CMS Increasing Cleaning Measures As Flu-Related Deaths Increase Around Our Area

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CMS Increasing Cleaning Measures As Flu-Related Deaths Increase Around Our Area

Schools around the Charlotte region are now issuing warnings to parents to take extra precautions surrounding an increasing outbreak of flu cases in the Carolinas.

The CDC has already reported a total of 50 flu-related deaths this season in the Carolinas alone.

North and South Carolina are now 2 of the hardest hit states in our nation for the flu;

According to the CDC, “a total of 4,423 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations were reported by FluSurv-NET sites between October 1, 2018 and January 26, 2019. The overall hospitalization rate was 15.3 per 100,000 population. The highest rate of hospitalization was among adults aged ≥65 (39.8 per 100,000 population), followed by children aged 0-4 (27.3 per 100,000 population) and adults aged 50-64 (20.5 per 100,000 population). Among 4,423 hospitalizations, 4,115 (93.0%) were associated with influenza A virus, 254 (5.7%) with influenza B virus, 27 (0.6%) with influenza A virus and influenza B virus co-infection, and 27 (0.6%) with influenza virus for which the type was not determined. Among those with influenza A subtype information, 723 (78.3%) were A(H1N1)pdm09 virus and 200 (21.7%) were A(H3N2).”

Some of the best remedies you can use at home to protect against the flu include;

CMS and Fort Mill Schools both say they are increasing cleaning schedules for their classrooms and making parents and teachers more aware of the increased danger.

The Concord Airport Saw It’s Busiest Year In History With A 21% Increase in Passengers Last Year

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The Concord Airport Saw It’s Busiest Year In History With A 21% Increase in Passengers Last Year

The Concord-Padgett Regional Airport just had their best year in history.

The Charlotte region’s second largest airport saw an increase of 21% from the previous year with a total of 145,510 passengers for 2018, according to their press release. They saw a total of 990 departures per week, averaging 19 per week flying to destinations throughout the southeast, including Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa, The Emerald Coast, and New Orleans.

“We work hard with our airline and regulatory partners to provide a safe, convenient, affordable, and efficient passenger experience,” said Concord Aviation Director Dirk Vanderleest. “Our success has resulted in increased service frequency and has the potential to bring more destinations in the future.”

Plans are underway to strengthen airport taxiways to handle even more flights in 2019.

NC Hospital’s Cyber Attack Exposes Names, SS Numbers, and Health Info For 20,000 Patients

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NC Hospital’s Cyber Attack Exposes Names, SS Numbers, and Health Info For 20,000 Patients

A North Carolina Hospital has just become the victim of a major cyber attack, resulting in the compromising of over 20,000 patients’ names, birthdates, social security numbers, and health information, according to records from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

An internal investigation at the Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory, NC revealed that between July 4 and August 17, 2018, 3 employees’ email accounts were compromised after they responded to phishing emails. Those email accounts had access to the now compromised database of patient information.

CVMC has now hired security experts to enhance employee education, added increased email security controls, and upgraded hardware and software as appropriate to repel future malicious threats.

They are also providing a complimentary 1-year credit monitoring service for all those affected.

If you’ve visited Catawba Valley Medical Center within the past year, you can call them at 828.326.3000 to see if you were affected.

Young Man Hit By Light Rail Train This Morning in Charlotte

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Young Man Hit By Light Rail Train This Morning in Charlotte

A young man was hit this morning by the LYNX Blue Line light rail in LoSo.

CMPD was called to the intersection of Woodlawn and Old Pineville Rd. at about 5am this morning.

According to CATS, the train that hit the man was a ‘sweeper train’, which checks the tracks and signals each morning without carrying any passengers.

Police say the man was in his late 20s or early 30s and was laying down on the tracks at the time the sweeper train came by and hit him.

The man was taken to the hospital immediately after emergency crews arrived. His injuries were minor, according to MEDIC.

Charlotte’s 10 Worst Restaurant Health Scores In January 2019

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Charlotte’s 10 Worst Restaurant Health Scores In January 2019

Even though the Charlotte region’s restaurant selection continues to grow, so does our population, and some restaurants are taking advantage of this growing customer base by letting their health standards slide.

