Free Small Business Workshops Launch Across the Valley
De Armanville, AL · August 21, 2026
Friday has arrived, bringing the quiet rhythm of late-August routines and humid morning air. Keep an eye on the sky if you are stepping out early, as a soft drizzle hangs over the ridge today.
The Lead
Historic Main Street Oxford is launching a new series of free business development workshops tailored for local entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, and independent makers across eastern Calhoun County. Designed to strengthen the commercial corridor stretching along US Route 78 through De Armanville and into downtown Oxford, the four-part program covers essential digital marketing, financial planning, inventory management, and customer retention strategies. Local officials hope the initiative will encourage new startup activity while providing established rural vendors with modern tools to expand their reach. Sessions are open to all area residents and business owners at no cost, with early registration now open through the city's development office. Community leaders anticipate strong participation from regional craftspeople looking to turn home-based trades into brick-and-mortar operations along the valley corridor.
Local Pulse
County Volleyball Teams Serve Up Season Openers Varsity squads across Calhoun County take the court this week for the official start of fall athletic competition.
Sheriff’s Office Requests Tips on Property Crimes Local investigators ask residents along the rural eastern corridor to report suspicious vehicles following recent neighborhood break-ins.
Today's Outlook
- High 92°F · Low 70°F — Drizzle (43% chance of precipitation)
- Keep an umbrella nearby today for occasional light drizzle and muggy afternoon air.
What's On Around Town
Oxford: Senior Dance Night Oxford Civic Center (401 McCullars Ln), 6:30–9:30 PM Live country music from Alabama Rain, plus light meals and community dancing.
Anniston: Free Play & Community Night Carver Community Center (720 W 14th St), 5:00–7:00 PM Open gym time and supervised activities for local youth and families.
Anniston: Steppin' Out Dance Fitness Norwood Hodges Community Center (3125 Spring Valley Rd), 5:30–6:15 PM High-energy, beginner-friendly workout session open to all fitness levels.
Spotlight & Story
- The Historic Oxford Cotton Mill Grounds
- Opened in 1900 to process regional cotton crops, this site once housed hundreds of spinning spindles. Transformed decades later into Oxford's modern civic arts district, the location swapped heavy textile machinery for stage lights and community gatherings.
De Armanville Daily Digest — compiled from local sources as of 6 AM. For breaking updates, follow your local newsrooms.
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