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Time to wind it up and give it a throw

| April 29, 2021

It’s time to toss the month of April to the ever-increasing pile of already completed months in the year 2021. We’re already one third of the way into the year as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. We are making progress as the economy rolls along and more people get vaccinated. Try buying a house lately? If you are fortunate enough to find one of your liking, jump quick. Where this will lead us going forward no one knows.

This year certainly looks a lot different than last year with schools open, proms and graduations rolling on and spring sports – totally cancelled last year in Ohio and most states – in full swing, so to speak. Precautions are still being urged as we go out and about in larger numbers.

But, before we become complacent and overconfident, we need to look at what is happening in India. According to several online news sources – cases are surging, and the health care system is close to overload and breaking. The Indian government is being blamed for a much too early relaxing of COVID-19 protocols, with one example being cinemas being opened at full capacity Feb. 1. There is also a new variant being found in the country of 1.3 billion people. And now, the Kumbh Mela, a Hindu pilgrimage festival that has millions in attendance, is happening on the banks of the Ganges. The aftermath of what could happen with this is just about too much to comprehend.

Regarding the Oscars, I would have preferred to see the late Chadwick Boseman win the Oscar over winner Anthony Hopkins. Nominated for his role in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” Boseman is probably more well known for his role as T’Challa, or the Black Panther in the Marvel movies. He died of colorectal cancer in 2020 after finishing the aforementioned movie.

As we all know, a lot can change in a week – and baseball is no exception to the rule. In one week, the Indians and the Reds both dropped in the standings – the Reds winning just two games in their past 10. The Tribe did not fare much better – winning only three of 10. The season is still very young with most teams having played 20 to 22 games as I write this on Monday.

Referencing pro baseball brings up another topic – should professional athletes keep their opinions to themselves or can they be a positive – or negative – influence on the world stage? Like everyone else, they are entitled to their opinion and should be able to voice that opinion. Perhaps it should be done with some thought as to the influence that they bring to the table and using their position for good.

More positive things are happening in Coshocton County with several ribbon cuttings being held in the past 30 days and more on the way. Fields will soon be planted, and the first cutting of hay is not that far into the future. Let’s enjoy the sunshine and the beauty of springtime in wonderful Coshocton County!

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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