Oberhavel under tension: fitness hype, sick mayor and more!

Oberhavel under tension: fitness hype, sick mayor and more!

A lot has happened in Oberhavel recently that affects both young people and local politics. The increasing interest in fitness among teens cannot be overlooked. As the maz-online.de reports, more and more young people between the ages of 13 and 17 are showing a preference for strength training. This correlates strongly with trends reinforced by social media. Current figures from the German Sports Youth show that 30% of boys and 26% of girls in this age group are regularly found in the gym. The fitness studios in Oberhavel offer access to those aged 15 and over and trainers recommend opting for lower weights and a healthy diet in order not to overload growing bodies.

But it's not just the fitness wave that's causing a stir in the region, political news is also current. The mayor of Zehdenick, Alexander Kretzschmar, is currently on sick leave until mid-August because he is suffering from Long Covid. Kretzschmar, who took office on March 24, has only been on duty for a week since then. The city council is currently waiting for an official medical examination to clarify his fitness for duty and is even discussing a possible deselection process.

The dark sides of Long Covid

Mayor Kretzschmar's case is symptomatic of the serious consequences of Long Covid, which can also have a severe impact on other affected people. An example from the UK shows the frightening impact of this disease: an eleven-year-old boy named Jay was healthy and active before his COVID infection. After many health setbacks and a final diagnosis of Long Covid, he now relies on help to cope with everyday tasks and moves around with an assistant and an electric vehicle. According to the World Health Organization About 1 in 10 infected people show symptoms that last at least two months. As of March 2023, around 1.9 million people in the UK reported Long Covid symptoms, highlighting the urgency for better research and rehabilitation.

Animal husbandry and scholarships

Aside from the fitness and health issues, there is also less good news: illegal animal husbandry was discovered in Oranienburg. The Tornow animal shelter is currently rehoming animals from a fire-damaged house in which around 100 animals were confiscated. This includes 44 dogs, only 6 of which are still in the animal shelter, as well as 12 Bengal cats that are difficult to adopt. Investigations against the owner on suspicion of illegal animal husbandry are still ongoing.

On the positive side, there is reason to be happy: Andrea Vaso, a graduate of the Marie Curie High School in Hohen Neuendorf, passed her Abitur with a grade of 1.0. Two years ago he came to Germany from Albania with his family and was awarded a scholarship from Brown University that provides him with $100,000 per year for four years, which amounts to a total of 400,000 euros.

Overall, it turns out that Oberhavel offers a colorful potpourri of news - from sporting trends to political challenges to touching successes of young people and unfortunate animal welfare cases.