ZANESVILLE − Many of the stories we’ve shared through the Times Recorder last year had a impact on our community and our readers.

These stories were sometimes as simple as previewing an event and helping nonprofits sell their tickets. Such was the case with the downtown ghost tours, or the many community theater productions.

We’ve also highlighted stories of businesses opening in the area to let readers know about new services.

Some of these businesses have brick and mortar buildings, like The Downtown Exchange, 7 Brew and the Finish Line car wash. Others are mobile like Jamie’s Street Kitchen. Then there are the businesses that community members have relied upon for years. One example is the Lind Arena, which has provided family entertainment for 75 years.

We’ve also shared actions taken by our governing entities that can impact our community today or in the years to come. One example is the location of a new county jail, which is still undetermined. However, the county has filed an appeal after the zoning board rejected its proposed site. Another was the announcement of $5.46M in federal funding to repair and eventually reopen Muskingum Avenue. Residents and businesses welcomed the news, as landslips closed the road in February 2019. The city also initiated a new flexible program with Zanesville High School, which will allow up to 30 students to work for the city while still attending classes. Students will receive $15.85 per hour through the city and will also be participating in PERS, the public employee retirement system, giving them a year head start on earning credit towards a pension system.

Schools and education are vital pieces to any community, and we highlighted their achievements, as well. These include Mid-East Career and Technology Center expanding its CDL program, which will help train and employee more students, and the new playground at Larry Miller Intermediate School, which was built from community donations, primarily Renee and Brian Coll.

Many students had gone above and beyond in 2023. Like Maysville student Tillman Hawk, who built an outdoor gaga ball pit for the youth group at First Christian Church as part of his Eagle Scout project. We’ve also highlighted many student athletes whose achievements cannot be overlooked, such as Mia Hammond, who became the youngest player to take part in LPGA event; the Stinson sisters Faith and Jamisyn, who earned Division I college basketball scholarships but also excelled in volleyball at Sheridan High School; and John Glenn’s Colt Emerson, who was the first MVL player drafted in first round of MLB Draft.

We’ve shared heart-breaking stories that allow us to mourn together, such as the passing of Ty Dierkes, Natalie Martin and Rich Shriver, community members who touched so many lives.

But it may have been the heart-warming stories of determination and pure strength that allowed us to come together to cheer on our friends and neighbors that resonated most with readers last year. Thousands and thousands of people were in Cole Robert’s corner when he was diagnosed with polypoid melanoma, a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer, as a high school senior. The cancer was discovered when a mole on his upper arm changed, which promoted a visit to a dermatologist. Cole hopes his story urges those in similar situations to take notice. “Early detection is the best thing,” his mother Tomi said. “I can preach that. If we had found this out six months later, it could have been a much worse scenario.”

The community rallied again and continues to support Jesse Savage, whose leg was amputated following a motocross crash. Individuals and local businesses donated items to make the Savage home more accessible, held fundraisers and started a GoFundMe page to assist with medical bills. Today the West Muskingum student and veteran racer is active once again with the aid of prosthetics. And he’s back on two wheels.

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Stories that matter: TR had an impact on Muskingum County in 2023