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A second case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Franklin County. Franklin County Public Health on Friday afternoon issued a release stating Public Health and the Iowa Department of Public Health identified one additional case in the county. The individual is self-isolating at home. No further information regarding the individual has been released.
Hampton-Dumont and CAL Superintendent Todd Lettow said Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ decision last week to close schools for the remainder of the school year brought a striking realization for staff.
“We really feel bad for the kids,” he said. “It would’ve been nice to be able to see kids before they left for the summer but that’s not reality right now.”
Hampton Police Chief Robert Schaefer and the department have approached the unusual circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic with a sense of stern understanding.
With new regulations in place regarding gathering sizes (no more than 10 people) and business operations, Schaefer said officers are on the lookout for people who may need a reminder of the rules.
With many families now facing sudden financial uncertainty, area food banks remain an understanding and reliable source to provide balanced meals to those in need.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, hundreds of area residents have faced job cuts or decreased pay. Betty Springer, Director of the Franklin County Community Food Pantry, said that once layoffs and reductions related to the pandemic increased, so did the traffic through the food bank located at 302 5th Ave. NE in Hampton.
Fareway Stores, Inc. recently announced a $200,000 donation to the Iowa Chamber of Commerce Executives (ICCE). The donation provided for $1,000 or more in gift cards to ICCE chamber of commerce members in the communities Fareway serves.
When Gov. Reynolds initially requested that schools close for four weeks, the Board of Education and teachers at St. Paul’s Lutheran School agreed to comply with the directive, but they also didn’t want the students to settle for just reviewing material that had been taught so far during the year. A plan was immediately put into place so that there would not be an interruption to the learning.
This year’s winter thaw brought a new sense of optimism for the Franklin County Secondary Roads Department.
The thaw last year left considerable ruts and damage to rural roads due to the amount of snow and rapidity of the melt. The damage was extensive enough to lead Franklin County officials to enact an embargo on gravel roads and cause the roads department to delay projects in order to reroute resources to repair the gravel roads.
The day-to-day uncertainty amid the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted virtually all businesses across the area, especially the food service industry.
Several Hampton restaurants have remained open, offering carry-out and delivery services but each day comes with a different outlook.
“It’s going…it’s not,” said Rustic Brew owner Joel Heu-er. “One day you think, is this something we’re going to continue and the next, it’s busier. You hate to shut down so we keep playing it by ear.”
