Helena’s Jewish heritage

The high spot along the Mississippi River where Crowley's Ridge ends was attractive to settlers as early as 1820.

latest 9

Rex Nelson

Marianna’s barbecue kings

James Beard Awards are to the food industry what Pulitzer Prizes are to journalism, Academy Awards are to movies, Tony Awards are to theater, Grammy...

monday 20

Rex Nelson

OPINION | REX NELSON: It has to be pork

With all due respect to my friends in Texas, I believe the best barbecue in the world can be found in an area around Memphis that includes parts of...

14.09.2025 4

Rex Nelson

Off the Marianna square

I make sure to leave Little Rock no later than 8 a.m.

11.09.2025 10

Rex Nelson

Helena’s historic cemeteries

To truly get a feel for the rich history of the Helena area, visit the old port city's cemeteries.

08.09.2025 10

Rex Nelson

Let’s do it again

The long-awaited football game between the University of Arkansas Razorbacks and Arkansas State University Red Wolves occurs today at Little Rock's...

07.09.2025 4

Rex Nelson

The Southern Fried Podcast: Hearing loss dangers, treatments and innovations with Dr. Susan Emmett

In this week's episode, Rex talks with otolaryngologist Dr. Susan Emmett from UAMS about the dangers of hearing loss and the need for specialized care...

07.09.2025 10

Rex Nelson

Henderson’s big comeback

Given our love of Arkansas history, it's natural that Trey Berry and I are visiting inside Henderson House, the Arkadelphia mansion that once served...

04.09.2025 4

Rex Nelson

The higher ed superstars

I'm on the campus of Arkansas State University at Jonesboro in advance of a speaking engagement.

01.09.2025 4

Rex Nelson

Rise and fall

In "Holly Street," a memoir about growing up in Helena during the 1940s and 1950s, Steve Petkoff vividly describes life in a historic Delta town."As

01.09.2025 5

Rex Nelson

The loss of a hero

My heroes are all gone now.

31.08.2025 10

Rex Nelson

Russell Jones’ journey

Russell Jones, the president of Arkansas Tech University at Russellville, grew up in Lee County at a time when cotton was still king in the Delta.

28.08.2025 3

Rex Nelson

Arkansas Tech’s new era

Tom DeBlack and I pulled into the Arkansas Tech University campus at Russellville on a hot morning last month.

25.08.2025 3

Rex Nelson

Quakers in Arkansas

The Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as Quakers, began in England during the 1600s through the ministry of George Fox."Quakers

24.08.2025 2

Rex Nelson

OPINION | REX NELSON: Civil War day in Helena

For a Civil War history aficionado--someone like me who reads every word of every interpretive sign--it's wise to get an early start in Helena.

21.08.2025 3

Rex Nelson

Johnny Morris’ golden touch

In 2005, Bass Pro Shops owner Johnny Morris was fishing on the Mississippi River with legendary angler Bill Dance and Bass Pro fishing manager Jack...

18.08.2025 4

Rex Nelson

The Southern Fried Podcast: Conway's creative scene and Art Walk with Jessica Crum and Katie Wilson

In this week's episode, Rex sits down with Create Conway's founder, Jessica Crum, and its Executive Director, Katie Wilson, to discuss the growing...

18.08.2025 5

Rex Nelson

The Battle of Helena

Several times each year I donate to charities what I call the Delta Food Tour.

17.08.2025 3

Rex Nelson

Robert Jr. and Sonny Boy

It has always frustrated me that national media outlets place so much focus on Clarksdale, Miss.,

14.08.2025 3

Rex Nelson

The Biscuit is back

Rumors swirled for months that the King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena was dead. There were plenty of reasons to believe such rumors. The Trump...

11.08.2025 30

Rex Nelson

‘King Biscuit Time’

In November 1941, Helena's first radio station began broadcasting.

10.08.2025 4

Rex Nelson

The Southern Fried Podcast: Population trends and updates on the state census with Skip Rutherford

This week, Rex is once again joined by old friend and frequent guest Skip Rutherford, the initial president of the Clinton Foundation and former Dean...

09.08.2025 3

Rex Nelson

Preserving Delta culture

In 1990, the state opened the Delta Cultural Center in downtown Helena to preserve and interpret the heritage of a 27-county region of east Arkansas.

07.08.2025 4

Rex Nelson

Slavery to freedom

Having written about the bad things that happened at Helena in recent years, I feel compelled to mention some of the good things. These include the...

04.08.2025 4

Rex Nelson

Helena’s downtown anchor

What's now the Jacob Trieber Federal Building in downtown Helena was designed in the International style of architecture and constructed in 1961.

03.08.2025 4

Rex Nelson

From Trieber to Miller

My son Evan is finishing a two-year clerkship with U.S.

31.07.2025 8

Rex Nelson

Helena’s last stand

There have been dozens of stories published in recent decades about efforts to save Helena, the Mississippi River port city that was among the largest...

28.07.2025 6

Rex Nelson

Out of control

"Ousted: The Fall of Mayor Christopher Franklin": That was the huge headline atop the front page of The Helena World earlier this month.

28.07.2025 4

Rex Nelson

Imagine the possibilities

In Magnolia, the license plates on the large pickups tell the story.

27.07.2025 10

Rex Nelson

The Southern Fried Podcast: Workforce development and Arkansas' key industries with Randy Zook

In this episode of the podcast, Randy Zook, President and CEO of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, returns to the show to converse with Rex...

