Local news translated – Oct. 11, 2022

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

Host Nation Update, Oct. 11, 2022

Rise of incidence rate in Baden-Württemberg:  

SWR reports this morning, 11 Oct 22, that the Seven Day Incidence Rate (7-D-I) in B-W rose to over 700.0 and the number COVID-19 patients in ICUs rose by 29 patients over the weekend. B-W’s 7-D-I (746.4) has again risen above the national average (598.1) after having been below that mark for months. (SWR, Oct 11) 

Stuttgart Fire department respond to Stuttgart-Ost Ammonia leak 

This morning, ammonia has leaked at a gastro-wholesale company in Stuttgart-Ost, Franz-Wachter-Strasse. This is reported by the Stuttgart fire department, who immediately responded.  According to the fire department spokesman Daniel Anand, there was an automatic message, according to which the rescue forces moved out around 10:30. “As of now, there are no casualties and there is no danger to the public,” Anand said.

Nevertheless, residents within a 100-meter radius should keep their doors and windows closed as a precautionary measure, mainly because of the smell. A corresponding message also went out via the warning app “NINA.” How long the operation will last is currently still unclear (as of 1 p.m.). (Stuttgarter Nachrichten, Oct 11) 

A8 near Gruibingen – Autobahn tunnel to be closed at night this weekend

Anyone traveling from Stuttgart on the Autobahn 8 toward Munich at a late hour this coming weekend will have to bypass the tunnel near Gruibingen (Göppingen district).

Due to maintenance and repair work, the tunnel will be closed in one direction from Friday evening to Saturday morning and Saturday evening to Sunday morning.  

Drivers need to exit the gas station Gruibingen, via the provisional exit and take the U27 emergency detour route to the Mühlhausen junction. The detour will be signposted. (Stuttgarter Nachrichten, Oct 11) 

Railroad timetable change – More trains in the direction of Stuttgart – new direct connection to Zurich

With the upcoming timetable change on December 11, rail travelers in the southwest will get more long-distance connections. In particular of Munich in the direction of Stuttgart and beyond there is an increase. Overall, the south and northwest of Germany are to be better connected. The route between Munich and Stuttgart will be served by 90 trains per day, according to Deutsche Bahn. That is 20 more than before. In addition, some of the connections will be 15 minutes faster thanks to the new high-speed line between Wendlingen and Ulm. New ICE 3neo trains will then be gradually introduced here. This means that there will then be a direct ICE connection between Munich and Cologne twice an hour – once via Stuttgart and once via Nuremberg.

In addition, several ICE trains will travel from Basel, Freiburg, Offenburg, Karlsruhe or Mannheim to the northwest without changing trains via Cologne. Destinations include Düsseldorf, Münster and Bremen. On the line from Basel to the northwest, new ICE trains with more than 900 seats will be used in the future. A new direct connection will be added between Stuttgart and Zurich, and double-decker intercity trains will increasingly be used. Night trains to Venice, Vienna, Budapest, Zagreb or Rijeka will also run from or to Stuttgart in the future. Additional stops will be made in Göppingen and Ulm. However, Deutsche Bahn also expects disruptions due to construction sites. Some connections would have to be adjusted temporarily. Details of the new timetable and tickets will be available from Wednesday. (Stgt Nachrichten, Oct 11) 

Free fruit harvest in Filderstadt – yellow ribbons around trees invite people to help themselves 

The so-called yellow ribbons are considered a success story. They are tied around trees by meadow orchard owners, thus releasing them for free harvesting by anyone. Filderstadt took up this concept back in 2015, and was one of the first municipalities ever to do so. Nevertheless, in other cities the skepticism about the yellow ribbons is great, for example in Stuttgart. As recently as the beginning of October, the city’s press office wrote in a statement, “According to our research, the Yellow Bands do not work because many orchard owners do not have an overview of who then harvests and how. Improper harvesting, for example, can damage trees.”  However, the interest has always been all the greater among those who would like to pick. They would find the concept with the marked trees more convenient and flexible. “There have been years when people have driven from Ludwigsburg all the way to Filderstadt to harvest from our orchards.” The yellow ribbons would be “in keeping with the spirit of the times.” This year, for the first time, Filderstadt is also making the fruit from its own meadow orchards available to everyone. The administration speaks of an “emergency aid program” because of the risen energy and food prices. On the website www.filderstadt.de  there is an overview with all municipal fruit trees. Anyone is free to choose. Feedback to the city regarding the chosen fruit tree is not necessary. (Stuttgarter Nachrichten, Oct 11)