Wilmington, N.C., AIDS group could lose funding

Cure AIDS, a Wilmington, N.C., HIV/AIDS service organization, could soon lose its federal grant money because the agency has not filed its required annual audits, the Wilmington Morning Star reports. The agency, which offers housing and other services for HIV-positive people in the region, has never filed an annual audit, despite being required to do so by federal funding laws. Cure AIDS has received $724,581 in federal, state, and local funds during the past seven years. Federal funds in the Wilmington area are distributed by the local city council. City councilman Jason Thompson plans to urge his fellow council members to cut off support to Cure AIDS: "I won't be voting to give them any more money if they haven't submitted an audit." He also said he would request the city manager to investigate the organization. Cure AIDS executive director Belinda Blue said she was unaware of the audit requirement and did not indicate whether the agency has any plans to begin preparing a current audit.