26.07.2025 4

Rex Nelson

With eyes wide open

A recent visit to Mississippi seemed to be the perfect time to read a book about the Mississippi River.

24.07.2025 5

Rex Nelson

Lewisville looks ahead

I've been writing a lot about far southwest Arkansas during the past two years.

21.07.2025 10

Rex Nelson

Lefty’s on the square

When Trey Berry was president of Southern Arkansas University at Magnolia, he took me to lunch at a restaurant near the campus.

20.07.2025 6

Rex Nelson

Arkansas lithium primer

The coming southwest Arkansas lithium boom is one of the biggest stories in our state.

17.07.2025 3

Rex Nelson

Southwest Arkansas takes off

On June 17, Chevron announced it has leased mineral rights on almost 125,000 acres in southwest Arkansas and northeast Texas, marking the oil...

14.07.2025 4

Rex Nelson

Charmed by Magnolia

Magnolia, the city that stands to benefit the most from the coming southwest Arkansas lithium boom, has always charmed me.

13.07.2025 7

Rex Nelson

The Southern Fried Podcast: Talking Arkansas' water with Tad Bohannon

[Podcast player not showing up? Click here to listen.] In this week’s episode, Rex sits down with Tad Bohannon, CEO of Central Arkansas Water, to...

12.07.2025 5

Rex Nelson

OPINION | REX NELSON: Sleepy day at Lake View

There's not much happening in Lake View as I drive through the Phillips County community on a summer afternoon.

10.07.2025 5

Rex Nelson

Before the boom

The square is packed in downtown Magnolia for the annual Magnolia Blossom Festival and World Championship Steak Cook-Off.

07.07.2025 5

Rex Nelson

A rich ethnic stew

In a recent column about Charlie Young, the owner of Young's Grocery in Earle, I noted that the 72-year-old Chinese American has a business degree...

06.07.2025 4

Rex Nelson

OPINION | REX NELSON: Des Arc takes off

During lunch at T.J.'s Kountry Kitchen in Des Arc, native son Paul Guess talks about his efforts to revitalize this old port city on the lower White...

03.07.2025 20

Rex Nelson

Lake Village coffee stop

We're headed south to the Gulf Coast, like so many other Arkansans this time of year.

30.06.2025 4

Rex Nelson

Words in rhythm with Arkansas

Continuing the theme of last week's Perspective cover story, here are more summer reading suggestions for those interested in Arkansas: "Cries From...

30.06.2025 10

Rex Nelson

A new rural vision

During the four years I spent working for the Delta Regional Authority, my greatest frustration when interacting with business and civic leaders in...

29.06.2025 30

Rex Nelson

Pearl of the St. Francis

Earle has the distinction of having one of the youngest Black mayors in the country.

26.06.2025 10

Rex Nelson

East Arkansas’ dream team

During the 16 years I've been writing this column, I've devoted millions of words to east Arkansas.

23.06.2025 8

Rex Nelson

The past is present

Summer reading lists are a staple in this business, often focusing on breezy fiction titles that are perfect for days spent in the mountains or at the...

23.06.2025 7

Rex Nelson

Earle’s troubled history

Earle received national media attention in late 2022 when it elected 18-year-old Jaylen Smith mayor.

22.06.2025 4

Rex Nelson

Young’s Grocery turns 80

Chinese-owned grocery stores once were common in Delta areas of Arkansas and Mississippi.The

19.06.2025 20

Rex Nelson

The road forward

The announcement last month that Alyson Hoge is retiring after 46 years at the Arkansas Democrat and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette made me feel old.

16.06.2025 7

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Helena’s Jewish heritage

Rex Nelson

Marianna’s barbecue kings

Rex Nelson

OPINION | REX NELSON: It has to be pork

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Off the Marianna square

Rex Nelson

Helena’s historic cemeteries

Rex Nelson

Let’s do it again

Rex Nelson

The Southern Fried Podcast: Hearing loss dangers, treatments and innovations with Dr. Susan Emmett

Rex Nelson

Henderson’s big comeback

Rex Nelson

The higher ed superstars

Rex Nelson

Rise and fall

Rex Nelson

The loss of a hero

Rex Nelson

Russell Jones’ journey

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Arkansas Tech’s new era

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Quakers in Arkansas

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OPINION | REX NELSON: Civil War day in Helena

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Johnny Morris’ golden touch

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The Southern Fried Podcast: Conway's creative scene and Art Walk with Jessica Crum and Katie Wilson

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The Battle of Helena

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Robert Jr. and Sonny Boy

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The Biscuit is back

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‘King Biscuit Time’

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The Southern Fried Podcast: Population trends and updates on the state census with Skip Rutherford

Rex Nelson

Preserving Delta culture

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Slavery to freedom

Rex Nelson

Helena’s downtown anchor

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From Trieber to Miller

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Helena’s last stand

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Out of control

Rex Nelson

Imagine the possibilities

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The Southern Fried Podcast: Workforce development and Arkansas' key industries with Randy Zook

Rex Nelson

With eyes wide open

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Lewisville looks ahead

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Lefty’s on the square

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Arkansas lithium primer

Rex Nelson

Southwest Arkansas takes off

Rex Nelson

Charmed by Magnolia

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The Southern Fried Podcast: Talking Arkansas' water with Tad Bohannon

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OPINION | REX NELSON: Sleepy day at Lake View

Rex Nelson

Before the boom