Hampton business owners Saturday had the chance to show United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) firsthand the impact COVID-19 has had on their operations.
Ernst, along with Iowa House District 54 Representative Linda Upmeyer, visited downtown Hampton Saturday as part of Ernst’s 99 county tour through Iowa. Ernst said she was in town to speak with business owners in rural Iowa and see how they have adapted amid the pandemic.

Friday night’s Franklin County Relay For Life events at Hampton-Dumont High School raised additional funds to help fight cancer.
The events began with a sack dinner to-go meal that was provided for a free will offering. The Franklin County Cattlemen grilled hamburgers, which were included as part of the meal.

A piece of national history in Franklin County recently received a major push towards increased preservation.

Erin Plagge didn’t need long in the culinary programs at Hampton-Dumont-CAL High School to know she found her life’s calling.
Plagge, a 2020 H-D-CAL grad, will attend Iowa State University in the fall to study Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Education and Studies in hopes to becoming a high school FCS instructor.

Fun has been upgraded at Latimer’s Trailside Park.
Last week, volunteers worked to install new playground equipment at Trailside Park, located next to Immanuel United Church of Christ.
The installation of the equipment, as well as the previous renovation of the basketball court at the park, was the culmination of a nearly year-and-a-half long fundraising effort totaling $50,000.

A new committee in Franklin County hopes to provide a voice to those who previously felt they were without one.

Last year, Jazella Cruz drew and colored a picture that unbeknownst to her would become a pertinent symbol of current race-related events.
Cruz, a sophomore-to-be at Hampton-Dumont-CAL High School, etched a picture of two hands of different skin color forming a heart and un-der are two quotes from actress Sandra Bullock promoting love regardless of race, religion and other identifiers.

Smiles, trophies and ribbons provided a slice of normalcy to an abnormal edition of the Franklin County Fair last week.
The fair returned from Tuesday, July 14 through Saturday, July 18 with the annual 4-H and FFA livestock shows. The shows were still conducted despite the cancellation of all other attractions and entertainment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pedestrians in downtown Hampton may have noticed a recent splash of color to city streets.
Last week, Larry Craighton, contracted through the City of Hampton, worked to paint downtown crosswalks a brighter shade of red out-lined by fresh, white lines.

Not even a pandemic can stop Jeff and Tracy Spear from hosting Hampton’s annual car show.
On the heels of the Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce’s decision to can-cel Summerfest this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Spears announced intentions to still put on the annual car cruise and car show typically associated with Summerfest.

A Hampton couple’s Ameri-can classic recently grabbed international headlines.
Jeff and Tracy Spear’s 1957 Chevy 210 “Cherry Bomb,” a mainstay at local and national car shows, was featured in the June issue of the United Kingdom-based “American Classics” magazine, which highlights efforts of individuals who restore and preserve classic cars.

Franklin County on Tuesday recorded its first death due to COVID-19.
The Franklin County Department of Public Health in a release issued Tuesday announced the first death associated with the novel coronavirus in the county. The release states that the individual was 81 years of age or older.

A recent Hampton- Dumont-CAL graduate is navigating the tricky landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic in hopes of helping those in need across the world.
Briana Grover, a 2020 grad, is making the final preparations to attend this year’s World Race, a nine month Christian mission trip that sends students to multiple countries in the name of service and outreach.

Vendors filled Band Shell Park on Saturday, July 11 for an afternoon of sales, music, and food.
Thirty-eight booths and food trucks set up in the park, separated at a safe distance, to sell everything from handcrafted goods to cosmetics to sandwiches while music played from the band shell.
“It was good,” said Amber Rodgers, who organized the event. “We had a lot of people walk through the park.”

While walkers won’t gather for the annual celebration of life and fight against cancer, this year’s Franklin County Relay For Life instead will feature a whole week’s worth of activities to show support to those affected by the dis-ease.
At the center of the event is the annual luminaria project. Luminaria forms are due today (Wednesday, July 15) and will be on display for a virtual walk around the track next Friday night.