Some of the most common reasons for low scores were food handlers not washing their hands properly, contaminated food containers, and improper food temperatures (many restaurants are starting to use infrared thermometers to avoid this). You can see exactly what the inspectors look for on this blank copy of an inspection report.

These were the top 10 worst inspection scores in Mecklenburg County for the month of January:

#10 American Deli

7309 E INDEPENDENCE BLVD., CHARLOTTE NC 28227
Scored 88.5 (B) on 1/30/2019

They had the following violations;

  • Observed one food employee rinsing hands without using soap and another food employee washing hands and touching faucet handle without using a barrier.
  • Observed food employees placing raw meats on grill to cook and then attempt to place new gloves on hands to handle RTE foods.
  • Observed par cooked wings hot holding at 92F in fryer basket.
  • Observed thousand island dressing, cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, and other package condiments stating KEEP REFRIGERATED stored on prep table and dry storage shelf at room temperature at 50F.
  • Observed fries at room temperature at 47F.
  • Observed sanitizer in use that is more than 200 ppm chlorine concentration.

#9 Tupelo Honey Cafe

1820 SOUTH BLVD., CHARLOTTE NC 28203
Scored 88 (B) on 1/28/2019

They had the following violations;

  • Observed soiled utensils stored as clean – blender, shredder, several metal pans and china dinnerware, tray of washed silverware.
  • Observed sweet potato batter made today not dropping in temperature over a period of 34 minutes.
  • Observed some of the foods in the hot box not holding at or above 135F.
  • Observed several items measuring above 41F and hard boiled eggs measuring 57F.
  • Observed many pans of TCS food undated – cheeses, vegetables, cooked meats and poultry.
  • Observed two small slow cookers labeled “for household use only.”

#8 Be Em Asian Kitchen

1848 GALLERIA BLVD., CHARLOTTE NC 28270
Scored 87.5 (B) on 1/22/2019 (rescored a 95.5 (A) on 1/29)

They had the following critical violations;

  • Small container of raw beef placed above tub of cooked brown rice in walk in cooler.
  • Observed dark build up from inside ice machine.
  • Observed fried rice holding below 135F in steamer by cook line.
  • Observed tofu on ice bath holding above 41F; sliced beef, chicken, fish balls holding above 41F in poke station flip top; lettuce holding above 41F in low prep cooler.
  • Observed spray bottle of glass cleaner stored on top of flip top at cook line.

#7 Trade Street Taco

710 W TRADE ST., CHARLOTTE NC 28202
Scored 87.5 (B) on 1/2/2019

They had the following violations;

  • Observed overall lack of control in the kitchen as evidenced by handwashing, cold holding, cooling, and hot holding issues.
  • Observed employee don gloves with no handwash several times.
  • Observed employee wash hands for less than 15 seconds, and then turn off faucet with bare hands, therefore recontaminating hands.
  • Observed several dented cans in dry storage area.
  • Observed ice machine with black build up on sides.
  • Observed salsa verde cooling at a rate of 0F/min in reach in cooler.
  • Observed salsa prepared yesterday at 44F.
  • Observed chili sauce cooling in reach in. At 3 hours and 55 min it was 55F.
  • Observed queso in hot well below 135F.
  • Observed salsa above 45F in reach in cooler. Cooler was turned off and salsa was stored in it.
  • Observed lettuce and tomatoes in prep top below 45F, above 41F. Several pans were missing from the prep unit, not allowing it to cold hold effectively.
  • Observed guacamole date 12-18-18 in the refrigerator.

#6 Dunkin Donuts/ Baskin Robbins

16131 LANCASTER HWY., CHARLOTTE NC 28277
Scored 86.5 (B) on 1/17/2019 (rescored a 95.5 (A) on 1/31)

They had the following violations;

  • Observed no certified food protection manager during inspection.
  • Observed employee who had been working on cash register and performing several other task begin to don gloves with no hand wash.
  • Observed no soap at front handsink. Ensure soap in available at all handsinks at all times.
  •  Observed pink build up beginning to form in the ice machine. Ice cambro in the front area behind ice cream display has an accumulation of debris inside.
  • Observed soiled utensils stored as clean on the racks by 3 compartment sink.

