How we’re reporting on immigration right now

Immigration has become one of the most closely watched and emotionally charged issues in the country since President Trump returned to office. We’ve seen an increase in ICE raids, legal battles, protests in North Carolina and across the US, and reports of people dying in custody or being killed during encounters with authorities—developments that affect families and communities here at home.

Our newsroom has been covering these moments with depth and care, showing up on the ground right beside our community.

If our reporting has helped you better understand what’s happening in our state, we hope you’ll consider supporting Cardinal & Pine. 

Well, that was wild. 

Chances are, if you’re reading this, you got a lot of snow over the weekend. In the Charlotte area and at the coast, a historic amount. 

In North Carolina, we take our snow when we can get it. Snowfall like this doesn’t come around too often, especially when it’s not the ugly wintry mix that we’re accustomed to. 

If you didn’t get enough snow this weekend, we’ve got another chance for you. There are several live cams on NC’s Outer Banks that give you a chance to scope the winter weather right now. Let’s check them out. 

Frosty rarely makes it to the beach. Here’s your chance to spot him. (USA Today via Reuters)

Happy Monday. Happy February. And happy Black History Month. Did you know this is the 100th time America has celebrated BHM?

Here’s what else is in today’s Cardinal & Pine newsletter: 

Cardinal & Pine reader Anne Morgan got this beautiful view of the sunset in Boone. 

How are things looking in your neck of the woods, NC? 

Bryan Proffitt, a high school history teacher and vice president of the North Carolina Association of Educators, speaks at a Raleigh news conference Jan. 29, 2026. (Ahmed Jallow/NC Newsline)

North Carolina’s Leandro case is older than some adults. 

Since the 1990s, the state’s courts have been grappling with what to do about omnipresent inequalities in public schools. Districts with wealthier families have more put into education than districts with poorer families. 

I broke it down in a recent Billy Ball Explains NC. 

Part of the delay is the silence from NC’s Supreme Court. Last year, the Republican-controlled court froze an order from an earlier incarnation of the court that was run by Democrats.

The “old” court said the state needed to spend millions to fix the problem. The “new” court hasn’t said much, other than stopping the money from going to education. Recently, education advocates protested in Raleigh, demanding action from the court. Take a look. 

1. NASCAR reschedules race twice after heavy snow in North Carolina. WBTV

“‘The Clash’ was originally supposed to happen on Sunday, Feb. 1 at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem. About 10 inches of snow, though, derailed that plan.”

2. NC Highway Patrol responds to 100-car pileup on I-85 in Kannapolis. WCNC

“The North Carolina National Guard was deployed to help clear the highway.”

3. North Carolina’s income growth has lagged behind its neighbors since 1970. Axios

“The report provides further evidence of the divergent nature of North Carolina’s urban and rural economies, as the Triangle and Charlotte have outperformed the rest of the state by a wide margin in income growth.”

4. Imagine all the people. The Assembly

“The Buddhist monks walking from Texas to Washington, D.C. have become a viral feel-good story. A reporter followed their journey in the middle of North Carolina to learn why.”

The Great Sapphire Outhouse Race is proof that humans will use anything to go sledding. (Sapphire Valley Resorts)

“There are almost no situations in which it could be considered a good thing if the outhouse you’re in starts moving,” Cardinal & Pine contributor Ryan Pitkin writes.

In the latest edition of “3 things happening in NC,” we take a look at the only exception to that rule.

On Saturday, the ski community of Sapphire will be hosting the 19th annual Great Sapphire Outhouse Race.

It’s exactly what it sounds like. Teams come from all over with glammed-up Johns. Then they push them down a hill and see whose goes fastest. They give them funny names too, like “Yabba Dabba Doo Doo.” 

For more on the Outhouse Race, and two more NC happenings you won’t want to miss, tap here or on the button 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 USA Today via Reuters, NC Newsline, and Ryan Pitkin. It was edited by Paula Solis.

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