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Mayor Katie Wilson's budget aims to close $175 million gap with no new taxes
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson's $9.1 billion budget aims to eliminate a $175 million deficit without new taxes by cutting spending and redirecting JumpStart revenues.
Trump administration to remove 760,000 Affordable Care Act enrollees over fraud claims
White House officials allege these individuals were fraudulently enrolled in the program or do not exist. Vice President Vance said the move would save $2.2 billion.
AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC) Begins $3.97 Billion Debt Refinancing
AMC Entertainment Holdings (NYSE:AMC) launched a US$3.97b debt refinancing effort aimed at reshaping its capital structure. The package includes new secured note offerings designed to retire existing 2029 notes through a comprehensive tender offer. AMC is also pursuing new first and second lien term loans that are intended to replace upcoming debt maturities. This large refinancing of 2029 notes and new secured financing only captures part of what could reshape AMC’s risk profile. Check out...
California deal on Paramount-Warner Bros. merger spurs frustration
Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta’s agreement clearing the $111-billion merger followed intense pressure from state leaders including Gov. Gavin Newsom and dissent among fellow Democratic state attorneys general.
California deal on Paramount-Warner Bros. merger spurs frustration, questions about political pressure
Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta's agreement clearing the $111-billion merger followed intense pressure from state leaders including Gov. Gavin Newsom and dissent among fellow Democratic state attorneys general.
Oklahoma oil executive Harold Hamm commits $150 million to advance health education, research
The University of Oklahoma announced a $150 million donation from billionaire oil executive Harold Hamm Tuesday.
Caesars shareholders vote on $17.6B takeover by Fertitta Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment Inc. shareholders voted Tuesday to consider whether to approve Tilman Fertitta’s proposed $17.6 billion acquisition of the casino company.
No decision made on possible NHL expansion to Houston or Austin
Expansion, if it happens, would involve a $3.5 billion investment between the fee paid to owners and the cost to build a new arena.
OU renames health campus for Harold Hamm after historic $150 million gift
OU Health is now the Harold Hamm Health Campus after the University of Oklahoma received a record $150 million gift from the oil billionaire.
Platinum Equity Completes Sale of Global Environmental Services Business Urbaser to Blackstone and EQT for $6.6 Billion
Sale of Madrid-based environmental infrastructure platform follows multi-year transformation process LONDON (September 22, 2026) – Platinum Equity announced today that the sale of Urbaser to Blackstone and EQT in a transaction valued at approximately $6.6 billion (€5.6 billion) has been completed. Urbaser is a global integrated environmental infrastructure platform specialized in the collection, management and […]
Velocity Arts targets 2029 opening for Gardner entertainment campus
Gardner City Council approves Velocity Arts' $1.55 billion entertainment campus with concert pavilion, hotel and esports arena planned for 2029 opening.
Minecraft Beat Itself After Nearly Two Billion Simulated Years
Minecraft is no stranger to simulations, but it turns out that under the right conditions, the game can beat itself if given billions of years.
Banijay Entertainment Execs to Headline Keynote Conversation at MIPCOM Cannes
The two top Banijay Entertainment executives will headline a keynote conversation at MIPCOM Cannes on Oct. 12. Chairman Jeff Zucker and CEO Marco Bassetti will be together on stage for the first time since the $8.5 billion merger between Banijay and All3Media closed in July, creating what the combined company says is the world’s largest … Continue reading "Banijay Entertainment Execs to Headline Keynote Conversation at MIPCOM Cannes"
Federal Rural Health Funds Can’t Stop Harm to Hospitals from Medicaid Cuts - Kentucky Center for Economic Policy
Rural health funds should send just under $1.1 billion Kentucky, not even a tenth of what rural Kentucky is expected to lose in Medicaid funding.
From $2 billion to $112 billion in annual profit: How Apple transformed its business
Apple’s financial evolution reveals the foundation CEO John Ternus inherits as he begins the company’s next chapter.
Googlebooks will live or die on the loyalty of a billion Android users
Good morning. Today I’m bumping to Carly Rae Jepsen’s new double album (it’s great!), wishing I had more kidneys so...
Minogue calls for federal probe into $2B state contract awarded to political heavyweights
Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Minogue is calling on U.S. Attorney Leah Foley to investigate “everything around” the $2 billion state contract awarded to politically connected bidders.
Businesses ‘frozen out’ of Trump’s tariff channel with China
The private sector is largely in the dark about the Trump administration's plans for a "Board of Trade" to oversee reductions on billions of dollars worth of duties.
Private-equity legend David Rubenstein on owning the Baltimore Orioles, and how sports ownership became big business
The Carlyle co-founder is a billionaire and a giant name in modern finance. His new book looks at sports ownership through a different lens.
Sunda Energy, Meridian Mining, Quantum Helium, Light Science Technologies, Foresight Solar, hVIVO
Sunda Energy PLC (AIM:SNDA, FRA:GHA0) has raised £5.25 million to fund completion of its New Zealand acquisition. It's also launching a retail offer for a further £525,000. Meridian Mining Plc (LSE:MNO, TSX:MNO, OTCQX:MRRDF) has delivered a net present value of $2.09 billion for its Cabaçal project in Brazil. The CEO says the economics could make it the next major near-term gold-copper mine. Quantum Helium Ltd (AIM:QHE) is targeting Q4 2026 for a larger fracture stimulation programme at Sagebrush-1 in Colorado. It's also taking a 9% stake in Herencia Resources. Light Science Technologies Holdings PLC (AIM:LST, FRA:9FD) has secured a repeat order from a healthcare devices customer, pushing that contract past £500,000. It's building out higher-margin work in defence and medical sectors. Foresight Solar Fund Ltd (LSE:FSFL, FRA:1F5) says it's considering all strategic options to lift a share price stuck below the value of its assets. The board says it needs to "act decisively" to close that gap. hVIVO PLC (AIM:HVO) has appointed Caroline Shaw as an independent non-executive director. She brings more than 30 years of senior healthcare leadership to the board. Follow us and subscribe on YouTube, our social channels, and on proactiveinvestors.co.uk.
