[boulder]

Read for yourself (link to Fayetteville newspaper) and do a search for yourself as there were articles in all the papers and some described the incident in detail NWAnews.com :: Northwest Arkansas' News Source

[nmnita]

Boulder, thanks for providing the article. I guess we missed it somehow, maybe cause this happened almost 5 years ago and it was 1 kid, not a group.

I did talk to someone last weekend who lives in Harrison, she confirmed it is a very racist town which is sad. We live in a state with reverse discrimination which is just as bad. It does make one realize how cruel people can be.

Again, thanks for providing the information even though it is really quite old and I would like to think things have changed, at least a little.

Nita

[boulder]

Originally Posted by nmnita

Boulder, thanks for providing the article. I guess we missed it somehow, maybe cause this happened almost 5 years ago and it was 1 kid, not a group.

I did talk to someone last weekend who lives in Harrison, she confirmed it is a very racist town which is sad. We live in a state with reverse discrimination which is just as bad. It does make one realize how cruel people can be.

Again, thanks for providing the information even though it is really quite old and I would like to think things have changed, at least a little.

Nita

To me 4 and a half years ago is not "quite old" .... and the "kid" was reported to be a young adult and it wasn't just one person. I lived in that town and it is racist beyond belief. I could tell you stories that would shock you. The great white fathers of Harrison may say they want to change the perception of the town but deep within they like it as it is. The "sundown" rule is talked about openly amongst the Harrison locals.

[Sam I Am]

Originally Posted by boulder

Read for yourself (link to Fayetteville newspaper) and do a search for yourself as there were articles in all the papers and some described the incident in detail NWAnews.com :: Northwest Arkansas' News Source

Thanks Boulder - I honestly did not know about this....and for whatever reason, I'm only getting about half my email notifications when someone posts, so I didn't realize you had answered.

That the football players wouldn't shake hands isn't really a player in this article - that happens with kids of like race all the time who haven't learned how to play well with others....but I think the observation that "haters are a largely mute group" is correct....I will stand corrected on Harrison's problems - as with Nita, I would hope the pastors and 5 years have healed some of the problems, but those football players from Ramay will never forget - and that is sad, and the entire population of Harrison should have offered up an apology for that one...you gotta wonder, where ARE the parents? Are they the ones spewing hatred? If so - kids learn what they live - and the cycle goes on. I'm not sure how it gets broken, but it is a very sad thing to have had happen since 1957 here. My very, very belated apologies to the youth of Ramay....gotta wonder what would happen today if Junior in the white sheet pulled that stunt. In my mind, that's a hate crime - he's inciting fear and violence....

Although I regret you had to post this, it is informative.....and let us pray it is in the past.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by boulder

To me 4 and a half years ago is not "quite old" .... and the "kid" was reported to be a young adult and it wasn't just one person. I lived in that town and it is racist beyond belief. I could tell you stories that would shock you. The great white fathers of Harrison may say they want to change the perception of the town but deep within they like it as it is. The "sundown" rule is talked about openly amongst the Harrison locals.

Hey, I am not disagreeing with you: as I said I talked to someone last week that lives there and says it is totally racist, I was pointing out 5 years ago (yes, football season would be 5 or as you say 41/2 years ago) was so long ago many of us don't remember the case. The column did mention just one young person in a white sheet. Again, I am glad you provided us with the story.

Nita

[celeste2]

If you're single & citified but love hippies & art, hands down, Eureka Springs. Cherokee Village, Holiday Island, Bella Vista & Beaver Lake are all very nice if you're a couple & want the good life.

[resa818]

