Latest news with #ArkansasStateParks
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Man picks up a 3.81-carat diamond, thinking it was a candy wrapper, while on a trip with his family
Some say luck is just a preparation that meets opportunity, while others call it fate. But sometimes, someone comes across something so precious and completely unexpected that it reminds us all of how surprising life can be. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Be it people finding million-dollar paintings in thrift stores or ancient coins buried in their backyard, these moments of accidental fortune seem to make one's day. There's something magical about discovering hidden treasure in the most unlikely places, and similar is the story of a man who recently had such a moment, where a simple family outing turned into a story to remember. This man was on an outing with his family While on a family vacation in Arkansas, , a farmer from Minnesota and amateur rock collector, made an unforgettable discovery where he found a 3.81-carat brown diamond. This took place on April 21 at the , a public site known for allowing visitors to search for real gems. According to a press release from Arkansas State Parks, DeCook had been exploring the area when he spotted something shiny on the ground. 'DeCook calmly walked over to where he had seen the diamond, picked it up and inspected it before calling to his brother,' the release stated. ''Oh, you're going to be mad once you see what I found!'' he jokingly told him. DeCook later told FOX 9 Minneapolis that the diamond had an unusual yet familiar appearance. 'Kind of looks like a candy wrapper. Real shiny looking, kind of like a Werther's candy wrapper… As you get closer to it, you can tell it's a diamond pretty quickly,' he said. Named the diamond after his dog The Minnesota resident returned to the park a few days later to have the gem officially registered. He named it 'The Duke Diamond' in honor of his dog. 'You just never know what you're gonna find. It's a chance of a lifetime,' DeCook said. Assistant park superintendent Waymon Cox noted that the recent rainy weather helped unearth the diamond. 'April has been a very wet month at the park, with more than 12 inches of rain,' Cox said. 'As rain falls in the search area, it washes away the dirt and uncovers heavy rocks, minerals, and diamonds near the surface.' DeCook's discovery marks the largest diamond found at the park so far in 2025. Before this the most significant discovery of a diamond in the park was a 7.46-carat gem that was found by a French tourist in January 2024.
Fox News
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Man finds 'candy-like' diamond while exploring Arkansas state park: 'Chance of a lifetime'
An amateur rock collector recently hit the jackpot while exploring a state park in Arkansas. David DeCook, a Minnesota resident, unearthed a stunning 3.81-carat brown diamond at the Crater of Diamonds State Park on April 21. The diamond is the largest that has been found in the park in 2025 so far, according to Arkansas State Parks. In a press release, the government organization said that DeCook was on a family trip to the park when he found the gem. "DeCook calmly walked over to where he had seen the diamond, picked it up and inspected it before calling to his brother," the press release noted. "Stirring up some natural sibling rivalry, David told Derek, '"Oh, you're going to be mad once you see what I found!'" The Minnesota resident returned to the park a few days later to register the diamond. DeCook decided to name his discovery "the Duke Diamond" after his dog. "You just never know what you're gonna find. It's a chance of a lifetime." DeCook identified himself as a farmer to FOX 9 Minneapolis and told the outlet that the diamond "kind of looks like a candy wrapper." "Real shiny looking, kind of like a Werther's candy wrapper… As you get closer to it, you can tell it's a diamond pretty quick," he said. DeCook added, "I was very surprised, I guess, and never thought I'd find one that big." "You just never know what you're gonna find. It's a chance of a lifetime." Arkansas State Parks also noted that after DeCook found the gem, a heavy amount of rain covered the area – a good omen for diamond hunters. "April has been a very wet month at the park, with more than 12 inches of rain," assistant park superintendent Waymon Cox said in a statement. "Many of the park's largest diamonds are found on top of the ground," he added. "As rain falls in the search area, it washes away the dirt and uncovers heavy rocks, minerals and diamonds near the surface." The Duke Diamond is the largest find at the Crater of Diamonds State Park since a French visitor found a 7.46-carat diamond in Jan. 2024. The tourist, Julien Navas, named the gem after his fiancée, Carine.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Yahoo
Three archeological landmarks designated by Arkansas State Parks, Archeological Survey
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas State Parks and the Arkansas Archeological Survey announced on Tuesday the designation of three Arkansas State Parks as Arkansas State Archeological Landmarks. The historic designation provides official recognition and enhanced protection for sites of significance to the scientific study and public representation of Arkansas' indigenous past. Arkansas State Parks launches all-terrain wheelchairs in effort to increase accessibility The newly designated State Archeological Landmarks are: Plum Bayou Mounds Archeological State Park Parkin Archeological State Park Davidsonville Historic State Park These specific sites were recognized in collaboration with Arkansas State Parks, ARAS, and the Quapaw Nation, the descendant community of the Native American groups who built and lived at these locations. Visitor finds 2.3-carat diamond at Arkansas state park For more information, please visit , and for information on Parkin Archeological State Park and its new facilities, you can also visit . Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arkansas lawmakers seek to eliminate state grocery tax with new legislation