Most firms keep cash from tariff refunds, Fed study finds
The bulk of companies receiving billions in tariff refunds are mostly holding on to the cash, according to a survey released Monday by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Of
Construction halted on Ken Griffin’s $2.5 billion Miami headquarters
A drilling rig toppled at the Citadel construction site, crushing three vehicles and prompting Miami-Dade County to stop work pending an investigation.
The front door is still a phone line: What voice AI returned at Virtua Health, Keck Medicine + more
Every health system, from a 15-location clinic group to a national system with tens of billions in revenue, shares the same overlooked front door: the
Strategy’s bitcoin holdings reach value of $73B+
As bitcoin broke $86,000 on Monday, the value of Tysons-based Strategy’s holdings rose to more than $73.56 billion as of 4:40 p.m.
What to know about Paramount's settlement and its impact on movies
Movie studio Paramount has agreed to settle an antitrust lawsuit filed by 12 states, the last big obstacle blocking the company’s $81 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery in a
Zelensky said Trump agrees to speak in New York for diplomatic meeting
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced plans for a high-stakes meeting with President Donald Trump in New York. As the Ukraine-Russia war continues for more than four years, the U.S. has provided support valued at billions. Zelensky and Trump have had a strained relationship as the U.S. president balances relations with Ukraine and Russian leader Vladimir […]
Paramount, attorneys general settle lawsuit, clearing a path for Warner Bros. merger
With the agreement, California Atty. General Rob Bonta and his coalition plan to withdraw historic lawsuit that aimed to derail the $111-billion deal.
'1.3 billion premature deaths': Scientists give frightening play-by-play of hypothetical Yellowstone supervolcano eruption
AMC's debt buyback depends on securing at least $3.97 billion
Noteholders can receive $1,009.70 per $1,000 plus accrued interest. The offer expires Sept. 30, with settlement expected Oct. 5 if conditions are met.
2026 midterm elections on track for record political ad spending, report finds
The 2026 midterms are on track to be the most expensive in U.S. history, according to the Wesleyan Media Project, which reports that $4 billion has already been spent on political advertising.
Katie Porter: Prop 40 won’t help fix our broken healthcare system
OPINION: Progressives who have long fought for “Medicare for All” should resist a billionaires tax that entrenches a troubled for-profit healthcare system, rather than dismantling it.
AT&T's $1.35 billion Plano headquarters moves closer to construction with final site plan vote
AT&T's $1.35 billion Plano headquarters nears final approval, while Dallas considers renaming a street for the Texas Stock Exchange's new home.
Brooklyn Beckham 'building business empire with help from billionaire father-in-law'
Brooklyn Beckham is reportedly planning to build a business empire based around "everyday products". The 27-year-old son of Sir David Beckham and Lady Victoria Beckham - who is estranged from his pare...
Whether you like it or not, celebrities have an impact on politics
The global groundswell of support for Macklemore’s pro-Palestinian advocacy serves to remind us that maybe celebrity activism really is that deep after all, writes Cheek’s Varsha Yajman. Subscribe In the last week, publications, podcasts, and influencers that have either rarely or never spoken about Israel’s genocide in Palestine have flooded my social feed. And it was all because singer Ed Sheeran and his team dropped Macklemore as his opener for saying “Free Palestine” on stage. Millions raised, millions speaking up in support of Palestine - all of this confirming my view that, whether I like it or not, celebrities do have an impact on political outcomes. And this is interesting when much of the time celebrity activism can induce an eye roll - I love to see Charli XCX pointing out a Palestinian flag in the crowd, but it’s hardly the bold symbol of allyship that some fans would make it out to be. But there’s a line between healthy scepticism and outright dismissal - and I’d argue that the latter lets the rich and powerful off far too easily. For instance, actress Jennifer Lawrence, once outspoken about her political views, last year told The Times she no longer believes celebrities have a role to play: “Celebrities do not make a difference whatsoever on who people vote for. So then what am I doing? I’m just sharing my opinion on something that’s going to add fuel to a fire that’s ripping the country apart.” While it’s a narrative she might find comfort in, it simply is not true. Grassroots movements often garner worldwide attention when celebrities and other high-profile spokespeople bring a mainstream platform to their causes. And this frustrates me. We have had three years of a live-streamed genocide. Macklemore himself has been calling for a Free Palestine long before he booked the Sheeran concert. Yet it’s the high-profile fallout of the last week that finally seems to have made saying “Free Palestine” socially acceptable in the mainstream. It feels like the collective mood has shifted, where calling out censorship is now the obvious response - not just the business of ‘radical’ activists. To recap, Sheeran’s decision followed an ultimatum from billionaire Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, one of the venues Sheeran was scheduled to perform at: either drop Macklemore as your opener after only two of the eight scheduled shows, or you do not play at any stadiums. Sheeran’s disappointing decision to stand on the side of billionaire-led censorship has ultimately seen a surge in support for Free Palestine. It began when all his openers and his backing band pulled out of Sheeran’s tour, in solidarity with Macklemore and with the Palestinian cause. It was met with an uproar of support from those who had never or barely touched politics before: influencers lip-syncing to Macklemore’s music, singers like Jack Antonoff singing “Free Palestine,” and publications and podcasts standing with Macklemore. And finally, we saw material support: Macklemore donated $1 million