The Mondorf Rhine ferry has ceased operations until further notice. High waters have resulted in too much debris washing up at the moorings, making regular operations no longer possible. If the situation eases up over the weekend, service could possibly resume on Monday. In Hennef, mobile protection walls were erected due to possible flooding of the Sieg River. Fire department units placed the protective walls at designated locations along "Allner Weg" to protect the inner city from possible flooding.

(Orig. text: Michael Wrobel)

Probably the most important change right now in the city center is that the ice cream parlors have opened again after a winter break. Good news for all ice cream fans. But after 30 years, the shoe store “Gut zu Fuß” will close. It belongs to the owners of the shoe store “Schwaeppe”, which also has branches in Bad Godesberg and Cologne. The property in Bonn is now up for sale. On the restaurant scene, the former café and restaurant "Bottler" is expected to awaken from its slumber after a long vacancy. A new restaurant is expected to open there in May, with a completely different concept than what was previously there. A new tenant has also been found for the former furniture store Lignet Roset on the corner of Oxfordstraße and Bonngasse. Construction workers are currently working there to prepare the space for a bakery with a café. The Limbach real estate firm brokered the leases for the new tenants.

(Orig. text: Lisa Inhoffen)

BONN. Electrical work in the coming week will mean that the Bad Godesberg tunnel will have to be closed at night. According to the city's civil engineering office, the only lane which is currently open during the day, will be closed at night between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. from Monday to Friday. Regular maintenance work is being carried out, as well work on the power supply, which will cause interruptions with the power. The tunnel on the Rhine side is currently completely closed until May to make necessary improvements to the ventilation technology. When that is finished, the other side will be closed for the same type of work.

(Orig. text: Andreas Stanetschek)

COLOGNE. Car manufacturer Ford plans to cut more than 5,000 jobs in Germany. A Ford spokesman said in Cologne on Friday that the company had informed its employees about a compensation program and an early retirement program. The U.S. car manufacturer had announced cuts already at the beginning of the year, but without giving any concrete figures. Ford has around 24,000 employees in Germany - nearly 18,000 of them in Cologne. There are temporary workers as well and the job cuts will affect both those workers and the permanent workforce. Job cuts are to be achieved through severance payments and early retirement. Cologne's Mayor Henriette Reker reacted with "a large portion of incomprehension and disappointment" and said it was expected that many of the job cuts would be in Cologne. Ford has struggled in Europe for a long time with high costs and moderate sales. It hopes the cuts will save the company 500,000 U.S. dollars (441,5 million euros).

(Orig. text: dpa)

BONN. Lastly, here is a brief update from the “Fridays for Future” march. People all over the world took to the streets on Friday to demonstrate for a better climate policy. Even though the rain was relentless here in Bonn, police spokesman Simon Rott said around 3,500 young people gathered in Bonn city center on Friday morning. The students voiced that it was up to them to protect the climate and their future. Although some politicians criticized the students for skipping school to participate in the rally, 13-year-old Lotta Neue said, “We are skipping school for a good reason.” She said there were divided opinions in her school on the topic. A school headmaster at a Beuel high school was more accepting of the situation, praising the pupils for their “civil courage,” while a 9th grade teacher from Tannenbusch took her whole class there. The topic of climate protection had been discussed in class and she used the demonstration as part of her course.

(Orig. text: Nathalie Dreschke, Marie Schneider, Lisa Inhoffen)

(Translations: ck)