Tyler,TX

[jensue]

Originally Posted by kentuckycats

Just got back from Tyler. We will be moving there soon. Loved the private schools and the area is great. Friendly people. Everyone waves!! I hear public school in Tyler is not great. I hear Grace Community school is good. Anyone no anything on Grace Community school????? I like what I have heard so far.

I live in Arp which is 18 miles from Tyler and I have been here for 20 years and love it! My grandchildren go to Grace Community School and it is wonderfull. Not only do they teach the children all the required subjects but they teach them the Bible also and my granddaughters love the school. They were in public school before being enrolled in Grace and the things they would bring home they learned from the other students would curl your toes. Now my granddaughters act like little ladies and are respectfull to others. Grace is well worth the money!

[STEX]

Tyler and from Terrell East - is a non-inclusive, segmented society. It does not welcome outsiders - which everyone is unless you were born there, attended school with the "in" group and never left the area. Jobs are reserved for the "in" group as well. You can have multiple degrees and years of experience, and you will never get a chance. I don't know what drives the motivation of the people as a group, but you will tire of the game and want a richer, fuller life elsewhere. Companies are closing; there are lay-offs; the public schools are suffering badly. Teacher? Check out their self-funded insurance plan - that's right - a committee will make decisions about your medical treatment. It is a poor work environment, to say the least. Life is short - look elsewhere and be happy!

[bobsgirl]

Plus, from what I understand they have a high crime rate there in Tyler and Smith County as a whole. Not to mention the sheriff and criminal justice system are corrupt from what I've read. They've got that good ol boy attitude. They had a couple of bail bondsmen even who were getting females out of jail in exchange for, well, favors if you will. I would stay as far away from that place as possible if I were you. I wouldn't feel safe in an environment like that. If you're rich and Southern Baptist, then you will fit right into the niche, but if you're anything less you will be an outcast.

[bobsgirl]

Originally Posted by x532

I moved to Tyler for a job 7 weeks ago and I have to say, I find the whole town a bit odd. If you aren't uber religious or into casual sex and drugs then you aren't going to fit in. That seems to be it for social groups. I'm sure there are people somewhere who don't belong to one of those 2 groups, but I haven't found them yet.

Think about it, this is a town where they had a fit because the new anchorwoman was a playboy bunny yet all I hear in the news is about meth labs blowing up, sexual predators and animal cruelty cases. The news creeps me out so I won't even watch it anymore. This is also the town that advertises churches and drug rehabs on the local radio stations. They even have church and drug rehab billboards.

Driving to Lake Palestine to buy beer is bizarre. As soon as you cross the lake there is a place called Fatdog that sells beer and liquor. It is a madhouse. And because you have to drive about 15 minutes or so to get alcohol, everyone stocks up so you'll see people running around with carts full of stuff like that old game show Supermarket Sweep.

Basically, I go to work and then come home as fast as possible to my boyfriend and cats.

As for finding an apartment in this town, unless you know about 6 months in advance, don't bother. Every single complex we went to had a waiting list. The only one that had anything available was the most expensive place in town. So I'm paying $185 dollars more for rent than I did in Dallas. So much for a lower cost of living. And actually, some things are much more expensive here. Everything at Wal-Mart like Coke and toilet paper etc. is more than at the Dallas Wal-Marts. I guess because they don't have a distribution center nearby the cost of gas makes everything higher.

On a positive note, I love the nature. The trees and lakes are beautiful. I am also hopeful that at some point I will find some artsy, new age, computer nerd, comic book loving people like myself that I can hang out with. If not, I'll just move a bunch in from Dallas. :-)

That is strange about the higher prices at Wal-Mart and you mentioned it must be that way because there is not a distribution center for Wal-Mart close by. On the contrary, Palestine has a huge Wal-Mart distribution center for Wal-Mart which is one of the major employers of the area next to TDCJ (Texas Department of Criminal Justice) prison system. Nothing surprises me about Tyler though...nothing. I would not move there if it was the last place on earth.

[Metro Matt]

Originally Posted by STEX

Tyler and from Terrell East - is a non-inclusive, segmented society. It does not welcome outsiders - which everyone is unless you were born there, attended school with the "in" group and never left the area. Jobs are reserved for the "in" group as well. You can have multiple degrees and years of experience, and you will never get a chance. I don't know what drives the motivation of the people as a group, but you will tire of the game and want a richer, fuller life elsewhere. Companies are closing; there are lay-offs; the public schools are suffering badly. Teacher? Check out their self-funded insurance plan - that's right - a committee will make decisions about your medical treatment. It is a poor work environment, to say the least. Life is short - look elsewhere and be happy!

Sounds like Obamacare to me!

[texdav]

Originally Posted by conanS

I know Tyler has some strange liquor laws!! I went to visit a friend in Tyler a few years ago. Went to get some beer at a convenience store. Clerk said they were in the "dry" part of town. I asked where I could get some beer, and he points across the street

That is because Texas is a option state by precints. The type of sales can vary forom none to liquior by the drink. Where I live only restaurants that make 51% of their income can sell liquor by the dirnk to prevent bars as the voters wanted.