Wiesbaden Courier May 16, 2019
Jürgen Helbing would like to remain mayor of Lorcher
By Thorsten Stötzer
Published on May 16, 2019 at 3:00 am, last changed on May 16, 2019 at 3:20 am
Jürgen Helbing is applying for a third term in the Lorch town hall for the CDU. A senior citizen's facility and a medical care center are on his agenda.
Jürgen Helbing on the terrace of the Hilchenhaus: Its renovation is one of the highlights of his tenure. Photo: Thorsten Stötzer
LORCH - With 60.8 percent of the vote, Jürgen Helbing won the mayoral election in Lorch in 2007 and replaced Günter Retzmann from the SPD, who had been in office for 18 years and then lost. Even then, he had planned with three periods in the town hall, he explains - and will therefore run again on May 26th. Helbing is happy to highlight what has been achieved so far: The reduction in the city's debt level from 23 million euros to 6.4 million euros is right at the top.
The CDU candidate also cites lower prices for water and wastewater - which were the highest in Germany. The bottom line is that almost all points have been dealt with - with the exception of a senior facility and a medical care center (MVZ). “And I'm right in the middle of it.” As far as the house for the elderly that is to be built on the Lohwiese is concerned, the mayor presents freshly modified designs that come from the investor found in the Westerwald.
"There isn't a three-year-old who doesn't know who I am"
A MVZ to be founded would be another building block so that citizens can stay in the city even at an advanced age. Helbing obtained information in Rhineland-Palatinate and Schleswig-Holstein and advocates a “medical cooperative with several partners”. The municipality should get involved, as well as the local pharmacy and the hospital in Rüdesheim. “Everyone involved is in good spirits.” The background is that the general practitioners in Lorch are all over 60 years old.
FORUM FOR CHOICE
On Tuesday, May 21st, at 7 p.m. in the Lorch community center, Kolpingstrasse 5, the editorial team is organizing a discussion forum with the three candidates for the mayoral election. Sascha Kircher and Thorsten Stötzer will moderate the evening, during which the citizens of Lorch can put the applicants to the test and ask questions about the topics relevant to them. Admission is from 6 p.m., entry to the event is free.
He wants to convince the residents of his program with a brochure, posters, small events and citizens' consultations. He is already present in the city: “In Lorch there is no three-year-old who doesn't know who I am.” From 1993 to 2007, he was always active in local politics as the first city councilor or city councilor. However, the 68-year-old was born in Thuringia. He came to the region via Essen and Northern Hesse and in 1987 bought a house in Lorch. The police and detective had his political home in the FWG for a long time, for which he already fought an - unsuccessful - mayoral election campaign in 1995. In 2010 he switched to the CDU. He appreciates the “network” that he now has. Funding pots are important because "we are not a commercial or industrial location". He is also pleased that ministers and their heads of department hold meetings in the Hilchenhaus, which was also renovated under his responsibility, as is today's community center. Private investors have also invested: this is what the Vincenzstift building, the hotel in the school building and the Rewe supermarket stand for. Although Helbing still wants to lead the city into debt-free status, further measures are emerging: “The train station is a big issue.” The city has acquired half a hectare of land to set up park-and-ride parking spaces and bicycle parking spaces. The old goods shed could be used for youth work in the future.
Helbing also has an eye on around 2.4 hectares of land in the Rhine facilities; they still belong to the country. Between the train station and the former sewage treatment plant, the area could be given a new look. The fixed point is the Federal Horticultural Show 2029, for which he wants to found an interest group. The growth in tourism is already a point on which the Christian Democrat is building.
for the festivals it is 5 minutes after 12:00. Also for the festivals in Hessen. 42 festivals have come together to make it clear to politics and society that festivals, like hairdressers and airlines, are economically, socially and culturally important pillars of society. Usually organized on a voluntary basis and with a social network.
They relieve the municipalities and society of important work for youth, cooperation and the promotion and maintenance of cultural work.
But their actors: inside, service providers: inside, artists: inside, technicians, small pensions are looking for jobs at the post office, Mac Donald or in the vaccination and test industry in order to survive. Instead of home office and short-time work. In terms of content, they are treated like commercial enterprises and entrepreneurs and thus fall through every grid.
We want to live - like the economy too. We want culture - just like the television channels, radio stations, public broadcasters.
We want failure guarantees - like event organizers.
We want real financial support and not employment programs like social welfare.
We are fed up with politics observing our festival cancellations without taking any action.
We find it particularly reprehensible that most of our festivals are non-profit associations and are not allowed to build up reserves. Commercial organizers, on the other hand, can draw on all the support from the economy and their own reserves.
