Friday is here, which means it’s time for one of our favorite pieces of content we do at Cardinal & Pine.

“Good News Friday” is our weekly celebration of the positive things that happen in North Carolina.

This week’s edition begins—as it must—with the news that we are days away from the government running out of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding.

It’s the fourth week of the federal government shutdown, and SNAP—which is sometimes referred to as “food stamps”—helps an estimated 1.4 million in North Carolina and 42 million nationwide get meals.

Cardinal & Pine intern Dani Mehlhorn wrote about the way local food banks and volunteer orgs are hoping to step up, although they’re not likely to be able to fill in the gaps for such a huge loss.

“It’s proof that when times get tough, North Carolinians show up for one another,” Mehlhorn wrote. Check out “Good News Friday” below. 

Numerous food banks in NC are hoping to help fill the gap as the federal government shutdown threatens SNAP assistance to millions. (Shutterstock)

Who’s feeling that fall chill outside? Here’s what’s in today’s newsletter: 

Cheryl Ruffalo brought us this gorgeous view from from Little Cataloochee in the Great Smokies.

Send us your best shots of NC, folks!

Here’s the latest from Cardinal & Pine’s Michael McElroy on state lawmakers’ gerrymandering:

At President Donald Trump’s directive, Republicans in the NC General Assembly redrew the state’s Congressional map this week in an effort to make it virtually impossible for US Rep. Don Davis, a Black Democrat, to win re-election in 2026.

In a press conference outside the General Assembly on Thursday, Rev. William Barber II said his organization, Repairers of the Breach, would file a lawsuit to block the maps.

Black voters make up 40% of the population in the district that Davis won twice. This “Black Belt” in North Carolina has elected a Black representative to Congress in every election since 1993.

The new map that Republicans enacted splits that population into two predominantly white, conservative districts. Barber said his organization would “use every nonviolent method at our disposal” to protect Black voters in these new districts.

There will be large rallies soon, he said, and the biggest voter registration drive the organization has ever undertaken.

More from the legislature: 

(Heidi Besen/Shutterstock)

For the next couple weeks, we’re breaking down some of the words getting thrown around on social media. 

What about “oligarchy?” 

We’ve seen this one a lot, before and after former President Biden left office and warned that the US was in danger of becoming one. 

By definition, an oligarchy is a type of government where the power is centralized in the hands of a small group of powerful people. They’re usually powerful because of wealth, nobility, fame, or religious influence. 

Oligarch’s don’t have to be the one with their finger on the button. In fact, in Russia, which is often cited as one example of a modern oligarchy, the oligarchs are under the power of Vladimir Putin.

A subset of oligarchy is plutocracy, where power is derived specifically from wealth. And then there’s kleptocracy, in which the rulers of a country amass power and wealth by guzzling their country’s resources. 

For more info on oligarchy and how it’s impacting our own democracy, go here.

1. Minor earthquake reported near Marion. WLOS

“A 2.1 magnitude earthquake rattled part of the North Carolina mountains on Friday. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake happened around 6:35 a.m. a little over two miles from Marion.”

2. How a small NC college became a magnet for wealthy students. Wall Street Journal

“Schools are trying to attract the limited pool of higher-end families, and High Point University is a blueprint. ‘Half of Wall Street sends their kids to this school.’”

3. ‘Disneyland, but in Raleigh’: Free hushpuppies and a hidden oasis at the NC State Fair. Spectrum News

“If you want to step out of the crowds, there are a few hidden gems inside the fairgrounds.”

Name this little downtown and you’re a certified NC-ologist. (Shutterstock)

Last week, we returned to the coast and found out, once again, that you folks know your lighthouses. 

We received an astonishing number of right answers, but Clayton’s Chris Davis was the first to get it right. Shout out to you, Chris, and your quick fingers. 

This week’s edition is much trickier. Where are we, 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 content from Dani Mehlhorn and Michael McElroy. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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