Southern Conference Commissioner John Iamarino says he’s arranging a conference call with school leaders next week to settle on a final decision over whether to cancel championship events because of House Bill 2.
Iamarino had previously said the decision would be made in October. At stake are basketball tournaments in Asheville, soccer semifinals in Greensboro, and a golf championship in Pinehurst.
On Monday, the NCAA announced it would move neutral site championships out of North Carolina in response to HB2, followed by an announcement Wednesday from the Atlantic Coast Conference that it would follow suit and pull championship events from the state. The NBA has alsorelocated the 2017 All Stars Game from Charlotte to New Orleans in response to HB2.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield Fined Over $3 Million
North Carolina's insurance regulator is fining Blue Cross and Blue Shield $3.6 million for a series of problems including over billing, incorrect policies, and inability to verify coverage. The agreement with the North Carolina Insurance Department involves customer complaints that date back to January 2016. Reported problems also included customers not receiving valid ID cards or proof of coverage, and problems with premium payments being credited.
Blue Cross cited technical glitches as the reason for the problems facing consumers buying individual policies, most of them through the Affordable Care Act. Under the settlement agreement, Blue Cross customer premiums will not be affected.
NC Lottery Reports 21 Percent Increase In Revenue
The North Carolina Education Lottery reports it’s raised $634 million in fiscal year 2016. Final but unaudited results show overall lottery revenues of $2.39 billion. Lottery revenues were 21 percent higher than the previous year. Executive Director Alice Garland said the record sales were bolstered by the increasing popularity of the lottery’s instant games and the world-record $1.5 billion Powerball jackpot in January 2016.
