News & Views of Phillips Since 1976
Monday December 22nd 2025
Random Alley News: March
Compiled by Lindsey Fenner
MIWRC Drop in Hours: The Minnesota Indian Women”™s Resource Center now has drop-in hours, 11AM-5PM. Services offered: support and advocacy, connect with community referrals, assist in finding shelter, shower and outreach bag available upon request. 2300 15th Ave S, 612-728-2034
Indian Health Board Winter Storytelling Event: Indian Health Board is hosting an online winter storytelling event at 6pm on Tuesday, March 16th. Please join our relatives June Blue and Nelda Goodman for a night of teachings, laughter and tradition. To register or for questions, email Delaney.keshena@indianhealthboard.com
American Swedish Institute”™s Community Fund: ASI has a new small to mid-sized short-term grant program, aimed at service-oriented organizations and initiviates neighboring ASI, primarily in Phillips. Granting amounts will range from $1,000 to $3,000 Deadlines to apply for 2021 are March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31. Visit https://www.asimn.org/communityfund or email communityfund@asimn.org for more.
Phillips Neighborhood Clinic Expanded Hours: PNC will now be open two days a week: Mondays and Thursdays, clinic hours 6-8PM (check in starts at 5:30PM) at St. Paul”™s Lutheran Church, 2742 15th Avenue South. Please enter from the side door on the East side of the building (along 15th Ave S).… Read the rest “Random Alley News: March”
Betsy Putnam (1777-1860): I Am Not Afraid to Go Into the Woods
Tales from Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery
By SUE HUNTER WEIR
185th in a Series
Joshua Putnam is buried in Holton, Maine. His wife, two
sons, two grandsons and two great-grandchildren are buried
in Minneapolis Pioneers and Soldiers Cemetery. Betsy
and Sterne Putnam”™s graves were marked at one time but
the tablets have disappeared and all that remains are the
bases.
Elizabeth “Betsy” Putnam lived to the ripe old age of 83 years and ten months. This might not seem unusually old by 21 st -century standards but Betsy was born in 1777. Bearing in mind that averages are simply that””averages””the average life expectancy for someone born around the time of the American Revolution was 36 years old.
In 1796, when she was 19 years old, Betsy married Joshua Putnam, a man who could trace his family”™s beginnings in what was to become the United States back to the arrival of John Putnam in 1634. Two of John”™s sons played prominent and deeply troubling roles in the Salem witchcraft trials. They were both accusers and witnesses against some of the town”™s women including Rebecca Nurse who had been a family friend for more than forty years. Although Nathaniel Putnam recanted his testimony, his remorse came too late.… Read the rest “Betsy Putnam (1777-1860): I Am Not Afraid to Go Into the Woods”
LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS
RETURNING CHAPTER 7Â
By PATRICK CABELLO HANSEL
“It”™s always darkest before the dawn.” That may be true, but it is of little solace to those who have no idea how far away the dawn is from coming, or even where to look for it.
Angel and Luz knew this: their beloved little daughter was missing; she was with some stranger, and all they had to go on was this cryptic note that had been taped to the door of the day care:
Don”™t worry.
We have your light blessing.
You will know where she is.
Luz”™ first words were, “Don”™t worry? Are you out of your mind?”
Angel”™s first words were: “You will know where she is? What kind of cruel joke is that?”
But it was little Angelito”™s first words that made for the turning toward the dawn:
“Papito, mamita, what is a light blessing?”
Luz and Angel looked at their first born with wonder. For the parents, everything had focused down to this one horrible fact: little Lupita was missing. If you had asked them what they had done ten minutes earlier, or what they would do ten minutes hence, they could not have told you. They couldn”™t remember if they had read the note out loud and Angelito had heard them.… Read the rest “LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS”
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