6 • The Beacon June 3, 2020
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times
While certainly a cliché
headline, for some reason
the famous line from
“A Tale of Two Cities” by
Charles Dickens popped
into my head this week
and just would not leave.
I think it was telling me to
write about it. So let’s at
least start with that and see
where it leads. The book
was required junior high
reading if I recall correctly.
We all know there is a
bad side to people being
quarantined for weeks.
Regardless of how much
you love your significant
other or family members,
Mark
Fortune
Mark’s Musings
some people just need some
alone or quiet time. Others
are quite content to be
“boxed in” so to speak.
This brings out both the
best and the worst and all
points in between. The global
pandemic that is COVID-
19 has certainly changed
our dynamic and the landscape
of our nation. As
things begin to reopen, there
are still many unanswered
questions. “If they develop
a vaccine, will everyone be
required to get it?” That is
just one example.
There are many positive
stories and examples right
here in Coshocton County. I
think what our teachers and
administrators have accomplished
during this time is
nothing short of a miracle.
Adapting to a totally new
way of teaching and helping
kids is indeed a terrific
example of the effort teachers
put forth for our kids.
Next on that list would
Rotary clubs help donate
$100,000 to food banks
In response to the
coronavirus pandemic
in Ohio and across the
world, District 6690
Rotary Clubs, which
includes Coshocton’s
group, recently answered
the emergency plea for
assistance by donating
$100,000 to the Mid-
Ohio Food Collective,
formerly Mid-Ohio Food
Bank, and Southeast
Ohio Food Bank. The
Coshocton Rotary Club
donated $1,000.
District Gov. Gary
Vaughan challenged the
clubs to donate $50,000
in just four weeks to
support the food banks.
To encourage club and
individual participation,
Rotary District
6690 offered to match
the donations to provide
even more help for
the thousands of workers
who were suddenly
unemployed as businesses
closed to prevent the
spread of COVID-19.
According to Matt
Habash, president and
CEO of the Mid-Ohio
Food Collective, Rotary’s
donation of $100,000 will
provide up to $900,000
in groceries or 320,000
meals because of the food
bank’s ability to leverage
its food sourcing purchases.
Rotary District 6690
consists of 59 clubs and
more than 3,400 members
in Central and Southeastern
Ohio.
be the parents and how they
adapted to helping teach
their kids from home. Let’s
face the reality here: Learning
to teach kids typically
takes a four-year education
and often more. There is
probably no industry existing
where the percentage of
employees have a higherlevel
education than in our
school system. So I think
hats off to the parents for
stepping into a role that, at
times, was no doubt uncomfortable.
I barely passed
algebra — actually, I am not
sure that I did — so I would
be no help to a youngster
struggling with x-y equals
whatever. See, I told you.
Ask me about history,
and that is another subject
entirely. Which it is.
Humor aside for a
moment, we are most assuredly
in a different place in
our community, state, nation
and world. With events being
canceled left and right, one
wonders when things will
return to some sense of normalcy.
Now I am hearing
Ohio State football games
will feature social distancing
seating. That will be different.
What will we do about
the band? Every other trumpeter
is just gone? Drummers?
The list goes on and
on and makes the brain tired.
At least it does mine.
If you are wondering
about the Major League
Baseball season, the discussions
between the players
association and Major
League Baseball have a
shortened season starting
in July — with the sticking
point right now being the
number of games played and
the reduction in players’ salaries.
Rest assured baseball
will happen this summer.
Maybe the Indians will have
a shot in a crazy season.
Mayor requesting feedback
By Tara Gracyk
At the May 26 Coshocton
City Council meeting,
Mayor Mark Mills said
he wants to hear from the
residents of Coshocton
regarding the legislation
he has been working on
that would allow the use
of Utility Task Vehicles on
city streets.
A UTV is a four- to
six-wheel off-road vehicle
furnished with a steering
wheel, bucket or bench seating
with seat belts, foot pedals,
and a roll bar or cage. A
person must have an Ohio
driver’s license to operate
a UTV, as well as have
the vehicle insured with a
license plate on the vehicle.
According to Ordinance
24-30, it would be
permitted to drive on any
Coshocton City street with
a posted speed limit of 35
mph or less. At the meeting
Mills said UTVs are
not 4-wheelers nor golf
carts but are more like a
rail buggy.
Mills also said he
believes adding this legislation
and allowing UTVs
on the streets of Coshocton
will result in more tourism
and outdoor activities.
Presently UTVs have to be
trailered to their destination,
but this ordinance
would allow them to be
driven on city streets,
which would be convenient
for Coshocton City residents
that own and operate
UTVs in Coshocton.
Mills said he would like
to hear feedback from residents
in Coshocton, whether
good, bad or indifferent.
Comments, questions and
opinions can be sent to
Mills by visiting www.
cityofcoshocton.com or
calling Mills at City Hall
at 740-622-1465.