ASHLAND, Ky. — A Paintsville man who admitted to secretly recording an underage guest while she showered and changed was ordered to serve 25 years in prison during his sentencing hearing on Friday. Henry Jonathan Ritscher, 44, pleaded guilty in January to a federal charge of producing child pornography. In doing so, he admitted to recording the girl, who was a distant relative of his wife’s who would occasionally come to visit. The crime was discovered when the girl accompanied Ritscher to pick up pizza on Sept. 6. While Ritcher went inside to get the food, the girl stayed in […]

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WHITESBURG, Ky. — A Letcher County man is in custody following an hours-long standoff with Kentucky State Police that began with a domestic violence investigation early Friday morning. Troopers were called to Buck Road in Whitesburg just after 4 a.m. after receiving a report of a domestic assault. According to KSP, the individuals involved had fled to a nearby home before officers arrived. When troopers attempted to make contact at the residence, authorities say a man barricaded himself inside with several other people and refused to come out. After a brief standoff, two women and another man exited the home […]

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PIKEVILLE, Ky. — A group of local investors based in Pikeville have officially launched Blue Gem Capital, a new angel investment fund dedicated to supporting companies originating in the Central Appalachian region and businesses conducting substantial operations within the region. Blue Gem Capital will make equity and equity-like investments in early-stage to mid-sized Main Street and high-growth small businesses. The Fund is designed to cultivate a diverse portfolio of investment opportunities across various industries and stages of growth, with a strong emphasis on regional economic development. The Fund is currently capitalized at $1.1 million, raised from 14 private investors along […]

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