Moving to Arkansas!

[bvar22]

We are very close to closing on some rural property between Mena and Hatfield.
I've never seen it in person, but have seen many pictures.
It looks beautiful.
Everything I can find on the INet seems positive.

What can you tell me about the area that isn't common knowlege on the Net?
Anything I should know?

If this happens, we will be members of the "Arkansas Forum" within 60 days,
& you will have 2 more PROGRESSIVE voters in the state.

:hi:

Bob
St Paul, MN

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Sorry, I can't help you. I've never been to Mena nor Hatfield. I'm in the

NW section, Fayetteville. But welcome anyway. I lived 3 years in Rochester, MN and it's certainly warmer here.

[ArkySue]

2. Welcome to Arkansas!

The Mena area is in the 3rd District...the only Repub Rep we have. However, there is a great Dem candidate running, Woody Anderson. www.woodrowanderson.com
It's a beautiful area of the state, fairly mountainous as it's in the Ouachita (pronounced Wash-a-taw) mountains.

[jsamuel]

3. welcome

I am in the NW section of AR.

[bvar22]

4. The property is OURS!!!

I'll be coming to Arkansas to close next week.!!
Looking foreward to meeting you all, and working for The Democratic Party and Progressive causes.

How long do I have to get registered for the November election?

:woohoo:

[sinkingfeeling]

5. Here's an online form for registering to vote. You have 30 days

before the election to register.

Deadline Information:

To qualify to vote in the next election, you must apply to register to vote 30 days before the election. If you mail this form, it must be postmarked by that date. You may also present it to a voter registration agency representative, or your county clerk, by that date.

If you are qualified and the information is complete, you will be notified by your local County Clerk.

http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/elections/elections_pdfs/voter/voter_reg_ap_ar.pdf#search=%22registration%20voter%20arkansas%22

[jsamuel]

6. Get a new licence when you move here and they will register you to vote

if you ask them to

[aaronbees]

7. The Mena area is lovely

as far as scenery goes with the Ouachita Mts. Check out Queen Wilhelmina State Park and do some exploring in the area. I've only been up that way a few times but it's gorgeous country to drive through for sure. :hi: And welcome to Arkansas!

[rrasile]

8. Have you registered to vote

Be sure and safe and bring your drivers License with you. You still need to prove with a photograph who you are.
Just be safe so you don't end up getting pissed off and kicking someone's ass.

[glengill]

9. Come on down

We are about 20 miles South of Hatfield on Hiway 71. Wickes is the name of our small town. I am "tickled pink" (in the local vernacular)that a fellow DU'er will be so close. If you are so inclined, when you get settled in let me know, and I'll buy lunch! And yes, there is much that you should know!! But knowing it might have scared you off, and I didn't want that!

[xynthee]

10. Don't miss glengill's lunch offer!

She knows a good place!

Hi, glengill and bvar22!! :hi:

bvar, I hope you guys aren't too lonely there (I lived in Polk County the first 18 years of my life and DAMN it's a lonely place for a liberal)! glengill is "good people" though and you should definitely make a trip south so she can buy you lunch.

Best of luck and maybe I'll get to meet you when I come home for a visit. Congratulations to Polk County for adding two more progressives. Hopefully, you can convince some of the other closet liberals that being liberal is *gasp* a good thing!

[bvar22]

11. HI.

I have roots in the rural deep South, and understand the social situation.
My understanding is that Polk County is Dry, Rural, Closed Minded, Conservative, Baptist, and Republican.
I generally try to "live my values" and not impose them on others, or flaunt my liberal superiority. :hippie:
Initially, I plan on removing my magnetic bumper stickers until I can "check out" the local situation.









As long as I can get a daily dose of DU, I can maintain my sanity.

Looking foreward to meeting you all.
If things go as planned, I will be driving down tomorrow (Friday), but will be pretty busy.
The "move" is planned for the last week of October.
We don't have much to move, so it should be relatively easy.

Thanks for the kind words.


Bob

[glengill]

13. Polk County in a nut shell...

Well Bob, it looks like you know what you are getting into.

[Broken_Hero]

12. Good luck on the move

(if you haven't moved yet)...I'm near NW Arkansas, and the furthest south I have been is Fayettevill, but the rolling hills around Fayet, look very good...:) And I think its standard OP, that you become a Razor Back fan...I think its some weird ritual...:) :hi:

[Art_from_Ark]

22. Becoming a Razorback fan does seem to be part of some ritual

That reminds me of the time my school principal came into the lunchroom to lead us in a cheer for the Hawgs the Friday before the "game of the century" vs. Texas back in '69. Didn't help the Hawgs any, though.

[Starkraven]

14. I'm the one moving with bvar...

...and I'm from Montana. That means that I can deal with isolation and rednecks (Conrad Burns!?!) The good thing is that nature and real human beings really make a difference. WE are quite anxious for the move, which is in two days, but also know that we are following our bliss as Joseph Conrad would say. I am excited to meet those of you if you will accept this northerner (my mother was Canadian from Alberta.) Looking forward to the move and meeting y'all! Raven

[jsamuel]

15. today is the last day to register to vote in AR

[glengill]

16. Hi Starkraven

I'm looking forward to meeting both of you! Good luck with the move.

[roody]

17. What is an Arkansas Baptist's idea of heaven?

Being able to drink in public.

[lins the liberal]

18. that's the truth

An awful lot of those good Arkansas Baptists have their booze hidden away. If the repairman comes to work on their refrigerator, they move the beer out of the frig and put it under the sink, among other places. They will do most anything to keep the booze hidden. So I'm sure it would be hog heaven at least to be able to drink in public!

[bvar22]

19. We have arrived safely.

We arrived on the 13th. Lots of work to get everything "right".
Just got a landline and a dial-up :( account today.
Very busy finishing the house (parts of it are bare studs) and cleaning up the property.
The Fall colors are spectacular.
We love it!
See ya!~

[SPKrazy]

20. Welcome To Arkansas

I live up the road in Ft. Smith

Mena is very rural and is also very pretty.

[glengill]

21. Fall colors

Welcome to Arkansas! The trees are putting on a great show this year. Sorry to hear about "dial up", I would hate to go back there.

[smaug]

23. Hi Neighbor!

Bob,

I live at Acorn (about 10 miles north of you). The area is more beautiful than the pictures, believe me. I've lived here off and on since 1970 (my parents are from the area). It's a very nice area, and the local folks are generally friendly. Of course, there's a few who aren't but I don't know of any specifically in the area. Coming from St. Paul, I suspect you'll really laugh at 'rush hour' in Mena; it lasts about 5 minutes, and only at the intersection of Hwy 71 & Morrow.

I'm usually around online, and there's a pretty active Democratic community. Right now, the county judge, sheriff, auditor, county clerk, most of the quorum court, state representative and state senator and US congressman (Mike Ross) are all Democrats. There's a lot of ReTHUGs around, but they tend to shoot themselves in the foot most of the time. Most of 'em ran as 'independents' this time around, but that didn't fool much of anyone.