Those who looked up this week did not see a UFO, but a helicopter with a striking hexagonal framework. This is because research is being done into deep clay layers and the groundwater in the region. The special measuring instrument hangs under the helicopter and must help with better water and soil management. That and more in this overview of the news from the past week.
The blue tongue virus, which was still in Drenthe last year, seems to have disappeared. Where sheep and other cattle die en masse last summer because of a blue -tongue infection, the number of reported animals reported is zero this summer. This is according to figures from the NVWA. In fact, no blue -tongue infection has been reported all year round. Sheep holders and veterinarians see the high vaccination rate, antibodies that are present in animals and favorable summer weather as a reason.
In Emmen, 17-year-old Dylan is seriously abused by a group of young men after the cycling round. Dylan was kicked off his bike and heavily mistreated on the floor. He was attacked, beaten and kicked by three to four men while he lay on the floor. One or more of his attackers hit him with a chain and rods. All he could do was protect his head.
Dylan’s friends had to flee for their own safety. Some hid in one of the surrounding gardens, others drove away in a panic. Dylan was left alone, defenseless on the floor. The images, shared by his brother on social media, have since been shared more than a thousand times.
The police are investigating the case.
Just over the provincial border at the Frisian De Hoeve it goes wrong during a balloon flight. One person is killed, five others are injured. In total there were 34 people in the balloon.
According to the spokesperson for the Security Region, the hot air balloon made a hard landing in a meadow. “That happened bouncing. The balloon hit the ground in a number of places and then came up again. A very heavy landing.”
It is one of the largest balloons in the Netherlands. The moment the emergency services arrived after the accident, the chaos was enormous, he describes. “A huge panic situation. Many people in turmoil, there were injured people spread over different places.” The cause of the accident is being investigated.
Hotels, holiday homes, bed and breakfasts, hostels and mobile homes: spending the night in these accommodations will be heavier taxed next year. A financial damper for holidaymakers. The VAT rate will increase from 9 to 21 percent as of 2026. Drenthe recreation entrepreneurs are concerned about a relapse in bookings.
Maikel Siemerink also does not understand anything: “These accommodations are extremely suitable for people who have less to spend. That will be a big blow to them next year.”