Los Angeles Times readers get a friendly review of Little Rock in the travel section. A former LR resident wrote the piece, which opens:
For most non-Arkansans, Little Rock conjures two images: Central High School, a landmark in the history of desegregation, and Bill and Hillary Clinton, who . . . well, are making their own marks on the world. But the city has boomed in the last decade, quietly becoming a cultural destination — which is a bit of a surprise to former residents like me.
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Although this city of 187,000-plus hasn’t lost its Southern charm — you still hear an abundance of “hons,” “y’alls” and “fixin’ to gos,” and, depending on your circle, mentions of the Clintons or Mike and Janet Huckabee — signs of growth are everywhere. West Little Rock has embraced its suburban lifestyle with shopping and dining options as well as an Imax theater. But the real action is in and around downtown, which continues its dramatic makeover as the historical, political and cultural epicenter.