Four Oaks is actively seeking families to help foster and adopt children who are in need of temporary and permanent homes.
Brittany West, a foster and adoption caseworker at Four Oaks, said they are down to one foster family in Hampton, although they have a couple more throughout the county.

This Sunday afternoon bidders on reclaimed "junk" fashioned into new objects by 4H'ers will find out if their bid was the winner. This year 12 student projects are being auctioned off to raise funds for the Franklin County Extension office's donation to the Franklin County Relay for Life.

The folks who organized the Maynes Grove Vendor Event this spring recently donated $600 to the Franklin County Conservation Board.

The Maynes Grove Vendor Event was held for the first time this spring, on May 3 and May 4. It was held in the lodge at Maynes Grove. It was organized by Dawn Rice and Janelle Dohrmann

Dohrmann said it’s important for them to donate back to the community.

Libby Trewin, 17, was named the 2024 Franklin County Fair Queen on Thursday evening, July 11.

Trewin, the daughter of John and Emily Trewin, told the Chronicle her heart was racing when her name was called and she couldn’t have asked for a better group of girls to compete with. She was also named Miss Congeniality that night.

The City of Hampton purchased a new fire truck for $329,000 — and it arrived at the start of the month.

The Hampton Fire Department, which has been around for decades, now has five fire trucks.

The Chronicle has received numerous calls and messages from community members concerned about potential changes in ownership at ABCM Corp over the last couple weeks. 
The Chronicle contacted Kara Koster, lead marketing consultant for ABCM Corp, on July 5 for comment, and Koster replied on July 8. 
 

For years, the good people at Christensen Jewelry in Hampton have donated the trophies, crowns and bracelets for the Franklin County Fair Queens. 
 
Russ Gibson, who's owned the jewelry store for the last 36 years, said they've always been big on giving back to the community.
 

Hampton City Councilors discussed changing the guidelines for the city’s Image of Pride Award during their July 8 workshop. 
 
One matter that was brought up: should the award apply to businesses, as well as homes? Currently, the award is only granted to homeowners. 
 

The Franklin County Food Pantry recently received a $1,024 check from First Bank Hampton, which was raised during their free-will donation dinner at last week’s “Tuesday on the Town” concert. 
That night, employees from the bank served more than 250 pork tenderloin meals. They also held a scam presentation and safely shredded over 4,000 pounds of paper through a shred truck. 
 
 

Kaitlyn Porter of Franklin County has been named one of Iowa Farm Bureau’s 2024 Young Farmer Leadership Award recipients.
The award, created in honor of former Iowa Farm Bureau President Bob Joslin, recognizes farmers under the age of 35 who contribute to and demonstrate leadership within their communities and agriculture. 

The fourth and final “Tuesday on the Town” concert has been the summer’s most popular performance yet. 
 
Ryan Jewel, 33 — born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia — was the star of the show that night. He took to the stage at the Band Shell Park at 6 p.m. and performed for an hour. The crowd was the season’s biggest to date. After he performed, folks lined up to get his autograph, some waiting almost an hour. 

The 2002 Hampton-Dumont High School graduates are once again coordinating a golf tournament to raise money in honor of their fallen classmate, Jeremy Hagensick, who passed away in eighth grade.
 

The Van Wert clan has been hard at work selling fireworks at their seasonal shop on the Franklin County Fairgrounds, which they've been doing for the last five summers. They set up for the season on June 20, and they will be there through this weekend.

Zachary Welsher, 21, of Hampton, was one of the 550 graduates at the University of Iowa to earn two degrees this spring semester. 
 
In May, more than 6,500 students at the University of Iowa received their degrees.
 
Welsher earned two bachelor’s degrees in May — one in mathematics and another in mathematics education. Welsher was a student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and College of Education. 

Hampton City Councilor Kevin Blanford, 52, has been busy juggling his day job as a health, safety and environmental specialist for AgVantage FS with his car detailing company, Beyond Spotless Auto Detailing, which has been thriving. 
 
Since last spring, he has cleaned more than 300 cars.