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PAGE 2A August 2026
2026 DAY OF CARING On September 15, volunteers from across Marshall County will step away from their usual routines and step into the work of local nonprofits by painting, organizing, cleaning, building, sorting, serving, and helping in whatever way is needed during the 2026 Day of Caring. The Day of Caring & Campaign Kick-Off Breakfast will be held at 7:30 a.m. that morning at the Boaz Recreation Center. BOAZ HARVEST FESTIVAL The annual Boaz Harvest Festival is set for October 2-3, 2026. For more information call 256-803-5899. CHAMBER GOLF TOURNAMENT The 14th annual Albertville Chamber Cup Golf Tournament will be held at the Big Spring Lake Golf Club on Sept. 24. Team registration is $400. For more information call the Albertville Chamber of Commerce at 256-878-3821. $32 MILLION INVESTMENT Alabama Governor Kay Ivey has announced that Italian aluminum die casting company 2A USA is expanding its Auburn manufacturing facility with a $32 million investment. The Tier I automotive industry supplier’s expansion will increase production capacity for casting and machining complex and large aluminum components for the heavy truck industry. The expansion will create 50 jobs. 2A USA arrived in Alabama in 2014 when it acquired an already operational plant in Auburn Technology Park West. The company invested in state-of-the-art die- casting and machining equipment at the facility. In 2019, it expanded the facility with a $15 million investment. 175,000 VISAS REVOKED Under President Donald Trump, the United States Department of State has revoked more than 175,000 visas from foreign nationals who violated the terms of their visas, committed crimes, called for violence against U.S. citizens, defrauded Americans, abused our immigration system, or endangered national security. The majority of these visas were revoked due to law enforcement encounters for a range of criminal activity, with assault, driving under the influence, theft, and drug crimes being the leading causes. A significant share of visas were revoked for reckless driving, sexual assault, child abuse, fraud and embezzlement, and other crimes. The revocations come as a result of the State Department’s continuous vetting operations, which ensure that visa recipients abide by the terms of their visa and do not endanger Americans. $26.5 MILLION IN ASSISTANCE The Trump Administration is leading a life-saving response to the devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Colombia on August 10. The Department of State announced $11 million in additional humanitarian assistance, bringing the total U.S. assistance following the earthquake to $26.5 million. MARRIAGE FRAUD SCAM A two-count indictment has charged 11 individuals with conspiring, over the course of more than a decade, to orchestrate more than 1,000 sham marriages to fraudulently obtain immigration status for foreign nationals, primarily citizens of the People’s Republic of China. Some individuals paid up to $100,000 per sham marriage. According to the indictment, from at least 2016 through July 2026, the defendants operated a nationwide and international marriage fraud network that arranged sham marriages between foreign nationals and United States citizens. Although based principally in New York City, the network allegedly arranged sham marriages throughout the United States and overseas including in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Vanuatu, and China. CIRCUIT CLERK PAYS HERSELF $93,000 Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has announced the arrest of Ashley Powell, the Geneva County Circuit Clerk. Powell, age 52, was charged with violating the State’s ethics laws by using her official position or office for personal gain. Specifically, the indictment charges Powell with using her position as circuit clerk to illegally pay herself over $93,000 out of public funds. $2 BILLION FOR FAITH BASED AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS The United States has announced nearly $2 billion in partnerships with faith-based and community organizations that provide global health and humanitarian assistance around the world. This historic announcement is the largest allocation of global health foreign assistance to faith-based organizations in over 20 years. This new funding will be provided to an extensive network of internationally recognized and local faith-based partners including World Vision, Compassion International, and Samaritan’s Purse. NEWS & EVENTS
Photo by Brandon K. Pierce, Alabama Ledger
CHEERING FOR THE BEARS - The Plainview High School Varsity Cheerleaders took time for a picture during the football program's Jamboree game at Fort Payne High School on Thursday, August 13. Authorities arrest three for drugs in Grove Oak Oak, where a large amount of methamphetamine and marijuana was recovered. Authorities noted that as a result three men were arrested and charged.
