The Hickory Hound: A Platform of Structural Realism and Civic Renewal As 2026 begins, this feature examines where Hickory truly stands—separating activity from capacity, appearances from outcomes, and optimism from evidence. A grounded look at wages, housing stability, public services, and why real renewal depends on structural alignment, not announcements.
Key topics: • Wages & housing stability • Capacity vs. surface growth • Signal vs. noise in public narratives • Risk shifted onto households • What renewal actually requires