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Winter Bear Plunge participants greet a new year during the 2025 Winter Bear Plunge at Unicoi State Park’s beach. FILE PHOTO

Winter Bear Plunge participants greet a new year during the 2025 Winter Bear Plunge at Unicoi State Park’s beach. FILE PHOTO

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Taking the plunge

News Staff
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Staff report Cold temperatures and colder water will set the scene this weekend as the annual Winter Bear Plunge returns to Unicoi State Park. Friends of Unicoi State Park will host the Winter Bear Plunge on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, at Unicoi Beach. Registration for the event will begin at 10 a.m.

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Local-bred poodle heads to Westminster

News Staff
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
by Carly Henderson White County will have a hometown competitor at one of the nation’s most prestigious dog shows early next month when Osiris, a three-and-a-half-year-old standard poodle, heads to New York City for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Bradley Reynolds FILE PHOTO

Bradley Reynolds FILE PHOTO

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Former TMU VP indicted

News Staff
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
By Denise Etheridge Former Truett McConnell University Vice President Bradley Reynolds was indicted Monday afternoon on three counts of making false statements to law enforcement.
Mayor Josh Turner and Lunawood LLC General Manager Matti Koski are all smiles while Lunawood LLC Chairman Arto Halonen and District Representative Stan Gunter shake on the company’s upcoming expansion with Atlanta Hardwood in White County. ERIN ETRIS/WCN

Mayor Josh Turner and Lunawood LLC General Manager Matti Koski are all smiles while Lunawood LLC Chairman Arto Halonen and District Representative Stan Gunter shake on the company’s upcoming expansion with Atlanta Hardwood in White County. ERIN ETRIS/WCN

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Atlanta Hardwoods partners with Lunawood

News Staff
Thursday, October 2, 2025
Staff report In a celebration of international partnership and local growth, representatives from Atlanta Hardwoods and Finland-based Lunawood Ltd. gathered in Cleveland on Tuesday for a ribbon cutting. The ceremony marked the long-term investments made to expand the Cleveland plant.
White County Superintendent Laurie Burkett

White County Superintendent Laurie Burkett

Burkett to end tenure in 2026

News Staff
Thursday, October 2, 2025
by Denise Etheridge White County News White County Schools Superintendent Laurie Burkett, who guided the district through a global pandemic and oversaw major facility upgrades, will retire in March 2026 after 36 years in education.
Jack P. Nix Elementary School has been named a Georgia Title I Distinguished School. DENISE ETHERIDGE/WCN

Jack P. Nix Elementary School has been named a Georgia Title I Distinguished School. DENISE ETHERIDGE/WCN

WCSS touts 95% four-year grad rate

News Staff
Thursday, October 2, 2025
by Denise Etheridge White County News The White County School System is celebrating academic success this week, for a strong graduation rate and an honor bestowed on one of its elementary schools.
Truett McConnell University officials will soon give an update on a third-party investigation. FILE/WCN

Truett McConnell University officials will soon give an update on a third-party investigation. FILE/WCN

TMU to provide update on investigation

News Staff
Thursday, September 25, 2025
Staff reports   Truett McConnell University Board of Trustees will meet in a closed session today, Sept. 25, to consider taking action once they review progress made on a third-party investigation into sexual abuse and cover-up allegations.

The South’s American Queen

News Staff
Thursday, September 18, 2025
By Ronda Rich A reader from Minnesota recently wrote and in her email, she mentioned that she lives near where the Mississippi River begins. There is no greater, more besotted fan of the Mississippi than I. Of course, I had questions. Where does it start? How deep and wide is it?
Helen's 55th annual Oktoberfest is now underway! The long-running festival kicked off last weekend with a parade. DENISE ETHERIDGE/WCN

Helen's 55th annual Oktoberfest is now underway! The long-running festival kicked off last weekend with a parade. DENISE ETHERIDGE/WCN

55th annual Oktoberfest kicks off

News Staff
Thursday, September 11, 2025
  Throngs of visitors strolled along every block of Helen’s 2.1 square miles last Saturday when the city’s 55th annual Oktoberfest went into high gear with a parade and tradition- al keg tapping. The festival officially kicked off on Sept. 4.