Cardinal and Pine
Sign Up for the Cardinal and Pine Newsletter
-
Why do people immigrate illegally?
Plus: Gov. Stein moves on Medicaid, but warns trouble ahead Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. Why do people immigrate illegally? Why don’t they just get in line? Why don’t they “do it the right way?” If there were a “FAQ” page on illegal immigration, these would be the first questions asked.…
-
‘Outlawed,’ abortion in NC
Plus: An affordable holiday trip to Boone Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. Jessica F. Simmons has a fascinating report on a new NC-based podcast. “Outlawed,” hosted by Duke Health OB-GYNs Dr. Beverly A. Gray and Dr. Jonas Swartz, was created to talk about the state of reproductive rights in North Carolina.…
-
Watch the Geminid meteor shower in NC
Plus: A snowy scene in Blowing Rock. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. “The Nutcracker” doesn’t have a sequel, per se. The fanciful Christmas classic, however, does enjoy plenty of adaptations and reimaginings. Here’s a local one worth your time, North Carolina. The Charlotte-based dance and performance outfit Caroline Calouche & Co.…
-
❤️ 6 charities or causes to love in NC
Inside: Cardinal & Pine’s 2025 Giving Guide Support Hey, it’s Billy. We can never have enough do-gooders. If the world is a machine, the people who volunteer, contribute, and generally show up are the ones who keep it running. The world thrives with the people who don’t just stay in their lane, people…
-
Best NC cities to retire in
Plus: ‘Good News Friday’ returns Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. Did you know that North Carolina has seven museums that are officially affiliated with the Smithsonian? The state landed its seventh this week. The Charlotte Museum of History joins six other institutions around the state. Cardinal & Pine contributor Ryan Pitkin…
-
New ICE activity reported in NC
Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. In November, construction ground to a halt on a new Raleigh city hall. The work stopped because, like many industries that are reliant on immigrant labor, Border Patrol and ICE operations in North Carolina frightened workers. Because of stories like this, the construction industry is asking…
-
The great NC Christmas tree comeback
Plus: Yes, a raccoon broke into a liquor store and got drunk Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. If the first few episodes of “Billy Ball Explains NC” lacked for anything, it was holiday cheer. Not a problem for the new one. This week, I looked at one of our state’s most…
-
Are four-day school weeks a thing? 🤔
Plus: Where your Thanksgiving food came from Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. It is one of the terrible ironies of North Carolina that we have some of the premier hospitals in the world, but when it comes to ensuring healthy pregnancies for people who live here, we’re falling behind. We took…
-
ICE returns to North Carolina?
Plus: 3 things happening in NC this week Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. It’s appropriate that “Giving Tuesday” falls a day after most of the “Black Friday” and holiday shopping deals ship out. The latter is a time of crass commercialism. The former is the opposite. It’s about finding a cause…
-
5 affordable holiday trips in NC
Plus: Something to be grateful for. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. Gratitude is a funny thing. If you try to force it, it just feels unearned and cheap. Separating the fake kind from the real kind is worth the extra mental flex. This week, as we take off for the Thanksgiving holiday,…
