Remember Charlotte’s “Roofman” robber? 

“Roofman,” whose real name is Jeffrey Manchester, acquired some national notoriety in the aughts by managing to break out of jail and rob dozens of McDonald’s locations across the US.

He got the nickname because he would break into McDonald’s from the roof and then hide out in a bathroom, waiting for employees to arrive before forcing them to empty the registers.

He was captured in Charlotte in 2005 and reportedly spent days hidden inside a Toys “R” Us planning his biggest heist.

Roofman’s bizarre story is the inspiration for a new film of the same name. Channing Tatum will play the titular character, and it premieres Oct. 10.

For this and more not-so-heavy news from around NC, read today’s “Good News Friday” by clicking the button below.

“Based on actual events and terrible decisions” is a five-star promo line, and it could be the title of a movie about that time I tried out for football in high school. (Fair Use)

Happiest of Fridays to you, North Carolina. Here’s what you’ll find in today’s email: 

Ken Johnson brings us some Friday night lights from Canton, NC. I can smell the popcorn, Ken.

Send us your view, NC!

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A new report finds Duke Energy is not on track to retire all of its coal plants by 2030. (Duncan/Adobe Stock)

Utilities are “backpedaling” on their climate change commitments, a new report from the Sierra Club, a national conservation organization, says.

And North Carolina’s biggest utility, Duke Energy, gets the lowest marks possible for its efforts, the group says.

As Cardinal & Pine reported this year, Duke backed legislation that reneged on the utility company’s promise to reduce carbon emissions 70% by the year 2030. Republican lawmakers sponsored and passed the legislation.

“It’s been predicted that this cost families and businesses an extra $23 billion in the cost of burning gas at power plants through 2050,” Mikaela Curry, East/South Beyond Coal campaign manager for the Sierra Club, said about the legislation.

“They lobbied in this legislation that really increased risks for families and ratepayers where North Carolina customers assume the risk of cost overruns.”

Please read and share this important story.

1. Iryna Zarutska, Charlotte, and the doom loop of social media and politics. The Living South

“Despite the evidence that violent crime in America isn’t going through anything particularly extraordinary in this moment, American media reported on the social media reaction to Iryna Zarutska’s killing in Charlotte and then social media responded to the reporting and then media reported on the reaction to the reporting on the reaction and we’re all a little dumber now.”

2. Video: Gov. Josh Stein talks education with ‘Under the Desk News.’ Cardinal & Pine

“North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein sat down for a conversation about education and national politics with the popular TikTok show, ‘Under the Desk News.’”

3. Western NC could be hit by another tropical storm next week. Here’s what to know. Asheville Citizen-Times

“Forecasters say there’s a significant risk that tropical weather will impact North Carolina, including still-recovering western North Carolina, early next week. Here’s what to know.”

4. NC to receive additional $1.15 billion in federal funds dedicated to Helene recovery efforts, governor says. CBS-17

“The governor made this announcement during a briefing at the Interstate 40 reconstruction zone near the Pigeon River Gorge on Friday, totaling the amount of federal funds dedicated to Helene relief to nearly $2 billion.”

Jose Medeiros via Shutterstock

We went prehistoric on you in this space last week, and it only took Cardinal & Pine reader Grace Ayscue to correctly identify the NC Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh—one of my favorite places to visit.

In addition to a visit with the museum’s resident T. rex, there’s an ongoing exhibit on the blue whale—literally the largest animal ever—that continues through January. Check it out.

Let’s get back to the game. Today’s challenge will be much more … challenging.

Where are we in NC this week? Be the first to get it right and get a shout-out in next week’s Cardinal & Pine.

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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 stories from Dani Mehlhorn, Public News Service, and USA Today via Reuters. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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