[Magnolia Fan]

If you have not already done so, I suggest you google Magnolia Arkansas and locate the city and Chamber of Commerce web site. Of Course, City-Data.com is an excellent source for detailed demographic info.
Magnolia IS one of those small college town you see on TV.
Most consider it to be cleaner, safer and more economically stable than most similar communities.
Due to a diverse economic base, anchored by Southern Arkansas University (SAU), Magnolia does not experience the drastic high and lows of other cities.
SAU is considered by most to be a modern, progressive and well run university that is striving to meet the needs of the students and businesses of South Arkansas.
Entrepreneurship and volunteerism is alive and well in Magnolia and local government has been very successful in the long-term infrastructure planning and development needed for the future.
The citizens recently chose to tax themselves to build a new medical center and our public school system has predominatley new and/or well updated facilities.
Companies with major positions in the timber, chemical, aluminum and oil industries and their supporting vendors offer professional opportunities as do our active small businesses.
Cities like Shreveport and Texarkana are about an hour's pleasant drive away and Little Rock is not much further.
Anyone coming from a major metroplex will be amazed or at least pleasantly surprised at what their real estate dollar will buy in Magnolia.
Anyone interested in hunting and fishing will be happy in our area. White tail deer hunting is the very best and you can get your fishing boat from your driveway to the water of Lake Columbia, with it's championship bass fishing, in 30 minutes.
You should definately investigate Magnolia and Columbia County if you are considering a move to South Arkansas. Your questions are welcome!

[J Arp]

I don't know what is more depressing...the fact that SAU's website runs circles around HSU's, or the fact that Magnolia has a theatre and Arkadelphia DOES NOT.

I'm not bitter...no sir.

So here's a question for you Magnolia Fan, what is the name of the closest wet county to Colombia co.?

[Magnolia Fan]

Originally Posted by J Arp

I don't know what is more depressing...the fact that SAU's website runs circles around HSU's, or the fact that Magnolia has a theatre and Arkadelphia DOES NOT.

I'm not bitter...no sir.

So here's a question for you Magnolia Fan, what is the name of the closest wet county to Colombia co.?

Glad you like the SAU Website. We are lucky to have the theatre.
The same Mangolia businessman who owns the historic Cameo Trio theater in Magnolia and two great theaters in El Dorado did his best to build a new theater in Arkadelphia. It seems that the business and community leaders did not want a theater very badly.
Regarding wet counties: Ouachita (to the North at Ogmaw) and Union (to the East at Cairo)Counties and Caliborne Parish (to the South at Haynesville) in North Louisiana are all 20 to 25 minutes away.

Mixed drinks are available with a $1 membership at the Bayou Bistro, an upscale Italian and Cajun restaurant and for members of the Magnolia Country Club and the VFW.

The fact that Columbia is a dry county brings many different opinions of us as a community. Both sides of the issue have great arguments. The Important thing to remember is that all either side wants is for our community to be better - so we win either way.

For a newcomer - especially from a larger city - it takes 30 minutes to an hour to go anywhere. The short relaxing drive through beautify countryside to by liquor is just no big deal.

[paramour]

I suspect that the lack of enthusiasm over a theatre in Arkadelphia has something to do with the fact that they cannot support one. There have been theatres in and out of Arkadelphia for years. They ultimately ALWAYS end up out of business.

[Magnolia Fan]

Paramour is right about them going out of business. My information is that most in recent memory have been pretty poor operations that could not compete with the Hot Springs Theaters and the associated night life.
The new theatre that STARS Cinema would have built would have been top notch but you would still have the night life problem.
Hot Springs being so close is a real problem for Arkadelphia. Being a dry county does not help either. Same situation in Magnolia for better or worse.
Universities may like being in Dry counties but not the students.
It looked like there was going to be a serious and effective effort at a ballot initiative to challenge the "dry" status in Clark County about a year ago but it fizzled out. I do not have a "dog in that fight" but I think it is always good for the public to have the opportunity to vote on potientially important issues.

[J Arp]

Its sad that they cannot compete with Hot Spring's theatres, despite it being a touristy town both of their theatres are lacking in good sound systems and seating. I feel like I'm in someone's jerry rigged home theatre when I watch movies in Hot Springs. I seem to remember the screens behind the mall being better than Carmikes or whatever it is called.

Last time we started too late in attempting to round up voters and signatures. Hopefully we will be better coordinated next time the chance to get it on the ballot returns. The word was we were fairly close to getting the required amount of signatures, and if we had started a couple months earlier it could have been a success.

Then again I hope to be long gone by the time I would see any benefits... We'll see.

[ozarkwanderer]

If I were to ever go back to Arkansas it would be southern Arkansas. Mount Ida, Hot Springs, Texaarkana, Magnolia, Stamps, Malvern, El Dorado, Lake Village other than southern Arkansas I would look in northeast Texas or northwest Louisiana. The little town of DeQueen is very nice. I left northern Arkansas 4 years ago for the desert plains of southwest Texas and it is wonderful compared to Fayetteville or Little Rock. I do miss much back there though and may even return but I will do so in southwest Arkansas or northeast Texas or southwest Oklahoma or northwest Louisiana; just look where the Red River and Cossatot Rivers border the Ozark/Ouachitas and the 4 state lines merge together.

[junkman18]

Originally Posted by ozarkwanderer

If I were to ever go back to Arkansas it would be southern Arkansas. Mount Ida, Hot Springs, Texaarkana, Magnolia, Stamps, Malvern, El Dorado, Lake Village other than southern Arkansas I would look in northeast Texas or northwest Louisiana. The little town of DeQueen is very nice. I left northern Arkansas 4 years ago for the desert plains of southwest Texas and it is wonderful compared to Fayetteville or Little Rock. I do miss much back there though and may even return but I will do so in southwest Arkansas or northeast Texas or southwest Oklahoma or northwest Louisiana; just look where the Red River and Cossatot Rivers border the Ozark/Ouachitas and the 4 state lines merge together.

I love the wide open spaces of the deserts, And riding them on my ATV. But not enough to move back to california. Wow that scares me just thinking about going back to California

[ADREYER]

My husband and I have lived in different areas of S Arkansas for 6 years now and have both attended college in different cities. I absolutely loved Arkadelphia when we were there. It is a small town with not a lot to do, but there is a nice lake 5 minutes from town, low crime and the colleges there contribute quite a bit to the culture (OBU has concerts, lectures, plays almost weekly). Also, Hot Springs is a short 30 minute commute for nicer restaurants, some shopping, the Garvan Woodland Gardens, 2 additional lakes, and just additional entertainment. We also live in in a small town outside of Stuttgart for about a year and we didn't care for it much. There are a lot of mills and farmland and TONS of mosquitos! We now live in Monticello, AR and like it fairly well... the economy is not great here, but the schools are decent (I am a SLP in one of the schools here) and the people are great! Any questions, please email!

[marmac]

Speaking of near Arkadelphia------ there was a very nice restaurant ( great catfish) on #7 near DeGray Lake.

Many of the waitresses were college girls from all parts of the US. ( they caught my "Minnesota accent " immediately.) Never knew I had one.