A Rockwell man is facing felony and misdemeanor charges following an investigation by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau.
 
Authorities say 39-year-old Joseph Starr was charged on March 24 with two counts of acting as a public adjuster without a license and one count of insurance fraud—presenting false information, a Class D felony.

Sisters Macala Donnelly and Alexa Hoeltermann of Dumont are excited to share that they will be running the Boston Marathon together this year.
Macala, who ran the marathon last year, said getting to run such a prestigious race alongside her sister will make it much more special.

The Franklin County Republican Party held its annual fundraiser event at the Franklin County Convention Center Thursday evening, April 9.

Democratic candidates Ashley WolfTornabane, who’s running for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, and Cynthia Oppedal Paschen, who’s running for Iowa's State House District 55, held a town hall at 805 Pizza and Chicken in Hampton on Sunday, April 12. 
The candidates covered a number of topics, including voting rights, appealing to independent voters and healthcare.

The Hampton city council passed the second reading of their revised chicken ordinance during their April 9 meeting. 
 
The changes to the old ordinance include allowing chicken owners to sell their eggs and setting the maximum height for coops at six feet, along with striking the portion about written consent from councilors to have livestock within city limits. 

The weather didn't stop the Sheffield Community Club from holding their annual Easter egg hunt on Saturday, April 4.
Shortly before noon, around 100 children stopped by the West Fork Wellness Center, where they found thousands of eggs stuffed with candy.

A Minnesota man was arrested on drug charges last Tuesday morning, March 31, after getting pulled over for speeding on 135, near the 176 mile marker. 
Josiah Tamba, 21, of New Hope, Minnesota, is now facing charges for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, along with possession of cocaine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, according to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. 

Hampton, Iowa -- OnTheGoMedia, Inc., parent company of 104.9 KLMJ-FM and 99 The Wave (98.9 KQCR-FM), officially completed the acquisition of the Hampton Chronicle on April 2, 2026. This move ensures the continuation of the community’s print edition, with the first issue under new ownership arriving April 8th.
 

Tommy Baltes was recently named Police Officer of the Year for 2025 in Cedar Falls.
The 2015 graduate of Hampton-Dumont High School told the Chronicle that he was inspired to pursue a career in law enforcement by former Hampton Police Chief Bob Schaefer.

The Franklin County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance authorizing a moratorium on new permit applications for development of data center projects within the unincorporated area of Franklin County during their March 31 meeting.
The supervisors voted to waive the first two readings of the ordinance to expedite the process of approving it.

Possible solutions for a dangerous intersection were discussed during the Franklin County Supervisor's March 17 meeting.
During the meeting, the County Supervisors, Secondary Roads Engineer Jay Waddingham and others discussed safety measures that could be taken at the intersection of County Road 25 and Highway 65, where a number of accidents (some fatal) have taken place in recent years.

The recent blizzard that blew through northern Iowa left one Hampton family in fear that they wouldn't be able to retrieve life-saving medication for their daughter.
Jan Abbas told the Chronicle that her daughter, Margaret, has been taking the same medication since she was very young, and that she ran out of it on Saturday, March 14 — the day before the recent blizzard was projected to make its way through the area.

First Bank Hampton is proud to announce its support of Reborn Ranch as a Gold Sponsor for the upcoming Reborn Ranch Christian Camps. This sponsorship reflects the bank’s continued commitment to investing in local organizations that strengthen families, faith, and community.
 

Bridge of Hope North Central Iowa’s 2026 annual trivia night was a huge success, drawing more than 150 people to the gymnasium of Church of the Living Word on Saturday evening, March 21.
 
The organization has held this event to raise money for local families experiencing homelessness for the last fifteen years, said Board Chair Linda Wharton. This year, they raised around $10,000 for their cause.
 

The Franklin County Sheriff's Office has been busy helping stranded travelers since the arrival of the blizzard over the weekend.

Sheriff Aaron Dodd said they've received a total of 35 calls for help since the bad weather rolled in — vehicles off the roadway, vehicles in ditches, minor accidents and people stranded in their vehicles. He added that this does not include the many vehicles they have found in ditches.