Fairhope Now | 08.17.2026 | Schools Take Center Stage In Fairhope

Monday, August 17, 2026

Happy Monday, Fairhope!

August on the Eastern Shore means kids are back at their desks, the air conditioner is logging overtime, and all along the Gulf Coast we are watching the hurricane maps. Good news on that front: construction kicks off this week on a hurricane safe room at the Pecan Avenue Annex. Also the first meeting for public input on the topic of Fairhope Schools possibly breaking away from Baldwin County schools is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

Your Monday Funny: Why did the blind man fall into the well? Because he couldn’t see that well


— Joy Davis, Anne Dorman, & John Oldshue

Today’s Fairhope Now Newsletter

City Council Place 3 candidate Jimmy Conyers is inviting Fairhope residents to weigh in on a significant question: should the City of Fairhope remain part of the Baldwin County Board of Education, or explore other options? The first of three public meetings kicks off Tuesday August 18 to gauge community interest.

Construction begins today on a new first responders' hurricane safe room at the city's Pecan Avenue facility, reports The Fairhope Times. The $1.9 million structure — funded largely by a FEMA hazard mitigation grant — is built to withstand winds up to 200 mph.

A group called "Hope for Fairhope City Schools" is organizing public meetings to discuss the possibility of reviving a local school system, reports The Fairhope Times. This is the kind of community conversation that tends to draw a crowd in our little town — if you have kids in local schools, or just an opinion (and who doesn't?), this one's worth watching. Learn more here.

The Baldwin County Board of Adjustment meets Aug. 18 to hear an appeal from Battles Wharf residents who say a bayfront property owned by Trinity Presbyterian Church of Fairhope is hosting receptions for 200 to 300 guests with outdoor amplified music. The county planning director ruled the property operates lawfully as a church — a finding that hinges on an unverified claim of no more than ten weddings per year — while staff recommends the board reject the appeal.

Lorie Ward of Fairhope Juice Company has become Baldwin County's first certified Food for Life instructor, and she's putting that credential to work. Her new classes blend evidence-based nutrition education with hands-on cooking skills, focusing on affordable, plant-based foods that may help folks better manage conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and chronic inflammation. Sessions will be available at locations throughout Baldwin County and online.

A neighbor shared this peaceful snapshot of a shrimp boat at anchor, captured on August 14th — a classic Mobile Bay scene that reminds us why we love living on the water.

A neighbor shared a vintage 1996 Fairhope poster her husband picked up visiting his grandparents here — a charming little time capsule worth a look to see what's changed and what's stayed the same in our little town over the past 30 years.

The century-old Hermit Hut of Tolstoy Park — built in 1926 by Henry James Stuart and beloved Fairhope landmark ever since — is reportedly nearing approval for relocation, according to AL.com. The hut and Stuart's remarkable story have long inspired local author Sonny Brewer and countless Fairhope neighbors. We'll keep an eye on where this little piece of history lands next.

Hatch Fairhope has upcoming meetups for the rest of the month, including Thursday, August 20, featuring ENRG — a collaborative community for businesses running on Entrepreneurial Operating System® (EOS). Check their Facebook page for the full schedule and details.

Behind the Counter at The Fairhope Store

For Abbie Butler, a local Fairhope high schooler, working at The Fairhope Store is a little like getting a front-row seat to the people who pass through downtown Fairhope. Butler, who started working at the store in April, says one of her favorite parts of the job is meeting both locals and visitors, especially the many tourists who come in from Mississippi and Louisiana. While locals often stop by to see what new designs have arrived, visitors tend to gravitate toward the store’s classic Fairhope T-shirts and sweatshirts. “We get a lot of visitors,” Butler said, adding that she enjoys talking with them about Fairhope and the stories behind the store’s designs.

Butler has also picked up a few favorite items of her own, including a newly arrived V-neck and a colorful collection of Fairhope polos. When asked what she would recommend to someone looking for a little piece of Fairhope to take home, she points to the store’s insulated cups and koozies, car tags, magnets and stickers—or, for the four-legged Fairhope fans, a dog collar. But souvenirs aren't the only things Butler recommends taking home. For a first-time visitor, she suggests catching a sunset along Mobile Street, especially near Orange Street, or seeing downtown lit up during the holiday season. And, of course, there’s Mardi Gras. “You will get pegged in the head,” she joked about the flying throws that come with Fairhope’s annual celebration. After a few months behind the counter, Butler seems to have learned that Fairhope is about more than what you can fit in a shopping bag—it’s the places, people and traditions that visitors end up taking with them.

Source: Editor

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