Botanical Gardens Plant Sale, Data Center Pause, and Parkway Traffic Upgrades
De Armanville, AL · August 20, 2026
Early mist is hanging over the Choccolocco Valley this morning, but clear skies and a warm afternoon are right behind it.
The Lead
City leaders in nearby Oxford are working with the Alabama Department of Transportation to roll out a comprehensive corridor improvement plan along Leon Smith Parkway. Stretching from Choccolocco Creek to US-78, the busy commercial artery serves both the Oxford Exchange retail hub and tournament crowds at Choccolocco Park.
Following an initial corridor study, engineers adjusted traffic signal timing to ease immediate weekend congestion. Long-term solutions now under evaluation include widening key bridges over local waterways, expanding turn lanes leading onto Interstate 20, and integrating smart traffic signals to handle peak traffic flows. Local public works teams and state engineers will continue analyzing vehicle counts through early autumn to finalize detailed structural designs.
Local Pulse
Anniston Council Pauses New Data Centers Officials enacted a temporary moratorium this week to review local zoning regulations and utility infrastructure demands.
Bains Gap Road Paving Wraps Up County crews are completing final resurfacing work along the scenic route passing through Mountain Longleaf Refuge.
Today's Outlook
- High 95°F · Low 71°F — Fog
- Expect morning haze to dissipate quickly before mid-day heat takes over across the valley.
What's On Around Town
Anniston: Angel Trumpets Presentation Anniston Museums and Gardens (800 Museum Dr), 12:00 PM Learn cultivation tips for trumpet-shaped Brugmansia plants during this lunchtime lecture.
Anniston: Botanical Gardens Plant Sale Longleaf Botanical Gardens, 1:00 PM Shop nursery-grown perennials and seasonal flowering species right after the presentation.
Oxford: Main Street Promotion Committee Downtown Oxford, 4:00 PM Join local merchants and volunteers planning upcoming autumn community festivals and promotions.
Spotlight & Story
- Oxford Furniture
- Operated on Highway 78 by Terry and Lisa Payton, this local staple grew from a modest mattress outlet into a 15,000-square-foot showroom. Hands-on management and steady neighborhood trust have anchored the shop for years.
De Armanville Daily Digest — compiled from local sources as of 6 AM. For breaking updates, follow your local newsrooms.
Sent with care by MailerDot — your city, every morning.