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❤️ The Buddhist monks’ reunion with their dog
Plus: Name this NC waterfall Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. One of our favorite things at Cardinal & Pine is “Good News Friday.” Every week, we round up some of our favorite positive stories and bundle them together. This week, Cardinal & Pine contributor Ryan Pitkin picked out some real good vibes…
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What rolling back the Endangered Species Act means in NC
Plus: Where are the Buddhist monks heading next? Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. Justice for the pickle. The pickle is not just a briny cucumber. It’s not just an afterthought, something to complement your burger or put on the side of the plate. The pickle deserves its own “Rocky”-style training montage.…
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Buddhist monks walking for peace are in NC
Plus: Why Venezuela matters to NC Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. Did you know that North Carolina played a pivotal role in the mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro? The conflict in Venezuela is unpredictable. We don’t know what it’s going to look like. But in a new episode of…
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😋 8 big restaurant openings in NC in 2026
Plus: Measles detected in the Charlotte area Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. Some important health news, NC. Cardinal & Pine’s Michael McElroy reported that Mecklenburg County—home to NC’s largest city, Charlotte—has detected traces of measles in local wastewater. NC has had five reported cases of the dangerous virus, which can cause…
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NC sues Trump, again
Plus: Last chance for holiday lights. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. This is not a sports newsletter, and if it were, it would be filled with college basketball. But I’m saving this space today for the Carolina Panthers. In the last two to three years, they were the worst sports team…
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🎉 ‘Good News Friday’ is here
Plus: What RFK Jr.’s vaccination plans mean for NC Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. This week, Cardinal & Pine’s Michael McElroy talked to North Carolina doctors about federal officials’ controversial new vaccine schedule for children. Under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the new recommendations, which are effective immediately, don’t ban…
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NC town returns land to Cherokee
Plus: We should have seen this ICE shooting coming. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. A familiar pattern runs through American history when it comes to Native land. It almost always moves from Indigenous hands to the United States government. A recent story out of Franklin, NC, breaks that pattern. As the Associated…
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Billions are at stake for NC schools
Plus: Do your taxes for free in NC. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. Something you might not know about me: For years, I was an education reporter. That means I specialized in writing about the goings-on at North Carolina’s schools, K-12 policy, and the state’s chronic education funding problems. I flexed…
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Angry NC educators plan a walkout
Plus: Your NC winter gardening guide. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. An amateur gardener thinks of winter as a dead season. A pro sees it as a golden opportunity to get ahead of the heat, the bugs, and the weeds. With Cardinal & Pine contributor Tyler Francischine, let’s get ahead of…
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👶 Meet NC’s first babies of 2026
Plus: NC leaders react to Venezuela Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. The house is quieter. The recycling bin is filled with discarded toy boxes. And my bank account is drier than the Sahara. It must be the week after the holidays. I hope you missed us as much as we missed…
