Fairhope Now | 08.24.2026 | Fairhope Cancels School Meetings

Monday, August 24, 2026

Happy Monday, Fairhope!

The back-to-school spirit is in the air, and that energy extends all the way to the campus: Coastal Community College is moving forward with a renovation of its Administration Building. On the civic front, the City of Fairhope has cancelled its planned Municipal School System meetings after a community survey came back with something closer to unanimous discontent than constructive debate.

Your Monday Funny: Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

Dive into this week's full lineup below — there's plenty keeping our community busy to start the week.

— Joy Davis, Anne Dorman, & John Oldshue

Today’s Fairhope Now Newsletter

The City of Fairhope has canceled its remaining public meetings on creating a municipal school system after survey results made the community's position unmistakably clear: of 1,400 respondents, 83% opposed splitting from Baldwin County schools, 89% expressed satisfaction with the Baldwin County Board of Education, and 81% opposed a tax increase to fund a new system. "We asked for input, you provided it, and we heard it loud and clear," said Councilman Jimmy Conyers. Mayor Sherry Sullivan, who noted the first meeting devolved into heated exchanges, said she'll respect citizens' voices — while acknowledging the question has a way of resurfacing every three to five years as district lines, enrollment, and state law evolve.

Country music star Luke Bryan made a stop in our little town Saturday — not to perform, but to do something more important: cheer on his son. Bo Bryan, quarterback for Battle Ground Academy out of Tennessee, put on a show at St. Michael Catholic School, completing 16 of 21 passes for 375 yards and three touchdowns in a nationally televised 41-18 win over the Cardinals. Luke Bryan was in the stands for all of it before heading to Charlotte that same night for a concert, per Lagniappe.

The Fairhope Times reports that Coastal Community College's Administration building in downtown Fairhope is headed for renovation — the structure dates to 1988, when it was built as a classroom building. Construction is expected to begin once state contracts are approved.

Meet Greta Fritz: Music, Art and a Little Bit of Chaos

For local musician Greta Fritz, music has been part of her life for as long as she can remember. Raised in a musical family—her dad builds guitars and her mom spent years performing in a band—Fritz was climbing onstage to sing for audiences from the very beginning. Today, the classically trained pianist and multi-instrumentalist is writing and performing her own music, drawing from everything from The Beatles and jazz to R&B, soul and punk. Her sound is just as eclectic, blending indie pop and alternative rock with whatever influences happen to find their way into a song. "I make music that I like. Music that I want to hear," she said.

 Fritz has become an increasingly familiar face in the Eastern Shore's music scene, performing at local spots including The Bookseller and Art Centricity while working toward opportunities at larger regional venues. She sees Fairhope as having its own musical identity, rooted in the blues, bluegrass, country and Americana traditions of the Gulf Coast. But don't expect her performances to be completely conventional. A painter as well as a musician, Fritz often incorporates visual and performance art into her shows—once taking the stage in silver go-go boots, a cape and a homemade helmet fashioned from a cat toy and a TV antenna. "I really don't take myself too seriously in real life," she said. "So I've kind of realized, why would I take myself so seriously on stage, too?" Now she's working on recording her first EP while continuing to write new music and build her presence in the local arts community.

Source: Editor

Bug-counting season has arrived in Fairhope. The Great Southeast Pollinator Census is running through tomorrow, giving local nature enthusiasts a chance to tally the pollinators in their gardens — preferably during the cooler parts of the day, reports The Fairhope Times.

It was a tough Friday night for the Fairhope Pirates, who dropped their season opener to the Pace Patriots 41-0 in wet conditions. A fumbled snap early in the game led to a long touchdown by Caden Shoemaker, and Pace never looked back. There's plenty of season left, Pirates — we're with you.

Work has begun on the outdoor deck behind the Nix Senior Center, per the Fairhope Times. Good news for one of our community's most-used gathering spots.

Events

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