News across Letcher County
The Mountain Eagle
Published September 30UK & NBA great Dan Issel has a new book
Kentucky basketball icon Dan Issel has a new book, “Dan Issel: From Kentucky Wildcat to NBA Legend,” and will be in Lexington Oct. 22 for a book signing (ES Good Barn, Gorham Hall, 1451 University Drive). As a senior, Issel averaged 33.9 points per game when Kentucky reached the…
The Mountain Eagle
Published September 30Watch the shoreline for feeding bass
It is at last fall, and the water temperatures are really cooling down. Just a few weeks ago, the water was in the mid-80s, and fish such as bass and crappie were holding off the banks in deeper water or around cover close to deeper water, such as wood near a creek or river…
The Mountain Eagle
Published September 30Over 632,000 birds cross Letcher Co. in one night
While most Letcher County residents slept Monday night, an estimated 632,700 birds crossed the county on their way south, according to Cornell University’s BirdCast migration system. The mass movement was part of the annual fall migration now passing through eastern Kentucky and…
The Mountain Eagle
Published September 23Baxter answers adversity in UK road win
Running back CJ Baxter has had to deal with adversity in his collegiate career because of injuries, and he was not going to let what happened in the second half of Kentucky’s loss to Alabama distract him. He responded with 19 carries for 87 yards and two third-quarter touchdowns,…
The Mountain Eagle
Published September 23Giving angler roses while he’s still alive
Dwight Harvey found his calling on the water From Carr Fork to Tennessee, Harvey honed his skills Struttin’ Time readers should enjoy this story. It is about giving roses to someone while that person is still alive. Too many times in my journey called life, I have looked down…
The Mountain Eagle
Published September 23Cooling water brings bass closer to shore
Jig-and-craw combinations shine in early fall Match the forage for better fall bass fishing Fall is officially here, and for a lot of bass anglers, it couldn’t come soon enough. That’s because they know some of the best bass fishing of the year is coming soon. The water…
The Mountain Eagle
Published September 16Former UK lineman finds role with Packers
Former Kentucky offensive lineman Jager Burton was a fifth-round selection by the Green Bay Packers in the 2026 NFL Draft. He made the roster and competed for a starting position during training camp. Burton was listed as a backup center for the season opener against Minnesota…
The Mountain Eagle
Published September 16The trips end, but memories remain
Well, archery season is here, and I have received several good pictures of some nice big bucks still in velvet. I have no stories yet, but I certainly have not been short on pictures. The bucks in the photographs sent to me so far have ranged from a nice eight-pointer to a really…
The Mountain Eagle
Published September 16Crankbaits good choice for now
It is getting to be that time of year again, when the leaves begin changing colors and the nights get a little cooler. Daytime temperatures, however, are still very hot. Fishermen and bass both know summer will soon come to an end, and that changes everything about fishing. This…
The Mountain Eagle
Published September 16Once planted to help wildlife and reclaim mines, autumn olive now called invasive
The red berries covering autumn olive bushes across Letcher County this fall are reminders of a well-intended conservation effort that produced consequences few people anticipated. Today, autumn olive is classified as an invasive plant that can crowd out vegetation native to…
The Mountain Eagle
Published September 16Why bushes spread so far
The very qualities that made autumn olive attractive for reclamation eventually made it a serious environmental problem. Autumn olive has now spread from former strip-mine sites and earlier wildlife plantings to private property throughout Letcher County, including places far…
The Mountain Eagle
Published September 16Berries do make good jams, jellies despite the problems bushes bring
Although autumn olive has become an invasive nuisance across Letcher County, its abundant red berries have long been used to make jams and jellies. L.M. “Mike” Caudill, who submitted the accompanying photograph, remembers gathering the berries for his late mother in-law, who made…