Spring is, arguably, the finest time to be a North Carolinian. 

The air is gentle and warm. The sun isn’t so harsh. And the bugs aren’t back. Yet. This time of year, you will find me digging in the dirt in my garden. But if I’m not doing that, I’m looking for things to do around town.

This week, C&P contributor Ryan Pitkin highlights a few events worth your time in our “3 things happening” column, whether you live in the mountains, in central NC, or near the coast.

One of our favorites is Charlotte SHOUT!, an annual celebration of the Queen City’s culture, arts, film, and food. This year, SHOUT! features 200 events spread across the city from April 3-19. 

But there’s a lot more than that going on. Check it out. 

The Charlotte SHOUT! festival centers on arts, music, food and culture. This year, it features more than 200 events and attractions. (Photo via Charlotte SHOUT!)

You’re knee-deep in the Cardinal & Pine newsletter. Here’s what’s in it today:

UNC-Asheville/Rafael Aguilera

Thanks to C&P reader Manny Figaro for sending us this photo taken on UNC-Asheville’s campus this spring. 

UNC-Asheville has one of the prettiest campuses around. Argue with me about it. 

Republican North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson speaks during an election night watch party Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

Mark Robinson, the North Carolina GOP candidate for governor in 2024, recently re-emerged. 

Robinson spoke with a podcaster about his doomed 2024 campaign and the allegations that he made disturbing comments on an internet pornography website. 

The former NC lieutenant governor acknowledged he lied. But there was one huge thing missing from the interview. I wrote about it here. 

1. Wildfire grows to 600 acres in North Carolina mountains. WBTV

“The state’s wildfire tracker showed the fire was burning in the Cane Creek Road area of Wilkes County, and was only 50% contained as of 6:15 a.m. on March 31.”

2. North Carolina launches ‘Speed a Little. Lose a Lot’ campaign to combat speeding. WECT

The NC Governor’s Highway Safety Program said law enforcement “will increase patrols and checkpoints to identify and catch speeders.”

3. Eastern NC officials visit Canton to share lessons on Helene recovery and flood planning. WLOS

“The visit, organized by the American Flood Coalition, is part of a broader, cross-state effort to connect leaders dealing with flooding in very different environments — from coastal storm surge to fast-moving mountain waterways.”

4. Hubert Davis and Will Wade are just cogs in a money machine. The Assembly 

“The departure of the two coaches in the same week shows that in today’s college sports, everything is expendable, loyalty is worthless, and there’s a price tag on anything and everyone.”

Local news is essential for democracy.

Our reporting cuts through false narratives, documents what’s actually happening in our communities, and provides voters with the clear, factual information they need—especially when the stakes are high.

Via the NC Fried Apple Pie Festival

Listen, we’ve fried just about everything else. Why shouldn’t we fry apple pie? 

Somehow, I didn’t learn about the western North Carolina hobby of deep-frying apple pies until this week. The state even has a rundown of local recipes here. 

In fact, it’s popular enough to get its own annual festival in the Alleghany County town of Sparta. Find out more about the festival on its Facebook page. 

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. It was edited by Brook Bolen.

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