Just new to this site, and enjoyed the many pro / cons view points on
Arkansas. Your persona attracts positive or negative, where ever you
visit or live by. With respect, I will not even waste time & energy
commenting on the negatives, that have been spoken on the natural state.
What drawn me to this site as well as many so-be-it transplants in transition, are desiring for info on where to live in Arkansas, plain, and simple.
My personal comment of Arkansas: LOVE IT!!! Midwest / Southern hospitality
AR tops anywhere else I have been in, the states (been in all 50, several times). You can stop anywhere in Arkansas, be it a local gas station, restraurant, post office or even Walmart, you will find the locals coming up to you and asking you 'Hows your mornin donin' (?) or 'Nice weather we havin' with a smile. Sevaral of my friends and family members visiting my parents and
myself agree with the overall Beauty, and warm, friendly charm of the people of AR., I do thank you Arkansas.
I have lived some time in AR and visited my parents almost monthly, near
Hot Springs, and ALWAYS FEEL WELCOME WHERE EVER I GO. Many of
my friends from Europe, have visited, finding their accents attracted
pleasent positive conversation.... my friends want to come back to AR.,!
With that said, I haved lived in Europe for several years and traveled the world with several beat-up passports; have a degree trained in computers,
and looking for more laid back retirement location.
Now being in my 50's and need to move closer to my elderly parents (From Great Lakes Midwest transplant to Permanent ARKYS for more than 20 years now), I have a question and attracting only positive, helpful
advise from others out there. Hopefully the locals can give their two cents
as well and are welcome.
I really don't want the HOAs and it monthly ammenties fees, but rather 3 or more wooded acres property, with clean, good tasting well water and mountain views. Not really interested to have lake front property, since
I can be on the local lakes and fish daily, if wanting to. Rather, possibly
in the future to have a horse to graze, and my love to garden, totally the need to be with nature.
I have looked near or close to HSV gates, wanting Garland County zone area. Jesseville, or north of Hot Springs is ideal. Or Possible South of Benton for a bigger picture scope for info.
At my age, my current house is on 3 plush wooded acres with well / septic system in a township, within a mile of the city. Previously, lived city, drank city water, dealt with hussle and busy freeways to get anywhere for years and just want to continue life in country rural surroundings but still able to get in my truck, to take a trip larger cities if the desire is there.
Where my parents live, they travel to Hot Springs 2 to 3 times a week and Little Rock- 3 times a month.
They have food, medical, banking, gas stations close by, so the need
for bigger city, is only upon desire.
Lastly, my current V cell phone company has weak reception in spots,
in the areas mention above and I see from other comments given, that
AT&T is the only one working well that has also good National coverage to
boot? I need national coverage, to use visiting back up here in the
Great Lakes region. What about NEX or Sprint? Any one using other digital phone services for phone / high speed internet in the Garland County area?
Any comments welcome.
Thank you, Cheers R

[radster]

Now what is the right terrain or weather is different for different people.
Same with recreation and culture.

Personally, I have lived in Arkansas off and on for most of my life, though I was born in Texas and have lived there again a couple of times.


If you draw a line from the boot heel of Misourri to the Arkansas/Oklahoma/Texas border ... everything Northwest of the line has nicer weather and scenery. Southeast of that line things tend to be flatter and more humid. Some areas Southeast also are well known for their killer mosquitos. Expecially the rice growing areas which are a lot of that territory.



There are some neat places in the Southeast and some not so great places to the Northwest, thus my map is not perfect. The wiggles in the line are intentional.

My favorite towns in Arkansas outside of my hometown of Little Rock are:

1. Eureka Springs
2. Hot Springs
3. Mena
4. Fayetteville
5. Mountian Home
6. DeQueen
7. Paris

And these 2 are further down the list because they are DRY (no alcohol) which may raise them on your list if you don't want liquor stores.

8. Russellville
9. Conway

I also really like Magnolia which is in deep South Arkansas.

My Least favorite places are:

Pine Bluff (stinks of paper-mills) and also still suffers from racial division.
Carlisle (GIANT MOSQUITOS)
Stuttgart (See above)

There are a lot of places in the South that are decent, but would not be for me. There are some places in the NW and North Central that are not the best.

There are also issues of tolerance/intolerance in some areas across the state, but this is true all over the country. In the nicest of communities you will have some jerks. In the least friendly communites you will have some wonderful people.

[radster]

I am having issues with my picture

[OMG it's hot!]

Originally Posted by baptistlady

I relocated 3 years ago from Bryant Arkansas to Russellville Arkansas. DO NOT let the scenic beauty make your decision, the people are anything but beautiful, if you intend on working NEVER MOVE HERE. Jobs are not even posted, I can’t believe they have not been sued. If you have children don't move here, the most popular else where will be outcast forever here. I grew tired of the Arkansas hillbilly remarks while in the city, but their are truly hillbillies in this area, unless you are a descendant of the Pen costal church (assembly of God), or (non demo national), they call themselves believers but hate blacks and Hispanics , and you appreciate being talked down too as a woman, live no further than 45 minutes from Little Rock, or inside Ft Smith, inside Rogers, Fayetteville. The entire community smells. No southern hospitality or love between Conway and Alma, backwards never intend on changing sad people I don’t want to change, just want to leave and never look back. If you intend on relocating, do not buy a home..rent for a year first. You will leave!

You took the words right out of my mouth!! I moved here from out of state thinking that life would be better because it was a whole lot cheaper to live. My first impressions were all assumptions. I came here with a positive attitude, that we were going to start fresh and have a great life. OMG, was I wrong. Here is a list of my assumptions.

