Cardinal and Pine

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  • 9 Hidden (But Amazing) Burger Joints in NC

    In a special food edition, a closer look at 9 down-home burger restaurants that tend to fly under the radar. Share with a friend Burgers are situation-proof. How are you feeling today? What’s the weather? Where are you? None of that matters. Stop it. I bet you still want a burger, and chances are there’s…


  • Saving Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

    In today’s “Good News Friday,” we talk about a makeover for one of NC’s most iconic landmarks. Plus: Ways to have fun in Charlotte on the cheap. Share with a friend The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse has looked mortality in the face more than once. In the 1930s, North Carolinians built sand dunes to protect it…


  • Respect for an Iconic NC Educator

    Your weekly good news roundup includes a cool bit of news for history-lovers. Plus: President Biden announces big investment in broadband internet in rural NC. Share with a friend If there’s one thing we admire at Cardinal & Pine, it’s educators.  Everyone has teachers who changed their life. Mine taught me the value of good,…


  • Why Bank Overdraft Fees Suck So Much

    A new Biden administration proposal could limit overdraft fees to as low as $3. Plus: A Raleigh native wins the “Miss America” teen pageant. Share with a friend Jan. 17, 2024 I learned about bank overdraft fees in my early 20s like a lot of you probably did: Living paycheck to paycheck. I might not…


  • 5 Times Martin Luther King Came to NC

    NC was a hotbed of hate. But it was also home to a new generation of civil rights leaders from local HBCUs. Share with a friend Happy MLK Day. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed 14 years before I was born, but like most children of the South, I knew about him before I could…


  • This Is Really Good News, NC 🤟

    Our “good news only” Friday roundup is here. Plus: A happy ending for Ronnie Long. Share with a friend Jan. 12, 2024 Not everyone gets a happier ending. So we’ll take a moment this Friday to acknowledge Ronnie Long, a NC man who might have deserved it more than most. If you’ve been with Cardinal…


  • A Cupcake Vending Machine in NC? Yes, Please. 🧁

    A sweet new addition to the Fayetteville area. Plus: A day of storms. And: The latest on the Trump trial. Share with a friend Jan. 10, 2024 About four years ago, we left our offices and went home for the weekend and we didn’t come back.  The first COVID-19 case arrived in NC on March…


  • Seriously, What Is This Animal?

    The latest resident of the Greensboro Science Center’s Zoo is … cool looking. Plus: Remembering Jan. 6. Share with a friend Jan. 8, 2024 The problem with zoos is there is no problem. Assuming they are ethically run, zoos are better than birthday cake and spring breezes. We love them too much. Animals are more…


  • This North Carolinian Paved the Way for Women in State Politics

    And ICYMI: A NC civil rights leader was asked to leave a movie theater for bringing his own chair. Really. Share with a friend It’s the first Friday of 2024. Can you believe it? Me neither.  If you’ve struggled to get back into the swing of things this first week of the year, we get…


  • The 4 Most Important NC Stories of 2024

    The new year is about the future, not the past. Here’s what we think will move the needle in our state in 2024. Share with a friend Jan. 3, 2024 The end of a year is about taking stock of the past. Which is why I’ve always preferred the new year, where we do that…