in profits from his two nights opening for Sheeran’s tour to several Palestinian aid groups and called for Sheeran and Kraft to match it, which they have since promised to do. We’ve also seen children’s entertainer Ms Rachel follow suit with a $1 million donation to Palestinian aid, and publication PopBase has donated $10,000. Anera, a humanitarian aid group working in Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan, said donations since Macklemore’s announcement were more than triple this month’s daily average. The group’s Instagram page has also gained 8,000 followers. Macklemore far from the first celebrity to speak and participate in politics in the Western World. In 1924, singer Al Jolson supported Republican candidate Warren G. Harding for president, and decades later, celebrities such as Harry Belafonte, Lena Horne, and Aretha Franklin voiced their public support for the Civil Rights movement. More recently, in the lead-up to the 2024 US election, ‘The Daily Show with Trevor Noah partnered with the organisation Power the Polls to recruit poll workers to address shortages- a problem disproportionately affecting voters of colour. The campaign saw 170,000 new sign-ups - 35,000 of which came directly through the TV show’s link - resulting in the recruitment of 713,000 total poll workers that year, an almost three-fold increase on the organisation’s goal. Alongside recruiting workers, celebrities in the US (where voting in elections is not compulsory) have made a huge difference by calling for people to register to vote. Taylor Swift’s endorsement of Kamala Harris in 2024 saw over 400,000 visitors on the voter registration site within 24 hours of her Instagram post. In 2023, Swift had urged her fans to register, resulting in 35,000 new voter registrations. Similarly, Ariana Grande promoted voter registration in 2019 by setting up booths at concerts on the American leg of her tour, resulting in over 33,000 voters registering. And the same thing is happening closer to home. This year, musician Jack River successfully called for government action to ensure creatives in Australia do not have their work scraped by generative AI companies. Celebrity as the mediator between the punter and the politician Celebrity activism isn’t just a feel-good news story - research tells us it actually makes a difference. By directing attention to issues affecting the average person, like voting inaccessibility or a lack of action on a genocide, researchers Alfred Archer and Amanda Cawston state that “celebrities can play a useful bridging role between political elites and the people they represent”. Alternatively, in a world where talking about politics is “not cool,” or where people lack exposure or knowledge to engage with politics, celebrities can act as an educational resource or an entry point into the political world - when they speak up about an issue, their audience gets exposed to it. Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival is a perfect example. Rodrigo partnered with twelve organisations focused on women’s issues, such as reproductive rights. These organisations had stalls at the festival for people to meet them and were also featured heavily on social media, giving their issues global attention and raising $20 million for the organisations. We have also seen celebrities at award shows such as the Emmys wearing F*CK ICE pins, referring to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s treatment and detainment of people - generally people of colour. When celebrities speak up about political issues in public forums, they put the issue at the forefront of mainstream media, rally their supporters, and make it clear that, however much they disagree, the government cannot simply ignore it. Our over-reliance on celebrities versus our politicians As much as I love seeing my favourite celebrity use their platform for a good cause, there is an important question to ask: not whether celebrity activism is good or bad, but whether we should have to rely on celebrities. And the answer would, in an ideal world, be no. In an ideal world, or merely a just world, action on Palestine would’ve happened decades ago, climate change would be taken seriously, and most importantly, people would understand their democratic rights. However, that is not our reality. Only around 28 per cent of Australian Year 10 students reach proficiency in civics and citizenship. In the US, almost two-thirds of people under 30 say high school civics education didn’t prepare them to understand voting deadlines, how to research candidates, or how to vote by mail. When civics education is weak, our trust in these institutions and our understanding of change-making processes also decline. This is where celebrity steps in and becomes our main source of reliance. As Mary R. Connelly notes in _The Tartan, “_Celebrities will always be involved in campaigns in one form or another, but their presence is not what causes people to vote blindly. The lack of political engagement and literacy is what allows celebrities to wield their influence on the political sphere so impactfully.” About the author Varsha Yajman is the Digital Content Producer at Cheek Media. She is a youth advocate and lawyer with a background in climate litigation and is passionate about looking at the intersection between race, climate justice, and mental health. Thanks for reading Cheek Media Co. ! This post is public so feel free to share it. Share
How Hemp-THC businesses are bracing for a near total ban
Follow us to Tennessee where hemp farmers are already pivoting in the face of a state ban and soon, a looming federal ban on basically all THC-derived hemp products. Will Congress step in to save this $28 billion industry? Fact checking by Sierra Juarez.Your Next Listen — How would-be weed merchants hit a ‘grass ceiling’ Connect with The Indicator — Sign up for The Indicator’s weekly newsletter! — Buy the Planet Money book — Find our socials, YouTube and more! — For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+ Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.
Shopping around: How Detroit is trying to attract more retail
Detroit officials estimate residents spend over $3 billion a year in surrounding communities on goods and services they can't easily find in town.
