Children enjoy a ride on the Alpine Express just prior to the Helen Christmas Parade on Dec. 13..
Helen heralds the season
News Staff
Wednesday, December 17, 2025
Regional
Bradley Reynolds FILE PHOTO
Former TMU VP indicted
News Staff
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.
Tuesday, December 9, 2025
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
Atlanta Hardwoods partners with Lunawood
News Staff
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.
Thursday, October 2, 2025
White County Superintendent Laurie Burkett
Burkett to end tenure in 2026
News Staff
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.
Thursday, October 2, 2025
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
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.
Thursday, October 2, 2025
Truett McConnell University officials will soon give an update on a third-party investigation. FILE/WCN
TMU to provide update on investigation
News Staff
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.
Thursday, September 25, 2025
The South’s American Queen
News Staff
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?
Thursday, September 18, 2025
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
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.
Thursday, September 11, 2025
Blue-ribbon service brings customers back
News Staff
By Dink NeSmith
As the old saying goes, “You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.” But I think that’s what happened when I stepped out of
my muddy truck. And my farmhand attire matched the dented 2004 GMC Sierra. Those two things might have sent a signal.
Thursday, September 11, 2025
Gainesville Mayor Sam Couvillon attends a groundbreaking for a White County fire station. DENISE ETHERIDGE/WCN
Couvillon campaigns in White County
News Staff
By Denise Etheridge, White County News
Gainesville Mayor Sam Couvillon, who is running against U.S. Rep. Andrew Clyde in the 2026 Republican primary race for the Ninth Congressional District seat, made himself visible in White County last Thursday.
Wednesday, September 10, 2025