News & Views of Phillips Since 1976
Friday December 19th 2025
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 performance of African drumming and dancing in costume! Performance ends with the audience being invited to participate.
Llamas at the Library
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2:30-5 pm
Lounge and learn with the laid-back Carlson’s Lloveable Llamas at the library!… Read the rest “Franklin Library News”
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 rejoice! Not only is the faster B Line replacing Route 21, but night and weekend service has been restored on Route 94 between downtown Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
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 Justice
Elyse 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 every day.
Appreciation
It was also a day for giving thanks to the many people who made this event possible. The Hennepin History Museum’s brilliant staff, the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery are known, among other things, for their outstanding work with educators and young people.… Read the rest “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”
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