Franklin County Historical Society Board member Kendra Johnson wants to try something new with the Old Stone House — Franklin County's oldest house. 

Hampton got a treat Saturday night with the opening of a two show run of the Leslie Kimbell play Four Old Broads. The play was a joint production between the Franklin County Arts Council and the Iowa Falls Community Theatre. The cast was drawn from both groups to bring the surprisingly spicy world of Magnolia Place Assisted living and its cadre of residents and staff to life. 
 

Hampton City Councilor Jerre Grefe was awarded with a certificate from Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Director Bill Hittle, who nominated her for Main Street Iowa's annual leadership award, during the April 22 city council workshop. 

Hampton-Dumont’s PTO members held their first mother-son outing at the Franklin Wellness Center on Saturday evening, April 27. 
 
The night kicked off at 6 p.m. and ran for several hours. It didn’t take long for mothers and their boys to fill the wellness center, where youngsters could be seen swimming and playing dodgeball, basketball, racquetball and table games, like Bingo. 
 

Seven-year-old Hannah Swieter served as the honorary “kid captain” on Thursday, April 18 for HD-CAL’s girls varsity soccer team, who went up against Clear Lake in Hampton. 
Hannah was selected for the role by head coach Ben Schlachter, according to her mom, Stephanie Swieter. 

A panel of local pastors took questions from an audience at the Windsor Theatre Tuesday night, April 16. The theme of the discussion: Why God and why church?  
 

Iowa Falls native Ashley Emerson, BSN, RN, and her family celebrated the one-year anniversary of Ashley's "Beauty and Quench Lounge" with a ribbon-cutting ceremony as a new member of the Greater Franklin Chamber of Commerce Saturday morning, April 6. 
 

Hampton native Maria Wagoner, 26, is thriving as the owner of “The Boho Vase” — a floral and gift shop in Ankeny. 
 

Coe College senior Christina Harrelson will join the Chronicle staff as a summer editorial intern in May. 
 
Harrelson, who’s pursuing a bachelor’s degree in English and Creative Writing from Coe College, will assist news editor Jennifer Burnham with fact-checking, researching and even writing her own stories. Harrelson will also graduate with a minor in communications. 
 

There were plenty of options when it came to Easter egg hunts in Franklin County these last couple of weeks, including a big one that was hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Hampton in Band Shell Park on March 30. 
 

Hampton Public Works employees have once again been removing the city’s infected ash trees, and earlier this week, they removed their 100th ash tree for the winter season.  
 
A wedge of the 100th tree was presented at the end of Hampton City Council’s March 28 meeting. The project is overseen by Hampton City Public Works Director Doug Tarr. 
 

Hampton City Manager Ron Dunt said a community member reached out to him and Mayor Steve Birdsall suggesting the city councilors and mayor receive a pay raise. 
The item was added to the agenda for the council’s March 25 workshop. 
 
Immediately after the item was brought up, city councilor Bill Hodge shot it down, saying he didn’t even want to consider it. 
 

Bridge of Hope North Central Iowa’s 12th game show night was held Saturday at the Church of the Living Word in Hampton. 
 
Doors opened at 6:30 p.m. with a trivia game beginning at 7 p.m. Refreshments were served and funds raised from the event will go toward the organization's mission to help single moms and their children who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. 
 

Britt Lumely, the owner of Britt’s Boutique, celebrated her shop’s one-year anniversary with an open house on Saturday.
Britt’s Boutique offers girls’ and womens’ clothing, shoes and accessories. 
Lumley originally shared the space with another entrepreneur, who eventually left, leaving her with the entire space. She said she’s definitely had ups and downs in the first year, but that she’s grateful for her many customers. 

A handful of locals attended the online security class led by Hampton City Councilor Patrick Palmer on Tuesday evening, March 19, for tips and tricks on how to protect themselves from online scams. 
 
Palmer, who runs a computer repair company, said he’s been in the business since 1996, and that he’s been helping locals dealing with online scammers for the last decade.