MONDAY, April 4: BAD NEWS FOR CONSUMERS
++ Breaking: Price Shock at Discount Supermarkets – From Today on, Many Groceries Are Getting More Expensive ++
Many are suffering from exploding energy prices, but it doesn’t stop there. Beginning this Monday, consumers will have to pay more for groceries, too. Leading retailers are already announcing further price increases.
At Aldi, the market leader among German discounters, meat, sausages, and butter will become „significantly more expensive,“ Aldi North Communications Director Florian Scholbeck told the news agency dpa. The reason, Scholbeck said, is that vendors were charging retailers more. The newspaper „Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung“ had also reported on the matter. According to the newspaper, Aldi South, too, sees no other path but to raise prices. Just two weeks ago, Aldi had already raised prices for approximately 160 items, one week later, 20 other items followed.
But not only at Aldi are prices for food going up. Customers will have to pay more at other supermarkets and discounters as well. Because of the situation on the world markets, „rising prices in the entire retail sector cannot always be avoided,“ retailer Edeka announced towards the end of March.
Retail giant Rewe and its discounter subsidiary Penny have also announced higher prices for certain lines of goods. A spokesperson for Rewe Group emphasized that prices would only be raised for those products for which there was actually „high cost pressure.“ The Schwarz Group, which owns the supermarket chains Lidl and Kaufland, was unwilling to comment on the development of prices.
Consumer Advocavy Groups Demand Abolition of Sales Tax on Fruit and Vegetables
The Federal Association for Consumer Advocacy (Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband) calls for action. „It is getting harder and harder for households with small incomes to follow a balanced and healthy diet,“ a spokesperson said. Therefore, consumer advocacy groups are demanding increased benefits for people on welfare and the abolition of the sales tax on fruit, vegetables, and legumes. The Federal Government declared its intention to monitor all market developments – and pointed to its second relief package of several billion euros just passed into law.
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TUESDAY, April 5: PEOPLE ARE PARTYING AGAIN
Rhine on Fire and More – Rhineland-Palatinate Is Partying Again
MAINZ. Music, wine, and party mood: After two years of pandemic break, a series of major events and festivals is scheduled for the summer of 2022. Provided the Covid situation allows it, of course. The Rheinfrühling („Rhine Spring“), which will take place from April 9-24 between the Kaisertor („Emperor’s Gate“) and the Kurfürstenbrunnen („Prince Elector’s Well“) in Mainz, is the first in a series of festivals.
Here’s an overview of the major events:
The music festival „Rock am Ring“ („Rock at the Track“) returns to the Eifel from June 3-5. Up to 87.500 fans will be able to enjoy roughly 80 Bands at the legendary Nürbugring race track. Green Day, Muse, and Volbeat will be the headliners. The spectacular event on three stages has been sold out for a while. According to the organizers, it wasn’t before Monday, April 4, that tickets went on sale for 110 euros each for a single day. Tickets for the entire rock music event start 259 euros, including a camping fee.
The „Altstadtfest“ („Old Town Festival“) in Trier takes place from June 10-12. It’s going to be the same format as in the days before the pandemic, as the Trier Tourist and Marketing Company announced. There will be live music and lots of food and beverages on the festival mile in downtown Trier between the Port Nigra and the Viehmarkt Square. Before the pandemic, approximately 100.000 visitors came to the Altstadtfest annually.
The Johannisnacht („St. John’s Eve“) in Mainz is planned for June 24-27. The festival was first set up in 1968, 500th anniversary of the death of Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of the printing press, who was from Mainz. Culture is an important part of the event, next to food and rides. The organizers, however, remain cautious: „The further development of the pandemic will be taken into account,“ the home page states.
The spectacular event „Rhein in Flammen“ („Rhine on Fire“) in Koblenz, scheduled according to present plans for August 13, is expected to attract thousands of visitors for the first time since 2019, according to the organizers. Accompanied by fireworks, a large parade of ships is going to pass by castles and palaces on the illuminated riverside. „Rhine on Fire“ includes several events on the banks of the river and follows a long tradition: It is assumed that in 1756 already, fireworks were shot in honor of Prince Elector Johann Philipp von Walderdorff.
In Wittlich, the Säubrennerkirmes fair is set to take place from August 19-23, in the usual way. If the Covid situation permits it, roughly 100.000 visitors are expected.
The Weinmarkt („Wine Market“) is also scheduled to take place again this year, though with caveat. This traditional festival of winemakers in Mainz is supposed to be held from August 25-28 in the city park.
The Wurstmarkt („Sausage Market“) in Bad Dürkheim, considered to be the largest wine festival in the world, is scheduled for September. It is supposed to take place in the same way as before the pandemic, says Marcus Brille of the team of organizers. The plans could be thwarted, though, if organizers had to check visitors’ certificates of vaccination again or if limits on the number of visitors allowed were reintroduced. In these cases, the event could not take place. „That would be the knock-out,“ Brille said. However, at this point, it doesn’t look like that’s likely to happen. The last time the Wurstmarkt took place war in 2019. According to the organizers, it attracts more than 600.000 visitors. In 2022, the festival is set for September 9-13 and 16-19.
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WEDNESDAY, April 6: RHINELAND-PALATINATE STRENGTHENED AS NATO HUB
Lewentz After Trip to Washington: Rhineland-Palatinate Will Be Significantly Upgraded as a NATO Hub
WASHINGTON/MAINZ. After a pandemic break, the Secretary of the Interior of the State of Rhineland-Palatinate has resumed his regular visits to the US. The main purpose this time was to discuss the ramifications of the present security environment on US military installations in the state.
