I try to look at life as an adventure. Meaning I want it to be filled with new things and new experiences.

But I don’t know about this one. 😂

Cardinal & Pine contributor Ryan Pitkin takes us to Blowing Rock Winterfest in this week’s “3 things happening in NC.” More specifically, he takes us to Winterfest’s infamous Polar Bear Plunge. 

Around 10 a.m. Saturday, folks will be jumping into the waters at Chetola Lake. As of this writing, the temperature is expected to be around 29 degrees.

There’s lots to do at Winterfest that’s less bone-chilling. But if you’re a thrill-seeker, you still have until Thursday to register for the plunge. For more info, tap the button below.

No thanks. Absolutely not. (Blowing Rock Winterfest)

Happy Tuesday. Here’s what you’ll find in today’s Cardinal & Pine newsletter: 

Cardinal & Pine reader—and “View from NC” Hall of Famer—Melanie Woodfield took this shot of a new Bryson City restaurant on the Tuckasegee River. Fittingly, it’s called The Tuck & Table.

Thanks, Melanie! Tap below to send us your view, NC. 

Kelly Navarro of Marble, North Carolina, poses with one of the troll sculptures from “Trolls: A Field Study,” an interactive exhibit by Danish artist Thomas Dambo, at the North Carolina Arboretum on Jan. 5, 2026. (USA Today via Reuters)

You’re running out of time to catch the world-famous Dambo trolls in North Carolina. 

These iconic sculptures were created by Danish artist Thomas Dambo. And they’re made entirely of recycled materials. Dambo’s placed 12 of them in Asheville’s NC Arboretum. They can also be found in High Point, Raleigh, and Charlotte.

In Asheville, local officials say they’ve had a huge impact on attendance at the Arboretum, including more than 100,000 visitors since the Trolls appeared.

For more on the trolls and how to see them, tap below.

1. ‘Something bad will happen’: NC agencies say low staffing levels pose risk. WRAL

“Thousands of state job vacancies in North Carolina are stretching public services thin and, in many cases, creating risks for workers and the everyday person — a crisis leaders from both parties say will not ease until lawmakers break the ongoing budget stalemate.”

2. A dozen abandoned boats to be removed from North Carolina waters. WSOC-TV

“The North Carolina Coastal Federation has received a $550,000 grant from the BoatUS Foundation to remove 12 abandoned boats from waterways in five coastal counties, facilitating a long-term cleanup effort against pollution and navigation hazards.”

3. NC health insurance consumers left in limbo by Congress. NC Health News

“Despite compromise US House bill to extend ACA subsidies, Senate hasn’t reached a deal. Customers in NC seeing insurance premiums soar.”

Duke faces North Carolina in the opening game of the new Dean Smith Center on Jan. 18, 1986, in Chapel Hill. Steve Hale, right, scored 28 points that day in the win against the Blue Devils. (USA Today via Reuters)

For 40 years now, college basketball at UNC’s storied basketball program has revolved around one dome.

This January marks the four-decade anniversary of the Dean Smith Center. Built to honor the late UNC basketball coach, the building has hosted hundreds of basketball games, political rallies, and concerts.

Smith wasn’t just special because he was a basketball coach. After his first season coaching UNC in 1961, Smith pushed for civil rights in a tumultuous time for the South.

Former UNC players and coaches spoke recently about their memories of the first game at the “Dean Dome.” Tap below.

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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 and USA Today via Reuters. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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