Paramount, California AG discuss concessions including $1.5 billion investment, WSJ reports
Sept 20 (Reuters) - Paramount and California's attorney general have discussed a range of concessions in advanced settlement negotiations, including a $1.5 billion investment in production in the
Charlize Theron on ‘The Odyssey’ Becoming Universal’s Highest-Grossing Movie and Raising Millions to Fight Femicide in Africa With CTAOP
Last week, Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” became Universal Pictures’ highest-grossing film of all time, grossing $1.68 billion and counting. “I feel like I got a great invitation to the best party ...
NSF Over Billion Behind on Grants; IES Says Will Give Funds
As the fiscal year’s end looms Sept. 30, the National Science Foundation has awarded significantly fewer grants than usual, and a judge has ordered an update from the Institute of Education Sciences on its research funding progress.
Brookfield Business (BBUC) Joins Reliance Deal. What Returns Can it Capture?
Brookfield Business Corporation (NYSE:BBUC) will participate in Brookfield’s proposed acquisition of Reliance Worldwide Corporation, announced September 15. The transaction values the plumbing-products manufacturer at approximately US$2.8 billion in enterprise value, excluding lease liabilities. The investment group plans to acquire 100% ownership. Funding will come through the Brookfield Capital Partners strategy and Brookfield Business Corporation (NYSE:BBUC). […]
White House Moves to Take Control of N.I.H. Grants
Federal officials are drafting an executive order that would place grants under review by an outside panel, the latest effort to redirect billions of dollars in research spending.
White House Moves to Take Control of N.I.H. Grants
Federal officials are drafting an executive order that would place grants under review by an outside panel, the latest effort to redirect billions of dollars in research spending.
Prop 40 would create a first-in-the-world tax on billionaires
California voters will decide this November on Proposition 40, a proposal to impose a one-time, 5% tax on billionaires living in the state.
Lennar snags 444 lots near TSMC for $60M
Lennar Corp. has secured 444 lots near the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.'s $265 billion development in north Phoenix.
Billionaires abound in California. Why not tax their wealth?
No state may be a more natural fit for a tax on billionaires than California. It leans left and its 250 billionaires are worth nearly $2 trillion. But a ballot initiative to impose a one-time 5% tax might not pass.
Mark Ruffalo urges California AG Rob Bonta not to 'cave' in Paramount-Warner Bros. merger fight
Mark Ruffalo urged California Attorney General Rob Bonta not to cave on settlement talks over the $110 billion Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger.
Bills’ Heartfelt Gesture Makes Highmark Stadium Debut Unforgettable for Buffalo
For over fifty years, Buffalo Bills‘ football thrived in the raw, ice-bound atmosphere of the original Highmark Stadium. Due to the necessity of modern facilities Bills’ went through a transition and now they have a $2.1 billion dollar worth stadium. The stadium finally welcomed the fans and the organization didn’t forget to make it special […] The post Bills’ Heartfelt Gesture Makes Highmark Stadium Debut Unforgettable for Buffalo appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.
Trump announces all 50 states joining Medicaid drug pricing model
The Trump administration claims that Medicaid will save billions on prescription drug costs as a result of the plan, dubbed the Medicaid “GENEROUS” model. Experts say the savings are unclear since the content of the deals isn't public.
UK politics increasingly funded by billionaires as mega-donations surge
A total £179m has been donated by wealthy individuals since 2019, research reveals
5 Must-See Things at George Lucas's New Museum of Narrative Art as It Opens to the Public
LOS ANGELES (AP) — “Star Wars” creator George Lucas called his Lucas Museum of Narrative Art a “temple to the people's art” and a project that “almost broke my will.” Seventeen years after it was first envisioned, it will be opening to the public on Tuesday in Los Angeles. The $1 billion institution ...
$700 Billion Data Center Boom: Tax Gains Beat Political Backlash
Data centers need fewer city services than warehouses; electricity and water are solvable problems; and tax gains keep outweighing political backlash
Gavin Newsom's first business was a wine shop funded by a billionaire family friend
Before he was in politics, Newsom was building a hospitality empire he still has stakes in today.
Blackstone bet on ZO Skin Health, a brand you won’t find at Sephora. Now it could be worth $2 billion
The skincare brand skipped celebrity endorsements and Sephora shelves, building its business inside dermatologists’ offices and med spas.
California entrepreneur warns billionaire wealth tax could trigger 'giant sucking sound' of business exits
Eric Schiffer warns California's Proposition 40 wealth tax could trigger a mass exodus of billionaire entrepreneurs, draining jobs and tax revenue.
Commentary: Raise taxes on billionaires federally, not state by state
I favor higher taxes on the ultra-wealthy. But I worry that California’s proposed tax on billionaires will inflict lasting damage on the economy and undermine the state’s status as a
Defence Firm Anduril Says US Delay on Taiwan Arms Sales Affecting Its Business
By Ben Blanchard TAIPEI, Sept 19 (Reuters) - US defence tech firm Anduril's founder Palmer Luckey said on Saturday that President Donald Trump's delay in approving arms sales to Taiwan is affecting its business and that he has discussed this with Trump. The $14 billion package for Taiwan has been ...
California entrepreneur warns billionaire wealth tax could drive business leaders out of state
Entrepreneur Eric Schiffer discusses the potential economic consequences of California’s Proposition 40, including concerns that the proposed one-time 5% wealth tax could push wealthy residents and entrepreneurs to leave the state.
