Arkansas Blog

While the facilities are nice, several State Parks construction projects on Mt. Magazine have destroyed populations of very rare animals and plants (some known only from the Mountain). The same thing is now going on at Village Creek State Park where pristine beech forests are to be cleared to make way for a huge golf course. State Parks environmental ethic sucks!!

Sleep well over the pipewort.

wonder how many people these funds could of helped People who are living under a bridge in Little Rock ,wonder how many homeless people are from MT magazine as the well heeled convort with tax payer funded nature . sad we spend our taxes on bricks and buildings that benifit few people.....while people are straving in the street of arkansas.

Mt. Magazine and Village Creek...let's see...those projects would be in the legislative districts of John Paul Wells and David Dunn. Is anyone surprised that a furniture salesman and a Chamber drone have an environmental ethic that privileges the plutocrats over the planet?

Homeless need jobs to get off the street. Tourism provides more of the type jobs these people could fill. Sure the jobs don't pay the best but I doubt ANY HOMELESS could start their economic recovery with computer science, or law career.

We went to many state parks growing up because it was affordable. State parks improve the quality of life for all citizens. If anyone isn't using state parks it is their fault.

Without parks most people would have no access to the great outdoors. Without public lands and parks most people would have to tresspass go into the woods or could only walk on city streets.

Mt Magaine has plenty of trails to enjoy even if you don't stay overnight. Our family took many daytrips to Mt Petit Jean. Those trips were some of my favorite family memories.

We need more parks not less.

"sad we spend our taxes on bricks and buildings"

I say it is a much better plan to spend money on assets that we can all use for now to etenity. The state investing taxes and having something to show for it.

We need to help get people off the street. We need to feed the hungry and clothe the naked but we also need to invest in the other citizens also.

We need to help get people off the street. We need to feed the hungry and clothe the naked but we also need to invest in the other citizens also.

I agree maybe some non profit ORG in arkansas could hold fundraisers to house the homeless in thoses cabins @ MT magazine and provide the HOMELESS citizen Arkansan with a Roof over it head even for just one weekend in the park.

I agree...there are better uses for tax money. But then I still don't understand why/how a state university (UCA) was allowed to build a retirement complex. Sheesh, its only priority should be educating students; and funds should only be spent towards that goal. It's especially outrageous given the astronomical increase in tuition in the last 10-15 years (from about $700 to $2500).

I guess as long as the state's schools are allowed to charge their pretty flowers and extracurricular crap to future generations through those never ending bonds it's all good.

Catfish,

You obviosuly don't spend a lot of time around the Capitol. These projects were in the making long before either of those first-termers you mentioned thought about running. Say what you will about the project, but P&T has been pretty good at avoiding State Capitol politics under Davies.

What a waste of the 1/8 cent sales tax? $90 per night to visit Mt. Magazine?

When did a State Park become a Hilton or Hyatt type resort? I much prefer a more rustic less expensive experience. Somehow I believe after the first uniqueness fades the visitor count will also.

What's all the griping about? So we've got a nice lodge at a state park like a lot of states do. I voted for Kerry, I'll cheer the Demo takeovder of this Congress and I'll someday stay at Mt. Magazine lodge, all with a clear conscience depsite the outrage that our angry liberal bloggers aim at its existence.

The point with State Parks developments in general is that they typically care little for protecting the natural value of their land and what lives on it. Just wait till they finish their development plans for the Cossatot.

"When did a State Park become a Hilton or Hyatt type resort? I much prefer a more rustic less expensive experience."

When Huckabee became Governor? When Jim Gaston was appointed to the Commission? Whenever the local "hospitality industry" types had enough influence to get state park rates hiked up so as not to have a competitive advantage with prices below those charged by the Free Enterprisers.