News & Views of Phillips Since 1976
Tuesday February 3rd 2026
Throne’s Eye View: Part III, The South Bench
The city has announced it is dismantling Touchstone Plaza at Peavey Park due to deterioration and safety concerns. Also known as “The Thrones,” the Phillips landmark sits at the northeast corner of the park, at the intersection of Franklin and Chicago. The sculptures were the product of a multi-year collaboration between the late artist Rafala Green, community members, and more than 80 local youth employed by the project in the 1990s. “Thrones” is a reference to a poem by Louis Alemayehu mounted on a plaque near the entrance.
As a goodbye, the alley is featuring photos of each of the Plaza’s sculptural elements every month through June.
All photos by Laura Hulscher
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Debunking the Five Biggest Homebuying Myths
By NICOLE ROTHSTEIN , a contributing writer for Sunrise Banks.
As homebuying season begins, there are many misconceptions about purchasing a home that can deter potential buyers. To help clarify the process, we asked our mortgage experts at Sunrise Banks to debunk five common homebuying myths.
Myth #1: You Always Need a 20% Down Payment
A common belief is that buyers must put 20% down to secure a mortgage. However, multiple down payment assistance programs make homeownership accessible with much less upfront cash. First-time buyers may qualify for conventional loans with as little as 3% down, FHA loans with 3.5%, and USDA or VA loans that require no down payment. While a larger down payment can eliminate private mortgage insurance (PMI), it is not a requirement for securing a loan.
Myth #2: Mortgage Rates Are Directly Tied to the Federal Interest Rate
Many assume mortgage rates fluctuate directly with federal interest rates, but this is not entirely accurate. While federal rate changes impact short-term lending like credit cards and car loans, mortgage rates depend on multiple factors, including inflation, the 10-Year Treasury Note, and overall economic conditions. Buyers who can afford a home should not necessarily delay their purchase based solely on interest rate trends.… Read the rest “Debunking the Five Biggest Homebuying Myths”
Anora Wins Five Oscars: Thumbs Down On Three
By HOWARD MCQUITTER II
The 97th Oscars is –uh– some met my expectations by winning the golden statues. I vote every year. I went 15 right, 7 wrong, not my best year, but not bad when I had to guess on categories such as best Live Action Shorts, Best Cinematography, and Best Song Score.
When I vote for the winner of each category, I vote who will win. It’s not uncommon for me to sweat on getting the right answers often up to the day of the Oscars. Sometimes when I get the right answers I jump for joy.
The movie Anora won Best Picture. Best Actress went to Anora’s Mikey Madison. Best Director went to Sean Baker for Anora. I didn’t get to see Anora until two days after the Oscars. After viewing Anora, I said to myself… “Anora the best picture and Mikey Madison the best actress for the 97th Oscars? Nah.” What a slap in the face to Demi Moore for The Substance or Fernanda Torres for I’m Still Here who were both much more deserving for Best Actress.
Back to Anora as Best Picture; it doesn’t hold a candle to The Brutalist, A Complete Unknown, Conclave, Nickel Boys, Dune: Part Two, The Substance, I’m Still Here, and even Wicked.… Read the rest “Anora Wins Five Oscars: Thumbs Down On Three”
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