New Lakers owners reportedly telling investors they expect team's value to hit $30 billion within 10 years
Trump administration begins building border wall in Big Bend region of Texas
The start of construction marks an important milestone in the administration's $46 billion plan to line the border with walls, barriers, roads and technology as it seeks to make good on a key campaign promise by Trump to finish the wall.
Trump says his son paid back Russian billionaire who funded parts of wedding celebration
President Donald Trump on Friday claimed his son, Donald Trump Jr., paid back the Russian billionaire who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund parts of Trump Jr.’s wedding celebration in the Bahamas.
Tulare County keeps close eye on fiscal health - The Sun-Gazette Newspaper
Tulare County maintains conservative $2.26 billion budget while bracing for upcoming state, federal funding pressures
Iran war’s cost grows to $43.6 billion in new U.S. military estimate
The figure is from U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East
Novant Health’s economic impact hits $4.33B as Cape Fear population surges
Novant Health’s Coastal Region now generates $4.33 billion in annual economic output, more than triple what it reported a decade ago, according to an updated independent analysis by University of North Carolina Wilmington economist Mouhcine Guettabi.
Novant Health’s economic impact hits $4.33B as Cape Fear population surges
Novant Health’s Coastal Region now generates $4.33 billion in annual economic output, more than triple what it reported a decade ago, according to an updated independent analysis by University of North Carolina Wilmington economist Mouhcine Guettabi.
Iran war’s cost grows to $43.6 billion in new US military estimate
The U.S. military’s price tag for the Iran war has grown to $43.6 billion as of Sept. 3
Texas Secures $7.5 Billion Border Security Reimbursement
Texas is set to receive $7.5 billion from the federal government to reimburse the state for border security expenditures, Gov. Greg Abbott announced, marking one of the largest federal reimbursements associated with the state’s Operation Lone Star initiative.
Snap is betting $3.5 billion on AR glasses that businesses can use as CEO Evan Spiegel sees a post-smartphone era
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel says the era of the smartphone is coming to an end—with smart glasses being the future.
Iran war has cost $45.1 billion, Pentagon tells Congress
The US war with Iran has cost $45.1 billion, the Pentagon informed Congress on Friday, according to one source familiar with the matter.
CACI wins up to $1.5B contract
Reston-based Fortune 500 government contractor CACI International has won a contract worth up to $1.5 billion to support the U.S. Central Command and its
Coherent's Datacenter Business Powers its Revenue Growth
COHR's fiscal Q4 revenues climb to $2.05 billion as datacenter and communications demand drive nearly 79% of sales and offset industrial weakness.
Novant Health drives $4.33B in regional economic impact, study says
Novant Health Coastal Region generates an annual overall economic impact of $4.33 billion in the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), according to a new report. Commissioned by Novant Health and conducted by Mouhcine Guettabi, associate professor of economics at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and the area’s regional economist, the report evaluates population growth in New Hanover, Brunswick and Pender counties and whether the area’s healthcare infrastructure is positioned to meet the region’s demand. According to the study, while healthcare employment has kept pace with population growth in New Hanover and Pender counties, it has not kept up with the rapid population growth in Brunswick County, which is skewed toward an older population. “It points very clearly to Brunswick County being the bottleneck, or being the place where investment is most needed,” Guettabi said to the Business Journal Friday, “because the growth is the fastest, the composition of the growth is older (adults) and demand for healthcare is much higher for the subpopulation.” The Novant Health Coastal Region employs 8,295 full-time equivalent workers, according to the report, and is the region’s largest employer. Overall, through direct, indirect and induced impacts, the Novant Health Coastal Region supports 19,573 jobs, the report said. Using data collected from internal payroll, financial and capital reports, the report estimates that Novant Health Coastal Region pays approximately $1.15 billion in total compensation to its employees. According to the study, the provider’s annual operating expenditures, or direct economic impact, total $2.36 billion. That direct impact ripples through the regional economy through spending at its suppliers, or indirect impact, and household spending by staff and its suppliers’ workers, or induced impact. The report estimates the Novant Health Coastal Region’s indirect economic impact is $786 million, reflecting the multiplying effect of the provider’s operating expenses on expenditures like medical supplies, facilities, food, IT and professional services. Because 86.9% of Novant Health Coastal Region employees live within the tri-county region, the report estimates that wages paid by Novant circulate into the regional economy, creating an induced economic impact of $1.17 billion. “That money just doesn’t go into thin air,” Guettabi said of the wages paid to Novant Health Coastal Region employees. “Some of that money is being re-spent, and therefore it’s supporting grocery stores, hiring, restaurants and bars, and there are a lot of other companies or organizations whose employment, whose activity partially depends on that.” The combination of direct ($2.36 billion), indirect ($786 million), and induced ($1.17 billion) impacts totals an estimated $4.33 billion, according to the report. A study commissioned by Novant Health in 2024 and conducted by FTI Consulting’s Center for Healthcare Economics and Policy found that Novant Health generated nearly $2 billion of direct impact, with $628 million in indirect impact and $857 million in induced impact. Healthcare investments in the pipeline for Brunswick County Additionally, the study found that while healthcare employment has kept pace with population growth in New Hanover and Pender counties, it lags in Brunswick County. “Once you go below the metro level and you decompose the three counties that make up the Wilmington Metro,” Guettabi said, “it becomes fairly clear that Brunswick is the standout. And not only that, but clearly the growth there is fully domestic migration and largely retiree-driven migrants.” Using data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on per-capita healthcare spending among age groups, Guettabi