A different kind of Fourth of July

Terry Dickow
Posted 7/4/20

This will certainly be a Fourth of July to remember.

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A different kind of Fourth of July

Posted

This will certainly be a Fourth of July to remember.

Most of us won’t see fireworks. Yes, some area cities are having them, but Rochelle is not. I think that is a wise choice. Social distancing and masks are two ways to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, and a fireworks display will not have any of that. People would be close together, and since it is so hot, masks would quickly come off faces that should be covered.

I know I harp on it, but this disease scares me. It seems to be easily spread, and can have deadly effects on people in my age group, those with illnesses such as asthma, multiple sclerosis, heart issues, and those coming off surgery or recovering from cancer treatment.  

If only 1 percent of the U.S. population died from this disease, that would be somewhere over 3 million people. That is a staggering number of deaths from a disease that can be contained by wearing a mask, keeping social distances and washing hands.  

As it turns out, it can be pretty easy to save lives.

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In case you missed the big news coming out of DeKalb, Facebook is building a data center there. Construction is estimated at $800 million and will create lots of jobs over the next couple of years.

Once the center is open, it will employ approximately 100 people, according to a report on a Chicago television station.

I understand there are also plans for a data center just west of Kishwaukee College. A Swiss agricultural company is building that center.  

Some of that bounty has to spill over to Rochelle. Certainly our housing is more affordable and property taxes lower than DeKalb, so that should be a plus.

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Enjoy your Fourth of July. Appreciate your freedoms, and please respect the freedoms of others.  

Despite our problems, the U.S.A. has been, and will always be, the greatest country in the world. That’s why people risk their lives to come here, legally or illegally.

But like any work in progress, we can’t stop and say we are good enough. We must always strive to be better, aiming for goals that may seem impossible to reach, especially this goal: One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Happy Fourth.

Terry Dickow can be contacted at terrydickow@gmail.com.