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announces legislation to eliminate the state's grocery tax during a press conference at the Arkansas Capitol on March 4, 2025. (Screenshot from livestream) Arkansas' governor on Tuesday announced legislation to repeal the state grocery tax and expand liability protections for food banks and their donors. Access to food has become a challenge in recent years for many Americans due to inflation and the rising cost of groceries. Cave Springs Republicans Sen. Bart Hester and Rep. Kendon Underwood are sponsoring the Grocery Tax Relief Act. The bill will eliminate the state grocery tax, but have no impact on county and municipal grocery taxes, according to a press release. Arkansas joins other states like Missouri that are considering eliminating taxes on groceries, and Illinois, which last year approved legislation to end its grocery tax at the start of 2026. Of the ten states that tax groceries, Arkansas has the lowest rate at 0.125%, according to an AARP report. Arkansas governor lays out legislative priorities in State of the State The Grocery Tax Relief Act follows through on the promise Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders made during January's State of the State address to eliminate the state's grocery tax. Both pieces of legislation announced Tuesday will address the cost and availability of food in Arkansas, Sanders said during a press conference. 'For too many families the grocery bill went up while their paychecks stayed the same, and for those families at the bottom of the income ladder, that means missed meals and empty dinner tables,' she said. '…we're getting rid of Arkansas' most regressive tax and giving a helping hand to Arkansans who need it the most.' If approved by lawmakers, the Grocery Tax Relief Act would go into effect Jan. 1, 2026, which Finance and Administration Secretary Jim Hudson said would give merchants time to reprogram their systems. Officials project the law would have an estimated annual impact of $10.9 million beginning in fiscal year 2027, the first full year the act would be in effect. The loss in revenue from the elimination of the tax would impact the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, Arkansas State Parks, Arkansas Heritage Commission and Keep Arkansas Beautiful Commission, which were designated 0.125% of the state's general sales tax when voters approved Amendment 75 to the state Constitution in 1996. Because Amendment 75 references a section of Arkansas code, state officials said they will be able to remove certain foods as taxable items from the code instead of requiring voters to pass another constitutional amendment to eliminate the state's grocery tax. According to DFA spokesman Scott Hardin, the annual loss of revenue from the eliminated grocery tax would affect the following programs: Constitutional Officers Fund – $110,000 State Central Services – $220,000 Game Protection Fund (Game & Fish) – $4.77 million Parks & Tourism Fund – $4.77 million Department of Heritage Fund – $950,000 Keep Arkansas Beautiful Fund – $110,000 State organizations were made aware of the effects of the grocery tax bill on their budgets and will be able to manage the change in revenue, Sanders said. 'These agencies have very healthy, strong budgets, [I'm] very confident in their ability to continue to do what we've been doing, which is breaking tourism records,' she said. Outdoor recreation is a $7.3 billion industry for Arkansas that supports more than 68,000 jobs and generates nearly $2 billion in tax revenue, according to a new Heartland Forward report. The Good Neighbor Act is sponsored by Sen. Breanne Davis, R-Russellville, and Rep. Chad Puryear, R-Hindsville. The bill expands liability protections to food banks and their donors, including hotels, restaurants, farmers, hospitals, schools and religious organizations, according to a press release. New report ranks Arkansas' food insecurity rate worst in the U.S. At a rate of nearly 19%, Arkansas has the highest prevalence of food insecurity in the nation, according to a 2024 U.S. Department of Agriculture report. Arkansas has taken steps to address food insecurity for its residents, including opting into the new federal Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program, which provides $120 in food benefits for children who qualify for the federal free or reduced-price meal program. About 260,000 Arkansans benefited during the inaugural year of the program, which will again be available to families this summer. State lawmakers also passed a 2023 bill to cover the co-payment for low-income students who qualify for reduced-price meals, and approved a new law last month that will provide free school breakfast to all students, regardless of their eligibility for free or reduced-price meals. Act 123 of 2025 will use tax revenue from the state's medical marijuana program to fund the Summer EBT program and the free lunch and breakfast initiatives. Neither the Grocery Tax Relief Act nor the Good Neighbor Act had been filed as of mid-afternoon Tuesday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arkansas panel OKs bill easing the way for mountain bike chair lifts
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announces new legislation related to mountain biking during an outdoor recreation event at the Capitol on Feb. 4, 2025. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) Legislation affecting plans for 100 miles of down-hill biking trails in western Arkansas came closer to passage Wednesday after a House committee vote. Senate Bill 203 defines 'recreational tramways' for state parks and outlines liabilities and responsibilities of bike lift operators and mountain bikers who use the systems. Several bike lifts, similar to ski lifts, are planned as part of the Trails at Mena, an 8,800-acre project that encompasses parts of the Ouachita National Forest and Queen Wilhelmina State Park. The National Forest Service granted a preliminary special use permit in November to Arkansas State Parks to develop the recreational project. Republican Rep. John Maddox of Mena, co-sponsor of the bill with Sen. Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs, presented the bill to the House Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee, which unanimously approved it. The bill now goes to the full House; the Senate passed it Feb. 13. 'The crux of the bill is that these are inherently dangerous activities … we're just going to make it clear that if you are going to ride a mountain bike down a mountain, there's a chance you're going to hurt yourself… and you are assuming the risk,' Maddox told committee members. The bill also makes chair lifts subject to the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) Ski Lift Code and provides for regular safety inspections by the Arkansas Occupational Safety and Health office, part of the Department of Labor and Licensing. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders touted the legislation during a Feb. 4 observance of Natural State Day when she announced that another bike lift park is planned for Bella Vista by Walmart heirs Tom and Steuart Walton and Runway Group, their company. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
