Cardinal and Pine
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The most important NC stories of 2025
And why they will matter so much in 2026. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. We need a name for this time of year. Kwanzaa is on Day Five. But folks who celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah are in the in-between. No “Stranger Things” pun intended. You’re looking for things to do, but…
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Best New Year’s fireworks in NC
Plus: NC teachers buckling under rising costs Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. No matter how many times you’ve seen a fireworks show, when the first one goes off, it’s like the first time. The novelty is renewable. It’s a little scary. Hell on dogs and small children. And, usually, thrilling. As…
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💝 6 stories of ‘good Samaritans’ in NC
Plus: Drive through an enormous holiday light display Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. If you’re looking for a way to revel in the holidays, we’ve got a good idea. Through Dec. 27, High Point University is putting on a drive-through Christmas light show. It’s as impressive a holiday display as you’ll…
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The Lumbee Tribe’s big moment
Plus: The beauty of the Great Craggy Mountains Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. For generations, the federal government’s refusal to formally acknowledge North Carolina’s Lumbee Tribe has been a curiosity. It’s not just the symbolism. Federal recognition of an Indigenous tribe comes with money and benefits. This week, federal lawmakers included…
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A giant in NC politics has died
Plus: A tragic plane crash in Statesville Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. Perhaps the most important politician of 20th-century North Carolina has died. The family of former Gov. Jim Hunt said Thursday that Hunt passed away at the age of 88. Hunt, who was sometimes referred to as “the education governor,”…
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Gay Santa has the NC GOP outraged
Plus: A farewell to a teacher. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. If there’s a point to our new video series, “Billy Ball Explains NC,” it’s to pull back the curtain on politics. Politicians say and do things, and their reasoning isn’t always as straightforward as you’d think. Take North Carolina Rep.…
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🎅 Wild photo of Santa at Chimney Rock
Plus: NC Democratic candidate accused of racist remarks. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. This is potentially a big win for North Carolina. A federal judge recently ruled that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) broke the law when it reneged on a commitment to its disaster mitigation grant program. In April,…
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ICE detained him. Then he had a medical emergency.
Plus: 3 things happening in NC this week Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. The great states of North Carolina and Ohio have beef. It centers around the famous Wright Brothers, whose 1903 flight at Kill Devil Hills changed the world. To celebrate, NC began offering the “First in Flight” license plate…
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🤔 Name this NC downtown
Plus: ‘Good News Friday’ brings some optimism Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. It’s been a year of bad headlines in North Carolina’s largest city. But this week’s “Good News Friday” offers something to be optimistic about in Charlotte. For the last three years, local organizers have been piloting a program aimed at…
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The problem with NC’s drinking water
Plus: Beat the scammers this holiday season Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. Here’s an important piece of reporting from Inside Climate News. Environmentalists in NC—and regular non-advocacy types who, ya know, don’t like toxic water—have been worried about the prevalence of PFAS, a group of human-made compounds that can be harmful…
