Piedmont Pathology in Hickory has agreed to pay the United States $601,000 to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for medically unnecessary procedures. U.S.Attorney Jill Westmoreland Rose made the announcement Tuesday. The allegations rose from a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower, Dr. Kim Geisinger (The Realtor), under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Dr. Geisinger is a pathologist who formerly worked for Piedmont pathology. Under the False Claims Act, private citizens can bring suit on behalf of the government for false claims and share in any recovery. Geisiner will receive about $120,000 from the recovery announced yesterday.

A Granite Falls man was given an active prison sentence after pleading guilty Friday in Caldwell County Superior Court, to felony larceny, felony hit and run, and admitting his status as a habitual felon. 33-year-old Eric James Haas, was given a three-year sentence for a DWI plea. That sentence will be served concurrent to his term of five to seven years and carries a mandatory $10,000 fine. Haas' sentence was enhanced by his habitual felon status that included prior felony convictions in Caldwell County in 2006 and 2007 and Catawba County in 2013.

A Marion suspect leaves his name at the scene of a break-in. The McDowell County Sheriff's Office reported Tuesday the charge of breaking & entering against 30-year-old Jonathan Troy Lewis. Deputies responded March 26th to a break-in at the West Cascade Drive home of Birt Davis. Davis told deputies that he was inside the residence when a man through a window and entered. Davis grabbed his handgun and pointed it at the suspect, who jumped out the same window. The suspec, Lewis, was hit in the leg and taken by friends to Frye Regional Medical Center in Hickory. He told detectives that he shot himself. Deputies found a shoe at the scene of the break-in with "Jon Lewis" written on the bottom.

Hickory City County Tuesday night recognized newly-appointed Public Services, Kevin Greer, who was appointed after serving as interim Director since January. Three citizens addressed City Council about food cart concerns proposed at several city parks. Later Parks and Recreation Director Mac McCloud explained guidlines in consideration of allowing mobile food vendors to operate in certain city parks. McCloud referenced the different types of vendors and where they will be allowed to sell food in the designated city parks.