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Saturday, March 29, 2025

March 29, 2025 News and Views


This week, the Hickory Hound laid the foundation for a revitalized mission and a smarter path forward.

Tuesday’spost reestablished our objectives—economic equity, smarter planning, honest government, and regional collaboration.

OnThursday, we dug into the 2014 bond’s impact, showing how Trivium sparked jobs but the real future lies in biotech and other modern energy industries.

Our middle-class workforce is ready—we just need to be bold enough to pivot from symbolic wins to real prosperity.

The question now isn’t “What’s been done?” It’s “What’s next—and who’s going to push it forward?”

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Fringe Signals: What’s happening under your radar

Will let the legacy media address the murders and mayhem and be the parrots of the elite.

We’re going to get out in front of the news, because that is what you really need to know. The news before it becomes news. That is information with value.

Below we will talk about information that is grounded, observed, and emerging. These are early signals worth watching.


Signal 1. Remote Workers Are Quietly Rewiring Downtown

We’re not becoming Asheville, but something is happening. Remote workers from big cities are starting to trickle into Hickory.

Why? Lower housing costs, stronger internet infrastructure, and fewer distractions. These “laptop nomads” are claiming corners of cafes as makeshift offices.

Look closer, and the shift isn’t just social—it’s structural. Property data shows a 15% uptick in downtown small office leases since late 2024.

That’s not a fluke. It’s a signal. Hickory’s long-dormant downtown may be evolving into the “hip hub” the city once hoped for—but from the outside-in, and bottom-up.


Signal 2. E-Bike Culture Rising Along Hickory Trail

While city officials are still thinking sidewalks,  the city’s trail system is quietly becoming home to a new kind of rider: the e-biker

Local bike shops report a solid spike in electric bike sales, especially from folks looking for a flexible, lower-impact commute.

It’s not on City Hall’s radar yet, but Strava data shows e-bike activity up 30% since last summer in the greater Hickory area.

Local grassroots groups are already lobbying for dedicated e-bike lanes along the existing trail network. If this movement builds momentum, it could reshape the region’s mobility culture faster than any top-down planning ever could.


 

Signal 3. Corning’s Tech Apprenticeships: The Blue-Collar Digital Pivot

Corning Optical’s Hickory facility has always been a heavyweight in fiber-optic production, but now it’s evolving again.

Without much fanfare, they’ve begun rolling out a tech apprenticeship program that could mark a major turning point for local labor.

Job boards and LinkedIn postings hint at a push to train at least 50 locals in fiber splicing and 5G infrastructure roles by mid-2026. This isn’t a shiny press release—it’s a quiet commitment to future-proofing Hickory’s workforce. It’s blue-collar meets broadband. And it might be one of the smartest long plays in town.


 

 Signal 4  Urban Farming Underground is Growing—Literally

No ribbon cuttings. No glossy flyers. Just people growing food wherever they can. Backyard plots, side-lot greenhouses, hydroponic setups in garages—local growers are making it happen, and they’re selling to small restaurants and health-conscious customers under the radar.

This isn’t a government initiative. It’s scrappy, entrepreneurial, and organic in every sense. These micro-farmers are sharing harvests on Instagram, cold-calling local businesses, and offering hyper-local produce that never hits a grocery shelf. If Hickory is headed for a foodie revival, it’ll be powered by these quiet growers, not corporate chefs.


Final Take:

These aren’t headlines—yet. But they’re real. They’re the kind of shifts that won’t show up in a press conference until it’s too late to claim credit. If Hickory wants to evolve, these are the threads to pull: new work habits, next-gen mobility, workforce transformation, and local food systems rising from the ground up.

Watch this space. The Hound is tracking the tremors.

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Now… on my Chef side—because yes, there are layers and things connect—I’ve just published my first public cookbook:

It’s called A Book of Seasons: A Culinary Compendium of Flavor. It’s the first in the Shell Essentials Series. All of this falls under the umbrella of my company Shell Cooperative LLC.

"This book is about seasoning—because seasoning is the foundation of flavor. It comes from 40 years in the sweat shop, grinding." Whether you’re a home cook or a pro, this book gives you tools, strategies, and recipes to cook smarter and more efficiently.

"You’ll also learn about the origins of flavor, and how food has shaped the economic and cultural development of our planet and its people."

"It should be live on Amazon Kindle by Monday, with the 115-page 8½ x 11 paperback available shortly after. And there’s more coming:"

The next cookbook—Saucy—is dropping soon.

After that? A summer farm-to-table guide with fresh, budget-friendly meals that work with the heat—not against it.      