#5 Basil Thai Cuisine

210 N CHURCH ST., CHARLOTTE NC 28208
Scored 86 (B) on 1/9/2019 (rescored a 91 (A) on 1/16)

They had the following violations;

  • Through discussion employee did not know what illnesses and symptoms are food related.
  • Observed dishes in 3-comp sink being sanitized in 0ppm quat sanitizer.
  • Observed dish machine pulling 0ppm chlorine sanitizer at bar.
  • Observed duck curry from yesterday cooling in walk in and still above 41F.
  • Observed stewed tomatoes prepared this morning above 41F in prep top cooling at a rate of 0F/min.
  • Observed several TCS sauces hot holding below 135F including green curry, red curry, and duck curry.
  • Observed eggplant double panned in prep top cooler holding above 45F.
  • Observed some items above 41F in coolers but below 46F veggie roll, ground chicken, ground beef, ground pork, and sprouts.
  • Observed ground chicken, ground beef, and ground pork above 41F (below 45F) and more than 4 days from prep (1/3 and 1/4).

#4 La Romero Taqueria and Juice Bar

6301 SOUTH BLVD., CHARLOTTE NC 28217
Scored 85.5 (B) on 1/8/2019

They had the following violations;

  • Observed no control over handwashing, utensil cleaning, and cooling.
  • Observed employee wash hands for 4 seconds.
  • Observed employee come from behind counter and begin handling food without washing hands.
  • Observed raw beef over papusa mix and raw beef over sauce in walk in.
  • Observed employee use gloves for multiple tasks then continue food prep.
  • Observed head of lettuce, shredded lettuce, and cooked meat that was uncovered.
  • Observed sticker debris stacked on plastic and metal containers, onion slicer, bowls with food debris, pan, and two bins of utensils that was stored soiled.
  • Observed chemical dish machine that was inoperable and taken from facility.
  • Observed spicy salsa and salsa verde in an ice bath at 47F and asada in reach in at 48F.
  • Observed sliced tomatoes, lettuce, mozzerella, cabesa, chicharron, salsa verde, milk and sliced meat not dated.

#3 Mellow Mushroom #169 (Uptown)

255 W MARTIN LUTHER KING JR BV, CHARLOTTE NC 28202
Scored 85.5 (B) on 1/3/2019 (rescored a 93 (A) on 1/16)

They had the following critical violations;

  • Observed overall lack of control throughout kitchen as evidenced by improper glove usage, improper cooling, poor cold holding, and date marking issues.
  • Observed ice machine with black and pink build up on interior chute and ice shield.
  • Observed no handwash sign in family bathroom.
  • Observed employee wearing gloves rinse and load dirty dishes into dish machine and then put away clean dishes.
  • Observed several stacked containers stored as clean with sticker residue and food debris on them.
  • Observed pizza sauce still cooling and prepared today at 11:30am above 41F in walk in, prep top cooler, and cooler drawers.
  • Observed several food items holding above 45F including steak, cooked mushrooms, and meatballs.
  • Observed no date marking on pizza sauce, steak, cooked mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, hummus, or cooked potatoes throughout restaurant.

#2 Dakshin Indian Grill

16640 HAWFIELD WAY, CHARLOTTE NC 28277
Scored 84.5 (B) on 1/31/2019

They had the following violations;

  • Observed dishwasher handle soiled equipment at soiled drain board then handle clean without washing their hands in between.
  • Observed power cord from rice warmer and equipment stored in front of handwashing sink in front prep area.
  • Observed low shelving with onions stored in front of handwashing sink in rear of kitchen.
  • Observed no means to dry hands provided at bar handwashing sink.
  • Observed unwashed produce such as cauliflower stored over ready to eat food in walk in cooler.
  • Observed raw chicken stored over cooked rice and ready to eat foods in flip top prep refrigerator.
  • Observed raw chicken stored over raw fish and raw chicken stored over ready to eat cooked carrot in walk in cooler.
  • Observed no chlorine sanitizer available and registering 0ppm on test kit while staff was washing equipment.
  • Observed dishwasher washing equipment in detergent vat in soapy water at 95 degrees F.
  • Observed microwaves accumulating dried soil / food residues.
  • Observed masala with prep date of 1/22 and cooked vegetable with no date.
  • Observed 2 spray bottles of chemicals not labeled.
  • Observed chemical bottles stored over prep area.

