Below, we have a new report on how artificial intelligence (AI) is shaping a crucial eastern NC congressional race, as well as a witch’s paradise in Rowan County, but first:

When the singer-songwriter Steve Lacy put a wrap on his performance Friday at Raleigh’s Red Hat Amphitheater, he put a wrap on the whole venue.

At least as it stands today. 

As C&P contributor Ryan Pitkin reported in today’s “3 things happening in NC,” the popular downtown Raleigh venue is slated for demolition. But that doesn’t mean the music’s over here.

Here’s what comes next for the amphitheater. Hint: It’s good news for Raleigh, which has surely benefitted from the culture dose that’s come with Red Hat. 

Read more here.

Lazarus performing at Red Hat Amphitheatre in June 2019. The popular Raleigh venue has officially played its last show. (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Thanks for reading the Cardinal & Pine newsletter. Early voting ends this Saturday, Oct. 31. Find your local early voting sites here.

A reminder: If you’re not already registered to vote, early voting is your last chance to get registered to vote. You cannot register on Election Day itself. 

Get more info on early voting here. 

Here’s what else is in today’s C&P newsletter: 

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C&P reader Mary Easter snapped this photo from Corolla, NC, overlooking the Currituck Sound. 

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President Donald Trump and House candidate Jennifer Balkcom listen as House candidate Laurie Buckhout speaks at a campaign rally at Pitt–Greenville Airport, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, in Greenville, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Ramey)

Congressional District 1 is one of the most closely-watched races in North Carolina this year. 

That’s because, in 2025, this district was reshaped by President Trump’s demand for the state Legislature to gerrymander it and make it more comfortable for a Republican candidate. 

In doing so, Republicans effectively wrote the state’s only predominantly Black congressional district out of existence.  

That said, we are still expecting a very close race between incumbent Democrat Don Davis and his Republican challenger, Laurie Buckhout. 

C&P’s Dylan Rhoney reports that Buckhout is getting a boost in this race by a deep-pocketed PAC that’s funded in part by leaders in the controversial artificial intelligence (AI) industry. 

Given folks’ abiding concerns about AI’s effect on jobs, safety, and the environment, that’s meaningful. 

Read the story here.

More from Cardinal & Pine:

1. NC State Fair wraps up 11-day run as vendors reflect on business, attendance. WRAL

“Thousands of people made their way through the fairgrounds in Raleigh on the final day, enjoying everything from midway rides to popular food stands before the gates closed for another year.”

2. Republicans are spending millions and still may not win districts drawn to favor them. NPR

“At President Trump’s behest, Republicans redrew congressional boundaries to create up to 15 new Republican districts. Less than two weeks before the election, the Cook Political Report rates only five of them as Solid or Likely Republican.”

3. Hospital turf wars: Why NC hospitals are racing to build. Charlotte Ledger

“Across North Carolina, health systems are spending billions to grow, stake out new territory and fight for beds. What’s driving the frenzy? And will patients be better off?”

Witches Dance Bizarre Bazaar on Facebook

Here at Cardinal & Pine, we love quirky things. Life is so boring without them, right? 

This week, the Rowan County city of Salisbury hosts the delightfully eccentric Witches Dance Bizarre Bazaar. 

Come for the big choreographed dance numbers led by broom-wielding sorcerers. Stay for the food trucks and local market. 

Read about it in today’s “3 things happening in NC.”

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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 Crystal Niforos.

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