Tell me about Little Rock - I have a job offer there.

[stopbush]

The position is with an arts organization and pays $75k. I have the usual questions:

1. Will $75k do it for Little Rock, or is it too little for a family of 4.

2. Family of 4: I have an 8-yo and a 12-yo. How are the public schools there?
2a. Are they teaching creationism or fighting the teaching of creationism?

3. I've heard that Arkansas is heavily Dem except they voted for bush. Is that true?

4. We're atheists who don't follow sports and like cultural events. Will this be major culture shock for us? How would we be received...or not received?

Any opinions will be appreciated.

[slor]

1. I may be wrong but...

$75,000 sounds like an amount that is quite nice in Little Rock.

[Elidor]

2. They revere a man named Houston Nutt as god

But if you don't follow sports you needn't concern yourself with him.

[Mikimouse]

4. You mean he's NOT? I'm in Fayetteville...n/t

[Elidor]

8. I was telling my stepfather recently

Houston Nutt could bugger a baby seal on the courthouse steps and the police would probably offer him a ride home and a change of clothes.

[Mikimouse]

9. Ahhh yes, that sounds familiar...I haven't yet been completely...

socialized to the area (only been here 9 months), but around campus, most people seem to think that he walks on water.

[juajen]

3. I lived there in early eighties. In North Little Rock (you have to cross

the river) we had no cultural shock at all; were well accepted, etc. I would think even with the changes in the last years, that this salary would do well in Little Rock.

It's really a beautiful state. Spend your weekends getting to know this wonderful area of the country.

[leetrisck]

5. Sister in N.Little Rock - she loves it

I'm originally from Newton Co - if you have the opportunity visit Jasper (very small town) and hear Tim Ray sing at the Jasper Mercantile - you'll never forget it. Unbelievable for that small part of the world but you'll love it.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Newton County AR here

I've been to Little Rock, and I'd say that the salary sounds good for the area (if you lived in Newton County, any salary above 20K is considered being very well off). Be sure to get thee down to Hot Springs for the water and some good food. And then up Arkansas 7 not only to Jasper and the Mercantile but to Murray Valley for the organic blueberries, Boxley Valley for the Elk Education Center (free and you can usually see elk in the valley) and Lost Valley. Say hi to the folks at Lost Valley Canoe as well.

You have to pay income and personal property taxes, but they aren't too bad (my land tax this year was under ten bucks). Really this is a pretty cheap place to live.

[leetrisck]

7. Gosh - I miss Newton County

you've made me homesick.

[Elidor]

11. You make it sound very enticing

I've always wanted to go looking for caves and camping in the Ozarks. Is that nearby?

[sinkingfeeling]

10. $75K should be pretty good for LR. The only sports are local

schools and UA (which is housed in Fayetteville). I would recommend that you not publish your non-religious stance. The first question you may be asked is "What church to you go to?". At least, that's what I got coming into NW Arkansas. I really don't know how good the schools in LR are, but overall Arkansas isn't the greatest. There have been some attempts at the local levels to introduce 'ID', but I'm not sure they have been successful.

Arkansas is a very pretty state. You will need to check out Eureka Springs and someday take 'Pig Trail' (HWY 23) through the Ozark National Forest. You can mine for diamonds (only place in USA) in the Crater of Diamonds State Park. Hot Springs is neat.

[ArkDem]

12. Apparently you have never heard of:

Arkansas Rimrockers
Arkansas Twisters
Arkansas Travelers
Arkansas Riverblades

[sinkingfeeling]

17. You're right ...never heard of them in the 14 years I've been here!

[rogerhall]

16. You will be asked

It is very common for our citizens to ask someone "where they attend" within the first few questions of friendly banter.

"We're still looking" is often an acceptable answer - for a while.

"I'm not a christian" could get you some stares, but it's not likely to be lethal. :}

The Ozarks are beautiful, and there are some fun weekends to be had in the area, but Arkansas is pretty in all directions from Little Rock! Since it covers both mountains and delta, you can easily follow the seasons changing at various parks in the state - making for extended months of bloom in the spring and leaf color in the fall.

A colleague of mine from China says that Little Rock itself is a "giant park". We do have more than a couple trees! Our local politcs have been "land-grab" for the last 25 years - we have increased our city area 400% when the population grew 25% - leaving us with lamentable road maintenance bills, but also lots and lots of industry-hidin' and air-cleanin' trees. (There are actually a lot of great tree towns in Arkansas - plenty of elbow room here!)

[ArkDem]

13. Check the below out for a good feeling about what Little Rock

is like.
http://www.arktimes.com/

[rogerhall]

14. Welcome to Arkansas!

You will have plenty of opportunity in Little Rock with your salary!

I recommend LISA Academy - it's a state charter school that is focused on college prep.

There are plenty of heathens in Little Rock, and we are not yet teaching Creationsim. We are certainly at risk - I work at UALR, and we are constantly suffering ridiculous letters to the editors from advanced (non-science) students who have crazy ideas about science.

Check out Vino's and Juanita's for great music and friendly bohems. :}

[Blue_Roses]

15. that's a good salary for Arkansas.

this is the 3rd poorest state in the country, so 75k is great. Little Rock is much more progressive than other parts of the state. We have 2 Democratic US senators and a Democratic US representative. There are alot of Dems in Little Rock.