News & Views of Phillips Since 1976
Monday December 15th 2025
Smart Holiday Budgeting: Enjoy the Season Without the Financial Hangover
By JEAN CHALIFOUX KEILY, EVP – Director of Consumer Banking, Sunrise Banks
The holiday season can sneak up on us — between parties, travel, and gifts, expenses add up fast. While planning early is ideal, it’s never too late to start making a plan that keeps your spending in check and your stress low.
Creating a Budget That Works for You
Start by reviewing last year’s spending:
- How much did you spend, and on what?
- Were you paying it off in the new year?
- Did you account for travel, food, and decorations?
Use that information to guide your budget for this year. Include every expense — not just gifts — and build in an extra 15–20% for inevitable last-minute purchases.
Budgeting apps and tools can help you track purchases and see where your money goes in real time. Check in weekly to stay accountable. The bonus? You’ll have data to make next year’s holiday planning even easier.
Determine Priorities and Set Boundaries
It’s easy to overspend when you feel obligated to buy gifts for everyone. Instead, try these strategies:
- Prioritize who you’ll buy for and set spending limits.
- Look for loved ones who might value time together more than a gift.
Louis Solberg, Humorous, Heroic, Helpful
Policeman Who Sang and Did So Much More
240th in the series Tales from Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery…
By SUE HUNTER WEIR
Louis Solberg quickly became one of the most respected Minneapolitans; he was an early Norwegian immigrant at age 33 in 1868.
He died thirty-nine years later.
He was buried in a grave
next to his infant son.Their graves have no markers.
However, he was described as
“one of our most gentlemanly policemen…having an excellent record for ability
and honesty.”
In 1872 he was one of the first ten patrol officers appointed after Minneapolis and St. Anthony merged. George Brackett, elected mayor in 1873, charged the Police Force with cleaning up the City. Solberg and colleagues spent much of their time on stakeouts and patrolling of saloons in the City’s Red-Light District and “cleaning the City of early-day crooks.”
There are no reports that Solberg injured or killed anyone. A few report him firing warning shots at suspects. He fired at a man who had stolen a team of oxen, at a man who was breaking into a saloon, and at a man who “refused to move on.”… Read the rest “Louis Solberg, Humorous, Heroic, Helpful”
Indian Health Board: Creating Healthier Outcomes for Urban Indigenous Communities
This article is reprinted with permission from Sunrise Banks’ online Stories Page, originally published on October 16th.
By AMANDA THEISEN, Communications Manager for Sunrise Banks
Across the country, American Indian communities face some of the worst health disparities and outcomes across all racial and ethnic groups. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly one out of every four people who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native say they are in fair to poor health. Cancer, diabetes, heart disease and chronic liver disease rank as some of the leading causes of death in these populations. And the average life expectancy for American Indian people is just over 70 years old, nearly eight years lower than the average for all races.
The Indian Health Board (IHB) in Minneapolis has worked for decades to close those gaps among urban Indigenous communities. The nonprofit’s goal is to provide access to quality health services for American Indians and eliminate the barriers necessary to receive that care.
By creating safe spaces, providing culturally tailored medical care and incorporating traditional American Indian practices, IHB hopes to help reverse those trends and create healthier urban Indigenous communities. They have turned to Sunrise Banks as a trusted partner for funding a new medical clinic that is now under construction.… Read the rest “Indian Health Board: Creating Healthier Outcomes for Urban Indigenous Communities”
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