Below, we have a spectacular storm cloud view from Pine Knoll Shores and a chat with one fired-up protester outside the NC Supreme Court, but first:

Mystery-lovers will enjoy this story out of Gaston County. A local church is working to uncover the truth about who’s buried in their graveyard. 

The cemetery at New Hope Presbyterian Church has a section with numerous unmarked graves. It’s an old cemetery, containing the bodies of Revolutionary War and Civil War soldiers, so records are hard to find. 

Locals say the plots in question may be connected to the horrific 1918 flu outbreak, or they might hold the bodies of enslaved people, who were often buried in unmarked graves. 

The caretakers of this cemetery hope someone has clues. Read the story here.

The cemetery at New Hope Presbyterian Church on South New Hope Road Friday morning, August 21, 2026. The cemetery caretaker is searching for clues on the identity of the people buried in unmarked graves on the North Carolina church property. (USA Today via Reuters)

I hope it was a relaxing three-day weekend, NC. Here’s what you’ll find in the Cardinal & Pine email today: 

C&P reader Scott Drouin photographed these jaw-dropping storm clouds from Pine Knoll Shores Saturday. 

Hope you got to cover, Scott!

Got a View from NC you want to share? Send it to us now!

Video by Dylan Rhoney/Cardinal & Pine

This week, the North Carolina Supreme Court returned to session. 

The state’s high court, which settles crucial matters like the constitutionality of state laws, was expected to hear arguments Tuesday through Thursday. 

On Tuesday, Cardinal & Pine’s Dylan Rhoney reported that they were greeted with protesters. We talked with them about why they were protesting. 

One demonstrator, Moore County’s Alexa Roberts, pointed to Chief Justice Paul Newby, who, along with his wife, holds thousands in Duke Energy stocks while making decisions about the utility giant. 

Take a look

More from Cardinal & Pine:

1. Labor Day 2026: North Carolina ranks best for business economy, dead last for workers. NC Newsline

“’This year, while workers are facing extraordinary economic hardship, we looked at how far wages go toward the cost of living for a family of four,’ said Patricia Stottlemyer, Oxfam America’s policy director. ‘In North Carolina, the minimum wage of $7.25 only meets 19% of the cost of living.’”

2. Helene killed his wife and destroyed his mobile home. New tenants are now renting the same flood-prone land. ProPublica and The Assembly

“Dave Masters could no longer ignore the storm as trees cracked and the swollen river roared. It was dark outside, but through the window he could see his father’s house, usually 100 feet away from the Pigeon River, was surrounded by water.”

3. As NC lottery sales grow, money to schools not meeting goals, audit shows. WRAL

“The North Carolina Education Lottery has for years not met its goal of giving out at least 38% of proceeds to public education, which mostly includes K-12 schools and some college scholarships. The state statute outlining the program indicates at least 50% should go toward paying out winnings.”

4. North Carolina’s most popular ice cream brand. Watauga Democrat

“This frozen treat is much more than just a social staple; it’s a serious economic engine. Ice cream is a major segment of dairy manufacturing.”

The marching band at Providence Grove High in Climax, NC. Local education leaders in NC are talking about efforts to combat chronic absenteeism in schools. (William E. Thompson via Shutterstock)

In Hertford County, Principal Elenia Riddick separates students into the ones coming to school regularly, the ones who are trending toward being chronically absent, and those who are already chronically absent. 

Riddick’s problem is not unique to Hertford County. 

In North Carolina, kids who are chronically absent miss about 30 days on average. And while this big problem has gotten a little less big in recent years—the statewide chronic absenteeism rate has fallen from a high of 31.2% in 2021-22 during the pandemic to 24.3% in 2024-25—it’s still a problem.

Recently, three NC principals, including Riddick, who’ve helped their schools battle this problem talked about what they learned at the State Board of Education. 

NC Newsline reported here on the lessons they’ve learned. 

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 Dylan Rhoney, NC Newsline, and USA Today Network via Reuters Connect. It was edited by Crystal Niforos.

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