Editor's Note: These are courtesy translations of local news provided by the U.S. Army Garrison Poland Public Affairs team for the benefit the military community stationed here. Views or opinions are not endorsed by USAG Poland or the U.S. Army.
A new forensic laboratory has been established in Poznań
The most modern forensic laboratory in Poland has been established in the capital of Wielkopolska. You may find their devices of which there are only seven in the world.
“I am glad that police experts will finally have good working conditions. The construction of this most modern laboratory in Poland in Poznań is a key investment that will increase the detection of criminal offences, which in turn will translate into improved safety of the residents of the capital of Wielkopolska,” says Jacek Jaśkowiak, the mayor of the city.
The Forensic Laboratory of the Provincial Police Headquarters in Poznań is located in Jeżyce, between Mansfelda and Kochanowskiego streets. Its construction took less than two years, and on April 19, 2023, the cornerstone was laid. It is a 6-storey building with a usable area of almost 7,000 m2, along with an underground car park, accompanying infrastructure and specialist equipment. Experts who are currently located in various office rooms will move there.
Inside the new building, specialist laboratories have been arranged using functional research lines. These rooms are equipped with highly specialized equipment, intended for genetic testing, analysis of psychoactive substances, psychotropic substances and precursors, and collection of ballistic comparative material. This allows police officers and laboratory employees to increase research capabilities and repeatability of results, ensuring time savings thanks to gradual automation of processes.
The construction of a new laboratory headquarters will enable increased research efficiency and shorter research time. The investment will also include the creation of a road accident reconstruction lab.
In 2023, the Poznań Forensic Laboratory performed almost 1,800 expert opinions, in which approximately 7,000 drug samples were examined, 1,000 reports (1,500 samples) of blood for alcohol content, 1,400 opinions (11,000 samples) of DNA, and 600 mechanoscopic opinions, in which 4,500 vehicles and their components were examined. In the first half of 2024, 720 expert opinions were performed, in which 3,700 drug samples were examined, 500 reports (800 samples) of blood for alcohol content, 700 opinions (3,600 samples) of DNA, and 260 mechanoscopic opinions, in which 1,500 vehicles and vehicle components were examined.
It is one of the largest police laboratories in the country. It employs 73 people (including 58 police officers and 15 civilian employees. 37 people serve as court experts.
On a daily basis, experts conduct research and issue opinions for the needs of various state services and institutions that participate in the inspection of murder, rape, robbery scenes committed in Poznań and the Wielkopolska province. Specialists handle collections that enable the identification of people and things, including the computerized Automatic Fingerprint Identification System "AFIS", conduct training for forensic technicians and police officers from other departments, cooperate with institutions in the field of crime prevention, conduct educational activities for primary schools, secondary schools and universities in Poznań and the Wielkopolska province. One of the elements is also cooperation with the Poznań City Office in the field of training on the authenticity control of public documents.
The police officers from the laboratory have many successes to their credit, including in media cases. The research they have conducted has led to numerous arrests of perpetrators of serious crimes.
The laboratory meets the requirements of the standard in the area of genetic and fingerprint tests: it has a certificate from the Polish Accreditation Centre; it meets the requirements of European forensic laboratories.
The investment value is less than PLN 114 million. The money comes from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration and local government authorities.
The Borsig Bn2t steam locomotive will be as good as new – present for 100 birthday
On the occasion of its hundredth "birthday", the Borsig Bn2t steam locomotive will undergo a comprehensive renovation. A contract has been signed for a major repair of this oldest operational steam locomotive in Poland, which is also the pride of the Maltanka Park Railway rolling stock.
Borsig Bn2t with the number 11458 has been Maltanka's showpiece for years. So far, each of its trips has aroused great interest. No wonder: it is the oldest operational steam locomotive in Poland.
It was manufactured in the August Borsig Works in Berlin in 1925. Initially, it served in the Obrzycko estate. After the war, it was transferred to the Azotowe Works in Chorzów, where it was used on the company railway. It was withdrawn from service around 1977. Two years later, as a monument to technology, it became an attraction in the company park. In the early 1990s, thanks to the efforts of the Poznań Railway Modellers Club, it was brought to Poznań. It was renovated and - in 1999 - directed to the Maltanka tracks. It is currently owned by MPK Poznań.
In the 2024 season, Borsig did not appear on Maltanka: it was being prepared for a major overhaul, including an internal inspection of the boiler. Such a "procedure" should be performed every 6 years. A major overhaul involves inspecting all the elements of the locomotive, and if necessary, repairing or replacing them. It should be remembered that Borsig with the number 11458 is a unique piece, so if necessary, some of the necessary parts will have to be made to order.