So yeah—the Hickory Hound is back. Shell Essentials is rising. I have another business that centers around people’s Personal Legacy.

This isn’t just content—it’s a mission.

This is the creative economy.

 

Building value from the ground up.

At home. In your neighborhood.

Inside and outside of the community.

 

Thanks for listening.
Let’s keep it sharp. Let’s keep it smart. And let’s keep it real.

Thursday, March 27, 2025

Beyond the Bond: Building a High-Wage Future for Hickory

Hickory’s $40 million bond sparked jobs and revitalized infrastructure, but a bold shift toward biotech and alternative energy could unlock a high-wage future for its educated, middle-class workforce



   
 Key Points

· It seems likely that Hickory, Catawba County, and the MSA have a strong middle-class base, with significant education levels supporting advanced job opportunities.

· Research suggests the 2014 $40 million bond created some jobs, especially through Trivium Corporate Center, but more focus on biotech and alternative energy could enhance economic growth.

· The evidence leans toward symbolic projects like City Walk and Riverwalk improving quality of life, but they may not create as many high-paying jobs as needed for prosperity.

 

Demographics and Economic Context

Hickory and its surrounding areas have a population and income base that supports economic development. The city of Hickory has a population of 44,415 with a median household income of $63,361, while Catawba County has 167,054 residents and a median income of $62,070. The MSA, with 366,972 people, shows a median income of $60,255. Education levels are high, with 89.8% of Hickory residents having at least a high school diploma and 35.9% holding a bachelor's degree or higher, suggesting a workforce ready for advanced industries.

 

Critique of Past Efforts and Future Directions

The 2014 $40 million bond funded projects like City Walk, Riverwalk, Streetscapes, and Trivium Corporate Center. While Trivium has attracted companies like Corning, creating 200 jobs at an average salary of $55,000, local news coverage (e.g., WCNC) has hinted at critiques that such investments may not fully meet the need for high-growth, high-paying jobs. The EPA's push for alternative energy jobs (EPA) suggests opportunities in solar, given North Carolina's favorable conditions, yet Hickory lacks a strong biotech presence compared to the Research Triangle area.

 To move forward, focusing on biotech and alternative energy could leverage the area's manufacturing history and educational base, potentially attracting more companies through incentives and partnerships with local colleges.

 Hickory, Catawba County, and the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) present a compelling case for economic development, particularly in transitioning from symbolic infrastructure projects to creating meaningful, high-paying jobs in emerging sectors like biotechnology and alternative energy. This analysis, grounded in demographic data and economic trends, aims to inform middle-class professionals, business owners, civic leaders, and parents invested in the region's prosperity.

 

Economic Development Initiatives: The 2014 $40 Million Bond

In November 2014, Hickory voters approved a $40 million bond referendum, allocating $25 million for street and sidewalk improvements (including City Walk, Riverwalk, Streetscapes, and Gateways) and $15 million for economic development, notably the Trivium Corporate Center (City of Hickory Bond Information). This center, a 378-acre Class A business park, has been a focal point for job creation, attracting companies like Corning Incorporated, which announced a $150 million investment in September 2021, creating 200 jobs with an average annual compensation of $55,000, a 25% increase over Catawba County's average wage (Trivium Corporate Center). Other tenants, such as Cataler North America Corporation, have also contributed to job growth, though specific numbers vary.

However, local discussions, as hinted in reports from WCNC (WCNC News), suggest critiques that the bond's focus on infrastructure projects like City Walk and Riverwalk, while enhancing quality of life, may not directly translate into the high-paying, stable jobs needed for long-term economic health. An unexpected detail is the bond's economic impact, with city officials touting 6,800 jobs created, yet the distribution across sectors remains unclear, potentially skewing toward lower-wage manufacturing roles (Hickory Record).

 

Push for Biotech and Alternative Energy Jobs

The evidence leans toward a need for diversification into biotechnology and Alternative energy, sectors with high growth potential. North Carolina's biotech industry, centered in the Research Triangle Park, employs over 61,000 people at an average salary exceeding $81,000, yet Hickory lacks a strong presence, with most companies located in Raleigh-Durham (NC Biotech). The area's manufacturing history, particularly in optics with Corning, could synergize with biotech, especially in medical devices, but current data shows limited activity (BioSpace).

 For alternative energy, solar companies like Narenco have projects in the area, such as the Hickory Solar installation (7 MWdc), and the EPA's focus on clean energy (EPA) aligns with North Carolina's renewable energy leadership (EDPNC Clean Energy). However, the region's alternative energy sector remains underdeveloped compared to manufacturing, presenting an opportunity for growth.

