News & Views of Phillips Since 1976
Thursday December 25th 2025
Cemetery markers are the “tip of the iceberg” and a book cover of family stories
At 26th St. and 26th Ave. George Thompson II (left photo) owned the Exchange Hotel and Duffy”'s Bar here in bottom right photo in the area that became known as the Hub of Hell because of shootings, killings, labor riots and gangster hangouts. Top 1965 photo of Duffy”'s and Mr. Nib”'s Nightclub. Duffy”'s Tavern became Norma Jean”'s Nightclub painted a garish pink from 1979-1984.
By Sue Hunter Weir
August 8th 2014 was a busy day in the Cemetery. Five new markers were placed that day.
Ron Thompson honored George E. Thompson II and August and Maria Seeber.
Ron Thompson of Naples, Florida, purchased three of them: One was for his grandfather, George E. Thompson II, and the other two were for his maternal grandparents, August Friederich Seeber and Maria Werner Seeber.
August and Maria Seeber arrived in Canada from Germany in 1869. Their daughter, Louise, who was born in Germany in 1866, came with them. The family settled in Northfield, Minnesota, where family lore has it that Louise witnessed members of Jesse James”' gang racing through town on the day that they robbed the Northfield Bank.… Read the rest “Cemetery markers are the “tip of the iceberg” and a book cover of family stories”
Exuberance & Excitement Exudes At Franklin Learning Center & Library
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- Harry Baumert
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- Gaheyr Warsame
By Franklin Learning Center Staff
Students come to the Franklin Learning Center to learn English, improve their reading and writing skills, prepare for the GED, or get ready for the U.S. citizenship test. Learners come from more than 20 different countries and range in age from early twenties to middle eighties. Some study for a long time, and some stay for only a short while. Yet while all students are different, they share a strong determination and commitment to life-long learning.
Originally from the city of Galkayo in the northern part of Somalia, Gaheyr Warsame came to study at the Franklin Learning Center in 2011, not long after he first arrived in Minnesota. For the last three years, Gaheyr has been studying very diligently and coming very regularly. He has already studied at FLC for more than 1500 hours! His hard work has led to good results. Gaheyr has finished the math books on fractions, decimals, percentages, and introductory algebra and geometry; now he is working on an algebra book with more advanced equations.… Read the rest “Exuberance & Excitement Exudes At Franklin Learning Center & Library”
Letter to the Community: In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre at Crossroads of Change
By HOBT Board of Directors
In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre (HOBT), the funder and organizer of the annual MayDay Parade and Festival and one of Minneapolis”' most beloved community assets, is embarking on a new path to reimagine its future with the aim of ensuring the organization”'s long-term viability and success.
HOBT”'s vital mission ”“ to bring people together for the common good through the power of puppet and mask performance ”“ will remain at the core of its puppet center identity, along with its performance, education and community-building work.
While HOBT continues to lay the foundation for its sustainability into the next decade, it is currently faced with inadequate cash flow to support the full range of programming it has offered in the post-recession economy. The reasons include the inability to replace overhead funding lost after the expiration of a multi-year operating support grant (and the increasingly limited availability of similar grants); and the unexpected need to fund a more than $20,000 refinancing of the Avalon Theatre mortgage as a result of a precipitous drop in the theatre”'s appraised value along with the subsequent reduction of a credit line used to moderate cyclical cash flows.… Read the rest “Letter to the Community: In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre at Crossroads of Change”
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