This week's top stories

  • Dave Regier is the director of sports medicine for the College All Star Football Shrine Bowl which benefits Shriners Children’s Hospital. As a former patient of Shriner’s, he seeks to use his athletic training and sports therapy work to give back to the organization.
    Dave Regier is the director of sports medicine for the College All Star Football Shrine Bowl which benefits Shriners Children’s Hospital. As a former patient of Shriner’s, he seeks to use his athletic training and sports therapy work to give back to the organization.
  • Retro jerseys and lettermen jackets dipped in purple and gold were everywhere in Hampton Friday night as more than 115 former players and coaches returned to the football field to watch the 2025 Hawks pick up a 73-20 win over Ansley-Litchfield in the final regular season home game in program history. Pictured here, former players led by two of its coaching icons, Jerry Eickhoff and Jim Connick, walked the current team onto the field pregame.
    Retro jerseys and lettermen jackets dipped in purple and gold were everywhere in Hampton Friday night as more than 115 former players and coaches returned to the football field to watch the 2025 Hawks pick up a 73-20 win over Ansley-Litchfield in the final regular season home game in program history. Pictured here, former players led by two of its coaching icons, Jerry Eickhoff and Jim Connick, walked the current team onto the field pregame.
  • Dean Klute and his son Kyle pose with the kudu antelope he shot in South Africa in March. While there he also bagged a cape buffalo, an eland and a sable.
    Dean Klute and his son Kyle pose with the kudu antelope he shot in South Africa in March. While there he also bagged a cape buffalo, an eland and a sable.
  • Phil Esslinger pauses with sons Easton and Oakland to capture a photo with a bull elk harvested in a hunting unit where 155 elk tags are issued each year. Esslinger’s name was one of few drawn for out-of-state participants to hunt during a 13-day archery season, which ran Sept. 12-25.
    Phil Esslinger pauses with sons Easton and Oakland to capture a photo with a bull elk harvested in a hunting unit where 155 elk tags are issued each year. Esslinger’s name was one of few drawn for out-of-state participants to hunt during a 13-day archery season, which ran Sept. 12-25.
  • The Hamilton Pheasant Forevers Chapter brought back its annual youth hunt on Saturday, Oct. 11 after being on hiatus for three years. Students from Hamilton, Hall and Merrick counties participated in hunter safety sessions before practicing their trap shooting skills and hunting pen-raised pheasants offered by Pheasants Forever. Featured front from left: Rilee Jemison, Shawn Benson, Landrie Champion, Emery Scott, Lane Menke, Miles Hess. Back row: Event organizers chapter president Doug Salmon, Anthony Lopez
    The Hamilton Pheasant Forevers Chapter brought back its annual youth hunt on Saturday, Oct. 11 after being on hiatus for three years. Students from Hamilton, Hall and Merrick counties participated in hunter safety sessions before practicing their trap shooting skills and hunting pen-raised pheasants offered by Pheasants Forever. Featured front from left: Rilee Jemison, Shawn Benson, Landrie Champion, Emery Scott, Lane Menke, Miles Hess. Back row: Event organizers chapter president Doug Salmon, Anthony Lopez

    Regier gives back to Shriner's Hospital

    When Hampton native Dave Regier took the position of director of sports medicine for the College All Star Football Shrine Bowl at Shriners Children’s Hospital, he was determined to give back to the organization that allows former patients like him to live life to the fullest. He shares his story as this week's Where Are They Now featured subject.

     

    'A great night for all of Hampton'

    Retro jerseys and lettermen jackets dipped in purple and gold were everywhere in Hampton Friday night as more than 115 former players and coaches returned to the football field to watch the 2025 Hawks pick up a 73-20 win over Ansley-Litchfield in the final regular season home game in program history. Pictured above, former players led by two of its coaching icons, Jerry Eickhoff and Jim Connick, walked the current team onto the field pregame. 

     

    'Mr. Dean's' wild hunting ride

    Hunting big game has taken Dean Klute to locations around the world the past few years, but ironically he didn’t grow up hunting and fishing. In fact, the Hampton area cattle feeder says at one time he had as much fun chasing hunters off his land as he does now hunting everything from local deer to South African Kudu. Story link



    Father, sons share thrill of big game elk hunt in AZ

    It’s not the shot he made with a bow and arrow from 52 yards away that Phil Esslinger will remember.
    It’s not even the 6x6 set of antlers he kept from the bull elk he harvested last month that he’s most proud of.
    Without question, the memory he’ll cherish for years from his successful elk hunt in Arizona is the opportunity to see his two young sons experience something he loves for the very first time themselves. Story link

     

    Pheasants Forever revives youth hunt

    The Hamilton County Pheasants Forever chapter and youth hunt have returned to Crooked Creek Gun Club, bringing young hunters from Hall, Hamilton, and Merrick counties to learn hunter safety and prepare for a pheasant season which begins Saturday. Story link