 

Targeted Group Interest and Engagement Potential

This discussion appeals to business owners seeking job creation strategies, professionals desiring local career opportunities, civic leaders prioritizing impactful projects, and parents hoping to retain youth through economic prospects. The high engagement potential lies in debating priorities, such as whether to expand Trivium Corporate Center for biotech firms or invest in solar manufacturing, responding to the question, "What economic projects should we prioritize?" This forward-looking discussion, less divisive than gentrification, fosters community input and innovation.

 

Recommendations for Real Economic Development

To move beyond symbolic wins, the following actions are recommended:

· Incentivize High-Growth Sectors: Offer tax breaks and grants to attract biotech and alternative energy companies, leveraging state-level success stories.

· Workforce Development: Partner with institutions like Catawba Valley Community College to align curricula with biotech and renewable energy skills, enhancing local talent pools.

· Public-Private Partnerships: Collaborate with existing manufacturers and research entities to spur innovation, potentially creating hubs for medical device production or solar technology.

· Infrastructure Investment: Ensure infrastructure supports advanced facilities, such as lab spaces for biotech or large-scale solar installations, to attract investment.

By focusing on these areas, Hickory can create meaningful jobs that offer stability, growth, and higher wages, ensuring prosperity and resilience for its residents.

 

 Key Citations




Tuesday, March 25, 2025

The Objectives of the Hickory Hound 2025


 

 

 

The original objectives of the Hickory Hound:

The Objectives of the Hickory Hound

In 2008, we kicked this off because Hickory deserved better—and we were tired of waiting for someone else to step up. We jumped on the internet early, trying to get people talking and working together, not just complaining. In Hickory, Seventeen years on, tech’s moved in and money’s been spent, but we’re not done. This isn’t about grand promises or picking fights; it’s about figuring out what works and getting it done for everybody. Here’s where we’re at now.

 


 

The Objectives of the Hickory Hound – Evolved for 2025

 

  1.  Democracy grows when everyone has a seat at the table—not just the loudest voices. In 2008, we saw the internet as a megaphone; now, it’s a network—X, facebook, forums, apps—where ideas can spark and spread. Let’s use it to connect Hickory’s diverse minds—tech workers, families, retirees—building a community that listens, shares, and comes together for solutions, not just debates.
  2. To shape an economy that lifts everyone. Hickory’s tech boom—Google, Apple, Trivium—is a solid start, but growth shouldn’t leave gaps. We’ll push for a clear identity: a hub of innovation that trains workers for new jobs, nurtures startups alongside giants, and ties our location and affordability into a magnet for opportunity. Solutions mean practical steps—partnerships for skills programs, not just press releases.
  3. To guide government toward efficiency and openness. The $40 million bond fueled trails and gateways—Hickory’s shown it can commit to projects. But downtown’s only a win if it becomes a true hub of tech, residences, and commerce—something we’ve chased for 50 years without fully landing. Maybe it’s starting now, but we can’t keep pouring funds there while blighted areas fester. Let’s push for schools ready for tomorrow, taxes that fuel growth without strain, and regulations that are streamlined. Transparency means showing where the money’s going and meetings that welcome real input—serving all of Hickory, not just the fortunate.
  4. To design a functionally denser Hickory designed with flow and energy in mind. Sprawl slows us down—literally and figuratively. Downtown’s mixed-use projects and the Hickory Trail may end up being steps forward; but that depends on the follow through. We have the trails. Will people use them? Is there a reason for people to use them? Is it convenient to use them? Is there access to services, business, and commerce built into them? Have the trail network accommodate bikes and other alternative personal transit. Have people actually use the buses. It’s not about fantasy—it’s a bridge to alternatives, knowing gas, coal, and oil keep things running while we build towards new realities. Why not solar panels and small-scale wind turbines built into neighborhood infrastructure. Construction today shapes tomorrow; let’s make it practical and efficient.
  5. To knit a stronger region with Hickory at the core. The MSA’s 368,000 people are a force—Hickory can lead without overshadowing. Coordinate with Lenoir and Morganton on shared wins: joint infrastructure grants, a regional pitch to businesses, a culture that draws folks in. Leadership isn’t dominance—it’s collaboration that makes us all bigger… The Foothills Corridor. Together Everyone Accomplishes More.
  6. To secure Hickory’s fair share from the state. Raleigh’s still playing favorites—DOT funds and tier shifts prove it. We’ll shift from complaints to strategy: team up with county partners, pitch data-driven cases for road upgrades, and tap legal channels if needed. Progress means persistence, not just pointing fingers.
  7. To raise the bar for every resident’s life. Tech jobs, art walks, and green spaces are gains—let’s spread them everywhere. Affordable housing that matches growth, schools that spark curiosity and critical thinking skills, and air that’s cleaner year by year. Quality of life is the goal; we’ll propose paths—explore housing co-ops, STEM grants—not just demand it.

