In a year where many faced unexpected financial burdens, the Franklin County community ensured nearly 100 families were still able to give their children gifts under the tree.
The Hampton Rotary Club last Thursday distributed gifts collected during its annual Operation Santa toy drive. Gift and cash donations collected over the course of a month were able to provide presents to 250 children across 88 families.

The First Citizens Bank branch in Latimer will soon be closing.
Jeff Gribben, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at First Citizens Bank said the branch will close on Feb. 26, 2021. Gribben said that staffing issues and security coverage led to the decision.

A group of teachers at Hampton-Dumont Middle School has added reason to celebrate this holiday season.
Ten teachers at the middle school together purchased the winning ticket for the Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce’s annual $10,000 raffle.
Additionally, the Chamber drew for two, $250 Chamber Bucks awards. Winners were Willie and Nancy Knipfl and a group from Franklin General Hospital.

The Hampton compost site’s season ground to a close last week.
Last Tuesday, crews transformed biodegradable waste dropped off at the compost site into compost material that will be offered for Hamptonites next year.
“They grind it and strain it right now and it composts over the winter and by spring, it’ll be a good, usable product for folks who use it for gardens and their yards to boost nutrients,” he said.

Squaw Creek at East Park will now stand up stronger to erosion.
Hampton Public Works Director Doug Tarr said “substantial completion” has been made on a project to curb erosion issues and improve water quality on the stretch of the stream through East Park.

A holiday tradition to remember loved ones who have passed on is moving online this year.
MercyOne North Iowa Hospice announced that it will host its annual Tree of Life event virtually on Facebook Live on Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 6 p.m. North Iowa Hospice typically hosts a Tree of Life event in Hampton.
The Tree of Life event places lights on trees to honor and remember those who have been lost.

Hampton-Dumont and CAL students have returned to on-site learning full-time.
The districts last Monday announced that school would reenter into an onsite model beginning on Thursday, Dec. 10. The districts in November elected to switch to the hybrid model for the foreseeable future.

A heartfelt taste of holiday cheer came to Hampton last week in five-pound packages.
Iowa Select Farms, through the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation, brought its annual Operation Christmas Meal pork loin do-nation to Hampton last Tuesday. The effort distributed at least 1,000 five-pound pork loins to guests in Hampton and was one of 12 Operation Christmas Meal events throughout Iowa.

​The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a reported shooting in Dows Monday night. ​A release issued by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office said at approximately 3 p.m. Monday, the sheriff’s office was notified that a male subject had been shot in Dows.
​Responding deputies found a deceased male in the residence.
​No other details regarding the incident are available at this time.

The Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce’s Building Improvement Grant Pro-gram this year allocated more than $10,000 to nine Hampton business owners to make exterior and interior improvements to their buildings.

An unseasonably warm start to December isn’t fooling snow removal crews throughout the area.
While only a few flurries have flown to this point, City of Hampton and Franklin County roads departments have spent the past few months readying equipment and supplies for winter’s snowy arrival.

A pandemic and related social restrictions don’t put hunger on hold for people in need.
The Hampton and general Franklin County communities last week donned masks and socially distanced to pack more than 30,000 meals as part of the annual Meals from the Heartland meal packing event in Hampton.

With spectators limited at Hampton-Dumont-CAL High School events, the students behind Bulldog TV relish the chance to bring live action to the community’s living rooms.

State Auditor Rob Sand virtually visited Franklin County last week as part of his 2020 variant on the Iowa 99 County Tour.
Arranging an open Zoom meeting on Wednesday, December 2, Sand visited with a handful of Franklin County residents about what his office has been doing this year.

Weather delayed the end to a months-long detour along Highway 65 but the roadway is now open.