Spectators and balloon crews gather in Helen for the 53rd annual Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race & Festival on June 4. Around 20 balloons are participating in events throughout the weekend. CARLY HENDERSON/WCN

Spectators and balloon crews gather in Helen for the 53rd annual Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race & Festival on June 4. Around 20 balloons are participating in events throughout the weekend. CARLY HENDERSON/WCN

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Helen goes up, up and away

Thursday, June 4, 2026

By Carly HendersonUPDATED: June 5, 2026The 53rd annual Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race & Festival kicked off Thursday as balloonists and spectators gathered at the Wilkins property across from Helen's Riverside Park to begin the weekend's ballooning events.

Local

Spectators and balloon crews gather in Helen for the 53rd annual Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race & Festival on June 4. Around 20 balloons are participating in events throughout the weekend. CARLY HENDERSON/WCN

Spectators and balloon crews gather in Helen for the 53rd annual Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race & Festival on June 4. Around 20 balloons are participating in events throughout the weekend. CARLY HENDERSON/WCN

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Helen goes up, up and away

News Staff
Thursday, June 4, 2026
By Carly HendersonUPDATED: June 5, 2026
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Op/Ed

Ronda Rich

Ronda Rich

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Our Beloved Diane

News Staff
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
By Ronda Rich        In addition to being one of the greatest states in the South, Mississippi has...
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Local

Spectators and balloon crews gather in Helen for the 53rd annual Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race & Festival on June 4. Around 20 balloons are participating in events throughout the weekend. CARLY HENDERSON/WCN

Spectators and balloon crews gather in Helen for the 53rd annual Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race & Festival on June 4. Around 20 balloons are participating in events throughout the weekend. CARLY HENDERSON/WCN

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Helen goes up, up and away

News Staff
Thursday, June 4, 2026
By Carly HendersonUPDATED: June 5, 2026

Sports

Shown on the podium after the final event of the season are, from left, Faith Hogan, Paxton Swanzy, Mercy Hogan, Reagan Phillips and Connect Award Winner Grace Meinecke.

Shown on the podium after the final event of the season are, from left, Faith Hogan, Paxton Swanzy, Mercy Hogan, Reagan Phillips and Connect Award Winner Grace Meinecke.

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Rangers faced Tail of the Dragon in season finale

News Staff
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
The White County Trail Rangers wrapped up the 2026 spring season earlier this month with a pair of...
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Regional

Spectators and balloon crews gather in Helen for the 53rd annual Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race & Festival on June 4. Around 20 balloons are participating in events throughout the weekend. CARLY HENDERSON/WCN

Spectators and balloon crews gather in Helen for the 53rd annual Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race & Festival on June 4. Around 20 balloons are participating in events throughout the weekend. CARLY HENDERSON/WCN

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Helen goes up, up and away

News Staff
Thursday, June 4, 2026
By Carly HendersonUPDATED: June 5, 2026
more
Spectators and balloon crews gather in Helen for the 53rd annual Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race & Festival on June 4. Around 20 balloons are participating in events throughout the weekend. CARLY HENDERSON/WCN

Spectators and balloon crews gather in Helen for the 53rd annual Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race & Festival on June 4. Around 20 balloons are participating in events throughout the weekend. CARLY HENDERSON/WCN

Helen goes up, up and away

News Staff
By Carly HendersonUPDATED: June 5, 2026The 53rd annual Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race & Festival kicked off Thursday as balloonists and spectators gathered at the Wilkins property across from Helen's Riverside Park to begin the weekend's ballooning events.Hundreds of people watched balloons…
The Cleveland Planning and Zoning Board voted to recommend approval of a rezoning request from Cleveland First Methodist Church to the Cleveland City Council late last month. DENISE ETHERIDGE/WCN

The Cleveland Planning and Zoning Board voted to recommend approval of a rezoning request from Cleveland First Methodist Church to the Cleveland City Council late last month. DENISE ETHERIDGE/WCN

P & Z Board recommends rezoning Cleveland First Methodist parsonage

News Staff
By Carly HendersonThe Cleveland Planning and Zoning Board voted to recommend approval of a rezoning request from Cleveland First Methodist Church to the Cleveland City Council at its May 28 meeting.The church requested to rezone a 0.084-acre tract, Tax Map and Parcel C01D 108, in Cleveland. The…
Casey Crane goes through a block drill during a linemen period. MARK TURNER/WCN

Casey Crane goes through a block drill during a linemen period. MARK TURNER/WCN

Warriors begin busy four weeks of prep work

News Staff
by Mark TurnerWhite County NewsThe White County Warriors opened summer football workouts on Monday and 48 hours later, they took the field for the first 7-on-7 event of the summer.The Warriors headed to Athens Academy Wednesday for a the Spartans' passing league event. The Warriors took on Dunwoody…
Jaxin Hoosline goes up for shot during Tuesday's practice. MARK TURNER/WCN

