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POLLING
OLMSTED COUNTY: Via Rochester Post Bulletin, VERBATIM: “A majority of Olmsted County residents are in favor of restricting sales of flavored tobacco products, according to a recent poll commissioned by a local coalition . . . Love Your Lungs Olmsted released the poll results Thursday, Aug. 20. When asked about tobacco use among youth, 72% respondents said they are very or somewhat concerned. Two-thirds, or 66%, of respondents said they support or strongly support an ordinance that ‘would end the sale of all flavored tobacco products.’ That majority support holds across all seven county districts, per the poll results.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wAiWYB
VOTER CONCERNS: Via Families USA, VERBATIM: “A national poll released by Families USA shows that high health care costs, including unreasonably high hospital prices, are top of mind for voters this summer as members of Congress are now back in their districts facing their constituents. A July 2026 survey of 1,000 registered voters also found that voters on both sides of the aisle are opposed to federal Medicaid cuts enacted last year by a two-to-one margin, with a majority of voters strongly opposed to cuts.”
MORE: From the poll, regarding hospital pricing:
READ: NEWS RELEASE | FULL POLL RESULTS
TOOTH FAIRY: Via Delta Dental, VERBATIM: “In celebration of National Tooth Fairy Day on August 22, Delta Dental released additional findings from its 2026 Original Tooth Fairy Poll, revealing growing anticipation and curiosity among children as they await a visit from the Tooth Fairy. One-third of children (33%) go to bed early when expecting a visit from the Tooth Fairy, up significantly from 23% last year. Children’s curiosity is also on the rise, with 30% asking to learn more about the Tooth Fairy, compared to 24% in 2025.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xVzhIr
Check out all the episodes of Sunday Take on 830 WCCO. CLICK: https://fluence-media.co/3KsuDrZ
MEDICAID SUPPORTS HEALTH CARE FOR ALL OF US: Medicaid keeps Minnesota’s hospitals strong and ensures communities across the state have access to care. Policymakers must protect Medicaid so every Minnesotan — regardless of income or health status — can get the care they need, when they need it. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/3FtrCuH (SPONSORED: Minnesota Hospital Association)
HEALTH HEADLINES
SPROUTS: Via MDH, VERBATIM: “Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) officials are warning Minnesota consumers not to eat alfalfa sprouts sold under the Calco and Everything Sprouts brands due to a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) and Salmonella infections. Twenty-three Minnesotans became ill between July 8 and Aug. 8 with Salmonella and/or various strains of STEC). Two people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4iiSyia
PEPPERS: Via NBC News, VERBATIM: “At least 431 people in 32 states have gotten sick from eating fresh jalapeño peppers contaminated with salmonella, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday. The likeliest source of the illnesses was jalapeños grown in Mexico and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors, which recalled the peppers. They were served at Chipotle, Qdoba and other Mexican-style restaurants.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4hFdBvc
NEXT WEEK: Via CIR-SEIU, VERBATIM: “This Monday, August 24, resident physicians and fellows employed by the University of Minnesota Medical Center will hold a press conference to demand a fair first contract that supports their ability to provide exceptional care to Minnesota communities. Represented by the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR-SEIU), the almost 1,000 frontline doctors provide the majority of patient care at the University of Minnesota-affiliated hospitals with more than 80 hours a week. After months of bargaining without an agreement, the institution’s negotiators are continuing to deny the physicians fair pay, mental health benefits to deal with the stress of their highly-demanding jobs, and other protections.”
NURSING HOMES: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by nursing home industry leaders seeking to dissolve the state’s nursing home labor standards board, which the Legislature created in 2023 to set minimum wages and employment standards. The ruling is a victory for nursing home workers, many of whom will receive raises next month because of the board. It will also fuel the labor movement’s push to win higher wages and working conditions across entire industries rather than just negotiations at individual workplaces.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4giI9jX
AI + HOSPITALS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “As hospitals across the country ramp up their integration of artificial intelligence into how they go about diagnosing and treating patients and conduct research, recent allegations around Mayo Clinic‘s practices may provide a window into the tensions hospitals across the country are up against. Last month, a former Mayo Clinic executive filed a federal whistleblower lawsuit, accusing the health care provider of cutting corners by skirting review boards and masking concerning error rates in its rush to incorporate AI into its operations and keep its hold as an industry leader in the artificial intelligence space.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4wJjATn
MAYO: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Mayo Clinic researchers have developed and externally validated an artificial intelligence (AI) model that can identify a potentially significant heart obstruction from routine ultrasound videos without relying on specialized Doppler imaging. The technology could help clinicians flag patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) who may need additional testing, particularly in settings where specialized echocardiography expertise is limited.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wL8NIx
HEALTHCARE: Strong communities depend on sustainable nonprofit healthcare. By planning to join leading nonprofit healthcare system Sutter Health, Allina Health will be better positioned to expand access to high-quality, innovative care in Minnesota and western Wisconsin — supporting patients, caregivers, and communities for generations to come. Learn more about the Allina-Sutter partnership online. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/AllinaHealth (SPONSORED: Allina Health)
BIG ISSUES