The main repair of the steam engine was undertaken by the Society of Friends of the Środa Railway "Bana". The agreement in this matter has already been signed. The works will last about a year, but thanks to them our centenarian will be able to serve on the Maltanka Park Railway for many years to come.
3 million passengers on Poznan Ławica Airport
Last year's record at Poznań Airport has been broken. In just nine and a half months of 2024, Ławica managed to exceed the magic threshold of 3 million passengers. Especially since Ryanair has got connections to Copenhagen, Malaga, Palermo and Thessaloniki for the winter season.
The whole of 2023 ended with 2,789,962 passengers passing through Ławica. Even then it seemed that the magic barrier of 3 million people would fall in 2024. The three millionth passenger flew from Malaga on October 17 with Ryanair.
Due to the increasing number of passengers, the reconstruction of the main hall will begin in November of this year. A new shop and catering points are to be added. The installation of machines for scanning hand luggage is also planned. This will eliminate the need to take electronics or liquids out onto trays.
As announced by the airport authorities, the reconstruction will be a challenge because it will take place "under passenger traffic". It will not affect the normal functioning of the airport. The works are to be completed before the high season, i.e. by spring 2025.
Grzegorz Bykowski, president of Ławica Airport, also announced that the terminal expansion concept should be known by the end of the year, which will enable better service for a larger number of passengers and thus the development of the airport. Work is to begin in 2026 or 2027.
Where in winter and where in summer?
During the winter, low-cost airlines traditionally reduce their flight network. Usually, there are no flights to typical summer destinations in southern Europe at this time. From November to March, flights to Dubrovnik, Pula, Zadar, Prague, Billund, Palma, Barcelona-Girona, Leeds/Bradford, Cagliari, Venice-Treviso and Corfu and Crete will be suspended. However, all of these connections are expected to return at the end of March or beginning of April.
Compared to the previous winter season, the destinations introduced this year will be maintained: Copenhagen, Malaga, Palermo and Thessaloniki.
Throughout the winter and until autumn 2025, you will also be able to fly to: Paphos, Paris-Beauvais, Thessaloniki, Alicante, Cork, Dublin, Oslo, Lisbon, Stockholm, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Bari, Milan-Bergamo, Rome and Malta.
After a longer break, it will also be possible to fly to Burgas in the spring. For now, flights to Tel Aviv are planned to return from March, but everything depends on the situation in the region. It may be similar with flights to Amman in Jordan.
If these connections do not return, then perhaps from spring the Irish carrier will decide to announce some new destination in connection with the "use" of aircraft based in Poznań. An alternative is more frequent connections to some places, such as Alicante or Lisbon in winter.
In the case of Wizzair, in the winter you will be able to fly to Kutaisi, London and Rome. Only in June will flights to Tirana return for the summer period.
The network of regular connections from Poznań is complemented by flights to Dubai (flydubai), Munich, Frankfurt (both Lufthansa), Copenhagen (SAS), Warsaw (LOT) and Antalya (Corendon Airlines). From Poznań Airport you can also fly on charter flights.
Off Cinema Documentary Film Festival
On October 24-27, the Zamek Culture Center will once again host the Off Cinema Documentary Film Festival. The event will feature screenings of dozens of feature-length films, divided into 9 thematic sections.
“This is the 28th edition of the International Documentary Film Festival. 4 days, 40 films, several thematic sections, a lot of moving documentaries, a lot of emotions and impressions. The program was prepared as usual by Piotr Szczyszyk and Adrianna Skórnicka,” says Zofia Starikiewicz, deputy director of CK Zamek, about the upcoming edition of the event.
In this year's edition, participants will be able to watch films on a wide range of topics, from music, through environmental protection, to cinema about cinema. The event will be opened by a new documentary by Eliza Kubarska - "Wanda Rutkiewicz. The Last Expedition", which tells the story of the famous Polish mountaineer. After the screening, there will be a meeting with the director of the film and the president of the Wandalistki Foundation - Daria Sieracka. Among the films on mountain topics, viewers will also be able to watch two French gems - "The White Mountain" and "Sophie Lavaud. The Last Summit".
The "Very Middle East" section will focus on military conflicts in this region and in Eastern Europe, presenting, among others, "Ambulance" and "We Don't Want Another Land", as well as stories about the difficult fates of people from Palestine and Kurdistan. The "Special Screenings" section will feature the Polish premiere of the film "Queen Leokadia" directed by Aga Błaszczak, which will tell the audience about the life and work of the outstanding Polish puppet theatre artist - Leokadia Serafinowicz.
