FAIRHOPE, Alabama—The “charming city of Fairhope” will once again be the setting of “Sweet Home Alabama,” and a Baldwin County nursing student will be among the top-rated show’s 22 “bachelorettes.”

The reality-based show was CMT’s highest rated series of 2011, and the second-season begins Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. CT, according to today's announcement by CMT.

“This time, women from big cities and small towns are vying for the affections of Tribble Reese, the handsome former Clemson University quarterback and entrepreneur from Birmingham, who was the runner-up in the series’ first season,” the CMT announcement says. “In each one-hour episode, set in the charming city of Fairhope, Alabama, ladies from across the nation compete for time with the Southern gentleman. Each week, Reese is forced to say goodbye to more bachelorettes in his search for true love."

Among the 22 bachelorettes, two are from South Alabama: Tristan Smith from Robertsdale and Courtney Wilkerson from Mobile.

Here is CMT’s description of the second-season cast:

“This year’s city bachelorettes are:

Alexandra Agro — model from Miami

Cassidie Sheets — fashion blogger from San Diego

Cassie Cardelle — pop singer from Hollywood, Calif.

Chiara Strzesiewski — dancer-model from New York City

Colleen Aldrich — tanning salon manager from Long Island, N.Y.

Erin Stack — actress-model from Hollywood, Calif.

Hailey Glassman — publicist from New York City

Jacqueline Honulik — New York Yankees publicist from Fairfield, Conn.

Kristina Kraus — aspiring stylist from Orange County, Calif.

Michelle Weaver — elementary education major from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Stefanie Williams — blogger-writer from New York City

“The season's country bachelorettes are:

Ashley Ann Vickers — pro barrel racer and model from St. Lucie County, Fla.

Cassie Rupp — journalist and farmer's daughter from Dighton, Kan.

Courtney Wilkerson — nursing student from Mobile, Ala.

Jessica Newsom — retail sales associate from Teague, Texas

Mandy Sanders — honky-tonk bartender from Sherman, Texas

Nicole Ross — veterinary tech and pro cowgirl from Denton, Texas

Paige Duke — former NASCAR spokesmodel and veterinary tech from Lancaster, S.C.

Tara Bowlin — law student from Knoxville, Tenn.

Tiffany Ginger — U.S. Army sergeant and mechanic from Newnan, Ga.

Torie Mathews — elementary education major from Biloxi, Miss.

Tristan Smith — nursing student from Robertsdale, Ala.”

Reese was raised and went to high school in Mountain Brook outside of Birmingham, Ala., where his family still resides, according to CMT. He was recruited by Clemson where he played quarterback and earned a degree in marketing.

Dorgan’s Inn controversy

In a related story, the Point Clear site of some filming of both seasons of “Sweet Home Alabama” will again be before a zoning board next week.

Dorgan’s Inn is zoned residential, but for the past two years has run a wedding, vacation rental and special events business at its location south of Fairhope.

The busy enterprise, which built a parking lot in a protected wetlands area without a permit, has drawn the ire of Point Clear neighbors, who are expected to turn out in sizeable numbers for the Oct. 10 hearing before the county zoning board.

That board will consider whether to grant Dorgan’s Inn’s request for a rehearing of the August denial of its application to establish a bed-and-breakfast at the Point Clear location. If so, the rehearing itself will likely be scheduled for November.

Several influential residents have lined up against the request, including a former state Supreme Court justice and the presidents of county and local bar and property owners associations.

William and Patricia Dorgan, the owners of Dorgan’s Inn, have been unavailable for comment to the Fairhope Courier in a recent story, and to the Channel 15 television reporters for the news segment broadcast on WPMI, the local NBC affiliate, which ran the week after the story below was published.

For that earlier article about Dorgan’s Inn with more “Sweet Home Alabama” details, see: http://baldwincountynow.com/articles/2011/09/19/local_news/doc4e737820d5ea1750734390.txt.