For the past couple weeks, I’ve been on the road. But there’s no place like North Carolina, and I’m excited to be back home. 

We’ve got a lot of news to get to below, including an AI regulatory bill and some stunning news about our state’s property tax freeze, but first: 

Lost in all the talk this week about North Carolina finally having a budget, Gov. Josh Stein signed a bill into law that makes a big change in parental leave for state employees. 

The change—which we broke down in this week’s Good News Friday—places the state’s parental leave up there with the most generous in the country, but let’s keep this in perspective. 

There are about 77,000 state employees in North Carolina, which makes up about 1.4% of the state’s workforce. And North Carolina is still considered one of the worst—if not the worst—states for workers in America because of low pay, anti-union laws, and the relative lack of workplace protections. 

For Good News Friday, tap here or on the button below. 

This week, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein touted a new North Carolina law that gives a big boost in parental leave for state workers. (Natalia Biruk via Shutterstock)

I missed you folks. Happy Friday.

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

Shout-out to C&P reader Alan Martin for this sunset from Lake Tillery. 

Do you have a pretty view from North Carolina? Share it with us!

Video by Dylan Rhoney for Cardinal & Pine

Recently, we talked to North Carolina lawmaker Beth Helfrich, who represents the Charlotte area in the state legislature, about one of the hottest topics of today—artificial intelligence (AI).

In April, Helfrich cosponsored the Ratepayer and Resource Protection Act, which would regulate data centers and their impact on energy costs and water consumption. It didn’t move in the Republican-controlled state legislature.

Data centers, and their demand on water and the energy grid, have been a big topic of concern across NC, but especially in the Charlotte area.

Here’s what Helfrich had to say about the “incredible potential” and the “potential Harm” of poorly regulated AI. 

More at Cardinal & Pine:

1. Premiums to rise 5% for State Health Plan; state workers to be pushed to UNC for care. WRAL

“State Health Plan premiums will increase next year for state workers, But many could end up paying less overall, if they go only to preferred providers, including UNC Health and Novant.”

2. Cases of a parasitic infection known to cause ‘explosive diarrhea’ are rising in North Carolina. WUNC

“The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services says there have been at least 110 cases in the state since early May. They say they have not identified a common source.”

3. NC falls in business ranking as growth hurts affordability. Axios Charlotte

“As a side effect of job and economic growth, North Carolina slipped in the cost-of-living category from 23 to 35, CNBC noted.”

Hindsight Heritage via Shutterstock

We’ve got a tricky one for you today. 

This historic building, which has seen better days, is all that’s left of a 1920s Romanesque revival in architecture in one NC community. 

Tell us where we are and we’ll shout you out in this space in next Friday’s C&P newsletter! Fastest one to get it right gets all the glory. 🏆

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

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