Super-sized wins are all around
I’m sure you’ve heard the news by now. Intel is planning to build a semiconductor microchip manufacturing facility in Licking County that will bring 3,000 new jobs to the area. There is no doubt that the economic impact of this plant, the influx of jobs for construction and the jobs themselves will be a major boost for Licking County and the surrounding communities, to include Coshocton County. I don’t see how a project of this size and scope could not have an impact on our community, especially the western portion. The Dresden and Frazeysburg areas will also be impacted.
There will be a need for more housing, support jobs, road expansion and much more. Let’s return to the road expansion. If there was ever a time to expand the remaining miles of two-lane State Route 16 into a four-lane highway, this must be it.
The state of Ohio is providing over 2 billion in incentives – in reality, a small price to pay for an investment of this size and scope. With nearly 90% of semiconductor microchips being made offshore – this investment in the Midwest and Ohio specifically, is very good news for all Americans.
Local colleges, technical schools and universities will all benefit from a need for good paying jobs and the education that makes them possible. To say that this is a solid win for Ohio and our region is putting it mildly.
Another “super” win is of course, that the Cincinnati Bengals are headed to the Super Bowl to face the Los Angeles Rams – and for the second year in a row – one of the opponents will truly be the “home team.” Although if you watched the game, you would have thought there were as many San Francisco fans as Rams fans. And you may be right. Let’s hope that Bengals fans – who have not had a Super Bowl presence since 1988 – will travel well and root Ohio’s own Joe Burrow to victory. It was an improbable win – but if you have watched Burrow and the Bengals lately – not totally surprising.
For those that are counting, and who isn’t at this point – spring is only 46 days away. That’s right, a mere six and a half weeks from the date of this issue of “The Beacon.” We all know from living in east central Ohio that the weather is fickle most months of the year – and is especially so in the late winter and early spring. Sure, we’ll have more snow and cold but in just a few short weeks we’ll be flipping the calendar to March. That’s when you know you have “old man” winter beat. That’s probably not even an acceptable phrase anymore, is it?
Meanwhile, back in Coshocton County the positive news continues to roll along, as does “The Coshocton County Beacon.” Thanks goes to the thousands of readers and our advertisers who make this paper possible. Let’s continue supporting our local businesses and organizations who make our community a great place to live, work and play.
Category: Mark's Musings, Opinion
