Cardinal and Pine
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Andre the Giant’s NC connection celebrated
Plus: A plan to give NC teachers big pay raises Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. As always, Fridays are for good news at Cardinal & Pine. Today, we’re putting a microscope on a new proposal from Gov. Josh Stein that would make teacher pay in North Carolina the envy of the southeast. The…
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A $71 million lie on Roy Cooper
Plus: NC’s biggest restaurant openings of 2026 Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. First things first: North Carolina’s US Senate race is one of the most important elections in the country. You can tell by the cash Republicans are putting into trying to make the Democratic candidate, Roy Cooper, look like a different person. …
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12 ‘long weekend’ destinations in NC
Plus: Getting banned from a US rep’s McDonald’s Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. Here’s the thing: Visiting the Great Smoky Mountains is safe. There’s a reason this NC-Tennessee destination is the most visited national park in America. But a recent uptick in bear encounters—including a couple of pilfered backpacks—has park officials acting. Here’s…
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NC needs to act on marijuana
Plus: Literal pirates in Greenville. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. It’s hardly breaking news that April 20, or “4/20,” is a holiday among marijuana-lovers. Cannabis is on a lot of folks’ minds this week with the NC General Assembly returning to session. Below, Cardinal & Pine’s Michael McElroy has a run-down of their…
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🏖️ 12 of the best beaches in North Carolina
Plus: Why ticket prices are about to take a dive. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. “We won.” This week, North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson announced that he and 33 other attorneys general—Democrats and Republicans—claimed victory in a major lawsuit against Live Nation. Live Nation is the company that owns Ticketmaster. That will…
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A super PAC’s going to lie about Roy Cooper. A lot.
Plus: Your week in NC protests. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. We begin today with one of the most important elections of 2026. This fall, it pits a former governor and attorney general, Roy Cooper, against a longtime GOP fundraiser, Michael Whatley. Recently, the right-wing Senate Leadership Fund (SLF) announced that it is investing…
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Who’s actually to blame for gas prices
Plus: NC riverwalk makes top 10 in the US. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. If it’s Wednesday, we have a new Billy Ball Explains NC. This week, I want to talk about gas prices. In politics, this is probably one of the dumbest subjects ever. Presidents and lawmakers have limited power over what…
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Updating NC’s marijuana laws
Plus: NC stars show out in WNBA Draft. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. North Carolina is one of only 10 states without a regulated adult-use marijuana market or medical marijuana program. Some state leaders are hoping to change that. We’ve published a new story on what changes are possible, and what North Carolina…
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How to speak out on Duke Energy’s HUGE rate hike
Plus: What Lumbee recognition means for southeastern NC Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. The 2026 elections in North Carolina are very much underway. That means candidates, like Roy Cooper, are beginning their barnstorming. Cooper recently made stops in Fayetteville and Durham to kickstart his “Make Stuff Cost Less” tour. Democrats are making the…
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Protesters slam Durham kids’ deportation
Plus: This ‘cult classic’ movie has NC roots?? Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. This week, we wrote about a weekend-long celebration of the Halifax Resolves. Today, we have more to celebrate. The historic Revolutionary War document, which announced North Carolina’s plans to declare independent from the British, is returning home for the first…
