Noose used in only legal hanging in county’s history now missing


When Mike Watts took office at Letcher Circuit Clerk at the first of the year, he also took possession of part of Letcher County’s history, and found that one macabre part of it is missing. The circuit clerk has for 110 years been the custodian of the hangman’s noose used in the only legal hanging ever held in Letcher County, […]

New fiscal court stops $2-per-hour pay hike and more


Letcher County’s new fiscal court got off to an uncomfortable start Tuesday night, with a special called meeting to take away money and benefits the previous court gave employees and departments in December. Judge/Executive Terry Adams said the previous court’s action had left this one no choice but to revisit every action it took last month. “It was just an […]

Jenkins to sell ‘Tommy gun,’ but not unless offers bring $75,000-plus


The Jenkins City Council voted to auction off one of its oldest and most unusual artifacts at its January meeting. Near the end of the meeting, Mayor Todd Depriest told the council that a .45 caliber Thompson submachine gun that was given to the city in 1921 has been in storage for years and that if the city wants to […]

UK signee learns to play while targeted

Vaught’s Views

After Kentucky’s loss at Alabama last Saturday, UK coach John Calipari talked about the atmosphere there even though the students were not on campus and Alabama was playing in the national football championship game two days later in California. It’s the type of intensity the Wildcats normally face and UK signee Tyrese Maxey, a 6-5 guard at South Garland High […]

LCC boys win one, lose one

The Letcher County Central Cougars (8-6) will try to get back on the winning track tonight (Wednesday) when they host the Phelps Hornets (5-5) at Ermine at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, the Cougars fell to Knott Central, 63 to 58, despite a well-balanced scoring attack led by 11 points from guard Caleb Stidham and 10 points apiece from Dakota Shepherd […]

Wildcats hold off Aggies



LEXINGTON Tyler Herro had 21 points, Ashton Hagans scored a careerhigh 18 and No. 18 Kentucky overcame a 10-0 deficit before holding off Texas A&M for an 85-74 victory on Tuesday night. The Wildcats (11-3, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) started badly on both ends with four missed shots, turnovers and defensive breakdowns the Aggies seized upon for a pair of 10-point […]

Struttin’ Time: And we’re off to another year


We are starting our whatever year it is writing Struttin’ Time. The Mountain Eagle has run our hunting adventures for so long, some kids have grown into adults reading these stories. We lost several good friends and readers during 2018, people who would tell me all the time about something they read in Struttin’ Time, and it would stick in […]

Harold Day injured in four-wheeler accident

Whitesburg

I got a very big surprise when I pulled into the Letcher County Recreation Center parking lot Wednesday morning. The lot was almost packed to capacity. Upstairs the cardio machines were being used also almost to capacity. There were lots of people on the weight machines, too. These are members of all ages and abilities. I absolutely love it. I […]

Lora Sexton dies at 88

Lora Hall Craft Sexton, 88, died December 30 at her home in Whitesburg. Also known as “DeeDee,” “Lora Mae,” “Auntie Mae,” and “Big Lo”, Mrs. Sexton was a daughter of the late Bill and Opal Hall. She was the widow of Clyde Sexton, and a sister of the late Loretta Adams, Lillian Nease, Lena Hall, Betty Addington, and Claude Hall. […]

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