North Carolina
N. Carolina auditor, Medical Board clash over review results
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s state auditor and the panel that disciplines physicians clashed over a efficiency evaluate launched Thursday through which auditors mentioned they had been hamstrung scrutinizing how the state Medical Board dealt with supplier complaints as a result of the panel denied them info.
The board pushed again, saying that state and federal regulation prohibits it from giving entry to particulars about over 4,400 investigations overlaying a two-year interval ending in June 2021 sought by auditors as a result of they contained confidential medical and investigative info. The auditors obtained closely redacted paperwork as a substitute. Board officers additionally mentioned they disagreed with different findings within the evaluate.
State Auditor Beth Wooden’s workplace mentioned state regulation ensures that every one info obtained and utilized in an audit stays confidential. The audit beneficial that the legislature cross a regulation to affirm entry to such documentation whereas conducting audits.
The auditors mentioned they did obtain barely extra info of their evaluate concerning the roughly 200 further investigations that resulted in public motion in opposition to a licensee. In these paperwork, the evaluate’s authors declared that the board failed to finish investigations of medical suppliers inside six months — what they referred to as a state regulation requirement. And it failed to make sure that suppliers obtain disciplinary actions for wrongdoing — comparable to license restrictions or agreements to not apply drugs for a interval.
“Consequently, there was an elevated threat that medical suppliers whose actions posed a menace to affected person security might proceed serving sufferers,” the report learn.
In a response hooked up to the ultimate evaluate, Medical Board CEO David Henderson wrote that Wooden’s workplace is mistaken that investigations have to be accomplished in six months. And the board’s program to watch wayward suppliers wasn’t designed to make sure that those that lose their medical license by no means apply once more, saying that is a prison matter left to prosecutors, Henderson wrote.
The auditor’s workplace agreed that it “had obtained no complaints that prompted the audit and that there have been no allegations and there’s no proof that (the board) ever didn’t evaluate all complaints, administer self-discipline in an equitable method or report all its public actions,” Henderson mentioned.
Nonetheless, the restricted entry to investigative paperwork prevented Wooden’s workplace from auditing 4 of the six targets searched for evaluate. These had been largely targeted on whether or not the board adopted the regulation, its insurance policies and finest practices when investigating complaints on allegations like substandard medical care, sexual misconduct or overprescribing remedy, the report mentioned.
And auditors additionally accused the Medical Board of creating “a number of inaccurate and doubtlessly deceptive statements” inside their written response to the efficiency evaluate.
The 13-member board — 11 had been appointed by the governor and the rest picked by legislative leaders — licensed over 57,000 physicians, doctor assistants and different medical professionals on the finish of the 2021.
The board, which runs on licensing charges solely, mentioned its employees investigates nearly 3,000 circumstances yearly. It might resolve that no violation of the state’s Medical Follow Act occurred; discover no violation occurred however nonetheless difficulty privately a warning or order remedial motion; or decide a violation occurred and take public motion in opposition to the supplier, as much as and together with license revocation.
Henderson wrote that the board has taken steps to enhance areas of concern cited by the state auditor and was prepared to rent an out of doors agency to carry out an out of doors audit to handle the targets.
North Carolina
Registered sex offender facing new charges after escaping in North Carolina, officials say
NEWPORT, N.C. (WBTV) – A registered sex offender is facing more charges after he allegedly escaped while on a work release assignment in North Carolina on Thursday.
State prison officials said 44-year-old Kevin Leonard Worsham Jr. was on work release when he left his assignment in the small town of Teachey in Duplin County.
He returned on his own to the work release location early Friday morning and was arrested, according to officials.
Worsham has a criminal history dating back to 2004, including a past conviction that required him to register as a sex offender.
His current sentence came after he – being a registered sex offender – failed to properly report an address change. Prison records show he was convicted of the offense in Gaston County, and was expected to be released in December 2025.
Now that he is back in custody, Worsham is facing new felony escape charges.
He was being held in the minimum-security Carteret Correctional Center in Newport, but after his escape, he will be housed at Central Prison in Raleigh.