VACCINATIONS: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s kindergarten vaccination rates fell across the board during the 2025-26 school year, according to new CDC data released this week. Why it matters: Minnesota is becoming one of the least-vaccinated states in the nation, with immunization rates among kids well below levels needed to curb outbreaks of preventable diseases.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gp9O2I
FOOD BIZ: Via Investigate Midwest, VERBATIM: “Companies such as Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Mars have regularly sued governments around the world in an effort to prevent public health proposals from being implemented, according to new reporting by Lighthouse Reports and a slew of media partners. Diets full of ultraprocessed foods — such as fast food, cereals, soft drinks and protein bars — have been linked to poor health outcomes. Governments around the globe have responded by adding warning labels on packages and placing restrictions on marketing. To fight back, food companies have sued 239 times between 2010 and 2025, according to Lighthouse Reports’ investigation.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4ckJXbh
FDA: Via Politico, VERBATIM: “Heidi Overton’s years of loyalty to Donald Trump helped her become his pick to lead the Food and Drug Administration, one of the government’s most powerful regulatory agencies. But that devotion could ruin her chances at Senate confirmation. As Trump’s deputy assistant for domestic policy, Overton, a physician, has helped bring Trump’s health policies to fruition, most recently helping shepherd an executive order last week that spelled out Trump’s plan to reduce the number of recommended vaccines for children. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), proponent of vaccination, occasional Trump critic, and chair of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, has already signaled that may cost her his vote.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gkZWqL
VETS: Via Newsweek, VERBATIM: “President Donald Trump on Tuesday reaffirmed his administration’s push to expand access to psychedelic-assisted treatments for veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI) and depression. In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced a new step involving the hallucinogenic compound ibogaine.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4quCDj4
CDC: Via NBC News, VERBATIM: “The new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Erica Schwartz, said Wednesday the agency is prepared to handle a variety of disease outbreaks, despite internal concerns about drastic cuts to CDC staffing and programs. Schwartz made the remarks in an internal meeting with CDC staff members. NBC News reviewed a transcript of the agencywide meeting, Schwartz’s first since she took the helm of the agency this month.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45XWbmB
TEEN PREGNANCY: Via The Hill, VERBATIM: “A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s changes to the Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) program that resulted in the abrupt loss of tens of millions of dollars in federal grants. The order from U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper, who was appointed by former President Obama, pauses the administration’s effort to reshape the TPP program into abstinence-only curricula.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4wLaAxf
HUNGER: Via Gallup, VERBATIM: “Global hunger and food insecurity continued to decline in 2025, extending the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, according to estimates from the latest The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report. Despite the recent progress, both hunger and food insecurity remain above pre-pandemic levels and uneven across regions. Hundreds of millions of people continue to experience hunger, leaving the world off track to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2 of ending hunger by 2030.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4xd3hj2
ESSENTIA HEALTH SUPPORTS FREE CLINIC IN VIRGINIA, SERVING INCREASED NUMBER OF UNINSURED MINNESOTANS: Every Thursday night, physicians and care team members from Essentia Health-Virginia volunteer at the Project Care Free Clinic, providing treatment, screenings, and preventive care to patients who are uninsured or may be struggling to afford health care premiums. Essentia also provides lab and X-ray services at no cost to the clinic or its patients. Essentia is proud to support the clinic, ensuring everyone in the community can get the care they need. READ MORE: By volunteering at a free clinic, Essentia providers in Virginia ensure access to care for all | Essentia Health (SPONSORED: Essentia Health)
RESEARCH & INNOVATION
CANCER RISK: Via Mayo Clinic, VERBATIM: “Mayo Clinic researchers have estimated the risk that pancreatic cysts with worrisome or high-risk features will progress to pancreatic cancer or advanced precancerous changes within three years. The findings, published in Gastroenterology, could help physicians and patients better assess risk and make more informed decisions about whether to monitor a cyst or consider surgery.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4goaHIO
SCHIZOPHRENIA: Via Rutgers University, VERBATIM: “Specialized brain scans reveal that schizophrenia is linked to widespread loss of the synapses that connect brain cells, with the left side of the brain hit especially hard. The damage follows a surprisingly organized pattern tied to the brain’s chemistry and wiring. Researchers also identified a left frontal region that may serve as a starting point for the loss.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/46hw1uQ
COFFEE: Via University of Olu, VERBATIM: “Coffee drinkers may be getting more than an energy boost. A Finnish study found that people who drank more coffee tended to have less total and abdominal fat, more muscle, and healthier metabolic markers despite having similar BMIs. Higher coffee intake was also linked to lower levels of certain amino acids associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes risk.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3SkDCpm
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
BREASTFEEDING: Via MDH, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is helping more parents initiate breastfeeding, which yields good health for parents and babies, as well as long-term cost savings. With nearly 40% of infants born in Minnesota receiving WIC benefits, the program’s breastfeeding education efforts provide a real opportunity to help more families get the healthy benefits of breastfeeding.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4gsqSVD
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