Let’s talk about a thing most people seem to agree on:

Marijuana, especially, if it’s for medical purposes.

Check any poll and you’ll find that most North Carolinians (and most Americans, for that matter) agree on legalizing marijuana. Republicans and Democrats can’t agree on anything, but they can agree on this. 

Which begs the question: Why is North Carolina one of the last remaining states without some form of marijuana legalization? 

In a new edition of “Billy Ball Explains NC,” I took a look at what’s stopping our state from joining other pro-cannabis states, including very, very liberal states like Florida, Iowa, West Virginia, and Ala-friggin-bama. 😂

Gov. Josh Stein told WRAL this week that he is launching a cannabis task force to consider legalization, a move he says is necessary to put some regulatory framework in place for some of the THC products that are already out there. There are also some prominent Republican leaders in the legislature who support legalization for medical marijuana. 

Click the image and make me stop giffing, I’m getting tired. 😂

The weekend is here, on the wings of angels. Here’s today’s news:

Hannah Liu, 26, of Washington, holds up a sign in support of birthright citizenship, Thursday, May 15, 2025, outside of the Supreme Court in Washington. “This is enshrined in the Constitution. My parents are Chinese immigrants,” says Liu. “They came here on temporary visas so I derive my citizenship through birthright.” (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Cardinal & Pine’s Jessica F. Simmons went deep this week on a national case before the US Supreme Court that runs straight through North Carolina. 

In January, President Trump signed an executive order redefining the idea of “birthright citizenship,” whereby someone born in America is considered an American. Trump wants to prevent the children of people who are not permanent residents from being citizens, although most attorneys say that order runs afoul of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. 

The Supreme Court is expected to rule on that point in June or July. 

In the meantime, one of the plaintiffs is a NC woman using the pseudonym Trinidad. She and her partner are from Venezuela, and they came to the US in 2017 on a tourist visa, fleeing political persecution. Today, they’re legal residents with work permits, but have been waiting eight years for an interview to talk about their asylum case. 

Trinidad is also pregnant and due in August. She’s worried that her child will not be considered an American if Trump wins his case. Simmons breaks it all down in her new story. 

Photo via NC Department of Culture and Natural Resources

At Cardinal & Pine, we’re believers in history, or rather the role that history education should play in our lives. If you don’t know where you’re from, it’s hard to know where you’re going.

So a big shout-out to 67 North Carolina students, who will be competing in the National History Day Contest, an international celebration of historical scholarship in Maryland June 8-12. The students hail from 24 schools across the state.

They’ve made documentaries on global trade. One student is researching the Fontana Dam, a hyro-electric dam in western North Carolina. Another group will perform a piece on disability rights activism. 

For more on these awesome NC kids and their work, click below. 

1. “No Kings” anti-Trump protests planned all over North Carolina June 14. News & Observer

The protests are scheduled to happen on the same day as President Trump’s planned military parade in D.C. 

2. Foster care overhaul advancing in NC Senate. WCNC

“A bill that would overhaul North Carolina’s troubled child welfare system is drawing praise from many stakeholders, but some adoption advocates say it could destabilize adoptive families.”

3. Award-winning NC chef Ricky Moore plans Juneteenth picnic. Southern Living

The Durham event highlights the historic day of freedom for enslaved people in America.

Jordan Collins on Unsplash

A big shout-out to Cardinal & Pine reader Jennifer Gill, who was the first to correctly name a downtown Durham alleyway from last week’s edition. 

Jennifer wasn’t the only one. We must have Durhamites here. But Jennifer was the fastest, and you gotta be fast in this game. 

Same rules for this week’s photo. Where are we in North Carolina? Write me and tell me. 

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Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Billy Ball. I’m a NC native and journalist. I tend to lean left on opinion, but I lean no way on facts. Cardinal & Pine is happily free to read for everyone. Your financial support means a lot to us. Donate here.

Send us your feedback and news tips to info@cardinalpine.com