Recovery is not a passive thing. It takes time, effort, endurance, and a willingness to deal with big disappointments. 

The recovery in Asheville after Helene is still a work in progress. But there are definite signs of recovery. Take the city’s River Arts District, a hub for culture, arts, and business.

In our new edition of Good News Friday, Cardinal & Pine contributor Ryan Pitkin takes a look at one major reopening. The owners of Summit Coffee and Hi-Wire Brewing say they’re opening a “listening lounge” and kitchen in the district. 

There’s other good news to read about, including the rebranding of a Mount Pleasant theater for the famous Avett family, and the opening of a deluxe affordable housing development in uptown Charlotte.

The founders of Summit Coffee and Hi-Wire Brewing are planning a “listening lounge” and kitchen in Asheville’s River Arts District. The area is still recovering from Helene. (Courtesy of Joyful Noise)

I hope everyone is staying warm and getting ready for some winter weather. More on that below. 

Speaking of Asheville, Cardinal & Pine reader Carol Marks sent us this shot of a Dambo troll at the NC Arboretum. 

You can visit the famous trolls, which are made out of recycled material, at the Arboretum through mid-February. For more on the trolls and the HUGE impact they’re having on Arboretum visitors, tap here. 

The latest episode of Billy Ball Explains NC is out, and it’s an important one.

It tells you all you need to know about big changes to the polling places and voting hours in 24 of NC’s 100 counties. Let’s break down exactly why this is happening. 

Recently, Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for stronger gun laws, released its annual report ranking all 50 states based on the strength of their gun laws.

Here in North Carolina, researchers found that if the state had the firearm death rate of the 10 states with the strongest gun safety laws in the US, 12,851 lives could be saved over the next decade.

Everytown says the state falls short on gun safety in part due to the lack of background checks on firearm purchases, its relaxed open carry laws, and the lack of an assault weapons ban.

Each year, more than 1,700 people are killed by firearms in the state, and the rate of North Carolinians dying since 2014 exceeds the national average. To read the report, tap here or on the button below. 

1. Up to 1 inch of freezing rain possible for much of NC this weekend. WRAL

“Widespread power outages and dangerous road conditions will be the main concerns with an ice storm forecast for the coming weekend (Jan. 24-25, 2026) for most of central North Carolina.”

2. UNC-Chapel Hill chancellor says ‘long overdue’ Carolina North project will break ground in 2027. Daily Tar Heel

“This will be the largest expansion of the University since the cornerstone of the Old East building was laid in 1793, over 232 years ago.”

3. ‘Walk For Peace’ Monks walk through Wake County Friday. Here’s where to see them. WRAL

“The Walk for Peace, a procession of Buddhist monks making their way from Texas to Washington, D.C., arrived in Wake County on Friday. The group will make a lunch stop at Jordan Lake and end the day at Apex High School. Both locations are open to the public.”

(Grindstone Media Group/Shutterstock)

Last week in this space, we gave you a real challenge. As always, Cardinal & Pine’s readers flexed their NC knowledge muscles.

Marilyn Barnwell was the fastest to correctly identify DuPont State Forest near Hendersonville. Marilyn, please accept your honorary PhD in North Carolina knowledge from all of us at C&P.

Let’s get to today’s challenge. I have faith you folks have this one. Fastest one to ID the spot gets the win!

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Billy Ball. I’m an NC native and journalist. I tend to lean left on opinion, but I lean no way on facts. Today’s edition includes stories from Ryan Pitkin and Dylan Rhoney. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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