estimates that adults aged 65 and older demand 2.44 times the healthcare of working-age adults. “The share of the population in Brunswick County that’s over the age of 65 is 33%,” Guettabi said, “which is so much higher than the average share of people over the age of 65 within the state or within the country.” The report emphasizes that Brunswick County is the “strongest candidate” for new healthcare investment, adding that patient discharge records show Brunswick residents rely heavily on facilities in New Hanover County for inpatient care. “Investments in Brunswick County would not only meet the demand for those residents, but it would also relieve pressure for New Hanover County residents,” Guettabi said. Laurie Whalin, president of the Novant Health Coastal Region, told the Business Journal Friday that the provider plans to expand services at Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center, in addition to other investments in the area. In April, the state granted conditional approval to both Novant Health and Columbus Regional Healthcare System to build new hospitals, just miles apart, on either side of the Columbus County and Brunswick County borders. Columbus Regional’s $214 million 30-bed hospital would be located at the former Acme-Delco Middle School in Delco, according to the application. The project’s approved timetable has construction slated to finish in May 2029, with the hospital open for service by October 2029. The Whiteville-based provider, which Atrium Health manages, broke ground on an Advanced Care facility in December 2025 and operates four specialty clinics in Leland. Meanwhile, Novant Health’s proposed $251 million 20-bed hospital would be built just miles from Columbus Regional’s proposed hospital, near the Compass Pointe community in Leland. The provider estimates the hospital will open by 2030. State officials also approved Novant Health in March to build a freestanding emergency department in Carolina Shores, near U.S. 17. The project is estimated to cost $24 million, according to the application, and will operate under the Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center license. Additionally, Novant Health’s 16,000-square-foot ambulatory surgery center is slated to open in Leland by year’s end, officials said.
Trump administration begins building border wall in Texas’ Big Bend region
The start of construction marks an important milestone in the administration's $46 billion plan to line the border with walls, barriers, roads and technology as it seeks to make good on a key campaign promise by President Donald Trump to finish the wall.
ResearchHub: An Answer to “Dysfunction” in Traditional Science Giving?
The platform, cofounded by cryptocurrency billionaire and philanthropy critic Brian Armstrong, aims to eliminate counterproductive incentives that scientists face in traditional grant seeking.
Charlotte's Allspring on block for perhaps $4B, FT says
Allspring Global Investments, a Charlotte-based business that was formerly the asset management division of Wells Fargo, is considering a sale that could be as much as $4 billion, the Financial Times reported Friday. No decision has been made and talks are in early stages, according to the report, which cited people familiar with the transaction. […]
Judge isn't swayed by government's claims that plans for an 'anti-weaponization fund' are dead
A federal judge who blocked the creation of a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization fund” for compensating President Donald Trump’s political allies isn't swayed by a government attorney’s assurances that the concept is abandoned | News-Talk 1380 WAOK
Dave Portnoy defends Robert Kraft’s right to ban Macklemore from stadium
Dave Portnoy rejected claims of censorship, arguing that the New England Patriots billionaire has every right to decide who takes the stage at his Massachusetts stadium.
Ministers explore limiting political party spending outside UK elections
Concerns over political donations grow after two cryptocurrency billionaires pledged £72mn to Reform UK
Tech billionaires trying to live for ever? That’s a waste of time, says physicist
Exclusive: Prof Jim Al-Khalili says he will offer solution to ‘arrow of time’ problem in Royal Institution lectures
Democratic Senators Reintroduce the Health Infrastructure Security and Accountability Act
On September 17, 2026, two Democratic Senators reintroduced the Health Infrastructure Security and Accountability Act, which seeks to improve A pair of Democratic Senators reintroduced the Health Infrastructure Security and Accountability Act, which seeks to increase healthcare cybersecurity standards. The bill calls for $1.3 billion in government investment to help healthcare organizations adopt the essential and enhanced HHS cybersecurity goals, including $800 million for rural and underserved hospitals.
A Closer Look at the $50 Billion Rural Health Transformation Program
The 2025 budget reconciliation created the Rural Health Transformation Program, which will award $50 billion in state grants over a five-year period. This brief provides an overview of the program, describing its structure, how funds can be used, how funding compares to Medicaid spending reductions in the reconciliation law, and how the funds are being distributed across and within states.
Talking Business with Don Cunningham: Making things is in the Lehigh Valley’s DNA
After a couple decades of manufacturing decline starting in the 1990s, manufacturing is once again the largest part of the Lehigh Valley economy with more than 700 manufacturers generating about $9 billion in annual GDP from 37,000 workers.
Billions at stake as Texas reshapes business contract program
Texas has dramatically overhauled its Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) program in the past year, shifting eligibility toward service-disabled veterans and leaving thousands of minority- an…
Uncrustables is a $1 billion brand. Now everyone wants in
One of America’s oldest sandwiches is the newest battleground in the freezer aisle.
US approves potential $24 billion sale of F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia
The Trump administration said Thursday it has approved a potential multi-billion dollar sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, bolstering the Gulf ally’s military capacity amid the threat of an expanding war in the Middle East.
City approves new tax raise, investment in mental health initiatives
Travis County commissioners passed a $1.1 billion budget for Central Health, the county’s hospital district, Tuesday, which included $54 million for new investments in mental health crisis and recovery resources. With these investments, Central Health aims to help the community address the “visible problem” of people cycling through the ER, hospital, jail and the street,...
