Good morning, Hickory.

Twenty-year-old Antonio Alejandro Arriaga from 4th Street NE in Hickory was arrested on March 31 by Catawba County Sheriff’s Officers and charged with first-degree burglary, breaking and entering with intent to terrorize or injure, failure to appear, drug possession and probation violation (held on a $105,000 bond) and he faces a District Court appearance today plus a Superior Court hearing on May 22.

61-year-old Horace Junior Clontz from Water Plant Road in Maiden was arrested today on felony charges of possessing a schedule II controlled substance, cocaine, and drug paraphernalia as well as driving with a revoked license; he was taken to the Catawba County Detention Facility on a $5,000 bond with his District Court date set for today.

Wildfire burned 50 wooded acres near the former General Electric plant in Catawba County—Conover Fire Chief Mark Stafford said 60 firefighters fought the blaze overnight.

The downtown Hickory parking deck is expected to reopen in May after receiving $300,000 in maintenance and repairs.

Maintenance work will refresh parking lines and strengthen the joints where concrete slabs meet, Killian said.

Today, the Western Piedmont Council of Governments named Alison Alexander as its new assistant executive director after a thorough search following Sherry Griffin's retirement.

She brings 15 years of local government experience and will manage special projects—such as the Area Agency on Aging, Community and Regional Planning, Workforce Development, Human Resources, IT and Communications.

Sally Friesen was named the South Atlantic Conference Women’s Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Week after recording 13 saves in a 16 to 12 win over Limestone on March 26 and making three saves against Emory & Henry.

The Bears, riding a five-game winning streak, secured their first win over a ranked opponent since March 21.

Hickory Train Show

12-7 p.m. & 9 a.m.-3 p.m. — Hickory Metro Convention Center & Visitors Bureau — $8 for adults, free for kids under 12 — Explore the exciting world of model railroading and expand your collection.

Editing Masterclass by Redhawk Publications

8:30 a.m. — Catawba Valley Community College — $150 fee — Boost your editing and self-editing skills with insights from seasoned professionals Tom Rash and Rebecca Caldwell.

Hard to Handle Concert

7-11 p.m. — The Premier — Tickets from $17.45 — Experience a night of live music with Hard to Handle and Hammer Down.

SAFe® 5.1 Product Owner/Product Manager Classroom Training

9 AM-1 PM — Hickory North Carolina — Early Bird Price: $1199 | Gain your SAFe® PO/PM certification with interactive sessions and hands-on learning.

Trial by Fire - Journey Tribute

7-10 p.m. — The Premier — Tickets from $17.45 — Experience the music of Journey as TRIAL BY FIRE transports you back to their iconic 1996 era.