TLynx and Twins lose.
Target announced that CEO Brian Cornell will step down next year. CNBC: https://fluence-media.co/45ZPOzK
The DNR fish pond has been filled for the State Fair. PHOTOS: http://fluence-media.co/4fNKT8r
This year’s Grandstand offerings include the highest ticket price in State Fair history: $292 for Def Leppard. LIST: http://fluence-media.co/4oH9IqA
Shakopee’s upcoming amphitheater venue has a new name and a delayed opening date. FOX: http://fluence-media.co/3UEgM9L
Happy National Radio Day.
Blois
Blois - tips: bloisolson@gmail.com
Sunday Take featured Molly Coleman discussing her election to the St. Paul City Council and Rep. Kaohly Her sharing why she’s running for St. Paul mayor. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3UBcf7Y
Sunday Take will be live at the Fair both Sunday mornings. This Sunday a bipartisan conversation with Rep. Keith Allen and Sen. Doron Clark. Join me live at 9AM at WCCO Radio at the Fair.
GOV RACE: State Rep. Kristin Robbins is announcing a run for Minnesota governor today. The Maple Grove Republican is chair of the House fraud prevention committee, and a campaign press release claims that Gov. Tim Walz “finally has a serious opponent” because Robbins “has consistently over-performed in the suburbs.” Via a statement, ROBBINS: “Minnesotans deserve a leader who puts them first. I am committed to stopping the fraud, restoring fiscal responsibility, and bringing back common-sense leadership.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/45UqH1f
RESPONSE: via the DFL, VERBATIM: ““A Kristin Robbins governorship would be disastrous for working-class Minnesotans. Kristin Robbins spent the last year attempting to take meals away from students and paid leave away from their parents. She has a long-standing history of turning her back on those who need our support now more than ever,” said Minnesota DFL Chair Richard Carlbom. “However, Robbins isn’t just cruel. She’s the antithesis of transparent leadership, hiding behind a carefully calculated persona while advancing Trump’s radical agenda. Our party is ready to introduce the state to Robbins’ out-of-touch policies and inauthenticities.”
TAKE: Rep. Kristin Robbins upgrades GOP chances of winning in 2024 if she can get through the Republican endorsement and primary. That said, she needs to elevate herself above the adrenaline pump GOP issues to not be painted as too much of a Trumper to win a general election. There are plenty of critiques of the Walz administration, without leaning too hard into the culture wars. Finally, the Governor’s race should be a debate about the future of Minnesota – not just a criticism of the past which Republicans have become too good at.
WALZ: Via Axios’ Torey Van Oot, Gov. Tim Walz told reporters yesterday that he is “still assessing” whether to run for a third term, and he still plans to make an announcement after Labor Day, which is Sept. 1 this year. WALZ: “Our administration has navigated probably — I don’t think it’s much of an argument — some of the most challenging times Minnesota has faced. … I want to do what I think is best for Minnesota.” TWEET: http://fluence-media.co/4lwkBIZ
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On Monday, Fluence Advisory hosted a cannabis forum on the “State of Cannabis in Minnesota including an interview with Executive Director of the Office of Cannabis Management Eric Taubel.
