Put your hands together for Joe Soderberg, who’s been named the 2024 Marty McHone Iowa Games Male Athlete of the Year!
Soderberg will receive his award at the Iowa Sports Foundation Recognition Reception in Des Moines on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Soderberg, 44, from Hampton, has been playing billiards since he was 8 years old, climbing on the table and throwing balls around. He stuck with the sport, and has loved it ever since.

Despite the heat and humidity, Hampton Tree Board members are volunteering their time this morning to work on the trees in Harriman Park, spraying them with herbicide control and mulching to help hold the moisture on the trees.

Brad Schmidt was named the City of Hampton’s August 2024 Image of Pride recipient for his property located at 108 3rd St NW during last night’s city council meeting.
Schmidt, who’s lived in the home for ten years, said he loves the location, as everything is within walking distance.
“Everything is real handy,” he said. “You can walk to the grocery store. The bank is right here. City Hall is right here.”

The Noelck family became the first family in Franklin County to receive the statewide Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award on Friday, Aug. 23. 
The award was presented to them by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig at the Hampton Country Club that day. 

The man accused of posting anti-immigrant flyers on Hispanic businesses in Hampton has bonded out of jail ahead of his hearing.

Daniel Embree had an initial court appearance in Hampton on Friday at 8:45 a.m., with a preliminary hearing set for 3 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 22 in the Franklin County Courthouse on the charges. Bond was set at $5,000.

Local veterans Michael Chaney, Don Latham and Walter Tapp were presented with Quilts of Valor at the Aug. 14 Franklin County Veterans' picnic.

Robin Koob, who moved here from Virginia twenty years ago, grew up surrounded by the military and she felt it was important to start a Quilts of Valor group in Franklin County. This was the group's first presentation. Dianne Weide assisted with the presentation.

La Luz Centro Cultural Program Coordinator Thelma Rivera pulled together another smashing back-to-school event for local children this year.

On Friday evening, Aug. 16, the folks at the Franklin County ISU Extension and Outreach Office provided hotdogs and other goodies while local organizations provided resources, such as school supplies and feminine products, and information for the families in attendance.

The Aug. 19 Hampton City Council meeting started with a report from Hampton Police Chief Mark Morrison, who addresses the recent flyer incident.

A benefit ride for a local mother with cancer brought in around $6,500 over the weekend. 
 
On Saturday, a group of bikers started in Shell Rock and made their way to different stops, including one at the Pit Row in Hampton around noon, before ending their adventure in Clarksville. Organized by Lisa Rodriguez, Jessica Stout and Kassy Hovenga, the ride started with 60 bikers and ended with around 70. 
 

The two ladies behind the “Faith and Four Letter Words” podcast made a pit stop at the Windsor Theatre on Tuesday evening, Aug. 6, where they wowed a theater full of women. 
 

2015 Hampton-Dumont High School graduate Maria Wagoner has some big news. The young owner of Boho Vase in Ankeny recently announced that she just purchased a Des Moines-based company called “Candle Bar DSM.”
“It’s an in-store candle experience where you make your own candle,” she said. “We also do private labeling, wholesale, and offsite events. We carry candles, reed diffusers, and room sprays and we are able to ship, too!”

Held for the third row in a row, this year’s National Night Out attracted more than 300 people, said Franklin County Sheriff Aaron Dodd. 
 

If you drive by Band Shell Park, you may notice a new attraction in the center of it. The large plot that used to be barren now holds a variety of flowers and small bushes, which will continue to grow over time. 
 
The lady behind the project: Master Gardener Charlane Janssen.
 

A representative from Seabee Foundry recently announced that the company will be closing its 1483 Highway 3 location in Hampton.
 

Tucker McCormick, 10, and his sister and cousins could be seen selling sweet corn and lemonade and cookies at their annual stand over the weekend.