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Dr. Ronald P. Rogers CHIROPRACTOR Support for your body's natural healing capabilities 270-384-5554 Click here for details 
  
Columbia Gas Dept. GAS LEAK or GAS SMELL Contact Numbers 24 hrs/ 365 days 270-384-2006 or 9-1-1 Call before you dig 
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Profile: Richard Lee Walker, farmer, real estate developer & CJE Reporting on the rapid development in what is being referred to as "new Columbia" made us think back to who sparked early changes in that direction -- and that led us to Richard Lee Walker. By Linda Waggener, columbiamagazine.com The popular HGTV Property Brothers have nothing on Columbia, KY because we have Richard Lee Walker who has built or co-built 150 houses in Adair County. Since he started 44 years ago as partner of T. M. Buck Watson and then later on his own, Walker Real Estate has led the developments of Miller Heights, Country Club Estates, Bluegrass Estates, the Rice Addition, Churchill Estates, Horton and Homestead Estates. Eleven years ago, he and partners Don Franklin and Marshall Loy developed the Walmart Center in what is now referred to as New Columbia. He and his wife Marsha have sold their home and corner acreage, across Highway 61 from Walmart, to a group of local developers who are turning it into another retail center now under construction. Along the way he ran for and was elected the Adair County Judge Executive in 1986, then was elected for a second term and served through 1993. During those eight years as County Judge Executive he led major accomplishments: - The GED program was started early in his first term. He recalls that the superintendent said it would never work here but there were 300 plus students in that first year. Gov. Martha Layne Collins, whose administration was dedicated to education and economic development, was very supportive of Adult Education and Adair was able to get credits to help fund the program. - Built 28 large bridges, in addition to a lot of road improvements. The first chip and seal ever used in Adair County became another way to upgrade roads. - The Adair County Health Department was built. - A new transfer station was put in when prior to that the city had to take garbage to Somerset. - A new recycling program was implemented so that people could help the environment by having garbage recycled properly. - Over 70 garbage dumps were cleaned up. He said Peewee Sinclair was a big part of that effort and will verify every one of them. - The Annex was built to relieve overcrowding in the courthouse. - The ambulance service "was contracted out of county and was in shambles" so a tax was put on which hired local people and allowed for a paramedic to be on every ambulance run. Dr. Gary Partin was instrumental in training paramedics. During his career he has served as chair of the Lake Cumberland Area Development District, the Lake Cumberland Health Department, President of the Columbia-Adair County Chamber of Commerce, and served two terms as a Trustee on the board of Lindsey Wilson College. Richard Lee grew up in farming. While a student at Adair County High School he was active in the Adair County FFA, serving as president and was a Star Farmer. After graduating from Western Kentucky University, he went to work as a field representative for Kyana Milk Producers from 1966-1970. He served on the Kyana Board of Directors and later Dairymen, Inc. He was chosen Outstanding Young Dairy Farmer of Dairymen, Inc. in 1971 when the area covered six states in the southeast U.S. He was born while WWII was raging and his father was away in service. His first two years were influenced by a group of loving adults including his mother, Mary Evelyn Walker; his grandparents, Will and Gertrude Walker and his aunts Helen and Carrie. Marsha said, "He was adored by all of them, and the center of attention." Even though six other grandchildren would come along later, his cousin Steve Newberry claims Richard was "the only grandchild" and they all still tease him accordingly. Richard added that an important mentor later in his life was Frank Dohoney. He attended the Columbia Baptist Church until he and Marsha married and he joined Columbia United Methodist Church where the two continue to serve. Their two children are grown and have families of their own: Dicky Walker is the owner of MiDi, Inc. in Columbia. He builds homes to sell and also installs ACM metal panels on commercial buildings. Leigh Ann Walker Parkinson (Mike), is a real estate appraiser in Bowling Green. Grandchildren are: Katy Coomer, now 26, married to Seth Coomer, living in Lexington; Abby Walker, now 21, attended Eastern Kentucky University and looking into real estate and insurance sales career options; and Drake Walker Duncan, 22, a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and now working on his master's degree there. While Richard Lee Walker says he has retired from developing new projects - except for their new home Dicky is currently building - he can still be found serving his community and customers in his real estate office on Burkesville Street in downtown Columbia. He loves his hometown so much his family says it's difficult to get him to take a vacation. This story was posted on 2016-08-25 09:20:26
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115 Jamestown St. Columbia, KY. 270-384-2496 
  
   
 Provided by the Adair Co Fiscal Court and the Adair Co. Emergency Mgt. Agency 
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