[marmac]

Originally Posted by Dr. Foosball

I am amazed by the difference in crime rates in White Hall compared to Pine Bluff. White Hall has less than half of the crime as the average US city whereas Pine Bluff has over three times the crime as an average US city. It is strange how cities so close together can seem so different in the stats. It is also interesting to see that White Hall seems to have a much higher caucasian population than that of Pine Bluff.

I have researched hundreds of towns in the south for relocation using city-data stats. ( visited several in person)

I will move to a mixed race town, nut will not consider a place with a high crime rate.

Sadly, but true, city-data's racial breakdown of a city is the best indicator of the crime rate that is listed further down the page from the profile.

There are a few exceptions, but they are very few.

People may claim it is racist to avoid cities/towns with a high percentage of people of a different race. That claim is false when the crime index is very high for that city/town.

[Dreamy46]

Originally Posted by Dr. Foosball

OK. So someone just told me that PB has an effing paper mill. Please tell me that Pine Bluff doesn't smell as bad as Ashdown.

The smell could be the chemical weapons burning. I recommend a Google search on "Pine Bluff Arsenal."

[Dr. Foosball]

I just returned from Pine Bluff.

First of all, there is no foul smell. I actually forgot to expect a smell until I saw a log truck, but nonetheless, no smell in Pine Bluff.

I only ventured through the northeast section of the city, but I was surprised by how run down the area was. I have actually not seen such a site in any city around NW Arkansas.

The people I met were fantastic. I only met a few people, but they were all very nice. I have no reservations about living in the area now, but I will be careful to avoid certain sections of the city (just like any city).

[J Arp]

Originally Posted by Dr. Foosball

I just returned from Pine Bluff.

First of all, there is no foul smell. I actually forgot to expect a smell until I saw a log truck, but nonetheless, no smell in Pine Bluff.

I only ventured through the northeast section of the city, but I was surprised by how run down the area was. I have actually not seen such a site in any city around NW Arkansas.

The people I met were fantastic. I only met a few people, but they were all very nice. I have no reservations about living in the area now, but I will be careful to avoid certain sections of the city (just like any city).

The smell is there somewhere. The wind was blowing the other way or the plant that causes the smell wasn't running...but believe me. I've only been there once when I took a wrong turn in LR and just kept happily puttering down the road, but the smell was alive and well as of a couple years ago and its pretty foul. Maybe that plant shut down since then.

[gthog61]

When I lived in Jefferson County (15 years ago) it was the paper mill near UAPB that stunk. The big one east of town was newer and didn't stink. If the one near UAPB is closed then the smell ought not be there. When I lived in the area I lived in White Hall. There's absolutely nothing shopping wise in White Hall but it is an easy commute to PB for a job and I actually commuted to LR for a year from there so LR would be plenty close enough for larger city amenities.

That's the major industries in the area - paper mills, railroads, and prisons, which should tell you a lot.

[Dr. Foosball]

Yea, it shouldnt be surprising that the population is dwindling. Everything in the area is a "Not In My Back Yard" industry.

[hokulea]

My Pastor just got re appointed there to the 1st United Methodist Church in Pine Bluff. He was in Bella Vista, and is Great. That is a positive you could look forward to.

I have considered moving there to be close to them... there is a good fine arts program there and I would recommend the Catholic Schools there, put your kids in private schools... There are a lot of nice areas around Pine Bluff as well or so I am told by natives I know

[GrandviewGloria]

I haven't driven from Mississippi to Fayetteville via Pine Bluff in decades. I was tired (and frankly terrified) of the speed trap in Lake Village. But everybody comments on the huge stock of beautiful Early Twentieth Century homes in Pine Bluff. You'd be murdered within days, if you tried to live in one of them in Pine Bluff, but you could buy one and have it moved into the country. These are substantial but not unmanageable houses, built during the Dollar Cotton days of the 1920s, from stock plans. The craftsmanship is superb (German immigrants, I think), and a lot of the wood is Cypress.

A young couple bought a small 1890s mansion in Canton, Mississippi (another murder mecca), and had it moved across the Reservoir to a less demographically cursed area. It was a town mansion, but now is so beautiful on its new two-acre lot. I remember a lot of cute little Cape Cod revival cottages in Pine Bluff, that might could be moved whole. You can't get good heartwood like those house are built from, today, unless you're really rich.

[Dr. Foosball]

Well, I got the job offer in Pine Bluff that I was expecting. I guess I should buy a bullet-proof vest and look for the silver lining because employed in Pine Bluff is better than unemployed in Fort Smith.

[jenni-b]

you'll be fine.