#1 Ink N Ivy 

222 S CHURCH ST., CHARLOTTE NC 28202
Scored 78 (C) on 1/9/2019 (rescored a 94.5 (A) on 1/22)

They had the following violations;

  • Observed overall lack of control in the kitchen and bar areas as evidenced by barehand contact of ready to eat foods, cold holding issues, dish issues, date marking issues, and food and utensil storage.
  • Observed many dead cockroaches in liquor room.
  • Observed bartenders repeatedly bus eating areas/cups/plates/utensils and then load and unload dishwashers with no handwash.
  • Observed employee handle money and bus customer eating area and then directly move to barehanding fruit into a drink.
  • Observed bar tenders bare hand fruit into customer drinks.
  • Observed no soap at bar hand sink.
  • Observed paper towel dispenser battery go dead partway through inspection.
  • Observed raw shrimp out of commercial packaging stored over ready to eat foods in reach in freezer.
  • Observed raw bacon over ready to eat foods in walk-in cooler.
  • Observed raw shell eggs, and raw pooled eggs stored over butter in walk-in cooler.
  • Observed no dish machine in facility to be pulling sanitizer during inspection (all 3).
  • Observed many dishes stored as clean with heavy food debris, pooled water with food debris in it on food contact surfaces, dishes with greasy films on them, and dishes with plastic remaining on them from being wrapped and baked with a cover.
  • Observed 2 pans raw burgers cooling in reach in, and then moved to walk in, at a rate of 0F/min.
  • Observed several items on line above 45F including but not limited to pastas, romaine, and lobster meat.
  • Observed all but 3 items in walk in cooler above 41F.
  • Observed all units except grill finishing prep top, grill drawers, and dairy reach in holding some or all foods above 41F.
  • Observed same scallion pesto date marked for 1/9 in the reach in.
  • Observed many items in walk in above 41F and more than 4 days old including but not limited to tomatoes, various sauces with cooked vegetables, cooked chorizo, cooked potatoes, and other TCS items.
  • Observed some items such as Lobseter dip with no date mark in prep top, but two batches in the walk in, making it unclear which batch product is from.

 

If you’d like to monitor health scores, or do a quick search for a restaurant you’re about to eat at, check out North Carolina’s health inspection database here.

Walgreens to Pay NC and 38 States $60 Million Largest-Ever Settlement By Pharmacy Chain

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Walgreens to Pay NC and 38 States $60 Million Largest-Ever Settlement By Pharmacy Chain

Walgreen Co. (“Walgreens”), the nation’s largest retail pharmacy, has agreed to pay $60 million to settle allegations that it knowingly overcharged government healthcare plans such as Medicaid for prescription drugs based on an announcement today by Stein Mitchell Beato & Missner LLP. With this unprecedented settlement, Walgreens resolved allegations that the company defrauded the U.S. government, North Carolina and 38 other States by submitting false and inflated prices for prescription drugs to increase its government reimbursements. The groundbreaking settlement is the largest of its kind against a retail pharmacy under the qui tam whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act (FCA).

“This unprecedented case exemplifies the importance of whistleblowers in the public-private partnership to prevent government fraud,” said Andrew M. Beato, the Chair of Stein Mitchell Beato & Missner LLP’s Whistleblower Practice Group. “It illustrates the power of one individual to expose and stop fraud against the government – and, ultimately, U.S. taxpayers who foot the bill.”

The Lawsuit

Today’s settlement was due to the efforts of whistleblower Marc D. Baker and his legal counsel Andrew M. Beato and Jed Wulfekotte of Stein Mitchell Beato & Missner LLP. Under federal and state laws, the amount charged by a pharmacy for a prescription drug cannot exceed the drug’s usual and customary price. Baker alleged that Walgreens made false claims for payment of prescription drugs by submitting inflated usual and customary prices to government healthcare plans, including Medicaid, that fraudulently increased its reimbursements.