Charlotte man accused of killing teen given bond after it was initially denied, records show
Copyright 2025 WBTV. All rights reserved.
DALLAS — Lexi Donarski had 15 points, Alyssa Ustby scored 12 and matched her career-high with 18 rebounds and No. 14 North Carolina rolled to a 64-33 victory over SMU on Thursday night.
Donarski did her damage from 3-point range, sinking 5 of 6 attempts for the Tar Heels (16-3, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference). Ustby collected her seventh double-double of the season with five of them coming in the last six games.
Indya Nivar had 11 points and Maria Gakdeng totaled 10 points and seven rebounds for North Carolina, which has won three in a row and 6 of 7.
Kaysia Woods scored 12 to lead the Mustangs (10-8, 2-4).
Nivar had nine points in the first half as North Carolina turned a 13-6 first-quarter lead into a 31-14 advantage at halftime. The Tar Heels shot just 39.4% from the floor before the break, but that looked red-hot compared to SMU, which shot 13.8% overall (4 for 29).
Donarski hit her only two shots of the third quarter — both from beyond the arc — and the Tar Heels led 44-22 heading to the fourth.
Woods had five points in the final period to help SMU top the 10-point mark in a quarter for the first time in the game.
North Carolina guard Alyssa Ustby dribbles during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against SMU, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Dallas. Credit: AP/LM Otero
SMU allowed the biggest comeback in NCAA women’s basketball history its last time out when the Mustangs saw a 32-point lead with 1:37 left in the first half turn into a 72-59 loss to Pittsburgh. SMU was outscored 28-0 in the third quarter and 26-10 in the fourth.
North Carolina travels to play Pittsburgh on Sunday. SMU travels to play No. 3 Notre Dame on Sunday.
North Carolina
Fact Check: California, North Carolina get same recovery cost coverage from federal gov’t
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – As wildfires ravage parts of Los Angeles and Southern California this month, federal, state, and local authorities have mobilized resources to combat the flames and assist affected communities.
Their response echoes the efforts made in North Carolina just months ago, when Hurricane Helene left widespread devastation in its wake.
A viewer named Dina asked the following question: “Why is the federal government covering 100% of the recovery costs for the California wildfires, but not doing the same for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts in North Carolina?”
Her question relates to a claim being spread around social media that the government is allegedly paying for 100% of the damage in California, but not in North Carolina.
WBTV’s Fact Check team investigated the claims and found them to be false.
Here’s what we found.
Federal funding for wildfire recovery
On Tuesday, Jan. 14, President Joe Biden announced that the federal government would cover 100% of certain wildfire recovery costs in California for the next 180 days.
“The federal government is going to cover 100% of the cost for the next 180 days for things like firefighter overtime pay, debris removal, temporary shelters … It’s going to cost tens of billions of dollars to get Los Angeles back to where it was,” Biden said during a press conference.
Typically, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, aka FEMA, covers 75% of disaster recovery costs, with the remaining 25% funded by state and local governments. However, under federal law, the U.S. president has the authority to increase the federal cost-share for recovery efforts.
What about North Carolina?
Turns out, less than a week after Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina in September 2024, President Biden and FEMA announced that the same adjustment was made for Helene recovery in North Carolina.
Put another way: North Carolina has also had 100% of public recovery funds covered by the federal government since Oct. 2, 2024.
A release from the North Carolina governor’s office and FEMA explained how the president raised the federal contribution from 75% to 100% for the first 180 days of recovery. (The same time period that was just established in California).
After the six-month period, the cost-share for public assistance projects was increased from 75% to 90%. Click here to read the official FEMA release about this.
—> North Carolina Red Cross volunteers deploy to support wildfire victims in California
The verdict
President Biden’s decision to increase the federal cost-share for California wildfires is consistent with the aid provided to North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.
Claims that the federal government is covering a higher percentage of recovery costs in California compared to in North Carolina are false. Both states received identical cost-share adjustments.
If you have further questions or claims you’d like us to investigate, feel free to reach out to us at factcheck@wbtv.com.
—> State releases names of 104 Helene victims in North Carolina for 1st time: See list here
Copyright 2025 WBTV. All rights reserved.
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