Moving to a new place can be both exciting and anxiety-filled. There's the adventure of discovering a new place's hidden gems. However, starting over also requires some adjustment.
Newcomers must locate the local supermarket, area hospitals, doctor's and dentist's offices, schools, parks, libraries, post offices, utility companies and government facilities. A new resident might want to get involved in a civic organization like Rotary, Kiwanis or Optimist Club or volunteer for a local nonprofit. Newcomers and visitors might be searching for a house of worship to attend.
Luckily for people new to White County, most folks are friendly and helpful. And your hometown newspaper, the White County News, publishes the “Get the Scoop!” magazine every spring to help newcomers – and visitors – get to know the community.
The 2026 Scoop magazine offers readers an update on plans for a new library, as well as information on Cleveland's new fire station, Helen's new fire truck and the county's new fire station under construction off Duncan Bridge Road, near Mt. Yonah Elementary School.
Stories in the Scoop may encourage visitors – and new residents – to swing a golf club on the green at Valhalla Resort in Helen or hike the county's 10 miles of mountain biking trails at Yonah Preserve.
Our newcomer's guide accurately depicts White County as a gateway to the Appalachian mountains, where one can find numerous waterfalls and the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River.
Alpine Helen, the Bavarian inspired town that straddles the Chattahoochee, is always hopping. As reflected in our newcomers guide, Helen goes all out for Oktoberfest, a lighted Christmas parade and a Fourth of July fireworks display. The town is also home to the Helen Arts and Heritage Center.
Cleveland and the Sautee Nacoochee Center also offer multiple family-oriented and cultural events throughout the year, as detailed in the Scoop's events calendar.
Kids can get a quality education in White County. The public school system has maintained a high graduation rate over the past several years. The district has four elementary schools, a middle school and a high school. One can find contact numbers for the local schools in Scoop.
Mountain Education, a student-centered self-paced evening high school, offers an accredited high school diploma. The school, which has 18 campuses across North Georgia, has a campus here in Cleveland.
Cleveland is also where Truett McConnell University, a private Christian university, was established 80 years ago. As reflected in Scoop, TMU has grown exponentially from its humble beginnings to a university that now offers graduate degrees and a doctoral program.
So whether you have just moved to White County to retire or raise a family, or are merely passing through, pick up a copy of this year's Scoop magazine if you'd like to see some of White County's best features.