Good morning, Hickory.

Hickory Optimist Park will close on Monday, April 27 to begin parking improvements for the new dog park and will reopen on May 30 to serve local residents and their pets.

Duke Energy will raise rates on June 1 to cover fuel costs and recover $500 million in under-recovered revenue (with increases of $6.90 for Carolinas and $7.88 for Progress customers).

Critics urge the Utilities Commission to act to secure affordable energy.

Monday night, the Catawba County Board of Commissioners voted to merge its three school districts + the plan will change local education as officials prepare to share details in upcoming meetings.

Western North Carolina sheriffs warn that the synthetic opioid cychlorphine — linked to fatal overdoses in neighboring states — can be deadly in small amounts and may require multiple doses of naloxone to reverse an overdose, so officials urge residents to treat unknown pills with caution.

The Lenoir-Rhyne men’s lacrosse team ended its regular season with a 19-5 win over visiting Coker on Tuesday, Apr.

21, led by Powell (3g, 3a), Scott (5g, 1a) and Huff (4g, 2a); the team finished 10-3 overall and will host the SAC quarterfinal at Moretz Stadium on Saturday.

The Lenoir-Rhyne men’s golf team tied for eighth at the SAC Championships on April 21, posting rounds of 312 + 303 + 309 for a total of 924 +60.

Juniors Matthew McDougall and Slade Aliff tied for 23rd with scores of 228 +12 while freshman Jake Morgan tied for 28th.

Live Again Tribute Fest

5-9 p.m. — The Premier — Ticketed event — Enjoy a night of powerful tribute performances from iconic rock bands.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans vs. Hickory Crawdads

7:59-10:59 p.m. — L. P. Frans Stadium — Tickets available — Enjoy a live baseball matchup between the Myrtle Beach Pelicans and Hickory Crawdads.

Green Day Tribute Concert with Confetti Cannon

7-11 p.m. — The Premier — Tickets starting at $17.45 — Enjoy explosive punk covers that will tickle your nostalgia glands.

Paul Gilbert Concert

7-10 p.m. — The Premier — Tickets from $29.25 — Experience the guitar virtuosity of Paul Gilbert with exciting new music from his album WROC.

Networking Night at Hickory Crawdads Stadium

6:30-9:30 p.m. — L. P. Frans Stadium — $5 admission — Network with Emerging Leaders while enjoying a baseball game and family-friendly atmosphere.