Below, we have waterfalls, a key vote on early voting sites, and our NC berry picking guide, but first: 

The final public hearing for Duke Energy’s proposed rate hike happened last week. And we can say this definitively: North Carolinians hate the idea. 

“North Carolinians are tired of being treated like revenue streams for a monopoly utility while working families struggle to keep the lights on,” Raleigh resident Caroline Sparks reportedly told the commission through tears.

“Just this week, I watched my dad put a $3 burrito back in the freezer at Harris Teeter because it was too expensive for him.”

So what now? Here’s a look at the next steps for Duke’s plan to raise electric bills, with a breakdown of how much it will cost the average customer. 

Duke Energy customers line up outside the Durham County Courthouse to testify about the company’s proposed rate hikes. (USA Today via Reuters)

Happy Monday, NC. We’ve got a lot to get to today:

C&P reader Randy McCoy took this jaw-dropping view from the Upper Whitewater Falls in Nantahala National Forest. 

Here’s how to get there.

Got a beautiful view from NC? Send it to us!

Cardinal & Pine’s Michael McElroy has an important update on that controversial abortion bill.

The bill was so extreme it suggested that private citizens could “use deadly force” against abortion care providers.

McElroy reports that, according to NC House Speaker Destin Hall, a Republican, the bill has zero Republican support beyond the sponsor.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Keith Kidwell (R-Dare and other counties), would have put a constitutional amendment on the ballot in 2026 asking voters to establish that life begins at fertilization and justifying violence to prevent abortion care.

Hall said Kidwell was the only Republican who wanted this bill.

“It doesn’t have any chance of moving at all, and I don’t think there’s literally any member of our caucus who wants it to move,” Hall told the News & Observer recently. “Representative Kidwell might, but no, it’s not going to move, it’s not a serious bill,” Hall said.

For more on this story, tap here or on the button below. 

1. 3 things happening in NC: A big vote on the Republican plan to nix early voting sites. Cardinal & Pine

“Unpacking the Republican plans to nix early voting sites and campus polling places. Plus: A jazz takeover in the NC highlands.”

2. This North Carolina city mulls an indefinite youth curfew. Fayetteville Observer

“A Fayetteville ordinance allows police to stop anyone 16 or younger if they’re out after 11 pm.”

3. North Carolina Democrats propose changes to block GOP power transfers and secrecy. ProPublica

“The legislation, prompted in part by ProPublica’s reporting, aims to protect traditional powers of the state’s governor and reform oversight of its court system.”

Join COURIER and 3.14 Action on June 11 for Facts vs. Fiction: The Fight for Science in American Democracy.

Misinformation isn’t just noise. It’s shaping policy decisions that determine who can afford care, which communities are protected, and how our government responds to real-world risks.

This live conversation will examine what’s at stake when facts are ignored and how science-informed leadership has shaped policy on healthcare, climate, agriculture, and public health. At a moment when institutions and public trust are under attack, we’ll explore what happens when decision-making is driven by evidence, what it takes to rebuild trust, and why scientific integrity is essential to democracy.

Stay tuned for more speaker announcements, and don’t miss this conversation.

Blackberries abound at Jeter Mountain Farm in Hendersonville. (Jeter Mountain Farm) 

You haven’t had berries until you pick them for yourself. For real. 

Last year, my family picked strawberries at Page Farms in Raleigh, and I’m still thinking about those berries. I’ll give you three good reasons to pick ’em yourself: 

1. They’re often cheaper. 2. It’s fun. 3. They taste WAY fresher and better.

C&P contributor Brook Bolen has written a guide to berry-picking in North Carolina, with some of our favorite farms from the mountains to the coast. 

Tap here or on the button below to read it at Cardinal & Pine.

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, Michael McElroy, Brook Bolen, and USA Today Network via Reuters Connect. It was edited by Paula Solis.

Cardinal & Pine is free for everyone. Your support makes our work possible.