At the End of 2025, the question isn’t what technology promises—but what actually stuck. This week’s Hickory NC News & Views looks at how technology, infrastructure, and economic pressure really shaped daily life over the past year. From physical systems like power and automation, to how tools actually get adopted—or don’t—this edition separates signal from hype. It closes 2025 honestly, maps where household stress shows up first, and frames what Hickory can realistically absorb heading into 2026.
Topics: Technology adoption • Infrastructure limits • Cost of living • Energy & food pressure • Local capacity • Hickory NC