GA English on Sunday News in Brief from Bonn and the Region

Bonn/Region · To-go sales are allowed in Bonn this coming weekend for pub walks, pollen allergy sufferers should prepare for increased pollen during the coming spring-like days, Bonn has not yet collected a 40,000 euros penalty from coronavirus skeptics for a banned demonstration in the market square, two motorcyclists were fatally injured in Much in a head-on collision on the L312, and Astronomy on Tap Bonn is holding another YouTube live event on Tuesday 23 February – here is our news in brief on Sunday.

 Innkeepers in Bonn invite people to join so-called pub walks. (Symbol photo)

Innkeepers in Bonn invite people to join so-called pub walks. (Symbol photo)

Foto: dpa/Axel Heimken

To-go sales are allowed: Bars and restaurants offer pub walks

More pub walks in Bonn's city centre will take place again this coming Friday and Saturday. Several pubs will offer sales of alcoholic beverages “to-go”, as they did last year during the mulled-wine walks. The walk took place two weeks ago, but not last week because of the general ban on alcohol during carnival.

"It does not require a specific permit," city spokeswoman Monika Hörig told the GA. The participating pubs that are allowed to sell drinks to-go are "authorised bars of any type". The Coronavirus protection regulations apply, which means that minimum distancing as well as hygiene requirements must be observed. The participants should be individuals and not people travelling around as a group. Furthermore, the sale of alcoholic beverages is prohibited from 11 p.m. until 6 a.m. the following day. Likewise, consumption is not permitted within a radius of 50 meters of the catering establishment.

The city wants to keep a close eye on the walks and therefore, the presence of the city order service and police will be strengthened to monitor the sales facilities and their environment regarding adherence to the coronavirus protection rules and violations will be punished. The regulatory authority is also in direct contact with the restaurateurs and has asked them to act prudently.

After the ban on alcohol consumption in certain areas during carnival, the city had critically reviewed an extension of the ban, but "within the framework of reasonableness, a further ban on alcohol consumption in certain public areas was initially rejected," Hörig said. The city spokeswoman added that the Coronavirus Protection Ordinance allows municipalities to issue individual regulations adapted to the local situation within the framework of reasonableness.

(Original text, Thomas Leurs)

Pollen allergy sufferers should prepare for the coming spring-like days.

The pollen season of hazel and alder "has gone from virtually nothing to full-on," reported the German Pollen Information Service Foundation. "In the west and south of the republic, widespread high pollen loads from these two allergen carriers will move in at low altitudes (...)," it said in a forecast. Compared with hazel, alder will have a stronger effect on allergy sufferers, because the frosty air has killed off some hazel catkins, it said, and therefore, the rest of the hazel pollen season is slightly weakened.

The pollen experts of the German Weather Service confirm the forecast. For North Rhine-Westphalia, Christina Endler of the Center for Medical-Meteorological Research in Freiburg expects only a "weak to moderate" load of hazel pollen in the next few days. Hazel already tends to be in the post-bloom phase. For alder, it expects a "moderate to strong" load over the weekend and in the days thereafter in NRW.

The experts of the Pollen Foundation expect that due to the mild temperatures, other plants will now come into focus and the pollen spectrum will broaden. Especially in the lowlands of western and southern Germany, the rising temperatures would be enough to cause yew pollen to be released; however, yew pollen is not a widely known allergen.

According to the German Weather Service, more than 15 per cent of the population in Germany is allergic to pollen, and the trend is increasing. Symptoms include runny nose, conjunctivitis and asthma.

Bonn has not yet collected a 40,000 euros penalty from coronavirus skeptics

Bonn. Contrary to the announcement by the city of Bonn, the two organisers of the banned coronavirus rally on November 14 on the market square have not yet had to pay a fine. Bodo Schiffmann, a doctor, and Wolfgang Greulich, an IT entrepreneur from Baden-Württemberg, had been ordered by the city authorities to pay 20,000 euros each by December 21. But they appealed and the city has so far refrained from enforcing the payment. The press office stressed at the time that the penalty payment was a preventive measure to prevent further "inadmissible assemblies of these persons on the territory of the federal city".

The city has now justified the waiver of the enforcement due to "Christmas goodwill" in December. Upon further inquiry, the press office then said: "After a renewed examination of the facts, the regulatory authority has decided not to anticipate the court ruling." The actions against the compulsory fine are running at the Administrative Court of Cologne. According to a court spokeswoman, there are five main proceedings for which no hearing date has yet been set. In addition, two summary proceedings are pending.

The so-called "Coronavirus Info Tour" was occurred throughout Germany from September to November of last year. Because repeated violations against wearing face coverings and distancing requirement had occurred by coronavirus skeptics at the demonstrations, the city of Bonn forbade the demonstration announced by Greulich and Schiffmann by order. The Administrative Court of Cologne confirmed the decision.

Several others then registered further demonstrations at various locations in Bonn for November 14, including on the market square, where about 450 people gathered in the evening, leading to a massive police deployment. From the point of view of the city administration, this was an unauthorised substitute event for the banned demonstration. A lawyer for the "Coronavirus Info Tour" denies this.

(Original text, Andreas Baumann)

Two motorcyclists were fatally injured in Much in a head-on collision on the L312

Much. Two motorcyclists were fatally injured in a head-on collision on Saturday afternoon. The accident happened on the Werschtalstrasse, a section of the L312 near Much. The road was fully closed due to the rescue measures. Both motorcyclists died, despite intensive rescue measures at the scene of the accident. Two rescue helicopters were on the scene.

According to initial information, a 46-year-old motorcyclist from Cologne accompanied by another motorcyclist was on the L 312 coming from Much-Marienfeld in the direction of Ruppichteroth when he was approached by a 50-year-old motorcyclist from Euskirchen, who was also accompanied by another motorcyclist. Due to a driving error, the man from Cologne moved into the oncoming lane, where he collided with the motorcyclist from Euskirchen.

The two accompanying motorcyclists were not involved in the accident. The two motorcycles were taken as evidence and for investigations at the scene.

(Original text, ga)

Join Astronomy on Tap Bonn for a live YouTube event on Tuesday 23 February

Astronomy on Tap Bonn, a monthly event of public astronomy talks at Fiddlers pub in Bonn-Endenich is going virtual due to #covid-19 restrictions on public life.

Join us on Tuesday 23rd February at 19:00 on YouTube live for another virtual event of Astronomy on Tap Bonn! This month we have with us 1) Dr Jens Erler on "Wasserstoff - Vom Urknall zur Energiewende", 2) Anne-Kathrin Baczo : "Shooting black holes". Of course, we will have our awesome live quiz and one lucky winner will receive a super astro prize via mail! So mark the date and see you then! For more information, you can follow us on facebook & youtube (Astronomy on Tap Bonn) and Instagram & Twitter (@aotbonn), or drop us an email at AoTBonn@gmail.com.

(Translations, John Chandler)

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