The town of Canton emerged a big winner in the state budget, landing more than $42 million in funding to cope with the loss of the region’s biggest manufacturer. The largest chunk— $38 million — will cover the estimated cost of a new sewage treatment plant after the mill closure left Canton with nowhere for its wastewater.
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Hornets, Novant Health extend, expand partnership
The Charlotte Hornets has kept Novant Health on the team as a corporate sponsor. The Winston-Salem-based healthcare group now has an expanded role with Hornets Sports and Entertainment. The partnership now includes HSE’s NBA 2K League affiliate, Hornets Venom GT, making it the first organization to be an official sponsor of all three teams.
Mission gets approval for new Candler emergency room
Mission Hospital’s application for a $29 million standing emergency room near Candler was approved by the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services for its certificate of need, according to a Mission news release. This is the second time a CON for the Candler ER has been approved after being reversed earlier this year.
Wilmington City council opposes $4.5M for Gateway’s affordable housing
East West Partners, the developers behind the Gateway mixed-use development project in downtown Wilmington, has been working with the city on a purchase development agreement for a public-private partnership. Staff recommended the city apply for a $4.5-million Cape Fear Opportunities and Needs grant, but many council members believe it sets a bad precedent.
Greensboro-based apexanalytix acquires London cyber-risk management firm
apexanalytix, a Greensboro provider of global supply chain risk management data, software and services, has acquired Darkbeam, a London-based supplier of cyber risk management services. Terms were not disclosed. apexanalytix, also known by the apex brand, said the transaction is part of its initiative to provide comprehensive risk management solutions to its clients worldwide.
Kickbacks for urine samples lead to prison for Charlotte businessman
A federal judge sentenced Donald Booker, 57, of Charlotte to 200 months in prison and ordered him to reimburse the government $11.8 million for his part in a long-running Medicaid scam. The scheme involved Booker, who owned United Diagnostic Laboratories, and his co-conspirators defrauding Medicaid by paying illegal kickbacks in exchange for urine samples.
Virtual teachers offer short-staffed schools classroom consistency
Virtual teachers are Granville County Schools’ $1-million solution to a nationwide hiring problem in K-12 education, giving students in unstaffed classes some consistency — instead of a revolving door of substitutes. As school systems across the country grapple with teacher shortages, this new type of teacher is increasingly entering classrooms on camera from hundreds of miles away.
Acclaimed Raleigh chef unveiling new downtown Durham space
After clinching a James Beard nomination earlier this year, Preeti Waas is bringing Cheeni Indian Food Emporium to downtown Durham. Cheeni, which opened in North Raleigh last year, could open as soon as next month in the space that formerly housed Jack Tar diner on Corcoran Street.
Kickbacks for urine samples lead to prison for Charlotte businessman
A federal judge sentenced a Charlotte man to 200 months in prison and ordered him to reimburse the government $11.8 million on Tuesday for his part in a Medicaid scam that ran for years.
A jury convicted Donald Booker, 57, in January of multiple charges related to a scheme to defraud the North Carolina Medicaid program of more than $11 million. The scheme involved Booker and his co-conspirators defrauding Medicaid by paying illegal kickbacks in exchange for urine samples from Medicaid-eligible beneficiaries.
At the time, Booker owned United Diagnostic Laboratories, a urine toxicology testing laboratory, and United Youth Care Services, a company that provided mental health and substance abuse treatment services. Trial evidence established that the scam was operational from January 2016 to August 2019, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In December 2022, one of Booker’s co-defendant, Delores Jordan, 55, of Louisville, Kentucky, pleaded guilty for her role in the scheme.
Jordan owned Legacy Housing, a housing provider. Jordan previously admitted in court she and other co-conspirators recruited housing-vulnerable individuals and other Medicaid-eligible beneficiaries for housing and other programs and services. Once enrolled, the beneficiaries were required to submit urine specimens for drug testing as a condition of their participation in the program.
The specimens were provided to Booker’s United Diagnostic Laboratories and United Youth Care Services for medically unnecessary urine drug testing. Booker and his co-conspirators paid the recruiters a kickback from United Your Care Services’ NC Medicaid reimbursement on the drug testing.
Court records show that Booker and Jordan also executed a conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the kickback and healthcare fraud conspiracy in order to conceal and disguise the nature and source the kickback payments for drug testing referrals.
A federal jury convicted Booker of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, multiple violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, money laundering conspiracy, and money laundering. Jordan has pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.
“Medicaid is a government-funded program that provides medical services to qualified North Carolinians in need of assistance. It’s not a get-rich-quick money jar for cheats and fraudsters to dip into,” said U.S. Attorney Dena King in a statement.
Hornets and Novant Health extend and expand partnership
The Charlotte Hornets has kept Novant Health on the team as a corporate sponsor, and the Winston-Salem-based healthcare group now has an expanded role with Hornets Sports and Entertainment.
The Hornets and Novant Health extended their partnership as the team’s official hospital and orthopedic provider, which includes its NBA G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm. The partnership now includes HSE’s NBA 2K League affiliate, Hornets Venom GT, making it the first organization to be an official sponsor of all three teams.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The partnership deal means Novant Health will continue to be the naming rights partner of the Novant Health Training Center at Spectrum Center and the Swarm’s home venue, the Novant Health Fieldhouse, unveiled last year at the Greensboro Coliseum. Novant Health logos will remain on the court and on courtside rotational signs in both Charlotte and Greensboro.
Novant Health will also be the partner of two Care Center Stations and the nursing station at the Spectrum Center, and both teams’ injury reports on social media.
“Novant Health is one of our longest tenured partners, and we’re excited that they enhanced their relationship with the Swarm last year and are now expanding to include Hornets Venom GT,” HSE Chairman and Vice President Fred Whitfield said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Novant Health, both on the court and in the community, for many years to come.”
Hornets Sports and Entertainment is a good match for Novant Health, says Saad Ehtisham, senior vice president and president of Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center.
“We work daily to inspire and empower communities to stay healthy,” said Ehtisham in a statement released by the Hornets. “We know that Hornets Sports and Entertainment is equally dedicated to wellness within our community, so it was natural to collectively expand our reach and strengthen our impact.”
The Novant Health and Hornets Sports and Entertainment partnership extension comes just more than three months after former NBA great Michael Jordan announced in June he was selling his majority stake in the team to a group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall.
The sale, which has since closed, was valued at $3 billion. Jordan paid $275 million when he bought a majority stake in the team in 2010.
Plotkin, founder and chief investment officer of Tallwoods Capital, had acquired a minority stake in the team in 2019. Schnall is co-president of Clayton, Dubilier and Rice and had been a minority owner in the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks.
The Hornets start their regular season Oct. 25 at home against the Atlanta Hawks. The Swarm’s first home game is Nov. 15 against the Westchester (New York) Knicks.
Other Hornets Sports and Entertainment primary partners are Bank of America, Lowe’s, Coca-Cola Consolidated/Dr Pepper and Spectrum. Novant Health has been a partner dating back to the original Hornets, who are celebrating the 35th anniversary of the team’s first season in 1988-1989.
Charlotte-based Atrium Health is the official healthcare provider of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC, which plays in the U.S.-based Major League Soccer.