spray tracks with the controversial weed killer glyphosphate and another herbicide with the active ingredient flazasulfuron on the left bank of the Rhine in Bonn.

BONN. Residents living near the tracks are shocked that the highly concentrated pesticide glyphosate, which is suspected of being carcinogenic, is being used in the immediate vicinity of their properties. The Bonn press office said "The city of Bonn is basically of the opinion that the use of pesticides must be minimised to an absolutely necessary level”. The German railways explained that alternatives are currently being examined, including the use of hot water, a process using electricity and the use of UV light to burn the plants. However, these would first have to be tested for compatibility with the track infrastructure, cables and the electric drives. As things stand at present, "vegetation control is indispensable for safe railway operation". Thermal and mechanical processes have so far not been an alternative. A pesticide expert of the Nature Conservation Society recommends “keeping doors and windows closed and not being in the garden” today.

(Original text: Philipp Königs)

A hospice initiative supports a Serbian family, one of whom is severely ill, in the search for an apartment in Bonn

MEDINGHOVEN/ENDENICH. Ekrem Dzaferi 65-year-old Serb, came from Belgrade four years ago with his wife and two children. Ekrem Dzaferi suffers from diabetes, has already had two heart attacks and is now also suffering from leukaemia. Now he and his wife are looking for new accommodation. The family came to Germany in 2015 because of the poor state of health and the couple now have residence status. Their two children who also came to Germany from Belgrade live in an asylum in Velberg. "The family is really very grateful that the city of Bonn has granted them residence status", said the ecumenical hospice initiative near the Kreuzberg, but the cramped living situation is still a problem. Therefore, the hospice now wants to support the couple in their search for better accommodation. "We are urgently looking for a small apartment for the couple. Two rooms with bathroom and kitchen would be perfect.

(Original text: Gabriele Immenkeppel)

Open talk and discussion about astronomy on Tuesday 25 June

BONN-ENDENICH. On Tuesday 25 July at 7 p.m., Dr. Eleni Vardoulaki and Christoph Schürmann, who work at the Argelander Institute for Astronomy, will discuss “Starting with a Bang” (in English) and “Diamonds in space or where do the building blocks of life come from?” (in German) at the Fiddlers Pub (Frongasse 9, Bonn-Endenich).This event is part of the worldwide initiative called Astronomy on Tap, where professional astronomers explain diverse topics about the Universe in a friendly atmosphere. The event is free and open to all the public and you are welcome to join your local astronomers for the talks, quizzes and prizes. For more information, follow the initiative on Facebook & Youtube (Astronomy on Tap Bonn), Instagram & Twitter (@aotbonn).

(Original text: Eleni Vardoulaki)

(Translations: John Chandler)