Below, we’ve got last-minute summer trips and some tragic news from Iran with a North Carolina connection. But first:

Let’s begin this week with weird Wilmington’s worst-kept secret. It’s called Walker World, an “organic artist retreat” in the woods that began as a joke on Airbnb.

Since then, it’s become a quirky party destination, filled with the rustic and oddball creations of quirky local man, Allen Walker. And it’s been immortalized on TV’s “RJ Decker” and “The Runarounds.” 

The schedule at Walker World? Yoga on Tuesdays. Ping pong on Thursdays. Bonfires and beer basically every day. “Freedom is the theme,” Walker told the Wilmington Star-News. “There’s no reason not to do these things.”

Start your week with this fun story.

Allen Walker relaxes with a PBR on a pontoon boat at Walker World Organic Artist Retreat in Castle Hayne, North Carolina. (USA Today via Reuters)

Happy Monday, NC. Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter: 

Thanks to Carol Adelman for this wildlife shot from Arden. 

If you’ve got a cool NC photo to share, don’t be shy. Send it to us!

1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25—a soldier stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina—was killed in action on July 18, 2026. (USA Today via Reuters)

Some sad news from the Middle East. 

Two American soldiers were killed in action over the weekend, during an Iranian attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan. 

They were 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, who was stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas. 

Their deaths bring the number of American dead in the war with Iran to 17. 

At least 3,468 people in Iran have been killed since the US and Israel began attacking the country in February. 

For more on the American troops lost this weekend, tap here. 

More at Cardinal & Pine: 

1. North Carolina misses Nolan’s ultimate “Odyssey” experience. Axios

“The purest form of Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ can only be seen in the 25 U.S. theaters equipped with 70mm IMAX screens — and none are in North Carolina.”

2. NC farmers see increased produce sales as cyclosporiasis outbreak continues. WRAL

“Shoppers are turning to locally grown produce sold at the State Farmer’s Market as health officials investigate the cyclosporiasis outbreak in North Carolina to find a source.”

3. Ask a journalist: What’s going on with NC’s film grant program? WHQR

“Q: Is North Carolina’s film grant program out of money? A: No — not exactly. “

In addition to being lovely on its own, scenes shot in and around Lake Lure were featured prominently in the 1987 film, “Dirty Dancing.” (James Kirkikis/Shutterstock) 

I’ve been there. Summer’s flying by. The kids are bored. You haven’t seen privacy in weeks. And, somehow, you don’t have a plan for a big trip. 

We have you covered.

C&P contributor Brook Bolen has written a fun guide to last-minute trips you can plan before the summer is out. They’re cheap too. 

For the romantics out there, the guide includes the idyllic western NC setting of “Dirty Dancing.”

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 Brook Bolen and USA Today Network via Reuters Connect. It was edited by Crystal Niforos.

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