We finally want adequate programs and support. So that we can keep up with the times.
Because we make the summer sing.
PRESS RELEASE G | May 11, 2021
Creating perspectives and the future for local festivals
Action alliance “Festivals in Hessen” presents position paper “Giving stages a stage”
The organizers of more than 40 Hessian festivals recently joined forces in the “Festivals in Hesse” action alliance to draw the public's attention to their precarious situation and to encourage political discourse. The alliance is strengthened by the support of the Hessian regional association “Live in Hessen” of “LiveKomm”, the association of German music venues.
Regardless of whether they are veterans like the Herzberg Festival, which has existed since 1968, or new events such as the Marburg Open Air, which is still waiting in the starting blocks, regardless of whether it is a large multicultural event or a heavy metal gem - all organizers are united by the idea that an important part of the lively Hessian cultural landscape is at great risk due to the pandemic. And that perspectives and planning bases must be created promptly that will also create security for the time after the pandemic.
The basis for this is to create discussions between festival organizers and people from politics and society who accept this responsibility and are ready to help shape workable solutions. The position paper "Providing a stage to the stage" is intended to create a basis for this, in which "Festivals in Hessen" describe the significance of the events in the Hessian cultural landscape and formulate clear demands. "The main thing is that politicians take on the good ideas of the organizers in a timely manner in order to make many festivals this year still possible", explains Andreas Becker from "Live in Hessen" the demands of the initiative and refers to the creativity of the organizers as well as their willingness for solution-oriented discourse. What is needed above all is clear framework conditions, binding commitments and funding programs that are geared towards the needs of the festival organizers. At the same time, the paper is intended to set the course for the future in order to sustainably strengthen and support the festival scene even after the corona pandemic.
The position paper summarizes the requirements for maintaining and operating Hessian festivals. It has already been sent to many representatives of political groups in Hessian circles and the state parliament with a request for comments so that we can enter into dialogue with them shortly.
“We organizers are finally demanding the attention and prioritization that we deserve. As committed presenters of a multi-layered music and art scene, as hosts for many thousands of fans, as a potent client for the event industry, as a partner to countless service providers and as a trailblazer for social engagement in voluntary work, "is how Merlin Jost from Trebur Open Air sums up the demands the festival scene together. “It is this point that has been slowing down and paralyzing the Hessian and Germany-wide festival scene for years and forcing many organizers, collectives and associations to give up even before the Corona crisis. “There has been a deep lack of understanding and resentment about this for years - but now we are more concerned with the fundamental preservation of this lively and important branch of culture,” adds Merlin Jost.
Some festivals in the action alliance have already had to be canceled. They are now concentrating on supporting those who are in the second half of the year and have not yet given up hope of being able to present a multicolored cultural program on their stages for at least part of the normal guest capacity. The prerequisite, however, is quick, binding action on the part of political decision-makers. Only in this way can the necessary measures be implemented in good time by the organizers - who often work on a voluntary basis - with the respective municipal administrations.
Further information at: https://www.live-in-hessen.de/festivals-in-hessen/
Festivals of the action alliance "Festivals in Hessen":
AIRPLEY! OPEN AIR BETTER THAN NOTHING! FESTIVALBIRKENGARTEN FESTIVAL · MAIBERG OPEN AIR · MAIWAY PUB AND MUSIC FESTIVAL · MARBURG SUMMER NIGHTS · MUSIC FORGE FESTIVAL · NONSTOCK OPEN AIR · OPEN FLAIR FESTIVAL · PHUNGO FESTIVAL · OUT OF THE KELLER FESTIVAL ROCKFIELD OPEN AIR · RÖHN ROCK FESTIVAL · RUPAT FESTIVAL AND CONFERENCE · SEEBEBEN BEACH PARTY · SEEPOGO · SOUND OF THE FOREST FESTIVAL · CITY WITHOUT SEA · STARKENBURG FESTIVAL · QUARRY ROCKS! FESTIVAL · TELLS BELLS FESTIVAL · TROPICAL TANGO FESTIVAL · TRAFFIC JAM OPEN AIR · TREBUR OPEN AIR · BIRD IN THE NIGHT FESTIVAL · WUTZDOG FESTIVAL
INVESTMENT:
Position paper "Giving stages a stage"
Interview inquiries and queries to: m.jost@treburopenair.de
Spendenkonto:
Kloster 9 e.V.
Rheingauer Volksbank
IBAN: DE95 5109 1500 0000 1015 40
BIC: GENODE51RGG
