Author Archive
Franklin Library News
Compiled by the alley All information listed here is accurate as of June 27th, 2025. For the most recent information, check out the library website at www.hclib.org. FRANKLIN LIBRARY HOURS Monday 9 AM to 5 PM Tuesday 12 PM to 8 PM Wednesday 12 PM to 8 PM Thursday 12 PM to 8 PM Friday 9 AM to 5 PM Saturday 9 AM to 5 PM Sunday 12 PM to 5 PM PROGRAMS FOR YOUTH + FAMILIES Let’s Read Drop in Wednesdays, 4-7 pm Saturday/Sundays 1-5 pm Free in-person reading support for K-5 students. Students and trained volunteer tutors meet weekly one-on-one to work on grade level reading skills. Connect & Play Thursdays, 3:30-4:30 pm For children of all ages and their caregivers. Connect with your child during this drop-in program exploring early literacy activities. A licensed Family Educator from Way to Grow will provide support and resources for parents and caregivers. African Drumming and Dance Saturday, July 19th, 1-1:45 pm Live [...]
Be Glad For the B Line
By JOHN CHARLES WILSON The Metro Transit bus service changes on 14 June 2025 were a real boon to the Phillips neighborhood, as I can guess many alley readers already know. The centerpiece of transit improvements, the B Line, replaced the infamous Route 21. Going 20 percent faster and without the time-consuming jog through Midway Shopping Center on the way to Saint Paul, this modern version of Selby-Lake goodness will make life easier for a lot of us. Other bus routes that were improved at the same time: Route 2 (Franklin Ave) now runs every 10 minutes during the day and every half hour at night.Route 11 now runs every 15 minutes during the day, even on Sunday, and every half hour at night. All trips now go as far north as Columbia Heights.Route 27, which was suspended for COVID, came back to parts of the 26th/28th Street one-way pair, providing a less congested alternative to Lake Street for people in the residential areas nearby.People going to downtown Saint Paul can [...]
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
from the series Tales from Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery... Number 236 in a Series By SUE HUNTER WEIR June 7, 2025. It was a beautiful day in the Neighborhood. It was a day for celebrating the bravery and resilience of four people who endured unimaginable hardship during their lifetimes before they escaped from slavery and ran towards freedom. It was a day for remembering Woodford Anderson, Charles Broden, William Goodridge, and Hester Patterson. In Pursuit of Social JusticeElyse Hill made this event possible. She specializes in African-American Genealogy and wrote the Nomination for the Cemetery’s listing on the National Park Service’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. She was our first speaker and was followed by three other women who have dedicated their lives and careers to the pursuit of social justice: The Honorable Judge LaJune Lange, Deputy Chief Operations Saray Garnett-Hochuli, and County Commissioner Angela Conley, who fight the good fight [...]
