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Superintendent Laurie Burkett makes her point with School Board Chair Missy Jarrard. JERRY GRILLO/WCN

Superintendent Laurie Burkett makes her point with School Board Chair Missy Jarrard. JERRY GRILLO/WCN

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Smooth start for local schools

News Staff
Thursday, August 28, 2025
by Jerry Grillo White County News   White County students are settling into the new school year with steady academic progress, new faces in leadership, and new rules designed to increase classroom focus.

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Ousted tenants find new shelter

News Staff
Thursday, August 28, 2025
by Linda Erbele White County News   The four people who had stayed beyond 14 days at Cleveland’s Knight’s Inn have found other temporary shelter. The city commission, at its meeting Aug.

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No elections for city seats

News Staff
Thursday, August 28, 2025
by Linda Erbele White County News   Both the cities of Cleveland and Helen will, in all likelihood, cancel their elections for city council/commission. No one other than the incumbents qualified to run in either city.
A new semester has begun at Truett McConnell University. JERRY GRILLO/WCN PHOTO

A new semester has begun at Truett McConnell University. JERRY GRILLO/WCN PHOTO

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Class in session at TMU as investigation continues

News Staff
Thursday, August 21, 2025
By Jerry Grillo White County News   As students and faculty return to classrooms at Truett McConnell University, school officials are touting rising enrollment and the institution’s first doctoral program.

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County debates growth, land use

News Staff
Thursday, August 21, 2025
by Denise Etheridge White County News   The White County Board of Commissioners and Planning Commission met Tuesday to review proposed changes to the Code of Ordinances aimed at managing growth while preserving the county’s way of life.

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Local students outperform rest of Georgia

News Staff
Thursday, August 14, 2025
by Denise Etheridge White County News   White County students scored on par with—or better than—their peers across Georgia in key subjects on the 2024-2025 Milestones assessments, the Georgia Department of Education reported last week.
Mountain Lakes Resort has reached out to a company specializing in decentralized wastewater systems as it seeks to resolve a failing sewage treatment system and possibly avoid a lawsuit. JERRY GRILLO/WCN

Mountain Lakes Resort has reached out to a company specializing in decentralized wastewater systems as it seeks to resolve a failing sewage treatment system and possibly avoid a lawsuit. JERRY GRILLO/WCN

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Resort explores solution as lawsuit looms

News Staff
Thursday, August 14, 2025
by Denise Etheridge White County News   Mountain Lakes Resort management has reached out to a company specializing in decentralized wastewater systems as it seeks to resolve Mountain Shadows’ failing sewage treatment system and possibly avoid a lawsuit, officials said.

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County adopting rollback tax rate

News Staff
Thursday, August 7, 2025
by Denise Etheridge White County News   The White County Board of Commissioners announced it intends to adopt a rollback millage rate of 8.842 for tax year 2025. The commission will vote on the millage rate in a called meeting at 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 11.
Tesnatee Gap Elementary School staffer Catherine Payne hugs students Grayson and Caden Cloer. There were lots of joyful reunions like this Friday as 3,600 students attended the first day of school in White County. DENISE ETHERIDGE/WCN

Tesnatee Gap Elementary School staffer Catherine Payne hugs students Grayson and Caden Cloer. There were lots of joyful reunions like this Friday as 3,600 students attended the first day of school in White County. DENISE ETHERIDGE/WCN

New year, new gear, big smiles

News Staff
Thursday, August 7, 2025
About 3,600 students began a new academic year at White County schools last Friday, Aug. 1.