Below, we have some must-read bear safety tips following a rare bear attack in western NC, plus an important new story about Senate candidate Michael Whatley’s relationship with a powerful NC utility, but first: 

Wherever you find people in need, there will be people trying to take advantage of that need. I consider myself an optimist, and even I can see that’s the reality.  

This week, we published an important story about an immigration attorney who promised to be a “miracle worker” for clients hoping to avoid deportation. Instead, the Washington-based attorney is accused of bilking them for thousands, and she has clients right here in North Carolina. 

One family in western NC says they paid her $16,000. Now they’re left in limbo. Read the story here.

Yancey County resident Jazmin Madrigal said her grandparents, also Yancey County residents, paid an immigration attorney roughly $16,000 and haven’t heard from her office since May 2026. The attorney, Alexandra Lozano, is facing a civil lawsuit alleging a national scam. (USA Today via Reuters)

Happy Thursday, NC. We’re grateful you’re reading Cardinal & Pine. Here’s what you’ll find in today’s edition: 

C&P reader Gary Miller brings you this sunset view from Beaufort, NC. This reminds me of home. 

We want your photos for Cardinal & Pine’s View From NC. Send them by tapping here!

Michael Whatley smiles as President Donald Trump speaks to soldiers and their families at Fort Bragg, N.C., Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

C&P’s Dylan Rhoney has a must-read brief on Senate candidate Michael Whatley’s campaign contributions. And what they might tell us about what kind of senator he’d be.

According to FEC receipts, Whatley’s accepted $10,000 from Duke Energy’s political action committee since entering the Senate race last summer. It’s important because Duke is currently asking for a major rate increase from the state. 

Before he ran for office, Whatley—the former head of the NC GOP and the Republican National Committee—worked at a lobbying firm that counted Duke among its clients. 

More from the story: 

“Carolina Public Press reported that while working as a lobbyist for CEA, Whatley personally argued in favor of rate increases. He also pushed for Duke to pass on costs for coal ash cleanup in eastern North Carolina to its customers. This cost Duke customers $232 million.”

Read the story here. 

More from Cardinal & Pine:

Are socialists really taking over the Democratic Party in NC? It’s fact-check time at Billy Ball Explains NC. (Graphic by Kelly Lennon)

1. Charlotte renters need nearly 4 times the minimum wage, new report finds. Charlotte Observer

“The minimum wage has been $7.25 in North Carolina since 2009, but a new report by The National Low Income Housing Coalition shows a Charlotte resident would need almost four times that to afford renting a two-bedroom home.”

2. GOP eliminated NC’s minority business office. Where does that leave companies? The News & Observer

“The shutdown of the Office for Historically Underutilized Businesses, established in 1999 under an executive order by Democratic Gov. Jim Hunt, took effect immediately, leaving many businesses scrambling to understand its impacts.”

3. As NC officials consider new early-voting plans, allegations of racial targeting arise. WRAL

“In 20 counties around the state, local boards of election are proposing the elimination of Sunday voting, or of early voting sites in heavily Black areas. It comes as Republicans have taken control of county and state elections administration.”

4. Digital ID driver’s licenses coming to NC. Fox 8 WGHP

“North Carolina drivers will soon have the option to leave their physical license in their wallet and carry a digital version on their phone instead.”

5. Charlotte alt-weekly Queen City Nerve shuts down. QC Nerve

“This is part of a larger pattern that’s been slowly unfolding across the country. As we witness the rise of unsourced ‘influencer’ journalists and AI-generated news stories, we believe as strongly as ever in the importance of well-sourced, independent community journalism.”

Uno, a black bear, walks through its habitat at the Western North Carolina Nature Center on July 2, 2026. (USA Today via Reuters)

First things first, bear attacks are rare. 

In fact, black bears—the only kind of bear species living in NC—are responsible for fewer than a dozen attacks each year. 

However, a person in Asheville suffered non-life threatening injuries on Tuesday when a black bear wandered into their home. So let’s brush up on black bear safety, huh? 

Here are some good tips to keep in mind if you run into a black bear in NC: 

For more tips, tap here.

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 Dylan Rhoney and USA Today Network via Reuters Connect. It was edited by Crystal Niforos.

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