I’ll be honest: Winter is not my thing.

There was a moment two weeks ago—sometime in between the second or the third day that my car was stuck in ice on my driveway—that I yelled curse words at winter. Like, the entire season itself.

To my neighbors: I’m sorry. To the season: Whatever. 

I don’t know if you would call it seasonal affective disorder (the appropriately acronymed SAD), but I get why people get the winter blues. 

Today, we published a mood-lifting piece from Cardinal & Pine contributor Sam Cohen. It’s loaded with NC-centric ways to raise your spirits and beat the cold-weather sadness if you need it. Please read and share. 

Consider a trip to NC’s prettiest destinations, like the Roanoke River Lighthouse in Plymouth, to help beat the winter blues. (Shutterstock)

Happy Tuesday. The days are getting longer. Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter: 

I love the purples and the oranges in this backyard view from Raleigh. Thanks to Cardinal & Pine reader Lorraine Tomasino for sharing. 

Tap the button below and show us your part of NC.

Asheville High School. Public schools like this have struggled to weather the loss of funding directly tied to the expansion of school choice programs. (USA Today via Reuters)

In my previous life, I was an education reporter. 

And North Carolina, like many states, has been on a clear trajectory as it relates to education. Parents are increasingly supportive of school choice programs, but at the same time, they’re worried about the effect of those programs on traditional public schools. 

And there is a clear effect. 

“Every state that’s passed a voucher system has had to slow down its per-pupil funding for public schools,” Joshua Cowen, a professor of education policy at Michigan State University, told States Newsroom in a new report on school choice.

“Whether they take it directly out of school aid or fund it from another pot, it’s all the same budget,” Cowen said. 

That tracks with what we’ve seen in NC, where lawmakers have passed an expanding school voucher program to spend public dollars on private school enrollment. In 2023, GOP legislators in NC made that program universal. That means even wealthy families can access up to $7,900 in public dollars for private school. 

1. NC AG sues wedding photographers accused of stealing $750,000 across 166 complaints. CBS-17

“Documents show Jeff Jackson filed a complaint in Wake County Superior Court against Holly Christina Scott Ayscue, Christopher Owen Ayscue, and their company, Holly Christina Photography.”

2. When can North Carolina residents expect their tax refunds? What to know. USA Today via Reuters

“It’s tax season and many in North Carolina want to know when they might get their tax refunds. Here’s what to know.”

3. Why Alamance County’s pro-Trump sheriff iced out ICE. The Assembly

“Sheriff Terry Johnson abruptly ended his agreement to hold immigrant detainees just before the Trump administration launched a sweeping enforcement operation in North Carolina.”

(Graphic by Alexis Lawson)

Happy Black History Month, NC. Here’s one Black history story that isn’t often told. 

The Excelsior Club was founded in 1944 in Charlotte. It came about in an era where segregation reigned supreme. Black folks, like all folks, needed a place to enjoy each other’s company. The South wasn’t always a friendly place for such things.

The club became a hotspot for Charlotte’s Black professionals, and a leading light for Black culture in the southeast. It’s closed and reopened its doors over the years, but in 2025, city leaders committed to spending more than $8 million redeveloping the space into a modern juke joint that celebrates the building’s history. 

It’s a cool story. For more on the building and its history, tap below. 

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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 content from Sam Cohen, USA Today via Reuters, and Alexis Lawson. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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