Good News Friday: Signs of life abound in North Carolina film industry

North Carolina film leaders are bullish about the state’s prospects for movie and TV productions, a decade after state leaders launched a grant program. That, and more positive stories from around NC, in today’s Good News Friday.

Thursday’s gold medal-winning performance by the US women’s hockey team in the Milan Winter Olympics has provided me with the perfect inspiration to skate into what we at Cardinal & Pine like to call Good News Friday. 

As you know if you checked out my GNF column last week, most of the NC representation at this year’s Olympics come from the men’s hockey team (due solely to the fact that a handful of Hurricanes players made the national team). 

Not exactly a hotbed of hockey here in the South, none of the women’s players hail from the Tar Heel State. But that’s OK because the US team plays for all of us, and its sudden-death overtime win against Canada in Thursday’s final was enough to make the most jaded soul beam with pride. 

That said, there’s plenty of good news happening here in the state, as well, so let’s check out some of those stories. 

NC leaders say grants are spurring film and TV productions

Though its set in Texas, the Netflix show “the Hunting Wives” is filmed in Charlotte. (Netflix)

The NC Department of Commerce announced this week that film and television production activity in North Carolina generated an estimated $185.5 million in direct in-state spending in 2025, the fourth-highest sum for the state since the launch of the North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grant program in 2015. 

The total reflects the direct impacts of investments in projects including feature films, streaming and television series, reality programming, commercials, and independent projects. By the numbers, there were 38 productions filmed in 45 of the state’s 100 counties, creating more than 7,000 jobs for crew, talent, and background workers. 

Productions included the second season of Beast Games, the reality competition show that influencer Mr. Beast shot mostly in a Wilmington studio and on location in his hometown of Greenville, according to the News & Observer. Though set in Texas, popular Netflix drama The Hunting Wives was filmed mostly in and around Charlotte. 

“North Carolina’s film and television industry has evolved into a dynamic, year-round economic driver,” said Guy Gaster, director of the North Carolina Film Office. “Our incentive program, combined with a skilled local workforce and unmatched geographic diversity, continues to attract productions that deliver jobs and investment statewide.” 

Defenders of Wildlife earn recognition at Raleigh ceremony

An bird’s eye view of Safe Passage’s primary study area along Interstate 40 in the Pigeon River Gorge, near the North Carolina-Tennessee border. )Photo courtesy of Jake Faber and Southwings)

Just because they’re named the Defenders of Wildlife (DoW) doesn’t mean they’re not working to protect us humans, as well.

North Carolina DoW organizers joined their partners in the Safe Passage coalition to accept the Advocacy Organization of the Year Award at the 2026 Sweethearts of Safety (SOS) Awards ceremony in Raleigh on Friday, Feb. 13. 

Held by the North Carolina Alliance for Safe Transportation, SOS awards are given to individuals and groups responsible for improving road safety in the state. 

The Safe Passage coalition received the honor for its work advocating for wildlife crossings along a 28-mile stretch of I-40 in the Pigeon River Gorge connecting North Carolina and Tennessee. They hope to better connect two massive pieces of public land that elk, white tail deer, black bears, bobcats, raccoons, opossums and other animals cross the highway to traverse regularly in search of food, mates, and habitat. 

The NC Department of Transportation has thus far committed to building five wildlife crossing projects across I-40.

“It’s an honor to have our work to make roads safer celebrated by the state I call home,” said Tracy Davids, senior southeast representative for Defenders of Wildlife. “When wildlife can pass over and under roads, everyone gets where they need to go safely — whether you’re a person or a bear.”

Safe Passage’s project area spans 28 miles along Interstate 40: 20 miles in North Carolina and eight miles in Tennessee. (Map courtesy of National Parks Conservation Association)

Alamance Community College wins annual hunger challenge

Alamance County just put the community in community college. (Sometimes you just can’t stop yourself from writing a cringe-y lede on Good News Friday.)

A student-led team representing Alamance Community College (ACC) took home the title of Grand Hunger Champion in an annual competition organized by Food Lion Feeds and North Carolina Campus Engagement, a collaborative network of colleges and universities committed to creating positive change, strengthening democracy and advocating for civic and social responsibility. 

The ACC team took home a $10,000 prize for its efforts organizing events that raised awareness of food insecurity, nutritional education and wellness resources available in their communities in late 2025. The winners were announced this week.

Catawba College and North Carolina Central University each took home $5,000 secondary prizes in the private and public sector categories, respectively. Each winning college will also receive $1,600 to help supplement pantry levels on their respective campuses during the spring semester.

According to the release, 14 participating colleges and universities competed from Sept. 8 to Dec. 19, 2025, earning points for organizing events and collecting food items. In all, the 14 schools hosted more than 120 awareness events and collected more than 66,000 food items. 

The efforts were all the more impactful during a time when a freeze on SNAP benefits caused a crisis for some of the state’s most vulnerable residents. 

“College students are stepping up in powerful ways to support one another and their communities,” said Kevin Durkee, manager of Food Lion Feeds, Food Lion’s hunger-relief platform. “Through the N.C. Collegiate Hunger Challenge, we’re proud to partner with North Carolina Campus Engagement to support student-led solutions that help ensure students have access to the food they need to learn, grow and succeed.”