MPLS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Minneapolis City Council Member Aisha Chughtai didn’t hold back over the weekend as she unleashed an expletive-laden attack on Mayor Jacob Frey at an appearance during SPI Fest, an Uptown music festival. Chughtai, who is the council vice president and represents Ward 10, [also] threw her support behind mayoral candidate Omar Fateh. CHUGHTAI: ‘We are going to transform this city. F--- Jacob Frey, f--- fascism and f--- Donald Trump.’ … The profane outburst was widely denounced Tuesday by other City Council members, the mayor and by the woman hoping to unseat Chughtai in the elections this fall, Lydia Millard. ‘I believe you can be tough without being toxic,’ Millard said.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4oKuNk2
RESPONSE: Minneapolis City Council members Linea Palmisano, Andrea Jenkins and Michael Rainville released a joint statement in response to Aisha Chughtai’s public outburst. STATEMENT: “The Council Vice President's outrageous remarks are an extraordinary breach of decorum. … We understand that it is an election year and that the Council Vice President is supporting one of the mayor's opponents. That is no excuse for this behavior. She owes an immediate apology to the mayor, to the Council colleagues she has been trusted to lead, and to Minneapolis residents who deserve better from their leaders.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3JhPG61
MORE: via WCCO Radio, VERBATIM: “WCCO Radio political analyst Blois Olson says in the aftermath of the political assassination of Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, Democrats had vowed to tone down the rhetoric. QUOTE: "And now you have a sitting city council member, using that kind of language against the sitting mayor," Olson says. "That's not toning down the rhetoric. And by the way, that's not a Republican-Democrat issue, that's a Democrat versus Democrat issue. It doesn't do anything to help the tone in what is going to be a very tense mayor's race." LISTEN/READ: https://fluence-media.co/3HkBlFh
CAPITOL: The Advisory Committee on Capitol Area Security will meet today, including a closed session. Meeting is at 9AM. Here’s the agenda: https://fluence-media.co/45IsPI2
MORE: via MPR, VERBATIM: “The panel is expected to run through current security measures, field public testimony and issue recommendations about steps that could ensure legislators, Capitol staff and members of the public are safe on the Capitol complex. They could also weigh strategies to keep lawmakers safe when they’re off campus…While the recommendation could be significant, it’s likely not the final step in implementing new security measures. The Legislature and Gov. Tim Walz would likely need to sign off on proposals that require new state funding or law changes.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4msAXnk
MORE: via KSTP, VERBATIM: “On Tuesday, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office tested a new alert system. … The ‘TEST ONLY’ alert text message was sent to county commissioners, state representatives, and state senators who live in Ramsey County. The test alert was also sent to Sheriff Bob Fletcher and other agency administration in the room, and it popped up on their phones within seconds. … Unlike the traditional Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) sent to cell phones in specific geographic areas through the County Emergency Communications Center, law enforcement agencies can directly text and email alerts and ‘Imminent Threat(s) to Life’ to selected contacts, Fletcher explained.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/4mTNDU8
BROADBAND: Comcast is rewriting the broadband playbook in the Twin Cities. From neighborhood networks to next-gen tech, we’re delivering community-first internet connectivity with no contracts, no surprises. The new Xfinity package means unlimited data, blazing-fast, reliable speeds and a 5-year price guarantee, plus free mobile for a year. It’s not the old Comcast — it’s a bold new era of connection. Let’s power the future, together. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/Comcast2025-1 (SPONSORED: Comcast)
OMNIBUSES: via Forum News Service, VERBATIM: “Including Minnesota, 43 states have a single-subject rule for their state legislatures, but not all of them take it seriously or have courts that strictly enforce it. Judge Leonardo Castro’s ruling Monday [against part of a 1,400-page bill] was a rarity in 21st-century Minnesota. … Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, said the bill should be invalidated in its entirety, as Castro ‘respectfully’ suggested in his ruling. DEMUTH: ‘This ruling is exactly what House Republicans warned about when the monstrous 1,400-page bill was passed…and the bill should be invalidated.’ … Democratic leaders Jamie Long, DFL-Minneapolis, and Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, both said they were disappointed in the ruling regarding binary triggers, but did not comment on the judge’s warning against the use of the single-subject rule.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4lCX3T0
