Anyone else sleepy this morning? Late night watching the national news and the only sure thing we know - democracy is still the way to go. Okay let’s move off the national stage and back to the local beat - here is your Fairhope local news update and events.

“I have come to the conclusion that politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.” Charles de Gaulle

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1. Did you go vote?

2. Hurricane Rafael Update

3. Fairhope Tunnel & Nature Preserve Progress

4. A Cinematic Reverie: Fairhope Film Festival

5. Fairhope Adoptable Pets: Meet Raven

6. A Special Soul

7. Quick News from Around Fairhope

Fairhope Residents Line up at the Polls

Hey we see you Fairhope! Yesterday most of us residents - young and old, loud and quiet, conservative and liberal - turned out at our designated polling locations to cast our vote in the national presidential election. From early in the day, lines formed as our community members waited patiently for our turn to participate in this important civic duty. The turnout highlighted Fairhope’s strong commitment to the democratic process, as citizens from all walks of life gathered to make their voices heard in this pivotal election.

This shows the deep commitment of Fairhope residents who understand that participating in the democratic process is a vital responsibility. Voting empowers us to shape the future of our local communities and our lager country, ensuring that our voices are heard and our values represented. This election is more than a civic duty—it's an opportunity to impact issues that matter most to us. You are seen. And you are heard Fairhope.

Hurricane Rafael Heads Toward Land

NBC’s Thomas Geboy reports that : “After seeing some semblance of agreement in the models yesterday, there has been another big shift with Hurricane Rafael. At this point, most are now showing #Rafael is likely to move mainly west through the Gulf. We talked about it yesterday that there were still some models convinced of that solution.

Still should keep an eye on this as additional changes are possible, but the chance this has any effect on our weather at this point is low. For those who have been wanting rain, the good news is that we do have some wet weather potential in the forecast everyday through the weekend.

Regardless of what happens with Rafael, the High Rip Current risk at our beaches will continue through the weekend.” Thomas Geboy with NBC 15

Fairhope Will Soon Have a Walking Tunnel

The Fairhope Times reports that the city is waiting for sod delivery to finish landscaping so Veterans Drive may reopen over the new tunnel there. The City of Fairhope reported that Veterans Drive will reopen by the end of this week. The pedestrian tunnel construction is close to being completed although it will not open until Flying Creek Nature Preserve is complete and open to the public. There are still paths, lights, and more that need to be installed to make it safe and accessible. Read more here: Community Parks & Trails

Fairhope Film Festival: A Cinematic Reverie

This weekend the Fairhope Film Festival will host their 12th annual film festival at multiple venues in one of the coast’s most picturesque villages. Thousands of film lovers will view multiple short and feature films of world class cinema. With panels moderated by industry insiders, the Fairhope Film Festival is a true film lover’s festival with films curated from other film festivals. Most have never been streamed nor seen at your local multiplex.

Fairhope Film Festival Box Office and Welcome Center is located inside the Fairhope Welcome Center, 20 N. Section Street. Film Festival volunteers will be available for questions, ticket purchasing assistance and All Access Pass pickup on the following dates:

• Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024 from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

• Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 from 9 a.m. – noon

• Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024 from 9 a.m. – noon

Learn more about this event and Get your tickets here!

Fairhope Adoptable Pets : Raven

Raven, the stunning 10-month-old female black beauty with a heart as mysterious as midnight! Raven is a captivating feline with sleek black fur that glistens like satin in the sunlight. Despite her young age, Raven possesses an air of elegance and grace that commands attention wherever she goes. With her piercing yellow eyes and confident demeanor, she exudes an aura of mystery and allure that is impossible to ignore.

But beneath her mysterious exterior lies a gentle and affectionate soul. Raven loves nothing more than curling up in cozy spots, soaking in the warmth of the sun, and receiving gentle pets and scratches behind her ears.

With her striking appearance and loving nature, Raven is sure to steal the hearts of all who meet her. Are you ready to welcome this enchanting beauty into your home and be captivated by her charm? Don't miss out on the opportunity to make Raven a part of your family-adopt her today and let the magic beginLearn more about Raven and others at The Haven.

A Southern Soul over 100 Years Old

“I can't see or hear very well. But like Minnie Pearl used to say, ‘I'm just so proud to be here.’ My birthday was 2/25/23. I'm over 100 years old. I didn't tell anyone my age for a long time. When I was about forty, my mother told me, ‘If anyone asks how old you are, don’t tell them because then they’ll figure out how old I am.’ Mother didn't want to get old.

My father was Richard Inge. His father was a doctor from a prominent family in Mobile, but I was born in Birmingham. The Depression was real bad. Coal mining shut down, and people were unemployed…

I was reading a sailing magazine and saw a man named Hedges was looking for a crew to help sail his 45-foot steel-hull sailboat from Chicago to Bora Bora. Hedges went to Bora Bora during World War II and wanted to sail back to it. I wrote to him with my qualifications; he was surprised to hear from a woman. We sailed on one of the great lakes to test me out. I passed. We started out from Chicago in the middle of the winter. It was so cold, and I wore wool pants. We went from the Ohio River to the Mississippi River and down to New Orleans…

We fixed some leaks in Key West and put the ratlines on the shrouds. We also stopped in Havana. That was before the Revolution and Castro. The fellow who kept up our engines had been seasick the whole time. He left us when we got to Panama; I became our engineer for the rest of the voyage.

I was eighty-four on my last major ocean voyage. We went to Easter Island, Tahiti, Fiji, and New Zealand. I was still crewing: working on the mast and furling the sail. I sailed regularly until I was 100. I haven’t sailed in a year, and I miss it. Sailing is what I love.” Louise

Read the full story at: Our Southern Souls

Quick News from Around Fairhope

1. ESRT’s Annie performing all weekend

2. Fairhope Weather: Scattered Showers & Thunderstorms

3. Neighborhood Bridges: Winter Clothing Drive

4. Farmer’s Market on Thursday

5. Fairhope Veterans Day Parade

Want to stay up to date on even more local events? Check out Let’s Go! Fairhope .

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