DeKalb County Administrator Brian Gregory says the County Board is no longer looking at sale of the County Nursing Home.  Originally faced with mounting losses, the County planned to sell the facility to a private operator.  The sale fell through when the buyer was unable to obtain initial state approval and opted to back out of the deal rather than pursue resolution of state oversight board issues.  Gregory said a change in state Medicaid reimbursements opened the path to a break-even operating scenario for the county.  The Jordan Health Group provided a business plan to the county which won bi-partisan support.  The county will create an oversight board for the nursing home and defined budget checks and balances going forward according to Gregory.  He is currently looking for volunteers to serve on the new oversight board.  Gregory also urged Rotarians to spread the word about the county retaining ownership of the nursing home and its commitment to quality care for residents.

 

Gregory also mentioned several items affecting county services and taxpayer benefits.  He noted that county treasurer and Rotarian Becky Springer was able to earn over $500,000 in interest on property tax collections which will be apportioned out to the county taxing bodies for extra income.  Springer said she plans to offer paperless property tax billing this coming tax cycle.  Meanwhile, he said county clerk and Rotarian Tasha Sims is reviewing new ways to make sure election voting is both secure and easily available to all qualified voters.  Sims added she is always looking for election judges to help with the voting process.  Gregory added that taxpayers are benefiting from economic development growth in the county, particularly along the I-88 corridor in DeKalb.  He said this means the overall county tax rate will be going down again this year.  Gregory also noted that state rules mean several large-scale solar projects planned for DeKalb County are expected to move forward this year.

January 8, 1935 – The American King of Rock and Roll (with such hits as “Hound Dog”, “Love Me Tender”, “Heartbreak Hotel”, and “Suspicious Minds”), movie actor, and Las Vegas performer Elvis Presley is born in Tupelo, Mississippi.

 

January 9, 1913 – 37^th President of the United States, Richard M. Nixon, is born in Yorba Linda, California.  Nixon served in the U.S. Senate, was Vice President under Dwight Eisenhower, and staged a political comeback after losing to John F. Kennedy in the 1960 Presidential election, winning the Presidency in 1968.  His early successes ending U.S. military involvement in the Viet Nam war and a landmark visit to China in 1972 were diminished by his direct involvement in the Watergate scandal.

 

January 11, 1755 – Alexander Hamilton is born in the British West Indies.  He was chosen by George Washington to be the first Secretary of the Treasury.  He died from a gunshot wound in a duel with Aaron Burr.

 

January 12, 1737 – American statesman, patriot, and first signer of the Declaration of Independence, John Hancock, is born in Braintree, Massachusetts.

January 9, 1972 – The longest winning streak for a major professional sports team is snapped at 33 games when the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Los Angeles Lakers, 120 – 104.  A 39-point performance by the Buck’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (later traded to the Lakers in 1975) hands the Lakers their first loss since October 31.

 

January 10, 1776 – Thomas Paine published his 50-page pamphlet on American independence, “Common Sense”, influencing among others the authors of the Declaration of Independence.

 

January 11, 1964 – The U. S. Surgeon General declared cigarettes may be hazardous to one’s health, the first such official government report.

 

January 12, 1932 – Hattie Caraway from Arkansas was appointed to the U. S. Senate to fill the unexpired term of her deceased husband and later that year is officially elected to the seat becoming the first woman elected to the Senate.  She serves through 1944.