On Saturday evening the fire-brigade was called out to the Aggerdamm in Troisdorf due to the development of smoke from the basement area of the Aggua swimming pool. The fire brigade was alerted by the triggering of the fire alarm system at about 21.40 p.m., just as the swimming pool was about to close, and the last visitors had to be evacuated. The emergency services then moved into the heavily smoke-filled basement area and were quickly able to put out a fire in an electrical unit. According to GA information, the situation is under control; however, extinguishing the fire was hampered due to the lack of visibility. The fire brigade ventilated the basement area with high-pressure fans but the smoke has now entered the pool area from the lower part of the building. Whether this will have an effect on the swimming pool operation in the next few days cannot be foreseen at the moment. (Original text; ga.de)

The 145,000 inhabitants in the Bonn urban district are bringing so many citizen’s motions to council meetings that there simply isn’t time to deal with them all. The district mayor Brigitta Poppe-Reiners sees it as a sign of a “very committed citizenry”. In 2017, 165 applications were filed in the entire Bonn city area; in 2018 the number rose slightly to 181 and last year a record 256 motions were reported. According to paragraph 25 of the municipal code, everyone is entitled to make a citizen's application. After the application has been received via the city of Bonn website (www.bonn.de), it is examined whether the district council, or in the case of city-wide concerns, a citizens' committee is responsible. The responsible department then comments on the content of the application and drafts a recommendation for a decision. The applicants then have the opportunity to explain their application during the consultation. Even though some of the motions are adjourned, the municipal press office figures show that it is not hopeless to make a citizens' motion. About one third of the applications in the citizens' committee and in the district councils between 2017 and 2019 were approved, about one third were rejected and about one third were postponed or clarification was sought.(Original text; Luca Samlidis)

There was a sigh of relief for the Telekom Baskets Bonn. The Bundesliga basketball team celebrated its third victory in the Bundesliga against the Gießen 46ers at an away game in Gießen. The 88:85 score (16:20, 24:18, 20:17, 28:30) was a blow at the bottom of the table and confirmation that the Baskets are capable of taking the tailwind out of the Champions League, where they are about to reach round sixteen, and into the national competition. “We had a good rhythm as a team and we did a good job in the end,” said player Joshiko Saibou in a TV interview. “The victory is incredibly good and was a big step forward.” The team confronted their hosts with problems both defensively and offensively. The game made a crucial difference to the many defeats that had brought the Baskets into the relegation whirlpool. The game was close, but the Baskets remained true to their form and with hard work and luck, the Baskets actually gained the momentum they hadn't seen for ages this season. (Original text; Tanja Schneider)

Laundry princess Romina I was proclaimed on Friday evening in the Brückenforum, which resembled a madhouse: 1,000 guests cheered Romina I as she entered the hall. Lord Mayor Ashok Sridharan and District Mayor Guido Déus stood in line and ignited confetti rockets. The Beueler Weiberfastnacht now has a new head, who embodies the most famous and popular customs of Weiberfastnacht and Puetzchens Markt. Romina I is the daughter of Hubert Markmann of the showman, who drove her into the hall in a motorised lift truck, as every year. Romina I floated high above the audience in a decorated steel basket. The proclamation speech of the Lord Mayor centred on Beethoven and Weiberfastnacht. Beethoven completed his Ninth Symphony in 1824, the founding year of the Women's Carnival, which was invented in Beuel. (Original text; Holger Willcke)

(Translations, John Chandler)