Baker’s lawsuit, which was filed in 2012, disclosed that Walgreens offered discounted prices on prescription drugs to the general public through the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club called PSC, including government healthcare program beneficiaries, while charging significantly higher prices for the same drugs when paid by government programs.

Walgreens admitted as part of the settlement that the government “paid Walgreens more money in reimbursements than they would have paid if Walgreens had identified its PSC prices as its [usual and customary] prices.”

Importantly, a successful case entitles the whistleblower to a percentage of the amount recovered. Baker will receive 21 percent of the amount recovered by the government.

“Never think that a single voice can’t make a difference in holding corporate goliaths responsible for illegal and unethical behavior,” added Jonathan Missner, Managing Partner of Stein Mitchell Beato & Missner LLP. “This is especially true when represented by well-established and creative counsel like Andrew Beato and Jed Wulfekotte, who specialize in whistleblower cases.”

Additional Background 

This $60 million Walgreens settlement resolves a multi-prong investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and numerous State Attorneys General Offices into Walgreens’ pharmacy and drug pricing practices. It is a capstone to numerous claims against Walgreens stemming from the six-year investigation started by Baker’s lawsuit. This includes a partial settlement on January 19, 2018, in which Walgreens paid $50 million to the government related to unlawful kickbacks intended to induce government beneficiaries to fill prescriptions at Walgreens’ pharmacies.

The FCA’s qui tam provisions incentivize whistleblowers to report fraud on a government program with the protection of a court-ordered seal, confidentiality, and without company retaliation. More than $40 billion in government fraud has been recovered in FCA qui tam matters during the past 30 years.

The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York detailing the violations by Walgreens. The case is United States ex rel. Marc D. Baker v. Walgreen Co., 12 Civ. 0300 (JPO) (S.D.N.Y.).

Special recognition is owed to Stein Mitchell Beato & Missner’s Chief Investigator Rory Kelly for his substantial contribution to this investigation.

Stein Mitchell Beato & Missner LLP specializes in whistleblower cases and combines the skills of seasoned trial lawyers with the flexibility and personal touch of a dynamic law firm to achieve extraordinary client results. The firm has represented whistleblowers in cases that have recovered more than $3.5 billion for federal, state and local governments.  They are recognized as “the small firm that takes on big cases and wins.” The firm’s well-earned reputation as a top-tier litigation firm with a national and international practice rests not only on its 50-year history of success, but also on the ongoing confidence of its clients who entrust the firm with their most complex and challenging legal matters.

New England-New South Concept Restaurant Opening in the Former Penguin Drive-In

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New England-New South Concept Restaurant Opening in the Former Penguin Drive-In

Charlotte-based Chef Bruce Moffett, owner of Moffett Restaurant Group, has released details about the opening of his fourth restaurant, N.C. Red. The restaurant will open in the former Penguin Drive-In space in Plaza Midwood this March, with an official date to be released soon.

Stemming from Moffett’s upbringing along the New England seashore, the restaurant is a nod to both his past and present. The name N.C Red combines his love for his adopted home of North Carolina with Rhode Island’s state bird, the Rhode Island Red Rooster, and will feature a menu that perfectly blends classic Southern cuisine with Northeastern style seafood. Signature dishes will include fried chicken, lobster rolls, clams and more.

“Growing up on the shores of Rhode Island shaped the way I view food,” said Moffett. “Now, living in the South, I have a unique perspective of how those two different food types blend together to create delicious entrees. N.C. Red is a physical embodiment of my history, from the building materials, to the décor, to the menu. I’m excited to share these meals with guests and family, and I’m looking forward to my continuing growth in the city of Charlotte and hopefully beyond.”

All three of Moffett’s current restaurants – Barrington’s, Good Food on Montford, and Stagioni – have a unique style and menu, with world-class cuisine and chefs, and N.C. Red will be no exception. Currently the Executive Chef of Stagioni, Andrew Dodd, will transition to Executive Chef of N.C. Red. Dodd, a Nashville native, has been working in the industry since he was 15 years old and moved to Charlotte in 2007 to attend Johnson & Wales University.