PAID LEAVE: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Starting in January, working Minnesotans without access to paid family and medical leave will gain access though a new state-managed program that officials are racing to put the finishing touches on in hopes of a smooth launch. … There are high-profile examples of government tech launches that haven’t gone off as planned, from the MNsure insurance marketplace program to the MNLARS vehicle licensing system. … While some have voiced skepticism about the compressed timeline to kickstart benefits, members of the paid family and medical leave office say they’re confident they can pull it off. … ‘It’s a lot of work, but we’re really pleased with how it’s coming along,’ said Evan Rowe, deputy commissioner at the Department of Employment and Economic Development.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3JoCo7y
BACK TO SCHOOL: via a Dept. of Revenue press release, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Revenue reminds parents and caregivers that they can claim valuable K-12 tax benefits at tax time next year by saving back-to-school shopping receipts for purchases made this year. Two tax benefits can help Minnesota families pay expenses related to their child’s education: the refundable K-12 Education Credit (income limits apply) and the K-12 Education Subtraction (no income limits). Last year, more than 44,000 families received the K-12 Education Credit for an average credit of $379. Over 114,000 families received the K-12 Education Subtraction for an average subtraction of $1,438.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/41PLKzs
BUSES: via WCCO-TV, VERBATIM: “As kids gear up to go back to school, many districts are still searching for enough bus drivers. … Kathryn Forboard, president of the Minnesota School Bus Operations Association, [said] shortages have stayed about the same compared to recent years. Rural communities like Dassel-Cokato are feeling the pinch the most, relying on expanding partnerships with other local transportation services. … In Rochester, Michael Pierce manages First Student. He says this year they're closer to being fully staffed than they've been in years, but still short.” READ/WATCH: http://fluence-media.co/4mlStJH
SUMMER SAVINGS: via Xcel Energy, VERBATIM: “Home cooling can account for about half of your summertime electric bill. Here are five simple, effective ways to boost energy efficiency in your home and save money.
1. Ceiling fans cool you, not the room.
2. When away, adjust your thermostat.
3. Hot air belongs outside.
4. Cook smarter to stay cooler.
5. Let nature dry your clothes — plus, your chores can wait until evening.”
(SPONSORED: Xcel Energy)
VACCINES: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota-based Vaccine Integrity Project followed through Tuesday on a promise to provide scientific data on vaccine safety and effectiveness ― with the results contradicting President Donald Trump’s federal health advisers. The project collected results from 590 studies and pooled them to see what they collectively show about the latest vaccines against COVID-19, influenza and the respiratory virus RSV. Twenty-four doctors reviewed the results and generally found the vaccines continued to protect three key populations: Children, pregnant women and people with diminished immune systems.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/41ciZgh
MORE: via WCCO Radio, VERBATIM: “Child vaccinations are on the decline, and this is a concerning trend to health professionals. Dr. Chase Shutak is a medical director at the Children's Minnesota [hospital]. … He says more kids are getting sick because of this trend.” SHUTAK: “We have already seen more children getting sick. The most notable have been the outbreaks of measles, and we are at a 10-year high regarding the number of cases of measles within the United States.” READ/LISTEN: http://fluence-media.co/45omanC
MAYOR: via Jazz for Mayor, VERBATIM: “Today, Jazz Hampton received an endorsement from Run for Something (RFS), a national organization that recruits and supports the next generation of progressive leaders for state and local office. The organization’s slate of newly endorsed candidates includes young, diverse progressives from across the country. … Since its founding, RFS has helped elect nearly 1,500 candidates across the country, including 18 candidates in red-to-blue seats in the 2024 election cycle.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/3Jn7mgq
DEM PRIMARY: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “Several years ago, Minnesota Democrats rallied around the idea of making Minnesota one of the first presidential primary states in 2024. Then-DFL Party Chair Ken Martin led the charge, but it ultimately didn’t happen. Now, as the head of the Democratic National Committee, Martin is calling on states to make their pitch if they want to be an early voting state in 2028 as the party considers revamping its presidential calendar when the DNC meets in Minneapolis later this month. … DFL Party Chair Richard Carlbom says he has no plans to pitch Minnesota as a 2028 early voting state despite Martin’s open call for bids. … [But] several Democrats that had been supportive [previously] — including Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Angie Craig — said they would support the DFL [trying again].” READ: http://fluence-media.co/45HolkS
