Bears Around Adair - Bear Board officially organized
2020-07-12 - Adair County, KY - Photo from archives of Columbia Magazine
Back in the day, in 1996, these were the men who first joined Ed Waggener, CEO, in forming the official Columbia Blue Ribbon Bear Board to answer these questions: are there bears in Adair County? Where? What kind are they? Could they be descendants of Haskin Coomer's Hobart Bear? Are they a friendly sort of bear? If not, what precautions should be taken with children, pets, small livestock, and tourists? Should bears come under planning & zoning?
Gary Coomer, top left, "the Dean of the Bear Board, lives on Bennett Ridge, smack dab in the middle of Likely Black Bear Country. To the north lies the Dean Woods, where there have been Bear Sightings. To the East rises Meatskin Road, then Harvey and Sparks and Independent and Greenbrier Ridges; next, Dirigo, Hwy 704, rich in bear lore; then northern Cumberland County-and beyond, more Cumberland County. Thence to Clinton, through heavily forested Wayne County, and thence, eastward to McCreary County, the most westward confirmed black bear county in Kentucky.
Bill Ballou, lower left, "Because of his extraordinary qualifications, this legendary lawman cum Circuit Court Clerk is the only Bear Board Member at Large. Mr. Ballou knows bears inside out. And he respects them. "I killed a bear at the head of Big Runnix (Renox to sissies) when I was young," he remembers. "It was me or him. If I had had my gun, I would have shot him. But I didn't. I picked up a big stick and slew him with one blow between the eyes...".
Johnny Vaughn, at right, "...has actually killed two bears, and has pictures to prove it. He will be responsible for the Fishers' Ford Sector of Adair County and the Fountain area below his office on the Columbia Public Square." Clicking 'read more' will take you to the story of the formation in 1996 of the official board, more members and more reasons why men felt it a vital necessity. Comments | Permalink
2020-07-12 - Adair County, KY - Photo from archives of Columbia Magazine
Back in the day, in 1996, these were the men who first joined Ed Waggener, CEO, in forming the official Columbia Blue Ribbon Bear Board to answer these questions: are there bears in Adair County? Where? What kind are they? Could they be descendants of Haskin Coomer's Hobart Bear? Are they a friendly sort of bear? If not, what precautions should be taken with children, pets, small livestock, and tourists? Should bears come under planning & zoning?
Gary Coomer, top left, "the Dean of the Bear Board, lives on Bennett Ridge, smack dab in the middle of Likely Black Bear Country. To the north lies the Dean Woods, where there have been Bear Sightings. To the East rises Meatskin Road, then Harvey and Sparks and Independent and Greenbrier Ridges; next, Dirigo, Hwy 704, rich in bear lore; then northern Cumberland County-and beyond, more Cumberland County. Thence to Clinton, through heavily forested Wayne County, and thence, eastward to McCreary County, the most westward confirmed black bear county in Kentucky.
Bill Ballou, lower left, "Because of his extraordinary qualifications, this legendary lawman cum Circuit Court Clerk is the only Bear Board Member at Large. Mr. Ballou knows bears inside out. And he respects them. "I killed a bear at the head of Big Runnix (Renox to sissies) when I was young," he remembers. "It was me or him. If I had had my gun, I would have shot him. But I didn't. I picked up a big stick and slew him with one blow between the eyes...".
Johnny Vaughn, at right, "...has actually killed two bears, and has pictures to prove it. He will be responsible for the Fishers' Ford Sector of Adair County and the Fountain area below his office on the Columbia Public Square." Clicking 'read more' will take you to the story of the formation in 1996 of the official board, more members and more reasons why men felt it a vital necessity. Comments | Permalink
Bear shared, started research into CM archives
2020-07-12 - Cumberland County, KY - Photo by Mark Upchurch
Gale Cowan, Adair County Judge Executive, spotted and shared the picture with this comment from Mark Upchurch in Cumberland County, “The things you see on the way home from work. This was just outside of Burkesville on HWY 61 north. Just beyond the new bridge. He/she appeared to be hot … panting to cool.”
When Judge Cowan invited me to her site for Fiscal Court activity reports, this discovery prompted a dive into the archives of ColumbiaMagazine.com for the official Columbia Blue Ribbon Bear Board. Clicking 'read more' takes you to the announcement of the initial organization in 1996. - LW Comments | Permalink
2020-07-12 - Cumberland County, KY - Photo by Mark Upchurch
Gale Cowan, Adair County Judge Executive, spotted and shared the picture with this comment from Mark Upchurch in Cumberland County, “The things you see on the way home from work. This was just outside of Burkesville on HWY 61 north. Just beyond the new bridge. He/she appeared to be hot … panting to cool.”
When Judge Cowan invited me to her site for Fiscal Court activity reports, this discovery prompted a dive into the archives of ColumbiaMagazine.com for the official Columbia Blue Ribbon Bear Board. Clicking 'read more' takes you to the announcement of the initial organization in 1996. - LW Comments | Permalink
Lakeside at sunset
2020-07-12 - Adair County, KY - Photo from City Hall, Columbia, KY
This powerful sunset picture is just one of the many entries being judged by the City of Columbia in the contest "Your Kind of Beautiful." Winners will be announced soon, and we hope to receive the photographer's names so we can add it to each of the photos submitted. Comments | Permalink
2020-07-12 - Adair County, KY - Photo from City Hall, Columbia, KY
This powerful sunset picture is just one of the many entries being judged by the City of Columbia in the contest "Your Kind of Beautiful." Winners will be announced soon, and we hope to receive the photographer's names so we can add it to each of the photos submitted. Comments | Permalink
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