September 2026

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PAGE 3 September 2026

Downtown Gadsden Awarded Statewide Recognition at 2026 Main Street Alabama Conference

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. HISPANIC HERITAGE CONCERTS Snead State Community College honors Hispanic Heritage Month with two special performances. The Music Department will present concerts on Thursday, Oct. 22, featuring college and community performers. Admission is free to both performances, and the community is invited. At 1:30 p.m., the Snead State Mas Que Mariachi will be joined by the Pinson Velley High School Mariachi Ensemble and students from Northeast Alabama Community College’s Music Department for a performance at the Boaz Legacy Museum. The Museum is located at 114 North Broad Street, Boaz. Then later that day at 7 p.m., Mas Que Mariachi and the Snead State Jazz Band will perform on Snead State’s campus. The concert will be held in Fielder Auditorium, located in the Story Administration Building on 220 North Walnut Street in Boaz. For more information, contact Snead State Music Department Chair Dr. Kathleen Ruhleder at kathleen. ruhleder@snead.edu. US MINT COIN TO HONOR 9-11 The United States Mint announced a special-issue 2026 Semiquincentennial Enduring Liberty Half Dollar to mark the 25th anniversary of September 11. The Half Dollar features a unique privy mark: the date of the attack encircled by the phrase “NEVER FORGET.” “As we approach the 25th anniversary of September 11, we honor the memory of those we lost and the courage of those who risked their lives to save their fellow Americans,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “A quarter century later, our promise to the victims and their families remains the same: we will never forget.” The coin is available for pre-sale at usmint.gov. CANNABIS TAX REVENUE While cannabis remains illegal federally, 30 states and the District of Columbia (D.C.) collect excise taxes on cannabis sales. Their contributions to state tax receipts have reached new heights: an estimated $3.55 billion in combined tax revenue between July 2025 and June 2026. When the U.S. Census Bureau began collecting cannabis excise tax revenue data in 2021 as part of the Quarterly Summary of State and Local Government Tax Revenue (QTAX) survey, only 19 states and D.C. imposed a cannabis excise tax. In the 5 years since, 11 more states entered the market for a total of 31, including D.C. Alabama became the latest entrant when medical-only sales began in May 2026. Since the bureau began tracking the data, total cannabis tax revenue increased 15.7%, rising from $3.06 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2022 to $3.55 billion in FY 2026. NEWS & EVENTS

Downtown Gadsden, Inc. was recently recognized for its impactful work at the thirteenth annual Awards of Excellence Banquet. The event was sponsored by Energy Southeast and the Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area. The Awards of Excellence committee selected Downtown Gadsden, Inc. for the following: • Enduring Alliance Award - Exchange Bank of Alabama’s vital partnership to Downtown Gadsden • Public/Private Partnership Award - revitalization of The Green Room at the historic Pitman Theatre • Historical Rehabilitation Award - the Hardin Building Restoration Project Local programs also selected a Main Street Hero that honored an individual, business, or organization that made an outstanding contribution to their program. These Heroes were recognized at the Toast to Heroes Reception sponsored by Regions Bank prior to the banquet. Ray Wetzel, Director, Gadsden Museum of Art, was chosen for the work performed and positive impact made on behalf of Downtown Gadsden, Inc. and its community. "Nothing great happens on its own. It takes hard work and real commitment to this city," Wetzel said, describing what drives him. "That means showing up, wherever and whenever it's needed, to get things done." Main Street Alabama is a non-profit organization which stresses public-private partnerships, broad community engagement, and strategies that create jobs, spark new investment, attract visitors, and spur growth in core commercial districts. Main Street builds on the authentic history, culture, and attributes of specific places, to bring sustainable change. For a list and location of all 36 Designated and 34 Network Main Street Alabama communities, visit mainstreetalabama.org/our-communities/.

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Gadsden Museum of Art Director Ray Wetzel

Submitted Photo

Enduring Alliance Award/Historical Rehabilitation Award - Catherine Martin

Revitalization of The Green Room Award at the Pitman Theatre - Kay Moore

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