Tamra Schmitt, who has a way with words, doesn’t like to be called a “cancer survivor,” rather a “cancer thriver.”
 

Lisa Rodriguez has been hard at work on the upcoming Relay for Life event, which is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 13 at the Franklin Wellness Center.
The annual event, which is set to run from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature the following:
 
—Captain Carter and Captain America with the Iowa League of Heroes, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
—Spiderman and Superman with Team of Legends, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Windsor Theatre Manager Jim Davies has some exciting news: he just found out the theatre received permission from Disney to run Hamilton.
 

“Make it happen” is one of several values at Sukup. And their tool and die machinists are masters at it, with a team of them recently creating a customized trophy for the Iowa State VS. Kansas State football game in Dublin, Ireland.

Community members gathered Monday night to celebrate the grand opening of the competition gym at H-D-CAL High School with a ribbon-cutting.
 
Construction of the gym has been in the works for more than three years.
 
 

Hampton-Dumont Transportation Director Dan Schipper has a big job. With help from his team, he's responsible for shuttling around 700 children every day during the school year.
 

Members of the Hampton Tree Board and the Franklin County Conservation Department teamed up to put the finishing touches on Rolling Prairie Trail last Thursday morning, Aug. 21. 
Hampton Tree Board member Randy Sander said this was their final phase of maintenance at the trail this season. After mowing, weeding, spraying herbicide throughout the summer, they spent the rest of the morning pruning and mulching.

Cathy Carlson’s life changed in the blink of an eye last fall.
 

Windsor Theatre Manager Jim Davies is looking for help from the community: he wants to be able to show Hamilton at the theatre, but he’s been told it won’t be happening. Now, he’s asking for the team at Disney to reconsider their decision.
 
Davies said it sounds like only the larger theaters will get to show Hamilton, and he doesn’t think that’s fair.
 

 A Kansas City Barbeque Society Sanctioned Master Series BBQ contest is coming to Hampton.
 
This BBQ will be the first of its kind in the area since the Mason City Up In Smoke BBQ Bash, said event organizer Charlane Janssen. It will be held in the parking lot area of Access Inc. on Aug. 22 and Aug. 23 — the same weekend as the annual car show coordinated by Jeff and Tracy Spear.
 

Forty-year-old Joel McWilliams, who previously served as the county's emergency department director for five years, was appointed to Chief Deputy Sheriff of Franklin County by Franklin County Sheriff Aaron Dodd on July 28. He began his new job on Monday, Aug. 11.

McWilliams called the opportunity "an honor," as he's always been passionate about serving the public.

Grecia Gutierrez, 22, of Hampton loves making people feel good about themselves — which is exactly why she opened a new salon, called Gorgeous Nook, in Hampton.

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure — just look at the Bucket of Junk project in Franklin County.
 

The Montes family is looking for help: Teodoro Montes of Hampton is currently in kidney failure and he’s in need of a living kidney donor with Type O blood.
According to his wife, Marlene, Teodoro has been receiving dialysis on a daily basis for the last year. While the treatments are long and grueling, impacting his quality of life, they assist his kidneys in functioning and keep him alive. Each treatment lasts nine hours.
 

 First Bank Hampton is pleased to announce the promotion of Eric Reicherts to Senior Vice President. In this new role, Eric will continue to focus on Commercial and Agricultural Lending while taking on additional leadership responsibilities within the organization.