Good morning, Hickory.

Governor Josh Stein announced nine small business recovery projects in western North Carolina have been awarded grants to repair small business infrastructure.

A total of $7.3 million will support projects in Morganton, Gamewell, Clyde and Chimney Rock Village — applications remain open as local governments prepare repairs.

The NCDMV announced that Governor Josh Stein signed Senate Bill 391, which stops the expiration of Class C driver licenses with dates on or after July 1 and allows them to remain valid for driving for up to two years even if the printed expiration date has passed; however, expired licenses still will not work as official ID. The agency will also offer walk-in services on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon at 20 locations (renewals, duplicates, address changes, and REAL ID issuance are available) starting this weekend and continuing through Aug. 23.

The filing period for the 2025 municipal elections is underway in Catawba County and several candidates have filed for mayor and council seats in Hickory, Brookford, Claremont, Conover, Long View, Maiden, Newton and Catawba — the period ends at noon on November 18 with the primary on October 7 and Election Day on November 4.

County officials said the General Assembly adopted Session Law 2025-30, which sets the Lincoln-Catawba boundary as the 2020 Census line and cancels the line set by the NC Geodetic Survey in February—both counties are now checking how this change may affect local services.

North Center Street in Hickory will be closed from Third Avenue NE to Fifth Avenue NE starting Monday, July 14 at 8:30 a.m. to repair damaged sewer infrastructure and is expected to reopen on July 25 — detour routes will be provided as needed.

ZMAX Cars Pro Tour

4:30-10 p.m. — Hickory Motor Speedway — Check website for ticket prices — Experience the thrill of stock car racing at one of NASCAR's historic tracks.

Big Bang Boom!

10-11 a.m. — Patrick Beaver Memorial Library — Free entry — Enjoy a family-friendly rock concert perfect for kids of all ages in a cozy library setting.

Furniture Festival & Clearance Sale

9 AM – 6 PM — Hickory Furniture Mart — Free entry — Discover amazing discounts on furniture while enjoying artisan displays and demonstrations.

Sunny Ledfurd Live Performance

7-10 p.m. — The Premier — No cover — Enjoy an eclectic mix of tunes from Sunny Ledfurd's broad musical influences.

Summer Heat Mixed Moneyball Tournament

5:30 AM — Carolina Pickleball Club - Hickory — Competitive entry — Enjoy an exciting day of mixed doubles pickleball action under the summer sun.