The State Auditor of Iowa, which bills itself as, "The Taxpayer's Watchdog," has acknowledged that a request for a re-audit of the Hampton-Dumont CSD audit performed by Rachelle Thompson, CPA, Hampton, for the period ending June 30th, 2021, and released July 6th, 2022 has been received and accepted, but the auditor has denied requests to provide records sought by the Chronicle under Iowa’s open records laws.

Larson Well Company of Roland in Story County was out on site today at Seed Tech at 944 Raven Ave near Geneva completing a much needed well project for owner Jeff Burkley and we couldn't help but notice all the equipment. Larson, a 4-generation family-owned company provides water well drilling, geothermal drilling, water conditioning and well services from "well to tap" according to their website.

After years of being in their very prominent location at 2 1st St NW in Hampton, Foley Ink’d is making a short hop off the courthouse square to 315 1st Ave NW north of Fareway.

In a grassy clearing on the edge of a large heavily wooded area west of Mallard Avenue, not too far south of Bailey creek and north of the fields there, you can find a small partially fenced off area with a weathered gravestone in the center. If you're at that spot, you've found Shobe's Grove Cemetery. The cemetery is one of the smallest, if not the smallest, cemeteries in Iowa containing only a single known grave.

The Hampton Chronicle’s first annual pumpkin and gourd giveaway was a smashing success! On Friday Mid-America Publishing publisher of the Chronicle announced via social media that it was giving away colorful pumpkins and gourds on a first come, first served, grab and go basis and within two hours all of the pumpkins and gourds had been given away.

In 1954 Vernon Butson bought a tractor, his first. It was a red IH 1954 Farmall MTA and he needed that tractor because well, he wed Lena Cornelia Smidt of Kanawha back on February 17th in 1953 and he had work to do.

The baton has been passed, Hampton officially hands off the Police Chief position to Mark Morrison.

Thursday was a “bittersweet day” as Bob Schaefer served the citizens of Hampton for one last time before completing his final shift and ultimately turning over the police chief role to Captain Mark Morrison.
 

Jack Zimmerman isn’t what you’d call a showy guy even if he does flash everyone on god’s green earth with a sheepish smile at the slightest provocation, a virtue we’re sure he’s had most of his life even though we can’t be entirely certain due to the fact he’s 81 years old and we haven’t always borne witness to his demeanor, though others have and may confer.

Early morning thunderclaps and cloudbursts had many worried as dawn broke on Saturday, the eve of the Access Golf Extravaganza at Hampton Country Club but luckily the skies parted before the shotgun start at 9:15am and the 21 eager teams and attendees enjoyed perfect weather for the event.

As trains could be heard rolling through Hampton on Monday September 12th it hardly seemed like it had only been a week since Franklin County residents awoke to the news that a 44 car Union Pacific train traveling south from Chapin had derailed over Otter Creek just north of 190th and the Mollenbeck farm at approximately 3:30 am on the 5th, spilling “asphalt and mixed commodities,” (lumber products) destroying the bridge and piling up the cars

Many in Hampton may not know the history, but the farmers market that crops up on HWY 3 east of Hardees twice a week from May to October can trace its roots back to 1974 when the food pyramid made its debut and bell bottoms were hot but farm to fork and whole foods movements were not. The food pyramid has changed over the years, as has location and makeup of The Hampton Farmers Market and the way we look at our diets and the food we eat.

As part of the process of hiring a new chief, The City of Hampton will be hosting a public meet and greet for Police Chief candidates on Friday, September 16, 2022 from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm at the Franklin County Law Enforcement Center (105 5th Street SW, Hampton).
The public is invited to attend and meet the candidates in person before a decision is made.

Union Pacific railroad has a reported a train derailment today near Hampton involving 44 railcars. No injuries were reported.
According to Robynn Tysver Union Pacific spokesperson, the 44 car train carrying mixed commodities and tank cars of asphalt was going south over Otter Creek at appx. 3:30am September 5th when it derailed, spilling asphalt into the water below and pilling up the cars like jackstraws.

The continuing development of the county's new wind farm ordinance was back on the agenda at the Franklin County Board of Supervisors meeting on Monday, August 29.