De Week van Drenthe: WZA employee suspected of involvement in patient deaths and number of road deaths increased

The door is ajar for the printing museum in Meppel, the number of road deaths in Drenthe has risen and Theodoor V. from Veenhuizen is suspected of involvement in the death of several patients in the Wilhelmina Hospital in Assen. An overview of last week’s news in the province.

There is a glimmer of hope on the horizon for the Drukkerijmuseum in Meppel. Last week it was announced that the museum would close from June because the costs became too high. But residents of Meppel have started actions to keep the museum open.

Jan Schilperoord of the Drukkerijmuseum does this well. “It warms my heart that we get so many positive reactions.” Schilperoord hopes that the actions will convince the municipality to increase the annual contribution after all.

The number of road deaths in 2022 was almost twice as high as a year earlier, according to figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics. In the province of Drenthe, 38 people died in traffic, the highest number in almost fifteen years. A large part of the number of victims is older than 75 years. The Fietsersbond advocates preventive measures.

“As soon as they purchase an electric bicycle, they must be offered a course or training to become familiar with the specific behavior of an electric bicycle,” says Gert Oostergetel of the Cyclists’ Union Drenthe. “There are all extra risks. The speed is higher, getting on and off is different and the bike is heavier.”

On Wednesday it turned out that the air watchtower at Schoonebeek was partly demolished by vandals. For example, the door was sawn out and various items were taken. The tower dates from the 1950s and was used to observe aircraft flying under the radar.

In recent weeks, there have been more reports of vandalism at watchtowers and birdwatching huts in the Northern Netherlands. It is not clear whether these matters are related, but the owner of the tower in Schoonebeek has filed a report.

On Thursday it came out that Theodoor V. from Veenhuizen has been arrested. The former employee of the Wilhelmina Hospital in Assen (WZA) is suspected of involvement in the death of 24 patients during the corona pandemic. V. worked in the lung department, where corona patients were nursed at the time.

The case came to light after a report to the Board of Directors of the WZA. An investigation followed and the employee was suspended. The hospital subsequently filed a report and the police launched a criminal investigation.

View the Week of Drenthe in pictures here:

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