Local news translated – April 17, 2023

Graphic by U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart Public Affairs Office

Host Nation Update, April 17, 2023

Closure of the A 81 in both directions between the Sindelfingen-Ost and Böblingen/Sindelfingen junctions from Mo, April 17 – Tue, April 18

During the night of April 17 to 18, Deutsche Bahn will dismantle the bridge over the A 81 again. This will require a closure of the A 81 in both directions between the Sindelfingen-Ost and Böblingen/Sindelfingen junctions from 10 p.m. on Monday until 5 a.m. on Tuesday. Detour is signposted.  As part of the A 81 expansion, the Rankbachbahn bridge, has also been renewed at a cost of 24 million euros. On Monday, April 17, the first train is scheduled to roll over the approximately 110-meter-long, single-track concrete bridge that connects the Böblingen and Sindelfingen stations. More information on the six-lane widening of the A 81 near Böblingen is available online at www.deges.de/a81-erweiterung  (Stuttgarter Nachrichten, April 17)

Speed camera marathon in Baden-Württemberg – Police step up efforts on speeders this week

Police are stepping up their crackdown on speeders on the roads in several German states this week. This Monday, the European-wide traffic action “Speedmarathon” starts, as the European traffic police network “Roadpol” announced. Drivers must therefore be prepared for increased controls.  In Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg and North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, the police plan to step up speeding controls over several days. Other states such as Bavaria and Hesse have only announced a “speed camera marathon” for Friday. Sometimes the checkpoints are to be announced in advance. Above all: in front of schools, Kitas, old people’s homes and at high risk areas for accidents.  According to the traffic police network, the campaign is taking place for the tenth time. In Bavaria alone, around 2,000 police officers and employees of municipalities and special-purpose associations are expected to be on duty. So far, not all federal states have said whether they will participate in the action. In Germany, the “speed marathon” is usually called the “speed camera marathon” or “Blitzmarathon”. (Stuttgarter Nachrichten, April 17)

Cannstatter Wasen – Opening of the Stuttgart Spring Festival

Soon the Stuttgart Spring Festival will start for the 83rd time. From April 22 to May 14, visitors can stroll through the festival grounds at the Cannstatter Wasen. There will also be beer tents again this year, which means that people can party like they did before COVID.  The Stuttgart Spring Festival will open at 12 noon on April 22 with the tapping of the barrel in the “Grandls Hofbräuzelt”. From then on, the festival grounds will be open to visitors from 1 p.m. during the week and from 11 a.m. on weekends. Closing time is at 11 p.m. from Monday to Thursday and on Sundays. On Fridays and Saturdays, visitors can stay one hour longer. On the day before the holiday, April 30, it will also close at midnight.

During opening hours, visitors to the Cannstatter Wasen have many ways to spend their time there: an evening in the festival tent with a “Maß Bier (1liter=2 pines), a spin on their favorite rides, or strolling around sampling various delicacies – there’s something for everyone.  Once a year you can enjoy the Stuttgart Spring Festival. Many visitors take advantage of this every year.  (Stuttgarter Nachrichten, April 17)

Neckarwestheim –  Last nuclear power plant gets shut down

In Neckarwestheim, one of the last three nuclear power plants will be shut down. For decades, Neckarwestheim stood for nuclear energy made in Baden-Württemberg. The nuclear power era ends on Saturday also in Baden-Württemberg. As the last reactor in the southwest, unit 2 in Neckarwestheim (Heilbronn district) is to be taken off the grid later today. With the shutdown of the nuclear power plants (NPP) Isar 2 in Bavaria and Emsland in Lower Saxony, this will seal the nuclear phase-out.  Neckarwestheim 2 was the youngest German nuclear power plant to go online in 1989 and will have produced around 375 billion kilowatt hours of electricity by the time it is shut down, according to the operator EnBW. With an average annual electricity production of around 11 billion kilowatt hours, about one sixth of the electricity demand in Baden-Württemberg was covered, the Karlsruhe-based group said. (Stuttgarter Nachrichten, April 17)

“Culture in open air” at the Böblingen district

“Culture in open air” will take place at two locations this year: At the Herrenberg Schönbuchturm and at Wildberg Castle. However, the organizers were able to fulfill a small dream with the site at the Schönbuchturm, where 300 guests are permitted. A total of five events will take place there from June 14 to June 18. Abba fans can rejoice: The Abba tribute show “ABBAmaniac” on June 15 is also new, at least in the Böblingen district. “These are six musicians who, in full costume and everything, bring Abba back on stage,” reveals Michael Eipper. The audience is therefore cordially invited to get their bell-bottoms out of the closet. June 16 will feature a well-known formation, the acoustic performers from Strings unplugged. The Strings perform their own arrangements of classics from Fleetwood Mac to Pink Floyd and Sarah Connor, and have always been a source of enthusiasm in previous years. June 17 belongs to the Tübingen band Tanglefood, who will bring Irish-Celtic songs. The finale on June 18 will be Sefora Nelson, who has already performed twice at “Kultur im Freien. The nationally known pianist and singer combines music with an adventurous mix of worship, comedy and pastoral care. “Sefora is very funny and always a special experience,” says Michael Eipper.  As for prices for “Culture in the Open Air,” EMP, unlike many other promoters, has not raised them. As before, the cost of a ticket ranges between 19 and 22 euros. “That’s reasonably cheap for an event,” says Michael Eipper. “But we always have to find the balance between prices that are worthwhile for us and that people also want to pay.” we don’t go overboard price-wise – otherwise people won’t come.”  (Stuttgarter Nachrichten, April 16)