News & Views of Phillips Since 1976
Tuesday February 3rd 2026
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”
How to Spot a Financial Scam Before It’s Too Late
By AMANDA THEISEN, Communications Manager for Sunrise Banks
Financial scams come in many forms—phony sweepstakes, emails pretending to be from banks, or urgent messages from “loved ones” asking for money. These schemes are common but usually contain clear warning signs. From suspicious grammar to odd requests, something often feels “off.”
“Customers often come to us with questions about whether or not a financial request or message is legitimate,” says Sandra Rodriguez, a branch manager at Sunrise Banks. “By listening, being patient and asking a few open-ended questions, we can help them slow down and identify those red flags.”
If you receive a suspicious financial message, keep the following tips in mind:
- Look for Small Inconsistencies
Scammers are often careless. A bank based in Minnesota—like Sunrise Banks—will typically have a local area code, such as 651. If you get a message from someone claiming to be from the bank but using an out-of-state phone number, that’s a red flag.
Other inconsistencies to watch for include slight changes in names and addresses. For example, Sunrise Banks would never identify itself as “Sunrise Bank” without the “s.” Always verify that details match the real institution’s contact information. - Bad Grammar is a Red Flag
Misspellings, odd punctuation, and awkward phrasing often point to scams.
Keep citizen journalism alive!
Smiling Helps
by MARTI MALTBY
Smiling helps.
That’s it.
I have nothing more profound than that. I have been reminded lately how important it is to give and receive smiles, so I thought I would remind everyone else.
We have one community member at Peace House Community who I mentally associate with smiling. He and I rarely speak to each other, but any day that he comes in, he gives me a smile and a nod. Several times, when I have been dealing with a stressful situation or a combative individual, I will see him looking at me. When he knows he’s caught my eye, he will give me a smile of understanding. He still doesn’t say anything, but the smile lets me know that someone else sees what I’m dealing with and appreciates what I’m going through.
That sort of interaction has affected how I do my job. When Peace House Community opens in the morning, I try to greet our community members with a smile to make them feel welcome and at home. Many of our members have told me about how unwelcome they feel walking into most other buildings. They believe the people letting them in have already decided that they are potential troublemakers, which makes them defensive and guarded.… Read the rest “Smiling Helps”