Fairdale marks progress amid tornado anniversary

FAIRDALE, Ill. (AP) - A rural DeKalb County town is celebrating the strides it has made on its own since a tornado devastated the community last April.

The (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald (http://bit.ly/1Swx0YS ) reports that a memorial event, a private breakfast for residents and first responders, and a house's groundbreaking ceremony will be held Saturday in Fairdale to mark the one-year anniversary of the tornado.

On April 9, 2015, a tornado struck the community, killing two people, destroying nearly 70 buildings and causing about $11 million in damage. The six-block town was too small to meet the minimum threshold of $18 million to receive federal disaster aid.

In the past year, Fairdale has made improvements to its public infrastructure, including a new septic system, expanded natural gas service and better Internet access.

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Information from: Daily Herald, http://www.dailyherald.com