MURFREESBORO -- Since January, park visitors from 32 states and three foreign countries registered 426 diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park, weighing a total of more than 78 carats.
So far this year, 285 diamonds have been classified as white, 74 as brown and 67 as yellow, making 2016 a very successful year for diamonds finds at the park, a news release said.
Thirteen diamonds weighing more than one carat each have been registered at the park in 2016. The largest of these is a 2.03-carat white gem that was found on the surface of the diamond search area on Oct. 3. Four other diamonds were also found on top of the ground in October, the most since June.
With a few more weeks of decent weather ahead, park staff are looking forward to many more successful diamond finds for park visitors.
Diamond finds for Oct. 2-22 (100 points equals one carat):
Oct. 3 -- Barbara Larkin, Rogers, 1-point yellow, 2-point white; Dan Frederick, Renton, Wash., 2.03-carat white.
Oct. 5 -- Jack Pearadin, Murfreesboro, 7-point white.
Oct. 6 -- Earl Gray, Glenwood, W.Va., 7-point white; Rebecca Taylor, El Paso, Texas, 83-point white; Richard Fournier, Cass Lake, Minn., 41-point yellow.
Oct. 7 -- Robert Kemper, Huntsville, Ala., 3-point white, 5-point white.
Oct. 8 -- Jennifer Douglas, Crossett, 11-point white.
Oct. 11 -- Beth Gilbertson, Salida, Colo., 29-point yellow.
Oct. 12 -- Jim Gatliff, Delight, 2-point brown, 7-point white.
Oct. 13 -- Joshua Southerland, Moore, Okla., 27-point brown.
Oct. 17 -- William Knight, Sugar Hill, Ga., 3-point white; David Solak, New Port Richey, Fla., 5-point white; Tommy Peery, Center, Mo., 12-point white.
Oct. 18 -- William Knight, Sugar Hill, Ga., 4-point white.
Oct. 19 -- Deborah Kruger, Dell Rapids, S.D., 40-point brown.
Oct. 20 -- Jason Ivins, Saint Jo, Texas, 9-point white.
Oct. 21 -- Kevin Taylor, St. Marys, W.Va., 2-point white; David Turner, Venice, La., 9-point white; Courtney Cunningham, Broken Arrow, Okla., 34-point brown; Richard Meador, Midland, 6-point white.
Entertainment on 10/26/2016