HOUSING: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “House prices in the Twin Cities outpaced the nation this summer, as buyers hurried to take advantage of recent declines in mortgage rates and a summertime spurt of listings. The median home price of all closed sales in the metro was $399,900 during July, which was 4.5% higher than last year, according to new data from Homes.com. That’s more than twice the gain of the national average and the highest annual increase since March.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/4mJ6Zek
ENERGY: via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “BlackRock [has] proposed a takeover of the parent company of Duluth-based Minnesota Power. … Public filings in the hotly contested matter show ratepayer advocates, labor unions, environmental groups and major customers of Minnesota Power on different sides of the issue. … Administrative law judge Megan J. McKenzie [has] called on the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission…to reject the proposed deal, [arguing] a private equity buyout of the electric utility serving large swathes of northern Minnesota could weaken its finances. … BlackRock, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Minnesota Power’s parent company [have] called the judge’s nonbinding report ‘not an accurate or balanced summary or analysis.’” READ: http://fluence-media.co/475gzDV
BLOOD: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “A Minnesota blood center has declared a blood emergency due to a shortage throughout the state. Memorial Blood Centers says the state’s blood supply has dropped below a two-day inventory. A seven-day supply is needed to meet the demands of hospitals and patients. Memorial Blood Centers is asking for donations. … There is an anticipated decline in donations over the summer due to vacations, summer break and weather that keeps donors inside. However, an increase in trauma cases has depleted the local blood supply. Minnesota is not alone in not having enough — this is a nationwide problem, but solving it requires donors locally.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/45D6Geg
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO CELEBRATE: Flint Hills Resources and its employees are proud of the company they keep, including many community partners that help make Minnesota a better place to live and learn. Not only is the Pine Bend refinery celebrating 70 years, many of the company’s long-time partnerships have milestones in 2025 — 25 years of the Flint Hills Family Festival in partnership with the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, 25 years with Friends of the Mississippi River to restore critical habitat, 30 years with the Minnesota Zoo, and 40 years with Ducks Unlimited. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/3ZfDkjY (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources)
SHAKOPEE: via Bring Me The News, VERBATIM: “With Live Nation's new amphitheater set to open in Shakopee next summer, city officials are exploring ways to curb late-night parties and other disruptive behavior at short-term rental properties. Shakopee currently allows owner-occupied homes to be rented for less than 30 days and no more than 60 days per calendar year. Michael Kerski, the city's planning and development director, told the Shakopee City Council [that] he is proposing the city implement an annual license program that would include a property inspection and payment of applicable lodging taxes. Under the change, Kerski said properties subject to complaints could have their license revoked. These regulations, he said, are already common in other Twin Cities communities.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/47nqmpd
GRAND MARAIS: via Star Tribune, VERBATIM: “A Cook County property owner is willing to do the unusual: sell 80 acres of undeveloped, forested land overlooking Grand Marais to preserve a cherished view. But there’s a catch. The owner gave an interested group of residents a Dec. 1 deadline to come up with the $475,000. Beyond that, he would consider developing the land-locked plots, or selling them to someone else who will. The bulk of Cook County land, which covers the northeast tip of the state, is government-owned. That makes it hard for the county to generate revenue through property taxes. At the same time, housing demand is high (and expensive) for the rural area.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/45Na1Yn
HERMANTOWN: via Duluth News Tribune, VERBATIM: “The season never really stops at the Hermantown Hockey Arena. The rink, which is home to two of the most successful hockey programs in northeastern Minnesota, is booked year-round. … That was the challenge posed to Kraus-Anderson after breaking ground in July 2024 on North Star Ford Arena, [a new venue] which connects to Hermantown Hockey Arena at four different places. … While there is still plenty left to do to finish the $24.7 million North Star Ford Arena, the project is on schedule to finish construction just before the holidays and begin hosting games in January.” READ: http://fluence-media.co/41Jyix8
