Below, we have a widening scandal in our state elections office and a guide to watching the Perseid meteor shower, but first: 

One of the best things we do here is Good News Friday, Cardinal & Pine’s weekly roundup of positive news stories from around the state. 

One of the frequent criticisms of global online marketplaces is the harm they do to local stores. The crafting market Etsy is looking to earn some goodwill with a series of grants for local craft hubs across the US. 

They’ve zeroed in on the Asheville area as one of those craft hubs. Several local arts collectives are getting big grants from Etsy to do their work. Find out who by reading this week’s Good News Friday. 

Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual, Inc., which specializes in Cherokee arts, is one of several North Carolina art hubs getting grants from the online crafting market Etsy. (Sandra Foyt via Shutterstock)

Happy Friday, folks. Thanks for reading our newsletter. Here’s what’s in it today: 

Thanks to C&P reader Trenia Riggs for stopping to take in the sunflowers off I-95 in Robeson County. 

Highway beautification is one of the many things NC’s state transportation department heads up. Stuff like this makes a big difference. Ask anyone. 

Got a photo to share from NC? Send it to us and you could see it in a future C&P newsletter!

Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. 🔥

In a new Billy Ball Explains NC, we give the big picture on North Carolina’s widening election scandal.

Make sure to tap “like” and “subscribe” so you never miss an update from Cardinal & Pine. Watch it here.

A bright Perseid meteor appears in the northern sky during the Perseid meteor shower on Aug.12, 2021. Here’s how to watch Perseid in North Carolina this year. (USA Today via Reuters)

Every stargazer knows about Perseid. This annual meteor shower is like the Met Gala for us. 

NASA says that you can see between 50-100 meteors per hour during the peak of Perseid, which this year, happens to fall on a new moon. 

The shower began July 14 and runs through Sept. 1, but they peak in early August. Here’s how to catch them in North Carolina this year.

More at Cardinal & Pine: 

1. Report finds questionable spending, “intimidating” work environment in Cary: NC Auditor. CBS-17

“The North Carolina Office of the State Auditor released an investigative report into the Town of Cary on Thursday following a months-long review prompted by allegations of financial mismanagement involving former town manager Sean Stegall.”

2. Taylor Farms pulling lettuce linked to cyclospora outbreak. WRAL

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has linked an outbreak of cyclosporiasis to iceberg lettuce that Taylor Farms supplied to Taco Bell, according to two federal officials who declined to be named.”

3. NC families fear losing access to autism therapy as new rules take effect. NC Health News

“Changes to treatment reauthorization and who can provide therapy could lead many children to lose care, providers and parents warned.”

Name this nostalgic old downtown in NC. (wileydoc via Shutterstock)

We believed, without reservation, that last week’s edition of “Where are we in NC?” was a hard one. 

Yet again, we underestimated you. 

Not only did multiple readers correctly ID the historic Bank of Coleridge building, but you did it with great speed. Special shouts out to Scott Spencer and Keith Davis for getting it right within minutes. 

You can read some more about this fascinating spot here. 

Let’s run it back, NC. Where are we this week? Fastest one to send us the answer gets the praise in this space next Friday. 

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

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