“Moving to N.C. Red is an opportunity that I’m thrilled about,” said Dodd. “Working with Bruce has exceeded all of my expectations and he’s shaped me into a better Chef. The menu at N.C. Red is phenomenal and we look forward to the people of Charlotte experiencing it.”

Moffett plans to continue expanding in Charlotte with the opening of a fifth restaurant, Bao + Broth, later this spring. The restaurant will be located within the forthcoming Optimist Hall with executive Chef Larry Schreiber at the helm.

Charlotte’s 2019 Revaluation Increased The Value and Taxes By 300% For Some Homes

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Charlotte’s 2019 Revaluation Increased The Value and Taxes By 300% For Some Homes

The City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County have just completed their most recent property revaluation. It was the first city-wide revaluation since 2011.

Most properties in Charlotte saw a dramatic increase in their appraised value, increasing the property taxes most Charlotte residents will likely pay going forward. The median increase for appraised values of residential properties around Charlotte was 43%.

One of the highest adjusted areas was along the North Davidson corridor, including the Belmont, Villa Heights, and NoDa neighborhoods. Those neighborhoods saw a combined average valuation change of just over 125% between 2011 and 2019.

One of the more extreme examples is 839 Drummon Ave. in Villa Heights. The property was last appraised in 2014 (in a special revaluation review) for $65,300. Taxes on the home have been about $860 per year since 2014. The home has not been sold or significantly renovated since 1978. Last month, the home was reappraised for $303,400 (a 365% increase in 5 years). Taxes on the home could now be around $3,980 per year*.

Some properties, however, went down in value, and will likely see a corresponding drop in their taxes going forward.

One such property is 4217 Grove St., a 2.35-acre piece of land that border’s Charlotte’s Ribbon Walk Nature Preserve. The property was last appraised for $49,700 back in 2013 and the tax bill on the property was $652.01 per year. In 2017 the property sold for $35,000, and largely due to that recent sale, it was just reappraised at $36,600, meaning the tax bill could be around $480 per year* going forward.

You can find out your new appraised price by searching by your name, property address, or parcel number here;

You can find out what your new taxes might be going forward using this form*;

(*estimates based on 2018 tax rate – the city and county will likely adjust the rate this coming Spring – Charlotte rates have fluctuated between 1.15 – 1.50 per $100 since 2003)

If you do not agree with your new revaluation and you would like to submit an appeal, you can fill out and submit an appeal form on the city’s website here. The appeal form deadline is May 20th, 2019.

What are your thoughts on our city’s latest property revaluation?

It’s Official: Queen Charlotte Declares Six More Weeks of Winter

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It’s Official: Queen Charlotte Declares Six More Weeks of Winter

It’s naturally brisk on Saturday mornings in February, but area residents were hoping Discovery Place Nature’s groundhog was up and at ‘em early this weekend to declare spring would soon be upon us.

Queen Charlotte, however, had other plans. At a special media event held at 7 a.m. on Groundhog Day, her Royal Highness instead predicted winter is (still) coming – for another six weeks.

To make her prediction, Queen Charlotte selects from two different bowls of treats, each representing a different weather fate. This year, Queen Charlotte made a beeline to her chosen bowl, leaving no question of whether she is sure of her prediction.

Following the prediction, from 9 a.m. to noon, the Museum holds a special Groundhog Day celebration focused on how Queen Charlotte and other North Carolina critters cope with the cold.

Check out the Discovery Place Nature blog to learn more about how Queen Charlotte gears up for her big day each year.

FBI and CMPD Offering $15,000 Reward For Help In Finding Charlotte Murder Suspect

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FBI and CMPD Offering $15,000 Reward For Help In Finding Charlotte Murder Suspect

The FBI and CMPD are now offering up to a $15,000 reward for any information that might lead to the arrest of Elchin Khalilov’s murder suspect.

Khalilov was shot and killed during an armed robbery in Charlotte’s FixER Electonic Repair on January 14th.

CMPD released a video and several pictures of the suspect, who was wearing a hoodie with the word “LOVE” written on the sleeve;

If you have any information about this case, please call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

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