By DAVID STONE, Our Town Temple

Meta, formerly known as Facebook, announced today that it will invest $800  million to build a data center in Temple.

Meta’s new 900,000-square-foot facility will be located on 393 acres off NW H K Dodgen Loop and Industrial Boulevard, and will employ about 100 full-time workers as well as about 1,250 construction workers during peak construction.

The  project is expected to begin this spring.

“We are thrilled to announce Meta’s decision to open a facility in Temple,” said Adrian Cannady,  president and CEO of Temple Economic Development Corporation.

“Texas was recently named the top state in the nation for tech worker migration,” he said. “When you combine that with Temple’s low cost of doing  business and central location between major markets, it creates an incredible competitive advantage for  our region.”

“The Hyperscale Data Center will have a positive impact on our community not only by creating jobs, but because of Meta’s commitment to invest in local schools, nonprofits and community  projects.” 

Darcy Nothnagle, director of Meta’s community and economic development, said Meta is excited to joint the Temple community.

"We've been welcomed by a strong set of local partners who are committed to the long-term success of the region,” Nothnagle said. “This is just the beginning of a strong partnership, and we look forward to working with you to invest in this great community." 

In Temple, businesses have access to a prime location between Dallas and Austin and 28 million people within two-and-a-half hours. 

"Meta's continued expansion in Texas is a testament to the exceptional business climate and skilled, diverse workforce we have here in the Lone Star State," said Gov. Greg Abbott in a news statement. "It is because of  hardworking Texans and our commitment to helping businesses grow that companies continue to move and  expand all across Texas.”

“We are excited to welcome Meta to Temple and look forward to the new job opportunities they will bring to the local community, as well as the advancements in technology we will see in the future,” Abbott said.

Temple Mayor Tim Davis said Temple is known in the region for its “business-friendly environment.”

“Meta’s decision to establish a presence here is a significant win for our community and proof that our process works,” Davis said. “We are excited for the opportunities this project will create for our residents and look forward to being part of Meta’s continued growth.”

INHERIT THE WIND OPENS THIS WEEKEND

Tracilynn Jones Poss and Betsy Howell take a quick break from working on wardrobes for Inherit the Wind, a Temple Civic Theatre production that opens Friday night. The show runs April 1-3 and 7-10. Tickets are $20 for adults or $12 for students at the door or online at templecivictheatre.com. David Stone photo

The orginal Mr. Mark’s Trio, shown on stage at Killer Tacos in Denton, will be performing at Corky’s during First Friday. While Mark Scott, the guitarist is still in the ensemble, the other two members are now Jacob Silvia on drums and Chirag Gokani on upright bass. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. Courtesy photo

Jazz trio coming to First Friday

By DAVID STONE, Our Town Temple

When the staff at Corky’s decided to recognize National Jazz Appreciation Month with some swingin’ sounds on stage, Samantha Shepherd knew just who to call: Her ol’ college buddy Mark.

“I attended the University of North Texas beginning in 2015, and one of my classmates was Mark Scott,” said Samantha, event and social media marketing coordinator for Corky’s and Tour Temple. “Mark was in the Jazz Studies program, and he was focusing on jazz guitar. He created some amazing music over the years that I got to witness at concerts, festivals and intimate house shows.”

“Mark and I are friends, and we’ve kept in touch in our post-grad life,” she said. “I noticed he was doing some awesome things in the jazz community both in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and in Austin.”

Mark, along with drummer Jacob Silvia and upright bassist Chirag Gokani, will be on that Corky’s stage for First Friday. The Mr. Mark Trio begins at 8:30 p.m.

Mark is currently working as a teaching assistant at the University of Texas where he helps grow the minds of the next generation of jazz musicians.

“He has a real passion for music and you can see that passion when he plays,” Samantha said. “This is going to be an awesome performance jazz fans won’t want to miss.”

Chirag is a Physics Masters student at UT and he studies music acoustics. Like Mark, he is from the Dallas area and recently moved to Austin.

Jacob is a Jazz Studies major at UT, who also plays drums in the groups "Dewey Ivy" and "Public Age.” He is a studio musician for Matchbox Studios and has played with many recording artists.

THURSDAY | MARCH 31, 2022

12 food trucks lined up for Lil’ Bit o’ Bloomin’

By DAVID STONE, Our Town Temple

A Lil’ Bit o’ Bloomin’ may be an abbreviated version of the Bloomin’ Temple Festival, the city’s traditional spring event, but one thing’s for sure: There will be no skimping on food options.

This year’s event will be held April 29 and 30 at Santa Fe Plaza, Market Trail and The Yard food truck court. There will be live music, arts and crafts, family and children’s activities and festive foods — lots of festive foods.

As of this week, there will be five food trucks across from the plaza and seven at The Yard. Here’s a look at the food trucks, and each name is a link. That way, you can look at their menus and plan ahead!

Across from Plaza: High 5 Hotdogs, JBW Vending, Kona Ice, Lowes Legs and Hill Country Kettle Korn.

The Yard Food Truck Plaza: Lulamae’s Cajun Cuisine, 808 Island Grindz, Taqueria mi Linda Nayarit, G’s 183 Pitstop, Papi Taco and Chock Full of Cheese.

The band lineup and other activities for Lil’ Bit o’ Bloomin’ have not been announced.

TODAY’S BEST BETS :

• The 2022 Temple College Jazz Festival kicks off today with student performances from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Mary Alice Marshall Performing Arts Center. Thursday’s performances will include Temple and Belton middle schools and the Temple Wildcat Combo.

THURSDAY'S JAZZ FEST SCHEDULE

• Red’s Taproom Trivia at Fire Base Brewing. 7 p.m.

• Happy Hour at Corkys. 4-6 p.m.

• Deadline for entering Temple Community Treasures Photo and Painting Contest. This contest highlights the importance of historic building preservation. Our sponsor, Extreme Clean Temple, will be awarding cash prizes for both contests. Visitdowntowntemple.com for contest guidelines.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

To include your events in What’s Happening and Today’s Best Bets, email information to OurTownTemple@gmail.com. Photos are welcome to for use in the publication as space permits!

Without a doubt the most popular urban myth in Temple focuses on a place of undeniable evil. At least that’s what local residents — mostly teens — thought back in the 1970s and 80s. According to lore, what horrors lurked in the woods at the end of Hickory?

On this day in 1883, many Texas cowboys went on strike against their bosses, absentee ranchers. The cowboys' grievances, however, were against developments that proved permanent. As closed-range ranching wiped out the previous open-range industry, some of the cowboys' traditional perks were denied them. No longer could they brand mavericks, keep small herds of their own, or receive part of their pay in calves. The strike mustered some 300 cowboys at its peak strength, but after 2 1/2 months the work stoppage was so weakened that the May roundup occurred without incident. The last press mention of the strike was in the Dodge City Times for May 10, 1883.

OurTownTemple@gmail.com | (254) 231-1574

TODAY’S TEMPLE TRIVIA ANSWER: There was a long trail into the woods, and at the end there were rocks formed in a circle with remnants of burned wood in the center. It was there for years, and the wood always appeared freshly burned. Rumor was it was a site where devil worshippers and witches held their rituals. Most likely, it was a spot for making s’mores and campfire stories about devil worshippers and witches.