Jerry Lee Lucas II dies at 36



Jerry Lee Lucas II, 36, of Dry Fork, died January 19 at Whitesburg Appalachian Regional Healthcare Center. He was a son of Jerry and Juanita Lucas. Surviving in addition to his parents are his fiancée, Tammy Noble; a son, Nathan Lucas of Whitesburg; two daughters, Olivia Lucas and Elizabeth Lucas, both of Whitesburg; two brothers, Jake Lucas and Bobby Lucas, […]

Will Caudill, RT 7 to play at Hemphill Ctr.



Go to our Facebook page for announcements and pictures posted after each event, www.facebook.com/ pages/Hemphill-Community Center. We had a great group of singers who gathered for our very first shape note sing. We had great fun learning through trial and error. The camaraderie and laughter was priceless. This event will take place the fourth Sunday of each month from 2 […]

State officials let AEP do ‘anything they want’ when raising our rates



To the Editor: Is anyone listening? Does anyone hear the voices of eastern Kentucky? Does anyone care? Where are the politicians who took an oath to uphold “all” the people, not just some of the people? Eastern Kentucky has been hit so hard with the government taking away almost all of the coalmining jobs. It’s so sad to see men […]

Political Cartoon



Blair Branch School had merry-go-round. Did yours?



It’s not unusual, especially on the Letcher County Genealogy Facebook page, for someone to post an old photograph of a small rural school similar in appearance to the one I attended at Blair Branch from 1955 until I finished eighth grade in 1963. Points East Most of the photos are of old, white, high-ceilinged, woodframed buildings that had as few […]

Not their fault



We have seen too many unfortunate incidences recently of negative reports on Kentucky’s poor standing among other states, followed immediately by vivid and heartbreaking evidence of our problems. Earlier this month, The Courier Journal of Louisville published a story on a report from the medical journal JAMA Pediatrics showing that the rate of 15.1 children per 1,000 who are born […]

Three comforting thoughts



It’s still hard wrapping my brain around the words “President Donald Trump” — but there are strategies for moving in that direction. Indeed, I’ve come up with three comforting thoughts about the next how-many years. 1) Trump has no fixed principles. He’s not a real conservative, which presents some interesting possibilities for those of a more liberal bent. For example, […]

New MSHA rule



ARLINGTON, Va. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration announced this week it would issue its Final Rule for Examination of Working Places in Metal and Nonmetal Mines. The new rule was published in the Federal Register on Monday and will go into effect on May 23. The final rule improves miner safety and health in three […]

The Way We Were



Clips from available Mountain Eagle pages since our founding in 1907 Thursday, January 27, 1927 Notice has been given to all Klansmen of Letcher County, both men and women, concerning a joint meeting of Neon Klan No. 102 at Neon Union Church on February 21 at 7 p.m. An announcement of the meeting says all Klansmen are urged to attend […]

Many fond memories of the Ison store



By BONNIE INGRAM So many things have been going on since I wrote last. It’s hard to keep up with it all. I have lost another dear friend, Doris Sparkman from Turkey Creek. I loved her so much. She loved to come see me when she could. She came with my cousin, Tannie. She was Tannie’s husband’s cousin. We went […]