From yesterday’s Fluence newsletters:
TIKTOK: via Office of the Atty. General, VERBATIM: “Attorney General Keith Ellison filed a groundbreaking lawsuit against TikTok Inc. for violating Minnesota’s consumer protection laws. This lawsuit follows the Attorney General’s federal lawsuit filed against Meta in October 2023 for similar violations through its design of Instagram and Facebook. … Today’s Complaint, filed in Hennepin County District Court, shows how TikTok ensnares young users in cycles of excessive use through app design features that prey on young people’s neurodevelopmental vulnerabilities. The filing details the company’s strategic decision to squeeze time, attention, data, and even money out of young users by maximizing their time spent on TikTok.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4oK2UbF WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/47AoAkj
RESEARCH: via Sahan Journal, VERBATIM: “Research grants make up a substantial part of the University of Minnesota’s budget, and the majority of those research funds come from the federal government. In the 2024 fiscal year, the University received $628 million in federal research grants — about 14% of the university’s total budget. But like other universities around the country, the U has seen federal agencies pull some of these funds as President Donald Trump attempts to exert greater control of higher education institutions. As of July 17, 98 federal grants have been terminated or suspended at the University of Minnesota.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3HEMTmE
OPIOIDS: via MPR News, VERBATIM: “Fentanyl has spread to every corner of the country in recent years and has caused overdose deaths to surge everywhere it’s gone. For years, young, white and often rural people have been the public face of the opioid epidemic. Lately, public officials and journalists have also been raising the alarm about high overdose rates among Native Minnesotans and people of color, more generally. But one particularly hard-hit group in Minnesota is getting little attention from policymakers: older Black men.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45spGNK
TODAY: Gov. Tim Walz will visit Mesabi Metallics in Nashwauk at 12:00 noon. Later, he will participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Nashwauk-Keewatin PreK-12 School at 3:00 p.m. The latter event is open to the press, per his public schedule.
TODAY: via a U.S. Senate advisory, VERBATIM: “Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (D-MN) will hold a press conference highlighting the Senate-approved $5,200,000 in funding for the Minnesota Air National Guard to design a C-130J Fuel Cell Maintenance Hangar, as part of the 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) appropriations bill.” The event is at 10:00 a.m. in St. Paul.
TOMORROW: via MNJRC, VERBATIM: “In light of Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s recent announcement that she will not seek a second term, the Minnesota Justice Research Center (MNJRC) is partnering with the Minneapolis NAACP to host a town hall with Moriarty and her office to discuss the future of justice in Hennepin County. Community members are invited to the University of Minnesota Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC) on Thursday, August 21, 2025 from 6-8 p.m.”
FRIDAY: via Flanagan for Senate, VERBATIM: “Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan announced U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) will head to Minnesota to support Flanagan’s campaign for U.S. Senate. The two will hold a rally in Minneapolis on August 22nd to share their plans on how to change the status quo in Washington.”
AUG 24-27: The Democratic National Committee will hold a number of meetings in Minneapolis from Sunday, Aug. 24 to Wednesday, Aug. 27, beginning with a welcome reception at the State Fair hosted by DNC Chair Ken Martin at 6:00 p.m. SCHEDULE: http://fluence-media.co/3HcuwFv
AUG 26: Primaries for the upcoming special elections in Senate Districts 29 and 47 will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 26. The winners of these primaries will be on special election ballots Nov. 4.
SEPT 3-4: The Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture is hosting two virtual sessions to gather public input and ideas for the 2026 legislative session. The first is Wednesday, Sept. 3 at 12:00 noon. The second is Thursday, Sept. 4 at 5:00 p.m. DETAILS: https://fluence-media.co/46W26Kr
BDAYS: AgriGrowth’s Darin Broton, Farm Bureau’s Dan Glessing, communicator Joanna Hjelmeland
Send us your tips at BloisOlson@gmail.com
IN MEMORIAM: morning take from now to the future is in memory of Melissa Hortman her accessibility, leadership and commitment to public service.
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