Good News Friday is Cardinal & Pine’s weekly roundup of positive news stories from around NC. For past editions of Good News Friday, tap here.
Here’s what you’ll get in today’s edition:
- On Helene anniversary, country star Eric Church expands western NC housing initiative
- 9 North Carolina hotels earn a prestigious Michelin star
- 9 towns in NC land funding for park expansion
Next week marks the second anniversary of Hurricane Helene, a time I’ll always remember because it coincides with my wedding anniversary.
We spent a beautiful day with friends and family on Sept. 28, relieved that a full week of rain had cleared for our special day, only to learn the next day about the devastation that was taking place in western North Carolina.
The mountains of our great state have always held a special place in my heart along with all the people of western North Carolina who have proven their resilience over the last two years.
We’ll start our Good News Friday column this week with a program that’s doing some good for communities that are still struggling from the storm’s disastrous impacts.
Eric Church expands western NC housing initiative
Country star Eric Church grew up in rural Granite Falls in western NC.
This week, as the state approached the two-year anniversary of Helene, Church and his wife Katherine announced the launch of Blue Haven Communities, a new nonprofit that will expand on the housing initiative the couple has already begun in western North Carolina under their existing nonprofit, Chief Cares.
“Blue Haven….A Chief Cares Mission is expanding what began as an effort to help Western North Carolina residents recover and remain in the communities they call home into a growing housing initiative with communities underway in both Avery and Yancey counties,” explained a press release on Thursday.
The initiative provides mortgage-free, rent-free housing for “local community pillars—educators, healthcare workers, first responders, and others who selflessly serve Western North Carolina,” according to the website.
The first Blue Haven community, Blue Haven Avery, will comprise 37 homes, 18 of which have been completed and 14 of which are already occupied. All 37 homes are anticipated to be completed and occupied by 97 residents by January.
Construction crews have broken ground on a second Blue Haven community in Yancey County, with hopes to continue expanding the initiative on a broader scale.
“Every community has people who embody hope when things get tough,” the Churches wrote in a joint statement. “They are the steady hands, and the warm heart. They are the reason that Western North Carolina, or any community touched by disaster, endures. These are the people Blue Haven is built to serve by making it possible for them to stay rooted in their communities and continue to serve.”
The organization named Winston McGregor, former president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Greensboro and chief operating officer of The Innovation Project, as Blue Haven’s new chief executive officer.
“As we expand our work into Yancey County and beyond, we are excited to have Winston shepherding this next chapter. She has the heart and the head to help us build on this foundation,” the Churches wrote.
North Carolina hotels earn Michelin recognition
Though not as discussed as Michelin Stars, Michelin Keys are just as coveted by those in the hospitality industry. They recognize hotels that go above and beyond in the categories of architecture and interior design, quality of service, personality and character, value, and guest experience in each setting.
This week, the Michelin Guide announced the 2026 Michelin Key honorees, with nine North Carolina hotels making the grade.
The state’s only two hotels to earn two keys–the guide goes up to three—were Cataloochee Ranch in Maggie Valley and The Swag in Waynesville. Both were first timers on the list.
The seven one-key hotels in the state include Blind Tiger in Asheville, The Ivey’s in Charlotte, Proximity in Greensboro, The Fearrington House Inn in Pittsboro, Heights House in Raleigh, ARRIVE, and Dreamers BnB, both in Wilmington.
Local parks in North Carolina are getting $4 million
The Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) on Tuesday announced that the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a program under the federal Department of the Interior, has awarded nearly $4 million total to nine local parks and recreation projects across the state.
NC State Parks manages the funding, which can be allocated to local governments for use on land acquisition, new recreation facilities, or improvements to existing parks.
“Local parks are a keystone in conserving green spaces and providing communities nearby with access to outdoor recreation,” DNCR Secretary Pamela B. Cashwell said in a release on Tuesday. “Their work complements the conservation, education, and recreation we provide across our state parks and other DNCR sites — creating plenty of options for North Carolina’s residents and visitors to enjoy.”
The selected local projects are:
- Town of Granite Quarry, Rowan County, Granite Civic Park, $500,000
- Town of Hope Mills, Cumberland County, Heritage Park Phase II, $500,000
- Town of Mars Hill, Madison County, Bone Camp Creek Acquisition, $493,350
- Town of Matthews, Mecklenburg County, Windsor Park, $276,150
- Town of Mayodan, Rockingham, Washington Mills Park, $500,000
- Town of Norwood, Stanly County, Lake Tillery Park Acquisition, $305,000
- City of Rocky Mount, Edgecombe County, Stith-Talbert Park, $500,000
- Watauga County, Cove Creek Park, $494,000
- City of Wilmington, New Hanover, Greenfield Park Lions Bridge, $450,000