Jaxin Hoosline goes up for shot during Tuesday's practice. MARK TURNER/WCN

Warriors look to take steps in Kendall's second year

News Staff
by Mark TurnerWhite County NewsThe White County High School boy's basketball team heads into the summer schedule looking to take some big steps forward after struggling for the past few seasons.From the end of the 2022-23 season, the Warriors had four head coaches, with Miles Kendall taking over…
Ella Kate Shedd, right, puts pressure on Bailey Collins during Tuesday's practice. MARK TURNER/WCN

Ella Kate Shedd, right, puts pressure on Bailey Collins during Tuesday's practice. MARK TURNER/WCN

Lady Warriors face tough slate in June

News Staff
by Mark TurnerWhite County NewsAfter another state tournament run last winter by the White County High School girl's basketball team, head coach Steve Shedd and the Lady Warriors got back to work Monday with the first day of the summer program, along with hosting the annual Little Kid's camp.The…
Dink NeSmith

Dink NeSmith

Eddie Dalton creation is a glimpse of AI’s future

News Staff
By Dink NeSmith                Food and music are very different.        But when it comes to the taste of either, they are first cousins. You like it, or you can leave it.        I understand eating liver can be…
Phil Hudgins

Phil Hudgins

Deaf people want to communicate; others need patience

News Staff
By Phil Hudgins        Several weeks ago, I was invited to a luncheon inside the University of Georgia’s impressive athletic facilities, complete with a full-size football field under a high roof.         Among those sitting at our table were two deaf…
Ronda Rich

Ronda Rich

Our Beloved Diane

News Staff
By Ronda Rich        In addition to being one of the greatest states in the South, Mississippi has made many contributions to America.        William Faulkner. Elvis Presley. Archie Manning. Morgan Freeman. Eudora Welty. Zig Ziglar. Jerry Clower. The only one…
Kristi Casey

Kristi Casey

If you love them, trust their choices

News Staff
By Kristi CaseyI've got a message for parents. If you're not one, this advice can also work for relationships—or in any situation where one person makes a choice for another, against their wishes. This weekend, I attended a graduation party. One of the neighborhood dads began telling me about…
Send Letters to the Editor to editor@whitecountynews.net.

Send Letters to the Editor to editor@whitecountynews.net.

Our View: Give the 'Best' their due

News Staff
It's that time of year again! School is out for the summer, people are braving high gas prices to travel or are settling for staycations. And many in the community are making their voices heard by voting.And not just in the June 16 runoff, but for the Best of White County – your hometown newspaper'…
All views expressed in any letter is that of the writer.

All views expressed in any letter is that of the writer.

Letter to the Editor: Balancing public safety and personal privacy

News Staff
If you've driven by Hulsey Road between Helen and Cleveland any time recently, your face, your car, and your license plate have been recorded and scrutinized by an artificial intelligence to be passed on to local law enforcement. I know you've done nothing wrong, and you know you've done nothing…

Regional

Spectators and balloon crews gather in Helen for the 53rd annual Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race & Festival on June 4. Around 20 balloons are participating in events throughout the weekend. CARLY HENDERSON/WCN

Spectators and balloon crews gather in Helen for the 53rd annual Helen to the Atlantic Balloon Race & Festival on June 4. Around 20 balloons are participating in events throughout the weekend. CARLY HENDERSON/WCN

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Helen goes up, up and away

News Staff
Thursday, June 4, 2026
By Carly HendersonUPDATED: June 5, 2026

Sports

Shown on the podium after the final event of the season are, from left, Faith Hogan, Paxton Swanzy, Mercy Hogan, Reagan Phillips and Connect Award Winner Grace Meinecke.

Shown on the podium after the final event of the season are, from left, Faith Hogan, Paxton Swanzy, Mercy Hogan, Reagan Phillips and Connect Award Winner Grace Meinecke.

Exclusive Subscriber Content

Rangers faced Tail of the Dragon in season finale

News Staff
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
The White County Trail Rangers wrapped up the 2026 spring season earlier this month with a pair of...

Videos

Dog rescued from river

Swiftwater Rescue of K9 — This afternoon (Friday, August 22), White County Fire Services responded to the area of Goat Neck Road along the Chattahoochee River after receiving a call that a dog had fallen down an embankment and become stuck in the river. Assistant Chief Josh Taylor and EMS Lieutenant Shad Sosebee entered the water and successfully retrieved the dog. Habersham Emergency Services also responded and provided assistance.

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