Newsletters
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Social media is broken. How to fix it.
Plus: What our readers think about ICE Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. I’m going to say something that we can all agree on: Social media is a disaster. It’s addictive, misleading, vindictive, very often wrong, and designed and operated to make us hate each other. But it is not unfixable. If you’ve been…
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What’s next for ICE, Border Patrol?
Plus: NC’s Black baseball pioneers, remembered Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. We start today’s newsletter with a national story. Members of the US House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that should end the partial government shutdown that began over the weekend. It sets up a two-week span for members of…
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This NC town is racing … outhouses??
Plus: A live look at rare snow on the Outer Banks ❄️ Share with a friend 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,…
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🐕 NC police dog’s cold plunge for charity
Plus: The latest on winter weather Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. If it’s Friday, it means that we’re talking about good news in Cardinal & Pine’s “Good News Friday” column. Today, we’ve got some big business news, including a large investment from North Carolina’s largest employer. But the most fun story…
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😬 ‘Bomb cyclone’ heading for NC?
Plus: US Senate candidate running from western NC recovery? Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. When you live in North Carolina, you come to think of snow as an ephemeral thing. Look at it too long and you might look it out of existence. But for the second weekend in a row,…
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🥶 If climate change is real, why’s it so cold?
Plus: NC’s ‘recovery czar’ doesn’t want to be that. Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. Somehow, someway, there’s a really important election in November. And one of the most important races on the ballot in North Carolina will be the race for one of NC’s two US Senate seats. One seat is…
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NC leaders react to deadly ICE, CBP shootings
Plus: Restoring NC’s film industry Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. More than 37,000 Duke Energy customers lost power during the weekend’s winter weather, mostly in western NC. That begs the question: Why are winter storms such a danger to power? Part of the problem, of course, is the buildup of ice…
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How unhoused neighbors stay safe through NC’s winter
Plus: A snowy view from the Blue Ridge Parkway Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. It doesn’t get any more “wintry” than the last few days in North Carolina. But here’s an opportunity to actually have fun with NC’s cold season. No one does it better than Haywood County, which is kicking…
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🏎️ Name this North Carolina speedway
Plus: Signs of life after Helene Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. Recovery is not a passive thing. It takes time, effort, endurance, and a willingness to deal with big disappointments. The recovery in Asheville after Helene is still a work in progress. But there are definite signs of recovery. Take the…
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❄️ Winter storm forecasts changed in NC
Plus: NC elections board blocks voting at HBCU Share with a friend Hey, it’s Billy. I’m going to begin today’s newsletter with a humble request. Not for money! 😀 As we continue to get our new video series, Billy Ball Explains NC, off the ground, your help can make a big difference. Your…
