Masks Work For the safety of vulnerable adults and the rest of us, please wear a mask. SC DHEC officials say data shows COVID-19 case numbers are going down in places where masks are mandated. “This new data shows us what we already knew, wearing face masks works,” said Dr. Linda Bell, S.C. State Epidemiologist. “We’re strongly

Should we open schools in Spartanburg, S.C.?  Visit South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s SC Cases by County & ZIP Code (COVID-19) page for the recent disease activity by county report.  We are still in the red zone.  It is not safe. More than 2,000 students, teachers and staff members across five states have been quarantined

Know Your Rights Whistle-blowers need federal protection. Whistle-blower disclosures save lives as well as billions of taxpayer dollars. Whistle-blowers play a key role in keeping nursing homes honest, efficient, and accountable. Since the pandemic started, we have been getting numerous phone calls from nursing home staff members with credible complaints. Many caregivers tell us horror stories

Follow The Money The Trump Administration gave nursing homes billions from the CARES Act including $4.9 billion in May and $5 billion announced in July. HHS also released funds for providers based on Medicare and Medicaid revenues. The funds were intended to buy personal protective equipment, increase staffing to safe numbers, and testing. Nursing homes are

The Seattle Times reported an incredible story of reckless endangerment. Dr. Nishita Bhumkar continued to see elderly and vulnerable patients despite having Covid symptoms. She then tested positive for COVID-19. Bhumkar worked at other facilities where patients had tested positive. A lawsuit alleges that Dr. Bhumkar intentionally misled people about her symptoms. Her boss might

Follow the Money Nursing home companies sued for fraud or accused of wrongdoing received more than $300 million in coronavirus aid. The Washington Post reported that bad actors and corporate criminals in the industry got hundreds of millions of tax dollars. In fact, dozens of nursing home operators accused of illegal acts received funds.  The illegal