Hospital exec gets $10M from jury. Why? + Delta to increase flight options at CLT

Kristen Kornbluth
·2 min read

Happy Tuesday, folks. Kristen here. A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee voted in favor of authorizing Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5-11 on Oct. 26. What happens next? Learn more here.

Let’s talk about today’s news:

1. Hospital exec gets $10 million from jury. Why?

Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center said it has been named a comprehensive stroke center, becoming the first hospital in the Charlotte metropolitan area to earn the designation.
Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center said it has been named a comprehensive stroke center, becoming the first hospital in the Charlotte metropolitan area to earn the designation.

A former top executive at Novant Health claimed he lost his job because he is a white male. He received $10 million from a federal jury in Charlotte on Tuesday.

This follows David Duvall’s 2019 claims of reverse discrimination against Novant, one of the Carolinas’ largest private employers. He claimed he lost his job due to Novant’s effort to diversify its top leadership.

“We are pleased that the jury affirmed that Duvall’s race and gender were unlawful factors in (his) termination,” Charlotte attorney Luke Largess told the Observer.

Learn more in this exclusive from the Observer’s Michael Gordon and Hayley Fowler.

2. Delta set to increase flight options at CLT

Construction is underway for the lobby expansion project at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
Construction is underway for the lobby expansion project at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Charlotteans will soon have more opportunities to fly to the Big Apple.

Delta Air Lines is increasing the amount of flights from Charlotte Douglas International Airport to New York City by November.

The airline is adding 25% more capacity this fall to meet the increase in travel demand, Delta said in a statement. That includes operating seven daily flights from CLT to LaGuardia and five daily flights to John F. Kennedy International.

The Observer’s Hannah Smoot has the rest of the details here.

3. Today’s sports digest

Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold bring his arm back to throw a pass during the game against the Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, October 24, 2021 in Rutherford, NJ. The Panthers, who did not score a single touchdown, lost to the Giants, 24-3. This is the Panthers fourth straight loss after a 3-0 start to the season.
Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold bring his arm back to throw a pass during the game against the Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, October 24, 2021 in Rutherford, NJ. The Panthers, who did not score a single touchdown, lost to the Giants, 24-3. This is the Panthers fourth straight loss after a 3-0 start to the season.

Analysis: Understanding what’s wrong with Sam Darnold and if the Panthers can fix it by Ellis Williams

  • So much went wrong for Carolina against New York’s 27th-ranked defense, Williams says.

  • Let’s unpack why Darnold struggled, what it means for the Panthers’ offense and think about whether this is fixable.

Even in their first loss, in OT to Boston, Charlotte Hornets show positive signs by Scott Fowler

  • The Charlotte Hornets lost against Boston, 140-129, in overtime.

  • “This team has fight,” Hornets coach James Borrego said afterward. “Obviously, this team belongs. We’re not backing down from anybody. We’re not going anywhere.”

ACC finally admits it may leave Greensboro HQ for a new city by Steve Wiseman

  • The league’s Board of Directors, chaired by Duke president Vince Price, voted Tuesday to proceed to phase two of an evaluation of the league office location.

Find all of our sports reporting here.

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