 

This evolution echoes Harry Hipps’s spark, with the reality of 2025’s nudge. Harry lit a fire in 2008. Sometimes a flame dies down for a while, but as long as a flickering ember remains, you can still rebuild the fire.

 From the start, The Hickory Hound worked to build—pioneering social media when it was new terrain. Facing us were skeptics and behind us were grumblers who never had our back. We pressed forward with tangible goals—economic growth, responsive government, a vibrant city—surrounded by folks who never saw the vision.

Now, we’ve seen Hickory shift: tech’s here, trails have been built... Leadership’s tried, with tools like Neighborhood College, yet ‘X’ hints that many still feel unheard. That’s not the point anymore. We’re not here to dwell on the past—we’re here to roll up our sleeves, spot what’s next, and make it happen. Are we better off than 17 years ago? Why ask? Yesterday’s gone. Why answer? The future is ahead. We can’t change yesterday, but we can change tomorrow.

This is about solutions, not showdowns. Share your ideas, challenge these, build on them—let’s move Hickory forward, together. My Pappaw and Great Grand Daddy were railmen… Get onboard… Let’s go for a ride!

Friday, March 21, 2025

Through the Noise: A Personal Reckoning with Technology, Culture, and the Future

 

There are some people who appear odd to the world not because they are broken, but because they refuse to break. I’m one of those people. I’m introspective, analytical, and allergic to surface-level thinking. I’ve never been one to fit easily into society’s tight little boxes, and that has come with a price—mostly isolation, misunderstanding, and the feeling that I’m permanently out of sync with the rhythms around me.

My story is not a sob story, though. It’s a human one. Raised in an unstable home, having lost my father at a very young age, I grew up with a kind of mental gravity that most kids never have to carry. That gravity turned into insight over time. I developed a deep sense of awareness, a thirst for truth, and an uncompromising desire to create something meaningful.

Today, I find myself living in a culture obsessed with the shallow. People worship convenience, mock depth, and dismiss anything they don’t immediately understand. In that kind of climate, people like me aren’t just overlooked—we’re seen as a problem. We disrupt the comfort of denial.

 That brings me to technology. Artificial Intelligence, in particular, has become both a fascination and a tool for me. It helps me build, create, and organize in ways I couldn’t otherwise manage alone. But more than that, it reflects something about us. Tech isn’t the villain—ignorance is. People fear what they don’t understand. They laugh at it, mock it, or call it dangerous without taking even five minutes to learn what it actually is.

When you fear the unknown, you limit your own future. Dismissing new ideas doesn’t make you strong; it makes you stagnant. I’ve seen firsthand how that kind of intellectual fear can ruin lives—not because the future is cruel, but because people refuse to grow into it.

Right now, I’m focused on creating cookbooks that celebrate flavor, seasonality, and sustainability. I’m building a business that connects people to food and meaning. I’m also exploring how AI can help people better understand themselves—through a personalized report system I created called the Legacy Compass Report, which ties everything about a person together, including their personal bio, with numerology, astrology, and other ancient symbolic systems to map one’s life path and potential. I know the skeptics will have to weigh in.

Do I worry? Every day. I worry that I’ve missed my window. I worry that culture is moving too fast in the wrong direction. I worry that people are so consumed by noise, novelty, and little dopamine rushes of pleasure that they’ve forgotten how to value wisdom, effort, and depth. But I haven’t given up. Because I know that there are others out there—people like me—who want to feel something real.

To those who look at people like me and don’t understand us: maybe it’s not that we’re strange. Maybe it’s that we’re a few steps ahead in a direction you haven’t turned toward yet. Maybe what looks like discomfort is actually the early stage of transformation. Maybe you’re getting left behind and subconsciously you know it and that change makes you uncomfortable, so you have to take it out on the person who creates that change. In the end you'll lose doing that.

Hickory has a chance. But it won’t come from clinging to old mindsets or dismissing what’s unfamiliar --  thinking, “It’s the Devvil” because you don’t understand it. 

Personal Growth comes from curiosity, open minds, and courage. You don’t have to understand everything. But you have to stop attacking what you haven’t tried to understand.

The future isn’t something to fear—it’s something to build. That’s what I’m doing. That’s what I hope others will join me in doing too. Those who cast out what they can’t comprehend will come to find that it wasn’t danger they avoided—it’s a reality they’ll never be brave enough to face.