Social media giant Facebook picked the City of DeKalb for its latest technology campus and City Manager Bill Nicklas talked about the transformational project at the August 19 Sycamore Rotary meeting. Work is already underway at the Facebook site which is south of Gurler Road between Route 23 and Peace Road south of Interstate 88. Nicklas praised the cooperation of multiple government entities in making the project a reality. He noted special help from State Representative and Sycamore Rotarian Jeff Keicher and State Representative Tom Demmer who committed road improvement funds to the project. He also noted the infrastructure advantages of abundant water resources, electrical power, and high-speed internet fiber that made the site viable when competing against 50 other locations. Other favorable factors in their site selection according to Nicklas were two nearby Tollway interchanges, a strong labor force, and a rural setting that was still close to a large metro area.
Total investment in the 505-acre technology campus by Facebook is around $800 million. Coupled with the nearby Ferrara Candy Company packaging and logistics center, local industrial tax valuation will get a boost from about four percent to about thirteen percent of total tax base. Assuming occupancy for site buildings in 2021, this should translate to tax relief in other categories beginning in 2022. The combined projects are expected to create a minimum of 500 new jobs. Facebook also intends to invest in community and non-profit activities through their charitable grants program. Nicklas said it was an honor and privilege to be the point person for the Facebook development.
Our speaker this week will be Jay Anderson, President of Kishwaukee & Valley West Hospitals, discussing Northwestern Medicine initiatives.
Following is our schedule of upcoming speakers/presentations:
Wednesday, February 17 (Hybrid meeting: In-person at Blumen Gardens, pending status of Covid mitigation efforts, and online via Zoom): Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital & Northwestern Medicine Valley West Hospital (Jay Anderson)
Wednesday, February 24 (Hybrid meeting: In-person at Blumen Gardens, pending status of Covid mitigation efforts, and online via Zoom): DeKalb Farm Bureau (Greg Millburg)
Wednesday, March 3 (Hybrid meeting: In-person at Blumen Gardens, pending status of Covid mitigation efforts, and online via Zoom): Elder Care
Wednesday, March 10 (Hybrid meeting: In-person at Blumen Gardens, pending status of Covid mitigation efforts, and online via Zoom): DeKalb Forest Preserve District
Wednesday, March 17 (Hybrid meeting: In-person at Blumen Gardens, pending status of Covid mitigation efforts, and online via Zoom): CASA DeKalb County (Jessica Sandlund)
Wednesday, March 24 (Hybrid meeting: In-person at Blumen Gardens, pending status of Covid mitigation efforts, and online via Zoom): Curt Lang
Wednesday, March 31 (Hybrid meeting: In-person at Blumen Gardens, pending status of Covid mitigation efforts, and online via Zoom): DeKalb County Community Gardens
Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
A Minnesota farmer named Sven had a car accident. He was hit by a truck owned by the Ajax Company.
In court, the Ajax Company's hot shot attorney questioned him thus "Didn't you say to the state trooper at the scene of the accident, I'm fine?"
Sven responded: "Vell, I'lla tell you vat happened dere. I'd yust loaded my fav'rit cow, Bessie, into da..."
"I didn't ask for any details," the lawyer interrupted. "Just answer the question. Did you not say, at the scene of the accident, I'm fine?"
Sven said, "Vell, I'd yust got Bessie into da trailer and I vas drivin' down da road..."
The lawyer interrupted again and said, "Your Honor, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the policeman on the scene that he was fine. Now several weeks after the accident, he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question."
By this time, the judge was fairly interested in Sven's answer and said to the attorney: "I'd like to hear what he has to say about his favorite cow, Bessie."
Sven said: "Tank you" and proceeded. "Vell as I vas saying, I had yust loaded Bessie, my fav'rit cow, into de trailer and was drivin' her down de road vin dis huge Ajax truck and trailer came tundering tru a stop sign and hit me trailer right in da side by golly. I was trown into one ditch and Bessie was trown into da udder ditch. By yimminy yahosaphat, I vas hurt purty durn bad, and didn't want to move. And even vurse dan dat, I could hear old Bessie a moanin' and a groanin'. I knew she vas in terrible pain yust by her groans. Shortly after da accident, a policeman on a motorcycle turned up. He could hear Bessie a moanin' and a groanin' too, so he vent over to her. After he looked at her, and saw her condition, he took out his gun and shot her right between the eyes. Den da policeman came across de road, gun still in hand, looked at me, and said, How are you feelin? Now wot vud you say?"
August 17, 1786 – Frontiersman and politician Davey Crockett is born in Hawkins County, Tennessee. He would die at age 49 during the defense of the Alamo in Texas.
August 18, 1774 – American explorer Meriwether Lewis is born near Charlottesville, Virginia. He would explore the American West as part of the famous expedition with William Clark that reached the Pacific Ocean in 1805.
August 19, 1871 – Aviation pioneer Orville Wright is born in Dayton, Ohio.
August 19, 1946 – 42nd U. S. President Bill Clinton is born in Hope, Arkansas.
August 20, 1833 – 23rd U. S. President Benjamin Harrison is born in North Bend, Ohio (he is the grandson of the 9th President, William Henry Harrison).
August 17, 1978 – The first transatlantic balloon trip was completed. Americans Max Anderson, Ben Abruzzo, and Larry Newman had departed from Maine 137 hours earlier in “Double Eagle II” and landed about 60 miles west of Paris.
August 19, 1920 – The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified giving women the right to vote.
August 21, 1959 – President Dwight Eisenhower signs a proclamation admitting Hawaii as the 50th State of the Union.
I attended last night's $2,076 check presentation to the Safe Passage Executive Director Mary Ellen Schaid by Madeline DeVito, President of both the Turning Back Time Car Club and our Sycamore Rotaract Clubs. This Facebook Event was Sycamore's first virtual fundraising event following the State of Illinois' Corona Virus Guidelines and was also supported by volunteers and participants from our Sycamore Rotary Club! In spite of the limits of the Guidelines and because of the generosity of many, a financial success and good time was had by all...on this very hot day in downtown Sycamore!
