Below, we have a gorgeous view of Lake Santeetlah, a budding election scandal, and an award-winning restaurant that rescues animals too, but first: 

We’ve heard a lot about the affordability crisis in North Carolina.

But sometimes housing is lost in that conversation when the news is zeroed in on stuff like eggs and gas.

So, naturally, Cardinal & Pine asked the question: What can $1,500 rent get you right now in our state?

A couple years ago you might have gotten a very different answer. But right now, the affordability crisis is especially impactful when it comes to housing for working-class and middle-class North Carolinians.

Here’s what we found.

What $1,500 rent gets you in North Carolina right now. Tap the image to read. (Wes Hicks/Unsplash)

If you have a minute, take our reader survey. We want to know what we’re getting right and what we’re getting wrong. 

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

LAST CALL: Cardinal & Pine wants to hear from you.

Please take our quick 5- to 10-minute survey to help guide our reporting and improve what we send readers.

Thank you for participating!

Lake Santeetlah is like a painting come to life. Thanks to C&P reader Shane Peters for the snapshot. 

If you have a view from North Carolina to share, don’t be shy. Share it with Cardinal & Pine’s readers!

Jay Pavey, a Republican member of the Jackson County Board of Elections, said he voted to include an early voting site at Western Carolina University, despite warnings from state Republicans that they would remove him from the board if he did. (Jackson Co. Board of Elections website)

There’s a budding scandal in the offices that run North Carolina elections. 

Multiple outlets are reporting on a whistle-blower sitting on Jackson County’s local elections board. According to NC Newsline, a Republican who sits on that board said state-level Republicans threatened to kick him off the board if he didn’t vote against putting polling places on college campuses. 

The News & Observer reports that pressure is also coming from the office of State Auditor Dave Boliek, a Republican who has characterized himself as a fair and impartial arbiter. I wrote last year about the big holes in that facade.

If the reporting is true, then it appears that Republicans in North Carolina are actively trying to make it harder for young people to vote this year. It’s a longtime GOP strategy to try to obstruct left-leaning voters.

For more on that, tap here or on the graphic below for a recent episode of Billy Ball Explains NC on the subject. 

Read the story here.

More on this story:

For more on the partisan attacks on college polling sites in North Carolina, tap here. 

1. Fayetteville forum on data center moratorium gets heated. Fayetteville Observer

“We deserve to know what our data center means for our city, how it affects our quality of life, our water supply, our power grid, and our health.”

2. Video: NC State graduate says hundreds of job applications led nowhere. Cardinal & Pine

“Imagine applying for hundreds of jobs, and still not getting a response. This has been the reality for Leio Ibarra-Mendez, a recent graduate of NC State University.”

3. North Carolina Senate overrides ninth Stein veto to enact scholarship tax credit bill. NC Newsline

“The new law opts North Carolina into a federal tax credit program allowing donors to scholarship-granting organizations to deduct up to $1,700 on their taxes.”

4. North Carolina panel overturns controversial disqualification at state HS track championship. The Athletic

“A high school boys’ track and field team in North Carolina was awarded a share of the state championship Tuesday, after an appeals board reversed a decision made at last month’s title meet to penalize the team when a runner celebrated winning the 4×400m relay by raising five fingers as he crossed the finish line.”

Join COURIER and 3.14 Action on June 11 for Facts vs. Fiction: The Fight for Science in American Democracy.

Misinformation isn’t just noise. It’s shaping policy decisions that determine who can afford care, which communities are protected, and how our government responds to real-world risks.

This live conversation will examine what’s at stake when facts are ignored and how science-informed leadership has shaped policy on healthcare, climate, agriculture, and public health. At a moment when institutions and public trust are under attack, we’ll explore what happens when decision-making is driven by evidence, what it takes to rebuild trust, and why scientific integrity is essential to democracy.

Stay tuned for more speaker announcements, and don’t miss this conversation.

Taylor and Fran Montgomery pose with Rigatoni, a rescue donkey cared for by Final Run Rescue, at Montgomery Sky Farm in Leicester on May 28, 2026. (USA Today via Reuters)

The finalists are out for the James Beard awards, which is like the Oscars for chefs. 

And two North Carolina restaurants made the cut. 

One of those restaurants is Montgomery Sky Farm, which has a unique “farm-to-table” model in Leicester. 

It’s not just a great place to eat. Taylor and Fran Montgomery are animal-lovers too, taking in numerous rescue animals. 

This is their story.

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 Karishma Desai, Dylan Rhoney, NC Newsline, and USA Today Network via Reuters Connect. It was edited by Paula Solis.

Cardinal & Pine is free for everyone. Your support makes our work possible.