One of the most interesting thematic sections of the festival will be "Borders of Documentary", which will prove that documentaries are not just reportages. The flagship screenings here will be "Pelican Blue", showing the incredible story of Hungarian train ticket forgers in the 1990s, and "Unfinished Film", the recording of which was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, presenting the creation of documentaries "from the inside". CK Zamek will also take care of the youngest. The "Mornings for Children" section will feature special festival screenings aimed at toddlers, including "Dirty Work" and "Kina i Yuk".
The program will include thematic discussions, this year they will concern women's sports and the problems of the Białowieża Forest. The first meeting will feature writers Karolina Wasilewska, author of the book "Polka gola! O kobiet w futbolu" and Anna Sulińska, creator of "Olimpijki", as well as Alicja Zając - coach of Lech Poznań footballers. The second meeting will feature Patryk Sielecki, producer of the film "Las" directed by Lidia Duda, and Dorota Borodaj, author of the book "Pests. O ludziach, drzewach i maszynach w Puszczy Białowieskiej".
Some of the screenings will also be part of the "Cinema without barriers" project, which means they will be fully accessible: with audio description, Polish subtitles for the deaf and interpretation into Polish sign language. Tickets for the event are still available. Their prices start at PLN 7. More information, including a detailed schedule of the event, can be found on the website of the Zamek Culture Center.
Malta Ice Rink is starting
From Friday, October 18, Poznań Sports and Recreation Centers are opening the Malta Ice Rink. As every year, you can ice skate under a tent that has been erected at the start of the Malta Regatta Course near the intersection of Jana Pawła II and Baraniaka streets.
Ice skating fans will be able to use the rink every day from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. On Fridays and Saturdays, the Malta Ice Rink will be open an hour longer - until 11:00 p.m. It is worth remembering about breaks for cleaning the ice, which take place at 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. and last 30 minutes.
Tickets and discounts
60 minutes of skating on the Malta Ice Rink on weekdays until 3:30 p.m. costs PLN 14 for a standard ticket and PLN 10 for a concessionary ticket. After 3:30 p.m., prices increase (PLN 20 for a standard ticket and PLN 14 concessionary). On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, the cost of a 60-minute ticket will be PLN 22 (standard) and PLN 17 (concessionary).
Families can count on additional discounts as part of a ticket specially designated for them, as well as season ticket holders. The Malta ice rink also participates in the OK Poznań program. Residents of the capital of Wielkopolska who pay taxes in their city and have an OK Poznań card will be able to use the facility for one złoty as part of the pool of entries to POSiR facilities, which each program participant received in 2024. The full price list is available on the ice rink's website.
Additional services and attractions
At the ice rink, you can rent skates, a helmet, and a walking frame in the shape of a seal, bear, or penguin. The facility offers the possibility of using the services of a skating instructor, and there will also be a skate sharpening point on site.
News and information about events will appear on the ice rink fanpage.
The biggest gaming event in Poland returns to Poznań
Poznań Game Arena will start at Convention Center on Friday, October 25 and will last 3 days.
For years, PGA has been the largest event in Poland and this part of Europe, presenting computer games and multimedia entertainment. Every year, the event is visited by thousands of fans, and this year will certainly be no different. A lot of attractions have been taken care of.
The most important creators of good entertainment will present their stands. LEGO, among others, will be there. There will be something for themselves there, both lovers of classic blocks, and video games with LEGO in the main role. Ubisoft is to present such games as Star Wars Outlaws, Just Dance 2025 and Rainbow Six Siege.
The premiere at the fair will be the opportunity to test the game Kingdom Come: Deliverance II from PLAION. The Nintendo stand will feature new products, as well as classics such as Luigi's Mansion 2 HD and Mario vs. Donkey Kong. In the huge Retro Zone at PGA, we will be transported to the world of 16-bit consoles and devices from the 70s.
"For fans of classic tournaments, the PGA Championship in the Deluxe Ski Jump 2.1 game has also been prepared, where participants will be able to compete in a cult game. The tournament final will be broadcast on the Retro Geek Stage, which will guarantee unforgettable emotions for all fans of classic computer games," explain the organizers.
PGA also has many other attractions - Indie Zone, esports tournaments, Cosplay competition, conferences and much more. Ticket prices are currently around PLN 50 for one day. A three-day pass costs PLN 140. During the event, it will be slightly more expensive.
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