Business groups call for $2 billion in federal Colorado River spending
A coalition of chambers of commerce, including nearly a dozen from Arizona, have sent a letter to congress asking the federal government to send new money for water-saving work.
Alice Walton says Bentonville healthcare campus to expand Arkansans’ access to specialty care
A new Bentonville healthcare campus backed by billionaire philanthropist Alice Walton will increase Arkansans’ access to specialty care and a “whole person” approach to medicine, she said at a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday.
Candidates in SECU election share thoughts
Five members are vying for three board seats at Raleigh-based SECU, the nation’s second-largest credit union with $60 billion in assets. Three were recommended by a board-led nominating committee.
The Next Gene-Editing Technology May Also Be the Oldest
Scientists have discovered a powerful gene-targeting system in viruses. Billions of years old, VIPR seems to predate CRISPR and may be even more powerful.
Nurses put Maine hospitals on ‘RED ALERT’ status
Registered nurses will hold a rally and community event on Saturday, Sept. 19 in Bangor, Maine to highlight the patient care impacts of federal health care cuts on Maine hospitals. Nurses will also use the event to discuss their Vision for a Healthy Society, a set of broad political demands that require taking back health care, democracy, and society from billionaire and corporate control.
Friant Ranch project could generate $1.3 billion in Fresno County
Friant Ranch, a proposed 2,500-home community, is projected to generate $1.3 billion in Fresno County economic activity over 10 years.
Protect Your Home and Business this National Preparedness Month with Rainbow Restoration®
The U.S. experienced 12 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters during the first half of 2026 alone, causing at least $31.9 billion in damage, according to Climate Central's mid-year update. As September marks National Preparedness Month and the transition to cooler weather brings the potential for severe storms, tornadoes, flooding and early winter weather, Rainbow Restoration®, a Neighborly® company with more than 45 years of restoration experience, is encouraging homeowners and
Protect Your Home and Business this National Preparedness Month with Rainbow Restoration®
/PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. experienced 12 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters during the first half of 2026 alone, causing at least $31.9...
Alphabet’s Core Business Is Printing Cash Faster Than Regulators Can Write Fines
Regulators keep throwing billion-dollar fines at Alphabet and the company barely notices, which raises a more interesting question about how you value a business that outgrows its own penalties every few weeks.
Billionaire Glen Taylor’s right-hand man is a political player supporting Lisa Demuth for governor
House Speaker Lisa Demuth won the Republican primary for governor despite losing the Minnesota Republican Party’s convention endorsement — a first since 1994. Now she’s putting up a credible challenge against the state’s most accomplished vote-getter, Democratic nominee Sen. Amy Klobuchar. She’s had help from an outfit called Restore Sanity, which has provided the most […]
The Strange New Politics of AI. Plus. . .
It’s Thursday, September 17. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: Douglas Murray asks, why do we allow terrorists to die of old age? The American nonprofits backing Hamas. A conversation with Dara Horn and Coleman Hughes. And much more. But first: inside the unlikely coalition warning that AI may kill us all. Last week, an AI researcher named Jacob Coxon made headlines around the world after saying that he had resigned from Anthropic because he believes AI might cause human extinction—and his co-workers do, too. Unlike the rest of us, potentially, the story just won’t die. The Pro-Human Assembly, a conference held Tuesday in Washington, D.C., about the existential dangers of artificial intelligence, couldn’t have come at a better time—or with a more eclectic coalition. The Archbishop of San Francisco was there. So was Steve Bannon, screaming about the Chinese. Bernie Sanders did a quasi-dramatic reading of messages posted to an online forum by rogue AI agents. Ashley Judd paraphrased a graphic Andrea Dworkin quote for reasons that remain a mystery to me still. It was odd. People in the AI industry have talked openly about the possibility of this technology causing human extinction for years, but it hits differently in the wake of the Hugging Face incident. If you don’t know what that is, all the more reason to read my dispatch today. As the doomers see it, the best-case scenario is a future in which humans are basically kept as pets: well cared for, but with zero autonomy. The worst-case scenario, obviously, is the everyone dies thing. What should be done? I heard lots of ideas but no easy answers. There are currently zero federal regulations on AI, which is sort of strange even to think about. After all, we regulate microwaves, and the people running the microwave industry have never once refused to rule out the possibility that their products will end all human life on Earth. What I saw in D.C. left me even more convinced that you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who believes nothing should be done. You know, except for President Trump. — River Page River Page • Tech and Business [ The AI Doomers Have a Plan to Save Us. I Went to Find Out What It Is. ](https://www.thefp.com/p/the-ai-doomers-have-plan-save-bernie-sanders-bannon) Read story How Robert Kraft Made Macklemore a Martyr—and How to Better Fight Antisemitism On Monday, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and a group of other NFL owners banned Macklemore from performing at their stadiums after the rapper delivered a “Free Palestine” speech while opening for Ed Sheeran. Kraft cited the rapper’s “broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.” Once multiple venues refused to host shows with Macklemore on the lineup, the tour’s promoter officially dropped him. Today, Josh Kaplan says that the move was counterproductive, arguing that though well-intentioned, Kraft’s decision turned an irrelevant footnote into a martyr. “You cannot cancel people into liking you,” Josh writes. Read his column on what a better response to Macklemore would have looked like. Read [ Robert Kraft Made Macklemore a Martyr ](https://www.thefp.com/p/robert-kraft-made-macklemore-martyr-antisemitism-palestine) This raises the question: What actually works against antisemitism? On the latest episode of Conversations with Coleman, recorded in front of a live audience in New York, Dara Horn joins Coleman Hughes to talk about her new book The Final Solution to the Jewish Question. She argues that antisemitism is a script that has repeated itself across countries and ideologies, and that most people don’t understand that well enough to fight it. Don’t miss their conversation. Watch [ The Lie at the Center of Antisemitism, with Dara Horn ](https://www.thefp.com/p/the-lie-at-the-center-of-antisemitism-coleman-hughes-dana-horn) Listen now Douglas Murray • U.S. Politics [ Douglas Murray: The 9/11 Failure That Still Haunts America ](https://www.thefp.com/p/douglas-murray-911-failure-justice-terrorist-guantanamo-bay) Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, the men who planned them have still not faced trial. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and most of the accused have been locked up in Guantanamo Bay since 2002. Judges have retired, and plea deals have collapsed. Today, Douglas Murray examines how this happened and argues that a justice system that allows terrorists to die of old age in an interminable pretrial process is one that has failed. Read his latest column on what that failure says about our unpreparedness for the era we are now living in. Read story The Editors • U.S. Politics [ When Nonprofits Support Terrorists ](https://www.thefp.com/p/when-nonprofits-support-terrorists) A newly declassified CIA brief from 1998 found that Osama bin Laden used nonprofit shell organizations—including U.S.-based Islamic groups—to fund his terror plots. Today, a similar story is unfolding as multiple organizations on American soil present themselves as nonprofits, taking advantage of tax-exempt status while seeking to advance the ideological mission of terrorist groups like Hamas. Read our editorial on the latest evidence of this dangerous trend—and why there’s no excuse for making the same mistake the CIA revealed 28 years ago. Read story Simon Sebag Montefiore and Bari Weiss Live in New York For decades, the Middle East has shaped American foreign policy and loomed large in the public consciousness. Few understand its influence on our politics better than Simon Sebag Montefiore, who argues that America’s quagmires in the Middle East stem from a deep misunderstanding of the region—on both the left and the right. Join him October 1 as he sits down with Bari Weiss live in New York City to kick off his U.S. book tour for The Cauldron: The Making of the Modern Middle East. Get Tickets Now MORE FROM THE FREE PRESS [ Sydney Sweeney’s Naked Truth ](https://www.thefp.com/p/sydney-sweeneys-naked-truth-caitlin-flanagan) Caitlin Flanagan Read story [ I Thought Ukraine Was Losing. Then I Was Almost Hit by a Russian Drone. ](https://www.thefp.com/p/elliot-ackerman-ukraine-drone-gas-station-train) Elliot Ackerman Read story [ The Dangerous Ideology Behind the AI Warnings ](https://www.thefp.com/p/dangerous-ideology-effective-altruism-artificial-intelligence) Shyam Sankar Read story [ Amanda Knox: Patrick Clancy Can’t Win ](https://www.thefp.com/p/amanda-knox-patrick-clancy-grief-internet-crime) Amanda Knox Read story THE NEWS The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by a quarter point, its first hike since 2023, signaling that another increase could follow as the central bank tries to bring inflation under control. President Donald Trump fired back by demanding that rates be cut sharply, though he stopped short of criticizing Fed Chair Kevin Warsh by name. The Houthis fired drones and missiles at Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, including a major oil port on the Red Sea, and Saudi jets struck back with air strikes across Yemen in an escalating front of the Middle East war. (For more on the Houthis, read Zineb Riboua’s column from earlier this week.) A sweeping Russia and Iran sanctions bill passed the House in a 262–159 vote and is now heading to Trump for his signature. Named after the late senator Lindsey Graham, the legislation would hit countries that purchase large volumes of Russian oil and gas with tariffs of up to 100 percent, and is aimed at cutting off revenue that funds Russia’s war in Ukraine. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen proposed making Canada the European Union’s first-ever “associate member,” drawing a standing ovation from European lawmakers. The proposal, framed as a response to a world grown more hostile, faces an uncertain path as EU member states would have to approve it, and one diplomat said that “nobody really knows what it means.” The House voted unanimously to send billionaire Leon Black a criminal contempt referral after he defied a congressional subpoena to testify and hand over documents related to his connections to Jeffrey Epstein. Black chose to fight the subpoena in court rather than comply. Charlie Kirk’s family filed a wrongful death notice Wednesday against Utah Valley University, alleging that a series of security failures left him exposed to a rooftop sniper. The notice is a required legal step before the family can sue. Merriam-Webster added 1,400 words and definitions to its dictionary, including looksmaxxing, vibe coding, and cuffing season. The publisher said the new entries offer “a window into the world today.” The Free Press earns a commission from any purchases made through all book links in this article.
California Eyes Prison Heat Protections That Fall Short of Workplace Standards
California is crafting weaker heat protections for prisons than other workplaces, citing billions in costs to cool aging institutions as climate and health risks increase. It’s a second-class standard, health and safety advocates say, and would leave correctional workers more susceptible to heat illness.
FDEM spent about $1 billion on immigration last year, now it'll get more
State legislators approved $250 million for the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Some will go toward hurricane relief, but a large portion will pay vendors for completed work at the immigration detention center dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz."
Dollywood’s billionaire owners plot future without Dolly Parton
Since it opened in 1986, Dollywood has been both monument to Dolly Parton and a bustling venue where visitors can wander through a replica of the two-room log cabin where