Roanoke jury finds ER doc wasn’t fired for whistleblowing
A jury decided Friday that a Roanoke Valley emergency room doctor was not fired for complaining that HCA Healthcare’s emphasis on short wait times at LewisGale Medical Center and its Cave Spring ER had a negative impact on patient safety. Dr. Thomas Bolton sought $20 million in his lawsuit against his former employer, Lake[...]
U.S. Cellular to lay off 95 Va. employees due to T-Mobile merger
U.S. Cellular will lay off 95 workers in Virginia in June, according to a post on the Virginia Department of Workforce Development’s website Friday. The Chicago-based U.S. Cellular’s wireless operations will be sold to T-Mobile for $4.4 billion, the companies announced in May 2024, and U.S. Cellular plans to lay off [...]
Averett president steps down after 3 months, citing wife’s illness
David Joyce stepped down Friday as the 15th president of Averett University due to a family medical matter, according to the Danville private school. “It is with a heavy heart I share that my wife, Lynne, has experienced a serious medical diagnosis that will require our fulltime attention,” Joyce said in a statement. “Lynn[...]
U.Va. med school faculty, clinical leaders defend those who backed CEO’s resignation
More than a month after Dr. K. Craig Kent resigned as UVA Health’s CEO following an independent investigation and an emergency meeting of the University of Virginia Board of Visitors, drama is still roiling at the university. A group of 21 doctors — U.Va. School of Medicine faculty senators and senators-elect, as well as[...]
Averett files lawsuit alleging ex-CFO, firm ‘drained’ school’s endowment fund
Danville private university Averett University has filed a federal lawsuit alleging its former chief finance officer worked with an investment firm to conceal illicit draws from its endowment that were used to cover budget deficits. In a complaint filed March 26 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, Av[...]
Boar’s Head agrees to $3.1M settlement tied to recalled meat products
Boar’s Head Provisions’ recall of 7 million pounds of deli meat due to a deadly listeria outbreak last year, which put 60 people in the hospital and killed 10 others, has resulted in a class action lawsuit and a proposed $3.1 million settlement. The July 2024 outbreak originated at Boar’s Head meat production f[...]
S&P 500 soars 9.5% to one of its biggest gains since WWII after Trump pauses most tariffs
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks surged to one of their biggest gains since World War II after President Donald Trump paused his tariffs against most other nations, as investors had desperately hoped he would. The S&P 500 soared 9.5% Wednesday. The index is still below where it was when Trump announced his sweeping set of […]
China raises its retaliatory tariff on the US to 84% as it vows to ‘fight to the end’
BANGKOK (AP) — China is boosting tariffs on American goods to 84% and vowed Wednesday to “fight to the end” in an escalating battle that threatens to disrupt trade between the world’s two largest economies. The new rate, which takes effect Thursday, comes in response to President Donald Trump’s move to raise th[...]
Supreme Court blocks order requiring Trump administration to reinstate thousands of federal workers
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked an order for the Trump administration to return to work thousands of federal employees who were let go in mass firings aimed at dramatically downsizing the federal government. The justices acted in the administration’s emergency appeal of a ruling by a federal ju[...]
Roanoke ER doc seeks $20M in landmark whistleblower lawsuit
A Roanoke Valley emergency room doctor’s $20 million lawsuit goes to jury trial this week, with Dr. Thomas Bolton alleging that he was fired for complaining that HCA Healthcare’s emphasis on shorter ER wait times at LewisGale Medical Center and its Cave Spring ER had a negative impact on patient safety. The case is b[...]
Trump threatens more tariffs on China as global markets plunge
WASHINGTON (AP) — Undeterred by a panicked stock market, President Donald Trump threatened additional tariffs on China on Monday, raising fresh concerns that his drive to rebalance the global economy could intensify a financially destructive trade war. Trump’s threat came after China said it would retaliate against U[...]
Panic Monday: World stock markets plunge again as Trump doubles down on tariffs
FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Global stock markets extended a severe plunge Monday, fueled by fears that U.S. tariffs would lead to a global economic slowdown. European and Asian shares saw dramatic losses, the leading U.S. index flirted with bear market territory in pre-market trading, and oil prices sagged. The massive sell-of[...]