Three individuals from the Grove Oak area of Dekalb County were recently arrested on drug related changes. According to Sheriff Nick Welden, on Tuesday, August 4, 2026 the Dekalb County Drugs and Major Crimes Unit executed two search warrants at separate residences in the Grove Oak community which resulted in a trafficking amount of methamphetamine, marijuana, and US currency being seized. Working alongside the Dekalb County Interdiction Unit, Agents and Investigators first executed a search warrant at 4778 County Road 429 in Grove Oak. This was the residence of Bobbi Joe Moore, (66 of Grove Oak). Moore was previously arrested in December 2025 as a result of a narcotics search warrant then, and was out on bond for Drug Trafficking. Present at Moore’s residence was Stephen Dale Guffey (56 of Grove Oak) and Colton Blake Guffey (32 of Fyffe). Methamphetamine, Marijuana, Drug Paraphernalia, and a large amount of US currency was present at Moore’s residence. A second search warrant was later executed at Stephen Guffey’s residence, 2575 County Road 19 Grove
Bobbi Joe Moore: Poss w/ intent to Distribute Meth, Unlawful Possession of Marijuana 2nd, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Stephen Dale Guffey: Trafficking Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession of Marijuana 1st, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia Colton Blake Guffey: Unlawful Possession of Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Hold for Marshall County Sheriff’s Office on outstanding warrants. “Illegal drugs destroy lives, tear families apart and often lead to other criminal activity. I am grateful for everyone who had a hand in this investigation and for their commitment to helping keep DeKalb County a safe place to live, work and raise a family. Just know, we will never stop fighting to protect the families who call this county home,” said Welden.
River Clay Fine Arts Festival delivers classroom grants to four North Alabama school systems
River Clay Fine Arts Festival opened its eleventh season, and it did so in school hallways rather than at a podium. Before the first artist is announced or the first ticket is sold, festival organizers spent the morning handing classroom grants directly to teachers at four North Alabama school systems during the first week of the new school year. Teachers at Decatur City Schools, Morgan County Schools, Decatur Heritage Christian Academy and Hartselle City Schools received a combined $15,700 across 17 awards, spanning pre-K through twelfth grade. Requests ranged from foundational supplies like clay, paint, and printmaking materials to equipment that opens up entirely new capabilities, including a 3D printer, a set of digital drawing tablets, and a replacement ceramic kiln. Several teachers proposed projects with a public dimension, from a permanent clay and wood installation at a school entrance to student sculptures of cranes built from recycled newspaper and plastics, inspired by Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge and the Tennessee River. "We could have opened this year with a poster, but we'd rather open it with a check to a teacher," said River Clay Board President Holly Whitt. "Everything River Clay does in October exists so that a classroom in this community can start the year with something it did not have before. That is why we do this, and it felt right to begin the eleventh year there." Since its founding, River Clay has invested more than $65,000 in arts education across North Alabama through classroom grants, student programming and community arts initiatives. River Clay returns to downtown Decatur October 23 to 25, 2026. Held on the grounds of City Hall, the
eleventh event will feature more than 75 juried artists from across the country, live music, chalk art, food and family programming, with the Rendezvous preview party opening the weekend Friday evening and giving patrons the first look at the work before the festival opens to the public. The festival also confirmed that PRSEI, Plastic Recyclers Southeast, Inc., returns as presenting sponsor for 2026, the second year of a three-year commitment and the first presenting sponsorship in River Clay history. PRSEI’s sponsorship extends beyond the festival grounds. The company presents a student arts competition for high school and college artists working in recycled plastics, connecting River Clay’s arts mission to science and engineering education. Performing plastics artist Jamie Grimes will demonstrate on site Friday and Saturday, and spray paint artist Chandler Hayes will demonstrate Sunday. "For thirty-five years, our business has come down to finding value in what other people were ready to throw away,” said PRSEI President, Grant McKelvey. “That’s why presenting the River Clay Fine Arts Festival was an easy decision. Although a bit out of the ordinary, this year, our student competition hands kids recycled plastic and asks what they can make of it. When those kids turn it into something they are proud to hang on a wall, it's demonstrating our philosophy through their creativity. The next generation of artists does not arrive on its own. Somebody has to fund it, and we would rather that happen here at home, on a weekend when this whole community turns out for what it built together." The full artist roster will be announced in September. Festival details, patron packages and sponsorship information are available at riverclay.org.
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