Below, we have the latest in the scandal facing NC Congressman Chuck Edwards, as well as an expansion for NC’s “best burger” restaurant, but first: 

The verdict is in on last week’s storms in western NC. Yes, there was, in fact, a tornado. 

The National Weather Service has confirmed that news. 

The tornado touched down in the Allegheny area of Madison County, with winds peaking at an estimated 80 mph, according to the report.

It’s affirmation for folks out west who reported a line of damage. There was a purported photo of a western NC tornado, but that turned out to be fake. 

For more on the actual western NC tornado, not the fake one, tap here. 

Damage from the July 28 storms in Marshall. According to the National Weather Service, a small tornado did touch down. (USA Today via Reuters)

I hope the weekend was easy on your mind. Here’s what’s in the Cardinal & Pine newsletter today: 

C&P took this lovely photo from the Goshen Creek Trail in Boone.

One of the most remarkable things about NC is the diversity of the land. Within a few hours, you can leave a beach on the Outer Banks and wind up in this mossy hideaway.

If you have a view from NC to share, send it to us!

Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., listens to testimony as the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight holds a field hearing in Charlotte, N.C., Sept. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond, File)

When Chuck Edwards, a member of the NC General Assembly, beat Congressman Madison Cawthorn in the 2022 GOP primary in US House District 11, it was supposed to be an end to scandal.

Cawthorn’s short time in office was filled with embarrassing, often bizarre controversies. Edwards was supposed to be a refreshingly boring candidate in a heavily right-leaning Congressional district in western NC.

It hasn’t worked out that way. 

In May, Edwards was accused of inappropriate behavior toward young, female staffers. Edwards has repeatedly denied those accusations.

But on Monday, a House committee recommended formal discipline for Edwards after investigators concluded that there was “substantial reason to believe Representative Edwards violated House Rules related to sexual harassment and hostile workplaces.” 

Here’s what they found. 

More at Cardinal & Pine:

1. 14-foot hammerhead shark washes ashore in Carolina Beach. WRAL

“Because of the shark’s size, a team from Carolina Beach Ocean Rescue, the Carolina Beach Fire Department, and the Carolina Beach Police Department worked together to bring the animal fully onto the shore.”

2. Shooting leaves 9 hurt at banquet hall in North Carolina, police say. WBTV

“Greensboro police officials confirmed during a Sunday afternoon news conference that nine people were hurt, and that four of those were minors. Of those four, one was 15 years old and three were 17. All were expected to survive.”

3. What’s this Local Government Commission that keeps popping up in NC news stories? Carolina Public Press

“The LGC plays an important role in financial matters surrounding local governments in NC, but what it is may be less clear to most people.”

Al’s Burger Shack’s Cheeseburger with bacon and caramelized onions, served on a toasted potato roll. The award-winning burger joint is opening a new location in Wilmington. (USA Today via Reuters)

For the last decade, the awards have been piling up at Al’s Burger Shack. 

They do one thing and do it really, really well. That’s good news because burger-lovers aren’t so much looking for someone to reinvent the wheel, so much as perfect the wheel. 

Al’s has done that. The restaurant began in Chapel Hill, before opening new locations in Leland, Apex, and Summerville, S.C.

Now they’re plotting a new location in eastern NC. Here’s where.  

And for more burgers, check out Cardinal & Pine’s 2024 guide to the 9 best burgers in NC you might not know about. 

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 Dorothy Scott, NC Newsline, the Associated Press, Enlace Latino NC, and USA Today Network via Reuters Connect. It was edited by Crystal Niforos.

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