Jason Mignanelli stories, Page 2

Maybe you think you’re too old, out of shape or too busy to play competitive sports any longer. At what age did you make that decision? Was it 40 or 50? Maybe it was 60 years old for some of you. Nevertheless, many of us have completely thwarted the idea....

Feb. 14 not only marked both Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday, but it also marked a first for newly appointed Hampton Township manager Ryan Jeroski. The council meeting that night was the first he handled solo since succeeding former manager Christopher Lochner. Jeroski took care of business like he had...

In 2018, special education teacher Amy Holtz went to Hampton Middle School principal Marlynn Lux with an idea to start a small business. Neither of them could have imagined the success stories that would come from it. Fast-forward to 2024 and the HMS Express-O coffee-cart business is as popular as...

Hampton Township council met Jan. 24 for one of its regular monthly meetings. But this meeting was not regular, at all. For the past 37½ years, Chris Lochner has sat in the seat marked “township manager.” That era ended and a new one began with the swearing-in of Ryan Jeroski...

Several new course offerings are on the way for Hampton High School students. Changes to the curriculum were discussed during the school board’s Jan. 8 work session as part of a presentation on the high school’s program of studies for 2024-25. The board is expected to approve the program at...

Hampton Township kicked off the new year with council’s reorganization meeting on Jan. 2, welcoming two new members. Alfred Midgley IV and Daniel Sciulli were sworn in following their wins in the general election. Both were surrounded by family members as they took their seats on council for the first...

There was good news all around at the Hampton Council meeting on Dec. 13. Council approved a real estate tax rate for 2024 at 2.9241 mills, representing no increase. Additionally, community leaders awarded former council member Martha J. Hunkele with a plaque that will stand at her namesake playground at...

Sirens blared as a parade of fire trucks and first responder vehicles from Hampton and North Hampton volunteer fire departments guided Santa Claus and Rudolph to the Hampton Community Center on Thursday evening. Fireworks kicked off the annual holiday extravaganza, and then visitors gathered in the community center parking lot...

If the recent cold snap isn’t enough to usher in the holiday season, there will be no shortage of festive concerts at Hampton schools. The Hampton Township School District Music Department proudly presents its 2023 Winter Concert Series, showcasing the talents of nearly 1,000 students in fourth through 12th grades....

The season of joy and peace seems to come earlier every year, so don’t miss out on all the fun that Hampton has to offer. At 7 p.m. Dec. 7, Santa Claus is coming to town for the annual Township of Hampton Holiday Event. He will be accompanied by the...

The 22nd annual Hampton Heroes’ induction ceremony took place Nov. 6 at Fridley Field, with students from the township’s three elementary schools present. Not only were the young learners in attendance, but they were a big part of the production. Central Elementary Principal Amy Kern was instrumental in organizing the...

Stepping outside of your comfort zone can prove to be enlightening and beneficial, and that’s the case for Gregory Shumaker, a seventh-grade teacher at Hampton Middle School for 24 years. A few years back, he was handed the role of director for the middle school drama club’s annual performance. For...

The North Hampton and Hampton Township No. 1 volunteer fire departments have agreed to merge. Besides the financial considerations of operating two separate departments, the manpower simply isn’t there anymore, according to municipal manager Christopher Lochner. “The big problem, in addition to the extraordinarily high cost of equipment, is really...

As details emerge about the future of the tennis courts in Hampton Community Park, it’s becoming more evident how difficult it is to find affordable labor post-covid. At the Oct. 25 township council meeting, officials voted to reject all current bids and create a plan of action for moving forward....

Five seats are up for election on Hampton Township School Board this November, and four candidates won both the Democratic and Republican nominations in the primary. Incumbents Matthew A. Jarrell, Robert J. Shages and Joy Midgley will appear on the ballot for both parties Nov. 7, along with Maureen Farrell...

The Hampton High School Drama Club will present Matt Cox’s “Puffs, or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic”at 7:30 p.m. Nov 9-11 as a production that is entirely student-run. “We have two student directors who chose the play, ran auditions, cast the production and...

A steady flow of guests visited Hampton’s Depreciation Lands Museum for Hydref, the Fall Festival & Market Faire held Oct. 7. The influx was gratifying for Carol Greiner, president of the museum’s board, as the history-preserving site continues to celebrate its 50th anniversary. “After last year when we got rained...

Four candidates are vying for two open seats on Hampton Township Council in the Nov. 7 election. Two Democrats and two Republicans are running for the open positions, and Richard “Rock” Kernick is running for re-election. He was chosen during a special election process and served a two-year-term. The other...

Only 357 students in the world earned a perfect score on a college-level advanced placement test in May, and one attends Hampton High School. Senior Justine Sullivan aced the AP Research Exam, which includes a 4,000- to 5,000-word essay and a 15- to 20-minute presentation during which students are required...

When Hampton Township resident and business owner Al Todd needed first responders, they were there for him. “A few years back, we had a house fire, and we have also needed EMS before. So I just really appreciate what these people do,” said Todd. As a show of gratitude, he...

The Depreciation Lands Museum’s annual Hydref – a Fall Festival and Market Faire will be open from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 7. Based on the traditions of old when the entire town and countryside would show up for the annual Market Faire, skilled 18th century crafts people, re-enactors and “sutlers,”...