According to the assessment of Secretary of the Interior Roger Lewentz (Social Democrats/SPD), Rhineland-Palatinate will experience „an incredible upgrade“ as a hub für NATO’s eastern flank. This was his impression after talks with Pentagon and State Department officials as well as Members of Congress responsible for the military budget, Lewentz told the German Press Agency in Mainz.
The US budget für 2023 allocates 506 million dollars for the US military bases in Baumholder and Weilerbach in Rhinelnd-Palatinate. Furthermore, investments of more than a billion dollars are envisaged over the next couple of years.
The draft budget for 2023 contains 207 million dollars for Baumholder to build new housing for military families as well as a new headquarter for additional troops. Lewentz did not comment on which unit is going to be stationed at Baumholder.
Another 299 million euros have been allocated for the new hospital in Weilerbach. „“hat is the largest military investment outside of the USA.“ The agreement with the general contractor has been signed; construction work will likely start in the third quarter this year. „The scope of the construction project is significantly larger. But just so that it is clear that construction starts this year.“
„We have been able to show over the past months and years that troops can be moved quickly and in a flexible way, using Ramstein as a hub, but also using the supply capabilities of Kaiserslautern,“ Lewentz said. These capabilities were much appreciated in the US.
„The interplay of the bases in Rhineland-Palatinate is working.“ The most important bases were Spangdahlem and Ramstein for the Air Force as well as Kaiserslautern and Baumholder for the Army. In the perception of all people he spoke to, Rhineland-Palatinate was „the most important hub to maintain the American military presence on NATO’s eastern flank.“
The decision of Chancellor Olaf Scholz (Social Democrats/SPD) „to prepare an investment package of 100 billion euros for the Bundeswehr“ was also very much appreciated. „And that means that there is an entirely different atmosphere to the talks than in the last two years of the Trump administration,“ Lewentz emphasized. „In America, they are counting on a strong Germany.“
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THURSDAY, April 7: HORRIFIC TRAFFIC ACCIDENT
++ UPDATE: One Dead in Severe Traffic Accident on A1 Near Schweich – Follow-Up Accidents ++
SCHWEICH. Because of a severe traffic accident on the A1 (Autobahn 1), a full closure in both directions remains presently in place.
According to the police, construction work on A1 initially caused a traffic jam. A semi-trailer truck crashed into a car at the end of the traffic jam at high speed. Because of the force of the impact, the car was pushed underneath another semi-trailer truck in front of it.
The driver of the car died on the spot.
When first responders arrived at the site, a follow-up accident occurred when a car crashed into a fire truck, driving slowly for rescue purposes. Currently, the A1 is completely closed in both directions between the Schweich connector and the Moseltal three-leg interchange.
The closure in the direction of Koblenz will remain in place for the time of the acquisition of accident data.
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FRIDAY, April 8: FATHER AND SON BRUTALLY BEATEN
Bloody Attack Because of Drug Money: 14-Year-Old Beats Up Youth and His Father Brutally
LUDWIGSHAFEN. Yesterday, Thursday, April 7, the Ludwigshafen police were informed of a brawl by a 49-year-old mother at the Berlin Square.
When the officers arrived in their squad car, they saw a youth flee towards the train station underpass. They caught up with him in their squad car, but he attempted to continue his flight. Nonetheless, the officers succeeded in catching and arresting him.
Shortly thereafter, the 49-year-old mother was found at the Berlin Square bus stop. She was with her 14-year-old son and her 44-year-old husband. Both her son and her husband were injured, which is why an ambulance was called. The 44-year-old explained that the suspect arrested by the police had punched him in the face several times.
The 14-year-old, who had also been harmed, explained that he had met with the arrested and another 13-year-old to participate in a soccer tryout. The 14-year-old had then asked him to a playground and demanded money to buy drugs, threatening violence.
The boy who was then attacked refused, whereupon the attacker punched him in the face with his fist several times. To make him stop, the attacked handed over ten euros. Despite that, the attacker continued beating and kicking him as he was lying on the ground before he succeeded in fleeing with his 13-year-old companion towards the inner city by streetcar. Since the attacked had called his mother shortly before, she and his father came to his aid.
In the Ludwigsstraße, they had encountered the two youths as they exited the streetcar. When they tried to talk the matter over with the 14-year-old attacker, he punched the father in the face several times. After the father fell to the ground, the attacker continued beating him until passers-by came to his aid.
The 14-year-old attacker was handed over to his legal guardians after the recording of the facts by the police.
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SATURDAY, April 9: THEFT AT THE GRAVE OF AMOK VICTIM
++ Mother Asks for Help: „We Are so Sad“ – Theft at Grave of Amok Victim ++
TRIER. December 1, 2020 in Trier – an amok driver raced through downtown Trier in a veritable „hunt“ for pedestrians. Five people died and many more were injured – a terrible, dark day in the city’s long history. One of the victims killed was young Trier university student Katja Lieser.
As her mother told us, a despicable theft has occurred hat her daughter’s grave in St. Paulin. As a birthday present for the deceased, the family’s other daughter placed a wooden horse, roughly 30 centimetres in hight, at the grave of her deceased sister. Now, the horse has been stolen.
Mrs. Lieser told Lokalo: „We are so sad. We have lost so much. Why does the hurting continue? We call on the culprit or culprits to return the wooden horse.“
It is unclear when exactly the wooden horse was stolen. However, it must have happened this week since it was still there on Monday, as Mrs. Lieser explained.
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