Interview with David Adkisson, October 20, 1997

Partial Transcript: My name is Lee Dew representing the Community Life Foundation of Owensboro, Kentucky.

Segment Synopsis: Adkisson discusses some of the economic trends that have existed in Kentucky from the 1950s to the time of the interview.

Keywords: Communities; General Electric (GE); Growth; Industrial; Jobs; Technology

Subjects: Economic development--Kentucky; Economics--Kentucky--Owensboro; Hancock County (Ky.); Industrialization; Owensboro (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: What do you think, uh, the role of, of government ought to be in terms of, of offering incentives to attract, uh, additional income?

Segment Synopsis: Adkisson talks about some of his projects to strengthen the Owensboro community.

Keywords: Aviation; Companies; Counties; Employers; Incentives; Jobs; Parks

Subjects: Economic development; Incentives in industry--Kentucky; Kentucky--Politics and government.; Owensboro (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: One of the real losses which this community has suffered in the last quarter century has been the loss of more than fifty percent of the rail mileage and most of its rail service.

Segment Synopsis: Adkisson talks about the problems associated with transportation and how those problems affect Owensboro.

Keywords: CSX Transportation; Indiana; Industrial; Politics; Transportation

Subjects: Blandford, Donald J.; Ford, Wendell H., 1924-; Industrialization; Industries; Owensboro (Ky.); Politics and government; Railroads; Railroads--Abandonment--United States.; Transportation

Partial Transcript: Wendell Ford and Don Blandford.

Segment Synopsis: Adkisson talks about the accomplishments of Don Blandford and what Blandford has done for the Owensboro community.

Keywords: Community; Donald Blandford; Men

Subjects: Blandford, Donald J.; Community colleges; Community development; Express highways; Owensboro (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: We've talked about the, the, the economic resurgence and, and some of the, some of the players.

Segment Synopsis: Adkisson talks about the community development work that has been done in Owensboro over the years and the people who have made the improvements possible. He comments on how surprising it is that Owensboro has become a point of cultural interest instead of simply a point of industry.

Keywords: Arts; Businesses; Chambers; Cultural; Hotels; Industrial; Museums

Subjects: Community development; Community leadership; Culture; Electric utilities--Kentucky.; Owensboro (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Well, mentioning the growing pains leads me to, uh, to another subject and that is politics.

Segment Synopsis: Adkisson provides a brief overview of the political situation of Owensboro and the difficulties he has faced running for office.

Keywords: Antagonism; Candidates; Non-Partisan; Parties; Rural; Sides; Urban; Voters

Subjects: Democratic Party (Ky.); Economic conditions; Kentucky--Politics and government; Mass media and technology.; Owensboro (Ky.); Populist Party; Republican Party (Ky.); Voter registration; Voter registration--Corrupt practices

Partial Transcript: Well, that leads us to the, the can of worms: the merger, uh, fiasco.

Segment Synopsis: Adkisson talks about the issue of merging cities and counties and why it has been such a big issue while he has been in office.

Keywords: City-county mergers; County; Mergers; Merging; Problems; Regional

Subjects: Consolidation and merger of corporations; Local government; Newspapers.; Owensboro (Ky.); Politics and government

Partial Transcript: Tell me about the two thirty-one corridor.

Segment Synopsis: Adkisson talks more about the work that is being done to improve transportation in Owensboro.

Keywords: Corridors; Projects

Subjects: Industrialization; Owensboro (Ky.); Rivers; Rivers--Kentucky; Transportation--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: 'Kay, let's shift gears here and go to a subject which has some relationship but is quite different: education.

Segment Synopsis: Adkisson talks about the efforts that have been made in Owensboro to improve the education of the young adults in the community.

Keywords: Baccalaureates; Colleges; Committees; Community; County; States; Young

Subjects: Adult education--Kentucky; Brain drain--Kentucky; Community colleges; Education, Higher; Education--Kentucky--Owensboro; High school teaching -- Kentucky; Owensboro (Ky.); Owensboro Community College; Owensboro Community and Technical College

Partial Transcript: One other issue that always seems to come up when we're talking about particularly economic growth is question of the environment.

Segment Synopsis: Adkisson discusses some of the environmental issues that have come up since Owensboro has started growing economically and what has been done to improve the environment on a political level.

Keywords: Aluminum; Companies; Emissions; Employers; Environments; Industries

Subjects: Air pollution; Environmental policy--Kentucky; Environmentalism; Mass media and technology.; Owensboro (Ky.); Rivers; Rivers--Kentucky; Sewerage--Law and legislation

Partial Transcript: Well this brings us back then to our first question.

Segment Synopsis: Adkisson closes the interview by talking about the people in Owensboro who have been influential in building up the community and the activities that have shaped the community into what it is today.

Keywords: Basketball; Community; Members; Soccer

Subjects: Athletics; Economics--Kentucky--Owensboro; Education--Kentucky--Owensboro; Local government; Owensboro (Ky.); Transportation--Kentucky