Are we back on track yet?

| June 24, 2020

As more and more venues open their doors to the public, are we increasing the risk of a spike in the COVID-19 virus? We are already seeing this happening around the world and in some cases, around the nation. As I bounce around on the internet looking at the number of cases, one thing strikes me that would be nice to know – in the state of Ohio we have a confirmed number of 43,122 cases with 2,633 deaths – but there is NO information on the number of recoveries. Holmes County – who initially had very few cases, is now sitting at 92 with Coshocton County at 53. No surprise, the largest cities of Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati are leading the state.

And, perhaps even more alarming, because it may be based on increased testing, the number of new cases worldwide surged by 60,000 cases from June 17 to June 18. I think taking a “wait and see” approach right now while still maintaining a sense of caution and prudence is best.

Some of the precautions that I expect right now are; if you work at a restaurant – even the drive through – wear a mask. Yeh I know, many people have just stopped taking the precautions that were pretty much mandatory – as much as that can be – during the stay at home order. The important thing to note is that the virus has not went away. In many areas, new cases are surging. If we all do our part, then we can still kick this thing to the curb – at least until we get a vaccine.

It is positive to see more and more people out and about, doing their thing, shopping, dining out and spending money. We need to support businesses in our area with as many opportunities as we can. Need some tools, we have those. Auto repair and maintenance, we have that. Gardening tools, supplies, mulch (you gotta have the mulch!!) we have that here too. Plenty of pizza places, sandwiches, steaks, wineries, bed and breakfasts and much more. A morning or afternoon coffee and a biscuit or freshly baked roll to accompany that for your sweet tooth – you got it! The point is that you can find the vast majority of your needs right here in Coshocton County. Jewelry, clothing, yep. Specialty shops, footwear, garage door repair, garage doors, doors and windows and vinyl siding for your home – we have all that too!

On the outdoor side of things, we are blessed here in Coshocton County with ample opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors! Lake Park is such a wonderful asset for our community with camping, hiking trails, a walking, running and/or biking path for all ages. You are surrounded with the sounds of nature while you participate in your favorite pursuit if you stop and listen. And there are not many places where a hayfield is right next to a trail. But we have that here!

So, the 2020 major league baseball season – where is it? If you are following this mess you know that a 70-game season with a lot of accompanying details was proposed by the players union and then subsequently turned down by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. We could be looking at no season in 2020. What a huge mistake by baseball.

Category: Mark's Musings, Opinion

About the Author ()

Mark Fortune, along with his wife Nancy, is the former owner and founder of The Coshocton County Beacon, the highest circulated newspaper in Coshocton County. He has over 40 years in the publishing business with sales, marketing, and journalism experience. After selling The Beacon to the AloNovus Corp., in January 2020, Mark has been a Business Development Strategist with the company. They publish a network of weekly news publications with almost a half million distribution weekly, a quarterly tourism magazine and a digital division. Mark enjoys history, and has a passion for genealogy, currently researching and discovering his Fortune ancestry. He and his wife Nancy live on a small farm outside of Coshocton.

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