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY
It's the south right? WRONG! It's Louisianna witout the swamps! The people are anything but hospitable. It's very cliquey. My child was a baby when we moved here and she doesn't fit in. We've tried everything from soccer, softball, dance, church, gymnastics, and top of the line birthday parties to die for... and nothing! If they can't get anything from you, they don't include you. If you can't offer them something, forget it! If you aren't a relative or the best friend of someone important, forget it! And OMG, the gossip, you can't tell anyone anything! Not anyone. I'm not talking about bad mouthing people and others finding out, I'm talking about just normal stuff. Stuff that isn't worth repeating because it's unintersting, just mindless chatter, but everyone knows. I don't know how!

ENVIRONMENT/CLIMATE
I thought, how cool! We get to swim in the lake everyday! Go fishing, skiing, etc... ARE YOU KIDDING! With all those SNAKES! I thought we'd be able to go camping. The weather here is totally intolerable during the summer unless you grew up in the south. The humidity is insane. Not only that, it's very difficult to even plan an outdoor vacation due to the rain. It's very unpredictable. Granted, I love a good storm, but would like to be able to plan an outdoor vacation without having it ruined by rain. I had no idea, until I moved here, that my allergies were so bad, they could hospitalize me. The allergens are horrible. Outside for an hour, and I'm having breathing problems and am starting to break out in hives. Oh! and not to mention the mosquitos. I never thought I could get a black eye from a mosquito... but I did! And it stinks!! Don't even think about hanging your clothes outside to dry... for one, they won't due to humidity, and second, they stink! And for all of you that do it and don't realize it, you stink! Sorry! It's like a smoker that doesn't realize they stink like cigarettes! Ewe!

HILLBILLYNESS
I thought this was all just fun jokes people from other states would say. I was wrong. It's all true. Kissing cousins, the whole bit! Some of the people are downright gross. Like the man that you always see at the (unamed) store that is wearing overalls, no shirt, with only one buckle buckled and both side buttons undone, and did I forget to mention... not sure if he's even wearing underwear? Anywhere else, this man would be asked to leave the store. Or the countless large breasted women wearing worn dirty white t-shirts without a bra. The people are content with their lack of cleanliness and think it's weird that you won't let your child spend the night at their roach infested home. When you drop off your child at a birthday party, at what is seemingly a decent home, and walk in to see holes in the floor, roaches crawling in the kitchen, you will understand what I mean.
The neiveness to the rest of the world is an epidemic here. From not believing that other states don't have this hot humid weather like we do here, to thinking that everyone from a particular state are hethens. I met a lady that actually believed that there were no Christians in an entire state. Very narrow minded and isolated people. It's like Pleasantville, without the pleasant.

SCHOOLS
The rich kids rule. Luckily, my chidren aren't the poor kids, and they're raised to love everyone no matter what. The rich/popular kids get in the school newletters. I'm talking elementary here people. If you're parents are rich or someone within the community with any small amount of power, you can get away with anything. Nobody will tell, and even if they do, nobody believes it. Education is slacking and down right scary! Thank God my child isn't educationally challenged.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
Downright cruel. And you can't tell the boss because you then get harrased. This is an empidemic accros the area. I have first hand experience. You just have to put up and shut up.

SHOPPING
What shopping? Walmart anyone? If you like variety, but don't like to travel, forget it! You must drive to Conway to shop, or further. Taxes on groceries? This was new to me and is still shocking! Groceries are more expensive here too. Plan on being at the store for an hour when you go to get a gallon of milk. You will run into everyone you know at the store. Be prepared to be ignored also. Some of this is due to the other party just trying to hurry up and get that gallon of milk home before it spoils, but most of it is snootyness.

UTILITIES
More expensive than CA if you can believe that! Phone, electric, water and gas!

ENTERTAINMENT
Movie theartre, bowling alley, Walmart, hunting, fishing. Need I say more?

POSITIVES
We have met some really great people out here, but none of them actually decend from Arkansas originally. When meeting and befriending, we had no idea. Great priced houses! Gas is cheaper. It is beautiful (if you can stand the humidity, heat and allergens, you can actually enjoy it).

Believe it or not, I appreciate my experience here. But am glad it's almost over. Moving very soon. Tired of my children being excluded. My children are great, kind, loving, energetic. Did I forget to say loving? So loving, and yet, only loved back by few. The people are very surface. I did move here with a positive attitude. I can't say that enough. Only to be left with a bad taste in my mouth. I'm not sorry, I came, but am very glad to leave. I would take the financial burden of living in a large state, then the many tears my children have cried because, no matter what they do, they just can't fit in.